IF THE FOOTMEN TIRE YOU WHAT WILL THE HORSES DO?
Jeremiah 12:5, If thou hast run with the footmen, and they have wearied thee, then how canst thou contend with horses? and if in the land of peace, wherein thou trustedst, they wearied thee, then how wilt thou do in the swelling of Jordan?
It is Old Fashion Sunday. This is an old question asked by God to the nation of Judah, 2600 years ago. Jeremiah has been looking around at the conditions of his nation and things were not improving. So, he sits down with Almighty God and ask God some questions that maybe you have asked God and God gives Jeremiah the answers.
I – JEREMIAH’S ADDRESS TO THE LORD
1 Righteous art thou, O LORD, when I plead with thee: yet let me talk with thee of thy judgments Wherefore doth the way of the wicked prosper? wherefore are all they happy that deal very treacherously?
A – THE PLEA:
Jeremiah knows that God is righteous and true and he doesn’t make mistakes but something was bothering him.
Jeremiah looked around and He saw the wicked prospering and they were happy. They were, it seemed, having a great time, laughing, drinking and partying.
Jeremiah says to God, "Why do the wicked prosper?" And, "Why are they so happy?" This is not a new question. Job, Isaiah, David, Habakkuk and others have asked the same question.
Jeremiah had been preaching for over twenty years and though, Josiah repentance brought a measure of faith and peace to Judah, when he died, the people turned right back to their evil ways.
Jeremiah sees the false priest and prophets prospering and they were being well taken care of and Jeremiah felt like a sacrificial lamb.
Stop and let me present to you a question: Why do you do good? Why do you live as you live? Is it because of mom or dad? Is it because of your mate or religious peer pressure? Is it because of the preacher or for the sake of your children? Or do you live as you do to honor Jesus Christ?
Well, just as you live to honor Jesus Christ because of your image of Him who is holy and righteous and wonderful and true, Judah lived as they did because of the imagination of their hearts.
B. THE PLANT V 2
2 Thou hast planted them, yea, they have taken root: they grow, yea, they bring forth fruit: thou art near in their mouth, and far from their reins.
Now, Jeremiah says, God you see their fruit. You see their motives (v 2) and you’ve done nothing. Notice verse 2: Jeremiah was saying, "They speak good of you with their lips, but their motives are impure." They were all talk and no truth.
He says, "God you judged me according to my heart, now, judge them now according to their hearts" (v 2).
C. THE PUNISHEMENT V 3-4
Jeremiah was so troubled that he admonished God to take the wicked to the slaughter house and kill them (v 3). He says, God why not make some lamb chops out of your sheep. 3 But thou, O LORD, knowest me: thou hast seen me, and tried mine heart toward thee: pull them out like sheep for the slaughter, and prepare them for the day of slaughter.
What happened to Jeremiah's love? Folks, Jeremiah was human. He knew what was right. He told the people how to live and they ignored him. They laughed at him. They conspired, a plan to tried to kill him.
"I've wept over these people" (v 4). 4 How long shall the land mourn, and the herbs of every field wither, for the wickedness of them that dwell therein? the beasts are consumed, and the birds; because they said, He shall not see our last end.
God had sent desolation on the land. You’ve sent the famines and the pestilence and the flocks and the animal life have suffered because of the sins of the people of Judah (v 4). And still these people will not return to you.
Hey folks, listen, man may live wickedly all week long but, remember this, God doesn't always send His payment on Friday, but I promise you there will be a payday someday for all who reject the Lord Jesus Christ.
Jeremiah wanted that day to be soon, but don’t judge Jeremiah too badly, for friend, with what is happening in our country, I too, would like to see God send some judgment on the wicked.
II - GOD'S ANSWER TO JEREMIAH
5 If thou hast run with the footmen, and they have wearied thee, then how canst thou contend with horses? and if in the land of peace, wherein thou trustedst, they wearied thee, then how wilt thou do in the swelling of Jordan?
God often answers a question with a question. Why?
1. Sometimes we already know the answer, we just need to meditate upon the Scriptures.
2. Sometimes, we don' t know the answer and we must search the Scriptures.
Well, when God gives Jeremiah this answer, it isn't what the great prophet expected. He talked about two things:
A. FOOTMEN AND HORSES: Jeremiah realized God's focus was not on the enemy but on His servant.
-When difficult times come, we often ask, "How can I get out of this?" God wants us to ask, "What can I get out of this?"
-We often want God to deal with others, when God is actually dealing with us.
-We want God to change the world around us and God wants to change the world in us.
God says to Jeremiah in verse 5, Jeremiah, you are only running with footmen now, what are you going to do when the horses come?
Here is what that means: Today, the footmen are family problems, economic woes, financial concerns and political corruption.
Hey, if we can’t handle what every other person in the nations is handling, how are we going to fare when real trouble hits?
How are we going to stand for God in a time of true persecution?
The heartaches we are experiencing in America today are minor compared to what is coming if America doesn’t turn back to God.
Jeremiah saw the moral problems in his country. He saw the social problems, the religious problems, the political corruption, the economic problems, and he is very troubled.
The horse for Judah would be the Babylonians. They would be foreigners that will came into the land and take the land over.
The Babylonians oppressed Judah with threats for six to ten years. Then for twenty years, then the horses came. They fought against Judah and slowly took away their liberties, their freedoms and their way of living.
Now, let me make that applicable. Back in 1956, Nikita Khrushchev said, "We will bury you." speaking to America. In Yugoslavia he remark that his speech, "We will bury you" did not mean we will bury you with a shovel. It meant that your own ‘working class’ will bury you.
The ‘working class’ defined by Marxism is the lower class of a country, yea, the unemployed and welfare state. Well, look at America. For fifty years the democrats of America has built their platform upon socialism.
Our present President has introduced Marxist-socialism into our country. He has forced those beliefs upon our country with the help of the former President Bill Clinton and the Democratic Party.
What has happened? The ‘working class” has increased as people have lost their jobs. The jobless rate is higher today than any time outside of the Great Depression, though the media is not saying so.
As of September 2, the jobless rate was at 15.3 million. There are 2.5 million who have given up looking the NPR states. Those on Welfare was around 5 million. That gives us 22.5 million unemployed. In the Great Depression of 1929, there were 12,830,000 unemployed.
At first it will just affect the lower class. Then it will begin to affect the middle class. And one day there will be only two classes of people.
God was telling Jeremiah. Jeremiah you are walking with the footmen, the horses are coming, prepare yourself.
