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About: Doug Raynes

A Brother Is Born for Adversity

by Dr. Jeff Amsbaugh

What Type of Friend Are You?

In Proverbs 17:17 Solomon said, “A brother is born for adversity.” My sister, unfortunately, used to lift that verse out of context and use it to say that I gave her grief. In other words, her brother was born in order to give her adversity. Sad to say, many times through the years I have proven her interpretation to be correct.

It appears, however, that Solomon had something vastly different in mind when he penned these words under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Solomon is saying that a brother is born to help us in tough times. A brother sticks with you when adversity strikes because that is what family does. Brothers prove they are brothers in the moments of adversity. Brothers are brothers in the fullest sense of that word when adversity strikes.

This being the case, I wonder how my Christian brotherhood rates. When that family in my church has just lost a loved one, when that preacher friend of mine has a wayward teenage son, when a moral lapse creeps into a dear friend’s life, do I then manifest my presence? Unfortunately, it seems that many of us shirk our family responsibilities when adversity raises its ugly head.

I have a dear deacon in my church who seems very sensitive to my adversities. When he senses that things are becoming difficult for me, he reaches out. And this happens in spite of the fact that I try to hide adverse circumstances. Nevertheless, he always has that fifth sense about it and reaches out at just the right time with a handshake, a kind word, and sometimes an encouraging gift.

When Job’s three miserable counselors (Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar) came to Job, they ruined a golden opportunity and tried to tell Job why he was going through trials. Job, however, was not looking for answers. To be quite honest, there were none. Nobody on earth was aware of God’s conversation and debate with the devil. Therefore, no one really knew the real reason Job had lost his wealth and health. It was not their job to provide answers; it was their job to provide assistance.

Are you the type of friend that provides suave for the wound? Or are you the type of “friend” that makes trouble more irritable? Which interpretation of Proverbs 17:17 best describes you? The one offered by my sister? Or the authentic interpretation? Do you respond like my dear deacon friend? Or are you more like Job’s miserable counselors?

I think of pastor friends in my past—those who have been asked to resign, those who have been without ministry for months while their resumes lay unheeded by pulpit committees, those who minister in unknown segments of the harvest in isolation and loneliness, those who have been battling nasty board members and their wives, those who have had staff members undercut years of personal investment, and those who suffer frequent panic attacks simply because of the stress of ministry. I am reminded that these and a host of other fiery darts are fired frequently by the devil into the camp of God’s people. And when the darts come, I want to be there.  After all, this is not the definition of a pastor. This is the definition of a brother. (Source: Ministry127.com)

Can Children Learn the Word of God?

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In II Timothy 3:15, Paul reminds Timothy that he has known the Holy Scriptures since he was a child. He is also bold in declaring that these Scriptures are able to make us, “Wise unto salvation.” We take this admonition seriously at PBC.  While it is true that much of that learning should take place at home, certainly the church has a God-given mandate to aid families in this endeavor.

Phil Vischer, author/developer of Veggie Tales, made this statement,  ‘Wait a minute, did I just spend 10 years persuading kids to behave Christianly without teaching them Christianity?’ And that just stopped me in my tracks, and that led directly to ‘What’s In The Bible.’ I can’t just tell kids to behave like Christians. I have to teach them the tenants of the faith.”

At PBC, you will find a church family that is passionate about teaching our children what the Bible says!

Fall Revival 2018

We would love for you to join us September 30 – October 3, 7 PM each evening, for our Fall Revival services. Pastor Johnny Jones will be preaching, and we always look forward to what God has placed on his heart for Progress Baptist Church!

Sowing and Reaping

I Corinthians 3:6-8

I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase. Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour. 

It is a joy to be a child of God and to have a part in sowing the good seed of the gospel message. Our responsibility is simply this; be faithful to what He has called us to do. He gives the increase! God has opened several doors of outreach or, “planting and watering” as it is referred to in I Corinthians.

