Pastor's Notepad

Pastor’s Notepad: May 18, 2013

Pastor Ken Martinez — Sun, 19 May 2013 02:28:46 +0000

We had a great week at the Heartland Graduation Fellowship Meeting in Oklahoma City. The preaching as always was God exalting and challenging. We are excited about having Hannah Wallace, (soon to be Martinez) as a permanent part of the ministry here. She has an excellent spirit, a real love for the work, and will be a good example for our young ladies to emulate. I know that each of you will welcome her warmly into the membership of the church.

We are at a pivotal portion of Scripture in our Sunday morning series from Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. Having described the kind of person that true disciples will become, Jesus sums up the beatitudes by revealing His purpose for those whom He calls to be disciples; that purpose is to be salt in a world that is rotting with corruption and light in a world that is covered in darkness. This Sunday morning we will be in Mt. 5:13 preaching on, “Our Purpose: Being the Salt of the Earth.” Jesus is very clear and definite about making His purpose the priority in our lives. The message for this morning is very timely for our church and will be a help to anyone that wants his or her life to have great meaning and significance. Lord willing, Sunday night we will preach part two of the message, “Training our Children in the Way they Should Go” from Pro. 22:6. In the first part of this message we focused on Biblical principles for child training and in part two we will focus on the meaning of the phrase, ‘the way they should go.’

If you are visiting in the Longmont area or looking for a Bible preaching church to attend this Sunday we would love to have you join us this Sunday!

Pastor’s Notepad: April 20, 2013

Pastor Ken Martinez — Sat, 20 Apr 2013 19:14:11 +0000

The terrorist bombing at the Boston Marathon and attempted ricin poisonings this week are tragic reminders that we live in a world that is not at peace with itself and not at peace with God. Rom. 3:10-18 declares that cursing, violence, destruction, misery and the absence of peace so commonplace in the world are all by-products of sin and bear witness to the enmity that exists between God and fallen men. I agree with Alexander MacLaren’s conviction that the climax [fullness and completeness] of Christian character is found in our relations to men and not in our relation to God.

The proof that we are nearing Christ-likeness is that we have become a peacemaker and are no longer thought of as a troublemaker! That is the heart of Jesus’ teaching in the 7th beatitude, blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called the children of God. In a troubled world where peace is so elusive, the believer that fleshes out the teaching of Jesus in the beatitudes will enjoy the uncommon blessing of closeness with men and God.

Someone has said, “Peace is that glorious moment in history when everyone stops to reload.” Ambrose Bierce, in The Devil’s Dictionary, defined peace as, “a period of cheating and lying between two periods of fighting.” In a world like this, mature disciples that become peacemakers are shining lights that pierce the darkness! In our message Sunday morning from Mt. 5:9 is entitled, “The Joy of Being a Peacemaker,” we will develop this truth that becoming a peacemaker is the mark of nearing spiritual perfection.

Sunday night Bro. Mark will preach the second in a three-part series of messages from the book of Philemon on “Producing an Environment of Refreshment.” The message for Sunday night will be on the theme of expanding our love. If you are visiting in the Longmont area or are looking for a church to attend we would love to have you join us for the services at Rocky Mountain. Bible Baptist.

Pastor’s Notepad: April 6, 2013

Pastor Ken Martinez — Sat, 06 Apr 2013 20:51:31 +0000

Sunday morning we will be back in our series from the Sermon on the Mount, Being Light–Piercing the Dark. Jesus opens the Sermon on the Mount with His teaching on The Beatitudes. These pithy statements teach that being light in the world is the result of the joy that comes from being the kind of person that marks a true disciple of Jesus Christ. This Sunday our theme will be, “The Joy of Being Merciful.” This message from Mt. 5:7 will likely be the most practical of our messages on the beatitudes when it comes to ‘day to day’ Christian living because it deals with the spiritual way true disciples respond when they are wronged. William Shakespeare captured the essence of Jesus teaching in this beatitude when he wrote that mercy is “Twice blessed; it blesses him that gives and him that takes.” The beatitude also illustrates the principle that it’s more blessed to give than to receive; people who give mercy are twice blessed because they receive the mercy of God and therefore, have the joy of the Lord! How can we speak about the mercy of God without praising the Lord Jesus Christ Whose sacrifice on Calvary is the basis for the mercy and grace God bestows on the sinner; Bless His name! Lord willing, on Sunday night we will be preaching from Pro. 21:27 on “Repentance and Forgiveness.” Both messages deal with Biblical methods of putting away sin and will be a help to anyone that is serious about pursuing joy and living a spiritual life pleasing to God.

