Looking forward to preaching tomorrow night at Indian Prairie Baptist Church in their Fall Revival Meeting. My wife and I will be singing together before I preach. Praying that God does a mighty work in the hearts and lives of many!

Please pray that the Holy Spirit does a powerful work - I desire to be used by God! I must decrease and He must increase!!

I want to thank all the friends of our ministry who have been praying for our meetings during our fall schedule the Lord has been meeting with us in our meetings! Glory to God!

Thanks for visiting and thanks for praying,
Bro. Tracy

Pastor Travis Howard had his surgery yesterday and he gave this report, "Thanks for praying. Dr. said things went good and he's optimistic."  Bro. Howard added, "Dr. Said I was "lucky" I told him blessed- When he got in there I had 5 broken vertebra on the back of my neck. God sure is good!." Bro. Howard will be in the hospital another four to five days.

Thanks to everyone who has prayed! Over 400 have visited the blog prayer request!! Folks have been praying from around the world and all across the U.S.! It has been a blessing to see how the Lord has been working.

Let's continue to pray for our Dear Bro. in Christ as he continues to recover! Let's pray for his family as well!!

Please re-tweet this blog if you are on twitter so that many of our friends will be able to read this good report as well!!

Thanks for visiting and thanks for praying,
Bro. Tracy

 
“The words of a talebearer are as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly”
Proverbs 18:8
 
I recently read, “R.G. LeTourneau was for many years an outstanding Christian businessman- heading a company which manufactured large earth moving equipment.  He once remarked, “We used to make a scrapper known as “Model G.”   One day somebody asked our salesman what the “G” stood for.   The man, who was pretty quick on the trigger, immediately replied, “I’ll tell you.   The “G” stands for gossip because like a talebearer this machine moves a lot of dirt and moves it fast.”

I remember quite vividly as an unsaved man watching those who professed themselves to be Christians.  I took note of their actions and their words.   You see even as an unsaved man, I thought there must be something different between myself and them.   Often times that was not the case as I noticed they were first in line for the latest dirt.   They would move the dirt to the next person and seem to enjoy the attention as the people gathered around them while hanging on every morsel of gossip that flowed off their tongue.
 
There is no fruit to be found in gossip.   It does not bring honor or glory to God.  As a matter of fact, it brings shame to the Lord and a black eye to the believer’s testimony.   A gossip is a link in a chain that no Christian has any business being a part of.   A Christian should have nothing to do with it and stay away from those who participate in it.   Proverbs 26:22 says, “The words of a talebearer are as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly.”   That is not a misprint!   I hope you get the importance of this in the eyes of God.  Don’t move the dirt.

My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee; So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding; Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding; If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures; Then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God.  For the Lord giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding.”-Proverbs 2:1-6

Isn’t it interesting the extremes that many will go to in pursuit of a goal or a dream?  Many say, “I am willing to do anything at any cost to achieve that which I have put my heart, mind and soul into.”  I am in no way saying as believers we should not give our best in all things that we do, that would run contrary to God’s Word. The Bible says, “And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men” (Colossians 3:23.)  Now- with that being said, what if we approached God’s Word with the same reckless abandon as we do for training for a marathon or a financial plan we devise in hopes of making our selves richer or any other pursuit that we are willing to go to great extremes for.
Our desires will shape our priorities.  Those priorities will reveal where we place God’s Word at in our life. Where God’s Word is found in such a list will be the difference in living a life completely given over to the Lord or to the world and our flesh.  We ultimately decide by the choices that we make.  Our Scripture admonishes us to receive and hide the Lord’s commandments within us, and to cry after knowledge, and lift up our voice for understanding.  These are actions that we as believers must decide upon!
Many have spent countless hours that have led to years in pursuit of that which is fleeting.  Notice in our Scripture the intensity of seeking and searching after the understanding and knowledge found in the Word of God.  The wonderful truth is that God is willing to give wisdom if the believer will come.  What is your number one pursuit?  What is at the top of your list of priorities in your life?  Often times within the writings on this blog and website I have hammered over and over again the importance of our choices and decisions and how the choices and decisions that we make will dictate the life that we will live and lead.  
My prayer for those who read this is that your desire and intensity will match the Words in our Scripture today when it comes to your pursuit of God and His powerful, precious and enduring Word. 

