Mt Zion Baptist Church

Welcome to Bible Study Bible Study | June 16, 2021 | Dr. Daniel Simmons - Pastor

We invite you to join us in-person or tune in this Sunday at 10:15 AM EST for our worship service. Don't forget to invite your family and friends to join you! #MtZionAlb

Tune In TODAY (June 16, 2021) for Bible Study at 6:30 PM EST. #MtZionAlb

Daily Devotion Saturday/May 15, 2021 Armed Forces Day (Honoring Lives of Service in the Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force and Coast Guards) (Isaiah 6:8 NIV) Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, Whom shall I send? And who will go for us? And I said, Here am I. Send me!... It may be a calling, family tradition, educational opportunities, or a last course of action that causes individuals to enlist in one of the branches of military service. Whatever the reason, we owe them our humble gratitude. Their decision to serve our country in this capacity is a pledge of commitment to years of duty to ensure us of safety and well-being in our homeland. Their uniforms make them look so capable and distinctive in their duties. However, there are tremendous amounts of sacrifice that come with their responsibilities; sacrifice that is mutually shared with their family, friends, and local communities. Let us be mindful each day that there are people standing guard at the borders and throughout our country keeping watch so we civilians can live our lives freely and safely. And let us also be mindful of the retired men and women of service who have joined the civilian ranks. Let’s pray for them daily, and whenever the opportunity permits you to greet our men and women of service, be sure to tell them ‘thank you’.

The Fellowship Missionary Baptist Convention of Georgia, Inc presents a Virtual Ministry Day 2021! Don’t miss any of these dynamic presentations! Registration information in footer of flyer. Virtual presentations can be found at (www.youtube.com | search for channel FMBCOFGA)

Daily Devotion Wednesday/June 16, 2021 Holes (Colossians 2:7-8/NIV) rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than on Christ.... There used to be numerous pine trees in my front yard. All it took was one to come crashing down on my house during a terrible windstorm for me to have all the rest of them cut down. With the stumps ground and the debris hauled away, I eventually ended up with a green, lush, and treeless lawn. But within a few moths I began to notice sunken pits forming where each tree once stood. The pits became holes. Before then, I hadn’t given any thought to all of the tree roots that remained underground. Now that the trees were gone, the root systems were dying. As beautiful as the grass made the appearance of my yard the yard itself was a risk for people to fall and hurt themselves not only where the pits were but anywhere the root system traveled. The holes had to be filled with dirt to make the ground more secure. Sometimes this is the situation we have in our faith life. We dress, walk, and talk the part as though the roots of our faith are securely nourished in the Word of God. But underneath the façade, we’re fronting faith in our own strength and there are holes that need filling in our life. Do you have some holes in your life that need filling? The Word of God will not only fill those holes, but it will produce life and abundance in those barren places!

Every year Mt. Zion acknowledges a youth who displays exemplary character and participation in church activities and ministries. One way we do this is through the Cora Gay Award. Mt. Zion recognizes its recent Cora Gay Award recipients. Ashley Williams - 2020 Nehemiah Williams - 2021 Congratulations to the both of you!

Daily Devotion Tuesday/June 15, 2021 The Blessing of Your Valley (Romans 8:28 /NLT) And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.... While I hope only the best for your life and mine, we know that time and again there will be difficult moments we will have to bear. I’ve certainly had some thus far in my life, and I’m sure you have, too. During my difficulties, I found myself wondering if I would be able to make it through. I often felt like I would not be able to bear anything else. But God He helped me through and He strengthened me in the experience. This is what He does for us when we are going through our valley experiences. Valleys are uncomfortable blessings. They are not unfortunate circumstances. They have divine and eternal purpose. God calls us out to be His own, and times of trouble are merely necessary tools He uses to bring about what He knows is best for us and within us. We can trust God in absolutely all things. So let’s hold on to our faith in Him and rejoice in knowing He’s got a blessing in the valley for us each time we must go through.

Encouraging all men to join us on Saturday, June 19th from 8:00 a.m. until 12 noon, to attend and participate in the 2021 Men's Health Fair at Albany State University's East Campus. (See flyer for details.)

We Are All In This Together!

