Morningview Baptist Church

AWANA Closing Ceremony

May 22nd at 6:00 p.m.

This is our sixth year for Awana Clubs…it has been such a blessing to this church. All the children who have been involved have done a great job. Come and enjoy our closing ceremony in the Sanctuary with Cubbies, Sparks and Truth in Training on Wednesday, May 22nd at 6:00 pm. Parents, Cubbies will need to go to their rooms on the Preschool Hall, Sparks and Truth in Training will meet on the 2nd floor North. Please have them in place by 5:45. Awana will not meet during the summer months.

When:

June 3-7, 2013

9:00 a.m. – Noon

Kindergarten – 5th grade

FREE

Where:

Morningview Baptist Church

Register online or call the church office at 272-2304.

I do not read nearly as much as I would like. Part of that is the result of the mound of important tasks that I have to accomplish on a week to week basis, and part of that is the result of other chosen distractions. However, I am almost always desiring more reading time, and lamenting when I fail to make it. Dr. Mohler said, “Readers are a hopeful lot. Ask most serious readers what they intend to read over the next month, and you are likely to hear a considerable list. Books stack easily in more ways than one. The stack of books to be read beside the desk or reading chair is a statement of hope. No matter how busy we find ourselves to be, the books are there waiting.” That is certainly the case for me, as I have an entire bookshelf that I call the “to read shelf.” In the hope that it will encourage us to read more, and that we might have more conversations about what we are reading, I would like to share with you 3 books that I am currently reading.

The Armies of the Lamb: the Spirituality of Andrew Fuller by Michael A. G. Haykin
My favorite genre is history. I think this is because I am a “big-picture” person, and therefore, history makes for compelling reading precisely Continue reading

This past Sunday, we had the opportunity to consider the story of the Hebrew midwives in Exodus, chapter one.  They were commanded by Pharaoh to kill the boy infants born to the Hebrew women.  Because they feared God, they refused to obey Pharaoh’s command.  When called to account for their failure to heed his command, they lied and said that the Hebrew women were vigorous and gave birth before they arrived.

We find a similar story in Joshua, chapter two.  Joshua sent spies into the land to discern the strength of Jericho.  The two spies were hidden by Rahab the harlot on the roof of her house.  When the authorities came to her seeking to arrest the spies, she lied to them; she sent them out on a false report and continued Continue reading

Lisa and I recently had the opportunity to view the latest movie release of Victor Hugo’s “Les Miserables.”  I am always very cautious of commending any product of Hollywood, but I found the layered story of human suffering and the juxtaposition of law and grace very moving in this production.  Because of two suggestive scenes involving prostitutes, I want to caution anyone who might stumble, and I would certainly limit viewing to adults (it is rated PG-13), but as it is a current topic of discussion among our members and in our culture, I though I would provide some insights to help direct our conversations.

Joe Rigney is a professor at Piper’s Bethlehem College and Seminary.  In a blog post entitled, “Les Miserables and the Law of God,” He provides solid biblical perspective.  What follows is a significant portion of his post.

Victor Hugo’s Les Misérables is again a topic of conversation, and for good reason.  Christians, in particular, have rightly celebrated the portrayal of the beauty of mercy and grace in this moving 150-year-old tale. Most of the theological analyses have contrasted Javert, the law-obsessed Inspector, with Valjean, the grace-transformed thief.  And while much Continue reading

So how are you doing on your New Years Resolutions?  By the time you receive this, you will have already had 3 or 4 days to work on them.  Are you still watching what you eat?  Are you still exercising?  Are you still keeping up with your Bible reading and study?  Are you still praying daily with your spouse?  Are you turning off the television like you need to?

The first couple weeks are always the hardest when it comes to starting new habits and honoring new personal commitments.  It is hard because starting work on new habits requires breaking old habits.  It takes discipline, a lot of hard work, and a lot of prayer and dependence on Christ and His Spirit if we are going to see fruit; but it is certainly worth it when we find success in retraining our minds and bodies.

