Raise The Praise Publications, February 16, 2020 Issue

• february 16, 2020 - PAGE #1 PRODUCTION ADDRESS:

Volume XI No. 31 February

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THE PULSE OF THE CHURCH AND SURROUNDING COMMUNITY

SUPER TUESDAY

AT MCCOY MEMORIAL B. C.

“ONE NIGHT ONLY”

Dr. R. A. Williams

One Night Only…Dr. Robert A. Williams and the McCoy Memorial Church family cordially invite you to attend its annual Super Tuesday, which will take place Tuesday, February 19, 2019 at the McCoy Memorial Baptist Church, 802 East 46th Street, Los Angeles, CA 90011. Dinner will be served from 5:30pm to 6:45 pm. The Worship Ser vice begins promptly at 7:00 pm.

We are honored to have the following exciting and gifted Pastors as guest speakers for this occasion: Rev. Alan A. Patterson, Pastor of the Mt Corinth Church of Houston, Texas, and Dr. Frank Ray, Pastor of the New Salem Baptist Church in Memphis, Tennessee.

Rev. Alan A. Patterson, son

Dr. Frank Ray

of the legendary Dr. A. Luis Patterson, has continued in his father’s footsteps as Pastor of the Mt Corinth Church of Houston, Texas. He has not only continued his father’s legacy of leadership in the greater Houston area, but is forging new and exciting paths in evangelism and Christian leadership. Rev. Patterson was chosen as one of the “Top 20 Preachers to watch under 40” by the African-American Pulpit Journal Magazine. His creative

Rev. Alan Patterson

style of ministry and outreach has taken the greater Houston community by storm! He has a quickly growing youth and young adult ministry, and was named the “New Generation Preacher” by ABC-7 news in Houston, Texas. Our other Guest speaker is none other than the Renowned Dr. Frank E. Ray, Senior Pastor of the New Salem Missionary Baptist Church in Memphis, Tennessee.

Dr. Ray is an exceptional and powerful preacher and

teacher. He has ministered to congregations across the globe, and has been influential in spreading the Gospel through expositor y Preaching and Teaching. Dr. Ray is internally recognized as an exceptional Orator, Author and Recording Artist. Often referred to as the “Walking Bible”, he preaches God’s Word with spirit-filled scriptural simplicity. His leadership and committed study of God’s Word have earned him numerous honors and appointments to national Positions. He currently serves as the National Lecturer for the National Baptist Convention, USA. He previously served for ten years and the Moderator for the Late Night services as well.

The McCoy Church Family is looking forward to seeing your beautiful face at our Annual Super Tuesday Revival. You are sure to receive a blessing through these two dynamic proliferators o f G o d ’s H o l y Wo r d ! !

2020

true friendship b.c.

CELEBRATING 25 YEARS OF PASTORAL LEADERSHIP Park windsor b.c.

PAGE 2

“LEST WE FORGET ” BLACK HISTORY PRESENTATION PAGE 3

Next week Sunday School EVER-PERSEVERING PE TITIONS

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RAISE THE PRAISE CHURCH INFORMATION TRUE FRIENDSHIP MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH PASTOR AND WIFE 25TH PASTORAL ANNIVERSARY The members of the True Friendship Missionary Baptist Church are excited, as we prepare to honor our Pastor, Rev. Dr. James A. and First Lady, Mrs. Evelyn C. Perkins for 25 years of steadfast faith and dedicated service. Theme: “Honoring our Pastor for His Faithfulness and Untiring Love of Labor.” I Peter 5:1-4. Sunday, February 9, 2020 at 3:00 p.m. is “Family and Friends Day.” Our guest Master of Ceremony will be Reverend Albert Blow, Pastor of the Praise Fellowship Baptist Church in the City of Inglewood. This Special

Worship Service will bring family and friends together sharing kind expressions and encouraging words to our Pastor and First Lady.

Our guests churches are the New Philadelphia Baptist Church, Elder Eugene Bryant, Pastor; and the New Bethel Baptist Church, Rev. Dr. Marvis Davis, Pastor will bring the message. Friday, February 21, 2020 at 7:00 p.m., we will present “An Evening in Song.” There will be many talented voices joining us and ministering in songs. You don’t want to miss this spiritfilled evening of praise. Sunday, February 23, 2020 Rev. Chris Le Grande, Pastor of the Great Hope

Baptist Church will bring the message at the 8:00 a.m. Worship Service; Rev. Henry Brown from the McCoy Memorial Baptist Church will bring the message at the 10:45 a.m. Worship Service; and Dr. R. A. Williams, Pastor of the McCoy Memorial Baptist Church will bring the message at 3:00 p.m. Our Pastor and First Lady are well deserving of this honor; and we invite all of you to come and share in this awesome celebration experience, as we come together glorifying and praising the Lord for all he has done.

Our church is located at 7901 S. Van Ness Avenue – Inglewood,

Rev. Dr. James A .& First Lady Mrs. Evelyn C. Perkins C. 90305. Reverend and Mrs. La Vaughn Phillips, Chairpersons;

Reverend Dr. James A. Perkins, Pastor, Carolyn J. Lewis, Reporting.

HUMILITY: THE SECRET OF REDEMPTION

SERMON CORNER

THOMAS À QUINAS

“If you are looking for an example of humility, look at the cross.”

Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and b e c ame ob e dient to death—even death on a cross!

Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name. Philippians 2:5–9 No tree can grow except on the root from which it sprang.

Through all its existence it can only live by the life that was in the seed that gave it being. The full apprehension of this truth in its application to the first and the Second Adam cannot but help us to understand both the need and the nature of the redemption that is in Jesus.

The Need When the Old Serpent, who had been cast out of heaven for his pride, whose whole nature was pride, spoke temptation into Eve’s ear, those words carried with them the very

poison of hell. And when she listened, and yielded her desire and her will to the prospect of being like God, knowing good and evil, the poison entered into her soul, destroying forever that blessed humility and dependence upon God that would have been our everlasting inheritance and happiness. Her life and the life of the race that sprang from her became corrupted to its very root with that most terrible of all sins and curses— Satan’s pride. All the wretchedness of which this world has been the scene, all its wars and bloodshed among the nations, all its selfishness and suffering, all its vain ambitions and jealousies, all its broken hearts and embittered lives, with all its daily unhappiness, have their origin in what this cursed pride—our own or that of others—has brought upon us. It is pride that made redemption necessary; it is from our pride that we need, above everything else, to be redeemed. And our insight into the need of redemption will largely depend upon our knowledge of the terrible nature of the power of pride that has entered our being.

As we have said, no tree can grow except on the root from which it sprang. The pride that Satan brought from hell and whispered into the life of humankind is working daily, hourly, and with mighty power throughout the world.

Men and women suffer from it; they fear and fight and flee it; and yet they don’t always know where it has come from or how it has gained such terrible supremacy. No wonder they don’t know how to overcome it. Pride has its root and strength in a spiritual power, outside of us as from the pulpit continued on PAGE 11

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RAISE THE PRAISE CHURCH INFORMATION one faith fellowship “nuggets for the soul”

The “P” Experience

dr. tonya lewis

Oh!!!! If only we could really understand what Daddy-God desires that we experience! His heart has always been for our good! He has always wanted the very best for us! He never wanted us to experience the troubles of this world; tears, pain, dying, illnesses, bad marriages or anything negative.

