Each of us faces times in life that we feel insufficient or inadequate in a given situation. Whether it is an area of ministry in which we have been called to serve, a trial that we are undergoing, a task with which we have been entrusted, or a family or financial crisis that has arisen in our lives, for some reason we just don’t seem to measure up to the demand. It is during these times of crisis that I must remind myself that my God is able.

 I want you to take note of the word “all”, found three times in our verse. The abundance of His grace supplies us with the inner resources necessary to meet the demands of life. Where I am insufficient, He is sufficient. Where I am inadequate, He is adequate. He is able to make us equal to each and every situation we find ourselves in. His grace abounds in me that I might abound in life for Him.

 God promises His supply for my want (Phil. 4:19), His strength for my weakness (2Cor.12:9), His comfort for my pain (2Cor. 1:3, 4), His joy for my sorrow (John 15:11), and His peace for my trials (John 14:27; 16:33). Why not stop and thank God for the abundance of His grace that is sufficient for my every need.

 Our God is the omnipotent God. By omnipotent we mean that God is all powerful. Genesis 17:1 God revealed Himself to Abraham as the “Almighty God.” The word “Almighty” is found 56 times in our King James Bible and is always used of God, never of man. He is the Almighty God who possesses all power and might.

The Scriptures give positive proof that God is able:

The creation of the world tells us that God is able.

• The parting of the Red Sea tells us that God is able.
• The walls of Jericho tell us that God is able.
• The slaying of Goliath tells us that God is able.
• The Virgin Birth of Christ tells us that God is able.
• The feeding of the 5,000 tells us that God is able.
• The healing of the blind, deaf, mute and lame tells us that God is able.
• But more than any of these and all of these the empty tomb tells us that God is able.

The phrase, “God is able” is more than just a trite saying. It is a statement of fact that we have a God of majesty and might who shows Himself strong in behalf of His people. 2Chronicles 19:9 states, “For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him…”  Notice again in Ephesians 3:20, the Apostle Paul did not say that God was able or shall be able but at this very moment, now and forever, God is able. As you face the troubling situations of life that stretch you to the limits just remember our God specializes in doing the impossible.

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Who is Jesus Christ? That my friend is the most important question you will ever be asked. The answer you give to that question is the most important answer you will give. Controversy has raged since His birth over 2,000 years ago in a Bethlehem stable as to who Jesus of Nazareth was.

The Apostle John begins His Gospel by answering this question and identifies Jesus as the incarnate Word. (John 1:1) “In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God.” Notice in this verse that “Word” is capitalized and therefore refers to a person. This person is none other than the Lord Jesus Christ who has existed from all eternity with God and yet is God.

Our God is a triune being who eternally exists as Father, Son and Spirit. (John 1:14) tells us that “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us…” That simple statement removes all doubt as to who that babe in Bethlehem’s manger really was. You see words are a vehicle of expression. Therefore Jesus as the eternal Word is the visible expression of the invisible God. Jesus Christ is fully man yet fully God. Perfect humanity yet undiminished Deity. Someone has said that, “Jesus is God spelling Himself out in language that man can understand.”

Dear friend, you must decide whether you will adopt the opinions of men or embrace the record God gave of His Son. Remember there is an uncrossable divide that separates the Christ whose birth we celebrate at Christmas and all other founders of religions.

There are many challenges a pastor faces as he serves the Lord by ministering to His flock. The demands of preparing sermons, overseeing and leading the ministry of the church, visiting the sick, ministering to hurting saints, and reaching those without Christ are just a few of the pressures that a preacher faces. The purpose of the Pastor’s Prayer Team is to come alongside your Pastor and hold up his hands through prayer as did Aaron and Hur for Moses in Exodus 17.

Any adult man or lady in the church can serve as a part of the Pastor’s Prayer Team. Each person on the prayer team is given a prayer partner (our prayer partners are always paired men with men and ladies with ladies). They will then call in to the Pastor’s prayer line 983-2190 for the daily devotional and prayer requests for that day and pray together over the phone for the Pastor. The Pastor’s Prayer Team meets the last Sunday of every month after the evening service in the Discovery Bible Classroom.

If you are interested in becoming a part of the Pastor’s Prayer Team contact Pastor’s secretary Barbara Danley to receive a Prayer Team Manual.

