Oates Drive Baptist Church

From Pastor Jim

If you ever doubted God is in control, join us Sunday night for part 2 of the Destruction of satan.

In Revelation 16:12-16, the Lord miraculously dries up the 1800-mile Euphrates River to allow the 'kings of the east' (200-million-man army) to cross over. Their hate for The Lord, His children and Israel is so demonically motivated, they do not realize they arw walking right into God's Judgment.

Once the arrogant nations cross over, there will be no escaping or crossing back over. 'The nations are as a drop in the bucket to the Lord' (Isaiah 40:15).

Be encouraged, not scared, to study this incredible demonstration of God's power and control Sunday night at 6:30.

From Pastor Jim

'I will happily go to hell. It would be a far worse hell for me to bown down before a Lord because I am better than that.'

Those are the horrifying words from Dan Barker, a self-professed atheist who founded Freedom From Religion organization that seeks to oppose Christianity through whatever means necessary.

Reading those words do not stir up anger, but sadness. Jesus clearly taught there is a real place called hell. Hell is eternally painful and inescapable.

In Mark 9:42-48 Jesus commanded we do whatever it takes to be right with God. Three times in this passage, He references the place called hell, where the 'worm never dies and the fire is never quenched.'

For Christians, knowing hell is not our eternal destination should dramatically impact the way we live our lives for the Lord. Join us Sunday morning for part 2 of this sobering series on the 'Reality Of Hell.'

From Pastor Jim

Hell has never been a popular subject to preach. Tragically, many religions and pastors have put their own spin on the doctrine of hell, choosing to ignore what Jesus and The Word of God says.

If hell is not true neither is heaven. Jesus preached as much on hell as He did heaven and we must believe what He said about hell as He did Heaven.

The reality, pain and permanence of hell has not changed Scripturally. Hell must be avoided at all cost, yet because the doctrine of hell has been watered down and changed, people no longer fear hell as a place of eternal torment.

Join us Sunday morning, (10:45 a.m.) Sept. 8 for a four part series on 'The Reality Of Hell.' This very place described in the Old and New Testament also should motivate true Christians to a lifestyle of gratitude, worship, commitment and action.

For those who have been Redeemed, hell is not your eternal destination, heaven is. Let's live like it.

From Pastor Jim

Asking for prayer on this sermon series. This is a message that will stir up opposition. Starting Sunday night, Sept. 8 we will examine several passages from Revelation that details the final destruction of satan and his eradication from existence.

The Word of God makes it clear that Jesus will destroy the 'lawless one with the brightness of His coming.' The Saints of The Lord will be witnesses to this glorious event. In a matter of seconds the final battle will end with Jesus Christ victorious as clearly promised.

Do not give up. The battle around you and before you is only temporary. The War is already won and be encouraged as we study God's Word and see how God plans to end satan and all who follow him once and for all.

Hope

As I was recently speaking to a precious lady on the phone, we talked about hope and so many thoughts came to my mind. I looked up the definition of hope. The first definition defines hope as a feeling of expectation and a desire for a certain thing to happen. The second definition simply defines hope as trust.

As a Christian we are sealed with hope. Hope is mentioned 143 times in 134 verses in the NKJV. Obviously, it is worth mentioning. So as a Christian, what does it even mean? We quote it all the time. When someone is struggling we are quick to remind them that we have hope.

In that conversation the Holy Spirit impressed upon me how we have a hope that never leaves. There are days when we feel discouraged, downtrodden, helpless, hopeless, we may want to give up, stay in bed and not be seen. None of us are immune to the cares of this world. We face challenges every single day.

I have good news though! We have a Hope that is secure. A Hope that never leaves and a Hope that we can depend on. If we know the Lord Jesus Christ as our Savior, then we have Hope even we can’t see it.

So today when you feel hopeless, remember the God of Hope. Remember that you can’t hide from Hope. This Hope will not run away or sleep. May you be encouraged that you have Hope even when you feel hopeless.

1 Peter 1:3: "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead"

~Michelle Burt

God Who Stays
Have you ever been in that place where you just need a friend? Someone to talk to, the person you can entrust with your deepest and darkest secrets. That friend that won’t judge you in any way. The one who will be honest, yet loving, compassionate and caring.

We all long for that person or confidant and many times when we think we have found them, we are disappointed and hurt because that person isn’t there when we need them most.

There isn’t anyone I know that doesn’t have a burden of some kind. It may be a job, money, marital, family or health situation, or a lost loved one. The list can go on and on.

