Good Words from God’s Word
 
Several of our teams and committees have met this month to plan and carry forward the work of our church. The meeting of our leadership through these efforts points our congregation in the direction set forth through our Constitution and Bylaws: Article V, Section 5.05, Member Controlled Church – “The policy of the Church is vest in the body of believers who compose the membership of the Church. Persons duly received as members shall constitute the membership. All internal groups created and empowered by the church, shall report to and be accountable to the Church, unless otherwise specified by church action” (pg. 5, Constitution and Bylaws).
 
Article XII of the church’s Constitution and Bylaws further establishes the purpose of every officer, leader, committee and team: “Church committees and Ministry Teams may be established as needs arise. Church committees function in the areas of church operations and administration. Ministry Teams function in the areas of Sunday School, Discipleship, Evangelism, Leadership, and Missions. Both church committees and ministry teams serve to insure the advance of the overall mission of the church” (pg. 15, Constitution and Bylaws).
 
Many churches today advance their mission through staff and hired professionals. Grace is different in that it accomplishes what God has called and empowered it to do through its membership as volunteers assume responsibilities and serve at the pleasure of the congregation. We do not ever plan to hire-out the ministry of our church for pay, but we ask God to provide willing members to fulfill the ministry that God has called them to do. Grace Baptist Church is a lay-led congregation.
 
Our Stewardship Committee meets once each month to pray, plan and oversee the financial work of the church. This month, our Stewardship Committee members; made plans to accomplish a church wide celebration on site at our new location (September 18th); introduce and carry out a Capital Campaign through which we may finance the renovations and upgrades to the new location; begin a stewardship emphasis by which offering envelops will be available to every member, plus, Every Member Can Become a Tither emphasis beginning in 2017.
 
The Student Ministry Team met with parents to plan the Fall calendar for our young people. Goals were established and plans are underway for activities that will be carried out through the end of the year. Parents were enlisted to participate in the provision of food as well as volunteer as chaperones for every event our students will have. The students and parents enjoyed a trip to Stone Mountain to see the Laser Show as well as finalized their work for the Pink Flamingo fund raising campaign.
 
Our Men’s Ministry Team met and finalized plans for the August Cook Out and Enlistment program. Our men have elected their leaders, chosen a theme and selected a logo. Promotion of men’s ministry is well underway.
 
The Sunday School Leadership Team met as well to begin the planning process for our upcoming Sunday School year. Plans were initiated to start new classes, work on increasing attendance, making plans to advance our curriculum and contact every church member to encourage their participation in Bible Study each week.
 
You can see that July was a busy month here at Grace. Thank God today for our leaders. Praise God for the way He is calling people to serve. Commit yourself to pray and do what you can do to see Grace move forward. 

Good Words from God’s Word
 
Today we are going back to Revelation to preach about the 5th Beatitude which Jesus gave to the apostle John. The sermon is found in Revelation 20:6 and is all about the “BLESSED” position of everyone who is bound for heaven. Heaven is a place that Jesus has prepared for all those who love Him (John 14:2). Heaven is perfect in every way (Psalm 16:11). Heaven is different than this world (Revelation 7:15-17). Heaven is reserved for believers (Philippians 3:20-21). Knowing that you are ready for heaven is truly what this Beatitude is all about.
 
Have you heard the story: A man dies and goes to heaven. St. Peter meets him at the Pearly Gates. St. Peter says, “Here’s how it works, you need 100 points to make it into heaven. You tell me all the good things you have done, and I give you a certain number of points for each item, depending on how good it was. When you reach 100 points, you get in.
 
“That sounds Okay, the man says, “I was married to the same woman for over 50 years, never cheated on her, even in my heart.”
 
“How wonderful,” said St. Peter, “That’s worth 3 points.
 
“Only 3 points,” the man said, “Well, I attended church all my life and supported its ministries with my time, talents and money.”
 
“Terrific,” responded St. Peter, “Certainly, that’s worth 1 point.”
 
“1 point,” said the man disappointed at his slow progress, so he added, “I started a soup kitchen in my community and worked in a shelter for homeless veterans for a number of years.”
 
“Outstanding, that’s worth another 2 points,” added St. Peter.
 
“ONLY TWO POINTS!” cried the frustrated man, “At this rate, the only way I get into heaven is by the grace of God.”
 
