First Baptist Church Vincent

The Riches of God’s Grace
Ephesians 1:1-14

Do you think of yourself as rich? No matter how much money you have, if you’re a believer in Jesus, you’re extremely wealthy because God has lavished the riches of His grace upon you. At the moment of salvation, He deposited into your account “every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ” (v. 3). Why, then, do so many believers live in spiritual poverty?

1. Ignorance. Some Christians don’t know about this unlimited spiritual “bank account,” and, therefore, they never draw upon it.

2. Confusion. Too many believers just don’t know how to access the treasures of God’s grace. As a result, they worry and complain about their needs and problems or in desperation come to the Lord begging and pleading for help, never realizing His abundant supply has already been deposited into their account.

3. Competing Interests. Distraction by things of this world may be the most common reason. Christians in this category focus on possessions, pressing responsibilities, and advancement but lack interest in God’s spiritual blessings.

The riches of God’s grace supersede any earthly wealth. They give the peace and contentment that money can never buy, and their benefits reach all the way into eternity. The only way to access God’s spiritual riches is by faith. We don’t have to beg or persuade the Lord to give what He has already made available to us. Instead, we simply choose to believe that we are who He says we are and can do what He has called us to accomplish.

God Bless

Robbie

Sunday Sermon Title: Power of Grace
Scripture: Romans 5:20

“Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded,
grace did much more abound” NKJV

Reasons to Surrender

1 Corinthians 6:19-20

God tells us to surrender our lives to Him. This is no small task. All our plans, every desire we feel, each entitlement that once seemed our right—everything is put aside in order to make way for our King’s will. But perhaps you have wondered why God can ask this of us.

The Lord has every right to demand that we give Him our all. First, Scripture teaches us that He is sovereign—the King and Ruler over the entire universe. As a result, we are under His authority, whether we choose to submit or not. Next, through His death and resurrection, Jesus saved us from our sin and its consequences. Therefore, we are indebted to Him more than we could ever repay. And finally, He sustains us; we should consider each breath and heartbeat a gift from Him. Undoubtedly, God is entitled to ask that we yield our life to Him.

At the same time, surrender is in our best interest. The Father promises that following Him leads to hope and an established future. Psalm 31:19 states, “How great is Your goodness, which You have stored up for those who fear You . . .” So, while He is the Almighty One with all authority to demand our life, He promises to care for us and to do what will benefit us most. Are you willing to put yourself aside in order to follow Jesus? His way is best, and it offers hope, joy, and peace. We will not always like everything He chooses now, but He promises to work all things for good. Will you trust God enough to hand the reins over to Him?

God Bless

Robbie

Sunday Sermon Title: Desperate Prayer
Scripture: Luke 15

Building Muscles of Faith

“I wish I had great faith.” These are words that almost every Christian has said at one time or another. But faith is like a muscle, which must be exercised in order to become strong; just wishing cannot make it happen.

Christians are to believe God, not only for salvation, but for everything. Rather than a spiritual “plateau,” faith is actually a process that involves increasing degrees of trust throughout life. Little faith hopes that God will do what He says; strong faith knows that He will; and great faith believes that He has already done it.

Elijah was a man of great faith. He saw increased challenges as opportunities for God to do His work—and the prophet believed Him for the supernatural. So can you. The Lord may not do every miraculous thing you ask of Him, but He does some extraordinary work in and through each person who is obedient and willing to trust in Him.

You may be thinking, “I am not good enough for the Father to use me.” The Scriptures are filled with examples of weak and flawed people whom the Lord used to achieve His purposes. So He is looking, not for perfection, but for individuals willing to believe Him. He not only works through people of faith; He transforms them.

Start by reading God’s Word to learn what He wants you to do. Each day’s situations and needs are opportunities to trust Him. Ask the Lord to bring to mind verses that apply to your circumstances. Trust Him and do what He says—your faith “muscles” will grow, and He will be glorified.

God Bless
Robbie

Sunday Sermon Title: The Importance of Faith in Prayer
Scripture: Romans 4: 17-21

The High Cost of Wavering

Deuteronomy 1:19-40

• Listened to the wrong voices. To walk obediently with the Lord, we need to guard ourselves from being swayed by those who don’t understand the greatness of our God. Not only that, but we must also learn to recognize the lies of Satan. He wants us to become ineffective, accomplishing little for the kingdom of God.

• Relied on human perspective. At times trusting God conflicts with human reasoning. But those who choose to trust Him—even when the external evidence points to an impossibility—will find that He is bigger than any obstacle.

• Let feelings overcome faith. Perhaps the biggest hindrances to obedience are fear and inadequacy. An internal focus is a trust killer. The way to overcome our feelings is to rely on the Lord and His promises. He will equip us for whatever He calls us to do. Every challenging call to obedience is a fork in the road of our lives. To go the way of unbelief will lead to a lifetime of regret and aimless wandering, but to courageously trust God and do what He says will result in the greatest blessing of your life. The choice is yours.

God Always Rewards Faith and Obedience

Robbie

Sunday Sermon Title: Why We Don’t Prayer
Scripture: James 5:16

“Truly my soul finds rest in God; my salvation comes from him. Truly he is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will never be shaken. ”
Psalm 62:1-2

For His Glory

Sunday Sermon Title: How to Have Peace of Mind
Scripture: James 1: 1-11

“But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.”
1 Peter 2:9

The church isn’t a gathering of strangers, like fans at a ball game who just happen to be sitting next to each other. The church is a community of individuals spiritually linked together with the purpose of reflecting and spreading the values of the kingdom of God. The church is critical in the process of growing mature disciples who imitate Jesus Christ because Jesus is relational. Jesus Himself stated the key identifier that would tell us who were His disciples and who were not, and that is our love for one another.

