Total Offering

Total Offering

Sean Vickers

In Mark 12:41-44 Jesus is observing people at the synagogue contributing to the offering box. Jesus, being the Master Teacher, uses this as a teachable moment for His disciples. He says,

“Truly, I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the offering box. For they all contributed out of their abundance, by she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on.” Mark 12: 43-44

Challenging Observation from this Passage

  1. God cares how much we give.
  2. Jesus want to teach His disciples and us how to manage our money.
  3. The amount of the gift is not as important as the attitude of our hearts when we give.
  4. Jesus wants us to trust Him with everything in our lives.
  5. We exercise our faith when we give our all to Jesus and His work.

Father, help me today to give you all I have for all You are.

 

True Love Waits

True Love Waits

Sean Vickers

I am proud of our Students this Valentine’s Day season. Traditionally I do a True Love Waits Emphasis during the month of February. This year I decided to challenge our students to go public with their decision by taking their picture while holding a sign that said “I am True Love Waits.” After these pictures were taken they were posted on our Student Ministry Facebook Page. The challenge was for the students to make their True Love Waits picture their profile picture until Easter. It was incredible to see these pictures showing up on facebook. We created an environment where students were bold in their walk with Christ.

True Love Waits Commitment

Believing that true love waits, I make a commitment to God, myself, my family, my friends, my future mate, and my future children to a lifetime of purity including sexual abstinence from this day until the day I enter a biblical marriage relationship.

 

 

Awake Church-wide Fast for Revival

Awake Church-wide Fast for Revival

Sean Vickers

Boiling Springs First Baptist just finished 21 days of Prayer and Fasting. This is a annual emphasis where churches all over world humble themselves and seek God though prayer and fasting. Awake21.org is the website that coordinates the effort. God truly changed my life and the life of our church during this time.  At the end of the 21 days we had a church-wide fellowship that featured testimonies and a meal to break the fast. Members young and old shared how God had spoken to them during the 21 days.

A Heart towards God

Sean Vickers

But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the LORD sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart.”  1 Samuel 16:7

There is a fascinating account in the Bible in 1 Samuel 16. When it was time to replace King Saul, Samuel went to Bethlehem and called together Jesse and his sons. Each of Jesse’s sons were presented to Samuel and God would select a new King. As seven sons passed by Samuel there was no suitable replacement found. Samuel asked if all of Jesse’s sons were there. Jesse had one more son, David, who was tending the sheep. They called for David and he was the one and was anointed by Samuel to be the future king of Israel.

This compelling story raises the question: What was the difference between David and his brothers? 1 Samuel 16:7 demonstrates that it was a matter of the heart. We tend to look at the exterior and God looks and the interior, the heart. 2 Chronicles 16:9

What does God see when He looks at your heart?

  • Pride – Proverbs 21:4, Jeremiah 17:9
    Our hearts will naturally focus on me, myself and I.
  • Guilt – Matthew 5:19
  • Brokenness – Psalm 51:17
  • Emptiness – King Saul – 1 Samuel 13:14
  • Belief – Romans 10:10
  • Jesus – Ephesians 3:14-19

What should we do?

  • Examine our OWN hearts
  • Eliminate pride and sin by confession and repentance
  • Turn our hearts toward God
  •  Trust Christ to dwell in our hearts as Savior and Lord
A Soft Heart Towards God

A Soft Heart Towards God

Sean Vickers

Mark 4:1-20. In the Parable of the Soils Jesus identifies four different soil types and teaches a lesson on the condition of our hearts and how receptive we are to the Word of God.

The Seed = The Word of God

The Sower = Servant of God who shared the Word with others

The Soil = The human heart

The Hard Heart

  • Resists the Word of God
  • Easy for Satan to snatch away biblical truth before it takes root
  • Must be plowed up before it can receive seed
  • Represents a heart that is completely closed to the Word of God
  • The enemy of the hard heart is Satan

The Shallow Heart

  • Thin Soil with bedrock underneath
  • What ever is planted has no root and will not last
  • Receives the Word with “joy” representing an emotional response
  • The emotional response ends when the pressure of this life crash back in
  • The enemy of the shallow Heart is emotions that don’t lead to a changed life. Being “moved” but not “changed”

The Crowded Heart

  • Seed is sown among the weeds and the weeds choke out the Word’s work
  • “But the worries of this life, deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful.” v19
  • This is a person that hears about the “narrow way” but remains on the “broad way.” Matthew 7: 13-14
  • The enemy of the crowded heart is the things of the world

The Fruitful Heart

  • The True Believer and the person that has a soft heart before God and His Word
  • The only fruit bearing plant demonstrating true conversion and true change
  • Produces a crop well beyond the plants normal capacity
  • God causes the increase EXPLODING into a rich harvest

God, grant us soft hearts that You may do Your work deep down in our hearts.

