1340 Terri l l R oad
S cot ch P l ai ns, NJ
07076
908 -322 -71 51
Terrill Road Baptist Church
Pastor William C. Page
...doing the work He is doing in the world...
September 2011
Pastor Page
Maturing
Faith
In This Issue:
Pastor Page
Storm Preparedness
Spiritual Fitness
The Mercy Rule
The Heartbeat of God
by Brittany Page
Inspiration Point:
Come to Your Senses
Celebrating Our Members:
Madeleine Farrell
Sermons on the Web
The Recall
Question of the Month
Favorite Bible Verses
Storm Preparedness
As I write this column for the Lamplighter, the East Coast is
preparing for Hurricane Irene. At one point, it had grown to a
category 3 hurricane. It passed over Puerto Rico and brought
its fury to North Carolina’s Outer Banks. I stopped by the gas
station and had to wait in line. I went to the A & P grocery
store and was greeted by a full parking lot. Everyone is preparing for possible power outages. “We prepare for the worst
and hope for the best”, I heard a few folks say. Will the
system intensify or weaken or better yet move out to sea? By
the time this is read, all that will be known.
Call me strange, but I am looking forward to seeing those
weather folks risking life and limb to report what everybody
already knows. It makes for interesting reality TV! But the
point is well taken - this is a REAL storm. We should NOT
disregard the warnings. In fact, it was reported that when
some scoffed at the thought of evacuating, one local official in
Atlantic City area responded, “Write your name, Social Security number and next of kin on an index card and stuff that in
your shoe so they can identify your body.” Ouch! Storms of
this caliber are nothing to take lightly. We cannot control the
storm. We can only be as prepared and ready for it as
possible.
There is such a spiritual lesson in this. There are storms
that will come to each of our lives. It is not a matter of “if”, it is
only a matter of “when.” We all know the things that we need
to weather a physical storm – higher ground, food/water supply, candles, flashlights, maybe even a generator. If we are
lacking these things, we can go out and purchase (Continued)
T HE LA MP LI G HT E R
Pastor Page (continued)
them and go from being unprepared to prepared with one visit to a shopping
center. Spiritual preparedness for life’s storms does not come with one visit to
Home Depot (or church/Sunday School/Bible study). Why? Because spiritual
preparedness takes time. Eugene Peterson said, “Soul work is slow work.” It is
not a microwave oven but more like a crock pot.
How do we ready ourselves for life’s storms? One day at a time as we grow
in our understanding of God’s will for our lives. Each time we say “yes” to God’s
Word and the Holy Spirit’s leading we are building a house upon a solid foundation. Jesus said that when the storm came, the house (metaphor for a person’s
life) stood firm (Matthew 7). From week to week you may not think that you are
growing. In fact you may get frustrated and wish that you were as spiritually mature as “so-and-so.” But as you yield to Him, you may just be surprised some
day that the storm revealed a spiritual maturity that you did not know existed.
When others would panic (understandably so), you will find a calmness you didn’t know you possessed. Don’t give in to the temptation to play “hooky” from the
spiritual disciplines when the skies are clear. Deciding to begin engaging in the
disciplines as the storm hits is a little like beginning marathon training the night
before the big race … you know what I mean. That groundwork of preparation is
best done in times of sunshine. So stay faithful to Him. You’ll be glad you did.
He’s our Shelter in the time of storm.
Pastor Bill
(Note: The storm did blow down a large tree across the TRBC driveway, and some
water did get into a downstairs room. But the house stood firm. Thanks be to God.
And, thanks to Pastor Bill, Bill Spies and Lucas and Liam Page for clearing out the
downed tree.)
Pictured: Lucas and Liam Page
Photos by Pastor Bill
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September Family Fun Night
Movie Night Under the Stars
You are invited to join your TRBC family for dessert and for a special screening of the
recently released feature film “Soul Surfer”. Bring your lawn chairs or blankets on
Saturday, September 24th. Bring your friends and enjoy this movie under the stars!
It is the story of Bethany Hamilton, who lost her arm in a shark attack and nearly died.
But she never lost her faith. Now a major motion picture, “Soul Surfer” is the moving
story of her triumphant return to competitive surfing. The film has been a beacon of
inspiration to all who see it and hear her story.
Be part of a very special night at TRBC.
