Greetings and grace to you in the wonderful name of our Lord Jesus Christ.  Not sure which is harder to believe; that I am writing the July Newsletter or our youngest grandson, Marshall, is now seven months old.  The days of 2020 has been most bazaar, and yet the months of this year are going by at a fast pace.  While it appears many things have changed, some are being pressured to change, the Lord has not changed and our commitment unto Him should never change.  May you and I filter the happenings in these days and our response to them through the Lord and our commitment to Him.  Please, as the Lord’s ambassadors, represent Him in a way that glorifies the Lord Jesus as His light shines through us.  Do not act, speak out, or share social media that does not represent the truth and principles of Scripture or will bring reproach unto the Lord.  

     As we enter July, many things are still unsettled, but we will restart Sunday School and Sunday evenings this month.  Sunday School will begin on July 5 @ 9:30am.  There will only be three classes.  Children (3yr – 5th Grade) will meet in the Fellowship Hall with Abby McCown leading with other volunteers.  Youth (6th – 12th Grade) will assemble in the Youth Area with Bro. Davy Johnson leading with others.  All Adults, including children under 3 years of age, will meet in the Sanctuary.  Currently we do not plan to restart Nursery or Toddler classes or extended care until public school resumes.  Sunday evenings will begin July 12 @ 5:30pm with our We Are the Church study.  This year’s topic The Church Functioning.  In Acts 2:42-47 the church is specifically stated to be doing six functions.  We will meet as a church family in the sanctuary for a time of worshipful singing, devotion, and discussion.  Unlike previous years, we will not breakout into combined deacons’ families, but will remain in the sanctuary for the discussion.  I am looking forward to these two ministries beginning and praise the Lord for His leadership and faithfulness.

          The Lord has been prompting my thoughts to the book of Esther lately.  Esther, an unknown Jew, has become Queen to the Persian King Ahasuerus during a critical time.  The book of Esther reveals for us the secret watch care of God over His people, even when it might seem all the world is against them and He has forgotten them.  Mordecai is Esther’s uncle, who raised her after the death of her parents.  He was a Godly man, a man of strong faith and wise discernment.  Haman, an evil man, and an Amalekite, schemed to destroy the Jews, having  persuaded the King to give the command (Esther 3).   As Esther and Mordecai learn of the scheme, Mordecai urges Esther to approach the King and act to save the people.  The following verses record this, “Then Mordecai commanded to answer Esther, Think not with thyself that thou shalt escape in the king’s house, more than all the Jews.  For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, then shall there enlargement and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place; but thou and thy father’s house shall be destroyed: and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?  Then Esther bade them return Mordecai this answer,   Go, gather together all the Jews that are present in Shushan, and fast ye for me, and neither eat nor drink three days, night or day: I also and my maidens will fast likewise; and so will I go in unto the king, which is not according to the law: and if I perish, I perish.  So Mordecai went his way, and did according to all that Esther had commanded him.” (Esther 4:13-17)  Our national life is at a critical day!  Do not think for a moment that there is not evil with a scheme behind what is happening in the United States of America.  It is not about racism, though racism and any form of respect of person is sin (James 2:9).  It is not about police brutality and reform.  The death of George Floyd was wrong and should not have been allowed but consider the whole picture.  Does one bad apple ruin the whole bushel?  The anarchy that has escalated in our nation is not aimed at police reform, but at national life reform.  Ignorantly tearing down historic statures, even when they fought against slavery and racism reveals this.  The defacing of national monuments also tells us the major aim is against the liberty we enjoy as a people.  Do not think for a moment this scheme will not affect our freedom of religion and ability to worship the Lord Jesus Christ as our own consciouses are guided to do so by the Word of God.  We must not hold our peace at this time.  Esther asked for others to fast and pray, and she would act.  I would like to ask you to do the same.  May you and I fast July 1^st through the 3^rd and pray that the Lord will act and raise up defenders of truth and liberty.  Then let us truly celebrate our liberty on July 4th and praise the Lord for it.  “Who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?”

    

By His grace,

Toney