Precious Baptist Church Iwo

21/12/2016

A baby just hours old was left in a manger in a Christmas nativity outside a New York church. A young, desperate mother had wrapped him warmly and placed him where he would be discovered. If we are…

18/12/2016

A Most Cherished Gift
By Marchel Alverson

He remarked, “Christmas has power to quicken our sense of wonder because it turns us into children. Children have a wonderful sense of wonder. … So tonight, before you fall asleep, lie still for a moment, shut your eyes, and think back to the Christmas of your childhood. Or better yet, feel for the wonder in your heart.”
Read more here...
http://www.unity.org/resources/articles/most-cherished-gift

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25/01/2016

The Pastor is blessing you with this verse of the Bible as you go This new week

Genesis 22:
17 that I will bless you greatly, and I will multiply your offspring greatly like the stars of the heavens, and like the sand which is on the seashore. Your offspring will possess the gate of his enemies.

01/01/2016

The precious people of God crossed over and took over the year 2016...
Declaration for this year 2016 according to the Word of God in “Obadiah 1: 17 But upon mount Zion shall be deliverance, and there shall be holiness; and the house of Jacob shall possess their possessions.”

Happy New Year!!!

25/12/2015

A Fragile Gift

By: Keila Ochoa

Luke 2:1-7

Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift! 2 Corinthians 9:15

When we give a fragile gift, we make sure it is marked on the box that contains it. The word fragile is written with big letters because we don’t want anyone to damage what is inside.

God’s gift to us came in the most fragile package: a baby. Sometimes we imagine Christmas day as a beautiful scene on a postcard, but any mother can tell you it wasn’t so. Mary was tired, probably insecure. It was her first child, and He was born in the most unsanitary conditions. She “wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn” (Luke 2:7 nkjv).

A baby needs constant care. Babies cry, eat, sleep, and depend on their caregivers. They cannot make decisions. In Mary’s day, infant mortality was high, and mothers often died in childbirth.

Why did God choose such a fragile way to send His Son to earth? Because Jesus had to be like us in order to save us. God’s greatest gift came in the fragile body of a baby, but God took the risk because He loves us. Let us be thankful today for such a gift!

Dear Lord, the Strong and Mighty One, I thank You for becoming small and fragile on that day long ago. It amazes me that You did that for me and the rest of Your world.

May you know the peace of Christmas every day of the year.

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO EVERYONE

23/12/2015

One Size Fits All

Joe Stowell

John 3:10-21

Whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
John 3:16

Like most children, I thoroughly enjoyed Christmas. With great anticipation, I would snoop under the tree to see what toys and games awaited my eager grasp. So I felt deflated when I started getting things like shirts and pants. Grownup gifts were no fun! Then last Christmas, my kids gave me some cool socks with bright colors and designs. I almost felt young again! Even grownups could wear these socks, as the label reassured me: “One size fits all.”

That welcome phrase “one size fits all” reminds me of the best gift of Christmas—the good news that Jesus is for everyone. The point was proven when the first invitation sent by angel choirs was to shepherds on the bottom rung of the social ladder. The news was underscored further when the VIPs—the wealthy and powerful Magi—followed the star to come and worship the Christ-child.

After Jesus began His ministry, an influential member of the Jewish ruling council came to Him at night. In the course of their conversation, Jesus invited “whoever believes” to come to Him. The simple act of faith in Christ grants eternal life to those who trust in Him (John 3:16).

If Jesus were just for the poor and marginalized, or only for the famous and fortunate, many of us would not qualify. But Christ is for everyone, regardless of status, financial situation, or social standing. He is the only gift truly fit for all.

Thank You, Lord, that no one is unqualified for the gift of Your love. Teach us to rejoice in the fact that Your love was just right for us, and help us to share that love with others.
God’s gift to a dying world is the life-giving Savior.

19/12/2015

In the summer of 1861, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s wife, Frances, died tragically in a fire. That first Christmas without her, he wrote in his diary, “How inexpressibly sad are the hol...

