Newsletter  June 7th

GREETINGS FROM BARBEE’S GROVE BAPTIST CHURCH

Our region of the USA has had many signs of drought in recent weeks. Rain has been scarce. “Burn Bans” were issued. Cities issued water usage restrictions. The creek that flows under the one-lane bridge on Booger Hollow Road is at the lowest level that I have seen it in my almost 9 years of driving to Barbee’s Grove. Last week, we did have some rain. It was helpful, but “spotty” This past Saturday was a perfect example. Ted Barbe’s Greenhouse is about 15 miles south of my house. I was at the Greenhouse at 10am. It was raining “bucketfuls”. Water began pooling up in low spots. It was still pouring when I left for home. Talked with my brother, Jim. He lives about 10 miles west of me. He said he had a good rain, but that it only lasted 20 minutes or so. Got to my house. I live near Lowes. Not a drop of rain had fallen and not a drop came all day. 

In my mind, the situation we face with a lack of physical rain, is the same as the one we face with spiritual rain. It has been decades since a real, powerful move of God, a genuine spiritual rain, has swept across our land. We hear of one church who has a small “shower”. 5 or 6 people are saved. Elsewhere, another church has several families join and they have their own “shower”. Meanwhile, other churches where the Pastor is just as faithful, and the members really strive to serve Jesus, experience no growth at all. Spiritual rain is as “spotty” as physical rain. It must have been such a time as this that caused the hymn writer to pen these words: 

Verse 3…”There shall be showers of blessing, Send them upon us, O Lord
                      Grant to us now a refreshing, Come and now honor Thy Word 
Verse 4…There shall be showers of blessing, OH, that today they might fall
                     Now as to God we’re confessing Now as on Jesus we call
Chorus      Showers of blessing, Showers of blessing we need
                      Mercy drops round us are falling, But for the showers we plead”.

Every drop of physical or spiritual “rain” is a “mercy drop” from the Lord. We thank Him and praise Him for those drops. But are we pleading, praying, preparing, and expecting a full blown shower in both categories? The Lord recently reminded me of Amos 4:7, 8. I am going to give a short, edited version. I suggest you get your Bibles and read all that Chapter. “I have withholden the rain from you…I caused it to rain upon one city and caused it not to rain upon another city…yet, have you not returned unto Me, saith the Lord”. I still contend that if we want to receive more than “mercy drops”, a group of genuine Christians will need to do some serious seeking of the Lord in repentance and a commitment to Godly living. How long will the drought last? Are our actions ending, or extending the drought?

God’s power to change the situation is amazing. When we lived those few years in Oklahoma, a similar drought came. The many lakes around Tulsa were seriously low. Scientists said that one lake was in a particularly bad situation. They said that because the creeks that fed that lake were so few and so small it would take 17 years of normal rainfall to refill that lake. Nothing is impossible with God. Two weeks later, every lake in the area was out of its banks and overflowing their dams. That included the lake that was supposed to take 17 years to refill.
DO YOU THINK GOD LAUGHS WHEN MERE MORTALS TELL HIM WHAT HE CANNOT DO? PHYSICAL AND SPIRITUAL RAIN CAN COME TO A REPENTANT NATION!

ADDITIONAL THOUGHTS

1. Sunday School is at 9:00 am
2. Morning Worship and Children’s Church are at 10:00 am. Also available at 10 in the parking lot on 99,1 FM and on the website after 12:30 pm
3. Prayer and Bible Study are at 6:30 pm on \Wednesday in the Fellowship Hall
4. VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL—-June 26 and 27 — Are you inviting kids to attend?

LET IT RAIN!!!!
Pastor Ed and Deacons of Barbee’s Grove Baptist Church