Spend a few minutes with Rev. Kirk Lawton for insight and encouragement through the word of God. The longtime Chaplain for Ocean Lakes Family Campground has been an inspiration to thousands of campground guests from all over North America. Located on 310 oceanfront acres in Myrtle Beach, SC, Ocean Lakes is one of the largest family-owned campgrounds in the United States and has welcomed travelers for nearly 50 years. The non-denominational Church Service is held in the Recreation Center ever ...
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There are many ways in which we can worship God. We do so through reading His word, the Bible, through studying it, through meditating on what His Spirit speaks to our hearts, thorough sermons, and through music. Today at Ocean Lakes we worship by an unusual way. There is no sermon from the pulpit, but the worship is centered on music. We hope and …
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One of the most intriguing stories ever told about Jesus was His encounter with a blind man; his name was Bartimaeus. Have you ever wondered what it would be like if you were blind? When Jesus came along one day, He had "good news" for this blind man. Another word for "good news" is the word "gospel." And that's the title of today's message: "The G…
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Throughout the years of my pastoral ministry, I have often had people come up to me following the worship service and say something like this: "Preacher, you really spoke to me today. Was that sermon meant just for me?" My response is always that I do not preach just to one person. In Matthew's gospel, there is an account of what the chief priests …
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We begin today by asking a simple, but very important question: “How much are you worth?” That may be answered in different ways. How much are you worth - to your employer – to your family – to your community – to your church? How much are you worth to God? That may be the most important question. That’s what we are thinking about today.…
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Last Sunday the sermon from Ocean Lakes was about “The Prodigal Son and the Prodigal Pig.” Today we will take a closer look at two groups of people Jesus encountered: Prodigals and Pharisees. Which one are you? Would your answer be: “Neither one!” Well, let’s think about for a few minutes and then decide.…
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One of the most well-known parables that Jesus told was the story of the person we call “The Prodigal Son.” We will look first today at that parable, as it is recorded in Luke’s gospel, chapter 15. But there is another part of the sermon which is about “the prodigal pig.” Is that in the Bible? Well, stay with us, and you may be surprised.…
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Even though Independence Day is now past, we are continuing to celebrate today with another patriotic service. It has been said that with freedom comes a price to be paid. Therefore today's sermon is entitled, "The Price Tags of Life." The scriptural basis for the message is Galatians, chapter 6, verse 7: "Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for wh…
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On this Sunday before we celebrate once again our nation's independence, our thoughts all seem to gravitate toward patriotism. This is surely a subject which should not be confined just to one or two Sundays in a year, but we all should give thanks to God for blessing our nation as He has in the past. Thank you for joining us today from Ocean Lakes…
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If you've ever gone to a meeting where there are lots of people, and most of them do not know each other's name, the organizers sometimes help with this problem by supplying name tags or badges for everyone to wear. Did you know that every Christian wears a badge? Of course, this is not something to pin on your clothes or hang around your neck. Wha…
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There are 150 psalms in the Bible, and each one has its own special help for those who read. Today we begin at the beginning - - Psalm 1. No, we won't go through all 150 psalms in this message, but this first psalm has been called "a recipe for happiness." The psalm begins with the words, "Blessed is the man.." but the message from God in this psal…
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If you've ever had the painful experience of being outdoors on a windy day and having a speck of dust blow into your eye, you know that this will occupy your undivided attention until it is removed. But what if it is more than just a small speck? Jesus talked about this one day, and what He had to say about it is recorded in Matthew's gospel, chapt…
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Have you ever had the horrible experience of driving your car and hearing a thumping sound coming from somewhere underneath, only to learn later that your tires were out of balance? Yes, balance is very important in any areas of our lives. In the 10th chapter of Revelation, there is a verse which describes a special kind of balance which an angel h…
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Have you ever heard the phrase, "having an Achilles heel?" The sermon this morning begins with this story from Greek mythology, and then we move quickly to the Bible to look at two men who had their own "Achilles heel." They are Samson and Simon Peter. Is there a lesson for us from these two men who failed so miserably in their lives? Well, stay wi…
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Have you ever thought about the question: which of your five physical senses would you give up if you had to surrender one of them? Would it be your sense of taste, touch, smell, hearing, or seeing? Most of us would probably have trouble making that choice. The message today is about a man who was deprived of one of these senses, and what Jesus did…
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We welcome you this morning to our Sunday worship service from Ocean Lakes Family Campground in Myrtle Beach, SC. And a Happy Mother's Day to all of you who are mothers. May this be a special and a good day for you. This morning our service is not intended to be just a nostalgic reflection on mothers; we are here every Sunday to worship God. Have y…
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Imagine something with me for a moment. Suppose you were to be arrested and forced to make a statement that you are a Christian, or you are not a Christian, what would your answer be? And let's suppose further that if you said you are a Christian, you would be executed on the spot, would that change your answer? Well, thankfully, most of us have no…
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There is an old gospel song that we sometimes sing, the words of which go like this: "In times like these, you need a Savior; in times like these, you need an Anchor; be very sure - - be very sure your anchor holds, and grips the Solid Rock." Anybody with even a slight awareness of world conditions today knows that we really do need an anchor, when…
