December 12 “PEACE” Romans 5:1
BIRTHDAYS FOR DECEMBER 11, 2022
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO:
BLAIR DRIVER
SINGING PRAISES AT THE TAB
December 11 Singing Praises at the “TAB” Colossians 3:16
**SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT: TODAY is the day that The BAPTIST TABERNACLE CHOIR will be performing our CHRISTMAS CANTATA, this morning, SUNDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2022, during the 11:00 Worship Hour. You are invited to attend and CELEBRATE the REASON for the SEASON! Ya’ll Come and CELEBRATE with us … ** ENCORE PERFORMANCE TONIGHT AT ROBINWOOD, WENDELL, NC!
Good morning from Pastor Glen Brock, Baptist Tabernacle Church, Wendell, North Carolina… “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.” (Colossians 3:16)
One of my favorite things about Christmas, is the music! Today, PRAISE GOD, we are going to experience a Special Time at Baptist Tabernacle Church! Our choir is performing a Christmas Cantata, for the first time in 2 years! Sandy Trippe, once again, has put together a beautiful complement of songs that inspire us, entertains us, and encourages us! With Sandy’s Talents and Paul Brown’s Direction, we are going to sing praises to God, celebrate Jesus ‘birth and encourage each other! I was told, several years ago, by a young man, that I respect, that “music is not worship,” and I FULLY DISAGREE! We are encouraged, in the scriptures, to sing songs, hymns, and allow the music to inspire us and to empower us to greater service! “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.” You are cordially invited to come and experience the exciting events of our Praise and Worship Cantata! Baptist Tabernacle Church, at 11:00 am, December 11, 2022. The title of our performance is “CELEBRATE CHRISTMAS!” May Christ dwell in you, richly, and may you celebrate Christmas with songs and hymns and praises to God! You are welcome at Baptist Tabernacle, today, and every day, to celebrate Jesus! Keep Singing, Stay Strong, Stay Focused…THE BEST IS YET TO BE!
A SPECIAL "THANK-YOU"
A SPECIAL THANK YOU TO WAYNE & PAM BATTEN, JOURNEY KIDS & ALL WHO PARTICIPATED IN THE MISSION TRIP TO OPEN HOUSE AT KENNEDY HOME ON FRIDAY EVENING! IT WAS A SPECIAL TIME AND GREAT MEMORIES WERE MADE AND WE MADE A REAL DIFFERENCE IN THE LIVES OF THESE AMAZING CHILDREN, AT KENNEDY HOME! WHAT A TRUE BLESSING TO BE A PART OF SUCH A LOVING AND CARING BODY OF BELIEVERS, LIKE THE BAPTIST TABERNACLE CHURCH FAMILY! TO GOD BE THE GLORY! LOVE YOU ALL, PASTOR GLEN & ANNETTE!!
BIRTHDAYS FOR DECEMBER 10, 2022
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO:
WALLACE BUNN
MATTHEW LEE
“Being a Part of the Healing…”
December 10 “Being a Part of the Healing…” Ephesians 4:31-32
**SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT: Tomorrow is the BIG DAY when The BAPTIST TABERNACLE CHOIR will be performing our CHRISTMAS CANTATA on SUNDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2022, during the 11:00 Worship Hour. You are invited to attend and CELEBRATE the REASON for the SEASON! Ya’ll Come and CELEBRATE with us … **
Good morning from Pastor Glen Brock, Baptist Tabernacle Church, Wendell, North Carolina… “Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamor, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.” (Ephesians 4:31-32)
Growing up in an area that produced a lot of chickens, I learned some interesting facts about raising chickens. I discovered that the farmers would trim the beaks of the chicks. I was told that if one chick falls and gets hurt, the other chicks that are around the hurt one, would peck the wound with their sharp beaks and create an even larger sore. I understand that there have been times when the sore would even get infected and fester. Wow! When I thought about this fact, I began to speculate about our human behavior. What happened when one of our fellow Christian believers falls? How do we respond? Do we have, a tendency to “peck away” at the transgression, with gossip, whispers of criticism, stares, cold-shoulders? The reality is that even one peck can deepen their pain and make the wound larger and deeper and difficult to heal! The farmer’s solution may not be a bad idea, after all! Do you think that Jesus is calling on us to “trim our beaks?” We should lift one another up and pray for one another and we should treat others with compassion and forgiveness and kindness! Our calling, our responsibility, is to encourage others, inspire others, witness to others and to live our lives as a reflection of God’s Grace, actively growing in us!!! REMEMBER: ‘BUT FOR THE GRACE OF GOD, THERE GOES I…” I want to be a part of the healing, not the hurting! How About You? Stay Strong, Stay Focused…THE BEST IS YET TO BE!
