Change Will Come

Psalm 46:1-3

God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble. 2Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change And though the mountains slip into the heart of the sea; 3Though its waters roar and foam, Though the mountains quake at its swelling pride. Selah.

Change is inevitable. We have had a very cold winter here in Wilmington but when I look at pictures from up North of houses covered in snow it is not so bad. Thursday here was a beautiful day but we are expecting very cold weather and possible snow this weekend. We are ready for a change of weather. We would like to be with these guys in the picture...Lucky Dogs. On a more serious note I expect that the people of Haiti would like a change from what they have been going through for the past several weeks. People here in the United States who have lost their homes, retirements, and jobs would also like a change. Change is such a powerful word that I believe that one word might have won the last Presidential election. Be assured of this ...things will change. If you don't think so pull out your high school yearbook and take a peak at You and then the mirror. The Bible tells us in this passage that when things happen, when changes come, put your trust and Faith in God for He never changes. He will be there for you in the good times and the bad, and in your final moments of life as the change comes from temporary to Eternal God will lead you home if you have accepted Him as your Lord and Savior and Changed your status from Lost to Saved.

In God We Trust

Job 6:18

"The paths of their course wind along,They go up into nothing and perish.

We must allow God to chart our course. There is a way that seems right to man but it's end is destruction. Are we paying attention today to where we are going, if not we might end up just like this guy.

Enjoy this song, click on the link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DiYgpPB1kwU

Get Involved

Nehemiah 4:6

So we rebuilt the wall till all of it reached half its height, for the people worked with all their heart.

Nehemiah had returned to Jerusalem from captivity and found that the walls of the city were destroyed. He enlisted the help of the people and in a very short time the people had erected the walls to half their original height

Nehemiah 6:15

So the wall was completed on the twenty-fifth of Elul, in fifty-two days.

In 52 days the walls were re-built. Why? Because, the people worked with all their heart. As Christians we must get involved. We have seen what has happened to our country because we were silent. Prayer has been removed from schools. Our Nation has turned away from God and in the name of Political Correctness has embraced every form of godless ideology that has come down the road leaving the influence of Christianity a mere shadow of what it once was. It is said that we are a silent Majority, I believe we should be come an active Minority. If one person can remove Prayer from schools what can Millions of people who call themselves Christians accomplish if the GET INVOLVED.

It's all About the Dog Gone Fellowship

Hebrews 10:25

And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.

The Church is all about fellowship and encouraging one another, because the Church is all about people. We are told to never neglect the assembling of ourselves but it goes so much deeper than just Sunday Morning Worship. Take the guys in this picture for example, they are just enjoying being together. Sharing good moments and bad, praying for one another, making great memories together. Get involved at your Church. If you are just attending on Sunday morning you are missing so much of what the Church is all about.

You Think This Is Dangerous

Psalm 53:1

The fool says in his heart,"There is no God."

First please click on this link and watch it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LIjC7DjoVe8

This has to be one of the most dangerous occupations a person could have. If you are like me it made you nervous just watching him crawl on those power lines. But, if you think that is dangerous, how would you like to stand before God and all of Eternity and know that you never believed in Him or accepted Christ. You were also aware that there were only two eternal destinations and that you had just been told you were not going to Heaven. Only a Fool has said in his heart there is no God.

Do You Have an Answer?

1 Peter 3:15

But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect,

Do you know how many Muslims are in the world? Do you know the country with the largest Muslim population? Do you know how many Muslims live in the United States? Is Jesus mentioned in the Quran? Do you know the two major divisions of Muslims in the world? Do Muslims believe in the virgin birth of Christ? Do Muslims believe in Heaven and Hell and a Day of Judgement? Well, if you have been attending our Wednesday night Bible Study the last 4 weeks you know the answers to all these questions and many more. Are we just studying for the sake of knowledge, no we are not. We are trying to learn so that when we are given the opportunity we can witness to people of other faiths more effectively. In addition Christians must know what we believe and why. Many Christians do not know their Bibles, can not explain the Trinity, have no idea how to lead someone to Christ. It has been said that only 5% of Christians will ever lead another person to Christ. I would encourage everyone to get involved in a Bible Believing Church, where the Bible is preached in Truth and Love. A place where the life Changing truth of Jesus Christ is preached and demonstrated. A Church where you can discover your Spiritual Gifts and how to use them to Minister to others If someone were to ask you why you believe in Jesus Christ....Do You Have an Answer?

