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Contributing Writers: Mike Mills, Spring Hill Church | Doug Fincher | Pastor Randy and Sue Smith | Mike Belgard | Tim Perkins
Faith
May 14, 2018 - Sunday was the Seventh Sunday of Easter. Next Sunday is the Day of Pentecost which tradition tells us is the birth of the Jesus Movement. Today is also Mother’s Day. This holiday is set aside to honor mothers and those who helped raise us. Mothers are instrumental in the family: We often see what happens to families where love has disappeared or never existed. Jesus certainly understood the import of mothers, our families, our friends, our marriages, our church, and our journey in faith. One of our most important priorities in life is relationships and our most valuable resources are time, attention, and love. This week Joy and Gene will celebrate their 50th anniversary—congratulations to the newlyweds!
Our Sunday school lesson had Leviticus 23: 9-14, 22 as the scripture for the lesson titled “Bringing First Fruits.” Our writer provided some really humorous anecdotes and also provoked a wide-ranging discussion in our small class this morning. Ms. Fannie kept bringing us back to the idea that our best and first gifts should be for God.
Last week a group of us met at Focused Care for singing, stories, and fellowship. Nora, Jo, Fannie, Hilda, Pastor Matt, and I were welcomed as we always are. Morris picked the songs that we sang, and Ms. Hilda played the piano. Fannie and I shared stories about Mother’s Day, and Nora told a funny story about why you should never give a pig pancakes. Matt shared a scripture dealing with passages and told the residents about finishing up at seminary. We are all really proud of Matt, and I know he will not miss the drive to Dallas and back every week.
School will soon be out; summer will officially begin. The last week or so, the temperatures have been in the 90s, reminding us that we live in Texas. All this month we will collect cans of fruit for Community Christian Services. This Tuesday we head to Holiday Nursing Center for our ministry there. Our program starts at 2:00, and everyone is invited.
“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, Open Minds.” Sunday School starts at 9:30 and 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 me your email address to the Paxton email address and I will add you to the list. Godspeed.
May 10, 2018 - Come along for the ride May 12, 2018, 10am-1pm.
Horses & Hearts Ministry Impact Cowboy Church of Nacogdoches. 415 FM 2112, Nacogdoches, TX.
An event for children 3-18 years old with physical, cognitive, and/or emotional disabilities. Siblings are welcome.
Lunch provided, face painting, crafts and games, horseback riding and t-shirts.
Pre-registration is preferred but not required.
For more information and registration contact Marc Green: 936-645-5122; Dawn Green: 936-645-5120; 936-585-1020.
horsesandheartsministry@gmail.com or the Facebook event page
Notarized parent/guardian consent rerquired for horseback riding.
May 8, 2018 - Jackson Cemetery Homecoming is Sunday, May 20, 2018 at the Jackson Missionary Baptist Church at 10:50am. Worship service with message given by Bro. Harold Hanson will be followed by a brief informative report on the cemetery upkeep. Afterwards we will have lunch and fellowship together as is the tradition of homecoming. If unable to attend, donations may be mailed to: Jackson Cemetery Fund, P.O. Box 15, Joaquin, Texas 75954.
One day as Jesus sat by the sea and many people had come to hear his words he told a parable of the weeds. A story of a man who was planting seeds in his field, looking for a fruitful harvest to come.
And so Jesus said; “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field, but while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat and went away. So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weds appeared also.” (Matt13:24-26)
Jesus then explains that when the servants of the house saw the weeds they came and asked the master of the house did he not plant only good seeds. And so why does it have weeds among the grain?
The master answered them; “An enemy has done this. so the servants said to him, “Then do you want us to go and gather them? But he said, “No, lest in gathering the weeds you root up the wheat along with them. Let both grow together until the harvest, and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, “Gather the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned but gather the wheat into my barn.” (Matt. 13:28-30)
Later when only Jesus and his disciples remained there they asked him to explain the parable of the weeds to them so they would better understand his teachings.
And so Jesus answered them; “The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man. The field is the world, the good seed is the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil one, and the enemy who sowed them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels. Just as the weeds are gathered and burned with fire, so it will be at the end of the age. The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all law-breakers, and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear.” (Matt. 13:37-43)
The age which Jesus is speaking about here is the age we are living in which many call the “church age”, when it comes to an end we will then enter the “kingdom age”. The kingdom age being the kingdom of Jesus Christ erected here on earth, a reign of one thousand years after which will come the final day of judgement when all will be sorted out as Jesus explains in this parable.
Now I ask you today, if the end of this age were to come today, into which group would you fall, the good seed or the weeds?
That is the question we must all answer for ourselves, for if we would fall today into the group of the weeds then today we must make ourselves right with the Lord.
We must come humbly before the Lord, seeking his face and his grace, praying for his forgiveness for our sins and for his help in repentance of our sins. For only by our submission to him are we to find forgiveness of our sins.
Only by trusting Jesus Christ and acknowledging him as our sovereign Lord and Master are we to be able to come before the Father to receive eternal life in Christ.
So I beg you today, if you do not know him, seek him out today and offer yourself as a living sacrifice to him this very day for no one knows the hour nor even the day when the end of this age will come.
Prepare yourself today before the time has passed and salvation is no more… Blessed be the name of our Lord…
May 7, 2018 - The Dragons will face off against Douglass Friday, May 11 at 6:00 pm at Nacogdoches HS in the playoffs. The second game is Saturday, May 12 at 3:00 pm at Nacogdoches HS and game 3, if necessary will be following Game 2.
"And in praying use not vain repetitions, as the Gentiles do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking." Matthew 6:7
May 7, 2018 - Muslims pray fifty prayers every day and pray them five times daily. There are several religions that use prayer beads to keep track of their repetitious prayers. Among these religions are Hinduism, ISLAM, Buddhism, Sikhism, the Bahai belief and some Christian denominations.
