Whom Do You Glorify?

Recently, I found out that servers at restaurants don't like to work on Sundays. It was shocking to me to find out why.  They are quick to tell that overall, Sunday crowds are rude and bad tippers.

Yesterday as I was scrolling looking at posts on Facebook, it hit me, a lot of the posts I was reading well.... were not very nice. Yet, the very people that post these not so very nice things, go to church regularly.

As Christians, we should really open our eyes and maybe start reminding ourselves that everything we do glorifies someone, God or Satan.
As we jump down our server's throat, post ugly snide remarks in  social media, talk to our neighbors, or whatever it may be, if it is not glorifying God, Satan surely is happy.

It's really sad.. pathetic actually, that we are so caught up in our fleshly feelings that we can't control ourselves from being ugly and bitter.  I certainly don't want to walk away from a conversation with those who are left saying 'and she calls herself a Christian'......

The cashiers we are ugly to, the people we haven't seen in ten years on Facebook.. what kind of impression are you leaving? Are you allowing Christ to shine through you, exposing something to the world that they might want to come to Christ, or are you giving Christianity a bad name?

Fruit of the Spirit:

Galatians 5:16-17
"Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things you wish".

Verse 19-23
"Now the works of the flesh are evident which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousy, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries and the like; of which I tell you before hand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But, the fruit of the Spirit is love, peace, long suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self control...."

Verse 24-25 "Those who are Christ's have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit."

What Paul is saying in his letter to the Galatians, we should heed today, if we are born again believers we need to act like it and bear the fruit of the Spirit, not of the Flesh.

~ submitted by Jeni Morelock

Your Interrupted Life

The story of Jonah has never been one of my favorite Bible stories. Even though there are many others that are far more gory, this one makes my stomach turn. It's a little too fishy for me. Not that I don't believe it, I simply don't like to think about a man rolling around in the slime and contents of the belly of a fish for three days, and then being vomited from it's mouth.. It's not a pretty picture, though it's a whale of a story! I prefer stories such as the one about Mary sitting at the feet of Jesus while Martha scurried about in the kitchen. That one I can identify with. Nope, I didn't think I had much in common with Jonah. Boy, was I wrong!

This past weekend was our Ladies Conference. It was an intensive Bible study via a six part DVD series by Priscilla Shirer called, "Jonah: Navigating a Life Interrupted."  I much preferred this method instead of viewing it one session per week. I felt like I got a full dose for what was ailing me instead of an itty-bitty teaspoonful.

You know the story, God interrupted Jonah's life when He instructed him to go to Ninevah and deliver a message to them. Jonah had a nice little life where he was. He didn't like the Ninevites and he certainly did not want to go minister to them. So, he did what most of us do when when our life is interrupted. He whined and cried around to God, and then he bolted. He ran away from God. Tee hee! Ran away from God.  When I think about it, it's really quite funny how we do that, because God knows where we are and what we are doing at all times. We act like a child who puts his hands over his face, thinking this hides him from his parents. 

Jonah found himself in a sticky, stinky situation. I've been there, haven't you? Your life goes along smoothly. You're happy in your mess. Then something happens that rocks your world. In an instant, your life changes. You lose a loved one, or your job, or your finances take an unexpected dive. You thought you would be married forever and your husband comes home and tells you he doesn't want to be married to you anymore. These are examples of how our life can be interrupted. What do we do when this happens?  How do we figure it all out? It's hard to move forward and leave the past behind. The past, albeit good or bad, is a familiar place. It doesn't scare us like the unknown future does. Priscilla said , "The hardest reason to go to the next thing is the last thing God gave you.  You get comfortable where you are.......The interrupted life looks different and difficult." This is because we fear the unknown. Who is the author of fear? It's not Jesus. You got it! It's the enemy, Satan.

The thing is, we can't get away from our interrupted life. We have to learn to navigate through the changes, and do it the way God tells us to do it. In Jonah 1:2, God tells Jonah,  “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry out against it; for their wickedness has come up before Me.”  You can't go until you get up, so God told him to arise. Then He told him to go to this big city, and then he told him to speak judgment against it.