B. SWELLING OF JORDAN
When God’s hand of judgment moves upon a nation, it does so like a storm. At first, it is like a rainy day. But, the rain doesn’t go away. The days turn to weeks and the weeks to months and gloominess sets in. When the Jordan began to swell disaster was next to come. (v 5).
When the Jordan would swell in Israel, the flood waters overflowed the banks. The harvest was lost. The lions and beast of the fields were driven into the cities and farms where they preyed upon man and his livelihood, wrecking terrible havoc.
This is an analogy of when the criminals and those with no concern for anybody, but their own hunger will do.
They will rob and steal and kill and do what they have to in order to satisfy their own hunger.
Jeremiah would now cry the more to Judah, turn back to God, the horses are coming.
Stop! Christian, don't get discourage over what is happening in America. There is hope as long as God is on His throne and His children are on their knees.
James said, "Draw near to God and he will draw near to you."
God then gives Jeremiah another piece of information (v 6): God tells Jeremiah who his footmen are, that's troubling him.
6 For even thy brethren, and the house of thy father, even they have dealt treacherously with thee; yea, they have called a multitude after thee: believe them not, though they speak fair words unto thee.
God tells Jeremiah, that the footmen were those of his own nation and house. God said, "Don’t listen to and don't believe your family or your friends." Don’t listen to the kind words people of the people.
They may speak gracious and beautiful words trying to persuade you to turn away from truth. Jeremiah, you stand for right. You preach truth."
Remember this: God is concerned with the development within us, not just the difficulties around us.
III - JEREMIAHS' AMAZEMENT
Jeremiah stops and thinks and realizes God is right. (v 7-10).
1 - Jeremiah’s Heritage
a. Jeremiah enemies (v 7) He realizes his family and countrymen have forsaken truth. They have become the enemies of Jeremiah because they were now the enemies of God.
In America many of our political leaders have forsaken God’s Word, God’s commandments and have ceased to stand for truth.
7 I have forsaken mine house, I have left mine heritage; I have given the dearly beloved of my soul into the hand of her enemies.
b. Jeremiah attackers: (v 8).
8 Mine heritage is unto me as a lion in the forest; it crieth out against me: therefore have I hated it.
Jeremiah says, because I stood for truth and my countrymen did not, they have cried against me.
They have turned against me because I would not compromise God’ word. They have roared against me like a lion in the forest.
They have called me names and mock me, because I did not become part of the Association or the National Council of Churches or the World Council of Churches.
c. Jeremiah tells God, they are treating me like a speckled bird (v 9).
9 Mine heritage is unto me as a speckled bird, the birds round about are against her; come ye, assemble all the beasts of the field, come to devour.
If you grew up on a chicken farm you will know what Jeremiah meant here. As a boy, we raised 32,000 chickens every 9 weeks. That seems like a lot to most of you, but it is actually a small amount compared to the way chickens are raised today. In each chicken house we would have about 8,000 birds. They were all yellow. When they grew up they all turned white. If one of the birds had a speck on it, the other birds would pick it to death. They would pick it till blood flowed from its body. They would pick on it till it ceased to move. This is how Jeremiah’s family had treated him.
2. Jeremiah’s Homeland
a. The Pastors have changed:
10 Many pastors have destroyed my vineyard, they have trodden my portion under foot, they have made my pleasant portion a desolate wilderness.
11 They have made it desolate, and being desolate it mourneth unto me; the whole land is made desolate, because no man layeth it to heart.
Jeremiah tells God that even the pastors had become weak and were afraid to preach truth (v 10). I've had people tell me, Preacher, you can't preach like you do, people won't listen. Friend, people didn't call me to preach, God did. We need God called preachers today, not seminary prepared, mama called and daddy sent.
Under Karl Marxist beliefs and under Joseph Stalin's rule, the Russian government destroyed and closed 98% of all the churches in Russia.
Russia was turned into a socialistic-communistic government. Everyone was equal. They became equally poor. There but two classes. The upper class was less than 5% of the nation and the lower class was 95%. By 1991, Russia was bankrupt.
If America keeps going in the direction that this present administration is directing it, we will follow the path of Russia.
In America, the churches have not been closed, though thousands of churches shut their doors every year.
But, the pastors have compromised. They do not take seriously enough the study and preaching and teaching of God’s Word. Pastors need to preach truth.
A friend came last week to church whose pastor's wife and children won't even go to church.
Churches have been compromised, just as during Jeremiah's day. It was weak, liberal pastors, afraid to preach truth that left men's heart a wilderness, rather than filling their heart with the fruit of God's precious word.
b. The Spoilers were coming.
12 The spoilers are come upon all high places through the wilderness: for the sword of the LORD shall devour from the one end of the land even to the other end of the land: no flesh shall have peace.
The spoilers were those who oppress and rob and lay waste a land.
They may be soldiers or they may be pestilence. They may be foreigners who buy out the land or illegal immigrants that take the jobs. They may even be a government who sells the jobs overseas.
I want you to know that it seems that the winds are shifting, politically. It seems as if in a few months, the pendulum will shift the other way. So God has heard the prayers of Gods’ people. Remember that.
Things are not changing in America because of talk radio or Fox news. Things are changing because God’s people have been praying and turning back to Him.
c. Economic trouble --13 They have sown wheat, but shall reap thorns: they have put themselves to pain, but shall not profit: and they shall be ashamed of your revenues because of the fierce anger of the LORD.
Our government tried a trillion dollar stimulus package. It didn't work. They tried raising taxes, it didn't work.
What will work? "If my people who are called by my name shall humble themselves, seek God's face, turn from their wicked ways, then God can work." I believe that is happening.
What is the answer? (14-17).
God says I will take my people out of their land to chasten them. If they will diligently learn my ways as they sought to learn the ways of the world, God says, I will built them again (v 16). If they will not obey me, then I shall destroy them.
Christian, you look at America as Jeremiah looked at Judah and you say, God, it doesn't' look good.
But, here is the good news: Let us diligently learn the ways of God and walk in those ways and obey Him and He promises to bless us again.
God's children have problems, so we will claim His promises.
Our lives are not built on explanations but on promises.
God said, seek, serve, study and stand. His promise to those who do is a long and free life.
14 Thus saith the LORD against all mine evil neighbours, that touch the inheritance which I have caused my people Israel to inherit; Behold, I will pluck them out of their land, and pluck out the house of Judah from among them.
15 And it shall come to pass, after that I have plucked them out I will return, and have compassion on them, and will bring them again, every man to his heritage, and every man to his land.
16 And it shall come to pass, if they will diligently learn the ways of my people, to swear by my name, The LORD liveth; as they taught my people to swear by Baal; then shall they be built in the midst of my people.
