By Steve Horn A few days ago I wrote about some spiritual lessons that we can learn from catastrophic events. Let me continue with a few additional thoughts today. Advanced preparation is the key. In all matters of life, we must get ready well in advance of the problem. The time to prepare for eternity is now. The time to prepare for God’s calling on your life is now. The time to gain spiritual maturity is now. The next crisis is coming. You don’t like to hear that, but it is true. The next crisis of life is coming, so… We are going to have to learn to put our faith into practice. And… Because the future is uncertain, we must know the One who holds the future. Corrie Ten Boom said, ““Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God.” It really is true what Jesus said, “Don’t Worry about tomorrow.” The rest of that quote is “Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” We are all in this thing together. Have you ever noticed that during crisis, we are all in it together? Why does it take something like a flood or hurricane to cause us to remember that we need each other? I will never completely understand the mercy of God. Why did some communities and families get hit … [Read more...]

By Waylon Bailey Over the weekend, folks in Louisiana dealt with Hurricane Barry while folks in California are still jittery over the two recent earthquakes. Both of these strike fear and concern. The folks in Louisiana say, “At least you know when a hurricane is coming.” The folks in California are very aware their state has a major earthquake every 150 years or so. It’s now been over 160 years since the last one. How do we deal with natural disasters which are bad and many of the personal aspects of life which are even more hurtful? First, we have to recognize that life is hard. We constantly deal with pain and suffering. We ask if God really is working all things together for good (Romans 8:28), and we question how we can count it all joy when we face various trials (James 1:2-4). Second, we have to recognize that we live in a broken world. Our sin has affected not just our lives but the whole creation. Paul stated it so powerfully, “For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God; for the creation was subjected to futility . . . because the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and obtain the glorious liberty of the children of God. We know that the whole … [Read more...]

By U.S. Sen. John Kennedy All across our country, we have memorials and monuments to remind us of great people who did courageous things. Some of these memorials and monuments are under attack simply because they happen to reflect what I believe and what all of you believe: God exists. On Sept. 18, 1919, the mother of a fallen WWI soldier led the groundbreaking ceremony for one of these monuments—the Bladensburg “Peace Cross.” The cross serves as a symbolic grave for 49 local men who died in World War I. That monument has stood for 100 years, but a recent lawsuit nearly brought it down simply because it is shaped like the cross on which Jesus died. A liberal group, the American Humanist Association, filed a complaint in 2012 claiming the Bladensburg cross violated the First Amendment because it was a religious symbol - more specifically, a Christian symbol - on public land. The case eventually wound up before the United States Supreme Court. The left’s argument was both absurd and offensive. That is why I joined a group of 109 members of Congress last August in submitting a letter — called an amicus brief — to the Supreme Court saying that the cross should stand. The First Amendment prevents Congress from establishing a … [Read more...]

By Steve Horn If you live in my part of the world (Louisiana) you likely have seen a headline in recent days that indicated, “All Eyes on Gulf” or “Watching the Tropics” or something similar. We are waiting to see how much rain we get with a Tropical System. After a similar system in August 2016 which flooded us to the point that some never returned, we tend to get a little jittery with such headlines. Maybe the headline is not “All Eyes on Gulf.” It might be “All Eyes on Trump” or “Russia” or “North Korea” or “Iran.” The truth is we wait for the next news. Some wait for the next episode of their favorite show. Some watch their online bank account for the next automatic payroll “drop.” We live in a day when we “watch” Facebook or Twitter for our “friend’s” (or “enemy’s”) next post. The point is we live “to watch.” The writer of Proverbs gave us a wise word about watching. As wisdom is personified, the writer of Proverbs said, “Anyone who listens to me is happy, watching at my doors every day, waiting by the posts of my doorway.” (Proverbs 8:35) I have learned through the years living in Louisiana that updates from the National Hurricane Office comes every four hours so we wait for the next update. As I wait, I … [Read more...]

By Joe McKeever “My people have committed two evils: They have forsaken Me, the fountain of living waters, and they have hewed out for themselves cisterns–broken cisterns, which can hold no water.”  Jeremiah 2:13 You make a very small god, friend. An executive with Walmart  made an observation before a group of business people recently  that has stuck with me.  “You know who our biggest competition is?”  People suggested Target, K-Mart, Best Buy, the, malls, and such. “Dollar stores,” he said.  “That’s what Walmart started out to be and they are now eating our lunch.” Well. Makes sense.  Those little stores are everywhere. You know who God’s biggest competition is in this world? It’s not Islam’s Allah. It’s not any of the big religious alternatives. Not Buddhism, Hinduism, and not animism. The biggest competition of the living God in this world is personal idolatry. Self-worship. People are worshiping themselves, their own bodies, appetites, personal needs, their wants and desires and ambitions.  Everything else is secondary.  They sacrifice everything else for their bodies, for their appearance, for their careers, for their wants. They choose cars and houses and jobs for “how this will make me … [Read more...]