Thankfully, most of us have a good friend or family member that we can share anything with. But even then, sometimes we can feel so alone. Maybe we are too prideful to share our deepest burdens, and we carry them ourselves.

There are times because of our sin that God seems distant or maybe we aren’t spending enough time with Him, but we have a God who stays. He will never leave us nor forsake us. (Hebrews 13:5)

There is a Truth we can hold on to. We have a The God Who Stays. I recently heard Matthew West singing this song. The words of the chorus really resonated with me. The words penetrated my heart and reminded me that my confidant and closest friend will always be there.

You're the God who stays
You're the God who stays
You're the one who runs in my direction
When the whole world walks away
You're the God who stands
With wide open arms
And You tell me nothing I have ever done can separate my heart
From the God who stays

God is always there! It doesn’t matter what we’ve done or where we’ve gone, God is with us. Even if all of our friends have gone away, God is with us.

Be encouraged today. God knows you. He knows your hurts and struggles. No matter what you’re facing or going through, God is staying!

Where can I go from Your Spirit?
Or where can I flee from Your presence?
Psalm 139:7

~Michelle Burt

Last Day
The older I get the more I seem to ponder random things. Lately my mind has been influenced by news events across the globe. There are heartbreaking stories and tragedy everywhere. However, that has caused me to think about what influence I do or don’t have. What legacy I may or may not leave.

For instance, if I knew today would be my final day, what would I do differently. Would I tell more people about Jesus? Would I make right a wronged relationship? Would I spend my last dollar on something frivolous? Or, as Tim McGraw sings, would I go sky diving or rocky mountain climbing?

The point is this, why would my last day be different than yesterday? What do you want your life to stand for? At funerals it is often mentioned that the dash between birthdate and deceased date symbolizes what your life stood for.

There is an acronym YOLO that stands for you only live once. We don’t get to do this life over. Once our days are spent they are gone forever.

My prayer is that I leave a legacy of things that honor Christ. I have failed so much, but I want my life’s story to be one of running toward Christ. My steadfast prayer is that my every word, thought or deed is glorifying to Him. There is a battle raging in each one of us. It’s a battle for our heart. I want my heart to be positioned toward Christ.

Every day should be met with a goal to glorify Christ and live for Him. What we do and how we live matters. You may not realize it, but people are watching and listening. More importantly, God is watching and listening. What do you want to be remembered by?

“So teach us to number our days,
That we may gain a heart of wisdom.”
Psalm 90:12

~Michelle Burt 8/11/2024

From Pastor Jim

The Church needs to get about the business of preaching the Salvation of Jesus Christ, rather than be known for scandals, abuse and false teaching.

The world sits on the brink of World War 3. The spiritual temperature of the culture is what Jesus described as 'cold hearts.' Nothing or no one can offer hope, except The Lord Jesus Christ.

2 Corinthians 4:1-6 instructs Christians how to be the light in the darkness by renouncing sin, shameful actions and remembering God's grace and mercy we received.

Grace and Mercy teach us to 'deny ungodliness and how to live honorably in this present world' (Titus 2:11-12). Join us Sunday morning at 10:45 for this powerful message on 'How to Be The Light In A World Full Of Darkness.'

From Pastor Jim

I John 3:6 says 'Whoever abides in Christ does not sin and whoever sins has neither seen Him or knows Him.'

2 Corinthians 13:5, 'Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you are disqualified.'

Do these passages actually teach a Christian can lose their Salvation? Do these passages teach that the only way to be a Christian is through sinless perfection? Absolutely not! But the Bible warns Christians that genuine Salvation is not a license to sin, but liberation from sin.

The Word of God assures us genuine Salvation can never be lost. Join us Sunday night for Part 2, 'The Blessed Assurance Of Assurance and the Security of Salvation.' Salvation that comes from Christ can never be lost.

From Pastor Jim

This world offers no assurances and makes promises it cannot keep. But The Word of God makes promises and keeps them because a promise is only as the One who makes the promises. When God makes a promise He has the power and authority to keep those promises.

The question of 'once saved, always saved' has been debated and argued since the first century Church. The problem is not with Scripture. The problem is understanding the Scripture and what genuine Salvation is.

Salvation is not a license to sin. Salvation is not life insurance. Salvation is not a religious system or denomination. Salvation is not cheap belief. Salvation is not man-made, but Christ given.

Join us Sunday night at 6:30 for the first of a 3-part message on 'The Blessed Assurance of Assurance' and why it matters. If you doubt your Salvation, ask why?