Thanks for visiting and thanks for praying,
Bro. Tracy

“When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, it is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.” John 19:30

I want us to consider four S’s of “It is finished.”  Scripture will be our foundation and the Holy Spirit will be our guide and teacher.

 I. Saved- “Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. For if, when we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement” (Romans 5:9-11.)  I want us to drink deep and drink long from these verses. These are amen and hallelujah Words.

II. Secure- “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand. I and my Father are one” (John 10:27-30.) These verses shout out loud of the security that the born again have in Christ Jesus.  When God says, “Neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand” He says what He means and He means what He says!

III. Settled- “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:1.) The distance between man and God is no more and with the reconciliation comes peace. The difference between God and each individual who comes by faith is settled through the Lord Jesus Christ and His shed blood.

IV. Sealed-“In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with the holy Spirit of promise, which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory” (Ephesians 1:13-14.) The born again have heaven’s seal of approval.  The down payment of the purchased possession is the Holy Spirit.  No one can break the King of king’s seal!

If you are discouraged tonight I pray that the Lord encourages you with the wonderful truth of your position in Christ Jesus!!! Don't be afraid to shout a little!!! It will do you good!

 I can't Praise the Lord enough for the powerful response from God's people to the Prayer Request for Pastor Travis Howard!! Folks are still responding- We have had many kind words and messages! To God be the Glory!! 

Social media does not have to be just an ungodly tool in the hands of the devil it can be a powerful tool in the hands of Almighty God for His Glory and for the good of many!

Thanks for visiting and thanks for praying,
Bro. Tracy

Would you join me in praying for Pastor Travis Howard from New Hope Baptist Church in Walnut Cove, NC.

He will be having his second surgery on his neck this coming Friday October 30th.  This surgery is expected to be more painful and require a longer time for recovery.

Pastor Howard loves the Lord, His people and His Word and wants nothing more than to see the lost saved.  This is an opportunity to intercede fervently on the behalf of another. The Bible says, "Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of of a righteous man availeth much. (James 5:16)

Lets pray without ceasing for our dear friend. Through the power of social media I am hoping that many will share this request through Twitter or Facebook.

Thanks for visiting and thanks for praying,
Bro. Tracy

 
“Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.”
I Corinthians 11:1
 
The Apostle Paul did not want the people to follow him and his agenda or his careful thought out plans for their lives in the hopes that they would be pious and religious by merely emulating him.  Paul was looking to and basing the totality of his life on desiring more and more of Christ in his life and purposing to be filled with the Holy Spirit so that others would see Christ in him.  It wasn’t an invitation to be like Paul; it was an invitation to be more like Christ.

I recently read these words in reference to George Mueller, “To one who asked him the secret of his service, George Mueller said: “There was a day when I died, utterly died;” and, as he spoke, he bent lower and lower until he almost touched the floor- “died to George Mueller, his opinions, preferences, tastes, and will- died to the world, its approval or censure- died to the approval or blame even of my brethren and friends- and since then I have studied only to show myself approved unto God.”

I believe we can be encouraged by the lives of past saints as well as those who are with us during the time that we live in.  I have a word of caution, let’s not look to long upon their lives or we might take our eyes off the Lord Jesus.  The Lord Jesus should be our greatest desire above all else.

Let’s die to self - Let’s Read God’s word and spend time in prayer allowing the Holy Spirit to guide and lead us.  May our prayer be, O Father God I want to be more Christ like today than ever before.  Let’s start each day with a funeral service for self and allow the life of Christ to be lived out in us.  That will be life at its best!

Thanks for visiting and thanks for praying,
Bro. Tracy

“Bless the Lord, O my soul: bless his holy name. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits. Who forgiveth all thine iniquities: who healeth all thy diseases; who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with loving kindness and tender mercies; who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle’s.”   Psalm 103:1-5

 When I was saved at the age of thirty-six thirteen years ago this month I was working at a factory.  Almighty God did a glorious and wondrous work in my heart and soul at my home one night through His Son the Lord Jesus Christ.  I relate to the publican in the parable found in Luke 18:13, “And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying , God be merciful to me a sinner.” I cried out and God did not tarry, He saved me! I was born again!  I left that factory one man and returned through the door a new creature in Christ (II Corinthians 5:17.)  Glory to God forever and ever! 

