Happy Monday, January 16, 2023, church!

Brothers and sisters,

Happy Monday to all! I hope you have had a good day today remembering Martin Luther King, Jr. as he led in the struggle against the evils of racism and segregation and fought for the ideas of the Declaration of Independence that all men are created equal. Every person has been given inalienable rights by Almighty God because he or she has been created in the image of God.

Yesterday we worshipped our risen King Jesus who is the fount of every blessing. Then we worshipped by looking at James 1 to think about how we are to face the many trials and difficulties that will come our way in this life. We are to joyfully face the trials that come to us. We are with faith to ask God for wisdom as we face these trials. We are to face the trials of wealth and poverty with humility and confidence of what we have in Christ. We know that our poverty in this life will not hinder God grace toward us or His working in our lives. Neither will our wealth in this life give us any more access to God’s grace or aid God in working in our lives. Rich and poor, all of us, stand before God in need of the atoning sacrifice of Jesus. Then we saw that we will be blessed as we stand firm in God’s grace during the trials and difficulties of life. God uses the various difficulties and trials every believer faces to grow and mature us as followers of Jesus.

The ladies will have brunch this Saturday, January 21st, at Buck and Honey’s Restaurant, 800 W Broadway, Monona, WI 53713, at 11:00 AM.

The January 8 service which we were unable to livestream is now available on our YouTube channel. Here is the link to that service: https://youtu.be/PKWQ7_7cJ5w

Continue to keep praying for Kathy McElmurry as she recovers from a stroke.

Remember to keep praying continually for each other.

Love being your pastor!

Bob Ray, Pastor, East Madison Baptist Church