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Food Insecurity is Harmful

by Joyce Mills

Food insecurity is harmful to all people, but it is particularly devastating to children. Proper nutrition is critical to a child’s development.  Not having enough of the right kinds of food can have  serious implications for a child’s physical and mental health, academic achievement and future economic prosperity.  The future of America lies in our children.  When hunger threatens the future of a child, it threatens the future of our community and our nation as well.

Job’s Bend in the Road

by Rev Robert A Wendel

“As for me, I know that my Redeemer lives.  And at the last He will take His stand on the earth.”  (Job 19:25-27 NRSV)

Job says, “After my flesh has been destroyed, yet, in my flesh I will see God” (v. 26 NIV). Job does not know Christ.  He recognizes God as his Redeemer.  Despite his earthly suffering, Job believes that his only hope is to cling to his faith in the Almighty, trusting that in the next life he will stand rightly before God.

Like Job, if life seems to have turned against you, there is an eternal future that is brighter and beyond our wildest hopes or dreams.  Justice will one day win out.  God will replace pain and evil.  And right will eclipse wrong.  In the end, God wins.  And so will we.

There is a  famous story about the day physicist Albert Einstein took a train trip.  When the conductor made his first round asking for tickets, the old world-class thinker could not find the item.  The kindly conductor replied “That’s ok sir. I know who you are. I trust you.”  When the conductor made a second round, Einstein was on his knees still searching and telling the conductor “It’s not a matter of trust.  I don’t know where I’m going!”

There is nothing like hope to keep us going through this life.

There is nothing like a lack of assurance to make us afraid.

If you are without Christ in your life, your steps are marked by uncertainty.

No evil fate will overtake the soul who trusts in God and with Almighty help will do what is right.  Even when death comes, it need not be the end of the road, but a bend in the road leading to life that shall richer, fuller be.

Once again, at 8:00 on April 9th, our Deacons will prepare a fine breakfast for our men.  Plan to be in attendance.  

During the summer months, please donate to Helping Hands with food for those in need.

The Power that Keeps Us Turning in the Right Direction

by Pastor Doc Adkins

“And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.”    Ephesians 4:30

 Just some weeks ago I was traveling on I-64 E coming back into Beckley and as I passed the Erma Byrd Center I notice that the big windmill beside it was spinning around like crazy. The wind was just “whipping“ through the air that day and boy did the windmill cut a shine!

Then not long ago I saw a little girl with a colorful pinwheel. She seemed intrigued at watching it and waving it around to get the blades to turn. I amused myself at watching her get it going really good and the use her finger to stop it. It surely did keep her attention. You remember the pinwheel from our youth, we all had one and how much fun it would be watching the colors fly by as the wind blew the blades and we used every imaginable thing we could to stop the blades and then start over again.

Most of us know that pinwheels or windmills don’t just spin around on their own volition. There has to be a wind source of some kind. You have to blow on it with your own breath or take it outside and allow the wind to move it. (Just a thought of from days gone by, “don’t stick your pinwheel out of the car window unless you hang on to it really tightly”…just a lesson learned).

Of course pinwheels and windmills won’t spin around on their own strength. That’s just like us as Christians. We can’t spin around on our own either. We need God’s strength and power.

Sadly, some of us try to spin around in our own strength anyway but we are not getting very far. Some of us have got some things stuck in our blades that are blocking our wind.

Our power source is the Holy Spirit, and that is a powerful wind. So much can be accomplished for Christ when we allow the leading of the Holy Spirit in us. Just think about the disciples. They turned the world upside down.

We’ve all got things that get stuck in our blades and slow us down or even make our effectiveness for Christ come to a complete standstill. Here are a few that came to my mind.

Power Blockers:

  • Bitterness
    Whew! This one can really be a clog in your wheels. If you have bitterness in your life, you have to deal with it in order to have the power you need to keep spinning. Bitterness can rob you of your joy and eat away at you until you’re not useful to anyone, let alone God.Let all bitterness…be put away from you. Ephesians 4:31
  • Unforgiveness
    If there is a rift between you and someone else and you don’t deal with it, it’s like running a rod right through your blades. You are not going to keep spinning with something like that stuck in your life. You’ll find yourself not doing anything for Christ.And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you. Ephesians 4:32
  • Our Own Will
    Trying to spin around all by ourselves and in our own direction isn’t going to work. We have to give ourselves over to what God wants for us, which at times may not be exactly what we might want. Living with our lives in tune with Christ daily is the only way we’ll be sensitive to His will and not our own.I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. Romans 12:1,2
  • Unconfessed Sin
    Of course if we have unconfessed sin in our lives, it’s going to affect how the Holy Spirit works in us. We can’t have something between God and us or there’s not going to be any wind flow.If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9

    Conclusion:
    We often block the “turning of God” in our lives. We keep our guards up and don’t let the Holy Spirit get to us even when we need to be refreshed. We steel ourselves from being touched by a special song in church, or by a sermon, Sunday School lesson, and worship service because we’re too inward focused and not Godward focused. We go into defense mode at invitation time because we don’t want to go forward and deal with our issues even when we feel the Holy Spirit trying to work in us. We miss out on so much power that way and by keeping those power blockers stuck in our blades. Those things grieve the Holy Spirit which we are told not to do in Ephesians 4:30. We need to allow the breath of the Holy Spirit to go all the way through us so we can spin round and round doing the things Christ would have us to do.