On the Saturday before Friend Day over 300 of our people came out for visitation and approximately 6,000 homes were visited and given a personal invitation to join us on this special day.

As the day unfolded God exceeded our expectations. The Sunday morning attendance was 1,119 with four people trusting Christ as their Savior. Three of the former pastor’s were present to share in the 40th anniversary celebration: Bro. Maurice Wheat, the founding pastor, Bro. James Scott and Dr. Roger Baker. Pastor Broyhill honored each of them and their wives during the service. A number of the city and county officials were also present in the service. Afterwards we enjoyed a delicious homecoming meal prepared by the ladies of our church. The day ended with an old fashion service under the big tent. The Lord certainly did abundantly more than we could ever ask or think.

Your friend,
Pastor

 This past Thursday the students arrived to register for the fall semester marking the twentieth year of training men for ministry here at Calvary Baptist Bible College and Seminary. The Lord certainly was gracious as we had the largest number of incoming students in the history of the school. I enjoyed meeting the new students and getting reacquainted with the returning students. It was also a refreshing time of fellowship with our faculty and a number of our alumnus who attended registration day.

Dr. JT Lyons, veteran missionary to Africa and Spain, preached the opening chapel with a message from 2Timothy 4:1-8 challenging the men to fulfill the ministry God has called them to. Bro. Lyons spoke to them on the call, criteria, character and course of the ministry. He warned them of the pitfalls ahead and to stay close to the Savior! The men responded with strong amen’s and a renewed devotion to the One who called them.

College classes have just begun. Please pray for God’s power and blessing on the college as we continue to fulfill the task of training the next generation of preachers.

Your friend,
Pastor Broyhill

 History records the price that the men who signed the Declaration of Independence were willing to pay for our liberty as a nation. Of the fifty-six men who signed that document on that fateful day July 4, 1776, five were captured by the British and tortured before they died. Twelve had their homes ransacked and burned. Two lost their sons in the Continental Army. Another had two sons captured. Nine of them fought and died from either their wounds or the hardships of the war.

Carter Braxton of Virginia, a wealthy planter and trader, saw his ships sunk by the British navy. He sold his home and properties to pay his debts and died in poverty. At the battle of Yorktown, the British General Cornwallis had taken over Thomas Nelson’s home for his headquarters. Nelson quietly ordered General Washington to open fire on his own home. The home was destroyed and Thomas Nelson died bankrupt. John Hart was driven from his wife’s bedside as she was dying. Their thirteen children fled for their lives. His fields and mill was destroyed by the British invaders. For over a year, he lived in forest and caves, returning home only to find his wife dead and his children gone. A few weeks later, he died from exhaustion.

As Americans we must stand fast in the personal and political liberties that have been handed to us from our forefathers. We must realize that freedom isn’t free – it always comes with a price. I am afraid there will someday arise a generation in America that will no longer value our liberty and will succumb to tyranny. Let’s determine to not be that generation!

Far greater than the freedoms I enjoy as an American is the freedom that I have in Christ. Through His redemptive work at Calvary I have been set free from the tyranny of sin and Satan. This too came at a great cost. Over 2,000 years ago the Lord Jesus Christ voluntarily laid down His life at Calvary paying the penalty for my sins and the sins of the entire world. You may have the personal liberties as an American yet still be in spiritual bondage to sin. Friend, the price has been paid. Why don’t you come to Christ and let Him set you free!

 Proverbs 17:6 – “Children’s children are the crown of old men; and the glory of children are their fathers.”

During the winter of 1994 some workers were doing some renovations at the Baseball Hall of Fame Museum in Cooperstown, NY; while moving the WWII display case a worker found an old photograph that had been tucked behind it. The photo was of a stocky, friendly looking man in a baseball uniform with the words “Sinclair Oil.” Evidently he had played baseball for Sinclair Oil sometime in the 1930’s or 1940’s. Stapled to the picture was a note that read, “You were never too tired to play ball. On your days off, you helped build the little league field. You always came to watch me play. You were a Hall of Fame Dad. I wish I could share this moment with you.”

No one knew how the picture got there or who the man was. Sports Illustrated writer Steve Wulf published the story in their April 1994 baseball preview issue. A man by the name of Pat O’Donnell came forward and identified the ballplayer in the photo of as his late father. His dad gave up pursuing his love of baseball to provide for his family. O’Donnell was so proud of his father that he believed he deserved special recognition. He then decided to honor his father with a little ceremony inducting him into baseball’s Hall of Fame. This son was basically saying of his father, “You were a Hall of Fame Dad.”

