Remembering my Dad

I didn't get this done before Father's day so I wanted to post something even though it is quite belated. There is no one else in my life that has influenced me more in a positive way than my Dad, Preston Sands McReynolds. I loved, admired and respected him so deeply; and I miss him terribly. So Dad, Happy Father's Day, late as usual and I will see you again one day!
                                                      Your son,
                                                       Michael

Rembrandt's Scholar Reading - 1631

This fabulous work by Rembrandt has always intrigued me because of the artists use of light streaming through the window. At the window its brightness is such that it appears as an overexposed photograph to the subtle dark corner in the left foreground where a bookshelf is revealed.
  There is a serenity about this painting that exudes warmth and peace. One of my favorites!

Church on the Hill Volunteers

I just want to thank all the volunteers at Church on the Hill for all that they do to make our church and awesome place to serve the Lord. You guys are truly the best!

The Amazing Provision of God: I trust...He provides!

Leviticus 25:20–21  And if you say, “What shall we eat in the seventh year, since we shall not sow nor gather in our produce?” ²¹ Then I will command My blessing on you in the sixth year, and it will bring forth produce enough for three years. 

 We all at one time or another in our Christian lives struggle with trusting God. Especially when it comes to the area our finances and the provision for our future. In this passage the Lord was giving specific instructions for the year of Jubilee and Sabbath rest for the land. They were not to sow for an entire year and as a result of their obedience the Lord would "command" blessing upon them in the sixth year and there would be provision made for three entire years. Wow.... talk about requiring trust! They understood that if they didn't plant, nothing grew and if nothing grew then no one ate! 

 So for us when it comes to tithing, giving unto the Lord He only asks that we give a tenth... and we chaff, and struggle to obey. Why? Because we cannot see how it would be possible to survive and yet we still hold ninety percent of what we own. The issue is trust  and obedience. Will we trust God and obey Him? If we will there is a commanded blessing that will be ours! One years harvest will produce enough for three years!

 How great is our God and well deserving of our faith!

This is great!

The weather outside...

It has been quite sometime since I have written anything here and so why not today. After all... the weather outside is Delightful... for a welcome change. It has be almost like real winter here and quite frankly, I am not up for it anymore. The forecast for the weekend is the 60's and that suites me just fine. So anyway... have a great weekend to all those who aren't following this blog anyway... which is very understandable as there is precious little to follow... adios!

I Will Never Forget

  Nine years ago I was running on the treadmill in our local gym when a  friend informed me that a plane had flown into the World Trade Center Tower. At first I didn't even stop my work out until I realized that it was not a small private plane as I was first told. I walked to the back of the gym where its owner Kathleen stood in horror watching a terrible  spectacle unfold before our very eyes. We watched in labored silence as the second plane crashed into the west tower and then the news flashed that the Pentagon has also been attacked. As the news declared that America was under attack my friend begin to cry as she informed me that a family member was on a flight out of the New York airport. We stopped and prayed for her families safety and then I left the gym to get home to my family.
  The remainder of the day I sat in front of the television not believing what had just unfolded nor realizing the fact that our lives were changed forever. The America that I had grown up would never be the same after that day as we experienced an attack of greater magnitude than Pearl Harbor. The reality that Islamic terrorist could strike here in the homeland was a reality. We were no longer safe.
  That sad fact that I must record after the nine years that have past is that the Muslims have taken more ground in America through their economic jehad than they ever could hope to via terrorist strikes. Our nation stands at a crucial juncture in its history and there seems to be nothing that will prevent a war here on our soil. Our obsession with the idiocy of political correctness has neutered our leaders ability to make hard decisions and honestly admit that it is a war against a religion. Islam is a threat to the world not just our nation. We must be unafraid to admit that it is a religion of death, a religion of hate and a serious threat to our future as a free society.
  I will never forget that we were ruthlessly attacked on 9/11/01 and we must not lose out resolve to stand against this the growing threat of Muslim extremism. I will pray for the salvation of Muslims but will fight for my country and defeat her with my life.
  Wow.... that was a bit of a ramble! Good night cyber-world.

This is what we do...

  This is a nice picture of yours truly with my son Preston in the background taken during our most recent night of worship here at Church on the Hill. We had a great crowd and an awesome time in the presence of God. I am so grateful for the privilege of serving God with my family and friends. There is nothing better in all the earth!
  Let me also put in a shameless plug for the Preston McReynolds Worship Band's new CD, "We Are For You." You can download it from iTunes or purchase it at  www.pmwbmusic.com. Thanks for your support!

(Photo by Sheri Hemrick http://www.gotpictures.us)

Still tired but really Excited....

 Here is it, Friday afternoon and I am still tired from the two events that we participated in this past week. First, after an awesome service with our guest speaker Judith Jacobs Siddarth we took 28 COTH servants to The Mission in Dallas and hung out with some really great people. We shared a meal, message, and some great conversation and I truly believe that we left more blessed that when we arrived. Then on Tuesday night 34 members of COTH showed up at Hillsboro City Park and helped out with the National Night Out. It was amazing...hot would be an understatement, but blessed would be too! We just served; food, massages, cold water, and anything else we were asked to do. I am so proud of the people that I am privileged to pastor. You guys are great and I am convinced that we are going to win our county by "serving one!"

 I cannot believe those two events drained me like they did, but I know God is moving in Hillsboro and Hill County and that we are going to see His Name made famous! I an truly excited to see what doors Jesus will open next for us to serve our community!

Great Post from Jon Herron

This is a repost from JonathanHerron.com and well worth the read. It reminds me that we I have no excuse for not serving Jesus and challenges me to stay focused and on task!

These Early Christians were on fire..."

“The great difference between present-day Christianity and that of which we read in these letters is that to us it is primarily a performance, to them it was a real experience. We are apt to reduce the Christian religion to a code, or at best a rule of heart and life. To these men it is quite plainly the invasion of their lives by a new quality of life altogether. They do not hesitate to describe this as Christ ‘living in’ them.

“There were no churches, no Sundays, no books about the Faith. Slavery, sexual immorality, cruelty, callousness to human suffering, and a low standard of public opinion, were universal; traveling and communications were chancy and perilous; most people were illiterate. Many Christians today talk about the ‘difficulties of our times’ as though we should have to wait for better ones before the Christian religion can take root. It is heartening to remember that this faith took root and flourished amazingly in conditions that would have killed anything less vital in a matter of weeks.

"These early Christians were on fire with the conviction that they had become, through Christ, literally sons of God; they were pioneers of a new humanity, founders of a new Kingdom. They still speak to us across the centuries. Perhaps if we believed what they believed, we might achieve what they achieved.”   

- J.B. Phillips, Letters to Young Churches, 1947