Fee Fee Baptist Church

Category: Footsteps of the Faithful

All Featured Articles by guest columnists Forerunner articles.

  • Footsteps of the Faithful – Vol. 62, No. 9

    Melissa Eberts, Worship Leader

    My name is Melissa Eberts, and I am the worship leader in our second service on Sunday mornings. I am so excited to invite you to our Worship and Prayer Night on Friday, May 13 at 7:00 p.m. in our Worship Center. Childcare will not be provided, but your entire family and friends can join us for a night of worship and prayer as we glorify God together.

    I was inspired to create a night like this because I believe worshipping and praying with other believers is very important. It builds our faith corporately as we seek the Lord together. It also reflects a spirit of community and unity within the Body of Christ. Our main focus this night will be “Surrender,” on a personal and corporate level. Throughout the night, our band will be leading us in many worship songs, and we will pause for times of focused prayer, along with times of reflection. 2 Chronicles 7:14 says, “If my people, who bear my name, humble themselves, pray and seek my face, and turn from their evil ways, then I will hear from heaven, forgive their sin, and heal their land.” In our personal lives, this will be a time of reflection, surrender and asking God to show us how we can grow to be more like Him. Corporately, this will be a time of crying out to God in unity for the issues plaguing our world. It’s so important to rely on the Spirit of God to change us from the inside out to reflect the fruits of the Spirit. Let’s come together and agree that God would help us love the things He loves and hate the things He hates. That we would turn from any sin that so easily entangles us and press on to run and finish our races (Hebrews 12:1). I’m believing for a night of breakthrough! May the Lord fill us and change us, so that we can be salt and light to the world. I have been praying for this night for a while, and I have been praying for YOU! Please join us for this time of community as we worship and pray together. All are welcome!

  • Footsteps of the Faithful – Vol. 62, No. 8

    Kathy Scott, Director of Children & Family Ministries

    I’m so glad God offers complete forgiveness, aren’t you? It is so precious to receive forgiveness. Have you experienced that? Have you ever asked for forgiveness and felt complete release?

    Recently, I made a comment to my husband that was unkind. I walked around the house loudly for a while before I made the comment but didn’t feel any better after I said it. The day went on and I tried to convince myself I was justified for what I said but still had that nagging feeling that it wasn’t right nor was it true. Once I apologized, what a relief I felt. My soul felt light. I knew Joe would forgive me, and of course, he did. We both felt a new closeness for being obedient to the Father. There have also been times I have had to apologize to my children because my anger got the best of me. That is really humbling to ask your children for forgiveness! But our God commands us to seek forgiveness (Matthew 6:12).

    Is there someone you need to forgive for something they said or did? Or is there forgiveness you need to ask from someone? God is ready to hear you ask forgiveness. What a relief it will be for you. It will repair a relationship and get rid of that barrier between the person or between you and the Father. Psalm 32:1 says, “Blessed is the one whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered.” Another favorite quote by Blackaby says, “Few things are more precious to receive than forgiveness.”

  • Featured Article – Vol. 62, No. 7

    “And so, dear brothers and sisters, we can boldly enter heaven’s Most Holy Place because of the blood of Jesus. By his death Jesus opened a new and life-giving way through the curtain into the Most Holy Place,” (Hebrews 10: 19-20 NLT).

    Our generation lacks a sense of wonder and reverence toward God.  We want to bring God down to our level. He is God! As His children, we have direct access to Him. We ought never to forget that this access was purchased with the precious blood of His only Son. No one who truly understands this ever enters God’s presence without a sense of holy awe. No one who comprehends the incredible price paid at Calvary ever takes his relationship with God for granted.

    We will never truly understand God. To begin to understand the way He relates to us, we first comprehend a true sense of His holiness and His demand for holiness among His people. If we are in God’s presence, we are on holy ground! We must never act as if it were God’s purpose to make us successful. It would be preposterous for us to become impatient when God does not answer our prayers when and how we think He should! He is God, we are not!1

    Soon we will celebrate Easter and the resurrection of our Lord. As this day approaches, meditate on the price Jesus paid to give you access to the Father. As you prepare to celebrate “He is Risen!”, revisit the cross and witness your Savior suffering for you. How priceless God’s gift of salvation is!

    If you are interested in joining the Prayer Warriors ministry, contact Larry Condra for details: (314) 604-5221.

     

    1Adapted from Experiencing God Day-By-Day by Henry Blackaby

  • Featured Article – Vol. 61, No. 5

    By Larry Condra, Prayer Warrior

    “This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Once again I will yield to the plea of the house of Israel and do this for them: I will make their people as numerous as sheep,” (Ezekiel 36:37).