Have you expressed gratitude to the Lord today? Listen to this song by our praise team. #MtZionAlb

Daily Devotion Sunday, December 13, 2020 This Unfamiliar Place Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. --- Hebrews 13:8... This message is for all of us who have mourned (and those who presently mourn) the death of family members and friends some singular and some multiple deaths in this year alone. This is also for those who are currently quarantined, those who have experienced COVID-19 and made it through, those who are dealing with this and other forms of illnesses, those who may live alone or are lonely, and those who are missing their family members who live in distant locations. We are in an unfamiliar place physically, spiritually, and emotionally. It does not feel good, it does not look good, and it is difficult to see any good in this place. But there is an everlasting Good News for us we can depend on, and here it is: ‘It is in this unfamiliar place where we are most certain to find God.’ Yes, He was waiting here for us before we arrived, because He meant it when He said ‘He’d never leave nor forsake us’(Deuteronomy 31:6) especially now. The strain of what we are going through without being able to physically encircle each other with our support has taken a toll on us like nothing we have ever experienced before. Will we ever feel like our normal selves again? Quite frankly, ‘no’. The people we were before these storms rolled in have been fighting in faith to survive. Just like the soldier who goes off to war and after a time returns home we, too, will not be the same when we come out of this place. But because Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forevermore He will take all of our brokenness and exchange it for renewed and comforted spirits if we let Him. He will use our loss to strengthen our testimony in Him. He will restore joy within our souls and blessed assurance within our hearts and minds that - those we’ve lost, those who suffer alone, those who we long to see, and we - who are in this unfamiliar place will not be disappointed in the outcome of His Kingdom purpose for this season. This, too, shall pass, and this unfamiliarity shall not be in vain. We can trust in God.

Daily Devotion Saturday, December 12, 2020 Reason To Enjoy So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. --- 1Corinthians 10:31... 2020 has allowed us to realize how meaningful it is to have family members and friends to gather with and share special moments, memoriesand delicious food! We’ve had to cancel all of our big special occasions and holiday gatherings. But guess what? That doesn’t mean we’re not supposed to experience the enjoyment that is a part of the holiday season! Regardless of current events, don’t let anything deter you from acknowledging, appreciating, and enjoying the most important time in history our Savior’s birthday! Play some Christmas music and sing like you’re in a concert and everybody is cheering you on! Turn your kitchen into a bakery, and whip up that prized pie or that special pound cake mixed with Grandma’s secret ingredient! Go in the backyard, heat up that piece of tin over an open fire, and have yourself a few raw oysters with hot sauce! Pop some popcorn and anchor down on a cozy couch while binging on holiday movies! Toast the celebration of our Savior’s birth with a delicious holiday beverage! It’s Jesus’s birthday all month long as far as we are concerned! HE IS the LIVING REASON why we can enjoy this season!

Daily Devotion Sunday, November 8, 2020 When It Used To Be Sunday On the first day hold a sacred assembly, and another one on the seventh day. Do no work at all on these days, except to prepare food for everyone to eat; that is all you may do. --- Exodus 12:16... The first day referenced in this scripture is Sunday. Seven days later makes it Sunday again. When I was a child, I remember preparations were done on Saturday to make sure complete reverence was given to Sunday - from the moment we rose for breakfast and went to church - until we returned home and gathered around the dinner table for a delicious meal. Even after the Sunday meal was over, reverence continued that involved family and community fellowship. The grown folks gathered to talk, share, laugh, cry, and discuss matters that were important to keeping the welfare of our community. They were planting seeds. The children played, talked, asked questionsand listened to what the grown folks were saying. The seeds were falling on good soil. Oh, how this one day of reverence and rest impacted the six-day journey before we would reach another Sunday! God, family, communityRemember when it used to be Sunday? It will take a while, but can you imagine what better situation our communities could be in if it would reverence God, family, and our neighbors and friends as we are supposed to? When Sunday used to be Sunday, daily living was deeply rooted in a foundation of faith, hope, love, and charity. As best as we can, let’s resolve to get that kind of living back again - starting today.

Daily Devotion Friday, December 11, 2020 Overthinker You keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you. --- Isaiah 26:3... I arrive at your place, and we’re on our way to the kitchen table to do some Christmas shoppingonline! With our hot mochas and our laptops in tow, we are ready to spend!!! You have one simple decision to make which color glove set you will purchase your sister for Christmas? Before too long, you get frustrated because you like all of the colors and can’t make up your mind. So, you get an attitude with your sisterand she doesn’t even know you’re buying her a gift! You won’t listen to my suggestions, so I sit there and watch you reflect on the past year to decide if you really liked what your sister gave to you last Christmas enough to bother buying her something this year. You begin fretting about the possibility of your sister not liking or not wearing the gloves if you were to purchase them. You say you will be mad if the gloves turn out to be the wrong size. On and on you go spinning yourself into a tizzy until you finally decide to give her a gift card. I’m so glad you chose the gift card, because within a minute of watching you overthink what was really an easy task I purchased the leather one-size-fits-all parka gloves in orange for your sister. She is my best friend, and I know that orange is her favorite color! Are you an overthinker? If you are or you know of someone who is it’s time for you to get unstuck in your decision making by understanding you have no control over the past, present, and future. Only God can handle that. Make wise decisions in a spirit of love, and both you and your loved ones will be blessed for it!

