August 2017

Sisters and brothers,

Happy Monday to all! It was great to be together yesterday and worship our glorious and mighty Lord Jesus. We learned that God is pleased with us as we walk in humility before Him, love Him, and seek to serve Him. Jesus Christ, the first and the last, the One who died and came back to life never to die again knows all about us. Jesus knows His children’s enemies. Jesus knows His children’s sufferings. Best of all, Jesus knows His children’s glorious future! He is for us and not against us! Our God is a good Father seeking to help us when we struggle and pick us up when we fall. We can and we do trust Him!

Please keep the people of South Texas in prayers as they suffer through the devastating effects of Hurricane Harvey. Southern Baptist Disaster Relief will be helping in recovery efforts. Many of you might not realize that Southern Baptists Disaster Relief is one of the nation most effective groups in helping in disaster recovery. It is staffed almost totally by volunteers from SBC churches around the country who go to areas of disaster at their own expense to help. Dave And Jeanne Wedekind coordinate these efforts in our area. If you ever would desire to help, I can put you in touch with them. Here is a link to SBC Disaster to find out more about their work: https://www.namb.net/send-relief/disaster-relief.

Please let me know soon if you are interested in being a part of the new small group beginning in the fall that I am leading. This group will focus on following Jesus more closely and then being able help others grow in their faith.

Love being your pastor!

Bob Ray, Pastor, East Madison Baptist Church

Brothers and sisters,

Happy Monday and happy eclipse day to all! I hope you safely got to experience the splendor of today’s eclipse which, if I understand it, will not happen again in the United States for another 100 years if the Lord tarries. Yesterday, we got to experience some wonderful time together as we worshipped the One whose splendor will totally outshine all other splendors of this universe combined. It was great to be back with our brothers and sisters yesterday worshipping the One whose radiance is greater than all! We sang of His greatness and His salvation. We learned from His Word to spend much time gazing into that Word so we can comprehend a little of that splendor and become like Jesus. We learned to be quick to hear His Word and quick to hear others. We learned to be slow to speak and slow to become angry. We learned that nursing anger and reacting in anger does not produce the righteous life that God desires. God’s methods are not the methods of anger and hatred but of love and truth. We learned to be quick to put into practice God’s Word and not just simply intellectually understand it. If we just hear it but it does not change us, we live self-deluded lives. God’s Word is meant to change us by giving us control over what we say so our words will be beneficial and helpful. God’s Word is used by His Holy Spirit in the lives of believers to empower us to minister and reach out to the outcast and hurting. God’s Word is also used by God’s Spirit to enable us to live holy lives and bring much glory to God.

I hope some of you have you been thinking and praying about being a part of the new small group beginning in the fall that I am leading. This group will focus on following Jesus more closely and then being able help others grow in their faith. We plan on beginning sometime in September so if you are interested in being a part of this more intensive small group, please let me know soon.

I want to thank Kevin Huddleston and Jason Donaldson for preaching for me while Carla and I were away. It is good to know we have men among us that can teach and preach God’s Word effectively. I believe part of my job as pastor is to equip more of you to be able to do that.

I have been having some computer problems so some of you might not have received my July 31st email. I apologize for that and hope I have that solved. If you know anyone who has usually receives this weekly email but is not getting it, please have them contact me.

Love being your pastor!

Bob Ray, Pastor, East Madison Baptist Church