However, each of the negative

and painful experiences is the result of sin in the world, ushered in when Adam decided to disobey God in the Garden of Eden. Don’t frown at Adam, for since then; each of us has kept the transgression of sin alive through our disobedience of God’s Holy Word. Because of the above- mentioned good that Daddy-God desires for our lives, man has been provided the opportunity to receive “The P Experience” through Jesus’ death and resurrection. This is the “Invitation of Opportunity” for us to abide in the “Pleasure in His Presence.” Psa. 16:11-You will show me the way of life, granting me the joy of Your presence and the pleasures of living with You forever. (NLT) …You will fill me with joy in Your presence,(NIV), in Your presence is abundant joy (CSB), You make me glad by being

near to me (CEV), Complete joy is in your presence.(GWT).“In thy presence is fullness of joy; literally, overwhelming joy - enough and more than enough, to satisfy the extreme cravings of the human heart. At thy right hand; rather, in thy right hand ready for bestowal on thy saints are pleasures for evermore. An inexhaustible store which may be drawn upon forever!” (Pulpit Comm.) Both on earth and certainly for all eternity in His presence is the fullness of joy. There is everything that we need and could ever desire to experience!

Blessings of peace, comfort, assurance, and so much more in His presence! Daddy-God longs to commune with us, to share Himself with those persons who will yield their heart to Him. However, each person must have the mindset which David had to discover the “Pleasure in His Presence Experience.” David said in Psa.16:1-Keep me safe, O God, for I have come to You for refuge. 2-I said to the LORD, “You are my Master! Every good thing I have comes from You.” 3-The godly people in the land are my true heroes! I take pleasure in them! 4-Troubles multiply for those who chase after other gods. I will not take part in

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Phone support Hours - 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. their sacrifices of blood or even speak the names of their gods. 5-LORD, you alone are my inheritance, nuggets for the soul cont. on page 10

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RAISE THE PRAISE CHURCH INFORMATION SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON

Ever-Persevering Petitions Devotional Reading • Psalm 13 Bible Background • Luke 11:1–13 HONORING GOD

Unit 3: Jesus Teaches About True Worship LESSONS 10–13

Lesson Aims

1. State the main lesson of the parable.

february 23, 2020 Bible Study Guide

Focal verses: NIV Luke 11:5–13 5 Then Jesus said to them, “Suppose you have a friend, and you go to him at midnight and say, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread; 6 a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I have no food to offer him.’

7 And suppose the one inside answers, ‘Don’t bother me. The door

is already locked, and my children and I are in bed. I can’t get up and give you anything.’

8 I tell you, even though he will not get up and give you the bread because of friendship, yet because of your shameless audacity he will surely get up and give you as much as you need.

9 “So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.

10 For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.

11 “Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead?

12 Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion?

13 If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”

Introduction A. Seeking a Blue Doorknob A shaggy-dog story is a long-winded tale with an underwhelming punch line.

The point of such a story is that the joke is on the listener, who has paid attention for far too long and has not been rewarded. One shaggy dog story tells of the search for a magical blue doorknob in the Empire State Building.

The storyteller can stretch this joke to include as many of the building’s 102 floors as desired (each with dozens of doors with knobs). The story can end with the questioning of a janitor on the top floor who says, “Oh, they took out all the colored knobs years ago.”

Have you ever experienced frustrating and fruitless searches, quests that are like the punch line in what turns out to be a shaggy-dog story? Have you ever made repeated requests of someone and not received any kind of response?

Have you ever knocked on a door when you knew someone was behind it but did not hear a word?

The fruitless search makes us think, Give it up! The ignored requests say, Don’t bother me! The unopened door says, Leave me alone!

Perhaps your prayer life has felt that way at times. Your prayers seem to float to the ceiling and no farther.

Earnest petitions yield silence day after day. Lamentations 3:44 seems all too real: “You have covered yourself with a cloud so that no prayer can get through.” What are we to make of these times when God seems slow to answer?

B. Lesson Context Luke’s two books, Luke and Acts, have repeated mentions of people praying and frequent teachings on prayer. We cannot read these two books without noticing that Jesus was

a man of prayer (see Luke 5:16; 6:12; 9:18, 28; 11:1; 22:40, 41, 44, 46; etc.) and that the first-century church was a community of prayer (see Acts 1:14; 13:3; 21:5; etc.). The Jerusalem church made prayer a priority (2:42).

Cornelius, a Gentile, was a God-fearing man before his conversion, partly because he devoted himself to prayer (10:2).

The church inherited this reverence for prayer from its Jewish roots.

Ancient Jewish synagogues and the temple itself were ideally houses of prayer (see Isaiah 56:7; Matthew 21:13; Mark 11:17; Luke 19:46), dedicated spaces where people could pray alone or in community.

Prayer by Jesus and first-century Jews was rooted in the Scriptures (Genesis 21:16–18; Exodus 32:11–13; Jeremiah 10:23–25; etc.). The Old Testament shows prayer as addressing the Lord as the God who hears, cares, and is powerful to act (Exodus 2:23– 25; Psalm 65:2; Daniel 9:19).

The previous lesson looked at the Lord’s Prayer as found in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 6:9–15; see lesson 12); Luke’s parallel for that teaching opportunity (although not his version of the Lord’s Prayer itself) is the Sermon on the Plain (Luke 6:17–49).

Between that event and today’s lesson occurs a miraculous healing and a resurrection (7:1–17); interactions with various people (7:18–50); more teaching (8:1–21; 10:38–42); calming a storm (8:22–25); an exorcism, resurrection, and healing (8:26– 56); sending of the 12 (9:1–9); a miraculous feeding (9:10–17); private conversations and the transfiguration (9:18–36); another exorcism (9:37–

2. Explain how prayer is asking, seeking, and knocking.

3. Identify one reason for lacking persistence in prayer and make a corrective plan.

Key Verse: I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.

—Luke 11:9

43a); conversations and opposition (9:43b–62); and the sending of the 72 (10:1–24). Only then do we arrive at Luke’s version of the Lord’s Prayer (also known as the model prayer) and today’s text that follows it.

As Luke 11 opens, Jesus was praying.

When he had finished, a disciple asked him to teach them how to pray. Jesus’ response was to offer the prayer of Luke 11:2–4. The text for today’s lesson offers further insights on prayer.

I. Persistent Request (Luke 11:5–8) A. Inconvenience (vv. 5–7) 5, 6. Then Jesus said to them, “Suppose you have a friend, and you go to him at midnight and say, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread; a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I have no food to offer him.’

The setting of this parable is that of the relationship of two friends who are also neighbors. These are people who are likely to have engaged in sharing and borrowing things from each other over many years. Such a relationship is to be assumed as normal and healthy

by Jesus’ audience.

Midnight in Judea is truly the middle of the night. Because providing light after dark uses expensive oil for lamps, people rise shortly before sunrise and are in bed an hour or two after sundown. A normal day near the equator might begin about 5:00 a.m., and a household might be in bed by 7:00 or 8:00 p.m. By midnight, families are sound asleep, having been so for four or more hours.

An unexpected visitor turns one friend into a host in this parable.

Ancient customs of hospitality differ from ours. A person on a journey might drop in unannounced, leaving a host scrambling to provide food at unusual hours. A host’s failure to provide a meal for his visitor is a social error of inhospitality, even without prior notice of arrival (compare Genesis 19:1–3).

Yet, we should not accuse the host of poor planning. His family may have eaten every piece of bread at the evening meal, assuming their supply would be replenished the next day.

The unanticipated guest has created a crisis, and the rules of hospitality must be honored.

The host needs bread, three loaves.

His claim to have no food may be a way of saying that his food stock is quite inadequate. Bread is baked frequently, even daily. It does not keep long and tastes best when fresh. Friend A is hoping that sleepy Friend B has some bread left over from the previous day.

