News
Troy Nicholson posted an announcement
COVID Preventative
In an effort to prevent the possibility of COVID among our congregation, we will not have in person services on November 29th, or December 6th. Also, we are cancelling the proposed social for December 13th. There have not been any reported cases of COVID within our congregation; however, with families gathering for Thanksgiving there is a much higher risk to the congregation during these next two weeks. This is being done out of "an abundance of caution" to prevent our church becoming a hotspot. We will still livestream our services on Facebook (at the normal time) and upload them afterward to our website (mypleasantridge.com). For those who do not have internet, we will burn them to DVDs and deliver them. If you know someone who would like to receive the DVD, please let me (Troy) or one of the deacons know. If you know someone who does not have internet or a DVD player but would like to have access to the services, also let us know that. We can find a way to make it work. We don't wish for anyone to be left out! We do not plan to host the services from the porch but we will still broadcast over the short fm transmitter to the parking lot. You are welcome to join from your car if you wish. Have a happy and safe Thanksgiving!mypleasantridge.comEveryone is welcome at Pleasant Ridge Baptist Church, in Walhalla, SC.....mypleasantridge.com
Requesting prayer for My sister, Fern Jennings, she fell and has been taken to the ER. Thank you Nancy PorterJane Frasier
Nancy, I am so sorry for your sister...I will be praying for good results from her doctors!
"Father, Forgive Them"
Luke 23:34 is a shocking verse. Verse 33 tells us that Jesus has been crucified. Before this verse, He has been betrayed, wrongfully arrested, mocked, spat on, denied justice, whipped until the skin of his back was shredded, denied sleep, stripped naked (except the loincloth around his middle), and made to carry the heavy wooden crossbeam up the hill named "Golgotha" or "Calvary." He had been so weakened that someone else had to help carry his cross. Now, he has just had his hands and feet nailed to the cross, and still naked, he has been put on display in front of a crowd of people - so they can watch him die. If that wasn't enough, the soldiers at his feet were gambling to see who would get his clothes after he dies.
In the midst of all that, he says (34) "Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do."
Jesus understood what Paul said in Ephesians 6:12. He knew that these people, including Judas (the betrayer), Pilate (the unrighteous judge), and the soldiers (the ones who crucified him), were only pawns. Behind all of them stood Satan. He was the real enemy - and he had deluded all those people. So, Jesus can say, "Father, forgive them."
Is there anyone in your life that you need to forgive? Are there any situations that Satan has seemingly won the victory? What can you do, today, to repair those relationships?
Truth and the Church
Mountain Rest Baptist, in their monthly newsletter for November, mentioned an intriguing study by Arizona Christian University and the Barna Research Group. I have looked at the research, and it says, in part (this is just the first point):
"Truth and morality are determined by the individual, not by God or the Bible. Solid majorities of mainline adherents believe that there is no absolute moral truth (58%), and that God is not the standard or provider of truth (63%). A large proportion of mainline church attenders believe that people are essentially good (81%), are able to determine right from wrong apart from biblical guidance (71%), and generally know what’s best for their lives, without God’s guidance. They tend to believe that the Bible is a good book and contains wisdom for life, but it cannot be trusted to be absolutely representative of God’s truth principles for humankind (63%). Mainline adults contend that history is not God’s unfolding narrative that provides insights or wisdom for humanity; in fact, human beings cannot even be certain that God exists. Such belief is personal, they argue, and embracing Christianity is less important than embracing some faith."
see https://www.arizonachristian.edu/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/CRC_AWVI2020_Release11_Digital_04_20201006.pdf
This statement fits in perfectly in our current series about Truth. When truth is dismissed, morality goes down the drain. In John 17:17, Jesus says, "Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth." - Was Jesus lying?
You must make the decision in your own heart and mind to believe ALL of the Bible. You must accept ALL of its Truth - whether you find it comfortable for yourself or not. Because, when you begin to dismiss parts of it because it doesn't fit your lifestyle, or choices, you are essentially saying to Jesus, "I know better than you... I'm a better judge about right and wrong than you are." You have set yourself up in the place of God, and that is the very thing that Satan did. See Isaiah 14:12-14 & following.
