The Bartimaeus Blog 2019.24

Bartimaeus Baptist Temple Posted on by

Blessings to you, loved ones.  My prayer for you this week is that you come to know the heart of your Heavenly Father, loving, wise, and just.  Here’s what we’re up to.

There weren’t many of us last time we met, but I’m thankful that we all made it there and back safely.  We were all in before the worst of the storm and we kept our power.  I wish more had been able to come, as Priscilla’s Sunday school lesson was an encouragement and I shared some things I really want us to understand. Please make use of the podcast.

Speaking of power, we may all have the power of the Holy Spirit available to us, but some of us could use the electric kind.  As of Tuesday evening the Whitmore and Terrell households were still without it.  Pray for quick restoration and for the safety of all of those affected and those working to repair the storm damage.

Remember all of those struggling with illnesses in your prayers.  As you may have heard or seen in the prayer requests from Sunday, Lupe had a bad fall last week and was hospitalized at Parkland.  I have not had a chance to talk to her yet but my understanding is that she will have to go into rehab upon release.  Kimi is really suffering with her legs.

This Sunday will be Father’s Day.  Over the years, since my day to preach always fell on that day, I’ve tried to come up with some clever take on a father related scripture passage.  There is certainly enough good and instructive material.  But this year I am going to do something different.  I am going to share with you some of the lessons I learned from my father.  I assure you, we will not be short on biblical references, and I believe you’ll be blessed.  I am so grateful to have a father who showed me the way to The Father.

Hear, O sons, the instruction of a father, and give attention that you may gain understanding, for I give you sound teaching; Do not abandon my instruction. (Prov 4:1-2 NASB)

Love y’all!

Larry

The Bartimaeus Blog 2019.23, Baptists Celebrating Pentecost?

Bartimaeus Baptist Temple Posted on by

Blessings to you, loved ones.  My prayer for you this week is that you will have a deepening intimacy with the Holy Spirit, that through communion with Him you will find peace, joy, and purpose.  Keep reading for your weekly chronicle.

I hope you all were blessed by the celebration of life that we had for Pastor David on Sunday.  With some distance between us and the fresh grief of his leaving us, we were able to laugh together in a final corporate remembrance of the man we all knew and loved.

This Sunday churches around the world will remember the day of Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit made His dramatic debut in that upper room in Jerusalem, filling the disciples who were praying there and causing them to loudly proclaim the “mighty deeds of God” in languages they did not know.  It was a momentous occasion that seems to have set an expectation for what was supposed to happen in the early church. Many churches today draw from this and other accounts in the book of Acts to build their traditions and theology.

What happened in that room, and why is it significant?  Does it instruct us today in matters of salvation and worship?  Should we be speaking in tongues, or did that practice fall from God’s favor sometime in the first century AD?  What does it mean to be “filled with the Spirit?”  We’ll read Acts 2:1-8 and then put some context around it as we seek to understand what God did on that day and what it means to us.

I have shared much of this before, but I think it is important to talk about it now as your pastor.  I want you to hear and understand the biblical foundation for things we might do differently in the future.

Love you all,

Larry

The Bartimaeus Blog 2019.22: A Life Celebrated

Bartimaeus Baptist Temple Posted on by

Dear friends and family, my prayer for you today is that you grow in the knowledge of our Lord, finding His heart and sharing it with those around you.  This Sunday we are going to do something different.  Last year on May 21, we lost our beloved Pastor, David Whitmore.  Shortly thereafter, a memorial was held and our building was filled to overflowing with people who came to remember his life.

Now a year has passed, and  we are going to stop and remember as a church once more what Pastor David meant to us.  Priscilla and Kimi will officiate the service.  If you would have liked an opportunity before to share what He meant to you or some memorable or amusing anecdote from his time with us, this will be your day.  It will be a time of celebration, and we’ll end it with Enchiladas, because that was one of his favorite things to eat.

And as a bonus, you don’t have to listen to me!  🙂   Well, not much anyway.  See you there.

Love y’all,

Larry

 

The Bartimaeus Blog 2019.21

Bartimaeus Baptist Temple Posted on by

Hello loved ones.  I hope that God’s goodness has been evident to you this week.  Here’s some more good stuff coming your way.

