Bible Teacher. Pastor.Educator.

Today I turned 34 Here are 34 things I am grateful for...Not in order of Importance.............

34 Random I am grateful for:

1)  Jesus.

2)  My Bible.

3)   The Holy Spirit.

4)  Unanswered and answered prayers.

5)  Social networking.

6)  The privelage and pleasure to live in America and serve Christ in North America.

7)  I am not in the hospital tonight.

8)  My restored relationship with my earthly father.

9)  My mom, sisters and brothers.

10) The generosity of God’s people to me.

11)  Books.....

12) Starbucks.

13)  Asian buffets.

14) My restored relationship with my heavenly father.

15)  A black president.....wish he embraced more Christian values.

16) My immigration lawyer.

17)  Allistar Begg, John Maxwell. John Piper, Andy Stanley and John MacArthur.

18) North Mason Bible Church who took a chance at me at 22 and gave me chance to lead a youth ministry for 10 years.  A black Nigerian in a small town western Washington.

19) My best guy friend and brother in Christ who I have talked every week for the past decade.

20) Fellow Preachers young preachers who have been a part of my life.

21) First Baptist Elma who took a chance at letting me be their interim pastor.

22) My Mentors all over the country in Africa, Alaska and North America. Men and women whom God has used to shape my life and mind.

23) My friends in Alaska who constantly allow me to come serve them.

24) My Car: I love it...

25) Jeff Mosley the owner of the Chick Fil A that gave me a job and hired me 2 days later.

26) Pastor Jim Porter my Pastor and mentor for 10 years.

27) My seminary education and experience.

28) My college Education.

29) My failures...taught me the power of God’s grace and truth.

30)  My students in Belfair.

31)  My students in Alaska.

32)  People I baptized in 2012....10 people awesome time ...thank you Lord!!!!

33) Bill Morgan the man who God used to help me attend college.

34) Temple Heights Baptist Church gave me my first job in college when I was 19.

Article for Church Newsletter in April after Easter Service FBC Elma 2012

Good Morning Church,

• God is continuing to do marvelous things at First Baptist Church Elma, WA. The unchanging, compelling and uncompromised word of God is being preached.  People are repenting of sin, Christ is being exalted, and over 60 people are attending Sunday services every month. New faces are joining us to celebrate the creator and designer of these great planet and some of them are coming back. More children are enjoying and attending our services God is working through His Spirit to accomplish His purpose in us.
•  Our average attendance for March 2012 was over 65 people. Thank God for over 85 people who attended our Easter Service 2012. The soul stirring testimonies, truth filled expression of worship in the music selection, our children singing, the Christ exalting scripture reading and Holy Communion were used by God to touch lives. It is invigorating to see what God does through us when we are obedient students of His word. God does His best work in us when we are obedient to His call upon our lives.

 

•   Since December 2012 when I started preaching here; I have seen that God is obsessed with First Baptist Elma and loves the city of Elma. Satan is really working to destroy the work of God in this town.  Despite his efforts, God who is greater than our enemy. He is working through us to display His glory to in Gray’s Harbor County. Your love for God and people is so contagious it could make an Alaskan Fisherman buy sun-tanning lotion for next winter. Thank you Church!!!!!

• Hope you are enjoying the series of sermon “The Unstoppable King Jesus”: reflections on the life of Christ and seven of the many miracles in the Gospel of John. Obedience to God is one of the most difficult decisions we can make in our life.
•  We are learning over and over that obedience to God paves the path for  His power to change our lives and use us to change the lives of other people.  Keep praying for those who received the CD.’s before Easter Service 2012. Enjoy the picture below of what God has done at FBC (Interim Pastor)

Grace and Peace

Pastor James Owolabi.

 

 

Elma Update Pictures and video: Prayers needed this Easter Sunday......at First Baptist Church Elma, WA. Check out this video.

1. This morning I read Isaiah 38, and wow!!!....God is super amazing  AND SO......really Gracious. He sees our tears, He knows our pain and He can change our destiny...God is so gracious and kind....check this out.

Isaiah 38 ---In those days Hezekiah became ill and was at the point of death. The prophet Isaiah son of Amoz went to him and said, “This is what the LORD says: Put your house in order, because you are going to die; you will not recover.”( God sees us when we hurt)

 ² Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the LORD, ³ “Remember, LORD, how I have walked before you faithfully and with wholehearted devotion and have done what is good in your eyes.” And Hezekiah wept bitterly. ( God knows when and where it hurts)

 ⁴ Then the word of the LORD came to Isaiah: ⁵ “Go and tell Hezekiah, ‘This is what the LORD, the God of your father David, says: I have heard your prayer and seen your tears; I will add fifteen years to your life. ⁶And I will deliver you and this city from the hand of the king of Assyria. I will defend this city ( God can change your destiny). AWESOMENESS!!!!!!! Our God is greater......

 

1. Hey Church!!!!!Thank you all for your praying and investing in our community and church!!!.
2. Continue to pray for Easter Sunday 2012 at First Baptist Church Elma. ( I love this Church)!!!!!

 

 

 

 

1. Pray that God will move in power and save lives through the preaching of His word.
2. Pray for those getting baptised this Easter Sunday.
3. Pray for those who have been invited!!!!!!
4. Our average attendance for the month of March is over 65.
5. Attendance my third Sunday in December of 2011 Sunday was 39 people.
6. Keep praying....the negative forces in my life  say: "it just the honey moon"....My spirit says " Celebrate what God is doing".. Guess what!!! I will celebrate what God is doing......
7. We are praying for over 80 people for Easter. I am planning on showing this movie this Sunday as a teaser for Easter.
8. Pray for God to use this service  this Sunday to hook people to Jesus Christ for the rest of their lives...
9. Pray that God will use these service to assist us in embracing the greatness of the cross and reality that the tomb is empty.....
10. Take some 20 minutes to watch this video and pray that as I show it this Sunday as part of my 40 minute sermon God will use it to ignite in people a passion for God.

 

 

 

Grace and Peace 
Pastor James Owolabi  3-19-2012.