Fifth Ward Missionary Baptist Church
November 12, 2010 
Pastor Barksdale Online
"Greeting One Another In The Love Of Christ"
In This Issue
Weekly Message
News Update
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FWMBC Members and Friends,  
Two weeks from today we will celebrate Thanksgiving in our Nation.  In spite of the divisions and difficulties that we are facing, we still have a lot to be thankful for.  As Christians, we don't look for men to be our guides; we look for God to protect, keep, and direct us.  For that reason, I will be telling God thank you on Thanksgiving Day!  As is our custom, we will celebrate God with Worship on that day, starting at 8:00AM.  We should be leaving by 9:30AM to carry food baskets to some; as others go to their homes for family dinners.  I hope that you will join us on November 25, 2010 as we let the Lord know we are thankful.

Always keep in prayer our sick and shut-in members.    
Pastor Barksdale

pastor 
  

 

Weekly Message 

 

ANOTHER CHANCE MIGHT BE YOUR LAST CHANCE!

He also spoke this parable:  "A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it and found none.  Then he said to the keeper of his vineyard, Look, for three years I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree and find none. Cut it down; why does it use up the ground?  But he answered and said to him, Sir, let it alone this year also, until I dig around it and fertilize it.  And if it bears fruit, well.  But if not, after that you can cut it down."
 (Luke 13:6-9)

 Do you remember as a child getting in trouble with your parents, and promising them if they did not punish you that time, you would never do it again?  In some cases you may have kept your promise, but often it was just a matter of time before you did the same thing again.   Perhaps you were given a task to do, such as cutting the yard, and you failed to do it.  In life, we are often given second chances to get our lives together.  However there is always a point when we have used up all of our chances.  Even if we were able to avoid punishment from our parents that first time, we were probably going to get punished the next time it happened.  And as merciful and gracious as our Lord is; there is always a point of no return.

In the passage above, Jesus makes the point to his listeners that God would not tolerate their lack of productivity always. They were being looked upon as unfruitful.   The fruit tree was expected to produce fruit.  Generally the tree would do so  in 3 years of less. If had not done so by that time it probably would not.  In this parable, the fruit tree would be given one more chance.  After that, it would be considered unproductive and cut down.

How often have we been given the chance to accept Christ as our Savior, and we failed to do so?  How many times have we been asked to join a local church, and we have put it off.  We have been blessed with a singing voice, but we have decided that we just don't have time to join the choir.  We know we should be working for the Lord's Kingdom but we are not ready to come in out of the world.  And of course there is the situation when we have done something wrong, and we ask God for forgiveness.  We promise never to do it again. We ask God for one more chance. Yet we continue to commit the sin over and over again.

It is time for us to look at ourselves, and ask the question, "are we doing what we should be doing for the Lord?"  Are we like the trees that are not producing any fruit?  If so, we need to be careful, because we could be cut down.  According to the parable above, there is a point when "ANOTHER CHANCE MAY BE OUR LAST CHANCE!" 

 
 


 
News Update: 
November 13, 2010 - Prayer Explosion (9:00Am - 1:00PM)  Come out and pray with us.
 
November 14, 2010 -  Brotherhood and Uplift Annual Day (11:00AM)
 
November 14, 2010 - Family and Friends Day (3:00PM)  We look forward to seeing all of you bring guest and family members on this afternoon.  Pastor M.L. Holiday and East Park Bapt. Church will be our special guest.
 
November 21, 2010 - Ushers, Nurses, & Greeters Annual Day.  Pastor M. Eaton of Pauls Valley, Oklahoma will be our Speaker.
 
November 25, 2010 - Thanksgiving Service (8:00AM)
 
November 28, 2010 - Fellowship at The Carpenters House Church Anniversary, LaMarque, Tx (3:30PM) Pastor R. Pope