17 But if they will not obey, I will utterly pluck up and destroy that nation, saith the LORD.
If we would give ourselves to the Lord as we give ourselves to pleasure, hobbies, God will give us freedom.
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
JEREMIAH'S GIRDLE
"GOD'S GIRDLE" OR "THE DIRTY MESSAGE"
Jeremiah 13:1-27
The words of the prophet have fallen on deaf ears. Now God will begin to use many illustration to speak to Judah. He begins with a linen girdle.
I - THE LINEN GIDLE
1Thus saith the LORD unto me, Go and get thee a linen girdle, and put it upon thy loins, and put it not in water.
2So I got a girdle according to the word of the LORD, and put it on my loins.
The girdle in Biblical days was a type of belt that wrapped around the waste. It was worn by soldiers, priest, kings, prophets and by common men and women.
1 - The soldier's girdle was normally made of leather. It held the sword and other items needed for warfare.
2 - The priest girdle was the most beautiful. It was made of gold, blue, purple and scarlet and fine twined linen. (Exodus 39:5). This girdle told an amazing story.
-The fine twined linen spoke of the righteousness of the priest, the people but mainly of the Savior and more.
- The gold spoke of the Lord’s testing and purity.
- The purple spoke of the Lord’s royalty and Kingship.
- The scarlet represented the redemption of the Lord. Thus, the priest’s girdle told a great story.
- The kings would wear different girdles It may have been of purple, scarlet or linen interwoven with gems and precious stones.
- The common man and woman would have an in expensive girdle, but nevertheless, a girdle.
This brings us to Jeremiah, the prophet's girdle. It was made of fine linen.
This girdle told an amazing story that unfolds before us. It represented Israel and Judah. They were to cleave to God as a girdle clave to the prophet. As the girdle bound closely to the prophet, Judah was cleave to the Lord.
It was made of the fiber of flax. This linen which came from the flax preserved the warmth of the body. Thus, God’s desire was for his people to hold a deep affection for Him, all day long.
The girdle was to reveal Judah’s royalty, beauty and glory.
The teaching for the Church is this:
1) We should not just have the knowledge of God’s word and will and ways, but have great love in our heart for Him, yea in our innermost being.
2) As God made an earthly covenant with Israel, God made an eternal covenant with His Church.
3) The earthly covenant was the law to be obeyed. The eternal covenant was the love of Christ to be received.
As the people caught sight of Jeremiah parading down the streets in a girdle, they knew it represented a sign!
Jeremiah was well known among the people as God's prophet. And they knew that everything he did, including what he wore, had an important prophetic message!
When Jeremiah first appeared on the streets of Jerusalem wearing the linen girdle, the guessing game began: "What is the meaning of the girdle? What is the prophet trying to say to us?"
The educated priests and rulers prided themselves on interpreting for the people the prophet's message. They probably told them: "It's very obvious. God is saying to us what we all know.
A - We are His chosen people! We are His girdle worn proudly by Him.
B - We are His glory and strength, the excellency of the ages.
C – We are united to Him by a covenant. He will never leave us or forsake us.
D - We are bound to Him as surely as that girdle is bound to Jeremiah!"
As the prophet walked by, you could almost hear the people saying: "Amen, Jeremiah! We get the message. Right on! Praise God!"
But in a short time those same priests and people were frowning!
They watched Jeremiah with a deep puzzlement - because day by day the girdle got dirtier.
It was becoming soiled and unclean. Spots were beginning to appear. But the prophet kept wearing it for God told him not to wash it.
"Why is he not daily washing it?" the people wondered. They all knew the girdle represented them. So, why did he allow it to cling to him with filth and stench on it?
Soon they were angry and hissing. To the Jewish mind of that day, cleanliness was a form of godliness. And this soiled, smelly girdle was an offense!
They could no longer believe the girdle represented them! They must have run to the priests and said: "That girdle can't mean us! God doesn't allow dirt to cling to Him. We sacrifice, pay tithes and keep the law. We pray every day and fast.
"The girdle must represent the wicked heathen around and among us. If we were that kind of people, God would have cast us aside. He'd never wear a stinking, dirty girdle upon His waist!" They were so right.
The dirty girdle was Israel. These who claimed to be the children of God were filthy in their hearts. They were practicing sin. They were away from God. God was very unhappy with them, but they did not even know it. Why? They had justified sin to the point that they saw nothing wrong with it.
II - JEREMIAH'S COMMAND
NEXT, JEREMIAH WAS COMMANDED TO WEAR THE DIRTY GIRDLE ON A LONG JOURNEY TO THE EUPHRATES RIVER! THERE, HE WAS TO BURY THE GIRDLE.
3And the word of the LORD came unto me the second time, saying,
4Take the girdle that thou hast got, which is upon thy loins, and arise, go to Euphrates, and hide it there in a hole of the rock.
5So I went, and hid it by Euphrates, as the LORD commanded me.
This journey would cover 250 miles. Jeremiah walked from town to town, wearing a dirty girdle. Why? It was sadly a witness against Judah.
Before the prophet arrived in each town, word had already arrive that he was coming.
People feared the prophets of God for they had been known to call down fire from heaven and pronounce death and diseases upon certain cities and people.
Jeremiah was well known and respected throughout Israel and Judah. He was admired even among the surrounding nations. Foreign kings acknowledged God was with him.
And now, by his walking the distance to the Euphrates, every village along the way would see the famous girdle. The trip would take weeks - and it would set every town a buzz as Jeremiah passed through.
Everyone would want a glimpse of the dirty, spotted and stained girdle, to speculate about its message!
Question: Is the girdle of the Church dirty? Though we are righteous in the eyes of the Father through Jesus Christ, I am afraid, the world looks at the church and sees a soil girdle.
When the people of this world come into churches that claim to be of God and they see within the church the same things that were in the world, thirty, and forty and fifty years ago, what do you think, they think of our Holy God?
The entertainment of the world that the church rejected forty years ago, has slowly, spot by spot, been brought into the church.
--You would never find people dancing in a church forty years ago, you do today and in the middle of what is suppose to be a worship service.
--You would never find the world's music replacing God's choir, like the choirs of Israel, forty years ago, but it has in most churches today.
--You would never have women pastors, but you do today. If the church cleaved to God in love and kept His word, these things would not be.
--You would never find someone wearing to God’s house the same attire, one would wear to a ballgame, but today, respect for God has fallen.
When the world looks upon your spiritual girdles today, what do they see?
Do they see you and I with a close, cleaving relationship with the Lord?
