MOVING FORWARD - pastor mike landry

Jesus said the second greatest commandment was "to love your neighbor as yourself." He prioritizes our relationships with people above everything else except our relationship with God; which happens to be the greatest commandment.

Some people are lovable and some are not. But our love for people cannot, and should not, be dependent upon whether they are lovable. Love is not to be a response to someone who makes you feel good. Love is so much more than a feeling or returning a favor.

We live in a culture that pressures us to see love as simply a feeling to be experienced and to be paid back. That's one reason why people can so quickly "fall out of" or "fall into" love. It's all based on the emotion of the moment.

But, the biblical definition of love is not dependent on your feelings but rather on your decisions. 1 Corinthians 13 is not a list of feelings you hope to have but rather a list of choices you must make. You are not powerless when it comes to loving others.

I've put together a check list of these choices and hope they help you, as they have me, to better "love one another."

LOVE CHECKLIST:

1. Love gives in to the inclination to forgive. ("love suffers long" - 1 Cor 13:4)

2. Love meets the needs of others. ("love is kind" - 1 Cor 13:4)

3. Love helps others to succeed even if it costs you personally. ("love does not envy" - 1 Cor 13:4)

4. Love refuses personal recognition that puts down others. ("does not parade itself" - 1 Cor 13:4)

5. Love is honest and humble. ("is not puffed up" - 1 Cor 13:4)

6. Love chooses behavior in consideration of others. ("does not behave rudely" - 1 Cor 13:5)

7. Love looks for ways to bless others. ("does not seek it's own" - 1 Cor 13:5

8. Love does not look for a fight. ("is not provoked" - 1 Cor 13:5

To Be Continued.


Did you know? Albert Einstein said, "My passionate sense of social justice and social responsibility has always contrasted oddly with my pronounced lack of need for direct contact with other human beings and human communities."

The inauguration of President Barack Obama was historic and remarkable. It highlights not only the fulfillment of Martin Luther King's dream but demonstrates our national commitment to the truth that, before God, all men are created equal. The bar has now been raised and Americans believe, as never before, that even our highest national office, the Presidency, can be pursued and obtained by anyone, regardless of color. That is worth celebrating!

Another highly visible moment during the inauguration was when Rick Warren offered the invocation. Amidst the controversy of President Obama's choice of Rick Warren was the discussion by many over whether he would pray in the name of Jesus. He did, and did so in many languages. Was that being intolerant? Was that being exclusive? Was he being divisive? Was it unpatriotic? I don't think so. Let me explain.

Our pluralistic society is composed of people of many faiths. But the freedoms insured by our Constitution enable people to exercise their faith without restriction from the state. Tolerance should never require the adjustment of religious convictions nor the personal embrace of another belief system. In other words, it is unconstitutional to require or even expect a person of faith to compromise their faith and mandate that they use a more generic name for their God.

Rick Warren is an American citizen who was asked to pray during the inauguration of President Obama. I would expect and hope that Rick Warren, and any other Christian who is asked to pray, would pray in the name of Jesus, as their faith prescibes. If someone of another faith is asked to pray I would expect them to pray to their God by the name they have been taught to address him with. I may not agree nor believe in the God they follow, but constitutionally, they have every right to do so, and it would be wrong to expect them to embrace my faith and use another more generic name for God just because I am listening in.

We should celebrate that fact that we live in a nation where anyone can call on their God by name without reprisal. Intolerance, by definition, is demonstrated not by the one who prays in the name of their God, but rather, by the one who would expect a man or woman to change the name of their God to generically include all faiths.

Everyone agrees that what happened on January 15th, 2009, to US Air flight 1549 was a miracle. Who would have ever thought that this flight, piloted by Chesley Sullen Berger, would have survived a crash landing in the Hudson River with no fatalities? Everything had to go right – and even then, they were lucky…or was it luck?

Experiences like this, whether you go through it personally or get close enough to observe it, should serve as a wake up call to “LIVE UNTIL YOU DIE.” It’s so easy to presume we’ve got lots of time left. Life is so fragile…we just don’t know how much time we’ve got left. We’d best get on with it.

