Legacy Church

Ephesians 4:11-12
Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. Their responsibility is to equip God's people to do His work and build up the church.

Are you looking for a church home? Somewhere to go to be fed spiritually? Then you might want to try out a new church plant in Gadsden. Legacy Church. They are located across the street from Gadsden Vineyard Church, downtown on Broad Street, between 4th and 5th streets.

Last Saturday morning during our setting up for VRC, I noticed that there was some activity going on in front of Legacy Church. Being a good neighbor, I decided to pay a visit and welcome them to the neighborhood. Age and memory playing a part, I do not remember the names of the people I met, but they were extremely friendly as they shared their history of how they came to land on Broad street. 

One of John Wimber's passion was for the Vineyard to be a bridge builder to other churches. To reach out and connect, to help in any way needed, and to bring unity to the body of Christ. In some ways, I have the same vision. Truth be known, my bridge building comes in the form of recovery meetings at other churches. I do have a group of pastor's who call on me to fill in for them when they have to be away from their home church. That is a high honor for me, to fill in and teach. 

I guess what I'm trying to say is that the body of Christ in Gadsden should not be seen as being in competition with each other. Years ago, before we landed at the Vineyard, Vicki and I were trying to find a home church,so we visited a number of different groups. We finally landed in a new church and began to attend. Then a strange thing happened that I never will forget. One day, during Sunday school, the teacher stood and began to give a stirring speech about the destiny and mission of this new church plant. He ended his speech by saying that "We had been founded by God and we were there to wipe out the competition."   Wipe out the competition? Aren't we all on the same side? Other churches were our competition? I understood his heart for being the best we could be...but to do so at the expense of our fellow churches....way off the mark here buddy.

So you see, I hope Legacy church becomes everything God has birthed it to be. I pray blessings over the pastor and his family. I pray that the word of God be taught, and that people come to the saving knowledge of who Jesus truly is. 

This coming Sunday, September 11th, at 10:30 a.m.  Legacy church will meet for the first time in their new location. Please pray for these folks, and if you're free you might want to go out and meet with them.  Crazy thought I just had....wouldn't it be wild if the entire block between 4th and 5th became filled with churches. How cool would that be. Kind of like a church "mall".

God on you....
mbb

There Isn't Any Life In Worrying

Matthew 11:28
Then Jesus said, "Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest."

We worry...
We fret.....
We get all tied up in knots over circumstances and situations that are beyond our control.
Did you ever notice that you never worry about things you can control?
More than once I have heard others proclaim..."Well, that's just the way I am. I can't help it."
Of course I understand that the nature of man is to worry. But when I worry (and I do) then I'm not really trusting God am I?  For me personally, when I find myself starting to fall into that dark abyss of worry, I stop myself and began to pray. I pray and thank God for who He is and what He has promised He would do. In other words, I take my hands off, step back, and let Him be God. Hard to do? Sure is....but if I don't work at this trusting thing, it will never get any easier, and I won't learn how to do it.

I Peter 5:7
Give all your worries and cares to God, for He cares for you.
I like this verse so much that I probably quote it a gazillion times a day.
Give.....turn loose......make the decision followed by the effort to release whatever has you tied up in knots.

All... What falls under all? Everything. You don't get to decide what you are, or not going to give God. He wants everything that has the potential of derailing us in our walk with Him.

Your...This is personal. Not someone else's problems or worries, but your's. Really is this place were the real admission of being powerless comes into play? When I stand up in front of God, and say, "I'll handle this one God!" we are sliding back into that place of trying to run our life.

Worries and cares......Is it just me, or don't you just get tickled to death when you read stuff like this? God did not clarify what constitutes "Worries and cares". It is open ended and available to all. What I consider to be a worry or care may not even register in your life. But see, it really isn't about me or you and our situations. It's about the love and mercy of God that He pours out on us.

To God....The giver of all good things. Author and perfecter of my faith. The receiver of my will and life as I turn over everything to Him. What do I get in return? His perfect peace.

For He cares for you..... We are His creation. He never intended for us to live life under the bondage of worries and cares. His desire is for us to live in freedom, and that freedom is found only in Him.

Maybe you are struggling with doubt, worrying, and being all tied up in knots. This is a good time and a good day to turn loose of it all. Hand it over to God, and take a deep breath of freedom.