We missed Priscilla last week and those she brings with her on the bus, but we still had good attendance.  She is doing better and I expect everything back to normal this Sunday.  In Sunday school Linda gave us the “secret of endurance” and I spoke on throwing off the old self and putting on the new.  The podcast episodes are there if you missed it.

Monday will be Memorial Day,  when we remember those who have given their lives in service to our country.  As I thought about that this week, I asked myself, “what are you willing to die for?”  With our tenancy toward hyperbolic speech, that phrase, “to die for,” gets used a lot now.  It makes me sad when I hear it, because it is usually used in reference to something that is absolutely not worth dying for, like a really good dish or a pleasurable experience.

But there are things in this life worth dying for.  If asked most of us might list one or two things for which we would willingly risk or even give up our lives, but we usually do so from the comfortable assumption that we will probably not be required to make good on our word.  If the time should come, how many of us would fold like Peter on the night of Jesus’ trial?  I hope we’ll never have to find out, but we may take comfort in the knowledge that Peter was restored and went on to have a key roll in God’s young church.

Jesus thought something important enough to die for.  I should say, “someone.”  That someone was you!  That someone was me!  Our text will be from Romans 5:1-8.  My sermon will definitely not be to die for, but we’ll see what is.

Pray for each other.  Encourage and help each other.  I should say keep on doing that, as we have some shining examples among us.  Let’s not forget to thank them for all that they do. See you Sunday!

Love y’all,

Larry

The Bartimaeus Blog 2019.20

Bartimaeus Baptist Temple Posted on by

Warm greetings to you, loved ones.  Get those ACs tuned up, because Spring is in full swing and Summer is close on its heels.  I’m expecting things to heat up at BBT too, so let’s get ready!  Here’s your weekly update, hot off the keyboard.

Traffic slowed things down last week, but eventually everyone made it and we got a pleasant surprise.  We got to see Dede for the first time in several months.  Keep her in your prayers as she still needs to find a permanent and stable living situation.  We also celebrated our mothers and I shared some tips drawn from the life of Jesus on how we should relate to them.

This weekend I have a question for you.  It’s one you may have heard from your parents, even though they were looking right at you and obviously knew the answer.  But this is a spiritual question.  It is one our Heavenly Father might ask as He observes us rushing out to engage the world.  “What are you wearing?”

As children, our clothing was not so much a reflection on us as it was on our parents.  After all, they were supposed to be the ones in charge.  As children of God, our conduct serves as that outer layer that the world sees.  Our physical clothing might communicate something of that, but our character should be above reproach.  Paul uses this metaphor in Colossians 3:12-17, making it clear that we must make a choice.  A few verses earlier we are told that if we are in Christ,we have laid aside the old self and put on the new.  We’re to throw out those filthy old clothes and put on the clean, new, holy ones that He has give to us.  We begin to take on His character and to look like Him.

Now if I carry that too far, it’ll become bad theology, but we do have to make that choice every day.  Are we going to dig that ratty, stinky old stuff out of the trash because it was comfortable, or are we going to dress up in God’s finest, so that those who see us will glorify our Father and want to know Him too.

I hope you’ll join us on Sunday.  You’re welcome in our church, whatever you’re wearing.

Love y’all!

Larry

The Bartimaeus Blog 2019.19

Bartimaeus Baptist Temple Posted on by

Wishing all of you wonderful mom’s out there a happy Mothers Day, here’s your just-in-time update.

Lately I’ve been feeling a sense of hope.  Sometimes I still wonder how God is going to turn things around.  We still have barely enough people to do the minimum that has defined who we are for all these years.  We’re not getting any healthier, and we don’t have the resources we used to have.  Yet I believe that He has not withdrawn His hand from us.  He is in the process of doing a new thing.  By His power we are going to come back stronger than ever and set a new standard for ministry through people challenged by disability.

Last week Priscilla spoke to this, reminding us to put the past in perspective and move forward into God’s future.  I spoke of our calling to become a church of disciples who make disciples.  If you didn’t get to come, check out the podcast.