As we embark on this new year, I wanted to provide you with some useful questions for personal evaluation and preparation.  These are from Donald S. Whitney, a dear brother in Christ who has written a great deal on biblical spirituality.  Plan now to sit down and give serious, thoughtful answers to these questions.

1. What’s one thing you could do this year to increase your enjoyment of God?
2. What’s the most humanly impossible thing you will ask God to do this year?
3. What’s the single most important thing you could do to improve the quality of your family life this year?
4. In which spiritual discipline do you most want to make progress this year, and what will you do about it?
5. What is the single biggest time-waster in your life, and what will you do about it this year?
6. What is the most helpful new way you could strengthen your church?
7. For whose salvation will you pray most fervently this year?
8. What’s the most important way you will, by God’s grace, try to make this year different from last year?
9. What one thing could you do to improve your prayer life this year?
10. What single thing that you plan to do this year will matter most in ten years? In eternity?

In addition to these ten questions, Whitney provides twenty-one more to help us “Consider your ways.” You could think on the entire list at once, or you could answer one question each day for a month.  It would also be very beneficial to sit down with your spouse and allow these questions to spawn discussion and guide your shared goals for the future.
11. What’s the most important decision you need to make this year?
12. What area of your life most needs simplifying, and what’s one way you could simplify in that area?
13. What’s the most important need you feel burdened to meet this year?
14. What habit would you most like to establish this year?
15. Who is the person you most want to encourage this year?
16. What is your most important financial goal this year, and what is the most important step you can take toward achieving it?
17. What’s the single most important thing you could do to improve the quality of your work life this year?
18. What’s one new way you could be a blessing to your pastor (or to another who ministers to you) this year?
19. What’s one thing you could do this year to enrich the spiritual legacy you will leave to your children and grandchildren?
20. What book, in addition to the Bible, do you most want to read this year?
21. What one thing do you most regret about last year, and what will you do about it this year?
22. What single blessing from God do you want to seek most earnestly this year?
23. In what area of your life do you most need growth, and what will you do about it this year?
24. What’s the most important trip you want to take this year?
25. What skill do you most want to learn or improve this year?
26. To what need or ministry will you try to give an unprecedented amount this year?
27. What’s the single most important thing you could do to improve the quality of your commute this year?
28. What one biblical doctrine do you most want to understand better this year, and what will you do about it?
29. If those who know you best gave you one piece of advice, what would they say? Would they be right? What will you do about it?
30. What’s the most important new item you want to buy this year?
31. In what area of your life do you most need change, and what will you do about it this year?

It is very hard to process a tragedy like the one that took place in Newton, Connecticut this past Friday.  Murder of even one person is appalling.  Mass murder is exceedingly horrific.  The mass murder of children is inconceivable.  We must continue to be in prayer for the families affected by this tragedy, especially this week, as so many funerals are conducted and as the town reels in emotional trauma.  Pray specifically that the gospel of Christ would be lifted up and that the grace of Christ would bring ultimate peace to troubled hearts.

In the aftermath of this event, we have seen differing factions passionately take up their positions on mental health, gun control, and media violence.  Some piece of inadequate legislation will undoubtedly follow.  While we may need to evaluate ourselves and make some hard decisions in these areas, the real issues behind such wicked acts Continue reading

January 6 – March 10 • Sunday Evenings 5:00 to 6:15

Instruments in the Redeemer’s Hands (300)

Instructor: Joe Medlin • Room: 330
Text: Instruments in the Redeemer’s Hands: People in Need of Change Helping People in Need of Change by Paul David Tripp ($11.00)
Description: Learn how to pastor your own heart and the hearts of others. In many ways, the church today has more consumers than committed participants. We see church merely as an event we attend or an organization we belong to, rather than as a calling that shapes our entire life. Tripp explains how his work follows an “all of My people, all of the time” model. If you followed the Lord for a thousand years, you would still need the ministry of the body of Christ as much as you did the day you first believed.

