Bible Text: various | Speaker: Pastor Mike Hale | Series: New Year, New Years | Above are the
Sunday YouTube Video and audio recordings

Links from Our Website:
 
Bulletin (pdf)
 
 (AM Insert) – Sermon Notes (pdf)
 
January 2023 Calendar (pdf)
 
YouTube Video Sermons
 
Upcoming Events
 
FBCW Website Calendar

January 1, 2023

“Look Back and Consider, Then Look Ahead and Commit”

             God’s Word provides encouragement,

                 guidance, strength, and wisdom.

Isaiah 43:18-19, 

“Do not call to mind the former things, or ponder things of the
past. Behold, I will do something new, now it will spring forth;
will you not be aware of it? I will even make a roadway in the
wilderness, rivers in the desert.”

Ezekiel 11:19-20, 

“And I will give them one heart, and put a new spirit within
them. And I will take the heart of stone out of their flesh and
give them a heart of flesh, that they may walk in My statutes
and keep My ordinances and do them. Then they will be My
people, and I shall be their God.”

God wants us to learn from the past, but not to dwell on
it.

Proverbs 3:5-6,

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your
own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He
will make your paths straight.”

Philippians 4:6-7,

“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and
supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known
to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension,
will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ
Jesus.”

Philippians 4:12-13,

“I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know
how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have
learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of
having abundance and suffering need. I can do all things
through Him who strengthens me.”

1Timothy 2:3-4,

“This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior,
who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge
of the truth.”

2Peter 3:9,

“The Lord is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish
but for all to come to repentance.”

Ephesians 2:10,

“For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good
works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk
in them.”

Ephesians 1:13-14,

“In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the
gospel of your salvation—having also believed, you were sealed
in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is given as a pledge
of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God’s own
possession, to the praise of His glory.”

1Corinthians 12:13,

“For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether
Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made
to drink of one Spirit.”

Acts 1:8,

“you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon
you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea
and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

2Corinthians 4:4,

“The god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving
so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of
Christ, who is the image of God.”

2Corinthians 4:6,

“For God, who said, ‘Light shall shine out of darkness,’ is the
One who has shone in our hearts to give the Light of the
knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.”

Ephesians 5:1-2,

“Be imitators of God, as beloved children; and walk in love,
just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an
offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma.”

John 10:30,

“I and the Father are one.”

John 14:7,

“If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also;
from now on you know Him, and have seen Him.”

Colossians 1:15,

“He is the image of the invisible God.”

Colossians 2:9,

“For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form.”

Hebrews 1:3,

“He is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation
of His nature.”

We imitate God the Father by following God the Son.

1John 5:1-5,

“Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and
whoever loves the Father loves the child born of Him. By this
we know that we love the children of God, when we love God
and observe His commandments. For this is the love of God,
that we keep His commandments; and His commandments are
not burdensome. For whatever is born of God overcomes the
world; and this is the victory that has overcome the world—our
faith. Who is the one who overcomes the world, but he who
believes that Jesus is the Son of God?

Hebrews 10:24-26,

“Let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good
deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the
habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more
as you see the day drawing near.”

2Corinthians 5:17-21,

“Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old
things passed away; behold, new things have come. Now all
these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself
through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation,
namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to
Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He
has committed to us the word of reconciliation. Therefore, we
are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an
appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be
reconciled to God. He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on
our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God
in Him.”

John 14:1-3,

“Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also
in Me. In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were
not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for
you. If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and
receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also.”

See 1Corinthians 11:23-26… 

23 For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to
you, that the Lord Jesus in the night in which He was betrayed
took bread;

24 and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “This is
My body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of Me.”

25 In the same way He took the cup also after supper, saying,
“This cup is the new covenant in My blood; do this, as often as
you drink it, in remembrance of Me.”

26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you
proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes.

John 6:35,

“I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me will not hunger,
and he who believes in Me will never thirst.”

John 6:51,

“I am the living bread that came down out of heaven; if anyone
eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread also which
I will give for the life of the world is My flesh.”

John 6:63-64,

“It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing; the
words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life. But there
are some of you who do not believe.”

John 5:24,

“Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes
Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into
judgment, but has passed out of death into life.”

Hebrews 10:10,

“We have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of
Jesus Christ once for all.”