BIRTHDAYS AND ANNIVERSARIES FOR DECEMBER 9, 2022
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO:
WILLIAM HOCUTT
STACY BUNN
HAPPY ANNIVERSARY TO:
RYAN & BROOKE HARGREAVES
THE GOOD NEWS OF SALVATION
December 9 The Good News of Salvation Isaiah 61:1
**SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT: The BAPTIST TABERNACLE CHOIR will be performing our CHRISTMAS CANTATA on SUNDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2022, during the 11:00 Worship Hour. You are invited to attend and CELEBRATE the REASON for the SEASON! Ya’ll Come and CELEBRATE with us … **
Good morning from Pastor Glen Brock, Baptist Tabernacle Church, Wendell, North Carolina… “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me, Because the Lord has anointed Me
To preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives, And the opening of the prison to those who are bound;” (Isaiah 61:1)
Every day, I Thank God for the Good News of Salvation, through Jesus Christ! This scripture passage is a tremendous prophecy of the coming of THE Messiah, being inspired by the Holy Spirit, and it tells us that this Servant of God will be the ultimate PREACHER and that HIS Ministry will bring GOOD NEWS! I get excited, each time that I read these words! Think about it…He will be anointed to PROCLAIM (preach) the Good Tidings to the poor, to heal and direct the Brokenhearted, and to PREACH Freedom and Liberty to those who are captive, and HE will open the doors of the prisons that hold us captive! THIS IS GOOD NEWS!! Listen, as Believers, we are commanded to bring this GOOD NEWS to ALL NATIONS! The GOOD NEWS IS SIMPLE! Jesus said to PREACH REPENTANCE, THE GOSPEL (remission of our sins), and to LIVE IT OUT IN OUR LIVES, DAILY!!! Oh, My Goodness… We Hear Enough BAD NEWS, so let’s pledge to share God’s Amazing Grace and to PREACH the GOOD NEWS of the GRACE of GOD through JESUS CHRIST, THE BEST NEWS!!!! I AM NOT ASHAMED OF THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST! We MUST SHARE IT! I Declare to the world that I am, and will continue to be, a purveyor of GOOD NEWS! How About You? Stay Strong, Stay Focused…THE BEST IS YET TO BE!
BIRTHDAYS & ANNIVERSARIES FOR DECEMBER 8, 2022
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO:
SEAN BANNON
GLEN HORTON
HAPPY ANNIVERSARY TO:
JOSEPH & SAMANTHA LAMBERT
JESUS LOVES YOU!!!