Do they see us with a light in our eye and a excitement in our voice, in love with Jesus?
What probably was most mystifying to the people was Jeremiah's destination. Why would Jeremiah take this dirty, soil girdle to the Euphrates River? Everyone knew the Hebrew word "Euphrates" meant "river of fruitfulness."
Would he wash it? No, he would bury it.
The analogy is simple. How can a filthy people produce fruit for God? The answer – They can’t!
How could Judah expect God to bless them if they would not clean their hearts, repent of their sins and cleave to Him?
How can the Christian expect God to bless them if they will not clean their hearts, repent of their sins and cleave to Him?
Our girdle is our love relationship to God. God wants us to cleave to Him all day long… And, not by law but by love.
And I found something out about love. Love is a far greater motivation to cause a people to walk with God, than the law.
Do you want to know why my wife would ride upon a Harley with me for 6,700 miles? I didn’t command her to. She wanted to, because she was in love with me.
Do you know what will make a missionary leave America and go to the most desolate place on earth? Love!
Well, when Jeremiah returned to Judah, the people were happy. The girdle was gone. Soon, they forgot about that dirty message Jeremiah brought to them.
III - JEREMIAH'S DIG 6-7
6And it came to pass after many days, that the LORD said unto me, Arise, go to Euphrates, and take the girdle from thence, which I commanded thee to hide there.
7Then I went to Euphrates, and digged, and took the girdle from the place where I had hid it: and, behold, the girdle was marred, it was profitable for nothing.
Not only was the girdle hidden to Rot and Ruin, but it was dug up and brought back as a Reminder!
After a time, God commanded Jeremiah to go and dig up the girdle. It was ruined, useless, and good for nothing!
What did this girdle represent now?
Why did God tell Jeremiah to dig it up? Why didn't He just leave it buried, to show that this was the end result of sin?
Most of Israel had forgotten all about it. Some probably thought, "At least he finally cast it off and buried it, whoever it was he was preaching about!"
But here came Jeremiah again, parading through the streets with that same girdle, now tattered, filthy and in total ruin and worthless.
The prophet would not even wear it. It all told a story.
Jeremiah preached: "This ruined girdle is you, Israel! You have not repented. You are good for nothing! You are a stench in God's nostrils (read Romans 3). Paul said, "You are like the stench of an open grave of dead bodies."
The dug up girdle told Judah something they would not understand till later and it is evident that even today, they don't understand it.
When Jeremiah dug up the girdle, it represented God given Judah freedom again after Babylon conquered them.
The message from the “soiled girdle" was Judah, your life is as filthy today as the day God buried you.
The Jewish nation was buried as a whole for 2600 years. They were dug up in 1948 and made a nation. Still till this day they have rejected Jesus Christ as their Messiah, Savior and Lord. Their sins have still separated them from God.
IV - THE DIRT ON THE GIRDLE
8Then the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
9Thus saith the LORD, After this manner will I mar the pride of Judah, and the great pride of Jerusalem.
10This evil people, which refuse to hear my words, which walk in the imagination of their heart, and walk after other gods, to serve them, and to worship them, shall even be as this girdle, which is good for nothing.
The dirt on the girdle began with pride. Pride is in everyone's heart. It is as hard to tame as a cobra.
It raises its head every time someone says something nice about you.
It raises its head every time somebody says something bad about you.
Pride makes us pout. Pride makes us angry. Pride makes us want our way. Pride makes us quit on God.
The pride of man often sends men to hell. He, who will not humble himself and repent and turn to the Lord from his religion or false ideas of God will die in his sins.
Back in the eighties there was a street preacher. People on the West Coast said, "You really need to hear this young street preacher. He's the most on-fire evangelist to come along - he is so powerful!" He was stirring campuses all over the West Coast, winning many souls.
But this young man had a problem: he had never really laid down his love for drugs, alcohol and sex. Eventually he became bitter, and he turned against God.
He ended up in Las Vegas as a headline comedian, and his routines were based on making fun of God and blasting the Bible.
He grew to great fame. But he died in a fiery crash on a lonely highway on Highway 101 in California. His last words before dying were, "Why, Lord - why?"
Why? A man, a people a nation mock the God of heaven and then ask "Why?"
V - A LAST REMINDER OF WHAT THE GIRDLE REPRESENTS
11For as the girdle cleaveth to the loins of a man, so have I caused to cleave unto me the whole house of Israel and the whole house of Judah, saith the LORD; that they might be unto me for a people, and for a name, and for a praise, and for a glory: but they would not hear.
The girdle represents your love relationship to the Lord.
You and I wear a girdle for God. Oh, you can't see it on the outside of my clothes, but the those around us can see it.
The girdle shows this world how much we love God's people (Church).
It shows the world how much we love God's name.
It shows the world our thankful hearts.
It shows the world that we live for God's glory.
But, the girdle Jeremiah dug was soiled. Judah were a people who claimed to know God in name, but did not know God in their heart. They were deceived. They believed falsehoods or lies Jeremiah says.
Question: What will you do, when He who is truth reveals the truth that is in your heart?
VI -THE BOTTLES OF WINE: 12-15
God Had a very good reason for giving this illustrated message,
both to Israel and to us at this very hour!
12Therefore thou shalt speak unto them this word; Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Every bottle shall be filled with wine: and they shall say unto thee, Do we not certainly know that every bottle shall be filled with wine?
13Then shalt thou say unto them, Thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will fill all the inhabitants of this land, even the kings that sit upon David's throne, and the priests, and the prophets, and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, with drunkenness.
Judah didn't understand this riddle either. God was saying, Judah, you represent the empty wine bottle. The wine represents my wrath. I will fill you with my wrath. I will dash the life out of you because of your mockery.
A hundred years earlier Isaiah told Judah in Isaiah 63: 3 I have trodden the winepress alone; and of the people there was none with me: for I will tread them in mine anger, and trample them in my fury; and their blood shall be sprinkled upon my garments, and I will stain all my raiment.
And in the New Testament when Jesus describes the judgment upon this world as grapes being crushed in a winepress (Rev 14:20, 19:15).
Judgment would soon fall on Judah. The Babylonians would soon destroy them.
America could stand in the judgment of God soon, if we do not repent.
Judah was drunk with madness. They could not see why they should suffer. They could not see that the evil life they were living was wrong. Why? They were drunk with on their own pride!"
Why will a person not surrender his life to Jesus Christ? Pride!
Why will a person not change for God? Pride!
Why do people hold grudges or stay bitter or refuse to get saved? Pride!
Why won't people forgive? Pride!
