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A Word from THE WORD

Good Morning Happy Church,

Today is Monday, January 25^th, 2016.

Today is my oldest Grandson’s 15th Birthday! Happy Birthday TYLER!

Today is the 25^th Day of 2016; and, there are only 76 Days Left until Our Spring Revival Begins!

We will begin the Revival Meetings on Saturday, April 9^th with a Banquet and Sermon at 6pm.

Sunday, April 10^th, we will hear Bro Bobby at 10am and again at 6pm.

Monday and Tuesday, April 11^th and 12, we will hear Bro Bobby at 7pm each night!

Please clear your schedule to attend as many of these meetings as possible. As I often say, “The two things you have to invest to be blessed is your Attendance and your Attention!”

Please be in prayer for Dr. Bobby and Sandra Boyles as they travel here and back. Pray that God will pour out HIS SPIRIT on us as never before!

Pray for the salvation of the lost; repentance and renewal in the life of God’s people; new people to become part of our Church Family; the calling out of ministers and missionaries; a spiritual awakening in our area; and, for Jesus Christ to be glorified in all that we do!

2^nd Chronicles 7:14
¹⁴ “if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”

Devotional Thought for Today… “Do We Really Want Revival?”

The fourth commandment God gives us is to, “turn from their wicked ways…”

This is, of course, the biblical definition of repentance. If we are willing to truly repent of our sins, God may grant us an authentic heaven-sent revival!

“May” that is. If we repent, there is no absolute guarantee that God will send revival; BUT, if we do not repent, we are absolutely guaranteed that God will not send revival!

“Humble themselves, and pray and turn from their wicked ways…”

Revival is not cheap! It will cost us a lot! Primarily, it will cost us our sinful ways.

Here’s another great old anonymous quote for you… “Either sin will keep us from revival, or revival will keep us from sin!”

Will we really have revival? We will soon see!

Carpe Diem!

A Word from THE WORD

Good Morning Happy Church,

Today is Loretta Vaughan’s Birthday!

Today is Fred and Karen Wicker’s Anniversary!

Today is Sunday, January 24^th, 2016.

Today is the 24^th Day of 2016; and, there are only 77 Days Left until Our Spring Revival Begins!

We will begin the Revival Meetings on Saturday, April 9^th with a Banquet and Sermon at 6pm.

Sunday, April 10^th, we will hear Bro Bobby at 10am and again at 6pm.

Monday and Tuesday, April 11^th and 12, we will hear Bro Bobby at 7pm each night!

Please clear your schedule to attend as many of these meetings as possible. As I often say, “The two things you have to invest to be blessed is your Attendance and your Attention!”

Please be in prayer for Dr. Bobby and Sandra Boyles as they travel here and back. Pray that God will pour out HIS SPIRIT on us as never before!

Pray for the salvation of the lost; repentance and renewal in the life of God’s people; new people to become part of our Church Family; the calling out of ministers and missionaries; a spiritual awakening in our area; and, for Jesus Christ to be glorified in all that we do!

2^nd Chronicles 7:14
¹⁴ “if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”

Devotional Thought for Today… “Do We Really Want Revival?”

The third commandment God gives us is, “seek MY face…”

There has been (and still is) some misunderstanding about what this means.

In Old Testament times, such as when King Solomon dedicated the Temple, people who sought the favor of the King would watch his reaction as they spoke. They could tell from his countenance whether or not he was favorable to them and their request of him.

They would literally, “seek his face.”

Here is what God is telling us… we must humble ourselves; we must pray; and, we must seek to know HIS will and do HIS will in all things.

What does HE desire? What is HIS will?

We must seek HIS face in all things. God does all that HE does for HIS glory and our good!

Father knows best!

Will we really have revival? We shall soon see!

Carpe Diem!

A Word from THE WORD

Good Morning Happy Church,

Today is Saturday, January 23^rd, 2016.

Today is the 23^rd Day of 2016; and, there are only 78 Days Left until Our Spring Revival Begins!

We will begin the Revival Meetings on Saturday, April 9^th with a Banquet and Sermon at 6pm.

Sunday, April 10^th, we will hear Bro Bobby at 10am and again at 6pm.

Monday and Tuesday, April 11^th and 12, we will hear Bro Bobby at 7pm each night!

Please clear your schedule to attend as many of these meetings as possible. As I often say, “The two things you have to invest to be blessed is your Attendance and your Attention!”

Please be in prayer for Dr. Bobby and Sandra Boyles as they travel here and back. Pray that God will pour out HIS SPIRIT on us as never before!

