Upcoming Events: May 4: Prayer Night 7pm in Main Auditorium Everyone Invited May 13: Mothers Day May 5: Men of Victory Fellowship 8:30am Meet at Church May 20: 24th Homecoming Ministry Celebration Sunday 10am May 19: Ladies of Victory Leadership Conference 2012 Breakfast/Registration: 9:30am First Session: 10am All Ladies & Teen Girls Encouraged to Attend Issue number 59, May 2012 Mark Your Calendar: June 1: Prayer Night 7pm in Main Auditorium Everyone Invited June 2: Men of Victory Fellowship Details TBA June 15: Family & Friends Night At Youth Camp 6pm Whole Church Family Invited! Visitation Every Saturday Morning- 10am See Pastor Myers or Bro. Tony For additional opportunities Prayer Night The 1st Friday Night of Every Month 7:00pm Voice of Victory Staff/Contributors: Editor: Pastor Jason M. Myers Design: Bro. Tony Patterson Contributing Writers: Pastor s Pen- Pastor Jason M. Myers Youth- Bro. Tony Patterson Missions- Bro. Bill Ribbans View the Voice of Victory Online: www.victorychurchhanover.com Or Contact Us At: Victory Baptist Church 25 Breezewood Drive Hanover, PA 17331 717-632-2262
The Pastor s Page I Will See You Again By Pastor Jason Myers John 16:22 And ye now therefore have sorrow: but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you. In John chapters 13-16 Jesus is speaking to his disciples, preparing them for his death, resurrection and ascension back into heaven. No doubt he notices several times during his speech the frowns, scrunched eyebrows and uncertainty on the faces of his men as he explains to them he must leave and they must finish the work. These disciples were already doing some amazing things on their own. They were preaching, casting out devils and healing the sick; the work was not the issue, it was being without Jesus that was the issue. They loved Jesus, they trusted Jesus and they were constantly learning from him in their day to day walk. They couldn t stand the thought of being without him. They for so long had walked by sight, that to walk by faith scared them to death. If we were to be honest, we often feel the same way. It is easy when times are good and blessings are abundant and it seems like Christ is sitting right beside you. The fears & sorrow come when we must walk by faith and not by sight. We can write encouraging letters to a brother of sister that is struggling, but we have trouble living that same advice when it is our turn to mourn. There are three things I would like you to see in this passage of scripture. These are things that Jesus told his disciples in their times of sorrow. Think of this, you re reading the personal advice of Jesus Christ! You don t get more spiritual counsel than this. 1. The Present Sorrow: Jesus said ye now therefore have sorrow this means that his disciples were currently experiencing thoughts and feelings of sorrow because Jesus said he was going to go back to heaven. Sorrow is an uninvited guest who often shows up unannounced. We don t usually get a fore-warning of when sorrow is coming to our house, but we always know as soon as he shows up. You will face difficulty in your Christian walk. Jesus said in John 16:33 In the world ye shall have tribulation not maybe have tribulation but shall have tribulation. We must understand that God knows our state. He knows every fear and thought in our heart. He knows exactly what we are going through, when we are going through it. He reassures his disciples that he knows when they are in trouble, and what they need from him. Trust that Christ knows your state and will help us in his time. 2. The Promised Rejoicing: Jesus said your heart shall rejoice He promises his followers that there will come a time for rejoicing. In John 16:21 Christ uses the picture of a mother giving birth to her child to explain his thought more clearly. The mother does not enjoy the pains of labor but as soon as the baby comes, joy replaces sorrow. She forgets all about the present sorrow she is in and now focuses on her new gift from God. As Christians, we to have a time of promised rejoicing coming, and that is when we see Jesus coming in the clouds to take us to be with him forever in heaven. Whether by grave or rapture, one day I will be with Jesus. GLORY! Jesus speaks these wonderful words, I will see you again WOW! How personal is that. Not an angle of heaven or a great hero off the Bible pages will come for us, but Jesus says I will see you again, I will come for you. He wants us to know we are special to him. We are his precious bride that one day he will introduce to his father. We are the apple of his eye and the smile in his thoughts. Keep fighting forward, the beauty of heaven awaits us. 3. The Permanent Joy: and your joy no man taketh from you. The joy that Christ gives is permanent. You say I don t always feel good or I m not always in a happy mood feelings and situations will change. Whereas happiness is based on our situation, our joy is based on our Savior. Have joy in your salvation, in the fact that because of your relationship with Christ you will never see the flames of Hell. Have joy in heaven that awaits you, the eternal life he gives to you and your saved relatives and friends. Have joy in his daily blessings and provisions..through Christ, it is possible to have abiding joy even in the most unfavorable situations. The joy of Christ is rooted deep into the spirit of a believer. It may become obscured by temporary sorrows, but Christ promises that it will always be there and no one can take it from you, NO ONE! Seek this joy now. Ask God to raise it up in you, ask him to renew and restore this blessing inside you. Nehemiah told a tired work crew as they rebuilt the walls of Jerusalem the joy of the LORD is your strength. The joy of Christ will keep you serving, loving, giving and singing long after the strength of your flesh is gone. Your marriage, church and relationships will be more satisfying when you walk in the Joy of Christ. Seek to live in this joy, and remember, it is permanent. Whenever sorrow comes your way, remember these three things. After all, they are the very advice of Jesus Christ.
