| Dear
Friends,
Thank you
for a wonderful response to our Revival. Bro. Donnie and Bro.
George were sent by God and God worked through them to encourage
and challenge us. I enjoyed the crowds and so many visitors.
My favorite night was Tuesday night. When you have one saved
it is always a good service. We know that angles in heaven
were rejoicing over one that is saved. We also honored our
Veterans. It was very moving as they line up across the front
and had one standing in the pew. I am thankful for those that
gave part of their life so that we might have freedom. Every
time we honor our veterans we always have people say, “I
did not know they served in the military”. Tuesday night
was no exception. We must continue to prayer for our nation
and our new President elect as he takes office in January.
1 Timothy 2:1 I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications,
prayers, intercessions, [and] giving of thanks, be made for
all men;1 Timothy 2:2 For kings, and [for] all that are in
authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in
all godliness and honesty. In the coming days as Christians
we must be good soldiers because we do have a fight on our
hands. Abortion, same sex marriage, more and more sin being
legalized and promoted are issues we can not sit idly by anymore.
Separation of church and state is not in the Bible. As Christians
we are to be involved in our government and our process. Separation
of church and state is not in the Constitution of the United
States. Thomas Jefferson used the term, “wall of separation”
in a letter to a Baptist association. Jefferson wrote a letter
to the Danbury Baptist Association in 1802 to answer a letter
from them written in October 1801. The Danbury Baptists were
a religious minority in Connecticut, and they complained that
in their state, the religious liberties they enjoyed were
not seen as rights, but as privileges granted by the legislature
- as "favors granted." The danger being a privilege
could be taken away, but a right could not. Jefferson's reply
contains the phrase "wall of separation between church
and state," (intent was to protect church) A Supreme
Court Judge lifted that language from Jefferson’s letter
in a Supreme Court decision concerning a private school. He
was the first judge to use language from a personal letter.
From that time an illegal wall has been build between government
and church. We have a Biblical right and command to stand
for what is right which is most important, but we also have
a constitutional right as well. Well, enough preaching.
Over the last few weeks God has been blessing us with visitors
and we are seeing people saved. I shared last Wednesday night
I am excited because I see others excited. I believe there
are 3 types of excitement. We have instant excitement when
someone accepts Jesus as Lord and Savior. We have expected
excitement when have a Revival. When you attend a ballgame
you expect to have excitement and when we have a Revival we
expect to have some excitement. There is excitement that we
know is coming. An expectant mother and father know excitement
is on the way as they wait for their son or daughter to be
born. We know Jesus is coming back and we know will be exciting
when he comes. I believe that God is going to give us a harvest
at Sardis Springs Baptist Church in the coming days. We have
experience instant excitement with people being saved over
the last few weeks, we have experience excitement that was
expected during our Revival and we know God has a special
blessing and harvest on the way for us in the next few months.
Just as expectant parents prepare for the birth of their son
or daughter we must prepare for the harvest God is going to
provide for us. Just as good Godly expectant parents are happy
and excited as they work and make preparations for their new
born, we must work with excitement and joy.
I have always been taught to never count your chickens before
they hatch, but I am sure that the Saturday morning Sunday
School breakfast and meeting was a success. I am writing this
on Friday morning, 24 hours before the meeting. I believe
Bro. Charles is expecting about 50 people. Visiting, reaching
out, singing, preaching and Godly worship play a part in getting
people to church, but Sunday School plays a major role is
keeping them here and seeing them accept Jesus as Lord and
savior. When a Sunday School class ministers to people most
of the time they get saved. I am excited about what God is
going to do in Sunday School over the next few months.
Once again look at your at the church calendar. We have all
types of Christmas events going on. Many classes are getting
together as well as the different age groups. My prayer and
hope for Christmas is that we will put Jesus Christ first,
family second and all the hustle and bustle and work way down
the list. Christmas Eve will be on Wednesday this year. When
Christmas or Christmas Eve falls on a Sunday or Wednesday
we do the Lords Supper. We will meet at 5pm on Christmas Eve
for a brief time of singing and we will observe the Lord’s
Supper with will last about 30 minutes. If you are able, take
a break for that 30 minutes, bring all your family and visiting
family members to the church for a very special time that
helps us to realize what Christmas is all about. I look forward
to the coming days and expect God to work through all of us
if we will submit to Him. The economy may be down and slowing,
but God is up and running at 100%. God will never change;
he is always at 100%. We do not have wake God up nor do we
have to get God’s attention because God is always alert.
I have always been amazed at how God blesses at Sardis Springs
when all the news in the world is doom and gloom. I believe
it is during these times we can exercise our faith. When we
exercise our faith during tough times, by being faithful,
by giving more even though we have less, by serving more even
though we have less time, God gets the glory and pours out
the blessings. Over the last few years several people have
talk with me about how God blessed them after they stepped
out on faith by serving and giving more than ever before.
In the 23 years I have been in the ministry God has never
lead me to beg for money or service and it is because the
churches I have pastored had enough people that understood
that God blesses and opens the doors of heaven when we tithe
and give with a cheerful heart. I thank God for his blessings
and you for being faithful during these tough times. We have
so much to be thankful for.
Thank you again for so many acts of kindness during the month
of October that filtered over into November. I look forward
to the next few weeks and months.
See you Sunday,
Bro. Tim
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