Mount Pleasant Baptist Church

During the Christmas season, many of the traditional songs are played.  One of the most popular is “Santa Claus Is Coming to Town”.  It was written by John Frederick Coots and Haven Gillespe and was first aired in 1934.  Many of the modern beliefs about Santa originate from this song. Although most adults certainly know that Santa is a fictitious character, this song and others like it, attribute many of Santa’s characteristics to something no man, make-believe or real, should be given credit for. The Santa fantasy includes miraculous powers that only God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit have, and certainly not those of any person. Even his title, “Santa”, implies he is a saved child of God, as “santa” is Spanish for “saint or holy”. This song encourages unbiblical teachings. Although most allow their children to temporarily believe in this man with supernatural powers, it starts a young life off by believing wrong things. Also, as many politicians have discove...

Daily Nugget: In Paul’s concluding remarks to the Galatians, he left them with some good advice. His counsel included: If someone has a weakness, and if you really are spiritual, help him with his problem. That advice is contrary to what so many do when one is having difficulties (vs. 1). Too many talk about the dilemma of those that are hurting, ridicule them, and “kick them” when they’re down.  Take other’s hardships to your own heart. Bear the burdens of others (vs. 2) as if they were your very own. No matter how successful you think you are, do not fool yourself into thinking you are better than you really are (vs. 3). Hardships and trials are difficult and exhausting, but when you get through the trial you will feel better about yourself (vss. 4-5). Too many try to keep others from learning that valuable lesson in life by making it easier for them. Those people never experience the joy of getting the victory over the difficulty. Many times, facing a problem by your...

Daily Nugget: A Christian may be saved on the inside, but he must still fight the temptations of the flesh — until the day he dies! Paul gives the only solution for keeping the sin-seeking human nature, that we were born with, at bay. That temptation-resisting advice is “… Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.” (vs. 16) To avoid life-controlling temptations, and often the life-ruining consequences they bring, be wary of where suggestions to do something arise from; do they come from the indwelling Holy Spirit, or are they a desire to just do whatever feels good from the one’s flesh? For those that may have not been able to discern what was of the flesh, Paul gave a clear explanation of some of “works of the flesh”. They were: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness (“lustfulness and indulgences of animal desires”), idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance (“disputing that causes disagreement, discord, and dissensions”), emulations (“conten...

Daily Nugget: Again, in this chapter, Paul discusses more of the law. He makes it clear that under the law the Jews were “children” and under bondage to its laws (vs. 3). Those under the law were commanded to serve; and if they did not, there were threats of penalty. Then something marvelous changed. All the Old Testament promises and pictures of future prophesied things were fulfilled. Jesus Christ, the Son of God came to this earth (vs. 4) and redeemed those under the law (vs. 5). Redeemed is to “purchase or to obtain”. He purchased us and paid for all our sins — every single one of them: past, present, and future! When we accept Jesus’ payment for our sins, we become adopted sons (vs. 5). We are adopted into God’s family. No longer are we subject to the laws that helped us grow up and know right from wrong. They were only shadows to show us the Saviour (John 8:12). No longer are we servants to the schoolmaster’s laws (Gal. 3:24), but we are free to serve God by our own free w...

This week's Bible View Sunday school paper is now available at  http://openthoumineeyes.com/views18/BibleView683.pdf  .

Daily Nugget: To these early believers, obeying the Old Testament laws was part of their life and upbringing. If they were Jews, the commandments were drilled into them much of their life. Those laws were even a part of the gentile’s upbringing. The morality of those laws had done what God introduced them for; to teach many what was right and wrong (3:24). Even today, with few even attending church or reading their Bible, the law has still done its work in many hearts. It still convicts many to know what is right, and what is not. When Christianity started spreading, its message was different. Instead of the strict enforcement of the law, its message had much to do with “faith”. They had to believe something that was not written down at the time, was talked negatively about in their temples, and could not be seen or proven. It was an “invisible” trust on their part. Faith was an old concept, but many never realized it was part of the Old Testament lives. When it was emphasized ...

Daily Nugget: The laws of the Old Testament were more than the commonly known Ten Commandments. There are hundreds of them covering not only morality and proper worship, but also social behavior, punishments for violations, and dietary restrictions. No one could ever go to Heaven by obeying the laws. No one could ever keep them all. The purpose of the law was to: show man what sin is,  to help man see that he is guilty of sin, and that because of his sin, man cannot justify himself. God’s law is our teacher (Gal. 3:24) to show us that we are not only sinners but because we cannot completely stop sinning, we cannot please God by our perfection. When Jesus came, he was the one-time sacrifice that paid for all man’s sins. Trusting Christ’s payment for all our sins, by faith (Gal 2:16), is the only way anyone can be pardoned from sin (vs. 16). No one can be justified by keeping the works of the law (vs. 16)! The laws help us better understand the mind of God, but just ke...

Daily Nugget: In writing to churches (vs. 2) in Galatia, Paul saw something that was happening in the churches that he was not pleased with. He was concerned that they took what he taught them and changed it. What they had been taught by the apostle was given to Paul as a revelation from Jesus Christ (vs. 12). The Gospel was not open to discussion or change, yet that is what they were doing. They were preaching and teaching another “gospel” (vs. 6) other than what they had first learned. Since there is only one Gospel, what they were teaching was false. It was a perversion of the truth (vs. 7). Today, similar perversions are occurring. Many churches and denominations are teaching doctrines contrary to what is taught in the preserved King James Bible. Even the perversions of the foundation of the truth, the Bible, are rampant everywhere. There are over 300 different perversions of God’s Word further adding to different teachings. The result is more confusion, fewer conversions, ...