This Sunday is Mothers day.  I used to resent days like this, but I look at them differently now.  Why not take the opportunities they provide.  Sure, we should love our mothers all year long, but we all get caught up in life and maybe we forget to honor them as we should.  So yes, like other similar days it’s been overrun with commercialism, but I choose to take it as a reminder to show a little extra love to my very special mother.

It’s not a happy day for everyone.  Some lament the passing of their loved ones on this day.  Some grieve over broken relationships.  Our fallen world affords myriad ways for good things to go bad.

As believers, we look to God’s word for comfort and for instruction.  Does it have any advice on how we relate to our mothers?  Yes, it does.  And Jesus Himself provides us with a model by His conduct, recorded by the authors of the Gospels.  We will examine four passages: Luke 2:46-52, John 2:3-5, Mark 3:32-35, and John 19:26-27.  Read the surrounding verses for a bit more context.

Come and join us as we celebrate our mothers and the loving Father who gave them to us.

Love y’all!

Larry

The Bartimaeus Blog 2019.18

Bartimaeus Baptist Temple Posted on by

As I write this, it is a dark and stormy night, but there’s sunlight in my soul!  I’m getting pumped about the new things God is going to do in His little church on Day Street.  I look forward to a transformation that brings people of all abilities into His kingdom.  Blessing to you, loved ones.  Read on for this week’s updates.

We had most everyone back again last week.  It was good to see Lupe.  Pray for Edith as she was out again with arthritis pain.  Priscilla led a session of prayer during the Sunday school and I know people were blessed.  I want us to have freedom to follow the leading of Holy Spirit regardless of what the program says.  This can be a time where we share with each other and help each other to heal and to grow in love for the Lord and for each other.  I hope you were also encouraged by the message to start thinking about what you can do rather than what you can’t.  Remember that God is your source and by the power of Jesus Christ you can do all things that He has called you to do.

Next week I am going to talk about growing up.  WE all expect children to grow up, though these days it seems to take longer than it should.  Good parents want to see their kids come into their own as successful adults.  But while they are children, they need help.  If they are not guided in the maturation process, it is likely to go very wrong.

Paul uses this analogy to describe our development as followers of Jesus.  In much the same way as with children, if we get no guidance as new believers, it is easy to get stunted.  False teaching abounds, and some of it sounds really good.  We need the influence of more mature believers to help us sort it all out and to show us how to live a life that pleases the Lord.  That’s why discipleship is so important.  Jesus modeled it for us, and His first followers did the same.  If we want to be all that God has called us to be, we must be a church of disciples who make disciples.  Our text will be from Ephesians 4:11-16.

Come join us!

Love y’all,

Larry

The Bartimaeus Blog 2019.17

Bartimaeus Baptist Temple Posted on by

Hello loved ones. I hope you’re having a wonderful week, even if it’s a little wet too.

It was a beautiful day on Sunday, a perfect day for celebrating the resurrection of our Lord Jesus. It was great to see most all of you back at church. I hope you were blessed by what you heard. If you didn’t get to come, the podcast episodes are up.

Recently someone said something to me that got me thinking. How do we get into a mindset that says, “I can’t?” We all face challenges. We all have limitations. There are some things we really can’t do, but for most of us that list is longer in our heads than in reality. Sometimes the pressures and challenges of life wear us down. “I cant” becomes our defense and retreat. The added complication of disability can magnify this tendency.

But is that the way we should think as followers of Jesus? When our power source is the power that created the universe, is there ever room for “I can’t?” Maybe, but not when it comes to doing what He wants you to do, whether it involves something He’s given you specifically or simply doing what is right.

This Sunday we’re going to look at Philippians 4:12-13. Verse 13 is the one we all know. I’ve included verse 12 to provide some context. The context may seem to narrow the scope of the verse somewhat,, and it is important for us to understand what is actually being said. However, I think this chapter contains some very useful advice for changing the way we think so that through the power of God, “I can’t” becomes “I can do all things through Him who gives me strength.”

By Sunday the rain should be gone, but I’m hoping we can flood that building with people and praise to the Most High. Come help us make it happen!

Love y’all!

