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News May 2020
So now, brethren, I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified.
Acts 20:32 NKJV When you hear the words “parting gifts” you may think of television game shows and the “parting gifts” given to contestants that do not finish in first place. A parting gift can also be just as it sounds, a gift given to someone that is parting, i.e., leaving. In the Apostle Paul’s case, the idea was reversed: leave something to the ones staying behind. Paul was persuaded that he would not see the Ephesians again (v. 25) and that they would face severe trials (vv. 29-30). What valuable, meaningful, substantial thing could he leave with them? In Philippians 3, the apostle revealed that he had abandoned all profitable things. While he was speaking more about spiritual and religious matters, there had to have been physical and material ramifications from his conversion. Being a tent maker was not a lucrative job. Paul also needed the support of churches such as the Philippians. (Philippians 4:10-18) What could this itinerant preacher give to people who so obviously loved him? (Acts 20:36-38) He gave them the Word. In this season of separation, the one thing that is so apparent to me is the critical importance of us giving the Word of God. Referring to Old Testament scripture, Paul wrote in Romans 15:4, “For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.” NKJV As our Lord made very clear in His great commission, the objective of our preaching and teaching is to make disciples by “teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you." Matthew 28:20 NKJV In this world, only two things have eternal value: the Word of God and a person’s soul. Everything else is temporal and will eventually fade away. “All flesh is as grass, And all the glory of man as the flower of the grass. The grass withers, And its flower falls away, But the word of the Lord endures forever.” 1st Peter 1:24-25 NKJV Trusting the Lord to give us another opportunity to assemble, my prayer is that we will return with a renewed and even greater priority to the Word and that each man and woman who has the responsibility of teaching the Word will be absolutely convicted that “your labor is not in vain in the Lord.” 1st Corinthians 15:58 NKJV And as the Lord said through the Prophet Isaiah, “For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven, And do not return there, But water the earth, And make it bring forth and bud, That it may give seed to the sower And bread to the eater, So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.” Isaiah 55:10-11 NKJV Selah! Pastor Jack
Looking Ahead
Beloved,
We do not know when we will be able to have our assemblies again.
For now, the governor’s imposed restrictions continue. He has proposed a reopening plan with
a three-phase approach.
Once the established criteria are met, the first phase could possibly begin as early as May 8;
however, the current limit of 10 for an in-person meeting will continue.
Two to three weeks after the first phase, the second phase could possibly occur in late May.
This would allow churches and commercial businesses to open and to operate at a reduced
capacity.
Depending on the restrictions, if we are able to resume our assembling on Sunday mornings
during the second phase, some changes will be necessary.
1. Social distance would continue. Families would sit together but space must be made for
others.
2. Every other pew would be roped off reducing our capacity to half.
3. Handshakes would be discouraged.
4. Instead of passing the offering plate, a drop box would be placed for attendees to use when
entering or exiting the buildings. Mail-in and on-line giving remain as options.
5. Use of handouts, bulletins, hymnals and pew Bibles is discouraged.
6. Sanitation teams would be needed to wipe down all surfaces.
7. Nursery workers would need to use the normal protocol of wearing mask, using gloves and
the repeated sanitizing of surfaces.
8. We will not have a Vacation Bible School.
9. Senior adults with any underlying issues would be advised to not attend until the third phase
is implemented.
10. Obviously, persons with virus-like symptoms would be expected to not attend.
11. We will continue to offer the Sunday morning messages on the radio broadcast and online.
12. Until restrictions are all lifted, we will have the Sunday morning service only.
13. No Children’s Worship until restrictions are all lifted.
14. No Sunday evening or Wednesday evening services until restrictions are all lifted.
In the meanwhile…
1. Continue to pray for one another.
2. Communicate with one another by phone, text, card, etc.
3. Listen to the Sunday morning (10:30) messages on the radio (WJCV 1290 AM or 98.3 FM)
or view on-line through Face Book or YouTube. Pastor Robert’s Wednesday night (7:00)
message is on Face Book and YouTube.
4. Word of Life for elementary kids is available on-line.
5. Continue to give offerings on-line, mailing to the church office or drop off at the church
office.
Till we meet again,
Pastor Jack
From our Associate Pastor
A Life of Complete Surrender I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice,
holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. 2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God,
what is good and acceptable and perfect. Romans 12:1-2 ESV The Christian life is not always an easy life but it is the best life to live. In Romans 12:1-2, we see that the Christian life is to be one of complete and willing surrender.
