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Contributing Writers: Mike Mills, Spring Hill Church | Doug Fincher | Pastor Randy and Sue Smith | Mike Belgard | Tim Perkins
Faith
“Listen to me and eat what is good....” Isaiah 55:2
May 30, 2016 - Last week Pam and I went on the Dr. Adkin’s no- carbohydrates diet. Pam thinks she needs to lose and I know I do. (She needs to lose five pounds and I need to lose 25). She got the program off the Internet and we drove to the Nacogdoches Wal-Mart Superstore for the steak, pork chops, bacon, sausage, cheese, eggs, tuna and salmon needed for the big diet. We even bought a gas grill to assure its finest flavor.
Our first meal of grilled sausage links and pork chops was pretty good, but for three successive mornings, I awakened with the nauseous thought of cheese and meat. On the fourth day of the diet, I unconsciously picked up a pecan in the yard and began eating it. “Stop!, Pam hollered. “You can’t eat that!” And our next door neighbor added to our pain by bringing over an coconut cake.
We spent hours cooking this stuff every day and the more we cooked and ate, the less we smiled and laughed. When I told Pam that I’d had a couple of dizzy spells, she immediately decided that the diet wasn’t worth losing our health over. I peeled an over-ripe banana and let it melt in my mouth and she took a bite and sighed, “Oh, how wonderful”. “Bring out the cake!” I laughed. We happily drank kiwi-orange drink and gobbled down grapes as our world became beautiful again. Our house was filled with laughter and whistling.
A warm sense of well-being swept over us tonight as we ate purple hull peas and cornbread together. Tomorrow morning I’ll make Pam a cup of hot chocolate and I’ll eat a big bowl of Wheaties with a banana in it. Tomorrow night, we’ll have microwave popcorn. Boy, are things looking up!
It’s great to have the good life back again!
May 30th, 2016 - Sunday was the 2nd Sunday after Pentecost. The Gospel Lesson was Luke 7:38-50. Luke often has the Pharisees in his stories but doesn’t paint them all bad. Simon invites the celebrated traveling preacher to his home so he and his friends can decide for themselves about this Jesus. Despite some doubts they are willing to give him a hearing until… The woman who is a sinner throws herself at Jesus, washes his feet with oil and tears, and dries them with her hair. She is not the only woman in the Gospels to do this. Jesus allowing this to happen makes Simon and his guests really doubt Jesus as a true rabbi. Of course, it becomes a teachable moment for Jesus.
Our Sunday school lesson also dealt with a dinner invitation. In this Luke story Zacchaeus climbs a tree in order to get a better look at the young rabbi. Jesus tells him to come down and get ready because he, Jesus, is coming to dinner. This well-loved story brought up many questions during Sunday school. The people that day in Jericho were amazed and taken back when Jesus chose to go to the home of a hated tax collector.
Our numbers swelled at church when Lillie, Mike, and Liz came up from Houston. Liz and Mike’s daughter Barbara was with them, along with Barbara’s son Collin and his friend Colby. What a nice surprise to see them! They gave us the latest information about the flooding in and around Houston, which certainly sounded bad. Collin has a birthday this week, so we sang “Happy Birthday” to him. Gloria and Joe Fiedler will also have their 63rd anniversary, and we serenaded Joe with “Happy Anniversary to You.”
Since this was the last Sunday in May, we carried the cans of fruit out to my car so I can deliver them to Community Christian Services. Luckily, we had lots of help—those cans are heavy! Next month we’ll be collecting paper towels and toilet paper (a much lighter load).
We had many volunteers join us at Lakeside last Thursday despite the rain and dark clouds. We got nearly 4 inches at our house. I got tired of the rain but tried not to complain: I am sure that in about a month we will all be wishing for some wet weather. The winds blew down one of my apple trees, but my garden really enjoyed the soaking. We had many stories and songs at Lakeside, and the hour went by quickly. A big thank you to all those who came out and helped with the program.
“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 9:15 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. God’s Speed!
May 27, 2016 - Annual Usher Day will be held Sunday, June 5, 2016 at 3pm at Blount Chapel Baptist Church with Pastor Byron Coutee, Jr.
Guest speaker is Pastor Lucian Tatum of Bright Morning Star Baptist Church, Center, Texas. For more information, contact Marie Small, Usher President at 936-332-9915.
"For a day in your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness."
May 27, 2016 - Dunnigan Missionary Baptist Church located in Patroon, will be holding revival June 1- June 3 begining at 7 pm. The evangelist will be Bro. Don Richie. Please come join us and get a revival in your own life.
May 27, 2016 - Open Door Worship Center is hosting the 16th Pastor and Wife Appreciation Services honoring Pastor Alvin and 1st Lady Vanessa Davis on Sunday, June 12, 2016 at 3:00 P.M.
Special Guest for the service is Apostle Ronnie Morris & the Higher Ground Ministries.
Open Door Worship Center is located at 900 Cotton Ford Road, Center, Texas.
May 27, 2016 - We want to know, "Where do you stand? Who's on the Lord's side" The youth department of Strong Triumph Church cordially invites everyone to be a part of the Lord's Team during their annual youth explosion. We are calling all youth choir, praise teams, mime teams, etc. to be a part of this mighty move of God that is set to take place on Saturday, June 25, 2016 at 6 p.m. For more information, please contact Sis. Sylvia Hubbard at 936-332-3103 or Elder Faye D. Allen at 936-368-2611 or 936-572-5810.