December 8 Jesus Loves You! John 3:16
**SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT: The BAPTIST TABERNACLE CHOIR will be performing our CHRISTMAS CANTATA on SUNDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2022, during the 11:00 Worship Hour. You are invited to attend and CELEBRATE the REASON for the SEASON! Ya’ll Come and CELEBRATE with us … **
Good morning from Pastor Glen Brock, Baptist Tabernacle Church, Wendell, North Carolina… “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16)
Many years ago, when I was a boy, my beloved Sunday School teacher, Mrs. Estelle Carter, used the simple, yet profound children’s song to start every class. We would stand and sing together, the words of this familiar tune. “Jesus Loves me, this I know, For the Bible tells me so, Little ones to Him belong, They are weak but He is strong! Jesus Loves me, He who died, Heaven’s gate to open wide, He will wash away my sin, Let His little child come in! Jesus, take this heart of mine, make it pure and Holy Thine, on the cross, You died for me, I will try to live for Thee! Yes, Jesus Loves me, Yes, Jesus Loves me, Yes, Jesus Loves me, the Bible tells me so!” I can still hear her saying, “Children, He Loves You, so, You ought to Love Him!” Folks, we need to focus on what is real and the fact that a Mighty God, who made the entire universe and everything in it, has declared that He loves us, and He demonstrated that love, by presenting His Own Son as a sacrifice for our sins and failures! Does it honor God when we are focused on the temporal and “worldly” influences and are consumed by the politics and chaos of this present day? It is difficult enough navigating through this “Foreign” land, without fellow professing believers shouting that I am wrong for not “Railing Against” the evils of the day! Here is the message for today, and may I add, FOR EVERY DAY!! REMEMBER, JESUS LOVES YOU AND HE DECLARED, CLEARLY, THAT WHOSOEVER BELIEVES IN HIM WILL HAVE EVERLASTING LIFE! Our Job, Our Responsibility, Our Calling, is to Proclaim, to this Evil and Chaotic World, the fact that JESUS LOVES THEM (this is the message of Christmas)! I cannot change the way things are, and I cannot change the ultimate Plan of God, however, I can serve God, right where I am, and I can share the Love of God with this Lost and Dying World, one soul at a time! I recognize that THIS OLD WORLD IS NOT MY HOME, I AM JUST PASSING THROUGH! Pandemics, Political arrogance, Rampant Social Ignorance, and a profound and cavalier display of Evil Driven Stupidity, cannot and WILL NOT alter the fact that MY GOD LOVES ME AND HE HAS A HIGHER CALLING FOR ME! (Through the Blood of Jesus, that Calling is yours, as well!) Dear Friends, focus on Jesus and recognize that God is in control and that He promised that, through the Blood of Jesus, we are OVERCOMERS! What God does with you, is up to you! You can choose to participate in the strife of the World, or you can choose to honor God, live Holy before Him, and focus on what really matters! Please remember, while in the “Earthly’ moment, it matters who is elected and it matters what political system dominates and how we are allowed to live, yet, in the “Eternal” view, none of this, matters, because we are “Strangers in a Foreign Land,” and we will soon be going home! YOUR ATTITUDE, NOT YOUR APTITUDE, WILL DETERMINE YOUR ALTITUDE!! Stay Strong, Stay Focused…THE BEST IS YET TO BE!
BIRTHDAYS FOR DECEMBER 7, 2022
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO:
PATSY COATES
KELLY CURRIE
LAUREN DRIVER NARRON
CRAIG STRICKLAND
PRAY, PRAY, PRAY .........
December 7 Pray, Pray, Pray… James 4:7-8
**SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT: The BAPTIST TABERNACLE CHOIR will be performing our CHRISTMAS CANTATA on SUNDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2022, during the 11:00 Worship Hour. You are invited to attend and CELEBRATE the REASON for the SEASON! Ya’ll Come and CELEBRATE with us … **
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** 81 years ago, in the early hours of a new day, the Imperial Japanese Navy attacked the US Navy base, and the Hickam Airfield, at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, that ushered the United States into World War II. **
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Congratulations to Senator Raphael Warnock of Georgia for his win in the US Senate race in Georgia. I believe, despite the chatter from some chronic victims and their “offended” mentality, that Dr. Martin Luther King would be pleased that in a deep South State, that two black men competed to represent Georgia, in the United States Senate! Maybe, just maybe, there has been progress in our attitudes, perceptions, and realities!
