Summerville Baptist Church

There is a chorus that we sing here at Summerville that speaks to a vitally important issue of stewardship. If we are truly going to be biblical stewards of our lives and of our livelihoods, it is going to involve a change of heart in us by God on many issues and on a regular basis through our lives. God is interested in and calls us to many changes in life. The only way that those changes are going to last us into eternity is if they are on a heart level. Far too often people have an emotional response to a message or a moving of God in the lives of others and they make a commitment to the Lord only to slip back to their old ways quite quickly. This type of up and down, emotional roller coaster Christianity is not what Jesus had in mind while hanging on the cross for our sins; nor is it what God desires for any of His children. God wants us to make life-changing decisions that are spiritually motivated and biblically based. He wants us to make decisions at the very core of our being which, in Scripture, is called the heart or the soul. When He speaks to us about things He wants changed, He wants them changed forever. We cannot do this merely with changes of behavior, but rather changes of desire. If we are going to give to missions, serve in ministry, see lost souls saved regularly, be a part of God’s vision for this Church body, have relationships that honor God in great ways, or any things else that is supernaturally accomplished in our midst, it is only going to happen through changes of heart that result from yielding to the working of God in each of us. Would you be willing to submit your heart to changes that God desires?

Proverbs 27:1
“Boast not thyself of to morrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.”

I recently heard some men in their sixties speak of how sobering it is to think that the next ten years is perhaps all they will have. They said that in light of how fast the past ten years of their lives has flown by. The reality is that none of us has any guarantee of the next breath. On a number of occasions during the tenure of my ministry, families who have been touched by death have called on me. The lives of those being remembered were as short as just a few years, as long as well into their 90s, and everything in between. Death touches people at every stage of life even during the development of the unborn. The fact is that none of can say how long we have to live. So, what do we do with that sobering truth? Some will say, “lets eat, drink, and be merry because life is short.” Others will suggest play all you can and have fun, or “live life to the fullest.” And what is the result of all of these responses? You still die and enter eternity ill prepared. May I challenge you to consider an alternative response to the brevity of life? Live every day as if tomorrow you might meet your Maker. Live every day in preparation for eternity. Live every day walking with God and seeking to bring Him glory in your life. If you do that, you will do things that are both enjoyable and eternally significant. Living this way begins with making sure that you are in a right relationship with your Maker, so that He will receive you when you do meet Him. Friend, you don’t have any time to waste. Call me now or visit our next Church service to get this issue of eternity settled in your life.

Today I wish to bring your attention to a prayer request made by the psalmist David when he was speaking to God about life. In Psalm 90, he is acknowledging the greatness of God and the need of man. He states the sinfulness of man and God’s response to man’s sinful ways. His response is either: anger and wrath, or it is mercy and forgiveness. God’s response to our sinfulness is dependent on our response to His grace. God, in His grace, has made a way for sinful man to come into a right relationship with Him as the holy God. When we call upon Him to forgive us through His sacrifice of Jesus and to come into our lives and save us, He is glad to oblige. When He takes up residence in our lives as our Savior and God, then He brings with Him the ability for us to obey and honor Him in a right way. In verse 12, he asks God for a very interesting request. Psalm 90:12, “So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.” We need God to help us use every day of our lives to its fullest because only He knows how long we have on this earth. We need to number our days, not waste them. We only have so many days to live and during that time there are some very important things that must be taken care of. One of the most important things that must be addressed while we are living is one’s relationship with God, his Creator. The reason we need to value our days and use them effectively for eternity is so we will address our lives wisely. Applying our hearts to wisdom refers to directing our lives in accordance with the perspective God has of life. Have you understood God’s wisdom about life and eternal life? Have you put your faith in His gift of salvation, Jesus Christ? Have you called out to God to forgive your sins through His sacrifice on the cross of Calvary? According to God’s word, you are not born right with God, you do not just grow into salvation, and you cannot acquire it through your religious efforts. It must be a choice of your will based upon you understanding the truth of God’s word. Are you numbering your days wisely, or merely letting them fly by?

