Blog - First Baptist Church of St. George Island

From the Pastor’s Heart – 10/1/2017

Posted on Oct 3, 2017 in General |

Inanimate objects, generally, have a single purpose, for the most part. And that function is for the benefit not of the object itself.

For instance, appliances do not serve themselves. Toasters do not eat the toast they produce. And the purpose of a refrigerator, in cooling food, is not that the refrigerator will take advantage of the cooled food. Likewise, stoves do not eat the food they cook nor microwaves digest that which it radiates. Appliances are there to serve someone else and, we, benefit from their purpose and calling.

As the redeemed, and a part of the kingdom of God, we, too, have been assigned a purpose; a divine purpose. That purpose is that we are to be a benefit to others. For the lost we bring the benefit of eternal life, as we witness. For the bereaved, we share God’s peace and comfort, in times personal separation. As life’s difficulties and trials confront and consume others, as they always will, we, in His knowledge and experience, can lead to the strength that exceeds humanity and is without limit.

Yes, in our salvation, comes the duty to be a benefit to others. We are not “to hide our light under a bushel” – Christianity is an active calling.

Matt. 20:25-27; I Cor. 12; Eph. 4:11-13

In Christ, Mike Whaley

From the Pastor’s Heart – 9/24/2017

Posted on Sep 28, 2017 in General |

The law, in general, is evidenced by considering a speed limit sign on the expressway. If a street sign has a posted allowed speed, on a roadway of sixty(60) miles per hour, then, that is the law. The law, itself, however, cannot make one drive, on that highway, at sixty miles per hour. I fact, that law means nothing to most people! And the law is not enforced, unless the offender is caught in violation.

However, if a driver is stopped by the police for driving at a speed of eighty(80) miles per hour, within this zone designated for a maximum speed of, only, sixty(60) miles per hours, that driver has been caught in violation of an established standard. On the other hand, if that officer stopped a driver for driving, at that same speed, on a highway that had no posted allowable speed, the driver could assert that he had not been placed on notice of what constituted a violation of the law, and therefore, he could not be condemned for that which was, to him, was unknown.

So, the purpose of the law, then, is to reveal the standard of acceptable conduct and to define what constitutes a violation, or sin, under that law. God, from the beginning, in the Garden of Eden, established certain standards of conduct for His creation. Since that time, the laws and perimeters, of acceptable behavior and character within His will, have been set out through His prophets, through the model of Jesus’ life, the Ten Commandments, and the teachings of scripture, as inspired by the Holy Spirit.

Mankind, through the gift of free will, is not forced to comply with the laws of God but, disobedience (being out of fellowship with God) has the consequence of punishment. One, like the freeway driver, can violate the standards but, when confronted, will be accountable.

But, more importantly, obedience in our salvation, should be the result of reciprocal love and, perhaps, more importantly, obedience is a form of worship and thanksgiving. Is our worship, in obedience, taking place as it should? Are we displaying our gratitude, for our redemption, through “walking in the newness of the likeness of Christ?” Or are we moving down life’s highway according to our own will, oblivious or in rebellion to, the restrictions and constrictions of God.

We cannot be in His will, if we are exceeding the “limits” of the guidelines of righteous living.

Romans 7:7; James 2:10

In Christ, Mike Whaley

From the Pastor’s Heart – 9/17/2017

Posted on Sep 18, 2017 in General |

In some businesses, professions, and media operations, employee contracts include what is known as exclusivity clauses. These exclusivity clauses provide that the employee is prohibited from engaging in any activity that would involve competing relationships or competing loyalties. In many cases, those provisions extend for a period of time, even, beyond the employment relationship, for a specific period of time. The employee’s total allegiance, efforts, and talents, are owned and committed to the employer.

What God calls for in the first commandment, is exclusivity. He demands that there be no competition for the allegiance, efforts, and talents of one who claims redemption, through His grace. Because of His mercy, whose mercy was not due, God has every right to require such exclusive commitment.

Ex. 20:3-5; Deut. 6:4

In Christ, Mike Whaley

From the Pastor’s Heart – 8/27/2017

Posted on Aug 27, 2017 in General |

…I do not know if it is, currently, the record holder, but a few years back, the D575A was the largest bulldozer in the world. It was sixteen (16) feet long, twenty-five (25) feet wide and stood forty-one (41) feet tall. It weighed in at 225,000 pounds. Some years ago it was brought into an area in Illinois for a specific task. There was an overrun of garbage from Chicago that had reached a level that could not be controlled. This monstrosity of a machine was called upon to dig a big enough hole to bury the accumulated garbage once and for all, and remove it from the lives of the citizens.

Mankind, in rebellion, had been consumed and overrun by sin. From sin that strangled, and from which there was no hope of escape.

But, on the cross, God dug a spiritual hole so large that He could collect the sins of the entire world-past, present, and future. He gathered all of that sin and Jesus bore the wrath for sin, that its consequence would be removed from the lives of the redeemed. As we read, in II Corinthians 5:21, “God made Him, who had no sin, to be sin for us.”

He removed it, “as far as the east is from the west,” that there is hope in Him who “taketh away the sins of the world.”

Ps. 103:12; John 1:29

In Christ, Mike Whaley

From the Pastor’s Heart – 8/20/2017

Posted on Aug 26, 2017 in General |

A friend was in a motorcycle accident that necessitated the doctors inserting a steel plate in his leg that extends from his knee to his ankle. The crash had been so serious that his leg had been snapped in half, breaking both the tibia and the fibula.

