Pottawatomie-Lincoln Baptist Association

April 21, 2019

Never Alone

1 Corinthians 10:13 (ESV)

No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation, he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.

The enemy of our souls invests a great deal of nefarious intellectual energy in his efforts to convince us as Christ followers that we can become isolated from God – that we are all alone here in our struggles. Satan, the same one who relentlessly suggests and insists that we live our lives independently from the Lordship of our Savior, is also the one who condemns, shames and labels us as being cut off from and irredeemably separated from God when we give heed to those suggestions. He (Satan) also repeatedly infers that we are helpless and hopeless in the face of this dilemma and that we simply cannot triumph as we wrestle against our irresistible propensity to indulge in what God calls sin.

In John 8:32, Jesus promises that the Truth, His Truth, will make us free. The Bible also declares that Faith comes by hearing the Word of God and that all actions committed, and thoughts entertained, that are not born out of faith are “sin.” And Jesus Himself emphatically states in John 17:17 that “His Word is Truth.” In 1 John chapters 1& 2 we are exhorted to confess our sins to the One who is faithful to cleanse and forgive us and that our advocate in receiving this forgiveness is none other than Jesus Christ Himself! And Hebrews 13:5-6 and 2 Timothy 2:13 comfort us with the knowledge that the One who remains faithful in the face of our faithlessness will NEVER leave or forsake us!

My hope and my prayer is that all of us will consistently walk and live in the Living Word of God who makes us free!

In Christ’s Love and Service,

Rick Blackwell, Moderator

Birthdays

     3      Rev. Tony Black, Pastor, Romulus

     5      Mrs. Regina (Tony) Black, Pastor’s Wife, Romulus

     9      Rev. Mike Mitchell, Pastor, Macomb

    10     Rev. James Benshoof, Pastor, First, Davenport

    13     Mrs. Diana (Don) Acker, Pastor's Wife, Salateeska

   14      Mrs. Sandra (Butch) Bradley, Pastor’s Wife, Trinity, Maud

   16      Rev. Don Acker, Pastor, Salateeska

   14      Mrs. Arian (Wes) Bates, Pastor’s Wife, Hillside

   26      Rev. Will Wilson, Pastor, New Hope

  Anniversaries

    4       Rev. & Mrs. Mike Haines, Pastor, Deer Creek 

    4       Rev. & Mrs. Jim Morningstar, Retired Pastor