Transitional Pastor, Bro. Shep Johnson

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Bro Shep Johnson message
Seasons and Moments Luke 5:12-16
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Wednesday Bible Study and Prayer
Reedy Branch Baptist Church
May 27, 2020

Dear Reedy Branch Family:

I hope today is a good day for you.   The Psalmist writes, “This is the day which the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.”  Psalm 118:24 (NASB95).  

Don’t forget morning worship this Sunday in the parking lot at 10 A.M.  And then on Sunday, June 7, we will move our worship service inside the fellowship hall at 10 A.M.  Thank you for your patience during these trying and unusual days.  We are making steps to move forward.   I’ll see you Sunday.

Brother Shep

Bible Study
“Keep On Walking”
Galatians 6:9 and Numbers 11:4-15

The Bible says in Galatians 6:9 (NASB95), “Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary.”  

Have you ever felt like giving up?  Moses did.  Leading the stubborn and rebellious tribe of Israel through the wilderness was a difficult job.  They spent much of their time whining and complaining.

We read in Numbers 11:4-15 (NLT), “ ... the people of Israel also began to complain. ‘Oh, for some meat!’ they exclaimed. ‘We remember the fish we used to eat for free in Egypt. And we had all the cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions, and garlic we wanted. But now our appetites are gone. All we ever see is this manna!’”
 
“ ... The manna came down on the camp with the dew during the night.  Moses heard all the families standing in the doorways of their tents whining, and the LORD became extremely angry. Moses was also very aggravated.”

“And Moses said to the LORD, ‘Why are you treating me, your servant, so harshly? Have mercy on me! What did I do to deserve the burden of all these people? Did I give birth to them? Did I bring them into the world? Why did you tell me to carry them in my arms like a mother carries a nursing baby? How can I carry them to the land you swore to give their ancestors? Where am I supposed to get meat for all these people? They keep whining to me, saying, ‘Give us meat to eat!’”
 
“‘I can’t carry all these people by myself! The load is far too heavy!  If this is how you intend to treat me, just go ahead and kill me. Do me a favor and spare me this misery!’”

The life of Moses was difficult and he had reached his limit with the children of Israel.  In fact, he was ready for God to kill him and take him out of his misery.  But Moses didn’t quit.  He didn’t give up.  He kept going and so must we.  

Consider the following entries from the personal diary of John Wesley, the founder of the Methodist church:

• Sunday, A.M., May 5: Preached in St. Anne’s. Was asked not to come back anymore.
• Sunday, P.M., May 5: Preached in St. John’s. Deacons said “Get out and stay out.”
• Sunday, A.M., May 12: Preached in St. Jude’s. Can’t go back there, either.
• Sunday, A.M., May 19: Preached in St. Somebody Else’s. Deacons called special meeting and said I couldn’t return.
• Sunday, P.M., May 19: Preached on street. Kicked off street.
• Sunday, A.M., May 26: Preached in meadow. Chased out of meadow as bull was turned loose during service.
• Sunday, A.M., June 2: Preached out at the edge of town. Kicked off the highway.
• Sunday, P.M., June 2: Afternoon, preached in a pasture. Ten thousand people came out to hear me.

Like Moses, John Wesley had every reason to become discouraged, but he never quit.  Wesley kept preaching the Gospel.

By the end of his life John Wesley had ridden 250,000 miles on horseback, published 5,000 sermons, and preached more than 40,000 sermons.   Furthermore, his brother, Charles Wesley, had written 6,000 hymns.  From a little group of four people, the Methodist Church grew to 132,000 followers of Christ.

Moses didn’t quit, Wesley didn’t quit, and you and I cannot quit.

“Pastor Mark Coleman loves to hike, and he passed on that love to his son, Peter. When Peter was only 5 years old, Mark planned an easy hike on the northern part of the Appalachian Trail. Mark would lead them around a mountain to a lake in Vermont where they would spend the night. He made thorough preparation for the trip, including coaching his son. Over and over he told him that it would be tough, and it was okay to be tired, but they had to keep on walking. They had to keep on walking.”

“Unfortunately, the walking was longer and tougher than expected. The trail was steep and broken. Little Peter stumbled time after time on loose rocks, but they kept on walking. The hike was a burden, not a joy, but they kept on walking. Peter fell so many times that he ripped the knees of his jeans, but he kept on walking. Finally, after one fall too many, he sat and cried.”

“As Mark approached him and began to speak, Peter cut him off: ‘I know, Dad. It’s okay to cry, as long as I keep on walking.’”  [Illustration taken from Preaching Today, Based on a sermon by Mark Coleman (3-16-03).]

Five-year-old Peter got it right. It is okay to cry as long as we keep on walking.  Jesus told us in Luke 9:23 (NASB95), “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me.”  That’s not easy to do.  A cross makes a heavy backpack seem like a sack of feathers.  It was difficult for Moses.  It was difficult for Wesley.  And it will be difficult for us.  So how do we keep on walking?  We just have to remember that we too are bound for the Promised Land.


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Weekly Prayer List (May 27, 2020) 

Our Church, Community, Nation, and World as we battle the Coronavirus.
Deborah and Marvin Wooten
Johnny Saylor
Grady and Margaret Mimbs
Jamie Kight
Betty Ann Ford
Shirley Trowell
Shirley Simmons
Harry and Jeane Carver
Bobbie Stewart
Lonnie and Addie Mae Myers
Nell Green and her sister, Sharon
Michelle and Johnny Cecil Newell
Clarence and Sandra Dockery
Ellen Deen
Freddie Lewis
Barbara Rish
Geneva Mobley
Helen Jones
Selena Merritt
Jean Corbitt
Chris Kinnet
Bruce Veasey
Conner Courson
George Myers
Ellen West
Roy Trowell
Don Elridge
Marilyn Rish
Bill Whiddon
Grocery Store Employees
Farmers
Businesses
All medical and healthcare personnel
All first responders
All law enforcement
All those who are sick with the Coronavirus or have family members and friends who are sick with the Coronavirus.
Military
Missionaries
Our President and Governmental Leaders
Those who need Jesus as their personal Lord and Savior
Many UNSPOKEN prayer concerns

If you know of other names that should be added to our prayer list please call me at (912) 381-4896 or email me at shepfbc2@gmail.com