Church Blog

Sisters and brothers,         

Happy early Monday to all! We worshipped today and remembered Jesus and His sacrifices for us as we sang and took His Supper. His body was broken and His blood was shed so we could be redeemed. We looked at the second trip to Egypt by Joseph’s brothers to buy food. Jacob after refusing at first, was forced by circumstances to send Benjamin to Egypt with his brothers. God put him in the place where he had no other options. Sometimes that happens to us. There will be exceedingly difficult circumstances forced upon us. These circumstances are meant for our good. If you have not yet come to Christ for forgiveness and life, the circumstances are meant to point you to the Christ as your Savior and Lord and receive His life. If you are a believer, you can know that God works through all the circumstances of life to conform us to the character and image of Christ and use us to glorify Himself and further His Kingdom. God will not waste one difficulty in life but will use them to conform us to Christ image and to fulfill His purposes through us. God uses the tests and circumstances of life to refine us and conform us to the image of Christ.

There will be a potluck luncheon after our worship gathering next Sunday, July 19. Bring enough food for yourself, family, and a little extra for any guest.

Remember to keep praying continually for each other. None of us know fully the burdens our brothers and sisters in Christ might be carrying.

Love being your pastor!

Brothers and sisters,         

Happy Monday to all! In the worship songs and the preaching of God’s Word, we contemplated God’s mysterious workings. As we looked at Genesis 42 and Joseph’s first meeting with his brothers since they had sold him into slavery, we saw how God mysteriously works to deliver His people from death to accomplish His redemptive purposes. We saw how God guides His unaware children to fulfill His purposes and live. We saw how God elevates His servants to power and gives them wisdom to provide life to His people. We recognized that God test His people to purify them and bring them to repentance. We learned that God’s people often will not see God’s life-giving purposes amid the tests. What we, from a human perspective, think might destroy us as God’s people is used by God to save and rescue His people and allow the spread the gospel around the world. God works through crisis and weakness to show His great power.  His Kingdom does not expand through the sword but often through the suffering of His children as they follow their Savior, whose suffering and death brought us forgiveness and life. God provides life to His children in the midst of death.

We will observe the Lord’s Supper in our morning worship gathering next Sunday, July 12.

We will have a quarterly business meeting after our worship gathering next Sunday, July 12. Please be praying about the important items of business with which we will be dealing.

Remember to keep praying continually for each other. None of us know fully the burdens our brothers and sisters in Christ might be carrying.

Love being your pastor!

Bob Ray, Pastor, East Madison Baptist Church

Sisters and brothers,         

Happy Monday to all! As we worshipped yesterday, we praised our Redeemer God and Risen King who reigns forever and ever. We looked at the elevation of Joseph from prison to the second highest ruler in Egypt in Genesis 41. From Genesis to Revelation that Bible teaches us that God seeks to save and rescue us from our sins and make us His own dear children. Just as God worked through Joseph to save many lives during the famine that took place in Egypt and the Middle East, God works through His children today to rescue and save lives and bring about His redemptive purposes for the world. God sent His only begotten son Jesus not to condemn the world but to save the world. God’s purpose is to save and rescue lives. His warnings in His Word given in love cause us to fear and see our need for rescue. Then eternal life revealed in God’s word through Jesus points us to our Rescuer. God calls believers as His servants who alone can understand and interpret God’s revelation to the world. God gives us understanding of what He is doing. We see the deliverance and elevation of God’s children to save and rescue lives. God works through His people to rescue and provide life to others.

Remember to keep praying continually for each other. None of us know fully the burdens our brothers and sisters in Christ might be carrying.

Love being your pastor!

Bob Ray, Pastor, East Madison Baptist Church

Brothers and sisters,         

Happy Monday to all! On Father’s Day yesterday we praised our great and perfect heavenly Father, and we thought about the importance of fathers. The importance of fathers, and especially a godly father, in someone’s life cannot be overestimated. Our culture downplays the need for a dad’s involvement in the lives of children. But no matter what lunacy our culture embraces, God’s creation order and His Word, the Bible, teach that a child is truly handicapped when Dad, for whatever reason, is not around. We looked at Scriptures that told us the importance of fatherhood. Do we want to be the dad, mom, or person God’s wants you to be?  Be f-faithful.  Be a-available.  Be t-a tough and tender teacher. Be h-hopelessly in love with your spouse.  Be e-emotionally involved with your children and those close to you. And finally, be r-repentant, seeking forgiveness for your sins from God and others, seeking grace and mercy to override your mistakes. There is no greater calling upon your life than to raise your children to walk with Jesus.

Remember to keep praying continually for each other. None of us know fully the burdens our brothers and sisters in Christ might be carrying.

Love being your pastor!

