Challenger Article for June, 2008

In my past four articles about the End Times, I imagine people have felt an array of emotions. Some people would look at this information with doubt and disbelief, questioning the accuracy and the truthfulness of the content. Some people may have read these articles with trembling knees feeling a sense of fear and concern. Hopefully, some people will have read the articles, felt the urgency of the times and made life changing decisions to work harder for the cause of Christ. Still others may have read the articles with calm assurance, knowing they are ready to face any conflict because they trust, not in their savings, but in their Savior.

If you examine your response to the recent articles about the End Times, it will reveal the strength and depth of your relationship with God. If you felt a sense of fear, dread, depression, or doubt, these things are not of the Lord. We are able to control our emotions, what we fear and when we rejoice.

In Matthew 10:28-31 Jesus commanded us, “And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows.”

If your faith is in the Economy and you fear the Government, you are wrong. Examine yourself and ask, “Is my faith and my fear in the right places?” If not, you need to change your perspective. According to this passage, the only the unsaved are to fear God. Once you are saved, you are a child of the King and He will guard and guide you through any problem. The thought of meeting God is only filled with dread for those living in disobedience.

Take a look at a few more of His promises: John 14:1-3 says, “Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.” What’s there to fear in that? Nothing.

Or what about in Matthew 6:25-26 when Jesus said, “Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?” Do you see anything scary in this passage? Nope.

So why might someone have felt fear when reading about the end times? Could it be they are not being obedient to the commands of Jesus? Could they have forgotten the words of their Savior in Matthew 6:33-34 when He said, “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.”?

The half-brother of Jesus, James, reminds us that just believing there is a God is not enough when in James 2:19 he said, “Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.” Notice the devils have faith in God’s existence but it only leads to fear and dread. Do you have the same faith as the devils? Is there something missing in your relationship with God?

James continues by saying, “But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect? And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God. Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.” (James 2:20-24)

Faith without works is dead. Works do not save you, salvation is by faith alone, but true faith is visible in your behavior. A person with an authentic faith in God will not behave like someone without faith in God. If you have a relationship with God, the End Times causes you to rejoice because we will soon be with Jesus. The bad economy gives you the opportunity to show the world how an authentic Christian lives, behaves and thinks.

In 2Timothy 1:7-8 we are reminded: “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God;” Does this passage exemplify your life? It should.

A lot of has happened in preparation for Easter. Our adult choir presented the Easter musical, “You Thought of Us.” Our choir, and the adult choir from Sterling Baptist Church, in Fairview Heights, Illinois, presented the cantata. The dates performed were: Palm Sunday, April 5, 2009, at 6:00 p.m. at Sterling Baptist Church in Fairview Heights, IL., and Good Friday Evening, April 10, 2009, at 7:00 p.m., at First Baptist Church of Lemay, with a fellowship following. FBC Lemay Choir presented the musical on Easter Sunday Morning, at 10:45 a.m. in our Sanctuary. There were a total of 345 present for all three cantatas. All three cantatas were a huge success. A big thanks to all who made it possible.

A couple of months ago, something new developed. The idea was a potluck dinner followed by a good Christian movie. It seems to be catching on. At the time this article was written, “Dinner and a Movie” is scheduled for Saturday, April 25, 2009, at 6:00 p.m. Bring a dish to share for dinner and enjoy a real good movie. April’s feature presentation is the new release, “Fireproof.” Our next “Dinner and a Movie” series will begin again this fall.

Just a quick note about our shoebox ministry. The Samaritan’s Purse, Operation Christmas Child, sends shoeboxes filled with new notebooks, pencils, crayons, toothpaste, toothbrush, soap, wash cloths, a toy, and some hard candy. These are placed in a shoe box, gift wrapped, and sent to various locations to needy children around the world at Christmas time. During the month of March, we collected small toys. Items collected during April and May are toothpaste, and toothbrushes.

As many know, our church has a website. This can be used as a valuable tool to share information about our church, advertise upcoming events, the Challenger articles, and so on. The purpose of our website is for announcements, articles of interest, pictures, or information to be shared. Please send them via e-mail to n9fyf@juno.com at least two weeks in advance to allow time to post them.

MAY

Birthdays Anniversaries

2- Isabella Carter & Corrine Ludwig 1- Elmer & Norma Hammes

3- Michelle Adams & Michael Krausz 3- David & Rhonda Burrus

4- Linda Immekus & Myrna Kish 11- Ken & Lisa Chitwood

4- Jon Stansbury & Thelma Jackson 13- Mark & Tina Palazzolo

5- Betty Rigney 14- Gary & Katharine Grant

6- Joe Valentine 14- Michael & Kim Santoyo

8- Julie Warden 16- Bill & Sandy Taylor

9- Rosemary Howard & Kim Santoyo 21- Adolph & Midge Bloch

10- Oneida Berry 21- Randy & Cooky Faulkner

14- Katharine Grant 24- Gary & Velma Kraemer

15- David Hottenrott 24- Tony & Sarah Richart

16- Sue Rice 30- Arbis & Laura Parker

17- Donnie Robbins Sr.

20- Irene Dixon & Della DeGonia

27- Sandy Taylor & Mary Dannecker

28- Kathleen Massey

29- Ruby Rice

30- Dollie Leonard

31- Mary Ann Tyra & John Tuttle

New Members as of April 2009

Welcome to the Family

Rhonda Burrus

Karen Suedkamp

Emilio Luna

Cheryl Robinson

Charles Crews

Chawn Crews

Debbie Onger

Jeff Beck

Marcia Beck

Barbara Brightman

Darren Lindley

Christy Gaens

Zachary Gaens

Sarah Richart

If you wish to call these new members,

you may call the church office at 544-2200

or Sue Rice, church clerk, at 636-948-2236.

Home Goings

Members and friends of our church family who passed away the first quarter of 2009

Mary Jones - 1/15/09

Charles Arington - 1/18/09

Albert Chlanda - 2/27/09

Harold Belt - 3/15/09

Tom Bass – 4/19/09

The Challenger

A Monthly Newsletter by the First Baptist Church of Lemay