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Contributing Writers: Mike Mills, Spring Hill Church | Doug Fincher | Pastor Randy and Sue Smith | Mike Belgard | Tim Perkins
Faith
February 21, 2017 - Patroon Baptist Church will be holding a spring revival March 5 through March 8. Supper will be served each night at 6 p.m. and services will begin at 7 p.m. The revival will be brought by Bro. George Ross from New Hope Baptist Church. Patroon Baptist Church is located at 310 FM 2261 in Shelbyville.
February 20, 2017 - Sunday was the 7th Sunday of the Epiphany, a season which is very long this year because Easter is so late. The Old Testament Lesson from Leviticus and the Gospel Lesson are tied by a command. In Leviticus 19:2 we are told to be holy because God is holy. In Matthew 5:48 Jesus says we are to be perfect because God is perfect. Holiness and Christian Perfection strike at the heart of Methodism and Wesleyan theology. In Wesleyan thought there is no holding steady—either one is moving toward Christian perfection or one is moving away from God. We too often become conditioned and don’t spend the time needed to study and to meditate. Wesley speaks of two kinds of works which are a sign of one’s love for God. First are works of piety which include worship, prayer, meditation, fasting, and studying scriptures. Then there are works of mercy: visiting the sick and imprisoned, taking care of the poor, and above all else, Wesley says, “doing no harm.”
We had a small Sunday School class but a great lesson, which again used Paul’s letter to the Galatians as the starting point. Paul speaks in his letter to people about freedom, an idea not well understood in the Empire. Only a small number were citizens of Rome. Most people were conquered, and many were slaves. But Paul sees freedom in following Jesus. Ms. Fannie led a lively discussion, and we all appreciate her preparation. We missed Joy at Sunday School and worship, sending her our best as she recuperates from surgery. Keith and Vera both have the flu, and we hope they start feeling better soon. We miss you all.
Our Sunday School class (there is only one) is held in the sanctuary. It is always such a wonderful sound to hear the door opening as folks come to worship. It was great to see Larry, Susan, Laura, and Joe. Hilda plays for First Methodist in Tenaha and then drives down 84 to Paxton to play for us. Hilda and Joe always select hymns that seem just the right ones for that particular Sunday.
Sue starts off our worship time with The Gathering Words which usually come from that Sunday’s Psalter Lesson. We as a congregation then speak a creed of our church. Usually we use the one that most Protestants know the best—The Apostles Creed. But the last few Sundays we have been using a Modern Affirmation. Next Sunday is The Transfiguration, which will be followed by the forty days of Lent. As you know, Lent begins on Ash Wednesday, which is the day after Fat Tuesday (better known as Mardi Gras) and ends on Easter weekend.
We have two ministries this week. On Tuesday we go to Holiday Nursing Center and on Thursday, Lakeside Assisted Living. Both ministries start at 2:00. We have been collecting soap and shampoo all month for Community Christian Services. Next month we will donate cans of chili.
“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. God’s Speed!
February 16, 2017 - Please join us for our Annual Church Anniversary at Triumph Church at 908 Daniel St., Center, TX on Sunday, February 19, 2017 at 3:00pm.
All are welcome! Steven Neal, Pastor
February 14, 2017 - Every day he came to the nursing home and sat. Every morning at the same time he would walk through the door, pass the nurses station and greet the nurses and staff with a "Good morning. What a beautiful day."
He would go down the hall, enter the room where his wife was lying in bed and greet her with a kiss. She would stare blankly into space as if she never heard him. He would wrap a napkin around her neck and begin feeding her. He would tell her what the latest news was with the children and grandchildren. He would laugh out loud as he told the stories, but still she would just stare. Everyday, seven days a week, 365 days a year the same routine. One day as he entered the building with his usual greetings to the staff, one of the orderlies asked, "Do you ever take a day off? You know she wouldn't know if you missed a day." He looked at the young man and said, "Son I made a commitment to her over 60 years ago that I would never leave her. That I would love her and care for her until I died. Young man love is not just about saying, its about doing."
Love is probably one of the most used, but most misinterpreted words in the English language. Love is not just a word or emotion to describe something that we like, its the very essence of human existence. Without love the world would disintegrate into chaos. However, when true unconditional love is applied to any situation it will transform that situation into a picture of God himself. 1 John 4: 7-8 says: "Beloved let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. He who does not love does not know God, for God is love."
The first fruit of the Spirit mentioned is love. It is not coincidence that it is first. Without love, nothing else we do really matters to God. In 1 Corinthians 13 Paul tells us of the importance of doing all things for love. "And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing." You see when we are filled with the Spirit, love becomes the motivation for everything we do. There are so many people who think that being a "christian" is about showing up for church, teaching Sunday school, going on mission trips to far away places, or making a public display standing for a religious cause. These are great things to do, but if you do them just to receive accolades from the world not because you have a true love for the people that you are doing it for, you have missed the point. Demonstrating Gods love for people so that they may see Him through you should be your only motivation. Just as Gods love for us is without limits or boundaries, so should our love for others be. Romans 5:8 "But God demonstrates His own love for us that while we were still sinners Christ died for us." You see God loves you without conditions. He loves you right where your at. You don't have to be good enough before he'll love you. Jesus died for you while you were still lost. I am so thankful He didn't say," I'm going to wait until Mike gets good enough before I show him my love." But instead He said, "I'm going to show Mike how much I love him by dying on the cross for him even though he doesn't love me or know me right now." You could be the worst person in the world or the best and he loves you the same. Love is just what God does.
