The Buckner Baptist Beacon Ye are the light of the world. – Matthew 5:14 to the Lord, his life becomes separate and different from that of the world. Paul emphasizes that as the invitation is accepted and presentation of self is made, transformation takes place. Transformation describes a special kind of change. It is a change from within. It is the same kind of change that takes place in the caterpillar as it goes through the process of metamorphosis. It changes from an ugly and destructive worm to a butterfly. As the Spirit of God works in the life of the surrendered Christian, the child of God changes. He changes in his depth of relationship with God, with others, and in the depth of his commitment to Christ. The same can be said of churches. As a church accepts the invitation to become deeper in Christ and presents self to the Lord, God works to bring about a depth of Volume 1 Number 28 Sunday September 21, 2014 Ye are the light of the world. – Matthew 5:14 Few people like change. In fact, change is so uncomfortable that it is only natural for it to be resisted. Individuals find a level of comfort that they protect dearly. Churches get in a pattern that is convenient and comfortable and when there is a suggestion of change one can expect outcries of resistance. However, the lack of change means illness and death. It is only natural that a baby changes. It grows and matures. If there is not growth, or change, that is a sign that something is wrong. Paul challenges the individual Christian as well as the New Testament church to experience healthy spiritual change. Romans 12:1-2 describes the pattern of change and growth that is Spirit led. “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God.” Paul gives an invitation. The invitation is one for growth and depth that comes from scriptural and spiritual change. It is a passionate and powerful invitation. Change for the sake of change is useless and is a substitute for the real change that come as a result of a deepening relationship with Christ Paul also describes a presentation. It is accepting the invitation and presenting self to the living God. It is the giving up of one’s will and plans. It is the giving up of the control of life. It is a challenge to be separated and surrendered. As the child of God presents himself worship, witnessing, and work that is fresh and new. A church that is being transformed by the Spirit of God is one where there is passion and power. There is sacrifice and surrender. Because of the power of God opportunities for ministry are opened. It is through the work of transformation that Christ is revealed in the life of the Christian and in the church. Transformation and change lead to places that are new. The challenge to God’s people is to trust the Lord and follow Him no matter how uncomfortable things become. He gives the courage and the strength needed. My Lord knows the way through the wilderness. All I have to do is follow. Change is hard
Transcript
The Buckner Baptist Beacon Ye are the light of the world. – Matthew 5:14
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to the Lord, his life becomes separate and different from that of the world.
Paul emphasizes that as the invitation is accepted and presentation of self is made, transformation takes place. Transformation describes a special kind of change. It is a change from within. It is the same kind of change that takes place in the caterpillar as it goes through the process of metamorphosis. It changes from an ugly and destructive worm to a butterfly.
As the Spirit of God works in the life of the surrendered Christian, the child of God changes. He changes in his depth of relationship with God, with others, and in the depth of his commitment to Christ.
The same can be said of churches. As a church accepts the invitation to become deeper in Christ and presents self to the Lord, God works to bring about a depth of
Volume 1 Number 28 Sunday September 21, 2014 Ye are the light of the world. – Matthew 5:14
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Few people like change. In fact, change is so uncomfortable that it is only natural for it to be resisted. Individuals find a level of comfort that they protect dearly. Churches get in a pattern that is convenient and comfortable and when there is a suggestion of change one can expect outcries of resistance.
However, the lack of change means illness and death. It is only natural that a baby changes. It grows and matures. If there is not growth, or change, that is a sign that something is wrong.
Paul challenges the individual Christian as well as the New Testament church to experience healthy spiritual change. Romans 12:1-2 describes the pattern of change and growth that is Spirit led. “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy,
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acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God.”
Paul gives an invitation. The invitation is one for growth and depth that comes from scriptural and spiritual change. It is a passionate and powerful invitation. Change for the sake of change is useless and is a substitute for the real change that come as a result of a deepening relationship with Christ
Paul also describes a presentation. It is accepting the invitation and presenting self to the living God. It is the giving up of one’s will and plans. It is the giving up of the control of life. It is a challenge to be separated and surrendered. As the child of God presents himself
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worship, witnessing, and work that is fresh and new. A church that is being transformed by the Spirit of God is one where there is passion and power. There is sacrifice and surrender. Because of the power of God opportunities for ministry are opened.
It is through the work of transformation that Christ is revealed in the life of the Christian and in the church. Transformation and change lead to places that are new. The challenge to God’s people is to trust the Lord and follow Him no matter how uncomfortable things become. He gives the courage and the strength needed.
My Lord knows
the way through the wilderness. All I have to do is follow.
Change is hard
The Buckner Baptist Beacon Sunday September 21, 2014
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I don’t have to tell you that traffic is awful in our area. The construction projects and the sheer volume of vehicles make it impossible to easily get from one place to another.
