Blessings to you, family and friends of Bartimaeus Baptist Temple.  Yes, it’s me again one more time.  Pastor David is home and he’ll be back in the pulpit next week.

Last Sunday Tim and Cindy had the teaching, and I hope we all understand the necessity of repentance and how to defeat the lies that Satan tells us.  I got to interview Don for the belated honored member feature, but I forgot to turn on the recorder.  That’s why there’s no podcast.  Linda did get a video though and will put that up as soon as she has time to prepare it.  It was good to see more people there, though we still missed those who weren’t able to make it.

That brings me to the inspiration, if I can call it that, for this week’s message.  Because of our unique composition, we’ve always had more than our share of difficulties, but it seems we’re going through an even tougher season right now.  Kimi, Debra, Lupe, Shelly, and Clarke are all facing chronic health issues and those are just the more seriously affected.  Edith is recovering from a broken back! Still others are facing their own declining health or that of loved ones.  I could go on.

How are we to respond when the trials of life come our way?  You might be saying, “I suppose you’re going to tell us now.”  “What do you know about it?”  A little, but I don’t need to go into that except to say that I consider it part of God’s plan.  We are uniquely prepared to reach out to others who are suffering.

I think there is a lot we can learn from the book of James that will help us.  We’ll read James 1:2-12 and see what God has to say to us.  You may find it challenging, but I hope you will also see the encouragement in it.  When we see things from God’s perspective, turn to Him for wisdom as we face hard times and learn to trust Him, We can find the joy that we are told we should have.  I hope you can come and be strengthened and encouraged by the good Word of God.

In His love

Larry