Bobby Williams Live

I thought it would be fun from time to time to take a look back on my blog from one year ago and repost something that you may have missed or forgot about.  So today, we’ll look back at a post I thought was really relevant to what I’m preaching this Sunday in Ephesians 2.  It was titled, Hold Me Now.  Check it out…

So the other day I was in the living room with my stone cold fox wife, when our 9 month old son Isaiah decided he thought it would be a good idea to play rodeo on the side of his toy barrel.  In the barrel is a lot of toys, which at the time happened to be strung out all over the floor of our house, making it look like Toys R Us just upchucked in our living room.  Parents, you’ve seen this scene.

When he grabbed the side of the barrel, he went crashing down to the floor with his toys and the barrel landing on top of him.  Normally, we cheer when he gets a little bump or something and he laughs and then we move on.

This time, it was a little more serious and as soon as he realized he was hurt and in trouble, he looks up and reaches out for me, waiting for me to pick him up, hold him and tell him everything is alright.

That’s when God said, “See Bobby, when you fall, when you’re hurt, when you need me, and even when you don’t,  I want you to stretch out your arms and let me pick you up. Run to me, not from me.”

Sometimes we like to think if we laugh and act like nothing is wrong or nothing happened, we can smooth it over and skip out on the pain of need and recovery.  But other times, the situation puts us in immediate need and we need someone to tell us it’s gonna be ok.

I’m thankful for a Savior that we can reach up to, like a child wanting his daddy, and wait on him to sweep us up, hold us and tell us it’s gonna be ok. Colossians 1:17 (17 And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together).

Remember what Christ has saved you from and remember that even right now, at this very moment, Christ is holding the universe together.  And if He can keep that from getting out of control, He’s got you just fine.

This past Sunday was a good day in many regards, a frustrating day in some, and totally unexpected in others.  Check it out…

• As we often do when necessary, we had to move our services to Oak Ridge High School, in which we will be for the next 2 weeks.
• Very thankful for ORHS who allow us to meet there when we need to.  Haven’t convinced then to let us there every Sunday, but we’re working on that
• Every time we get to be at ORHS, the creative juices start to flow and we try something new in our set up.  This week, we moved our screen around, changed up the piping, and a few other small things.
• Not only  did creativity flow in set up, but out band broke out a bass line being played with a violin bow and a grand piano for the entire worship set.  Yup…it was awesome!
• I quickly realized Sunday that I let too many things distract me and wear on me Sunday mornings when I need to push those off and deal with them on Monday morning.
• Small frustrations on Sunday mornings will equal large distractions when you’re on stage.  Let’em roll and deal with it on Mondays.
• It was AWESOME to see so many first time guests this past Sunday!
• We continued in the book of Ephesians with chapter 2 this week; Read it HERE
• On Wednesday, you can go to our Facebook page HERE and listen to the message
• Bottom line from this week’s message….God still chose to love you even though He knew how wicked we’d be.  That’s good news.

Just a quick reminder, if you’re attending Ridge Community Church this week, or for the next 3 weeks actually, we’ll be meeting at Oak Ridge High School, in the cafeteria area, at 10am each of the next 3 Sundays.

So when inviting your friends (you are inviting your friends aren’t you?) be sure to tell them to come to Oak Ridge High School instead of the Doubletree Hotel.

Help us get the word out so no one misses out!

If you follow my tweets, then you’ve seen me posting updates about some things I’m currently reading.  Most current, would be Sun Stand Still by Steven Furtick.  I’m also currently reading From The Top Down by Michael Lukaszewski and Doctrine by Mark Driscoll.  Truthfully, I usually only read one book at a time.  But I’m loving all three of these and can’t stop reading one, so I’ll just read them all at once.

I’ve always heard (and you probably have to) that leaders are readers.  I agree with that.  But I would also add that leaders have to rubber bands not twine.  You have to be willing to be stretched.  Rubber bands stretch…twine breaks when stretched.  Right now, I’m loving the feeling of being stretched.

Grab a book, dive in, and get stretched.  Need suggestions….how about Sun Stand Still, From the Top Down, Doctrine or THIS one….

Sometimes I just feel smart.  But generally, I only feel smart because I’m piggy backing off of what someone else has said.  I’ll try to learn it, then apply it.  That’s the case with this last week’s message at the Ridge from pastor Caleb Tipton.

We’ve been blessed to be building a stable of highly intelligent, able, capable preachers that can flat out teach.  There are many other pastors out there that would kill for pastor Rusty and pastor Caleb.  (Try and hire them away and I’ll throat punch you I kid…sort of…)  They take a lot of pressure off of me, being able to call on them to ask them questions, run illustrations by them, and then just lean on them to preach.  Not only does that give me a little break, but it also gives people attending the Ridge a change of pace.

I dig it.  And I think you will too.  Check out this past weeks message from pastor Caleb on Ephesians chapter 1 and what it means to be adopted into God’s Kingdom.  Caleb will break down how God choose you….you DID NOT choose God.  Have an open mind, dive in, and learn something new.  Check it out HERE