First Baptist Church of Brownsville, Oregon

First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is proclaimed in all the world.  For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of His Son, that without ceasing I mention you always in my prayers, asking that somehow by God’s will I may now at last succeed in coming to you. (Romans 1:8-10)

I believe that the most important thing I can do for you is to pray for you.  That, along with faithfully teaching and preaching the Word of God, is my primary purpose.  I am trying to faithfully pray for you by name each week.  It is helpful when you put prayer requests on your cards on Sundays.  And you can also call or email with prayer needs.  But I also pray regular for God to be at work in your life, for you to grow spiritually, and I thank Him for you.  I am grateful to God for you, and praying for your growth in the faith!

This Sunday I will be preaching on Revelation 4:1-11, “An Open Door to Heaven”.  This is one of the most profound passages in all the Bible describing the worship of Almighty God in Heaven.  Worship is a 7-days-a-week activity for followers of Jesus Christ, not a Sunday-only event!  In order to truly benefit from the corporate expression of worship on Sundays, we each must be worshiping the Lord privately throughout the week.  We worship by spending time with Him listening to His Word.  We worship by praying to Him – Adoring Him, Confessing our sins, Thanking Him, and presenting our “Supplications” (requests) to Him.  We worship by the way we live our lives to His honor and glory.  We worship by serving “the least of these.”  Please read the passage in Revelation before Sunday, asking God to open your eyes to the glorious throne room scene.  And begin now to prepare your heart for a wonderful time of corporate worship on Sunday.  The order of service will be a bit different: we will sing, pray, hear part of the sermon; sing again, hear another part of the sermon; sing some more, hear the last part of the sermon; then sing again, then receive the offering while watching a worship-full video.  (The kids will still be dismissed about mid-way through the service so they can go to Junior Church and Children’s Church.)  Come prepared to worship our great God before His throne!

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Hi FBC (sorry this is later than normal again)!

Then he brought them up into his house and set food before them.  And he rejoiced along with his entire household (pan-oikos, his whole ‘oikos’) that he had believed in God. (Acts 16:34)

I read the story of the conversion of the Philippian jailer yesterday (Acts 16:25-34) and am always encouraged by it.  I love the rejoicing that can come about for an entire “oikos” (household, or even sphere of influence) when someone comes to faith in Jesus Christ!

Tomorrow is “Sanctity of Human Life Sunday”.  I hope you will be able to make it.  We will here from a special speaker: Debbie Tracey from Pregnancy Alternatives Center in Lebanon.  There have been exciting things happening there, and there are some big visions for the future!  You can learn a little more about them here:

I will also be sharing what the Bible says on the issue of “The Dignity of Human Life”.  We hope to share both the truth and the grace of God on the matter.

Another place for good information is Eternal Perspective Ministries, led by Randy Alcorn and located in the Portland area.  He is the author of many books, including ProLife Answers to ProChoice Arguments, and Why Pro Life?  Their website is:  www.epm.org.

I am looking forward to seeing you tomorrow, and have been praying for you this week.

Thankful for the gift of life…

Love From Your Pastor,

Michael

Then I proclaimed a fast there, at the river Ahava, that we might humble ourselves before our God, to seek from Him a safe journey for ourselves, our children, and all our goods.  For I was ashamed to ask the king for a band of soldiers and horsemen to protect us against the enemy on our way, since we had told the king, “The hand of our God is for good on all who seek Him, and the power of His wrath is against all who forsake Him.”  So we fasted and implored our God for this, and He listened to our entreaty. (Ezra 8:21-23)

This passage struck me this morning, because I saw how Ezra, who was devoted to studying, living, and teaching God’s Word (see Ezra 7:10), led his people to fast and pray.  He and the people sought the protection of God and His guidance for a long journey.  I think we in the modern church often totally neglect fasting, to our detriment.  It can have a major impact on our prayer lives.  We have a journey before us, as we consider this new year of 2015.  I like this note from the Life Application Bible: “Before making all the physical preparations for the journey, Ezra made spiritual preparations.  Their prayers and fasting prepared them spiritually by showing their dependence on God for protection, their faith that God was in control, and their affirmation that they were not strong enough to make the trip without Him.  When we take time to put God first in any endeavor, we are preparing well for whatever lies ahead.”  I try to spend one day a month in fasting and prayer, besides the daily prayer goal I have.  Would you try to do that once?  Between now and the end of the month, choose one day to fast (not eat) and dedicate extra time that day to prayer.  Pray for your own spiritual growth in the coming year, and pray for First Baptist Church – for God’s guidance and power for effective ministry this year.