17/12/2015

Christmas Rest

By Bill Crowder

Matthew 11:28–12:8

Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened.
Matthew 11:28

As a boy I delivered newspapers in order to earn money. Since it was a morning newspaper, I was required to get up at 3:00 every morning, 7 days a week, in order to have all 140 of my papers delivered to their appropriate homes by 6:00 a.m.

But one day each year was different. We would deliver the Christmas morning newspaper on Christmas Eve—meaning that Christmas was the only morning of the year I could sleep in and rest like a normal person.

Over the years, I came to appreciate Christmas for many reasons, but one that was special in those days was that, unlike any other day of the year, it was a day of rest.

At that time, I didn’t fully understand the meaning of the true rest that Christmas brings. Christ came so that all who labor under the weight of a law that can never be fulfilled might find rest through the forgiveness Christ offers. Jesus said, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matt. 11:28). In a world that is too much for us to bear alone, Christ has come to bring us into a relationship with Him and give us rest.

What burdens would you like the Lord to carry for you? Ask Him today.

Our soul finds rest when it rests in God.

As a boy I delivered newspapers in order to earn money. Since it was a morning newspaper, I was required to get up at 3:00 every morning, 7 days a week, in order to have all 140 of my papers delive...

09/12/2015

December 9, 2015

Just the Ticket
By
Jennifer Benson Schuldt

Ephesians 1:1-10

In him we have . . . the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace.
Ephesians 1:7

When a police officer stopped a woman because her young daughter was riding in a car without the required booster seat, he could have written her a ticket for a traffic violation. Instead, he asked the mother and daughter to meet him at a nearby store where he personally paid for the needed car seat. The mother was going through a difficult time and could not afford to buy a seat.

Although the woman should have received a fine for her misdemeanor, she walked away with a gift instead. Anyone who knows Christ has experienced something similar. All of us deserve a penalty for breaking God’s laws (Eccl. 7:20). Yet, because of Jesus, we experience undeserved favor from God. This favor excuses us from the ultimate consequence for our sin, which is death and eternal separation from God (Rom. 6:23). “In [Jesus] we have . . . the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace” (Eph. 1:7).

Some refer to grace as “love in action.” When the young mother experienced this, she later remarked, “I will be forever grateful! . . . And as soon as I can afford it I will be paying it forward.” This grateful and big-hearted response to the officer’s gift is an inspiring example for those of us who have received the gift of God’s grace!

Dear Father, thank You for giving us what we don’t deserve. You have forgiven my sins and provided a way for me to be reconciled to You through the gift of Your Son. Help me to always be grateful for Your grace.
God’s gift is grace.

INSIGHT

The city of Ephesus was “the capital of . . . the western part of Asia Minor. It was colonized principally from Athens. In the time of the Romans it bore the title of ‘the first and greatest metropolis of Asia.’ It was distinguished for the Temple of Diana, who there had her chief shrine; and for its theatre, which was the largest in the world, capable of containing 50,000 spectators. It was, like all ancient theatres, open to the sky. Here were exhibited the fights of wild beasts and of men with beasts (1 Cor. 4:9; 9:24, 25; 15:32). Many Jews took up their residence in this city, and here the seeds of the gospel were sown immediately after Pentecost (Acts 2:9; 6:9).”

04/12/2015

God fights for Israel

“Yet I will show love to Judah; and I will save them—not by bow, sword, or battle, or by horses and horsemen, but I, the Lord their God, will save them” (Hosea 1:7).

In June 1967, Israel faced a foreboding enemy composed of four of its Arab neighbors. In a struggle know as the Six-Day War, Israel appeared seriously outgunned. It had about 275,000 soldiers with which to meet the combined armies of Iraq, Syria, Jordan and Egypt. Their total forces were estimated at 456,000. The Arab forces also fielded almost four times the number of combat aircraft and twice the number of tanks.
Yet, by the time the war ended, the territory under Israeli control had tripled. Its forces regained sites that had belonged to Israel in ancient times. The smaller Israeli forces had routed four powerful enemies. It appears that God worked one miracle after another one behalf of Israel.

