The Baptist Family of Belize

Past President of the Baptist Association of Belize



I have never had a more interesting journey like with the Baptist Association of Belize. I came to observe many things i choose to pen on this site.

Among most vibrant, thriving, robust group, patterns of behavior like these are evident as one watches how such groups grow, excel and experience great profit. Arguably, the point can be made that the focus and driving factor in the achievement of the bottom line is key, still how deserving it is that such institutions would lavish in the excess of their gain.

As Baptist we are not business people, still, while we seek a bottom line of a different nature, who said we should not behave as well or better in setting moral and ethical standards or being the pace setters for the secular groups. Naturally it goes without saying that our commission comes from God Himself. frightfully the world is yet to look to us for guidance.

In my four year tenure the Lord allowed me great courage into an attempt at bridging the gap of confusion and quarrelling we so fervently lend time and resource to. I tried vehemently to quench by my own example the attempt at causing disharmony, needless bickering and futile resentment. I truly believe in my heart that God wanted me to make that one of my sole agenda as president.

In retrospect, if the truth were to be told, I believe to some extent a lot was achieved in mitigating adverse situation. Sadly the time was too short. The attempt at restore levels of civility and fair play in the executive body in my estimation to a great extent was achieve. there will always be more to do.

The Cross a Symbol of Satans Defeat

The Cross and it events thought two thousand years old, is still one of the most stunning features of our time. The son of God put to death on a cross!!! like a common criminal. To even think about it in abstract terms exhumes thoughts and questions of the extent of man's depravity, illustrating unequivocally how far we have fallen.

Not even our rituals can justify such duplicity, such treachery. The word reminds us that He bore our sins in anguish with the excruciating reality that His offenders shared no remorse. The pangs of the deceit was motivated by their refusal to part with what they believe was their right. How dare this Jesus to defy or denounce that right.

The entire ordeal ended in triumph far more than one could ever imagine. Not only was His accusers defeated but that which motivated them in the first place. God's will must be fulfilled and mere human could not prevent or hinder His ultimate objective, the rescue of His creation.

Is there a God? "Here is the Proof

The proof of God’s Omnipresence and the sevenfold destiny of man Recreated in Revelation

Ephesus
Rev 2:7 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; to him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.
In the Garden

Smyrna
Rev 2:11 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death.
Kicked out of the garden

Pergamos
Rev 2:17 (b) to him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it.
The Wilderness Kindness


Thyatira
Rev 2:26 he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations:
Man demands and is granted a desire to rule.


Sardis
Rev 3:5 He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.
A New Covenant


Philadelphia
Rev 3:12 Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name.
From mortality to Immortality


Laodiceans
Rev 3:21 To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.
Heaven our Home

A Southern Baptist Icon, My Spiritual Father Otis Brady

One of My greatest joy in life was to meet one of the greatest men I had ever known. In many ways despite the color of his skin. I could have easily called him my father, not just because he was a father but he behaved liked my Father.

Some of the thing that has allowed me to say that was because we spoke candidly without being afraid of what the other might have thought about one another. That is a rear community in the world that we live in. many people don't share trust and confidence like I shared with my brother, my mentor, my spiritual father and my friend the man Otis W Brady.

Even though this spiritual giant is dead and gone, pleasant and cheerful memories of him still lingers on. Many of the charismatics he exude earn him many accolades. He was just one of a kind. Don't get me wrong, the man was not perfect, he had his moments but one could never charge him for the few moments of (fooi) compared to the many moments of amens and praised the Lord he so often billowed out towards me or those other brother and sisters he was father to as well. I had never before met someone so deeply appreciative of others.

In him I often sensed a deep and contrite spirit of his love for his God. A practical man Hewn from the rock of deep conviction in God and His people.

This poor man cried! he use to say to us from Psalm. 34 and the Lord heard him and saved him from all his troubles. Those words came from the bible but when he said them, It was like he made them his very own, inferring the very urgent presence of the God he served and so loved.

If one could write a book of the life of Otis W Brady, we would quickly come to realized he lived out the true meaning of being born again, filled with the Holy Spirit and moved by compassion for the lost.

The saddest moment in my life was not when he died for that was inevitable but when he left our shores to return home. I would never had thought that some one could have influenced, challenged and encourage my life like he did but I supposed that was just the kind of man Reverend Otis W Brady was May his soul rest in peace

Truthfully, a part of him lives on in me and i see it coming out ever so often. His desire to unite and bring people together to talk and interact, to dream and visualized the future but most of all to be steadfast unmovable always abounding in the work of Lord.