Larry

The Bartimaeus Blog 2019.16

Bartimaeus Baptist Temple Posted on by

He is risen!  I hope you’ll join us at BBT as we celebrate Resurrection Sunday next week.  Here’s your preview.

With so many still sick and no bus running, we had a very small crowd last week.  But if you were here, you got a treat.  Linda took it up a notch and made a video for her Sunday School lesson.  We still haven’t posted it due to time and technology constraints, but we’ll have it up in some form when we can.  I enjoyed looking into the events of Palm Sunday and sharing what I found with you.

This Sunday I want to talk about Peter.  You might be wondering why on Resurrection Sunday I’m not talking about Jesus, but stick with me.  You’ll find that Peter’s story is all about Jesus.  What happened with Peter in the days surrounding Jesus’ death and resurrection is a redemption story that illustrates on a very personal level what He came to do.

Sometimes those of us raised in church can have a harder time with grace and humility than those who were not.  We imagine that we’ve got this.  Then, something puts us in our place.  Temptation, fear, disappointment; the reasons are as diverse as we are, but they lead us to a crisis of faith.  We have fallen, and we can’t get up.

Consider Peter.  This ardent follower of Christ has just pledged his life in devotion to Him.  He’s ready to go out in a blaze of glory, attacking the mob that had come out to arrest Jesus with his loan sword.  But Jesus puts a stop to that, and within hours Peter has fulfilled His prediction that he would Deny Him three times.  Is his life over?  Is his ministry career finished?  Is he going to be cooking next to Judas in Hell?  No!  In a moment of weakness, Peter fell, but Jesus would not allow him to stay down.  He became a central figure in the early church, performing the same kinds of miracles that Jesus did.

Our central text will be Luke’s account of Peter’s denials, found in Luke 22:54-62.  It will be helpful to read Matthew 26:69-74, Mark 14:66-72, John 18:15-27, and John 21:15-17.

Hopefully everyone will be all better and we can have a full house as we celebrate the reason for our FAITH.  Pray for each other.  Encourage each other.  Come and bring a friend!

Love y’all!

Larry

The Bartimaeus Blog 2019.15

Bartimaeus Baptist Temple Posted on by

Hello loved ones.  Blessings to you from the Lord of life.  Keep reading to find out what’s happening in this little church serving a big God.

We missed our bus riders last Sunday because Priscilla and Kimi were both home sick with bronchitis.  Keep praying for a speedy recovery and for an end to this string of illnesses they’ve been experiencing.  It was good to see Teresa again.  We had a little fun in Sunday School with some Bible trivia flash cards that Linda sent along.  I thought I might get some ideas of topics to cover from it, but y’all proved to know your Bibles pretty well.  That’s encouraging to me.  I know most of us have been in church a while, but sadly that doesn’t always mean as much as it should.  I spoke on the importance of our words and how we use them.  It was a short one, so if you missed it check out the podcast.

On Monday we found out that Tim had a seizure after going home Sunday night.  As you may have seen in the prayer requests, he checked out ok and they sent him home on Monday morning.  I talked to Cindy tonight and she said he’s getting back to normal except that he is having trouble with peripheral vision and has now picked up a respiratory bug.  Keep lifting him in prayer.

This Sunday is what we call Palm Sunday.  It marks the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem amid worshiping crowds, waiving palm branches IN salute of the one they probably imagined was about to topple the Roman rulers and restore Israel to its former glory.  He would indeed be their deliverer, but not in the way they expected.  How things would change in that city in just a few days!

This gran appearance is chronicled by all four of the gospel authors, but with varying degrees of detail.  Examining each account reveals something new about the events surrounding this bold and provocative act of Jesus.  It becomes clear that He knew exactly what he was doing, what it meant, and what it would set in motion.  For the sake of time and because we’ve recently studied one of the events it mentions, we’ll read the shorter of these accounts from John 12:12-19.  As background you may wish to read from Matthew 21:1-11, Mark 11:1-11, and Luke 19:28-44.

I’ll see you Sunday, ready to rejoice as we remember what our God has done for us.  Come on in and bring a friend!

Love you all,

Larry