Why do we complain? Pride!
Paul said in the last days, "men shall be lovers of themselves."
Judah was proud. They thought God owed them something. Friend, God owns us nothing. All mankind deserves is to die and spend eternity in the lowest regions of hell.
If you are saved by grace, you should spend the rest of your life honoring and cleaving to the one who saved your soul.
VII - BE CAREFUL OF THE DARK MOUNTAIN
16Give glory to the LORD your God, before he cause darkness, and before your feet stumble upon the dark mountains, and, while ye look for light, he turn it into the shadow of death, and make it gross darkness.
Jeremiah then pleads with all of Judah from the palace of the king to the lowest citizen to humble their hearts before God and to walk in the light. Yet sadly, they still would not change.
Thus, Jeremiah ends with two illustrations:
1 - The first illustration is one of uncovering Judah's nakedness. (v 22, 26-27). You see, Judah was living a lie (v 25). They didn't want anyone to know that they truly didn't love God.
But, God said, I will reveal to the whole world, your false life style. And to all who know the Bible know that Israel is still living in falsehoods.
2 - Jeremiah then, slaps a tough accusation upon Judah. He speaks to them kindly with a question, in verse 23. "Can a leopard change his spots?" Once a leopard is born, he cannot change his spots. He is born that way.
He also uses the illustration of the Ethiopian born black. Jeremiah says, "Can the Ethiopian change his skin?"
Thus, the leopard and Ethiopian will die the way they were born.
This is a deep text, but God was saying, when a people live so wickedly, generation after generation that the rebellious thoughts of their mind are not just thoughts, but a life style born in the hearts of their children. They will raise their children to believe lies. It would be better if they were never born.
The children will think right is wrong and wrong right. Thus, God says, You have lived so wickedly for so wrong, I know you won't change your ways, and therefore, I must send judgment.
Israel was casted aside to be a light to the world and Jesus Christ raised up His church.
Church, you that are born again, you are His girdle. Cleave to Him, not by law but by law.
But, Jeremiah ends with one more opportunity, one more invitation to Judah to repent and turn to God:
27I have seen thine adulteries, God says, I see your lustful living
and thy neighings, . I see your complaining and griping.
the lewdness of thy whoredom, and thine abominations on the hills in the fields. I see your offensive and ill-mannered way of living.
Woe unto thee, O Jerusalem! O' Judah, do you not know judgment is coming?
wilt thou not be made clean? when shall it once be? Will you not confess your sins and clean up your life? Will you not live as you once did, in righteousness, cleaving to me in love?
Jeremiah 13:1-27
The words of the prophet have fallen on deaf ears. Now God will begin to use many illustration to speak to Judah. He begins with a linen girdle.
I - THE LINEN GIDLE
1Thus saith the LORD unto me, Go and get thee a linen girdle, and put it upon thy loins, and put it not in water.
2So I got a girdle according to the word of the LORD, and put it on my loins.
The girdle in Biblical days was a type of belt that wrapped around the waste. It was worn by soldiers, priest, kings, prophets and by common men and women.
1 - The soldier's girdle was normally made of leather. It held the sword and other items needed for warfare.
2 - The priest girdle was the most beautiful. It was made of gold, blue, purple and scarlet and fine twined linen. (Exodus 39:5). This girdle told an amazing story.
-The fine twined linen spoke of the righteousness of the priest, the people but mainly of the Savior and more.
- The gold spoke of the Lord’s testing and purity.
- The purple spoke of the Lord’s royalty and Kingship.
- The scarlet represented the redemption of the Lord. Thus, the priest’s girdle told a great story.
- The kings would wear different girdles It may have been of purple, scarlet or linen interwoven with gems and precious stones.
- The common man and woman would have an in expensive girdle, but nevertheless, a girdle.
This brings us to Jeremiah, the prophet's girdle. It was made of fine linen.
This girdle told an amazing story that unfolds before us. It represented Israel and Judah. They were to cleave to God as a girdle clave to the prophet. As the girdle bound closely to the prophet, Judah was cleave to the Lord.
It was made of the fiber of flax. This linen which came from the flax preserved the warmth of the body. Thus, God’s desire was for his people to hold a deep affection for Him, all day long.
The girdle was to reveal Judah’s royalty, beauty and glory.
The teaching for the Church is this:
1) We should not just have the knowledge of God’s word and will and ways, but have great love in our heart for Him, yea in our innermost being.
2) As God made an earthly covenant with Israel, God made an eternal covenant with His Church.
3) The earthly covenant was the law to be obeyed. The eternal covenant was the love of Christ to be received.
As the people caught sight of Jeremiah parading down the streets in a girdle, they knew it represented a sign!
Jeremiah was well known among the people as God's prophet. And they knew that everything he did, including what he wore, had an important prophetic message!
When Jeremiah first appeared on the streets of Jerusalem wearing the linen girdle, the guessing game began: "What is the meaning of the girdle? What is the prophet trying to say to us?"
The educated priests and rulers prided themselves on interpreting for the people the prophet's message. They probably told them: "It's very obvious. God is saying to us what we all know.
A - We are His chosen people! We are His girdle worn proudly by Him.
B - We are His glory and strength, the excellency of the ages.
C – We are united to Him by a covenant. He will never leave us or forsake us.
D - We are bound to Him as surely as that girdle is bound to Jeremiah!"
As the prophet walked by, you could almost hear the people saying: "Amen, Jeremiah! We get the message. Right on! Praise God!"
But in a short time those same priests and people were frowning!
They watched Jeremiah with a deep puzzlement - because day by day the girdle got dirtier.
It was becoming soiled and unclean. Spots were beginning to appear. But the prophet kept wearing it for God told him not to wash it.
"Why is he not daily washing it?" the people wondered. They all knew the girdle represented them. So, why did he allow it to cling to him with filth and stench on it?
Soon they were angry and hissing. To the Jewish mind of that day, cleanliness was a form of godliness. And this soiled, smelly girdle was an offense!
They could no longer believe the girdle represented them! They must have run to the priests and said: "That girdle can't mean us! God doesn't allow dirt to cling to Him. We sacrifice, pay tithes and keep the law. We pray every day and fast.
"The girdle must represent the wicked heathen around and among us. If we were that kind of people, God would have cast us aside. He'd never wear a stinking, dirty girdle upon His waist!" They were so right.
The dirty girdle was Israel. These who claimed to be the children of God were filthy in their hearts. They were practicing sin. They were away from God. God was very unhappy with them, but they did not even know it. Why? They had justified sin to the point that they saw nothing wrong with it.
