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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
October 9, 2017 - The Golden Harvest Ministries Club will meet Monday, October 18th, 2017 in the Fellowship Hall of the First Baptist Church at 11:30am. The program will presented by Andrea Webb of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.
Visitors are always welcome to join us for a delicious covered dish luncheon, a good program and time of fellowship.
October 6, 2017 - Mark you calender for Short Homecoming set for Sunday, October 8, 2017. Lunch will be served at 12noon. Singing will take place after the meal. For more information, please contact John Monk at 936-598-4150.
October 4, 2017 - Several years ago I was involved in a serious automobile accident. It was devastating to my family and our friends. I remember laying in the hospital in ICU and asking God how will this all work out. I had lost my wife. I could not go back to work. I couldn't even care for myself. I had a daughter that had been planning a wedding that was to happen in just a few weeks and it was during the holiday season.
I couldn't imagine how I was going to survive this tragedy. And then "IT" happened. People from all over the county and country, for that matter, began not to offer to help, but just jumped in, both feet, "cannon-balling " if you will, into my families lives. There were women who made the wedding happen, brought food everyday, helped with cleaning. Men showed up at my home and helped me with standing when I needed and daily hygiene. One friend took over paying my bills for me and managing my business while I was unable to do so. Then there were the other professionals who gave up their vacations and came from literally all over the country to work, so I wouldn't have to close my office or have my patients be left without care.
Many others cut grass, built wheelchair ramps, wrapped pipes for winter and on and on the list goes. It was the most amazing display of kindness that I had ever experienced and probably ever will. My family and I will never forget those who showed us such kindness at a time when we were so vulnerable. Kindness is contagious.
I have noticed that people generally respond to you in the same way that you approach them. For example; If you start a conversation out with hurtful and confrontational language you can expect the person with whom you are speaking to respond to you with anger and resentment. However if you approach people with a kindness you will usually be responded to with kindness. Mark Twain is quoted as saying that "Kindness is the language that the deaf can hear and the blind can see." Kindness is a language that is spoken only from the heart. It cannot be faked. An act of kindness no matter what the intention, always produces a positive result, if only for a moment.
Kindness is included in the fruit of the Spirit because it to, is an out growth of the love that God has put in our hearts. Colossians 3:12 tells us " Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience." This virtue is one that all Christians should posses. If we can't be anything else, we can be kind to others.
I have watched people leave church and go into restaurants and be rude and obnoxious to the waitress. Kindness is an action. We can't just say we have kindness, we have to act out kindness for it to be real. As the Holy Spirit works in our own lives, kindness grows out of that love that He puts in our hearts. In Titus 3:3-7 the writer tells us "
At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior". Kindness is the fruit that regenerates itself. When it is given, all ways comes back to you. It truly is "the gift that keeps on giving".
You see God showed us kindness in "that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us". God loves us more than we deserve and we can demonstrate that same kind of love to others, through kindness. Gods kindness is extended to you through His love. You can receive it by just accepting it. Start today, living out kindness. It will change your whole perspective on life.
I'm Just Sayin,
Mike Belgard
October 3, 2017 - “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.” (2 Corinthians 1:3-4)
Our role as children of the Most High God. To comfort others in their afflictions as we ourselves have been comforted in our afflictions by the Lord God. Our role is to reflect the joy and goodness of our Lord Jesus in our daily lives that all people we meet each day will see in us, that something special that is living and walking each day with the Lord Jesus. This we must do each day.
“For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” (1 Corinthians 1:18) For many who are perishing no words will convict, but for more, seeing is believing, and to see the proper example of Christian living projected through us is more powerful than any spoken or written word. For many must see evidence of faith before listening to the words of God.
“For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Jesus Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and true wisdom of God.” (1 Corinthians 1:22-24)
The power of the living God, showing his power and majesty through the weakest of people.
“For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong.” (1 Corinthians 1:26-27)
Yes, God uses those of common abilities and modest means to shame the most powerful of the world. For in our weakness Gods power is manifest for all mankind to see. By our lives, lived in Christ, God is glorified.
For only through our life’s testimony, as living examples of faith, can the faith of many come to rest not in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.
There is a gospel song which sings of the light of each child of God, it says; “this little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine.”
That is what God is asking of each of his children this very day, that each of us let our light shine forth into the darkness of this world that the forces of evil will be illuminated by the glory of the Lord. For in the light, evil is no more.
Every Christian is called by God to serve him and not our own earthly desires or the wishes of mankind for once we are saved the love of Christ controls us.
