The Bartimaeus Blog 2020.4

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Blessings to you, friends and family of BBT.  I pray this finds you drawing closer to our Lord for strength to overcome life’s challenges.  I sure would like to see you at church on Sunday.  God never meant for us to do this alone.  Keep reading to find out what’s coming next.

WE sure missed Priscilla and Kimi last week.  Keep Priscilla in your prayers as she has several weeks of recovery ahead of her.  She will not be able to drive for at least three weeks,.  As things stand right now, that means the bus won’t be running for some time.

Last Sunday, Linda shared with us a treasure from our past.  It may well be the only recording we have of Arvella as she taught what we think was her last lesson.  Linda and I had not yet been at the church a year when that was made.  We have a lot fewer people now, and one might wonder if we have a future.

I believe we do.  I believe that God gave us a special message a couple of weeks ago.  I believe He will raise us up and that we will begin to see new and better things.  But one might be forgiven some doubt, looking at us now.  So, how do we know if a message is truly coming from God?  Does He even do that anymore?  Certainly enough people have claimed to hear Him.  How can we know?

We have always taught that everything should be checked against God’s word.  That goes for anything a preacher tells you.  That goes for anything you read, and anything that you think that god might be telling you.  It especially goes for someone telling you that they have heard directly from the Lord.  If it contradicts the written word, it is not from God.

If it passes that test, there is still a question whether it is in fact a word from god for the moment we are in.  Truth will always serve us well, but to know what God is saying right now, we need a relationship.  We need to be able to hear from the Holy Spirit, who will guide us “into all truth.”

I can’t do that for you, but I can put my own words under the microscope of God’s word.  Will they hold up?  Did they really come from Him?  If I didn’t think so, I would not have said them, but let’s see if the written Word will provide them with any foundation.

We’ll take our queue from the Bereans.  When Paul came to their Synagogue and began sharing the good news that their promised messiah had come, they eagerly searched the scriptures to see if what Paul was telling them was true (Acts 17:10-12).  As a result, many of them believed.  Now we already have the gospel, but this is the same attitude that we should have when someone brings us a message.  Check the book.  If it checks out, rejoice in the truth that God has revealed to you.  If it doesn’t, you have a false prophet in your midst, though possibly well intentioned.

I hope you’ll be joining us as we seek to hear from the Lord and act on what we hear.

Love to you all,

Larry

The Bartimaeus Blog 2020.3

Bartimaeus Baptist Temple Posted on by

Blessings to you, loved ones.  Here’s what’s happening.

We ran a little short last week since there was a miscommunication about what was supposed to happen during the Sunday school session, but that worked out because we had plenty of time to spend in prayer.  It may have been an accident from our perspective, but I think not from God’s. It’s hard for us to get together, so if we need time out of our regular schedule to pray for and encourage each other then we should take it.  Let’s keep that up throughout the week, even if it’s only over the phone or even via electronic media.

This week, Linda had me dig up another gem from our past to share during Sunday school.  Then I will share from one of the most puzzling, at least to me, things Jesus said that is recorded for our benefit in Luke 6:1-13.  This is the story of the crooked manager.  Very few times have I heard anyone even try to tackle it, but Pastor David was one.  Still, when Linda said something about it yesterday I didn’t have a satisfactory explanation.  Maybe I just didn’t listen or maybe I’m already getting forgetful.  So, yet lacking any inspiration for what to say today, I dug in.  There seems to be some debate about what is being said here among people much more knowledgeable than I, but I’ll tell you what I found.  I won’t claim to have the final answer, but I am convinced of the truths that you will hear.

See you soon.  Love y’all!

The Bartimaeus blog 2020.2

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Joy to you, loved ones!  It’s time to find out what God is doing next at BBT!

Last Sunday was rather special to me.  Each week I endeavor to share something that will be helpful to the church and I ask the Lord for inspiration.  There have been other times when I have been sure that He gave it to me, but this was the first time I I knew that He had given me something specific to say.  Check out the podcast if you missed it.

We missed Cathy and Ruth.  I talked with them this evening and they are doing much better.  It’s not the same without them so it will be good to have them back.  Kelvin called and said he’s ready to come back too.