II - JEREMIAH'S COMMAND
NEXT, JEREMIAH WAS COMMANDED TO WEAR THE DIRTY GIRDLE ON A LONG JOURNEY TO THE EUPHRATES RIVER! THERE, HE WAS TO BURY THE GIRDLE.
3And the word of the LORD came unto me the second time, saying,
4Take the girdle that thou hast got, which is upon thy loins, and arise, go to Euphrates, and hide it there in a hole of the rock.
5So I went, and hid it by Euphrates, as the LORD commanded me.
This journey would cover 250 miles. Jeremiah walked from town to town, wearing a dirty girdle. Why? It was sadly a witness against Judah.
Before the prophet arrived in each town, word had already arrive that he was coming.
People feared the prophets of God for they had been known to call down fire from heaven and pronounce death and diseases upon certain cities and people.
Jeremiah was well known and respected throughout Israel and Judah. He was admired even among the surrounding nations. Foreign kings acknowledged God was with him.
And now, by his walking the distance to the Euphrates, every village along the way would see the famous girdle. The trip would take weeks - and it would set every town a buzz as Jeremiah passed through.
Everyone would want a glimpse of the dirty, spotted and stained girdle, to speculate about its message!
Question: Is the girdle of the Church dirty? Though we are righteous in the eyes of the Father through Jesus Christ, I am afraid, the world looks at the church and sees a soil girdle.
When the people of this world come into churches that claim to be of God and they see within the church the same things that were in the world, thirty, and forty and fifty years ago, what do you think, they think of our Holy God?
The entertainment of the world that the church rejected forty years ago, has slowly, spot by spot, been brought into the church.
--You would never find people dancing in a church forty years ago, you do today and in the middle of what is suppose to be a worship service.
--You would never find the world's music replacing God's choir, like the choirs of Israel, forty years ago, but it has in most churches today.
--You would never have women pastors, but you do today. If the church cleaved to God in love and kept His word, these things would not be.
--You would never find someone wearing to God’s house the same attire, one would wear to a ballgame, but today, respect for God has fallen.
When the world looks upon your spiritual girdles today, what do they see?
Do they see you and I with a close, cleaving relationship with the Lord?
Do they see us with a light in our eye and a excitement in our voice, in love with Jesus?
What probably was most mystifying to the people was Jeremiah's destination. Why would Jeremiah take this dirty, soil girdle to the Euphrates River? Everyone knew the Hebrew word "Euphrates" meant "river of fruitfulness."
Would he wash it? No, he would bury it.
The analogy is simple. How can a filthy people produce fruit for God? The answer – They can’t!
How could Judah expect God to bless them if they would not clean their hearts, repent of their sins and cleave to Him?
How can the Christian expect God to bless them if they will not clean their hearts, repent of their sins and cleave to Him?
Our girdle is our love relationship to God. God wants us to cleave to Him all day long… And, not by law but by love.
And I found something out about love. Love is a far greater motivation to cause a people to walk with God, than the law.
Do you want to know why my wife would ride upon a Harley with me for 6,700 miles? I didn’t command her to. She wanted to, because she was in love with me.
Do you know what will make a missionary leave America and go to the most desolate place on earth? Love!
Well, when Jeremiah returned to Judah, the people were happy. The girdle was gone. Soon, they forgot about that dirty message Jeremiah brought to them.
III - JEREMIAH'S DIG 6-7
6And it came to pass after many days, that the LORD said unto me, Arise, go to Euphrates, and take the girdle from thence, which I commanded thee to hide there.
7Then I went to Euphrates, and digged, and took the girdle from the place where I had hid it: and, behold, the girdle was marred, it was profitable for nothing.
Not only was the girdle hidden to Rot and Ruin, but it was dug up and brought back as a Reminder!
After a time, God commanded Jeremiah to go and dig up the girdle. It was ruined, useless, and good for nothing!
What did this girdle represent now?
Why did God tell Jeremiah to dig it up? Why didn't He just leave it buried, to show that this was the end result of sin?
Most of Israel had forgotten all about it. Some probably thought, "At least he finally cast it off and buried it, whoever it was he was preaching about!"
But here came Jeremiah again, parading through the streets with that same girdle, now tattered, filthy and in total ruin and worthless.
The prophet would not even wear it. It all told a story.
Jeremiah preached: "This ruined girdle is you, Israel! You have not repented. You are good for nothing! You are a stench in God's nostrils (read Romans 3). Paul said, "You are like the stench of an open grave of dead bodies."
The dug up girdle told Judah something they would not understand till later and it is evident that even today, they don't understand it.
When Jeremiah dug up the girdle, it represented God given Judah freedom again after Babylon conquered them.
The message from the “soiled girdle" was Judah, your life is as filthy today as the day God buried you.
The Jewish nation was buried as a whole for 2600 years. They were dug up in 1948 and made a nation. Still till this day they have rejected Jesus Christ as their Messiah, Savior and Lord. Their sins have still separated them from God.
IV - THE DIRT ON THE GIRDLE
8Then the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
9Thus saith the LORD, After this manner will I mar the pride of Judah, and the great pride of Jerusalem.
10This evil people, which refuse to hear my words, which walk in the imagination of their heart, and walk after other gods, to serve them, and to worship them, shall even be as this girdle, which is good for nothing.
The dirt on the girdle began with pride. Pride is in everyone's heart. It is as hard to tame as a cobra.
It raises its head every time someone says something nice about you.
It raises its head every time somebody says something bad about you.
Pride makes us pout. Pride makes us angry. Pride makes us want our way. Pride makes us quit on God.
The pride of man often sends men to hell. He, who will not humble himself and repent and turn to the Lord from his religion or false ideas of God will die in his sins.
Back in the eighties there was a street preacher. People on the West Coast said, "You really need to hear this young street preacher. He's the most on-fire evangelist to come along - he is so powerful!" He was stirring campuses all over the West Coast, winning many souls.
But this young man had a problem: he had never really laid down his love for drugs, alcohol and sex. Eventually he became bitter, and he turned against God.
He ended up in Las Vegas as a headline comedian, and his routines were based on making fun of God and blasting the Bible.
He grew to great fame. But he died in a fiery crash on a lonely highway on Highway 101 in California. His last words before dying were, "Why, Lord - why?"
Why? A man, a people a nation mock the God of heaven and then ask "Why?"
V - A LAST REMINDER OF WHAT THE GIRDLE REPRESENTS
11For as the girdle cleaveth to the loins of a man, so have I caused to cleave unto me the whole house of Israel and the whole house of Judah, saith the LORD; that they might be unto me for a people, and for a name, and for a praise, and for a glory: but they would not hear.