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Good morning from Pastor Glen Brock, Baptist Tabernacle Church, Wendell, North Carolina… “Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the Devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and He will come near to you.” (James 4:7-8)
My Prayer Closet is, literally, a closet. I go into the closet, and I come near to God through prayer. When I am weary and worn, from ministry and obedience, I come close to God through prayer. When I am excited and upbeat and feeling blessed, I come close to God in Prayer! Are you sensing a pattern? Prayer is the absolute Key to success as a Christian and for our walk in Obedience. Prayer time is a special time and I covet my time alone with my Lord and Savior. Amazingly, I have expanded my Prayer Closet to include our front porch, my car, and my lawnmower. “Praying always…,” that is what He expects! Jesus was human, yet Divine. This concept is difficult for us to absorb; however, He WAS a man, and He IS the Son of God. Jesus prayed to the Father for guidance and strength and for comfort and for the completion of His Divine Mission! If Jesus prayed and recognized the necessity for prayer, and was dedicated to the communication with His Father, don’t you think that we should do the same? How do we submit ourselves to God? WE ARE TO PRAY, PRAY, PRAY!! WE ARE TO RESIST THE DEVIL!! Again, WE ARE TO PRAY, PRAY, PRAY… The Greatest Gift that Mankind has Ever Received is the GIFT OF GOD’S LOVE IN THE PERSON OF JESUS CHRIST! Let this Christmas Season be the time that you realize the beauty of the gift and embrace Jesus completely! Stay Strong, Stay Focused…THE BEST IS YET TO BE!
REAL & LASTING PEACE
December 6 Real and Lasting Peace Colossians 3:15
**SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT: The BAPTIST TABERNACLE CHOIR will be performing our CHRISTMAS CANTATA on SUNDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2022, during the 11:00 Worship Hour. You are invited to attend and CELEBRATE the REASON for the SEASON! Ya’ll Come and CELEBRATE with us … **
Good morning from Pastor Glen Brock, Baptist Tabernacle Church, Wendell, North Carolina… “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.” (Colossians 3:15)
When Paul wrote these words, the only peace that the people were familiar with, was the peace that came through conquest, by Caesar and the Roman Empire and its armies. So, here comes this fellow named Paul, and he is talking about the “Peace of Christ,” and this Peace should “rule in your hearts.” Think about it… Caesar brought a perceived Peace through “Might” and “Conquest,” yet, this Christ, that Paul speaks of, brings Peace that is described as “Mercy and Humility and Love and seems to be about a personal experience, not a conquering force and domination. As I contemplate the environment of Paul’s day, I see how these folks would have difficulty with this “Peace” thing. We have a natural tendency to attempt to “make Peace” in our lives by being more assertive and attaining more power and leverage. Notice, that the Followers of Jesus were different! They recognized that the only true and lasting way to bring “Peace,” is through “Peace!” I believe that this lesson is vital and critical in our, present day, survival! Evil, Chaos, and Total Insanity has taken hold of our world and, it appears that the goal is to disrupt and to destroy any “Peace” that we might enjoy! Paul said, “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.” Model your life after Jesus and allow Him to “Rule” in your heart and be Grateful for His Blessings, Guidance and His Real and Lasting PEACE, regardless of the worldly circumstances! The Source of Real and Lasting Peace is Jesus Christ, and HIM ALONE! Isaiah 9:6 tells us… “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.” Stay Strong, Stay Focused…THE BEST IS YET TO BE!
BIRTHDAYS AND ANNIVERSARIES FOR DECEMBER 5, 2022
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO:
BRUCE WHITLEY
HAPPY ANNIVERSARY TO:
“MISS” MARGARET ANDREWS (IN HEAVEN) & MR. HAROLD ANDREWS (WAITING TO SEE HER AGAIN)
"AM I ALONE IN THIS?"
