Tuesday, April 20, 2010

Time for a Fresh Encounter?

Hebron Baptist Church, Denham Springs, invites you to join them during their Spring revival, April 25-28th with Dr. David Hankins as guest speaker. Dr. Hankins is well known to Louisiana Baptists. He previously served as pastor of Trinity Baptist Church in Lake Charles where the church saw over 900 persons baptized during his tenure. Since 2004, Dr. Hankins has served as the Executive Director of the Louisiana Baptist Convention. Aside from serving in a variety of positions with the Southern Baptist Convention, Dr. Hankins writes for various SBC publications and is a frequent conference and revival speaker. You will be blessed by Dr. Hankins engaging and challenging messages. Destry McFearin and special musical guests will be featured each service.

Supper will be served M-W from 5:45-6:45 and everyone is welcomed to join us.

For more information, see HBC’s website at http://hebronbaptistds.org

Tuesday, April 13, 2010

Sermon Text for Sunday, April 18, 2010 (Preparing for Revival)

The text for this week's message will help us prepare for the upcoming series of revival meetings that begin April 25th. The theme for our revival is "It's Time for a Fresh Encounter." What God promised Israel was nothing short of a resurrection to national identity. God's promise to us today is that "Dry Bones Can Live Again!"

Ezekiel 37:1-10 (New International Version)
The Valley of Dry Bones
1 The hand of the LORD was upon me, and he brought me out by the Spirit of the LORD and set me in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones.

2 He led me back and forth among them, and I saw a great many bones on the floor of the valley, bones that were very dry.

3 He asked me, "Son of man, can these bones live?"
I said, "O Sovereign LORD, you alone know."

4 Then he said to me, "Prophesy to these bones and say to them, 'Dry bones, hear the word of the LORD!

5 This is what the Sovereign LORD says to these bones: I will make breath [a] enter you, and you will come to life.

6 I will attach tendons to you and make flesh come upon you and cover you with skin; I will put breath in you, and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the LORD.' "

7 So I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I was prophesying, there was a noise, a rattling sound, and the bones came together, bone to bone.

8 I looked, and tendons and flesh appeared on them and skin covered them, but there was no breath in them.

9 Then he said to me, "Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to it, 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe into these slain, that they may live.' "

10 So I prophesied as he commanded me, and breath entered them; they came to life and stood up on their feet—a vast army.

For His Glory!
Pastor Joe

Monday, April 5, 2010

Sermon Text and Miscellaneous Stuff for Sunday, April 11, 2010

I haven't done a very good job of keeping up with my blog lately. Sorry for my lack of updates. I hope to do a better job of this in the future. This Sunday, we will continue our study of the Book of Mark by examining an interesting text in the life of Jesus when He visited his home town of Nazareth. Verses 5-6 are pretty amazing in light of the fact that Jesus is ministering to His own people. I wonder sometimes, "Does familiarity with Jesus in our lives hinder us from receiving from God?" "Does God work in spite of us?" Or "Does God do mighty works regardless of our response?" And "What is the 'human element' role in God working, if any?"

As a part of our 10:30 a.m. service, we will observe the ordinance of baptism. What a beautiful way to celebrate together our new life in Jesus Christ! I hope that you will join us this Sunday as we worship our risen Savior! He is worthy of worship!

This Sunday's Text
Mark 6:1-6 (New International Version)

A Prophet Without Honor
1Jesus left there and went to his hometown, accompanied by his disciples.

2 When the Sabbath came, he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were amazed. "Where did this man get these things?" they asked. "What's this wisdom that has been given him, that he even does miracles!

3 Isn't this the carpenter? Isn't this Mary's son and the brother of James, Joseph,[a] Judas and Simon? Aren't his sisters here with us?" And they took offense at him.

4 Jesus said to them, "Only in his hometown, among his relatives and in his own house is a prophet without honor."

5 He could not do any miracles there, except lay his hands on a few sick people and heal them.

6 And he was amazed at their lack of faith.

Footnotes:

a. Mark 6:3 Greek Joses, a variant of Joseph

For His Glory!
Pastor Joe