NO. LIVERMORE — At the July 11 North Livermore Baptist Church service, the congregation was welcomed by Pastor Bonnie Higgins at 9:30 a.m. to begin the service. The Call to Worship was read and the Invocation/Lord’s Prayer was recited. The hymns that were sung was “Since Jesus Came into My Heart”, “Living for Jesus”, “I Surrender All”. Linda Lyman is the organist and Janet Diaz is the pianist each week.
The sermon, titled “Living God’s Way”, and reading the scripture from Romans 6:1-14. Pastor Bonnie began speaking about what Easter means to Christians and how we live our daily life with Easter in our minds. She talked about what happened at Easter, gives all Christians hope for a future in Heaven.
Pastor Bonnie explained that there cannot be a resurrection if there is no death. Jesus had to die so He could rise on the 3rd day. The same for us, we cannot have a resurrection if we don’t die of ourselves and live for Jesus. Because of Jesus, Satan and sin have been overcome by the death of Jesus on the cross. For sin and Satan to be overcome in our lives, we must accept what happened at the cross and believe in it. For years in the Old Testament, people would bring their sacrifice to the Temple for the priests to bring it to God for forgiveness. Jesus did it once and for all, forgiveness was granted at the foot of the cross for all those who come to the cross. With sin paid for, and acceptance by Jesus to the family of God, people begin a new life as believers, a life centered around Christ. We are not bound by sin and by ourself anymore, we live a righteous life in Jesus.
We can live our lives freely in Jesus because Jesus died to pay for our debt of sin. Jesus saved us from a death and hell. Pastor Bonnie told the story of Adam and Eve and how their disobedience changed their relationship with God. Because of their disobedience, sin entered the world. Satan thought he had God and that he would prevail, but God had other plans and Jesus paid for our sins on a cross. Jesus was sent to rescue us, to redeem, and to restore us back to God. That is why the death and resurrection is so important to believers. God wanted us back to Himself.
Pastor Bonnie said one of many things she loves reading about is how Jesus healed the sick and He still heals today. We read or hear stories all the time how people are healed and the doctors don’t know how it happened. As Christians, we know God healed them. We know that if it is God’s Will, He will heal on earth or in Heaven to His glory. We also know that God sent Jesus to deliver us from hell. Satan may think he is in control of this earth, but he is not, Jesus is! Nothing happens outside of the Will of God. Satan is here to destroy whatever he can, Jesus has come to deliver us from Satan and sin. We live in this world, but we are not of this world, Jesus did not come to condemn the world, but to save it.
So, how should we be living in this world? We should be living to enhance the Kingdom of God. We should be living so others will see God in us and that they would want it to. Jesus brought peace to this world and our lives should resemble that. We should have peace. When the world is going crazy, we should be living in peace, as Jesus has instructed us to do. We are not bound by this world, we are only passing through, we should be living as the Word of God has instructed us to. Paul tells us in Romans, that sin is not our master anymore. As Christians, we should be living in the grace of Jesus Christ. After all, Jesus died for each of us to live a more joyful life, not a life of worry, fear, mistrust, etc. Jesus died because he loved us, unconditionally!
Announcements listed in the bulletin was that the congregation will be collecting Cereal for the Food Pantry in the month of July. NLBC Quarterly Business meeting on July 18th after morning service. The church’s barbeque will be held July 25th after church service. Pastor Bonnie will not be in the office until 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday, July 13th. The AA meetings are held on Friday nights at the church.
For information, check out the new website at northlivermorebaptistchurch.org. You can email the church at nlbcmaine@gmail.com. Pastor Bonnie’s office hours are Monday and Tuesday’s from 9:00 a.m. to noon.

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