#PTBT

Enjoy this message from one of the world's greatest preachers, Dr. Adrian Rogers. He needs no introduction.

"Why I Believe in Jesus Christ." APR

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MQ0CWrQ9UOM

Until Next Time,
Bro. Pastor
Gal.n2.20

Tell it to Jesus...Alone

Life sometimes throws us a curve ball. You know what I'm talking about. There are heartaches we experience that we think we cannot bear. A mate dies. A friend betrays you. The news from the doctor is devastating. In these times we often wonder what in the world we are going to do...

If you read the Psalms, you will find that David had some of these same emotions. He was fearful. He was despondent. He was depressed and discouraged. He dealt with anger and feelings of revenge. But as you read his laments, you will find a common refrain. After running the gamut of negative emotions, in the end his thoughts turned to God. He brought these feelings to the only One Who could comfort him and give him guidance. Many times, he ends up praising God in the midst of it all. You will read of him dealing with anger and then turning his enemies over to his Heavenly Father. You will read of him being in the clutches of despair and then turning to God for help and security. This refrain is common in his writings.

David teaches us a valuable lesson. For all of our hurts, fears, hopeless situations and horrible circumstances, Jesus is the Answer. He is the One Who can turn your tragedy into a triumph. He can turn your fear into faith and your hurt into hope. I do not know what you are dealing with today, but I do know One Who does. His name is Jesus. I want you to think about something as you go throughout your day today: Jesus not only knows your situation, He cares about your situation. He cares about your loneliness, depression and discouragement. Whatever concerns you concerns Him.

When I read some of the writings of David, I am reminded of an old hymn we used to sing: “Tell it to Jesus.” Listen to the words:


Are you weary, are you heavyhearted?
Tell it to Jesus,
Tell it to Jesus;
Are you grieving over joys departed?
Tell it to Jesus alone.

Chorus:
Tell it to Jesus, tell it to Jesus,
He is a friend that's well-known;
You've no other such a friend or brother,
Tell it to Jesus alone.

Do the tears flow down your cheeks unbidden?
Tell it to Jesus,
Tell it to Jesus;
Have you sins that to men's eyes are hidden?
Tell it to Jesus alone.

[Chorus]

Do you fear the gath'ring clouds of sorrow?
Tell it to Jesus,
Tell it to Jesus;
Are you anxious what shall be tomorrow?
Tell it to Jesus alone.

[Chorus]

Are you troubled at the thought of dying?
Tell it to Jesus,
Tell it to Jesus;
For Christ's coming kingdom are you sighing?
Tell it to Jesus alone.

 If you are going through one of those "curve ball" times of life, could I encourage you to tell it to Jesus alone?

Until Next Time, 
Bro. Pastor
Gal. 2.20

Sunday Reflections (6-25-17)

We had another wonderful day "On the Hill" yesterday. Tremendous worship crowds, incredible music and a challenging message from the Word of God. We began a new series entitled, "The Church Ablaze." Over the course of the next several weeks, we are going to look at some snapshots of the early church in the book of Acts. We are going to focus on 2 main themes: What made the early church so impactful, energetic and expectant, and how can the 21st century church regain that passion and influence today?

Sunday AM Service

Here is a brief outline from our first message in the series: "A Fire Ignited!" Acts 1-2

INTRODUCTION
*The first church was "set ablaze" corporately and individually by the Holy Spirit of God. Notice they were:

I. A CHURCH IGNITED FOR A PURPOSE (1.6-8)
   A, They Were Given a Plan to Carry Out (6-7)
   B. They Were Given a Place to Carry Out the Plan (8)
     1. Jerusalem
     2. Judea
     3. Samaria
     4. Ends of the Earth

*A Church Ablaze is a Church on Mission!

II. A CHURCH ENABLED BY THE POWER OF THE SPIRIT (2.1-11)
*We have enablement to carry out our purpose.

   A. A Miraculous Manifestation (6)
- Everybody heard the Gospel in their own language. It is a Gospel for everyone!

   B. A Common Witness (11)
Theme: "the wonderful works of God"

III. A CHURCH ENTRUSTED WITH A DIVINE PROCLAMATION (2.21-24, 36-41
   A. Peter's Sermon (21-24)

- Jesus lived. Jesus Died. Jesus rose again. That is our message!
- The church was built upon the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

   B. The Crowds Reaction (37)
Question: "What shall we do?"
Answer: "Repent!"

$$ Statement: When you repent of your sin and turn to the resurrected Christ: you get freedom from what you used to be and you get the power to be what you ought to be.

