Let it snow!

forestridgebaptist — Sat, 13 Feb 2010 04:29:32 +0000

Snow, snow, snow, snow! Have you had enough yet? It has been some winter, hasn’t it? I would guess that most of us are ready for spring to be upon us. With a little more time, it will surely be here and we will be enjoying the warmth and sunshine of spring weather.

But for a moment, while it is on everyone’s mind, let us consider the snow. We must admit that it is beautiful. Oh how it glitters as rays of sunshine dance across it. It is as brilliant as diamonds. Every facet is reflecting its beauty! Indeed, it testifies of the glory of God!

One of the most blessed verses in Scripture speaks of snow in this fashion: “…wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow” (Psalm 51:7). Immediately we envision the bright white snow that so vividly illustrates purity and cleansing. How we praise the Lord for such an illustration as this that so clearly tells us that our sin, though black, can be made white, as we confess our sin and find that He is faithful and just to forgive us of all sin and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness (I John 1:9). Such tremendous truth leads us to say, “How blessed we are to be as white as snow.”

We may be tired of what we consider excessive snow this winter. But we should never tire of the cleansing that snow represents in the Word of God that is available to us. Therefore, let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!!!

Pastor Jeff Berg

“Change” Into Spiritual Growth

forestridgebaptist — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 16:24:37 +0000

My wife and I recently had the privilege for the fourth straight year to participate in the Fairfax Baptist Temples’ Church Planter’s Retreat which was held in beautiful Lakeland, FL. Thirty-two of us who were sent out of FBT to plant independent Baptist churches across America and Canada, gathered together for spiritual and physical refreshment. We had a wonderful time! It was basically a spiritual family reunion and we praise the Lord for the opportunity to be a part!

When we returned home, we left 70 degree weather and touched down at BWI Airport to 21 degree weather. Quite a change! From warmth to frigid, and of course, it was from frigid to warmth when we arrived earlier in the week in FL.

In similar fashion, the Lord would have us experience “change” in our daily walk with Him. While it may not be as significant as a fifty degree temperature drop, all spiritual growth is significant as we progress toward Christ-likeness.

Friend, are you growing as a believer in your relationship with Jesus Christ? Such growth is the kind that our Lord and yourself would surely be pleased with today (2 Peter 3:18).

Pastor Jeff Berg

Are You “Getting Religious?”

forestridgebaptist — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 00:49:32 +0000

Now that Christmas has come and gone, we are well into the new year and most of our lives have resettled into at least some form of normalcy, I trust that your life will include the normalcy of a consistent and regular walk with God. You are probably aware of the fact that such a walk includes a daily quiet time of Bible reading and prayer, a desire to make personal application of the Word of God, and a desire to grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ. It is my prayer that this kind of walk is part of your normalcy, that you are seeking to honor the Lord by such a commitment and walk with Him. If so, some would consider you “religious,” or perhaps even a ”religious fanatic.” I recently heard a man, seeking to act tough, declare to another who had said that they would pray for him, “Now don’t go getting religious on me.” No doubt, you have heard similar expressions addressed to you and it generally is not meant to be complimentary. However, James 1:27 says, “Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this…to keep himself unspotted from the world.” Our Lord is for you and me “getting religious.” I pray that the new year will find you in a normal, consistent state of “pure religion” before God and men. Happy New Year.
Pastor Jeff Berg

Christmas…Already?

forestridgebaptist — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 21:10:52 +0000

Christmas Eve is upon us! If you are like me, you can hardly believe it! Where has 2009 gone? They say that the older you get, the faster the time flies. now we all know that the ticking of the clock has remained the same since God created time, but it does take on the appearance of wings every once-in-awhile.

That being the case, I trust that you will have an eternal perspective toward time in 2010. The apostle James wrote about our life being like “a vapor, that appeareth for a little time and then vanisheth away” (James 4:14). We all know full-well the reality of that statement. Moses stated in Psalm 90 that the years of our life are “soon cut off, and we fly away” (vs. 10).

Therefore, let us follow his instructions to “number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom” (Ps. 90:12). May we endeavor to redeem the time (Ephesians 5:16) that is allotted to us by investing our life (time) in that which brings eternal dividends. Walk with god through your church. Meditate upon and memorize more Scripture. Discipline your life controlling how you spend your time. And when Christmas Eve comes quickly around next year, you will be able to say how 2010 was a very good and spiritually profitable year!

Merry Christmas!

Pastor Jeff Berg

As White as Snow

forestridgebaptist — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 20:01:20 +0000

This past Saturday, we experienced our first snowfall. A few inches of the beautiful, white crystals fell brightening up our community. Thankfully, for most of us, it wasn’t a hinderance to attending Sunday services and we thank the Lord for the good day in His house.

If you have been in church for any length of time, you probably think of Isaiah 1:18 when it snows: “Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.” How wonderful it is to know the powerful effects of the blood of Jesus Christ that will wash our sin away and we stand redeemed, white and clean as pure-driven snow.

