Devotionals

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" height=150 BGCOLOR="#663366" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <B>Burning Hope Baptist Church</B></div> <div> <B>............A Ministry Where Church Happens</B></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Our Organization">Home</A>  |  <B>Devotionals</B>   |   <A HREF="from_the_pastors_desk.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="From the Pastors Desk">From the Pastor's Desk</A>   |   <A HREF="member_list.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Ministries">Ministries</A>   |   <A HREF="upcoming_events.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Church Calendar">Church Calendar</A>   |   <A HREF="photos.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Photos">Photos</A>   |   <A HREF="calendar.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Our History">Our History</A>   |   <A HREF="contact_us.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Contact Us">Contact Us</A></div> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" height=330 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <bR> <div> November 2011</div> <bR> <div> “A Time of Thanksgiving”</div> <bR> <div> It is the season of Thanksgiving, a special time when we join together with family and share in the food, laughter, and story telling.</div> <bR> <div> I love to share time with my family and celebrate over the blessings God has given to Anita and me as well as share time with our kids and grandchildren.  So often we forget how much God has blessed us with until we take time to sit still and see what He has done for us.</div> <bR> <div> The love with which each dish has been prepared, and the special “thanks” we give to the supplier “Father God,” is what makes it a special time with our family.  Father God is truly the “Lord of the Harvest.”</div> <bR> <div> The preparation of the meal and the cooking of each dish will take days to plan and prepare and as we enjoy the blessings of God's harvest, we need to remember the One who is the supplier.  As we eat, we need to remember that God has given us our family, home, and time together.  The food will be eaten and the dishes will soon be put away, but the blessing of God will continue each day we are here on earth.  We have truly been blessed as a nation.  Each of us has many things to be thankful for as we stop long enough to count our blessings.  As the old hymn says “Count your many blessings, name them one by one, count your many blessings, see what God has done.”</div> <bR> <div> The family is important and the food and fellowship are great, but we need to stop and reflect on all that God has given us through His son, Jesus Christ.  Christ is truly the reason we celebrate and give thanks to Father God for all He has done.</div> <bR> <div> Psalm 100:4 “Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise; give thanks to Him and praise His name.”</div> <bR> <div> God Bless You,</div> <div> Pastor Jim Parrish</div> <div> Burning Hope Baptist Church</div> <bR> <bR> <div> October 2011</div> <bR> <div> "Let's Go Fishing"</div> <bR> <div> I love to go fishing.  When I was a young man I recall the excitement I had when my grandfather would ask me to go fishing.  It was always an exciting time when we would load up and go out and spend time together at a lake outside of my hometown of Waco, Texas.  The moments we shared together are still fresh in my memory today.  We would talk about the fishing trip days in advance and make preparation for the journey.  Finally, we would venture off to Battle Lake and go catch some fish.  It is amazing how much we remember when we look back and catch the memories of our past.</div> <bR> <div> Today, some 50 plus years later, I have never lost the excitement of going fishing.  God has put a new desire in my heart to fish for men.  There is nothing more exciting than to share the gospel and catch men for the Kingdom of God.  In scripture, the work that Jesus said was simple and challenged each of us who believe in Christ.  It was to become "Fishers of Men."  We are to go out and tell those around us about the Love of Christ for each of us.  The bait we use is the Word of God.  The message we share is that Christ died for us that we may have eternal life.  The plan of salvation is the truth of God's word that is available to those who will only believe and trust in Him (Jesus Christ).</div> <bR> <div> When is the last time you shared the love of Christ with your neighbor?  God's plan is for us to share.  The church should be and must be the outreach to our community.  Our responsibility is to go and share the message of Christ to others.  We build memories that will last for a lifetime when we work for the life changer "Jesus Christ."</div> <bR> <div> I encourage you to catch your neighbor and tell him about the one who gives salvation freely.  The way to gain eternity and forgiveness of sin is found in no other than Jesus Christ.</div> <bR> <div> God Bless You</div> <div> Brother Jim Parrish</div> <div> Burning Hope Baptist Church</div> <bR> <div> <I>John 3:16  For God so loved the world, that he gave his one and only Son that whosoever believes in him shall not perish, but have eternal life.</I></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> September 2011</div> <bR> <div> "The True Heart of Worship"</div> <bR> <div> If the title seems familiar, it is!  