I may lack the words to describe what occurs to the faithful in times of personal crisis. Let it be said, simply, that there is often a quiet awareness in the midst of chaos that the Lord is there and is still in control. Millions of people have reported this persistent presence when life was systematically unraveling. On other occasions, He permits us to see evidence of His love at the critical moment of need. … [Read more...]

By Joe McKeever Sunday, preaching in Biloxi, Mississippi, I asked the congregation, “How many of you were living here in 1969 when Hurricane Camille changed this coastline forever?”  A lot of hands went up. Then, “How many of you lived here in 2005 when Katrina destroyed so much of the area?”  Many more hands. I said, “So when you think of neighbors dealing with hurricanes, such as Harvey and Irma, you know.  You’ve been there.  You can pray for them with a genuine compassion and a deeper understanding.” Before they left the building, those people made generous contributions to their neighbors impacted by the hurricanes. Each hurricane is different. Each takes its own path and blows at its own speed. And each one is similar.  They destroy and uproot and flood.  Those who experience even one such storm forever identifies with the victims and veterans of all those which follow. With that in mind, it might be in order for those of us with scars from past hurricanes (for my family, it was Betsy in 1965 and Katrina 40 years later) to offer a word or two of encouragement to friends caught in the path of the latest of these monster storms. Ten words, actually… (We will try not to insult you with platitudes such … [Read more...]

By Will Hall, Message Editor ALEXANDRIA (LBM) – The AMC series “Preacher” has portrayed Christ in a graphic sex scene that combines blasphemy with pornography, and regrettably Louisiana tax payers appear to be on the hook to pay for it ... MAYBE. The August 21 episode titled, “Dirty Little Secret,” showed an actor playing the role of Jesus having sex with a married woman in an extended, graphic scene with explicit vocals. The director used shadows and silhouettes to soften the two figures as they engaged in various sexual positions, but these cinematic techniques did not disguise the pornography. FAST MONEY According to news reports, Season 2 for the series was filmed in New Orleans earlier this year – presumably, including the offending episode. This makes the show eligible for state tax credits under a Louisiana law passed in 2002 intended to foster growth in the state’s film industry, also known as “Hollywood South.” The statutory program offers a 30 percent transferable tax credit for qualified in-state production expenses, including resident and non-resident labor. On top of that, in-state labor costs receive an extra 10 percent payroll tax credit. Using the data AMC filed with Louisiana Entertainment … [Read more...]

By Waylon Bailey Hurricane Katrina hit the New Orleans area and the Mississippi Gulf Coast twelve years ago yesterday. I thought I would never again see anything as devastating. Hurricane Harvey is making everyone reassess their understanding of the word “catastrophe.” The images and the reports are beyond comprehension. Two nights ago I awakened in the middle of the night thinking of those people in flooded homes–or worse–awaiting rescue. I remembered how three days into Katrina, I began to wonder if water and food would hold out (It did because of people who went above and beyond to take care of others). Now I wonder how those in the Houston area are doing. Yesterday I received a report from the North American Mission Board (NAMB). The mission board along with other Southern Baptists make up the third largest disaster relief organization in the country. This is what NAMB and Southern Baptists have been asked to do. Mobilize churches and volunteers to house and feed more than 4,000 volunteers, provide facilities for 50-60,000 individuals, and serve an anticipated 343,000 meals on a daily basis. Unfortunately, relief workers may not be able to get into the flood zone for several days. This is a daunting … [Read more...]

By Steve Horn Luke recorded in Luke 11 an occasion when the disciples asked Jesus how to pray. The teaching is the result of a question, but they asked the question out of observation. They observed Jesus’ habit. Jesus exemplified a practice to follow. But, then Jesus gave them a pattern to follow. As Max Lucado noted in his book Before the Amen, “When the disciples asked Jesus to teach them to pray, He gave them a prayer. Not a lecture on prayer. Not the doctrine of prayer. He gave them a quotable, repeatable, portable prayer.” Let’s observe the prayer and so observe the pattern. We approach God out of relationship but also out of reverence. He is accessible out of this tender relationship, but we keep that relationship reverent, because He is unequaled and unrivaled. And when it comes to prayer, we need both. We need a God who is relational, but we need a God who is capable to do all things beyond what we might ask or think. We acknowledge His coming Kingdom. Our temporal requests make more sense in the context of His eternal will. Acknowledging His coming Kingdom ought to bring a perspective to our requests. We ask God about both the physical and the spiritual. God meets our physical … [Read more...]

By Waylon Bailey Very few things in life are more important than being blessed. When Jacob stole the blessing from Esau, Esau’s pain was deep and intense. As Esau came to his father and realized that Isaac had given Esau’s blessing to his brother Jacob, he cried out in pain “bless me also my father!” The blessing had real significance. We all need to be blessed. What can you do to bless the people around you? First, catch them doing something right and commend them for it. That’s exactly what Paul did when he wrote his letter to the church at Philippi. When the the people at the church at Philippi heard Paul had been imprisioned, they received an offering for Paul and send it to him. They wanted to help Paul in his need. They even sent their pastor to stay with Paul and minister to him as he waited in prison for a verdict about his life or death. Though Paul was in prison, he saw the need to “bless” the people of the church at Philippi. He wrote to commend them and to thank them for their ministry. We are blessing others when we commend them for their good actions. Second, pray for people and their needs and let them know that you are praying. Paul told the church “I thank my God every time I remember … [Read more...]