BIRTHDAYS & ANNIVERSARIES FOR NOVEMBER 2, 2022
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO:
ANTHONY HILL
HAPPY ANNIVERSARY TO:
CARL & ANNA CREECH
FORGIVE ONE ANOTHER
November 2 FORGIVE ONE ANOTHER Colossians 3:13
Good morning from Pastor Glen Brock, Baptist Tabernacle Church, Wendell, North Carolina… “Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.” (Colossians 3:13)
“LIFE IS NOT FAIR!” Wow! This is a concept that is difficult to grasp! We have the idea that we should be treated fairly and justly, yet nothing in this evil and decaying world suggests that we will be afforded this privilege! DO NOT EXPECT to be TREATED FAIRLY, in this Life! People will say and do things that are hurtful and will create issues that you do not deserve to be a part! One of the most difficult things for Christians to do, is to FORGIVE! REMEMBER, there will always be individuals that are going to hurt you, so we MUST continue to FOCUS on our GROWING RELATIONSHIP with CHRIST and our ABILITY to FORGIVE (Armor-up)! As we concentrate on our relationship with our Savior, we are assured that HE is covering us in His Righteousness and holiness, and we are in position to FORGIVE! Jesus Christ came to earth, with the sole mission, to Save Humanity, and HE WAS SUCCESSFUL! HE was TREATED UNFAIRLY, and HE WAS BEATEN, BRUISED and DIED on a RUGGED CROSS, for us… THAT WAS NO FAIR! I am excited that, under the Redeeming Blood of Jesus, I have something that is so much better than FAIR, I have HIM (Jesus Christ)! Praise God, His ways lead to PEACE and LOVE and the ABILITY to FORGIVE! Just as HE FORGIVES, We MUST FORGIVE EACH OTHER! Ephesians 1:7-8 provides the promise… “In HIM we have redemption through HIS blood, the FORGIVENESS of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace 8 that He lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding…” HE FORGIVES, and WE MUST ALSO, FORGIVE!!!!! Stay Strong, Stay Focused…THE BEST IS ABSOLUTELY AND WITHOUT A DOUBT, YET TO BE! REMEMBER to VOTE!!
BIRTHDAYS AND ANNIVERSARIES FOR NOVEMBER 1, 2022
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO:
COLIN CREECH
JANE STRICKLAND
HAPPY ANNIVERSARY TO:
GENE & JENNY BUTLER
THANK YOU
November 1 “Thank You!” 1 Thessalonians 5:18
Good morning from Pastor Glen Brock, Baptist Tabernacle Church, Wendell, North Carolina… “In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” (1 Thessalonians 5:18)
We have so much to be thankful for! We are living in the greatest country in history, and we enjoy the blessings of bounty, freedom, and opportunity for personal prosperity, yet there are so many that are ungrateful and grumpy about their situations. The world and all that it offers, encourages ingratitude, and blame for others and when someone comes along and appears to be grateful for life and the simple things around them, there is an immediate offense by those who choose to be miserable and thankless! Mama used to teach me that I needed to be thankful for each new day and she would find something, in each new day, to be thankful to God, and express that gratitude in her praise and worship. I observe this ungrateful and hate-filled world and I am sad for the despair that exists. What can I do? The answer is simple!! I can live my life with gratitude, and I can share the GOOD NEWS of Hope and Grace and Gratitude, and by being an example of HIS GRACE, I can show this lost and dying world that Hope is available, and attainable, and that Gratitude is possible! Take your eyes off your situation and place your eyes on the Cross! Embrace His Love, His Life and His Promises, and you will have much to be Grateful for!!! May this Thanksgiving time be a time of renewal and re-commitment to witnessing and expressing gratitude for His Amazing Grace! Stay Strong, Stay Focused…THE BEST IS YET TO BE!