Pastor’s Notepad: March 30, 2013

Pastor Ken Martinez — Sat, 30 Mar 2013 22:32:57 +0000

Charles Spurgeon once preached on the resurrection at a time when prolonged sickness left him weak and incapable of his normal pursuit of brilliant thought and expression. He took comfort in the fact that it is the doctrine which God blesses, not the way it is presented. He said:

Upon our Lord’s rising I have nothing to say, and God’s ministers have nothing to say, beyond bearing witness to the fact that Jesus Christ of the seed of David was raised from the dead. Put it in poetry, tell it out in sublime Miltonic verse, it will come to no more; tell it out in monosyllables, and write it so that little children may read it in their first spelling-books, and it will come to nothing less. ‘The Lord is risen indeed’ is the sum and substance of our witness when we speak of our risen Redeemer. (The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, V.28, 193)

As we celebrate the resurrection of our Saviour this Sunday, our morning and evening messages will focus on the simple eyewitness accounts of the risen Christ recorded in John’s gospel. Our Sunday morning message, “The Lord is Risen Indeed” will be from John 20:1-18. There are several things about this simple narrative that prove our hope in the resurrection is well-founded. If you are not a believer or have been skeptical about the resurrection I encourage you to come and hear the first-hand reports given by those who were eyewitnesses to the greatest victory of all time! It is our earnest desire for the message of the gospel to penetrate hearts, save the lost, and encourage the saints.

The Sunday evening message from John 20:19-23 will be “The Risen Saviour’s Resurrection Message” that Jesus gave to His disciples on the evening of His resurrection. Ever practical, the Lord teaches the church how His resurrection affects the believer’s mission in life. I’m confident these messages on the simple eyewitness accounts of the risen Saviour will honor the Lord, feed your soul and strengthen your faith.

If you’re looking for a church to attend this Resurrection Sunday, we’d be honored to have you join us for the services at Rocky Mountain Bible Baptist Church!

Pastor’s Notepad: March 23, 2013

Pastor Ken Martinez — Sat, 23 Mar 2013 17:15:32 +0000

I want to encourage everyone to brave the cold and snow and come for the Sunday services tomorrow; you’ll be glad you did. We are going to have Bro. Tom Franklin and his family with us. Bro. Tom and his wife Regina have been part of our missionary family for over 15 years and are serving in the Dominican Republic. We will combine our youth and adult Sunday school classes and see a visual presentation on the history of the Franklin’s ministry in Cuba and the Dominican Republic. Bro. Tom will also preach in the morning service and give a more recent visual presentation on their work including the relief efforts following the earthquake in Haiti. It’s always a privilege to have missionaries (God’s choice servants) in our services; and it’s a great encouragement when we get to see and hear about the souls that have been saved and the churches that have been planted through the ministries we have prayed for and partnered with in the Lord’s harvest fields. We will get to see some of the fruit that has been abounding to our account and have the opportunity to be a blessing to a great missionary family!

Lord willing, Sunday night we will be in Pro. 21:11 with a message entitled, “Only the Teachable Become Wise.” This ‘Lesson for Life’ from the Proverbs calls every believer, young or old, to seek the glory and benefit of Christ-exalting, life-long, learning.

