Agape Baptist Church

09/26/2026

Next month Agape will celebrate 50 years! We invite you to join us on Sunday, October 18th at 10:30am!

09/25/2026

Good Morning Agape,
I pray for God’s peace and joy for you as this day begins. I pray that His love and salvation will put a song in your hearts.
I would like to do what I can to assist in the second part of my prayer this morning. The hymn I would like to share with you is another one of my favorites. It is a hymn I just enjoy singing. One I find myself singing quite often.
It is also a hymn that I used to enjoy watching one of mine and Pam’s preachers sing. He would sing it with great gusto, feet kicking and arms “punching.” Seeing his enjoyment in singing the hymn only enhanced my own enjoyment.
Revive Us Again was written by Dr. William MacKay, a Scottish physician who later because a Presbyterian minister.
MacKay was born in 1839 to a devout Christian mother. A mother that shared the gospel with him countless times and was fervent in her prayers seeking God’s work of salvation in his life.
MacKay pursued an education in the medical field and attended the University of Edinburgh. While there he started on and quickly moved down a path away from the godly teaching his mother had sought to ground him in. Because of the great pressure from his studies, he became a heavy drinker and indulged in various immoral acts as a way of escape. His lifestyle led to financial troubles which got so bad that he sold the last gift his mother ever gave him. As he was leaving for school, she had given him a Bible with his name written inside the cover and verses underlined in hopes he would one day read and study them.
After graduating, he became a doctor and regularly encountered those facing death. He recognized and noted the differences in those who were dying with faith in Christ and those dying without faith. In spite of this he continued down a path that he said he was certain that would make him a “through infidel.”
Everything changed when he was working one day and a mason’s assistant was brought into the hospital with life threatening injuries.
Here are MacKay’s words about what happened:
“My dear mother… had been a godly, pious woman, quite often telling me of the Savior, and many times I had been a witness to her wrestling in prayer for my soul’s salvation. But nothing had made a deep impression on me. The older I grew the more wicked I became….
“One day a seriously injured (laborer)… was brought into the hospital. The case was hopeless…. He seemed to realize his condition, for he was fully conscious, and asked me how long he would last…. I gave him my opinion in as cautious a manner as I could….
‘Have you any relatives whom we could notify?’ I continued. The patient shook his head…. His only wish was to see his landlady, because he owed her a small sum, and also wished to bid her farewell. He also requested his landlady send him, ‘The Book….’
I went to see him on my regular visits at least once a day. What struck me most was the quiet, almost happy expression constantly on his face…. After the man died, some things about the deceased’s affairs were to be attended to in my presence.
‘What shall we do with this?’ asked the nurse, holding up a book in her hand. ‘What kind of book is it?’ I asked. ‘The Bible of the poor man…. As long as he was able to read it, he did so, and when he was unable to do so anymore, he kept it under his bed cover.’
I took the Bible and—could I trust my eyes? It was my own Bible! The Bible which my mother had given me when I left my parents’ home, and which later, when short of money, I sold for a small amount. My name was still in it, written in my mother’s hand….
With a deep sense of shame I looked upon… the precious Book. It had given comfort and refreshing to the unfortunate man in his last hours. It had been a guide to him into eternal life, so that he had been enabled to die in peace and happiness. And this Book, the last gift of my mother, I had actually sold for a ridiculous price….
Be it sufficient to say that the regained possession of my Bible was the cause of my conversion.”
These events, in particular the return of his Bible inspired Mackay to write “Revive Us Again,” and to leave the medical profession, attend theological college and become a Presbyterian minister in the church of Scotland.

Revive Us Again
We praise thee, O God, �For the Son of thy love,�For Jesus who died�And is now gone above.��Refrain�Hallelujah, thine the glory!�Hallelujah, Amen!�Hallelujah, thine the glory!�Revive us again.

We praise Thee, O God!�For Thy Spirit of light,�Who hath shown us our Saviour,�And scattered our night. [Refrain]

All glory and praise�To the Lamb that was slain�Who hath borne all our sins�And hath cleansed every stain. [Refrain]��All glory and praise�To the God of all grace,�Who has bought us; and sought us,�And guided our ways. [Refrain]��Revive us again;�Fill each heart with Thy love;�May each soul be rekindled�With fire from above. [Refrain]

I searched for a good video version of this song, but couldn’t find what I wanted. I did find this one from Acapulco…but there is no music, just vocals.
https://youtu.be/rxgzvlyyz5k?si=hGPoHOUoD9TkUik5

I love you all. Go in the grace and peace of Christ Jesus and be Agape,
Mike

We praise Thee, O God!For the Son of Thy love,For Jesus who died,...