If you’ve just gone through a similar scare or “wake up call” why not take time to list those things that you’ve put off that need to be taken care of. Things like calling an old friend, saying you’re sorry and asking forgiveness, helping someone who can’t help themselves, writing that letter, starting that journal, playing with your kids, taking your wife out on a date, starting an exercise program… Just do it.

And one more thing - our lives were meant to count. God has created us with the ability to significantly and positively impact other people. Just like the picture of people standing on the wing of US Air 1549, many others around you have just survived a terrible scare and don’t know what to do next. They’re waiting on the wing for a rescue boat to come with towels, blankets, and whatever else they might need. Keep a look out for those around you that you can personally help. The miracle doesn’t have to end on the Hudson River.

Pastor Mike

I just finished a short book by Max Lucado entitled For the Tough Times. In classic Lucado style, he helps those of us who have our noses pasted to the window of pain, suffering, and hardship to push back and look again at the big picture.

What could you possibly see that would help you to move forward and make it through the trying moments, and in some cases, trying seasons? For those of you who are desperately looking for answers, let me highlight a few of the chapters for you. For more detail, you’ll want to be sure to read the book…there’s so much more that will encourage you.

Chapter 1 – Where Is God?

It’s so hard to find God when the pain has you plastered up against the wall. There are times when you may not be able to see His purpose or His plan. This certainly doesn’t mean He has vacated the throne nor does it mean that He has lost control of the universe. Trust Him at those times on the basis of His nature not your perspective.

Chapter 2 – God’s Great Love

You’ll be tempted to think God doesn’t love you when you are unlovable and messy. God’s love is unconditional and demonstrates it much like a father would to his child. Lucado describes it this way, “Had he a calendar, your birthday would be circled. If he drove a car, your name would be on His bumper…We know he has a tattoo, and we know what it says. ‘I have written your name on my hand,’ he declares (Isa 49:16).”

Chapter 4 – Good Triumph

Lucado begins the chapter with a question, “How could God allow evil to bring destruction and loss into our lives? He proceeds to describe how God uses the fallen angel and enemy of God, Satan, to accomplish His plan. Three ways are identified. He uses Satan to: refine the faithful, awaken the sleepy, and teach the church. Tough times are actually necessary for us to become what we were designed by God to be. As Joseph was able to say, “You meant evil against me, but God meant it for good. (Gen 50:20 NASB)

Chapter 7 – In The Storm, We Pray

Two important truths about prayer during times of crisis stand out to me in this chapter. The story of Lazarus dying is used to paint this picture. When Lazarus became “sick unto death”, the Bible says, “So Mary and Martha sent someone to tell Jesus, ‘Lord, the one you love is sick’” (John 11:3) The first truth is when someone goes to Him on our behalf, Jesus will respond. We need to pray even if we’re not sure it will change anything.

The second truth is that the power of the prayer you pray doesn’t depend on the one who makes the prayer but on the one who hears the prayer. Lucado calls attention once again to the phrase in John 11:3, “Lord, the one you love is sick.” It doesn’t say “The one who loves you is sick” God’s answer has everything to do with His love for you not your feelings about Him or your past behavior.

Hopefully this book and brief summary will encourage you as you try to make sense of the things swirling around you and causing much grief.

Pastor Mike Landry

Hey folks,

I finally got around to typing up the questions I asked a couple weeks ago as I wrapped up a year's worth of messages on Prayer.

Here are the probing questions I asked at the end of my message on Dec 28, 2008 entitled, “Lessons learned from the Year of Prayer.” The lessons are simply additional information unless you apply them. Why not become vulnerable and honestly answer the following questions? You won't regret it.


Lesson 1 Prayer opens the door to Intimacy with God.
Question - Do you know God intimately?

Lesson 2 Prayer involves listening to God.
Question - Are you listening to God?

Lesson 3 Prayer if affected by your attitude.
Question - What kind of attitude do you have as you approach God?

Lesson 4 Prayer is not a formula to get God to do something.
Question - Do you trust God to have a solution?

Lesson 5 Prayer requires patience.
Question - Will you let God work on you by being patient?

Lesson 6 Spiritual biographies will enhance your prayer life.
Question - Who are you watching and learning from?

Lesson 7 Knowing God’s name enables you to pray with confidence.
Question - Do you know God’s name?


