March

2012

2011

The Church Spotlight On The First Baptist Church of Vestaburg

Special Interest

Articles:

From the Pastor’s Desk

by Pastor Joe

Random Memories

by Lois Green

Bits from Betty

by Betty Guthrie

Ivan’s Point of View

by Ivan Palmer

Inviting people to love God and others...

by Pastor Pete Carlson

As everyone who helped us unload the moving trucks during our move from

Berkley to Vestaburg can testify, Mary Jo and I have accumulated a lot of

stuff over our 42 years of married life.

We disposed of some of it during this move (threw it out or put it up for a

garage sale in the future) but still have a lot to go. Letting go of some things can

be challenging. Some of it is for economic reasons, other is for emotional

reasons. It’s easy to get attached to stuff that has sentimental attachment.

Some of the stuff is what has been handed down to us from our parents. Some

goes back a few generations. Other is stuff we acquired while our children were

at home. Like our parents did for us, we will pass some on to them.

I don’t think the issue Jesus is addressing in his words from his famous

Sermon on the Mount in Matthew is how much we have or don’t have. The issue

to me is the value I put on them and what my purpose in having them and

keeping them. The next verse goes on to say “For where your treasure is, there

your heart will be also” Matthew 6:21.Then later Jesus says “No one can serve

two masters” which he identifies as “God or mammon (money, belongings)‖

Matthew 6:24.

What it comes down to is what my stuff does to me and what I do with it. Do

I hold on to it to make myself look good before others? Does it establish my

worth and self esteem? Do I seek the praise of others? Or do I have it to share

with others, to share the enjoyment they bring with others. Is it a means of

giving praise and glory to God for what I feel blessed with?

Our motives are what matter most. They are what determine where our

treasure is. That’s what determines whether our treasure is “gold, silver,

precious stones” or “wood, hay, straw” 1 Corinthians 3:12.

Thanks for reading my musings. I hope it made you think of your stuff. Why

do you have it? Why do you hold on to it? How are you using it? Who is getting

the praise and glory for it?

God bless – Pastor Pete

Happy Anniversary Troy & Valarie Johnston

March 21st

1st Jacie Bissell

2nd Nichole Howe

8th Justin Helton

9th Hantz Bernard

9th Zachary Johnston

17th Dakota Malek

20th Philena Johnston

25th Steve Elliot

29th Brianna Phillips

30th Helen Caris

I was listening to a lady who called a radio pastor. The pastor was a wise, grandfatherly gentleman who had that calm reassuring voice that can melt all fear. The lady, who was obviously crying, said, "Pastor, I was born blind, and I've been blind all my life. I don't mind so much being blind but I have some well meaning friends who tell me that if I had more faith I could be healed." The pastor asked her, "Tell me, do you carry one of those white canes?" "Yes I do," she replied. "Then the next time someone says that hit them over the head with the cane," he said. "Then tell them 'If you had more faith that wouldn't hurt!"

Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth…but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven…”

Matthew 6:19-20

The Church Spotlight

bits from Betty by Betty Guthrie

GRANDPAREN'T ANSWERING MACHINES:

G Good morning . . . At present we are not at home but please Leave your

message after you hear the beep. beeeeeppp ....

If you are one of our children, dial 1 and then select the option from 1

to 5 in order of "arrival" so we know who it is.

If you need us to stay with the children, press 2

If you want to borrow the car, press 3

If you want us to wash your clothes and ironing, press 4

If you want the grandchildren to sleep here tonight, press 5

If you want us to pick up the kids at school, press 6

If you want us to prepare a meal for Sunday or to have it delivered to

your home, press 7

If you want to come to eat here, press 8

If you need money, press 9

If you are going to invite us to dinner, or, taking us to the theater, start

talking we are listening !!!!!!!"

Easy Pleasey Pork Chops 6 to 8 pork chops, 3/4 inch thick 1 can apple pie filling 1 package Stovetop Pork Stuffing Mix Salt and pepper and garlic, to taste Place the pie filling, then the pork chops in a greased 9 x 13 inch pan. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and garlic. Prepare the stuffing mix as directed on the box. Spread over the top. Bake at 350 degrees, covered with foil, for 35 to 40 minutes, then remove the foil and bake till the stuffing is lightly browned.

Random Memories by Lois Green

Sometime ago I mentioned in Sunday school that Andrew was my

favorite disciple. It seemed to surprise some of the people in class. So I thought I

would give the reasons why he is my favorite.

