Reisterstown Baptist Church
25 E. Chestnut Hill Lane - Reisterstown, MD  21136

The Mission of Reisterstown Baptist Church is to:

Praise and worship Christ Jesus as Lord and Savior
Provide Christian education and discipleship training
Proclaim Christ's love and salvation to all people.

A HAPPY NEW YEAR
Three..Two..One.. Happy New Year!! Funny isn't it? One second its 2011, the next 2012.
Tick tock and everything changes, a new day, a clean slate, a fresh start, all because the
clock moved. All over the world, people shake off the weights and burdens of 2011 and
embrace the hope of 2012 confident that it will be a gentler, kinder New Year. If only it was
that easy. If only all those resolutions would stick. If only we really would exercise more,
eat healthier and be nicer to those we meet. Unfortunately resolutions are a lot like that ball
in Times Square; 3-2-1 dropped and forgotten till next New Year's Eve. The truth is that
what the world truly needs is not resolution but transformation. We don't need new years
but new lives. As our Lord told Nicodemus, we must be born again. And for those of us
who know that truth, the New Year brings two opportunities. First to share that truth with
those around us and second to live our lives as born again believers this is our reasonable
act of worship. New Years resolutions may not work but New Years surrenders do. As the
word encourages us, let's strip off anything that keeps us from being truly effective for our
Lord. Let's get rid of anything that robs us of the joy we find in Jesus. Let's truly live a
wonderful New Year by seeking His will in all we do.
Please keep all those in prayer who are struggling with illness, difficulties and grief. Many
good and faithful servants went home in 2011. It seems that you almost start to look for
funerals on your calendar as faithful servants finish their race and join that great cloud of
witnesses in the sky. Sitting in a sanctuary and watching a video log of Tom Hudgins flash
the moments of his life across the screen, I thought of how blessed we are to have the
wonderful opportunity to know people like Tom. I closed my eyes and thanked God for the
gift of this gently soul. In the midst of my prayers, I felt this smile on my face. As the
pictures were rolling by on the screen, one rolled by in my mind, It was Tom explaining the
history of a hymn we were about to sing. He loved doing that and his eyes sparkled as he
shared the story behind the music. This time it was the joy found in sorrow as he shared
about It Is Well With My Soul , when we lose a loved one like Tom not because he loves
his wife, his family or even us though he certainly did. It is well with my soul because he
absolutely loved the Lord and demonstrated that love every day of his life. He will be
missed as will all those who have gone home. Still his race is over, may we run ours the
way he ran his, faithful and joyful to the end. Then we will have more then a happy new
year we will have a wonderful life. Happy New Year to you all.
In His Service, Pastor John