If you need answers to these questions or others please feel free to visit our website:

http://www.abcwilmington.com/

There are over 1 Billion Muslims in the World, the most populated Muslim country is Indonesia, and Jesus is mentioned in the Quran.... many times.

Nothing Lasts Forever...Right?

1 Peter 1:24-25e) 24
For,"ALL FLESH IS LIKE GRASS, AND ALL ITS GLORY LIKE THE FLOWER OF GRASS. THE GRASS WITHERS, AND THE FLOWER FALLS OFF, 25 BUT THE WORD OF THE LORD ENDURES FOREVER " And this is the word which was preached to you.

I read an article today about a Sun that is burning out. It is 550 light years away from earth and you can see pictures of it if you google Chi Cygni or go to the following link:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/34944132/ns/technology_and_science-space/?gt1=43001

This sort of gives you an idea of what will happen one day to our Sun. As they say Nothing Lasts Forever....Right? Well the Sun may not but the Son will, at least that is what the Bible says. Each day I get up and have faith that the Sun will rise but the Truth is one day it will not. Each day I get up and have Faith in the Son of God and that if I believe in Him and accept Him into my life then I will have eternal life. I have much more faith in the Son than I do the Sun. For we walk by faith and not by sight. So even if the Sun does not RISE tomorrow if you believe in Christ You will.

Who Said It?

“If a man is called to be a street sweeper, he should sweep streets even as Michelangelo painted, or Beethoven composed music, or Shakespeare wrote poetry. He should sweep streets so well that all the hosts of heaven and earth will pause to say, here lived a great street sweeper who did his job well.”

"Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might, for in the grave, where you are going, there is neither working nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom."

Whatever it is that we are called to do we must do it to the best of our ability. If we rescue people, teach children, lay brick, sweep streets, work on an assembly line do it as if you were working for God because as Christians our work reflects God. People watch us to see how we work, live, laugh and love others. We are a witness for God each day that we live. So, today whatever you do, give it your all and we can make a difference In the world and in peoples lives.

First quote: Martin Luther King Jr.

Second Quote: King Solomon Ecclesiastes 9:10

Make Up Your Mind America

1 Thessalonians 5:17

Pray without ceasing

There have been many rulings by our Supreme Court against Public Prayer. Our Government discourages prayer or references to God. There is an anti-Christian bias prevalent in today's society. No Bible, no prayer, no references to God. But, let something happen on a major scale and the liberal media and our Government and our Country goes running to God like a scared school child. Remember September 11,2001? All of a sudden everyone seemed to believe in prayer and everyone was calling on God for help. What a fickle group. Make up your mind America either you believe in God and Prayer or you don't. Take a stand one way or the other and that goes for Christians or people who call themselves Christians. God is not some kind of cosmic magician that we can call on when we are in a jam. I am not a prophet and I do not know what the future holds but I do know who holds the future. I believe it is time for each one of us who call ourselves Christians to declare as Joshua did :

15"If it is disagreeable in your sight to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves today whom you will serve: whether the gods which your fathers served which were beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD."

Joshua 24:15

Having a Bad Day?

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Alarm clock did not go off this morning, could not find your favorite tie, car would not start, kids giving you are hard time on the way to school, can't open your e-mail? I bet the people in these pictures would trade places with you. These are pictures from the earthquake that happened yesterday in Haiti. 3,000,000 people have been affected.

