Truly Born Again

Birth is a remarkable experience to say the least. The bringing in of new life explodes one's emotions and sets in motion a series of events that are truly life changing. To the mother it is a hardship, a relief and a joy all wrapped up in one precious bundle. To those that witness the event it is also a very joyous occasion and some would remark that it is a miracle. Truly God has given us a gift that is so precious to both the human and animal kingdoms. We are blessed to know that we can bring forth life after its own kind.

Just as the physical birth is so overwhelming, so is its spiritual counterpart, being “born again.” What exactly does this mean, being “born again?” First of all we know that it does not mean a physical rebirth. That is an impossible task, but it is a change that takes place from within, in which a person is set free from an old way of living and given a brand new life in Christ. We all remember the occasion between Christ and Nicodemus when Jesus told him that he needed to be “born again” in order to see the kingdom of God (John 3:3). Nicodemus responded with a very honest question, “How can a man be “born again” when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born? (John 3:4) Of course Jesus responded, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, 'You must be born again.'” (John 3:5, 6)

So, why is being “born again” so important? It is necessary in order to see the kingdom of God. This is not an earthly kingdom (John 18:36) but rather a kingdom that resides within a person (Luke 17:21). If you wish to be in the kingdom now and hereafter, you must be “born again.” To be in the kingdom is to be saved from the powers of darkness (Col. 1:13). In order to be saved, salvation requires a rebirth, a regeneration (Titus 3:5).

Are you truly “born again?” If so your are blessed. If you are not “born again,” then we want to assist you in coming to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. You too may be asking the same questions as Nicodemus. The Bible has the answers to these and other questions and we would be blessed to share this good news with you today. Just remember, you might not have another chance to become a new creature in Christ, so why delay! Make this MOST important decision right now and begin living a life that has purpose and hope. God Bless!

In Christian love,

Thought To Uplift The Heart

There are times in life when we wish for words to encourage those we care about, but knowing the outcome, it is only the Lord who has the capacity to lift the heart from the sadness of losing those we love in this life. Life is like a book with many chapters, some happy, some sad, but all necessary to our spiritual growth that evolves over all the years of our life. It makes us, who we are in our daily life! Some think of death as an ending of life, the painful loss of a loved one. I prefer to think of death as just another chapter in the book of life...you might say an epilogue of this life, but not an ending but the beginning of a new chapter yet to be seen, but promised by our Lord to be a joyful retreat of praise and worship....The end of our story is known only to God! May we all look forward to that day with anticipation! God bless!

Respectfully submitted by,

Jan Sherman

How Safe Are You?

Safe is one of those words that give you peace of mind. It gives you a feeling of security and comfort. This brings to mind the question, “How safe are you?” You probably would respond with, “Pretty safe,” but are you?

Here's some food for thought. An ancient story is told about a slave who traveled with his master to Baghdad. As he walked the busy streets he found himself in the market place where he saw Death in human form. Death looked at him with such a piercing look that it frightened the slave and he interpreted that look to mean that Death was planning soon to take his life.  He quickly rushed back to his master & told him what he had seen in the market place & asked if he might ride his camel to Samara, 15 hours away, because he was sure that he would be safe there, for Death would not know where to find him. The master gave him permission, & quickly the slave was on his way to Samara.  A few hours later the master was in the market place where he also saw Death in human form. He walked up to Death & asked, "Why did you look at my slave with such a threatening look?" Death answered, "That was not a threatening look. That was a look of surprise. I had a date with him tonight in Samara & I was surprised to see him here in Baghdad." [Melvin Newland]

Sometimes we jump the gun like this slave and do ourselves more harm than good. If we would just put all our trust in the Lord, we would have absolutely nothing to worry about. Death does not have the victory over us. We have victory over death through the precious blood of our Savior Jesus Christ.

