Ordination

Posted on by Kimberly Rider

There will be an Ordination to the Gospel Ministry service for Eric Sonnier on Sunday, February 9th at 5pm.  There will be a reception for the Sonniers following the ordination service and everyone is invited to attend.   Please plan on bringing food to serve at the reception.  The type of food to bring will be announced in next weeks bulletin.

We will begin taking a Love Offering for the Sonniers  starting today.

 

A Mess

Posted on by Jeff Cook

Dear Church Family,

At the end of last year, my bedside table was a MESS.  My sweet wife didn’t say anything about it, but it had just become a junk pike for all my end of the day “pocket dump” items.  During the Christmas visitation, my wife and I agreed to give up our bedroom to our daughter, her husband and our grandson. We moved to the motor home for our sleeping and they had the bedroom.

 

Well, I couldn’t let my family see my MESS, so I was forced to clean it up.  Screws, and tools and empty wrappers, and pocket knives, all had to find a new, (and proper home).  Much of the MESS found a new home in the trash can. It was pretty bad!!

 

After it was cleaned, and ready for guests, I had to admit it looked pretty nice.  After all the night stand is nice furniture, and I had forgotten how pretty the wood was on the top, (I couldn’t see the top).

 

I determined at the beginning of the year, to keep my night stand neat and tidy.  My pockets still needed to be emptied at night, but I wanted to keep the clutter off the night stand.  I wandered around the house for a few minutes, looking for a solution to my new cleanliness commitment, and came upon a wooden decorative box in my office on a shelf.  It was the perfect size for keys, wallet, and, and, all the stuff that comes out of my pockets.  I don’t know where the box came from, but it was beautiful, unused, and on top of all that, it had a large cross emblazoned across the top.  It was perfect.

 

I took it to my room, emptied my pockets, and all of the necessary items in my pockets, fit neatly in the box (under the cross).  I determined to always fill up the box with necessary keepsakes, and if it doesn’t fit in the box it is unnecessary. My night stand stays so neat now and the cross reminds me every day, to keep my promise.

 

I wonder if that story relates to other areas of our lives?  As we think of commitments we make to God, remember that all of our commitments come “under the cross” and unnecessary things should have no place on the night stand of our heart.   And Jesus will help us keep our lives clean and tidy, so that we can be well presented for Him, and for our world.

Blessings,

Dr. j

 

The Christmas Closet

Posted on by Jeff Cook

Dear Church Family,

 

We have designated a closet as the Christmas Closet in our house.  That is right.  All the Christmas decorations, and all the red/green beauty of Christmas is stored in THAT closet.  We were so proud this year, to go to the Christmas closet, and find neatly stored items that put us in the Christmas season.  We were able to take everything out, put it in its place, and “wall-lah”  (is that a word?), we had Christmas.  Because of our neatly organized Christmas closet, we were able to decorate our home for Christmas and make the most of the holiday season.

 

The other day, I drifted by the Christmas closet, and as I peaked inside, I noticed that the Christmas closet was NOT neatly packed.  In the hustle to get things undone after Christmas, some the of the Christmas cheer had been “stuffed” into the closet.  So, being the good husband that I am, I, I, uh, I…closed the door.  Problem solved until December 2020.  I must confess, that the plan I had for the Christmas closet (closing the door) will come back to haunt me in 11 months, when we do it all again.  AArrgghh!!

 

I wonder if that activity of “closing the door” on a mess is a metaphor for our lives.  I wonder if we know we have messes in our lives, and instead of sorting through the mess, and put things in order, we simply “close the door” hoping it will go away.  In the eyes of Jesus, that is not a good plan.

 

He is so filled with grace, that he wants to go into the hall closet of our heart, and painstakingly take out all the mess in our secret places, and throw away the things that need to be dealt with (forgiveness, bad habits, lack of faith, worry….______________) and then neatly place the valuables back in the closet.  In fact, he so wants to clean up our secret places that we will be willing to show guests our closet and not hide things away.

 

I hope you can clean out those closets of the heart real soon, and be ready for the celebration of Jesus birth, every day!

 

God bless,

Dr. j

 

Trail Life USA

Posted on by Kimberly Rider

The First Baptist Church Trail Life USA Troop LA-1273 will be having its first annual Open House and informational Bonanza to sign up new recruits on January 26, 2020 at 4:00 P.M. in the Fellowship Hall.  Trail Life USA is an exciting outdoor youth development organization steeped in the values and priorities of the Christian Faith.  It is dedicated to a mission “…to guide generations of courageous young men to honor God, lead with integrity, serve others, and experience outdoor adventure.”

This exciting new Ministry will forward the opportunity for boys ages 5-18 to join our newly formed troop.  The initial registration is being offered to members, friends, and family of First Baptist Church, Jennings.  An annual fee will be required at registration.  The leadership of the FBC TLUSA will be introduced during the morning worship service on January 26.  We are excited to bring this program offering to the community.

The motto of Trail Life USA is “WALK WORTHY” …that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God;

Colossians 1:10, NKJV

Please be in prayer for our Troop.

 

Blessings,

Todd Landry, Troop Ministry Liaison