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Contributing Writers: Mike Mills, Spring Hill Church | Doug Fincher | Pastor Randy and Sue Smith | Mike Belgard | Tim Perkins
Faith
May 16, 2016 - “…for you shall receive power…” Acts 1:8
We recently sent our son Mark a professional digital camera for his early Christmas present. Since he isn’t a photographer, he has spent a lot to time learning how to use it. He called one day and said that when he tried to take a shot, an “error” warning kept popping up.
He thought he’d taken some beautiful wildlife pictures one day, but when he tried to view them, his card had no images on it. He read the troubleshooting section of the camera’s manual, but still couldn’t find his problem. Just before concluding that it was the camera’s fault, he decided to replace the batteries and… (!)… it began working perfectly! I should’ve told Mark that checking the batteries should always be his first step in troubleshooting.
We Christians don’t function properly on low batteries either. Spiritual energy from God comes through prayer, Bible study, and dedication to His will. It’s foolish to blame God for our spiritual problems when we’re trying to run on dead batteries. God has the power to keep us charged…
…but plugging into it is up to us.
May 16, 2016 - Come catch the wave of God's Amazing Love at the Surf Shack. Vacation Bible School at Old Home Baptist Church will begin Monday, June 13th at 6:00 PM and continue until Thursday, June 16th. There will be classes and activities for Ages 3 and up. Everyone welcome to come out and ride the waves. Call or text for details 936-332-9293.
May 11, 2016 - As we read our New Testaments we find an abundance of accounts of demon possession. For example Mary Magdalene had seven demons (Lk. 8:2), the demon possessed man in the temple (Mk. 1:23-26), the demon that the disciples could not cast out (Matt. 17:14-16), and who could forget “legion” (Mk. 5:2-9).
We also read that Jesus had given the apostles power to cast out demons. “These twelve Jesus sent out, instructing them, "Go nowhere among the Gentiles and enter no town of the Samaritans,6 but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 7 And proclaim as you go, saying, 'The kingdom of heaven is at hand.' 8 Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons. You received without paying; give without pay” (Matt. 10:5-8).
With these things in mind it is evident and a Biblical truth concerning demon possession. But is there demon possession today? As Jesus sent out the seventy and upon their return He said, “...I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven” (Lk. 10:18). And when Jesus was being charged with demon casting by the power of Satan He said, “And he called them to him and said to them in parables, "How can Satan cast out Satan? 24 If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand.25 And if a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand. 26 And if Satan has risen up against himself and is divided, he cannot stand, but is coming to an end. 27 But no one can enter a strong man's house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man. Then indeed he may plunder his house” (Mk. 3:23-27). So you see, Satan has been bound and his personal and direct power over people has fallen and he is bound by Jesus.
Jude tells us, “And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day” (Jude 6). And Peter says, “For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment;” (2 Pet. 2:4).
So you see, the devil and his demons are chained up in darkness awaiting the day of judgment. So if they are chained they are not free to roam around and possess people today. Satan does work however but he works through the avenue and medium of sin. John writes, “He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. 9 Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. 10 In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother” (1 Jn. 3:8).
The devil controls us today when we let him through temptations and sin. He no longer has the power nor the ability to take possession of people as he once did. Remember he is now chained up (Jude 6).
And James said that we can resist Satan and when we do he will flee (Jm. 4:7). The only power Satan has today is that in which people give him through temptations. As Paul said do not give the devil an opportunity (Eph. 4:27) and we defeat him by putting on the whole armor or God (Eph. 6:11). Which also indicates that no supernatural demon casting is required today.
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May 11, 2016 - East Liberty Baptist Church will be celebrating their annual Men and Women Day on Sunday, May 15th at 3 pm.
Pastor Charles Tutt and the New Hope Baptist Church of Nacogdoches, Texas is the guest speaker for this celebration, everyone is invited.
May 11, 2016 - Pastor Marlin Cloudy, Sr. and the Abundant Love Ministries family will be hosting a Senior Recognition Service, on Sunday, May 22nd at 2:30 pm.
