So let’s look at February now as Black History month. The contributions of the African-Americans to this country are acknowledged at various events. Naturally, it is the names of those who have risen to newsworthy and popular heights that receive the widest attention. But many people have sacrificed to make the gains possible that we now take for granted.

After emancipation, Northern churches founded by free blacks, as well as those of predominantly white denominations, sent missions to the South to minister to newly freed slaves, including to teach them to read and write.

At the same time, black Baptist churches, well-established before the Civil War, continued to grow and add new congregations. With the rapid growth of black Baptist churches in the South, in 1895 church officials organized a new Baptist association, the National Baptist Convention. This was the unification of three national black conventions, organized in 1880 and the 1890s. It brought together the areas of mission, education and overall cooperation. Despite founding of new black conventions in the early and later 20th century, this is still the largest black religious organization in the United States. These churches blended elements from underground churches with elements from freely established black churches.

Black preachers provided leadership, encouraged education and economic growth, …

Source: Wikipedia

Historically, the Black Church has been a pivotal influence, especially as the social focus of family orientation. It produced one of the martyrs of the 20th century, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., whose official day of recognition is in January. Many of the leaders and people of influence were associated with the Black Church during the Civil Rights Movement.

But also, as the movie The Help points out, there are many stories that remain untold. So let’s pause and give thanks for those who have sacrificed for some worthy cause whose names we may never know. Let’s take time from our overly-busy activities and say a prayer of gratitude for them. Let’s ask the Lord to bless their sacrifices for us and for the loved ones they left behind. Let’s give thanks for those who have prayed for us before we learned how to pray, and for those who have extended help in some tangible way.

And while we’re praying, let’s also thank the Lord for his Sacrifice too, and for a deeper understanding of John 15:13-17 that closes with the command for us to love one another.

]]> http://firstunionbc.org/articles/the-spirit-of-sacrifice-part-2/feed/ 0 http://firstunionbc.org/articles/the-spirit-of-sacrifice-part-1/ http://firstunionbc.org/articles/the-spirit-of-sacrifice-part-1/#comments Tue, 07 Feb 2012 21:58:11 +0000 FUBC2 http://firstunionbc.org/?p=422 There are several things associated with the month of February. First, there is Valentine’s Day. Then, there is Presidents’ Day. And the entire month is set aside to highlight Black History.

The common thread between these events is the spirit of sacrifice.

Valentine’s Day was not always the frivolous, gift-giving, and card-exchanging occasion that it is today. In fact, there was more than one historical Valentine. According to Wikipedia:

Saint Valentine (in Latin, Valentinus) is the name of several (14 in all) martyred saints of ancient Rome. The name “Valentine”, derived from valens (worthy, strong, powerful), was popular in Late Antiquity. Of the Saint Valentine whose feast is on February 14, nothing is known except his name and that he was buried on the Via Flaminia north of Rome on February 14, he was born on April 16. It is even uncertain whether the feast of that day celebrates only one saint or more saints of the same name. For this reason this liturgical commemoration was not kept in the Catholic calendar of saints for universal liturgical veneration as revised in 1969. But “Martyr Valentinus the Presbyter and those with him at Rome” remains in the list of saints proposed for veneration by all Catholics.

The Presidents, Washington and Lincoln, who are venerated with a legal holiday in February, gave much to shape the character of the United States and the righteous principles it professes to stand for as a government. They were reverent men who regarded a providential God. However, this holiday also is now widely observed as a sales day and simply, time off from work, depending on the state in which you live.

Washington was an outspoken leader in calling for religious liberty and tolerance, and used his prestige as general and president to promote good will among Protestants, Catholics, and Jews. He sought to create a national ethos that would enable every American to, in his paraphrase of the Book of Micah,  “sit in safety under his own vine and fig tree and there shall be none to make him afraid.” In private and in public he strongly rejected any sign of intolerance, prejudice, and “every species of religious persecution”, while hoping that “bigotry and superstition” would be overcome by “truth and reason” in the United States.

Scholars have extensively written on topics concerning Lincoln’s beliefs and philosophy; e.g. whether Lincoln’s frequent use of religious imagery and language reflected his own personal beliefs or was a device to appeal to his audiences, who were mostly evangelical Protestants. Though he never joined a church, Lincoln was familiar with the Bible, quoted it and praised it.

Source: Wikipedia

Lincoln’s signing of The Emancipation Proclamation was a turning point in the lives of Black people in America.

…to be continued.

Speaker: Rev. Alvin T. Armstead, Jr., Pastor-Elect

Text: Mark 2:1-12

Thoughts to Remember:

• Although the theme of the morning was "The Lion of Judah Has Triumphed," it was the message that rang a clarion call to those who heard. The strength that Christ imparts to us [Philippians 4:13] is not for us alone, but we must use our heads, hearts and hands to do His work in the world and serve others.