Come for dessert at 7:30 p.m., followed by a screening of the movie outdoors at 8:15
p.m.
It all happens on Saturday, September 24th.
The event is free. See Sue Spies or Spring Casterlow or call (908) 322-7151 to save
your spot.
Website News!
www.trbc4him.org
More exciting news about YOUR church website! You can now listen to Pastor
Bill’s sermons online! If you are away on vacation, are ill and miss a sermon, want to
hear a sermon again, or have a friend or family member with whom you want to share a
sermon, it is now a click away! Go to www.trbc4him.org and look for the “From the
Pastor” queue. Click on “sermons” for an archive of recent sermons, then click on the
date and sermon title that you want. It’s that easy. It should work on your PC, Mac,
iPad and even on your iPhone or Android phone!
Check it out!
Tell your friends.
Tell former members who have moved away.
Thank you to Don Williams for his expertise in making this happen. Thank you, too,
to the sound booth folks who faithfully record each worship service.
And remember, our CD ministry is still alive and well. See Jim Wilson if you would
like a CD of any sermon.
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Inspiration Point
Come to Your Senses
by Jim Wilson
Early in August, Jan’s Dad took me on a field trip to a special place he had discovered. He was so excited about sharing it with me! We got in the car and headed
north to Nanuet, NY. What he wanted to show me was the Rockland Bakery. I’ll
admit, while I was happy to go, my expectations were not exactly high. I’d been to
bakeries before. But, as I learned, never one like this!
We walked through the door and into a deli area. I glanced into the next room
and saw the cakes and pies. It did not exactly rock my world ... until we turned and
walked through the double doors of the bakery itself. WOW!
The first thing you see is hundreds of hot bagels a minute tumbling out of the
oven and landing right in front of your nose. The second thing you notice is rack
after rack, 10-feet high, 30 types of bread, filling a room the size of a football field,
every piece of bread fresh, hot, no more than minutes old. Then, you become aware
of the overwhelming smell of deliciousness, that fresh bread smell so wonderful that
I can still remember it days later! For the next half-hour, I went bread hunting and
loaded up a brown paper bag with the best smelling, warmest, freshest bread I have
ever seen, touched or smelled. Even the sounds were amazing: the automated machines and the ooohs and ahhhhs coming from other customers. On my way out of
the room, I grabbed one of those super hot, right-out-of-the-oven bagels. After going to the cashier, we headed to the car, where I savored that bagel. The taste was
amazing. And, I realized right then that every one of my five senses had just had a
party. That bakery was an absolute treat for my eyes, ears, nose, mouth and even
my fingertips. It was great.
You know what? Our relationship with the Lord should be that way, too. We
should have all of our senses wide open and ready each day for what the Lord has in
store for us. Our eyes should see His glory, His majesty, His miracles and His blessings. Our ears should hear praises being sung and words that glorify God and encourage other people. Our hands, our touch, should be there to help others. We
should never be so busy that we can’t stop and smell the roses, or the coffee or the
bagels and thank God. And it is with our taste that we can know the sweetness of
His love, that we know what “Salt of the Earth” means, that we know what it is to be
sour or know the danger of bitterness in our heart. (Continued)
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Come to Your Senses (continued)
God’s Word tells us to come to our senses, all of them, and to share Him with
others.
“My eyes are ever on the Lord” - Psalm 25:15a
“Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens
the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.” -Revelation 3:20
“And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years, but
no one could heal her. She came up behind Him and touched the edge of His cloak,
and immediately her bleeding stopped.” -Luke 8:43-44.
“For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved.” 2
Corinthians 2:15
“O taste and see that the LORD is good; How blessed is the man who takes
refuge in Him!” -Psalm 34:8
In your walk with the Lord, bring all of your senses. No bakery anywhere can
match the Bread of Life.
Dear Heavenly Father,
Let me live life today and every day in such a way
that others see Christ reflected in me.
In Jesus’ Name I pray. Amen.
God created man in His image, not the other way around.
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The Heartbeat of God
by Brittany Page
I recently had the amazing opportunity to travel half-way around the world and minister
to "the least of these" in Luoyang, China, at a medical care center that serves as home to 140
little special needs orphans under the age of 5. I went with the organization, "Show Hope",
and it could not be more appropriately named. During my time in China, my eyes were
opened to many things and I learned a lot about the character of Christ and His "body" (the
church). I was broken, encouraged, challenged, and reminded of the hope we have in Jesus.
