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“but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” Romans 5:8 Today at the Super Summer Executive Staff Retreat one of the preachers for this summer was speaking and said something that I really needed to hear. As he struggles and even has failed in his walk with Christ he was telling someone that he was afraid that the sin in his life had disqualified him from ministering. The person he…
Notes from Mark
This is an exciting moment of time in the life of Emmanuel Baptist Church. This weekend Clint Carter and his family will be with us as together we continue to seek the one who will become our next pastor. Our Search Committee has been diligent and persistent in seeking the person whom they feel God is leading. This person is Clint Carter. Please make every effort this weekend to get acquainted with Clint and his family. We, as a church…
Notes from Mark
Last week I talked about disappointment and how it can be a debilitating moment in our lives. The hurt and pain it causes. This week I would like to delve al little bit into doubt. Perhaps you have been taught that when you doubt as a believer shows a lack of faith. Thus when you doubt you are filled with feelings of a type of failure or you’re not strong enough or maybe even you begin to doubt your salvation.…
Along the way over the last year I slowly began to find a comfort zone…but not a good one. I was going through a routine that was really just about surviving. I was doing the Christian Checklist of things you are suppose to do but not really anything more than that. The past few months some things within my life have made a change. Even within my life at home I was fulfilling the dad and husband checklist of what…
Perhaps one of the saddest words for us in the English language is disappointment. This one word can cause us so much hurt, frustration, even resentment. When we disappoint someone for whom we care, we feel sorrow, frustration, sadness, a sense of failure. For those whom we disappoint they feel many of the same emotions including a breaking of trust. Remember when Peter denied Christ 3 times and the sickening sorrow he felt? Even though Christ knew this would happen…
How can we know the Love of God? We say things like I love my wife, my mom, my pet or even that I love Pez candies and Peeps at Easter. How can we know the love of God when Love is used so many different ways for so many different things. On Wednesday, February 13th our Youth Ministry will be coming together for our “What is Love? Banquet” not only a time where we can eat, fellowship and laugh…
Notes from Mark
Grace and Humility. These two expressions of the Christian life are linked together in the life of each believer. Here are working definitions for each word. Grace – is the free and unmerited favor of God that is expressed to us through the salvation of sinners and the bestowal of blessings. Humility – Free from pride or arrogance. The need for grace in the Christian person is easy to comprehend. It is because of God’s unmerited favor He shows us…
This semester, we began our College Cup Worship time with a series that has paralleled our relationship with God with that of Coffee. Last week we talked about the Aroma of Coffee and began looking at verses like 2 Corinthians 2:14-16: [14] But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere. [15] For we are the (sweet) aroma of Christ to God among…
Notes from Mark
Worship is a verb. It is active participation on the part of one giving worship. This part of worship has been stated over and again for my entire adult life. I have said it, you probably have said and too often we neglect it. We would rather have worship done for us, it’s easier that way, except that is not worship at all. Perhaps it is as easy to say things that are not worship. Music is not worship. We…
Notes from Mark
Grace and Gratitude. As believers who desire to actively live for Christ these two must be demonstrated in our lives. I love what Dr. Selby preached two Sundays ago regarding this. It was something that my heart and soul needed to hear. Gratitude and grace fuels the Christian life. As we read and study the New Testament we see that grace permeates everything. Thus our lives should have every nook and cranny filled with the grace of Jesus Christ. The…