The girdle represents your love relationship to the Lord.
You and I wear a girdle for God. Oh, you can't see it on the outside of my clothes, but the those around us can see it.
The girdle shows this world how much we love God's people (Church).
It shows the world how much we love God's name.
It shows the world our thankful hearts.
It shows the world that we live for God's glory.
But, the girdle Jeremiah dug was soiled. Judah were a people who claimed to know God in name, but did not know God in their heart. They were deceived. They believed falsehoods or lies Jeremiah says.
Question: What will you do, when He who is truth reveals the truth that is in your heart?
VI -THE BOTTLES OF WINE: 12-15
God Had a very good reason for giving this illustrated message,
both to Israel and to us at this very hour!
12Therefore thou shalt speak unto them this word; Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Every bottle shall be filled with wine: and they shall say unto thee, Do we not certainly know that every bottle shall be filled with wine?
13Then shalt thou say unto them, Thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will fill all the inhabitants of this land, even the kings that sit upon David's throne, and the priests, and the prophets, and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, with drunkenness.
Judah didn't understand this riddle either. God was saying, Judah, you represent the empty wine bottle. The wine represents my wrath. I will fill you with my wrath. I will dash the life out of you because of your mockery.
A hundred years earlier Isaiah told Judah in Isaiah 63: 3 I have trodden the winepress alone; and of the people there was none with me: for I will tread them in mine anger, and trample them in my fury; and their blood shall be sprinkled upon my garments, and I will stain all my raiment.
And in the New Testament when Jesus describes the judgment upon this world as grapes being crushed in a winepress (Rev 14:20, 19:15).
Judgment would soon fall on Judah. The Babylonians would soon destroy them.
America could stand in the judgment of God soon, if we do not repent.
Judah was drunk with madness. They could not see why they should suffer. They could not see that the evil life they were living was wrong. Why? They were drunk with on their own pride!"
Why will a person not surrender his life to Jesus Christ? Pride!
Why will a person not change for God? Pride!
Why do people hold grudges or stay bitter or refuse to get saved? Pride!
Why won't people forgive? Pride!
Why do we complain? Pride!
Paul said in the last days, "men shall be lovers of themselves."
Judah was proud. They thought God owed them something. Friend, God owns us nothing. All mankind deserves is to die and spend eternity in the lowest regions of hell.
If you are saved by grace, you should spend the rest of your life honoring and cleaving to the one who saved your soul.
VII - BE CAREFUL OF THE DARK MOUNTAIN
16Give glory to the LORD your God, before he cause darkness, and before your feet stumble upon the dark mountains, and, while ye look for light, he turn it into the shadow of death, and make it gross darkness.
Jeremiah then pleads with all of Judah from the palace of the king to the lowest citizen to humble their hearts before God and to walk in the light. Yet sadly, they still would not change.
Thus, Jeremiah ends with two illustrations:
1 - The first illustration is one of uncovering Judah's nakedness. (v 22, 26-27). You see, Judah was living a lie (v 25). They didn't want anyone to know that they truly didn't love God.
But, God said, I will reveal to the whole world, your false life style. And to all who know the Bible know that Israel is still living in falsehoods.
2 - Jeremiah then, slaps a tough accusation upon Judah. He speaks to them kindly with a question, in verse 23. "Can a leopard change his spots?" Once a leopard is born, he cannot change his spots. He is born that way.
He also uses the illustration of the Ethiopian born black. Jeremiah says, "Can the Ethiopian change his skin?"
Thus, the leopard and Ethiopian will die the way they were born.
This is a deep text, but God was saying, when a people live so wickedly, generation after generation that the rebellious thoughts of their mind are not just thoughts, but a life style born in the hearts of their children. They will raise their children to believe lies. It would be better if they were never born.
The children will think right is wrong and wrong right. Thus, God says, You have lived so wickedly for so wrong, I know you won't change your ways, and therefore, I must send judgment.
Israel was casted aside to be a light to the world and Jesus Christ raised up His church.
Church, you that are born again, you are His girdle. Cleave to Him, not by law but by law.
But, Jeremiah ends with one more opportunity, one more invitation to Judah to repent and turn to God:
27I have seen thine adulteries, God says, I see your lustful living
and thy neighings, . I see your complaining and griping.
the lewdness of thy whoredom, and thine abominations on the hills in the fields. I see your offensive and ill-mannered way of living.
Woe unto thee, O Jerusalem! O' Judah, do you not know judgment is coming?
wilt thou not be made clean? when shall it once be? Will you not confess your sins and clean up your life? Will you not live as you once did, in righteousness, cleaving to me in love?
HOMECOMING 2010
Dear family and friends,
It has been a while since I sent a letter out. To that I apologize, but let me encourage everyone to plan on being with us on October 17 for HOMECOMING!
It will be our 33 Homecoming since the beginning of Charity Baptist Church. We will have a special day, beginning at 10:00.(No Sunday School)
At 12:00 we will break for lunch and at 1:00 we will have our afternoon service. I hope you will invite family and friends. Please pray that God will bless each and everyone who comes our way. God Bless and have a great week.
Pastor Shepley
It has been a while since I sent a letter out. To that I apologize, but let me encourage everyone to plan on being with us on October 17 for HOMECOMING!
It will be our 33 Homecoming since the beginning of Charity Baptist Church. We will have a special day, beginning at 10:00.(No Sunday School)
At 12:00 we will break for lunch and at 1:00 we will have our afternoon service. I hope you will invite family and friends. Please pray that God will bless each and everyone who comes our way. God Bless and have a great week.
Pastor Shepley
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
NEWSLETTER
Dear family and friends,
Summer is on us and many students will be coming home from college and others will be looking for work. Keep them in your prayers.
The youth will be taking a trip to Florida this summer, remember them.
We are hoping to present a bus to the church soon.
Revival will be May 17-20 with Dr. Walter Burrell. Pray that God will touch our individual hearts and our body of believers.
This Sunday is Mother's Day. We want to wish a blessed Mother's Day to all our mothers and to all mothers.
Bible School will be taking place again this summer. We will be setting up the dates soon. Keep Bible school in prayer.
Thanks to all of our teachers for your hard work. And thanks to all our choir members and musicians for all the time you put into making the music program such a blessing.
Because of Calvary,
Pastor
Summer is on us and many students will be coming home from college and others will be looking for work. Keep them in your prayers.
The youth will be taking a trip to Florida this summer, remember them.
We are hoping to present a bus to the church soon.