Missions and Ministries A MISSIONS-MINDED CHURCH By Bro. Bill Ribbans The following is an excerpt of an article from the First Baptist Church of Noble, Oklahoma outlining the characteristics of a missions-minded church. A Missions-Minded Church Prays For Missions and Missionaries Paul s constant need and request was for the prayers of his fellow Christians (Philippians 1:18-20). More than anything else, even more than money, our missionaries need our prayers. There are at least two barriers, however, that we must overcome if we are to pray anything other than a general request for God to bless all the missionaries. The first barrier is a lack of information. Since we know very little about most mission fields, we do not know what to pray for. There are, however, a few concerns that are common with all missionaries. Pray for their personal fellowship with the Lord. Missionaries are not super Christians. They are people just like you and me. Consequently they experience spiritual shallowness, dryness, and emptiness just like the rest of us. Pray for their work. Doing missions is usually tough work, with little response. We need to pray for our missionaries not to get discouraged in the face of an overwhelming task. Pray for their families. Their children grow up in another culture. Therefore, some never feel at home in the United States. Some decide to stay on the mission field even after their parents retire and move back to the states. Many families are separated when children must attend schools away from home. The second barrier we must overcome in praying for missionaries is spiritual opposition. This opposition comes from two sources. One source of opposition comes from without, from Satan. He knows the power of our prayers and therefore tries to distract us and keep us too busy to pray for missions. Another source of opposition comes from within. We often avoid becoming too enthusiastic about praying for missions because we fear that God will call us to the mission field, too. It does happen (Matthew 9:37-38; 10:1, 5). Jesus sent out some of the very ones who prayed for missions. The only answer you need is to know that God can be trusted with you and your family and that God s will, whether here in the States or on a remote mission field, is always good and best. A Missions-Minded Church Sends Others to Help Some help cannot be given by prayer and money alone. Sometimes someone has to go and help with the work. This means that someone must send them. That someone is a missions- minded church. Some people, like Paul, go for life. These are career missionaries. Others, however, like Epaphroditus go as short term missionaries (Philippians 2:25-30). Being a missionary was not his career. A Missions-Minded Church Financially Supports Missions and Missionaries Without financial support, missionaries cannot go (Philippians 4:15-19). From this it is easy to conclude that Victory is a missions-minded church.
Free Audio Bible On cassette tapes. Dramatized reading. See Bro. Tony for more information. Microwave For Sale Over the stove type microwave, black with wood grain style trim. See Bro. Tony or Pastor Myers Cost: Make Offer Do you have a need that someone here at Victory may be able to help you meet? Do you have something that you think someone in our church family may be able to use? If you would like to place it in the Voice of Victory Newsletter to see if you could help out someone in our church family, See Bro. Tony. Remember no items should be left around the church property and if at all possible all transactions should take place away from Church. Monthly Attendance March Sunday School.82 Sunday AM Service.163 Sunday PM Service..69 Wednesday AM..19 Wednesday PM..63 This year s Men of Victory Leadership Conference was one of the best attended so far with a total of 55 men representing 5 churches. They were encouraged by tremendous, practical Bible messages from this year s speakers: Pastor Sterling Walsh from Lighthouse Baptist in Dover, PA; Pastor Harold Blankenship from Promised Land Baptist in Gastonia, NC; and our pastor, Pastor Jason Myers who filled in for Pastor Norris Belcher who was feeling under the weather. Overall it was a great day in Lord and many men were on the altars as seen in the picture above.
