Picture Al, Fran and sisters in Christ at Freeway Manor Baptist Church Houston, Texas 1989

Freeway Manor Baptist Church By Frances M. Meservy June 1988-April 1989

Pastor teaching truth

I have been a Baptist all my life because I have not found another church that teaches Bible doctrine as well as they do but it always bothered me that they taught things were a sin that were not Biblically sound. 

1. Thou shalt not dance

2. Thou shalt not drink alcoholic beverages

3. Thou shalt not gamble

And then there were the partial truths:

1. Don't do or say anything that will cause your brother sin (they left out but rather teach him the truth in love & do not allow anyone to condemn you for something you know is right)

2. If the Bible says it, it's true but Jesus is no longer in the miracle business - that ended when the apostles died

3. The Gift of Tongues was no longer given - Pentecostal churches preached the extreme the other way and did not use the guidelines handed down by Paul in 1 Corinthians

These are just a few of the things that I grew up with but I knew were not found in scripture.  Our pastor at Freeway Manor Baptist was teaching the truth in love.  He was building a solid foundation that was based on Scripture and nothing else.  Obviously God's Holy Spirit was leading him into all truth.  Praise the Lord.

God took away the pain after surgery so I would not need to take pain pills

I had a seed wart on the back of my left ear and my glasses kept it irritated.  It had been frozen off only to come back in less than a year.  The next time they surgically removed it and it came back.  My Doctor said they obviously did not get the root.  He sent me to a plastic surgeon because he said they were the only ones skilled enough to remove it without leaving my ear deformed.  I had it removed on Wednesday AM. 

We were going to church that night and about an hour before time to leave the whole left side of my face felt like it was on fire.  I took a pain pill and it made me numb from head to toe and more than a little dopy.  We went to church. 

When our pastor asked for prayer requests, I asked that the church pray for God to take away the pain from the surgery so I would not have to take any more pain pills.  They prayed for me and I never had to take another pain pill.  There was never any more pain from the surgery.

Joke about Adam & Eve

One day I walked past our pastor and a couple of deacons who were talking about how it was Eve's fault that they got kicked out of the garden of Eden.  I stopped, turned and said, "You know.  Sense then women have learned from their mistakes - they are careful about what they buy and how they prepare the food.  Men on the other hand have not changed at all - they will still eat anything a woman hands them."  They cracked up laughing.  Our pastor stopped laughing and said, "That is so close to the truth that it is scary."

Personality Tests

The first thing our pastor did when we joined the church was give us personality tests and gift tests.  When he got ours back, he wanted to know where we met and how we found each other because we were so well matched for our personalities and gifts. 

Hey that's God because Al is from MI and I'm from TX.  It's a miracle we ever met.

Bowling League

We joined the church bowling league and enjoyed our Christian brothers and sisters socially every Friday night.  Our team was the Wild Shots. 

There were two things that were hard to leave when we left Houston for Wichita.  One was our grandchildren and the other was our church. 

David was a man after God's own heart and he danced with joy.

2 Sam 6:14-15; 20-23 Then David danced before the LORD with all his might; and David was wearing a linen ephod. So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the LORD with shouting and with the sound of the trumpet.
Then David returned to bless his household. And Michal the daughter of Saul came out to meet David, and said, "How glorious was the king of Israel today, uncovering himself today in the eyes of the maids of his servants, as one of the base fellows shamelessly uncovers himself!" So David said to Michal, "It was before the LORD, who chose me instead of your father and all his house, to appoint me ruler over the people of the LORD, over Israel. Therefore I will play music before the LORD. "And I will be even more undignified than this, and will be humble in my own sight. But as for the maidservants of whom you have spoken, by them I will be held in honor." Therefore Michal the daughter of Saul had no children to the day of her death.

Psa 30:11 You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; You have put off my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness,

Luke 15:25-27 "Now his older son was in the field. And as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. "So he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant. "And he said to him, 'Your brother has come, and because he has received him safe and sound, your father has killed the fatted calf.'

We are told to give people who are dying, in pain (physically or emotionally) or in poverty strong drink (alcoholic beverages).

Prov 31:6-7 Give strong drink to him who is perishing, And wine to those who are bitter of heart.  Let him drink and forget his poverty, And remember his misery no more.

Cast Lots means to throw the dice (gamble).

Lev 16:8 "Then Aaron shall cast lots for the two goats: one lot for the LORD and the other lot for the scapegoat.

If someone thinks something is a sin, I am not supposed to try to get him to do it but I am also not supposed to allow him to condemn me for what I know is not a sin.  I am to teach him the truth in love. 