The following excerpts are from my personal journal while I was in China:
Saturday, August 6th:
We made it! We arrived at Maria's Big House of Hope late last night. Pulling into the
driveway was so surreal. I've been dreaming of this big, bright house for months and now, I
was here! Even though it was dark and rainy, I could faintly make out the big, fluffy white
clouds painted against the sky blue building. Walking in the front door, the place was warm
and friendly - the walls decorated with bright colors and Maria's artwork. There's also a
huge picture of her adorable, smiling, five year old face as a memorial. (For those of you
who don't know, MBHOH was named after Maria Chapman, singer/songwriter Steven Curtis
Chapman's adopted daughter from China, who was tragically killed in a car accident.)
Sunday, August 7th:
Oh my goodness, the kids at Maria's are so precious! It is amazing to watch how the children are cared for here. It is easy to see that this is a special place. Even though communication is difficult due to my complete ignorance of the Chinese language, hugs and smiles
are understood in every language. Kids are kids no matter where you go; they love to play
and yearn for attention. I was amused this afternoon as I watched a little girl about three of
four years old walk around the room, caring for her baby doll. She pretended to feed her,
clothe her, rock her to sleep, kiss her and quite simply love her. As her doll "slept" she proceeded to care for the other younger children in the room - putting dropped pacifiers back in
mouths, wiping noses, handing a bottle to a crying baby. It was obvious she was comfortable being in charge as she strutted around, overseeing the "happenings" among the other
children. I thought to myself, "She's going to make a great ‘mommy’ one day”. And then I
thought, "Where did she learn that? She's an orphan." It was in that moment, I was reminded
of the grace of God and His never-ending love. This precious girl was rescued from a desolate situation and had been shown love by her nannies at Maria's. God has created an innate
need for and an ability to love and be loved in all of us. God knows little Naomi; He loves
her and has given her the chance to be shown love and the capacity to show love to others. I
thanked God for little girls "playing house" today. (Continued)
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The Heartbeat of God (continued)
Wednesday, August 10th:
The last couple of days have been interesting. Monday morning we took a trip to
the state-run orphanage. The first thing that hit me was the smell in the air. China has a
unique but weird smell. Sometimes it smells like leftovers that have been sitting out in
the heat too long; sometimes it smells like urine and cigarette smoke; sometimes it
smells like all of the above, but always stale. This is kind of what the orphanage
smelled like. There were four floors, ranging in age from infant to teenager. Seeing the
older children was difficult. Typically when you hear the word orphan, you think of
babies. But that's not the only case. My heart broke as the team leader explained that
anywhere from 13-16 years old, the children are "dismissed" from the orphanage - left
to fend for themselves because, at that point, they are considered "un-adoptable." I
really hate that word - un-adoptable. By what standard?! As I saw them there, I began to pray for them; for their well-being, safety, their future and their souls. Romans
10:14 came to the forefront of my mind and played on 'repeat': "But how can they call
on Him to save them unless they believe in Him? And how can they believe in Him if
they have never heard about Him? And how can they hear about Him unless someone
tells them?" I prayed they would find love and hope in the midst of a "hopeless" situation.
I was also able to talk to one of the nurses on staff at Maria's. What an incredible
lady she is and what an awesome ministry the Lord has bestowed upon her. She takes
care of the sickest babies - the hospice patients. Tears welled in my eyes as she told
her story of how she was "meant for this" and how she has held almost every single
orphan "as they left this world and went into the arms of Jesus." She said, "It truly is
an honor to love and care for these precious babies."
It is hard to think about the children’s future - where did they come from and what
will happen to them? Will they get a forever family? The plight of the orphan can be
so heartbreaking. But among the darkness, there's a glimmer of hope; like kids such as
Isaac - the happiest kid I have ever met. He is paralyzed from the waist down, but he
doesn't let that slow him down. Isaac is being adopted in just another week. He has a
bright future full of love and security. When you step back and look at the big picture,
it is then that you realize, God is in this and He is working. "[He] will not leave you
comfortless, I will come to you."