God’s people are so vitally connected that we’re like members of the same physical body. The parts of your body are in a relationship with the other parts. Just smash your thumb or stub your toe, and you’ll have a good biblical reminder of the interrelationship of your bodily members. Once you disconnect a body part, you cut off its ability to function because it is separated from the source of its life.

That’s why Peter and Paul both call the church the “household of God” (1 Peter 4:17; Titus 3:15). Your home is supposed to be the place where you give and receive love unconditionally. It takes more than the paid professional staff in a church to produce this kind of love. It comes from each one of us being in in dynamic relationships so we can encourage and edify each other.

God Bless,
Robbie

Sunday Sermon Title: God’s Will and Your Life
Scripture: Matthew 6:33

The Supreme Importance of God’s Word

The Bible holds supreme authority by virtue of its Author, who is the King of creation and thus Ruler over all the earth. Scripture is God’s revelation in history. Just as there is no higher authority in an earthly kingdom than a king – there is no higher authority you and I can appeal to than the Word of God in God’s kingdom. The Bible’s authority is timeless. For example, when we read in Exodus 20:3 “You shall have no other gods before Me,” this command has the very same force behind it today that it had when God first thundered these words to Moses more than three thousand years ago. Unfortunately, one problem I see as a pastor today is that people disregard God’s Word because to them, it’s just ink on a page.

Our problem is that we weren’t there when God first spoke His Word – because if we had been there, we wouldn’t be so casual about it. To get an idea of the terror that gripped Moses and all of Israel when God gave His commandments, read Hebrews 12:18-21. Even Moses said, “I’m so scared that I can barely even stand.” The Bible is not simply words about God, it is the Word of God. Many people learn about God from the Bible, which is good – but that is not where you are to stop. The Word of God is the voice of God in print. It is active and alive and sharper than a two-edged sword, able to reach and instruct the deepest recesses and core of who you are (Hebrews 4:12).

“For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” Hebrews 4:12

Keep Reading,

Robbie

Sunday’s Sermon Title: How to Build Your Life on God’s Word
Scripture: Ezra 7

Hey Everyone,

Doing It God’s Way

I had to meet a friend in Childersburg and I saw a store called “Sweet Pickens”. All of you know that this is a nice store where people rent booths and sell furniture and many other things. As I walked around the store, I heard Christian music playing. On the way out I told the owner I’m sure my wife will be in the store since we are moving to Vincent.

I then thanked her for playing the Christian music. She told me when she bought the store, she told the lease owner that the music would change to honor God. She fully understands that everything that good happens to her and “Sweet Pickens” depends upon God’s blessing. Also, I believe she really loves the Lord and just wants to honor Him. I told her never change, God would honor every act of obedience. Jesus said, “If you love me obey me.” John 14:15. Obedience not only honors God but brings great blessing to us.

For His Glory
Robbie

Sunday’s Sermon Title: How to Save America
Scripture: Jeremiah 18

Hey Everyone,

So many people are looking for peace and security in the world. The Apostle Paul has much to say about peace in the fourth chapter of his letter to the church in Philippi. Paul experienced tumultuous trials, torture, social upheaval, betrayal, starvation, rejection and imprisonment. Yet he had learned the secret of living through periods of need and periods of abundance. It’s this “I can do all this through him who gives me strength” (Philippians 4:13). Prosperity does not have the power to give us peace, nor does poverty have the power to take it away. Only God has the power to give us true peace that transcends all life’s variables. Remember what Jesus taught His disciples about peace:

“Peace I leave with you; My peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” (John 12:27)
What do you notice when you look at this passage? Jesus’ peace is accessible. He has given it to us. It’s different from the world’s version. And we are required to take action in order to enjoy it: “Do not let your heart be troubled,” and “do not be afraid.”

This passage may be very familiar, but I’d suggest reading it out loud, writing it down, meditating on it, and memorizing it. Especially now, as we all face increasing anxiety, “Rejoice” in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:4-7) The peace of God—shalom—will guard your hearts and minds. And the God of peace—Christ Jesus—will be yours as well.

Take Care
Robbie

Sunday’s Sermon Title: Real Worship, Part II  

Scripture: Ezra 4

Hey Everybody,

As we go forward as a church, our greatest challenge will be our own spiritual growth. Scripture makes it clear that we must “make every effort” to attain Godliness. Why? Because salvation is not just a name one day in heaven, but a mission to the King. The difference between these two mindsets is crucial. God never asks his church to be complacent or reactive but zealous and proactive. We should be like the song, “Onward Christian Soldier.”

We are going to do something for our past music minister, Wayne Linderman, who has been diagnosed with cancer. Also, even though I did not know him personally, the local UPS driver was tragically killed last week. Let’s be in prayer for these two families and please be in prayer for the next music pastor and outreach pastor. We need everyone praying in one accord for God’s will.

For His Glory,

Robbie

Sunday’s Sermon Title: The Father That Leads
Scripture: Deuteronomy 1:31

Hey Everyone,

The greatest thing that can ever happen in a church happened this Sunday with Raymond Hill being saved and born again. This is what Jesus’ mission was all about and the main theme of the cross and redemption. We are going to have Raymond’s baptism as soon as possible; we want to make a big deal out of this as the church because even the angels in heaven are celebrating.

It was so encouraging to see a good crowd this past Sunday while knowing we had some regulars gone. We will give you more details about how we are going to replace VBS sometime in August. I have been working with Rosemary, and I think we have a great plan.

Love you all!

For His Glory,

Robbie

Sunday’s Sermon Title: Real Worship Part II

Scripture: Ezra: 4