Freedom That Lasts, our care package ministry to Open Arms Pregnancy Care Center, New Mover post cards and follow up, mission giving, Bible publishing, special event outreaches, nursing home and assisted living services, along with other opportunities throughout the year – all represent opportunities for us to plant and water the seed of the gospel message.

As a church family, let’s be sure to saturate every outreach opportunity with prayer.  Remember that the disciples once had to ask the Lord why they could not help the father whose son was possessed with devils (Matthew 17 and Luke 9). In His answer, He reminded them that “prayer and fasting” were required for “this kind.” When we are trying to reach the souls of men, we are engaging in spiritual warfare, and we must fight with spiritual weapons.

Let’s ask God to empower us and use us for His glory in the weeks and months ahead, as we try to reach more souls with the gospel.

Spring Jubilee 2016

Beginning on Friday night, April 1, Progress Baptist Church will host its 6th annual Spring Jubilee. Please pray for these services, and we hope to see many of our friends from the WNC and upstate SC area. The schedule of guest preachers is as follows:

Friday night at 7:00 P.M. – Evangelist Dale Vance from Bradley, WV

Saturday night at 6:00 P.M. – Evangelist Larry Brown from Washington, IA

Sunday – Morning service at 11:00 A.M. with Evangelist Larry Raynes from Taylors, SC. Pastor Shane Ezell from Landrum, SC, will be preaching in a combined service with Ingleside Baptist from Landrum on Sunday evening at 6:00 P.M.

Monday and Tuesday evening at 7:00 P.M. – Pastor James Jones from Harriman, TN

Important Announcement for Sunday, January 24

Due to current road conditions, we will not have morning services at Progress Baptist Church. Please check the church Facebook page for an announcement regarding the possibility of an afternoon service.

December is Missions Emphasis Month at PBC

Each December, we emphasize the importance of going into all the world with the good news that, “Jesus Saves!” This year, we will hear from missionaries on deputation, veteran missionaries, evangelists, and church-planters who are being used of God to spread the gospel. Our goals are: to grow in our own witness right here at home, increase our financial giving to the cause of world evangelism, and to strengthen our burden to pray for souls and for those who are sowing the seed of the gospel of Jesus Christ here at home, across our country, and around the world.

The Christmas season too often becomes a time of self-centered materialism. Our goal at PBC is to remember WHY He came and to keep the fire burning in our hearts and in our church so that we never lose our passion to “Make Him Known”.

Removing Drama From The Home

We hope you will enjoy this article shared from the Old Paths Journal.

Removing-Drama-from-the-Homeby: Allen Domelle

Home is supposed to be one of those places that is an oasis from the drama of the world. Home should not to be a reality show that you live out, but it is to be the one place you look forward to going at the end of the day. Sadly, for many, home is a place they want to avoid because of the drama they have to endure.

When you look at the reality shows of our day, you see what the average home is about. When you have the husband and wife constantly fighting with each other, the children squabbling and bickering, the tension between the children and their parents, it is no wonder that home has become the place where most do not want to be.

When God created the home, He also created the atmosphere which He intended for the home. Genesis 2:8 says, “And the LORD God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there he put the man whom he had formed.” As a single man, Adam enjoyed the quietness of a perfect world, but he was lonely. So, God put Adam to sleep, “…and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof; And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man.” There you have the first home in a quiet, sinless atmosphere. There was no drama in this first home. This first home enjoyed the peace of working together and the presence of God daily in the cool of the day.

This quiet atmosphere quickly vanished when Adam and Eve took of the forbidden fruit. Sin entered into the home, peace left and drama began. They had two children, Cain and Abel, who could not get along with each other to the point where Cain plotted to kill Abel. He carried out that plan which caused great drama in that home. Sadly, what used to be a home of peace and tranquility became a home filled with drama. I imagine that Adam and Eve daily wished that they could stop the drama and get back to the peace they once had.