This Sunday, I want to offer some more encouragement.  When I think about Don Whitmore starting this church over 61 years ago, I wonder what it was like.  Did anyone tell him it wouldn’t be possible?  Obviously he found the support he needed because we are here, but I wonder how many people thought, “Oh that’s nice but it’ll never work.  Why don’t you just work with another church and set up a class or something?”  Maybe they laughed at him.  But it wouldn’t be the first time God promised to do something that seemed so impossible that people laughed at the idea.

Consider Abram.  God had already promised him that his descendants would be numerous like the stars in the sky, but Abram still thought he needed to help God out a little.  At Sarai’s urging, he took up with her servant girl.  The product of that union was Ismael.  Then God spoke to Abram again.  He instituted the practice of circumcision as a mark of His covenant, and gave both Abram and his wife new names.  These are the ones we all recognize, Abraham and Sarah.  Then He told Abraham that he would have a son by Sarah.  By this time Abraham is 100 and Sarah 90 years old.

Abraham’s response was to fall down laughing!  When Sarah was of child bearing age they didn’t have any, and now they are old.  Not only does the thing seem impossible, They are now expected to begin calling each other “Father of a multitude” and “Noble woman, or Princess!” This was too much for Abraham, but God was serious.  Yet I think He also shows evidence of a humorous side here, because he tells Abraham to name his son Isaac.  That name means, “he laughs.”  Our text will be Genesis 17:15-19.

I believe God has also given us a big promise that seems laughable when viewed through human eyes.  Church attendance is down all over.  A typical church, sadly much like most organizations, has about 20% of the people doing most of the work.  Our mission is to  engage people with disabilities, so we’re reaching out to a population that has limitations making it even harder for them to participate in the life of the church.  How can we expect to have a vibrant, growing, healthy church under these conditions?  We can expect it because God is faithful.  I believe He wants to use us to show the church and the world that He values every life, and that every life has a purpose.  Our fulfillment comes in doing what God made us to do.

Come join us and bring a friend!

Love y’all,

Larry

The Bartimaeus Blog 2020.1

Bartimaeus Baptist Temple Posted on by

Happy new year, loved ones!  I hope we all got a chance to enjoy a little rest over the holidays.  Now, it’s back to work, but that’s not a bad thing.  In our imperfect world, we don’t get to experience it the way god intended, but we are designed to have a purpose and find wholeness in fulfilling that purpose.

Last time we met, I asked a question.  If you know what you need to do, what are you waiting for?  Don’t wait for the new year to make your resolutions.  Start now!  The new year is upon us, so we really are out of excuses.  Up until sometime after 2:00am this morning, I had no clear idea what the message should be this Sunday.  When I was awakened, there was an old song in my head to which the refrain is, “so be strong and courageous.”  I know.  It has been done before…a lot.  But I knew that was the Lord’s message to us as we begin the new year.

The phrase is best known from Joshua 1:9 which reads, “Did I not command you? Be strong and courageous! Do not fear or be dismayed, for Yahweh your God is with you wherever you go.” (Lexham English Bible)  This is part of the Lord’s commission to Joshua as he is given the charge to lead the Israelites into the promised land in the place of Moses.  As we read the surrounding scripture, we find this command repeated 6 times beginning at Deuteronomy 31:6:  once from Moses to the people, twice from Moses to Joshua, and 3 times from God Himself to Joshua.

We think of these adjectives, strong and courageous, as qualities one either possesses or doesn’t.  We know they must be developed, but we think of them in the present tense.  How then can we be strong when we are weak, and courageous when what we feel is fear?  If God commands it, there must be a way.  The answer is in the verse we just quoted, “Yahweh your God is with you.”  Our strength is His strength.  Our courage comes from knowing that the power that created the universe is on our side and will never leave us.

I believe that god is telling us at Bartimaeus Baptist Temple, “Be strong and courageous!  Complete the mission that I have given you.   Be the light that the blind may see.  Speak the word that the deaf may hear.  Smooth the way that the lame may walk.  I am with you always”

Come and join us as we hear the word of the Lord together!

Love y’all,

Larry

The Bartimaeus Blog 2019.50

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Dear friends and family, my hope is that in this season you have tasted of God’s love through others who love you.  If you made an effort to give Jesus a present this year, I hope we’ll get a chance to hear how it went and all be encouraged.