Finish the Mission (300)

Instructor: Judd Hough • Room: 329
Text: Finish the Mission: Bringing the Gospel to the Unreached and Unengaged by John Piper and David Mathis ($11.00)
Description:  Finish the Mission aims to breathe fresh missionary fire into a new generation, as together we seek to reach the unreached and engage the unengaged.  The goal of missions is the worldwide worship of the God-man by His redeemed people from every tribe, tongue, and nation. The outcome of missions is all peoples delighting to praise Jesus. And the motivation for missions is the enjoyment that His people have in Him. Missions aims at, brings about, and is fueled by the worship of Jesus.

Ladies Study: Holiness (200)

Instructors: Kem Holley and Sarah Jones • Room: 331
Text: The Pursuit of Holiness by Jerry Bridges ($9.00)
Description: This class will encourage ladies to grow and share together in their walk with the Lord, bearing one another’s burdens, encouraging one another in Christ, and exhorting one another to press on in His grace.  The study will help ladies see the promises of God more clearly and to own their responsibilities to grow in Christ more firmly.

The Ten Commandments (300)

Instructor: Mark Reese • Room: 322
Text: None
Description: This practical class will take one commandment each week and consider how it applies to living as God has called us to live in Christ.  The Ten Commandments demonstrate our failure to love God as we should and point us to Christ and His perfect obedience in all that God requires of us. But Christ also applies the commandments to His people by the indwelling power and presence of the Holy Spirit in the gospel.

Last week, I wrote an article on the biblical reality of Spiritual Warfare.  Near the end of that article, I noted that Satan is a created being who fell from heaven because he rebelled against God.  Though he is powerful, God is still completely sovereign over him.  He is nothing more than a mean dog, and his power and influence extends only to the end of his leash.  I then concluded that article with the following paragraph:

Though we are surrounded by much evil, and though Satan is fighting against God and striving to diminish His glory, we know that our God is working all things according to the counsel of His own will.  Though preachers of the gospel may be imprisoned (Acts 4:3), many will come to believe through their witness (Acts 4:4).  Though godly men are murdered, it may be the cause of the gospel going forth to new regions (Acts 8:1).  Every occurrence of spiritual warfare is thus a God-given opportunity to draw near to Christ, depend upon Him more fully, and exalt His name and proclaim His grace out of the midst of our adversities.

Given this biblical perspective, I wanted to return to the subject with this week’s article to further delineate how believers should respond when we encounter spiritual warfare.  As you might expect, the first response to spiritual warfare is to be more fervent in prayer.  Prayer and Scripture intake are our two greatest means of grace: our two greatest means of expressing our dependence upon Christ, drawing near to Christ, and being conformed to Christ.  Thus, we should pray the words of Scripture, and pray for Christ to exalt Himself and crush the serpent when he is active in our circumstances.  We should pray for wisdom and discernment (James 1:5), so that we might respond to adversity with settled faith instead of panicked fear.  Finally, we should pray for one another, to stand firm in Christ and not be given over to the temptations of the evil one (Eph 6:16, 2 Thess 3:3).

Second, the onslaught of satanic forces should cause us to examine ourselves to make sure we have not given Satan a foothold (1 Cor 11:28, 2 Cor 13:5, Eph 4:27).  A “foothold” is an opportunity to deceive and tempt unto further sin.  Such opportunities arise when we are in unrepentant sin, when we are hiding sin, and when we fail to take biblical steps to deal properly and firmly with besetting sins.  In such circumstances, we must die to ourselves, lay down our pride, and be completely open and transparent about our Continue reading

I believe that most of us have had the experience before of sensing a severe spiritual attack.  Perhaps it was through personal adversity, marital or family difficulties, or even through challenges faced by a church, but it was clear that demonic forces were at work to create discord and bring destruction.  Despite what many might think, spiritual warfare is a biblical reality.

The Apostle Peter warns us, “Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls about like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.  But resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world.” (1 Pet 5:8-9, NAS)  Satan is the ruler of this world (John 12:31), and the demonic forces under his charge seek to oppose the work of God in every way (Eph 6:12).

Though demonic forces are active in this world of sin, we must be careful to understand spiritual warfare from a biblical perspective.  Many churches and groups that have popularized the subject of spiritual warfare have taught some very unbiblical ideas.  They have taught the reality of territorial spirits or demonic strongholds Continue reading