09/24/2026

Good Morning Agape,
I hope this Thursday morning finds you all well. I pray the peace of our Lord comforts your hearts and minds, and that His provision sustains you through this day.
Take a minute with me this morning and let’s go back to 2 Corinthians 5:7 for we walk by faith not by sight—.
The past two days we have considered the word “walk,” and we’ve come to understand that the Christian life is to be a steady growth in holiness.
Today, I would like to encourage you to focus on a different word. Notice that Paul says “we walk by faith ‘not’ by sight.” The word “not” has a massive impact in this verse, because it eliminates sight. Which means we do not live by the world's ways or even by our own understanding. We live according to what God has said in His word.
God’s word determines how we live, not just what we believe. Paul didn’t say, “we ‘believe’ by faith,” he said “we ‘walk’ by faith not by sight.” As believers we base our decisions, we form our opinions, we ground our beliefs, and we determine our steps based on what God has said in His word regardless of what our own understanding concludes, or what our eyes perceive, or what the world says. When God’s word says something is true and the world says the same thing is false, we don’t just give verbal acknowledgement to God’s word, we live our lives in agreement with what God says.
Read the verse again, because there is one more detail we need to notice. Paul does not say “we walk by faith AND by sight” he says “we walk by faith NOT by sight.” This verse also shows us that we do not mix the two, faith and sight. We live by one (faith) and we eliminate the other (sight).

I love you all. Go in the grace and peace of Christ Jesus and be Agape,
Mike

09/23/2026

Good Morning Agape,
It’s time to get out of the bed, grab some coffee and your Bible and let’s get prepared for the day the Lord has blessed us with.
This morning, let’s go back to 2 Corinthians 5:7 for we walk by faith, not by sight—.
Let’s take a few minutes and revisit the word walk. Yesterday we briefly considered that walking is a fairly easy method of transportation. This morning there are two more thoughts about walking that I would like for you to consider.
First, walking implies progress. When you are walking there is an intended destination. Now, you may be like me and forget where you were going by the time you get there, but there was still an intended destination. You are progressing from one place to the next. That is true of the Christian life, we are progressing. We should be moving toward greater and greater sanctification. We should be progressing in holiness. Paul did not say, “we sit in quiet contemplation,” he said “we walk by faith.”
Secondly, walking implies steady progress. It isn’t a sprint, a healthy jog, or even a race. It is a walk, a steadily paced advancement. Which means we can stay at it longer. Racing and running have their limits. Even the greatest runners in the world have a limit on how far they can run before needing an extended period or rest. But walking allows continued steady progress with normal rest periods. That too is the Christian life, a steady advance toward Christ-likeness. It’s not a race. The only thing that must be done today is salvation, today is the day of salvation. But, once we are saved, life is a steady progress of sanctification.
Walking then allows us to advance at a steady pace through all types of terrains and conditions. Our Christian walk is a constant advancement during good times and trials as we grow more and more like our Savior. Agape, keep walking.

I love you all. Go in the grace and peace of Christ Jesus and be Agape, �Mike

09/22/2026

Good Morning Agape,
Our Lord has blessed us with a new day. I pray that His Spirit would guide you and protect you through the day.
Before you get too involved with your morning routine, join me thinking through 2 Corinthians 5:7, “for we walk by faith, not by sight—.”
In chapter 5 Paul is speaking about the great hope the believer has of heaven. There is a coming day for all of us when we will pass from this life into the next. Paul is assuring the believer that that next life is in heaven. In verse 7 Paul is telling us how the believer is to live while here on earth, we live (walk) by faith.
Think with me about the word walk. For a healthy individual walking is an easy activity. You can walk in all manner of weather, you may need to take your time in the snow, but you can still walk. The rain may cause you to slip if you are running, but walking is a much more steady way to move. If it is hot outside, the average person can walk better than they can run, and when it is cold, you can still make your way walking.
Walking is an easier way to navigate different terrain. Walking uphill gives you a more steady pace and helps you keep from slipping and falling. Walking downhill helps you keep your balance so you don’t tumble head over heels. Walking through a wooded area or rocky plane allows you to maneuver over or around obstacles with less chance of tripping and falling.
And walking isn’t near as tiresome as running.
That is the Christian life. It is a walk. A much easier and safer way to advance through life. A method that doesn’t require great conditioning or training.
We are “walking by faith, not by sight.” Keep walking!