How many times have you been told to do something by God and you put it off, or tried it your way, only to come full circle and do it God's way, because you had no peace until you did? I know I have, more times than I care to admit. Like Jonah, when things happen to me that are hard to handle, I spin my wheels in the mud for a while, whine and cry to my family and friends, finally coming to a place of obedience, because I have learned the hard way that it's the only way.

Priscilla said, "If you are a believer, all the power and grandeur of the Holy Spirit is yours, because He resides in you.  When He says "arise and go", it's because He wants you to experience something different....God loves to put us in the challenge, because that's when He gets to be who He is!"  Once we grab hold of this truth, we can arise and go forward with boldness and confidence that God has our back. After Jonah cried out to God, God responded. He gave Jonah a second chance. I'm thankful for second chances, aren't you?

I could go on and on. I could tell you story after story of how God has interrupted my life, or how I interrupted my own and He accepted me back and put me back on track, but I'm probably pushing it to get you to finish reading this. Priscilla made her point by showing us five promises when we obey God. 

Jonah 3: 3-4:

1. We get a second chance. (Hallelujah!)

2. He will give us His presence. (Oh, how I need Him!)

3. We get an exceedingly great opportunity for God to show us His power within us. God can make the impossible possible. (I've experienced it first-hand.)

4. We get divine anointing. (That's powerful!)

5. We get supernatural results when we are obedient to God,and with His anointing, we can expect huge things! We have God's presence not only in us, but on us. ( I know this to be true!) 

Has your life been interrupted? How are you navigating through it? What are your challenges? Do you have some decisions to make? Trust God. He has ALL the answers. He has a plan for your life. Jeremiah 29:11 is another one of my life verses. "For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. 

God is true to His word. He will never fail you or forsake you. "He's good at His job. Let God be God." - Priscilla Shirer

Pam Archer, Director 

Women's Ministry

WOW! Woman of the Week ~ Linda King

My name is Linda Vinsant King. I grew up in Dalton, GA. I am from a large family. There were 7 of us. I have 2 brothers and 2 sisters, whom I love very much. My brothers grew up playing baseball. My dad coached their teams until they reached high school. I spent many summers at ball fields while growing up.

I met my husband Chuck when I had finished 1 year of college. He was a former teacher and coach. We met in December 1974, became engaged in May 1975 and married in August 1975. I have been married most of my life! 

Prior to having children, I obtained my degree as a Registered Nurse. Our daughter Jennifer was born after completing my degree. A job change for Chuck took us to Glen Burnie, MD for a couple of years. We had a chance to move to Bristol, TN, with another job change for Chuck. The best part of coming to Bristol was that it was where Chuck’s family lived.  Greg was born when we had been in Bristol for 2 years.

In 1989 we had a home built in Indian Springs. With that move, we started attending Indian Springs Baptist Church. It was at ISBC that our children made their professions of faith in Christ. Those years were very special for our family, as we all grew in our faith, serving the Lord together. We left ISBC for a few years after moving back to Bristol, attending the church Chuck grew up in. It was there that we were able to share the many things we learned at ISBC.  After being away for a few years, we made the decision to return to ISBC. We love being back “home”.

Our daughter Jennifer is married and has 2 children, Jake who is 5 and Emma who is 2 ½. We love to keep them as often as their parents will allow! Jake and Emma love coming to ISBC with us!

Greg played baseball from the time he was 5 years of age until he was 22, playing the game while in college. We found ourselves at the ball field…again and again. Greg recently married Amber Morrell. He became an instant dad to Amber’s son Jack, so we have another grandchild. We are so excited to see what the Lord has in store for Greg, Amber, and Jack.

I left my position as a nurse in 2001. I currently substitute teach in the Sullivan County school system. This satisfies a longing I’ve always had to be a teacher.

Having been around baseball most of my life I suppose is the reason why I love the sport. There are so many places to witness to the lost and encourage those who are wavering in their walk with the Lord. One of our mission fields has been at the ball park. If you’re faith gets stronger and you encourage others while witnessing to them, then it’s not a bad place to be.

~  Submited by Kathy Neal

    ISBC Women's Ministry

    Communications Coordinator

True Praise and Worship

"So I'll stand, with arms high and heart abandoned, 

in awe of the one who gave it all.

I'll stand, my soul Lord to you surrender.

