BIRTHDAYS FOR AUGUST 2, 2023

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO:

AMANDA CARLYLE

ANITA S. HALES

Through HIS Eyes

August 2 Through HIS Eyes 1 Samuel 16:7

Good morning from Pastor Glen Brock, Baptist Tabernacle Church, Wendell, North Carolina… “But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him. For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” (1 Samuel 16:7)

Recent events, both public and private, have caused me to ponder the actions, motivations, and decisions of others, and myself! Satan is active and is employing every tactic at his disposal, to cripple and defame the cause of Christ! None of us are immune to his attacks, both direct and subtle! Praise God, that our Savior does not see us with the eyes of humanity! Our God sees us with the eyes of a loving Father! He sees our faults, flaws, scars, mistakes, blemishes and He still LOVES US! When I think about the Love of God, and HOW and WHY would He Love someone as flawed and broken as me, I get excited to realize that He sees the value in me and He sees the virtue of our existence. WOW! Thank You God for LOVING ME! Thank You for LOVING US enough to send JESUS to SUFFER, and DIE for our SINS, and that He IS OUR SAVIOR, when WE BELIEVE, CONFESS, and RECEIVE the MIRICLE of HIS GRACE ACT on CALVARY! IAM SO VERY GLAD THAT GOD SEES ME THROUGH HIS EYES AND NOT THE EYES OF HUMANITY! I choose to serve HIM, Glorify Him, and Share HIS GOOD NEWS! Again, Thank You God for Loving me! Stay Strong, Stay Focused…THE BEST IS YET TO BE!

BIRTHDAYS FOR AUGUST 1, 2023

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO:

SUSIE PEOPLES

RIXIE STEVENS

RUSTY WHEELER

The Church…

August 1 The Church… Acts 2:46-47

Good morning from Pastor Glen Brock, Baptist Tabernacle Church, Wendell, North Carolina… “So, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.” (Acts 2:46-47)

Almost every time that I help a family with a funeral, for their loved one, the funeral home will do a DVD of the pictures of their lives. Usually, the pictures will be from the earliest times of their lives, up to the present day. When I think about the scripture for today, and I think about the DVD’s, of one who has passed, I think about the “Church” and what would a DVD look like today! The authors of the New Testament used beautiful words to create pictures of the amazing images of the early church. Amazingly, the church, in its infancy, was a powerful influence in the community and the individuals that made up the church were committed and dedicated to the same goal! They were committed to sharing the Good News and to Fellowship with God and each other! Folks, these words from Acts 2, still paint a portrait of what the church should be!! On Thursday, July 22, 2021, I was a part of an ordination council, for a prospective pastor, in the Triangle East Baptist Association (formerly the JBA), and Dr. Hinton was discussing the role of the pastor and the changing dynamics of the ministry and the church, and he said something that has stayed with me. He asked the candidate if he had ever considered being a “Church Planter.” He continued to explain the extreme need for new churches, with new enthusiasm and new commitments! As I thought about this, I realized that the “Existing Church Structure,” is not fulfilling the mandate of the “Early Church!” A picture of the experience that I endured, just, a few short years ago, when I was ministering to a young man, and he had been offended by someone in the church body, and he said that he was leaving the church! You know the thought… “I’ll get my toys and go home” mentality. This is not “finding favor” or “gladness!” It boils down to this fact: If the church, as it exists today, were following the example of the early church, then the need for a “New” church plant would not be necessary! Folks, the picture that God provides, for us, from Acts 2, does not even resemble the church of today! What is our priority? Why are we not “in one accord?” These early believers were dedicated followers and they had re-focused their lives and were living for Christ and that which was their attitudes and actions, no longer existed. They were united under a single, life changing element: THE SHED BLOOD OF JESUS! People were drawn to this new fledging movement, and they were being saved from their sins and added to the church. So, compare the picture of the church, from Acts 2, and today! How are we doing? Do we need to return to our roots? You see, “A picture is worth a thousand words!” I am praying every day, that God will use me to lead and direct the church into a renewed vision and a more active role in sharing the Good News! It is JESUS, not jobs or structures or trappings, or even your “feelings!” Fellowship requires commitment and the ability to lay aside our preconceived notions, and our human desires, and to fully surrender to God!! Stay Strong, Stay Focused… THE BEST IS YET TO BE!