Every Christian father should have the desire to be that kind of dad. I want to share some thoughts with you that can help us to become the kind of husband and father God desires for us to become.

 1. Know, love and serve the Lord.

 Psalm 128:4 says, “Behold, thus shall the man be blessed that feareth the Lord.” The prime requisite for being a godly husband and father is to fear the Lord. This kind of fear is not some slavish kind of fear but a spiritual fear born out of a love and reverence for God. It is the Old Testament way of describing a person who is saved. The greatest thing you can give your wife and children is a husband and father who knows, loves and serves the Lord with his life. A child or teenager can spot a phony a mile away. Your family needs to know that God is real in your life. Determine to be a Joshua, “…but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”

 2. Cultivate a love relationship with your wife.  

• Love her (Eph.5:25) – Men, God commands us to love our wives as Christ loves the church. We are to love them unconditionally, sacrificially and fervently. Don’t just say it, show it! Do those little things that build the love-relationship. Write her a love note, tell her she is special, take her out on a date, remember those special days such as birthdays and anniversaries, etc… She will love you for it. 

• Support her (Ps.128:3) – the Psalmist describes one’s wife as being a fruitful vine. A vine cannot stand on it’s on; it needs something to cling to, something to give it support. A man is to be to his wife what a wall or trestle is to vine. That means you are to support her by being there for her. Cultivate your marriage by loving her, lifting her when she’s down and laughing with her when she is happy.

• Nourish her (Eph.5:29) - husbands should nourish their wives both emotionally and spiritually. One way to nourish your wife is to say positive things about her in front of your children, family and friends. Words of cheer and praise are high octane that will boost her emotional fuel tanks. Nourish her spiritually by cultivating within your relationship a heart for God by worshipping together, praying together and serving the Lord together.

• Cherish her (Eph.5:29) – the word “cherish” means to make warm. The idea is to warm her heart by honoring her. Men, we need to value our wives. Too often she feels unimportant because she takes a back seat to things we give our attention to rather than her. Give her your time by listening to her, sharing with her and enjoying life with her.

 Never underestimate the impact it will have on your children as you love, support, nourish and cherish their mother. It brings stability and security to your family.

 3. Build a relationship with your children.

These are just a few suggestions that have helped me and I pray will be a help to you. Dad, none of us have arrived. Let’s just determine to stay at it and ask God to help us become “Hall of Fame Dads!”

It was the eve of our Lord's crucifixion. He has just entered the Garden of Gethsemane with His disciples. The Gospel narrative tells us that Jesus was so burdened that He fell on His face to the ground in prayer to the Father. Luke tells us that He prayed until His sweat was as great drops of blood. What was it that could bring the glorious Son of God so low? I believe the answer is found in (v.39) as He makes mention of "the cup" He was to drink. Three times Jesus prayed to the Father "let this cup pass from me." Three times He affirmed "not my will but Thine be done." We may be able to imagine in our minds the scene of Gethsemane but no human can fully comprehend the struggles Jesus faced or the cup from which He was to drink.

What was in that cup?

1. Suffering for Sin

The physical sufferings of the cross pale in comparison to the spiritual sufferings of the cross. (2Corinthians 5:21) states, "For he hath made him (Christ) to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him." (Isaiah 53:6) says, "All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned everyone to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all." The lovely Lord Jesus took upon Himself the accumulated guilt of the entire human race paying the penalty for our sin. He died that we might live in Him, through Him and for Him.

2. Separation from the Father

In dark Gethsemane as Jesus prayed that this cup might pass from Him, it was not the death from which He shrank but the prospect of being separated from His Father. Jesus had been one with the Father from all eternity but during the hours of darkness on the cross God forsook His Son pouring out His undiluted wrath on our sin (Matthew 27:46).

"It was alone the Saviour prayed, in dark Gethsemane
Alone He drained the bitter cup and suffered there for me.
Alone, alone he bore it all alone,
He gave Himself to save His own,
He suffered, bled, and died, alone, alone."
- Anonymous

He was forsaken that you and I might never be forsaken!