Paul goes on to tell us what true love really looks like. "Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, and endures all things. Love never fails." (1 Cor 13: 4-8) True love always behaves like that passage. Husbands, can you say that your wives use these traits to describe how you treat her? Wives, what about loving your husbands this way. This is the kind of love God has for you. We should all reflect His love and rest in His love.
I'm Just Sayin'
Mike Belgard
As I see the unrest, the "protests", the "riots" in America I wonder, just what is causing these things? They claim they are protesting for some mythical, "worthy cause", but when asked questions about their reasons, most cannot answer. Most cannot tell you why they are there. I see the answer in God's Word.
"And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done. They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips, slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless. Though they know God's righteous decree, that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them." (Romans 1:28-32)
Now, before you accuse me of mixing religion and politics, no, I am simply looking to the only real truth in this world for answers to today's questions of life. I know by studying the Bible that it is the only truth of this world. If I need answers I am going to look for them where there is truth. I go to the book of answers, the Holy Bible.
The problems of America are not; unemployment, illegal aliens, or ISIS. No, the problems of America are lack of knowledge of the Word of God.
God tells us how dangerous this is, to reject Him. "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge, because you have rejected knowledge, I reject you from being a priest to me. And since you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children." (Hosea 4:6)
An unrepentant generation can cause just such happenings as we see daily on the television. God clearly states that if we forget His teachings, He will forget, even our children.
When God is at controversy with the people of any land that land falls into despair and the following happens; "There is no faithfulness or steadfast love, and no knowledge of God in the land; there is swearing, lying, murder, stealing, and committing adultery; they break all bounds, and bloodshed follows bloodshed." (Hosea 4:1-2)
Is that what we are seeing in America? Is that where we are headed? I am afraid so, I am afraid that unless Christians rise up and do as God has instructed us in His Word that things are going to continue to follow the path of destruction in America.
"If my people who are called by my name (Christians) humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land." (2 Chronicles 7:14)
Its time Christians, it's time to follow God's instructions. Do as He says; humble yourself, forget your pride, get on your knees and beg Him for forgiveness for yourself and your country. Only then will we see conditions in America improve.
Read and study your Bible every day, make time, its important...
Not by man but by the Lord God will America be restored to its former greatness.
May the Lord bless you and keep you and make His face to shine upon you this day.
February 13, 2017 - Sunday was the 6th Sunday of the Epiphany, a season which is very long this year because Easter is so late. The Council of Nicaea in 325 CE decreed that Easter would be the first Sunday after the first full moon occurring on or after the vernal equinox. That makes perfect sense, doesn’t it? Our Gathering Words this morning came from the Apocrypha—Sirach 15:15-20. Early Christians considered the books of the Apocrypha as authoritative, although they weren’t included in the Old or New Testaments. The Old Testament Lesson was Deuteronomy 30:15-20. What we have here is Moses’ Farewell Address. He has summoned the people together and tells them they must choose between life and death. They are to follow God’s ways and live in covenant with God and their fellow travelers or choose a path that leads to death.
The Holy Gospel continued with Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. Matthew certainly doesn’t see Jesus as one who came to replace the Torah, but as one who would perfect the Torah. Jesus reminds them that the Torah says one shall not murder. But Jesus takes that command further, stating that one must not have anger towards one’s brothers and sisters. Jesus tells the listeners to make things right—to get rid of the anger. Next Sunday continues with the Sermon on the Mount.
We had a big-for-Paxton crowd at church Sunday. Lillie, Liz, and Mike were up from Houston for a few days and joined us for worship. Having them with us really makes our day, reminding us how important friends are. Laura and Joe teamed up to lead us in our singing. Mrs. Hilda is so kind to join us each Sunday to play the piano, especially after she has already been to church in Tenaha. Susan was under the weather, and we always miss her when she is not here. For the altar, Sue brought the Valentine’s Day floral display that I got her at Sunshine Flowers. And Liz gave everyone a heart-shaped box of chocolates.
Mrs. Fannie had a really good Sunday school lesson from Galatians 4: 8-20. Paul is trying to heal a rift that has developed about the Torah in the church of Galatia. One of the earliest disputes in the early church dealt with the question of whether Christian converts first needed to be converted to Judaism. This dispute is witnessed to in Acts and in many of Paul’s writings.