*He truly loved the Lord. He had a strong desire for others to know Jesus.

*He brought many others to Christ.

*He was a background worker. (He didn’t need to be in the spotlight)

*He knew the crowd and what was happening

It wouldn’t surprise me if when I get to heaven, I would be told that it was Andrew

who knew that among the 5000 people there was a young boy with a lunch of

loaves and fishes.

(I don’t normally use my own work but was asked by several people to include this poem so here it is,)

The Choices You Make

Have you ever thought about your Christian walk

and the choices you make each day? Are they choices that honor and glorify God?

Or do they tend to lead you astray? Do you listen to His Spirit within you…

telling you which way to go? Or do you ignore the Spirit’s leading

and miss vital chances to grow.

Have you ever thought that those choices… you make with barely a thought

can grieve the Holy Spirit leaving Him overwrought.

It’s like forcing Him to participate in activities of your sin.

Just so you can have your way or satisfy your whim.

So the next time you make a decision,

remember Who lives within… Don’t force Him to share your failings. Or grieve Him with self-centered sin.

Be conscious each day of His presence Ask Him which way you should go

And the choices you make in the future Will help you to learn and grow.

Barbara Miller

1/16/2012

A father wanted to read the paper, but was being bothered by his little daughter, Vanessa. Finally, he tore a sheet out of his magazine, on which was printed the map of the world. Tearing it into small pieces, he gave it to Vanessa, and said, "Go into the other room and see if you can put this together." After a few minutes, Vanessa returned and handed him the map correctly fitted together. The father was surprised and asked how she had finished so quickly. "Oh," she said, "on the other side of the paper was a picture of Jesus. When I got Jesus in His place, then the world came out all right."

It is easy to tell when your children are growing up. They stop asking where

they came from and start refusing to tell you where

they are going.

The Church Spotlight

The primary purpose of vision Beyond Borders is to serve the persecuted church by carrying Bibles and Gospel materials to countries closed to the Gospel. In our travels we often see people in great need of humanitarian assistance, and we reach out to them in love, in the name of our Savior, Jesus Christ. In addition, we believe God is using the ministry to challenge and encourage the church in America. God has allowed us to witness many incredible miracles and evidences of His protection and provision for His children. We testify to His great power, which is still at work today. George Mulder, in his book, “Release the Power of Prayer”, talks about a church who had become discouraged and burdened: a church who did not fully understand that our God is still the same living God in the Bible. His power has not diminished since times of old, yet , he saw Christians living defeated, and desired did set before them the proof that God still answers the prayers of His children, and he wrote in his book, “Since I had seen this visible proof with my own eyes. I felt bound to be the servant of the Church of God in the same way through which I had obtained mercy: namely, in being able to take God by His word and rely upon it…Now, if I a poor man, simply by prayer and faith, obtained the means for establishing and running an orphanage without asking for help from any individual, that would be something that, with the Lord’s blessing, might be instrumental in strengthening the faith of the children of God. Additionally, it would be a testimony to the consciences of the unconverted to the reality of the things of God. This, then, was the primary reason for establishing an orphanage. Similarly, we feel called to testify to the things God is doing around the world, to encourage and strengthen the faith of His children! We truly serve a Living God, and He can be trusted!

Missions Corner Update from Visions’ Beyond Borders

From dust you are taken..to dust you shall

return

A little boy came home from Sunday school and

went into his room to change his clothes. When he emerged he asked his

mother, "Is it true we come from dust?" "Yes dear," replied mother. "Is it true that when we die we go back to the dust?" "Yes

dear, that's right." The little boy ran into his room and

came out all excited, "Mom, I just looked under my bed and there's someone either

coming or going!"

Some people are

kind, polite and

sweet-spirited ---

until you try to get

into their pew.

The good Lord didn't

create anything without a purpose, but the fly comes

close.

Most of us spend the first six days of the week sowing wild oats, then

we go to church on Sunday and pray for a

crop failure.

Quit griping about your church; if it were perfect, you couldn't

belong.

A lot of church

members who are singing "Standing On The Promises" are just sitting on

the premises.

Every evening I turn my troubles over to God - He's going to

be up all night anyway.

