Apri 14, 2023 - Good Morning! It’s Friday, April 14.
The inspiring power of music. The healing power of song.
Once a month, the adult choir of First Baptist Church of Center goes out into the community, goes out to sing at the homes of shut-ins. This past Wednesday evening they shared gospel music on the patio of a brother who is facing incredible health challenges. And we left him with a smile on his face and a song in his heart.
April 13, 2023 - Good Morning! It’s Thursday, April 13.
On Easter Sunday we placed a large cross in our sanctuary, with a royal purple drape and a crown of flowers. Yesterday I was preparing the worship center for this coming Sunday, and was in the process of taking the Easter cross down, when I had a moment of reflection.
April 11, 2023 - Good Morning! It’s Tuesday, April 11.
Here’s one of the most famous phrases from one of the most famous documents in history -
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.
April 10, 2023 - Good Morning! It’s Monday, April 10.
The Bible is a book that is dominated by stories about men. I challenge you to name more than ten significant female characters from God’s Word. Why is this? Perhaps it’s because the Bible was written in a culture dominated by men. Whatever your conclusion, we must agree that women of the Word, although few in number, are often great in faith. Women like Queen Esther, Deborah the Judge, Ruth, of the Book of Ruth, Priscilla, protege of Paul, and Mary, the mother of Christ.
April 7, 2023 - Good Morning! It’s Friday, April 7 - Good Friday.
Have you ever wondered why the adjective "good" is applied to the day that Jesus died? It goes to the changing definitions of words over time. At one time "good" was a synonym of "holy" - and we can certainly see the appropriateness of that adjective for this sacred day.
April 5, 2023 - Good Morning! It's Wednesday, April 5. We continue, this morning, with our series on what Jesus was doing each day of that first Holy Week.
Wednesday of Holy Week is sometimes called Silent Wednesday because the gospels give no specific details about what Jesus was doing that day Most scholars believe that He and His disciples stayed in Bethany, a place where He had many followers and the hometown of His good friends Mary, Martha, and Lazarus. It was the perfect place for Him to rest after three tumultous days, and before the coming storm.
April 4, 2023 - Good Morning! It’s Tuesday of Holy Week, and we continue to look at what Jesus was doing each day of the week that led to the first Easter Sunday.
April 3, 2023 - Good Morning! It’s Monday, April 3.
This, of course, is Holy Week and each day this week I will be looking at what Jesus was doing on that day. After His triumphant entrance into Jerusalem on Sunday, His Monday began very differently. Matthew 21:12 tells us - He entered the temple area and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves. "It is written", He said, "My house shall be called a house of prayer but you are making it a den of thieves!"