Pray for the salvation of the lost; repentance and renewal in the life of God’s people; new people to become part of our Church Family; the calling out of ministers and missionaries; a spiritual awakening in our area; and, for Jesus Christ to be glorified in all that we do!

2^nd Chronicles 7:14
¹⁴ “if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”

Devotional Thought for Today… “Do We Really Want Revival?”

The second of the four things God commands of us if we really want revival is that we pray!

I often say that “Revival is not ‘talked up’ it is ‘prayed down!’”

I am not always right; but, I am right about that!

George Mueller, the famous English Pastor, used to often say, “Prayer can do anything that God can do; and, God can do anything!”

Amen, Dr. Mueller!

We are asking that all of us pray much for the upcoming revival meetings. We will be asking some of our members to host and lead “Revival Focused Prayer Meetings” both at our Church and in some of our homes.

Another famous quote about which I often think is this… “Preaching moves the hearts of men, but prayer moves the heart of God.”

Beloved Ones, please pray. Pray that God will grant us revival in our hearts, our homes, our Church, and in our Nation!

We will really have revival? We will soon see!

Carpe Diem!

Ephesians 1:3-14 “The Believer’s Blessings”

³  “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places,
⁴  even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love
⁵  he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will,
⁶  to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved.
⁷  In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace,
⁸  which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight
⁹  making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ
¹⁰  as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.
¹¹  In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will,
¹²  so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory.
¹³  In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit,
¹⁴  who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.”

This passage is one of the clearest texts in the New Testament on the biblical doctrine of predestination.

This biblical doctrine has been misunderstood, misused, and made by some to be a dividing point among believers, churches, and entire denominations.

Surely, this ought not be.

If one is to believe the Bible, you must believe something about predestination since it is mentioned five times in the New Testament (Acts 4:28; Romans 8:29, 30; Ephesians 1:5, and 11).

The problem is not that this doctrine is complex; it is not. The problem is that it totally destroys any foolish hope of humans that we can do anything to save ourselves (which is called, Peligianism) or even assist God in our salvation. (which is called, semi-peligianism).

We are completely fallen, lost, and helpless. God, and only God can save us. (This is called biblical Christianity).

Here is how simple this biblical word and doctrine is…

“pre” means “before”

“destination” means “where one is going”

“Predestination” means to determine before something where one is going.

Biblical “predestination” simply means that God determined before the foundation of the world what our destination is going to be.

God. Only God. And without our help or the help of anyone or anything else.

When Jesus prayed HIS High Priestly Prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane following the Lord’s Supper in John 17, HE spoke to HIS Father about the people who are predestined to be HIS people.

We are going to spend some time in John 17, so I encourage you to read it a time or two and think about what Jesus says about HIS people.

Pay attention to the pronouns and the often repeated phrase, “those whom You have given Me.” Two things to note about these twelve verses:

First, Paul breaks out in a doxology of praise; and, second, there are TEN specific blessings mentioned in these verses!

Take a few moments and list the blessings and see if you find all ten…

Make note of any questions you hope to hear answered in the Sermon. (If you don’t hear an answer, please email me and I will answer any question you have.)

As always, “I hope to see you Sunday with a smile on your face, your Bible in your hand, and your family and friends by your side!”

REVIVAL CAN HAPPEN, IT REALLY CAN HAPPEN!

As the LORD allows, First Baptist Atwood will host a “Spring Revival” beginning with a Banquet and Sermon on Saturday, April 9th @ 6pm.

We will also host Revival Services Sunday, April 10th @ 10am and 6pm; and Monday and Tuesday, April 11th and 12th @ 7pm.

Thinking about why we do what we do is a very healthy thing!

I get teased about having most of my sermons planned out through 2020; but, it is a simple thing for me. I have followed the same pattern for years and certainly since I came here in April of 2007.

My pattern is to do a New Testament Book, an Old Testament Book, and then a series on some specific biblical doctrine. Since I just completed a series of sermons on Ecclesiology in November, and doing my usual series on Christmas, I am ready to begin my series on this foundational Book!

I will be the first to admit that my reasons for studying Ephesians can be applied to studying any Book in the Bible and to any series on biblical doctrines; but, in spite of that obvious reality, I think they are still GOOD reasons…

First, we are going to study Ephesians because it is written by an Apostle of Jesus Christ and therefore Christians are commanded to study, understand, and apply it to our lives.