Being at MBHOH, and spending time with the kids, I realized that James 1:27 isn't
just a commandment but a challenge. It is as if God says, "If you want to know Me, if
you want to see Me, if you want to know what true religion is, love My children." Caring for orphans and widows in their distress is the heartbeat of God. I know I received
the greater blessing in the process of trying to serve others. (Continued)
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The Heartbeat of God (continued)
Many people did not know my story of how this trip to China came to be for me. I dare say
less than a handful. I wrote this piece for the Show Hope blog while I was in China; however, it
never made the public posting. I share it with you now:
“I love the word 'hope.' Hope is defined as this: ‘To look forward to with desire and reasonable confidence; to believe or trust.’ This simple four-letter word has been particularly significant in my life over the last 18 months or so. After my mom passed away, I was looking at a
picture of the two of us (really the last picture we ever took together) and noticed something I
hadn't ever noticed before. The picture was taken at church and in the background was a banner
which read ‘hope.’ It brought me comfort as I was reminded that there is hope; I WILL see her
again. About 12 months later, I was taking another picture at church with my new boyfriend
(now my fiancé) and once again noticed the ‘hope’ banner in the background. It struck my
heart. I felt like God was saying, ‘I see you, Brittany, and I care.’ His love is gracious and kind.
Here at Maria's, there is hope. God is able to take what the world intends for harm and use it for
good. I read a quote recently that said, ‘A baby is God's opinion that the world should go on.’
Just like the second picture captured a renewed sense of hope for me, the children here are precious to Him and are a picture of hope themselves. God has not forgotten them. The Bible says
He will not abandon them and will defend the orphan. (Ps. 10:17-18) Just as God loves the fatherless, His love extends to us. We were once spiritual orphans. But He rescues us from sin,
welcomes us into His family, and gives us the confident hope of eternal glory. Praise be to
God!”
Time and space will not allow for me to share all that God did and continues to do through
this experience. But if there is one thing I want to share, it is this - Nothing is impossible with
God. Listening to one woman's story of how God worked miraculously in her family's life, she
said this: "If you can work it out on paper, it is not big enough." God is able. I mentioned Isaac
earlier; the sweetest five year old boy, with an infectious smile and winning attitude about life.
His soon-to-be parents wanted to send him a care package to let him know that they were thinking of him and are so excited for him to be part of the family. They wanted to know what Isaac
would like. His response was, "eggs, rice and noodles!" This baffled everyone who heard this
response. This little guy could have picked anything he wanted and he picked eggs, rice and
noodles. His little world has not been exposed to much at this point and could not even comprehend receiving anything beyond the simple eggs, rice, and noodles. This reminded me of how we
are with God. God loves to give good gifts to his children and asks, "What do you want?" We
can ask anything in His name, and usually our response is something like "eggs, rice and noodles." I was challenged to "come boldly before the throne of grace" and know that "nothing is
impossible with God”; to dream big! (Continued)
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The Heartbeat of God (continued)
Maria's Big House of Hope was founded because of a little five year old girl and
the big life she lived in that short amount of time. Thousands of lives have been
touched in the process. Because of this ministry, orphans are being rescued from
abandonment, they are given medical attention and, in many cases, lives are being
saved. They are shown love and compassion. They are being connected with families. They are being given hope and a future. God works in mysterious ways and He
is in the details. We just need to choose to see Him. - Brittany Page
The Recall
by Jim Wilson
So, here I sit at the Toyota dealership, finally dealing with the recall of our RAV
4. It's that floor mat and gas pedal issue that was in the news about two years ago. It
took us longer than it should have to bring the car back to its maker to have the problem fixed. But, here I am.
As I sit here, it occurs to me that, in a way, God has recalled each one of us, too, to
fix a problem called sin. It wasn't a problem caused by our Maker. No, it's a problem
caused every day by “operator error” ... by us. God has recalled us so we can become
repentant, become forgiven, become saved by the blood of Jesus, be repaired, restored,
renewed and refreshed. It is only through Jesus that we can be made a new creation,
better than we were before. Not just fixed. Brand new.
Safety recalls are important. But, being recalled by God so that you can become
brand new is vital for each one of us. We have a sin problem that only our Maker can
fix. He has sent you a recall notice. Have you responded? If not, what are you waiting for?
In Remembrance:
September 11, 2001
“Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil: for Thou art with me.”
