What Manner of Person

Our Sunday morning sermon was brought to us by Pastor Larry Crawford and was titled, "What Manner of Person You Ought to Be?"

We stood for the reading of God's Holy Word. Then Bro. Larry led us in an opening prayer.

The message was taken from II Peter 3:12.

"So often, we are bombarded by everything the world wants us to notice. However, it is distracting us from our primary job as Christians. The world bombards us with the latest gossip on celebrities, political upheaval and social issues. But, as Christians, what are really supposed to be doing?"

Bro. Larry read II Peter 3:1-15.

"If you look at verse 12, it points out quite clearly what we as Christians should be doing. 12 'Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?' Because of this coming day, we are charged to be the type of persons that are waiting, watching and working toward that day. Refer back to verse 11: 'Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness,' So, while the world is doing its best to distract us with its song and dance, we are in fact supposed to be working for Christ, spreading His word to the world, lest any be lost. Sometimes we are not so much distracted by the world but waiting and watching and forgetting that our job is to work to that day that the world passes and we are called to heaven. We should be hastening to that day."

"Christ tells to do this in Luke 12:35-38: 'Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning; and ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their lord, when he will return from the wedding; that when he cometh and knocketh, they may open unto him immediately. Blessed are those servants, whom the lord when he cometh shall find watching: verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them. And if he shall come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants.'

"What Christ has told us is that we should not be sitting around and waiting for His return. We should be diligently working to bring His word to a dark world. Why should we do this? I John 3:1-3 says, 'Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.'"

1) We do this because we are children of God. 2) We are to be like Him. 3) We are to have hope in Him, purifying ourselves in Christ.

Please join us every Sunday morning at 8:30 for early service, 9:45 for Sunday school, and 11 a.m. for regular worship service. Sunday night worship is a 6 p.m. Join us for Bible study at 7 p.m. Wednesday night service.

We had our Deacon Ordination for Brother Wade Mitchell. We welcome him as the newest and youngest deacon in our church. Please pray for him as he starts this new endeavor.

On Sunday, June 12, we will be having a baby dedication ceremony. Please follow our post for further updates and more notifications.

Now that AWANAS is over for the year, First Baptist Church of Pineville will be starting up the KFC (Kids For Christ) program for the summer. We will be studying the Armour of God. Kids will be joining us at 6:30 p.m.

Memorial weekend is this weekend. Please pray for traveling mercies for all.

We also have a Nursing Home Ministry at 3:30 p.m. Saturday, May 28, at the Anderson Golden Living Center Cafeteria.