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Reviewing Our Own Reconciliation Experience Colossians 1:21-23

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Colossians 1:21-23
As a believer in the Jesus Christ, it is encouraging to examine our own heart and review our experience of reconciliation.
In our text, Paul suggests three things that we can focus on.

First, look at what you were before reconciliation. You were alienated and were an enemy of God. Ephesians 2:11-12, Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flsh made by hands; That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world. Your mind and attitude were “actively hostile to God. You were at war with God! You needed to repent, or have a change of mind, before you could be reconciled to God.

Second, Your present reconciliation is complete. You did not reconcile yourself to God; it was God who took the initiative in His love and grace. The Father sent the Son to die on a cross that sinners might be reconciled to God. Romans 5:6, For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. Romans 5:8-10, But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. In His human body, Jesus bore our sins on that body on the cross. 1 Peter 2:24, Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.

The purpose of reconciliation is personal holiness. The word “holy” expresses the idea of “being set apart, being devoted to God.” Unblameable means, “without blemish.” It is amazing that God looks at His children and sees no blemish on them! Unreproveable mean, free from accusation.” Once we have been reconciled to God, no charge can be brought against us, Romans 8:31-34. We have perfect standing in Christ, so why seek anything else?

Third, you have a firm foundation. Verse 23, If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am
made a minister… This statement seems to cast a shadow on the assurance of the believer’s future. However, the “if”
clause does not suggest doubt or lay down conditions by which we “keep up our salvation.” Paul uses an architectural image of a house firmly set on a foundation. The town of Colosse was located in a region know for earthquakes, and the word “moved away
could mean “earthquake stricken.” Paul was saying “If you are truly saved, and built on the solid foundation, Jesus Christ, then you will continue in the faith and nothing will move you. You have heard the gospel and trusted Jesus Christ, and He has saved you.

In other words, continuing in the faith does not save us; but we continue in the faith and thus prove we are reconciled.
Paul challenges every professing Christian to examine his own faith and heart to be sure he is a child of God. II Corinthians 13:5, Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?

by Dennis Baker, Brotherhood President

Merry Christmas!

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As we enter the Season of world’s celebrating the Birth of the Savior may we, who Trust in Him, make sure we, like the shepherds, tell those around us what we have experienced. The world is searching for peace and joy and this is only found in Jesus Christ! What a blessing it will be to see our friends and loved ones receive the greatest gift – THE GIFT OF ETERNAL LIFE this Christmas Season!

December 2015 – Assistant Mission Director’s Report

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Thank you for your prayers and concern shown for me in these last two months. My health is improving and I am resuming a more “normal” life physically. I am ready to resume visiting churches at your invitation to represent Missions and the Missouri Missionary Baptist Paper. I am available for pulpit supply as needed. My contact information is on the Available Preachers page.

We need to be praying for God to lead us in planting some new work in the State of Missouri. Please pray with me to this end and if you know of someone interested in planting a new church please have them contact me. I will be glad to send them an application and answer any questions they might have.

We also need to be praying for and helping some of our existing churches who are struggling and about to give up. If there is any way I can be of help to any of these churches please let me know. God is still on the Throne and is able and willing to help us as we look to Him in these difficult times.

Remember to pray for your pastor and his family as they work with our churches. Encourage them often and cooperate with them as they shepherd the Lord’s flock.

Alive Student Conference 2015

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December 29 – 31, 2015

Double Tree by Hilton Hotel, Chesterfild, MO

It’s not too late to sign up! We have a great event planned for you! For schedule, program, hotel reservation forms, and other forms and more information go to:
http://alivestudentconference.org/

Happy Thanksgiving!

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Of all that we have to be for which to be THANKFUL the PEACE in our hearts that comes through FAITH in the LORD JESUS CHRIST is the greatest! This peace comes from knowing our sin is forgiven, we belong to God, we have a future in Heaven, and that God is with us all the time. As you celebrate Thanksgiving this year take time to reflect on these truths and re-dedicate yourself to loving and serving God each day of the year ahead. What more could we ask from a merciful God!!

November 2015 – Assistant Mission Director’s Report

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I apologize for not being present at the annual meeting as I had an unexpected twelve day stay in the hospital and am still
not up to par. The doctor said it will take at least 8 weeks for a full recovery. I do appreciate your prayers and calls.

It was great to hear the good reports from the meeting. I thank Bro. Don Burke for writing a summary of the meeting and sending pictures so I could get the report of the meeting in this edition of the paper.

Thank you for your confidence in me in selecting me to continue editing the paper and in selecting me to continue as
Assistant Missions Director.

Thank you also for the generous offering from the state to help us continue printing the paper each month. I pray this will be a great year in all the churches of our association as we work together reaching lost souls before the Lord returns.