Daily Devotion Saturday, November 7, 2020 This Jealous World Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. --- John 14:27... Every good, perfect, and everlasting gift comes from God. That is some serious competition to the world. How dare we belong to God, find all that we ever need in Him, and not praise the god in this earth for all his worldly offerings? Initially, we misdirect our gratitude to worldly things instead of God - that is until we come to learn and understand the truth about our life Source. Oh, but when our spiritual eyes have been opened and we begin to walk in the Light of Truth we realize that we have way more than the world can ever offer us! The peace of God is ours to have and to keep. Jesus says so. The adversary disagrees. He’s jealous about every ounce of our relationship with God. Hear me, he is not jealous of us. He is jealous of God. So, when we can recognize the busy, messy work he does to upset and disclaim our holy peace we can respond in faith and infuriate him with his own jealousy! God’s peace belongs to us, and the devil cannot not have it not ever!

Daily Devotion Thursday, December 10, 2020 A Taste Of Heaven On Earth But seek first his kingdom and righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. --- Matthew 6:33... People who seek to have a relationship with Jesus Christ are sometimes confused about whether or not they are wrong to want some of the material things they desire in life. They think it is alright, but they may feel guilty when they think about people who are experiencing difficult and desperate times. They feel guilty when blessings come their way, when they have joy in their heartswhen they experience beauty and peace in their lives. Quite honestly, I used to have the same feeling, and I admit that every now and then it tries to creep up in my spirit as I consider all the trials and tribulations that are taking place in this world. But then I remind myself of Who is in charge and Whose will shall be done in my life. I know that there is a greater purpose to what is taking place within humanity, and each person under God’s watch goes through different purposed seasons. Being servants of God and of mankind, we have the responsibility to listen to the Holy Spirit lead us in helping others. But we also have the right to rejoice and honor God with our gratitude for the taste of Heaven He brings to our lives. In our Father’s prayer we say, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven Matthew (6:10). We can know that the goodness we enjoy now is only a taste of what we will experience on a grander scale when we go to Heaven and not just us but all of God’s children. So don’t condemn yourself because you can have and enjoy some things in your life. With humility and gratitude, thank God for them and imagine how wonderful it is going to be when all of His children will be able to do the same!

Daily Devotion Friday, November 6, 2020 Jesus Will Do The Rest The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit. --- 1 Corinthians 2:14... As gratifying as it is to help people who are appreciative and who desire to have a relationship with Jesus, Christian servants also encounter opposition, criticism, and even hatred from some of the people we seek to serve. But we realize we are serving a humanity filled with people from all different walks of life. Some may have never heard or are misinformed about the Word of God. Others may be in a struggle about God or with God, or some may have turned away from God altogether. Whatever the case, we know that Jesus is our way to bringing about a newfound love relationship between hurting souls and our Savior. When we demonstrate to others the gentleness and kindness that we came to know through Jesus, we help to prepare souls to receive Him when He gets ready to make Himself known to them. This is an encouraging aspect of the less than desired experiences of Christian servitude. While we may not receive the response we desire as a result of our service to God and His people, we know that whatever we begin, Jesus will do the rest in His time and in His way to make the outcome of our service complete and to His Glory.

"Join Pastor Daniel Simmons LIVE as he delivers today's conference sermon at the 4th Annual FMBC of GA, Inc. 2020 Virtual Conference in Macon, GA!" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q6SDyW-p4D8&feature=share

Daily Devotion Thursday, November 5, 2020 When Forgiveness Isn’t Granted So watch yourselves. If your brother or sister sins against you, rebuke them; and if they repent, forgive them. Even if they sin against you seven times in a day and seven times come back to you saying, ‘I repent,’ you must forgive them. --- Luke 17:3-4... God is Love. I practice daily to demonstrate to my brothers and sisters the love and forgiveness I receive from God. This is the ultimate way to live. However, it is sometimes challenging and even painful in my flesh. But I get it. In God’s pure love, matters that would damage His and my relationship don’t get stuck there. I sincerely ask for His forgiveness, and He grants His forgiveness to me. If we would do the same toward each other. Forgiveness is a tool of the spirit that we don’t use as effectively as we should in love toward others. We are to blame. When people offend us, we are quick to go into zone defense towards them - and we may have just said ’I love you’ to them only five minutes earlier. It only takes a moment of resentment to interrupt a lifetime of relationship. Forgiveness is the answer. Forgiveness is found in love. GodisLove. When forgiveness isn’t granted, the love we so readily speak toward each other isn’t real; it isn’t of God. Forgiveness - like love - is the nature quality of God that we are to absorb into our character. We can’t do it alone. We need God’s help to be forgiving, and we need each other to experience the closeness we can have when we forgive and let go of matters that tear us apart in the body of Christ. God is ready and waiting to help us break free from the chains of unforgiveness. If God so readily grants His forgiveness to us, shouldn’t we do the same to each other?