All I am is yours." - The Stand, by Hillsong

This picture of these children singing and worshiping God exemplifies pure praise and worship.  With precious abandon, they lift their hearts and souls to Him.  Notice that a couple of them have hands uplifted, a couple more have hands over their hearts, or eyes closed, tuning out all others. The child in the red has her hands clasped, and the child's face behind her says it all.  One thing stands out to me about this picture.  They're all IN!  They have no worries about what anyone around them is thinking.  They are focused solely on their purpose in the moment, and that is to praise God.

This picture is so different from the way I was raised. A pastor's daughter, we were taught to be prim and proper in church. Our white-gloved hands were crossed and laid upon our laps, on our neatly pressed and stiffly starched dresses.  Being reserved was equivalent to being godly.  Being composed and poised were highly stressed in my very strict, very southern, and very Baptist home. 

It's almost peculiar how our environment can so deeply shape us; how our minds so quickly adapt and accept what we are taught. Not that there is anything wrong at all with being ladylike, we most certainly should conduct ourselves like ladies. However, to equate worship with a set of rules and standards negates what true praise and worship is.

A few years ago, I sat down in the sanctuary one Sunday morning.  On the screen was a definition of worship. I don't remember exactly what it said, but it went straight to my heart. It was an ah-ha moment for me.  Basically, it said that worship isn't about us, but it is all about Jesus.  I was reminded of the chorus we had sung, "I'm going back to the heart of worship, and it's all about you, it's all about you Jesus.  I'm sorry, Lord, for the thing I've made it, when it's all about you, it's all about you."

So many times before, I had felt like raising my hands in worship to the Father, but was afraid of what the people around me would think.  I didn't want anybody to think I thought I was anything special or that I think I am some Super-Christian. The Holy Spirit spoke to my heart when I read the definition of worship.  "Pam, you are being a hypocrite!" A hypocrite?  I wondered. "Yes, a hypocrite!" What do you mean, Lord? "You want to raise your hands and heart to me in praise and you don't because you are thinking about what others would think about you.  You aren't being real!"  Woah!  I had never thought of my being reserved in worship in this way before. "Worship isn't about you.  It's about me!"  He continued. I sank deeper into my chair as I came to a realization that I had been so steeped in tradition, that I couldn't be real before God.  I asked God's forgiveness and repented that day, and He released me to be free in my worship.

Does this mean that everyone should raise their hands when they praise God?  NO!  Praise or worship is what it is.  It is an act before God and about God.  It's not an emotion.  It's not singing a pretty song.  It isn't performing a pretty song.  It's not a preference or a style.  Rather, it is allowing the overflow of our hearts to pour out before Him in adoration, thankfulness, humility, awareness, awe, obedience, and recognition of His almighty power and omnipotence. This can occur during prayer, Bible study, singing, and through the spoken word.  It can occur in a worship service, while driving, while alone on a mountaintop, sitting on our back porch, or on our knees by the bed. The where or the how does not matter.  It's the attitude of the heart that determines praise and worship. 

Oh that we would become free from the preconceived notions about what worship and praise are. If we could only recognize that worship and praise should not be governed by a bunch of do's and don'ts or rules and regulations, we could experience them as these children do.  

A young child and her parents were sitting in front of me during service.  We were standing and singing.  The little girl raised her hands in excitement and innocence.  The mother quickly grabbed her arm and pulled it down, shaking her head no-don't do that.  My heart was sad as I saw this mother quench the spirit of this innocent child, who was praising God in her way.

The Psalms are full of scripture about praising God.  "Praise Him with loud, clanging symbols."  "Praise Him with the dance."  The Bible teaches us how to praise.  King David knew how to praise God. We can learn from him. Paul and Silas knew a thing or two about praise, too.

Pray that God would open your eyes and heart to learn how to praise Him.  Pray for freedom from anything or anyone who would hold you back from expressing your love for Him.  Learn to tune out others as you praise God. It will deepen your relationship with Him, and He will receive all the glory and praise that He deserves.

The Stand:

The Heart of Worship:

 

Come back tomorrow and hear from our Health & Wellness Coordinator, Brandy Kisner.

Pam Archer, Director
ISBC Women's Ministry