December 5 “Am I Alone in This?” Hebrews 6:19
**SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT: The BAPTIST TABERNACLE CHOIR will be performing our CHRISTMAS CANTATA on SUNDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2022, during the 11:00 Worship Hour. You are invited to attend and CELEBRATE the REASON for the SEASON! Ya’ll Come and CELEBRATE with us … **
Good morning from Pastor Glen Brock, Baptist Tabernacle Church, Wendell, North Carolina… “This Hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which enters the presence behind the veil.” (Hebrews 6:19)
There are days when I am satisfied that I must be going crazy! I have asked myself if I am the only one that feels this way and am I the only one that sees the craziness and insanity that is going on! We are all faced with the realities of life, whether we acknowledge it or not. The challenges that come from a “New” normal; that has been thrust upon us, and all that goes with it, creates upheaval and descent in our thoughts and actions. Dealing with the insanity and the “Storms” of life cause us to become disillusioned and become a bit fearful. There are times when we feel as if we are adrift in the middle of a raging storm with no “Safe Port” in sight. Folks, I am here to declare that WE DO have HOPE! We need to ANCHOR DEEP! Our ANCHOR is JESUS CHRIST, and HE IS OUR HOPE!! HE is firm and strong and secure and, if we are to navigate through all the craziness of this present age, we MUST be firmly and securely attached to our SAVIOR, JESUS CHRIST! You have heard me use this before: “In times like these, you need a Savior, In times like these you need an Anchor; Be very sure, be very sure, Your Anchor holds and grips the SOLID ROCK! This ROCK is JESUS, yes, He’s the ONE; This ROCK is JESUS, the ONLY ONE! Be very sure, be very sure, Your Anchor holds and grips the SOLID ROCK!” In times like these, we really do need that ROCK, which is JESUS CHRIST (HE is the REASON for the SEASON)! So, the answer to the question is clear…NO, you are not going crazy; crazy things are happening, however, when we anchor deep in the promises of Jesus, HE WILL HOLD US, SECURELY AND STEADFASTLY, UNTIL THE STORM PASSES BY!! I am clinging to the anchor, which is my Savior, and when I feel confused and a sense of despair, I grip that anchor rope that gives me peace and strength and ETERNAL HOPE! I pray that you will “ANCHOR DEEP,” and grab hold of the HOPE, read John 3:16 and embrace the HOPE that is found, only in Jesus! Remember – You Are Not Alone!!! Stay Strong, Stay Focused…THE BEST IS YET TO BE!!
"FAITH"
December 3 “Faith” James 2:20
**SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT: The BAPTIST TABERNACLE CHOIR will be performing our CHRISTMAS CANTATA on SUNDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2022, during the 11:00 Worship Hour. You are invited to attend and CELEBRATE the REASON for the SEASON! Ya’ll Come… **
Good morning from Pastor Glen Brock, Baptist Tabernacle Church, Wendell, North Carolina… “But do you want to know, O foolish man, that FAITH without works is dead?” (James 2:20)
We are entering a season of celebration for the Savior of the world, Jesus Christ! The Holy Scriptures share the Reason for this Season, and our opportunity to participate in the Love of God! God Loves Us, Jesus Died for Us, and We Come to a Saving Experience, Through Faith in His Love, His Selfless Act at Calvary, and His Promises to Save and Keep Us! Faith is the KEY! Every one of us has Faith in something! Faith in and of itself will never be as critically important as the object of our FAITH! We dwell in a world where faith is everywhere, yet, tragically, Faith is placed on all the wrong things! God has called us to be “People of FAITH!” Strong, Active, Extraordinary, Life Changing FAITH. What we do, and how we do it, is a visible manifestation of our FAITH! Our FAITH should be visible and clear to everyone around us. You see, genuine FAITH will always reveal itself! True FAITH is always visible and True FAITH WILL ALWAYS PRODUCE “FRUIT!!” FAITH on the inside will always produce “Fruit (Good Works).” There are multiple examples of True and Fruit Producing Faith throughout the Holy Scriptures. We see the Faith of Joseph as he persevered and forgave his brothers (Genesis 39-48). We see strong Faith as David was swinging his “Slingshot” to, by Faith, take down the giant, Goliath (1 Samuel 17:45-50). Faith was demonstrated when Isaiah spoke boldly: “Here I am! Send me! (Isaiah 6:8).” The point of all this is to reveal the absolute truth; our good works uncovers our FAITH and FAITH always produces results, and the results of our Faith will lead others to a FAITH in God and will Glorify our Father God and His Son, Jesus! During these difficult days, it is so easy to become discouraged! How do we survive? We “Hunker Down” and continue to walk in True and Life-Changing FAITH! FAITH that stimulates obedience, FAITH that perseveres, even when we are confronted by fatigue and discouragement and disappointment, FAITH that Forgives wrongs and FAITH that gives us Power to do things that we would not normally do! In Mark 11:22, it gives the answer to the chaos of our day, when it says, “So Jesus answered and said to them, ‘HAVE FAITH IN GOD!’” Put your trust in GOD and HIS LOVE, through JESUS CHRIST! Keep producing “Fruit!” Keep sharing the LOVE of JESUS! Keep Trusting HIS POWER and PROVISION for your life! HAVE FAITH IN GOD! Stay Strong, Stay Focused…THE BEST IS YET TO BE!