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Happy New Year FBC!!!

Another year is coming to a close, and the next one is just over the horizon.  I enjoy taking some time at the end of a year to reflect on God’s many blessings from throughout the year, the lessons learned, the prayers answered, and the people who have touched my life.  It’s also a great time to think about new goals to set for a new year, as well as hopes and dreams for the days ahead.  I also enjoy coming to the end of a year of reading through the Bible.  This year a number of us used the One Year Bible, and today our readings completed the Old Testament, New Testament, Psalms, and Proverbs.  I get excited about beginning again with a new plan for reading through the Bible.  This year I (and any others who want to join me) will be using the ESV Daily Reading Bible, which uses the popular reading plan developed by Robert Murray M’Cheyne.  I already sent info about that to you in a previous email.  There are copies of the plan on a table in the foyer at church.

There were some powerful truths from today’s reading, including this from Malachi 3:8, 10 – Will man rob God?  Yet you are robbing Me.  But you say, ‘How have we robbed You?’  In your tithes and contributions… Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house.  And thereby put Me to the test, says the LORD of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need.  I have enjoyed the notes from the Gospel Transformation Bible this year.  Part of the note for this passage says, “Our giving is a diagnostic window into how we view God.  If we see God as the gracious giver of all good gifts, we will desire to excel in the ‘grace’ of giving (2 Cor. 8:7).  If we view Him as a hard taskmaster whose service is a burden, however, it will be visible in our reluctant giving.  The issue is our attitude, not the amount (Luke 24:1-4).  Through it all, we remember Jesus, who ‘though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, so that you by His poverty might become rich’ (2 Cor. 8:9).  We are cheerfully generous not in order to pay God back, but in light of His great and lavish generosity toward us.  What else could we do?”  So friends, what are your Giving Goals for 2015?

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A number of you have been reading the One Year Bible along with me this year.  Thank you to all those who have been doing that!  It’s pretty neat to be talking about something I read that day, and know that many of you read the same thing.

I was having a hard time deciding what I was going to do for 2015.  I originally thought I’d just use the One Year Bible again, which I’ve used many times over the years.  But then I found what I think is a good deal on a Daily Reading Bible using a plan developed by 19th Century Scottish pastor Robert Murray M’Cheyne.

So I decided to get one, and a few extras to give as gifts.  If you want to get the same one, here is the link to buy one:

Of course, you can also just print up the plan and follow along in your own Bible.  You can get the PDF of the plan here:

Whatever plan you decide to use, I hope and pray that you will make it a goal and a priority to spend time every day in God’s Word in 2015!  I think it would be great for many of us from FBC to use the same plan, so we can “compare notes” and “be on the same page.”  Thanks for considering it!

And by the way, THANK YOU so much for such a generous Christmas gift to my family!  We are absolutely blown away by your kindness.  We love you and thank God for you.

Oh, and don’t miss this Sunday at FBC – Jeff Moritz, missionary with InFaith, and brother of our Jeremy Moritz, will be speaking at the morning worship service!

Have a Merry Christmas and a Christ-centered New Year!

Pastor Michael

Psalm 143:5-6

Revelation 15:3-4

GOD, the Lord, is my strength; He makes my feet like the deer’s; He makes me tread on my high places. (Habakkuk 3:19)

Doesn’t seem like a “Christmasy” verse, does it?  But as I’ve meditated on that verse today it has hit me that the Christmas season is often an exhausting time for many.  We need the Lord to be our strength.  I also am aware that it can be a lonely and painful time for a lot of folks.  We need the God the Lord to be our strength.  We are easily frazzled, anxious, stressed, etc., etc… We need the Lord our God to be our strength!  May you find your strength in Him today and all throughout the holiday season!

Yes, it’s 8 days until Christmas!  But don’t forget that it’s just 3 days until the Children’s Christmas Program & Christmas by Candlelight!  In the morning service (10:30am), we will be blessed by our little ones (and some not so little ones) as they bring us “O Come Let Us Adore Him.”  You won’t want to miss this!  Then in the evening (5:30pm), we will enjoy the intimate and peaceful setting of candlelight as we sing of our Savior’s birth.  My brief devotion will center on a line that I have come to love more than ever this year from one of our favorite Christmas carols.  In the song “Silent Night”, there is the phrase, “With the dawn of redeeming grace…”  I have been reading, hearing, and thinking a lot about grace lately.  That line from Silent Night strikes me strongly now.  Ponder that as you prepare to worship with us on Sunday.  What does it mean for you?  “With the dawn of redeeming grace; Jesus Lord at Thy birth, Jesus Lord at Thy birth!”