Traffic is so bad in front of mine and Mary’s house that of a morning if I leave after a certain time I cannot get on to the highway. Traffic is often at a standstill and blocks the driveway.
In these times I usually drive around the house and take my neighbor’s driveway to a side road. This takes me a little longer to get to where I’m going but at least I get on the road.
In taking this route, things are a little quieter. There is not as much traffic and the pace is slower. It is slower, that is, until I come to a certain back road that is usually quiet. However, I’ve noticed recently that even this quiet country road is becoming busy. As I attempt to pull out on the road, I have to watch carefully because of a curve that blocks the view of oncoming traffic. Vehicles are moving very fast as they come around the curve. Everyone seems to be in a hurry to get somewhere.
Maybe I’m getting old. (I can hear some of you saying, “Amen!”) I’m sick and tired
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of dealing with the fast pace of our society. While I believe in hard work, ambition, and progress I don’t believe the speed that we seem to be forced to live has anything to do with life and living. It certainly has nothing to do with real progress. Fast living does not mean successful living
Psalm 46:10 says, “Be still, and know that I am God.” Let that challenge sink into the depths of your heart. The Lord is saying to a stormy, noisy, churning world, “Shhh! Be quiet.” I can see Him with His finger to His lips as He speaks. His invitation is for us to really know Him. The invitation is to experience the living God. It is only in quietness and stillness that we can experience Him as the God of our lives. He challenges us to stop being rats in the modern rat race of life and instead be men, women, and young people of God who dare to refuse to follow the pressure and pace of modern society.
When we dare make that decision it will ruffle feathers, it will upset the apple cart, it will cause ripples, it will rock the boat. However you want to say it we become unpopular and we may even be attacked when we
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say, “No!” to the world because we have first said, “Yes!” to God.
It is in the stillness and quietness of God’s Presence that we find the peace our souls long for. We find rest that reenergizes the mind, emotions, and spirit. We discover the arms of the Lord wrapped around us comforting and caressing us as we talk to Him about the wounds of our lives.
The hurry and pressure are actually from our attempts to run and control our own lives. We place self on the throne of our hearts instead of God and as a result become overwhelmed and miserable.
God gives us the invitation to take the back road, the road less travelled, the road that others seem to avoid. It is the road of Calvary. It is not popular nor will you find it swamped with traffic. However, it is the road of life and peace.
Not long ago I was at the local airport and saw a little boy and his mother standing in the waiting area. They anxiously looked down the long walkway. Suddenly the little boy pointed and exclaimed, “I see him!” He rushed to the approaching man and cried, “Daddy!”
That’s how we need to experience God. His arms are wide open to hug us and hold us. That’s what it means to know God. If pressure and hurry have kept you from experiencing God, your Father, now is the time to run into His arms.
The Pastor’s Pen
Dealing with too much traffic
Prayer List
Bereaved Brenda Jones and Family
On the loss of her father, Bob Hankins
Loretta Garrison On the loss of her brother
Hospitalized
Lynn Robbins Health South
Special Requests Bernice Burris Hospice Care
Shannon Jones Knee Surgery Karen Hollon
Jackie Robbins’ cousin Has throat cancer
Joyce Faught Linda Drake’s sister
Joe Garrison Pauline Estes Paul Pannell Gene Payton
Sharon Pennington Lee Laizure
Keith Edwards Letticia Reeves Nola’s daughter
Christopher Ross Nola’s grandson
Margaret Taylor Pat Rogers
Becky Walker Pam McCormick
Bill & Vivian Hancock’s daughter Jimmy Don Shepherd
Jean Sorenson Leslie Reeves
Linda Drake’s daughter Jim Wright
Brother passed away Ted & Charlene Doke
Phil Misenheimer Complications from back surgery
Mack Graves Hospice Care
Don & Connie Dunnington Brother and sister in law of Pauline
Smith Jeremy Lumpkin
Son in law of Garey and Linda Sorenson
Grandmother had a stroke
Sunday September 21, 2014 The Buckner Baptist Beacon
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high up on a mountain and look at the beauty down below. Somehow, it seems this perspective helps me feel closer to God. At one point during Jesus’ earthly pilgrimage, the devil took him up to an exceeding high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and the glory of them. Satan told the Lord that he would give Him all of these kingdoms if He would fall down and worship him. (Matthew 4:8-11) Of course, Jesus refused to obey Satan and quoted, “Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.” Jesus’ perspective was to remain true to his calling and vision. What a great example for us to follow when tempted. (Hebrews 12:2)
God is looking for those who are willing to have a heavenly perspective rather than an earthly vision. He has more in store for us than we can either think or see. I Corinthians 2:9 tells us, “But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.” Therefore, to be of earthly good, we must be heavenly minded!