7. “And suppose the one inside answers, ‘Don’t bother me. The door is already locked, and my children and I are in bed. I can’t get up and give you anything.’

Jesus’ disciples are undoubtedly surprised at the reaction of Friend B. They understand the inconvenience, but they also know that the expectation of village hospitality makes it imperative that the sleeping friend help, even at midnight. He says he can’t get up, but the truth is that he lacks the willingness to get up and help. The parable thereby contrasts an ungracious attitude to God’s graciousness as revealed in the

model prayer (see Luke 11:3).

B. Yielding (v. 8) 8. “I tell you, even though he will not get up and give you the bread because of friendship, yet because of your shameless audacity he will surely get up and give you as much as you need.

Friendship alone is not a strong enough motivation for the man to help. Not even social customs of the day move him to action. What finally motivates him to action is his neighbor’s shameless audacity.

The Greek word being translated, used only here in the New Testament, normally carries the sense of shamelessness. That sense can fit the context here if “shameless” is in the sense of “boldness.” The idea is that of desperation that overrides shame.

The friend pushes past courteous politeness (that might easily take no for an answer) to ask again and again until the request is granted.

The point as it applies to prayer must not be missed: persistence is important. Prayer is a laying bare of the heart before God. If a request is not worth repeating as a daily petition, it may be deemed as whimsical or unimportant. Prayer that is persistent and personal is powerful in God’s eyes. Needs are daily; therefore our practice of prayer must be ongoing, never taking for granted the gracious provision of God. We should take care here, though.

Persistence in prayer is not effective

sunday school ...continued on page 7

Daily Bible Readings

MONDAY Daniel Prays Despite Legal Prohibition (Daniel 6:6–13) TUESDAY God Forms the Holy Nation (Ezekiel 36:22–28) WEDNESDAY Jesus Prays for Future Believers (John 17:20–26) THURSDAY The Holy Spirit Empowers Believers (Acts 1:6–11) FRIDAY Justice for Those Who Pray Fervently (Luke 18:1–8) SATURDAY Ask, and It Is Yours!

(Matthew 7:7–11) SUNDAY Ask, Seek, and Knock!

(Luke 11:5–13)

NOTE: RTP will always print Daily Bible Readings when the lesson has them available. If unavailable we will not print them

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COLUMNS sunday school continued from page 6 because we somehow wear God down (see last week’s lesson). That’s not how it works with God. Persistence in prayer is a test for us, not for him.

What Do You Think?

What are some ways to increase your bold persistence in prayer?

Digging Deeper Considering passages such as Job 38:1, 2; Jonah 4; and Malachi 2:17, what guardrails should you put in place to ensure that your boldly persistent prayers do not cross lines that they shouldn’t?

Don’t Stop Believing For two years, my oldest boy struggled. A small legal problem became a two-year string of escalating trouble.

His trouble stemmed from continuing to seek out the wrong crowd and flouting every rule the county set forth.

My family prayed constantly, but the situation just kept deteriorating. He lied and stole. He became violent.

He had to be placed in a shelter; he was admitted to the hospital for an overdose.

I cried out to the Lord, for what seemed like the millionth time, to deliver my son and my family from the constant chaos.

Like the neighbor in need, I persisted. I prayed. I asked for strength when my despair threatened to overcome me.

I didn’t stop knocking until, in all his great mystery and love, God answered my prayer with a yes. My son began to improve and remains healthy to this day.

As Jesus tells us, we must never stop knocking. And unlike that frustrated friend who grudgingly got up to answer the door, Jesus is never reluctant to answer our prayers. His timing is perfect, and we err when we interpret a delayed answer with reluctance.—P. M. II. Tenacious Prayer (Luke 11:9, 10) A. Asking, Seeking, Knocking (v. 9) 9. “So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.

The parable of the two friends gives context to the famous verse before us. It is the application of the parable (compare Matthew 7:7). The host has asked for bread, sought bread, and knocked on his neighbor’s door until it was opened for him. All of these are presented by Jesus as commands of what we are to do: ask, seek, knock. All three have a sense of continuation: keep asking, keep seeking, keep knocking.

I n t h i s c h a p t e r, i t i s unmistakable that the asking, seeking, and knocking are r e f e r r i n g t o p raye r. T h i s persistence is unlike the prayer practices of pagan Gentiles of Jesus’ day. Greek and Roman

religions often view prayer as a device to manipulate or cajole a god or goddess to shower fortune on the person praying. For this reason, Jesus previously warned his disciples not to follow these empty practices (Matthew 6:7).

Fundamentally, the Gentiles are unsure their gods hear them or will want to help even if they are listening. Jesus’ disciples need have no such fears; unlike the inhospitable neighbor, our God loves to give us what we need when we ask (6:8, 11).

What Do You Think?

What are some steps to strengthen the process of asking, seeking, and knocking?

Digging Deeper Will it be important in answering that question to distinguish asking from seeking from knocking? Why, or why not?

B. Receiving, Finding, Opening (v. 10) 10. “For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.

The potential for misunderstanding here is great. So it bears repeating that we must not see these verses as teaching that we can wear down God by endless, repeated requests until he gives in. Prayer in that case is not a conversation with our Father. Rather, it becomes a tirade that will not cease until demands are met. This danger of misapplication is also a caution for the similar parable of the unjust judge (Luke 18:1–8). The thrust of this parable is that we “should always pray and not give up” (18:1).

The thing to remember is that in both of these parables the persons who grant the requests are not sterling role models for us. Jesus’ listeners do not want to be the inhospitable and insensitive sleeping friend of the twofriends parable. They also abhor the judge who does not care about justice. Does this, then, teach us anything about God? Is God, who hears and grants our requests in prayer, anything like these two men?

The answer is obviously no; God is not like this (Jonah 3:6–10; 4:2). The parables, at one level, set forth a lesserto-greater comparison: if the lesser one grants the request, how much more is the greater one (God) willing to do so! At another level, these parables teach us about the nature of prayer and how we should practice it. We must be persistent. A prayer life that makes a request once then abandons it is not much of a prayer life.

God is always faithful to respond appropriately to our needs. But let’s be honest: Are we sometimes too proud to ask God (or anyone else) for help?

Do we think we always should try to meet our own needs without God’s help? Though asking for what we need goes against cultural expectations of rugged individualism, God expects us to ask him for what we need each day. We do not have access to the decisionmaking process of God when it comes to our prayer requests.

But in all cases, we can remain confident that God is hearing us every time we pray and giving us the answer that best suits his purposes and our needs.

An important point in this and the previous verse is that a specific kind of person is in view here. Today’s lesson text occurs within a long teaching section that deals with how Jesus’ disciples are to think and behave. Thus when Jesus refers to people who ask, seek, and knock, he is referring to the kind of person who has the sort of relationship with God that Jesus has been describing all along. In other words, these verses are directed to the kind of people who ask, seek, and knock while having godly motives and goals.

What Do You Think?

What are some ways to model persistence in prayer when you yourself have not yet received, found, or had doors opened?

Digging Deeper At what point in a Christian’s prayer persistence should he or she reexamine the nature of the unanswered prayer itself?

III. Faithful Response (Luke 11:11–13) A. Imperfect Givers (vv. 11, 12) 11, 12. “Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion?

Jesus begins a second illustration about prayer to make a different point. Only a heartless father would ignore the pleas of a hungry child; only the cruelest of fathers would respond to cries of hunger with the substitutions of a snake for a fish or a scorpion for an egg.

Beyond being not edible by a child, such things are outright dangerous: a snake would bite a child rather than the reverse; a scorpion would sting.

What Do You Think?

How can we encourage those who feel God has given them “a scorpion” for “an egg”?