Bob Ray, Pastor, East Madison Baptist Church

Sisters and brothers,

Happy Monday to all! We worshiped together yesterday our great, loving, and faithful God. We also, in the songs and Scripture we read, focused on the preciousness of His Word which guides, strengthens, and comforts us. Then we looked at God’s working again in the life of Joseph from Genesis 40, even as Joseph was in prison. We learned that Joseph, like us, had to trust God day by day and step by step. We will not have a laid-out blueprint for us as we follow Jesus. If there were, we would follow the blueprint instead of the One who is the Way, Jesus. We follow Jesus step by step fulfilling whatever task He places before us. We understand that God will put us in the places and relationship He wants us to pursue. While being faithful to each task set before us, we seek to have the heart of our compassionate God for those downcast around us. We trust that God has put us into places where we are already equipped to speak His truth. We remember God’s love and goodness toward us when faced with severe disappointments as we follow Him. Following the Lord requires day by day obedience to the tasks before us.

From Mother’s Day until Father’s Day, we encourage people to pick up a baby bottle and put their change, bills, and checks (make check out to CareNet) in these bottles. Next Sunday on Father’s Day, bring your bottles back to the church and we will return them to CareNet to support their ministry to help pregnant women in our community choose life and help young moms as they raise their children. Thank you for your generosity!

Remember to keep praying continually for each other. None of us know fully the burdens our brothers and sisters in Christ might be carrying.

Love being your pastor!

Bob Ray, Pastor, East Madison Baptist Church

Brothers and sisters,

Happy Monday to all! We worshiped our Almighty Creator and loving Redeemer yesterday and sang of His greatness. Then from Genesis 39, we looked at the life of Joseph in Egyptian slavery. Joseph was faced with one of the most unjust situations that anyone could face in life. His brothers attacked him, put him in a pit, and then sold him to slave traders. Then Joseph was falsely accused of sexual assault by the wife of the Egyptian that bought him. Joseph, however, did not wallow in self-pity like many of us might do. Joseph went into those multiple situations and tried to do his best to make things better. Joseph had a trust in God that enabled him not to be defeated by even the most unjust situations because he believed that God had a better future for him no matter what. We will also be faced with unjust situations throughout life as we follow Christ. We will not be immune to such situations. We follow Christ Jesus, who faced the most wicked and unjust situation in history, and He told us to expect persecution in this world. From what we learned from the life and reaction of Joseph in Genesis 39 we see that God presence and blessing will never leave those who walk with Him. 

We will have potluck luncheon next Sunday, June 14, after our morning worship gathering. Bring enough food for your family and a little extra for any guests we might have with us.

From Mother’s Day until Father’s Day, we encourage people to pick up a baby bottle and put their change, bills, and checks (make check out to CareNet) in these bottles. On Father’s Day, we will bring these bottles back to the church and then return them to CareNet to support their ministry to help pregnant women in our community choose life and help young moms as they raise their children.

Remember to keep praying continually for each other. None of us know fully the burdens our brothers and sisters in Christ might be carrying.

Love being your pastor!

Bob Ray, Pastor, East Madison Baptist Church

Sisters and brothers,

Happy Monday to all! It was so encouraging to worship with the family of God yesterday. (We apologize to those who may have been watching on the livestream for the glitch that ended the service as we were just starting.) As we investigated Genesis 38, we saw in Judah a messed-up man who was not at that time living for the Lord. We also learned that despite him not walking with God, God was working in Judah’s life to bring Judah back to Himself and fulfill His plan of redemption for the world. As we looked at Judah’s life, we saw that God is watching over us even before we surrender to him. All those wrong choices and evil things we did before and since we were saved, God will use those for our good, the good of His children, and His glory. Also, the evil things that might have been done to us that cannot be undone God will use for good and His glory. We cannot undo what we did, or the evils of others done to us. We can move past the sorrow, regret, and bitterness caused by past sins.  We can forgive others for what they have done to us. We can ask forgiveness for sins we have done against God knowing His promise to completely forgive. We can also seek the forgiveness of people we may have wronged. Yes, we can move past the sorrow, regret, and bitterness caused by past sins! Does not this encourage us as we walk with God? Despite all missteps, failures, sins, and wrongs done to us, God is working in and through our lives for our good and His glory. We cannot mess it up! God will not waste one circumstance in the lives of His children as He brings about His eternal purposes.

From Mother’s Day until Father’s Day, we encourage people to pick up a baby bottle and put their change, bills, and checks (make check out to CareNet) in these bottles. On Father’s Day, we will bring these bottles back to the church and then return them to CareNet to support their ministry to help pregnant women in our community choose life and help young moms as they raise their children.

Remember to keep praying continually for each other. None of us know fully the burdens our brothers and sisters in Christ might be carrying.

Love being your pastor!