A Question of Ownership "Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for My sake will find it." - Matthew 10:39

Otto Koning was a missionary in New Guinea. He worked among a native tribe that had known only their village ways. One of those village ways was stealing from others. When Otto and his wife arrived and moved into a hut, the natives often came by to visit. The Konings would notice that after the natives left the missionaries' home, various household items had disappeared. They saw these items again when they went to preach in the natives' village. The only fruit Otto could grow on the island was pineapples. Otto loved pineapples, and he took pride in the pineapples he was able to grow. However, whenever the pineapples began to ripen, the natives would steal them. Otto could never keep a ripe pineapple for himself. This was a frustration, and he became angry with the natives. All during the seven-year period in which this took place, Otto preached the gospel to these natives, but never had a conversion. The more the natives stole, the angrier Otto became. Finally, one day Otto had a German Shepherd dog flown in from another missionary to protect his pineapple garden after other frustrated efforts failed. This only further alienated the natives from him. Otto took a furlough to the United States and attended a conference on personal rights. At this conference, he discovered that he was frustrated over this situation because he had taken personal ownership of his pineapple garden. After much soul searching, he gave his garden to God. Soon the natives started having problems among their tribe. They discovered that Otto was the reason for their problems because he gave his garden to his God. The natives saw a correlation between what Otto had done and their own lives being affected by calamities in their village. When Otto gave his garden to God, he no longer got angry and was free from worry. The natives started bringing him fruit from the garden because they didn't want any more calamities to come into their village. The light came on one day when a native said to Otto, "You must have become a Christian, Otto. You don't get angry anymore. We always wondered if we would ever meet a Christian." They had never associated Otto with the kind of person he was preaching about because his message did not line up with his life. Otto was broken in spirit when he realized he had been such a failure. At the end of seven years, he witnessed his first conversion, and many began coming to Christ once he fully gave his garden to God. The fruit grew so abundant that Otto began exporting it and growing other types of fruit, such as bananas. His village became the most evangelized in the whole region, yet for seven years he had not one convert. Otto realized something each of us must realize: To gain your life you must lose it, along with your possessions. It was only when he gave all his possessions to God that he became free from them. God measured back to him manifold once He had complete ownership. Do you have some possessions that you need to give up to God today? Let God have all that you have. Become a steward, not an owner. You will be surprised at how well God can take care of His possessions.

The Church Spotlight

Kid’s Page

"Ice Cream Is Sometimes Good For the Soul" Last week I took my children to a restaurant. My six-year-old son asked if he could say grace. As we bowed our heads he said, "God is good, God is great. Thank you for the food, and I would thank you even more if Mom gets us Ice Cream for dessert. And liberty and justice for all! Amen!" Along with the laughter from the other customers nearby, I heard a woman remark, "That's what's wrong with this country. Kids today don't even know how to pray. Asking God for Ice Cream! Why, I never!" Hearing this, my son burst into tears and asked me, "Did I do it wrong? Is God mad at me?" As I held him and assured him that he had done a terrific job and God was certainly not mad at him, an elderly gentleman approached the table. He winked at my son and said, "I happen to know that God thought that was a great prayer." "Really?" my son asked. "Cross my heart." Then in theatrical whisper he added (indicating the woman whose remark had started this whole thing), "too bad she never asks God for Ice Cream. A little Ice Cream is good for the soul sometimes." Naturally, I bought my kid Ice Cream at the end of the meal. My son stared at his for a moment and then did something I will remember the rest of my life. He picked up his Sundae and without a word walked over and placed it in front of the woman. With a big smile he told her, "Here, this is for you. Ice Cream is good for the soul sometimes and my soul is good already!"

An Irishman proposed to his girl friend on Saint Patrick’s Day and gave her a ring with a synthetic diamond. On learning it wasn't real she protested vehemently about his cheapness. He explained that in honor of Saint Patrick’s Day, he picked her a sham rock.

Twelve Disciples Crossword

Q: What do you get from an Alaskan Cow? A: Ice Cream!

April showers bring May flowers, but what do May flowers bring? Pilgrims…

Yes… You’re right. The early bird does get the worm. But the second mouse gets the cheese!

A balanced diet is a cookie in each hand!

What time is it when an

elephant sits on your

fence?

Time to get a new fence.

What would you do if an

elephant sat in front of

you at the movies?

Miss most of the movie.

How do you catch an

elephant?

You hide in the grass and

make a sound like a

peanut.

