From The Pastor's Desk
A preacher or a pastor?
Man of like passions as we are . . .
-James 5:17
Someone said to me this past week that a preacher conveys a message and a pastor lives it.
Countless preacher boys and pastors have fell by the way side. I went to Bible college with guys who could really preach. Most never made it in the ministry. Some even dropped out of school. Some out of church.
I said to someone this week that I was 100 percent man and 100 percent pastor. I go to bed as a pastor and I get up as a pastor. I am a pastor in my sleep. I am 24/7.
As a man, I am very flawed. I have the same desires, conflicts and passions as any man. No one likes rejection and the ministry is full of rejection. We are held to the highest standard that few could ever achieve.
One lady in our church years ago always talked about preachers as men with feet of clay. She was right.
The Bible is full of the failures of men. Men like David, Peter, Judas, Samson, Demas, Lot, Solomon, Moses, Abraham, Jacob, Cain, Jonah, Elijah, King Saul and a host of pretty sorry kings are examples of the weakness of mortal man.
Sermons don"t always come easy. There is the business side of the church; watching people die, people getting mad and leaving over pettiness, people moving away, people more concerned over attendance than ministry are all part of it. Constant criticism over something is the rule of thumb.
Complaining? No. I wouldn't do anything else. Someone said I chose this life. No, I was called to it.
Our Church, Grace Baptist is located at 31046 Hwy MM in Warsaw. Call (660) 281-4775 for more info.
Lincoln First Baptist Church
Today was a great day in the Lord. We had a lot of fellow Christians in service today. Bless each of those who were there. Happy birthday to Barbara Hammond.
Pastor used different Bible passages today in a sermon about tithing. How much do we further God’s kingdom? What do you give to the Lord? In Genesis 28 after Jacob’s dream he asked for nothing but for God to watch over him. He asked for food and clothes and to return safely to his father’s house. He also told God he would give Him a tenth. In Luke 12 the ruler tore down his barns and built bigger ones to store his grain and goods. He then said I will drink and be merry. God told him that night his life would be required of him. Acts 5 Ananias and Sapphira thought they would be smart and tell a lie about selling of their land. They gave a portion saying it was what they received for their land. Both died because of their lies.
Serve the Lord daily. God needs our 10%. This not only concerns money but our time. Do you please God or other people? Our main focus should be Jesus not what we have. Some people want to be recognized for what they have. God needs our focus to be on Him and what He has done for us. Do all you can to please Jesus.
GOD BLESS UNTIL WE MEET AGAIN.
Hopewell Baptist Church
In Matthew 26:1-14 Jesus tells the disciples the Passover is 2 days away and He will be handed over to be crucified. While they are eating, a woman from Bethany walks in anointing Jesus, pouring incredibly fragrant oil over His head. The disciples recognize it’s a gift, so they found a way to express their unhappiness saying, she could have sold it donating the money to the poor. Jesus says to their objection, what she has done for me is a beautiful thing. Wherever this gospel is preached throughout the world will be a tribute to her. Jesus is not telling them not to help the poor, He’s telling them to look beyond what they saw to what she did. It’s like she’s preparing Him for burial. Jesus has been telling people for a long time He will die. She’s the only one who believed Him!
The people around Jesus were either eating lunch, anointing His head, or selling Him out for 30 pieces of silver. Judas thought he had followed the wrong guy. Jesus is not going to take over our country, He’s going to die. We sometimes forget, Judas was devastated by his decision, driven to madness and killing himself. Do we want to sell Jesus out or pour ourselves out like the woman did. She gave so much! And Judas took everything he could get. Jesus says go and make disciples, not when it’s convenient or easy. For those who know the good they ought to do, but do not do it, they sin. We should want to be more like the unnamed woman who gave everything she had because she took Jesus at His word. Are we willing to lose it all to serve Jesus? Or do we want to be like the disciples who ate lunch, or Judas who sold Him out? Jesus died on the cross for every single one of us because He loved human beings, even though He knew we would sell Him out, or just sit and eat lunch. Let’s make an impact for the Kingdom
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.
Unity Of The Lakes
Peace and Prosperity in Uncertain Times
. . . will be our topic this Sunday, September 22, with Reverend Martha Mosley. Each day we either manifest peace and prosperity or we pray for it (for those of us who pray). Our world is filled with controversy, war, violence, and want. If we expect the world to change, to be peaceful and everyone to have enough of its own accord, we will be sorely disappointed. Believing peace and prosperity will fall into our laps is the height of naivete.
Isaiah 12:2 states, Surely God is my salvation. I will trust and will not be afraid, for the LORD is my strength and my might; he has become my salvation. (New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition)
It is within each of us to bring these things into our lives. Let's explore ways we can be more peaceful and bring abundance into our daily experience.
Please join us for our 11 AM service at Unity of the Lakes. We are located at 34948 Hwy 65 South, Warsaw about 8 miles south of town. All are welcome!
Warsaw Christian Church
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 [g]gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. 24 And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.
After spelling out the works of the flesh, Paul focuses on the fruit (note the singular tense) of the Spirit. He talks about how we act when we live under the direction of the Holy Spirit. Those walking in the Spirit will reflect love, joy, and peace. They will be patient, kind, and good. They will be faithful, gentle, and under control. Whenever we act in ways contrary to that list, we need to repent and receive forgiveness quickly. We want our lives to reflect the positive influences of the Holy Spirit.
It would be great if the fruit of the Spirit just happened automatically after we came to faith. However, God wants us to cooperate with the Holy Spirit’s work actively. These virtues grow through Bible study, prayer, and participation in the church’s life. As we neglect these things, we tend to slip back into the works of the flesh. The Spirit will work in us as we make regular use of the means of grace: Holy Scripture, prayer, and the church. God created us as free and autonomous individuals. Our choices help determine who controls us, the Spirit or the flesh.