Digging Deeper As you encourage such a person, how will you know when the time is right or wrong to point out passages such as Psalm 13; Jeremiah 20:7–13; and/or Romans 8:28?

B. The Perfect Father (v. 13) 13. “If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more

will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”

Jesus drives home his major point: even comparatively evil human fathers can and do give good gifts to their children (compare Matthew 7:11). This principle is also true of the sleepy friend of the parable just considered and of the unjust judge in Luke 18. Even the worst of humans sometimes do the right thing, the good thing. However grudgingly, they are able to give good gifts to others. This is a bit like saying that even a blind squirrel finds a nut occasionally. An endorsement, but not a glowing one!

Yet even the best of people are evil when compared to the Lord (Romans 3:5, 10–18, 23). Thus, Jesus employs a lesser-to-greater argument: if certain good things about us frail humans are true, then how much more will good actions come from our perfect Father in heaven, who has no human weaknesses?

M o r e o v e r, t h e Fa t h e r ’s capacity to grant requests far exceeds giving pieces of fish or boiled eggs. Our Father in Heaven gives believers a gift far greater than the most wealthy and generous parent on earth can: his Holy Spirit.

Our God can fulfill not only our physical needs, he can also satisfy our greater spiritual needs. The gift of the Holy Spirit is one of the greatest blessings of the Christian believer. Luke expands on this in Acts 1:8; 2:38; 5:32; 15:8; etc. Focusing on the gift of the Holy Spirit calls Christians to hope even when in material want.

A caution: Jesus’ teaching is not that God is required to better our lives through material possessions. A popular perception of God says that if you want a better car or a bigger house, all you need to do is ask for it in faith. This theory carries the assumption that God promises us health and wealth; it is a “name it and claim it” view of the gospel.

But there is no such promise in the New Testament. Jesus is teaching us how true disciples understand the nature of God; Jesus is not teaching that we can get from God all we want simply by virtue of persistence.

What Do You Think?

What are some things your church should be more persistent in asking of the Lord? Why? Digging Deeper How will you need to change your own prayer priorities so you can best help your church change its prayer priorities?

Good, Good Father A few years back, work transferred my husband to Nebraska. The family soon followed. We felt God’s hand in all of it, despite having to uproot our lives. We—two

adults, two teenagers, a cat, and a dog—were staying in a hotel room with two double beds and a kitchenette while we searched for a permanent home. But we were struggling to get credit approval.

When an apartment we had been hoping for turned us down, a feeling of worthlessness filled me. As I prayed through those despondent emotions, I remembered who God was. I remembered his clear desire to move our family. Suddenly, I was no longer worried about where we would live. I knew who my Father was.

The next Sunday, the call came that we had been approved for the only rental house available within our children’s school district. Just like that, we had a home. I have a good, good Father in Heaven, one who knows how to give good gifts. Do you?

—P. M. Conclusion A. How Should I Pray?

There are many misconceptions about prayer among Christians. These erroneous beliefs can become debilitating. Some say that if God knows all, including our needs, we don’t need to ask for anything. What can we tell God if he already knows everything? “Nothing!” some say. Therefore, this logic says, prayer is pointless. We don’t want to pray wrongly, and we don’t want to suffer from prayer paralysis. We also don’t want to oversimplify prayer, for it represents a relationship with our heavenly Father.

Jesus used two analogies, images we would not expect, to teach us about our prayers to God. First, he spoke of borrowing loaves of bread.

Second, he referred to a father providing wholesome food for his child. Sandwiched between (pun intended!) is one of Jesus’ most profound teachings on prayer in all the Bible: his admonition to ask, seek, and knock without giving up. Jesus ends with a reference to the Holy Spirit, presenting this as the ultimate answer to prayer and the gift of the Father.

Just as the unprepared host did not stop knocking or give up his search for bread, so we should not give up on asking God for the things we need.

Prayer must be an ongoing conversation with the Lord.

Jesus taught the disciples to ask for “daily bread” (Luke 11:3), leaving us to conclude that this request must be done every day. Prayer is a lifetime of activity, not an essay we write and file away forever.

Jesus teaches us that we are not abandoned by God. For this reason, we do not need to devise effective prayer strategies on our own. He has given us examples, and he has given us his Holy Spirit. Paul notes the value of this for us when he teaches that even

sunday school continued on page10

• february 16, 2020 - PAGE #6

raise the praise in your teaching ministry EVENING STAR BAPTIST CHURCH

HOLY CHAPEL BAPTIST CHURCH

211 West 59th Street Los Angeles, CA 90003

Phone: (323) 231-2391 Keith B. Williams Senior Pastor

Website: www.ESMBC.ORG

Early Morning Service ................................7:30 & 8:30 A.M. Sunday School ......................................................8:45 A.M. Morning Worship ................................................ 10:00 A.M. Spanish Ministry ................................................... 6:00 P.M. Prayer & Bible Study .....(Wed.) ..... 12:00 Noon / 7:00 P.M.

FIRST ANTIOCH MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH 8725 South Central Avenue Los Angeles, CA 90002 Phone: (323) 589-2551 REV. GERALD BURGESS SR., PASTOR “KINGDOM BUILDING MINISTRIES” Early Morning Worship ....................................... 8:00 A.M. Sunday School.................................................... 9:30 A.M. Morning Worship................................................ 11:00 A.M. Mid-Week Prayer ................(Wed) ......................6:30 P.M. Bible Study .........................(Wed.) ......................7:00 P.M.

REV. DR. GEORGE THOMAS, PASTOR 1016 East Rosecrans Avenue Compton, CA 90220 / Phone: (310) 537-3149 Early Morning Worship ................................. 7:30 - 9:30 A.M. Sunday School ....................... 9:30 - 9:45 A.M. & 10:15 A.M. New Member’s Class (Sunday) .............................. 9:45 A.M. Mid-Morning Worship ............................................ 11:15 A.M. Holy Communion (1st Sun.) ........................ 7:30 & 1:15 A.M. Broadcast (KALI 900 AM - SUN.) ................. 2:00 - 3:00 P.M. Mdwk. Prayer & Bible Study (Wed.) ...... 7:00 P.M. - 8:30 P.M.

JUDSON BAPTIST CHURCH 451 East 223rd Street Carson, CA 90745 Office (310) 834-2630 Fax (310) 513-0943 Web: judsonbc.net

Dr. Johnny V. Baylor, Pastor/Teacher Sunday Worship Service :.......................................... 9:30 AM Children’s Church Available: .(Except 5th ) ................ 9:30 AM Speak Life Youth Ministry: (2nd & 4th Sunday) :........ 12:30 PM & (5th Sunday) ........... 9:30 AM Bible Study: (Wed.) .............................................. 12:00 Noon Mid-Week Worship In The Word w/Dr. Baylor (Wed.) 7:00 PM

GREATER EBENEZER.B.C. 5300 S. Denker Avenue. Los Angeles, CA 90062

NEW MT. CALVARY BAPTIST CHURCH 402 E. El Segundo Blvd, L.A. Ca, 90061 CHURCH: 310-324-0644 FAX: (310) 769-1287

REV. SONJA DAWSON., Pastor REV. LONNIE DAWSON, SR., Founder (1962-2010) Sundays .................................................. 7:30 & 10:45 A.M. Sunday School ...................................................... 9:30 A.M. Bible Study Monday ......... except.1st Monday ........... 5:00 & 7:00 P.M. Wednesdays .........................................................12 Noon Prayer Meeting .............1st Monday .......................7:00 P.M.

