Dear friendS,                                                               February 1, 2025

Amazing to consider that another year has come and gone! We are now a few weeks into the new year, the snow is melting (for now) and this is a good time to reflect.   

                   Do you remember the books we have studied in our sermons this year? We started the year in the book of John and spent most of the year in that wonderful book.  We took a break on the book of Obadiah in July.  In October, we started through the book of Song of Solomon.  I have to say that it was a most interesting book!   The message on the beauty and value of marital love and the need to wait for God’s timing are sorely needed today.  If you missed a message, you can find them on our website – lesterbaptist.com.   Starting this month, we begin a series on the major prophet Isaiah.  Pray for God’s power for preaching and listening and applying His Word.  Our memory passage for 2025 is Isaiah 53.   Get started now in this privilege of meditating on the Word and committing it to memory.

                   The book of Isaiah is much longer than the Song of Solomon, only about 20 minutes to read.  Isaiah takes about 4 hours to read all the way through.  We will need to be more purposeful to get the most out of this book.  Some call Isaiah the “prince of the prophets” and the “fifth gospel.” Get started reading it now. The following paragraphs are from Paul Benware, Survey of the Old Testament, Chapter 28 on Isaiah. Read them carefully and pray for the Lord to use this great book of the Bible in your life and our church.  

“PURPOSE OF ISAIAH

 Isaiah was raised up by God to speak of coming judgment on Judah because of her many sins and to reveal the coming of “the servant of the Lord.” Isaiah was one of the last prophets who offered the nation (as a nation) the opportunity to repent and avoid a national calamity. He also was among the greatest revealers of truth about the person, work, and kingdom of the coming Messiah.

BASIC OUTLINE OF ISAIAH  (*there are various ways to outline the book, we may use a more detailed outline for the messages)

 I. Prophecies of Punishment (chaps. 1–35) 

II. Parenthesis for History (chaps. 36–39) 

III. Prophecies of Peace (chaps. 40–66) 

IMPORTANT DATA ABOUT ISAIAH 

Key Word: Servant of the Lord 

Key Chapter: 1—An overview of the book 

Key Verses: 1:2–18 

Key Characters: Isaiah and Hezekiah 

Meaning of “Isaiah”: Name of the man often called “the evangelical prophet” Geography of Isaiah: Judah

SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS ON ISAIAH The primary thrust of Isaiah’s message and ministry was toward the Southern Kingdom of Judah (1:1). Some elements of his message applied to Israel before 721 B.C. (the time of Israel’s captivity). Also, there is a large section devoted to the foreign nations (13:1–27:13). Isaiah began his ministry while there were still two kingdoms. During his ministry the Northern Kingdom was taken captive by the Assyrians. Isaiah was a contemporary of Micah in the South and Hosea in the North (and possibly Amos). He was a great help and support to the godly King Hezekiah.”

       In just a few weeks we will be holding combined special meetings with John Van Gelderen held at Mabscott Baptist Church from Sunday through Thursday, April 13-17, 2026. (103 Dalton St., Mabscott, WV) Make plans to be a part of the meetings this year.  Know ahead of time that satan will try to keep you from regular church meetings and he will try to keep you from these special meetings.   See past satan’s lies and rest on the truth that God will use His word to grow us.  We may regret many choices in life, but you will not regret obeying the Lord. In the next few weeks, we will have additional challenges to prepare our hearts to receive what God has for us.  The first activity combined with Mabscott is the men’s prayer meeting which will take place at our church building at 8 AM Saturday, February 15.   Make plans to be there.  Ladies will also have a prayer time with ladies from Mabscott, details will be coming soon.  

Acts 2:42  And they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.  This verse reminds us of what the church needs to be focused on.  The apostles’ doctrine refers to the Bible.  May the Word of God be the basis for all we do.   Pray that we will rightly divide the Word in preaching, teaching and personal study so that we may grow thereby. (I Peter 2:2) Fellowship points to our need to spend time with other believers and encourage them in their spiritual walk.  This can include eating together as well as talking whether at the building or through the week. We are called the body of Christ. (I Corinthians 12:27) The parts of the body need each other.  Breaking of bread certainly refers to the Lord’s supper, which points us to the broken body and shed blood of Christ given for our redemption. (I Corinthians 11:24) It also reminds us of his return.  Breaking bread may also refer to eating regular meals together.   Have you fellowshipped with other members of the Body this week?  Prayers refers to spending time with God praising and thanking Him, in asking Him for our needs and interceding for others.  We should also ask God to send forth laborers into the harvest.  To be most effective, these activities need to be done together.  Of course, we can pray and study the Bible on our own, but we cannot fellowship with other believers or partake of the Lord’s supper alone.  Prayers and preaching and teaching of the Word gathered with our fellow believers strengthens us in ways that personal study alone cannot. (Hebrews 10:24-25) We meet on both Sunday and Wednesday that we might takes steps of faith and obedience together and be equipped for the work of the ministry all week long. (Ephesians 4:12) Christ loved the church and gave Himself for it (for you), how is God leading you to give of yourself to serve Him and bless others?

                   Pray for a spiritually healthy church, made up of spiritually healthy families and marriages, made up of spiritually healthy individual believers who love Christ most of all!

Yours for Him,    

Pastor John and Mrs. Staci Rinehart

Joshua 1:8-9