Brothers and sisters,
Happy Monday to all! We celebrated the Lord’s Supper and considered all that Jesus did for us as He died on the cross and rose again so we could have forgiveness and eternal life. Then, as we studied James 2 yesterday, we saw that God is no respecter of persons. A person’s outward beauty, wealth, race, social standing, or fame holds no sway in how God looks at people. We also should see people as God sees them, without being a respecter of person and without being influenced by beauty, wealth, race, social standing, or fame. God does not see the way people see. We look at the outward and seek to determine their potential. We are like Samuel the prophet looking for a new king for Israel. “But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart,” (1 Samuel 16:7.) And since we cannot see anyone’s heart, we are to not ever look at a person’s beauty, wealth, race, social standing, or fame in determining how we treat them. We are to treat each person we see as a reflection of the image of God and as one for whom Christ died and whom without Him will perish. Therefore, believers seek to recognize the image of God in every person. Believers seek to keep the royal law that loves and is merciful to all around us no matter their social or economic status. We all know how short all of us fall from living this way. We thank God that through Jesus our sins are forgiven and can keep on being forgiven. We also know that by the power of the Holy Spirit who lives in us, we can love more purely and live more and more like God wants us to live. Believers in Jesus seek to see every person as made in the image of God and loved by Him.
We will have a potluck luncheon after worship next Sunday, February 5, 2023. Bring enough food for your family and a little extra for guests who might join us.
Continue to pray for Kathy as she recovers and is in rehab.
Below is information and prayer requests for missionaries we support. Remember to keep praying continually for each other.
Love being your pastor!
Bob Ray, Pastor, East Madison Baptist Church