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In the 50th Psalm, the author speaks the word of God when he says, "Call upon me in the day of trouble. I will deliver thee." Another translation gives that same verse in these words: "Pray to me in time of trouble; I will rescue you." (CEV) Wow! Doesn't that apply to us all? We all have those times in our lives when we get into some kind of troubl…
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We welcome you this morning to our Sunday worship service from Ocean Lakes Family Campground in Myrtle Beach, SC. Some of the most interesting and fascinating Bible stories are often hidden away in books or chapters that we often overlook. This is the case with Amaziah, whose story is told in the Old Testament book of 2 Chronicles. If you are where…
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We welcome you this morning to our Sunday worship service from Ocean Lakes Family Campground in Myrtle Beach, SC. Now that the celebration of Easter is gone (although Christians celebrate the resurrection EVERY Sunday), let's turn our attention to a follow-up of last Sunday. Those early followers of Jesus - - what were they called? Yes, the word "C…
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And a Happy Easter Sunday to you! Easter has arrived early this year, and the calendar says that Spring is already here also. On this Easter Sunday, I would like you to think with me about a subject which some people have wondered about for many years. Today we are celebrating the resurrection of Jesus from the dead, but did it really happen? Is th…
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Last Sunday in the morning message, the attempt was made to answer the question, *What Is the Cross?" We must admit that there is absolutely no way in which any person can fully understand or try to explain what the cross of Jesus means. So this morning we are going to try again to approach basically the same question of last Sunday. But today, let…
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Have you ever noticed on TV or some other media outlet how many of the people you see are wearing a cross? That caught my attention recently when I was watching a program which was primarily political in nature. Why do people wear a cross? Is it to identify with the Christian faith, or is it just because it is an attractive ornament to wear around …
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Valentine's Day is past for this year, along with all the sweet expressions of love found on cards and other places. If I were to ask you what three little words were most often found on greeting cards, whether it is for Valentine's Day or for some other special occasion, what would those three little words be? You got it! 'I love you." There are t…
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Everybody knows that we are all here on this earth for only a limited time; we are not here to stay. We will all eventually die, unless the Lord comes back first. Well, suppose you knew that your time would be up in about one week. What message would you want to leave behind for your loved ones? This is exactly what Jesus faced, and today we are go…
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The sermon this morning begins with some well-known words from the poet, Edgar Guest: "I'd rather see a sermon than to hear one any day ..." Surely we all would agree with those sentiments, even the greatest preacher would have to say "Amen" to that also. But where do we go to SEE a sermon? Is this talking about a sermon on TV, or does it refer to …
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Today we are blessed again to have a guest minister to bring the sermon. He is Rev. Rich McLawhorn, who, along with his wife, Jody, are regular attenders at our worship services each week here at Ocean Lakes. Last Sunday Rev. McLawhorn clarified many false ideas being discussed in our decaying culture about what is called "love." Today he will foll…
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Today we have a special treat in store for us. We are blessed to have a guest minister to bring the sermon this morning. He is Rev. Rich McLawhorn, who, along with his wife, Jody, are regular attenders at our worship services each week. Rev. McLawhorn has been very active throughout his pastoral ministry, serving in various capacities, not only as …
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For the past several Sundays we have been thinking together on some of the basics of our Christian faith. We have explored the meaning of that big word, "Regeneration," or as Jesus told Nicodemus, "You must be born from above" - a new kind of birth. Then we asked the question, "How Can I Be Sure I Am a Christian?" Last Sunday we dealt with the prob…
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Have you ever known a person who, to all outward appearances, was a fine, upstanding, wonderful Christian, as you observed that person in church on Sundays? All is well when you see how loving, kind, and active that one is, but when you have some dealings with that person during the week, you would think that you have an entirely different person. …
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If you were to walk down the street and ask the average person, "Do you think you'll go to heaven when you die?" you might get a variety of answers. But suppose you were in a church somewhere and you asked someone, "How can you be sure you are a Christian? You might get an equal mixture of answers. Is it presuming on God to say, "Yes, I am a Christ…
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The title of today's message is "Regeneration." You may be quick to ask, "What could be more boring, less interesting, than a subject like that?" This word is one that preachers sometimes throw around in sermons, and it sounds very intelligent, scholarly, and very theological - - but what does it mean, and how can this be something that I need to b…
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As we think about the subject for today, looking back at this past Christmas, I want ask two questions: What did you GET for Christmas? The second question is "What did you GIVE someone for Christmas?" We often think of gifts we have received, but what about what we have given? Jesus said that it is more blessed to give than to receive, and so as w…
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We welcome you to our worship service today from Ocean Lakes Family Campground in Myrtle Beach, S.C. On this final Sunday in the year 2023, we look backward over the events of the Christmas celebration and take one look at two groups of people who are important for us before we close this chapter. These are the Wise Men and the shepherds. They each…