This Sunday will be a 5th Sunday.  We usually have a dinner, but we’re all partied out with  the holidays just past.  So we will have a regular service.  Linda wants to share something from the archives of Pastor David’s sermons for Sunday school that she feels is a message that will bless us as we continue into the new year.  I’ve joked about us getting two sermons on Sunday, but this time it’s actually true.  With that in mine, I’ll keep mine a little shorter than usual.

In a few days, we’ll move into the year 2020.  For many of us, the coming of the new year prompts us to make resolutions.  They usually have something to do with personal improvement or achievement.  According to one survey, roughly 8% of those who make resolutions say that they kept them all.  Another 52% say they kept most or some.  At the other end, 8% can’t remember whether they kept them or not.  Maybe they made them on New-Year’s eve after having partaken too freely of the libations generally provided for the occasion.

We usually know what we need to do.  If we want to use the changing of the calendar as a starting point, there’s nothing wrong with that.  Sometimes it makes for a good way to start marking progress.  But here’s the question for you and for me.  If we know what we should be doing, “What are we waiting for?”  Tomorrow is not guaranteed to us in this life.  Let us begin today!  Our primary text will be James 4:17.  We’ll spend a little time on the context, and I’ll share some thoughts on the sorts of resolutions we might make and how our faith might guide us to something other than the usual.

Pray for and encourage each other this week.  Often the time after Christmas can be the hardest as the festive distraction is removed and we return to everyday life.

Love y’all!

Larry

The Bartimaeus Blog 2019.49

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Merry Christmas, loved ones!  My prayer for us during this season is that we find the joy of giving out of what has been given to us.  We certainly have been blessed at Bartimaeus Baptist Temple.  We had our Christmas celebration last Sunday.  Our friends from The Heights Church in Richardson came bearing gifts for all of us and dinner too!  We are thankful for the love and support they have shown us through the years.  It was good that almost everyone was able to come.

This week, as we approach the day when we celebrate the birth of Jesus, let’s take a look at where He came from.  Of course we all know that He is the son of God, but what about His earthly family?  You’d think that the most important person ever born would come from a spotless family line, but not so much.  Jesus’s family history is yet another illustration of God’s redemptive purpose.

Matthew points that out as he begins his account by listing the genealogy of Jesus with a little commentary on the circumstances of some of the people in the line.  There’s Rahab, the prostitute from Jericho.  There’s Ruth of the Moabites, one of the people groups God specifically excluded.  There’s David, whose son Solomon was the product of his marriage to Bathsheba after he murdered her husband by proxy.  The fact is, we’ve all got stuff like that in our backgrounds whether wee know it or not.  We are members of a fallen and corrupted race.  That is why Jesus had to come in the first place, and why He had to die.

The message here is that none of that puts us beyond God’s reach.  When we read the Old Testament accounts, we see how He wove even our brokenness into His plan, drawing us toward the ultimate event that would change everything.  It is a message we can take to heart in our own lives.  Wherever we came from and whatever we’ve done, God is able to redeem us.  He took our shame away, and gave us a new family that will never be broken up.

We’re going to read from Matthew 1:1-6.  I’ll bet most of us have just skimmed over all those names.  They don’t seem all that important. and we want to get to the part where something happens.  But when you know the story behind the names, this seemingly dull passage comes alive.  I hope you’ll join us as we look into the redemption stories that lead up to the greatest story ever told.

Keep each other in your prayers.  Our prayer requests each week are a running commentary on the challenges faced by every one of us in the church.  Let us find strength and encouragement in sharing with and praying for each other.  Priscilla called me last night to let me know that her sister, Jo, has been diagnosed with breast cancer.  Pray especially for this family as they face yet another grief.

Love to you all,

Larry

The Bartimaeus Blog 2019.48

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Merry Christmas, friends and family.  This Sunday we will have a special service.  The good folks from The Heights Church are back again this year bringing food and gifts for those who regularly attend our church.  We will meet at our usual time, but we will not have Sunday school and I’m sure you will be happy to know that my message will be short.  Per our tradition, we will read the account of Jesus’ birth from Luke 2:4-14 and I will say a few words about how we can invite Jesus to His birthday party and give Him a gift that He will like.

Any time there’s food makes a great occasion for inviting new people to join us, but if you do so this week you may want to bring along a little something extra so that they too can receive a gift.  I look forward to seeing you there, and remember what we learned last week.  Let us be humbly grateful for what we receive.