BIRTHDAAYS FOR JULY 31, 2023

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO:

CRYSTAL BAKER

PAIGE RICHARDSON

DYSON BECK

Sober, Vigilant, Strong

July 31 Sober, Vigilant, Strong 1 Peter 5:8

Good morning from Pastor Glen Brock, Baptist Tabernacle Church, Wendell, North Carolina… “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:” (1 Peter 5:8)

Pay Attention! When we take our focus off our commitments, and we operate on our feelings and emotions, then we give Satan an opening to dictate and manipulate our existence! Sadly, so sadly, even good and decent people succumb to the wiles of the Devil and allow their focus and commitments to be altered by Satan’s destructive ways! When you allow him to have a “foothold” in your life, then you are in danger of being “devoured” and “destroyed!” Commitment, Dedication, Love, Endurance, Focus, Service, Witness; these are words of action, and that action is empowered through our redemption, accomplished through the shed blood of Jesus Christ! Satan is waiting for you to “feel” isolated, vulnerable, confused, and he begins his “consuming” of your life, witness, and everything that you hold sacred and valuable! Communities are rocked, family are destroyed, individuals are devoured because of our human desires, fanned by Satan, we take our focus away from the truth and are deceived by Satan, and we succumb to his wiles, and we position ourselves to be destroyed! PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE…. Resist Satan, Stay Focused on the Mission, Remember, IT IS NOT ABOUT US, BUT ABOUT THE CAUSE OF CHRIST! Satan WILL DECEIVE! Satan WILL DESTROY! His job, his purpose, is to dilute, confuse and alter the truthful message of Christ! Please Be Careful… “because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:” Stay Strong, Stay Focused…THE BEST IS YET TO BE!

Humble Yourselves, Focus on Him

July 30 Humble Yourselves, Focus on Him 1 Peter 5:6

Good morning from Pastor Glen Brock, Baptist Tabernacle Church, Wendell, North Carolina… “Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.” (1 Peter 5:6)

One of the most debilitating challenges to our Christian walk, is the ability to “Regret” OUR PAST! Romans 3:23 tells us that we all have sinned! Jesus came, suffered, bled, and died for those sins! Listen closely, when things don’t go the way that we expect, and times are difficult, accept the redeeming blood of Jesus and do not indulge the thoughts of “regret!” REMEMBER: Our Savior is Sovereign over every circumstance and issue that we encounter! What does our scripture passage say, “Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.” Let us rejoice in the reality of His Love, and let us Live under His Power, Presence, and His Amazing Grace! Fix your eyes of Jesus, regardless of the circumstances! When Jesus is our Focus, we will see the circumstances, clearly and completely different! Why focus on Jesus? Here’s why!! Jesus said unto him, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life; no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me.” Stay Strong, Stay Focused…THE BEST IS YET TO BE!

“Unity versus Division”

July 29 “Unity versus Division” Psalm 133:1

**Good morning from Pastor Glen Brock, Baptist Tabernacle Church, Wendell, North Carolina… “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!” (Psalm 133:1)**