“PRAISE CITY” PRAISES OF ZION B.C. 8222 So. San Pedro St. L.A., CA 90003 Office: (323) 750-1033 Fax: (323) 758-6030

Website: www.wordonnet.com/hardwick

DR. J. BENJAMIN HARDWICK, SR. PASTOR Sunday Broadcast (KJLH 102.3) ……………..…….. 5:30am Sunday Worship Services …...… 6:45am, 10:45am, 5:00pm Sunday School (Educational Hour) …....……………. 9:30am Mid-Week Bible Study (Wednesday) …….…….…… 7:00pm

VICTORY BAPTIST CHURCH OF LOS ANGELES 4802 South McKinley Avenue Los Angeles, CA 90011

Phone: (323) 759-4996 Website www.gembcla.org

PHONE: (323) 231-2424 DR. W. E. JENKINS Pastor

REV. DENON PORTER, Pastor REV., DR. SOLOMON DRAKE, Pastor Emeritus Sunday Worship Services ................. 8:00 a.m. & 11:00 a.m.

Live Streaming @gembcla.org Live Broadcast KALI 900 am .................................11:00 a.m.

Sunday School ....................................................... 9:30 a.m.

Mid-Week Bible Study ... (Tues) 7:00 p.m. & Wed. 7:30 p.m.

Prayer Meeting (Wed) ...................... 12:00 p.m. & 6:30 p.m.

Morning Worship ........................................... 9:00 A.M. Sunday School ............................................ 10:45 A.M. Children’s Church (1st Sun.) ....................... 10:00 A.M. Mdwk. Prayer (Wed.) ............................. 12 & 7:00 P.M.

855 778-8548

BAPTIST MINISTERS CONFERENCE of Los Angeles Regular Meeting Location is MT. MORIAH M.B.C. 4265 S. Figueroa Street Los Angeles, Ca 90037

every monday at 11:00 AM

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Is looking for a few good MEN & WOMEN call today 323-210-3658 RAISE THE PRAISE MINISTRY CONNECTION • $90.00 PER MONTH SINGLE SPACE B/W• 50 PAPERS PER WEEK • DISCOUNTED DISPLAY ADS • ONE EDITORIAL PER WEEK • WE WILL BEAT ANY COMPETITOR WITH SAME DISTRIBUTION

• february 16, 2020 - PAGE #7

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• february 16, 2020 - PAGE #8

raise the praise in your teaching ministry CITIZENS OF ZION M.B.C.

12930 South Lime Avenue, Compton, CA 90221 Phone: (310) 638-0536 Email- citizensofzionmbc@gmail.com

MT. ZION MISSIONARY B.C. 1300 EAST 50TH STREET LOS ANGELES, CA 90011 PHONE: (323) 235-2103 REV. EDWARD V. HILL II, PASTOR

www.

DR. B. T. NEWMAN SR. BOBBY T. NEWMAN JR. Pastor Emeritus Pastor citizensofzion.org SERVICE TIMES:

Concentration Period ………................……………….. 9:00 a.m.

Sunday School ……………..........……………………… 9:30 a.m.

Morning Worship ………….............…………………… 10:45 a.m Wednesday Prayer ………..….............……. 9:30 a.m.-6:45 p.m.

Wednesday Bible Study …….............…… 10:00 a.m.- 7:30 p.m.

Intercessory Prayer ............................................ 9:15 A.M. Morning Worship..................................................9:30 A.M. Sunday School ................................................. 11:30 A.M. Prayer/Bible Study (Tues.) ................................... 7:45 P.M. Prayer (Wed.) ................................................ 12:00 NOON

TRINITY BAPTIST CHURCH

MT. TABOR MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH 6614 SOUTH WESTERN AVE., LOS ANGELES, CA 90047

2040 W. Jefferson Blvd., - Los Angeles, CA 90018 Phone: (323) 735-0044 Fax: (323) 735-0219 E-Mail: Trinitybaptistc@sbcglobal.net WebSite: Trinitybaptistchurchla.org

REV. ALVIN TUNSTILL, JR., PASTOR

Sunday Worship Service ......................... 7:30 & 10:30 A.M. Church School ....................................................... 9:00 A.M. Broadcast (KJLH) - 102.3) .................................. 9:00 A.M. Prayer & Bible Study (Wed.).............. 12:00 P.M. & 7:00 P.M.

BETHEL M.B.C. OF SOUTH L.A.

EBENEZER BAPTIST CHURCH

10905 S. Compt., Ave., L.A., CA 90059 Phone: (323) 566-5286/Fax: 566-3224 Email: rapope2014@aol.com REGINALD POPE, DP.TH., PASTOR

4901 S. Avalon Blvd. L.A. Ca 90011

Ph: (323) 232-0398 Fx: (323) 232-7183 Email; ebc4901@sbcglobal.net

DR. KENNETH E. LITTLE, PASTOR Intercessory Prayer.............. 8:30 A.M. Sunday School ..................... 9:30 A.M. Morning Worship..................11:00 A.M.

Worship ............ 8:00 A.M. & 11:00 A.M. Sun. School & Bible Train. .... 9:30 A.M. Evangelism/Prayer (Mon.) ..... 7:00 P.M. Prayer/Bible (Wed.) 11:30 AM/6:30 P.M. Radio KALI 900 AM ..( Sun).. 7:30 A.M.

Night Service . (2d & 4th Sun.) 7:00 P.M. Mdwk. Prayer/Bible Study (Wed) .7:00 P.M.

BIBLE FELLOWSHIP BAPTIST CHURCH

FAITH COMMUNITY B.C.

8703 Cedar St.,Bellflower, CA 90706

6915 S. Broadway Ave Los Angeles, CA 90003-1846 Phone: (323) 751-3532 (323) 751-7331 REV. DeSHAY L. WARD, SR PASTOR Sunday School ..................... 9:45 A.M. Morning Worship ................ 11:15 A.M. Prayer & Praise.. (Tues)..... 12:00 P.M. Choir Rehearsal ..(Thurs)..... 4:00 P.M. Bible Class ...(Thurs)............ 7:15 P.M

GRACE TEMPLE BAPTIST CHURCH 7017 Gramercy Place, LA Ca Phone: (323) 971-8192

RODENY J. HOWARD, SR PASTOR/TEACHER Life Groupsl ............................8:30 A.M. Morning Worship ................... 9:30 A.M. Intercessory Prayer..(Wed.)..... 6:30 P.M. Wednesday Worship. (Wed).... 7:00 P.M.

“Family of Purpose” CHURCH Phone: (888) 294-5545 www.FOPLive.com

REV. FREDERICK E. HOWARD Senior Pastor/Teacher Editor/Publisher Sunday School ...................Sunday....................... 9:30 A.M. Worship Celebration...........Sunday..................... 10:45 A.M. Mdwk. Prayer ......................Wednesday................ 7:00 P.M. Choir Rehearsals................Thursday.....................7:00 P.M. LIVE BROADCAST * SUNDAY 11:00 AM FOPLive.com

BEULAH BAPTIST CHURCH 1454 E. 100th St., L.A., CA 90062

www.BeulahBaptistLa.org

REV. TICEY BROWN PASTOR

CHRIST SECOND BAPTIST CHURCH 1471 Martin Luther King, Jr. Ave. Long Beach, CA 90813 Phone: (562) 599-3421 www.csbclb.org REV.WELTON PLEASANT II, PASTOR Sunday School ........................8:30 A.M. Morning Worship ................... 9:40 A.M. Midweek Prayer (Wed.) ........ 7:00 P.M.