I love you all. Go in the grace and peace of Christ Jesus and be Agape,
Mike

09/18/2026

Good Morning Agape,�I hope you are doing well and looking forward to the weekend. The best part of the weekend is that opportunity we have of participating in the corporate worship of our God King, Jesus Christ. I look forward to joining you Sunday.
In the meantime, since our God is so great, let’s sing His praises.
The story behind the hymn I wanted to share with you today is a “familiar” story. One day in 1671 Joachim Neander, a 21 year-old student of Latin and poetry joined two of his friends and went to church. Their motive was not to praise Jesus, but to mock and criticize the pastor. But, by the amazing grace of God, the preaching of the gospel and the work of the Holy Spirit, Neander was brought under conviction, repented and turned to Jesus Christ in faith. (This is the same thing that happened almost 80 years later when Robert Robertson and some friends went to a Methodist revival to heckle George Whitfield and those “poor deluded Methodist.” Robertson got saved and 5 years later wrote “Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing.”)
Let’s get back to Neander. Joachim Neander was born in 1650 and lived in Bremen, a town in northwest Germany. After getting saved became the Rector of the Latin school in Dusseldorf, a school that was affiliated with the German Reformed Church. While he was there, he composed over 60 hymns, before he died at the young age of 30.
His most famous Hymn was inspired by his love of creation, specifically the beautiful Neander Valley where his family lived. (Yes, the valley was named after his family. As Neander observed the valley he was struck by the majesty of the Creator and wrote “Praise to the Lord, the Almighty.”
A very interesting side story about this valley. John Gardner, a pastor at Faith Bible Church in Spokane Washington writes: “Interestingly, nearly two centuries after Neander's death, skeletal remains were discovered in the valley which bears his name. As the German word for "valley" or "dale" is tal or thal, these remains became known as the "Neanderthal man." For decades, the Neanderthal was heralded as a vital "missing link" in human evolution, thanks to an archaeologist's use of carbon dating to conveniently place these remains into the period in history in which Darwin's theory of evolution required an example of a hereditary link between apes and modern man in order to "prove" its validity. Despite the fact that this archaeologist and his methods were demonstrated to be fraudulent—leading to his resignation in disgrace in 2005—many science textbooks continue to sensationalize the Neanderthal Man as a human ancestor and a proof of macroevolution. In reality, these bones were simply and fully human.
What a twist. The man that wrote a hymn to Praise the God of Creation has his name linked with a theory that attempts to disprove His very existence. Fortunately, we take Neander’s hymn and offer praise and worship the King of Creation.

Praise to the Lord, the Almighty. (Not from our Celebration Hymnal)
1 Praise to the Lord, the Almighty, the King of creation!
O my soul, praise him, for he is your health and salvation!
Come, all who hear; now to his temple draw near,
join me in glad adoration.

2 Praise to the Lord, above all things so wondrously reigning;
sheltering you under his wings, and so gently sustaining!
Have you not seen all that is needful has been
sent by his gracious ordaining?

3 Praise to the Lord, who will prosper your work and defend you;
surely his goodness and mercy shall daily attend you.
Ponder anew what the Almighty can do,
if with his love he befriends you.

4 Praise to the Lord! O let all that is in me adore him!
All that has life and breath, come now with praises before him.
Let the Amen sound from his people again;
gladly forever adore him.

https://youtu.be/VGAaRtkovZQ?si=KE-3qvwQCHzYMdGA

I love you all. Go in the grace and peace of Christ Jesus and be Agape,
Mike

Words by Joachim Neander (1680). Translated by Catherine Winkworth ...