Paxton has two more nursing home outreaches this month. On Tuesday February 21st we go to Holiday Nursing Center. Two days later, Thursday February 23rd we head to Lakeside. In some months the third Tuesday and fourth Thursday end up in the same week. Both ministries begin at 2:00 PM.
“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. God’s Speed!
“A friend loveth at all times….” Proverbs 17:17
February 13, 2017 - Delman Rogers is one of my best friends…ever. We met at ETBU when we were freshmen there. He was there on a full basketball scholarship having played on Coach Cotton Robinson’s Buna, Texas State Championship team. Delman and I both served small church pastorates during our college days. He also worked part-time selling shoes for Sears, in Marshall, Texas. He loaned me a dollar for gas many, many times to get to my student pastorate. Gas was around 20 cents a gallon back then and a dollar’s worth could get me to and from my church in Patroon, Texas.
We went in together to buy a haircutting kit to cut each other’s hair. The day after I cut his, Delman said his church members wanted to know what all those white spots were on his scalp.
I never saw Delman mad….except once. I had caught a 5 lb. bass at T & P Lake and gave it to Mr. Stinson, ETBU’s Business Manager. I was behind on my college debt and had to have Mr. Stinson’s permission to take the semester tests. Delman and I loved to catch…and eat… fish.
In later years, I conducted Revival Services in several of Delman’s churches…Darco Mission in Marshall, Texas, Cowden Street Baptist Church in Fort Worth, First Baptist Church of Arnett, Oklahoma and Magnolia Baptist Church of Mansfield, Louisiana. Delman is 80 years old now (2016), lives in Mansfield, Louisiana and preaches every Sunday.
I called him yesterday and asked if he still owns his farm near Logansport, Louisiana. He does….and he and his son Bruce raise blueberries there every year… and many other vegetables.
It’s good to be in touch with my “blood brother” again.
February 7, 2017 - It was a time when the Roman empire was at the height of its power and the last thing they needed was for their soldiers to be concerned about anything other than fighting. But as has always been, young men and young ladies dream of love and marriage. The Roman government, not caring that much about a young soldiers dreams realized that if he had a wife he would be more concerned about his wife than conquering the world. So a decree went out that no soldier could marry, and any priest caught marrying them would be arrested. But a priest named Valentine felt that the perfect will of God was demonstrated by true love between a man and woman. So he began secretly performing marriages between soldiers and their loves. He was arrested and thrown in prison. While in prison he continued to minister to the imprisoned Christians of the love of God. He became friends with the jailer. As their friendship grew Asterius (the jailer), told Valentine of his sick daughter. Valentine had him bring the girl to him and he prayed for her and she was miraculously healed. The story goes that before he was to be executed he wrote the young girl a final letter and signed it "your Valentine."
Of all the things talked of in the bible, nothing is mentioned more than love. Throughout the bible God reassures us of His love for us. His love is a perfect, pure and unconditional love that crosses all cultures. A perfect description of how we should love is found in 1 Cor. 13:3-8. Paul writes; "If I give away all that I have and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but do not love, I gain nothing. Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends." If you read this closely you will see that love doesn't have as much to do with how we feel, but what we do. For some reason we have distorted love over the years and turned it into a "feeling." The Bible teaches that love is not about how we feel about each other at all, but how we treat one another. To show love you have to give love.
So this Valentine day if you really want to show someone that you love them do something for them. Don't just buy them something. Do something for them that is completely unselfish and ask nothing in return. Do it just because you love them. Material gifts last only for a little while but a true act of love last for eternity. Gods gift to us was given over 2000 years ago and is still as relevant today as it was then. Jesus gave the ultimate gift of love; Himself. Accept His gift of love to you today and enjoy the peace that comes from living in a loving relationship. "So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love." Don't miss out. Receive the love of God and share it with someone today.
I'm Just Sayin,
Mike Belgard
February 7, 2017 - House of Refuge Apostolic Ministries will be having our Church Anniversary on Sunday, February 12, 2017 at 3 o'clock. Guest speaker will be Bishop T.C. Keli of Dallas, Texas. Please join us as we uplift the Lord.
House of Refuge Apostolic Ministries is located at 215 South Church Street, Center, Texas 75935.
February 7, 2017 - “Let the redeemed of the Lord say so….” Psalms 107:2
While on recent vacation to the West Coast, Pam and I took the “Alton, Utah” exit searching for a much-needed quart of motor oil. Nine miles later we entered the village of about 40 houses, found a beautiful Mormon Church, but not a store anywhere. We knocked on several doors but couldn’t find a soul home….anywhere. It was like a ghost town.
But I finally got a response. A young mother with two young children came to the door and got me a quart of motor oil from their garage. Refusing to take money for it, she asked me to wait as she went back into her house. She later reappeared with a religious tract on which she had written: “Have a safe trip, Love, The Heatons”.
As we topped the hill on our way out, I began comparing what the lady did with what so many church members would have done.
While most Christians would’ve given the quart of oil, I wonder how many would have also shared their faith. The needy might not expect us to give them anything more than a quart of oil.
But God does.
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