Hebrews 10:14-18,

“For by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are
sanctified. And the Holy Spirit also testifies to us…  …saying, …‘I
will put My laws upon their heart, and on their mind I will write
them,’ He then says, ‘And their sins and their lawless deeds I
will remember no more.’ Now where there is forgiveness of
these things, there is no longer any offering for sin.”

Romans 10:9-10,

“that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe
in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be
saved; for with [your] heart [you] believe, resulting in
righteousness, and with [your] mouth confess, resulting in
salvation.”

1John 5:11-13,

“And the testimony is this, that God has given us eternal life,
and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has the life; he
who does not have the Son of God does not have the life.
These things I have written to you who believe in the name of
the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal
life.”

 
                       That is the good news,
                         the very best news,
                 as we enter this new year.
                          Pastor Mike
                               >’(((><
 

Bible Text: Topical Study | Preacher: Pastor Mike Hale | Series: New Years

I want to encourage all of us, to become more intimate and honest with God in 2016, to trust Him more and more, not just when things are going well, but also when bad things happen and we find ourself dialing 911-Help-me-God!

Most of us had a variety of both good and bad things happen this past year; some of us are still hanging on to or are being affected by one or more of the bad things that happened. I want to encourage you to let them go, so they don’t cause you to miss out on events in the present or the future.
Isaiah 43:18-19, “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland.”
Jeremiah 29:11, “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

Everything God’s Word foretold about the birth, life and death of Jesus, has come true, just as God said, and God is faithful and trustworthy. He gives us everything we need to know Him, serve Him and to enjoy our life on earth, while trusting Him for eternity in heaven.
2Peter 1:3, “His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness [biological & spiritual life] through our knowledge of Him [Christ] who called us by His own glory and goodness.”

God has given us magnificent & supernatural resources:
• His Word (John 1:1-2, 14; 5:39; 6:63; 14:6; 17:17)
• His Spirit (John 1:12-13; 3:5-8; 14:15-17, 26; 16:8-9)
• His Church (1Corinthians 12:12-14, 18-20, 27; Colossians 1:18)

God’s Word, made alive through God’s Spirit, indwells all of God’s Children, the True Believers & Followers of Christ, [God’s Church]; this is made effectual through the death & resurrection of God’s Son, as the Scriptures declare (Romans 10:9-10; 1Corinthians 15:1-4).

God’s clear and repeated will is to save us, that we might have a personal and eternal relationship with Him, through Christ the Lord!
1Timothy 2:3-4, “God our Savior wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.”

2Peter 3:9, “The Lord is patient, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.”

So what is the problem?
Romans 3:10-12, “There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God. All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one.”

Romans 3:22-24, “There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.”
Romans 5:8, “God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

Romans 6:23, “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Romans 10:13, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

God created us to have fellowship with Him, but through Adam’s sin death came to all of us, and so God, in His great mercy provided Christ, through Whom we receive forgiveness & eternal life (see Romans 5:12-19).

As you enter 2016, seek to know God more intimately, and serve Him obediently and honorably.
Jeremiah 29:13, “You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all your heart.”

Hebrews 4:15-16, “Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”
James 4:8, “Come near to God and He will come near to you.”

How do you approach or come near to God? Through the Word of Christ, by God’s Spirit in you!
Colossians 3:16-17, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly…And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.”

We must (Hebrews 10:22), “draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith.” And we must (vv. 23-24), “hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for He who promised is faithful,” therefore, “let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds,” and (v. 25), “Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another–and all the more as the Day [of His return] approaches.”

Every Christian has the Spirit of God in them (Ephesians 1:13-14); and so (1Corinthians 2:16), we are able to know the mind of God; for we have the light [or revelation] of God, and are therefore able (Matthew 5:16), to “let [God’s] light shine before men, that they may see [our] good deeds and praise [our] Father in heaven.”

As you draw near to God, through His Word, learning to trust Him, you’ll want to serve Him and tell others about Him, so that they too might come to know Him, as a dearly loved child knows a loving father.

1Peter 2:12, “Live such good lives among the pagans [unbelievers] that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day He visits us.”
1Peter 3:15-16, “But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.”

Showing genuine trust in God by the way you live your life is essential, especially if you want unbelievers to take notice of the God Who saved you. Are you really trusting God with your life or just trying Him out; the proof is in your heartfelt and obedient service to Him.