Second, we are going to study Ephesians because it is addressed “to the saints…” which means it is addressed to us. Since God inspired Paul to write Letters to us, we surely should take the time to read them!

Every Book in the New Testament was written either by an Apostle, (Matthew, John, Paul, James, Peter, and Jude) or by someone very closely related to an Apostle and bearing Apostolic authority, (Mark and Luke). As the LORD allows, I will take some time to demonstrate the pedigree of the writing Apostles and the relationship of Mark and Luke to Peter and Paul.

Christian believers, “the saints” have a God-ordained calling to study, understand, and apply the inspired writings of the Apostles and their associates to our everyday living.

In the several weeks ahead, as the LORD allows, we will be going verse-by-verse (and sometimes word-by-word) through Ephesians.

START READING EPHESIANS now! Read it through at one sitting. Read it again more slowly. Read it again and write down thoughts and questions that come to your mind!

“I hope to see you Sunday with your Bible in your hand, a smile on your face, and your family and friends by your side!”

Ephesus was a City of about 250,000 people at the time of Paul’s Second Missionary Journey. It was one of the great sea ports of the world. It was not the Capital of the Roman Province of Asia, (Pergamum was) but it was the most important City.

In many ways, Ephesus was a typical City of its time. And it was certainly typical in one key area: there was no Church there and they desperately needed one!

In many ways, the world of their day was like the world of our day…

They were in bondage to a godless government; they were living out their lives in the midst of a mostly godless culture; they lived among hyper-sexualized people; almost everyone there was lost; and the majority of people were very religious and hostile to any other God than the false gods (such as Diana) who were worshiped by them.

The people of Ephesus desperately needed a Church and God answered that need in an amazing way! HE began the Church at Ephesus in the hearts and in the home of ONE SINGLE CHRISTIAN COUPLE.

Their story begins in Acts 18. This one amazing couple were used of God multiple times and in multiple places such as Corinth and Rome to plant and grow Churches. Others, such as Nympha and Apphia and Archippus used this approach as well.

It may be difficult for those of us living in Central Illinois to relate to a City of 250,000 people, but the biblical principles for planting and growing effective churches is the same everywhere; including here.

If the statistics from our North American Missions Board are correct, (and I fear they are a bit optimistic) there are about 875 people living in the Village of Atwood and over 8,000 living in a ten mile radius of Atwood who do not have a relationship with Jesus Christ and are not attending any church anywhere.

As The LORD Allows, I plan to take the sermon this coming Sunday Morning to apply these realities from the City of Ephesus – and God’s plan to save them – to the world we face and in which we live out our daily life.

As always, let me quote Evangelist Tom Rains… “I hope to see you Sunday with a smile on your face, your Bible in your hand, and your family and friends by your side!”

Of course the Prophets knew that Jesus the Messiah of Israel would come to this Earth!

Of course Micah and Isaiah and Jeremiah and Zechariah believed and therefore knew for sure that the prophecies God had given them about Jesus would come to pass!

The Messiah would be “the Seed of the Woman” and “the Seed of Abraham” and “the Seed of Isaac” and “the Seed of Jacob” and “the Son of David.”

God promised through Daniel and Micah both “when” and “where” the Messiah would be born!

They knew because GOD TOLD THEM!

Of course!

But, did you ever wonder about “How does GOD know the future?” Surely, HE revealed these things to the prophets and all of them were fulfilled exactly at the Birth of Christ. But, how did HE know?

Is God some sort of “Super-Genie” with a really cool crystal ball?

GOD KNOWS THE FUTURE BECAUSE HE DECREED THE FUTURE!

ALL THINGS have gone; are going; and will go according to HIS will!

This coming Sunday morning, as the LORD allows, I will preach a Sermon on the subject, “The Prophecies of Christmas!” I will talk a lot about prophecy, prophets, and the God Who came to earth to die His People!

I plan to cover in detail fourteen of the best known and most remarkable prophecies of the coming Messiah, and demonstrate when, where, and how they were fulfilled in the birth, life, and death of Jesus!

As my dear friend Tom Rains loves to say, “I hope to see you Sunday with a smile on your face; your Bible in your hand; and your family and friends by your side!”

ATLA (As the LORD allows) – how’s that for an acronym, Facebook Friends?

ATLA, I am going to finish my two part sermon on the “Restoration” of sinning believers this coming Sunday Morning.

As we think about the “mechanics” of how this process actually works, I intend to speak to you about six biblical principles that apply here; and, the one thing we must do in the happy circumstance of the sinning believer repenting!