GOD KNOWS .....
December 2 God Knows… 2 Corinthians 5:17
**SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT: The BAPTIST TABERNACLE CHOIR will be performing our CHRISTMAS CANTATA on SUNDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2022, during the 11:00 Worship Hour. You are invited to attend and CELEBRATE the REASON for the SEASON! Ya’ll Come… **
Good morning from Pastor Glen Brock, Baptist Tabernacle Church, Wendell, North Carolina… “Therefore, if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” (2 Corinthians 5:17)
Several years ago, I was hiking the trails of the Cliffs of the Neuse State Park, with a couple of my buddies, and we decided that we were going to break the rules and climb the cliff. I began the climb, and my buddies were beside of me, and we were excited to make this happen. I was almost to the top, and I realized that I was the only one there. My buddies had quietly stopped climbing and slid back down to the riverbank. Then it happened! I began to feel the ground give way under my feet and the dirt began to shift and I could feel myself rapidly moving downwards towards the river, with nothing between me and the rapid moving waters of the Neuse River. What was I to do? As I slid down the 90’ face of this obstacle, I quickly realized that I had a choice. I could dismiss the fall, I could deny the fall, I could succumb to the fall, or I could deal with it! The descent towards the river was eye-opening. Out of the corner of my eye I saw a Park Ranger observing my dilemma. As I descended, I shouted out to him, “I am sorry!” The river began to get closer and closer, and I was scrambling to figure out a path to avoid being wet. “Please Lord, help me!” Just before I was about to be completely engulfed by the raging river, I grabbed hold of a little tree, growing out of the riverbank, and I finally stopped my slide. The first face that I saw was the Ranger! He had a smile on his face, and he reached out his hand to assist me into a more secure location. Boy oh boy, did I feel guilty! “I didn’t think that you were around,” I said to the Ranger. He chuckled and said that “he was always around!” Somehow, the Ranger could tell that we were going to be up to “no good,” so he trailed us to our destination. As I reflect on this experience, I realize that my God is always around, and I have no secrets from Him. My actions, my thoughts, my motivations, my emotions, are never a secret to Him. My act of climbing the cliff was wrong! I could not deny it, I could not distort it, I could not dismiss it! The Ranger asked my name and where I lived. Politely, I answered every question. He looked at me and spoke these words, “Are you going to ever do this again?” My rapid response was, “No Sir!” I apologized for my actions, and he was very kind in his response. Who would have thought that, in just a few years, I would be working for him, at the Cliffs of the Neuse State Park. Wow! What a Jesus moment! I knew better, yet I did it anyway! When I got caught, I felt so much guilt! Again, I knew better, and did it, anyway! Isn’t that the definition of guilt? Guilt is a healthy regret for telling God one thing and doing another! There are no secrets from God! Don’t even try to hide anything from Him! We are weak and vulnerable, and we must depend on Him for our survival. The simple message for today is: Realize that God is everywhere, and our feeble human attempts to hide our actions is futile. We must confess our shortcomings and ask for His Grace and Forgiveness and His Guidance to avoid the errors of our human thoughts and actions. By the way, I had a healthy regret for the decision to climb the cliff, especially when I fell! Please aspire to follow God and to be obedient to His calling! This may seem a bit odd to speak of a summer activity, as we approach the celebration of Christmas, however, the fact that our God loves us enough to send Jesus to save us, and that HE knows our actions, thoughts, and motivations, and HE is everywhere, all the time, should motivate us to Live for HIM, every day, in every way! MERRY CHRISTMAS! Stay Strong, Stay Focused…THE BEST IS YET TO BE!