Revival will be May 17-20 with Dr. Walter Burrell. Pray that God will touch our individual hearts and our body of believers.
This Sunday is Mother's Day. We want to wish a blessed Mother's Day to all our mothers and to all mothers.
Bible School will be taking place again this summer. We will be setting up the dates soon. Keep Bible school in prayer.
Thanks to all of our teachers for your hard work. And thanks to all our choir members and musicians for all the time you put into making the music program such a blessing.
Because of Calvary,
Pastor
Monday, March 16, 2009
NEWSLETTER - MARCH 15, 2009
Dear family and friends of Charity,
We want to thank you for your faithful prayers and attendance each week. We rejoice over God's sweet spirit and those who have come to know the Lord lately.
A special thanks to all our teachers, deacons and workers in the church.
Please pray for the many sick ones in our family. Physical cancer and spiritual cancer alike brings devastating effects on all of us. Pray for the sick.
Pray for our missionaries. I am sure many are losing financial support as the economy as been down. Pray that we can continue to give each month to our missionaries.
Pray for each service that the Lord Jesus Christ will be lifted up and exalted.
Pray for our youth and music leaders and department.
Lastly, if you will, remember "Revival" in May with Dr. Walter Burrell. Pray God will bless!
I hope you have a great month.
God Bless All,
Pastor Shepley
We want to thank you for your faithful prayers and attendance each week. We rejoice over God's sweet spirit and those who have come to know the Lord lately.
A special thanks to all our teachers, deacons and workers in the church.
Please pray for the many sick ones in our family. Physical cancer and spiritual cancer alike brings devastating effects on all of us. Pray for the sick.
Pray for our missionaries. I am sure many are losing financial support as the economy as been down. Pray that we can continue to give each month to our missionaries.
Pray for each service that the Lord Jesus Christ will be lifted up and exalted.
Pray for our youth and music leaders and department.
Lastly, if you will, remember "Revival" in May with Dr. Walter Burrell. Pray God will bless!
I hope you have a great month.
God Bless All,
Pastor Shepley
Sunday, February 1, 2009
NEWSLETTER FOR FEBRUARY
Dear Family and Friends,
I hope you enjoy the month of February. Keep praying for each service that God would meet with us and work in our hearts so we might worship Him.
This month is filled with many other activities:
February 07 - Master's men will meet for breakfast and prayer at 9:00, Saturday morning. Come and pray, enjoy the fellowship and help us serve others.
February 13 - The young people will be having pizza that night and preparing themseles to serve on Saturday evening.
February 14 - Come and enjoy our Valentine's Banquet. A five-course meal will be served for only $9.00 a head. Hope you can come. Time: 6:00-8:30
February 26-28 - Twenty-eight ladies of the church are going on a Ladies Retreat to Cherry Grove, SC. Pray for them. We wish we come open this up to more but the house only holds 28 people and all rooms are taken.
May I challenge you to get involved in Sunday School.
Brother Ray Puckett is doing a very good job in the main auditorium. He is teaching on First Thessalonians.
Brother David Gritton is teaching the "College and Career" class. If you are a young adult and you would enjoy getting to know other young adults, come and join it.
The class on "Witnessin" is meeting in the basement. It is very helpful and encouraging. Come and enjoy.
God Bless and have a great day,
Pastor
I hope you enjoy the month of February. Keep praying for each service that God would meet with us and work in our hearts so we might worship Him.
This month is filled with many other activities:
February 07 - Master's men will meet for breakfast and prayer at 9:00, Saturday morning. Come and pray, enjoy the fellowship and help us serve others.
February 13 - The young people will be having pizza that night and preparing themseles to serve on Saturday evening.
February 14 - Come and enjoy our Valentine's Banquet. A five-course meal will be served for only $9.00 a head. Hope you can come. Time: 6:00-8:30
February 26-28 - Twenty-eight ladies of the church are going on a Ladies Retreat to Cherry Grove, SC. Pray for them. We wish we come open this up to more but the house only holds 28 people and all rooms are taken.
May I challenge you to get involved in Sunday School.
Brother Ray Puckett is doing a very good job in the main auditorium. He is teaching on First Thessalonians.
Brother David Gritton is teaching the "College and Career" class. If you are a young adult and you would enjoy getting to know other young adults, come and join it.
The class on "Witnessin" is meeting in the basement. It is very helpful and encouraging. Come and enjoy.
God Bless and have a great day,
Pastor
Thursday, January 22, 2009
2009 NEWSLETTER - JANUARY
Dear Family and Friends,
I hope you have been staying warm during these cold days in January. I wanted to thank all of you for you faithfulness to Church this past year and ask you to pray for our church, our community and our nation.
Some have been sick, others are still not feeling well. Some of our family has cancer and other physical infirmities. Pray for them!
Keep the following dates in mind:
January 24 - The Youth will be having an outing at the gym.
January 30 - There is a Ski-trip planned. Contact Brother Scott about information. The youth will be leaving the church at 2:00.
February 07 - Master's men will meet for breakfast and prayer at 9:00 Saturday morning. Come and pray, enjoy the fellowship and help us serve others.
February 14 - Come and enjoy our Valentine's Banquet. A five-course meal will be served for only $9.00 a head. Hope you can come. Time: 6:00-8:30
May I challenge you to get involved in Sunday School. Brother Ray Puckett is doing a very good job in the main auditorium. He is teaching on First Thessalonians.
We started an enjoyable class on "Witnessing for Christ." It is very helpful and encouraging. Come and enjoy. See Pastor for information.
God Bless and have a great day,
Pastor
I hope you have been staying warm during these cold days in January. I wanted to thank all of you for you faithfulness to Church this past year and ask you to pray for our church, our community and our nation.
Some have been sick, others are still not feeling well. Some of our family has cancer and other physical infirmities. Pray for them!
Keep the following dates in mind:
January 24 - The Youth will be having an outing at the gym.
January 30 - There is a Ski-trip planned. Contact Brother Scott about information. The youth will be leaving the church at 2:00.
February 07 - Master's men will meet for breakfast and prayer at 9:00 Saturday morning. Come and pray, enjoy the fellowship and help us serve others.
February 14 - Come and enjoy our Valentine's Banquet. A five-course meal will be served for only $9.00 a head. Hope you can come. Time: 6:00-8:30
May I challenge you to get involved in Sunday School. Brother Ray Puckett is doing a very good job in the main auditorium. He is teaching on First Thessalonians.
We started an enjoyable class on "Witnessing for Christ." It is very helpful and encouraging. Come and enjoy. See Pastor for information.
God Bless and have a great day,
Pastor
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