“Exercising Great Love”
July 17 “Exercising Great Love” 2 Peter 3:9
Good morning from Pastor Glen Brock, Baptist Tabernacle Church, Wendell, North Carolina… “The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9)
My earliest memories involve the love of my mother and the mercy that she demonstrated towards this “active and mischievous” little boy! I was inquisitive and I wanted to see how things worked, and that would include taking things apart and putting them back together. One example was the Electrolux vacuum cleaner. It came apart easily, and it went back together just as simply, with 2 parts left over! Oops! Here comes the exercise of her great love! I know that I put Mama through some trying times, yet she was so compassionate, and she loved me through the “growth.” Now, her patience had limits! From time to time, she would exercise her great love at the end of a belt or a “switch (I would have to fetch)!” Mama was my first example of the Love of God and the depth of His love for a wayward people. My God loves each one of us and He does not want any to perish, and this great love is extended to all! Just as Mama would show mercy, our God shows mercy to us! He does not overlook sin, or ignore His Holiness, but God is patient and loving and He is ready to forgive and to reconnect with us. Folks, I would ask why it was that I would receive a “killing” for my actions, yet my friend would get a pass from his mother! “Because I love you more,” was my mother’s answer! Peter said that it might appear that our Lord was “slack” in punishing the sinful, however, God is patient and loving and He wants us to repent and to claim His Grace and to re-establish a “Right” relationship with Him. God is patiently waiting for you today! Every day, in everything, God is actively demonstrating His Great Love for us! Sadly, not everyone will be SAVED! God’s Love demands Holiness, and His Holiness is always tempered by HIS LOVE! Just remember this: God Loves You and He is Not Slack with this Love! He has Promised redemption, and Eternal Life, with Him, and the Price of Admission to Heaven has been paid on the Cross of Calvary! God is ready to forgive your sins, and He is willing to show His Mercy towards you, and to offer His Grace (His unmerited favor) for the remission of your sins! My dear Mama corrected me because she loved me, and my God offers His Love and He corrects me and guides me and protects me, and He is not SLACK in Doing IT! I have rambled on to say this and it is the most important lesson of all: “… not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.” Stay Strong, Stay Focused…THE BEST IS YET TO BE! (Re-Posting)
BIRTHDAYS & ANNIVERSARIES FOR JULY 16, 2023
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO:
KATRINE HAYNES
JAMIE JEFFREYS
HAPPY ANNIVERSARY TO:
JERRY & PAIGE RICHARDSON
“Demonstrating Servanthood”
July 16 “Demonstrating Servanthood” John 13:14
Good morning from Pastor Glen Brock, Baptist Tabernacle Church, Wendell, North Carolina… “If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet.” (John 13:14)
Many years ago, while attending a Sunday Night service, at my grandmother’s church, I experienced a real “Foot Washing Service!” Now, let me tell you right now, this was a totally new and slightly unnerving experience. I was paired with an older man and when he revealed his feet, I was appalled. His feet were rough and ragged, and his nails were long and yellow, and I was wondering how I was going to get out of this. The young Pastor noticed that I was having some difficulty with this new experience, and he came over and asked me if I was ok. Well, the fact was that I was not ok! I whispered to him, “I don’t think that I can do this. Look at his feet!” His response was priceless! He said, “Its not the condition of his feet, it is the condition of your heart!” In biblical times, most people’s feet were dirty and dusty, because they walked everywhere that they went. It was a demonstration of hospitality to visitors, to wash their feet as they entered the home. The job of washing feet was left for the lowest of servants. After the meal was completed, Jesus began to wash the feet of His Disciples. In the Upper Room, on that faithful night, not one of the Disciples volunteered to wash anyone’s feet. Jesus was still teaching a lesson, and this did not stop Him from washing their feet. Jesus’ purpose in washing the Disciple’s feet was to demonstrate love and for the Disciples to recognize the role of servanthood. He was demonstrating that the Christian Life requires the surrender and the giving of ourselves in service to others. The reality of the message is that LOVE REQUIRES ACTION! Genuine faith and real love will always lead to godly actions. Yes, I washed that old man’s feet, and I did it while saying to myself, “Lord, if you washed feet, who am I to say no way!” That experience has stayed with me, and it has helped me to realize my role in sharing Jesus and living for Him, in humility and service. Interesting Fact: The word “LEADER” is found 6 times in the Bible and the word “SERVANT” is found 900 times in the Bible. That should indicate the importance of serving others and to lead by example. Are you being a servant to others? Folks, once again, what God does with you is entirely up to you! It always has and it always will! I am not suggesting that you wash my feet, however, just as that young Pastor, so many years ago, told me… “It’s not the condition of his feet, it is the condition of your heart!” We must be in an attitude of servanthood if we are to walk in obedience! Stay Strong, Stay Focused…THE BEST IS YET TO BE! (Re-Posting)