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Taking vacations together as a family was always an exciting adventure. Mom was Dad’s copilot and chief organizer of the trips, always making sure we had a proper place to spend the night and decent food to eat. We traveled to the East Coast, West Coast and many places along the way. Seeing this great land and all its beauty instilled in me a great love and respect for those early pioneers, people of great faith and God-inspired vision, whose focus was to promote life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
It seems many people have lost the vision our Founding Fathers worked so hard to maintain and preserve. Many Americans still adhere to the importance of the Constitution, three branches of government, and the Declaration of Independence. Unfortunately, however, many who call America their homeland have deserted these principles which were based upon the worship of the One True God and His Word.
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Too many have chosen to live according to what best suits their own selfish, lustful desires rather than for God and country.
God warns us that “where there is no vision” the people perish. Our earthly vision is most often at war with the heavenly vision God wants to give us. We get our eyes on things of earth rather than on things above. In Genesis 3:1-7, we read how the devil tempted Eve with the forbidden fruit. He said to her, “Ye shall not surely die: For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods,….” Too many of us want to be our own god rather than letting God rule. Just like Adam and Eve, we then suffer the consequences of disobedience. Seeing our choices from God’s perspective could prevent many deep hurts and disappointments. (II Chronicles 16:9)
One of my favorite ways of enjoying our beautiful land, is to go
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New Shoes On a cold day in
December a little boy, about 10 years old, was standing before a shoe store on the sidewalk, barefooted, peering through the window, and shivering with cold.
A lady approached the young boy and said, “My, but you’re in such deep thought staring in that window!”
“I was asking God to give me a pair of shoes,” was the boy’s reply.
The lady took him by the hand, went into the store, and asked the clerk to get half a dozen pairs of socks for the little boy. She then asked if he could give her a basin of water and a towel. He quickly brought them to her.
She took the little fellow to the back part of the store and, removing her gloves, knelt down, washed his little feet, and dried them with the towel.
By this time, the clerk had returned with the socks. Placing a pair upon the boy’s feet, she purchased him a pair of shoes.
She tied up the remaining pairs of socks and gave them to him. She patted him on the head and said, “No doubt, you will be more comfortable now.”
As she turned to go, the astonished boy caught her by the hand, and looking up into her face, with tears in his eyes, asked her, “Are you God’s wife?”
Words of Wisdom -Mary Mitchell
A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver. -Proverbs 25:11
A Heavenly Perspective The eyes of the LORD are in every place, beholding the evil and the good.
-‐Proverbs 15:13
The Buckner Baptist Beacon Sunday September 21, 2014
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The Buckner Baptist Beacon Is a ministry of
The Buckner Baptist Church 2780 Wyman Road Fayetteville, AR
Bible Study Sunday September 28 • 10:00 AM Sunday School • 11:00 AM Worship • 6:00 PM Worship Wednesday October 1 • 5:30 PM Supper • 7:00 PM Prayer Meeting &
Bible Study Thursday October 2 • 8:00 AM – 3:00 PM Clinical
Pastoral Education Sunday October 5 • 10:00 AM Sunday School • 11:00 AM Worship • 6:00 PM Worship Monday October 6 • 6:30 PM Women’s Bible Study Wednesday October 29 • Fall Fellowship Saturday December 6 • Ladies Auxiliary Christmas
Fellowship and Ornament Exchange
Sunday December 15 • 6:00 PM Christmas Program
Alternate Date: December 22
Christmas Program
Work on the
Christmas Program for this year is underway. Seth and Lacey Jones will be directing the program. The date has been set for Sunday Night December 15th with December 22nd set as an alternate.
As everyone knows, working on the Christmas Program is filled with hard work. There have been others who have worked hard and have done good work in leading past programs. Anyone who would like to help with this year’s program activities please see Seth, Lacey, or the Pastor.
Christian Education Team
Formation of a Christian Education Team is underway. The purpose of the team is to develop, implement, and review the various Christian Education ministries of the church. This includes Bible School, Sunday School, Wednesday Night studies, special classes, and any other educational activities.
There have already been some who have become part of the team and others have indicated that they are interested in serving in this area. There is a great deal of work to be done in the area of Christian Education. Those who would like to work on the Christian Education Team please see Mary Mitchell.
God Heals For each and every aching heart In this old world today There is a cure – one safe and sure: Just this – learn how to pray. Pour out your aching heart to Him Who understands and cares; He is the only one who knows, The only one who shares. God can – and does – heal broken hearts And gives us life anew; He’s ready – waiting – for you prayers; He’ll do it now – for you.
- Mary Lavinia Silvia
Christian Clippings
When you pray for God’s guidance, do not complain if it is different from your preference.
There is a world of difference between knowing the Word of God and knowing the God of the Word. Some people are kind, polite, and sweet spirited until you try to sit in their pews