Bible Study - November 4, 2020 | God Is Still In Control - Psalm 98 | Minister Angela Shumate

Don’t forget to tune in TODAY (November 4, 2020) for Bible Study @ 6:30PM!

Daily Devotion Wednesday, November 4, 2020 Our Work Continues The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. - Romans 13:12... All over the world every believer knows that the ultimate victory in the history of humanity has been ours ever since Jesus died on the cross at Calvary and rose to life with all power in His hands! But in this earth we have a never-ending mission for people to live in unity, justice, equality, service, and love as fellow human beings. If we are willing believers, we can bring about miracles! It will take all of us every human being to make this happen. Our work continues. Our challenges will never be over, but this doesn’t mean that we can’t do better and be better for the sake of mankind. Our goal has to be to want to come ‘together’. This is going to take time. With selfless faith and commitment, and through the power of our Savior we can change things for the better for all people. How and where do we begin? We seek the divine leadership of God. We come together as one body, and we seek His direction through prayer and watchful awareness. When our earthly leaders and all people surrender to the fact that we can do nothing beneficial and lasting apart from God then, and only then will we begin to experience what greatness really is. We’ve got work to do. The best way to get started is to start with God, because He is the Only Way.

You are cordially invited to tune in and watch the 4th Annual Conference of the Fellowship Missionary Baptist Convention of Georgia, Inc. taking place this Wednesday and Thursday (November 4-5, 2020) via the YouTube platform. We are excited to have you join us 'virtually' for what we anticipate to be yet another phenomenal experience of teaching, training, preaching, and worship! The URL for accessing the 2020 FMBCG Conference is https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChokqTUV8-u1a...2q3k_wTZlA. In the event the link does not take you to the conference, Go to www.YouTube.com, In the search bar type FMBCOFGA and press [Enter]. Click to select FMBCOFGA. You are encouraged to share the conference information with as many people as you'd like. A schedule is provided to ensure that you don't miss any of the teaching, training, worship, and musical events that will be taking place this week!

CAPS Virtual Tutorial Mt Zion’s Afterschool Tutorial is offering Virtual Tutorial on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday from 4:30PM until 5:30PM. Students will be able to log-in to their subject area and meet with an online tutor. Applications are now available! Please click on the link and fill out the application in its entirety. https://www.mtzionofalbany.org/virtualtutorial For more information, please contact Ms. Elaine Williams at 229.432.6837 or 229. 395.0440

Daily Devotion Tuesday, November 3, 2020 A Day Of Civic Duty Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. ---Deuteronomy 31:6... We are fully engaged in performing the civic duty of casting our votes to bring about positive change in the leadership of our nation. In faith, we are prayerful and hopeful for God to move on behalf of His children. We are not to depend on today’s results to confirm whether God is working. Trust only in the Word of God about everything, and know that God is always moving on behalf of His children no matter how things may appear to be. May the words of David the psalmist speak encouragement to our hearts and minds on this day: Psalms 36 I have a message from God in my heart concerning the sinfulness of the wicked: There is no fear of God before their eyes. In their own eyes they flatter themselves too much to detect or hate their sin. The words of their mouths are wicked and deceitful; they fail to act wisely or do good. Even on their beds they plot evil; they commit themselves to a sinful course and do not reject what is wrong. Your love, Lord, reaches to the heavens, your faithfulness to the skies. Your righteousness is like the highest mountains, your justice like the great deep. You, Lord, preserve both people and animals. How priceless is your unfailing love, O God! People take refuge in the shadow of your wings. They feast on the abundance of your house; you give them drink from your river of delights. For with you is the fountain of life; in your light we see light. Continue your love to those who know you, your righteousness to the upright in heart. May the foot of the proud not come against me, nor the hand of the wicked drive me away. See how the evildoers lie fallen thrown down, not able to rise!

Daily Devotion Monday, November 2, 2020 Never WorryAlways Pray Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life; So do not worry; Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. ---- Matthew 6:25a;31a;34a Pray continually --- 1 Thessalonians 5:17... We will not waste our God-given energy on worry and speculations today. Over, and over again Jesus reminds us throughout scripture that He’s got us covered. We will be obedient to His Word, and we will not worry! Jesus has everything about us in His care, and our response to Him will be to walk in complete faith with the determination to look beyond what beckons to unnerve us and see ourselves living in His peace. There is nothing new going on under the sun that Jesus hasn’t dealt with before. Let the adversary wear himself out, while our faith in our Redeemer delivers us from turmoil that wants to set us up to live in perpetual fear. Not today, nor tomorrow or any of the days to come will we give worry a foothold in our lives. Jesus tells us, Don’t worry. Don’t worry. Don’t worry. We will counter the efforts of worry by praying prayers of thanksgiving for God’s will divine to be done for His children in the earth as it is already done in Heaven. Nopewe’re not entertaining worry. We are praying, and we are trusting our Savior.

Get Out To Vote!