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Contributing Writers: Mike Mills, Spring Hill Church | Doug Fincher | Pastor Randy and Sue Smith | Mike Belgard | Tim Perkins
Faith
August 3, 2023 - The Mt. Zion C.M.E. Church will be having our Annual Homecoming and Revival Services beginning Sunday, August 6, 2023 at 11am. Revival services will be Monday through Wednesday, August 7th - 9th @ 7pm nightly. Our evangelists for our three-day revival will be:
- Monday - Rev. Steven Standley - East Liberty Baptist Church, Center, TX
- Tuesday - Bishop William Nash - House of Refuge Ministries, Center, TX
- Wednesday - Rev. Lynn Morris - Mt. Olive C.M.E. Church, Garrison, TX
"And now you must repent and turn back to God so that your sins will be removed, and so that times of refreshing will stream from the Lord’s presence. And he will send you Jesus, the Messiah, the chosen one for you" Acts 3:19-20
August 3, 2023 - The Hebrew writer quotes a passage from Jeremiah chapter 31 in Hebrews 6:10. He writes, “I will put my laws into their mind and write them in their hearts.” God is telling us there will come a day when his law will not be written on tablets of stone, but will be a law written in the heart.
God is talking about the spirit of His laws taking hold of our hearts. In the Old Testament, we often see people keeping the law of God without the law of God taking hold of their hearts. Jesus quotes Isaiah in Matthew 15:8 when he says, “This people honoreth me with their lips but their heart is far from me?
Is there a parallel or application for our day and time? Why do we obey God’s commandments? Do we live God’s kind of life out of a fear of going to hell? Do we live God’s kind of life because that is “what we are supposed to do”? Or, are we living God’s kind of life out of our love for God? Are we living God’s kind of life because of the love God showed for us in sending Jesus and we want to return that love?
Where is God’s law written for us today? Is God’s law written on our heart so that we live for God because we love Him? It should be.
It’s something to think about. . . TBP
August 1, 2023 - Pastor Byron Coutee, Jr. And the Blount Chapel Missionary Baptist Church cordially invites all area churches to our Annual Homecoming and Revival Services. Annual revival August 2nd-4th 7:00pm nightly.
Guest speakers: Wednesday August 2nd: Minister Desmond Johnson Bright Morning Star Baptist Church Center, Texas, Thursday August 3rd: Pastor Bradley Hale Mt. Horeb Baptist Church San Augustine, TX and Friday August 4th: Pastor Brandon Owens Bethel Baptist Church Longview, TX
Homecoming service to follow: Sunday August 6th at 11:30 am Guest Speaker:Rev. Dr. Jackie Garrett Borden Chapel Baptist Church Beaumont, TX
August 1, 2023 - Please join Abundant Love Ministries located at 1426 Shelbyville Street in Center, TX for our annual Back to School Revival on August 10-12, 2023. Starting at 7pm Thursday 10th and Friday 11th and 10am Saturday August 12, 2023. Speaker: Pastor John Russell Calvary Tabernacle Alexandria, LA.
August 1, 2023 - Strong Triumph Church invites you the 8th Anniversary honoring Shepherd, Elder Faye Dell Allen and First Gentleman, Bro. Adrain Allen on August 5, 2023 at 6pm. located at 2611 CR 2545, Shelbyville, Texas 75935. Guest Speaker: Presider Corey McCowen, Shepherd - Triumph Church Tyler, Texas. For more information please call Sis Taye Hewitt 936-201-8797 or Sis Lynette Cartwright 936-221-2935.
July 31, 2023 - Back in the fifties, I became pastor of the Bonaldo Baptist Church in Nacogdoches county. Located near the Angelina River, the church had an old log cabin parsonage (inhabited mainly with rats and snakes) and their ancient water well was filled with years of “dinner on the ground” leftovers. So I asked Buddy Pratt, a college friend, to help me clean it out.
I went down in the well and filled buckets while Buddy “pullied” them up and emptied them. After a few minutes in the well, I suddenly gasped for breath and feebly called out for help. I grabbed a rope and tied it under my arms… and in an unbelievable show of willpower, Buddy pulled me out. As I lay recovering my senses, Patricia Smith shouted from across the dirt road, “Mama wants to know if y’all are hungry.”
After a generous bait of pinto beans, cornbread and buttermilk, we headed back to college. As we sang along with some peppy gospel songs on XERF, I noticed my ‘55 Ford speedometer was reading 85 mph, so we played some slower music.
I’ve pastored a good many small country churches since that day and have eaten a lot of cornbread and beans with the members. But I’ve never gone down into another one of their water wells.
And I never will, either.
July 31, 2023 - Good Morning! It's Monday, July 31.
On this day, 35 years ago, my oldest daughter was born. It seems like just yesterday that we brought her home from a Fort Worth hospital. And around this time, 17 years ago, she left our home for college. That's a scene that's being replayed in countless families again this year, a moment, perhaps more than any other, that serves as a rite of passage from childhood to adulthood.
When a child is suddenly out in the world and on their own, the parents worry about whether they've done everything they could to prepare them. In that moment we're reminded of Proverbs 22:6 - "Train up a child in the way they should go, and when they are old, they will not depart from it."
God gives us many precious promises in His Word, but this verse isn't a promise, it's a principle. We've all seen examples of godly parents, who have done their best, but who end up grieving over a child that has made poor choices, a child that ends up departing from the way that they were raised. Our children are individuals with freedom to choose their own way. Proverbs 20:11 tells us, "Even a child is known by their deeds, whether what they do is pure and right".
I am certainly not a perfect parent. But, today, I am blessed to wish a happy birthday to a daughter who is kind and capable, funny and faithful, loving and lovable.
And I am thankful.
Meet you back here tomorrow,
Bro. David
dmathis@fbccenter.org
July 31, 2023 - White Rock Missionary Baptist Church's Blessing of the Backpacks will be on Sunday, August 13, 2023 at 5pm. Bring your backpack and enjoy a Sundae before service. Help us pray for a great school year.
July 27, 2023 - At long last and after an extensive search, the perfect preacher has finally been found. His knowledge is deep, his delivery is eloquent and he preaches only 15 minutes. He condemns sin in unmistakable terms and does not offend anyone.
He works from 8:00 a.m. until midnight, including janitorial and maintenance work. He makes $300.00 per week, wears good clothes, guys good books, drives a nice car and gives $100.00 per week to the church.
He is 28 years old and has 30 years preaching experience. He has one brown eye and one blue eye and a great shock of hair on a distinguished bald head to that he is perfectly wonderfully handsome.
He relates well with teenagers and spends all his time ministering to older folk. He smiles with a straight face because his well developed sense of humor keeps him seriously dedicated to his work in a no nonsense manner.
He makes 15-20 calls per day on church family, shut-ins and sick folks while spending most of this time evangelizing the lost being always in his office when needed.
Note: Of all of God’s creation, only men and women are able to laugh and to smile. Hopefully, this brought a smile to your face and a chuckle to your heart.
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.
July 26, 2023 - Mount Calvary Full Gospel Church 5th Sunday Night Singing starts at 6:pm on July 30, 2023 at 5527 FM 417 East, Shelbyville TX 75973. For more info call 936-590-1040.
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