God on you.....
mbb

New Audio Message From VRC

Listen Up!!!
New audio message in the audio section of the Greene Street Letters!
Down load for listening later.
Start it up to listen to it now.
MESSAGE: Ephesians 6:13 - "When The Day Of Evil Comes"

The Life I NOW live

Galatians 2:20
For I have been crucified with Christ, it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me, and the life which I now live in the body I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.

The life which I now live....
Now.....today, this moment. This 24 hour period that has been given to me by God himself.
This life I live in this body....this fleshly form that I walk around in. My body.....
I live by faith. I live by under the direction of God's Holy Spirit, seeing beyond what my natural eyes can see. (Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen).

So how does all this work? I'm not really sure, but I do grasp the idea that I no longer live to satisfy my flesh. Rather, my daily goal is to satisfy my Father in heaven. Oh, it's not a spiritual check list of do's and do not's. It is a knowing inside of right and wrong. This so called life I live by faith covers every aspect of my daily life.
Christ living in me helps me with my fiances as I pay my bills.
Christ living in me helps me with my relationships with others, as I do unto them as I would have them do unto me.
Christ living in me helps me to be aware of my neighbor and offer help when needed.
Christ living in me helps me to stay away from old haunts and old friends who do not have my best interest at heart.
Christ living in me helps me to face every problem and situation that may come my way today.

You see, It truly is Christ who lives in me, and it truly is a life of faith that I am learning to live. If you want to see what a life of faith looks like, then read Chapter 11 of the book of Hebrews. Some have referred this chapter as being the "Great Hall of Faith". It lists numerous people we read about in Scripture.....Moses, Abraham, Abel, Noah...and on and on and on. But each person's story begins with the phrase...."By Faith"...and then proceed's to tell what they accomplished because of their faith. Well, I think that list has continued throughout our history, right up until this day. I believe that our names will be listed in this line. Mine will read..."By faith, Michael Bynum...". As will yours. It will list the defining moment or event that put us in this Galatians 2:20 life. I guess the greatest thing that we could have written about us is "By faith they lived their life trusting that God was who He claimed to be, and did what He promised He would do.
Can't argue that one....
See you tomorrow.

God on you.....

Great Weekend

Psalm 107:19-20
"Lord, help!" they cried in their trouble, and he saved them from their distress. He sent out his word and healed them, snatching them from the door of death.

These verses from Psalm 107 have been the cornerstone of why I go and teach at various places. If you read Psalm 107, it reads like it was written to those who are in addiction. 
The hearing of God's word is a source of healing to those who have cried out for help.
The journey to a new life begins with the infiltration of God's word into a heart that has been kept captive by sin. The word brings freedom and release. It uncovers the deepest and darkest part of man's heart and then offers salvation and reconciliation with God.

This weekend was one in which I got to see God at work on various levels. From time to time I will find myself being asked to speak multiple times at different venues. Saturday night found me at home (VRC). The message was very simple. It was a part of a verse that had lodged  in my brain and heart, and would not go away. Ephesians 6:13 - When the day of evil comes. I'm never really sure how any message will be received when I teach it. In fact, my only real concern is that I am being obedient to what God wants to do in the meeting. As a pastor/teacher, you always hope that there will be a response to the message, but you realize that you leave that part up to God. He draws those forward that are open to receive.One of the ones who did come forward to receive was a five year old girl. She brought her stuffed animal with her, and wanted it to receive prayer also. The little girl wanted to be filled with God's Holy Spirit. How cool was that? We prayed for her....we prayed for her stuffed animal (don't get all theological on me here....she asked and I was more than obliged to do so). Her action of getting up and coming to the front opened a window of tenderness in that room.

Sunday morning found me at New Outlook Christian Fellowship. Rannie Childress, pastor, wanted me to fill in while he and his wife, Shirley, took a much needed break. Here again, happy to do so. Felt like God wanted me to teach from II Chronicles 20:3, the story of  king Jehoshaphat. And Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek the LORD, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah.

