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Contributing Writers: David Mathis | Tim Perkins
Past Contributing Writers: Mike Mills, Spring Hill Church | Doug Fincher | Pastor Randy and Sue Smith | Mike Belgard
Faith
February 17, 2022 - Come enjoy a BBQ chicken plate and support Smyrna Church Youth Group as they make plans to attend church camp on Friday, February 18, 2022 starting at 10:30am until sold out.
Plates are $10 and will include Half-chicken, Baked beans, Potato Salad and Bread.
Delivery is available for orders of 10 plates or more! Please send us a DM or call 936-332-0052 to reserve yours.
February 17, 2022 - Neuville Baptist Church Revival begins at 10:45am Sunday morning, February 20th and continues nightly through February 23rd.
Sunday evening service is at 5:30pm and Monday through Wednesday night services start at 7pm.
Bro. Jim Moss Evangelist will be holding the services.
February 17, 2022 - Though it is February, in East Texas that means that spring is “just around the corner.” With springtime, the grass starts to turn green again, the trees bud and the flowers bloom. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus admonished his listeners to “consider the lilies of the field”. When you unpack that statement, there are two important things for us to consider.
I have read that the poet Emily Dickinson, in a letter to a friend once wrote, “of all the commandments, consider the lilies is the one I am sure that I never broke.” I wonder, can the same be said of us? In the context of the passage in Matthew 6:28-30, Jesus is warning his listeners against unproductive anxiety. Truly, we need that admonition also. We need to consider the lilies, how they grow and how God takes care of them. We need to realize the folly of needless anxiety because God will take care of us also.
Yet, also in that thought is another that is probably best expressed by that familiar expression “stop and smell the roses.” You see, that is something we are guilty of also. We fail to take the time to enjoy the pleasures of today because we are concerned about tomorrow. So, starting right now, “consider the lilies” and “take time to stop and smell the roses.” You will find life richer and more enjoyable.
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
February 17, 2022 - Good Morning! It's Thursday, February 17.
"Nothing is Impossible" is one of my favorite old-time gospel songs. It was inspired by Matthew 19:26 - "with God all things are possible." I was thinking about that song and that verse, and was reminded of a humorous quote by the writer, A. A. Milne - "They say that nothing is impossible, but I do nothing everyday."
You remember A. A. Milne. He wrote the "Winnie-the-Pooh" children's books. That cute little bear is the world's second most popular cartoon character - after Mickey Mouse. Who doesn't love Winnie! Well, A. A. Milne for one. He was a serious British author - of books and poetry and plays - but after Winnie made his debut, that was all anyone wanted him to write. It's like when a great actor is typecast by one successful role - and that's all Hollywood wants them to do for the rest of their life!
At any rate, Winnie has inspired generations of children to be kind and thoughtful and loving. Here are some more inspiring quotes from A. A. Milne.
- The things that make me different, are the things that make me me.
- Think it over. Think it under.
- Oh Tigger, where are your manners? I don't know, but wherever they are, I bet they're having more fun than I am.
- Good judgement comes from experience, and experience comes from bad judgement.
- Supposing a tree fell down, Pooh, when we was underneath it? After careful thought, Pooh replied - supposing it didn't? Piglet was comforted by this.
- When you do the things that you can do, you will find a way.
Meet you back here tomorrow,
Bro. David
dmathis@fbccenter.org
February 16, 2022 - St. John Missionary Baptist Church of Center will be celebrating our annual black history program at the 11 o’clock hour on Sunday, February 20, 2022 with Rev. Chandler Pettis of the St. John Missionary Baptist Church of Tenaha as the speaker. The theme is "Don't Give Up." Everyone is invited.
February 14, 2022 - Today we conclude our week-long series on the subject of love. Maybe some of you, on this Valentine’s Day, will be blessed to receive the gift of a dozen roses. Well, here’s a dozen scripture verses about love. Hope they’re a blessing to you!
Psalm 63:3 - Because your steadfast love is better than life, O Lord, my lips shall praise You!
I John 3:18 - Let us not love in word or talk, but in deed and in truth.
Romans 5:8 - God showed His love to us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
John 15:12 - This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.
Ephesians 4:2 - With humility and gentleness, with patience, bear with one another in love.
John 3:16 - For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son...
I John 4:19 - We love Him because He first loved us.
Colossians 3:14 - Above all these, put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.
I John 4:8 - Anyone who does not love, does not know God, for God is love.
I John 3:1 - See what kind of love the Father has given unto us, that we should be called the children of God.
Matthew 22:37 - And Jesus said, you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart.
I Corinthians 13:13 - So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three, but the greatest of these is love.
Meet you back here tomorrow,
Bro. David
dmathis@fbccenter.org
As I am writing this, our pretty spring-like days have changed back to winter. It is Saturday morning and as Sam, Gunter, and I were walking our miles at the city park, we could feel the wind pick up and change directions. Now, about noon, it has dropped ten degrees and is rainy and windy. Oh my, Mother Nature is fickle. Mrs. Fannie will for sure have the heat going at church tomorrow. Thanks, Fannie!