BIRTHDAYS FOR JULY 9, 2023
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO:
WYATT CARLYLE
CARL HOLT
DONNA RICHARDSON
AMANDA HORTON
Pray, Pray, Pray…
July 9 Pray, Pray, Pray… James 4:7-8
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)
Notice that the scripture passage is the same as yesterday. Yesterday, the message was a call for “Personal Commitment,” and, today, the message is “HOW” to “Grow Your Personal Commitment!” My Prayer Closet is, literally, a closet (an area with minimal distractions). I go into the closet, and I come near to God through prayer. When I am weary and worn, from ministry and obedience to His Call, 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…Stay Strong, Stay Focused…THE BEST IS YET TO BE!
BIRTHDAYS FOR JULY 8, 2023
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO:
JESSICA IDE
MIKE PEOPLES
ROWENA PERRY
LYNN WATKINS
BRIAN PERRY
Personal Commitment
July 8 Personal Commitment James 4:7-8
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. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.” (James 4:7-8)
Who is in charge, of your life? Who has your loyalty and devotion? Who do you look to for authority and guidance for your living? James is pointing out that we, want to serve God, yet, we allow the Devil to have authority over our lives. We have to choose who we will follow! Through the Blood of Jesus, our God has provided the ability to stand up against the wiles of the Devil, as he creates temptations, within our lives. Under the Redeeming Blood of Jesus, we are no longer controlled by the power of sin, nor are we helpless against Satan and his minions. Praise God! We have the power and the authority to stand up and speak with Holy Power, to Satan and his henchmen, to get away and to “Flee” from us! When we choose to draw near to God and resist the wiles of Satan, the scriptures tell us that He (God) will move closer to us! Remember, we have the Victory through Jesus Christ! We just have to claim it! Live it! Share it! I choose to resist Satan, Claim God’s Promises of Victory and be confident in my personal devotion and commitment, each day of my life! Stay Strong, Stay Focused…THE BEST IS YET TO BE!
BIRTHDAYS & ANNIVERSARIES FOR JULY 7, 2023
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO:
BETTIE ANNE JOHNSON
SARA PEEBLES
WALTER DAVIS
HAPPY ANNIVERSARY TO:
BILLY & ROSE GODWIN (7-7-07 at 7 on 97)
BIRTHDAYS & ANNIVERSARIES FOR JULY 6, 2023
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO:
KENNETTE STEWART
MACKENZIE LILES
“I Will Give You Rest…”
July 7 “I Will Give You Rest…” Matthew 11:28-29
Good morning from Pastor Glen Brock, Baptist Tabernacle Church, Wendell, North Carolina… “Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.” (Matthew 11:28-29)
One of the issues that fellow pastors are experiencing, is something called “Burnout.” Many pastors that I have known, have succumb to this challenging reality. Our present-day circumstances require great effort and absolute commitment, and, often times, in the process of “doing our Job,” we fail to re-focus, re-fuel, and to re-evaluate our own abilities and needs. Sadly, I have seen it happening, over and over, to some truly gifted and talented individuals. Possibly, a better description would be “Drained-Out.” Think about the requirements! Pastors are on 24-7-365 call, with little notice and great expectations from their flock. Just recently, a young pastor called to ask for advice on a special matter, and when I told him to take a moment, assess the real issues, pray specifically for the situation, ask God to provide the solution to the matter, but foremost, for the young pastor to be careful not to be drawn into a situation that was not “fixable,” and would leave him wounded, broken and “Drained!” One of the most important realities of ministerial life is the difficult fact that pastors need time to regroup, refocus, and to Rest in Him! Although, I may not demonstrate this reality, I am aware of my limitations, and I am getting better at “taking Time off,” to recharge my spiritual batteries! Do you ever feel drained? Do you feel weary in doing well? TAKE TIME TO REST, REFLECT AND TO ALLOW GOD’S RESTORING POWER TO ENERGIZE YOU! Everyone needs time to allow God to restore us, retool us and to energize us! The scripture passage for today is so powerful… “Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.” Annette and I are truly blessed with a loving church family that recognizes the need for R&R, and actively encourages it! Thank You, BTC FAMILY! Remember this verse from the Old Testament… “The Lord replied, ‘My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.’” (Exodus 33:14) Stay Strong, Stay Focused… THE BEST IS ABSOLUTELY YET TO BE!