09/17/2026

Good Morning Agape,
I pray this morning finds you all well. I also pray that our Lord will watch over you, keeping you safe and in His grace and mercy today.
Before you rush out the door and into your day, I would like to encourage you to take a few minutes and look at Proverbs 3:3-4 Do not let kindness and truth leave you; Bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart, so you will find favor and good repute in the sight of God and man.
In these verses, Solomon begins by encouraging his son to remain faithful to God and to hold tight to God’s word. The phrase “Bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart,” provides methods of achieving that goal.
In Deuteronomy 6 the children of Israel were exhorted to take God’s word and tie around their hands, and their heads, and to write them on the door posts of their houses. This was to help remind them of God’s word. To keep it with them everywhere they went and to be reminded of God’s word as they went out and as they came in. Solomon is exhorting his son to do the same. Not to physically carry God’s word around with them, or to actually write them on their hearts.
But, to learn God’s word, memorizing it, meditating on it, keeping it in mind throughout the day, and live in obedience to God’s word.
As you head out today, take God’s word with you, spend time today meditating on some portion of His word (our passage this morning would be a good start), and strive to live by what it says. Seek to make this a daily habit, and watch God start to transform your thoughts and actions.

I love you all. Go in the grace and peace of Christ Jesus and be Agape,
Mike

09/16/2026

Good Morning Agape,
I hope this morning finds you well. I pray that the Lord’s grace and peace will be abundantly apparent to your soul today.
It is often said that we live in a scary world. There is the constant threat of disease, war on a major scale always seems to be just a moment away. We drive down the road surrounded by people texting on their phones at 90 mph, and overhead there are planes, satellites, and meteors that could fall at any moment. Not to mention the existence of pure evil. That is just a sampling of the things people say causes them to be scared.
But as believers, we should be like the Psalmist in Psalm 27:1 “The Lord in my light and my salvation, Whom shall I fear?”
After reading Spurgeon’s morning devotion yesterday, the truth that nothing should cause us to fear has been on my mind a lot. This morning I want to share his encouraging words with you today.
Charles Spurgeon’s Morning and Evening September 15, Morning.
Christian, you ought not to dread the arrival of evil tidings; because if you are distressed by them, what do you more than other men? Other men have not your God to fly to; they have never proved his faithfulness as you have done, and it is no wonder if they are bowed down with alarm and cowed with fear: but you profess to be of another spirit; you have been begotten again unto a lively hope, and your heart lives in heaven and not on earthly things; now, if you are seen to be distracted as other men, what is the value of that grace which you profess to have received? Where is the dignity of that new nature which you claim to possess?
Again, if you should be filled with alarm, as others are, you would, doubtless, be led into the sins so common to others under trying circumstances. The ungodly, when they are overtaken by evil tidings, rebel against God; they murmur, and think that God deals hardly with them. Will you fall into that same sin? Will you provoke the Lord as they do?
Moreover, unconverted men often run to wrong means in order to escape from difficulties, and you will be sure to do the same if your mind yields to the present pressure. Trust in the Lord, and wait patiently for him. Your wisest course is to do as Moses did at the Red Sea, "Stand still and see the salvation of God." For if you give way to fear when you hear of evil tidings, you will be unable to meet the trouble with that calm composure which nerves for duty, and sustains under adversity. How can you glorify God if you play the coward? Saints have often sung God's high praises in the fires, but will your doubting and desponding, as if you had none to help you, magnify the Most High? Then take courage, and relying in sure confidence upon the faithfulness of your covenant God, "let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”

I love you all. Go in the grace and peace of Christ Jesus and be Agape, �Mike

09/15/2026

Good Morning Agape,
I hope the dawn finds you well. I pray that our Lord’s love for you will encourage and sustain you through this day.
This morning I would like to turn your attention to a short passage in Paul’s 4th letter to the church in Corinth, 2 Corinthians 1:8-11. Paul is writing about a very difficult affliction he had endured. This was so bad that Paul says they “were burdened excessively, beyond our strength, so that we despaired even of life.” Paul had been in a very bad, extremely difficult situation and he even believed that this would bring about his death. He says in verse 9 that this situation came about “so they would not trust in ourselves, but in God.” Paul recognized that God had a purpose for the affliction he was enduring and that was so that the apostle Paul and those with him would abandon all earthly hope and trust in God. Let that sink in for a moment, the apostle Paul needed to be reminded by God to only trust in God.
Now look in verse 10, where Paul writes, “who delivered us from so great a peril of death, and will deliver us, He on whom we have set our hope. And He will yet deliver us.”
I want to point out a few things Paul understood and expresses in this one verse. First, God had delivered him in the past. Second, Paul understands there are more trials and afflictions to come. Notice he says “And He will yet deliver us.” Third, Paul understands that there will never be a situation in which he is beyond the reach of God. There will never be a point where he is beyond the help of God.
There is yet one more detail in this passage that I would like to point out and that is in verse 11 where Paul writes, “you also joining in helping us through your prayers.” Prayer is not a futile endeavor. Prayer is effective and our prayers for one another offer great benefit.
So, let me encourage you this morning to abandon all trust in anything except God. And keep praying. Pray for yourself, and pray for one another.