The Pastor Recommends. Focus on your Family * Here is a suggested devotion template to help structure your family Bible time. You can change the topics, scripture ect. as the Lord leads you. Topic: The Peace of Christ Scripture: John 16:33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world. Main Theme: Troubles & trials will come, but as Christians we have the peace of Christ for our confidence. Lesson: Teach your family that: 1. Difficulties and disappointments are a part of life. 2. Christ s words (the Bible) have been spoken to bring us peace and give us cheer. 3. The world, with all its sin and rebellion against God, will cause tribulations for the Christian, but they can never overtake us. 4. Christ has overcome the world! 1 Corinthians 4:2 Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful. God never says we must be educated, wealthy or even successful for Him to use us in His work. He only makes this one requirement, Be Faithful. Faithfulness is the greatest of qualities among spiritual leaders. Often the work of God is long, laborious and stressful. It would be easy for some to quit, but brethren, we are not of them that draw back, we are of them that are faithful and keep our nose to the plow. We are of them that work, rain or shine. God is looking for some Christians who will look for reasons to work, rather than look for excuses not to work. Be faithful in your personal relationship with God. Serve him continually with out grumble or complaint. Be faithful to you spouse & children. Be faithful to your church ministries and leadership and any responsibilities you may have. God is not asking you to save the world; just be faithful with the part of the world that He given to you to influence. Pastors Book Picks. Prayer is Asking, by Dr. John R. Rice *Available from Sword of the LORD publishers. Website: www.swordofthelord.com or call 1-800-247-9673 Hailstones the size of golf balls or ping-pong balls built up into 4-foot-deep drifts in a sparsely populated region of Potter County, Texas, after a slow-moving thunderstorm drifted over the Texas panhandle. Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/2012/04/ 13/gigantic-softball-sized-hail-to-rain-down-on-midwest-south/?cmpid=NL_FNTopHeadlines#ixzz1sjgRwaC1 Revelation 16:21 And there fell upon men a great hail out of heaven, every stone about the weight of a talent (55-130lbs): and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail; for the plague thereof was exceeding great. I am thankful to be on God s side. Things are heating
Youth Notes Get Involved! By Bro. Tony Patterson My how the time flies! It seems as if we were just wishing each other a Happy New Year and now summer is just on the horizon. As always here at Victory, the summer season is a busy one. We have a whole line up of activities for our young people from June until September and we hope that you as parents will encourage and help your young person be as involved as possible this year. Starting in June, Wednesday June 13 Saturday June 16 to be exact, we have our Victory Youth Camp at Camp Nawakwa. This year, for the first time, our Teenagers are invited to join us as campers. We are looking forward to what God can do in our young people as they get away from the influence of the video games, TV and computer and just let God speak to them. Sign up today, the cost is just $40 for regular attending young people and $70 if they would like to invite a friend. And to top off and exciting season, will finish with our Saturday in the Park: Picnic & Softball game at Moul field in Hanover on September 1 (or September 8 if it rains). This is a time for the whole church family to get together and have some fun in the park and fellowship one with another as summer comes to an end. As you can see there is plenty to do. Everyone can t make it to everything, but try to keep your young person as involved with these activities as possible. One of the keys to the development of the early church was that they met together to break bread (Acts 2:42). This was time fellowshipping with other Christians. I believe that this principle is vitally important not just for adults but also young people as well. Also in June, the teens will be taking a trip to the York to see the Revolution play baseball. That will be Saturday June 23. The game starts at 6:30pm so we plan to leave the church parking lot by 5:30pm. In July we are excited to take part in our first CEF 5-Day club. It will take place July 16-20 at the Residence at Hanover Shoe Apartment building. We are looking forward to ministering to the young people that live there, however our Junior age young people (ages 5-12years old) from Victory are invited as well. The club will be held from 10:00am to 11:30am each morning. On July 23-27, we will host our annual Vacation Bible School. Ages 5-15 are invited to join us for fun with bugs. Our theme The Bug Zone: Transformed by our Big God. VBS is held from 6:30pm to 8pm each night that week. This Month: May 12th: Hickory Falls 10am Juniors (5-12yrs) May 25: Bowling 5pm Teens (13 & Up) Next Month: June13th-16th: Youth Camp Juniors (5-12yrs) & Teens (13 & Up) July 16th-20th: Good News 5-Day Club 10am Hanover Shoe Apts. Ages 5-12 Welcome July 31 will be a special day for our teenagers as we head to Lancaster for the day. We will visit the Tabernacle display and then the Outhouse and finish with lunch at Shady Maple (Pastor Myers might join us for this one). August brings our annual Water Wars for the junior ages children. This is a fun time of water related games and activities. Also the teens will head to the track at Speedway 94 to burn some rubber. Gone online to get your registrations for Camp and Bible School! We are looking forward to another exciting summer and it just around the corner. Go to www.victorychurchhanover.com and print your registration papers today!