CONCLUSION (40-41)

*Invitation/3000 responded and gave their life to Jesus.

Take away: BRVBC, we should be Ignited for a Purpose, Enabled by the Spirit, and Trustworthy of our command to Proclaim the Resurrected Christ!!


Sunday PM Service

VBS Kickoff!! Please be much in prayer for all kids and volunteers this week in Vacation Bible School. We are praying for children to come to faith in Christ.

Until Next Time,
Bro. Pastor
Gal.2.20

#PTBT

#PTBT- Preachers Throw Back Thursday! Thursdays will be reserved for great Preachers and preaching of the past. I will post either video links or the full manuscript of some of America's greatest Preachers who have gone on to Glory.

Today's preacher and sermon comes from the incomparable Dr. E.V. Hill. You can find Dr. Hill's brief biography here: http://mtzionla.org/mt-zion-missionary-baptist-church-dr-edward-hill-tribute.php

Dr. Hill preached one of my all-time favorite sermons entitled, "The Hogpen Trail" from Luke 15, centered around the truth of the Prodigal Son. I hope you enjoy:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ow8vE0ekpz0

Until Next Time,
Bro. Pastor
Gal.2.20

Sunday Reflections( 6-18-17)

I never cease to be amazed at the work of God in His church. It is such a blessing to be a part of a fellowship where God is moving. I love to get up each Sunday morning with a spirit of expectation and anticipation of what God is going to do in our worship services and in the life of our church. This past Sunday was no exception. Our worship services were filled with the power of the Holy Spirit. We saw decisions made for Christ once again. Someone stopped me after Sunday School before our second worship to tell me that God had done a work in his heart that morning and that he had made some things right with God. It was just a tremendous day. We thank God that another family was added to our fellowship Sunday morning...Welcome Tommy and Janice McCullough! 

The message Sunday morning was a great challenge to our men, as well as to every christian in our church. Our text was Ezekiel 22.30: "And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none..." I want the phrase, "Will You be that Man?" to burn in your heart this week. Will you be that man that answers the call of God on your life? Will you answer the call to salvation, surrender and service? Will you be the man that rises to that call, motivated by how he has blessed you? Motivated to do something for Him because of His promises to you? And will you be that man that rises to the occasion and says, "Stop the search! I am your man! You do not have to search any longer for a man to make up the hedge and stand in the gap! I am here!" Will You be that Man?

Church, God is looking for one man to wake up and realize that the hedge is weakening and the gap is widening in our homes, in our churches and in our nation, and then to rise up and say, "Lord, I will be that man that you are searching for ..."

"I am only one, but I am one. I cannot do everything, but I can do something. And that which I can do, by the grace of God, I will do." D.L. Moody

Until Next Time,
Bro. Pastor

Just One Soul

I remember one of the first times I personally led someone to faith in Jesus Christ. I was working at a local YMCA, and on occasion troubled teens would be assigned community service there at the "Y." I worked as a "maintenance technician" (janitor, custodian, toilet scrubber, trash emptier, etc.), so many times those fulfilling community service requirements were assigned to me. His name was Jesse and he was 14 years old. He had been suspended from school several times, the last time for bringing a weapon on campus. He had also been in and out of trouble with the law, hence his community service assignment. This young man was obviously searching for something that he had not found in the ways of the world.

Jesse spent a week with me. I tried to be a Godly influence before him as we worked side by side each day. On his last day, as we were working in the boiler room, I presented the Gospel to him. In our conversation, I said, "Jesse, I want you to know that God loves you. If you don't think anyone else in this world loves you, I want you to know that Jesus does..."  As I spoke those words, this tough, hardened, cold, directionless young teenager began to weep. And there in that old boiler room at the Pickens County YMCA in 1994, young Jesse wept his way to Jesus.

I have never forgotten that witnessing encounter. As christians, we have the Truth that can set people free from their sin and bondage. I don't want to keep that news to myself. I don't want BRVBC to keep that news to herself. We are in direct disobedience to our Lord if we do. We have a command to go, a message to share, and a power to enable us. People all around us are dying and going out into a Christ-less eternity while we have the news that can give them life- abundant and eternal. Why would we keep that to ourselves?