“For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this; that one has died for all, therefore all have died; and He died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for Him who for their sake died and was raised.” (2 Corinthians 5:14-15) “For our sake He made Him to be sin, who knew no sin, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.” (2 Corinthians 5:21) Any Questions!!!
“This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine; this little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine; this little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine; let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.”
It's your call to serve, let it shine for Christ. May his blessings be yours today.
October 2, 2017 (Flyer) - First Pentecostal Church of Joaquin is hosting Octoberfest on Saturday, October 14, 2017 from 7am until 6pm.
Local vendors will be showcasing custom t-shirts, Origami Owls, homemade soap and lotion, Healthcare tips, Monat hair product, Lula Roe clothing, children clothing, car scents, Amish can goods and etc., Scentsy candles, Tupperware, wood art, bake sale, and homemade canned goods, food, and all kinds of treasures. There is no admission fee. First Pentecostal Church of Joaquin is located at 11113 State Hwy 7 East, Joaquin, Texas.
October 2, 2017 - Sunday was the 26th Sunday of Ordinary Time. The Gospel Lesson for this Sunday was another of Jesus’ parables set in a vineyard. In Matthew 21: 23-32, a vineyard owner asks his first son to go and work in the vineyards. The son refuses but then rethinks what he has said and heads to the vineyards. The second son agrees readily to his father’s request but doesn’t show up for work. Jesus turns the tables on his questioners—the priests and the temple elites—asking them a question: “Who did the father’s bidding?” Of course everyone can see that the reluctant son who actually goes and works did his father’s will. Jesus compares the second son who readily agrees but then does nothing to the religious folks who live and work around the Temple.
We had our usual group at Paxton this morning. We added to our prayer list Hilda’s sister, who has been displaced from her home by Hurricane Harvey. We pray for Linda as she contemplates all that needs to be done. Gene reported that the Salvation Army received our $500 donation for hurricane recovery. Our Charge Conference is tomorrow evening at 6:00. During the month of October our church will be collecting peanut butter and jelly for Community Christian Services.
Fannie’s Sunday school lesson come from Genesis 15, about God’s covenant with Abram. A question the author poses for us is whether we have the courage to examine and to trust in the Word of God. One of the questions toward the end of the lesson asks how we can see the Sacred in the ordinary day-to-day of our lives. I believe that is where we will see the Sacred, but we must open our eyes to that possibility.
I was unable to attend last week’s program at Lakeside Assisted Living. As my sister-in-law says, we’re now in the going-to-the-doctor years. But my wife emceed the program and wrote this: Several of our main participators were unable to come to Lakeside this time, but we had a lovely time anyway. Mrs. Hilda was downright festive on the piano, including some songs we don’t usually sing. Gene sang several pieces: “Little Brown Church in the Wild Wood,” “It’s a Wonderful Life,” and “Morning Has Broken.” He was in such fine fettle that he serenaded some of the ladies afterward, with the accompaniment of Maggie and Jo. Nora favored us with one of her beautiful a capella songs and a book about planting trees all over the world. Sue read funny poems about pet snakes and rotten brothers and sisters. And what else did we do? Sang and sang, talked and laughed.
“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.
October 1, 2017 - Churches of the Original Bethlehem Missionary Baptist Association will meet for the group's 167th annual session at 9:00 a.m. Saturday, October 7, 2017. The day's event will be hosted by Brookeland Missionary Baptist Church, located at 300 Loop 149 in Brookeland, Texas (Sabine County).
Bro. Mike Hancock, pastor of Zion Hill, will be delivering the annual message. There will be guests from the state association offering reports and information as well as local reports and fellowship. A covered dish lunch will be served.
This association includes a number of churches in Jasper, Newton, and Sabine Counties.
Bro. T. A. Lane, Association Moderator
September 28, 2017 - Johnny Cash sang a song when I was growing up about a boy named Sue. In the song he told of all the bad things that happened to him because of the name he was given and summed it up with "Life ain't easy for a boy named Sue." However toward the end of the song, he realized that he was given that name to make him strong and tough. So, when he reflected back on his life, he was thankful for the name he was given. He also realized that when he had a son he was going to try and make his life easier by naming him, " Bill or George anything but Sue !" Isn't life a lot like that today. Sometimes we are given nicknames or are named after people, that back in the day were popular names for our parents and grandparents but have completely different meanings and representations today.