If we are Christians, the Holy Spirit comes to reside in us. We have to be sensitive in order to allow His working.  Remember that the winds is what makes the difference. In Scripture, the Holy Spirit is compared to a “rushing mighty wind”.

So, how are you spinning?

Rolling Away the Stone

by Rev Robert A Wendel

“The Jews said, “Jesus opened the eyes of the blind man.  Could he not have presented Lazarus’ death?” When Jesus reached the tomb he said “Take away the stone !”  He told Martha “Have I not told you that if you believe you will see the glory of God?” (John 11:36, 39-40, TNJB).

Death is usually the last thing we want to talk about.  It makes us feel uncomfortable. In spite of all of our medical advances, we haven’t been able to conquer it.  We may be able to postpone it. We may tame its violence but death is still there waiting for us.  Death spares no one.  Our human perspective focuses on our immediate welfare instead of God’s glory.

Martha needed to know that Jesus was in control.  He is in control-and he cares.  Jesus instructs the onlookers: “Remove the stone.” (v.39a).  Just before ‘calling for Lazarus’, Jesus replies, “Martha, did I not tell you that if you believed you would see the wonder of what God can do?”(Phillips).

Our faith should be the marker for everything in our lives.  Not just for salvation but every prayer and action.  Like Martha, we know all the right words to say and all the proper Christian moves to make.  But, is our faith alive?  The last great test is death.  Faith dreams that God will stand by us.

In his book Moments with Majesty, Jay Hayford wrote .”I live in the hope of the resurrection without fear of death and without bondage to the endless grieving of those who have no such hope.”

If you follow Jesus long enough, you are going to experience the miraculous.  You are going to do what he did.  You are going to wash some feet and welcome the stranger.  You are going to care for the poor.  As a catalyst along the way you are going to offend some stiff-necked Pharisees.  Whose stone will you roll away?

Thanks to everyone who prepared and donation to our Lenten Lunch to support Southern WV Hospice.  Our ABC Men’s Saturday breakfast returns to First Baptist at 8:00 am on Saturday, March 12th.  Frank Miller, Director of the Parchment Valley Training Center, will offer the day’s devotions.  Gentlemen, please join us.

Hunger is real for 1 in 4 children in our community

by Joyce Mills

Sadly, hunger is real for 1 in 4 children in our community. 1 = too many!

The objective of Beckley First Baptist Church’s Backpack Program is to fight childhood hunger in our community by filling the weekend food gap for children in need.  Our program reduces the negative impacts of hunger so children are ready to learn in school and succeed in life.

 

So picture this…………

On any Friday, 19 kids go to the office at Beckley Elementary in what has become a weekly ritual: each picking up a backpack filled with nutritious food so they won’t go hungry over the weekend.

The children don’t like to talk about being hungry. So teachers rely on other clues. One thing that is noticed is that children who eat their lunch real quickly are the hungry ones. They often want second helpings. There are some children who seem sad that the weekend is coming. For students who rely on the school’s breakfast and lunch meals know that the weekends and holidays mean going without enough food. Knowing that on Friday afternoon they will be called to the office to pick up their backpack helps these children to know that the weekend will be better because someone cared enough to provide 6 meals and 2 snacks for them in a backpack. All food is child-friendly, packaged with set menus that include milk, proteins, fruit, vegetable, cereals and 100% fruit juices.

Thanks for your monetary gifts and the monthly food donation.  For the month of March please bring all the individual cups of applesauce that you can carry.  Place them on the back counter in the church kitchen. YOU are appreciated!  Our Back-pack Program is 100% volunteer run.  Your tax deductible donation can make an immediate and lasting impact on hungry kids.

ABW March Update

by Norma Gunter

This month’s March circle program from the new ABW Ministries Ministry Focus Resource is “See…the Risen Christ.”  The scripture is Matthew 28: 1-10.  Easter Sunday is on March 27, 2016, and so we focus on seeing the risen Christ.  Indeed, the first people to lay eyes on the risen Christ in Matthew’s gospel were women:  Mary Magdalene and “the other” Mary.  The guards at the tomb passed out when the angel appeared but the two Marys, afraid as they were, held fast.  The angel commanded them to “go and tell,” and it was while they were obeying, on their way to the disciples, that the risen Christ appeared to them.  They were engaged in the ministry they had been given and, in so doing, saw the risen Christ.”