This is my tribute to a truly Godly man.

Rev. Ashley A Rocke

BACK ON THE TRAIL

Jamie-Lee went away some three years ago to study at the University of the West Indies. She had a passion to study Law. In her course of study She found herself doing two majors instead. She is presently months away from a Bachelors degree in Politics and Law. Recently she got a job to teach at a high school and so while she waits on her degree she is using some of the skills she acquired at the university to educate young minds in our society. We are proud of you Jamie. We pray that where ever God wants to use you that you will make yourself available . Time fly by so quickly. it was for me just yesterday I could remember when I took her to school on my then bicycle She attended Miss Ebanks pre-school when we came back from living in Barbados. Since she left us those three years ago we really do missed her but now she is back on the trail. May God continue to bless what she will be doing. being back home

SPREADING OUR WINGS

Lake Independence Baptist church is on the cutting edge of finding new and innovative ways to stimulate its' people to greater heights. Some of such stimulation was the starting of two different types of clubs. The first one was to capture the children around the community and within the church; bringing them into some kind of grouping. The emphasises was primarily pride for community, self and others around them. as well there was included a component geared toward spiritual sensitization. Since started it has done well in doing that. We are faced with the challenge to keep it alive and vibrant see that Belizean are not known in their approach for longevity. The next club was the house club. This one was for all to be a part of. Members were asked to open their homes to their brothers and their community for a time of informal fellowship, swallowship and none threatening spiritual conversation. This is done with the aim to ultimately lead our lost friends to Jesus. All in some of it is working and then we are challenge to change or substitute those that are not working. God is good all the time.It was because of His wisdom that those visions came our way. Our prayer is that we will be found obedient until He come or until we go. God Bless

POEMS FROM A MEMBER of L.I.B.C.

Pain

I would...shave my head shiny baldcut off my toes and then soak for days in aqueous saltshriveling, wearing and whenI’m done, take a long bath in the scorching sunwhile maggots eat me alivewith their gnawing pangs of liberty.then would come the beehivewhose angry bees would sting andcause me to roll over into the sandcarefully rigged with glass and tacks.these would become lodged into the cracksof my long sun-beaten pelt.there I’d writhe and thrash until my last forsaken gasp.then lay me down in the kiln to burnand put me in a cast-off urn.for all these things I’d painlessly yearnif you would love me in return.

Bridges

YOU MIGHT CALL THEM SOME KIND OF GATEWAY INTO ANOTHER REALM.OR A GREAT PASS OVER THE FLOWING PARTITIONTHAT IS OUR MURKY WATERWAYAND PROBABLY SO BECAUSE IT IS THESE THINGS, TO THE NAKED AND UNTRAINED EYEAS DECEITFUL AS THOSE NASTY POLITICIANS THAT LIEAND THE REDUNDANCE IS NO JEST; BECAUSE ONCE ABRESS THE FORGED METAL AND CONCRETETHERE IS OBVIOUS CHANGE AFOOT-SOMEHOW MORE TRAFFIC IN THE LANE COMING THAN GOINGAND A FEW MORE SIGNS THAT ARE TELLINGMORE CRACKS IN THE ROAD COULD BE ONE OF THEMMORE CRACKHEADS ON ROADSIDE COULD BE ANOTHER.THOSE MEN WHO PLANNED THIS CITYMUST HAVE BEEN UNADULTERATED GENIUSES IF YOU ASK ME.THREE VISUAL MONUMENTS OF WHY WE’RE STILLNOT FREE.FROM NORTH TO SOUTH YOU CROSS THE BRIDGEAND IT GETS WORSE THE DEEPER YOU GOCAUSE WHEN YOU LABEL THINGS ‘SOUTH’ THEN PEOPLE WILL KNOWTHAT THE LAND IS NOT PRIME, THAT LEVEL OF CRIME IS HIGHWHY AT TIMES THERE MAY BE DARK FIGURESLYING ON THE GROUNDOR MAYBE IT’S THE OTHER WAY AROUNDMAYBE WE CAME FIRST AND JUST KINDADEVELOPED THAT SOUTHERN MENTALITY.WE LIVE WHAT WE LEARN AND PLAY THE CARDS WEHAVE BEEN DEALT BY SOCIETY.MAYBE IT’S BECAUSE I’M ON THE “SOUTH” END OF THIS DEALI’M REALIZING IN MY AGE THAT THIS REALITY JUST SIMPLYSHOULDN’T BE REAL.BECAUSE MY SOUTHSIDE IS ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THAT BRIDGE, AND MY DARKSIDE WISHES THERE WERE NO BRIDGES AT ALL.