    Prayer is the forerunner of mercy. Look at sacred history, and you will find that scarcely ever did a great mercy come to this world unheralded by supplication. You have found this true in your own personal experience. God has given you many an unsolicited favor, but still great prayer has always been the prelude of great mercy with you. When you first found peace through the blood of the cross, you had been praying much, and earnestly interceding with God that he would remove your doubts and deliver you from your distress. Your assurance was the result of prayer. When at any time you have had high and joyful experiences, you have been obliged to look upon them as answers to your prayers. When you have had great deliverances out of sore troubles, and mighty helps in great dangers, you have been able to say, “I sought the Lord, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears,” (Psalm 54:7).

    Prayer is always the preface to blessing. It goes before the blessing as the blessing’s shadow. We may be certain that if we are much in prayer, our pleadings are the shadows of mercy. Prayer is thus connected with the blessing to show us the value of it. If we had the blessings without asking for them, we should think them common things; but prayer makes our mercies more precious than diamonds. The things we ask for are precious, but we do not realize their preciousness until we have sought for them earnestly.

    “Prayer makes the darken’d cloud withdraw;

    Prayer climbs the ladder Jacob saw;

    Gives exercise to faith and love;

    Brings every blessing from above.”1

    1Devotional by C.H. Spurgeon

    Ezekiel prophesied for a whole nation that one day God would restore His people from captivity and make them “as numerous as sheep.” As this devotional describes, our earnest prayer, “Brings every blessing from above.” Whether it be for our nation, our church, our families, or ourselves, He hears our prayers.

    For Fee Fee Baptist Church in particular, I suggest we consider these “pleas” as we pray. Pray for our Pastor and staff as they lead us. Pray too, for our deliberate direct ministries to the community, including the Mobile Market, backpack ministry, Meals on Wheels, Red Cross blood drive, International Food Pantry, and Loaves and Fishes. Remember as well, the individual and random acts of kindness we each do every day for those around us. Pray that these actions will not only meet the physical needs of those touched but relay a definite message that our actions are a direct result of God’s presence and His love for them.

    “Be thou ever near unto us and keep us near unto thee; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.”

  • Featured Article – Vol. 60, No. 24

    by Larry Condra, Prayer Warrior

    A Prayer for this Christmas Season

    People have problems and the problems they have may cloud their judgement.  They may question God or seek solutions in the wrong places.

    Have you not known?
    Have you not heard?
    The everlasting God, the LORD,
    The Creator of the ends of the earth,
    Neither faints nor is weary.
    His understanding is unsearchable.

    (Isaiah 40: 28)

    The prophet Isaiah’s response to those who question God is “Have you not known?” He does this because we surely do know.  “Have you not heard?” We have, of course, heard about God. We are the very people of God. We have heard about God and the wonders He has performed. We know that it is foolish to fall into the trap of resentment. After all, we know that God is the solution to our problems.

    Maybe things aren’t going the way you would like or you know someone who is questioning things going on. Maybe things aren’t being resolved according to your timetable, or theirs. What God has allowed to happen may not make sense. Isaiah’s explanation for this is that God’s understanding is unsearchable. It’s not always possible to figure it out. Indeed, we don’t really have to figure it out.

    Our job is not to figure God out, but to trust Him. We must trust that He will deliver us at the right time.

    ‘Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus, Just to take Him at His word;

    Just to rest upon His promise, Just to know “Thus saith the Lord.”

    I’m so glad I learned to trust Thee, Precious Jesus, Saviour, Friend;

    And I know that Thou art with me, Wilt be with me to the end.

    Jesus, Jesus, how I trust Him, How I’ve proved Him o’er and o’er!

    Jesus, Jesus, precious Jesus!  O for grace to trust Him more!

    As we celebrate Christmas during this unusual year, pray that we will trust in Jesus. Pray that our families, our church, our neighbors, and our nation will not despair or become depressed over changes we face this holiday season but will trust in Jesus.

    Pray too for our children and their families this Christmas season. They are missing their Bible study teachers and classes. Despite this separation, pray that they will experience the real meaning of Christ’s birth. Pray for our Lottie Moon Christmas offering and the missionaries it will help support. Include our Pastor and staff as we ask for God’s blessings.