Pastor’s Notepad: March 16, 2013

Pastor Ken Martinez — Sat, 16 Mar 2013 23:30:29 +0000

Friday evening our church had the privilege of hosting the Silver State Baptist Youth rally for the north region. The place was packed out with over 160 in attendance. Bro. Mike Betancourt from Greeley Baptist Temple preached and the altars were filled. I know of at least one visitor from our group that was saved. Congratulations to our teens for taking 3rd place in the Bible Quiz and 1st place in the sword drill competitions. Bro. Mark is doing a commendable job working with the teens and did a great job of organizing and directing the rally. We trust the Lord did a lasting work in the heart of many of the youth that came. I also want to give a heart-felt “Thank You!” to our members that provided food and pop and helped with set-up and clean-up for the rally.

Sunday morning we will continue in our series, Being Light–Piercing the Dark from the Sermon on the Mount. Our message will be from the fourth beatitude in Mt. 5:6 and is on the theme, “The Joy of Being Right with God.” In this beatitude Jesus changes the focus from our spiritual needs to our spiritual desires. It also begins the pivot from focusing on the disciple’s relationship with God to focusing on his relationship with man. The lesson Jesus wants us to learn is that a true disciple wants to be right with God more than he wants the things of the world; his intense pursuit of holiness will manifest the light of the glory of God in his life. I trust the Lord will use the message to help us bring our desires into line with the things Jesus teaches us to desire so that we can be the light and make a difference for Christ in the world. Sunday night we will preach from Pro. 21:21 on the theme, “Blessed Doers.” This verse happens to be a companion verse to Mt. 5:6 and reveals the blessings that come to those who apply the word of God and pursue righteousness.

If you happen to be in the Longmont area or are looking for a place to attend church this week we would love to have you join at Rocky Mountain Bible Baptist!

Pastor’s Notepad: March 9, 2013

Pastor Ken Martinez — Sun, 10 Mar 2013 01:39:00 +0000

This week NFL quarterback Joe Flacco signed a 6 yr. $120 million contract with the team he led to a Super Bowl victory. In an interview published in USA Today Flacco said, “It was never necessarily about the money but … feeling like I was respected around here.” It got me thinking; the people who we so idolize in our culture and pay huge sums of money (celebrities, entertainers, sports figures, etc.) are people that perform in industries that thrive on self-promotion; they have what it takes to make it to the big screen or win the big game, they are the best of the best and we celebrate them for it and hope to somehow emulate their success. How different is the way of the world from the Beatitudes that Jesus taught His disciples in the Sermon on the Mount! Jesus taught that the way to get ahead in the world is not by pushing your way to the top but by letting Someone else run your life for you. Sunday morning we will be back in our series from the Sermon on the Mount, Being Light–Piercing the Dark, preaching on the third beatitude in Mt. 5:5. In this message entitled “The Joy of Being Meek,” we are going to argue that a life lived in glad submission to the Lord Jesus Christ is the way to enjoy the fullness of peace, contentment, and gladness in this life and the next. I will do my best to convince the lost to receive with meekness the engrafted word which is able to save the soul and to convince the believer that fully surrendering your life to Christ is the best way to experience the kind of joy that radiates the glory of God to others.

If you found us on the web Sheri and I would love to have you join us for the services this Sunday! I believe you will find this Bible message on The Joy of Being Meek a very practical help in coping with the difficulties of life and getting along in our relationships with others.

Pastor’s Notepad: March 2, 2013

Pastor Ken Martinez — Sat, 02 Mar 2013 23:38:50 +0000

Today is Faith Promise Sunday at Rocky Mountain Bible Baptist Church as we conclude our 2013 Mission Conference, Giving Light for the Glory of God. It has been a joy to have Chris and Kim Casillas from Thornton, CO, Mike and Kelly Newburger going to Brooklyn, NY, and veteran missionaries John and Cathy O’Brien serving on the field of Kharkov, Ukraine in our conference this year. The meetings have been wonderful and the focus on planting churches in America and around the world for the glory of God has been right on the mark for the direction I believe God wants to lead our church in the days ahead. We are looking forward to great services today as God continues to stretch our faith and sharpen our vision for the work of the gospel!