Over the ages, individuals have attempted to unite humanity through conquest and fear. On the other hand, Jesus unites people, not by conquest or fear or by force, but He unites by LOVE! Growing up in the sixties and witnessing the social changes that were necessary and the hope-filled proclamations of men like Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and the words of hope for a people and a nation, I am sorrowful for humanity, that we are experiencing a purposeful division and separation of various peoples, for purely political power and prominence! On August 28, 1963, some 100 years after President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation freeing the slaves, a young man named Martin Luther King climbed the marble steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. to describe his vision of America. More than 200,000 people-black and white-came to listen. They came by plane, by car, by bus, by train, and by foot. They came to Washington to demand equal rights for black people. And the dream that they heard on the steps of the Monument became the dream of a generation. “I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed. We hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are created equal. I have a dream that one day out in the red hills of Georgia the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slaveowners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood. I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice. I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by their character. I have a dream today” (Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr). Dr. King, as a Christian, realized that hatred was divisive, and Love was a uniter! Embracing the Love of God and the command to “Love our Neighbors,” is the answer to the conflicts among peoples. Isn’t it sad that after 60 years, since Dr. King stood on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, that the message of Love and the message of hope, has been diluted into a fragmented and divided population, all in the name of some false narrative! True unity will come when we embrace the Love of God and demonstrate that Love, in our relationships and interactions with others! Guess what? God’s Love is for ALL PEOPLE! The Word says, “For whosoever…!” Church, we MUST present the LOVE OF GOD to this divided and sinful world! The only Hope for Humanity is the Love of God, through the Shed Blood of Jesus Christ! May we be slow to criticize and quick to encourage! May we be less judgmental and more accepting of our differences! May we be steady in demonstrating our Faith and less contentious in our witness! May we be uncompromising in our convictions yet, be considerate to all that we meet! May we be “Christ-Like” in every area of our lives! Keep Growing! Keep Believing! Keep Claiming! Keep Sharing Jesus with all that you encounter! Make a difference, ONE SOUL AT A TIME! Stay Strong, Stay Focused…THE BEST IS YET TO BE!

BIRTHDAYS & ANNIVERSARIES FOR JULY 28, 2023

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO:

RHONDA BUNN GREEN

JENNY BUTLER

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY TO:

JIMMY & EMALY BERGERON

Perpetually Prepared

July 28 Perpetually Prepared Isaiah 26:3

Good morning from Pastor Glen Brock, Baptist Tabernacle Church, Wendell, North Carolina… “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.” (Isaiah 26:3)

I heard a story about a newly hired hand that was trying to wake up the boss, when he realized that a big storm was coming towards the farm. He banged on the door, yet no one came. He, finally, threw rocks against the side of the house, and, finally, the farmer came to the door to inquire what was going on. “There is a big storm with high winds coming! We need to secure the animals and secure the barns!” The farmer told the hired hand to calm down. “Go back to bed, I’ve already taken care of things. I do it every night so I can sleep through storms!” There are some folks that seem to be anxious and troubled and unsettled in every aspect of their lives. There again, there are others that are calm and serene and seemingly unmoved by the turmoil and challenges of this life. So, it begs the question: What is the secret of inner peace? As my Daddy used to tell me (over and over), “Opportunity favors a prepared mind!” I believe that, one important key to peace is preparation! The farmer wasn’t afraid of the storm because he had prepared for the storm. Believers, as Christians, we need to prepare ourselves to handle the adversity and challenges that are coming our way, by placing our complete trust in the Lord. Remember John 16:33! Be in a state of perpetual preparedness! Stay Strong, Stay Focused… Armor -up… THE BEST IS YET TO BE!

BIRTHDAYS FOR JULY 27,2023

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO:

BETH JOHNSON

MICHAEL BOYKIN

“Real JOY”

July 27 “Real JOY” Matthew 5:12

Good morning from Pastor Glen Brock, Baptist Tabernacle Church, Wendell, North Carolina… “Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” (Matthew 5:12)

If you were raised in the church, you probably remember the song, “I’ve got joy, joy, joy, joy down deep in my heart…” I love the part that Mrs. Carter would add… “And if the Devil doesn’t like it, he can sit on a tack!” Think about this concept! Experiencing real joy, in the midst of trials and persecutions, and difficulties and challenges! How is this possible? Real JOY is only possible in a Personal and Growing Relationship with the Savior, JESUS CHRIST! I am excited to know that, through Faith in the One that has saved me, and will never fail me, nor will He ever leave me, that I can experience REAL JOY, in spite of the issues of the day! REAL JOY is more than earthly pleasures and an “easy” life! It is embracing and experiencing the power for living, right here, right now, and the blessed hope of eternity with Him in Heaven! THANK YOU, GOD, for sending JESUS to provide SALVATION and REAL JOY!! Stay Strong, Stay Focused…THE BEST IS YET TO BE!