Charles Peace, a notorious criminal in England, was executed on February 25, 1879. Just before his execution, an Anglican minister halfheartedly read to him from The Consolation of Religion: "Those who die without Christ experience hell, which is the pain of forever dying without the release which death itself can bring."

Charles Peace stopped the minister and said, "Sir, if I believed what you and the church of God say that you believe, even if England were covered with broken glass from coast to coast, I would walk over it, if need be, on hands and knees and think it worthwhile living, just to save one soul from an eternal hell like that!"1

May you, me and the church as a whole, be so burdened today for just one soul, that we would simply walk across the street on freshly laid pavement to tell them about Jesus.

Until Next Time,
Bro. Pastor

_______________

1. Leonard Ravenhill, Why Revival Tarries (Bethany House, 1991), 32.

Sunday Reflections

What wonderful services we had yesterday here on "The Hill" at Blue Ridge View Baptist Church! The Word of God was taught, sung, preached and shared. There was evangelism, discipleship, prayer, worship and ministry carried out yesterday. God was lifted high and decisions were made for Him.

Let's have a quick reminder of what we learned yesterday so that we can apply it today church!

AM Service
Subject: Prayer
Sermon: The Blueprint for Biblical Praying
Scripture: Matthew 6.5-15

INTRODUCTION
*Christ teaches us how to connect with God every time we pray.

I. THE PRESUPPOSITION OF THE CHRISTIAN'S PRAYER LIFE (5-6)

v.5: "when"
v.6: "when"
v.7: "when

*Praying is a given in the life of a Christian. How is our "prayer track?"

II. THE INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE CHRISTIAN'S PRAYER LIFE (7-8)

v.7: Be careful of "rote", "going by the numbers" praying; cliches, coined phrases, canned prayers.

*It is not how much we say in our prayer that causes God to hear us...it is how we say what we say that garners His attention.

John Bunyan: "When you pray, it would be better to let your heart be without words than to let you words be without heart."

III. THE BLUEPRINT FOR THE CHRISTIAN'S PRAYER LIFE (9-13)

   A. Praise Him (9-10)

*Focus on the Father!
*Prayer is not to tell God what is on your mind; prayer seeks to find out what is on God's mind.

   B. Petition Him (11)

James 4.3

   C. Plead with Him (12)
     
     1. We Need to Get Forgiveness (12a)
     2. We Need to Give Forgiveness (12b)

   D. Receive Power from Him (13a)

   E. Praise Him...Again! (13b)

CONCLUSION

*In most of chapter 6, Jesus deals with hypocrisy: in our giving, fasting and praying. We need to make sure that we are not hypocritical in WHERE we pray, WHAT we pray, or in WHY we pray.


PM Service
Subject: Wisdom about Social Media
Sermon: The Blessings and Cursings of Social Media- Pt, 2 (Blessings)
Scripture: Various

INTRODUCTION

Reminder: (Titus 1.15) Perversion and sin with online activity is not a reflection of technology; it is a reflection of the user's heart. What I post on my Facebook account, etc., and what I participate in on the internet, is simply a window into my heart.

Blessings of Social Media: 
1.) ABILITY TO BE A WITNESS FOR CHRIST- "Go ye into all the world and preach the Gospel...
2.) ABILITY TO ENCOURAGE SPIRITUAL GROWTH- 2 Tim. 2.15
3. ABILITY TO ENCOURAGE OTHERS (thru text, email, Facebook...)- Prov. 25.11
4.) ABILITY TO KEEP IN TOUCH WITH ALL LOVED ONES
5.) ABILITY TO CREATE A VAST PRAYER CHAIN
6.) ABILITY TO ENHANCE YOUR EDUCATION
7.) ABILITY TO STRENGTHEN AND FORM GODLY RELATIONSHIPS AS WELL AS INFLUENCE.
8.) ABILITY TO SAVE TIME: Able to take care of the temporal quickly in order to spend time on the eternal.
9.) WORLD EVANGELISM! Social networking and media mobilizes us to reach the nations with the Gospel.

CONCLUSION/ADMONITION FOR SOCIAL MEDIA USE:

     1. Stay Accountable (programs, people, spouse)
     2. Engage people in face to face convo!
     3. Be real
     4. Avoid shady conversations and strangers
     5. Be moderate
     6. Keep motives pure


Challenge for today (Monday) BRV: Use your access to social media to encourage someone!

Until Next Time,
Brother Pastor
Gal. 2.20