Taught on the power of praise and obedience. Giving praise to God is more than simply singing the words of a song. It the junction where a heart that loves and trusts God allows the words of the song to be lifted into His presence. It is belief and faith in Him is brought out to face any problem or situation that may be headed our way, with the intention of destroying us. Destroying us either spiritually or physically. The power point found in this teaching is found in verse 17. You see, Jehoshaphat is facing the reality that there are three armies headed his way who intend to destroy him, his people, and his kingdom. The verse reads...."You will not need to fight in this battle. Position yourselves, stand still and see the salvation of the LORD, who is with you". God told Jehoshaphat to not run away from this problem, but to go and out and face it. But to realize that it is God who will bring the victory.

Then last night, I spoke at Catalyst Recovery. The message went to the heart of sin/addiction.
John 3:3 - Jesus answered and said to him, "unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." 
I shared how only God could give us the fresh start that we needed to escape the pain and destruction of addiction. That the birth a baby was the result of intimacy between a husband and wife. To be born again was the result of an intimate act between God's Holy Spirit and the human heart. We are a new creations spiritually, even though we aren't chronologically. It was a good evening as people came forward from prayer. 

So for me, as I look back over this past weekend, the payoff is being able to teach God's word, and then see the Holy Spirit draw people as a result of what they have heard. Also, know that I am fully aware that I am the least in this whole movement of Spirit and heart. I am just the conduit through which the message flowed.
Have a great labor day....
And don't do too much work, o.k.?

God on you...
mbb

God?

Genesis 1:1
In the beginning God...............

Has ever such a presence caused so much upheaval as God has?
People get in an uproar over Him, and because of Him.
People don't believe in God....
Some who do, want to create Him in their own image. They may not say so in so many words, but if you look at their actions and their beliefs there is no other conclusion you can come to.
Denominations split off and start new movements because of disagreement over what God believes. As Mark Heard state in one of his songs...."Everybody Loves A Holy War".
In all this upheaval in the world and in His church, there is one thing that I have found to be true.
God does not change.
Society does....
Humanity does.....
Governments do....
But yet God does not, nor has He ever changed.
God is a constant.
Mankind, on the other hand, is constantly changing. And might I add that the change hasn't always been for the better.

We have governed God right out of the collective conscience of our nation.
We no longer give approval to talking to God.
Heaven forbid we acknowledge that God talks back.
We have relegated His book of love letters to us to the dark recesses of humanity...
Back row, bottom shelf of our library's. Not to mention that most would classify it as fantasy or fiction.
Even the church has tried to create a God in their own image.
Maybe that's why we were told, at an early age, never to discuss politics or religion. Such is a powder keg waiting to be ignited.

Yet with everything that is wrong with humanity (even though we think we're doing all right, and are becoming more enlightened everyday) God still reaches out to us. In spite of all our efforts to remove God, He has doubled down on His effort to reach us. Whether we, as humanity, wants to admit it or not, the cross of Christ is the great equalizer.
I can stand in the shadow of the cross with Donald Trump AND Hillary Clinton, and know that without the finished work of Jesus applied to us, we are lost. No amount of intellect or wealth will let me or anyone else enter into God's presence. Only the shed blood of Christ applied to my life and my sin.

To believe in God, and to follow Jesus is the building of a foundation that we can rely on in our daily life. We are influenced by events in our home.....in our work place.....in our city....in out state...in our nation...and in our world. Now that is a lot of influence, is it not? So if I do not have a foundation that I can stand on as I move from event to event, I will be overcome by the sheer magnitude of all the influence that comes to me without my asking for it. I will be drowning in all this influence washing over me by the society I live in. My God has called me to a life of purity. Have you notice the thought of someone being pure is laughed at. The thought of someone actually remaining a virgin until their married is seen as being out of touch and archaic. Yet these are principals that God has laid out for us to follow. I don't view such behavior as being a rule or regulation, as much as it becoming a desire of my heart when I begin this journey with Him.

You see....I'm not to good at keeping rules.
I'm not very good at following regulations.
But my love for God is such that I do not want to ever disappoint Him, so I live my life to please Him. When I seek Him first and allow Him to change me, then the doing I struggled with becomes second nature, and simply becomes a part of my makeup.