But there is also something about snow that has a blessed spiritual application for us. As you know, each snowflake is totally unique and different from each and every other snowflake. No two are alike. Yet, when they culminate together into one beautiful blanket of white, you would think that every snowflake was alike.

Think of it–Jesus cleanses you to be as white as snow and He is able to take you in your uniqueness, in your singularity, in your spiritual giftedness and place you in a local church together with others who have been washed and create one beautiful, harmonious congregation that tells the world, “Come now, and let us reason together,…your sins…shall be as white as snow!”

Hallelujah, what a Savior!
Pastor Jeff Berg

Too Much Stuff!

forestridgebaptist — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 18:25:58 +0000

Last evening I read a letter to our church family from one of our missionaries in a country of Central America. In the letter, he tells the story of a ninety-year-old man who has served the Lord most of his life. He tells of his very crude living conditions: a mud and thatched roof hut supplied with only a couple of homemade wooden chairs, a homemade rope and board bed frame, a homemade mattress stuffed with dried grasses. He has never had electricity, running water, or a concrete floor. He has never owned a flashlight or radio because he didn’t want to spend his meager resources on batteries. He was satisfied with candles and besides, the neighbor had a radio to listen to.

The missionary went on to relate that the elderly man couldn’t understand why Christians needed so much stuff to think themselves happy. He had learned to be content in the most primitive of environments. The man recently died and the missionary expressed his longing to see the old man in his new place!

We have just come through Thanksgiving and are now approaching Christmas. If we are not careful, Christmas can cause us to not be content because we don’t think we have received enough “stuff.” As you know, Christmas isn’t about “stuff,” it is about the Savior. There was something else in the missionary’s letter that gives us a clue on how this ninety-year-old learned that life wasn’t about accumulating the most “stuff” in order to be happy. he wrote that even at ninety, the old man would walk about a mile and a half, even crossing two rivers to get to church. Many American Christians won’t even drive a mile and a half in a heated or air-conditioned automobile to get to church. Could it be that therein lies the difference between a contented life and a discontented life? A life of joy or a life of complaint? May you find yourself seeking the kingdom of God first (Matthew 6:33), rather than the kingdom of “stuff.”

Pastor Jeff Berg

Charting the Course

forestridgebaptist — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 20:09:19 +0000

If we are going to have a successful 21st year as a church in God’s eyes there are three crucial elements that must be followed when charting the course God wants for us:

1. Glorify God
2. Go Give the Gospel
3. Grow In Grace

We need to “be about the Father’s business.” This can be the greatest year in the history of our church if we will but follow these three points.

How Thirsty Are You?

forestridgebaptist — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 15:26:40 +0000

I read in my devotions yesterday morning of God’s promise to Israel of inundating them with an overflow of blessings. Isaiah 44:3, “For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground: I will pour my spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring:” You will notice that there are conditions associated with the blessings. They are 1) thirst, and 2) dry ground. If the conditions are present, the promise is that blessings will break forth like a flood, even with an abundant overflow that will affect the next generation!

There is no doubt that we live in a dry and thirsty land (Psalm 63:1). The spiritual and moral condition is drought-like with devastating consequences! Yet it is in such times, under such conditions, that God can do “abundantly above all that we ask or think” (Ephesians 3:20), by pouring out water and bringing on the flood that will refresh the dry and thirsty land. How? Our verse in Isaiah says it is brought about by the pouring out of His Spirit. When the people of God recognize the condition of the land, yea, and their own heart also, and become thirsty for God to respond to the needy conditions, He will pour out His Spirit. “Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts” (Zechariah 4:6).

Friend, will you get thirsty for God and ask Him to pour out His Spirit on a dry and thirsty land where no water is? “Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled” (Matthew 5:6). Could we say, like a flood?

Pastor Jeff Berg

20th Anniversary Celebration!

forestridgebaptist — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 00:19:27 +0000

God gave us a great crowd this morning as we gathered together to give God praise for 20 years of ministry here at the Forest Ridge Baptist Church. We thank all of our special guests and friends for coming and sharing in this glad occasion with us. We would also like to thank the Calvary Quartet for bringing the music that so blessed our hearts, and for Dr. Calvert’s encouraging message.

May God give us another 20 years in this place that we may shine as a lighthouse of His truth and love. Glory to God!

20 Years of God’s Faithfulness

forestridgebaptist — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 01:23:14 +0000

On Sunday, November 15, the Forest Ridge Baptist Church is happy to celebrate twenty years as an organized body of believers in Christ. We thank the Lord for allowing this church to become what it is today–a place of truth and light to this community. Join us this Sunday as we thank God for what He has done, and what He is going to do in the future.

Sunday, November 15, 2009 at 10:00 a.m.

2435 Bailey Road

Forest Hill, MD 21050