Douglas Baptist Church

The following is meant to keep you thinking and wrestling with the topic we explored this morning during our service. I’ve included a number of scripture references so you will have to have your Bible handy or you could use the website www.biblegateway.com. I’ve also included a few passages from a book I’ve spent some time in this week.

Just as we can not dismiss the question -“How can a loving God send someone to Hell?”-we can not dismiss the teaching about Judgment and Hell found in the Bible.  May God’s Spirit guide your thinking as you wrestle with this and may it lead you to experience His Grace in a more profound way!

Matthew 13:49-50; 22:13; 25:34-41

Revelation 21:6-8; 2 Corinthians 5:8-10; Revelation 9:1-2, 11; 14:10-11; 21:8; Luke 16:19-23; Revelation 20:11-15; Luke 13:25-29; Matthew 25; John 5:25-29; Romans 2:3-11; 2 Thessalonians 1:5-9

Thoughts from Timothy Keller in The Reason for God: Belief in an Age of Skepticism

In our culture, divine judgment is one of Christianity’s most offensive doctrines.

Deep distress over this aspect of historic Christian faith is perfectly understandable.

The Bible clearly proposes that heaven and hell are actual realities, but also indicates that all language about them is allusive, metaphorical, and partial.

The Biblical picture is that sin separates us from the presence of God…if we were to lose his presence totally that would be hell.

2 Peter 3:9;1Timothy 2:3-6

Let us never forget that God desires to have a relationship with us. He loves us and His Grace is available to all!

…if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. Romans 10:9 

Isn’t it nice to see the sun! After three or four days of grey clouds and rain today is shaping up to be a beautiful day. Although with some preparation still left to do for Sunday I’m not sure I will get back to the brook with the boys today. (A week ago we headed out just before supper for our first fishing adventure of the season and caught 8 trout…)

This Sunday we will be dealing with another tough question as a part of our on again-off again series “Questions I have for God.” When I asked for questions back in January to help me develop this series I got some good ones (challenging is another word that could be used). As difficult as it is to wrestle with some of these questions, I don’t believe we should run from them or just give a “pat” answer. It makes it seem all to easy…and sometimes we must acknowledge that we need to dig deep and wrestle with such things! “Because I said so” isn’t good enough…in fact it can be downright frustrating for children and adults alike. So prepare to be challenged and wrestle with the question, “How can a loving God send people to hell?” this Sunday!

Well it’s the week after Easter and while it’s taken me a few days to recover, I am so thankful for all the wonderful times of worship and celebration we had! Based on the comments I have heard it seems that God used  many different things during Easter weekend (and our Lenten journey) to speak to His people. Feel free to keep sharing what God did (and is doing) in your life…it is exciting to here and an encouragement to others!

Although Easter is over, there is still much to look forward to. Let us not forget that Jesus is alive (365 days a year) and we gather in His name to celebrate every week. This Sunday’s gathering will be lead by a number of our youth and Pastor Al. I am looking forward to their involvement and know that God is going to use them in a mighty way! Until we gather…may you know God’s blessing and may you be a blessing to others!

HE IS RISEN!
May the following be an encouragement to you today!
HE IS MAKING ALL THINGS NEW!

“Beautiful Like This” Lyrics
by Josh Wilson from the album Trying To Fit The Ocean In A Cup

the fading sun, the rising moon
are fighting for the afternoon
the day gives in, gives up its light
the stars wake up, to keep the night

and as you glory fill the sky, I wonder
how could you
consider me
so much more
than all i see
cause i am not
have never been
beautiful like this

my weary words, and broken lies
are set beneath, your summer skies
what’s worn and wrong, what’s good and right
I laid before, my eyes tonight

but you make all things new
Jesus, you make all things new
I’m beautiful in you, oh, oh, oh

that’s how you could
consider me
so much more
than all i see
redemption mends
a brokenness
it heals our wounds
removes our sins
your purest love
was humbly spent
to bow our hearts
and draw me in
where i become
whole again
I’m beautiful like this
I’m beautiful like this

what can wash away my sin
nothing but your blood oh Jesus
Thank you, Thank you Jesus

Before the Good Friday service I took a few pictures of different decorations around the church. I don’t know about you but I am a visual person (many are I’m told) and for me the things that we have up around the church are more than just decorations (or they should be). They are symbols of important spiritual truths. They are reminders of what it is we celebrate. They are beautiful expressions of peoples creativity that contribute to worship! (I can hardly wait to see all the beautiful expressions of creativity on Easter Sunday!)