By Waylon Bailey We have just celebrated the 243rd anniversary of American Independence. In many ways, it seems the worst of times. When you look at the world and when you look at America, you often feel that things are just not right. You may have seen the reports out of France last week where the highest court in France ruled that a disabled man had to be starved to death. His parents are distraught and unbelieving that this could happen. To show how incongruous the situation is the man will be sedated as a humanitarian gesture. Dying of thirst and starvation is one of the most horrific ways to die. Since many people see secular Europe as a precursor to a secular America, this can and should be frightening for us. How should we respond to this kind of thinking? First, we should not give up. When it seems that all the world is against you, it’s easy to quit. Evil often wins simply because the righteous throw up their hands in defeat. Paul understood the strategy of Satan and the tendency of the righteous. For this reason, he told the saints in the Roman Province of Galatia to “not be weary in doing well” (Galatians 6:9). Second, we should seek righteousness in all things. Jesus told us to seek first the … [Read more...]

By Steve Horn In 1928 one of our American submarines, S4, sank off the eastern coast on a dive after routine maintenance work. Divers made contact through Morse code. After initial exchange of how many on board, what is your condition etc., the divers received the message from those on board, “Is there any hope?” In the midst of the circumstances, what a penetrating question! Many are still asking that question today about America. Is there any hope? I am confident that there is hope, and I am confident that we find our hope in God. Our hope is not in Washington but in Heaven. Our hope is not in the Constitution but at Calvary. Our hope is not in more laws or less laws or better laws, but in a strict observance of the law of laws—God’s Holy Word. Our hope is not in the Democratic Party, the Republican Party, or any forthcoming party; our hope is in repentance, revival, and a spiritual awakening. Until we as believers understand these things, I’m afraid “There is no hope for America!” But, there is always hope. I have heard before that our national anthem is among the most difficult songs to sing. Maybe that explains why we usually only sing one verse of The Star Spangled Banner. Did you know that it … [Read more...]

By Jeff Ginn Long ago Egypt was a world power. The rulers of that ancient land had immense wealth. At their deaths, every effort was made to take their possessions with them into eternity. Huge pyramids and mausoleums were built and stocked with riches and supplies. But as the centuries slipped by, grave robbers desecrated these sites. Some 60 years before the time of Christ, a Greek author named Diodorus Siculus visited the tombs of the Valley of the Kings [slide]. He wrote, “We found nothing there except the results of pillage and destruction.” The pharaohs had not taken their riches with them; thieves had broken in and stolen their treasures. It was then a tremendous surprise when, in 1922, an expedition uncovered the long-lost tomb of a boy ruler—King Tut. For some 3,000 years his resting place was undisturbed. What did the archeologists discover upon entry? In actuality, Tut had taken nothing with him into eternity. Everything was still there—oils, perfumes, toys from his childhood, precious jewelry, statues of gold and ivory—thousands of items. In all, the appraisal of the treasures of his tomb are at three-quarters of a billion dollars. His solid-gold coffin alone is estimated to be worth $13 million! One … [Read more...]

By David E. Hankins, LBC Executive Director, retired   MANDEVILLE, La. (LBM) -- Greetings, Louisiana Baptists! My official retirement date as your Executive Director has come. Thus, I am writing to bid you farewell and to thank you for the many, many blessings you have bestowed upon Patty and me these last 14 ½ years. You have been faithful friends and fervent prayer partners. You have joined me in a myriad of ministries sponsored by the LBC for the Lord Jesus. You have been kind and forgiving. You have given leadership and followership. What a joy it has been to serve with you! We have moved to Mandeville, Louisiana, near our youngest son and his family. We look forward to a less demanding schedule, to time with grandchildren, and to serving in the local church. I have no career plans (been there, done that) but will preach and teach as the Lord allows. I look forward to continuing participation as a Louisiana Baptist. I believe God has great things in store for LBC.  Your new executive director Dr. Steve Horn is already at the helm. He brings to the office great giftedness, fruitful experience, a wonderful spirit, and a love for Jesus and the church. I have every confidence you will thrive under his … [Read more...]