Let’s follow the Lord’s leading in all we do.

“It’s Empty NOW but JUST WAIT!”

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emptycamp1As you can see in this picture, the tabernacle at Camp Garwood is EMPTY! Of course preparations are being made to
replace the roof and make some more improvements so….JUST WAIT till we fill it with praise and worship in the months to come.

Call Bro. Chris and ask “What can I do to help?” All of us can PRAY, some of us can WORK, Most of us can GIVE. Just Wait
and See What God Will Do if we let Him use us!

Silence No More!

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In a world that becomes more diverse and more global each day, Christian believers must face the toughest of questions from the existence of hell, to the evil of evolution, to the common objection of Christianity, and especially the moral
lifestyle of born again believers. God’s people cannot remain silent of Bible truths. “Silence no more” is the Moral Action
outcry.

Jude 3 sounded out the alarm: “Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto
the saints.” The words “earnestly contend” mean to give a determined, intense struggle to defeat the foe. God wants us
to valiantly strive for the faith. Born again Christians are to defend Bible-living styles. Our morals have to be upheld and
lived by joyfully.

Simon Peter in I Peter 3:15 gave a command also, “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear.” A ready answer is needed to share why we morally live as we do! A good verbal defense refuting the claims of the destructive critic is needed.

Silence no more, as we seek to defeat humanism. Humanism has drastically affected the basic morality of the United States and the world. It is a subtle philosophy and it is often undetected by those not aware of it. Humanism is that old struggle of man’s will against God’s will. It is not new. A true humanist believes in himself rather than God.

Silence no more, as we combat disrespect for authority. Humanism affects children in many ways and in this children
are taught that whatever you choose will be right for you because you choose it. Romans 1:30-31 declares that they are
“Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents.” We must teach respect for those in authority.

Silence no more, as Christians seek to change the decline in discipline. Since children are taught that they are their own
authority, they want to do their own thing. They will ignore the leadership of parents, teachers, law enforcement and others in authority over them. The verse of Romans 1:30 uses the words “despiteful and disobedient”.

Silence no more, as Christians desire to stop the decline in school/college academics. We call it the dumbing down
of American children. When discipline deteriorates, learning also deteriorates. Teachers are not able to teach if
they do not have the attention of the children. Romans 1:31 declares they will be “without understanding”.

Silence no more, as God’s churches refute total sexual freedom. Humanists want to “liberate” our children from sexual inhibitions. Often their sex education programs are nothing more than academic pornography. To combat this humanistic
philosophy, children need to be trained from the Bible in church, in school, and in the home. We have Bible reasons
why we must defend our morality. Dr. Charles Swindoll gives Christians ways and reasons to stand against the wiles of the devil:
Number one: know where you stand. You cannot afford the luxury of being ignorant or ill-informed when it comes to biblical truth and faith. So educate yourself in the common areas that come under attack: the Bible, the Trinity, the person and work
of Christ, and the means of salvation.
Number two: know where the enemy stands. Learn the tactics of those who oppose the truth. Satan is wily and is as “crooked as a dog’s hind leg.”
Number three: know the Scriptures consistently. The Bible is the only tangible, offensive weapon the Lord has given us in our battle against falsehood; the apostle Paul called the Word of God “the sword of the Spirit” (Ephesians 6:17). Learn to wield it with skill and wisdom.
Number four: stand alone if necessary. We need more men and women like Esther, who risked her life to save a nation…like Daniel, who refused to compromise his principles…like Paul, who, though condemned to death, stared in a madman’s eyes and preached the gospel.

Silence no more!
God’s Son will give us the
courage we need.

by Dr. John M. Adams • Executive Director – Moral Action

October 2015 – Assistant Mission Director’s Report

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Please let this be a last minute reminder that our annual state association meeting is upon us and we need your presence and participation (input) in this important meeting. See the time, place and date below. It has been a joy to preach and represent our state work at Lindsay Lane Baptist Church in Florissant for two Sundays in July. They are presently without a pastor and desire our prayers as they seek new leadership. It was also a blessing to fill the pulpit at Ozark Heights near Potosi as Pastor Brian Meade and his wife took a few says off to attend the Pastor’s Oasis the fist weekend of October.

I trust that all our churches have taken advantage of “Pastor Appreciation Month (October) to express your love and appreciation to your pastor and his wife. Just a few kind words, a meaningful card or note, a dinner out, a gift from the heart, or other acts of appreciation can make a great difference in the life of those who are serving the Lord as shepherds of His Flock. It is still not too late for you to do this.

