A New Beginning in 2012

I really do like New Year's Day. For nothing more than it is a place to start. It is a place to begin something new and put aside the old. We can always justify making a change in our lives on New Year's Day. So, the question for all of us at Trinity Baptist Church is what should be new for us in 2012? I wonder what the Lord has in store for all of us that are striving to do God's will in 2012. Maybe 2012 will bring a new way of reaching out to our community. Perhaps our God will bring people into our midst brothers and sisters in Christ that will inspire us to be stronger in our outreach! Let us pray for power, wisdom, love and growth. Although, I am daily thankful for everyone at TBC and their encouragement and love, I know that our body of believers could do so much more. Paul gives us great inspiration in the book of Philippians for a time like New Year's.
Philippians 3:13-14

13Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, 14I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
So on this New Year's Eve-I challenge my brothers and sisters to "forget the behind, reach forth to what is before and press to the mark." Its God year this 2012. God has been good and we have seen in particular young men and women be drawn to the Saviour in 2011. Let us look to our God for the way in 2012!

How Satan Tried to Steal Christmas

We all love the holiday classic-"How the Grinch Stole Christmas".  I'm talking about the cartoon that I watched as a kid and with my children every year for many years.  I'll never forget the low bass singer singing "you're a mean one Mister Grinch."  You know the story-he goes to Whoville to steal everything related to the Christmas celebration.  In the end he is charmed by Cindy-Lou Who and saves Christmas for all.  The Grinch did everything he could to steal away the joy of Christmas for the folks of Whoville.  Well, Satan did everything he could to take away the true reason for Christmas.  We celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ our Redeemer.  Satan tried his best to put up roadblocks to stop the birth and life of the Savior.  Today we remembered three obstacles to the life of Christ. 

First, the importance of God fulfilling his promise to David that the Messiah would be one of his offspring.  Well, Satan caused many of David's offspring to be very wicked, so wicked that the wicked King Coniah was cursed that none of his offspring qualify to be the Messiah.  God's plan would make sure that Jesus would be the son of David and that the curse of Coniah would be fulfilled.  It happened that Jesus would be in the line of both Mary's lineage and Joseph's.  Coniah was promised you will be "childless" for the Messiah of which he was, as Mary's lineage was through David's son Nathan and not the legal line of Solomon.  God's plan was preserved as his plan remains true for each and every one of us every day.

Second, Mary was virgin born.  To many of the day this was very hard to accept.  God did a miracle as Mary was conceived of the Holy Spirit (Isaiah 7:14).  There must have been rumours of a stoning as that was the punishment for unmarried pregnancies.  Joseph was told by God in a dream that this baby was unique and special.  He remained true to his betrothed and God's plan was fulfilled.  Jesus was conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of a virgin.  Satan's plan was thwarted.

Third, the baby Jesus was saved from a murder by the wicked King Herod.  The three Godly wise men refused to give in to Herod and give him details of the whereabouts of the baby Jesus.  Joseph reacted quickly to take his family to Egypt to avoid the baby killings that would happen in Bethlehem.  Again, God's perfect plan was fulfilled.  Satan tried and failed.  He tried to stop the redemption plan and failed.  He tried every day to distract us from serving our God.  He tries to use trials to cause us to doubt.  Christian- Satan has already failed.  Trust Christ as Savior and let him rule your life.  Don't let Satan steal Christmas!

Christmas Carols and the Gospel

This week our young people at Trinity have Christmas concerts nearly every day.  Actually there was one Monday, last night and each week night of the rest of the week.  I'll be Christmas caroling with two different clubs here in the next week and our youth group will carol on Monday evening.  One could easily tire of hearing Christmas carols.  My daughter Jeanette mentioned this very attitude to me this week.  But, with a Evangelistic mindset, Christmas is the greatest time for the Gospel.  All you have to do is sing (usually) the last verse of our most treasured Christmas Carols.  Take Silent Night-
Silent Night, Holy Night, Son of God, loves' pure light.  Radiant beams from thy holy face, with the dawn of redeeming grace.  Jesus Lord at the birth, Jesus Lord at the birth.   


Redeeming grace is the hallmark of the Gospel.  Christmas is a great time to comment on this verse and the redeeming grace.  This is an easy transition to a Gospel witness of Christ to the unsaved.

Take The First Noel and the last verse:
Then let us all with one accord Sing praises to our heavenly Lord, That hath made heav'n and earth of naught, And with His blood mankind hath bought. 
Here we read of God being the creator and His reaching down and shedding his blood to buy back our eternal redemption.  Wow!  I challenge you to take some time to share the last verse of a Christmas carol to someone this week.  It is like a Gospel Tract sent from World and American Cultural History.  :)  
Tomorow more Gospel Carol Last Verses.

Sunday is Mongolia Day

This Sunday we are excited to have our missionaries, the Conners,to the land of Mongolia.  After serving the Lord nearly 20 years they have retired to Flagstaff, Arizona and are looking forward to new ways of service for God.  We hope to continue to be involved in their endeavors whatever they may be.   Sunday Brother Dick will be here to  preach and encourage us in the Word.  We pray that you can be here. 

Celebrating the Birth of the King

Trinity Baptist Church will be celebrating Christmas this year with a special youth program on December 18th and a special Christmas Day Celebration on the 25th.  We welcome everyone to come and join us as we celebrate the incarnation of the Lord Jesus Christ.  Our services will begin at 11:00 am each day.