There is an old saying that goes, “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words can never hurt me.” That is an untrue statement. Words do hurt. People have lost their jobs, their reputation, even their lives because of things that were said about them.
Gossiping has been around forever. All of us, including myself, have been guilty of it at one time or another. We love to hear stories about someone that has fallen or messed up, especially if we don’t like them. If the story is juicy enough, we can’t wait to pass it on via telephone, email, text or some other form of communication. Sometimes we don’t even bother to verify the rumors before passing them on.
A man went to his pastor one day with a question. He said, “Pastor, I understand almost everything that is in the Bible. I understand the commandment not to kill. I understand the commandment not to steal. What I don’t understand is the command against slandering my neighbor. After all, they are just words.”
The pastor said, “I will answer your question. But first I have a task for you. I want you to get a bag of feathers and place one feather in front of every house in your neighborhood. When you have finished, come back and I will give you the answer.”
The man did as he was told. When he had finished, he went back to the church. He said, “Pastor, I have done what you have asked. Now tell me why does God hate slander so much?”
The pastor said, “I want you to do one more thing. Go back and get every feather that you placed in front of each house. Bring them to me and I will answer your question.” The man said, “That’s impossible. The wind has blown them all over town.” The pastor smiled and said, “The same thing happens with the lies that we tell about our neighbors. They can never be retrieved. They are like feathers in the wind.”
Before you say something to, or about, someone, ask yourself how will it affect his or her life? Remember, words hurt.
AUDIO: "Words Hurt"
Sunday, April 18, 2010
Sunday, April 11, 2010
"The Appointment" + AUDIO
Life is short. It doesn’t matter if you live one year or one hundred years, compared to eternity, it is just a drop in the bucket. Therefore, wouldn’t it make sense if we were more concerned about where we are going to spend eternity instead of how much stuff we can accumulate?
Don’t get me wrong; God doesn’t have anything against money or success, as long as our priorities are straight. But He does care about how we live and how we treat others.
At one point in my life, I thought I was invincible. I lived recklessly with no regard for myself or for anyone else. I didn’t think about the consequences that I would have to face because of my actions.
The Bible speaks of an appointment that has been made for everyone of us. “It is appointed for men to die once…” (Hebrews 9:27a). It doesn’t matter how rich, how smart or how slick you are, this is one appointment that you will keep.
The story was told of a young man that lived in New York City. One day, he went to the market for his mother. While he was there, he noticed a strange looking man that was staring at him and following him around the store. When he looked closer, he realized that it was the angel of death.
It frightened him so badly that he ran out of the store, leaving all of his groceries behind. When he got home, he told mother what had happened. She immediately took him to the airport and put him on a flight to Los Angeles. Then she went to the market and confronted the death angel.
She asked him why he was following her son around the store and scaring him. The death angel replied, “ I’m sorry Ma’am. I didn’t mean to frighten him. I was just surprised to see him here in New York. I have an appointment with him tonight in Los Angeles.”
The writer of Hebrews talks about another appointment at the end of the scripture that I quoted earlier. This one is with the Almighty God. “…but after this, the judgment” (Hebrews 9:27b). All of us will stand before God one day.
I cannot assume that everyone that read my blogs are Christians. Therefore, I would be remiss if I failed to ask you something. Have you accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior? Have you repented of your sins and given your life to Christ? Don’t wait until it’s too late. You don’t know the day or the time of your appointment.
AUDIO: "The Appointment"
- Rev. Burton Barr Jr. (Author of "The Hoodlum Preacher" and "Amazing Grace: The Storm Is Passing Over") & Cedric Mixon
Don’t get me wrong; God doesn’t have anything against money or success, as long as our priorities are straight. But He does care about how we live and how we treat others.
At one point in my life, I thought I was invincible. I lived recklessly with no regard for myself or for anyone else. I didn’t think about the consequences that I would have to face because of my actions.
The Bible speaks of an appointment that has been made for everyone of us. “It is appointed for men to die once…” (Hebrews 9:27a). It doesn’t matter how rich, how smart or how slick you are, this is one appointment that you will keep.
The story was told of a young man that lived in New York City. One day, he went to the market for his mother. While he was there, he noticed a strange looking man that was staring at him and following him around the store. When he looked closer, he realized that it was the angel of death.
It frightened him so badly that he ran out of the store, leaving all of his groceries behind. When he got home, he told mother what had happened. She immediately took him to the airport and put him on a flight to Los Angeles. Then she went to the market and confronted the death angel.
She asked him why he was following her son around the store and scaring him. The death angel replied, “ I’m sorry Ma’am. I didn’t mean to frighten him. I was just surprised to see him here in New York. I have an appointment with him tonight in Los Angeles.”