God still works miracles for His people today. Are you in a battle? Does the enemy appear overwhelming? Rely on God to work. There are things only a supernatural act of God can accomplish.

Challenge for Today: Trust God to fight for you.

Quicklook: Hosea 1:1-11

24/06/2015

Defining Moment

What are the most important events in human
history? Scholars list the rise and fall of the
Roman Empire, the Renaissance, the invention of
the printing press, the American Revolution, and
World War II among the biggest developments.
But Acts chapter 2 details a moment bigger than
any of those:
All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and
began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit
enabled them (Acts 2:4).
The outpouring of the Holy Spirit fulfilled Jesus’
promise to empower His followers for sharing the
gospel. The Spirit baptism equipped God’s
people to take on the tremendous task of making
disciples of all nations. From Jerusalem, these
Spirit-filled believers set out to take the good
news of Jesus to the ends of the earth.
God still provides power for ministry and
Christian living. The baptism in the Holy Spirit
with the evidence of speaking in tongues is
available for every Christ follower today. The
event that changed the world on the Day of
Pentecost can change your life as well.
Prayer for Today: If you have not received the
baptism in the Holy Spirit, ask God to give you
this gift.

Quicklook: Acts 2:1–12

22/06/2015

What is God’s Favor?

God is with us—for our good and
His glory.

“The Lord was with Joseph so that
he prospered...When his master
saw that the Lord was with him
and that the Lord gave him success
in everything he did, Joseph found
favor in his eyes…” Genesis 39:2-4
If your life includes some trouble and
suffering, you are not alone. Think of
Joseph’s story. (Genesis 37, 39-50) He
was the favorite of his father's twelve
sons. He became second-in-command
to the Pharaoh of Egypt. He even
saved the ancient world from famine.
Surely this was a man in God's favor!

Did you notice what was left out of
that story?
Stay in only certain parts
of Joseph's story and it is easy to see
his favor with God. But who could
forget his brothers’ betrayal? How he
was sold into slavery. How his purity
was tested in his master's house? How
he was thrown into prison for
something he did not do. There's no
denying it. Joseph suffered. And his
great suffering was a key part of God's
plan.
Notice that:
1. God's plan was bigger than
Joseph. How could he have
predicted the way God saved
Egypt and Israel?
2. Joseph's suffering was not the
end of the story. Thirteen years
of hardship is terrible. But Joseph
himself said he forgot all about
the trouble ( Gen. 41:51 ) during
the next 80 great years.
3. Joseph’s hard experiences
brought him great peace and
insight about God's nature. (Gen.
45:7-8 , Gen. 50:20 )
4. Readers of his story are
reminded, "the Lord was with
him." (Genesis 39:3 , 23)

When I am going through hardship, I
can’t read my own story and see the
note, "the Lord was with him." In
fact, it often feels like he is not. Was
it different for Joseph? Did he feel out
of God's favor when his brothers sold
him into slavery? When he went to
prison for something he didn't do?
Whether or not he felt that way, he
came to understand that his trouble
did not reflect God’s displeasure with
him. He said it himself - what others
intended for his harm, God intended
for good, to accomplish the saving of
many lives. (Gen. 50:20 ) And not only
saving those ancient lives.
His story reminds us that hard times
don’t necessarily mean God is
displeased with us. He has bigger
plans for us to embrace! He’s still
writing the story. Some comfort can
only come through hardship - and for
the sake of the larger story, we have
to go through it and pass it on.
Remember Joseph. And just think how
much poorer we would be if we only
knew the easy, comfortable parts of
his story!

Do hard times mean God does not
favor you? Talk with a caring Christian
about it.

Pray this week
Dear God, thank you for always being
with me. Please help me to remember
that hard times don’t always mean you
are displeased with me. Help me to
feel your love even when I’m in bad
situations. I trust your plans for my
life, even if I can’t see the bigger
picture.

Written by GodLife.