Sidenote: My “buddies” saw the Ranger and they ran away, leaving me to deal with the issues. They left the Park and left me, Thank God, “High and Dry!”
BIRTHDAYS FOR DECEMBER 1, 2022
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO:
ELIZABETH HOCUTT
EMMA MAIDON
JUAN TRIPPE
REJOICE AND BE EXCEEDING GLAD
December 1 “Rejoice and be Exceeding Glad” Matthew 5:12
Good morning from Pastor Glen Brock, Baptist Tabernacle Church, Wendell, North Carolina… “Rejoice and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.” (Matthew 5:12)
Do you remember singing this song: “I’ve got joy, joy, joy, joy, down deep in my heart?” Can we really have JOY, in the face of this present age and the Anti-God atmosphere? Can we REJOICE, in the midst, of all this chaos and Evil? How can Jesus expect us to be JOYFUL in this situation? Here is the ANSWER! Real JOY is only possible when we have an active and growing relationship with JESUS CHRIST! You see, Real JOY is a by-product of our growing FAITH in the ONE that never fails and never Disappoints, and Promised, that HE would never Forsake us! When our focus is on the One who has SAVED US and WILL SUSTAIN US, then, we can have JOY in any situation and in any challenge! Guess what? TRUE JOY is much more than “Earthly Pleasures!” TRUE JOY originates with Almighty God and is an expression of our GRATITUDE for HIS LOVE that HAS SAVED US and has MADE US ACCEPTABLE in HIS SIGHT! We are going to have persecutions and trials and tribulation, however, as “BORN-AGAIN” CHILDREN OF GOD, we are made “OVERCOMERS,” through HIS LOVE AND GRACE!! Listen, “These things I have spoken unto you, that in ME ye might have peace. In this world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). When we are in Christ, and we belong to HIM, then, we are, also, OVERCOMERS, and that gives us the Power and Ability to REJOICE AND TO BE EXCEEDING GLAD! As Mama would tell me… “JUST DO IT!” Stay Strong, Stay Focused…THE BEST IS YET TO BE!
BE BLESSED
November 30 “BE BLESSED” Numbers 6:24-26
Good morning from Pastor Glen Brock, Baptist Tabernacle Church, Wendell, North Carolina… “The Lord bless thee and keep thee: The Lord make His face shine upon thee and be gracious unto thee: The Lord lift up His countenance upon thee and give thee peace.” (Numbers 6:24-26)
Trusting in the “Goodness” of God and the Promises of His Grace, I am praying that you are Growing and Maturing in the Love of God, Through Jesus Christ and that You are Praising God every day and that You are making a difference in this dark and evil world! It is my desire for you, to be blessed, to enjoy the presence of God and His Blessings and to embrace His Peace. Please encourage others to “Be Blessed,” to Embrace His Love and to Live “Under the Blood” of our SAVIOR, JESUS CHRIST! A dear lady, Mrs. Peggy Wilder, that I respect greatly, has a “saying,” that inspires me every time that I read one on her posts, on Facebook. She ends her words with, “Feeling blessed more blessed & blessed again!” The message for today is simple: BE WHAT YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO BE AND LIVE ABOVE THE EARTHLY CIRCUMSTANCES AND RECOGNIZE THE POWER THAT WE HAVE, TO BE OVERCOMERS. ENCOURAGE OTHERS, TEACH OTHERS, BE AN EXAMPLE FOR OTHERS, FORGIVE OTHERS, LOVE OTHERS AND FULFILL YOUR PART IN THE KINGDOM OF GOD! As Miss Peggy says, “Feeling blessed more blessed & blessed again!” Stay Strong, Stay Focused…THE BEST IS YET TO BE!