3. Salvation for Sinners

The Psalmist writes, "I will take the cup of salvation, and call upon the name of the LORD" (Psalm 116:13). The cross work of Christ is the sole means of our redemption. Jesus drank the cup of our sufferings that we might drink from the cup of His salvation! Dear friend, if you have never drank from that cup "O, taste and see that the Lord is good."

Psalm 24:1 - "The earth is the LORD'S, and the fullness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein."

It all belongs to Him! All that we are and have comes from the gracious hand of our great God. Therefore the giving of our lives and resources comes from recognizing this basic truth. We are merely giving back to God a portion of what He has given us. When we do, God says that we are honoring Him and has promised to meet our every need.

Philippians 4:19 - "And my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus."

Christian, you have trusted Him with your soul - How about trusting Him with your life? How about your finances? How about your family? How about your future? Giving is more of a faith matter than it is a financial matter. How we give is a testimony of how much we are willing to trust God with our lives. Remember He owns it all anyway!

That is much the same way that many people see Christmas. They will throw festive parties but Jesus will not be invited. He would ruin their party. I want to remind you that Christmas is more than celebrating a season; it is the celebration of a Saviour!

The most pivotal moment in the history of the world involved the birth of a baby some 2,000 years ago. However, that baby wasn't just any ordinary baby, that baby was born a King. And that baby that was born wasn't just any ordinary king. That baby was and is the "King of kings and Lord of lords." Someone once said, "The hinge of history is on the door of a Bethlehem stable."

As you gather with family and friends this Christmas season don't lose sight of the reason Jesus Christ came into this world. In (Luke 2:11) the angel announced the mission of His birth, "For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which his Christ the Lord." Today Jesus is no longer a babe in a manger but is a risen, living Savior who invites whosoever will to come to Him and be saved.

Our annual world missions conference begins Wednesday, November 12th, and will continue through Sunday, November 16th. Our prayer is that God will challenge your heart through the missionary presentations, soul-stirring music and Bible preaching during the missions conference. We encourage you to faithfully attend each service, visit each missionary’s display, and to earnestly pray about your personal involvement in world evangelization through the ministry of Calvary Baptist Church. Our goal is to reach every continennt, every country, and every creature with the Gospel of Jesus Christ in this generation. Missionary-Statesman John R. Mott once said, “The worldwide proclamation of the Gospel awaits accomplishment by a generation which shall have the obedience, courage, and determination to attempt the task.” Let us be that generation!

Yours for the Harvest,

 Pastor

Friend Day 2008 will be a day to be remembered at Calvary Baptist Church. My how the Lord blessed us as we worked to reach our community with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I stood amazed as I watched our entire church family unify and strive-together to make this day a great success.

Leading up to Friend Day our church set aside 40 days of prayer and fasting for God's blessing on that special day. Preparations began with the designing of our Friend Day materials, assembling John and Romans, and then stuffing Friend Day packets to be handed out in the community. On the Saturday prior to friend day over 275 people went out in a drenching rain and reached over 5,450 homes with Friend Day invitations.

Friend Day began with a great expectation of God's blessing and we were not disappointed. We experienced a record attendance of 1,267 in the morning worship service and four precious souls trusted Christ as their Savior. We then had a wonderful homecoming meal under the tent. The evening was topped off with an Old Fashion Service under the big tent with Dr. Roger Baker the Pastor Emeritus of Calvary Baptist Church preaching.

I want to express my appreciation for our church staff and church family for their sacrificial labor of love. I especially want to thank our great Savior for giving the increase. To God be the glory great things he has done!

For the Harvest,
Pastor

Friend Day 2008 is just around the corner. Friend Day is one of the most effective tools in bringing others to Christ.

The number one reason a person will visit Calvary Baptist Church is because a friend invited them. The number one reason people come to Christ is because Christians befriended them and cared enough to share their faith with them. It has also been found that the second greatest reason people do not attend a church is the unfriendliness of church members.

A warm and friendly atmosphere will not just happen; it must be cultivated. Proverbs 18:24 is clear that if you want friends, you must be a friend. Let’s ask God this Friend Day to help us be a friend to someone who needs a friend. Together we can make this Friend Day the best ever by working hard to invite family, friends, co-workers, and neighbors to be our guest on this special day. Be a friend by bringing your friend to Calvary Baptist Church, introducing them to the Friend of friends, the Lord Jesus Christ. It just may be a day your friend will remember forever.

See you on Friend Day,
Pastor