BIRTHDAYS FOR JULY 26,2023

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO:

MELANIE BROCK

LOU CARROLL

CHARLES PADGETT

“Rejoice, Pray, Be Thankful”

July 26 “Rejoice, Pray, Be Thankful” 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Good morning from Pastor Glen Brock, Baptist Tabernacle Church, Wendell, North Carolina… “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18)

In the Fall of 1964, I saw the power of God demonstrated within my own little family. The year began with my mother having yet another kidney surgery and the disruption of our household, by her absence. Daddy hired a lady to come in and cook and clean and “look after me.” Sadly, this lady was a thief and a liar! She didn’t stay long! So, I went to a neighbor’s house after school and that was interesting. They were good people, just strange! Mama came home and all was right with the world, until she was forced to go back to the hospital in October of 1964. Here we go again…I can only imagine the stress and anxiety that my Daddy was going through. This time, this surgery, Mama had her right kidney removed. She finally came home, and things began to normalize. The phone rang and I answered the call and there was a Goldsboro Police Officer on the other end of the line, asking to speak to Mrs. Brock. Well, she was asleep, and I told him, and he dropped the news on me…your Daddy has been in an accident, and he is at Wayne Memorial Hospital. I immediately woke Mama, and she calmly called the Police Department for details and then she called the Hospital for details of his condition. Her first response was…we need to pray! Keep in mind, Mama had a drain tube and a glass jar as the collection sight and I was a boy and we didn’t have a vehicle to travel on, with the exception, of a tractor. After some challenges and calls, Mama was able to speak to Daddy and things improved quickly. Apparently, someone ran a light and T-Boned Daddy. He was Okay and was headed home. When he arrived home, there was such a relief and a calm, within the walls of our little home. Daddy was bruised up and had 2 broken ribs and we were now a “No” car family and Mama was recovering from major surgery, and I was a little boy! Daddy made fried bologna sandwiches for our supper, and we sat around the table, and we prayed and ate. When I reflect back, to that day, and the conditions that we experienced, I am still amazed at the attitude and actions of my parents. Daddy, Mama, and I held hands and Daddy asked blessing on the food and he gave thanks for bringing him through and he offered praise to God for protecting our little family! Amazing! I was seeing the misery and Daddy and Mama were seeing the Blessing! This visual and practical lesson has stayed with me all these years. Later, I asked Daddy how it was that they were so upbeat when their lives were in shambles, and his response was priceless… “Son, we are children of God and He promised that He would be with us and help us. He, also, told us that troubles would come our way and to look to Him for comfort and restitution!” That day, I did not fully understand, but today I do! Our Faith in God is the Key to Living! By Faith, my parents navigated through this life, and, by Faith, they taught me to “Look to God” for everything that I do… Basically… “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” Please Stay Strong, Stay Focused…EVEN IN THE FACE OF GREAT CHALLENGES, THE BEST IS YET TO BE!

JULY 25, 2023 BIRTHDAYS & ANNIVERSARIES

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO DONNA PERRY

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY TO GEORGE & FAYE CREECH

“LOVING not JUDGING”

July 25 “LOVING not JUDGING” 1 Peter 4:8

**Good morning from Pastor Glen Brock, Baptist Tabernacle Church, Wendell, North Carolina… “Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.” (1 Peter 4:8)**