No way to know yet how many are dead, homeless, lives will never be the same. Massive relief efforts are being put together and I am checking how how we can help as a Church. I will let you know as soon as I find out. It is always so amazing to me that when a catastrophe happens like this everyone is talking about prayer and God. I will close with a quote from a Haitian Senator. Have a GOOD and THANKFUL day

Dr. Louis-Gerard Gilles, a former senator, said as he helped. "Haiti needs to pray. We all need to pray together."

Here is a video from this mornings today show be sure and click on it.



http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/34838276#34838276

Got Steroids?

1 John 1:9

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

The Greek word for confess is homologeo. This word means, "to agree, admit, or acknowledge." In short, when used in the Bible it generally means to admit or acknowledge something that God already knows anyway. When we do that then God is able to forgive us and cleanse us and we can move on with our lives. Mark McGwire recently confessed to using steroids, something we all knew anyway. He broke the single season Home Run record held by Roger Maris. In 1998 McGwire hit 70 Home Runs breaking the Maris record of 61 that was set in 1961. Barry Bonds now holds the single season record with 73 Home Runs. He has not confessed, as of yet, to what the rest of America already knows. Now this is not a baseball lesson or a judgement against any of these players. This is an attempt to help each one of us understand that God already knows everything about us. He not only is aware of our actions but also our thoughts and motives. Who do we think we are kidding? If there is anything we have done that needs to be confessed to God DO IT TODAY so that you can receive God's forgiveness, and move on with your life with a clear conscience. If God sets you free you are free indeed. Oh yes, and Hank Aaron you are still "The Man."

Here's Your Sign

Ecclesiastes 10:3
Even when the fool walks along the road, his sense is lacking and he demonstrates to everyone that he is a fool.

I heard a story about a man who came upon a sign just like this one. He read it and then decided that he would go ahead anyway and find a way through even though the message is very clear on the sign. He came to a bridge that had been washed out and realized that he had to go back. When he got back he found these words written on the back of the sign:

"Welcome Back Stupid"

I wonder how many of us are like that? As we read God's Word it clearly tells us what to do and not to do. Yet, we think we know best and so we proceed down roads that we know God would not have us travel. Then when it does not work out we try to blame God or others. How many times do we have to travel these roads before we begin to trust God's Sign-Posts?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0X3bHLRU-2I

Something to Consider

The Bible tells us we should pray for our leaders. I would like to encourage you to do just that since it seems they have LOST THEIR MINDS. Or maybe simply do not care about the American public anymore. Our government is proposing stricter screening and increased security and new laws to protect us from terrorists. Here is an idea...why not simply enforce the laws on the books. I am attaching a video of Muslim extremists speaking on the streets of New York. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y6dgGI-ZJY0 There are laws on the books that enable our government to expel anyone who is threatening harm against the United States or it's citizens in the form of violence and treason.

In addition I am against the use of taxpayer money to defend the terrorist that tried to blow up flight 253 over Detroit on Christmas Day. It appears his intent was to kill himself in order to support his beliefs; maybe we should honor his intentions.
New Jersey, and several other states, are about to pass legislation that would allow ILLEGAL Aliens to receive in-state tuition rates for College. What about legal citizens receiving the same courtesy since we are the taxpayers that support the educational institutions.

The CEOs of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have just received
Multi-million dollar bonuses for the great job they did this last year in running those two businesses. Does this not bother anyone?

Now my job as a minister is to preach the Gospel and not get involved in politics, that is my responsibility as a U.S. Citizen and, I do not want to blur the lines. So I am simply asking that you PRAY hard for these very confused, isolated, insulated, over paid, arrogant self serving elected officials. I know that very few of them read the legislation they impose on us but maybe some of them should at least take the time to read the Constitution. They are elected to Represent us and Serve the people. Maybe the American People should vote on their next pay raises instead of leaving that to them. I wonder how they would do?

In Christ,

Jeff

Come Let Us Woship

Psalm 95:6
Come, let us worship and bow down, Let us kneel before the LORD our Maker.