The writer of Hebrews talks about another appointment at the end of the scripture that I quoted earlier. This one is with the Almighty God. “…but after this, the judgment” (Hebrews 9:27b). All of us will stand before God one day.
I cannot assume that everyone that read my blogs are Christians. Therefore, I would be remiss if I failed to ask you something. Have you accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior? Have you repented of your sins and given your life to Christ? Don’t wait until it’s too late. You don’t know the day or the time of your appointment.
AUDIO: "The Appointment"
- Rev. Burton Barr Jr. (Author of "The Hoodlum Preacher" and "Amazing Grace: The Storm Is Passing Over") & Cedric Mixon
Sunday, April 4, 2010
Tick---Tick---Tick
Time waits for no one. In the third chapter of book of Ecclesiastes, the preacher said, “To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven.” Then he gives us a few examples such as: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; a time to search, and a time to give up; a time to be silent, and a time to speak.
We have all been guilty of putting off things that we wanted to do or needed to do. Some things never got done because we ran out of time. We may have gotten too old or too sick; too busy or too tired; too content or too broke. The bottom line is, you kept waiting and the clock kept ticking. I received a phone call a few hours ago from Chicago. I was informed that my cousin, Rose, had just passed away.
Rose was more like a big sister to me than a cousin. We were raised in the same house. She taught me many things, from how to play hopscotch to how to treat women. When I was in trouble, she helped me get a lawyer. When I was on drugs, she helped me get into treatment.
I had been thinking about Rose over the last few weeks. I had thought about calling her, but I kept putting it off. Meanwhile, the clock kept ticking. I was planning on seeing her in Chicago this summer, but the clock kept ticking. I was thinking about all of the fun that we were going to have, but the clock kept ticking.
There are so many things that I wish I would have done over the years, but now it is too late. I wish I had spent more time with my children while they were young. I wish I had told my parents how much I loved and appreciated them before they passed away. I wish I had been a stronger witness for Jesus Christ.
What about you? Are there some things that you want to do before it’s too late? The clock is ticking. Do you have a friend or family member that you have not seen or talked to for a while? Tick---Tick---Tick. Are you putting off doing something that is very important? Tick---Tick---Tick. Do you know someone that needs to hear about the love and saving power of Jesus Christ? Tick---Tick---Tick.
I’m sorry, but there will be no audio for this week’s blog. I’m just not feeling up to it. Please keep my family in your prayers.
- Rev. Burton Barr Jr. (Author of "The Hoodlum Preacher" and "Amazing Grace: The Storm Is Passing Over") & Cedric Mixon
We have all been guilty of putting off things that we wanted to do or needed to do. Some things never got done because we ran out of time. We may have gotten too old or too sick; too busy or too tired; too content or too broke. The bottom line is, you kept waiting and the clock kept ticking. I received a phone call a few hours ago from Chicago. I was informed that my cousin, Rose, had just passed away.
Rose was more like a big sister to me than a cousin. We were raised in the same house. She taught me many things, from how to play hopscotch to how to treat women. When I was in trouble, she helped me get a lawyer. When I was on drugs, she helped me get into treatment.
I had been thinking about Rose over the last few weeks. I had thought about calling her, but I kept putting it off. Meanwhile, the clock kept ticking. I was planning on seeing her in Chicago this summer, but the clock kept ticking. I was thinking about all of the fun that we were going to have, but the clock kept ticking.
There are so many things that I wish I would have done over the years, but now it is too late. I wish I had spent more time with my children while they were young. I wish I had told my parents how much I loved and appreciated them before they passed away. I wish I had been a stronger witness for Jesus Christ.
What about you? Are there some things that you want to do before it’s too late? The clock is ticking. Do you have a friend or family member that you have not seen or talked to for a while? Tick---Tick---Tick. Are you putting off doing something that is very important? Tick---Tick---Tick. Do you know someone that needs to hear about the love and saving power of Jesus Christ? Tick---Tick---Tick.
I’m sorry, but there will be no audio for this week’s blog. I’m just not feeling up to it. Please keep my family in your prayers.
- Rev. Burton Barr Jr. (Author of "The Hoodlum Preacher" and "Amazing Grace: The Storm Is Passing Over") & Cedric Mixon
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Where Is Your Brother?
In the fourth chapter of the book of Genesis, the story of Cain and Abel was told. As you know, Cain allowed the powers of sin to overtake him, and in a fit of rage; he killed his brother, Abel. Afterwards, God asked Cain an intriguing question. “Where is your brother?