Scatterbrain Says

Do I scare you? I don’t mean to. What I hold back is For your own good Because I don’t know how you’d react to these thoughts that I think might scare you. But I’m rambling. I’ll never be as interesting as you, and I feel like a fool half the time we do get to exchanging words. Mine are never profound. Yet yours resound through my mind all day. And you probably don’t think twice about what was said last night. But I have a way of overanalyzing everything. Maybe I should be a psychiatrist, right? And I can’t spel. And words oftentimes fail me. And I beat around the proverbial bush more than I should. And I’m long-winded- but you know that. And I’m abstract. But that has a new meaning now. And I’m nowhere near as deep as you. And you, you scare me, and I’m sorry. And the truth? I might love you… Did I scare you? I didn’t mean to.

From My Experience

Love is a thing with hues of grey and shades of black. When you love someone, don’t expect them to love you back. In fact, Expect the very opposite. Because nothing can, or will ever come of it. But that’s just from my experience. Now beauty Has but one definition: Someone who is skinny, has long hair, and probably Caucasian. Not to mention, She only speaks when spoken to And stands there the epitome of womanhood And we all should, Try our very best to be like that. And that’s a fact Just from my experience. And a friend is someone who leaves At the exact moment things start getting good. But they should. Cause heaven forbid your last memory Of that particular person is happy. What is ideal is that time runs out, And it’s hard to even remember what that foreign concept of “forever” was all about. A lost friendship never leaves behind any traces. But I don’t know...maybe I’ve had some bad experiences.

Tamarie Rocke (Medical Student in Cuba)

Our Future lives in our children make sure they don't die and we do nothing to cause their death. We would want to be good and speak good of all men but some men are sick.

Today we honored teachers who have devoted their christian lives to guiding little children into a solid life with Jesus.

Sunday School Director Lisa Rocke made it her buisness to use this month to bring recognition to all the teachers who over the last twenty years spending had their lives bringing spiritual guidance to these children's young fragile hearts and minds

No one can really say that when a child has a strong spiritual foundation that this is their cure from a life of rebellion but what is clear is that it gives them a fighting chance in a world that is gaired to confusing and musselling it's ways into their lives.

The churches role must be clear in this regard we must take the lead in making sure that our efforts are seen to be meaningful and deliberate. i strongly believe that God will hold His leaders and His servant deeply responsible for the kind of effort we put into demonstrating and communicating truth as seen in His word. Think about it.

I SAW CHRISTMAS UP CLOSE

Christmas: A spell bound moment in time captivated by bright eyes and expectant heart. They are those who will be giving and those who will be the receivers. In any case every one will be happy the getter's and the givers. isn't it strange how though the world make so much fuss about God and His sent son that around this time of the year there is a general change of attitude and behaviour. I think that is strange.

This however should not alarm us now. The truth of the matter is that no one believes in God until their back are up against the wall and there is no where Else to turn. The greatest promise made to His creation was i will never leave you nor will i forsake you and maybe that is why so many people do not clammier after God. They believe that He is true to His word and so they are willing to take their chances.

Jesus said in speaking to the pharisees and scribe "He who do the will of my father is the one who love me and i will love him and he will be loved by My father". The implication here is that while all of us may claim God as our father, He only recognizes some of us particularly those who follow and do His will.

Christmas should teach us that if we are to see it for what it truly worth we should see it like God saw it. A time of sharing, giving and celebrating God's gift of His son. Seeing it up close is when we look in the eyes of a man or a woman a boy or girl and see the change we bring because we were able to share in helping to brighten their lives. Have you seen it up close recently.

Christmas!!! aught it's something SPECIAL Thank God

KEEPING THE FLAME BURNING

Love and marriage!! it's such a complicated thing these days. Gone are the day when people got married for the sake of Love. every thing has change so drastically in this affair call love and marriage. The prenoptuals and the testing of blood type are clear signs that marriages to a great extent is no longer just about love but about making sure and yet the ironey is that there are so many people who if they were question about the premaratal affair would confess that they had at one time or the other been engage in sexual involvement before the actual marriage took place. To me this is the greatest level of hypocrocy. someone said about marriage and i quote "Happiness in marriage is entirely a matter of chance. If the dispositions of the parties are ever so well known to each other or ever so similar beforehand, it does not advance their felicity in the least. They always continue to grow sufficiently unlike afterwards to have their share of vexation; and it is better to know as little as possible of the defects of the person with whom you are to pass your life."
JANE AUSTEN, Pride and Prejudice

It never an easy affair you don't believe me ? try it.