Newsletter for August 13, 2025

You can watch any of the sermons you missed by clicking the link to our media page, where each message is available to view anytime.

Join us for a powerful 7-week journey through the Gospel of Luke with Kristi McLelland’s study, Luke in the Land. Together, we’ll explore the life and ministry of Jesus through the lens of His first-century world.

Begins Tuesday, September 23 at 1:30 PM
Family Ministry Building

To ensure everyone receives a workbook before the first session, please sign up by August 17.

To register, call or text Elizabeth See or contact the church office.
Come walk where Jesus walked—and grow in faith, fellowship, and understanding.

First Baptist Church is putting together a special cookbook, and we need your help! Our goal is to celebrate the legacy of faith, family, and fellowship by gathering cherished recipes that have been passed down through generations, recipes you love and want to share with others.

We are collecting recipes. Here are ways you can contribute.

• Request a link from Jonathan and you will able to helps us out by typing a recipe in.
• Pickup a form from the church and fill out your information. 
• Download and print of a form. Click Here

Let’s preserve and share the flavors of our church family!
Please see Sue Mastrario, Nel Meyer, or Jonathan if you have any questions.  

SPARK Leadership Conference – Sunday, September 7, 2025
Time: 4:00 PM – 8:15 PM
Location: Sherwood Baptist Church, 2201 Whispering Pines Rd, Albany, GA
Cost: $15 per person

SPARK is a one-day leadership event designed to equip and encourage everyone involved in ministry—from pastors and worship leaders to Sunday school teachers, small group leaders, and more. Whether you're new to ministry or have years of experience, there’s something for everyone.

Jonathan Perry will be attending—see him if you'd like to go with him!
The evening includes a keynote message from Dr. Mark Clifton, breakout sessions, and a light supper. Don’t miss this great opportunity to grow and connect!

We’re taking a trip to Cotton Hall Theater in Colquitt, GA, home of the beloved play Swamp Gravy! This year, the cast will present a Christmas performance titled
“Christmas Eve at the Doublestack Diner.”

Set in a small-town diner on Christmas Eve, this heartwarming play weaves together stories of hope, humor, and unexpected miracles. It’s a feel-good celebration of the season filled with laughter, music, and the joy of community.

Date: Saturday, December 6, 2025
Showtime: 2:00 PM
Cost: $22 per ticket
Tickets: 20 seats have been pre-purchased—first come, first served!

To reserve your spot, please contact Jonathan.
Don’t miss this opportunity to enjoy a memorable Christmas experience with your church family!

Don’t miss Brother David’s Mid-Week Devotions in Psalms!
New messages are posted every Wednesday on our media page—take a midweek moment to be encouraged and refreshed in God’s Word.

Budget for 2025 . . . . . . . .  $329,624.00
Tithes Needed to Date . . . . $202,845.76
Received to Date . . . . . . . . $175,896.22       
Needed for weekly budget . . . $6,338.93
Tithes Received this week . .  . $5,567.00

When we think about faith, we usually think in terms of quantity.  We try to estimate how much faith we possess.  When we face difficulties, we think and talk in terms of having enough faith for that particular situation.

While the quantity of faith is important, the object of our faith is even more important.  It is much easier to believe if we are convinced that the object of our faith is truly worthy of our trust.  What we really think about the object of our faith will determine the amount of faith we can exercise in a given situation.

Everything we read in God’s Word makes it clear that our Lord is worthy of our trust.  As we think about Him, we find it easier to trust Him.  When we face adversity, we should go to the Scriptures and look upon our Lord.

Psalm 45 is a beautiful psalm that helps us see our Lord.  The context is a royal wedding of a great king.  As you read the psalm, it becomes obvious that the human king is a small picture of our wonderful Lord and King.

What is our Lord like?  He is excellent (v. 2a).  While various translations translate the thought as “fair” or “most excellent,” they are all trying to convey the idea that our Lord is excellent in His person.  God is perfect, wonderful and good from within His being.  He has no dark corners in His heart.  We can trust Him because of His excellent character.

Next, our Lord is gracious (v. 2).  How important this is!  How else could we weak, sinful, finite, helpless, little creatures ever come before such an excellent God?  We can’t on our own.  But God is gracious.  He looks upon us with undeserved favor and makes us right with Himself. He has done everything necessary to make us His for eternity.  How can we not trust Him?

The psalmist then reveals that our Lord is victorious (v. 3-5).  Yes, our Lord has enemies.  Satan and his world system oppose our Lord.  But they will not prevail.  Our Lord will triumph.  Nothing can successfully resist Him.  What a reason to trust.  Our wonderful Lord is the victor.

Last, we see our Lord is eternal (verse 6).  Our Lord is the same great Lord God He has always been.  He will forever be that great God.  Everything He has ever been He forever will be.  He will not change, diminish or weaken.  We have an eternal Lord.

Think about our Lord.  When we see Him as He is, it makes it easy to trust Him.  The quantity of our faith is no longer the issue.  We see the One who is worthy of our complete trust.