From Your Pastor's Heart Bro. Eric September 27, 2015 PRAYER ...
From Your Pastor’s Heart
September 27, 2015
The followers of Jesus are instructed to be lights in the world (Matt 5:15-17), even if their corner of the world is crooked and perverse (Phil 2:15). In fact, the darker the corner, the more important it is for us to shine with the love of Jesus. Richard Wurmbrand, a Romanian Christian explains the difference of true Christian commitment to being light in the world. Wurmbrand was imprisoned twice by the communists for his Christian faith in the mid-1900s. Often he was tortured in an effort to force him to deny his faith. It was during this imprisonment that he observed: “I have seen Christians with 50 pounds of chains on their feet, tortured with red-hot pokers, starving, whipped, suffering from cold…all the while praying fervently for the communists to come to Christ. Then some of the communists were imprisoned as well.” “Now the tortured and torturers were in the same cell. While the non-Christian prisoners beat the torturers, the Christians came to their defense. I have seen Christians giving away their last slice of bread (we only had at that time one slice a week) in order to save the life of a sick communist torturer who was now a fellow prisoner.” While very few of us will ever face conditions that even come close to this, we are all presented with many opportunities to extend kindness to others. In the process of extending kindness we become lights in the dark world. Stephen Grellet, a Quaker who lived in the early 1800s expressed it this way: “I shall pass through this world but once. Any good that I can do, or any kindness that I can show to any human being, let me do it now and not delay. For I shall not pass this way again.” I am glad I am your pastor.
PRAYER REQUESTS Jerry Bailey Janea Dupree Bro. Travis Plumlee Mookie Bailey Janie Evans Buddy Ramsey James Bell Dean Fanning Ronnie Rayborn Bobbie Burns Alicia Hines Andy Rowe Beatrice Carter Cammie Jackson Kaylynn Sands Bro. Bob Caudle Betty Owen Wesley Wilson Our Shut-Ins: Marie Cochran, Heather Coleman, Frances Dougan, Carolyn Flow, Mrs. Frances Nipper, Millie Olds, Mary Pate, Sammie Waller & Ruth Watkins Our Local ABS Chapter Our Troops & Leaders of our Country Bro. Rocky & Mike Goodwin & EIM Your Pastors & families Bro. Travis & Sharon Plumlee Bro. Tom & Valerie Jopling Bro. Jeremy & Mandy Hambrice Bro. Jason & Tammy Walters Bro. David & Shelly Dickson The Families of Curtis Owen, Bobbye Bonds & Dorothy Longino
ANNOUNCEMENTS **Deadline for signing up to attend Hymn Sing will be next Sunday. The date is Monday, October 26th, in Hope and tickets are $16. **Ladies’ Luncheon will be Wednesday at 11:30 in the fellowship hall. **Men’s Fellowship will be Thursday at 6:00 in the fellowship hall. **A Care Team and a team to feed the Homeless Shelter are needed for the month of October. The lists are in the north foyer. **If you are a part of Brister Baptist Church and haven’t given Sharon your contact information, please email your address, phone numbers, birthdays of family members and anniversary to [email protected].
Nursery Workers – Haley & Jessica W. Bro. Eric
September 27, 2015
The followers of Jesus are instructed to be lights in the world (Matt 5:15-17), even if their corner of the world is crooked and perverse (Phil 2:15). In fact, the darker the corner, the more important it is for us to shine with the love of Jesus. Richard Wurmbrand, a Romanian Christian explains the difference of true Christian commitment to being light in the world. Wurmbrand was imprisoned twice by the communists for his Christian faith in the mid-1900s. Often he was tortured in an effort to force him to deny his faith. It was during this imprisonment that he observed: “I have seen Christians with 50 pounds of chains on their feet, tortured with red-hot pokers, starving, whipped, suffering from cold…all the while praying fervently for the communists to come to Christ. Then some of the communists were imprisoned as well.” “Now the tortured and torturers were in the same cell. While the non-Christian prisoners beat the torturers, the Christians came to their defense. I have seen Christians giving away their last slice of bread (we only had at that time one slice a week) in order to save the life of a sick communist torturer who was now a fellow prisoner.” While very few of us will ever face conditions that even come close to this, we are all presented with many opportunities to extend kindness to others. In the process of extending kindness we become lights in the dark world. Stephen Grellet, a Quaker who lived in the early 1800s expressed it this way: “I shall pass through this world but once. Any good that I can do, or any kindness that I can show to any human being, let me do it now and not delay. For I shall not pass this way again.” I am glad I am your pastor.
PRAYER REQUESTS Jerry Bailey Janea Dupree Bro. Travis Plumlee Mookie Bailey Janie Evans Buddy Ramsey James Bell Dean Fanning Ronnie Rayborn Bobbie Burns Alicia Hines Andy Rowe Beatrice Carter Cammie Jackson Kaylynn Sands Bro. Bob Caudle Betty Owen Wesley Wilson Our Shut-Ins: Marie Cochran, Heather Coleman, Frances Dougan, Carolyn Flow, Mrs. Frances Nipper, Millie Olds, Mary Pate, Sammie Waller & Ruth Watkins Our Local ABS Chapter Our Troops & Leaders of our Country Bro. Rocky & Mike Goodwin & EIM Your Pastors & families Bro. Travis & Sharon Plumlee Bro. Tom & Valerie Jopling Bro. Jeremy & Mandy Hambrice Bro. Jason & Tammy Walters Bro. David & Shelly Dickson The Families of Curtis Owen, Bobbye Bonds & Dorothy Longino
ANNOUNCEMENTS **Deadline for signing up to attend Hymn Sing will be next Sunday. The date is Monday, October 26th, in Hope and tickets are $16. **Ladies’ Luncheon will be Wednesday at 11:30 in the fellowship hall. **Men’s Fellowship will be Thursday at 6:00 in the fellowship hall. **A Care Team and a team to feed the Homeless Shelter are needed for the month of October. The lists are in the north foyer. **If you are a part of Brister Baptist Church and haven’t given Sharon your contact information, please email your address, phone numbers, birthdays of family members and anniversary to [email protected].
Nursery Workers – Haley & Jessica W. Bro. Eric