Recently, I have been presented with challenges that ought not be! Fellow Believers, well-meaning fellow Believers, allowing Satan to dictate their actions and words! Situations, circumstances, actions, and challenges will come to us, yet we MUST seek to live in God’s Love, and to love each other, regardless of the situations that exist! Every one of us misses the mark when it comes to being perfect! It is the LOVE OF GOD THROUGH JESUS CHRIST, that makes us worthy of HIS GRACE! So often, we allow the momentary circumstances of the present to dictate our actions and responses! All of us have sinned and fallen short… Please claim the VICTORY IN JESUS, Focus on HIS GRACE, and STOP BEING SO JUDGEMENTAL towards one another! Remember, you are not responsible for the actions and words of others, you are responsible for YOUR ACTIONS and WORDS, and they SHOULD BE EDIFYING TO THE BODY OF CHRSIT! Satan gets excited when a Believer allows him the opportunity to get a foothold and create chaos and strife among other Believers! Folks, Claim God’s Love, Focus on Obedience for your own life, and STOP Judging others, and LOVE THEM, with the LOVE OF GOD! Most of the issues among God’s people, would not be issues, if we would simply mind our own business and see others through the eyes of Christ! Listen closely to this Command: “Jesus said to him, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.” Matthew 22:37-40… He said it, I believe it, and am working each day to make it a part of my life! How about you! Stay Focused, Stay Strong…THE BEST IS YET TO BE!

BIRTHDAYS FOR JULY 24, 2023

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO COLLIN DRIVER

Continue Learning Each Day

July 24 Continue Learning Each Day Proverbs 1:5

Good morning from Pastor Glen Brock, Baptist Tabernacle Church, Wendell, North Carolina… “A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels:” (Proverbs 1:5)

Have you ever heard the statement that “you can’t teach an old dog new tricks?” I am here to tell you that God can and does teach old dog’s new tricks! It is important for believers to continue to seek His face and to continue to “dig” deep into His Holy Word, and to continue to learn and to experience His Grace and to be prepared to share and teach about His Love and His Amazing Grace! One thing that my Daddy hammered into my head, was the fact that knowing something in our minds and knowing how to apply it or, doing it, are two different things! Folks, God expects us to continue to grow in His Grace and in our Knowledge of Him, with the goal of increasing our “closeness” to Him and to enhance our relationship and to be “effective” witnesses for Him. We must be “Life-Long” Learners, and we must continue to Learn about Him and to continue to Lean on Him and continue to Grow in Him and to experience the “Abundant Living” that He has ordained for us to experience! What God does with you is up to you! It always has, and it always will! Keep Learning, Keep Loving, Keep Experiencing, Keep Sharing, Keep Enjoying His Bounty, and Never, Ever, stop Growing in Him! Stay Strong, Stay Focused…THE BEST IS YET TO BE!

BIRTHDAYS FOR JULY 23, 2023

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO:

DUSTIN HALE

KATHERINE LEWIS

MARIE SHUMAN

BRANDON WALTERS

Overcoming

July 23 Overcoming John 16:33

Good morning from Pastor Glen Brock, Baptist Tabernacle Church, Wendell, North Carolina… “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)

A large portion of my responsibilities, as a pastor, is to counsel and encourage others, along this journey of life. One amazing fact has become obvious, and that is that individuals still do not grasp that life is difficult and, at times, just hard to handle. A consistent thought has emerged, and that is, that Christians are, somehow, immune to the challenges and difficulties of life! Let me assure you, here and now, this is NOT TRUE!! The scriptures inform us of the challenges and adversity that we WILL FACE, as we serve HIM, and navigate through this life. Folks, we are living in a fallen and sinful world, and chaos and destruction are all about! When we become Christians, we are infused with HIS Power, HIS Grace and HIS Provision, and this empowerment provides the necessary tools to successfully challenge the destructive patterns of this world. Please be aware that Satan is ready, willing, and able to attack you, taunt you, challenge you, annoy you, and hurt you! Stay Focused on HIS POWER, PROVISION AND PRESENCE, and be prepared to handle the challenges that YOU WILL FACE! Psalm 91:1 offers a powerful promise… “He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.” Life is hard! Life is Challenging! My God is ALL POWERFUL, and as HIS Child, I am Powerful, because of HIS Love, Grace, and Provision!! I encounter the same challenges that you face, and I affirm the power of God in my life, and I am continually praying for renewal, healing, and protection. I affirm HIS anointing for the POWER FOR LIVING in this dark and sinful world! Remember, HE is working in you, on your behalf, and we need to “rest in the shadow of the Almighty!” Stay Strong, Stay Focused…THE BEST IS YET TO BE!