BIRTHDAYS FOR OCTOBER 31, 2022
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO:
WANDA CUSTER
BRAD HALES
BRIAN HALES
BRENNAN HALES
HIS Life-Changing LOVE
October 31 HIS Life-Changing LOVE Luke 10:36-37
Good morning from Pastor Glen Brock, Baptist Tabernacle Church, Wendell, North Carolina… “So, which of these three do you think was neighbor to him who fell among the thieves?” And he said, “He who showed mercy on him.” Then Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.” (Luke 10:36-37)
One of my favorite parables, is the parable of the “Good Samaritan!” I love the lesson that it teaches and the way in which we should deal with others, regardless of their position in life! Many people passed by this man in need, and because of their own bias and prejudices, walked past him, on the far side of the road. Wow! I must be careful that this doesn’t describe me and my actions! Only one individual showed care and concern and he went the “extra mile,” to take care of the needs of this poor soul. What is the difference between this one man and the others that passed by? The real and lasting difference is “LOVE!” Friends, we are faced with similar choices today! Are we going to be a Strong and Loving Witness for God, in this divided and segmented society, or are we going to demonstrate our own human prejudices and forget the Grace of God and the Blessings of our own Salvation? I truly believe that, as “Born-Again, Blood Bought, Children of God, we must demonstrate intentional and radical LOVE! Over the past several months, I have been talking and teaching about witnessing and sharing Jesus with everyone that we meet, yet if we are not demonstrating this Good News, in our actions and habits, then our words will fall short of the intended purpose! There are desperate needs among our fellow travelers, and there are hurting and needy people that we meet, every day. How will we respond to the needs? Is it true, that everyone needs Jesus? Can we recognize the need, and then work to meet that need? Please Lord, place me in the pathway of those who are in need! The question for today is simple: Will you walk past the needy, or will you stop; help and demonstrate His Real and Radical LOVE? The Bible teaches, my experience proves, that LOVE CHANGES THINGS! This world needs God’s LOVE! This world needs the example of RADICAL LOVE, demonstrated before them, in words and in actions! Let’s be the “Good Samaritan” for this needy world! Stay Strong, Stay Focused…THE BEST IS YET TO BE!
ANNIVERSARY FOR OCTOBER 30, 2022
HAPPY ANNIVERSARY TO DANNY & JEAN HOCUTT
DO NOT BE TROUBLED
October 30 Do Not Be Troubled! John 14:1
Good morning from Pastor Glen Brock, Baptist Tabernacle Church, Wendell, North Carolina… “Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.” (John 14:1)
Bill Gaither wrote a beautiful song that declares a truth! The sone is, Jesus Is Coming Soon! The lyrics are inspiring; when it says, “Troublesome times are here, filling men's hearts with fear. Freedom we all hold dear now is at stake! Humbling your hearts to God, saves from the chastening rod. Seek the way pilgrims trod, Christians awake!” Troubles and trials are here among us! Fear is the weapon of Satan, as he moves about, attempting to destroy our hope and our faith! I am here to tell you that we have nothing to fear! Jesus told His disciples that He would be leaving them, and He left these words of Hope and Comfort! “Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.” I encourage you to claim the promises of 2 Chronicles 7:14: “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” We need to Humble, Pray, Seek, Turn, and He will Hear, Forgive, and Heal! In the face of these worldly challenges, “Let not your heart be troubled!” Stay Strong, Stay Focused… THE BEST IS YET TO BE!
** Let’s commit to “PUSH BACK THE DARKNESS,” as we serve God and look for the day when we will see Him, face to face! Let Your Light Shine!! I ENCOURAGE YOU TO VOTE! Exam the candidates and test their stance on the moral and ethical issues of our time, and VOTE!!
BIRTHDAYS FOR OCTOBER 29, 2022
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO:
AUBREY ANDERSON (16 YEARS OLD TODAY)
MRS. BETTY SHIRLEY
PAM MAYNOR
HAPPY 39th ANNIVERSARY
October 29 Happy 39th Anniversary Genesis 2:24
Good morning from Pastor Glen Brock, Baptist Tabernacle Church, Wendell, North Carolina… “Therefore, shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.” (Genesis 2:24)
Thirty-nine years ago today, Annette and I stood at the altar at Bethlehem Baptist Church, Youngsville, NC, and publicly proclaimed our love and commitment to and for one another! Almost 4 decades later, that love that was demonstrated on October 29, 1983, is still growing, and progressing (Thank You God). There have been good times and tough times, yet the constant has been our love for one another! Each one of us has matured and mellowed and have become “one,” just as the scriptures say that we should be. Reflecting on this expanding and maturing relationship, I think about our relationship with our God, through the Shed Blood of Jesus. We come to Christ in Faith, and we commit ourselves to growing and nurturing that relationship. The more we commit, the more that we grow, the more that we mature, the more that we become “one” with Him, we become more obedient and more effective in our witness for Jesus. Keep in mind, I am truly blessed that Annette finally relented and said, “I DO!” The FOUR most important days of my life are when I accepted the sacrifice for my sins and claimed Jesus as Savior and the evening that Annette and I proclaimed to the world, “WE DO,” and the birth of our daughter, Kayla, and the Blessing of being Ava’s Nanny & Papa! For we are members of His body, of His flesh and of His bones. “For this reason, a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh” (Ephesians 5:30–31). When a man and woman are married, they become one flesh. Regarding Christ and the church, we are all members of Christ’s body. In neither situation, is Paul meaning one physical body, but just a husband is now “joined to his wife,” we are also joined to Christ. We are all one in Christ, just as a husband and wife are one. Take your commitment seriously! Keep growing together! To borrow and adapt a phrase from the US Army: “Be All That You Can Be!”
