Reflections

Dan. 1:8   “But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s meat, nor with the wine which he drank: therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.”    

Do you have a plan for growing in the Lord?  Very little  progress is made in the Christian life if we do not have a plan and purpose for serving the Lord, for growing in the Lord. The true child of God hungers and thirsts for God.  A true Christian has a desire to be able to serve the Lord.  To be able do anything for the Lord, we must have a plan; we must make a decision to serve God.   A college student, all through the long hours of study and preparing for tests keeps on because it is in that student’s plan to graduate.  The athlete wants to excel, so he must also have a plan of training and rigorous exercise to achieve His goal.  Do you have a spiritual goal?  Do you have something that  you purpose to do for the Lord?  Stick to your plan.  Strive to give your best to the Lord.  You will be happy and you will be blessed for it, and most of all, God will be honored.  And, if we live haphazardly, who suffers?  Not only ourselves, but also our families.  And, I believe a nation suffers when God’s churches lose their salt.  May the Lord help us to keep trudging on for Him!

“But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.” 2 Peter 3:18 

Lately, God has so impressed this truth on my heart.  I have felt led to continue to bring messages on growth, spiritual knowledge, etc.  Somehow, as Baptists, we have bought into the idea that you can be saved and never learn, or never grow in the Lord, and spend your life ignoring your Master.   “The most important is salvation!”  What God has been impressing on me is that you cannot separate the two concepts.  If you are saved, you will grow.  Some have the idea that the things we “first learn” in our spiritual journey will never be “unlearned.”  I had given the example of the Catholics who were saved, but felt that they still needed to have their baby sprinkled so he wouldn’t go tohell.  I emphasize, TRUE SALVATION RESULTS IN GROWTH THAT WE GAIN AS WE GAIN MORE KNOWLEDGE OF THE WORD OF GOD AND OF GOD HIMSELF.  We might find that some things we used to believe, we don’t believe them anymore.  We have learned!  God’s Word will transform, re-create the saved person.  We will be a new creature.  In the past, we measured growth as a few outward changes that take place.   “I don’t cuss anymore, or I don’t smoke anymore.”  While these should be evident in the life of a Christian, there is so much more to growing in the Lord.  Growth leads to knowledge, faithfulness, service, and peace!  Are you growing in the Lord?  Are you learning?  If not, there might be something seriously wrong in your understanding of salvation.  Let us examine ourselves.

1Sa 7:12 Then Samuel took a stone, and set it between Mizpeh and Shen, and called the name of it Ebenezer, saying, Hitherto hath the LORD helped us.”  I Samuel 7:12.

Even though our church’s  name is Brentwood Baptist, we could also use this  title, Ebenezer Baptist.   What does the word mean?  If you refer to the passage above, you see the words, “Hitherto hath the Lord helped us.”   Brentwood is here today because of the Lord.  God has had faithful people here through the years.  Many of them are already in heaven.  We are the ones here now.  We must continue to exhibit the love of God, compassion for lost souls, and determine to be faithful.   Whatever has been done in the past.    Now it is up too us to continue what was started some 65 years ago. We must continue in sound Doctrine  as the apostles did in Acts 2.  We must be faithful, in the good times and in the bad to keep on keeping on!   Are you a member?  Are you saved?  Do you love the Lord?  If so, put your shoulder to the plow and join forces with us!

God has been so good to us; we must do our best for Him!