Our Bountiful and Endless Supply
July 6 Our Bountiful and Endless Supply Romans 8:32
** I apologize for the delay in posting. I was with a dear church family as their loved one was about to meet Jesus. **
Good morning from Pastor Glen Brock, Baptist Tabernacle Church, Wendell, North Carolina… “He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?” (Romans 8:32)
God has promised that He would be faithful to us and that He would sustain us and never leave us nor forsake us, yet there are times when we are discouraged and lonely and in despair and we have difficulty finding our way. Remember, He is our unending and on-going supply for everything that we need to live for Him and to enjoy the “Fruit” of our Labor and to Praise God from whom, all, of our, blessings flow!! You see, God gave His Son for us. How much more will He give, in our times of need and struggles? I am excited that He is an overflowing well of resources, that brings, into my life, spiritual pride and hope and energy and vitality and His Blessed Assurance. Guess What? That’s right…God is Good…God is Mighty…God is Love and God is Good to His Children. Be Encouraged! Be Committed! Be True to His Calling! Enjoy the Prosperity that He Provides for His Children! Once again, Be Encouraged!!! Stay Strong, Stay Focused…THE BEST IS YET TO BE!
BIRTHDAYS & ANNIVERSARIES FOR JULY 5, 2023
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO:
MARY JONES
MARTHA MILLS
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HAPPY ANNIVERSARY TO:
DANNY & KATHY AYSCUE
MESSAGE FROM GOD
July 5 Message from GOD Hebrews 10:23
Good morning from Pastor Glen Brock, Baptist Tabernacle Church, Wendell, North Carolina… “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful.” (Hebrews 10:23)
“Good morning, this is GOD, and I will be handling ALL of your problems today. Please remember… I WILL NOT NEED YOUR HELP!! If life happens to deliver a situation to you that you cannot handle, do not attempt to resolve it. Kindly put it in the FFGTD box (Something for God to do). It will be addressed in MY time, not yours. Once the matter is placed into the box, do not hold onto it! Holding on or removal will delay the resolution of your problem. If it is a situation that you think you are capable of handling, please consult me in prayer to be sure that it is the proper resolution. If you find yourself stuck in traffic, don’t despair! There are people in the world for whom, driving is an unheard-of privilege. Should you have a bad day at work, think of the man who, has been out od work for years. Should you despair over a relationship gone bad, think of the person who has never known what it is like to love and be loved, in return. Should you grieve the passing of another weekend, think of the woman in dire straits, working twelve hours a day, seven days a week, to feed her children. Should your car break down, leaving you miles away from assistance, think of the paraplegic who would love the opportunity to take that walk. Should you notice a new gray hair in the mirror, think of the cancer patient, in chemo, who wishes she had hair to examine. Should you find yourself at a loss and pondering what life is all about, and asking what is my purpose? BE THANKFUL! There are those who didn’t live long enough to get the opportunity. Should you find yourself the victim of other people’s bitterness, ignorance, smallness or insecurities, remember…things could be worse! You could be them! Because I do not sleep, nor do I slumber, there is no need for you to lose sleep! REST MY CHILD! If you need to contact Me, I am only a prayer away! Love Eternally, The Lord your God!” (Author Unknown) … TO GOD BE THE GLORY!! Stay Strong, Stay Focused…THE BEST IS YET TO BE! (Re-Post)
BIRTHDAYS FOR JULY 4, 2023
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO:
JESSICA MCDOWELL
DAWN MORRIS BLACKLEY
LYNWOOD O’NEAL
LIBERTY
July 4 Liberty Galatians 5:13
**HAPPY BIRTHDAY AMERICA! **
Good morning from Pastor Glen Brock, Baptist Tabernacle Church, Wendell, North Carolina… “For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.” (Galatians 5:13)
