I am a regular viewer of the “O’Reilly Factor” on the Fox News Channel. In my opinion, I do believe Mr. O’Reilly tries to present topics in a far and impartial way. If he errs, he gives an apology and a corrective statement. This, however, does not mean I agree with everything he says.

I watched an interview he did with Edward Beck, a Catholic Minister, last night pertaining to the celebration of the death of the terrorist Osama Bin Laden. The Minister Beck stated, Bin Laden’s death does not warrant celebration. In other words, we, Americans, should not celebrate this terrorist’s death.

I must say, in all truthfulness, I feel and believe justice has been served in the death of the cowardly terrorist Osama Bin Laden. This man, Bin Laden, orchestrated the September 11 attack on The United States of America, killing 3,000 innocent people. If it were not for some very brave Americans more lives would have been lost.

I also agree with the Catholic Minister and others who are encouraging us not to celebrate the death of this man. The bible teaches us in Pro 24:17  Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth, and let not thine heart be glad when he stumbleth: O’Reilly and I disagree. He believes it is perfectly acceptable for our country to celebrate this man’s death. O’Reilly calls it a victory. As an American, I understand the sentiment, but nevertheless, God’s word stands.

Were we, as Americans, right in the killing of Osama Bin Laden? How do we balance what Jesus said, “love our enemies and pray for them.”? We are to pray for our enemies and I must confess I do not think I ever prayed for Osama Bin Laden. However, I believe Jesus was speaking of those “enemies” that cut us off in traffic, take our parking space, steals our property and those who try to advance themselves by personal attacks on us. As I stated above, the seeking out and killing of the coward Osama Bin Laden was an act of justice. It was punishment for his actions against The United States of America.

The bible clearly does not place the authority of punishment in the hands of individuals. It does, however, place this authority in the government: under a rule of law and not of passion. It is often said we cannot take the law into our own hands. Why? I think because if I dish out punishment for a wrong against me, it will, in virtually every case, be too harsh a punishment for the wrong. The wrong done to me is always more wrong than the same wrong done to you. I cannot displace my passion. Therefore, a jury is assigned by the government to determine guilt and the government (a judge) assigns the punishment. Even to the point of capital punishment. Romans 13:1-4 is clear for this point and it reads:

Rom 13:1  Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.

Rom 13:2  Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation.

Rom 13:3  For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same:

Rom 13:4  For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil.

These verses clearly place punishment in the hands of the government and not in a single man.

I do sincerely understand how Americans feel about the coward Osama Bin Laden’s death, but we cannot celebrate it; rather we should thank God this man has been brought to justice and remember him no more. Some of the smallest acts of worship and kindness are remembered forever in the bible. The widow’s mite, giving of food and other examples flow through out the bible. These are the things we should celebrate. The times someone is helped and no one sees it. A pat on the back or a kind word spoken in an hour of need, these are the things that should be celebrated. Celebrate that God is the One Who will dispense justice and wrath. For God is the One Who will disperse justice in the perfect amount and in the very right time.

This is one of the points in which I heartedly disagree with Bill O’Reilly concerning celebrating the death of this cowardly man. I do thank God, through Christ my Lord, that justice has been served.

For over two years the congregation, and friends,  contributed to the building fund. In addition to maintaining their continued support of Zion’s general fund.

Also, we did a cookbook called  “Zion’s Bounty” in which we have sold over 500 copies and have just recently re-ordered another couple of hundred copies. All the “profits” from the cookbook sales have gone straight into the building fund.

God has showered us with His bountiful blessings and He continues. Just a couple of weeks ago, Zion Church received, for the building fund, a large donation which will allow us to start and virtually complete the fellowship hall.

God has been so good to us. We give Him all the praise, glory and honor!!!

I am thankful for the other ministry that attended, Elders Clarke Lee (Mars Hill Church), J. E. Griffis (New Big Creek Church), Gordan Smith (West Jacksonville Church), Herman Griffin (Salem Church) and Dan Strickland (Lower Mill Creek Church). Having God’s ministers present is a true blessing from God. Their presence reminds us we are not alone in our stand for Salvation by Grace and Grace Alone in this world.

Ministry in attendance

We are also thankful for all who came to worship with us during our Winter Meeting. It is always good to worship together and have the additional benefit of fellowship with one another.

The sermons from the meeting have now been added to our media page, so feel free to listen as you have time.

Blessings!

As an individual who is plugged into the internet, I have not really followed a blog or podcast, except of close friends. Recently, I have begun following a daily podcast by Jeremy Sarber, who is the pastor of Angier Primitive Baptist Church. Bro Jeremy has taken a unique approach to his podcast.

