"But since we were torn away from you, brothers, for a short time, in person not in heart, we endeavored the more eagerly and with great desire to see you face to face, because we wanted to come to you..." ~ 1 Thess 2:17-18a
Let Love be Genuine
Let love be genuine. Romans 12:9
The Lord is My Shepperd
The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Psalm 23:1-3
"A Cup of Cold Water" Ministry
In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how He Himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’” Acts 20:35
The cost and reward of following the Savior
And whoever gives one of these little ones even a cup of cold water because he is a disciple, truly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward.
Matthew 10:42
God cares for you
Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time He may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on Him, because He cares for you. And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. To Him be the dominion forever and ever. Amen. 1 Peter 5:5-7,10,11
Staying unified when opinions differ
As for the one who is weak in faith, welcome him, but not to quarrel over opinions. One person believes he may eat anything, while the weak person eats only vegetables. Let not the one who eats despise the one who abstains, and let not the one who abstains pass judgment on the one who eats, for God has welcomed him. Romans 14:1-3
Hope for the lonely
Turn to me and be gracious to me, for I am lonely and afflicted. Psalm 25:16
“I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you..." John 14:18
Sharing Communion Together
The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ? Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread. 1 Corinthians 10: 16, 17
Through weeds to Glory
But those that were sown on the good soil are the ones who hear the word and accept it and bear fruit, thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold. Mark 4:20
Finding refuge and strength in God
God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling. Psalm 46:1-3
True fellowship
For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to strengthen you that is, that we may be mutually encouraged by each other's faith, both yours and mine. Romans 1:11-12
Trusting in the Lord
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make straight your paths. Proverbs 3:5-6
Practicing physically distance, but keeping in contact socially
1 Thessalonians 5:11, “Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.”
This is Pastor Dave and along with the pastors at First Baptist Church I want to express our sincere heart-felt concerns for you as you face the challenges of the Covid-19 virus. The viral pandemic is also creating a pandemic of fear, anxiety, worry, stress and a host of other challenging thoughts and emotions. I want to place upon your hearts the unshakable promises of God’s Word that I trust will bring strength and comfort to your soul. Here are just a few:
2 Timothy 1:7, “For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.”
1 John 4:18-19, “There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love. We love because he first loved us.”
Psalm 91:1-4, “He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the deadly pestilence. He will cover you with his pinions, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness is a shield and buckler.
We miss the fellowship of believers and with each passing day long for the assembly of the saints and our grand reunion. But in the meantime, as a friend put it, “We practice distance physically, but we keep in contact socially.” I want to do that and encourage others to reach out and have a telephone conversation. So, let’s get on the phone and talk to one another and be a Barnabas, known as the apostle of encouragement, to others.
Let us take to heart the words of Paul in 1 Thessalonians 5:11, “Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.”
May God bless you and protect you and all those you know and love.
"But since we were torn away from you, brothers, for a short time, in person not in heart, we endeavored the more eagerly and with great desire to see you face to face, because we wanted to come to you..." ~ 1 Thess 2:17-18a
Since we have entered into a season of not meeting together out of love for neighbor and to submit to our government during this COVID-19 pandemic, we feel simularly toward you as FBC. We long to see you and for the day - Lord willing sooner than later - when we can gather and worship together again.
In the meantime, instead of letters like Paul, we will be posting videos below to encourage and exhort you. We might not be able to see your face but you will see ours. Know that we love you!
Your pastors,
Dave Shiedel
Norm Derkson
Shaun Martens