My co-workers saw a new man. The Holy Spirit was doing a mighty work in me. I took in God’s Word like a famished man who had gone far too long without nourishment. My friends scattered and some asked if I had joined a cult. I was growing from the inside out and everyone was beginning to notice. The devil at times was relentless in his attacks, but Almighty God was, and still is faithful. I am grateful that the armour of God does not wear thin or wear out.  I was told; I needed to, “lighten up.” I was told, “You are taking this serious.”  I had one man tell me, “Don’t get too deep in the scriptures.”  I plowed forward with the Word of God lighting my way and the Holy Spirit empowering and enabling me to live in victory. God was stirring a fire that the devil and his angels couldn’t extinguish. The day came when God called me out of that factory.  It was a huge step of faith.  I was still a somewhat new believer and common sense and many others told me I was making a mistake.  It was not easy, but I followed the Lord’s direction; To God be the Glory!

God eventually called me out of the factory and put on my heart to start a lawn care business. I look back 11 years later and I am still amazed at the goodness and faithfulness of Almighty God!  I desire that whoever may read this to be encouraged and strengthened by the testimony of God’s Power, Might and Grace. I have wanted nothing more than for God to be glorified and myself minimized. I have wanted nothing more than to be a tool in the hands of God Almighty so that His will would be done through me. I want to finish my course and run my race until the end. I am not concerned about fitting into some click or being accepted by this person or that person. I want Christ Jesus to be exalted and lifted up high above all!!  I want to preach the word and give my self completely to Him who saved my ungodly, wretched and hell bound soul. Listen- I have seen hot and humid days when my clothes have been drenched in sweat and covered in dirt, but God was faithful.  I have shoveled snow and worked out in the winter when the temperatures were in the teens and the wind-chill was much colder, but God was faithful. I have sold fire wood, tore out fence and moved furniture. My back has been sore and my hands have felt stiff, but God has been faithful. I have felt weary, worn and a little beaten down, but God is faithful!

 With all that said it is not about cutting grass, splitting wood or shoveling snow it is about planting seed.  It is about sharing the glorious Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. I remember leading a woman to Christ in a busy office building with grass on my pants and sweat upon my brow; To God be the glory!  I think of all the people who I have asked, “If you were to draw your last breathe do you have assurance that you would be going to heaven?” and then sharing the good news; To God be the glory!  I think of all the Gospel tracts that have been given out; To God be the Glory! I think of being covered in sweat after trimming a yard full of shrubs and bushes and praying with a man who had been dealing with the unimaginable pain of his son’s death. I think of being called to preach and God opening door after door to preach His Word in His Power and Strength! I think of 2015 and the blessing of preaching throughout Southern Indiana, Kentucky, Maine, Mississippi and Florida. To God be the Glory! I think of this ministry, “A Call to the World” that God has brought to pass and how He has provided all that is needed to do what He wants to do- To God be the Glory! Most did not get or understand the thought of a website. I am sure many scoffed and doubted at such a thought, I am seeing God do a work through the preaching ministry and through the website.  Souls saved and lives changed! To God be the Glory!  I am a nobody who is trusting God with the totality of his life!

Dear believer, what is it that God has put on your heart? What burden has He placed in you? You certainly want to see if it is God’s will.  If you have the assurance that it is God’s plan and will for your life what is it that is stopping you?  Only you can answer the question.

I was a factory worker who deserved hell.  I did not deserve God’s Grace or Mercy. I am a nobody who is trusting God with the totality of his life.  I am a child of the Most High King…To God be the Glory!

Thanks for Visiting and thanks for Praying,
Bro. Tracy

We had a blessed time with Pastor Judson Douglas and his family and the wonderful saints at Indian River Baptist Church! The Lord met with us in both services this past Sunday.  I was blessed to be able to preach and to sing a special in the morning service and got to sing with my wife in the evening service. Glory to God!!

My wife and I have had a great time of fellowship with Pastor Douglas and his wife Mrs. Julie and there two daughters!  They have quickly become great friends!  We were blessed to be able to be with them over the past few days- What a blessing!

After some time of vacation we look forward to a busy month of November of Preaching in Revival meetings and reaching people with the Gospel through our website as well as stirring and encouraging the saints!

We want to thank those who invest themselves in our ministry through prayer and through the financial gifts- God has been so good and we are truly are undeserving! Praise be to God!

Thanks for visiting and thanks for praying,
Bro. Tracy