From The Pastor's Desk
Revival and Revival Meetings
First, I want to say that we have canceled our upcoming revival meeting. Why? Lack of interest and resources.
Revival meetings have become showcases for the church with an evangelical push. Usually, a guess pastor and sometimes singers are brought in to stir up the people. The success of the endeavor is usually judged by attendance and decisions made.
There has been a huge decline in revival meetings in America over the last several years. We have had them in the past in our church and they made for a fun time and good fellowship. However, they can be costly and are in most cases a lot of work.
A guess preacher comes in and usually preaches his favorite sermons, stories and tells his favorite jokes. You have never heard them and so you think he is better than your pastor. In six months behind your pulpit, he would had burned out with his old material and would had come down to earth. Sometimes they do more harm than good from the pulpit and the pastor has to fix their mistakes.
I certainly am not against revival meetings but revival meetings are good for what they are but true personal revival comes from God.
The much herald 2nd Chronicles 7:14 has nothing to do with revival. It is God repeating what Solomon asked for in the dedication of the temple. Read chapter six and see for yourselves.
I remember the first revival meeting I ever attended. We prayed with excitement around the clock. The evangelist was 40 years older than in his picture on the flier. He was a long time friend of our pastor. His sermons bored me to tears. I invited a hundred people or so and no one showed up. It was a reality check for this young Christian.
As I said earlier, God gives personal revival. You do not force Him into anything. New people can excite you but spiritual revival is inward not outward.
Grace Baptist Church is located at 31046 Hwy MM in Warsaw. Services are at 10:00 AM, 11:00 AM and 4:00 PM. Call (660) 281-4775.
Hopewell Baptist Church
In Matthew 25:31-46 Jesus gathers all the people like sheep and goats, the sheep on His right and the goats on His left. The sheep have been invited to join in the inheritance because when Jesus was hungry, they gave Him something to eat; He was thirsty and they gave Him something to drink; He was a stranger, and they invited Him in; He needed clothes and they clothed Him; He was sick and they looked after Him; and He was in prison, and they visited Him. The righteous ask when they did these things, and Jesus responds, whatever you did for the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for Me. You didn’t think you saw Me because you were looking for someone else. Then He looks to the unrighteous and says the opposite, for they did not do the things the righteous did.
In a world where Jesus is not physically present, how are we supposed to behave. Whatever we do for the least of humanity, we do for Him. Jesus didn’t go anywhere! He shows up in the places we least expect. The righteous didn’t ask questions, they simply helped. At the end of the age, Jesus will call everyone together, give an account and separate sheep and goats. We are saved only by the grace of Jesus Christ. We must find a way to love the unlovable, the broken, and the hurting. Because this is what He has done for us. He loves us in our brokenness. We get saved because we recognize the power of Jesus.
There are several opportunities around us to try…volunteer at a local food pantry or pick up extra things when we are shopping. Visit a local nursing home. We can even visit some prisons via our cell phone using video chat from the comfort of our own home. Let’s make our goal this week to do something for the Kingdom of God. An opportunity to love someone different from us.
Join us Sunday mornings for Sunday School at 10 a.m. with Worship at 11 a.m., regular Bible Study Wednesdays and Sundays at 6 p.m. with our Children’s Program Sundays at 5:30 p.m. Watch our service live at 11 a.m. Sunday mornings on Hopewell Baptist Church Facebook page.
Lincoln First Baptist Church
Hello everyone. I hoped your weekend was blessed. We have been holding steady in attendance for worship. God has blessed us in the last year. We have a lot more youth and children than we have had in a long time. The youth will host a fish/frog leg fry with other food on October 12 at 5:30 pm. There will be games and a hay ride also that night.
2 Chronicles 1 was the text for the sermon. The text talked about God asking Solomon what he wanted. Solomon replied that all he wanted was wisdom and knowledge to rule the people. God gave him more than was asked for. Solomon didn’t ask anything for himself but what was best for his people.
Do you love others as Christ loves you? We should feel conviction when we do things wrong as a Christian. When we do things for Christ Satan is always lurking about. We know what Jesus expects of us. A Christian who prays isn’t a threat. Satan is a threat to new Christians. Encourage others and praise each other. God wants 10% from us and that we recognize Him. Satan wants all we have. Do you love each other as Christ loves us? God’s kingdom is inside of us.
HAVE A GREAT WEEK AND GOD BLESS. SEE YOU NEXT WEEK.
Unity Of The Lakes
Pathway to Possibilities: Creating A World of Abundance
Humanity has traveled to the moon and back! We've sent probes far out into space, and discovered several new species at the bottom of the ocean. We've harnessed the power of the sun, the earth, and our very breath. The last frontier to explore is found within us. It is an invitation to dig deep and discover rare spiritual gems!
Come join us Sunday, September 15 at 11:00 AM as we embark on a wild adventure together on planet Earth. Let's go within and learn more about ourselves, God, and our spiritual nature. And while we are at it, let's create a World of Abundance! The Christ light will guide the way…
BIO:
Rev. Diana Kennedy lives in the Unity Village, Missouri area and is originally from Tallahassee, Florida. Diana moved to Missouri in 2008 and was ordained a Unity minister in 2013. She enjoys being in nature, dancing, writing, and hanging out with wonderful souls!
Diana is committed to spreading the inspiring energy of love, peace, joy, and abundance with the world! She is an ambassador for infinite possibilities and is excited to speak with us today!
Warsaw Christian Church
What if I had the opportunity to speak to the leadership of Islamic terrorists? What would I want to say to them? I would talk to them along these lines.
Gentlemen (I would try to be polite even though they don't act like gentlemen), I understand you partly but not entirely. I know you believe the Islamic religion is the one true faith and that all persons everywhere should submit to the authority of Allah as revealed in the Koran. I understand you because I believe the same thing about Jesus. I believe He alone is God's final and complete revelation, and all persons everywhere should surrender their hearts to Him and live as His disciples, just as the Bible teaches. We cannot both be correct.
What I do not understand is why you try to advance your religion through terror. Frankly, I see that as a sign of weakness. You surely don't think that killing innocent people will draw people to your cause, do you? Even if you are successful, you will not have true converts to Islam. You may have people who pay lip service to Allah, but only because they realize that if they don't play along, they will be punished, tortured, and perhaps even killed. Have you ever heard the aphorism, "Those convinced against their will are of the same opinion still?"
You guys seem to be filled with irrational hatred against Jews and Christians, especially American Christians. Does Allah approve of hatred? Aren't you just a little ashamed to teach your young people to fly airplanes into buildings and to strap bombs on their bodies and blow themselves up, along with whoever happens to be in the vicinity, and then promise them 70 virgins in paradise? You sure have a different idea of paradise than do we Christians.
As a Christian minister, I preach Jesus and biblical truth and try to persuade people that He is the Savior. I can't imagine twisting arms and cracking heads to get people to embrace the Prince of Peace. Do I hate Muslims? Absolutely not. Do I want Muslims to have the freedom to live in America and practice their faith? Our Constitution gives you that right, and I affirm your right to believe whatever you wish. (Question: Can Christians freely practice their faith in Muslim countries?) Will I try to persuade you to believe in Jesus? You bet I will. Remember, I believe He alone can save you for eternal life. I am concerned about your immortal soul.