As I see it.....
Those who are truly following Christ in their daily lives are minority when it comes to our society. Maybe it has always been like that. I've always said that there are two churches...or a church within the church. You've got the professing church..those who claim to be believers and followers of Christ, but their daily life shows no evidence of such a claim....
And you have the true church. Those who truly have given themselves to a life of following after Jesus. Now don't get all gooey religious as you read this. Following Jesus is not always going to a mission field in some foreign country. It isn't about answering a call to pastor or teach. Sometimes it's being His hands, feet, heart and voice in your neighborhood. It's buying groceries for someone, or helping with a ride to the doctor. The true church isn't always seen or recognized. IT quietly loves behind the scene and has no need to be up front or in the headlines of the local paper.

I guess maybe it's time to wrap up this edition of the Greene Street Letters. There is one reason and only one reason why I wrote this particular posting today. I care about people soul's. I do not want anyone to leave this life only to find themselves in hell, separated from the love and presence of God for eternity. I know that such thought and belief is not popular in our time and day. But simply because you don't believe in hell....simply because you think it archaic or part of a mean-spirited God to allow anyone to go there....remember one thing. God never sent any person to hell. We wind up there because we have rejected the one gift that would free us from such a penalty. We rejected Christ and His gift of salvation.

Romans 6:23
For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.

Think on this...
God on you....
mbb

Forty-Four And Counting

Here she is with our grand daughter.
My wife.
Today we celebrate 44 years of sharing life together......legally, might I add.
44 years! Man that is something that old people do.
Oh yeah, I'm old.  Notice that I said that I was old, and not her. She is still my bride, the love of my heart.
I could write a billion pages about this woman and not even scratch the surface of what an incredible person she is.
She loves the Lord and each day is a celebration of that love.
She is the most unselfish, giving, caring person I have ever known.
She is my wife.

We met on January 19, 1970 at the Campus Crusade for Christ office in Gadsden. She was a Junior at Gadsden High School and I was a freshman at Gadsden State Junior college. I had been a part of CCC since my senior year in high school, so me and my best-est friend, Jim Bentley had stopped by to hang out. I happened to have my guitar with me and was working on a song. I'd like to say that it was a masterpiece but the truth be known I don't even remember what it was. But I do remember that young girl that came strolling through those doors and into my heart on that winter afternoon. Miss Vicki Campbell! She didn't even know I was alive. Quick, I had to do something. "Think of something, Michael...." She disappeared into an office (she was working as a secretary for one of the staff members). I took my guitar and tracked her down. Going into the office where she was working, I sat down and continued to work on my song. She thought I was staring at her....but I was in deep, poetic thought. Naw...not really, I was staring at her, but I couldn't tell her that.

One thing lead to another and after much research and info on this beautiful young lady, I mustered up enough courage to call her and ask her out on a date. She accepted. Our first date consisted of us going to the OTHER DOOR (the coffee house that was ran by CCC) where I played a set, and then to Pasquale's Pizza. There among the horde of other young people, with our 6 inch cheese Pizza and two cokes, I serenaded her with tunes from the juke box. mainly Edwin Starr's "WAR".  Don't ask me why....it was the end of the sixties and early in the seventies.

I would love to say that it was all sunshine and lollipops, but our first year together (remember when you went steady?) was rocky. We were together, we fought, we broke up, we were apart. We were back together, we fought, we broke up, we were apart. Ahh!! Such is young love.  In 1971 I asked Vicki to marry me. She accepted. On September 1, 1972, Vicki and I were married in the courtyard of 12th Street Baptist Church, in what her grand mother referred to as "That hippie wedding."
I remember standing down front with the pastor's (yep, we had two pastor's...wanted to make sure this thing took) when Vicki came out in her wedding gown. Never had such a beautiful woman ever been seen before. She was radiant and beautiful and a few other descriptive words that don't even exist. She took my breath away.

Forty-four years have passed and what I thought was love on that September night back in 1972, pales in comparison to what I know is love today. We have shared a life together and the Lord has blessed us beyond measure. We have two sons who love the Lord and their lives reflect it. They, in turn, have married two wonderful women in their own right. I am blessed to be the father in law of Robin and Heather. We also have two incredible grand children (but isn't every grand child the most wonderful thing to ever come along?)Tyler and Ashley.  Like I said, God has blessed my wife and me in ways that money or material possessions could never replace.
So here on this day, I truly do feel like George Bailey. I am the richest man on Greene Street.
Happy Anniversary, Vicki!
I love you.....

God on you....
mb