Often when we are at a funeral service honoring the life and memory of the one that has past into eternity, I find myself coming face to face with my own frailty. I am reminded that my life could come to a screeching halt at any moment. This is not a personal phenomenon. I have heard the same realization from others as well. It is a common response we humans have when looking into the reality of death. “I am but a breath away from death every minute.” The psalmist David understood this reality as well and he responded by asking God to help him. We can read this in Psalm 39:4 “LORD, make me to know mine end, and the measure of my days, what it is; that I may know how frail I am.” He asks God to help him to know just how frail his life is and he also wants to know what is the end of life. All of this information God has given to us in the Bible. He has told us that at the end of this life is eternity. The reality of eternity is lived in either heaven, with God, or hell, apart from God. These are the only two options in the Bible. The result of knowing that life is frail and the end of life is certain is making good use of our days and make sure that we are prepared for eternity. God has Paul write about this in the New Testament in Ephesians 5:16-17 “Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. 17 Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.” He tells us to make good use of everyday and live wisely by understanding and doing the will of God. Friend, the will of God for you is to know Him and become His child through faith in His Son as your personal Savior II Peter 3:9. If we can help you with finding and doing God’s will in your life please visit our service at Summerville Baptist Church.

Today we are celebrating the work of God through Summerville Baptist Church for over fifty years. God has been very good to this church family over the years. There have been challenges and struggles along the way, but many more victories to God’s glory. Sadly, we have had some of our family leave us over the years, which is a hard thing in any family. Some have left us for the splendor of Heaven, others have left us and moved elsewhere, and, unfortunately, some have left us due to Satan’s divisive, sinful influences. But we praise the Lord for those who are with us today to celebrate this church of the Lord’s that He is still actively building. Souls are still being saved, lives are still being changed to bring glory to God, people are still being called into the ministry, the Gospel is still going forth here in this valley and around the world, new ministry is still being developed, and Christians are still growing spiritually. Although we are not perfect, from the Pastor and Deacons to every other Member of this body, we are seeking to grow closer to the Lord and more obedient to His Word. I am excited and blessed to be part of what God is doing in this place by faith. As we trust Him, believe His promises, and obey His Will even greater things are in store for the future of this church family to the glory of God. He will work in us and through us as long and as much as we submissively yield to Him in our lives and in our congregation. Let us recommit today to being a tool for progress in God’s hand, so He will continue building His Church here and not becoming a tool of destruction in Satan’s hand to hinder God’s will being done.

As we think back on the happening and sacrifices made on September 11, 2001, we should realize that sacrifice is too great a price to ever forget. We should not forget the cost of hatred acted upon towards innocent lives. We should never forget the loss of life suffered by our great land in this attack. We should never forget the brave souls that risked their lives and some even gave their lives in order to rescue others. We should never forget the cost of freedom in the wars this land has fought through the years from its inception that have secured and protected our freedoms. We should never forget the families that have had loved ones removed from their presence due to the sacrifices that have been made in their service to our protection and safety. Nor should we ever forget those still serving today in the Military, Law Enforcement, and Fire & Medical Emergency Responders that serve our protection and safety. Every day thousands of our fellow citizens are serving at great potential risk for our well being in our great country and beautiful Valley. Pray for them regularly. Be kind to them when you see them serving. When you hear the shrill of a siren blaring because of the need for quick response to an emergency, pull off to the side and pray for what is taking place and those involved. As we think of sacrifices that should never be forgotten, I couldn’t help but remind us all of the greatest sacrifice made that should never be forgotten. That is the sacrifice Jesus gave on the cross for our sin. It is the greatest need of every human soul to benefit from this sacrifice personally. John 15:13 “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.”

Proverbs 18:17-21

17 - He that is first in his own cause seemeth just; but his neighbour cometh and searcheth him.
18 - The lot causeth contentions to cease, and parteth between the mighty.
19 - A brother offended is harder to be won than a strong city: and their contentions are like the bars of a castle.
20 - A man’s belly shall be satisfied with the fruit of his mouth; and with the increase of his lips shall he be filled.
21 - Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.

There are several things that every one of us as humans must be careful of in life or it will cause us great grief. We need to be careful of our health, because we cannot neglect or abuse our bodies long and expect them to function properly. We cannot spend more than we make very long before we suffer the reality of oppressive debt. Nor can we let our ego and mouth go unchecked without causing great destruction in our wake. Every one of us has problems with our ego and our tongue, the issue is whether we are working on it or not. God’s Word addresses both of these issues from cover to cover. Either we are working on our pride or it is working on us. Either we are controlling our words or they are causing hurts to others and to our own selves. These matters are universal among humans throughout time. We all have an ego and if we are not careful it can get offended or puffed up causing us trouble. All of us find ourselves saying things that we know should not have been allowed out of our thoughts. God says that these matters are the same for us all. Every one of us has the power of life and encouragement in our words or the power of death and destruction. The only question is, which way will we choose to go with our words. We can be pleased and satisfied with the effect of our words or we can experience something far differently. Even if we work at using our words correctly and keep our ego in check, I have found that they can still cause us trouble. It is not too hard for any of us to see these flaws in others. The real problem is getting God’s help to see it in us. And that is where it really matters, because that is what we will give an account for unto the Lord. We each will answer to the Lord for our own pride and our own words, not for those of others.