Psalm 23:4
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Milestones
September Birthdays and Anniversaries
Birthdays
Sept. 7
Sept. 11
Sept. 14
Sept. 15
Sept. 15
Joshua Lawrence
Janet Wilson
Trudi Karpel
Danielle Dyer
Matie O’Brien-Cole
Sept. 20
Sept. 21
Sept. 25
Sept. 25
Sept. 29
Norma Byrne
Zoe Buckridee
Christy Caruso
Victor Harris
Lisa Dyer
Anniversaries
Sept. 8 Jim & Patrice Brown
Sept. 16 Bonnie & Jerry Nezlick
If your birthday or anniversary is not listed, or if you choose for
it not to be listed, please contact Jim Wilson. Thanks.
October Question of the Month:
God’s Word tells us not to hide our lamp under a bushel, and also calls
upon each of us to “Go and make disciples of all nations” (Matthew
28:19). Acts 20:24 states “I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only
I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me the task of testifying to the Gospel of God’s grace.” Here is the October
Question of the Month:
What is your best advice for sharing the Gospel with
someone else?
Please give your responses to Jim Wilson or e-mail them to
[email protected]
Thank you in advance for your responses. We will all benefit from
what you have to share.
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Lamplighter
Lamplighter
Deadline
Deadline
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T HE LA MP LI G HT E R
How Well Do You Know God’s Word?
“For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us,
so that through endurance and encouragement of the
scriptures we might have hope.” Romans 15:4
Fill in the blanks, then check your NIV Bible to see how you did.
Ecclesiastes 3:1 There is a _________for everything, and a _________for every
activity under heaven.
Ecclesiastes 9:11 I have seen something else under the _____: the race is not to the
_________ or the battle to the ___________, nor does food come to the wise or
wealth to the brilliant or favor to the learned; but __________ and chance happen to
them all.
Ecclesiastes 12:13 Here is the conclusion of the matter: ________ God and keep
His ________________, for this is the whole _________ of man.
Song of Songs 2:16 My __________ is mine and I am his; he browses among the
__________.
Song of Songs 7:6 How ____________ you are and how pleasing, O _________,
with your delights!
Song of Songs 8:7 Many _____________ cannot quench _____________; rivers
cannot ___________ it away.
Isaiah 6:1 I saw the _________ seated on a ___________, high and exalted; and the
train of His ________ filled the temple.
Isaiah 7:14 The Lord Himself will give you a ________: the virgin will be with
child and will give birth to a son, and will call Him ____________.
Isaiah 9:6 For to us a child is _________, to us a Son is given, and the government
will be on His __________. And He will be called Wonderful Counselor,
_______________ ________, Everlasting Father, _____________ of __________.
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Follower of Christ, Writer of more than 8,000 Hymns
Fanny Crosby (biography continued)
by Janet Wilson
Fanny Crosby’s landlady helped her to memorize the Bible and the young girl
would often learn five chapters a week! She’d memorized Genesis through Deuteronomy, Proverbs, the Song of Songs, the Gospels and many of the Psalms. Her
blindness led to her amazing development of memory. She never felt sorry for herself or saw her blindness as a terrible situation. In fact, at age eight she wrote these
words:
“Oh, what a happy child I am, although I cannot see!
I am resolved that in this world contented I will be!
How many blessings I enjoy that other people don’t!
So weep or sigh because I’m blind, I cannot – nor I won’t.”
At age twelve she entered the New York Institute for the Blind and ended up
teaching there for 23 years. (More to come in our next Lamplighter issue!)
She wrote the words to many of the hymns in our Celebration Hymnal used at
TRBC: Praise Him! Praise Him!, To God Be the Glory, Tell Me the Story of
Jesus, Near the Cross, Redeemed, Rescue the Perishing, Jesus is Calling, Pass Me
Not, Redeemed, I Am Thine, O Lord, Give Me Jesus, Blessed Assurance, He
Hideth My Soul, All the Way My Savior Leads Me and My Savior First of All.
“God did not give us a spirit of timidity,
but a spirit of power, of love
and of self-control.”
2 Timothy 1:7
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Celebrating Our Members
Madeleine Farrell
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Born on August 21st, 1967 in El Salvador, Madeleine lived on the outskirts of San Salvador until she was seven years old. “It is so culturally different”, she says about El Salvador.
“I remember just being so happy there. It was a simple life.” Her parents were in the U.S.
for part of her early years. “I was being raised by my grandparents and in third world countries families lived together. So it was my grandparents, my aunts and uncles, my cousins.
