September 2018

Sisters and brothers,

Happy Monday to all! We had a super day with the people of God yesterday! It was great as we worshipped our Savior and King and remembered His love for us. It was wonderful to have Mitch and Kim Freeman back with us and have him share about the new ministry of the Fatherhood Initiative he is leading at Care Net. From Daniel 5 and the event of the “hand writing on the wall” we considered ways God’s holiness and power are challenged. People challenge God’s holiness and power when they lose self-control through the wrong use of alcohol or drugs. People challenge God’s holiness and power when they forget God’s past workings in their lives or the lives of others they know. We learned God always ultimately wins when any person challenges His holiness and power. God in his mercy often delays dealing with those who challenge His holiness and power but ultimately, if a person refuses to respond to His mercy, he or she loses. God’s desire is to show mercy and make all of us objects of His grace. God does not want to “win” these challenges! He longs instead for people to respond to His mercy and grace and find the life and forgiveness that He has provided in Jesus.

On October 7th a new short-term DVD Bible Study will begin on Sunday mornings at 9:30 AM for older youth and adults called “The Clash of Kingdoms.” This would be a perfect time to join a small group Bible study especially if you are not currently involved in small group Bible study.

This Sunday, September 30th will be the last Sunday of our Care and Share State Missions Offering emphasis. This offering supports Wisconsin and Minnesota outreaches and ministries. Envelopes for this offering are on the table in the foyer.

We have a Fall work day scheduled to do some work on the church property on Saturday, October 6th. We will work from 8:30 AM to around noon. I hope those of you who are able can join us on that day.

Love being your pastor!

Bob Ray, Pastor, East Madison Baptist Church

Brothers and sisters,

Happy Monday to all! Yesterday we worshipped our great God who rules completely the universe. We sang songs to Him of His greatness as He rules this universe and sang of His great grace toward us. We saw in Daniel 4 that we should not be overly depressed or overly impressed by whomever might be in power in the governments of the world at any given time because, truly, God Most High rules over the kingdoms of men and gives them to whomever he chooses. All human rulers are simply temporary but the Lord God forever reigns. He is able to bring down the proud and exalt the humble. In fact, God Most High has already exalted the One who “made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death– even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father,” (Philippians 2:7-11, NIV). May each of us forsake all pride and follow Jesus’ example of humility daily.

Next Sunday, September 23, we have a special guest with us. Mitch Freeman, former pastor of East Madison, will be worshiping and sharing with us a few minutes about the fatherhood initiative ministry he is doing at the Care Net Pregnancy Center of Dane County. I am truly excited about this new ministry Mitch is leading and I think you will be also. It will also be great to have him worshiping with us. Many of you have told me how much Mitch helped you in your walk with Christ and I am sure you will want to be here if at all possible.

Remember we begin two new short-term small groups this Wednesday evening, September 19th. The ladies will begin the War Room Bible Study. The women’s small group will be held at 909 Tony Drive, Madison. The men’s study is from the Conquer Series and entitled: The Battle Plan for Purity. The men’s small group will be held at 9 Milo Lane, Madison. Both studies will starts at 7:00 PM. We will also begin October 7th a new short-term DVD Bible Study on Sunday mornings at 9:30 AM for older youth and adults called “The Clash of Kingdoms.”

Remember we are taking up the Care and Share Missions offering during the month of September. This offering supports Wisconsin and Minnesota outreaches and ministries. Envelopes for this offering are on the table in the foyer.

Love being your pastor!

Bob Ray, Pastor, East Madison Baptist Church

Sisters and brothers,

Happy Monday to all! I am so grateful to be part of East Madison where so many give of themselves to serve the Lord and His people. Sometimes they serve publicly before others, like those who faithfully serve on the worship team. Other times they serve quietly in the background making sure children are cared for, the building and grounds of East Madison are clean and attractive, or meeting other needs of people. Thank you for all you do!