1John 2:4-6, “The man who says, ‘I know Him,’ but does not do what He commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But if anyone obeys His word, God’s love is truly made complete in him. This is how we know we are in Him: Whoever claims to live in Him must walk as Jesus did.”

Our trust of and intimacy with God will show in the way we engage and respond to daily life, both the good days and the bad days.
Proverbs 3:5-6, “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.”

Philippians 4:6-7, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

Philippians 4:12-13, “I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through Him who gives me strength.”
Philippians 4:19, “And my God will meet all your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus.”

God doesn’t promise His children a trouble free and painless life, He does however, provide all we need to know Him, trust Him, and serve Him, while we are here this earth, as we wait to be brought into heaven with Him, forever!

If you belong to God through Christ, you will desire to know and to study God’s Word, and to apply it to your life; as you prayerfully interact with God He will encourage you to seek fellowship among, and serve in, the local Church, where Christ is the center of worship.

Today we remember the Lord’s death and resurrection; as we celebrate the Lord’s Supper here shortly. May we seek to honor Him in this new year, by

proclaiming the Good News to all who will listen: Christ died for our sins, according to the Scriptures, was buried, and then rose again on the third day, according to the Scriptures, and all who believe in Him for the forgiveness of sins will be saved!

You can trust God now and forever, because of what was accomplished in and through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
1Corinthians 15:58, “Therefore, my dear brothers (and sisters), stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.”

Colossians 3:12-17, “Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly… And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.”

Bible Text: Psalm 1:1-6 | Preacher: Pastor Mike Hale | Series: New Years, Topical Study

Three days ago we left 2014 behind and moved into 2015, wishing one another a happy and blessed New Year.

For most of us, there were many changes last year, some for the better, some for the worse; but the good news is, the Word of God remains the same and it is God’s prescription for how we can be continually blessed.

From God’s perspective, there are only two ways to live and only two kinds of people in the world: the righteous and the wicked. This Psalm tells us the righteous are blessed, the wicked are not.

In order to be blessed in 2015, or another time, you need to pay attention to the content of this Psalm.
Verses 1-3… “Blessed [Happy] is the man,” who doesn’t do certain things and does do other certain things.

The world offers entertainment and enticement that, provides momentary and superficial pleasure, but lasting happiness, authentic joy, and genuine peace are found only in the Lord. It is possible for a person to have a truly blessed and happy life, but only on God’s terms.

God’s blessings come to those who don’t walk in the counsel of the wicked, don’t stand in the way of sinners, and don’t sit in the seat of mockers.

The “counsel of the wicked” describes the worldview of those who do not know the Lord.

The “way of sinners” describes their lifestyle choices.

The “seat of mockers” is the place of intimate fellowship with those who openly reject Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord.

Picture this: you are walking down the street and you stop to hang out with a few unbelieving friends; they ask you to sit down with them for a bit, and in the course of the conversation they invite you to go to a new movie; even though you know the movie has lots of explicit sex and profanity (even using God’s name in vain), you don’t want to seem prude, so you agree to go with them to this movie.

Worldly thinking will leads to belief and behavior that will result in godless relationships and godless living.

Understand, we are blessed by what we do, but also by what we don’t do. The point is this: God’s people aren’t to hang out just anywhere, with anyone, doing just anything (Romans 12:9; Ephesians 5:15-17; Colossians 2:8-10).

1

When you determine to seek and to serve God, the devil will oppose you. One of his strategies is simply to surround you with associations that will lead you astray, people who do not share your faith and belief in God.

Sin is never stagnate, it always seeks to control you. What begins as a casual relationship, may lead to the lowering of your inhibitions. You may start to laugh at jokes you once considered crude, or compromise your values about right and wrong, remaining silent when things are said or done that troubled you in the past.

If you behave like your unbelieving acquaintances, they will never see Christ in you. The truth is, you either influence them or they will influence you, but you can’t reach people for Christ by lowering your standards or compromising your beliefs.

Instead of behaving like unbelievers, we must focus on knowing and doing God’s Will, (Psalm 119:16) “to delight in the law of the Lord,” God’s Holy Word of.

To “delight” means to take great pleasure in. We all “delight” in something: a hobby, certain foods, exercise, a career, money, stuff, and sometimes we even delight in sinful pleasures.

But the things we delight in will eventually set the direction and the speed of our travel,and the length of our stay, so to speak. What do you delight in? daydream about? What can’t you do without?

