Last Sunday was the first Sunday of 2015. Our greetings of “Happy New Year” were replaced with “Praise the Lord” and “Thank you, Jesus!”
We experienced the love of Jesus and gifts of salvation on both Saturday night and Sunday morning. Two men trusted Christ on Saturday night at the TBC Men’s Fellowship and eight others prayed for salvation on Sunday morning. Now that is a Happy New Year!
We send a special thank you to Forrest Jarrett and the Norfolk Southern Railroad for the use of the big “Choo Choo” Grill, powered by propane gas and hickory wood. Sam’s Wholesale Club Assistant Manager Mark Koons and the meat department went out of their way to prepare us a choice cut of steak for the TBC Men’s Fellowship. The service was the best and the meat was delicious.
A wonderful Sunday completed our first weekend of 2015. Thank you for praying, working, and being faithful in your attendance.
I also wanted to give you a follow-up note on the Birthday Offering for Jesus. The children added over $1,000 dollars in their change offering. This brought the total to over $43, 000 in this special time of giving.
Part of our New Year’s celebrations includes New Year Resolutions. Let’s dust off the failed resolutions of 2014 and give them another chance in 2015! There is something in our nature that likes and desires a clean slate, a clean piece of paper, or a “mulligan” (chance to hit it again.)
We serve a living Lord that is well aware of real life, including the problems we face every day with family, friends and jobs. Though we are Bible Believers, we are just people, common clay with feelings and emotions. Jesus wants us to be blessed and happy in our salvation. We are to be growing in our faith, our relationship, our finances and our walk with the Lord, Jesus Christ!
Every so often we have opportunities to hit the “reset” button spiritually as the Lord burdens our heart and visits with us in His Word and prayer. Sometimes it might be in a revival meeting or a special event, but each of these is given for an opportunity to pray and to vow to do better!
New Year’s Day is the perfect platform to start over with some good habits. Let’s start by growing in our walk with Jesus each day. Don’t forget that a church is also a living, growing and learning body of believers. We want to do more for Jesus than ever so let’s continue to pray and learn and grow in better service to the Lord!
Thank you for being faithful and for all you do for our church as we grow and go forward in 2015!
One of the core values of our faith is the forgiveness of sin. God gave His Son, Jesus, to be our Saviour. Jesus came into this world to save us from our sins.
Jesus became flesh and dwelt among us. Jesus put Himself into the justice of God, to take our place. Jesus took our sins, our shame, our judgment, and our death. Jesus was punished so I could go free.
When I confess my sins, turn from my sins, and believe that Jesus has forgiven me, I begin again. We are given a second chance to start our lives over with Jesus.
Thursday is January 1st, New Year’s Day. We all remember our New Year Resolutions from last year. Some were successful and some didn’t last a week.
In Jesus, we can really move forward and begin again! We can have old things pass away and all things become new. Don’t give up but make this New Year count for the Lord!
MEN! Dr. Tim Lee will be our guest on Saturday, January 3, 2015! Please join us for a steak dinner to begin the New Year at 5PM in the Family Life Center. YOU ARE NEEDED!
Jude 1: 3 reminds us of our common cause – “contend for the faith”.
“… it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.”
This past week news outlets have reported that Christmas has been restricted or removed from neighborhood schools, city plazas, and civic events. Even the name “Christmas” removed from parades and city events. Christmas is not “winterfest” or “twinkle season”. It is Christmas! It is to remember and celebrate the birth of our Lord!
Under the guise of tolerance and progressive liberalism, we have witnessed a new assault on our religious freedoms. Our children will be restricted in the celebration of Christmas and our grandchildren will be robbed of their heritage. Christmas is the birth of Jesus!
When you celebrate Christmas, you are also contending for our faith. When you go out to eat, shop, or buy groceries, say “MERRY CHRISTMAS!” You wishing a MERRY CHRISTMAS is contending for the faith!
The ultimate struggle is about Jesus – a historical real Jesus that was born in Bethlehem, a Saviour, Christ the Lord! He was born to give His life that we all might have life eternal!
WOW! What a gift! The gift of forgiveness, the gift of starting over in the love of Jesus! Christmas is the season! Jesus is the reason!
We rejoice in the wonderful week of missions. Trinity Baptist has long and wonderful history of being a missions-hearted church!
Our 2014 Missions Conference was one of the best. Thank you to the Missions Committee, Pastor Dwight, and the TBC staff for your hard work and leadership for our church.
Matthew 28:18 says, “And Jesus came and spoke unto them, saying…ALL power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.”
The power is given for what? Why did Jesus say this to the disciples? It was for MISSIONS!
In verse 19, He exhorts the disciples and all of us to take the Gospel, the story of Jesus, to our world. Jesus says, “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations…” and in verse 20, “Teaching them…” We are to go and teach to others the things that Jesus taught to His disciples.
Most of us are not physically able to travel to an overseas nation, but we can all pray and we can give.
We can all go to the world of our family, school, work, and community and be salt and light to those around us. We can also go financially by our gifts-our Faith Promise to missions.
Prayerfully do your best today as we make our Faith Promises for 2015!