Paxton Methodists wish every one a happy St. Valentine’s Day. Sue and I both have doctor’s appointments on Monday, so I ordered flowers for my Valentine early this week and picked them up today. Roy at Sunshine Flowers always does such unique and creative work, and the flowers for Sue were no exception. As usual, her gift to me was heavy on sweets—we know each other well, after 47+ years.
All during the month of February we are collecting soap and shampoo for Community Christian Services. We got such a sweet card from Mrs. Ruby at CCS this week, which I will read to the church tomorrow morning. Delta Gamma will have their meeting at Paxton Methodist Church on Valentine’s Day. I have heard that the meal will be catered by Jason and Glenn Gill. I should sneak by to get some of that good food from two guys who really know how to cook!
Also during February, our church pays Conference and District apportionments. Paxton, like all United Methodists, helps each year to keep Methodist hospitals, universities, and other good causes going. Our church denomination is referred to as a connectional church: One way we stay connected is our giving to keep the worldwide church relevant and effective in its ministries.
Our Sunday School lesson was based on Matthew 5: 14-16, exploring how our actions make God’s glory and love evident to the world. Toward this end, our author says that we as Jesus followers allow Jesus to transform our emotions, beliefs, and actions. It is the light from Christ that begins the change deep inside us. One quote we all liked came from the Quaker theologian Elton Trueblood: “You cannot go to church; you are the church wherever you go.”
Our Gathering Words were based on Sunday’s Psalter lesson—Psalm 1. For the last two Sundays we have used a modern 21st Century Affirmation to declare our faith. Our songs today were two good old hymns, “He Leadeth Me, O Blessed Thought” and Fanny Crosby’s “Blessed Assurance.” The bulletin quote was from Joseph Campbell: “The goal of life is to make your heartbeat match the beat of the universe.”
The Gospel lesson that I used in my sermon was Luke 6: 17-26, Luke’s version of the Sermon on the Mount. Calling it the Sermon on the Plain, Luke offers just four blessings and adds four woes. Jesus said that the poor, the hungry, those who grieve and weep, and those pushed to the edges of society are blessed in God’s Kingdom. Unlike Matthew, Luke includes some “woes” which always have me wondering if Jesus could be talking about me. Jesus says woe to those who are rich, who have plenty to eat, who are laughing and having a good time, and who are spoken well of. Luke’s beatitudes get right down to the nitty gritty, while Matthew’s seem less harsh and much more poetic. Today’s Gospel tells us our first move—our first action toward someone should always be compassion and respect, not judgment.
Whoever you are, in whatever faith you were born, whatever creed you profess; if you come to this house to find God you are welcome here. Paxton United Methodist Church is an inviting church that takes to heart the idea of “Open Doors, Open Hearts, and Open Minds.” Worship begins at 10:00. Our email address is paxtonumc@yahoo.com. If you would like the weekly email newsletter about Paxton Methodist, you can send your email address to the Paxton email address, and I will add you to the list. God’s Speed.
February 13, 2022 - We continue our series of devotions on love, a series that will conclude on Monday, Valentine’s Day.
The books that have been written about love - the plays, the songs, the poems - would fill a million libraries. But perhaps the most famous words on this subject are found in a letter, a letter that the Apostle Paul wrote to a church in Corinth, Greece, two thousand years ago. In the Bible it’s found in the 13th chapter of I Corinthians.
In Chapter 12 Paul writes about all the many gifts and talents and abilities that God blesses us with, gifts that He wants us to use to accomplish His will and His plan. He mentions preaching and teaching, healing and helping. But at the end of the chapter, after acknowledging the good in all these gifts, he says this -
But now I will show you the most excellent way . . .
And thus begins chapter 13, The Love Chapter. The word love is found nine times in the 13 verses, and each time it’s the Greek word “agape”. This is a term for an unselfish, giving, sacrificial kind of love. This is the love of God. And Paul encourages us to make this the kind of love that characterizes our lives, a love that’s patient and kind, selfless and faithful. Paul teaches us that we can have everything else - knowledge, wisdom, generosity, faith - but if we don’t have love, then we don’t have anything.
Another Mighty Man of God, Peter, said it this way -
Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.
Meet you back here on Monday,
Bro. David
dmathis@fbccenter.org
February 10, 2022 - Huxley helping hands drive thru food pantry will be Saturday, February 12 at 9am at Hillcrest Baptist Church. Must have identification and only box per household will be given.
Must be in line by 9:30am to receive a box.
February 10, 2022 - I remember in elementary school, in the school office we had a cardboard box that was the “lost and found” collection. In that box you were likely to find notebooks, gloves, sweaters, jackets and various other articles. They were things that had been left on the playground, on benches, in the cafeteria and in classrooms. At the end of the year, most of those articles had gone unclaimed. However, occasionally, someone would have “lost” something and the teacher would tell them to go to the office and look through the “lost and found box.”
The idea of looking for something that is lost is something that Jesus talked about in Luke chapter 15. He said in verse 4, “Which of you having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness and go after that which is lost, until he finds it.” Jesus said in another place, recorded in Luke 19:10, “For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.”
Aren’t those comforting thoughts for us? There is one who is actively seeking those people who have been cast off or lost. One who is actively seeking those who are lost in sin. Ordinary people like us. When we obey his will and live his kind of life, we are no longer in the “lost and found box” we are His children, part of God’s family.
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
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