Love y’all,

Larry

The Bartimaeus Blog 2019.47

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Dear loved ones, my prayer for us this week is that we come to a greater knowledge of the grace and mercy of our lord, and that it inspires us to extend the same to those around us.  Keep reading for to learn what’s happening at BBT.

We had a small group last Sunday as quite a few were home sick.  Priscilla is doing well now.  Edith was not feeling well and told Priscilla but since she was out we didn’t get the message. Things have been a little busy at my house this week so I have not had a chance to follow up.

I did appreciate the discussion we had during Sunday school about how we can extend the reach of the church.  Some good ideas were presented and I hope we’ll be able to implement some of them soon.  Keep thinking about these things.  We need everyone to be involved.

The message for Sunday is entitled, “You Deserve it!”  What exactly is it that we deserve?  Theologians, politicians, philosophers and advertisers all tell us what they think we deserve, or at least what they want us to think we deserve. Church people know the approved answer.  It could be summed up with Romans 6:23.   But if we’re honest we could all make a list of the things we think we are entitled to have.  I am going to say some things that are pretty basic.  All of us have been in church long enough to have heard them many times before, but does knowing them change the way we think and act day to day?  For most of us the problem isn’t really in being able to distinguish right from privilege, but in the attitude of our hearts.  The question isn’t really about what we deserve.  It is about who we will serve.  When we serve ourselves, we are concerned with what we deserve.  When we serve God, we are concerned with what He deserves.

Finally, those who follow our Facebook page have already seen that Bobbi is in ICU on a ventilator.  Pray for her and the family.  Kelvin left a message with me that he will not be there on Sunday.  He did not explain but we know he has been fighting pneumonia and other medical problems.  Keep praying for Don, Tim, and Linda.

Love to you all.  I hope to see you Sunday.

Larry

The Bartimaeus Blog 2019.46

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Blessings to you, family and friends. I hope you were able to enjoy the Thanksgiving holiday with loved ones and that you had a moment to reflect on all of the good things that our God has done for us. At BBT, the festivities began early as our friends from Harvest Oaks church came and provided our Sunday school lesson and message, then fed us a wonderful traditional Thanksgiving feast.
You can check out the podcast to hear what they had to say,.

This week, I had a little trouble formulating a message. The idea that has been on my heart is that God will complete His plan for our lives even when we think we have surely run it off the tracks. I know there is not one of us that cannot look back on our lives and see the things we should have done differently. Not one of us can look at themselves in the mirror and say, “that looks just like Jesus.” We all have our struggles.

Satan would delight in convincing us that we are of no use to God. Whatever we think we’ve heard from Him, it can’t possibly still be true. We’re too flawed. We’ve made too many mistakes. Those are LIES!  I could take you around the Bible and show you verses that tell us so, but God’s word  also shows us by example that there is nothing we can do to mess up His plan for our lives.

Consider the case of Jacob.  Here is the man through whom God’s promise to Abraham shows itself in a way that gives substance to the words.  Now the 3rd generation down, we start to see some real numbers as his family multiplies.  But why of all people pick Jacob?  He doesn’t look the part.  He’d rather be home cooking supper than out in the field catching it.  He’s a schemer and a liar.  He’s not particularly brave either.  Yet he’s the man that God chose, and as his story unfolds we can see how his character develops.  He will become known as Israel, and have a part in the salvation of the world. (Gen. 35:9-12)

That’s great for Jacob, but how can we know that God has a good plan for our lives?  We can know it because of His word to us.  If we love Him, He will work all things together for our good.  So come join us and be encourage.  No matter what you’ve done, he can bring good from it.

Love y’all!

Larry

The Bartimaeus Blog 2019.45

Bartimaeus Baptist Temple Posted on by

Blessings to you, loved ones.  My prayer for us this week is that we gain a fresh awareness of God’s goodness and grace.  Read on for the big news.

You’re in for a treat this Sunday.  Harvest Oaks Church is coming in and taking over!  They have graciously offered to do it all, and even serve a meal after the service.  Come join us for a little something different, good food and good fellowship with our long-time friends.

Hopefully everyone will be feeling better and we can all be there to enjoy it.  Keep praying for each other and encouraging each other.  See you Sunday!

Love y’all,

Larry