The Church Spotlight

FREEZE OUT -- 2012 This past January 27th-29th the youth went to Freeze Out! This was an

awesome weekend filled with all of the things that make youth activities fun (snacks, games, snowball fights, and asking P.J. "Are we there yet?"). But this weekend was also filled with things that were more significant than that. Ken Rudolph talked about "The Invisible God." How one of the key aspects about God is that we can't see Him, leading us to the fact that we require faith to know him. "“But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” (Hebrews 11:6, NKJV)

Broomball - On February

11th we hosted our second Broomball event at the Mt. Pleasant Ice Arena. We had about 50 students from all over attend. It was a lot of fun with different youth groups. Pastor Joe challenged the students to not worry about the future, but to just take the next step for God.

The Church Spotlight

by Ivan Palmer It Seems Americans Think They Have To Know it All Education—Home schooling Deut 4:9 Only take heed to thyself, and keep thy soul diligently, lest thou forget the

things which thine eyes have seen, and lest they depart from thy heart all the days of thy life: but teach them thy sons, and thy sons' sons; Deut 6:7 And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. Deut 6:9 And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates. Deut 11:19 And ye shall teach them your children, speaking of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou

walkest by the way, when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. Deut 11:20 And thou shalt write them upon the door posts of thine house, and upon thy gates:

Psalms 78:5-8 For he established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers, that they should make them known to their children: 6That the generation to come might know them, even the children which should be born; who should arise and declare them to their children: 7That they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments: 8And might not be as their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation; a generation that set not their

heart aright, and whose spirit was not stedfast with God.

A. This establishes the basic education system of a nation. B. Establishes how Spiritual matters should be taught. C. Notice the 24 hour a day teaching. ―When thou liest down and thou riseth up‖ D. The door post represents the keeping of records, the keeping of memorials. Pictures can do this, for example, ―The

Praying Hands‖, Jesus praying, the Last Supper, etc. These point to the Lord. They point in the right direction. E. Public education perpetuates itself by creating a need for more. It seems to me that once this starts there is no

turning back unless the whole system collapses. F. As our children enter public education, it does not relieve us of our responsibility to educate. I believe education

should be divided into two parts. SPIRITUAL EDUCATION should be taught at home. This part of education should prepare a person for the spiritual battles of life, the morals, and their eternal destiny. Part two of education is SECULAR EDUCATION. This education should prepare a person for a career. To prepare them so they can be a help to

society just as Jesus was. I think it’s important that they complement each other. I want to re-emphasize, it is the parents job to supply an education for their child. The government can offer it to the public but the parents will have to answer to God if they allow anyone to usurp their responsibility. When you allow someone to teach your child, you set them in a place of influence over your child. Make sure these people are morally upright. I believe we should be active in the public educational system. The news media would like to educate us. They report so thoroughly on crime that it actually becomes a ―How to‖ do

it that teaches wrong values. In summation, it’s a form of the Tower of Babel. Like the people of that time, man can get so consumed in his search to know it all that he loses sight of God.

In Sunday School, they were teaching how God created everything, including human beings. Little Johnny seemed especially intent when they told him how Eve was created out of one of Adam's ribs. Later in the week, his mother noticed him lying down as though he were ill, and said, 'Johnny what is the matter?'Little Johnny responded, 'I have a pain in my side. I think I'm going to have a wife.' The greatest mystery Jesus died while nailed to a crude wooden cross above Jerusalem's garbage dump. As his life ebbed away, cynics talked smut, a thief cursed, and soldiers gambled. To passersby watching him suffer and die, Jesus' claim to be the Son of the Living God must have seemed absurd. To those who called him Master and Lord, Jesus' public execution surely must have dashed hopes that He was indeed the Savior of the world. As Jesus' friends took his body down from the cross that afternoon, the world scarcely took notice. As a messiah, Jesus appeared to have been a failure. But he wasn't. He has in fact emerged as the triumphant victor, the Messiah he claimed to be. His crucifixion has become one of the pivotal events of world history. Self-denial has proved to be more powerful than self-assertion. Divine love, grace and mercy had devised a plan of salvation so radical that some still refuse to accept it. Jesus' suffering, self-sacrifice, devotion to principles and heedlessness of immediate consequences run contrary to all human wisdom. But out of all that has come the greatest good the human race has ever known. Howard Culbertson

EVER WONDER ... Why the sun lightens our hair, but darkens our skin? Why women can't put on mascara with their mouth closed? Why don't you ever see the headline 'Psychic Wins Lottery'? Why is 'abbreviated' such a long word? Why is it that doctors call what they do 'practice'? Why is lemon juice made with artificial flavor, and dish washing liquid made with real lemons? Why is the man who invests all your money called a broker?