Sunday morning Bro. Mike Newburger will teach a combined youth and adult Sunday school hour and show his visual presentation in the morning service. Bro. John O’Brien will preach the morning message and Bro. Mike will close out the conference preaching in the Sunday evening service. At the conclusion of the morning service we will receive our 2013 Faith Promise Mission offering. I want to commend the members who understand that mission conference is the most important week in the life of church and made it a priority to be here for all of the services. I also want to give a heartfelt thanks to the families that showed our guests Biblical hospitality by providing the wonderful meals, gifts, and encouraging words through the week. Jesus promised anyone who offers of cup of water to drink in His name will not lose the reward! Thank you for doing your part this week in serving Him.

If you happened to find us on the web we would be honored to have you join us on this special Sunday when our folks renew their personal commitment to carrying out the Great Commission.

Pastor’s Notepad: Feb 23, 2013

Pastor Ken Martinez — Sat, 23 Feb 2013 19:58:31 +0000

We’re very excited about the annual mission conference that begins this Wednesday and continues through next Sunday. I want to commend all of our folks that work so hard in getting everything ready for the meetings and especially those who will feed and care for our missionaries through the week. One of the dynamics that makes a mission conference great is the desire of the church to be a blessing and to refresh the souls of the missionaries while they are here! In the Lord’s work we always receive a blessing by being a blessing to others. On Wednesday we will get to meet two families planting churches in the States, the Casillas (Thornton, CO) and the Newburgers (New York City). Also in for the conference is our veteran missionary family John and Cathy O’Brien serving in Kharkov, Ukraine. We will have services Wednesday through Friday at 7:00 pm and a mission banquet at 5:00 pm on Saturday.

Mission Conference is usually the highlight of the year for our church and a time of real spiritual renewal for many. We should never take for granted what God can do in a meeting like this. I’m encouraging our members to be much in prayer and to be in your place each night of the conference. I’ll be preaching this Sunday morning and evening from 2 Cor. 4:1-7 on our 2013 mission theme, “Giving Light for the Glory of God.” I trust the Lord will use these messages on the mission of New Testament churches to prepare our hearts for a great week of focusing on missions! Of course, we welcome anyone new to the Longmont area and looking for a church home to join us for the services this Sunday and for the special testimonies, visual presentations and preaching we’ll enjoy each night of conference this week.

Pastor’s Notepad: Feb. 16, 2013

Pastor Ken Martinez — Sun, 17 Feb 2013 00:22:28 +0000

In the early days of our ministry here in Longmont Sheri and I were out making some visits when we met a lady in a parking lot who was confined to a wheelchair. I struck up a conversation hoping to talk with her about her soul. She was from Boulder and it soon became apparent that she had a very naturalistic world view. I knew the sledding would be tough as we got into the Bible but as a young preacher, I wasn’t prepared for the answer she gave to a question about sin. She said with a very smug look on her face, “Young man, sin is not a word in my vocabulary.” Twenty years later sin is an even less popular subject now than it was then. Sin may not matter much to unbelievers living in a post-modern culture but it matters to God and it will matter to those who are serious about being a disciple of Jesus Christ. If you’re saved it should matter to you because the Bible teaches that it is impossible to experience the blessedness, joy and gladness of the Christian life without being broken over sin. Sunday morning we are going to preach on the third Beatitude in Mt. 5:4; Blessed are they that mourn for they shall be comforted. This beatitude teaches that to have joy in our Christian life we cannot develop the attitude of world and just gloss over sin; we must be broken by our sin. The title for the message is “The Joy of Being Broken.”

Our annual mission conference begins Wed. Feb. 27. We want our hearts to be prepared for any work the Lord may want to do in the conference. With that in mind, Sunday evening we are going to be in Deut. 2:13-18 with a message entitled, “The Inglorious End of a Wasted Generation.” I hope to use the pitfalls of an unbelieving generation to strengthen our faith for the cause of missions. If you’re traveling in our area, or are looking for a church that preaches the timeless truths of God’s word, I hope you will join us for the services this Sunday.