Here's the question again. “How safe are you?” Could it be that God wants to gather you as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings for protection, but you are not willing to allow Him to do so? (Matt. 23:37) God gave His only begotten Son to mankind, that whoever would believe in Him, would not perish but have everlasting life. (John 3:16) Are you numbered among the ones that have accepted this free gift of salvation or are you still rebelling and rejecting the Savior? Without the Savior Jesus Christ, you are not safe at all.

God wants you safe, but He will not force you to do anything against your will. Remember the prayer of Jesus in the garden? He said, “Not My will, but Yours!” Is this your desire today? If so, surrender your heart, soul and mind to a risen Savior and begin living the good life by hearing (Rom. 10:17), believing (John 6:29), confessing (Matt. 10:32), repenting (Acts 3:19), and being baptized (1 Pet. 3:21).  Then walk in the light (1 John 1:7), remain faithful (Rev. 2:10) and be sure to tell others (Matt. 28:19).

A New Sister in Christ

Last Wednesday evening, after Bible Study, I had the pleasure of talking with one of our members about baptism.  She declared that she had been listening to the sermons and studies and the parts about baptism really stood out.  She had come to the conclusion that her baptism was not for the right reason and felt that she needed to do it according to the holy scriptures.  Considering how important baptism is to our salvation, we decided we could not delay this act of obedience, therefore we readied her for baptism.

I was able to speak to her husband, who by the way is a new Christian too, and he wanted the privilege to baptize his wife.  This was a wonderful gesture on his part so we went over what he must say and how she must respond.  Once she was ready, he baptized her into Christ and she is now confident that her baptism is scriptural and she has been added to the Lord's church by God Himself (Acts 2:47).

What a glorious occasion knowing that another soul has been saved for the kingdom's sake.  The devil has no claim on this soul any longer and the victory is in Christ Jesus.  Amen! 

Cynthia Wilson was baptized into Christ on the 23rd of February, 2011.

Destiny

Destiny

When the wind blows

Everything will fly

There is no time for a show

It's no time to lie.

For God has a plan for you

It may not be what you want

But there is always a time or two

For you must be a soldier like an ant

There should be no "what ifs"

Or "should haves" or "could haves"

It may not come when you want it

For life isn't half and half

For God has much love for us

And He will give you peace

For the moment you get to heaven

You won't have to rush

Or worry about whether you've

Finished the race

Collela L. Ebron

Platinum Friend

This poem was submitted by one of our young singles and I believe it has a good message for all of us.

Platinum Friend

Jesus is a platinum friend
Always there until the very end.
Eager to lend a helping hand
For He Himself made the land.

Jesus is never far when you need to talk
For He has walked the walk.
Cause He knew the road would be rough
So He made man tough.

Jesus has a plan for us all
All we have to do is call.
For God don't make no mess
Which is why we are forever bless.

Jesus is our joy and pride
For he makes us ready for the ride.
He is always there to catch us when we fall
For He is well rounded like a ball.

This love is like no other
Which is why we call Him our Father.
For He is there through thick and thin
Cause He loves us like kin.

Collela Latisha Laleeta Ebbron

Fall Gospel Meeting

Our Fall Gospel Meeting will be held in October. The dates are the 17th - 19th. This year's theme is "Roles of Members." The meeting will commence on Sunday evening the 17th at 6 pm and will continue on Monday and Tuesday evenings at 7 pm. Our Sunday evening speaker will be Arthur Medlock from the Bainbridge congregation. His topic will be "Role of Women." Monday night's lesson will be "Role of Men" and it will be brought to us by Bobby Smith of the Montezuma congregation. Then our concluding lesson will be taught by Steve Waller from the Hartley Bridge Road congregation and it will be on "Role of Members."

We invite all to come and learn what the scriptural role is for everyone in the Lord's church. Maybe you want to serve but just don't know what you can do in the Lord's service. These lessons are designed to equip you with the information you need so there will no longer be questions. Plan on being with us every evening if you can. We will treat you like family and welcome you with open arms of love. See you in the meeting!

Sincerely,

Eddie Garcia/Minister