Pastor Mike's Blog

Over the last few years I have spent in ministry, I have had the privilege to serve a lot of the Dayton community through volunteer work in a multitude of areas. Not all have been ministry related. Many of the projects I have been involved in have been manual labor that needed done at places like the Life Enrichment Center and other community centers and churches in the area. I have tried my hardest to be humble about the work, lead by example for those around me, and simply be a good representative for Jesus in the flesh. One of the most frustrating things in volunteering is getting others to volunteer as well. The average American in today’s society has been conditioned to be a consumer only and not a giver. It has become a society of what can I get from this or that, and what angle can I take to get more out of someone or their business. No one wants to work for what they have today they just expect it is owed to them and they want to make it to the top off of the back of someone...

In my last blog titled, "Seasons: Part I," I discussed how I wanted to approached the topic of seasons of life as found in Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 along with other areas of the Bible. I only got through verses 1-2 and I am finally picking up tonight at Ecclesiastes 3:3, Solomon wrote in verse 1, "For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven:" He went on in verse 3 to write, " a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;" The interesting thing I am finding in my own life is I had this whole "Christian thing" all wrong. Many times we feel like if we are Christian we aren't to be judged or looked at wrong or treated poorly and everything is supposed to be perfect in life. In fact, as we read what Solomon says here, he is telling us that there is a time for good indeed, but there is also a time for struggle. As we read verse three some in todays society may say, "well that...

Recently, I have gone through some changes in life that had me questioning my own faith, my own destiny, my own call, and even my own life and death. I have tried to press into the Word of God and attend Christian conferences, seminars, church services, and listen to sermons daily. What I have come to realize is that there is in fact a season for everything including death. Of course everyone dies but that is not what I am referring to in this post. What I am speaking of is not a physical death of the flesh, but a death to the flesh and even the spirit. In the last six months or so I have heard and talked a lot about dying to self. What I didn't realize at the time was I needed to heed my own advice and learn to walk in the Spirit. Today I want to start a series of blogs I will title " Seasons ," which will be primarily out of Ecclesiastes 3 verses 1-8, but I will probably end up going in other places of the Bible as well. Ecclesiastes 3:1-2 (ESV) says, "For ev...

I will be writing a new blog again very soon. Facebook seems to attract too much drama and criticism. So in order to write what God is placing on my heart to write, I will be doing it in a blog for now. I look forward to sharing my recent journeys, struggles, victories, and personal revelations with you. God bless, Pastor Mike Lawson