I love you all. Go in the grace and peace of Christ Jesus and be Agape,
Mike

09/11/2026

Good Morning Agape,
As the sun rises I pray for our Lord’s abundant mercy and grace for you all.
When tragedy strikes or hard times come, many people turn to music. Many people that are depressed listen to depressing music, which only makes them more depressed. Others listen to music that supplies memories while others are simply looking to “escape” the moment.
Godly music does something altogether different. Good, godly music comforts our soul, rights our thinking, encourages our hearts and turns our eyes to Jesus.
The hymn I would like to share with you this morning has been doing just that for nearly 300 years.
Katharina Amalia Dorothea von Schlegel was born in Germany in 1697 (it probably took her parents 3 years to write her name out on her birth certificate). Little is known about her life. Some suggest she was a Lutheran nun, some, based on her name suggest that she came from an aristocratic family. But, one thing we know for sure is that she is the author of “Stille, mein Wille; dein Jesus hilft siegen” which was first published in a collection entitled Neue Sammlung geistlicher Lieder (A new collection of spiritual songs) in 1752.
Thankfully, a little over100 years later, in 1855, Jane Borthwick, a member of the Free Church of Scotland translated this song into English. She and her sister published this hymn along with several other German hymns in a work called Hymns from the Land of Luther. This is the publication where we find the first English translation of “Be Still My Soul.”
It is amazing how things are brought together. In 1899/1900 Jean Sibelius and symphonic poet wrote a patriotic tune to celebrate Finland’s history and highlight the Finnish people’s struggles. The name of this tune was FINLANDIA, and in 1927 a Welsh Oxford-trained organist-choirmaster and music professor named David Evans combined this tune with the hymn Be Still My Soul and published it in a work titled Revised Church Hymnary in London. Soon afterward this pairing made it’s way across the Atlantic and was used in the presbyterian Church U.S.A. in The Hymnal (1933).
This wonderful hymn has a long history spanning three countries and nearly 300 years. The words remind the singer of great truths that provide encouragement for the believer. And paired with the tune, this hymn is a beautiful tool for worship.

Be Still My Soul
Verse 1
Be still, my soul: the Lord is on thy side;
Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain.
Leave to thy God to order and provide;
In every change, He faithful will remain.
Be still, my soul: thy best, thy heavenly Friend
Through thorny ways leads to a joyful end.

Verse 2
Be still, my soul: thy God doth undertake
To guide the future, as He has the past.
Thy hope, thy confidence let nothing shake;
All now mysterious shall be bright at last.
Be still, my soul: the waves and winds still know
His voice Who ruled them while He dwelt below.

Verse 3
Be still, my soul: when dearest friends depart,
And all is darkened in the vale of tears,
Then shalt thou better know His love, His heart,
Who comes to soothe thy sorrow and thy fears.
Be still, my soul: thy Jesus can repay
From His own fullness all He takes away.

Verse 4
Be still, my soul: the hour is hastening on
When we shall be forever with the Lord
When disappointment, grief and fear are gone,
Sorrow forgot, love's purest joys restored.
Be still, my soul: when change and tears are past
All safe and blessèd we shall meet at last.

I am going to provide you with three links today. First congregational singing. Second a wonderful instrumental version and finally a beautiful a ca****la version.

https://youtu.be/Rd4VTCyx4m8?si=yQeqVH4x54UfFrsF

https://youtu.be/WHCOapQ85ys?si=Gf7n18-rPt_24vk3

https://youtu.be/CmNXeReZqAg?si=dyudj9Xm4nTUBtFK

I love you all. Go in the grace and peace of Christ Jesus and be Agape,
Mike

Congregational singingGrace Community Church - Sun Valley, Califor...