“THAT’S IT,” exclaimed St. Peter, by the God’s grace you’re in!”
 
The terms of heaven are still the same. “It is by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast” (Ephesians 2:8). 

Good Words from God’s Word
 
I am profoundly grateful for the efforts of all those who worked to make our Church Wide Picnic so wonderful last Sunday evening. Seeing all of our members and guests sharing together around the fellowship dinner was a blessing and gift from God. Yes, it was hot. It was sticky, but the fellowship of joy of God’s people made the elements secondary. I rejoice together with you in what God is doing.
 
Finishing the event standing in Lake Lanier, baptizing 5 new believers, and looking up to a rejoicing congregation was worth every effort, every prayer and every gift you gave to make it happen.
 
Let me ask you, “What is a new believer and every new baptized member worth?”
 
I hope you are thinking right now that everything we do; every sermon, every song, every prayer, every Bible lesson taught, every neck hugged, and every conversation we engage in the name of Jesus is worth it if one new believer is the result.
 
We cannot rest. We cannot take it easy while there are so many around us who need Jesus.
 
The results of our picnic last Sunday evening renewed my commitment and my determination in everything Grace does as a fellowship of believers to reach people and win them to faith in Christ.
 
We must not rest. Give your mind and your will to discover what you can do to exalt Christ and reach people. Let’s continue to be busy for Jesus. The results always outweigh the sacrifice.
 
Today, I am continuing to preach through the Bible. My sermon is entitles, “Big fish, Big Plants, Big Worms and Big Wind Equals God’s Compassion” from Jonah 4:1-11. Jonah is not so much about a reluctant servant as it is about God who is full of Compassion. Compassion in the Bible can be thought about in terms of God’s mercy. Sometimes the Bible talks about God’s compassion as “Pity” for people in great need. Mark it down; Jonah confirms God’s compassion, His mercy.
 
Our world lacks compassion. We are weak when it comes to sharing His mercy with others.
 
Have you found it easy to pass by the homeless person standing on the corner with a sign which says, “Jobless!  Will work for food?”
 
When you are wronged, do you return the wrong with kindness and an encouraging word.
 
What makes you angry? When you get angry, do you think about the mercy of God.
 
What do you argue about? Arguments seem out of place when mercy is in the conversation.
 
The Bible says, “Be you therefore merciful as your Father therefore is merciful” (Luke 6:36). There is no better evidence of God’s hold on your life than when you share mercy with people who need a good dose of it. The word we want to focus on today is MERCY. BE MERCIFUL!

 Good Words from God’s Word
 
That great preacher, John Wayne (My Favorite Cowboy) once said, “Sure I wave the American flag. Do you know a better flag to wave? Sure I love my country with all her faults.  I’m, not ashamed of that, never have been, never will be.”
 
Tomorrow will be a day of flag waving, shooting off fireworks, and roasting hot dogs and hamburgers. That’s what Americans, real Americans do on Independence Day. I liked this listing of American peculiarities:
 
     1.Only in America can a pizza get to your house faster than an ambulance.
        2.Only in America are there handicapped parking places in front of a skating rink.
       3.Only in America do drug store make sick people walk all the way to the back of the store to pick up their prescriptions, while healthy people can buy cigarettes up front.
      4.Only in America do people eat double cheeseburgers and fries while drinking a diet coke.
      5.Only in America do we have cars worth 10’s of thousands of dollars parked in the driveway while we fill up our garages with junk.
       6.Only in America do we have caller ID to screen our calls while we pay extra for call waiting so we will not miss a call from someone we didn’t want to talk to in the first place.
     7.Only in America do we buy hot dogs in packages of 10 and hot dog buns in packages of 8.
 
America is a country full of contradictions. It has not always been that way. An English appointed Governor once wrote to the English Board of Trade a report about the loyalty of Americans to the Crown. He wrote: “If you ask an American who is his master, he will tell you that he has none. No magistrates, no governor rules over him save Jesus Christ.” After this report was made, the Colony’s Committee of Correspondence soon began to sound this cry across all the colonies: “No King, but King Jesus.”
 
This July 4th will you settle any contradiction you may be facing by making Jesus your one and only King. Say to yourself tomorrow morning what your fore fathers said long ago, “No King, but King Jesus. The writer of Proverbs said, “Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people” (Proverbs 14:34).