“Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for He has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you.'” -Hebrews 13:5
Safety and peace are not found in being removed from circumstances, rather safety and peace are found in having fellowship and walking hand-in-hand with the Lord through all circumstances. -Associate Pastor Josh Wilson (excerpts from Sunday Evening Sermon “Great is Thy Faithfulness” from Lamentations 3:22-29)
“This then is the message which we have heard of Him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all.” -1 John 1:5
If you want to have fellowship and fullness of joy, your life must be emptied of everything that is false and impure.
-Pastor Steve Wainright (excerpt from Sunday Morning Sermon “The Key to Fellowship” from 1 John 1:5)
“That which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ.” -1 John 1:3
Before you can have fellowship with other believers, you must first have fellowship with God the Father and His Son.
-Pastor Steve Wainright (excerpt from Sunday Morning Sermon “The Eternal Life” from 1 John 1:1-4; John 17:3)
“Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.” -Ephesians 5:15-21
Whose company do we most enjoy? Do we seek out fellowship with other believers and delight in conversations about Christ? Or do we prefer the company of the world and rarely speak about the things of God? When was the last time we met with others solely to make much of Christ? -Paul Washer via Twitter
“Draw nigh to God, and He will draw nigh to you.” -James 4:8
The nearer we come to God, the more graciously will He reveal Himself to us. When the prodigal comes to his father, his father runs to meet him. When the wandering dove returns to the ark, Noah puts out his hand to pull her in unto him, When the tender wife seeks her husband’s society, he comes to her on wings of love. Come then, dear friend, let us draw nigh to God who so graciously awaits us, yea, comes to meet us.
Did you ever notice that passage in Isaiah 58:9? There the Lord seems to put Himself at the disposal of His people, saying to them, “Here I am.” As much as to say—”What have you to say to me? What can I do for you? I am waiting to bless you.” How can we hesitate to draw near? God is nigh to forgive, to bless, to comfort, to help, to quicken, to deliver. Let it be the main point with us to get near to God. This done, all is done. If we draw near to others, they may before long grow weary of us and leave us; but if we seek the Lord alone, no change will come over His mind, but He will continue to come nearer and yet nearer to us by fuller and more joyful fellowship.
[from Faith’s Checkbook by Charles H. Spurgeon]
“And they shall teach no more every man his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for they shall all know Me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the Lord.” -Jeremiah 31:34
Truly, whatever else we do not know, we know the Lord. This day is this promise true in our experience, and it is not a little one. The least believer among us knows God in Christ Jesus. Not as fully as we desire; but yet truly and really we know the Lord. We not only know doctrines about Him, but we know Him. He is our Father and our Friend. We are acquainted with Him personally. We can say, “My Lord, and my God.” We are on terms of close fellowship with God, and many a happy season do we spend in His holy company. We are no more strangers to our God, but the secret of the Lord is with us.
This is more than nature could have taught us. Flesh and blood has not revealed God to us. Christ Jesus had made known the Father to our hearts. If, then, the Lord has made us know Himself, is not this the fountain of all saving knowledge? To know God is eternal life. So soon as we come to acquaintance with God we have the evidence of being quickened into newness of life. O my soul, rejoice in this knowledge, and bless thy God all this day!
[from Faith’s Checkbook by Charles H. Spurgeon]
Sunday Evening | Pastor Steve Wainright | Elisha’s Calling | 1 Kings 19:15-21
“For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.” -Romans 15:4
God has a renewal program for when we get discouraged: get in the Word of God and fellowship with other believers.
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Sunday Evening Sermon Audio: Elisha’s Calling | 1 Kings 19:15-21
Last Wednesday’s Sermon Audio: Judgment on the Nations | Jeremiah 49
Sunday Morning| Pastor Steve Wainright | The Sweet Fellowship of the Saints | Philippians 4:21-23
“The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.” -Philippians 4:23
You need unmerited favor every day. We need the grace of God and we need to extend that grace to others. They don’t deserve it, but neither did I.
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Sunday Morning Sermon Audio: The Sweet Fellowship of the Saints | Philippians 4:21-23
Sunday Evening Sermon Audio: The Blindness of the Lost | John 1:10-11
Join us for a time of fellowship at Eastland Bowling Lanes next Sunday night (August 7) after the evening service. We will bowl until 10:00 p.m. All are welcome! Kids 13 and under are $8; everyone else is $10. Price includes shoe rental, pizza, and drinks. Please let Steve or Becky Dawson know if you plan on coming.
Sunday School | 2 Peter 1:12-21 | Bro. Steve Dawson
“Therefore I intend always to remind you of these qualities, though you know them and are established in the truth that you have…And we have something more sure, the prophetic word, to which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts…” -2 Peter 1:12, 19
–Peter’s message is urgent because he knows he’s dying soon. He wants believers to remember the greatness of salvation and that God has given us all we need to sustain us. He wants us to have assurance, virtue, knowledge, self-control, steadfastness, godliness, brotherly affection and love.
-He reminds us of this so we will ALWAYS remember. (Deuteronomy 6:4-9)
-vs. 16-21: They saw it all happen, but the Word is more sure.
-We have been entrusted with Truth. Defend it. Be like Jonathan Edwards and others who believed it was more important to pass on truth than keep worldly possessions, etc.
Morning Worship | Colossians 4:15-18 | Pastor Steve Wainright
“Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.” -Proverbs 27:17
-koinonia=fellowship
–We are called to give ourselves to others. When you have selective hearing and tune out discord, you miss the beauty of the symphony. You experience more joy when you share others’ burdens.
-Paul’s heart was enlarged. (2 Corinthians 6:11) He had many friends in his heart. (Romans, Acts, Colossians 4, Galatians 2)
-In this text, he mentions 3 Jewish friends and 3 Gentile friends, which was taboo in that time, but the Gospel breaks all kinds of barriers. (Acts 16:4) The ground is level at the cross. (Ephesians 2:12-19)
-We have fellowship with one another because of the blood of Jesus Christ (1 John 1:3)
-We are filled with Christ’s fullness and are complete in Him. (Colossians 1:13-19, Psalm 89:27)
-Because we are complete in Him, we are risen with Christ, therefore, focus that way. (Colossians 3:1) Get your mind fixed on Christ. (Isaiah 26:3-4)
-Keep eternity in mind at all times.
-vs. 18- Remember Paul is bound for the Gospel, but the Gospel is not bound!
*Have you received the fullness of Christ?
New Life Baptist Church 