It's about a song that has been out on Christian broadcasting for some time.  It's words say a profound statement on the desire for God's people to return to the real meaning of worship.  </div> <bR> <div> God is an amazing Father.  He loves to hear his children lift up praise, prayer, and worship to Him.  God is worthy of our adoration.  When we gather in God's house, it is to focus entirely on the awesome Creator and to lift up praise unto Him.  I love it when our church allows God's Holy Spirit to flow throughout our worship service on Sunday mornings!</div> <bR> <div> <U>When we gather in God's sanctuary it is all about Him.  Our praise and worship is to be focused on God in unity, oneness.</U>  When we enter into God's house we enter in - to encounter God.  The worship time is to be focused on hearing from God and to experience the moving of God among His people.  To encounter God we must become available to God.  To encounter God we must seek God with a spirit of openness.  Our agenda and self-centeredness must be moved out of the way so He can be exalted.</div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <I>Joshua 22:26-27 That's why we said, Let us get ready and build an altar - but not for burnt offerings or sacrifices.  </I><I><U>vs. 27</U></I><I> On the contrary, it is to be a witness between us and you and the generations that follow, that we will worship the Lord at His sanctuary with our burnt offerings, sacrifices and fellowship offerings.</I></div> <bR> <div> The main focus Joshua speaks in these verses is to know that everything we do is to focus totally and dependant on God.  The church and the alter is His, not ours.  Today, the church was bought and paid for by the precious blood of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.  Christ was the sacrificial Lamb of God.  The precious Son of God is the atonement for our sins.</div> <bR> <div> So today I ask each of you to reflect on the cross and remember all that Christ accomplished for you and I.  Because of Christ and only Christ, can we have the privilege to enter into the very heart of worship!</div> <bR> <div> Thank you, </div> <div> Your Brother in Christ,</div> <div> Bro. Jim</div> <bR> <bR> <div> April 2011</div> <bR> <div> I love the outdoors and I enjoy looking at God's marvelous creation. In May Bro. Joe Williamson and I will be in the outdoors enjoying trout fishing in Missouri. I love to catch trout and the fellowship I share with Bro. Joe is great therapy and rest as we share in catching fish together.</div> <bR> <div> Christ loved fishing and fellowship with his disciples. Can you imagine what a teaching time they shared as they fished with the master fisherman? Christ taught them how to catch men. All through God's word Christ compared catching fish to catching men. We, too, are to be fishers of men for God's kingdom. Simply put, God has called each of us to cast our nets and catch men who are lost and have no relationship with Christ.</div> <bR> <div> Today I want you to be in prayer for Christ to lead you to someone who has not received Christ and lead them to the Lord.... invite them to church and become an encourager to them in their daily life. Be a fisherman of men and cast your net into your community and fill your net with men and women who need the Lord.</div> <bR> <div>                   God Bless YOU.</div> <div>                       Bro. Jim</div> <bR> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> February 2011</div> <bR> <div> <B>Just Stop, Look and Listen</B></div> <bR> <div> When I was growing up in Waco Texas, I remember when I was a member of the Kendrick Elementary Safety Patrol. After school it was my responsibility to help the other students to cross the street safely.  First, the teachers trained us how to accomplish this task. It was an honor to be chosen to be on the safety patrol.  </div> <bR> <div> After several months I received an even greater responsibility of sergeant,which meant I was over a group of safety patrolmen.  My job was to make sure they showed up for safety patrol.  It is a great reward when we are promoted for our job we have been asked to do.  I remember Mrs. Gregory, my fifth grade teacher, told me at the beginning of my job to always remember to "Stop, Look , and Listen!"  These words not only apply to the traffic we face when we cross the street, but to lifes' situations.</div> <bR> <div> So many times we dart into the highway of life and cross the highway without taking time to watch out for danger. When we fail to look for danger, we face the reality of being run over by turmoil that can hurt us and bring us despair.  Often we forget that we have someone who will teach us the following: "Stop,Look,and Listen."  The teacher is our Lord Jesus Christ!</div> <bR> <div> In the Bible we find Gods words of wisdom on how to face real life situations.  Jesus simply says,"He will never leave us or forsake us."  Also, He is our "Burden Bearer, and our Refuge in the Storm."  </div> <bR> <div> No matter what we are going through in life "Christ will never leave us or forsake us." We need to Stop and Look and Listen to Gods Word before we face life's highway.</div> <bR> <bR> <div> <A HREF="past_devotions.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Past Devotions">Other past devotionals</A></div> <bR> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>