Your Special Missions Committee has met with the Assistant Director of Missions and have some important recommendation for you to consider at our annual meeting. Please come, ask questions, make suggestions and help us as we seek God’s will in our state work. Perhaps you have an idea that we have not considered and can be an inspiration to all our churches.

Remember that your church needs to be represented by messenger (each church is allowed three) or letter (if no one
is available to represent you) and each church is allowed one Committeeman to serve on the Missionary Committee. Offerings are needed to help pay for the recording and printing of our Minutes and can be turned in at the meeting. Charity Baptist Church is ready and looking forward to hosting our meeting this year. We also need invitations for the Mid-Year Meeting and
Missions Symposium in May of 2016 and the Annual Meeting is 2016. Mark the meeting you want to host in the box on the church letter to extend your invitation or just ask to host the meeting when the time for selection comes up in the meeting.

Pray for our officers as they lead the meeting and for the host church as they prepare to welcome the churches of the BMA of Missouri. Let’s gather with high expectations of what God can and will do as we seek His will.

by James Hoffman

The Most Important Piece of Furniture in the Home

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I know many of you would say the bed is the most important piece of furniture in your home. Ha! And I would be the first to agree that crawling into your own bed for a nap or a good night’s rest is a great thing. But I am looking at the piece
of furniture that would have the greatest impact on the family for good. And to that end, there is no comparison to the dining table. Even in one of the most iconic pictures that we see of a portrayal of Jesus; he is at the table eating with friends during the Last Supper. The dining table is the most important piece of furniture in your home for building family bonding and cohesiveness.

Of course that assumes that the family actually uses the dining table. And that they have boundaries and house rules
for the table traditions. The reason the table is so important; is not the food consumed. It is the conversation that is carried out. Communication is the key to a close family. The more we communicate, the better and stronger we become.
No matter what the problem in the home; as long as we keep a dialogue of open, honest and loving communication between
family members, all problems can be solved with God’s help. Hopefully, Christian families sit down at the table to eat and
start the entire process off with the most important form of communication – and that is prayer. The family that prays
together – stays together.

Since biblical times, the breaking of bread together as a family was critical for social bonding. It offers opportunities
for inter-generational exchange of ideas and values. It is checking in with your family. It is fiding out what is going on in
their day. It is a great time to teach family doctrine. During the course of conversation with children, there are many opportunities to speak of what is right and wrong and how we should handle situations. Talking at the dinner table is where a family can learn how to respond to life in general on a daily basis. It can be a time of sharing, learning and dreaming together.

It does not have to be all conversation of signifiant meaning either. Just sitting around talking about anything builds time
together as a family. Some of my greatest memories are sitting around with my extended family at the dining room table during the holidays. There was so much laughter. Story telling for 2 hours after eating was quite possible. This is where little
children and grandchildren learn so much of who they are as a people. They hear stories of how it was in the old days. They
hear parents, grandparents and others share how they survived or made it through some situation. And all the family learns
the value of laughter. It is good medicine. Families should make meal times enjoyable with lots of stories that often times
begin with….. do you remember the time when……

But we need a few simple rules to insure that meals times are pleasant experiences for all Tense situations or difficult
topics are off limits. Grades, who you are dating or not going to date, the horror of work etc… should be discussed at
family meetings, or another time. If an argument ensues; adults must make sure to say we can talk about it after supper. Siblings are not allowed to make fun of, or put others down. People should be encouraged during meal times.
Everyone should have an opportunity to share their day, but do not have to be forced to share. It should be a happy
time. Sensitive family issues are put aside for another time. Arguments are never allowed at the table.

The cell phone is the single greatest destroyer of family communication. All families must set a hard “house
rule” of no cell phones at the dinner table. You surely can go an hour talking with your family gathered around the
table without your phone. If you can’t, then you need to get help for your phone addiction. Adults always find
excuses for themselves. It is work. There might be an emergency. People found out about emergencies and dealt with them for thousands of years before cell phones. There is no e-mail or text from work that is more important than family time together. Of course, none of this matters if the family doesn’t actually eat together. You must find time to eat together at the table multiple times per week. The more the better. Yes, we are all busy and having to run here and there. Yes, young
people always want to be engaged with electronics like TV or music. We must come apart or we will fall apart. We
must build in time to talk and eat and be together with no outside inflences. And yes it does need to be at the table.
It forces you to look into each other’s eyes. Sitting on the couch or floor can mean no eye contact. Biblical families
always broke bread together with those they loved. So did Jesus. We must get back to this important aspect of family life. It’s a major factor in a loving family.

Article provided by…
Family Ark Ministries
Travis Plumlee, Director
P.O. Box 163 • Mountain View, Arkansas 72560
E-mail: kingofthemountain@mvtel.net
WebSite: travisplumlee.com