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Contributing Writers: Mike Mills, Spring Hill Church | Doug Fincher | Pastor Randy and Sue Smith | Mike Belgard | Tim Perkins
Faith
January 11, 2024 - A preacher was having coffee in a local coffee shop with some men in the community and one asked him if a certain man and his wife belonged to the church where he was preaching. His reply was, “No, they do not belong to the church here. They are members, but they do not belong to the church.”
It’s like this, the preacher explained. “Neither their time, their affection, their energy, their money, nor their influence belong to the church.”
Does that cause us to wonder what kind of membership these people had in the church? The preacher said, “they came to us, and we received them in good faith, and we thought they were looking for spiritual fellowship and service. Sadly, their attendance has been so infrequent they have no sense of belonging to the church family and the church has not been a spiritual home to them. Truthfully, there is not an ounce of this man and his wife that belongs to the church. All they have ever added to the church is a name on the roll.”
Sadly, the rolls of local churches are loaded with names that are “members only”. This is their only indication of love for Christ. Yet, Bible love is active and not passive. Jesus expressed His love by dying for us. Will we show our love by living for Him? Do you belong to the church? Where will you be this coming Lord’s Day?
It’s something to think about... tbp
Join Us for Worship this coming Lord’s Day at Center Church of Christ or online at www.centerchurchofchrist.com
January 8, 2024 - Good Morning! It's Monday, January 8.
There's a particular part of our worship service at First Baptist Center that we try to keep simple - our invitation. We use just a few songs that are frequently repeated. I want our congregation to be listening to the moving of the Spirit in that moment, not worrying about the lyrics and melody of some new song. Our focus this morning is on the hymn we sang at our altar call yesterday.
Judson Van DeVenter was a gifted artist. Born in 1855, he toured Europe as a young man, studying with famous painters. He returned to America to continue his art and to become an acclaimed teacher. But despite his talent, despite his success, there was always a feeling that something was missing. At the age of 40 DeVenter surrendered his life to the gospel ministry, left his art behind, and became a renowned evangelistic preacher. He wrote a hymn, as a personal testimony, and titled it "I Surrender All".
Judson DeVenter retired in his eighties and moved to the Tampa, Florida area. His home was near a college for young preachers and he would often invite students to join him there. One of those preacher boys was named William Franklin Graham. Years later Billy Graham counted DeVenter as one of his greatest mentors. A man who listened to the moving of the Spirit, a man who heard God's call, a man who . . . surrendered all.
All to Jesus I surrender, all to Him I freely give I will ever love and trust Him, in His presence daily live
I surrender all. I surrender all.
All to Thee, my blessed Saviour. I surrender all!
Meet you back here tomorrow,
Bro. David
dmathis@fbccenter.org
January 4, 2024 - As the book bearing his name comes to a close, we find that Joshua “waxed old and stricken in age” (Joshua 23:1). He called the people together and gave his farewell address to them. We read the declaration he made in Joshua 24:15 when he said, “choose ye this day whom ye will serve... but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”
As we stand here at the beginning of a new year, that seems an appropriate challenge for each of us. We must choose whether we are going to serve the Lord or we are going to serve the devil. Will Jesus Christ be Lord and Master of our lives in 2024 or will he not? I have said this and written this many times, but it is ever true that if Jesus Christ is not Lord of ALL of your life, He is not Lord AT ALL in your life.
I would like to encourage you to make Jesus Christ the Lord of ALL of your life in 2024. This coming Sunday is the first Lord’s Day in 2024. Make your plans to meet the Lord at His house for worship. Resolve that meeting the Lord at His House for Worship will be a part of your activities not just this coming Sunday, but EVERY Lord’s Day throughout the year. Choose to serve the Lord!
It’s something to think about... tbp
Join Us for Worship this coming Lord’s Day at Center Church of Christ or online at www.centerchurchofchrist.com.
January 3, 2024 - Good Morning! It's Wednesday, January 3.
Houston is my hometown. And on January 3, 1962, something extraordinary began there, a dream really. On that day, ground was broken on a new kind of sports stadium, a "domed" stadium. It was the first of its kind in the world. There are many in the world now, but the Astrodome was the first.
The dream belonged to a man named Roy Hofheinz. He had been the mayor of Houston in the 1950's, when I was born, and during that time he took a vacation to Rome. He would say later that seeing the ruins of the Roman coliseum was the inspiration for his dream. The astrodome was built on former swampland, came in under budget, and was dubbed "the Eighth Wonder of the World".
In 1970, just six years after his dream opened, Hofheinz suffered a stroke that left him in a wheelchair. He died in 1982, and in 2008 the Astrodome was closed. It still stands today, a slowly crumbling echo from the past, Houston's very own Roman ruin.