10400 S. San Pedro Street, L.A. Calif. 90003

CHURCH: (323) 564-4983

PHONE: (323) 753-3189 PASTOR (323) 753-3180

Early Worship ....................................................... 8:00 A.M. Sunday School ..................................................... 9:40 A.M. Morning Worship ................................................. 11:00 A.M. Mid-Week Prayer Mtg. (Wed.) ............................... 7:00 P.M.

SOUTHSIDE BETHEL BAPTIST CHURCH

Ph: (562) 452-4512 www.faithcbc.org https://www.facebook.com/faithcbc

PASTOR A.D. GARTLEY, PASTOR Sunday Worship..................8:30 A.M. Wednesday in the Word .........7:00 P.M.

GREATER HOLY ST. JOHN, M.B.C.

5536 Morgan Ave. L.A., CA 90011 (323) 581-8488 email: ghsjchurch@sbcglobal.net ELDER J. L. SORRELLS, SR. Pastor/Teacher Sunday.School ............................. 9:30AM Morning Worship ……….........…. 11:00AM Wednesday Prayer/Bible Study … 7:00PM 4th. Saturday YSG Night ……...… 6:00PM

GREATER NEW LIGHT B.C.

1154 E. 92nd Street Los Angeles, Ca 90002 Ph: (323) 567-1993 Fx: (323) 567-1407 E-mail: info@GreaterNewLightBC.org DR. PATRICK D. ROSS, PASTOR Sunday Morning Prayer .......... 8:30 A.M. Christian Education Hour ........ 9:30 A.M. Morning Worship Service ....... 11:00 A.M. Prayer& Bible Study. (Wed) .... 7:00 P.M. Saturday Morning Prayer ........ 9:00 A.M.

REV. ROBERT L. TAYLOR PASTOR

Sunday School .....................................................9:00 A.M. Morning Worship ............................................... 10:00 A.M. Bible Study (Wednesday) .................................... 7:00 P.M.

FRIENDLY FRIENDSHIP B.C.

10101 S. Avalon Blvd., L.A., CA 90003 Phone: (323) 756-4088 REV. LAMONTE KING, PASTOR Early Worship ........................ 8:00 A.M. Sunday School ...................... 9:05 A.M. Morning Worship ................. 10:30 A.M. Monday Bible Study ............... 7:00 P.M. Mdwk. Prayer (Wed.) ....... 12:00 NOON Mdwk. Pray/Bible Study (Wed) ... 7:P.M.

GOSPEL MEMORIAL C.O.G.I.C.

1480 Atlantic Ave., L.B., CA 90813 Phone: (562) 599-7389 BISHOP JOE L. EALY, PASTOR Sunday School ..................... 9:30 A.M. Morning Worship ................ 11:00 A.M. Evening Worship ................... 6:30 P.M. Wednesday Night Prayer ..... 7:00 P.M. Pastoral Teaching (Wed) ...... 7:30 P.M.

GOSPEL MISSION BAPTIST CHURCH

7301 So. Avalon, L.A., CA 90003 Phone/Fax: (323) 759-8087 REV. RAYMOND A. DENNIS, PASTOR Sunday School ..................... 9:00 A.M. Morning Worship ............... 10:30 A.M. Mission Mtg. (Wed.) ........ 12:00 Noon Bible Study/Prayer Mtg. (W) 7:00 P.M.

ST. JOHN M.B.C.

936 W. 49th Street Los Angeles, CA 90037 Phone (323) 752-0855 stjohnbc@att.net REV. JAMES A. BROOKS PASTOR Sunday School......................9:30 A.M. Morning Worship...................10:45 A.M. Prayer/Bible Study..... (Wed)....6:00 P.M.

• february 16, 2020 - PAGE #9

raise the praise ADVERTISEMENT GREATER MT. HERMON M.B.C.

2302 West 132nd St., L.A., CA 90059 Ph: 310-635-1958 FAX: 310-635-1938 REV. A.R. BILLINGLY Organizer/Builder REV. KENNETH A. HALL, PASTOR Sunday School ...................... 9:00 A.M. Morning Worship ................. 10:45 A.M. Evening Worship .................... 6:00 P.M. Mdwk. Prayer (Wed) 12 Noon/7:30 P.M.

LOVE LIFTED ME M.B.C.

6501 Crenshaw Blvd - L.A., CA 90043 Ph: (323) 778-5438 Fx:(323) 778-0574 PASTOR DR. S.S. SHIGG ORGANIZER/PASTOR Sunday School .......................9:00 A.M. Worship Service ................. 11:00 A.M. Prayer/Bible Study ................ 6:30 P.M. Silent Revival (1st Sat).. 2:00-2:15 P.M.

PLEASANT VIEW M.B.C. 7524 S. Compton Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90001

Ph: (323) 581-9900 Email Address: pvmbc54@yahoo.com REV. MICHAEL WHITE - PASTOR Sunday School ............9:15 - 10:30 A.M. Morning Worship Service ........11:00 A.M. Wednesday Night Prayer...........7:00 P.M. Wednesday Night Bible Study....7:30 P.M.

ROCK OF FAITH M.B.C.

5151 South Normandie Avenue Los Angeles, CA 90037 Off.: (323) 296-5840 / 751-2658 Rev. E.A. Taylor, Founder

REV. WILLIAM G. DAVIS, JR., PASTOR

Sunday School ..................... 9:05 A.M. Morning Worship ................ 10:15 A.M. Afternoon Worship ............... 3:30 P.M. Mdwk. Prayer (Wed.) ............ 7:00 P.M.

ST. REED BAPTIST CHURCH

656 East 79th Street - L.A., CA 90001 Ph: (323) 752-7807; Fx. (323) 758-8529 E-mail: StReed@sbcglobal.net REV. C.R. JONES, PASTOR Sunday School ..................... 9:30 A.M. Morning Worship ................. 11:00 A.M. Bible Study (Wed.) .............. 10:00 A.M. Prayer Service (Wed.) .......... 6:30 P.M. B.T.U. ..................................... 5:30 P.M. Teacher’s Mtg. (Thurs.) ......... 5:30 P.M.

TRAVELER’S REST M.B.C. 1417 East Florence Avenue Los Angeles, CA 90001

Phone: (323) 582-7797 Fax: (323) 582-1191

E-mail: travelersrest@sbcglobal.net REV. SIDNEY O. SMITH, PASTOR

Morning Worship .......8:00 & 11:00 A.M. Sunday School ...................... 9:30 A.M. Prayer Meeting ... (Wed) ....... 6:40 P.M. Bible Study ...... (Wed) .......... 7:20 P.M.

TRUE FRIENDSHIP MISSIONARY B.C. 7901 South Van Ness Avenue Inglewood, CA 90305 Ph: (323) 750-7304 Fx. (323) 565-2894 REV. JAMES A. PERKINS, PASTOR Morning Worship ..... 8:00 A.M./10:45 A.M. Bible Adventure Hour ............... 9:30 A.M. Prayer & Praise/Bible Study (Tues.) 7:P.M. Prayer & Praise/Bible Study (Thur.) 12 Noon

GREATER MT. SINAI M.B.C. #2

“A Church Bible-Based, ChristCentered & Spirit Led” 12317 S. Wilmington Ave. Compt., CA 90222 Phone: (310) 631-0261 REV. KALVIN E. CRESSEL, SR., PASTOR/TEACHER Bible Institue (Sun.) ............. 9:15 A.M. Morning Worship ............... 10:45 A.M. Mission (Tues.) ................. 10:30 A.M. Teachers Mtg. (Tues.) ......... 6:30 P.M. Bible Study/Discipleship (Wed)7:00 P.M.

MOUNT ISRAEL M.B.C.

