To terrorists and freedom hating people all over the planet: BEWARE! We are Americans and we are ALL "BOSTON STRONG!" Don't you for one minute think that we will not unite to destroy you if you come into this country to destroy us. Don't confuse our hospitality and our concern and care for others as weakness. If you hurt us, we get MAD and then we go get you.

When you mess with one of us - like you messed with our neighbors in Boston - you have messed with all of us. When you hurt one of us you have hurt all of us. We have our differences, for sure. We Americans are red, black, white, brown, yellow and other colors too. Some of us eat grits and some of us don't. Some of us like our pizza Chicago style, some New York style, and hey, some of us eat it with a fork. Some of us like Hockey, and some of us don't know a blue line from a clothes line. My point is that we have our differences but we will unite to defend one another to the bitter end - YOUR END. We will not - NOT - put up with your savagery.

So, wherever you come from - Chechnya, the Middle East, Far East, or if you are homegrown, BEWARE! We are not the pansies you've mistaken us for. Oh yeah, we are also armed.

GO BOSTON! Your city is our city! We are proud of you and the job you've done to get these creeps. God bless you all! AND GOD BLESS AMERICA!

Hey. I just wanted to share with you my message and thoughts from Tuesday night's prayer service at Rocky River Church. I think they are even more important now in light of the tragedy in West, Texas. God bless.

JAMES 4:13-17 (NIV)
"13 Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” 14 Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. 15 Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.” 16 As it is, you boast in your arrogant schemes. All such boasting is evil. 17 If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them."

THREE MAJOR THOUGHTS:

1. Don’t plan your life without God. Most people live life as though God doesn’t matter. We just go about our lives doing what we think as best without even giving God any consideration in how we ought to go about our lives. The person James talks about in verse 13 has a business/life-plan that did not include God at all.

As I am posting this blog I am working from my home office. The news is on and they are showing the "joint faith service" from Boston that includes our President. The reality is that God is only an afterthought for so many after something like this happens. That church/cathedral is full today but I'll be it was like most churches in our country last Sunday - empty. It is full today because we feel like we need God today. God should just be an afterthought for our lives. We don't just call on Him when we need Him.

It is sad enough that people who don't know Jesus live that way, it is even worse when "Christians" live like this.

Our leaders are calling on us to pray for our nation. My first thought is how often they pray for God's guidance in their everyday leadership of our country.

2. Don’t presume tomorrow. None of us know what tomorrow will hold for our lives. We have today and we should make the most of it.

•Life is unpredictable. On Monday afternoon people were cheering in Boston for their loved ones finishing the Boston Marathon never imagining in their worst nightmares what terrorists had planned for them in a roadside bomb. And just last night in West, Texas people were going about their lives never imagining the terror and destruction of a warehouse fire that would reshape their lives forever. Life is unpredictable.

•Life is also brief. In Monday's bombing in Boston one of the fatalities was an eight year old boy. EIGHT YEARS OLD! James says our lives are like a mist. That is so true - whether we live 8 years of 85 years - life is short. Don't just live for this life but live with the next life in mind. This life is short, but the next life is forever.

3. Don’t put off doing good. Do good things now while you have the opportunity. You may not have the opportunity tomorrow to love your family so do it now. You may not have the opportunity to trust Christ as your Savior tomorrow, so do it today. You may not have tomorrow to share Jesus with those you love, so do it today. Do good today. Live like Jesus today. Point people toward Jesus with your life and words today. Today. James says it is a sin to wait until another time.

I hope this was helpful. Please continue to pray for the folks in Boston, West, Texas, our leaders and our nation.

BTW, This Sunday at Rocky River Church I am going to teach our folks how to have "Unshakable Faith" from the life of Abraham - Lord willing.

God bless!
Jimmy

Hey Rocky River Church!

As you know, there was a terrorist attack today (April 15) in Boston, MA during the running of the Boston Marathon. Several people are dead and many are very seriously wounded. As a community of faith, we are going to respond by having a special called prayer meeting tomorrow night (Tuesday, April 16th) at Rocky River Church. I would like to personally invite you to join us for prayer for the victims and their families as well as our country and our leaders. ALL ARE WELCOME. Please help us get the word out!

HERE ARE THE DETAILS:
Date: Tuesday, April 16
Time: 6:30PM
Location: Rocky River Church, 887 Pitt School Road SW, Concord, NC 28027

God bless Boston, the victims and their families - and may God bless America!

Jimmy Britt, Lead Pastor
www.RockyRiverChurch.com

Below is a link to a blog post by Pastor Mark Driscoll from Mars Hill Church in Seattle. He posted it regarding the death of Pastor Rick and Kay Warren's son, Matthew. I have linked my blog to it because it is one of the best responses I've heard or read to Matthew's suicide and the criticism that Pastor Rick receives constantly in his life because he is a preacher of the Gospel.

