First Baptist Church of Laurie

Announcements

• Sunday Services Resume!

  May 9, 2020

  See you tomorrow at 10:00! How wonderful it will be to be together again!

• Turn It Off and Turn It Back On

  April 29, 2020

  In addition to being a pastor, I drive a school bus. (I am so very blessed to have not one, but two jobs that I truly love.) It has become somewhat of a joke among our drivers: When something goes wrong, the standard solution is, “Turn your bus off and turn it back on.” Surprisingly, that does cure many problems!

  Lately I have been praying a lot about where we as a church go from here. Our church has done a great job staying in touch with each other and helping each other when possible. I am proud of them. But otherwise, the coronovirus has brought just about everything to a stand-still in our church. Our regular weekly and monthly activities have been put on hold for several weeks. This is true of many churches.

  I have come to think that perhaps this is not a bad thing after all. Like a school bus, a computer problem often has the same solution: “Turn it off and turn it back on.” I believe we have been given a perfect opportunity to “reboot” as a church.

  Too often what most churches do can become routine and ritualistic. People arrive Sunday mornings with preset ideas of what is going to occur. We have announcements. We have a prayer or two. We sing songs. We take up an offering. We listen to a sermon. We have an invitation. We go home. It’s how we do things. It’s that with which we are comfortable. It’s what is expected.

  Now please understand me, I am not being critical. I pastor a great church. The people love God, one another, and their pastor. Great unity and harmony characterize our family. They truly want God’s will. In this positive context I believe we have been given a terrific opportunity to take a step back, reevaluate what we have been doing, and start afresh and anew.

  Our church has been praying that God will move in our midst in miraculous ways. We are asking Him to do something extraordinary. It’s what we believe God wants. It’s what we want. That has become our church’s eager and prayerful hope and expectation.

  Remember: Moses had a reboot in his life. After 40 years of wilderness solitude God then used Him in powerful ways. Joseph had a reboot in his life. After years in slavery and imprisonment God then used Him in powerful ways. David had a reboot in his life. He spent years hiding from Saul before God then used him in powerful ways.

  Hopefully we will begin functioning very soon. Are we willing to risk changing? Are we willing to abandon routine and ritual so God can then use us in powerful ways? Are willing to do something completely new and different?

  I believe we would be foolish if we missed this opportunity to “reboot.” We would be foolish to hope that things get back to “normal.” We would be foolish to return to “business as usual.”

  With much prayer and great humility let us ask God what HE now wants to do, what He now wants US to do.

• First Baptist Church to Resume Services!

  April 27, 2020

  First Baptist Church Laurie to resume Sunday morning services!

  We are so pleased to announce that First Baptist Church in Laurie will begin having Sunday morning worship services again on Sunday, May 10th (which happens to be Mothers' Day.) Services will be at our normal time of 10:00.

  All other activities (Sunday School, mid-week services, and all other events) will continue to be postponed for the time being, until further notice.

  Also, the Celebration Service we hope to have has been postpoted until later as well. How wonderful it will be when we do gather!

• One Thing is Needful

              I have preached this in many places in the past.  It is one of my favorite messages.  As many of us have seen major changes occur in our lives in the last few weeks I thought these words might be encouraging and inspiring to some....

              I have many favorite characters in the Bible.  Of course, Jesus tops the list.  I like Simon Peter because I can identify with His passion and impulsiveness.  I admire John the Beloved because of His intense devotion toward Jesus.  But one of the persons I also admire is Mary, the sister of Martha and Lazarus.  She is first found in Luke Chapter 10, Verses 38-42. 

              Jesus had come to the home of Mary, Martha, and Lazarus.  The Scriptures tell us that Martha was feeling burdened and encumbered with the responsibilities of serving her guests.  But Mary, on the other hand, finds her way into the room where Jesus is sitting and works her way in until she is seated right at Jesus’ feet.  Martha is indignant that Mary is not in the kitchen helping, but Jesus defends and encourages Mary by saying, “One thing is needful, and Mary hath chosen.” 