As you know our Nation is in the midst of extremely cold weather conditions. Some have even lost their lives because of the frigid cold. The Mayor of Memphis ordered all the utilities turned back on for people who had been cut off due to non-payment. We are also in the midst of the football playoffs. Many of these games will be played in conditions similar to those in the picture above. Millions of people will stay home from Church this coming Sunday because it is too cold. We all Worship something. The guys in this picture worship football and a little weather is not going to keep them from their god. What are the things that keep us from Worship? Too cold, too hot, too far, sermon too long, don't really like the music. I suppose if we don't want to go any excuse will do. I wonder what conditions were like on the Cross?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YzRfB0oN6Wo

Who's Number 1 ??????

Luke 10:41-42

But the Lord answered and said to her, "Martha, Martha, you are worried and bothered about so many things;
42but only one thing is necessary, for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her."

Between now and Thursday night we will hear more than we ever needed to know about both of these schools in the National Championship. This game will take on a life of it's own. But before we get too carried away let me ask you this...Who won the College Football National Championship in 1943, 1952, 1965, 1977, 1984, 1991, 2002, 2008? Out of these 8 how many did you get right? Oh you could google them and find out but how many of us really remember from year to year? In the passage above Martha was concerned about preparing dinner for Jesus and His Disciples but Jesus pointed out that only a few things are important and in the end really only 1. Do we have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ? The answer to that question is not a Trivial Pursuit it will determine where we spend Eternity. The Tide may Role and the Horns may Hook'Em but in the end God is and always will be Number 1.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KkjEscy05Yc

How Are You Doing?

Proverbs 16:2

All a man's ways seem innocent to him, but motives are weighed by the LORD.

Usually a set of scales figures in with our New Years resolutions. Most of us would like to lose some weight. We may feel like we are doing OK with our diet plan but the only

weigh (ha ha) to really know is to step on a set of these. Then the truth is revealed. The way people are living their lives may seem right to them but the only way to know is to measure our actions and motives by God's Word. People can see our actions but only God really knows our motives. Why do we do the things we do? We can fool some of the people some of the time but we can't fool God at all. When we step on His scales the Truth will be revealed.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1nvMkEkW4xM&feature=related

And They're Off

Hebrews 12:1

Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,

January 4, 2010 We are off and running. Resolutions in mind, goals on paper, dreams and visions of what this year might hold. How are you doing so far? Having a daily quiet time, attend Church yesterday, reading your Bible Daily, ( I won't even mention the diet). All of us have plans for 2010 but I wonder what God would have us do. Before starting this race let us lay aside anything that would hinder us from running well. Do we need to forgive someone, settle a debt, start or stop a habit, confess some failure to God and ask for forgiveness so we can move forward. This is not a sprint we are in, it is an endurance race..pace yourself. Ask God for the strength and courage and vision to run this race well. If you see a fellow runner fall down help them up, somewhere down the road they might do the same for you.

What Are You Building?

Ephesians 2:19-22

19So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God's household,
20having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the corner stone,
21in whom the whole building, being fitted together, is growing into a holy temple in the Lord,
22in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit.

Welcome to 2010. It's here like it or not, ready or not. As you look back across 2009 are you satisfied with what you accomplished or do you feel you could have done better. There is nothing we can do about 2009 but 2010 well, that's a very different story. We are all given a certain amount of talent and time to build our lives and do something while we are here. That goes for individuals and Churches. God is doing a great work with us as Anchor Baptist Church. He is placing the building blocks in place to provide a Church where people can:

Hear the Gospel presented Clearly

Worship God in our services and through our lives

Minister Globally and locally

Love one another

Discover your spiritual gift and use it for God's Glory

God has blessed us with a very talented and loving group of people and this last year He added many new members to our Church Body and I believe you will see amazing things happen in 2010 as God uses us for His Glory. I hope next year, at this time, as we look back at 2010 we will experience a sense of awe and wonder knowing that God used us and that we used our time and our talent for HIS Glory. I can not wait to see you all Sunday and to see what God has in store for us. Pray daily for one another and for our Church.