HAPPY ANNIVERSARY ANNETTE! I LOVE AND ADORE YOU AND I AM GRATEFUL THAT YOU SAID, “I DO,” SO MANY YEARS AGO! I AM STILL SAYING, “I DO,” EVERYDAY AND I WILL CONTINUE TO SAY IT UNTIL GOD RAPTURES THE CHURCH OR HE CALLS ME HOME! (4)
Stay Strong, Stay Focused…THE BEST IS YET TO BE!
BIRTHDAY FOR OCTOBER 28, 2022
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO:
VANCE ADKINS
SCARCITIES
October 28 “Scarcities” John 10:10
Good morning from Pastor Glen Brock, Baptist Tabernacle Church, Wendell, North Carolina… “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” (John 10:10)
Just over two years ago, this nation was experiencing abundance and there was record employment and prices for the average individual were affordable and he were, economically, enjoying the blessings of our labors. What happened? Amazingly, today, we are becoming accustomed to hearing new words to describe our existence. Words like, “Crisis,” and “Scarcities,” and “Shortages,” and “Lack!” From a human perspective, we are told that the most pressing and world changing problem, or “Crisis,” is “Climate Change!” Do you see what is happening? Can you understand the lesson in this “madness?” Oh yeah, where have all the people that were working, just two years ago, gone? This earthly existence is fragile and temporary, and, as “Forgiven Believers,” we must understand the dynamics of this situation, and embrace the promises of our God! Satan, and his minions, are determined to seek and destroy, and to create chaos and disharmony, and to confuse and to divide and conquer, yet our God loved us enough, that He sent Jesus to die for us and to provide the means of redemption and rescue. The scripture for today describes this world perfectly, “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” Satan is the great deceiver and the champion of doubt and division; however, God loved us enough to empower us to overcome the Evil One and to live “Abundantly,” right here, right now! Please recognize this fact: Circumstances and situations will come and go, and there will be times of prosperity and times of lack, but our Savior has provided the stability and abundance that we need to survive. Satan and this world want to destroy you and to keep you from God! Keep growing in His Grace and Keep growing in His abundant Love and embrace and enjoy the “Abundance” that He brings to the “Forgiven!” REMEMBER…” It is your attitude, not your aptitude, that will determine your altitude!” Regardless of the lack that exists, in this world, we are blessed and bountiful because of God’s Amazing Grace! So, my call today is for us to ACT LIKE IT!!! Stay Strong, Stay Focused…REGARDLESS OF THE PRESENT CIRCUMSTANCES, THE BEST IS ABSOLUTELY AND MOST ASSUREDLY YET TO BE!!! It Is IMPORTANT that YOU VOTE, SO GO VOTE!!
WE HAVE A CHOICE
October 27 We Have A Choice Joshua 24:15
Good morning from Pastor Glen Brock, Baptist Tabernacle Church, Wendell, North Carolina… “If you don’t want to serve the Lord, you must choose for yourselves today whom you will serve.” (Joshua 24:15)
There is one overriding fact: God has invited us to be a part of His Kingdom, to be “Forgiven” through Jesus Christ, to embrace His Love and Grace, to serve Him and to be saved! There is no mistake in His invitation to us! God loved us enough to send Jesus to die for our sins, and He loved us enough to ensure that our lives would be secure, through the Holy Spirit, and He has provided redemption and Grace! He is clear in what He asks of us, and His offer to us is clear! God has left the choice to us! I find it amazing that God has left the choice to us! He loves us, He has provided relief and redemption, He has offered complete salvation, yet He has left it up to us! It is incredible that He has “moved heaven and earth” for us to be in a relationship with Him, and the decision is ours to accept or reject! So much of this life is a done deal! We cannot choose how tall we are, or how large we are, or if we will have a small nose or a “honker!” Praise God! We can, and must, choose where we will spend eternity! This is a BIG choice, this is a CRITICAL decision, and He has left it up to us!
