"Bro. Calvin's Comments"

Often I marvel at how the Lord Jesus encourages and energizes me. This time, His gracious encouragement came in a sermon I downloaded. I finally listened to it earlier this week, after having it for a month or two. I’d like to share some things from this message that I found encouraging.

John Piper, pastor of Bethlehem Baptist Church in Minneapolis, MN, entitled this encouraging message, “Sustained by Sovereign Grace: How to Endure to the End.” Pastor Piper defines sustaining grace by a four-line rhyme he wrote:

          Not grace to bar what is not bliss,
          Nor flight from all distress, but this:
          The grace that orders our trouble and pain,
          And then, in the darkness, is there to sustain.

Piper points out that even the apostle Paul sought relief from some distress but did not receive it. Instead, Jesus’ own words to Paul were, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness” (2 Cor. 12:9 HCSB). Paul’s response is also significant, “Therefore, I will most gladly boast all the more about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may reside in me. So because of Christ, I am pleased in weaknesses, in insults, in catastrophes, in persecutions, and in pressures. For when I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Cor. 12:10-11 HCSB).

One of my favorite verses, and one I keep in mind in making my plans, is Prov. 16:9, “A man’s heart plans his way, but the LORD determines his steps.” I have learned that the Lord is in control of my time and activities, because he knows what I need to strengthen my relationship with Him and what I need to do to share His grace with others. God can take difficulties and trials in my life and use them for His gracious purposes (2 Cor. 1:3-7). As Pastor Piper says, the Lord will be our God, He will change our hearts, He will not turn away from us and we will not turn away from Him, and He does all this with all His heart and soul (Jer. 32:38-41).

“But one thing I do: forgetting what is behind and reaching forward to what is ahead, I pursue as my goal the prize promised by God’s heavenly call in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 3:13b-14 HCSB).
                                                                                            Bro. Calvin

Our Church Choir needs you! Will you come join us? We have rehearsals each Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. We would love for you to sing with us!

“Shout joyfully to the LORD, all the earth. Serve the LORD with gladness; Come before Him with joyful singing.” Psalms 100:1-2 NASB


The Webster Claiborne Baptist Association Annual Meeting will be Sunday, October 18, at Central Baptist Church Springhill. The afternoon session will be at 4:30 p.m. and the evening worship will be at 7:00 p.m. Our guest speaker will be Dr. David Hankins the Executive Director of the Louisiana Baptist Convention. All our Sunday Evening Meetings will be canceled so everyone will be able to attend the Association Meeting.

“I was glad when they said to me, "Let us go to the house of the LORD.” Psalm 122:1 NASB

Your invitation may be just what someone needs to motivate them to be at church Sunday.

Invite someone today to Sunday School and Worship!
I'll See You Sunday! MAX

Praise Report

September Totals
Building Fund  - - - -  $20,565.00
Tithes & Offerings  - - - - $15,966.80
Total Receipts  - - - - $37,696.81
Sunday School (9/6-9/27)  - - - - 85  - - - - 87  - - - - 85  - - - - 81
SS at the Arbor  - - - - 16  - - - - 0  - - - - 12 - - - -  12

Year-To-Date
2009 Building Fund  - - - - $61,421.93
2009 Tithes and Offerings  - - - - $164,192.36
2009 Budget Requirements To Date  - - - - $176,591.22
2009-10 Sunday School Average  - - - - 85

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NORTH ACRES BAPTIST CHURCH

SUNDAY

9:00 AM - - - Sunday School

10:15 AM - - - Worship Service

5:00 PM - - - Discipleship Training

6:30 PM - - - Evening Worship

WEDNESDAY

6:00 PM - - - AWANA for Children

6:30 PM - - - Youth "Unconformed Worship"

6:45 PM - - - Prayer Meeting

7:30 PM - - - Church Choir Practice

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