Bartimaeus Baptist Temple

Don’t forget!  We meet early this Sunday at 10:00am for our Homecoming celebration.  Jay Gibson will be back again this year to preach the message.  We’ll have lots of special music and good barbecue after the service.  This is a great time to reacquaint with old friends and make some new ones.  Join us and bring a friend!

It’s always good to be together!  Each Sunday that we are able to get to church and worship the Lord is a blessing.  We especially know that when something keeps us from being able to come.  I know Linda feels that way and appreciates the concern you show when she isn’t able to make it.  We were missing a few others too, and I want you to know that we notice when you’re not there.  We’re not complete without you.

There’s always a blessing in store for us when Priscilla shares from her heart, and last Sunday was like that.  When things get personal we don’t put it online, but you can here the teaching part on the podcast.  Pastor David gave a great message on how our church, though small, can do great things through the power of God using the story of Gideon from Judges 7.  Check out the podcasts and let us know what you think of the change in sound quality.  I purchased a new recorder because the old one was becoming unreliable.  It produces better files but I’m not sure they really improve on the audibility of the speaker.

In preparation for another engagement later this month, I’ve been studying the topic of mercy.  What comes to mind when you hear that word?  Doubtless many of us who have been in church for years will think of God’s mercy toward us, or maybe Jesus’ words from Matthew 5:7, “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.”  Depending on the version of the Bible you read, you may find the word used in several different ways.  The King James often uses it where newer translations use “lovingkindnesss, faithful love, or loyal love.  So we’re going to focus on the most prevalent meaning and the one most precious to us as children of God.

God offers us mercy.  That is, we are spared the punishment we all deserve.  Mercy doesn’t mean much to us until we come to the place where we realize we need it.  Sometimes even after we have been there, we get caught up in the life of the church and we forget we still need it.  We learn all the right things to do, and if we think we’re checking off the to-dos at least most of the time we think we’re doing alright.  I don’t say that we need always be in fear of judgement.  God tells us there’s no condemnation for those that are in Jesus, but when we forget how much mercy we have been shown, we lose the capacity to truly show it to others.  We can only appreciate the mercy of God when we understand that we need His mercy.

Read Ephesians 2:1-10 and let’s explore God’s word together.  See you there!

Thank you to all who expressed concern and contacted Linda this week after she wasn’t able to be with us on Sunday.  She’s fine now and we look forward to seeing you next week.  I tried to fill in for her during our Sunday school time but I don’t make a good Linda so I’m glad she’ll be back for the series finale.

I was happy to hear Pastor David’s message on trusting God through our troubles.  I believe God is speaking to us.  I had already planned the message that I will be bringing and it is an extension of the same subject.

Have you ever considered your suffering as a gift?  I admit that’s a tough concept and I’m not even sure I am comfortable with it.  How can a bad thing be a gift?  How can a good God give a gift like that?  We can argue about whether he does or allows something, but He is the all powerful and all knowing God.  Therefore nothing is beyond His knowledge or control.  If we truly believe what He said through Paul, that He will work all things together for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purposes (Rom 8:28,) then we must believe that any bad thing that happens to us will ultimately be used for good.  This is how we can look upon our suffering as a gift.  It will lead to something good.

We can see this in the Bible.  I’ve chosen three people who will help us to see it: Joseph, Paul, and Jesus Himself.  I hope that by the end of the day we can all be a little further on our journey to that place where we can ask God, “How can I glorify You in this suffering?”  I am beginning to think of my blindness as a gift that opens doors for me to spread the love of Jesus in places where I would not otherwise have opportunity.  What opportunity might you find through your disability?

“As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive.” (Gen. 50:20 NASB)

If you missed the service last week, go check out the Media page.  We had a lively discussion during Sunday school as we discussed the reality that there is brokenness in all of us.  In his message, Pastor David provided perspective on the miracles of Jesus.

We received the sad news this week that Frances Guerrero passed away on Monday evening.  I say it is sad news because we’ll all miss her, but she is not sad.  She has her health and her mind back and she has seen the face of Jesus!

Arrangements have been made at Restland Funeral Home.  The link will take you to the obituary page for Frances where you can see the details and post memory or encouragement.   Visitation is from 6:00-8:00pm on Friday.  The funeral service will be at 3:00 on Saturday.  Details have not been finalized but I am sure we will also have something at the church soon for those who will not be able to go to the funeral.

On this Father’s Day, Frances will be with her Heavenly Father.  Does that sound distant to you?  When we refer to someone as father, we are usually speaking in a detached or formal way.  It is a word that seems to put some distance between us.  Most of us, when we are addressing our fathers or even speaking to friends about them, don’t call them Father.  We call them Dad.  It’s a term of familiarity and suggests a relationship that is special or at least should be.

Daddy is something else.  We have usually dropped the “dy” before we get very old, but it’s still there in our minds.  It’s the name of our childhood, symbolizing the love and and trust that characterizes a relationship with a good father.  Maybe it’s a different word for you, but the relationship it evokes is the same.  Daddy is the one who loves us, who protects us, who guides and advises us.  He’s the one who held you in his lap, carried you in his arms and on his shoulders.

This Sunday, we’re going to read from Romans 8:10-17.  In verse 15 we encounter a strange word, “Abba.”  It’s one of those words that doesn’t really get translated.  It’s just brought over into English letters.  we call that transliteration.  Even the Bible versions that attempt to add meaning to the word usually do so through a footnote and only one dared use the familiar “daddy” to explain it.  Even thay made sure to point out that it is Daddy in a loving and respectful way.  It’s just hard for us to think of God as Daddy.  He is after all the power of the universe, so vast and unfathomable that no words can ever describe Him.

How can we possibly relate to that God as Daddy?  Paul explains how.  We can, because of Jesus’ sacrifice, and the work of the Holy Spirit in our hearts.  But just like any relationship, it isn’t very deep if we don’t work on it.

I hope you’ll join us as we learn together why and how we call Him Daddy.  I recognize also that many of us don’t have that kind of relationship to draw from here on earth.  Your father may have been distant or completely absent.  My prayer is that your Daddy in heaven will fill that void for you and that we in the church will learn to be spiritual fathers and mothers to those who need them.

I don’t have a lot to say about what happened last Sunday since I wasn’t there.  Linda and I spent the time celebrating Mothers Day with my parents.  I did get the recorder to Pastor David, so when I get it back I will upload the podcasts and transcribe the prayer requests.  That’s why we do them, so that no one has to miss out whatever the reason they can’t be with us.

A couple of years ago, the city of Richardson where I live had it’s first mayoral election.  Up to then the mayor had been chosen by the members of the city council from among their number.  I went to the candidate forums to try to learn who would be the best for our city.  Just about every time one of the candidates would answer a question, she would say something like, “to be perfectly candid with you…”  I thought to myself at the time that if you have to keep telling me how honest you are, maybe it’s because you’re really not.  As it turned out, it appears that she really wasn’t.  You might have seen her on the channel 8 news recently.

What does it mean to have integrity?  We all know it’s wrong to lie, but then we’re faced with that uncomfortable situation.  One little “white lie” would make it go away, or so we think.  What about the way we do our jobs?  What about the way we fill out our tax forms?  The world will tell you there are all kinds of situations where it’s okay to be less than honest, but that perspective quickly changes when we are on the receiving end of someone else’s  dishonesty.  What is God’s standard?

Our launchpad this week will be Colossians 3:9-10.  Come and let us explore God’s word together!