Jacob’s home was another home that was filled with drama. It started when he as a boy he learned how to fill a home with drama from his parents. He ended up marrying two sisters, and the drama that created was enormous. Those ladies squabbled and manipulated their husband and children, which resulted in a drama filled home. The manipulation and squabbling became common place with the children. It got so bad in their home that Joseph was hated by his brothers which resulted in his eventual sale into slavery. That drama followed Jacob to the final days of his life. He never seemed to get to the point with his family where they removed the drama and learned to get along with each other.

You can have a home that is not filled with drama. Your home doesn’t have to resemble a reality television show. You can have the home you once dreamed of before you got married. God wants your home life to resemble the peace and tranquility that Adam and Eve enjoyed before they opened the door to a drama filled home. Let me give you several suggestions on how you can remove drama from your home so that you can have a home filled with peace, tranquility and the presence of God.

1. Keep sin from your home.

Sin is the ultimate reason homes are filled with drama. If you remove sin, you will remove the drama. Romans 6:23 says, “The wages of sin is death…” You cannot allow sin to run through the home and not see death to peace and tranquility. As a husband or wife, you must not allow yourself to become involved in an adulterous lifestyle. It not only will destroy your testimony, but it will bring drama to your home that you never imagined. The world may paint the adulterous life as normal, but they never show you the drama it brings to one’s life and their home.

As an individual you must keep yourself from sin. You can’t commit sin and think that it doesn’t affect others. The tension sin creates in the home will only cause drama. Sin is the very root of all drama. If you want to keep your life or home free of drama, then keep yourself from sin.


2. Keep a clear role of authority.

One of the reasons drama fills the home is because we have lost the proper roles of authority. God established the role of authority in Ephesians 5:23 when He says, “For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body.”Notice, the proper role is the husband is to submit to God and the wife is to submit to the husband. I know this isn’t popular in our day, but God chose for the husband to be the one in charge of the home.

God makes the roles even clearer when He says, “Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right.” (Ephesians 6:1) If the children will obey their parents, and the wife will follow her husband’s leadership, then you will find a home that has no drama. The home must follow God’s role for authority to keep peace in it.

Whenever you leave God’s ordained role of authority for the home, then drama will replace peace and tranquility. You are going to find a drama filled home when the husband and wife are constantly fighting with each other over who makes the final decisions. When the parents allow the children to control the home, then you will also find a home filled with drama. Staying in God’s ordained role of authority for the home is the only way to avoid drama.

3. Don’t play the comparison game.

Don’t allow yourself to compare your home to someone else’s. God says in 2 Corinthians 10:12,“For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.” Your family has its own unique dynamics, and you must not allow yourself to compare your home to another’s. Enjoy each other and live according to God’s Word, and you won’t need to compare one to another.

4. Make Christ your central focus.

Another great reason that homes are filled with drama is because they get their eyes off Christ and onto themselves. Our focus should always be on Christ. When we become self-centered and try to make everything revolve around ourselves, then our selfishness creates drama. Philippians 2:3 shows us that Christ must be our focus when it says, “Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.” When you get your eyes off yourself, you will end the drama that strife and vainglory create.

5. Guard family associations.

This reminds me of Amnon who allowed the wrong association in his life which created family drama. If you have the wrong associations in your life, then you will find their sinful influences will be brought into your home. Many homes have lost their tranquility because of the associations of parents or children. Carefully guard your family associations. Realize that associations will influence the spirit of your home.

6. Keep your finances right.

Poor finances will always bring tension into the home. When you have bill collectors constantly calling, you can’t help but become short tempered which results in a drama filled home. If you learn to control your money and live by a budget, then you can avoid the drama caused by poor finances. I completely understand that most people will go through financial struggles, but if you will learn to control your finances properly, then you will have a better chance of keeping the drama away caused by poor finances.

7. Keep life simple!

Proverbs 23:5 says, “Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? for riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly away as an eagle toward heaven.” Don’t allow yourself to get caught up in possessions. The more things your bring into your home, the more complicated your home becomes. Don’t acquire a covetous mentality that you must always have what others have. Keep your life simple, and you will control the drama in your home.