Today, we celebrate the 247th Anniversary of the establishment of our great Republic. Two- and one-half centuries ago, our Founding Fathers began an experiment that has survived great challenges and amazing difficulties yet is still the greatest country to have ever existed! We are not perfect, but our system of governance has been designed to flex and to improve over time. I am so very thankful to be living in the USA. We still enjoy the freedom to worship our God and we continue to enjoy the right to assemble for the purpose of worshipping our God. Our Founding Fathers recognized the importance of acknowledging their dependence on Almighty God, and the desire for those who chose to follow Christ, would be free to pursue that goal. Thomas Jefferson, in the beginning words of the Declaration of Independence, concluded with these words that have inspired me, ever since I read them, many years ago… “— And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor.” The Constitution of the United States is our human governing document for the well-being of our peoples. For the Christian, our Guiding Document is the Holy Bible! Within the pages of this Living Word, are found the freedoms and responsibilities that we must conform to and act upon. Our Document of Freedom is God’s Holy Word! I celebrate the Liberty and independence that we enjoy as citizens of the United States, but I embrace and Praise God for the “Dependence” that I have through His Holy Word and His Shed Blood for me! God’s Holy Word and my claiming God’s Love and Grace for my life, is my Declaration of DEPENDENCE on Him! Thank you, God for the USA! Thank you, God for Jesus! Thank you, God for Your sustaining Love! TO GOD BE THE GLORY! HAPPY INDEPENCENCE DAY AMERICA! Stay Strong, Stay Focused…THE BEST IS YET TO BE!
The Preamble to the Constitution of the United States of America: “We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, ensure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.”
BIRTHDAYS FOR JULY 3, 2023
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO:
MICHAELA SUGG
TIFFANY DANIELS DONOVAN
"STAY ALERT, BE READY ..."
July 3 Stay Alert, Be Ready… 1 Thessalonians 5:8
Good morning from Pastor Glen Brock, Baptist Tabernacle Church, Wendell, North Carolina… ““But let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet the hope of salvation.” (1 Thessalonians 5:8)
My dear friend, Reverend Ricky Anderson, has told me of his experiences of standing on the hillside and looking over into the most famous battlefield that exists, the Valley of Jezreel. It is more commonly known as the Valley of Armageddon! As a student of history, I know that the first recorded battle took place there, and the exciting news is that the Last Battle fought on this earth will happen right there! This is a famous battlefield, yet the most common and most used battlefield is in our hearts and minds! The Apostle Paul gives clear instructions to cover ourselves with the breastplate of Faith and Love, and to protect our minds with the helmet of Salvation! Listen, the instructions from Paul are applicable to our lives today! Faith ushers into our lives, the righteousness of Christ, and this Love allows us to share it with others! This Hope of Salvation, that Paul speaks about, protects our minds and is a true source of encouragement! Listen Closely!!! Every single day, Satan is actively engaged in the battle for your thoughts and your very heart! He is seeking control, so that he can cause others to doubt and to stumble along this life! THE ONLY WAY TO ENSURE VICTORY AND TO SERVE GOD, IS TO REMAIN ALERT AND TO BE READY FOR THE BATTLE! There is no doubt, WE ARE IN A BATTLE FOR THE VERY SOUL OF MAN! Get Ready, Be Ready and “Armor Up!” “NOT TODAY SATAN, NOT TODAY!” Stay Strong, Stay Focused, Stay Ready…The Battle is at hand! Victory is ours, through the Blood of Jesus! REMEMBER: THE BEST IS ABSOLUTELY AND WITHOUT A DOUBT, YET TO BE! (Re-Post)
BIRTHDAYS & ANNIVERSARIES FOR JULY 2, 2023
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO:
CAROL FLOWERS
JOANN HOCUTT
JACOB MORRIS
MARC SCOTT
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