  • Featured Article – Vol. 60, No. 20

    by Kyle Kalkbrenner, Resident Intern

    The Great Sympathizer

    Hello friends, I have recently started growing out my facial hair and it leads me to ask you all something: “May I ‘stache you a question?” In all seriousness though, my question is, how do you view God? Is it something like a God that reigns over you looking to bust your chops whenever you mess up? Or is it a loving father that is able to pick you up whenever you’re having a rough time. Now I’ll be honest, I had a rough weekend. Family came over unexpectedly and I was swamped with homework. I had gotten little to no sleep the night before and I was struggling to find the patience needed to deal with everything that goes along with family visiting. I was really struggling with not making small remarks and being a “Debbie Downer.” However, the thing that helped me was that I knew I have a good Father in Heaven, and He wants to hear my problems and help me get through them. So, this is my challenge to everyone who reads this: allow God to be your listener. Confide in Him all of your frustrations and anger. In Hebrews 4:15-16, it says, “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” What we can see from this text is that Jesus is a compassionate God who lived and dealt with the same things we deal with today. He is a God who is willing to meet you where you are with your struggles. God tells His people to weep with those who weep and mourn with those who mourn. God’s character can be seen throughout the Bible as a God who wants to be your Counselor. Because no matter how hard we try we will always mess it up. So, take everything to the throne of God and allow Him to be your sympathizer. “Pray as you are, not as you aught.”

  • Featured Article – Vol. 60, No. 16

    by Nina Palumbo, Clinical Social Worker certified in Spiritual Christian Counseling

    God is Our Hope

    Four months ago, social distancing, wearing face masks, and Zoom meetings were not part of our everyday lives. An invisible virus has increased our anxiety and fear that we may become sick or lose a loved one. Worry creeps in as our time of isolation and physical separateness extends far longer than we wish for or desire. Our mostly predictable lives with established routines have been completely upended. We are dealing with a new set of rules, limitations, and change. We crave security and want to feel safe and to feel that we have a sense of control over our lives. How much uncertainty we can tolerate varies from person to person. Some people seem to enjoy taking risks and living unpredictable lives while others find the randomness of life deeply distressing. But all of us have a limit. If you are feeling overwhelmed by the emotional toll of the pandemic right now, you are not alone. Many of us are in the same boat.

    In Mark 4:35-41, we read about the disciples becoming fearful of the storm while Jesus slept peacefully in the boat. They awake Him and with the spoken word Jesus calms the storm and His disciples’ fear. When we are afraid, worried, or panicked, and feel are choices are restricted or limited, there are three important choices we can make.

    We Can Choose Faith Over Fear

    Although it may feel like everything is changing at a rapid pace, know that God is not. He is the same faithful God as before the pandemic and will continue to be once it passes. Our faith can be steady because our God is faithfully unchanging. This truth alone can strengthen us to not give into fear. 2 Timothy 1:7 tells us, “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” Fear can rob us of these three gifts that we need during times of uncertainty. Power enables us to live a life of faith when it is not easy. Love enables us to share and sacrifice when it is not convenient. A sound mind allows us to experience peace even when things seem to be going wrong.

    Choose Wisdom Over Worry

    Be careful to not become paralyzed by worry. Use wisdom to listen to sound advice and to ensure that the source of information you are watching and reading are credible. If there is an action you can take to protect yourself or others, then please do so.

    Choose Prayer Over Panic

    Jesus called His church a house of prayer (Matthew 21:13) and now is our time. It’s time to pray for God’s intervention to stop the spread of the disease. It is time to ask for healing. It is time to ask for peace and comfort for those who are grieving. It is time for us to ask for direction and discernment for our leaders. Prayer is powerful and effective. If we spend our time panicking instead of praying, we forfeit our greatest strength.

    This would be a great time to begin reading the Bible every day, conforming your thoughts to God’s will (Romans, 12:2). This would be a great time to pray every day for 5-20 minutes, “casting all your anxieties on Him, because He cares for you,” (1 Peter 5:7). This would be a great time to choose to forgive someone in your life, so that you might experience a better relationship with God (Mark 11:25). God is our hope for the end of this pandemic. God is our hope for our spiritual, emotional, financial, and physical needs during this time. Do not despair. During isolation from friends and family, we can still experience joy when we turn to God. “For you make him most blessed forever; you make him glad with the joy of your presence,” Psalm 21:6.

  • Featured Article – Vol. 60, No. 08

    God’s Constancy and Our Humanity

    by Jill Crook, Licensed Professional Counselor

    God is still God, in the midst of this pandemic. He is who He has always been. He is love and peace and hope and mercy. Likewise, we are still who He created us to be, in the midst of this pandemic. God created us as human beings with the full range of human emotions. If a Christian were gifted a million dollars, they would likely feel excited. If a Christian lost a loved one, they would likely feel sad. If a Christian’s child were mistreated, they would likely feel angry.