There were 14 children living in the same home.” When Madeleine came to the U.S., Scotch
Plains became her home.
Madeleine says church was not exactly central to her growing-up years. Her parents attended sometimes. Most of their friends were Jewish. “I grew up knowing all the holy holidays. I knew what Rosh Hashanah was. But if someone said to me, ‘What’s Christmas?’, I
would just say ‘presents.’” Then Madeleine went searching for God. “I would walk to the
Catholic church that my mom would take us to periodically ... by myself ... even as a young
child.” When she was a sophomore in high school, Madeline met a girl whom she describes
as “the kindest, sweetest person who had the best family I had met in my whole life. And, I
always loved to go to her house.” That girl was a Christian. “I loved her life. I loved her
family. I loved her joy. In hindsight, I can see how she was always reaching out to me.”
“My sister married a Christian guy and she herself became a Christian”, Madeleine says.
“John and I had already been married and my brother-in-law was always talking to us about
God. At that point in my life I didn’t want anything to do with God. But when my brother-in
-law came into our family, he brought God along with him.” Soon after that, John became a
Christian. “I didn’t know how to deal with that and I thought my best option was just to
walk away,” Madeleine remembers. “A few months later, God reached down and said, ‘I
don’t think so, because you’re Mine.’”
She home-schools her children, something she admits is difficult. “It is a calling. And, I
love it. I have three children (going on four), who I have home-schooled. And all three have
different learning styles. It is hard, and it’s a discipline because I am responsible for my
child’s education. I am responsible for my child’s spiritual walk. It’s an act of obedience.”
How has Madeleine seen God working in her life? “He’s always working hard. He’s always in the process of refining.”
Madeleine and John have recently become grandparents. Gideon Beckett Contarino
was born to their daughter Chloë and her husband Josiah in May of this year. A doting
grandmother, Madeleine says “The sun really does rise and set around this child.”
Madeleine is very excited about their new daughter who will be coming to the U.S. within
the next few weeks. “She is coming from the Democratic Republic of Congo. She’s two
and a half years old. We just recently got a picture of her. We have to go to Congo for about
ten days to get her. I’m really glad we’re going, because I will be able to tell her what it was
like there. And, I can’t wait!”
T HE LA MP LI G HT E R
Spiritual Fitness:
The Mercy Rule
by Jim Wilson
As sad as it may be, I get some of my best workouts using Wii Sports. Tennis is my
strength. Janet will attest to the fact that I am very competitive, especially when it’s just
Wii, myself and I, and no one else is watching. Wii baseball is another story. There is no
tap-dancing around it - I am awful at Wii baseball. I not only usually lose, many times I
am losing so badly that the game ends with me down 5-nothing when the Wii declares the
“Mercy Rule”. I usually feel humiliated. But it does feel good when the “no contest”
stops. It’s usually then that I go back to tennis.
But, that got me thinking about the Mercy Rule and how it fits into sports and into our
life as Christians.
TRBC Softball Coach Steve Vorrius says the Mercy Rule serves a purpose. “The
Mercy Rule in softball is 15 runs after five innings”, Steve says. “If the other team is up
by 15 runs, the game is called. I guess it’s in place so that there’s not a constant beating
given to the other team that may not be as good as the team it is playing.” Steve goes on
to say that, for the losing team, the Mercy Rule helps preserve some degree of dignity.
Even in pro sports, while there is no Mercy Rule, there is an unspoken agreement among
coaches not to intentionally run up the score. Often when a game gets lopsided, the starters come out and the subs go in.
When you and I are losing, God has His own Mercy Rule that goes far beyond human
understanding. With it He forgives, He gives second chances, He allows us back in the
game and He draws us closer to Him. With God’s Mercy Rule, every past score is wiped
clean and every at-bat is brand new, the top of the first with nobody out.
Here is some of what God’s Word says about mercy: “For the Lord your God is a merciful God; He will not abandon or destroy you.” -Deuteronomy 4:31 “Praise be to the
Lord, for He has heard my cry for mercy.” -Psalm 28:6 “Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love.” -Psalm 51:1 “Yet He was merciful; He forgave their iniquities and did not destroy them.” -Psalm 78:38 “The Lord our God is merciful and forgiving, even though we have rebelled against Him.” -Daniel 9:9 “Be merciful, just as
your Father is merciful.”