As American Baptist Women we are also commanded to “go and tell”.  One way we can do this is the new Women’s Camp.  Young West Virginia American Baptist Women have been asking for ways to learn from some of the more “experienced” women.  One way to do just that is the first ever Women’s Camp.  The camp will be April 1-3, 2016 at Camp Cowen.  The camp will, “unite generations of women from across the state at a weekend focused in God’s word, and designed for women to share and grow in Christ no matter what the age.”  (“Seasons”)

The women will participate in: group study and worship, small group discussions, and interest groups where they will share, learning new skills from each other.  The schedule includes:  worship, fun, fellowship, food, speakers, nature walks, candlelight services, SPA night, campfire, etc.   Tentative special interest  groups include:  canning, sewing/quilting, fitness, meal planning, Bible journaling, budgeting/finances and several other groups.

All women 18 years of age and older are invited to participate.  The cost is only $35.00.  A variety of housing is available.  Meals are served family style.  The registration deadline is March 24, 2016.  Women of First Baptist Church get together and go and experience a weekend focused on living life as a Christian woman.  (Registration form on next page)

Money from the Million Women Movement is being used for start-up money for camp programming for this new ministry.   Money is available for new ministries for West Virginia American Baptist Women.  Ladies of First Baptist Church do you have an idea for new ministry?

 

Off to a Fabulous Start

We are off to a fabulous start with our donations in January and February even considering the cold weather.  I know it seems that winter will never end but just remember spring (hopefully) is just around the corner.

Some facts and figures for you to ponder as you do your shoeboxes this year.  Last year here in the U.S. over 8.7 million shoeboxes were collected.  That total worldwide went a little over 11 million which was a seven percent increase from last year.  What a blessing those children will be receiving this year as those shoeboxes filled with all kinds of goodies are distributed around the world.  But it doesn’t stop there.  The goal for the U.S. for 2016 is 9.5 million shoeboxes and the only way that can be accomplished is one shoebox at a time and that’s where you come in.

For the month of March we will be collecting toothbrushes, toothpaste and girls hairbrushes.  Collection boxes are located in Fellowship Hall and in the Welcome Center.

Please keep this project in your prayers as shoeboxes are being distributed around the world all throughout the year and always remember you can change a child’s life through the power of a shoebox.

Under His Wings

by Pastor Doc Adkins

  “He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust…”   Psalm 91:4

Psalm 91 has always been one of my refuge passages. Do you have any of those? You know, those places in Scripture where we run when we need to feel loved and protected? I love the illustration of the hen covering it’s chicks with it’s feathers in verse 4 of that chapter.

When I lived with my grandparents we had chickens and I used to love to watch the little chicks run after the bigger chickens.  In a small way it was always a good sign of Spring.  Sometimes though the coolest thing would happen, if the cool winds were blowing or they felt threatened, they’d be all hidden under the hen’s wings. It was always hard for me to believe that those chicks were really under there. The hens were keeping those chicks safe and warm under all those feathers.

I’m so glad the Lord keeps us under His wings. It’s a wonderful place to be.

  • There is Closeness Under His Wings.
    I sure do love that I can keep close to my Lord under His wings. Of course it is a choice we make as to how close to the Lord we want to be. We have to make the effort to spend time in His Word and in prayer. We can’t go running off or we are going to miss the benefits of those wonderful wings.

    My soul followeth hard after thee: thy right hand upholdeth me. Psalm 63:8

  • There is Protection Under His Wings.
    Being under God’s wings provides such a picture of His protection to us. When David was having such difficulties in his life, where did he go? Straight to pour his heart out to the Lord. Here he was being chased by Saul who intended on killing David. He was scared and needed to find his refuge in God.

    Be merciful unto me, O God, be merciful unto me: for my soul trusteth in thee: yea, in the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge, until these calamities be overpast. Psalm 57:1

  • There is Comfort Under His Wings.
    When a hen gathers her chicks under her wings when it is storming or there is something that has scared the chicks, they will eventually all calm down under those wings. Being under there comforts and settles those chicks when life gets scary for them.

    Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God. 2 Corinthians 1:3,4

    Even as adults we go through times when something scares us, we deal with sorrow, or we even still get those emotional boo-boos that we want to be comforted about. We need to get up there closer under the Lord’s wings and let Him comfort us. There’s ways He’ll gently talk to us.

Ever had your mom or someone who loved you say to you.  “It’s okay”, “It’s alright”, “Tell me about it”, “Well, why don’t you sleep on it”, or even “Things will look better in the morning”. If we look in His Word, it’s full of tidbits of comfort for us.