              This is not the only time we find Mary in the New Testament.  In John 11, after her brother Lazarus had died, and before Jesus had raised him from the dead, we find that Mary runs to Jesus and falls at His feet.  Then, in John 12, once again, we find Mary anointing Jesus’ feet with expensive perfumed oil, as an act of adoration and worship.  In all three instances, we find Mary at Jesus’ feet!

              Thank God there are "Marthas" in the Church who serve faithfully, even sacrificially.  But, like Martha, we can become so encumbered in serving Jesus, that we miss out on the opportunity of adoring Him by sitting at His feet and hearing His Word.  Like Mary, we must make a choice.  We must make a daily determined decision to do the one thing that is more important than anything else – to sit at Jesus’ feet.  Will you choose wisely today?  Will you today spend time at the Master’s feet in worship and adoration?  Oh, if only this was the one thing we were most committed to and passionate about!

              Think on these things….

              (For further study of “One Thing” read Psalm 27:4, Philippians 3:13, Luke 18:18-23, and Matthew 6:33.)

• April 22, 2020 Thought for the Day:

  Thought of the Day:

  I ran across this great quote by Chuck Swindoll: "We're all faced with a series of great opportunities brilliantly disguised as impossible situations."

  I've often said, "We don't have any problems. What we have are opportunities for God to show Himself strong."

• Special Celebration Service!

  Special Announcement:

  When we are finally able to get back together as a church one of the first things we are going to do is have a special outdoor celebration service, with lots of special music, lots of preaching, lots of food, and lots of fellowship! We are so looking forward to being back together!

  More information to follow....

• Partial Purging

  Sunday, April 19, 2020

  In a recent morning devotion I read of King Jehu's purging of the prophets of Baal and the idolatrous places of worship from the northern kingdom of Israel.  Of all of the northern kindgom's leaders, Jehu came closest to bringing Israel back to God.  

  Unfortunately, he fell short.  2 Kings 10:29 tells us that he did not remove the golden calves that former king Jeroboam had set up in Dan and at Bethel.  Verse 31 says, "But Jehu took no heed to walk in the law of the Lord God of Israel with all his heart...."  

  Jehu was on the threshold of paving the way for the people of Israel to experience national revival.  BUT - he stopped short!

  I have written in the margin of my Bible, "Partial Purging."  The nation did not experience their potential full spiritual renewal and instead begin to grow weaker.  Why?  Because Jehu only partially purged the nation of evil.  

  We, too, can be on the threshold of a great move of God, in both our personal lives and in our place of worship, but we also can be in danger of falling short because we do only a partial purging.  We may say, "Okay.  I'll repent of that sin. But I will not go all the way and repent of everything." 
   
  Failure to do so will only result in diminished spiritual power....  

  Do you truly desire to see a great move of God?  Are you truly willing to do whatever it takes on your part to see that happen?

  Think on these things....

• It is Resurrection Sunday! Jesus is ALIVE!

  Hallelujah!  Jesus is ALIVE!  My prayer is that He is alive in your heart.  If you do not know Him, I would be delighted to talk to you about Him.

  Friday and again this morning I have posted a couple meditations on Holy Week.  I hope you will take a moment to read them.  

  God loves you!  So do I!

  May you be blessed in every way.

  Pastor James

• Meditations on Resurrection Sunday

  Oh, what a magnificent and miraculous morning!  Jesus was alive!  Lost hope was gloriously restored!

  The nation of Israel and Jesus’ followers had placed their hope in Jesus as the Christ.  They hoped He had come as a military messiah to defeat the conquering Romans.  They hoped He would restore the Israelite nation to autonomous rule and reestablish the Golden Age days of the ancient Kings David and Solomon. 