I hope yesterday’s message helped us to remember that only God Himself deserves our worship and ultimate loyalty. Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah (also known as Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego) were willing to lay down their lives rather than give worship and ultimate loyalty to anyone other than the true and living God. We saw that God honored their trust in Him, first of all by being present with them in the midst of the fiery furnace and then by delivering them from the fiery furnace. There are times when others will see God’s miraculous deliverance. However, whether others see God miraculous deliverance or not, Jesus Himself always walks with His people who chose to worship Him alone in those fiery furnaces, in our darkest hours and in the most severe tests of our lives.

Remember we begin two new short-term small groups on Wednesday evening, September 19th. The ladies will begin the War Room Bible Study “featuring five inspiring movie clips and five challenging scriptural lessons adapted from the film.” The women’s small group will be held at 909 Tony Drive, Madison. The men’s study is from the Conquer Series and entitled: The Battle Plan for Purity. It is a discipleship study for men on how to walk with God and triumph over the temptation of pornography. Even if you might not struggle with the specific temptation of pornography, you will learn some principles about overcoming other kinds of temptation. The men’s small group will be held at 9 Milo Lane, Madison. Both studies will starts at 7:00 PM. We will also begin October 7th a new short-term DVD Bible Study on Sunday mornings at 9:30 AM for older youth and adults called “The Clash of Kingdoms.”

Love being your pastor!

Bob Ray, Pastor, East Madison Baptist Church

Brothers and sisters,

Happy Tuesday to all! I hope the Labor Day holiday was good for all of you. We had a wonderful day Sunday as we worshipped together. Together we took the Lord’s Supper to remind ourselves of the high price Jesus paid so we could be saved from sin. The Lord’ Supper reminds us of the horrible nature of our sin. Our sin is so deadly, destructive, dehumanizing and repulsive that it required the death of the sinless Son of God to atone for it and set us free from sin. But the Supper also reminds us of God’s great love for us in this: “while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” Also as we looked in Daniel 2, we learned once again that the true and living God forever truly is the Sovereign King and Ruler of the entire universe. We saw how God disturbs kings and kingdoms as He reveals his greatness to them. We saw how we, as God’s servants, have the privilege of witnessing to and honoring the true and living God before a skeptical world. We saw that one day every person will ultimately acknowledge His rule and confess Jesus Christ alone as Lord.

Please be praying for Peggy Blum and her family in the death of her sister Marietta Smith. Mrs. Smith passed away last Thursday. Memorial funeral services will be held Wednesday, September 5, 2018 at 2:00 P.M. at the Picha Funeral Home in Lake Delton. Peggy wanted everyone to know how thankful she is for your prayers.

We will be beginning two new short-term small groups on Wednesday evening, September 19th. Both these studies will take place on Wednesday evenings at 7:00 PM. On September 19 the ladies will begin the War Room Bible study “featuring five inspiring movie clips and five challenging scriptural lessons adapted from the film.” (It is not necessary to see the film; however, Carla has a copy of the movie for viewing if any of you want to borrow it.) If you haven’t let Carla know of your interest, please let her know you want to be a part of the War Room Bible study so she can order enough books. Also, email or call her if you have questions. The study will be held at 909 Tony Drive, Madison.

The men’s study beginning on September 19th is from the Conquer Series and entitled: The Battle Plan for Purity. It is a discipleship study for men on how to walk with God and triumph over the temptation of pornography. It is said that up to 63% of Christian men struggle with the temptation of internet pornography. This study provides understanding of and help in overcoming those temptations. Even if you might not struggle with the specific temptation of pornography, you will learn some principles about overcoming other kinds of temptation. I encourage every man that can to be part of this study.

We will also begin October 7th a new short-term DVD Bible Study on Sunday mornings at 9:30 AM for older youth and adults called “The Clash of Kingdoms.” In this DVD study facilitated by Damon and Megan Tolhurst you will “discover how Paul communicated the Good News of Christ to Philippi, a Roman colony that worshipped false gods. Can you live the message as Paul did while he encouraged the church in Philippi to consider itself a colony of heaven, not Rome? Consider your citizenship and the message you convey to the world as Ray Vander Laan takes you deeper into the culture of ancient Philippi.”

We will have a Pot Luck luncheon this Sunday, September 9, following our worship service. Please bring enough food for your family and a little extra for our guests.

Love being your pastor!

Bob Ray, Pastor, East Madison Baptist Church