September 2021

Happy Monday, September 27, 2021, church!

Brothers and sisters,

Happy Monday to all! Yesterday as we worshipped, we shared in the Lord’ Supper and remembered all our loving God has done for us. The God of the universe, King Jesus, stepped into history and did for us what we could not do for ourselves. Our King did not first ask us to die for Him. Our King first stepped into history to die for us and purchase our salvation. John 15 helps us to see the King we serve demonstrated His love for us by laying down His life for us to make us His friends. We thought about what it means to believe in and live in Christ. Believing in Jesus changes us and keeps changing us. True faith allows us to love others and treat them with respect and kindness, even when they are cruel and unloving toward us. True faith in Jesus results in being continually made more and more like Him. God is continually cleaning and pruning us to make us more useful in His kingdom and more in character like Jesus. God is continually growing those who believe so they grow in ability to love others more and more fully love and obey God. Believing in Jesus results in a life that brings glory to God and eternally impacts those around us.

Remember to keep praying continually for each other.

Love being your pastor,

Bob Ray, Pastor, East Madison Baptist Church

Happy Monday, September 27, 2021, church! Read More »

Happy Monday, September 20, 2021, church!

Sisters and brothers,

Happy Monday to all! We had a wonderful day of worship yesterday as we sang about the Lord being our Rock and our Redeemer who holds us fast. I want to thank David and Annette for leading in worship while Pete was away. We have wonderful people who serve week to week and step up when there is a need. Yesterday we thought from John 14 how those who believe are never alone. The Holy Spirit of God is forever with them. He lives in the bodies of every believer and is especially present when we gather together. Those who believe in Jesus have a Helper, a Guide, a Comforter, a Teacher, an Empowerer with them forever. The Holy Spirit is not some impersonal force but the very presence of Jesus with those who believe in Jesus. The Holy Spirit teaches everything we need to live for Jesus and provides right now the peace of Jesus to those who believe. We are not orphans. God our Father is present with us. God the Son is present with us. What a friend we have in Jesus! God the Holy Spirit lives in us and will be with us forever. God’s Holy Spirit Himself guides the people of God in carrying Jesus’ forgiveness and life to the ends of the earth. The Holy Spirit makes our bodies His home until the day when we are in the physical presence of Jesus Himself in the home of God the Father.

We apologize for not being able to livestream yesterday’s worship service. Here is a direct link to the recorded service: https://youtu.be/iWYImLSeprE. Also, here is a link to our YouTube channel where you can find recordings of past worship services: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3rJ-oFvSS-9W-iWf6Wcvnw.

We will be observing the Lord’ Supper in our morning worship gathering next Sunday, September 26.

Remember to keep praying continually for each other.

Love being your pastor,

Bob Ray, Pastor, East Madison Baptist Church

Happy Monday, September 20, 2021, church! Read More »

Happy Monday, September 13, 2021, church!

Brothers and sisters,

Happy Monday to all! Yesterday as we worshipped the Hope of the world, our Lord Jesus, we sang He alone is the way to know the true and living God. From John 14, we learned Jesus is the ultimate revelation of the living and true God. Jesus is the way for sinners like us who need forgiveness to receive it. Jesus is the truth that eternal life begins now in the moment when we believe in Jesus and trust Him with our lives. Jesus is the life because through Jesus we have eternal life now and then forever in heaven, where we will live in the presence of Almighty God. Life comes in and through receiving, trusting, believing in Jesus Christ. Take this message of life in Jesus every place you go this week.

Remember to keep praying continually for each other.

Love being your pastor,

Bob Ray, Pastor, East Madison Baptist Church

Happy Monday, September 13, 2021, church! Read More »

Happy Tuesday, September 7, 2021, church!

Sisters and brothers,

Happy Tuesday to all! On Sunday as we worshipped our glorious Redeemer, we considered from John 13 how God worked even in the darkest time to bring about His redemption for the world. We thought about Judas Iscariot who refused Jesus’ offer of grace and rejected the forgiveness and life Jesus offered. Judas turned His back on Jesus’ grace and entered into eternal darkness. However, God even worked through the wickedness and unbelief of Judas to bring about His redemption for those who will receive His grace. We also saw that we, like Peter, in our weaknesses, can fail our Lord by denying or refusing to speak up for Him. God does not give up on us in those weaknesses but restores us to Himself. God teaches us not to depend on our own commitment or willpower, which are never strong enough to oppose the evil forces of Satan. God teaches us to depend on His power, the power of His Holy Spirit living in and through us. We also learned that we need each other, especially during the dark times. When there are dark times when we cannot sense the presence of the Lord, we need to seek to love and be loved by those who believe, the family of God. The people of God are His tangible presence in the world. The people of God love each other as Jesus has loved us. In the darkest of dark nights, God often reveals His presence, power, and glory to us.

Remember that next Sunday, September 12, 2021, we will move the start of our worship gathering to 10:30 AM.

If you are interest in trying to help in Afghanistan, I received this from the International Mission Board and the North American Mission Board:

The Taliban recently seized power of Afghanistan, storming the nation, and capturing most major cities within a matter of days. In the aftermath of the political coup, a mass exodus is taking place as Afghans try to flee the country by the thousands. Religious and ethnic minorities, along with women and girls, are the groups most in danger of Taliban violence as they try to escape. As Afghan refugees are resettled, this crisis will impact communities all around the world, including yours. Through Send Relief and the combined resources of the IMB and NAMB, Southern Baptists are able to serve Afghan refugees wherever they are resettled. Send Relief is strategically working with our trusted ministry partners to minister to Afghan refugee families. We can connect you and your church with opportunities to pray, serve and give to support this response! If you or your church would like to get involved by prayer, financially, or by other means, resources are found on the SEND Relief website:  https://www.sendrelief.org/projects/afghanistan-crisis/

Remember to keep praying continually for each other.

Love being your pastor,

Bob Ray, Pastor, East Madison Baptist Church

Happy Tuesday, September 7, 2021, church! Read More »