230 W. 103rd Street, L.A., CA 90003 (323) 757-3090; Fx: (310) 532-8498 Email; jessiewalker@ca.rr.com DR. JESSE L. WALKER, PASTOR Sunday School ........................ 9:30 A.M. Sunday Morning Worship ..... 11:00 A.M. Midwk. Worship Serv/Prayer Mtg 7:P.M. B.T.U. (Sunday)......................10:15 A.M. Choir Rehearsal (Friday.) ...... 7:00 P.M.

YOUR CHURCH NAME Your Church Address Your Church Phone

Your Church Website Your Pastor’s Name

ONE FAITH FELLOWSHIP P.O. BOX 56641, LA, CA 90056 E-MAIL: OneFaith2007@aol.com www.onefaithfellowship.org Phone: (323) 481-6724 Dr. Tonya Lewis, Founder/President

1st Saturday - Fellowships Celebration of Youths - March Celebration of Adults - August

PARK WINDSOR BAPTIST CHURCH Park Windsor B.C. is a Church of “Inclusion, Not Exclusion” 1842 W. 108th Street, L.A. Ca 90047 Phone: (323) 756-3966 F: (323) 756-3969

REV. TERRELL TAYLOR - PASTOR

Morning Worship Service ..8:00 & .11:00 A.M. Sunday School ...........................9:30 AM Noon Bible Study...Wed............... 12:00 PM Prayer Meeting/Bible Study Wed... 7:00 PM

NEW HOPE B.C. LONG BEACH

1160 New York St. Long Beach, CA 90813 Ph (562) 599-3509; Fx (562) 591-7314 REV. COLEMAN L HART, PASTOR

Sunday Morning Services ............ 10 a.m.

Sunday School Members ......... 9:35 a.m.

Bible study: Tues. 7 p.m. & Wed. 12 noon.

Published EVERY Week & you get 50 Papers per week 1 Editorial Article per week

Sunday School ........................ 8:45 A.M. Morning Worship ................... 10:30 A.M. Sun. Discipleship Training ..... 5:00 P.M. Mon. Night Men’s Bible Study .. 7:00 P.M. Tuesday (Mission) WMU ......... 6:00 P.M. Wednesday Youth Family Night 6:00 P.M. Wed. Night (Mid-Week) Prayer 7:00 P.M.

NEW PROVIDENCE M.B.C.

PILGRIM’S HOPE BIBLE CHURCH 7016 S. Compton Ave, L.A. Ca 90001 Phone: (323) 581-7672 Fx: (323) 581-6466

10200 South Normandie Avenue Los Angeles, CA 90044 Phone: (323) 754-3779 Rev. Q.E. McKinney, Pastor Early Morning Service .......... 8:15 A.M. Sunday School ..................... 9:30 A.M. Regular Morning Service .....11:00 A.M. Prayer Call (Tues) ................ 5:30 P.M. Bible Study (Wed) ............ 12:00 Noon

THE LIBERTY CHURCH 14725 South Gramercy Place Gardena, CA 90249 CHURCH: (310) 715-8400 Email Address: libertytabmin@sbcglobal.net DAVID CROSS - PASTOR/TEACHER Worship Services ........9:00 & 11:00 A.M. Word Power/Bible Study (Wed.) 7:00 P.M. “I Care Ministry” (Sat.) ................ (TBA)

UNION MISSIONARY B.C.

1812 E. 110th St. - L.A., CA 90059 Phone: (323) 566-5315 REV. ADELL MCDANIEL, PASTOR Sunday School ...................... 9:30 A.M. Morning Worship ................. 11:00 A.M. Prayer Mtg./Bible Study (Tue.) 5:00 P.M. UBU Club (Ages 13-19) 4th Wed. 6: P.M.

VILLAGE MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH

1521 East 111th St., L.A., CA 90059 Los Angeles, CA 90061-0218 Phone: (323) 566-5303 villagembc@gmail.com www.villagewatts.faithlifesites.com REV. W. CHARLES HARRIS, II, PASTOR Sunday School ....................... 9:30 A.M. Morning Worship .................. 11:00 A.M. Prayer Meeting (Wed.) ............ 6:30 P.M. Bible Study (Wed.) .................. 7:00 P.M.

Email: phbc7016@att.net

Dr. T. Delbert Robinson, Senior Pastor CESOM ..................................... 9:00 A.M. Morning Worship ......................10:30 A.M. Pastoral Bible Institute ...WED....7:00 P.M.

TABERNACLE BAPTIST CHURCH 4155 McKinley Ave., L.A., CA 90011 PH: (323) 233-3289; FX: (323) 233-9356 E-Mail: Tabernacle_bc@yahoo.com PASTOR LESTER MOSLEY 8:00 A.M. ........ Early Morning Worship (1st, 3rd, & 5th Sunday) 9:30 A.M. ....... Sunday Church School 11:00 A.M. ................ Worship Service 7:30 P.M. (Wed.) Mid-Week BibleStudy & Prayer Service

TABERNACLE OF FAITH B.C.

11328 S. Central Ave., L.A., CA 90059 Phone: (323) 569-4162 Website: gotothetab.org Email: thetab@gotothetab.org

REV. JOHN D LONG, PASTOR Sunday School .................... 9:00 A.M. Morning Worship ................ 11:00 A.M. Bible Study (Thurs) .............. 7:00 P.M. School of Prayer (Wed.) ...... 11:00 A.M.

YOUR CHURCH NAME Your Church Address Your Church Phone

Your Church Website Your Pastor’s Name

Sunday Morning Services ............ 10 a.m.

Sunday School Members ......... 9:35 a.m.

Bible study: Tues. 7 p.m. & Wed. 12 noon.

Published EVERY Week & you get 50 Papers per week 1 Editorial Article per week

• february 16, 2020 - PAGE #10

INTERVIEW columns sunday school continued fron page 5 though we are inadequate in our prayer lives, God’s Spirit will intercede for us to make up for our weaknesses (Romans 8:26). God not only hears our prayers, he will help us if we let him.

As you discuss verse 9, point to this visual and ask how the image relates to the discipline of asking, seeking, and knocking.

Jesus’ encouragement in

Luke 11 is to never give up on prayer, no matter how unfruitful it may seem on any given day. The key is that we keep praying. We keep asking God, seeking his will, and knocking on the doors of Heaven with our requests (using James 4:3 as a caution: “Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts”). Few of us would count ourselves as

giants in the world of prayer, so we can make this same request: “Lord, teach us to pray” (Luke 11:1)! Jesus was both a master teacher and the greatest pray-er of all time.

His centuries-old words still guide us in this crucial spiritual matter today.

B. Prayer Father God, we do have daily needs, things like food and drink that our bodies require.

We have personal needs, to be

loved by others and to have others to love. Most of all, we have spiritual needs that will only be satisfied by your Holy Spirit. We knock on your door to ask that you supply all our needs, all that we seek. We ask this in the name of Jesus, who graciously taught us to pray. Amen.

C. Thought to Remember “The worst sin is prayerlessness.”

—P. T. Forsythe (1848–

1921) Krause, M. S., Miller, P. L., Bass, K., & Kendrick, C. M. (2019–2020). EverPersevering Petitions. In R. L. Nickelson, J. A. Kenney, M. K. Williams, & J. Gerke (Eds.), The NIV Standard Lesson Commentary, 2019– 2020 (Vol. 26, pp. 217– 223). Colorado Springs, CO: Standard Publishing.

yield their heart to Him. Others won’t, choosing to believe that the cost of giving up this momentary earthly experience is too costly. Luke 14:28-“But don’t begin until you count the cost…V:33-So you cannot become My disciple without giving up everything you own.