He bills it as being in the quietest corner of a noisy coffee shop. He approaches a variety of topics in a short 18-minute format. It’s a daily podcast that can be sent to your email. I encourage everyone to incorporate Bro Jeremy’s podcast into your daily routine.

If you would like to receive this Podcast, all you have to do is go to Bro Jeremy’s web site and sign up for the podcast and he’ll send it to you every morning. Bro Jeremy’s website is http://www.jeremysarber.com .

Our activity, as a family, focused around two movies, a true story of kindness and mercy and the other focused on God working miracles in our lives.

The act of kindness movie, I think, will be one of our family’s favorite movies. It reminds us of what we should be doing when we have an opportunity. Selfless acts of kindness.

The God focused movie, reminds us that God is active in our lives. When all seems hopeless, our hope is in God and what Christ, our Lord, did for us on the cross.

God has showered His mercy and kindness on the United States of America. We, like Israel of the Old Testament, will have our ups and downs. Times when we are not very close to God and times when there is an “awakening”. I pray, as a nation, we are in the morning of a new awakening.  But like in both the movies we watched on Thanksgiving  Day, the acts of kindness and the hope in God through Christ, started in the heart of individuals and not in a group of people.

Is there an awakening in your heart? If so, will you rise to make the best of the day or will you turn over to slumber some more?

Brother Dolph, before becoming a pastor, was an investment banker for over 20 years. That pretty much makes him an expert in the area of money. Couple that experience with sound biblical principles from the Old and New Testament gives one sound knowledge when it comes to finances.

The series on Finances are on the internet for all to listen and learn. I have begun to listen to the series and have found a sure soundness from God’s word.

The website to find these messages is:

http://www.primitivebaptistsermons.org/sermons.php

Once you are on this site type in the search box (on the left side of the page) the word “Finances”. This search should bring up the series on Finances by Brother Dolph. If not, type “Dolph Painter” in the search box.

Bro Chris

Please indulge me a little by allowing me to share with you how this position was offered to me.

On the last day of March my wife and I decided to shut down the primary source of income my company had each month. This came after much prayer and council from church members. I had hoped to develop the production side of my business. It did increase some, but not enough to make a real difference.

Out of the blue, this family friend called me to ask if I would consider taking the salesman position in his store. This was intriguing…I had been out of the car business for over 10 years, working for myself, and now I’m being asked to consider a position which is quite demanding. It is time consuming, often relentless in its demand on an individual’s time and family.

As I spoke with the owner of the business, I told him my first priority was pastoring  Zion Church. Though our congregation is small, compared to most churches, and the demands are not like a congregation of hundreds, nevertheless, there are certain areas I would not compromise. I told him Wednesday is the day during the week I do “mid week church stuff”. To my surprise he told me that day is a good day for me to be off. In addition, I told him there are weekends that I travel for  special meetings and I have meetings already planned for the rest of the years. Without any hesitation he told me there is a life outside of the car business.

Laura and I talked about this opportunity, we prayed about it. We came to the conclusion this was of the Lord. So, I took the job with some hesitation. I say with hesitation because I know the car business and the way some management/owners typically operate. They will say almost anything to accomplish their goal and then change the rules in the middle of the game.

I have had, without any negative thing said or resentment, every Wednesday off since I went to work. Now, I will say, I have swapped a Wednesday for another day because of a weekend meeting (Coastal Georgia Fellowship Meeting).  The weekends I have needed off have been the same, even when they have caused a bit of a bind for my boss.

I am about to take off for a preaching appointment in Virgina. My family and I are going to make it a mini-vacation. Nothing negative to say about it from my boss.  This is of the Lord, without question.

As one might imagine, in this downed economy, the car business is a bit stressed. There is not a dealership anywhere in the country that the number of units sold in a month are not way down. Some of the largest dealerships in the country have failed. It is same where I work. However, the Lord is in control and my prayer has been He bless our effort. God has blessed our effort. In the car business, we refer to selling a car as “delivering a car”, but the truth is, God has delivered. Whenever we’ve needed to “deliver a car”, God has blessed our effort.

I write this for at least two reasons,  from a personal standpoint, to thank God for delivering to my family needed things. Our daughter starts college in a few weeks. The additional income will certainly be needed. He has supplied our needs in such a way that I am not asked to compromise my calling to serve His people as a pastor and I hope to be an example to a young business owner, by showing that serving God, in which I do poorly most of the time,  does not take away from business but adds to business in ways the cash register cannot reveal.