Top Ten Ideas about Hospital Visitation

Top Ten Ideas about Hospital Visitation

Sean Vickers

Top Ten Ideas about Hospital Visitation

During 15 years of full time ministry I have had the opportunity to minister to many church members and friends while they were admitted to the hospital. Below are some ideas about making hospital visits:

10. Don’t miss the opportunity to minister to your friends and family when they are in the hospital. Those in the hospital and their families appreciate your visit.

09.  Always check in at the information desk. Check the room number and get directions to the room.

08.  Once you get to the room, check with a nurse to make sure a visit is o.k.

07.  Use hand sanitizer and check the door for any instructions about those that enter. You may need to wear a mask and gloves. You always wanted to look like a doctor!

06.  If the door is shut. Knock before entering and go in slowly.

05.  When you enter introduce yourself unless everyone already knows you.

04.  Ask questions without going into too much detail. You may find out more than you want to know. Never give medical advice unless you are a doctor.

03.  Keep the visit brief. Let how well you know the person determine how long you stay. If you are visiting a family member you will stay hours. If you are visiting someone you just met you will stay 5 minutes max.

02.  Always have prayer for person you are visiting. Pray for the doctors and nurses that attend to your friend. Shorter heart-felt prayers are better than longer KJV prayers.

01.  Thank Jesus for the opportunity to represent Him to your friend in their time of need.

Courgeous Movie

Courgeous Movie

Sean Vickers

Courageous Movie

Our church, Boiling Springs First Baptist, rented out a theater to promote the movie Courageous and encourage our members to support the movie. I had the privilege to attend with my wife. We both were impressed by the quality and content of the movie. Being parents of five amazing children we completely support the message and strive to put a high priority on raising Godly children.

Top Three Ideas from Courageous

1.  The responsibility of fathers for their families is great. This responsibility can only be faithfully fulfilled through the power of God working in father’s lives.

2.  Parents must maximize their time with their children while they can.

3.  There is power in Godly Men standing together and chasing after the heart of God.

 

On November 6, 2011, our church is having a Courageous Resolution Service. On that night, I will stand in front of my family and read the Resolutions from the movie. By God’s grace and through His power at work in my life I will live up to these commitments and honor God as I lead my family. Below is the Courageous Resolution:

THE RESOLUTION

I do solemnly resolve before God to take full responsibility for myself, my wife, and my children.

I WILL love them, protect them, serve them, and teach them the Word of God as the spiritual leader of my home.

I WILL be faithful to my wife, to love and honor her, and be willing to lay down my life for her as Jesus Christ did for me.

I WILL bless my children and teach them to love God with all of their hearts, all of their minds, and all of their strength.

I WILL train them to honor authority and live responsibly.

I WILL confront evil, pursue justice, and love mercy.

I WILL pray for others and treat them with kindness, respect, and compassion.

I WILL work diligently to provide for the needs of my family.

I WILL forgive those who have wronged me and reconcile with those I have wronged.

I WILL learn from my mistakes, repent of my sins, and walk with integrity as a man answerable to God.

I WILL seek to honor God, be faithful to His church, obey His Word, and do His will.

I WILL courageously work with the strength God provides to fulfill this resolution for the rest of my life and for His glory.

As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.

—Joshua 24:15

See You at the Pole 2011

Sean Vickers

Early in the morning, on the last Wednesday in September, you will find me at a school campus supporting Students as they take a stand for Christ around their flagpole. For fifteen years I have been encouraged and challenged by the courage and boldness of Students to pray around their flagpoles. They are an example to believers everywhere to proclaim the name of Christ regardless of the circumstances. This year I was privileged to be at the 9th Grade Campus of Boiling Springs High School. Way to go Bulldogs!

Memorial Day

Sean Vickers

Today our nation celebrates Memorial Day. A day when we remember the brave men and women that gave their lives for the freedom we enjoy in the United States. This day reminds me of my visits to Arlington Memorial Cemetery in Washington D.C. and Normandy Memorial Cemetery in France. Walking in these cemeteries is an amazing reminder of the great cost of the freedom we enjoy. May we never forget their lives and their defense of our freedom.

Beach Baptism

Beach Baptism

Sean Vickers

Sunday night of Memorial Day weekend Westside Baptist Church assembled for a Beach baptism at Hannah Park.  After a short service we went out in the surf and baptized 11. Thanks to all who came and supported those being baptized. The fellowship continued well after the service. After the baptism service I went for a four mile beach run. This was a great way to spend a Sunday afternoon.