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Hello FBC Friends!

And I will give him the morning star. (Revelation 2:28)

This is a promise given by the exalted Christ to “the one who conquers” in His message to the church at Thyatira.  What a powerful promise!  “The morning star is Christ Himself (see Rev. 22:16), Israel’s ruler and rescuer, who was foreseen by Balaam, the unwilling seer (Num. 24:17).” (ESV Study Bible, pg. 2467)  As we think about the Magi following the Star to Bethlehem to see the baby Jesus, fulfilling the prophecy from Numbers 24, may we also remember this great prophecy of promise to those who overcome and hold fast to the end!  The One who came in such a humble manner the first time, whose location was found by the following of a bright star, is coming again in great power and authority, as “the bright morning star”!  All praise to Him as we celebrate this Christmas!

Speaking of promises, one of the great characters of the Christmas story who was a recipient of God’s promise was Elizabeth, the mother of John the Baptist.  And get this – she is coming to visit us at FBC Brownsville this Sunday!  She’s coming from a long way away, and from a long time ago, so make sure you’re here Sunday at 10:30 to see my interview with her on another edition of “30 Minutes”!

Also this Sunday, after the morning service, is our Annual Business Meeting, where we will celebrate what God has done in our midst in the year 2014, and vote on new church officers and the 2015 budget.  If you want to check out what’s happening you are welcome to attend (You don’t have to be a member to attend, but you do have to be a member to vote.).  Commission leaders, please come prepared with your reports.

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Hi FBC’ers!

So sorry!  Please don’t ask me, “Pastor, don’t you love us anymore?”  I’ve been so busy preparing for Christmas (after recovering from a few days of illness), that I forgot to send the email to remind you about tomorrow’s sermon, which is about preparing for Christmas!

Seriously, if you happen to see this before our time of worship tomorrow, I will be speaking on “Prepare the Way for Christ” from Mark 1:1-8.  You may take a few moments to look that over and see how John the Baptist prepared the way for Christ.

We also will be remembering the Lord’s death together with the observance of the Lord’s Supper.  A passage that has impacted me this week is the following:

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As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace: whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies — in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ.  To Him belong glory and dominion forever and ever.  Amen.  (1 Peter 4:10-11)

Amen!  If you are in Christ, you have at least one gift, probably more.  When we use our gifts to serve one another, we glorify God.  We also are stewards of God’s varied grace.  Whatever God has given us, we are to use it for Him and for others!  And we are to use our gifts in such a way that we show we are dependent on God and His strength.  Are you using your gift(s)?  There are many areas of ministry at FBC available for you to get involved and start using them if you’re not already.  Some ministries are “under-staffed,” and can use help.  Ask me or another church leader where you might be able to help.  Ask the Lord what He would have you to do for Him.  Look for opportunities.  Then go for it!  For the church to function most effectively, we really need “all hands on deck!”

I want to remind you of an email many of you received from Rosemary this week:

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Oh give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; for His steadfast love endures forever! (Ps. 118:29)

We have much to be thankful for don’t we?!  We celebrated God’s faithfulness to FBC Brownsville for 161 years this past Sunday.  Of course, Thanksgiving is officially next Thursday, but it truly is to be a regular occurence for the believer.  I also want to thank you for your generous response to our special offering for missions last Sunday.  Over $10,000 was received!  This will be an incredible blessing to the 3 groups we chose to give to.  Thank you for being generous for the Voice of the Martyrs effort toward refugees.  And thank you for being generous with the Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes.  This Sunday is the last day to bring in your boxes, so they can be delivered on Monday.

This Sunday I will be back in Revelation.  We will look at 2:18-29, the Message to Thyatira.  Please read ahead.  Notice what Christ says are the strengths of that particular church, and what is the major weakness.  Do some examination of your own life in terms of what is said there.  Also, consider what important lessons our own local church can learn from this message.  Come prepared to learn, worship, and repent if necessary!

As Christmas approaches (already?), Elizabeth is gearing up for a children’s Christmas program.  The program will take place during the morning service on Dec. 21.  This Sunday at 5:30pm there will be an informational meeting/tryout for all interested.  We will meet in the preschool room.  The other practices will be Sundays at 5:30 each week until the program.  If you are interested in your child participating, please let Elizabeth know.  You can reply to this email, or call her at .

Thanking the Lord for His goodness & steadfast love!

Love From Your Pastor,

Michael