Newsletter Feb 22nd

GREETINGS FROM BARBEE’S GROVE BAPTIST CHURCH

I can imagine that recently you had the same experience I had. Daylight came. I looked out my windows and beautiful white snow covered everything—my lawn—flower beds—the roads around my house. The world looked pristine and pure. But I knew the truth. Under that pretty snow was a lot of “UGLY”. There were areas of my lawn that were bare, too rocky to grow grass. Dead flowers and dead tomato plants from last summer were also covered. I could see beauty, but I was well aware that underneath was a much uglier scene.

Is this not a wonderful picture of the born again believers’ relationship with Jesus, our Lord and Savior? We acknowledge the truth of Romans 3:23 “All have sinned and come short of the glory of God”. We look at our past and see accidental sin and deliberate sin. But there came a wonderful day when we came to Jesus. We confessed our sin. We asked Him to be our Lord and Savior. We were forgiven, cleansed, and made holy in the eyes of God. As a result, our hearts thrill at the awesome promise of Isaiah 1:18 ” Come now, let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool”.

From the moment we enter into a saving relationship with Jesus, God sees us as covered by the Blood of our Savior. The ugliness of our sin is hidden, washed away, and no longer held against us. Meditate upon these truths:
   …”According as He hath chosen us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love” [Ephesians 1:4]
   …Being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus” [Romans 3:24]
   …”Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” [Romans 5:1]

Consider, also, these phrases from the hymn, I STAND AMAZED IN THE PRESENCE:
   …”And wonder how He could love me, a sinner, condemned, unclean”
   …”He had no tears for His own griefs, but sweat drops of blood for mine”
   …”He took my sins and my sorrows, and made them His very own”
   …”He bore the burden to Calvary and suffered and died alone”
   …”When with the ransomed in glory, His face I at last will see”
   …”it will be my joy through the ages to sing of His love for me”

The beautiful snow covered the “Ugly” in my yard. Praise the Lord, when the precious Blood of Jesus covers my sin, then that sin is covered for all eternity. Jesus does for us what we can never do for ourselves apart from Him. THANK YOU, JESUS, for shedding Your blood that covers and cleanses us from all sin.  AMEN

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 on Wednesday at 6:30 pm in  the Fellowship Hall
4. February 22—Baptist Women’s Day
5. March 1—Baptist Men’s Day—-Same schedule as previously announced
6. THANK YOU for the wonderful meal, fellowship, and gifts that made our Widows/widowers lunch so special

Are you a Believer? If so, your sins are covered. God sees you as righteous because of Jesus
Pastor Ed and Deacons of Barbee’s Grove Baptist Church