Rom 14:13-15:7 Therefore let us not judge one another anymore, but rather resolve this, not to put a stumbling block or a cause to fall in our brother's way. I know and am convinced by the Lord Jesus that there is nothing unclean of itself; but to him who considers anything to be unclean, to him it is unclean. Yet if your brother is grieved because of your food, you are no longer walking in love. Do not destroy with your food the one for whom Christ died. Therefore do not let your good be spoken of as evil; for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. For he who serves Christ in these things is acceptable to God and approved by men. Therefore let us pursue the things which make for peace and the things by which one may edify another. Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All things indeed are pure, but it is evil for the man who eats with offense. It is good neither to eat meat nor drink wine nor do anything by which your brother stumbles or is offended or is made weak. Do you have faith? Have it to yourself before God. Happy is he who does not condemn himself in what he approves. But he who doubts is condemned if he eats, because he does not eat from faith; for whatever is not from faith is sin.
 We then who are strong ought to bear with the scruples of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, leading to edification. For even Christ did not please Himself; but as it is written, "The reproaches of those who reproached You fell on Me." For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope. Now may the God of patience and comfort grant you to be like-minded toward one another, according to Christ Jesus, that you may with one mind and one mouth glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore receive one another, just as Christ also received us, to the glory of God.

1 Cor 10:25-31 Eat whatever is sold in the meat market, asking no questions for conscience' sake; for "the earth is the Lord's, and all its fullness." If any of those who do not believe invites you to dinner, and you desire to go, eat whatever is set before you, asking no question for conscience' sake. But if anyone says to you, "This was offered to idols," do not eat it for the sake of the one who told you, and for conscience' sake; for "the earth is the Lord's, and all its fullness." "Conscience," I say, not your own, but that of the other. For why is my liberty judged by another man's conscience? But if I partake with thanks, why am I evil spoken of for the food over which I give thanks? Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.

Col 2:16-17 So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or Sabbaths  which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ.

Col 2:20-23 Therefore, if you died with Christ from the basic principles of the world, why, as though living in the world, do you subject yourselves to regulations; "Do not touch, do not taste, do not handle," which all concern things which perish with the using; according to the commandments and doctrines of men? These things indeed have an appearance of wisdom in self-imposed religion, false humility, and neglect of the body, but are of no value against the indulgence of the flesh.

Scripture does not say if the apostles are still alive.  Jesus said he who believes and is baptized - these signs will follow those who believe - they will cast out demons, speak with new tongues (don't curse etc), no poison will harm them, sick will recover. 

Mark 16:16-18 "He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. "And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; "they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover."

The Gifts are real.  The gift of tongues is also real but some churches misuse it and preach that everyone who has the Holy Spirit has the gift of tongues.  That is not what Scripture says.  Some churches teach that speaking in tongues to the disruption of services is OK - Scripture says it is not.  In the year of our Lord 2007 AD the Southern Baptist Convention recognized that Speaking in tongues is real and it should be used as a missionary gift or for prayer.  They also took away the thou shalt nots that are not Biblical.  Praise the Lord. 

Acts 2:3-4 Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

1 Cor 12:7-21 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills. For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ. For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body; whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free; and have all been made to drink into one Spirit. For in fact the body is not one member but many. If the foot should say, "Because I am not a hand, I am not of the body," is it therefore not of the body? And if the ear should say, "Because I am not an eye, I am not of the body," is it therefore not of the body? If the whole body were an eye, where would be the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where would be the smelling? But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased. And if they were all one member, where would the body be? But now indeed there are many members, yet one body. And the eye cannot say to the hand, "I have no need of you"; nor again the head to the feet, "I have no need of you."

1 Cor 12:28-31 And God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, varieties of tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Are all workers of miracles? Do all have gifts of healings? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? But earnestly desire the best gifts. And yet I show you a more excellent way.

1 Cor 13:1-3 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.

1 Cor 14:23-33 Therefore if the whole church comes together in one place, and all speak with tongues, and there come in those who are uninformed or unbelievers, will they not say that you are out of your mind? But if all prophesy, and an unbeliever or an uninformed person comes in, he is convinced by all, he is convicted by all. And thus the secrets of his heart are revealed; and so, falling down on his face, he will worship God and report that God is truly among you. How is it then, brethren? Whenever you come together, each of you has a psalm, has a teaching, has a tongue, has a revelation, has an interpretation. Let all things be done for edification. If anyone speaks in a tongue, let there be two or at the most three, each in turn, and let one interpret. But if there is no interpreter, let him keep silent in church, and let him speak to himself and to God. Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others judge. But if anything is revealed to another who sits by, let the first keep silent. For you can all prophesy one by one, that all may learn and all may be encouraged. And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets. For God is not the author of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints.

Col 1:16-17 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.