Archive for June, 2009

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Our Future Heritage

Monday, June 29th, 2009

I thought I might have an Independence Day grandson, but Blake Carter Wigton came a bit early into the world today. My fifth grandson was born to Rev. Dan & Carrie Wigton in Lima, Ohio, today around 1:00 PM. Blake weighed 6 lbs., 12 oz., and was 19 inches long. Mother and son are doing just fine. My son, Dan, serves as Senior Pastor of Lima Baptist Temple. He has two other sons, Zachary 6, and Nicholas, 2.

Our grandchildren are the future of America. As we celebrate July 4th, we must do all that we can to ensure that our grandchildren have some semblance of the America in which we grew up. We seem to be losing our standards, values, and opportunities rapidly. Faith in God and trust in His Word is not what it once was in America. Our children and grandchildren deserve better. We must never give up the effort to create a meaningful future for them. The Bible says, “Righteousness exalteth a nation!”

God bless America! And thank God for the joy of being a grandparent. It took me by surprise when my first grandson, Trey, was born in Tampa seven years ago to my eldest daughter, Libbie. Trey was soon followed by Jay (James), named after his grandfather! Earlier this year we had a miracle granddaughter born to our youngest daughter, Julie. There is nothinig like being a grandparent!

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God Bless America

Monday, June 29th, 2009

As we celebrate America this week, we remember many great Americans who helped found our nation. One of them was Patrick Henry. He is famous for his public proclamation, “Give me liberty, or give me death!”

Patrick Henry was a remarkable public servant. He was a delegate to the First Continental Congress. He was commander-in-chief of the Virginia state militia during the Revolutionary War. He was a delegate to the Second Continental Congress. Patrick Henry authored much of the Virginia state constitution, and our national Bill of Rights. He was elected governor of Virginia four consecutive terms. When he chose to retire, they elected him a 5th time. But he insisted that it was time for him to retire.

Patrick Henry was a devout Christian. When a Baptist preacher was arrested for preaching without the authorization of the state church in Virginia in those days, he said, “Great God, gentlemen, a man in prison for preaching the Gospel of the Son of God!” He said that it could not be emphasized too greatly that the United States of America was founded not by religionists, but by Christians — not based on religions, but on the Gospel of Jesus Christ! In his last will and testament, Patrick Henry left all that he had to his children. And then he said that he wished he could leave them faith in Jesus Christ, because if you have everything else, and have not Christ, you have nothing!

What a great man was Patrick Henry.

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Southern Baptist Convention

Thursday, June 25th, 2009

I thoroughly enjoyed the annual meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention this week in Louisville, KY. I did not take in as many services or meetings as usual, because I spent much of my time helping to staff the exhibit of the Greater Orlando Baptist Convention. As vice moderator of GOBA, I joined our Central Florida partners in promoting the 2010 Crossover Orlando, as next year’s national meeting will be held in Orlando.

I was glad to join the rest of the convention in re-electing Dr. Johnny Hunt as the president of the SBC. He won by acclamation!

And as always, the fellowship was great. This year was special for me. My son, Dan, who serves as Senior Pastor of Lima Baptist Temple in Lima, Ohio, shared room expenses with me. And he brought two of my grandsons, Zack, 6, and Nick, 2. The SBC meeting has great child care during the day. As a family, the four of us had a blast!

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Father’s Day

Saturday, June 20th, 2009

One of the most amazing stories I’ve ever heard should inspire each of us fathers to make a difference in our family tree — beginning with our own family. About seven generations ago, a young Englishman named James Taylor led a rather worldly life, even opposing a revival in his own town. But on his wedding day, he could not erase from his mind a verse of Scripture he had memorized as a youngster — Joshua 24:15, “As for me and my house, we shall serve the Lord!” With the Holy Spirit applying the pressure, he was under conviction all day — the day of his wedding (an evening wedding). Finally, he surrendered to the Lord. He put his faith in Christ as his Savior, and said, “Yes, we shall serve the Lord!” His new bride was dismayed. But in a few short days she also accepted the love of God in receiving Christ as her personal Savior. Together they established a Christian home.

What is remarkable about that story? James Taylor began a family line of generations serving God. His great-grandson was J. Hudson Taylor, one of the the world’s foremost missionaries — a pioneer missionary to China who founded the China Inland Mission. Today that same mission is known as the Overseas Missionary Fellowship. Recently the new director of the OMF was named — the great-grandson of J. Hudson Taylor, the founder.

Wow! That is seven generations from the commitment James Taylor made on his wedding day, “As for me and my house, we shall serve the Lord!” What if James Taylor had decided to do something else with his life?

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Summer Camp

Tuesday, June 16th, 2009

These are busy days at our church! Our youth are off to camp this week. Our special ed members are off to camp this week. We just finished VBS. Next month our youth will be going on a missions trip. Somewhere along the way many of us will try to squeeze in some vacation time as well. Meanwhile, we will celebrate Father’s Day this Sunday, followed by a patriotic emphasis on June 28 and July 5. To God be the glory!

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