Christians offer their entire lives to the Lord. (v.1) Our sacrifice is a living surrender.
We don’t offer ourselves as a dead sacrifice but as a living and a sacrifice that consists of our: Soul; Body; Mind and Will
Our sacrifice is a devoted surrender. We are to be completely devoted, consecrated to God.
Our sacrifice is a pleasing surrender. While our sacrifice of our lives will please others at times, our goal is not to please others. The sacrifice of our lives, our total surrender of our lives to God, pleases God and that’s who we should be concerned about pleasing! When we offer our lives; as a living sacrifice, that is devoted to Christ and centered on pleasing Him we are fulfilling our spiritual worship or reasonable service to God.
Christians don’t conform their lives to this world. (v.2) This world will try to mold the believer.
As Christians, we must not conform to what the world says is right. We must resist the molding of this evil age. We have been given eternal life and life abundant by our Lord. Let us not turn back to this present evil world and take that mold back up. Let us distance ourselves from this world’s mold.
This world has no hold on the believer.
Christians allow the Holy Spirit to transform their lives after Christ. (v.2) Who changes the Christian? the Holy Spirit. Yes, we actively surrender our lives, but the Spirit of God
convicted us of our sins and brought us to a point of surrender and helps us to surrender. You and I don’t change ourselves all by ourselves. We need help from God!
Transformation takes place by constantly renewing our mind. This is a continual process, not a once in a while thing. The Spirit of God penetrates and renews the Christian’s mind:
Through Scripture Through prayer
Transformation leads the believer to know and do the will of God. Transformation that comes through the Spirit of God in the life of the believer leads the believer to know the will of God and to have the will to do the will of God in their life!
The Will of God for your life is: Good (Beneficial, helpful to you and worthy) Acceptable Perfect
May these truths help us all to live in complete surrender to Christ! -Pastor Robert
From Our Music Director
May 2020
Baby Recognition/Parent Dedication Day June 21st during the Morning
Worship Service. (For Babies Born in the Past 12 months)
This is that special day in the year when we recognize babies as gifts from God and challenge parents to dedicate themselves to the Godly rearing of their children. Parents wishing to participate need to fill out one of the forms located at the Welcome Center. You may come by the church to pick up a copy or you can get one by email. Please return the form to the church secretary or put it in the secretary’s box in the hall by the church offices. Please return the forms by June 14th.
At this time all future events will be as scheduled. If there are any changes there will
be an announcement through the email or through phone calls.
2020
Graduates
We will be recognizing our high school
and college graduates on June 21st.
Please fill out one of the forms at the
Welcome Center or you may come by
the church and put up a copy or one can
be emailed to you. Please return them
to the church secretary or put it in her
box in the hall by the church offices.
Please return by June 10th
Psalm 122:1 King James Version (KJV)
I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the Lord.
We all look forward to the day when we can join together again in corporate worship at Tar
Landing Baptist Church. I miss the presence of fellow believers, worshipping our Lord in spirit
and in truth. We long for things to be “normal” again.
In preparation for that day, our choir is preparing. In small groups, the choir is practicing some
new songs to be ready for the day when we can join together. Because we meet in only small
numbers, we are able to maintain the social distancing standards.
Say a word of prayer for the choir as we prepare, and give a word of encouragement to our choir
members.
Thank you for allowing me to serve with you.
Jim
Isaiah 12:2
May 2020 LIVING AS A DISCIPLE OF JESUS
Trust and Obey the Invisible Hand
As I write this, COVID-19 continues to grab the headlines of news outlets and daily briefings from the White House. This invisible virus has upset the world impacting the health, economy, and employment of nearly everyone to some degree.
But let us remember, there is an invisible Hand that is in control (1 Timothy 1:17) with all
wisdom (Psalm 147:5; Romans 16:27). And He is righteous (Psalm 145:17), good (Psalm 84:11-12), loving (1 John 4:16), holy (Exodus 15:11), and sovereign (Job 42:2; Isaiah 46:9-10). He is the One we must fear (Luke 12:4-5); He is the Refuge we run to (2 Samuel 22:1-7; Psalm 141:8); and the Source of our hope (Psalm 42:5, 11; 43:5). He is in control accomplishing His good pleasure (Isaiah 46:9-11). Let us remember God’s testimony of Himself declared in Isaiah 45:6-7, “That men may know from the rising to the setting of the sun, that there is no one besides Me. I am the Lord, and there is no other; The One forming light and creating darkness, causing well-being and creating calamity; I am the Lord who does all these.”