8. Don’t bring the drama from work home.

One of the mistakes many make is that they bring the drama from work home. Let me encourage you to leave the drama from work at work. I understand there are times when you need to talk to someone, but you cannot continually dump on your spouse about what is going on at work without it eventually destroying their spirit. If you have a bad day at work, don’t bring that bad day home. I know there are times you need to decompress from the pressures of the day; however, don’t let your decompression come from losing your temper at those in your home. They didn’t cause the stress of your day, so don’t take it out on them. Leave the drama from work at work.

Home can truly be a place that is enjoyable. If you will guard these eight areas, you will find your home can be a place that is filled with a spirit of joy and happiness. Let your home be that Garden of Eden where you enjoy the peace and tranquility that God intended. Don’t let Satan deceive you into losing your Garden of Eden. Follow God’s instructions and commands, and you will always be able to make your home a Garden of Eden that is drama free.

 

Everyone Has Something to be Thankful For!

GOD’S GOODNESS GIVES US MANY REASONS TO BE GRATEFUL

On Thanksgiving Day millions of Americans will enjoy and be thankful for a delicious meal (deep fry my turkey, please). As we prepare to dig in to the turkey, dressing, and gravy, we may express our gratitude for family and friends. Perhaps we will go around the table and share specific things for which we are thankful. Truly, we are a blessed people living in a blessed land.

However, there are many hurting people living in sorrowful circumstances. For them it may be difficult to see and list things that are easily appreciated. At times, life can be hard. We all have burdens, hardships, problems, and disappointments. It is the stark reality of living in a sin-cursed world. But, there are some very precious truths for which we can always be thankful.

Psalm 100 is one of my favorite passages of Scripture for the Thanksgiving holiday. Consider the last two verses of this short but powerful chapter:

Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name. For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.—Psalm 100: 4–5

We can perform the instructions of thankfulness in verse four because of the attributes of God given in verse five. We can be thankful, praise, and bless the Lord because He is eternally good, merciful, and true. With that in mind consider these four basic yet profound facts that you can be thankful for today.

1. You Can Be Thankful That “God Loves You”

Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God:—1 John 3:1

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.—John 3:16

God has expressed and demonstrated His boundless love by sending His Son, Jesus, to earth so that we could have a personal relationship with Him.

2. You Can Be Thankful That “Jesus Died for You”

Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.—1 John 4:10

But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.—Romans 5:8

Jesus died on the cross to pay for the sin of every person who has ever lived. That means He died on the cross for you and for me.

3. You Can Be Thankful That “Salvation Is Offered to You”

In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:—Colossians 1:14

Salvation means that my sins are forgiven and that I am redeemed from the debt of sin I owed.

But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:—John 1:12

Salvation means that I have a relationship with God. I am no longer His enemy; I am His child.

That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.—Romans 10:9–10

To receive the offer of salvation I am told by the Bible to sincerely believe and simply receive that Jesus is God’s Son and that He alone can save me. I cannot save myself.

4. You Can Be Thankful That “Heaven Is Waiting for You”

Jesus said in John 14:1–4: “Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know.”

Jesus went on to say, “I am the way, the truth, and the life no man cometh unto the Father but by me.”

You can know right now that you are saved—that you are born again. You can know that your sins are forgiven and that you have peace with God the Father. You can know that you are a child of God and that you have an eternal home in Heaven. But, the only way to know you are saved is to know Jesus as your Saviour.

Now, that is something to be thankful for!

Appreciation Banquet – November 17

On Tuesday evening, the church family is invited to an Appreciation Banquet provided by the pastor’s family. We’ll host this event at the dining hall at the Nazarene Camp on Upward Road (exit 53). The meal will begin at 6:30 P.M., and we’ll have a good time of fellowship and food from God’s Word as well. Feel free to invite friends and family who need to be around a loving church family! This annual event is a an opportunity for our family to say “thank you” to the faithful PBC family and to let you know how grateful we are for the opportunity to serve God here! (Pastor)