On the last day of March, I shut down the largest part of my company. It happened with ease in many ways. As I was hoping to boost the production side of my company. It did work out exactly the way I wanted, but praise be to God, Who, in His mercy provided me with a job from a family friend.

I see the hand of God all over this…from every angle. My new employer called me and offered me this position. I had not consider a position in this industry again, but God had other plans. I shared with him that pastoring Zion Church was my first priority. He did not back away, but embraced the idea. I shared with him my weekly routine and he was/is okay with it. Although my new boss is not of the same faith as I, he deems it important to flexible in allowing me to serve the church. Praises to God for men who see past money and realize there is more to life than how much money a person makes.

Society, so many times, measures success by how much money people make. The true measure of a man is how he serves God. Our self value should never be placed/measured by what material things we possess, but in how we treat others.

Over the past weeks, I have been trying to preach a series on the 10 Commandments. What an eye opening study this had been. Jesus Christ summed up the 10 commandments this way: Love God with everything you have, your heart, mind, strength…everything. And love your neighbor as you love yourself. God’s promise to us, through Jesus Christ, is He will provide our every need. Sure we need material things in this life, but things do not satisfy. Love covers a multitude of sins. To sacrifice for another is serving God and loving our neighbor as loving ones self. We should endeavor to remember it is about serving God and His people. Not only should we remember this, but we should exercise the faith given us by putting it to practice and watch God through Christ Jesus work in our live and the lives of others. Following the 10 Commandments is a good place to start in all the things we do.

I am thankful for men like my new earthly boss, who realizes there is more to life than his business. The Lord God blessed my first month there and I believe He will continue to bless us.

I am no one special, but made special in God’s eye by the finished work of Jesus Christ, my Lord and Savior.

This slacker will do his best to get all the updated sermons on this site as quickly as possible.

Brother Chris

The first of the list of what Zion Church holds as its core belief is there is only one true and living God. The article reads as follows:

We believe there is one true and living God, and that the Godhead consists of three Divine Persons, The Father, and The Son, and The Holy Spirit. (Deu. 4:39, Matt. 28:19, Mark 12:32, I John 5:7)

Notice the reference verses used to prove the statement. Deuteronomy 4:39 teaches there is only one God and He is called LORD. He is LORD in heaven above and LORD here below on the earth. We are to consider this fact in our heart. To meditate upon this very fact, there is only one God and we, as children of God, should keep this close to us, in mind, spirit and body. In the New Testament (Mark 12:32), a scribe of the Sadducees confessed there was but one God.

The next proof verse is Matthew 28:19.  This is, in time, when Christ Jesus our Lord was ascending to His place at the Right Hand of the Father. Jesus tells the apostles “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:” Although this instruction is to the apostles and ministry unto all the ages, it also shows equal authority between the Father (God), the Son (Christ Jesus) and the Holy Ghost (Holy Spirit). It could be argued there is no justification in this verse showing that God, Christ Jesus and the Holy Ghost are one. However, there are other verses in scripture that gives proof of God, Christ Jesus and the Holy Ghost being one.

Creation is a very power example of the three in one Godhead. Genesis 1:1 is clear when it says “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.” Showing in the very first verse in God’s Word, there is only God who controls all things. But, John 1:1-3 also teaches Christ Jesus was in creation, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.” In addition, John 1:10 reads, “He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.” Thus, the bible teaches God and Christ Jesus created all things, not separately, but as One. Furthermore, scripture credits the Holy Spirit in creation. Genesis 1:2 reads, “And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.” The conclusion can only be the Godhead, being one, consists of God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit, each responsible for creation, not separately, but as One.

Finally, for this statement in the Articles of Faith, 1 John 5:7 makes a definitive statement concerning the three in one Godhead, “For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.” The word “Word” is Christ Jesus, teaching the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost are one in distinction and they are in agreement.

This is the first statement in Zion Church’s Articles of Faith or statements of core beliefs. The “Trinity” and “In the beginning God…” is of tremendous important to understand, at least the concept, because if Satan can in some way shake an individual’s belief in this basic concept of scripture, he (Satan) can cause doubt on the entire bible as God’s Word. We see this throughout our society today. Try to always remember, God’s word says what it means and means what is says.

Brother Chris

In addition, we had an individual come forward for a home in the church. Zion received her with a motion and second and a unanimous vote for baptism. Due to this dear Sister current health issues, it will be at least a couple of weeks before we will be able to baptize her.

Zion extended the right hand of fellowship to her. It was obvious she was full of joy at this expression of love and so were we.

It is always joyful when one of God’s people come home.