Those persons who yield their heart to our Loving Father will experience benefits both now and for all eternity. Peace is in His presence. Protection is in His presence. Purity is in His presence. Acceptance

is in His presence. Job 36:11If they obey and serve Him; they will end their days in prosperity and their years in happiness. Psa. 21:6- For You grant him blessings forever; You cheer him with joy in Your presence. Psa. 140:13-Surely the righteous will praise Your name; the upright will dwell in Your presence. Psa. 149:4-For the LORD takes pleasure in His people; Isa.61:7-Instead of shame, My people will have a double portion, and instead of humiliation, they will rejoice

in their share; and so they will inherit a double portion in their land, and everlasting joy will be theirs. 1 Pet. 5:10- And after you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself restore you, secure you, strengthen you, and establish you. These named experiences certainly do not exhaust all of the pleasures we experience in the presence of Daddy-God. The pleasure in God ‘s presence that we experience here on earth are

only a sample of the joy that we shall experience in Heaven.

2 Cor. 4:17-For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever!

Rom. 8:18- I consider that our present sufferings are not comparable to the glory that will be revealed in us. The key to emotional, mental, physical and definitely spiritual survival is choosing to stay in God’s

nuggets cont. from page 3

nuggets cont. on page 11

And Church Frederick Howard

sunday school .. continued ON page 11

7 6 A P V

rtp word puzzle

CALL TODAY 1-877-571-6139 PRIMERICA REPRESENTATIVE FREDERICK HOWARD | SOLUTION # 76APV

rtp last week answer key

my cup of blessing. You guard all that is mine. 7-I will bless the LORD who guides me; even at night my heart instructs me.

8-I know the LORD is always with me. I will not be shaken, for He is right beside me. 9-No wonder my heart is glad, and I rejoice. My body rests in safety. 10-For you will not leave my soul among the dead or allow your Holy One to rot in the grave. God is holy which means He demands that His sons and daughters also live a holy lifestyle. Many people will

• february 16, 2020 - PAGE #11

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ONLY $22.00 PER WEEK MUSICIAN WANTED Evening Star Missionary Baptist Church is looking for a Minister of Music. We are looking for someone with a heart for God, that’s skilled, knowledgeable and honest in their love for Gospel music. We are a fellowship that believes in worshipping God in Spirit and Truth, especially through our music ministry. The ideal candidate will have the ability and gifts to help our music ministry turn the praise up! Please email your resume and at least two references to eveningstarmbc@gmail.com, attn: Sandra L. Williams. nuggets cont. from page 10

presence. His presence is not a certain location only found in church buildings, for in fact the Born-Again Believer becomes His holy temple.

Therefore, the experience of His presence is everywhere we go. Furthermore, we can enjoy the pleasure of His presence throughout the day as we work,

go to school and carry on our daily lives. The key to being mindful of His presence is to stay connected to His presence by acknowledging His presence in our life each and every day. We must go through the day saying thank you Lord as we experience various expressions of His love, favor and glory. The more we recognize His presence, the more we will enjoy the “Pleasure of His Presence”. Let each of us pray for a greater sensitivity to the “Presence of God” in our daily

lives. God bless! Join us for our 1st Saturday Fellowship on March 7, 2020, 1:15 p.m.

Location: Christ Temple Church, 3125 W 54th Street, (54th and 10th Avenue), Los Angeles, Calif. 90043. Contact Info: onefaith2007@aol.com , One Faith Fellowship, P. O. Box 56641, LA, CA 90056, www.onefaithfellowship.org. (323) 481-6724

from the pulpit continued on PAGE 11

well as within us; as needful as it is that we confess and deplore it, it is satanic in origin. If this leads us to utter despair of ever conquering or casting it out, it will lead us all the sooner to that supernatural power in which alone our deliverance is to be found—the redemption of the Lamb of God. The hopeless struggle against the workings of self and pride within us may indeed become still more hopeless as we think of the power of darkness behind it; the utter despair will fit us better for realizing and accepting a power and a life outside of ourselves, the humility of heaven brought down by the Lamb of God to cast out Satan and his pride.

Even as we need to look to the first Adam and his failure to know the power of sin within us, we need to know the Second Adam and His power to give us the life of humility as real and abiding and enabling as was the life of pride. We have our life from and in Christ even more certainly than from and in Adam. We are to walk “rooted in him, holding fast the head from whom the whole body increases with the increase of God.” The life of God that entered human nature through the Incarnation, is the root in which we are to stand and grow; it is the same almighty power that worked there, at the Cross,

and onward to the Resurrection, which works daily in us. It is of utmost importance that we study to know and trust the life that has been revealed in Christ as the life that is now ours, and waits for our consent to gain possession and mastery of our whole being.

In view of this, it is important that we know who Christ is, especially the chief characteristic that is the root and essence of His character as our Redeemer. There can be but one answer: it is His humility.

What is t he Inc ar nat ion but His heavenly humility, His emptying himself and becoming man? What is His life on earth but humility; His taking the form of a servant?

And what is His atonement but humility? “He humbled himself and became obedient to death.”

And what is His ascension and His glory but humility exalted to the throne and crowned with glory? “He humbled himself... therefore God exalted Him to the highest place.” In heaven, where He was one with the Father; in His birth, His life, and His death on earth; in His return to the right hand of the Father—it is all humility.

Christ is the expression of the humility of God embodied in human nature; the Eternal Love humbling itself, clothing itself in the garb of meekness and

gentleness, to win and serve and save us. As the love and condescension of God makes Him the benefactor and helper and servant of all, so Jesus of necessity was the Incarnate Humility. And so He is still, in the midst of the throne, the meek and lowly Lamb of God. If this is the root of the tree, its nature must be seen in every branch and leaf and fruit. If humility is the first, the all-inclusive grace of the life of Jesus—if humility is the secret of His atonement—then the health and strength of our spiritual life will depend entirely upon our putting this grace first and making humility the chief quality we admire in Him, the chief attribute we ask of Him, the one thing for which we sacrifice all else. [1] Is it any wonder that the Christian life is so often weak and fruitless, when the very root of the Christian life is neglected or unknown? Is it any wonder that the joy of salvation is so little felt, when that by

which Christ brings it is so seldom sought? Until a humility that rests in nothing less than the end and death of self, and which gives up all the honor of men as Jesus did to seek the honor that comes from God alone (which absolutely makes and counts itself nothing) that God may be all, that the Lord alone may be exalted—until such a humility is what we seek in Christ above our chief joy, and welcome at any price, there is very little hope of a faith that will conquer the world.

I cannot too greatly impress upon my readers the need of realizing the lack there is today of humility within Christian circles. There is so little of the meek and lowly Lamb of God in those who are called by His name. Let us consider how our lack of love, indifference to the needs and feelings of others, even sharp comments and hasty judgments that are often excused as being honest and straightforward, are thwarting the effect of the

influence of the Holy Spirit on others. Manifestations of temper and touchiness and irritation, feelings of bitterness and estrangement, have their root in nothing but pride. Pride creeps in almost everywhere, and the assemblies of the saints are not exceptions. Let’s ask ourselves what would be the effect if all of us were guided by the humility of Jesus, that the cry of our whole heart, night and day, would be, “Oh, for the humility of Jesus in myself and all around me!” Let us honestly fix our heart on our lack of humility—that which has been revealed in the likeness of Christ’s life, in the whole character of His redemption— and realize how little we know of Christ and His salvation.

Study the humility of Jesus.

This is the secret, the hidden root of redemption. Believe with your whole heart that Christ, whom God has given you, will enter in to dwell and work within you and make you what the Father would have you to be.

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