Texans have always been dreamers, Americans too.
Big dreams, small dreams, dreams that bring great success, dreams that end in great disappointment.
Do you have dreams for this new year? Does God have a dream for you? Perhaps you can find your inspiration in a simple scripture verse - Micah 6:8.
"He has shown you what is good, and what the Lord requires of you. To act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God."
Meet you back here tomorrow,
Bro. David
dmathis@fbccenter.org
January 2, 2024 - Good Morning! It's Tuesday, January 2.
What kind of person are you? Glass half empty or glass half full? How we experience life, how we evaluate it, often comes down to how we perceive it. Do your perceptions tend to be positive or negative? Something to consider as we begin this new year.
My last devotion was sent out on Friday, December 22. That same day, my daughters and their families were coming in, and we were looking forward to a restful and festive Christmas. And then, very early on Christmas Eve morning, my wife suffered a stroke. She was rushed to the hospital, and instead of gathering around the Christmas tree, my family gathered around her bedside. She is in a temporary rehab program now and doing much, much better.
When these events began to unfold, I thought that this would certainly be a Christmas that we would want to forget (glass half empty). But then I considered the fact that, typically, the only week of the year that my family is all together, is the week of Christmas, and I couldn't imagine having to go through all that happened without the love, care, and support of our daughters and their families (glass half full). It will surely be a Christmas that we will always remember.
I've never been a big fan of making New Year's resolutions. But, in 2024, I'm going to try my best to have a positive perspective about the circumstances and challenges that come my way. I'm going to try to see things through God's eyes, through His perspective. And we can all choose to claim the promise found in Romans 8:28 - "And God works all things for good to those who love Him, and are called to His purpose."
Meet you back here tomorrow,
Bro. David
dmathis@fbccenter.org
December 29, 2023 - Pastor Marlin Cloudy Sr. and Abundant Love Ministries will host “Watch Night” services on Sunday, December 31st, 2023, beginning at 10pm.
Regular Sunday morning worship will be held Sunday, December 31, 2023 at 10am.
Everyone is welcome and invited.
Abundant Love Ministries is located at 1426 Shelbyville St. Center, TX 75935
December 28, 2023 - Patroon Baptist Church is hosting a blood drive on Sunday, December 31st from 9 til 1:30. These donations will help offset the product used in Kevin Windham's infusions so please make plans to donate.
You can register at giveblood.org for your time or just come by. If you're not able to come on this date you can stop by the Blood Center in Nacogdoches and let them know you're giving for the Patroon Baptist Church blood drive.
You're also invited to stay for church and receive a great message. There will also be a potluck lunch after the service.
December 27, 2023 - Woods New Hope Baptist Church welcomes Ernie Couch and Revival in concert at 10am on Sunday, December 31, 2023.
Woods New Hope Baptist Church is located at 120 County Road 425, Tenaha, Texas 75974.
“Magi came from the East to Jerusalem….” Matt. 2:11
December 26, 2023 - The Three Wise Men who followed the star to Bethlehem might not have been all that wise…or even men…at least that’s what the Church of England determined at their recent General Synod in London. A committee revising their last Prayer Book says that the word Magi” (translated ‘wise men’) discloses nothing about wisdom or gender”.
“Magi” was the title of officials in the Persian (now Iran) Court and no historical records refer to any of these officers as women. These “Magi” or “Oriental Scientist” were the early astrologers and were known for their wisdom. The Bible doesn’t say there were three of them. It says “Magi” came from the East bearing three gifts, “gold, frankincense and myrrh.”
But what does any of this parsing of sentences and splitting of hairs really mean? It means that people are trying to alter the Bible to make it politically correct. In doing so, they miss the central theme of this story: Wise Men found Jesus.
Wise Men still do.
December 12, 2023 - First Methodist Church of Center invites the community to their Annual "Christmas Eve Candlelight Gathering" on the Square in front of the historic Shelby County Courthouse on Christmas Eve from 6pm until 6:30pm.
The community will come together for an evening of festive family time of singing familiar carols while celebrating the joy of Jesus' birth. Everyone should bring their own candle. Hot cider will be provided prior to the event. The evening will conclude with everyone singing Silent Night by candlelight!
Rev. Malcolm Monroe stated that, "First Methodist-Center is overjoyed to be able to provide this community-wide gathering for the fourth year in a row!"
In case of inclement weather, the event will be cancelled with no alternative service. (Santa Claus will not be with us because he will be on the other side of the world delivering toys to the children there.)
For more information about the Christmas Eve Candlelight Gathering or about First Methodist-Center, please contact Rev. Monroe at 936-598-2707 or visit the church website at www.CenterFirst.org
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