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Can we believe that Christmas for another year has already arrived? Tomorrow is that special day when we celebrate the birth of our Savior. Are we ready for this? That's the subject of today's message, and the implication is that being ready means much more than is ordinarily thought of. All of us here at Ocean Lakes wish and pray that all our list…
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For the past two Sundays, we have been thinking about two people who were very important parts of the Christmas story: Mary, the mother of Jesus, and Joseph, the earthly father. Today our subject is "The Holy Child of Bethlehem" and this is the central person in the entire story. Our scriptural basis for today is Luke, chapter 2. Let's look at the …
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Last Sunday we centered our thoughts on "The Forgotten Man at Christmas." Today we turn our thoughts to another person in the Christmas drama, but this person is far from forgotten. No, once again, we're not thinking about Jesus, but rather at the other earthly parent of our Lord. It is Mary, the mother of Jesus. What was it like to give birth to t…
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Have you ever had the terrible experience of realizing all too late that you had forgotten to send someone a Christmas card, or even forgotten to get that person a gift, when all the while you had fully intended to do so? Christmas is a time when we realize that we may have forgotten some very important things or people in our lives. The sermon tod…
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We welcome you to our worship service today from Ocean Lakes Family Campground in Myrtle Beach, S.C. Are you ready for Christmas? Well, that's a bit early to be asking that question, isn't it? What will "getting ready for Christmas" mean for you? It surely should be more than just getting all the gifts bought, wrapped, and put under the tree. More …
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Can you believe that Thanksgiving Day is only a few days away? This day has been a tradition in America for quite a few years now. This morning we will look at a few of our origins of this day and then turn our attention to the real reason for the day, which is not only "giving thanks" but also "living thanks." If we do both of these -- giving and …
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Have you ever heard the expression, “We’re living in quite a day! The world has gone to the dogs.” That sounds very pessimistic, but that observation is not new at all. Hundreds of years ago a man named Peter preached a sermon in which he called for people to “save yourselves from this crooked world.” His sermon is recorded in the Book of Acts in t…
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How Can We Believe (In Life After Death)?
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Have you ever thought what it would be like to die? Well, that's not a very pleasant question, is it? Do we just float away into nothingness? Do we see a bright light at the end of the tunnel? Is this life on earth all that there is? There are many different opinions as to what happens to us when we die. Christians say that there is life after deat…
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A popular opinion among many people today, including many people who have their names on the role of some church, is that the organized church has seen its day. It is now time to discard the church as we know it. While many might not be so bold as to say this, the actions of millions of people in America, as well as elsewhere, would indicate that t…
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How Can We Believe (That One Religion Is as Good as Another)
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Have you ever heard the expression, "All roads lead to heaven; it doesn't make any difference which road you take. They all lead to the same place." This is a popular opinion which many people today have, but is it really true? Is everybody going to end up in heaven, just as long as they are on "some road?" There is a similar question that is the s…
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How Can We Believe? (What the New Testament Says About Jesus)
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Unless you've been "living under a rock" for a while, you will be aware that some recent news outlets have reported amazing archeological discoveries which they say prove the accuracy of portions of the Bible. Can we trust these reports? What about the person called Jesus? Was He an actual person, or is He like some fairy-tale person? Today we are …
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How Can We Believe? (That God Answers Prayers)
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One of the most universal spiritual experiences that human beings have is that of prayer. Even the proverbial "atheist in a foxhole" may cry out to God in a time of crisis. Prayers are offered at public gatherings, such as in a church service, or even in civic or political meetings. A saintly Christian mother may pray daily for a wayward child. But…
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How Can We Believe? (That Jesus Really Meets Our Needs)
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Today we continue our series of messages on the general subject of "How Can We Believe?" Last Sunday we asked, "How can we believe in a loving God, in a world of suffering?" Today is somewhat of a follow-up of where we were a week ago. We all have challenges that face us, whether they are physical in nature (illness) or maybe in some other manner, …
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How Can We Believe? (In a Loving God, in a World of Suffering)
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We welcome you to our worship service today from Ocean Lakes Family Campground in Myrtle Beach, S.C. When we hear about a person who has been stricken with a terrible disease, maybe even a life-threatening illness or a terminal sickness, our hearts go out to that person. And if that illness causes the person to have to endure great suffering which …
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How Can We Believe? (That Everything Is Going to Work Out All Right)
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Have you ever found yourself in a tight situation, "in hot water," and someone comes to you trying to help? Some of these well-meaning friends may be somewhat like Job's "comforters" in the Old Testament; they are more of a hurt than a help. One of the worn-out, trite expressions we hear in hard times is "Everything is going to work out all right."…
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How Can We Believe? (In God, in a Scientific Age)
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For several Sundays here at Ocean Lakes our thinking has been on the general subject of faith and how we as Christians can have a firm faith on which to stand in these difficult days that surround us. Today we are beginning a series of messages, all on the subject of "How Can We Believe?" Today, the question is "How Can We Believe" (In God, in a Sc…
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