Christians are told to pray without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:17), but that doesn't mean chanting the same words over and over. Praying (or singing) "I love the Lord" 100 consecutive times does not prove that we love Him. And our prayers don’t always have to be audible. If the heart prays them right, the mouth cannot get it wrong.
The old adage is right: "It's not how loud you holler or how high you jump…
It's how straight you walk when you come down".
May 7, 2018 - Sunday was the Sixth Sunday of Easter. It was also the first Sunday in May. The day began beautifully and promised to be a warm day full of sunshine. I really enjoy the spring, but also know that those really hot Texas summer days are on their way.
I missed most of Sunday school so I could worship and take communion at Tenaha Methodist. Pastor Matt is just a few weeks from graduation at SMU Perkins; I know he is ready to say goodbye to the weekly drive from Tenaha to Dallas. His wife Amy, about to finish another school year, is looking forward to the summer break. Our congratulations go out to Matt and Amy!
The lesson for Sunday school was “Giving from a Generous Heart.” The scripture was Exodus 35: 20-29. The part of the lesson I heard dealt with overabundance of material things and the problem that causes for our Christian spirit. It is not always easy to be a cheerful giver.
The fourth evangelist has Jesus using the word “love” nine times in just a few verses in John 15: 9-17. Love defined here as brotherly love and compassion for others is the essential part of the Jesus faith. To love God and our fellow humans is Jesus’ commandment. To care for one another isn’t a suggestion or an option—it is a requirement of Christian living.
We celebrated Holy Communion this morning. During the month of May we will be collecting cans of fruit for Community Christian Services. Our first monthly nursing home ministry is this Thursday at 10:15 at Focused Care of Center.
“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, Open Minds.” Sunday School starts at 9:30 and 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 me your email address to the Paxton email address and I will add you to the list. Godspeed.
May 4, 2018 - Bro. Rusty Hall of Smyrna Baptist Church in Huxley invites all churches to attend "The Porch" service Monday, May 14th in the Church Fellowship Hall. Refreshments will be served at 6:30pm and service begins at 7pm. The speaker will be Jamir KiKa, an awesome missionary to the Eastern People in Ft. Worth. There will be special music by Paul and Brittany Koiner. Please come as you are and worship the Lord with us. Nursery available. Question?? Please contact Bro. Rusty Hall at 318-422-1511.
May 3, 2018 - Just a reminder that the annual Truitt Cemetery Homecoming is this Saturday, May 5, at the pavilion at the Truitt Cemetery.
This is the time to gather with family and friends, perhaps meet some new cousins, decorate your loved ones graves and honor your ancestors and perhaps learn more about your family history. The program and business meeting will begin at 11am and the covered dish luncheon will be at noon.
The Cemetery Board will meet at 5pm Friday evening in the Truitt Cemetery Pavilion. Come help keep the tradition alive.
May 3, 2018 - As Jesus came up out of the waters of the Jordan from his baptism by John the Baptist the Holy Spirit of God came to rest on him and filled him and then led him into the wilderness for forty days during which time he did not eat.
The devil came to him there and tempted him with promises of worldly riches and power, all if Jesus would only bow to him and worship him instead of the Father God.
As Jesus became increasingly hungry the devil used his hunger as one of his temptations when he asked Jesus to turn a rock into bread and to eat.
Jesus answered from a passage in (Deuteronomy Chapter 8) when he said; “It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone.” (Luke 4:4) These words were taken from the message given by Moses to the Hebrew people showing them that they did not live by bread alone which God had furnished for them for forty years, but that man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of God.
Then the devil took Jesus up on a high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the known world at that time, offering him all that he could see if he would only bow to him, saying to Jesus; “To you I will give all this authority and their glory, for it has been delivered to me, and I give it to whom I will.” (Luke 4:6) To this offer Jesus answered him, “It is written, You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve.” (Luke 4:8) As Moses explained to the Hebrew people, our God is a jealous God and he will not share his glory with anyone.
To turn from him is to incur his wrath as Moses says, “Lest the anger of the Lord your God be kindled against you, and he shall destroy you from off the face of the earth.” (Deut. 6:15)
From there the devil took Jesus to Jerusalem and sat him on the pinnacle of the temple and asked him to throw himself down, to jump off the temple when he cites (Psalm 91) trying to use the scriptures to get Jesus to do his will as Jesus used the scriptures to defy his wishes.
Jesus again answered him, “It is said, You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.” (Luke 4:12)
And then, having used up every temptation he could think of the devil left him for a more opportune time when he would try to tempt him again.
Still being filled with the Holy Spirit Jesus returned to the area of Galilee where the word went out about his teaching as he taught in the synagogues and was glorified by all.
Jesus then returned to the place of his youth, Nazareth and went into the synagogue where again he read from the scrolls. He read from the scroll of the prophet Isaiah where it is written;
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” (Luke 4:18-19)
But those who had heard him were asking, “Is this not Joseph’s son?” (Luke 4:22) When he heard their doubts Jesus said, “Truly, truly, I say to you, no prophet is accepted in his hometown.” (Luke 4:24)
Showing us that even our Lord Jesus Christ could not be accepted by those that had known him as a child for he had to leave there and go to Capernaum and establish his ministry from there.
Now Jesus endured all of the devils temptations, without failure, remaining without blemish, that he might know any temptation that we might be subjected to today.
No matter the problem you may face, Jesus is the answer for he and he alone knows our troubles and he alone has the answer to any trouble, any problem.
So come to him today, come to the one who has been tested and submit to him as Lord that you too might pass the test of temptation.
Not by your own strength but by the strength of the Lord Jesus Christ who has already defeated the devil, death and the grave, and now lives eternally in heaven.
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