Newsletter for August 22nd
REFLECTING ON THIS PAST WEEKEND
We had a tremendous week this past week. We had 157 in the services Sunday morning with three precious souls making the decision to trust Christ as their Saviour. I believe a total of seven souls trusted Christ as their Saviour this week altogether. PRAISE THE LORD!
It was a joy to have Dr. Larry Brown and his wife with us this past Sunday. Dr. Brown taught Sunday School for adults and teens and also preached both the morning and evening services. The Lord definitely moved in the services. Praise the Lord for good old-fashioned preaching.
COFFEE WITH PASTOR
With the start of the pandemic in 2020 Pastor Painter started a daily video podcast on Youtube called "Coffee with Pastor" this broadcast continued in various schedules until the summer of 2022. During the course of those two and a half seasons there were 235 episodes posted to Youtube. You can watch those by clicking here. While there is no longer a weekly video podcast, the concept of "Coffee with Pastor" will live on in written form in this weekly newsletter. Our hope is that the weekly topics will be a blessing to the people of the Lincoln Baptist Church.
WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE A PRODUCTIVE CHRISTIAN?
What does God look for in the productive Christian's life? The answer, at least on the surface is simple. "Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit." God determines our productivity as a Christian on whether or not we bear fruit. His desire is that we would bear much fruit. "I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing." However, the only way we can bring forth much fruit is when we abide in Christ, for He is the vine. With Christ being the vine, or trunk of the tree, He is the One Who has the power to produce fruit. The power of production is passed on to us, the branches, that abide in the trunk. The fruit visibly hangs from our limbs through the hidden power of Christ to Whom all the credit of production belongs.
There is yet a large question that must need to be answered in this equation of production. The question is very straightforward. What is the fruit? It is obvious that this is not physical fruit such as apples and oranges. Yet the word fruit is used as a metaphor in this instance. A study of the term fruit in the New Testament will show us four different types of fruit we should be bearing as Christian. These cannot be separated, and we can not choose to bear one fruit over the other. The bearing of these four fruits is a package deal. If we are to please the Husbandman we must bear all four of these fruits.
THE FRUIT OF CONVERTED SOULS
"And he that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal: that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together." (John 4:36)
This is the fruit that we bear by being a soul winner. Soul Winning is the work of gathering fruit unto eternal life. Therefore if we are to bear fruit we should be making ourselves witnesses of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Be a soul winner to bear fruit.
THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT
"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law." (Galatians 5:22-23)
There are certain attributes that should be a result of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. These are called the fruit of the Spirit. If we would bear the fruit that God wants us to bear we should be working towards strengthening these attributes in our life.
THE FRUIT OF RIGHTEOUSNESS
"Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby." (Hebrews 12:11)
There is fruit of righteousness that we bear for Christ when we do what is right and we live a life of righteousness.
THE FRUIT OF PRAISE
"By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name." (Hebrews 13:15)
When we offer praise to the Lord bringing glory to His name this is part of the fruit that we are supposed to bear as Christians before the Lord!
Taking a serious look at these four things we must ask ourselves how we are doing at bearing fruit to the Lord. If we are honest we could truly all do better at bearing fruit for God.