He was broken in two. But, fortunately, there was a doctor who knew how to correct the problem. By opening the leg, the doctor positioned a metal plate where the ends of the bones could be joined, thereby, creating a reconnect of that which was broken.

Without the intervention of that doctor, my friend would have had, at the least, a weak and crooked leg, or at the worst, a totally useless leg. Thankfully, someone who understood the problem, healed the brokenness.

God has given all of us the scalpel of His Word, in order to identify what has broken our relationship with Him. In addition, it is the cross that removes the cause, and it is the Spirit of God, that is like a steel plate that brings, and holds, together, that which had been broken. Therefore, new and sustainable strength is acquired. This is possible because of the redemptive power of the cross.

Romans 14:19; II Cor. 5:18: Eph. 4:1-3

In Christ, Mike Whaley

From the Pastor’s Heart – 8/13/2017

Posted on Aug 26, 2017 in General |

In 1929, a man named George Wilson, robbed and killed, a mail carrier. He was sentenced to die but the President of the United States issued a presidential pardon for him, that would set him free. To the surprise of the nation, Wilson declined the pardon. So shocked was the government, that the case was appealed to the Supreme Court.

Writing for the majority’s opinion, Chief Justice Marshall, penned, “A pardon rejected, is no pardon at all. Unless the recipient of the pardon accepts the pardon, then the pardon cannot be applied.” A pardon, thus, has two sides: the offeror and the offeree. And, unless the offeree accepts that which is offered, the pardon cannot be mandated.

On the cross of Calvary, God was satisfied with the sacrifice of Jesus Christ as the payment for sin. Therefore, He offered a pardon to all who “would accept that pardon.” But, there is not a pardon for one who does not accept it.

Ps. 1:23-33; I Tim. 1:18-20

In Christ, Mike Whaley

From the Pastor’s Heart – 8/6/2017

Posted on Aug 15, 2017 in General |

There is a story that I heard that is a confidence builder to all believers. The impact of this story, when fully absorbed, should so empower a Christian to a level of boldness and discipleship. Below is that inspiring account.

A bee, one day, flew into a car occupied by a boy and his father. The boy began to scream out of fear that he would be stung. His father reached out and grabbed the bee, whereupon he squeezed the bee in his hand. Then, he opened his hand. The bee flew out of his hand and began to buzz around, while the boy resumed his screaming. Quietly, and calmly, the father looked at his son and said, “Son, you do not have to scream.” Holding open his hand, the bee’s stinger could be, clearly, seen in the palm of the father’s hand. To his son, he said, “Son, all the bee can do, now, is make a noise, because I have its stinger in my hand.”

We, as the body of Christ, can rejoice in the knowledge that, on Calvary’s cross, Jesus took the ‘stinger” out of death. No longer, for the redeemed, is death a point of fear. All it can do is make a noise, as the world promotes its lack of hope. For us, death has not sting. Therefore, with no fear of death, we can be bold and aggressive.

Hos. 13:14; I Cor. 15:55; I Peter 2:24

In Christ, Mike Whaley

From the Pastor’s Heart – 7/30/2017

Posted on Aug 4, 2017 in General |

Hos. 13:14; I Cor. 15:55; I Peter 2:24

In Christ, Mike Whaley

From the Pastor’s Heart – 7/23/2017

Posted on Jul 26, 2017 in General |

It is not difficult to, sometimes, forget about the consistency and faithfulness of God. Yet, without fail, He is, always, constantly present and consistently faithful, whether we see Him or not.

I was considering the activity of the sun. Since the beginning of time, the sun has been present, twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. All year long, all decade long, all century long, the sun just continues to shine.

Yes, the earth does, regularly, turn dark at our location causing us to ask, “how is that possible if the sun’s light is constantly, without failing, putting forth light?” Well, of course, we have learned that the earth turns upon its axis, allowing only the side facing the sun to receive light, at any given time. The sun had never moved and its light was never extinguished. Rather, the earth had moved.

When darkness consumes our lives, and takes over, God has not moved. He is, still, present with His grace, to provide the strength of sustainment, comfort, confidence, and victory, in and through the darkness, to the victory in His light. God, the Father, never, moves. The movement is, always, on our part. We move out of His will. We move into areas of conflict. We must crave a constant focus upon the model and teachings of Christ. The farther one gets from light, the more dim it becomes, and the less and less the light affects the darkness. Look for, and follow, the Light!

Isaiah 57:15; James 1:17

In Christ, Mike Whaley

From the Pastor’s Heart – 7/16/2017

Posted on Jul 18, 2017 in General |

The other day, I dropped my pen and made a spiritual discovery. If I am holding my pen and let the pen “have its own way,” the law of gravity takes over. If my pen could speak, it might have said, “Leave me alone. Let me have my own way.” But, the reality is that, even if the pen is independent of my hand and desirous of its own way, it will not be independent of the law of gravity. So, because of gravity, it would fail, in its independence.

Similarly, the world says, “Sure, go ahead and be independent. Please yourself.” However, the law of the flesh will, in fact, determine your direction and course of action. You will be destined by this law and not be, truly, independent.

When I reach down to pick up the dropped pen, there is another law at work. My picking up the pen does not cancel the law of gravity but it is overridden by the power I have to lift it off of the floor. Gravity, in this circumstance, is still in effect, but it is just not ruling. In this case, I have the power, not gravity.

Likewise, a life in the Spirit, is a life empowered to overcome the law of the flesh. The law of the flesh, sin and temptation, remains present, but it has no sufficient power to compete with the overwhelming power of the Spirit. Living in the Spirit is to live victoriously.

Romans 8:2; Hebrews 7:18-19

In Christ, Mike Whaley

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