All area 2016 graduates and their families are invited to attend. Refreshments will be served. 1426 Shelbyville St Center, Tx 75935
May 11, 2016 - Mt. Zion C.M.E. Family & Friends Day Sunday, May 15th at 3p.m. Special guests are Rev. Sherman Kossie and The New Creation Nations Christian Center of Nacogdoches, TX. Ministry in Dance by Jayy Dimery, Dance Education student at SFA. Rev. Robert Gipson, pastor. Anita Williams, chairperson.
May 10, 2016 - Mt. Olive Baptist Church would like to invite everyone to the 6th annual "Firing Up the Faith" Youth Rally with guest speaker Brother Steven Carroll. The Rally would be from Saturday, May 21st at 7:00 pm to Sunday, May 22nd at 11:00 am.
Brother Steven has been in the student ministry for over 20 years. Visit his website at www.wedigit.org. Come and experience what the Lord can do in the your life as we lift His name up in praise and worship! We will have a port luck lunch following the services on Sunday. Bring your favorite dish! Mt. Olive Baptist Church, FM 415, Timpson, TX.
May 10, 2016 - Can we ever have complete trust in anything of this earth?
The Prophet, Micah tells us in his book; "Do not trust in a friend, Do not put your confidence in a companion" (Micah 7;5) "I will wait for the God of my salvation; My God shall hear me" (Micah 7:7)
So to the writer of Proverbs says in (3:5-8), we are to trust in the Lord and not in things or people of this world. President Reagan had a famous saying, "trust but verify" that is a good reminder for us, I think. As Christians we must live and deal with the people of this world, but we must use caution in our dealings. We see and hear so many things each day which are professed to be the truth, but are they? How can we know? Only by calling upon God in His wisdom can we truly know the truth, only by study in His Word can we discern the truth from the lies.
Proverbs 3:5 tells us to "Trust in the Lord with all your heart". In order to survive this life and yet prepare for eternity we must learn to trust in Him alone.
Verse 5 also tells us that we must not only trust in the Lord, but that we must trust only Him and to; "lean not on your own understanding." To me, this means to ask Him for His guidance in all things, first, before going on our own.
Verse 3:6 tells us in everything to "acknowledge Him in all ways".
If we can learn to completely trust God with our lives, then we can walk with confidence, we can be assured that He will direct our paths and that we will surely walk in the paths of righteousness as God would have us to.
Verse 3:7 cautions us against feeling that we are wise or thinking that we have all the answers to life's questions. "Do not be wise in your own eyes."
Any time we begin to feel secure in our own wisdom we are surely destined to fall, for only God has the wisdom to direct our paths in the proper direction each day. On our own we are certain to fail, but in God's hands we are sure to prosper.
Verse 3:8 offers a reward for our complete trust in the Lord. "It will be health to your flesh, and strength to your bones."
We will experience difficulties, we will most certainly have illnesses and pains, that is a part of life, a part of our testing, our purifying, by our difficulties we are made pure and ready for God's presence.
Jesus told us about trusting anything "of this world " when He said; "Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away." (Matthew 24:35) Clearly, Christ is telling us not to trust or depend upon the things of this world, for in time, all we will have will be our knowledge of His Word to trust and hang on to.
(Psalm 32:10) sums it up very well; Many sorrows shall be to the wicked; but he who trusts in the Lord, mercy shall surround him."
May the Lord bless you and keep you and make His face to shine upon you each day. Please feel welcome to join us each week for Bible study on Wed. evenings at 6:00 PM.
May 9, 2016 - First Baptist Church of San Augustine is having a Spring Revival on May 22-25, 2016. Services will be 6 p.m. nightly. The revival speaker will be Dr. Allen Reed, formerly the pastor of First Baptist Church, Nacogdoches, Texas. The music evangelist will be Jason Smith. First Baptist Church is located at 502 E. Columbia Street, San Augustine, Texas .
May 9, 2016 - The member of St. John Missionary Baptist Church is hosting the 9th Pastor and Wife Appreciation on Sunday, June 5, 2016 at 2:30pm.
The theme of the celebration is "Celebrating the Laborer that dwells among us."
1 Thessalonians 5:12-13: And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labour among you, and are over you in the Lord; And to esteem them very highly in love for their work's safe. And be at peace among yourselves.
Special guest is Bishop W.C. Martin who is the Pastor of Bennett Chapel, Center, Texas.
St. Johns MBC is located at 2308 CR 2050, Center, Texas 75935.
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