Submitted
From The Pastor's Desk
Were you there?
Come back with me if you would to the middle 1800's. We are in a cotton patch in the deep south. Your skin is black and you are a negro slave.
It is early morning and you are there picking cotton. Across the field, someone begins to sing, "His eye is on the sparrow and I know he watches me". They all join in and their voices carry across the field, through the valley and down the hollows.
It is noon, the sun is overhead, your knees and back begin to hurt. Sweat fills your eyes. They sing "Swing low sweet chariot, coming for to carry me home".
Now it is five. You are tired. Your back aches. Blisters appear on your hands. The sun bares down. Your feet hurt. Your knees are shot. You long to be somewhere else. One more time a song echoes thru the valley. This time it is, "Were you there when they crucified my Lord".
Some wondered what they had to sing about. These old negro spirituals are rich with history, passion and theology.
We owe these negro slaves a lot. They changed music for the better and they related to the suffering of Christ. They were true examples of Christianity. They loved God and held to the one thing no man could take from them; their freedom to worship their God and their Saviour.
Were you there when they crucified the Lord? Paul said, "I am crucified with Christ" in Galatians 2:20. I have thought about this song a lot recently. No one knows who wrote it, but it has survived the test of time. Johnny Cash and Tennessee Ernie Ford later recorded it as well a host of others..
These negro slaves walked up Calvary with Christ. They suffered along Him on the cross. They felt his pain of 2,000 years ago in their songs and in their hearts.
I have too, and it causes me to tremble as the song says.
I am Pastor Johnie Logue of Grace Baptist Church at 31036 Hwy MM. Services are at 10:00 AM and 11:00 AM on Sunday mornings.
Warsaw Christian Church
Many wonder, “How can I know the will of God?” Jesus carried out the will of God perfectly. As we observe and imitate Him we become more and more aware of the will of God for our lives.
Jesus connected “doing” and “knowing” when He said, “If anyone does God's will, he will know whether my teaching comes from God or whether I speak on my own” John 17:7). Sometimes our problem is that we don’t really choose to do the will of God. If we are not committed to doing God’s will we will have no clear concept of the nature of His will.
We notice also that Jesus was committed to loving God and loving others. He declared such love to be the greatest commandment of all. Do you want to know God’s will? Love God and love your neighbor. That is His highest will for each of us. As we strive to carry out God’s highest will through love, we will understand more clearly His will in other matters.
We notice too that Jesus was completely unwilling to compromise on truth. When Satan tempted Him in the wilderness He refused all the devil’s suggestions. Even though He was hungry, He would not follow Satan’s suggestion that He turn stones into bread. He did not want to rule the kingdoms of the world under the lordship of Satan. In Gethsemane He feared disobeying God more than He feared death. If God’s will meant suffering for Him, bring it on!
Jesus was committed to love and truth. He was committed to doing the will of God. And sometimes He threw in a measure of common sense. I suspect as we follow this same path as best we can, the will of God will become ever clearer to us. Those who go through life confused, with no understanding of God’s will for their lives, are persons who tend to ignore these basics. God reveals His will to those who follow in the footsteps of the Master.
Hopewell Baptist Church
In Matthew 9:9-13 Jesus and His disciples are walking along when they encounter Matthew, a tax collector. Jesus calls over to Matthew sitting in his booth, Matthew leaves his booth to follow Jesus and invites Jesus to his home, so Jesus dines with Matthew and his friends. The pharisees walk by and see Jesus eating with the tax collectors and sinners so they ask His disciples, why is your teacher eating with these people, why is your teacher here? He is making all the pharisees look bad. Jesus hears them and tells them it is not the healthy who need a doctor but the sick. Jesus tells them He desires mercy, not sacrifice. I have not come to call the righteous but the sinners. Your sacrifice does not make a difference without mercy. Jesus does not condemn their way of life or their ability to join the Kingdom of God.
It is not your past behaviors, faults, or failures that determine whether you are loved by the Almighty! Who is invited to the Kingdom of God is all those we think should not be there. The real scandal is He invited all of us! Jesus didn’t come here for perfect people; He came for you and me! Jesus is awesome! When He climbed up on the cross, He hung there for all of us! He doesn’t want us to keep behaving poorly, but Jesus is still calling us! The Kingdom of God is not a small thing – it’s everyone who has recognized they need Jesus! If church was for the perfect, no one would show up! We’ve done wrong and He still calls us. We make mistakes, fall, He picks us up and we start all over again. We serve a mighty, mighty Jesus!
The amazing thing about grace is that it belongs to everyone! No matter what we’ve done, or who we’ve been hurt by, Jesus still calls us to follow Him! Imagine if the church started treating people like Jesus intended. We know who we are, and we know who we are because of Jesus. We are not deserving of forgiveness, yet He forgives us anyway!
Join us Sunday mornings for Sunday School at 10 a.m. with Worship at 11 a.m., and Sunday and Wednesday Bible Study at 6 p.m. Watch us live at 11:15 a.m. on Hopewell Baptist Church Facebook page.
Unity Of The Lakes
This Sunday 9/24/23, will be a full and enjoyable day at Unity of the Lakes. At 11 am Rev. Don's service will be "Feeding the Multitude". Around 12:30 the Mem's group is sponsoring their first annual fish fry. We will have fish, French fry's, hush puppies, Cole slaw and so much more. Feel free to bring a dish. We promise the service will provide a new view of feeding the multitude and the food afterword's assures you will leave filled in every way, body, mind and spirit. If you haven't been to church in a while or would simply like to check us out, this may be the time to do it. Dress is casual and all are welcome. We are located eight miles south of Warsaw on highway 65. Our physical address is 94948 Hwy 65 South. Follow us on Facebook.
Lincoln First Baptist Church
Happy Sunday. Pray all is doing well. Happy birthday to Barbara Hammond. Some of the church family lost loved ones this week. Keep them and all the other people in your prayers. Don’t forget this is Rheubin L. South Missouri Mission offering month. Operation Christmas Child box collection will be starting soon at the church.
Pastor’s text was from 1 Corinthians 5. No change No Jesus. Jesus will speak to you if you will listen. Judgement day the grace period is over. Some people will be told “Depart from Me I did not know you.” He loves us but He is a just God. Show people who we are. You’re Christian and Christians suffers. If you’re not going to serve God why should He let you in. Salvation is free. When you are saved your actions, friends, mood and actions will change. God’s word is a doubled edged sword. It cuts the truth then loves. Except those who have come to Him no matter what they have done. Don’t look back at your sin but look to the cross and you will grow in your faith. Be an ambassador for Christ.
UNTIL NEXT TIME GOD GO WITH YOU. SEE YOU SOON.