-Luke 6:36 “He has shown you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require
of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” -Micah 6:8
“Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.” -Matthew 5:7 “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.” -Hebrews 4:16
While God calls on us to be obedient, He is merciful to us and wants us to be merciful
to others and not just on a softball field. Make His Mercy Rule your own. Give second
chances. Forgive. Forget. Clean the slate.
Mercy Rules!
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T HE LA MP LI G HT E R
Question of the Month
What’s Your All-time Favorite Bible verse?
While every word of Scripture is beneficial in every aspect of our lives, we all
have special Bible verses that speak to us, where we are right now. There are verses
that comfort us, challenge us, encourage us, move us, and actually cut through the
clatter and the clutter of our lives and begin to change us in ways that only God can.
Our Question of the Month for September was:
What is your own very favorite Bible verse, and why?
Thank you for all of your wonderful responses.
Don Williams - John 3:16-17. Jesus summarizes the Gospel. “For God so loved
the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall
not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world to
condemn the world, but to save the world through Him.”
Theresa Kiesel - “I will never leave you or forsake you.” – Joshua 1:5
Juanita Sumner - Romans 8:28 “And we know that all things work together for
good to them that love God, to them who are called according to His purpose.”
Jamie More - Isaiah 6:8 (NKJV, NAS) “Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, ‘Whom shall I send? And who will go for Us?’ And I said, ‘Here am I. Send
me!” It is such a challenge and I desire to get to the point where I can emphatically
say the same as Isaiah.
Winston Buckridee - Romans 5:8 “God demonstrates His love towards us in that
while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” Incomprehensible love!
Julie Staines - 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.” As I cling to this verse, I always recall God’s mercy, goodness and purpose
in my life in ALL circumstances. (Continued)
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T HE LA MP LI G HT E R
Favorite Bible Verses (continued)
Sheryl Morales - It is difficult to pick just one. But, 2 Chronicles 20:12 and 17 are
some verses I especially love. King Jehoshaphat is being invaded by a “great multitude”
from beyond Edom. He proclaimed a fast and “set his face to seek the Lord”. In verse
12 he prays, “For we are powerless against this great horde that is coming against us.
We do not know what to do, but our eyes are upon you.” In God’s answer, He says in
verse 17, “Stand firm, hold your position, and see the salvation of the Lord on your behalf.” So many times in life, we do not know what to do; we can acknowledge our
powerlessness and put our eyes upon Him. It is so marvelous that “the salvation of the
Lord” is not a one-time event when He gave us the grace to see our need of salvation.
His salvation continues to do things on our behalf. Hallelujah!
Mike Billian - John 14:1-4 “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would
have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I
will come again and receive you unto Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.
And where I go you know, and the way you know.” Jesus (who is perfect God and cannot lie) has promised heaven to those of us who believe unto salvation.
Tristan More - Psalm 119:11 “I have hidden Your Word in my heart, so that I might
not sin against you.” You may find when reading the Bible that certain verses speak to
you. This is what I feel Psalm 119:11 should encourage - to be able to find personal
meaning in any verse that speaks to you. It can help to remind you of your continuing
faith.
Lucas Page - Hebrews 11:1 It is my favorite verse because it is a Bible verse that I
learned in RAs and it is about faith - my favorite subject in the Bible. And it goes:
“Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.”
Zoe Buckridee - My own very favorite Bible verse is “Greater is He that is in you than
he who is in the world” (1 John 4:4), because it reminds us Christians that satan is everywhere and only God is more powerful than him.
Amaya Casterlow - John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and
only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” This is
my favorite Bible verse because it is a good one and everybody has to remember it.
Liam Page - John 3:16 because it is a very strong verse. (Continued)
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T HE LA MP LI G HT E R
Favorite Bible Verses (continued)
Patty Buckridee - God’s Word is such a treasure trove, but there are three verses or passages that consistently speak to me: Jeremiah 29:11 - what a beautiful promise of a glorious
future! Malachi 3:10 - Another promise and a challenge from the Lord. Psalm 139 - This
Psalm has always helped me in moments of low self-esteem.