Let me just say two things before you read this article. One, You will never know the criticism a pastor and his family take (all of us) from people inside and outside of our churches. My own children have been hated on by people who should know better. It hurts - it hurts more than you could ever imagine. Pastor Mark is right when he says "Satan hates pastors kids." He does indeed, and often he uses people closest to those kids to hurt them. Pastor Rick told me at a breakfast meeting years ago, "Jimmy, you need a tender heart and a thick skin to be a good pastor." Boy was he right. Of course, there are many more people who love and encourage their pastor, but some make life hell at times; especially when they attack your kids.

Second, Pastor Rick is a friend of mine. I have known him from a distance for more than ten years. And to his critics, I say you are a parade of fools who don't know what, or who, you are talking about. Pastor Rick is perhaps the most genuine, sincere, encouraging and Godly man I have ever personally known. To criticize him about things you know nothing about is display your own ignorance. Shame on you for making an already unimaginably painful time in his life even worse because of your criticism.

Those things said, this is a tremendous article. I hope you'll take the time to read it. Well said Pastor Mark. You have a real gift with words.

Jimmy

P.S. Pastor Rick, I cannot tell you the influence you have had in my life and ministry. I praise Jesus that He has given you a ministry to pastors the world over to encourage us and help us lead with purpose and passion. The Britt's love you and Kay and we pray for God's peace in your lives.

http://pastormark.tv/2013/04/10/rick-warren-critics-and-the-hope-of-god-...

I'm sitting in my office right now (Saturday morning about 11:30) worshiping God and looking forward to church tomorrow. This is a song God put on my heart. It blesses me and excites me. I wanted to share it with you for your own worship and encouragement.

Don't miss being at Rocky River Church tomorrow at 9:00AM or 10:30AM because I believe God is doing something special in our church. He's moving. His glory (which is His presence) has come down and He is changing lives. Be here! Bring someone with you. I am going to teach you how to be a genuine faith-follower of Jesus by learning to look at life through eyes of faith.

Love you guys!
Jimmy

Can you help Anna Beth Davis and her family! We are supporting this at Rocky River Church. I hope you will consider it too. Come eat some food, have fun, enjoy some cool cars and do some good at the same time. This is a win/win.

The word Epic means "to live beyond ordinary, to be extraordinary." At Rocky River Church we believe God has created every person to live a life of significance. The problem is that must of us wuss out and never realize His purpose for our lives and the significance of our existence. During our current LifeTalk series called "EPIC" we are learning how to live BIG LIVES of faith and to move beyond "average."

**WARNING** This is not your typical series about faith designed to give you a warm fuzzy feeling inside. I'm hoping this series will shake up your life - even wake you up. I'm tired of of watching people sleep-walk through the best years of our lives. I want these messages to stir you, mess you up, and even keep you awake at night. I believe that God wants to yank you out of your insecurities and radically change your life. LET'S GO!

Don't miss this Sunday! I'm going to talk to you about how to meet head on some of the tests we all face as Christians. Let's get EPIC! See you at 9:00AM or 10:30AM.

Hey Rocky River Church! I want to say a BIG THANK YOU to everyone who volunteered for Easter @ Rocky River Church 2013! We set a goal of 1200 people to come onto our campus this year for one of our five Easter services. We did not reach that goal, but instead had 900 people. That is AMAZING! I thank God for everyone who was able to attend. Dozens of people gave their lives to Jesus for the first time, and many more recommitted themselves to following Him. That makes for a HUGE success in my book. To all of our volunteers, let me say that we could NOT have served this many people without you. EVERY TEAM was strategic, flexible and had just the right spirit to allow the glory of God (His presence) to be shown. THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!

BTW, I haven't been in hiding this week. Since it was spring break week I took the kids (Karen had to work) to the beach to see my parents for a few days. I used the time to play a round of golf, rest, pray, study and prepare sermon outlines for the next few weeks. God has really energized my life the last few weeks (as well as our staff team) to move forward and minister the love of Jesus to our community and the world like never before. Folks, the best is yet to come! I'm serious! Buckle up because the ride is about to get wild! :)

Just a heads up, this weekend I am kicking off a series of message dealing with the topic of EPIC FAITH. The very first message is from the life of Noah and is about becoming the kind of person God uses. Don't miss this weekend at RRC! It is going to be a powerful Sunday! I can't wait. See you at 9:00AM or 10:30AM.

I love you RRC! See you all on Sunday!
Jimmy

This is a picture of the small "holding room" where Jesus was held captive and suffered mock trials in the home of the High Priest, Caiaphas. This is one of the "holy" places in the Holy Land. We know Jesus would have been right here when His beard plucked out, He was spat upon, and falsely accused of blasphemy.