  Their expectations were lofty, but they were misdirected.  Before Jesus could come someday as the Conquering Christ He had to come first as the Suffering Servant.  The sacrificial Lamb had to precede the regal Lion.

  But the Israelites and Jesus’ disciples did not know this at the time.  So when Jesus died a myriad of emotions overwhelmed them:  Anger.  Disillusionment.  Fear.  Depression.  Bewilderment.  Despair.  Hopelessness.    This was the end.  There was no hope for the future.  Jesus had died.

  On Sunday morning women came to the place where Jesus’ bloody, bruised, lifeless body had been laid, to prepare Him for final and permanent burial.  Did they approach with shuddering sobs?  Did they approach in a depressed silence?  Regardless, they approached with a sense of hopelessness.  Jesus had died.

  Imagine their confusion when they found the tomb empty.  Imagine their fear when angels appeared to them.  Imagine their astonishment when they received the news that Jesus had risen from the dead!  Imagine them breathlessly racing down the path and through the streets to tell the disciples.  Imagine the radiance on their faces as they joyfully exclaimed their glorious good news.  Imagine their frustration when they were viewed with skepticism, doubt, and disbelief by Jesus’ former followers. 

  But then! Oh, but then! Imagine the indescribably enraptured, breath-stealing moment of joy when Jesus Himself appeared to them – Alive and in Person!  How they basked in the warmth of His smile, in His profound love!  Wounded souls were healed.  Past rejections were forgiven.  Shame and fear of retaliation for their cowardliness were eclipsed by His acceptance and affection.

  Jesus had conquered man’s worst enemy of them all - Satan and Death.  Hope was restored!  Hallelujah!  Jesus was alive! 

  …Jesus IS alive!

• Meditations on Good Friday

  Oh, what a dark and dreadful day. God was dying. He had been betrayed by a trusted friend in His inner circle. He had been mercilessly and cruelly beaten and tortured. He was forced to carry on His torn and bloody back the means of His own death to the place where He would perish. He was abandoned by His Father and by the very ones who had lauded him but a few days earlier.  All but one of His friends and all but one of His family members fled and left Him to die - alone. He was mocked by the foreign interlopers who had hung him there. His meager belongings were taken from Him. Iron nails through soft tissue constrained Him. Blood from a thorny crown stung His eyes. Humbled, humiliated, He suffered unimaginably by His own creation. Celestial beings looked on in shock and horror.

  Why? He was God! He was all-powerful! Why would He endure all this? With one whispered word, one simple snap of His fingers, He could have called upon an unfathomably powerful Heavenly army to rescue Him and to annihilate the planet's entire human race. Why didn't He? Because He came not to destroy life; He had come that His followers might have life. He was Life. Yet His Life was fading away with every drop of His own lifeblood. His Light was soon to be snuffed out.

  Amazingly, astonishingly He felt nothing but love for those who hated Him. He forgave. In His last moments His thoughts were marked by concern for others.

  Yet there He hung, in excruciating, indescribable pain, waiting for the end. God was dying.

  ...To be continued...

• A note from Pastor James

  Wednesday, April 1, 2020

  Greetings!  I just wanted to let you know that, barring unforeseen circumstances, First Baptist Church is still having worship services at 10:00 Sunday mornings.  We are taking every precaution to ensure everyone’s safety, with appropriate social distancing, disinfection of the auditorium, hand sanitizer, etc. 

  If the church can minister to you in any way, we will do all within our power to help.

  My message this past Sunday was out of Matthew 5:16:  “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father which is in Heaven.”  Here is a quick summary:

  1. The Light is Jesus within us.
  2. We let our Light shine by our ATTITUDES of Hope, Faith, and Love.  Let others see these qualities in us.  Let others know, through our example, that Jesus can make a difference.
  3. We let our Light shine by our ACTIONS.  What can we do to show love to someone else?  Even the smallest gesture can have a profound impact.

  We should look at these dark days as opportunities to let the love of Jesus shine through us!

  Love you!

  Pastor James