May 24, 2016 - Pastor Marlin Cloudy, Sr. and the Abundant Love Ministries family invite you to join us for Family and Friends Day, on Sunday, May 29th at 2:30 pm.
Our guest pastor is Elder Norris Cloudy and Divine Faith Ministries from Houston, TX.
Abundant Love Ministries is located at 1426 Shelbyville St., Center, TX 75935.
May 24, 2016 - Seven churches, seven letters all in the book of Revelation, seven letters letting the seven churches of Asia Minor know how they stood with the Lord.
Today we look at the seventh church, the church at Laodicea. The people at the church at Laodicea had become comfortable and self righteous, feeling that they were maybe just a little better than everyone else, a little richer, and a little more righteous.
Actually, according to the Bible, they even said; "I am rich, have become wealthy and have need of nothing" but instead the Lord said they were; "wretched, miserable, poor, blind and naked" (Rev 3:17)
The comfortable church was just that, it's members were comfortable in their lives, they had plenty, their daily needs were adequately filled, they were probably comfortable in their worship as well.
They probably did the same things from week to week feeling that they were being "good Christians" and I suspect they really had no idea that they had become so disconnected from the Lord.
The church was satisfied, with their level of effort and respectability. The people were comfortable with their easy going way of doing things, they were satisfied with "good enough".
The Lord did not rebuke this church for it's doctrine or organization, no His compliant was against it's lukewarm, half-hearted attitude and lack of effort. No one there had any zeal for the gospel and that was the complaint against them.
In verse 15 God says; "I could wish you were cold or hot". In the next verse He says; "So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth."
Self-satisfaction ate the heart out of the church. She was rich in worldly goods, every year the people had increases and felt they had need of nothing, all the while being destitute in the Lord.
The people thought worldly prosperity was a sign of God's favor on them. Many times this is not so and worldly prosperity is a sign of future torment, much as Jesus told the Pharisees that they should enjoy their life on earth for that was their reward and would be all they ever got.
This church and it's membership was on the same path to destruction as were those Pharisees.
Yet, God had not given up on Laodicea, no, in His great love he offered them the opportunity to change and redeem themselves as He does for the churches of today.
"As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore, be zealous and repent." (Rev. 3:19)
God gives everyone a chance to serve Him, a chance each day to be zealous for the gospel, a chance to work each day living and walking in the light of Christ so others will be drawn, by our lives, to Christ. Let's work to never be lukewarm, but always be alive-for-Christ. May God bless you and keep you, please feel welcome to join us any Wednesday evening for Bible Study. More more info call: 936-615-1427...
May 23, 2016 - Sunday was Peace with Justice Sunday in Methodist churches. Our focus this Sunday was on Paul’s letter to the Romans. It is the longest of Paul’s letters, so it comes first in the New Testament, right after the Acts of the Apostles. It is the first letter in the New Testament but was probably the last written of the genuine Pauline letters. Most of Paul’s letters were written to communities that Paul had founded and knew very well. That was not true about this letter: Paul had never been to Rome but wanted to visit and pass the hat for a mission trip to Spain. That never happened because Paul was arrested. Tradition tells us that Paul was executed in Rome.
Paul’s letter to the Romans was very important to Luther and the Protestant Reformation. In reading this letter, Luther came to believe that people are justified by faith alone. Luther didn’t believe that good works would save you, only faith. When the word faith or belief is used in the New Testament, a better translation would actually be trust. Paul believes that this trust in Christ is what transforms and saves us.
We were in double digits Sunday morning. Joy and Gene had their good friends, Larry and Bart, visiting from Houston. The Huttos brought them to Sunday school and church. They were such nice people, and we so enjoyed visiting with them. Evie and Liz were at church this morning; it is so nice to hear Liz’s pretty voice singing the hymns. Joe was feeling really weak, so he sat up front to lead our singing. Joe and Hilda picked popular hymns, and we sang pretty well. Thanks, Hilda and Joe! Sam Watson, Fannie’s grandson, graduated from high school last week, and Liz’s daughter Kayce will graduate from Joaquin this week.
Fannie’s Sunday school lesson was based on Luke 18: 15-17. In these verses Jesus told the disciples to let the children come to him, although the Common English Bible uses the word “babies” instead of “children.” Paul isn’t saying that we should have a childish faith but that our trust should be like a child’s. Children feel secure, trusting that their parents and other adults will take care of things. Paul will later remind his readers in 1 Corinthians that we are to give up childish ideas as we mature in faith.
“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 9:15 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. God’s Speed!
Cave Quest VBS: Following Jesus, the Light of the World!
May 23, 2016 - A summer kids’ event called Cave Quest VBS will be hosted at First Baptist Church from June 12 to June 15.
At Cave Quest, kids explore what it means to follow Jesus through dark times. Kids participate in memorable Bible-learning activities, sing catchy songs, play teamwork-building games, make and dig into yummy treats, experience one-of-a-kind Bible adventures, collect Bible Memory Buddies to remind them of Jesus’ love, and test out Sciency-Fun Gizmos they’ll take home and play with all summer long. Plus, kids will learn to look for evidence of God all around them through something called God Sightings. Each day concludes with a Cave Quest Closing that gets everyone involved in living what they’ve learned. Family members and friends are encouraged to join in daily for this special time at 8:30.
Kids at Cave Quest VBS will join a missions effort to repair homes for families in the United States.
Cave Quest is for kids from Entering kindergarten to completed 6th grade and will run from 6:00pm to 8:50pm each day. For more information, call 936-248-3206.
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