It Was A Primitive Baptist Weekend!

NOTE: Some info on this blog may be duplicated as there were many of us bloggers all present at the same meeting~


Friday night was the beginning of a wonderful weekend. While Satan tried his best to hinder with power failures and a/c problems, the Lord still blessed (and in the meantime, reminded us all to be thankful for the luxuries we take for granted).



When the power went out just before the preaching service, several brothers offered Brother Tim McCool light... to which I commented to Jim... "Don't they know they can't give him light, only the Lord can?" :) (I crack myself up)


Brother Tim preached a wonderful sermon about burdens (good and bad) and how if we cast our burdens upon the Lord he will sustain us. He also pointed out (and I am guilty of both) the error in the common sayings: "The Lord won't put more on you than you can handle" and "don't pray for patience unless you want tribulation"

The scripture (which is being misquoted for the first saying) is: There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it. (1 Cor 10:13)- In other words, the Lord gives you a way to "escape" the temptation so that you "can handle it".

The scripture regarding the second saying is: And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience (Rom 5:3)- Here Brother Tim pointed out, that the scripture does not say that tribulation "brings" patience, it works, or exercises patience that you already have...


I have to correct my though pattern on these two issues- becuase I have been guilty of saying both!


After services, since it was so hot, no one stuck around to fellowship, but some of us went to mom and dad's (AKA- Borrowed Dad/Borrowed Poppa) to sing and fellowship. This is where I found out that Bethany doesn't read my blog :( BECAUSE I DON'T HAVE PICTURES... well here you go Beff... here's some pictures for you!



Saturday morning services greeted us with electricity once again, however, no A/C still... NO PROBLEM, Satan can try all he wants to disturb us, but we weren't going to have it... Brother Tim preached another outstanding sermon. He started out by saying that he was always taught and has tried to teach his children the concept of "leave it better than you found it". This was a lesson that I completely identified with... mom and dad (and the Girl Scouts) taught us this same thing growing up, especially in the girl scouts... when you go camping, you leave the camp ground in better shape than it was when you got there... the same as when you visited people's home.... well, Brother Tim took this concept of "Leave it better than when you found it" and showed how the Lord, in every experience in his ministry here on earth, left things better than how he found it (in all his healings, and miracles etc.) and further went on to explain, that when we serve others we ourselves can go from bad to better (even if not appreciated by those whom we are serving).


Unfortunately, Brother Tim had to leave after lunch, but thankfully Brother Chris Taylor agreed to preach the afternoon service... We even made room on the sign for him!


He preached an interesting sermon about tears... One of the things he brought up was the verse: Jesus wept... Jim and I have often talked about this same thing, and Brother Chris talked about it too... Why did Jesus weep? Was it becuase of the death of Lazarus? Was it becuase of the lack of faith that Martha and Mary had? (this last one is what Jim and I think) or was it because he (Jesus) had to bring Lazarus out of the presence of God (in eternal glory) to come back to this sin-cursed earth where he would remain until he died (again). While we shed tears at funerals, it is for the one's who remain, not for the one's who have gone on to be with the Lord... becuase they have it far better than us who still have to endure this world.


Saturday night we had our communion service. I am always so thankful for this service. I never feel worthy to be in this service, I feel like I fail in my service to the Lord daily, yet becuase of what he did on the cross and because of God's mercy, I am able to partake in this solemn service. It always ends in joyful, thankful tears and I go away rejoicing!


Finally, we ended the weekend with our Sunday morning worship. Brother Buddy spoke on "Our Advesary Part 5" and went through the second temptation that Satan presented to Jesus:


(Matthew 4:5)Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple, And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone. Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.


We have learned in the past that Satan will misquote scriptures (adding or taking away words) but here, he mis-interpreted or rather mis-applied a scripture that he quoted correctly. We can test these "temptations" by looking at whether or not other scriptures contradict the interpretation... Brother Buddy specifically focused on a very common mis-application of "salvation". When the scripture says "Save yourself" or "work out your own salvation" we have to understand that, if this were eternal salvation (or an eternal saving) it would contradict scriptures that say we have no part in our salvation, so obviously you have to question "Save from what?" If it is a saving from hell to heaven or a saving from eternal damnation to life everlasting, then it is not of our works, but that of the work on the cross. But if it is a salvation in this life (i.e. from this untoward generation) then we do have hand in that salvation.


All in all, the sermons of the weekend were edifying and I am thankful to have been with all my Brothers and Sisters in Christ!

Random photos from the weekend