I want to ask you that same question today. Where is your brother? I’m not talking about your biological brother. I’m talking about the men, women, boys and girls that you come into contact with everyday in the brotherhood of mankind.
We all know someone who is hurting. They may have lost their home or their job. They may have gone through a divorce and are estranged from their children. Someone that is close to them may have recently died or one of their family members is in prison. They might be battling with some type of addiction or they may have just gotten on your last nerve. The bottom line is, they are hurting.
Every one of us knows someone who needs a helping hand or at the very least, needs an encouraging word. God is asking you, “Where is your brother? Can you see him? Can you see his hurt and his pain or have you just given up? Where is your brother?”
When Cain was faced with that question, he gave the answer that all of us have thought about at one time or another. “Am I my brother’s keeper?” It amazes me how quickly we can give up on someone because of his or her predicament. But we are thankful that there was someone that did not give up on us when we were in our mess. I’m not just talking about you. I’m a member of that club too.
You have been hurt. You have been disappointed. People that you love have lied to you, stolen from you, and fooled you time and time again. You have cried many tears because of the things that they have done to you. But God is still asking you that same question. "Where is your brother?"
God told Cain something that every one of us needs to hear. He said, “The voice of your brother’s blood cries out to me from the ground.” God does not want anyone to perish. That is why He is so patient. Remember, He was patient with you too.
The next time you pray; say, “Lord, here is my brother. I am putting him in your hands. Then trust God to do the rest.
AUDIO: "Where Is Your Brother?"
- Rev. Burton Barr Jr. (Author of "The Hoodlum Preacher" and "Amazing Grace: The Storm Is Passing Over") & Cedric Mixon
I want to ask you that same question today. Where is your brother? I’m not talking about your biological brother. I’m talking about the men, women, boys and girls that you come into contact with everyday in the brotherhood of mankind.
We all know someone who is hurting. They may have lost their home or their job. They may have gone through a divorce and are estranged from their children. Someone that is close to them may have recently died or one of their family members is in prison. They might be battling with some type of addiction or they may have just gotten on your last nerve. The bottom line is, they are hurting.
Every one of us knows someone who needs a helping hand or at the very least, needs an encouraging word. God is asking you, “Where is your brother? Can you see him? Can you see his hurt and his pain or have you just given up? Where is your brother?”
When Cain was faced with that question, he gave the answer that all of us have thought about at one time or another. “Am I my brother’s keeper?” It amazes me how quickly we can give up on someone because of his or her predicament. But we are thankful that there was someone that did not give up on us when we were in our mess. I’m not just talking about you. I’m a member of that club too.
You have been hurt. You have been disappointed. People that you love have lied to you, stolen from you, and fooled you time and time again. You have cried many tears because of the things that they have done to you. But God is still asking you that same question. "Where is your brother?"
God told Cain something that every one of us needs to hear. He said, “The voice of your brother’s blood cries out to me from the ground.” God does not want anyone to perish. That is why He is so patient. Remember, He was patient with you too.
The next time you pray; say, “Lord, here is my brother. I am putting him in your hands. Then trust God to do the rest.
AUDIO: "Where Is Your Brother?"
- Rev. Burton Barr Jr. (Author of "The Hoodlum Preacher" and "Amazing Grace: The Storm Is Passing Over") & Cedric Mixon
Sunday, March 21, 2010
God Created You
Life is not fair. Job understood this when he said, “Man that is born of woman is of few days and full of trouble” (Job 14:1). In a country that is as rich as ours, millions of people go to bed hungry every night. That is, if they are lucky enough to have a bed or a home for that matter. The amazing thing is, many people blame God for the misfortunes of humanity.
On a very cold, winter’s day, a young girl stood on a busy street corner begging for food, money or whatever she could get. She stood there cold and shivering as vicious winds penetrated her thin, tattered clothes. Hundreds of people walked past her but only a few dared to look in her direction.
A well-dressed, prosperous looking gentleman looked at the young girl and shook his head before getting into his expensive automobile. When he arrived at his huge, warm, luxurious home, he sat down at the dinner table with his family and began to feast on a meal that was fit for a king.
After eating his dessert, his mind went back to the hungry little girl that he had seen earlier. As he thought about her thin, dirty, shivering body, he started questioning God for allowing such conditions to exist. He said, “God, how can you let this happen? Why don’t you do something to help that little girl?”
He heard God responding to his question with the words, “I did. I created you.
God blesses us so that we can bless others. But instead, too many people have subscribed to the philosophy, “I got mine. You get yours.” They don’t care if you have enough food as long as their refrigerator is full. They don’t care if gangs terrorize your neighborhood as long as their community is safe. They don’t care if you have health care as long as their family is insured.