• Immanuel is God with US; not just for me, myself, and I.

• The oppressed are those who are shut out by the "crowd", who have lost hope, lost strength; those who are afflicted, downtrodden, or dominated by something…

• ACTIVATE your FAITH on behalf of someone else:

1. Carry those who have been paralyzed; lift them up and away; raise their perspective.
2. Help someone to overcome the crowd; go to the mountain tops for them.
3. Use all available avenues; show them how to "use what you've got to get what you want."

• Share your testimony!

Christian Worship – Are You Aware of the Purposes and Parts?

By Robert Baines

Christian worship is a reference to a Christian expressing admiration for and allegiance to God. It is a key element of Christian growth. There seems to be so much "people focused" entertainment and performance, in what we call worship services. The following are insights about the purposes and parts of corporate expressions of admiration of God:

Purposes. There are three purposes in Christian worship. The first is to glorify God. That is, we strive to express to God that we have a sense of His greatness, and we are committed to living according to His will. We do this by saying things that make biblical sense and then strive to live by what we say.

A second purpose of worship is to edify believers. What I say and do should help you be a stronger Christian, at least not offend you. And what you do and say should help me be a stronger Christian, at least not offend me. I Corinthians 14 is a marvelous text on this subject. Attitudes are contagious. When we leave worship, we should feel as if we left a pep rally for Jesus.

A third purpose of worship is to evangelize non-believers. Non-believers may not understand all that is said and surely not agree with all that is said. However, the energy of the worshipers should be contagious and the Gospel should prick the heart of non-believers who are sensitive to the call of God. Notice that performing or showing off for one's own ego is not one of the purposes. Notice further that entertaining the pew is not a purpose. Those who make no effort to obey God's Word should feel more conviction than joy from Christian worship.

Parts. Every since the first century church, prayer, singing, preaching, giving, and interacting have been key components of Christian worship. In prayer, we praise God for His greatness and thank Him for using His greatness for our benefit. We confess our sins. We ask God to bless others and bless us. Prayer is a believer initiated communication with God.

In singing, the lyrics may be directed towards God, which would make it a singing prayer. Sometimes the lyrics are focused on the listeners. The song may urge Christian living, hope, or the remembering of how God has kept His people. As important as music is, the lyrics are more important. It is the lyrics that communicate the message. Sound without substance misses the aim of communicating admiration and allegiance to God. That is why choir rehearsal should always include teaching both how to sing the song and the message of the song. In preaching, the Word of God is explained and applied to the lives of those who listen.

The aim of Christian preaching is to persuade the listeners, including the preacher, to obey the Word of God. No wonder, it is so important to pay attention and take notes. In giving, we show that our hearts are really into what we are singing, praying, and preaching about. Matthew 6:21 teaches that where our treasurers are is also where our hearts are. In other words,

if you sing, pray, and preach but keep God's money (i.e., tithes and offerings) in your pocket, the genuineness of your worship is suspect. In interacting with one another, we demonstrate that we are really striving to obey God's will. Jesus taught that the greatest evidence of really being in tuned with Him is to love one another (see Jn. 13:34-35).

Our worship is off, when we sing, pray, preach, and even give but do not demonstrate love towards one another and, worst, act ugly towards one another. In summary, every believer should be aware of the three purposes and five parts of Christian worship. Such awareness keeps us from wasting our time with vain religious entertainment or boring routine. Make sure you read the article on Christian Worship: Are You Prepared, Participating, and Practicing?

Dr. Robert E. Baines, Jr. uses his doctorate of ministry degree and twenty years of pastoral experience to provide quality and helpful Christian living information to 1,000's of visitors a month. Make sure you secure your free copy of his ebooklet, "How to Encourage Yourself: 21 Practical Tips," and sign up for his newsletter that features great articles, helpful devotionals, and Bible based teaching notes at http://www.RobertBaines.com Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Robert_Baines

Why is Sunday School Attendance and Bible Study Attendance So Important?

By Robert Baines

Sunday School attendance, as used here, is a reference to not only being faithful in the Sunday morning Bible study but any Bible study that is regularly offered at your church. Sunday School and Bible study attendance are extremely important for the following five reasons:

1. Attending Sunday School helps you develop pleasing faith in God. Without faith it is impossible to please God (see Heb. 11:6). Faith comes by hearing the Word of God (see Rom. 10:17). And faith without works is dead (see Jm. 2:17). Sunday School and Bible Study are ways for you to hear the Word of God, so you can be encouraged to obey it.

