The Contenders For The Faith

Ahhhhhh yes, take a deep breath. You smell that? If you got a snoot full of dust bunnies from your computer then you need to go outside and do it again. You should have smelled smoke from woodstoves, wet leaves, and hot apple cider. Since your outside you should feel cool crisp air warning of winter, you should see leaves changing and falling off trees, and you should see men trying to look like those leaves (camo for city folks) in order to hunt bambi and his cousins. You probably figured out that I love this time of year. Payson is beautiful during the fall and you should come visit us here at the Payson First Baptist Church.
It has been awhile since I've given update of the things going here at Payson First Baptist Church. Its almost hard to know where to begin. I'll begin with a scripture verse that is definitely not my favorite.

Job 1:20 Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped,
Job 1:21 And said, Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.

The Lord giveth and taketh away is certainly one I am learning here at the church. God has seen fit to call several of our preachers into other ministries. The Lord started by calling Jason Burton and his family to Douglas AZ, in late August, to pastor the Haven Baptist Fellowship. Then in early Sept. Kyle and Katie Hoover moved to PA. to be with Pastor Kevin Marshall of the Rocklick Hollow Baptist Church. Finally, (I hope for awhile anyway) God has called Keith Hoover and his family to take the pastorate of the Cornerstone Baptist Church in Union City IND. in late December. I will blog my opinion in regards to the Lord moving people on in the church, in a couple days. (refer to Job 1 21)

A lot of folks have asked when I would get the pictures up from "08" Family Camp. Well they are there now and here is the link.
http://www.paysonfirstbaptistchurch.net/resources/photogallery/main.php?g2_itemId=3012

Psa 119:165 Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them.

We had, as always, a great time at family camp this year. We were privileged to see a soul saved and hearts made right. Pastor Ben Townsend and Pastor Mike Hoover took the time out to speak to us all week and God worked mightily amongst us. Our own homegrown preachers, including Pastor Jason Burton spoke to us every morning and Townsend and Hoover in the evenings. It seemed to me that the messages would only be just for our church. Our recording equipment failed on us during the week and we did'nt notice it, untill it was all over. If you want to hear more details about how God move mysteriously during the week, call me. Enjoy the pictures though.

As I said before, Fall is here, which means there is much to do. We started visitation every Thursday evening and what a blessing that has been. We've yet to see any saved, but I believe it is just a matter of time. The electric light parade for the town is right around the corner and we have a neat idea for this years float. Look for the pictures.

Several folks in our church(including myself, woohoo!) have been drawn for elk hunts. The Lord blessed me last Saturday with a decent size cow elk. Just in time for our Cowboy Cookout, by the way. If you've never done a Cowboy Cookout, you've missed a whole lot of fun and god eatin. Cowboy Cookout is where we all get together and build a big bonfire and cook stew. Everybody brings something to put in the pot and then we all enjoy fellowship and stew!!!!!!!!! Hey, who says Christians can't enjoy life?

1Ti 6:17 Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy;

Well I got to go. Have a wonderful Lord's day next Sunday!!!!!!!!

Pastor