Notes from the first Sunday in 2010

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  • Happy New Year!

    It was a beautiful day. But it was cold. No. It was cooooooold! The weather guy called it “deceptive sunshine.” He explained, “You will look outside and see the sunshine. But when you go outside, you will feel the cold.” He was right. I am glad the saints pressed on to worship anyway.

    The Lord smiled on our first Lord’s Day worship services in 2010 at Shiloh yesterday.

    I resumed teaching my New Members Class yesterday. It was good to be with our new members and to discuss with them the good news of Jesus Christ.

    I thank the Lord for his protection of my flock over the holidays. It was good to see many who were traveling had made it home safely. And I pray God’s blessings on those who were visiting here and are on their way back home or to school.

    I am grateful for all of the guests who were in worship with us this past Sunday.

    I had the privilege of leading the congregation in our hymn for the morning. It is a joy to lead God’s people in musical praise.

    For the first time, we celebrated the Lord’s Table in both of Sunday morning worship services. A big shout-out to our Deacons and Deaconess for their service to our congregation!

    Likewise, we shifted our celebration of the Lord’s Supper to earlier in the service, rather than the end of it. I hope that this change will help us to put a greater emphasis on the significance of the Supper and not feel as pressured to rush through it at the end of the service.

    The choir sang one of my favorite gospel hymns before the message: “Oh, To Be Kept By Jesus.” That’s my prayer.

    I continued my series through Philippians. I preached, “Have Your Learned to be Content?” from Philippians 4:10-13.

    It was one of the Sundays when I never felt that I really got in the rhythm in either one of the sermon presentations. Thank God for using me in spite of me.

    Praise God for all those who were saved and added to the church yesterday.

    It is my plan that January 10-17 will be Prayer Emphasis week at Shiloh. And it is my intention to begin this week of prayer emphasis with a message on Ephesians 1:15-19 – “Praying to Know God Better.”

    The Dallas Cowboys stomped the Philadelphia Eagles 24-0 to win the Division Title.

    The Jacksonville Jaguars lost to the Cleveland Browns and were eliminated from playoff contention. Maybe next year.

    I cannot believe that Sunday was the last day of the NFL regular season. It went by so fast. At least we still have the playoffs. And we will have the privilege of watching the Cowboys in the Super Bowl!

    Scripture
    Topic
    Series

    H.B. Charles Jr.

    Pastor-Teacher at the Shiloh Metropolitan Baptist Church of Jacksonville and Orange Park, Florida.

    Jesus Has The Last Word

    And as Jesus taught in the temple, he said, “How can the scribes say that the…

    Praying With The End In Mind

    To this end we always pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of…

    The Most Important Commandment

    And one of the scribes came up and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, asked him, “Which commandment is the most important of all?” Jesus answered, “The most important is, ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this:‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” And the scribe said to him, “You are right, Teacher. You have truly said that he is one, and there is no other besides him. And to love him with all the heart and with all the understanding and with all the strength, and to love one’s neighbor as oneself, is much more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.” And when Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” And after that no one dared to ask him any more questions. – Mark 12:28-34 Armies win…

    Lessons from a Childless Widow

    And Sadducees came to him, who say that there is no resurrection. And they asked him a question,…