Wrenn Memorial Baptist Church
"Where Christ is honored and You are loved"
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Pastor's Corner - updated bi-weekly
So much for updating weekly, huh?! My apologies. This is my first attempt at writing for a website and until recently, not having internet access at my home it was very difficult to fill these pages. Now, however, I should be able to get to this page on a bi-weekly basis, so look for more consistent updates. It would also be really nice to hear if anyone is even reading our Pastor's Page who is not a member of our church. So, if you happen by this site, would you be so kind to inform me at pastorjimduncan@bellsouth.net? I check this email regularly, and reply to all personal, non "chain mail" posts as quickly as I can.
I would also like to change the direction of the last "Pastor's Page" by instead of discussing how God's power is revealed, describing what I believe are more evidences of God's judgment on, not just our nation, but on our world. This isn't intended to be a "drag everybody down to the dumps" column, but it is meant rather as a warning, kind of like what Jonah did in Nineveh, when the country realized what was about to happen and repented. Although I must add this caveat, we may have gone so far that God will no longer have corporate mercy on our country and world, but only mercy to individuals. Perhaps you need His mercy in your own life. You can only receive that mercy by asking; and you will only ask when you realize you need it. Admit you are a sinner, separated from God because of sin. Repent - turn from your sin and to God - and confess your sin to Him. Believe on His Son Jesus Christ, that He took the penalty for your sin, and paid for it on the cross. Believe He died, was buried, and was raised triumphantly from the dead three days and nights later by the power of God, victorious over sin and death, and that He ascended to heaven where He awaits the command of God to return to earth and take His Church - His Bride - home to be with Him. "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved, and your household," Acts 16:31. Few, however, see the necessity of doing any of this, thus we as a nation, our world in general, are spiraling out of control toward ultimate destruction and hell.
Since man chose to sin, he has had a depraved mind and heart. Genesis 6:5 says, "And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually." God saw this and told us about it in His Word the Holy Bible. From the beginning God was warning man of the consequences of doing things outside His will. He told Adam, "You may freely eat of every tree of the garden: but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, you shall not eat of it: for in the day that you eat thereof you shall surely die." Satan used the commandment of God to tempt Eve, Adam's wife. First, he asked a leading question, "Yes, has God said, 'You shall not eat of every tree of the garden?'" Eve replies to this ridiculous question, "We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: But of the fruit of the tree which is in the middle of the garden, God has said, 'You shall not eat of it, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.'" Satan, however, made the commandment of God seem foolish and overly restrictive; as if God, by placing this restriction on the first couple, was withholding from them something that would be for their greater good. "You shall not surely die," Satan crooned, "For God does know that in the day you eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and you shall be as gods, knowing good and evil." (emphasis mine) Since they already knew good, perhaps they thought it necessary that they should know evil. They learned about evil; only too well.
So, here we are today, knowing evil as well as we know good. I would submit we know evil better than we know good, but just as God warned the first couple what would be the results of their disobedience, He has warned us, and does so still. But just as the first couple thought they knew better than God, so do we and we wind further and further down the road to judgment and destruction. What evidence is there that this is happening? Come back next time ad we'll see.
Pastor Jim Duncan, August 18, 2011
P.S. Tomorrow I will be 51, falling apart in body, and getting forgetful in mind! Just one clear, though humorous evidence that we are truly under the judgment of God!