May 2018

Happy Tuesday, May 29, 2018 church!

Brothers and sisters,

Happy hot Tuesday to all! I hope most of you are in air conditioned spaces today. I also hope you had a wonderful Memorial Day as we remembered and thanked God for those who have died in the service of our country. My mind turns to my friend Brandon Buttry who died in Afghanistan in November of 2012.

Sunday was a wonderful day. It reminded me of how blessed I am to be your pastor! I am very thankful to God for leading me to East Madison. As we worshipped and looked into 1 Peter 4, we thought about choosing joy in the difficult times, knowing that God will work to bring good to us and glory to His name through whatever believers face. We know that one day we will have exuberant joy in the presence of the Lord when we will be able to see the good God has brought through all of our difficult times. Even now, the difficult times of suffering makes us keenly aware of God’s powerful presence. We also see that suffering burns away everything in us that does not look like Jesus. Peter reminds us as believers that we should never suffer for doing evil. However, if we suffer because of the name of Jesus we should not be ashamed but choose to thank God and rejoice even in the midst of that kind of suffering. Peter also reminds us that, if it is sometimes very difficult to serve the Lord, it is far more difficult ultimately not to believe in and know Jesus.

Sunday, June 3, 2018 is a special day as we recognize our only high school graduate this year, Kelsey Pokrandt, during our worship service. Kelsey, we are proud of you and know God has great things in store for you in the future!

Love being your pastor! Thank you for being such a loving and caring people!

Bob Ray, Pastor, East Madison Baptist Church

Happy Tuesday, May 29, 2018 church! Read More »

Happy Monday, May 21, 2018 church!

Sisters and brothers,

Happy Monday to all! I was overwhelmed with a sense of the sacrifice Christ Jesus made for us yesterday as we celebrated the Lord’s Supper. When the worship team led us by singing “The Precious Blood,” I was overwhelmed with the truth that my sin, Bob Ray’s sin, put Jesus on the cross.

Before the cross I kneel and see
The measure of my sin
How You became a curse for me
Though You were innocent
The magnitude of Your great love
Was shown in full degree
When righteous blood, the crimson spill
Rained down from Calvary

Oh, the precious blood
That flowed from Mercy’s side
Washed away my sin
When Christ my Savior died
Oh, the precious blood
Of Christ the crucified
It speaks for me before Your throne
Where I stand justified

And who am I that I should know
This treasure of such worth
My Savior’s pure atoning blood
Shed for the wrath I’d earned
For sin has stained my every deed
My every word and thought
What wondrous love that makes me one
Your priceless blood has bought

Oh, the precious blood
That flowed from Mercy’s side
Washed away my sin
When Christ my Savior died
Oh, the precious blood
Of Christ the crucified
It speaks for me before Your throne
Where I stand justified. (Words by Peter Gagnon)

© 2005 Sovereign Grace Worship (ASCAP). Sovereign Grace Music, a division of Sovereign Grace Churches. All rights reserved.

Any sickening self-righteousness has no place in my life or the life of any believer. No one will stand before God expect through the blood and by the merit of Jesus Christ. But that also means that no sin or sins are more powerful than the sacrifice of Jesus. The very worst sinner we imagine can be forgiven and redeemed through Jesus Christ. Such is the great salvation God has provided for whoever will believe! Praise His name forever!

Ladies, planning on joining with the women of East Madison for a time of games, food and fellowship on Saturday, May 26, 12:00 PM, at EMBC building. Lunch is provided. Invite a friend! Please RSVP Carla so we can plan for food preparation and also if you need a ride

Love being your pastor!

Bob Ray, Pastor, East Madison Baptist Church

Happy Monday, May 21, 2018 church! Read More »

Happy Monday, May 14, 2018 church!

Brothers and sisters,

Happy Monday to all! Yesterday was a blessing as we worshipped together and on Mother’s Day participated in Matilda Jane’s baby dedication. Grayson, Edie and we as a church family covenanted together to pray for and seek for Mattie to come to know, love and live for Jesus. We also thought about how to have hope in suffering. We saw how Scripture teaches that if God wills that we suffer because we belong to Jesus Christ, it will be a blessing for us and a witness to the greatness of the Savior we love and serve. We saw we are blessed in suffering when presented the opportunity to bear witness to the hope we continually have in Jesus. We are blessed in suffering because the One, the Lord Jesus, who suffered for us completely triumphed through His suffering over the forces of evil and death. We have hope in our suffering because we serve a Savior who completely conquered death!

We will be observing the Lord’s Supper this Sunday , May 20 during our morning worship time. After worship, we will have a pot luck luncheon. Bring enough food for your family and a little extra for any guests that we might have.

Ladies, planning on joining with the women of East Madison for a time of games, food and fellowship on Saturday, May 26 here at the East Madison building. You will receive more detail in some upcoming emails.

Love being your pastor!

Bob Ray, Pastor, East Madison Baptist Church

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Happy Monday, May 7, 2018 church!

Sisters and brothers,

Happy Monday to all! I pray your day is going well on this first Monday of May. It was wonderful to worship with you yesterday as we considered being vessels of God’s grace and love. Believers can by the power of the Holy Spirit treat others continually with humility, respect, grace and love. We can even do this for those who might treat us badly. We can be vessels of love in our families as we seek to help our spouses be all that God intended for them to be. We can even respond with love, grace and blessings to those who may mistreat us, just as Jesus responded to those who mistreated Him. The only way to overcome evil is not by returning evil for evil, but with Jesus’ way of forgiveness, love and grace.

Love being your pastor!

Bob Ray, Pastor, East Madison Baptist Church

Happy Monday, May 7, 2018 church! Read More »