Those who are blessed by God should love His Word and meditate on it day and night (cf. Joshua 1:8); to “meditate” is to digest something thoroughly, to deeply consider it with honor, reverence, and great value.

We all need a regular daily time to read and meditate upon God’s Word (If you commit to just 20 minutes a day, you can read through the whole Bible in just a year).

Do you memorize Scripture? It is almost a lost art today, but when I came to Christ in 1978, it was commonplace to emphasize Scripture memorization.

When you put God’s Word in your heart and mind, it provides confidence in and the strength to obey it; as you delight in God’s Word, you’ll want to read it, meditate on it, even memorize it. You’ll become like a tree planted by a stream of water, with roots deep down in the soil pulling up moisture and nutrients, growing strong and producing fruit “in season,” at just the right time.

God’s Word provides all you need to exhibit the fruit of your new life in Christ (Galatians 5:22-23), “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.”

2

These characteristics are part of the spiritual DNA of all believers, as we walk with the Lord, feeding upon and delighting in His law, our “leaf will not wither” because we are refreshed by God’s Word every day, for His blessings are new every morning.

In this world we may face disappointment, sorrow, rejection, failure, pain, and illness; even so, we can survive and thrive for we will not be destroyed (1Corinthians 15:55-57; 2Corinthians 4:7-10).

The righteous prosper in all they do, when they are nourished by the Word of God; and they can face whatever life brings (Romans 8:31-39).
Verses 4-5… The wicked do not receive God’s blessings on earth or in heaven, because they aren’t God’s children.

They are like chaff (husk or hull surrounding a nut or a kernel), without value, destined to be blown away in the wind or burned in the fire; all the wicked (unbelievers) are destined to be punished in hell for eternity.

The judgment mentioned here (v. 5) is not for punishment but reward; this is for the righteous (those who are being saved), those who have stood strong, like trees by a stream, with deep roots into the Word of God, resulting in good works that will be rewarded in heaven.
Verse 6… This verse sums up the destiny of those who belong to God (the righteous) and those who don’t (the wicked); the righteous are preserved through Christ, despite how they do on earth, but the wicked, no matter how they do on earth, will be eternally punished in hell, because they rejected Christ.

The Hebrew text here says the Lord “knows” the way of the righteous (those who are being saved), as a father “knows” his own children. It is because of God’s loving kindness that we are protected and preserved through our trials on earth, ultimately, to be brought into God’s presence in heaven, forever.

So, why is this passage important to us as we enter this new year? What does it tell us we are to do and not do in the days, weeks, and months ahead? Consider the following, as you resolve to honor and to obey God in 2015.

Our casual daily interactions with unbelievers can lead us into relationships where we are influenced by those who do not know the Lord; perhaps desensitizing us to the holiness of God. We must be mindful, alert, forewarned, we influence others toward righteousness or they will influence us toward wickedness!

Until we die and go to be with the Lord, or He returns to take us to be with Him, those who live to honor Him on earth will be at odds with those who don’t.

3

Christians living in a sinful world must maintain a separation from evil, at the same time not ignoring it, but exposing and rebuking it, for God doesn’t judge according to the world’s standards, human opinion, or majority vote – God judges by His own sovereign standard, Himself.

God repeatedly and clearly reveals and expresses His plan, purpose, and pleasure in the 66 Books of the Bible.

God’s Word tells us to be encouraging one another toward love and good deeds, serving in a local church, where the Bible is the center of Worship (Romans 12:1). As Christians, we must feed upon God’s Word, so that we know what it says and

what it means by what it says, so that we might obey it (Romans 12:2). Ephesians 5:1-2 commands us, “Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved

children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.”

We are “children of God” (1John 3:1-2; 5:1-5) and we are to follow the example of God the Son, Jesus Christ (1John 2:6); we need to live out and proclaim the gospel of Christ, so that others might be saved and come to know and to enjoy the blessings of God.

In order to know and enjoy God’s blessings, you must first belong to God the Father through God the Son, having repented of your sins, believing in Jesus Christ as Savior, confessing Him as Lord (Romans 10:9-10, 13)
Philippians 4:4-7, “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” 12-13, “I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength.” 19-20, “And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus. To our God and Father be glory for ever and ever. Amen.”

God’s best to you this New Year, Pastor Mike