Today I must get down to business. WE’ve got some important dates for you and I need to relay them with all due haste. Please mark these dates on your calendar.

This coming Wednesday afternoon at 4:30pm is the scheduled annual Crawfish Boil. This is the most heavily attended event of the year on the UAM campus. The Boil will be set up on the University Center Parking lot and next to the sand volleyball courts. Please make a point to come by the Barn or the Center to help with preparation and be on site by 3:30pm to help serve. We’ll be handing out food and tracs to everyone who comes through. This is going to be a BIG one so don’t be late and come hungry.

This coming Thursday night at 9pm is the first scheduled meeting of Renown in the new facility. Make a point to invite everyone you can and come prepared to thank God for all He has provided for us. The building is amazing and we should be able to minister to more people in more ways than we ever thought possible. Please come by and tour the facilities next week. Our home is your home.

One final note; “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.” (ICor.6.19,20) People tend to act differently in church than they do in a theatre or at home or at the ball park. Why is that? Why is it OK to lose your temper or cuss or rant and rave or be vindictive and hateful or crass or judgemental or just lazy and slothful anywhere but the house of God? How is it possible for any of us to excuse any of our actions because of where we are? We are the temple of the Holy Spirit. Wherever we place our foot is a holy place. The presence of God goes with me wherever I go. I cannot separate myself from Him nor He from me. Therefore, my actions everywhere must be as if I am always in a most Holy place.

You see, I am not my own man. I’ve been purchased by the precious blood of Jesus, the One and Only, the Son of God. He gave His life blood as a ransom for my soul but not for mine only but for the souls of all men for all time. Therefore, I must honor that sacrifice by living in such a way that my life reflects glory onto Him.

I know that we don’t mean to be disrepectful of the gift but we must keep focus. We are watched and listened to everywhere we go. It is a constant battle to mantain our influence on the lives of those around us who are struggling with faith in Jesus. How can we possibly expect to win others when we live just like they. We watch the same movies, tell the same crude jokes, listen to the same music, wear the same fashions. I’m not a throw-back but even I know that there has to be a limit to what we indulge in. We cannot “raise hell” for six days and expect to access heaven on the seventh.

So, I’m begging you, on behalf of the sake of the gospel, please treat every step you make as if it were your last. Do not waste one. Remember that you are the temple of God and His Spirit rests in you. Make sure you’ve prepared His room well.

I love you bunches.