Norma Byrne - "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden , and I will give
you rest". Matthew 11:28 Those words were etched onto a plaque that hung in the hallway, just outside my bedroom. As a little child I saw only a pretty wall decoration. But day
by day and month by month, over time, I couldn't help but memorize this verse. As the
years passed and the dark moments of life reared up, the words themselves jumped out at
me. It's been many decades and the plaque is long gone. But during those times when I am
burdened by the cares of life, Jesus' words continue to comfort me.
Tom Atkins - Perhaps my favorite verse is Luke 14:11 "For whoever exalts himself will
be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted." We know the background prior
to Jesus making this statement. He is advising His disciples on how and where to sit at a
banquet - don't walk in and select the most prestigious location, show some humility and
the host may ask you to move up to a more "choice" spot. I spent my entire professional
career working in government, as you and many in our church know. But my service in local government was at the highest appointed level, trying to help out and serve the elected
officials (mayors and council members). Elected officials need to be able to discuss their
accomplishments and future goals, especially at reelection time. It is understood in American politics/government. But some (not just elected officials) have little or no humility at
all and actually begin to believe ALL the "hype" that is generated/created to draw attention
to themselves. Many speeches are just peppered with “I, I, I, I” - it becomes nauseating
when some truly begin to believe they did it all on their own. Many appointed staff work
for the elected officials to assist the organization. We should never forget the contributions
of all the workers there. BUT more importantly, I am blessed to recognize that my strength
and any of the limited ability I may have had, or hopefully continue to have, come from the
Lord. Many have helped me achieve some modest level of success. But the Lord is
key. Many elected leaders today "exalt themselves" way too much. Luke 14:11 - we
should live our lives that way, no matter what our position.
Janet Wilson - I love all of Philippians 4:4-9 as it’s such an encouragement to us in the
ways we’re to lead a Christlike life. Verse 8 “Finally brothers, whatever is true, whatever is
noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if
anything is excellent or praiseworthy - think about such things.” Colossians 1: 9-14 “we
have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of His
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Favorite Bible Verses (continued)
T HE LA MP LI G HT E R
Janet Wilson (continued) will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. And we pray
this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please Him in every way:
bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with
all power according to His glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience,
and joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of
the saints in the kingdom of light. For He has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and
brought us into the kingdom of the Son He loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.” Colossians 3:12-14 “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.” (And vs. 15-17, too!)
Elizabeth Buckridee - Psalm 3:3 “But You are a shield around me O Lord; You bestow
glory on me and lift up my head.” It shows that God will never forsake us.
Bonnie Nezlick - Psalm 119:105 “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my
path.” God has really helped me over the years with this verse. I believe His intentional use
of the phrase “unto my feet” has importance. It reminds me how unlike the light beam on a
miner’s helmet which shines far into the distance. A lamp affixed to our feet, nearer to the
ground that is, would illuminate our more immediate path. Maybe we all need reminding at
times of how we ought not to focus too far into the future, lest we miss His blessings of today.
Also Galatians 5:22 “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness,
goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.” No doubt we cannot grow or produce
this fruit by our own efforts – we need to look to Him who is the source of it. I think Spirit
with a capital “S” tells us how these fruits come directly from the Holy Spirit, not of ourselves. So when I run a little short on patience, for instance, this verse reminds me of Who to
look to for more.
Robin Di Fiore - Jeremiah 17:7-8 “But blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose
confidence is in Him. He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the
stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a
year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.” It is one of my new favorites. Isn't it amazing
how God leads us to the perfect scripture?
Jim Wilson - Colossians 3:17 “Whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the
name of the Lord Jesus.” I always called this the “Key to Life Verse”. If you do everything
in the name of Jesus, your focus is absolutely in the right place.
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Terrill Road Baptist Church is a Bible-believing
Church where people connect with God, each
Sunday
Phone:
Bible
908-322-7151
Study 9:30 a.m.
Sunday
E-Mail:
Worship
[email protected]
Service 10:45 a.m.
Website:
Phone: 908-322-7151
TRBC4him.org
E-Mail: [email protected]
Church Website: trbc4him.org
other, and influence our world for Jesus Christ.
September Nursery Schedule
September 4
September 11
September 18
September 25
Robin Di Fiore & Katelyn Dyer
Lisa & Danielle Dyer
Madeleine & Samuel Farrell
Janice & Justin Guy
Thanks to all of you!
My thanks to everyone who
contributed to this issue.
-Jim Wilson, Editor
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Deadline for October Lamplighter:
Sunday, September 25