I encourage you to go back to my messages that are archived at www.sarasotabaptist.com as a reminder of the lessons we have been learning together. The timing of when you hear the message is really important to your personal application. When applied, these lessons will significantly influence your personal relationship with God. Maybe the timing is just right for you right now.

I love being your pastor,
Pastor Mike Landry

My family always adds so much to the quality of my life. Whenever we get together it is a hodgepodge of fun and laughter, teasing each other, eating, playing video games (this year it was the Wii), telling stories, sharing dreams, staying up later than normal, and hoping the moment doesn't end. I am a blessed man. The FAMILY FUN FORMULA works.

Of course, I don't mean that everything is perfect...in fact it's far from it. This year, there were two dogs who invaded our dog free home. This added new odors, new stains in the carpet, much more noise, and lots of fur...not necessary found on the heads or backside of the dogs either. Two of my grown and now married children have gotten dogs in the last year and felt compelled to bring them. I really believe they were simply demonstrating their newfound independence and retaliating for a childhood lifetime without dogs.

That's not to say that we never had a dog while they were kids. We got a Collie pup when they were all under the age of 8. They remember the licks, the playful antics, and the soft fur. I remember the barking, the twice destroyed air conditioning unit, and the many messes that I had to clean up. Fortunately for me, that dog needed more room to run and we soon gave him to a family that lived on a farm.

Back to the point. What's this got to do with our FAMILY FUN FORMULA?

Dealing with the undesirable, the unexpected and the unplanned is a major component of our Family Fun Formula. I'm constantly challenged to be flexible and experience new things. The formula requires messes, tension, and a willingness to move outside my comfort zone. The great thing about kids is that they are uniquely equipped to provide all of the above...and in my case, they don't hesitate to involve their dear ole dad. I don't necessarily want to do what they propose or put up with all the antics but I'm learning to bend...with a little help from my wife (who is unapologetically a co-conspirator with my children).

As a result, I had tons of fun bowling, golfing, and boxing while playing Wii. The dogs were entertaining and I had a big grin on my face each time they wrestled each other. I even loved it when they would snuggle up to me waiting to be petted.

But the best part...as I'm stretching and trying to be flexible, I find myself overwhelmed with joy and pride when I see all our kids having a ball and enjoying being together. Now that they've all headed back to their homes I find myself remembering the smiles, the laughter, the teasing, the hugs, the dreams shared, and the hopes expressed. The messes, odors, and barking are fading. I look forward to the next time together...but will I survive? I keep getting older...

I love the beginning of a new year. However, I'm always tempted to make such major changes that are unreasonable, unnecessary, and unrealistic. It's those consistent and incremental changes that make a long lasting difference anyway. So, I'm learning to make minor adjustments that will ultimately result in major changes. This year I plan to evaluate each day with the following 6 questions.

1. Did I Simplify? Have I gotten so wrapped up in the details, the form, the style, the look, or the checking off of an item of my to-do list that I have forgotten the purpose of my involvement?

It is so important that substance is not eliminated by style.

2. Am I Listening? Am I paying attention to those around me who are there to help and are waiting? Am I listening to my body when it cries out for rest, recreation, or a diversion? Is God telling me to slow down, speed up, or change tactics?

Never forget that a laser focus can also mute my ability to pay attention to other factors that need to be considered as you move forward.

3. Am I Learning? Am I making adjustments based upon lessons learned? Have I defaulted to a built in auto-pilot mode that has been preset by my past similar experiences?

Never forget that "doing the same thing the same way while expecting different results is insanity."

4. Am I Connecting? Am I intentionally developing my current relationships as well as cultivating new ones? What Am I doing to make that happen?

You were made with the capacity to be rightly related to God and other people.

5. Am I Loving Others? Am I only responding to other's generosity and kindness? Do I limit my caring of others only to those who care about me first.

Remember the golden rule, "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you."

6. Am I Living a Life of Influence? Am I wasting the lessons I've learned by storing them away within myself without passing them on to others so they can succeed? How many people have been forced to learn lessons the hard way simply because I refused to show them my scars?

Remember that you were made by God to make a difference. Don't waste your legacy potential.