Sisters and brothers,
Happy Tuesday and Happy New Year to you all! I hope you had a great weekend and got to relax and enjoy bringing in 2018. It is hard to believe that it is 2018! Sometimes I feel old realizing I have lived in two different centuries and two different millennia! However, as we worshipped together this Sunday, we realized that we serve the God of the universe who makes all things new! God loves to grant new starts and new beginnings! No matter how bad we may have blown it yesterday, today He offers us forgiveness and a new start. We can be new creations, new and redeemed human beings, if we trust in Jesus as Savior and Ruler of our lives. Also, now we can have new starts every single day even in the midst of horrific circumstances because “the steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is His faithfulness,” (Lamentation 3:22-23, ESV). These new starts do not depend on our circumstances, ingenuity or abilities. These new starts only depend on the character of God, on His steadfast love that never ceases and on His mercies that never come to an end. Also, we know God will ultimately recreate this sin-corrupted creation. There will be a new heaven and a new earth. In this re-creation, there will not be one trace of evil, there will not be one trace of rebellion against the good and perfect Creator God. There His redeemed children will worship and serve Him forever! Yes, God does make all things new!
Next Sunday we will begin a journey with our brothers and sisters across Wisconsin and Minnesota as we begin “40 Days of Prayer.” Prayer and devotional guides will be handed out that will help you spend some time the next 40 days asking God to give His people, His church, a fresh outpouring of His presence and power to do His work. I hope each of you will participate. I anticipate God moving among us in powerful ways as we pray together as the family of God at East Madison and as the family of God in the Minnesota/Wisconsin Baptist Convention.
Our Disciples Path Wednesday group will resume this Wednesday, January 3rd, at 6:30 PM.
We will have a Business Meeting on Sunday evening, January 14, 2018 at 6:00 PM.
Love being your pastor in 2018!
Bob Ray, Pastor, East Madison Baptist Church