What A Friend We Have In Jesus

Our Sunday morning message was brought to us by our Senior Pastor Larry Crawford Jr.

We stood for opening prayer and the reading of God’s word. Pastor Crawford’s prayer included: “God anoint my mind and heart, and help me speak the words you want me to say.”

This proved truer than any of us could imagine. Friends and family, let me tell you it is never dull at the First Baptist Church in Pineville.

Our pastor started out with the intent of continuing part 2 of our lesson at “Jesus’ Feet,” but when God is in control, one is only the instrument for His use.

Pastor Crawford reminded us of our previous lesson, “At Jesus’ Feet” — how Mary washed his feet and rubbed expensive oil on them. Could this have caused Mary to think about how many miles he had walked or how many dusty trails he covered?

Religion is the belief in and worship of a superhuman, controlling power. If you are expecting religion here at the First Baptist Church, you cannot find it because religion will not get you into Heaven! Nor will the fact that your parents, grandparents or sibling are Christians. You and you alone, accepting Jesus Christ as your personal Saviour, will make you a Christian and write your name in the Book of Life. That person will stand before God.

Do you know the Lord as your personal savior? Once one is saved, sin bothers you. Being saved does not make you a sinless perfection, but it makes you to want to sin less. You want to change. Although this does not mean you will due to our flesh. Flesh likes to sin.

Many people have been turned away from places because of skin color or money. God saw us for what we used to be or what we had done. He loved us anyway. In most of the stories in the Bible, God is surrounded by sinners. Such was the case of Mary Magdalene, who washed the feet of Jesus and was known as a lady of ill repute. Many wanted to know why He allowed her to wash his feet. Jesus sat writing in the sand and asked her accusers, “Are you free of sin? If so, you be the first to cast stones.” Other than the crying of Mary Magdalene, the sound of rocks could be heard falling from their hands. Have you ever wondered if Jesus wrote the sins of her accusers in the sand?

Moses talked to God like a friend. Do you know Jesus Christ as your personal savior? Do you talk to Him like a personal friend? He died on the cross for our sins. Pastor Crawford says, “He loves me on my good days.” Can you imagine He even loves us on our bad days? 1 John 4:19 reminds us that we love him because he first loved us. His blood cleansed our sins opposed to when animals were sacrificed. The blood only covered our sins. Once, you are saved your sins are gone and forgiven. Micah 7:19 tells us, “He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us; he will subdue our iniquities; and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.”

Being a Christian means someone else moved into your life. At 2 a.m., when you are crying and your spouse doesn’t hear or see the tears sliding down your face, God does! He catches every tear. “Thou tellest my wanderings: put thou tears into thy bottle: are they not in thy book?” Psalm 56:8.

Jesus forgives us and calms our anxiety. When we are all alone and call His name, He will be there.

Have you read your Bible today? If not, read Isaiah 1:18

Please come join us at First Baptist Church in Pineville Sunday morning at 9 a.m. for Sunday School, immediately followed by morning worship at 10 a.m. Our Wednesday Night AWANA meets every week starting with dinner at 6 p.m. We have Wednesday night Bible Study at 7 p.m. Every other Saturday at 2:30 p.m., our church has Nursing Home Ministry at the McDonald County Living Center in Anderson, Mo. Our next visit is Feb. 11. Also, for our teenagers we have a Facebook page.

Wednesday evening Bible study begins at 7 p.m.

All Bible verses are from the KJV, The King James Version of the Holy Bible.

If you have no home church of your own, we would love for you to join us at First Baptist Church off the Northeast Square in Pineville, just behind the U.S. Bank. No friendlier, down-home church can be found in the four-state area.