The past couple of months have been a busy time for Lancaster Baptist Church. Four graduations, three weddings, several conferences and a few retreats have filled the calendar. Although it’s been busy, it has been great to be a part of this ministry. God has done some great things here in recent days.

It’s hard to believe that we are on the verge of summer. Many have already made plans for family vacations. Vance Havner once said, “If we don’t come apart, we will come apart.” I am a strong believer in scheduling time to get away from the daily grind and having a time of refreshment and relaxation. However, we must be cautious that during our time of vacation physically, we don’t take a vacation spiritually.

I have seen men who went to great lengths to ensure a “restful” vacation. They attempted to get “away from it all” and in doing so, took a break from their walk with God.

May I challenge you this summer to find rest in God. You can spend thousands of dollars on a weekend getaway, but never find rest. God alone offers true rest, even when we are in the midst of our daily routines! We find this truth in Matthew 11:28–30.

Matthew 11:28–30
“Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

I. Stay in the Way of the Lord—Come (vs 28)
A. The Invitation “Come unto me all ye that labour”
B. The Incentive “…and I will give you rest.” Psalm 37:7

II. Stay in the Work of the Lord—Take (vs 29)
A. The Declaration
B. The Definition (vs 30)
1. The Yoke is Easy
2. The Burden is Light

III. Stay in the Word of the Lord—Learn (vs 29)
A. Learn through his Instructions–Proverbs 15:32–33
B. Learn through your Involvement–James 1:22

In Genesis 2, we read of God’s institution of marriage. From this passage it is very clear to see that God intended for marriage to be between one man and one women. Sadly, our country has taken substantial steps away from this God-ordained institution.

This past week the California Superior Court overturned the majority vote of the people of California made in 2000. These judges ruled that Proposition 22, which stated that marriage was only legal between a man and a woman, was unconstitutional and ruled that marriage between same-sex couples would be allowed in California.

Proposition 22 was authored by our friend the late Senator Pete Knight. Mrs. Knight, Senator Knight’s widow, was in our services this past week along with her son Steve, the vice-mayor of Palmdale, to honor our city’s public servants. All of us, as Christians are saddened by the decision of these liberal judges.

In 1754 John Adams, our second President, wrote, “It is the duty of the clergy to accommodate their discourses to the times, to preach against such sins as are most prevalent and to recommend such virtues as are most wanted.” While many churches preach tolerance, we believe America’s need is repentance and revival. Rather than basing our principles and preaching on what a court says is acceptable, we have founded ourselves on the Word of God. Pray for us as we labor for God and for right.

“This Book is the mind of God, the state of man, the way of salvation, the doom of sinners, and the happiness of believers. Its doctrines are holy, its precepts are binding; its histories are true, and its decisions are immutable. Read it to be wise, believe it to be safe, practice it to be holy.” –Author Unknown

It has been a busy week few weeks of ministry here in Lancaster, to so say the least. With graduation just a few days behind us, the summer weddings have already begun. Last week, just two days after graduation, I performed the wedding ceremony for two couples.

One of the joys of the ministry for me has been to see families accept Christ through Lancaster Baptist and then bring their families up in the knowledge of the Lord. Such is the case with the Palencia family. Their oldest son, Roberto, grew up in the youth group where he made many great decisions for the Lord. After high school graduation, Roberto began attending West Coast Baptist College. During his college years, he maintained a strong testimony for the Lord and kept himself involved in the work of the ministry. During college Roberto met Jessica Marrow, who was raised in a godly Christian family on the East Coast. Last week, I performed the wedding ceremony for Roberto and Jessica Palencia, and it was a joy to see these two lives joined as one in Christ. I thank God for His work in their lives.

I also had the privilege of marrying Derrick Williams and Darci Tyler last week. The Williams family was also reached through the ministry of Lancaster Baptist and Derrick grew up in our youth group and Christian school. He always kept a good testimony and seriously endeavored to follow God’s will for his life. During Derrick’s high school years, his mom went home to be with the Lord after a long battle with cancer. Through it all, Derrick found his strength in God. After graduating from Lancaster Baptist School, Derrick enrolled in West Coast Baptist College to prepare for his future ministry. During college, Derrick began to date Darci Tyler. Darci also comes from a strong Christian family that loves the Lord. Over 25 years ago, I attended Bible college with Darci’s parents, who are now faithfully serving the Lord as missionaries in Romania. I was thrilled to be able to take part as Derrick and Darci were joined together through a beautiful, Christ-honoring ceremony.

It’s an amazing thing to see God work in the lives of His people. Pray for these young couples as they begin their ministries together for the Lord.

Last week, West Coast Baptist College saw its thirteenth graduating class enter into His harvest. We have said that from the very beginning, the goal of WCBC has not been students but rather graduates. It is a thrill to see students come to Lancaster each fall, but it is a much greater joy to see them finish strong and begin serving in ministry.

As I brought the commencement address on Wednesday morning, I challenged these graduates to simply consider Christ with their lives.

My daughter Kristine was among the 130 graduates this year. I am proud of her and her testimony for the Lord. She has a sweet spirit and a love for people that the Lord is going to use in a great way.

As each graduate walked across the platform to receive their diploma, I was reminded of all the love, sacrifice, and prayers that has been poured into each of their lives. I’m thankful that God has allowed me to enter into the labour of their home pastors and parents, and now we all anticipate what God will do through the graduates of West Coast Baptist College.

“Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.” – Matthew 9:38

On Monday, my wife and I had the privilege of attending the Teen Spring Banquet for the senior high teens of Lancaster Baptist Church in the Grand Ballroom of the Disneyland Hotel. If you’ve never attended this banquet before, it’s hard to explain how special an evening this is for the teens and their parents. With high school graduation just a few days away, this banquet is held to congratulate and honor of the senior class each year.

During the banquet, a video greeting is shown from each parent of a graduate. My heart is always blessed when I see parents who have grown so much in the Lord, now challenging their children to step out in faith and follow God’s plan for their life.

I appreciate Bro. and Mrs. Schmidt and the rest of the youth staff that put so much time and effort into this special evening. I am also thankful to the Lord for the youth group He has given us. I’m excited about about the plans God has for their lives.

Please pray with me for those who will be graduating in the upcoming weeks. Pray that they will follow the direction of the Lord in their lives.