    Our world has been turned upside down in recent weeks by the Coronavirus. Believers may be asking themselves, “Why do I feel the way I do?” or “Is my faith failing me?” We need not question our faith if, in the light of a global pandemic that has completely changed life as we know it, we, as Christians, feel scared or anxious or even depressed. This is normal. God created us to feel. Having emotions that reflect the situation you find yourself in means that you are sane. You are not disconnected from reality. You are not in denial. This is a good and healthy thing.

    HOWEVER, we need not be ruled by our feelings. We can’t get stuck in our feelings and neglect our faith. Don’t let the way you FEEL cause you to forget what you KNOW. The One in whom we have placed our trust is GREATER than the things that scare us. He is all-powerful and He has not forgotten us. 1 Peter 5:7 says, “Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.” Run to God in this time, and He will sustain you.

  • Featured Article – Vol. 60, No. 06

    by Nina Palumbo, Clinical Social Worker certified in Spiritual Christian Counseling

     Changing Times

    As I was wading through the latest round of COVID-19 work emails and news headlines the 1960s song by Bob Dylan came to mind, “The Times They are a Changin’.” For those not familiar with this classic from the Civil Rights era, many versions can be found on YouTube. Although anticipated to be just a temporary moment in time, everyone is being asked to change, adapt, adjust, and be flexible. Routines are changing. Routines provide us with a sense of predictability and a feeling of safety and security in a world full of unknowns. You’re not alone if all these changes and restrictions leave you feeling anxious and on edge. It’s normal to feel sad, stressed, confused, scared or even angry during a crisis. One of the headlines I came across read: “Keep calm but have an emergency kit; U.S. doctors share tips for coping with the coronavirus.” The most important aspect of preparedness costs nothing at all: Keep Calm. Easier said than done, as I have had to get up from my desk this past week several times to take breaks, get fresh air, and simply remind myself to breathe. So, what is in our control?

     Get your information from reliable sources. Follow the advice and listen to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and your own personal physician. Being prepared minimizes worry. Take the steps to stay healthy. Take deep breaths, stretch, meditate, pray. Stay informed, but one of the best things you can do for your own mental health is to limit your exposure to media and focus more on what is within your immediate control.  Stay involved in your work, your family and friends, hobbies and interests. Social distancing is not social isolation.  Stay connected and better yet reach out to those that may be feeling increased isolation and loneliness. Maintain a routine although an adjusted one. Go for a walk or exercise at home. Use your extra time for a spring cleaning or decluttering projects, to learn something new or take a class online.

    I know that many of you are avid readers. With the libraries closed share your books, magazine, DVDs from your own collections with others. Reach out to others and let your needs be known. For those with mental illness, be sure to continue your treatment regimes. Consider developing a plan for telehealth sessions with your providers.

    As Christ followers we need to remember that our God is a “refuge and strength, a very present help in time of trouble,” (Psalm 46:1). The scriptures are full of reminders that we are not alone, and that God is our comforter. “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God,” (2 Corinthians 1:3). As a collective group of believers at Fee Fee, we will get through this together. We may even be the Light that others may so desperately need.

  • Featured Article – Vol. 60, No. 03

    by Nina Palumbo, Clinical Social Worker certified in Spiritual Christian Counseling

    The Winter Blahs…. Or is it?

    I used to dread this time of year. The holidays were over and there wasn’t much to look forward to except the cold gray skies of winter. January and February were spent dreaming of a warm and sunny spring break location. Now, I appreciate the slower pace winter brings. For some, this pace is an opportunity for self-reflection and renewal. For others, it may be a time of lonely isolation. Gray skies may not only darken our homes but may darken our mood. A certain amount of holiday let down is normal. The festivities are over, and we may start to the feel the effect of our holiday indulgences.

    What’s known as the “winter blues” is normal during this time of year and affects about 25% of the U.S. population. You may notice the winter blues by having less energy and an increased appetite, especially carbs. However, there is a type of depression called Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), which affects about 6% of the U.S. population. In addition to the winter blues, there may be an increased desire to be alone, trouble concentrating, irritability, anxiety, depression, weight gain, or a loss of interest in activities. The reduced level of sunlight affects our level of serotonin which is a neurotransmitter that affects mood. Melatonin, which is a sleep hormone, is produced at increased levels in the dark. Therefore, when the days are shorter and darker the production of this hormone increases.

    There is Hope

    Usually the symptoms of SAD can be managed with exercise, increasing the amount of light in your home, meditation, using stress management techniques, spending time outside, or visiting climates with more sun. Should you notice how you are feeling does not improve or gets worse, talk with your family doctor and/or consult with a mental health professional for short term assistance. Spring is on its way!