RBC Family & Friends:

The Christmas Holidays were great.  I wish to give a word of appreciation to all of you who sent us cards and acknowledgements of your love for Linda and me.  What a joy it has been for us to be a part of such a wonderful and loving FAMILY; for truly you are our family.  The past nine and a half years at Rosanky Baptist Church have been our favorite years in ministry.

It’s hard to believe that 2010 is already here.  It seems that it was only yesterday that I was writing this newsletter for the past year.  2009 was a year full of wonderful experiences.  Again souls were saved, families made stronger, and new faces have entered our lives.  RBC and all of its ministries have been blessed again by Holy God and 2010 promises to be bigger and brighter than ever before.

I ran across this list of the top 10 New Year’s resolutions:

1.  Spend more time with family and friends.          

2.  Fit in fitness (exercise and take care of health).                                                                                 

3.  Tame the bulge (over 66% of American adults are considered overweight).                                  

4.  Quit smoking (on average, smokers try to quit 4 times before succeeding).                                      

5.  Enjoy life more (sounds good).                                                                                                           

6.  Quit drinking.                                                                                                                                     

7.  Get out of debt (won’t do it in a year; takes planning/discipline in spending).                                  

8.  Learn something new.                                                                                                                        

9.  Help others (thinking of someone else instead of ourselves).                                                      

10. Get Organized.

Did you notice that these top 10 resolutions did not included Holy God and had nothing to do with spiritual improvement?  That is the way it is with many people.  They don’t include Holy God or Jesus Christ in the picture of their lives.

I know that is not true of our folks here at RBC (that must be talking about people from those other churches).  RBC folks include the Lord in every aspect of our lives—isn’t that true?  Our marriages, families, children, work, play and pleasures must include Jesus Christ and not only include Him, but “...in all things He might have the preeminence” (Colossians 1:18b).  Strong’s Concordance says that ‘preeminence’ means to “have the first ranking (be foremost) in time, place, order or importance.”  Is Jesus Christ ‘preeminent’ in your life?

It’s good to make New Year’s resolutions, but only if you include our Lord as the first and foremost of each area of your life.  Let’s make 2010 a year dedicated to being all that Holy God would have us to be for His glory and the good of the Kingdom.  To do so, we must include in our priority listing:  daily Bible study and reading; regular and faithful worship with Christ’s bride, the Church; an attitude of prayerfulness; and commitment to reaching out to and serving others.                                                                                        

So what are we waiting for:  let’s get started, 2010 is here!  Let’s make a difference in our world for Jesus Christ by letting Him have the ‘PREEMINENCE’ in our lives.  Remember:  “IF GOD BE FOR US, WHO CAN BE AGAINST US?”  I love each one of you and thank my God for you.  See you in Bible Study and worship.

Pastor John

Have a Happy and Blessed New Year!