What a wonderful service at ODBC today! We honored our veterans, law enforcement and firefighters/first responders. So thankful for the freedoms we still have and those who have fought to preserve those freedoms and those who are on the front lines every day. Mesquite Pipe and Drums blessed us with playing. Our choir did an amazing job! Our Mesquite Police Chief brought a God honoring message. We are thankful for a chief who loves the Lord! Our hot dog and ice cream was fun and enjoyed by all. So thankful to everyone that had a hand in planning, decorating, serving and supporting this annual event. Praise the Lord for the Statue of Liberty that symbolizes our freedom and for the cross that liberates our soul. God Bless America! 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸

ODBC has the best workers and the most fun group. Come join us at VBS this week through Friday. 6-8:15 pm.
For more info visit oatesdrivebaptistchurch.org

Kids are having so much fun at VBS!!! It’s not too late to be a part of the fun. VBS is through Friday. Every evening 6-8:15. Check out our website at oatesdrivebaptistchurch.org for more info or to pre-register. You can also register when you come.

From Pastor Jim

It is humbling to study the Bible and see the different kinds of people the Lord uses to accomplish His purposes and make a difference in other people's lives.

Regardless of age, race, financial status, education, past failures the Lord Redeemed murderers, liars, thieves, adulterers, blasphemers, devil worshippers and used them for His Glory.

The Lord redeems broken sinners to reach a broken world and every single person has one common trait on their resume to be used of God and that is we are all sinners.

Join us Sunday at 10:45 a.m. and see how The Lord can use broken people to reach a broken world.

The Women’s Committee hosted a Tea Party today. It was everything you would imagine. Shelly Jenkins shared a devotional that was great and we sang a little. Thank you to Shelly, Kathy Taylor, Kathy Pierce, Suzanne Payne and Kris Newman for a great event. Thank you to some of our deacons and Benjamin for serving all of us. It was a great time of fellowship, fun and food!

From Pastor Jim

The Bible has with real answers for real people in messed up situations. A popular term used to describe individuals or families in conflict, pain and turmoil is 'dysfunction.'

The Bible tells of people who came from dysfunctional families, situations or created dysfunction through sinful decisions. But the Word of God also provides real hope and answers for those who find themselves struggling.

In Psalm 63, David is being hunted down by his own son, Absalom, who wants to kill him. All this turmoil preceded by David's son Amnon who r***d his own sister. Yet, through all of this tragedy, David 'Seeks the Lord in a dry and thirsty land' and finds hope and peace.

Join us Sunday at 10:45 and learn how we can find peace in the midst of life's storms.

From Pastor Jim

For those who can come during the day, we want to invite you to attend a Free Bible Study learning how we got the Bible. This study (notebooks provided) will encourage and enlighten on Why The Books of the Bible are God's Word.

The Bible was written by 40 different authors, in different countries, from different backgrounds and in different circumstances. The Bible evolved over 1500 years and The Lord has preserved His Word through Divine Revelation and Inspiration.

Join us every Tuesday at 10:00 a.m. for this powerful study that will bring comfort and peace in a world that is full of chaos and turmoil.

From Pastor Jim

College campuses, Police stations and other public places across the country are being targeted with violent and most of the time, lawless Pro-Palestinian rallies.

These activities have been reported as 'protests against the Israel-Hamas war.' But these rioters are shouting 'Death To Israel' and Jewish students and teachers are in fear for their lives.

What is driving the hate towards Israel? Where were the protests when Hamas invaded Israel last October? Jewish citizens, along with other foreigners were killed, kidnapped, r***d and tortured.

What about Israel's response? The war has claimed lives on both sides that can only be classified as tragic and heartbreaking. The truth is the majority of Israel and the Arab Nations have rejected Jesus Christ as Savior.

The calls for cease-fire have been drowned out by calls for violence and sanctions against Israel. Who and what is really behind all this chaos and evil?

How should Christians respond? How should we pray? Are these prophetic events? The Bible tells us all we need to know. Join us Sunday night as we find the answers to God's Word.

From Pastor Jim

I ask for as much prayer as you can offer. Starting this Sunday night (6:30) we will examine the deadly danger of AI (Artificial Intelligence). We will examine the common characteristics AI shares with the antichrist and how AI has become a substitute for God, Worship and human beings.

AI has infiltrated every part of our private and public lives. AI has added to the corruption of our political system and seeks to influence what people should think, feel or speak.

We live in challenging and difficult times, and things will only grow worse. But for Christians, these are exciting times as we are held by the 'Author and Finisher of our Salvation, Jesus Christ.'

Signs of end times should not frighten believers, but draw us closer to our Lord. Pray, Pray, Pray and join us for this in-depth study as we seek comfort and answers from God's Word.