Peter exhorts us in the midst of suffering, [just as his original audience was suffering,] to
pursue God and holiness in our behavior and responses (1 Peter 1:15-16). Maybe you or someone you love has been stricken with the virus? Perhaps your hours at work have been cut back or you have lost your job? God is not surprised, and He is the believer’s Provider (Romans 8:32; Philippians 4:19). Things will be taken from us, but God will never leave us (Hebrews 13:5-6). We must persistently hope and trust in Him, not in circumstances (Proverbs 3:5-7). If you belong to God, He will care and provide for your needs. So, pray and do not be anxious with worry (Matthew 6:25-33).
Perhaps this difficult season is the time for us to revive our hearts to the Lord, or to be
awakened to our need for Him in salvation (Psalm 119:67, 71). Let us not waste this challenging period, but let us redeem it; let us grow in our fear and hope of the Lord; let us purify our heart from the things that are temporal; let us truly place our treasures in heaven (not in our finances, work, and health), and let us mature in our personal Bible study and prayer time.
Before COVID-19, perhaps we said “I trust God….let us trust and obey.” But now in the midst
of COVID-19 and hardships are being realized, do we still say, “I trust God…let us trust and obey.”? I pray that the confessions we proclaimed about God on Sunday mornings is evident in our practice now. I pray that we are growing in our trust in God and that our allegiance to Him is growing stronger.
May the grace of God and His peace rule in each of our hearts…
Tom Scaife
*If Kyung or I can encourage you in any way, please reach out to us. We are currently serving and ministering via Zoom.
Annie Armstrong Easter Offering
The Annie Armstrong North American
Missions Offering has been extended
until the end of May. You may give
through the online giving option or you
may mail in or drop off your offering
envelope, marked “Missions” on the other
line, with the church secretary
Monthly Reading Plan
May
1 Jer. 46-47 17. Ezek. 15-16 2 Jer. 48 18. Ezek. 17 3 Jer. 49-50 19. Ezek. 18-19 4 Jer. 51-51 20. Ezek. 20-21 5 Lam. 1 21. Ezek. 22 6 Lam. 2-3 22. Ezek. 23-24 7 Lam. 4 23. Ezek. 25 8 Lam. 5-Ezek. 1 24. Ezek. 26-27 9 Ezek. 2-3 25. Ezek. 28-29 10 Ezek. 4 26. Ezek. 30 11 Ezek. 5-6 27. Ezek. 31-32 12 Ezek. 7-8 28. Ezek. 33-34 13 Ezek. 9 29. Ezek. 35 14 Ezek. 10-11 30. Ezek. 36-37 15 Ezek. 12 31. Ezek. 38 16. Ezek. 13-14
Thank you so much!
My family and I would like to say
Thank You so much for all the
cards of encouragement and all
the prayers you said for me during
this time of sickness. I am so
blessed with such a wonderful
church family. May God richly
bless each of you.
Dale Swinson and Family
Ages 4-6
Grades 1-6
Wednesday Nights @ 6:30-8:00
3884 Richlands Hwy.
Jacksonville, NC 28540
910-346-8709
Jack Marshburn, Pastor
Robert Williams, Associate Pastor
www.tarlandingbaptist.org
(online tithing/giving now available)
Our Memory Verse For May
You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You, Because he trusts in You. Trust in the Lord forever, For in Yah, the Lord, is everlasting strength.
Isaiah 26:3-4 NKJV
05-01 Pam Scott
05-02 Derrick Barbee
05-03 Chuck Johnson
05-05 Theresa Liesse
Bob Patterson
05-06 Phyllis Welch
05-08 Jessica Marshburn
05-10 Masako Neisler
Taylor Wells
05-13 Brittany Meade
Ramon Santiago
05-14 Tony Bryan
05-15 Angela Stevens
05-16 Katie Carper
05-20 Mackenzie DeLao
05-21 Annabelle Santiago
05-22 Tony Deel
05-23 Jodie Ramsey
05-24 Kyung Scaife
05-28 Jean Rhodes
05-30 Ricky Kellum
Dale Swinson
05-31 Omega Jarman
05-03 David & Ginny Pennington
05-09 Weldon & Margie Ferrell
05-15 Royse & Audrey Mayo
05-28 Jimmy & Cherry West
05-31 Kevin & Jessica Marshburn
Total Offerings for April
Tithes & Offerings Received: $44,126.00
Building Fund Monthly Total: $2,320.00
Missions Monthly Total: $1,930.00