2. It help you meet others who are serious about pleasing God. Unfortunately, there are many who go to church for reasons other than being pleasing to God. All of those who go to Sunday School and Wednesday Bible Study are not serious about pleasing God; however, the odds are better. The percentage of those in these type of sessions who are serious about pleasing God tends to be greater than simply those who come to church on Sunday.

3. Attending Sunday School often equips you to minister to others. It leads to the development of the knowledge and confidence needed to help others grow in the Lord. Great Sunday School and Bible Study ministries review the plan of salvation and essentials of discipleship enough that regular students become confident in sharing the information with others.

4. Your attendance encourages others to attend. When the attendance is down, it gives the impression that the sessions are not important. But when the attendance is up, it gives the impression that the sessions are important. Just by being present, you can encourage others to attend the sessions and grow in the Lord as well.

5. These sessions help make the church stronger. The stronger the members of the church are, the stronger the church will be. When you attend these sessions, grow in the Lord, and help others do the same, you are a part of the helping the church to grow stronger.

In summary, Sunday School attendance (and Bible Study attendance) helps you develop your faith, helps you meet others who are working on their faith, helps to equip you to help others, encourages others to attend, and helps to strengthen the church.

Make sure you read the full article on how to get the most out of Sunday School and Bible Study.

Dr. Robert E. Baines, Jr. uses his doctorate of ministry degree and twenty years of pastoral experience to provide quality and helpful Christian living information to 1,000′s of visitors a month.

Make sure you secure your free copy of his ebooklet, “How to Encourage Yourself: 21 Practical Tips,” and sign up for his newsletter that features great articles, helpful devotionals, and Bible based teaching notes at http://www.RobertBaines.com.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Robert_Baines

Who Should Sit in Communion Chairs in a Baptist Church?

By Amy Nutt

The Baptist church practices the communion as one of its two acts of faith-obedience. Much of the time, this is called an “ordinance” rather than a “sacrament.” In other words, you cannot receive salvation or grace through communion. Instead, these are purely symbolic acts that were commanded of Christ's followers by Christ Himself. This is actually the second ordinance in the Baptist church and it is patterned after the Last Supper, which was recorded in the Gospels wherein Jesus says to "do this in remembrance of me." With this in mind, participants in communion break and eat bread and drink a small “shot of wine.” These items are symbolic of the body and the blood of Jesus, respectively.

Traditionally, Baptists serve communion to participants wherever they are seated. However, it is up to each individual church how communion is arranged, because the arrangement itself has no theological significance. More important than seating or arrangement is the communion itself. For instance, the bread used is unleavened, as it is believed that this is the type of bread the would have been served at the Last Supper. As such, bread cubes, wafers or small crackers are passed around on plates to those who wish to participate in communion. Of course, it is also acceptable to do the "breaking of bread" from loaves, as well.

The cup is filled with unfermented grape juice. However, the Gospel passages only mention the "fruit of the vine." It is never called wine therein. Usually small individual cups are used to represent the "cup." A "common cup" that the entire congregation drinks from can be used, but it is usually reserved for small gatherings for practical reasons.

Most of the time, both the bread and the wine are served by the pastor to the deacons. The deacons then serve the congregation, followed by the pastor. In bigger churches, the pastors may often serve one another, allowing the deacons to focus on serving the congregation. Once the entire congregation has been served, everyone takes the elements at the same time. This symbolizes unity.

Communion can be held as frequently as the church [http://www.millbrookindustries.com/church-chairs] desires. However, most of the time communion takes place during a regular worship service. It is important to note that communion is only taken by those who have undergone a believer's baptism, though this does vary from congregation to congregation as well. As such, there are three types of communion:

1. Open communion allows anyone who professes to be a Christian to take communion.

2. Close communion occurs whenever only members of a Baptist church can take communion.

3. Closed communion takes place when only members of that local congregation can participate.

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Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Amy_Nutt

Water Baptism: Repent and Be Baptized

By Paul Davis

The word baptize comes from the Greek word baptizo, which means to immerse, make overwhelmed

Make no mistake about it, throughout the New Testament baptisms occurred by immersion in water. John baptized Jesus to fulfill all righteousness (Matthew 3:14-16), entering the water and completing immersing Christ our Lord beneath it. John's baptism was for the remission of sins (Mark 1:4).

Philip immersed the Ethiopian eunuch in water (Acts 8:36-39).

The essence of baptism is this. A believer in Christ is wholeheartedly ready to surrender his or her life, die to self and sin, and live for God. Water baptism is an outward act symbolizing an inward change. Therefore when you bury a believer waters of baptism you symbolize like Christ they too are dying in the Lord to the old man (Romans 6:3,6), after which like Christ they shall arise hereafter being empowered by the blessed Holy Spirit to walk in newness of life (Romans 6:4-5).

Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. (Romans 6:3-6)

Repent and Be Baptized

Infant baptism is not accompanied with repentance and therefore is incorrect. Baby dedication would be appropriate as we give our children to the Lord until they reach spiritual maturity. "Repent and be baptized" (Acts 2:37-38). Otherwise all you are doing is taking somebody for a swim, after which they arise a wet sinner after the ceremony. Heartfelt repentance and prayer during which one cries out to the Lord for a rich infilling with the Spirit to live there life hereafter is vital (Luke 3:21).

Cold Waters

Some men of God like the waters to be cold as a reminder to the believer that sin is deadly (Romans 6:23). The way of the transgressor is hard (Proverbs 13:15). Therefore let it be a reminder to never go back to sin, as would a dog to his vomit.

Jesus said "baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost" (Matthew 28:19), teaching them to observe His teaching and to be led by His Holy Spirit into all truth (Matthew 28:20; Romans 8:16,14; John 16:12-13; John 14:26).

Baptism into the Body of Christ

Upon giving one's life to Christ at salvation they are baptized by the Holy Spirit into Christ's body and are sealed with the Spirit of promise (1Corinthians 12:3,13; Ephesians 1:12-13; Galatians 3:14; Romans 8:16).

Water Baptism v. Baby Dedication

Water baptism by full immersion, in the name of Jesus, is necessary in order to fulfill the example and command of Jesus Christ our forerunner and high priest. Water baptism should be preceded by repentance of sins, without which the baptismal candidate will simply be a wet unregenerate sinner as he entered the water. Children can be of the spiritual maturity that they acknowledge and recognize their sin and need for a Savior. Babies or infants should be dedicated to the Lord in prayer and blessed – water baptism not being the appropriate administration until they come of age and spiritual maturity. (Matthew 3:13-17; 28:19-20; Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38-39; I Samuel 1:24-28; Luke 2:42-47; Acts 8:36-39).

Any committed disciple who is actively involved in the believer's ministry, beyond reproach, and under spiritual authority can perform water baptism for new converts desirous of fulfilling all righteousness (Acts 6:2-6; Acts 8:36-39; Acts 21:8).

Baptism in the Holy Spirit

God is not limited nor constrained by our ceremonial acts of obedience [i.e., water baptism]. Jesus the baptizer in the Holy Spirit, if He so wills, can baptize whosoever He will in His Spirit before they have taken water baptism. Nevertheless, all should be water baptized (Micah 2:7; Acts 10:44-48). The baptism of the Holy Spirit should be sought (John 7:37-39; Luke 3:16; 11:9-13; 24:49; Acts 1:4-5,8; 19:1-6). Yet many limit Almighty God (Psalm 78:41), resist the Holy Spirit (Acts 7:51), and through hardened hearts remain in spiritual ignorance (Ephesians 4:18; 1 Corinthians 14:38), whereby they don't have, hear, or enter into the fullness of the blessing of Christ (Acts 20:26-27; Romans 15:19,29).

The baptism in the Holy Spirit is equally important as the baptism in water and is a real experience that can occur at or after salvation (Matthew 3:11; Luke 3:16; Acts 8:14-17; Acts 10:44-46; Acts 19:1-6). Believers in Christ can speak in tongues as the Spirit gives them utterance (Acts 2:1-4).

Timing

Baptism like salvation is for whosoever will, whenever the person is ready. Some have received the Holy Spirit before being water baptized (Acts 10:44-48). Others have received the Holy Spirit at the time of baptism (Acts 2:38-39). Some like Jesus are empowered by the Holy Spirit after water baptism (Matthew 3; Luke 3). God is not religious. He is a Spirit (John 4:24), spiritual, and wants to get the Holy Spirit in people by every means possible so they can be liberated from self and sin, and live a life of victory to win.

Paul Davis is a worldwide professional speaker, minister and author of several books including Breakthrough for a Broken Heart; Stop Lusting & Start Living; and Holy Ghost Fire.

Paul is a life coach (relational & professional), creative consultant, humor being, adventurer, explorer, mediator, and liberator.

Paul's compassion for people & passion to travel has taken him to over 50 countries of the world where he has had a tremendous impact. Paul has served many in war-torn, impoverished and tsunami stricken regions of the earth. His organization Dream-Maker Ministries is building dreams, breaking limitations and reviving nations!

Paul's Breakthrough Seminars inspire, awaken, impregnate with purpose, impart the fire of desire, catapult people into a new level of self-awareness, facilitate destiny discovery and dream fulfillment.

Contact Paul to minister, speak at your event or for life coaching: RevivingNations@yahoo.com, 407-967-7553

Watch his powerful ministry videos below to see supernatural power flow. http://www.DreamMakerMinistries.com, [http://www.CreativeCommunications.TV]

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