These days, people give their children family names, names they just randomly make up, biblical names, there is even a trend to name all your children with names that start with the same first letter, but that was not the case in the old days. Names had a specific meaning and purpose. There was a man in the Old testament whose name so affected him it made him seek God to change how he perceived himself. 1 Chron. 4:9 says," Now Jabez was more honorable than his brothers and his mother called his name Jabez "because I bore him in pain." How would you like to go through life with a name that your mother gave you because you were painful to give birth to ? I am convinced that he took some teasing as a kid. I'm also sure that my name would not be repeatable if that were the case with what my mother named me. But Jabez took the name given him and instead of complaining or whining about it, he set out to change how he was perceived because of it. If we look at the first part of the verse it tells us, " Jabez was more honorable than his brothers." Why? We see in the next verse. " Jabez called out to the God of Israel." Jabez took a name that was meant to be a reminder of great pain, and turned it into a name that reminds us of how God will change our lives when we live honorably and put our trust in Him to change our circumstances. He is faithful to do just that.
When we humble ourselves and call out to God he changes our circumstances and our name. Here's what he said; "Oh that you would bless me indeed and enlarge my territories, that your hand would be with me and that you would keep me from evil, that I may not cause pain. So God granted Him what he requested." The world may try to give you a name like, poor, oppressed, depressed, ugly, fat, skinny, mean, unworthy, unloved, diseased, or dumb, these are all lies. The devil wins when he can make us believe this about ourselves.
No matter what the world has labeled you as, or what people might think of you, when you call out to God and seek Him He gives you a new name. His names for you are: Honored, Chosen, Blessed, Loved, Liberated, Healed, Holy, Righteous, Royal Priesthood, Saints, Sons, Daughters and Friends. You see, in His eyes you are all these things. He only sees you with the eyes of a loving caring Father who is waiting to here His child call His name. He's waiting. Let God change your life and your name.
September 27, 2017 - You are invited. The Friendship Missionary Baptist would like to invite you to come join us as we celebrate our annual Family and Friends Day program 8th of October 2017.
The Pastor, Joseph Hall Jr. of the Union Springs Baptist Church Mansfield, Louisiana will be bringing the message.
The program will start at 3pm. Looking forward to seeing you.
September 27, 2017 - Thus says the Lord: “Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool; what is the house that you would build for me, and what is the place of my rest.” (Isaiah 66:1)
Since the time of King David men have striven to build a house for the Lord when clearly, by his own words, we are not capable nor fit to build anything for the Lord to reside in. The Lord God resides in heaven, not in a building built with human hands. The church is not the fancy building with the tall steeple on top, the church is the group of ordinary people who gather together in it each week and worship the Lord together.
So often it seems humans measure their own faith by the size of their “church house”, and not by the number of lost souls their church has saved recently.
So often it seems success in the church is measured by how large the donation is each week, not by how many in need were helped by the church that week.
Too often our worldly view clouds our heavenly view and our vision becomes distorted, sometimes to the point that we can no longer see the truth of the gospel of our Lord. Sometimes our vision becomes so distorted that we no longer wish to hear the true gospel but instead “another gospel, the gospel of well-living”. But the apostle Paul tells us; “there is no other gospel but the gospel of Christ crucified.”
How may I ask can we be so conceited to think that we are building a better house for the Lord when we can’t even see, won’t even hear the gospel of our Lord.
“Hear the word of the Lord, you who tremble at his word: Your brothers who hate you and cast you out for my name’s sake have said. “Let the Lord be glorified, that we may see your joy;” but it is they who shall be put to shame.” (Isaiah 66:5)
I pray for those who will not answer the call of the Holy Spirit upon their hearts for the days will be very hard for those.
“I also will choose harsh treatment for them and bring their fears upon them, because when I called, no one answered, when I spoke, they did not listen; but they did what was evil in my eyes and choose that in which I did not delight.” (Isaiah 66:4)
Turn America, turn from your wicked ways, humble yourself, repent of your sins, pray for the Lord to forgive you and heal your land.
God is so kind and gracious to us, he gave us only Ten Commandments to follow as we fear him and do his will.
I wonder this morning just how many “Christians” even know them. Maybe we should all go to the 5th chapter of Deuteronomy, begin in the 7th verse and study through the 21st verse until we actually know and understand the Ten Commandments of God. Maybe then we would have better, more fruitful church services with more lost souls brought to Christ.
Maybe we need to re-visit the instructions given by Moses to the Israelites concerning the Ten Commandments of God.
"The Lord our God, the Lord is one. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down and when you rise.” (Deuteronomy 6:4-7)
Only you can answer these questions for your life. Am I doing as the Lord wishes in my life? Am I raising my children as the Lord wishes? Am I worshiping as the Lord wishes? Am I seeing the fruits of a Spirit-filled life in my life?
May the blessings of our Lord be upon you this day.
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