“But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord (Joshua 24:15).” You make decisions every day and the only real and true and lasting and MOST IMPORTANT decision is WHO ARE YOU GOING TO SERVE! But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord!!! Stay Strong, Stay Focused…THE BEST IS YET TO BE! PLEASE REMEMBER TO VOTE!
IN THE NAME OF JESUS
October 26 In the Name of Jesus Colossians 3:17
Good morning from Pastor Glen Brock, Baptist Tabernacle Church, Wendell, North Carolina… “And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.” (Colossians 3:17)
There is power in the NAME OF JESUS! Throughout the New Testament, the NAME OF JESUS was used to perform great and amazing miracles! Peter and John used the NAME OF JESUS (Acts 3) to heal the lame man. Paul said, “In the NAME OF JESUS CHRIST come out, as he prayed for the girl to be released from the demon. Praise God! The NAME OF JESUS can fix broken lives and heal the sick and restore the afflicted and transform the lost and dying. Believers, we have a powerful opportunity! Just as the disciples used the NAME OF JESUS to effect great changes in the lives of many, we too, have that same opportunity and we have this same POWERFUL NAME TO USE AND TO SHARE! So, live your life with hope and confidence and with the assurance of His Grace and Glory! “And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.” What can the NAME OF JESUS do for you? Reflect on the lyrics of a Gaither song and embrace the NAME OF JESUS! “Jesus, Jesus, Jesus; There's something about that name. Master Savior Jesus, It's like the fragrance after rain. Jesus, Jesus, Jesus; Let Heaven and Earth proclaim! Kings and kingdoms will all pass away, but There is something about that name!” Stay Strong, Stay Focused…THE BEST IS YET TO BE! REMEMBER TO VOTE!!
BIRTHDAYS FOR OCTOBER 26, 2022
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO:
NEAL BATTEN
TOM VAUGHAN
JORDAN LILES
TRUST IN THE LORD AND PRAY
October 25 “Trust in the Lord and Pray!” Mark 11:24
Good morning from Pastor Glen Brock, Baptist Tabernacle Church, Wendell, North Carolina… “Therefore, I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.” (Mark 11:24)
One of the favorite sayings, from my mother, was that I should always “Trust in the Lord and Pray!” From an early age, I was witness to the necessity and the power of Prayer. Mama would tell me, in every situation, “Pray about it!” As I matured, I came to realize that “prayer” was the key to my survival and that “Prayer” has no limits or boundaries! My God can do everything necessary to guide me and to help me and to allow me to grow in Him. Praise God! He is unique and He is ready to hear my prayers, about anything, at anytime and anywhere! Mama would caution me to understand that my prayers should be “in His Will,” and that I should pray about everything! Just a note: Every prayer that I have prayed to my Savior, He has answered! His answers are “Yes,” “No,” or “Wait on Me!” God loved me enough to sacrifice Jesus, so that I could be saved, and have a relationship with God the Father. So, I am still trusting in the Lord while I am praying and I know that, through the challenges and trials of this life, He hears me, and He will answer in the manner that is best for me! I am excited that my God sees tomorrow, while I can only see today! He sees next month and next year and I am limited in my human prospective, yet I am trusting Him and talking with Him and excited about the future! The longer I live, the more I know that I can Trust Him! By the way…God hasn’t given me everything that I have asked for, over the years! Thank God, that He hasn’t! I can only imagine the mess that I would be in today! Listen, I have struggled when it appeared that I was not going to get my way, and I have wanted to “pout!” Then, there was this voice, a strong and loving voice, that gave me the best instructions: “Trust in the Lord and Pray!” Thank you, Mama, for sharing the Love of God with me! NO ONE knows what is best for me more than my Savior, Jesus Christ! Today, as every day, I place my doubts, burdens, worries at the base of the Cross, and plead the “Blood of Jesus” for these petitions. Trusting in God to be God, and to do what He promised that He would do, is the most amazing and “Freeing” thing! PLEASE VOTE! Please Pray about your vote and vote for the individuals that best represents YOUR commitment to CHRIST and REMEMBER that YOUR POLITICS cannot be SEPARATED from YOUR commitment to CHRIST!! “A double minded man is unstable in all his ways (James 1:8.)” May We Be Singularly Minded, and Totally Committed, as We Serve Our Savior! Stay Strong, Stay Focused…THE BEST IS YET TO BE!