Daily Nugget: Throughout First and Second Corinthians, Paul frequently mentions those that continually brought up something that was still bothering them. Again, it is mentioned in the preacher’s letter that some were still disputing if he were an apostle or not (vs. 3). I can imagine that among some, it was the topic of much gossip and backbiting in the Corinthian church. Many doubted if Paul actually saw the Saviour, that would qualify him as an apostle. In his letter to them, Paul gives them some good advice that is useful when we have to deal with things that are said to us about others. That advice is to believe what we hear only if it can be established as fact by two or three witnesses (vs.1). That wisdom would silence quite a bit of gossip if it were applied. Years ago, in a high school classroom, I dealt with an argument between several boys. The argument was because one was angry at another, because of something a third boy had “heard” said about him by the second boy...

With over 300+ different Bible versions and translations, many are confused where the real Word of God is, if it exists, and what it says.  Although the Devil most likely has had his hand in the confusion brought about by all these versions each saying something different, God has kept His real Word, pure and undefiled.  Today we can read exactly what He wants us to have in the preserved, inspired King James Bible. God said He would keep His Word for and with us, and He has done so! “The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever.” Isa. 40:8  According to verse seven, the grass is referring to people.  People will come and go, but the God’s Word will always be amongst us.  It will not be preserved verbally, but in written form. “But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.” I Pet. 1:25   Also: Psalms 102:12, Luke 16:17 God chose to preserve ...

Daily Nugget: Paul was a man used greatly of God. With God’s helping hand this evangelist survived shipwrecks, beatings, persecutions, imprisonments, and other ill-treatment. With God’s miraculous help this man was used in healings, revivals, and many miracles. However, as used of God as he was, Paul still had a personal aliment (vs. 7). Commentators have strained at attempting to name Paul’s “thorn in the flesh”. God has chosen not to make it clear to us what it was. No matter what it was, Paul made it clear that it was an infirmity he faced. Three times Paul pleaded with God to remove the malady from him (vs. 8). God’s answer was “… My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness …” (vs. 9). Here was a man that had seen glorious things in the third heaven (vs. 2-4), and had been delivered from many horrible things, yet God wanted Paul to experience this physical problem. God could have easily healed his body, but His answer was that God’s grace was e...

This week's Bible View, which is distributed in church, is now available at:  http://openthoumineeyes.com/newsletters.html .  It is #682 and is available in four formats.

Daily Nugget: One of Paul’s concerns for the church at Corinth was that it would fall to false teachings (vs. 3). He was concerned that someone would preach “another Jesus” (vs. 4). The preacher knew very well that there was only one Jesus. His sarcastic remark was to alert the Corinthians to be very wary of one preaching any other doctrine than what Paul had taught them. What Paul taught them was the truth, undefiled, and often directly from God. Even at that time, there were others corrupting the truth. Those teaching their own ideas and not what the Word of God said were not of God (vs. 13-14). Paul warned the church that those teachers were motivated by none other than Satan himself (vs. 14). They may have sounded or even looked “Christian”. Their purpose, however, was not to glorify God but to separate and weaken the believers. Satan’s ploy in this way is still going strong today. He really does not have much imagination. Perhaps the enemy of God figures if it worked in ...

Did you miss Nov. 11, 2018 Sunday evening's service at Mount Pleasant Baptist Church?  The lesson was a continuation of the study of The Life of Christ and was from Mat.21-22. You can hear it at:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S7Vn3dp4NZY&index=2&t=0s&list=PL9AnO3QVYiX8qqJugM5qtK3Q9sG-mu3LJ

Daily Nugget: Paul, like so many Christians even today, faced some opposition from other Christians. Some in the churches that he spoke at questioned his apostleship, and others accused him of walking in the flesh (vs. 2). No matter the accusation, Paul chose not to fight back. He chose not to fight those who were carnal with his own carnal retorts. He chose to let his works for the Lord speak for themselves, and let the Lord do the rest of the battling (vss. 4-8). Everyone that attends a church has someone falsely accuse him of something or else has his feelings hurt at least once. No church is perfect. It is a God-commanded assembly of believers, and it may have mostly Christians in attendance, but none of them are perfect. Some members of the church family are more carnal than others. They see things from a fleshly perspective and not how God sees them (vs. 5). To make matters worse they often voice their opinions about other members. When this is done, someone usually gets h...

Daily Nugget: The Corinthian church at first had to be rebuked for their spiritual immaturity and sin in their ranks. Apparently, they dealt with the challenges, and the church was growing spiritually. Now, instead of needing more attention, they were able to help others. Paul was now sending brethren to their church (vs. 3) and others to collect an offering to help other poorer saints. He originally told them about the offering in his previous letter to them (I Cor. 16), and now it was time for them to help others. The preacher exhorted them to give “bountifully” (vs. 6) and to give cheerfully (vs. 7). He also reminded them that if they sowed “sparingly”, they “shall reap also sparingly”. If they gave “bountifully”, they would “reap also bountifully”. This is the secret to reaping the blessings of the Lord; giving with the right attitude. As discussed in the II Corinthians 8 commentary, many are robbed of seeing God meet their needs because they will not step out by faith and...