  • There is Trust Under His Wings.
    We know that under the Lord’s wings we are able to trust Him. He’s not going to fail us. He might not always provide and protect in the way that we’d choose but He has our best interests at heart.

    Have you read through the book of Ruth and looked at her life? She lost her husband and ended up going to a land she wasn’t familiar with. It wasn’t easy for her, but the Lord had a unique way of taking care of her, and Ruth trusted Him. Boaz, who Ruth ends up marrying, recognized her trust in the Lord in Ruth chapter 2.

    And Boaz answered and said unto her, It hath fully been shewed me, all that thou hast done unto thy mother in law since the death of thine husband: and how thou hast left thy father and thy mother, and the land of thy nativity, and art come unto a people which thou knewest not heretofore. The LORD recompense thy work, and a full reward be given thee of the LORD God of Israel, under whose wings thou art come to trust. Ruth 2:11,12

  • There is Satisfaction Under His Wings.
    A good parent longs to satisfy the needs of their children, whether it be for food, clothing, health, or what have you. Being under God’s wings satisfies us. He not only satisfies our physical needs but also our spiritual needs. He satisfies our very souls.

    How excellent is thy lovingkindness, O God! therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings. They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house; and thou shalt make them drink of the river of thy pleasures. Psalm 36:7,8

  • There is Rejoicing Under His Wings.
    Ever notice we are happier when we are walking in tune with the Lord? When we are resting right up there under His wings, we get our joy revitalized.

    Because thou hast been my help, therefore in the shadow of thy wings will I rejoice. Psalm 63: 7

Conclusion: that picture of a hen loving and protecting its chicks under its wings is such a powerful example. All those things we find under those wings are things we should strive to give one another as God’s family. There’s closeness, protection, comfort, trust, love, satisfaction, and rejoicing.

I’m so glad that I have a God who cares so much about me that He keeps me up Under His Wings. I know there are times that I get like David running from Saul and need to go sliding under those feathers and into that safe place. And boy sometimes I feel like I just get too many spiritual boo-boos to count and I long for that comfort that only God can give. There’s been times when I’ve been so sad that I can’t even speak to the Lord when I get up under there but I know He understands and He makes me feel better.
I love benefiting from all those things I find when I get up under those wings. All those things I find there only makes me stronger so that I can grow in the Lord..

So, what are you finding Under His Wings?

Helping Hands Update

Thank you so much for your donations of winter coats, hats and gloves.   With winter getting such a late start, our demand was extremely high and your help is still needed.  So keep digging through those closets and see if you have any winter coats that have shrunk sitting in the closet.   They can be left outside the church office or you can take them directly to Helping Hands.  Their hours are 9:00 to noon Tuesday through Friday.

“At Your Mercy, Lord!”

by Rev Robert A Wendel

I have always enjoyed stories, books and movies about the exploits of the Knights of the Round Table.  Those gentlemen lived by a strict code of honor.  The phrase “At your mercy!” conjures up medieval images.  Picture a swordsman, his weapon slapped from his hand, lying on the ground, with his rival’s swordpoint against his throat…breathlessly crying, “At your mercy, kind Sir!”

With God, mercy isn’t an uncertain option but a divine certainty.  It is guaranteed compassion.  At specific points of our greatest need *(Hebrews 4:16), be they any sort of physical or emotional trauma, confusion, uncertainty, disappointment or death itself.  Remember the humble Bethlehem innkeeping husband and wife who allowed a young couple use of their stable as an emergency birthplace (Luke 2:7).

The shepherd boy David had learned this all too well.  In His wisdom, the Almighty chooses to meet our needs by showing his love toward us through the hands and hearts of others be they friend or stranger.  So many times in my own life’s journey I have been the recipient of an overflow of thoughtfulness and kindness.  My ride to church each and every Sunday by the van drivers is just one consistent example.

Any church, including ours, likes to think of itself as a ‘family’, ever-ready to extend itself to members and attendees through prayer, kindly written notes, cards, telephone calls, visits, assistance with household upkeep or home cooked meals during illness or when death touches their lives.  All of these are welcome “acts of mercy,” often passed on when we ‘pay it forward.’

God’s mercy has been great and He has shown it to each of us.  It is wonderful to receive such mercy at the hand of one of His loving children.  It is more wonderful still to be the hand that touches, at the end of His arm, reaching so very many crying out for mercy just when life wants to cut so deep.

During the 2016 Lenten season our ladies have kindly agreed to host a mid-day soup and sandwich luncheon  on Wednesday, February 24th, beginning with a time of devotion at noon sponsored by the Beckley Clergy Group.

Our ABC Men will be the guest of the Crab Orchard Men for the National Day of Prayer Breakfast on Saturday, February 27th at 8:00 a.m.