Bob Ray, Pastor, East Madison Baptist Church

Brothers and sisters,

Happy Tuesday to all! We looked at the horrific and hard things that happened to Joseph in Genesis 37 on Sunday. Joseph was almost killed by his brothers and then sold into slavery by them. However, in all of Joseph’s betrayals, hardships, and sorrows, God was bringing about His plan for the protection of all the family of Jacob and for the redemption of the world. God will lead us sometimes right into exceedingly difficult and trying situations. God allows and leads in such horrific situations for our ultimate good, the good of all His children, and for His glory. We see in the lives of God’s children the truth that sometimes, as Steve Estes said, “God permits what He hates to accomplish what He loves.” It is in those times that we must trust in God’s goodness when we cannot understand His ways. Will we believe in the goodness and love of God even when we cannot understand some of the things He allows? Will we believe that God truly is bringing a beautiful and perfect future for His children?God works through the most horrific of circumstances to bring about good for His children.

From Mother’s Day until Father’s Day, we encourage people to pick up a baby bottle and put their change, bills, and checks (make check out to CareNet) in these bottles. On Father’s Day, we will bring these bottles back to the church and then return them to CareNet to support their ministry to help pregnant women in our community choose life and help young moms as they raise their children.

Remember to keep praying continually for each other. None of us know fully the burdens our brothers and sisters in Christ might be carrying.

Love being your pastor!

Bob Ray, Pastor, East Madison Baptist Church

Sisters and brothers,

Happy Monday to all! What a day we had yesterday! The tornado warning came during worship, and we moved everyone downstairs to be safe. The way the church worked to help our brothers and sisters all be safe was wonderful. It was the way the family of God the church should be with all helping each other. We did not let the tornado warning stop us from worshipping as God’s Word was proclaimed and we continued to sing and praise our great God and Redeemer. I will never forget yesterday and the unity of the body of Christ in that moment!

The message was from Genesis 37 and about Jacob’s family disfunction. We saw that Jacob elevated Joseph above his other sons and Joseph inadvertently elevated himself above his family. We learned about walking in humility. When we walk in pride, we cause division, but when we walk in humility, we can bring people together. Humility is one of the chief virtues of the Bible. It was supremely exhibited to us in Christ. Philippians 2:5-11 instructs us that: “Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: ⁶Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, ⁷but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. ⁸And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death– even death on a cross! ⁹Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, ¹⁰that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, ¹¹and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”  Jesus tells us, “For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”  Peter tells us, “Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time,” (1 Peter 5:6). James tells us, “God opposes the proud but give grace to the humble,” (James 4:6).Do you want to cause division in your family or anywhere else? Walk in pride. Do you want to bring your family together and heal relationships? Humble yourselves before God and others. Elevating one person or one child above others brings jealousy and hatred. Elevating yourself above others even unintentionally widens already broken divisions.Believers should avoid elevating ourselves or our children above others.

From Mother’s Day until Father’s Day, we encourage people to pick up a baby bottle and put their change, bills, and checks (make check out to CareNet) in these bottles. On Father’s Day, we will bring these bottles back to the church and then return them to CareNet to support their ministry to help pregnant women in our community choose life and help young moms as they raise their children.

Remember to keep praying continually for each other. None of us know fully the burdens our brothers and sisters in Christ might be carrying.

Love being your pastor!

Bob Ray, Pastor, East Madison Baptist Church

Brothers and sisters,

Happy Monday to all! Yesterday, we looked from Genesis 35 at Jacob as he completed his journey back to his father and the promised land. We considered that those who have trusted Jesus with their lives to save them are on a journey with God back to God’s forever presence. Once you believe, you are on your way home to live in God’s forever presence. We are heading to our true forever home where we belong. Do not be like some who have rewritten the old spiritual and sing, “This world is not my home, I’m just a passin through, but I’ve got a few CD’s and a Krugerrand or two. The angels beckon me from heaven’s other shore, but let me see my broker just once more.” Peter tells us in 1 Peter 2:11, “Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of our flesh, which war against your soul.” Do not forget believers are all on a journey and this world is not our home. We can never be satisfied completely with life as it is now. God has something far better for all of us with Him. God walks with us on this journey toward forever life with Him. Live in His presence daily realizing God is with you and look forward to when we will be fully in His presence and our forever home. God invites us to walk with Him as we journey through life toward our forever home with Him.

This Saturday beginning at 9:00 AM, we will have a workday at the church building to do some sprucing up. We will be done by 12:00 PM. We hope many can be here to lighten the load for all of us.

From Mother’s Day until Father’s Day, we encourage people to pick up a baby bottle and put their change, bills, and checks (make check out to CareNet) in these bottles. On Father’s Day, we will bring these bottles back to the church and then return them to CareNet to support their ministry to help pregnant women in our community choose life and help young moms as they raise their children.

Remember to keep praying continually for each other. None of us know fully the burdens our brothers and sisters in Christ might be carrying.

Love being your pastor!

Bob Ray, Pastor, East Madison Baptist Church