An import factor in this situation is what we do or do not know. Most of us are not aware of sin that goes on in the life of someone else; but, when those sins do become known by us that changes our responsibility to God and to them.

God knows what we do and do not know; and, when we know of ongoing sin in the life of our brother or sister in Christ, God commands us to serve HIM and them by helping them to escape the trap of sin.

Of course, this is a risky and very self-sacrificing act of love for HIM and for them. There are certainly times when the best of efforts undertaken for the very best of motives do not end well.

Paul says to the Galatian Christians in Galatians 4:6, “Have I become your enemy by telling you the truth?” Sadly, some believers will answer this question “yes!”

This effort at restoration should only be undertaken by Christians who are walking in and led by the Holy Spirit. If this is done in our own strength and by our own wisdom, the likelihood of success is very low.

Motives matter in this! The only acceptable motive for attempting to help a fellow believer overcome sin is to restore them to a right relationship with God and HIS people.

It is a mistake to think a sinning believer will often come to you for help. If they were thinking clearly about their situation, they would have already repented. We are going to usually be the one to take the initial, fearful, and sometimes painful step of bringing up the subject.

We must trust God for the outcome of our attempt. If we do our best for the best reason, it is still true that only God can reveal their sin and grant them repentance. The outcome of our effort is completely and solely in the hands of God!

So, what do we do when they repent? Love them; accept them; and encourage them every way possible to continue in a Christ-honoring lifestyle!

Bring your Bible and a pen! You will need them!

I hope to see you Sunday with a smile on your face, your Bible in your hand, and your family and friends by your side!

Galatians 6:1 “Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you also be tempted.”

Can you imagine being part of a church with no “Ministry of Music?”

Or, no ministry of “Preaching?”

Or, no ministry to Children?

The good news is we usually do not have to do so because almost every church has these ministries in place.

We surely do!

But, can you imagine being part of a church with no “Ministry of Restoration?”

Very few, and I mean very few churches have any such ministry in place.

Sadly, this ministry is missing in nearly all churches and it is certainly one of the most important of all of the ministries God has called the Local Church to undertake.

Do you think Christians fall into sin from time to time? You bet we do; and, God knows that also. HE has designed the Local Church to be HIS agency on earth to do the work of restoring sinning Christians and leading them back to a godly lifestyle.

In the New Testament, we see Peter, Barnabas, and even Paul as examples of Christians who get caught up in sin.

Of course, we sin also – and, all of our Brothers and Sisters in Christ do as well. The problem is that Christians are terrible at carrying out this much-needed ministry of reconciliation to one another!

Why is that so? Several reasons come to mind…

We fear how people will respond to our attempts to lead them to repentance and restoration.

Our culture – even “Church” culture – has brainwashed us into believing that how someone else lives is “none of our business.”

Notice that our verse in Galatians 6 commands us to make how other Christians live to be part of “our business.”

Another reason (painful as it is to admit) that Christians do not get involved in restoring sinning Christians is that we simply do not love others enough to go to the trouble and risk the relationship we have with them.

One more obvious reason we do not do this is that we do not fear God enough to obey HIS command to do so!

As a Pastor, let me add one more. Pastors (including me) often fall prey to the idea that the people in our church will not support our effort; and, in fact we have seen times when churches turn against anyone in the church – including the pastor and leaders – who attempt to carry out this biblical mandate.

Still, the fact is that sinning Christians need someone to love them enough to take the risk of encouraging them to repent and return to a God-honoring lifestyle.

All of us get into sin from time to time, and when we do we really need someone to love us this much.

DO NOT MISS THIS… when a Brother or Sister in the LORD is caught up in sin, our work is to restore them to fellowship rather than remove them from fellowship. Sadly, they may reject our efforts and end up out of the fellowship; but, that must never be the purpose or focus of our efforts.

There are two great problems in churches in relation to this doctrine: first, there are Christians who need to be restored, and there are Christians who need to be involved in leading others to restoration.

Again, it is heart-breakingly true that very little of this is undertaken within churches and therefore few sinning Christians are restored.

As the LORD allows, this coming Sunday, (10/25) and next Sunday, (11/1) I will preach sermons on this subject. We will look at several related verses and seek to understand why God has commanded us to do this – and how it can be a life-changing blessing to Christians who are caught up in sin.

Please pray that the LORD will bless these services!

As Tom Rains often says, “I hope to see you Sunday with a smile on your face, your Bible in your hand, and your family and friends by your side!”