I Peter 5:6-10

I don’t know about you, but I Peter 5:7 contains some of the most precious words of Scripture for me. It says, “Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.” Wow! What a statement of promise, hope, peace, and power! Whatever my care I can bring it to the Lord and find hope, help, and healing. It tells me to cast it upon Him, which means I must let it go and release it to His sovereign work in my life. It tells me to do this with all my cares or causes of stress. I can cast every one of my stresses to the all powerful, all knowing, all perfect Creator of the universe. The reason I am told to do this is not only because He alone has the solution, but also I am told that He cares about my cares. I am impressed with the vital nature of this truth in the next statement regarding my enemy and adversary, who seeks my destruction evidently even through those cares. Verse 8 says this, “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:” My greatest challenge and hindrance in the struggles of life is not my spouse, another family member, co-worker, or even some other hurt or issue plaguing me. My adversary and enemy is Satan himself. His goal is to use the cares of this world and my life to devour me. I am told in verse 9 to resist his attack on me through faith in the Lord not my own strength or wisdom. I am also told in this verse that his attacks are not unique to me and my life or even my family, but rather are common to believers around the world. But I cannot miss the key to the right experience in each of these statements that is found in verse 6, “Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:” If I fail on this truth I will miss out on the help of His care. It does not mean He doesn’t care; it means I miss His help in my cares. If I do not humble myself to God and His will then I will miss out on His resources to help me. Pride in my life hinders God’s work in my life. I believe it is pride that is a greatest defeat in the battles of our lives. In all our sufferings, whatever their root cause, it is clear that our best response is to turn to God. In doing this, we can experience His grace which is sufficient for our every need. That is stated by God’s Word in verse 10, “But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.” Don’t let Satan succeed in making you think God doesn’t care.

We live in a beautiful part of God’s wonderful creation. Everyday you can step outside and look at a panoramic view of the splendor of God’s creative handiwork. The view only gets better if you travel into the outlying areas in any direction. God’s power and glory is displayed for us in vivid color and unique variety all around us. From the animal kingdom to the world of plant life, we can see the wonder of the Creator demonstrated every day. The wonderful truths about the creation we see points us to an awareness of the wonderful Creator that has made it all. Just as wonderful as His creation is the wonderful nature of His Salvation. We have a wonderful Savior who has paid in full for us to experience and enjoy eternal Salvation. It is possible because of His amazing grace that we could never earn, merit, or deserve. The greatness of His power and glory is seen in creation, but personally experienced in an individual life through the gift of Salvation.
Friend, don’t miss out on all of this in your life. If you have never personally received the gift of Salvation, God has brought you here today to face that eternal truth. If you know the great Creator as your personal Savior, then the Lord wanted you here today to be reminded of how blessed you are to be His child. Let this reminder also exhort you to live this week to His glory and honor because He deserves no less from His children.

When you miss a service at Summerville Baptist Church you miss out on some wonderful blessings. The Lord is doing great things in this place and I want to encourage you to not miss out on any of it. This week we have had 20 people involved in spreading the Gospel through the Fair Booth. I praise the Lord that several decision were made to trust Jesus as personal Savior. While that was going on almost 30 people were involved with picking, sorting, or selling cherries to benefit our Youth Ministry. While that was going on many in home visits were made to encourage people towards the Lord. If you missed Wednesday night you missed a great report of the second quarter of ministry here at Summerville Baptist Church. You missed hearing about record setting attendances and fantastic giving of God’s people through the help of the Lord. July was another great month in Faith Missions giving as well. You also missed hearing about three professions through our Summer of Sharpening children’s ministry and about three added into the Church family by Baptism. God is doing such wonderful things here that we have young people who faithfully attend every service because they want to be in this place. That is very exciting. God allowed our church to share the Gospel with several hundred people during the second quarter between all the various ministries and individuals seeking to witness. Even this week we have witnessed God answer some awesome prayer requests. Today we have some new people who have joined out ministry team to serve the Lord and we have several preparing for Baptism. God is truly doing great things for which we are glad, thankful, and rejoicing. Don’t miss out on any of His blessings.