There are a lot of problems in this world. But God has already done what He needs to do to solve them. He created you.
AUDIO
"God Created You": http://www.kobaltbooks.com/GodCreatedYou.mp3
- Rev. Burton Barr Jr. (Author of "The Hoodlum Preacher" and "Amazing Grace: The Storm Is Passing Over")
On a very cold, winter’s day, a young girl stood on a busy street corner begging for food, money or whatever she could get. She stood there cold and shivering as vicious winds penetrated her thin, tattered clothes. Hundreds of people walked past her but only a few dared to look in her direction.
A well-dressed, prosperous looking gentleman looked at the young girl and shook his head before getting into his expensive automobile. When he arrived at his huge, warm, luxurious home, he sat down at the dinner table with his family and began to feast on a meal that was fit for a king.
After eating his dessert, his mind went back to the hungry little girl that he had seen earlier. As he thought about her thin, dirty, shivering body, he started questioning God for allowing such conditions to exist. He said, “God, how can you let this happen? Why don’t you do something to help that little girl?”
He heard God responding to his question with the words, “I did. I created you.
God blesses us so that we can bless others. But instead, too many people have subscribed to the philosophy, “I got mine. You get yours.” They don’t care if you have enough food as long as their refrigerator is full. They don’t care if gangs terrorize your neighborhood as long as their community is safe. They don’t care if you have health care as long as their family is insured.
There are a lot of problems in this world. But God has already done what He needs to do to solve them. He created you.
AUDIO
"God Created You": http://www.kobaltbooks.com/GodCreatedYou.mp3
- Rev. Burton Barr Jr. (Author of "The Hoodlum Preacher" and "Amazing Grace: The Storm Is Passing Over")
Sunday, March 14, 2010
The Bench
A couple of months ago, I told you that I broke my foot while loading a truck with some donations for one of our ministries. I had been off work and missed going to church during the first few weeks of my convalescence. When I returned to church, I was on crutches. Therefore, I sat on the first bench that I could get to. It was the bench that was closest to the door.
After a few weeks, I noticed that everyone that sat on that particular bench was crippled in one way or another. I came in on crutches. Someone else came in a wheelchair. One person used a walker and another rode a scooter.
One Sunday, a lady came in on a walker. She looked around, in search of a seat, but the bench was full. Just then, the person that was sitting next to me got up, escorted the lady to his seat, and moved to another bench.
When I looked around the church, I realized that there were people all over the sanctuary that had sat on that bench at one time or another. Now they are sitting on other benches. Some of them are sitting in the pulpit. Some of them are sitting in the choir stand. Some of them are ushers. Some are deacons, praise dancers or serving in other areas of ministry.
The church is full of people that were crippled by one sin or another. Some of us were crippled by drugs. Some of us were crippled by lust. Some were crippled by greed while others were crippled by pride. God has delivered all of us from something.
All of us came to the church crippled and broken. Then one day, we felt God tugging at our hearts. We walked down the aisle, shook the pastor’s hand, and took a seat on the “crippled bench.” The problem is, some of you are still sitting there. You have been sitting there for years. You have become content just sitting on the bench with the crippled people.
God did not deliver you so you can just sit and do nothing. He delivered you to serve. It is time for you to get up, escort a crippled person to your seat, and do what God has told you to do.
AUDIO
"The Bench": http://www.kobaltbooks.com/TheBench.mp3
- Rev. Burton Barr Jr. (Author of "The Hoodlum Preacher" and "Amazing Grace: The Storm Is Passing Over")
After a few weeks, I noticed that everyone that sat on that particular bench was crippled in one way or another. I came in on crutches. Someone else came in a wheelchair. One person used a walker and another rode a scooter.
One Sunday, a lady came in on a walker. She looked around, in search of a seat, but the bench was full. Just then, the person that was sitting next to me got up, escorted the lady to his seat, and moved to another bench.
When I looked around the church, I realized that there were people all over the sanctuary that had sat on that bench at one time or another. Now they are sitting on other benches. Some of them are sitting in the pulpit. Some of them are sitting in the choir stand. Some of them are ushers. Some are deacons, praise dancers or serving in other areas of ministry.
The church is full of people that were crippled by one sin or another. Some of us were crippled by drugs. Some of us were crippled by lust. Some were crippled by greed while others were crippled by pride. God has delivered all of us from something.
All of us came to the church crippled and broken. Then one day, we felt God tugging at our hearts. We walked down the aisle, shook the pastor’s hand, and took a seat on the “crippled bench.” The problem is, some of you are still sitting there. You have been sitting there for years. You have become content just sitting on the bench with the crippled people.
God did not deliver you so you can just sit and do nothing. He delivered you to serve. It is time for you to get up, escort a crippled person to your seat, and do what God has told you to do.
AUDIO
"The Bench": http://www.kobaltbooks.com/TheBench.mp3
- Rev. Burton Barr Jr. (Author of "The Hoodlum Preacher" and "Amazing Grace: The Storm Is Passing Over")
Sunday, March 7, 2010
Bad Choices
Everyone makes mistakes. I made one on last week’s blog when I changed the scripture reference that I used, but I forgot to change the book that the scripture is found in. Matthew 10:10 should have been John 10:10. Did anyone notice that?
We must learn from our mistakes so we won’t make them again. The problem is, some of us do make the same mistakes… over and over and over again. I want to throw a curve at you right here. Some of the wrong things that we do are not mistakes. They are bad choices.
If you get in your car and drive away, not realizing that you left your driver’s license in your other jacket, that is a mistake. But if you get in your car and drive away, knowing that you don’t have a driver’s license, that is a bad choice. If you walk out of a store with an item that you forgot to pay for, that is a mistake. But if you walk out of a store with an item that you know you didn’t pay for, that is a bad choice. When you do something that you don’t know is a sin, that is a mistake. But when you knowingly disobey the word of God, that is a bad choice.
I made a lot of bad choices in my life. I turned my back on God and then walked away from the church. Bad choices. I hung out with people that meant me no good and often sought their approval. Bad choices. I got involved with drugs and participated in criminal activities. Bad choices.
What kind of choices are you making? Are they bad choices? You might go to church every Sunday, but what kind of choices do you make Monday through Saturday? You might tell your children what is right, but what kind of choices do they see you make?
When I was lost, my father never stopped praying for me. That was a choice that he made. When I was running the streets, he was praying for me. When I was strung out on drugs, he was praying for me. When I was in prison, he was praying for me.
My father did not live to see his prayers answered. He died three years before God saved my soul and delivered me from that lifestyle. But I believe that when Dad was laying in that hospital bed in a coma, the last thing that he said to God before took his final breath was, “Lord, save my boy.”
What about you? Are you praying for your loved ones? If you are not, that is another one of your bad choices.
AUDIO
"Bad Choices": http://www.kobaltbooks.com/BadChoices.mp3
"Just Do It": http://www.kobaltbooks.com/JustDoIt.mp3
"Be Thankful": http://www.kobaltbooks.com/BeThankful.mp3
"How Bad Do You Want It?" http://www.kobaltbooks.com/HowBadDoYouWantIt.mp3
We must learn from our mistakes so we won’t make them again. The problem is, some of us do make the same mistakes… over and over and over again. I want to throw a curve at you right here. Some of the wrong things that we do are not mistakes. They are bad choices.
If you get in your car and drive away, not realizing that you left your driver’s license in your other jacket, that is a mistake. But if you get in your car and drive away, knowing that you don’t have a driver’s license, that is a bad choice. If you walk out of a store with an item that you forgot to pay for, that is a mistake. But if you walk out of a store with an item that you know you didn’t pay for, that is a bad choice. When you do something that you don’t know is a sin, that is a mistake. But when you knowingly disobey the word of God, that is a bad choice.
I made a lot of bad choices in my life. I turned my back on God and then walked away from the church. Bad choices. I hung out with people that meant me no good and often sought their approval. Bad choices. I got involved with drugs and participated in criminal activities. Bad choices.
What kind of choices are you making? Are they bad choices? You might go to church every Sunday, but what kind of choices do you make Monday through Saturday? You might tell your children what is right, but what kind of choices do they see you make?
When I was lost, my father never stopped praying for me. That was a choice that he made. When I was running the streets, he was praying for me. When I was strung out on drugs, he was praying for me. When I was in prison, he was praying for me.
My father did not live to see his prayers answered. He died three years before God saved my soul and delivered me from that lifestyle. But I believe that when Dad was laying in that hospital bed in a coma, the last thing that he said to God before took his final breath was, “Lord, save my boy.”
What about you? Are you praying for your loved ones? If you are not, that is another one of your bad choices.
AUDIO
"Bad Choices": http://www.kobaltbooks.com/BadChoices.mp3
"Just Do It": http://www.kobaltbooks.com/JustDoIt.mp3
"Be Thankful": http://www.kobaltbooks.com/BeThankful.mp3
"How Bad Do You Want It?" http://www.kobaltbooks.com/HowBadDoYouWantIt.mp3
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