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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
Fri, Nov 07
October 16, 2025 - The Pleasant Grove Missionary Baptist Church, where Pastor Johnny Jones is pastor, will be hosting BBQ Rib Fundraiser, Friday, November 7, 2025, beginning at 11 am until sold out. Plates are $12 and include BBQ ribs, sausage, potato salad, baked beans and a dessert.
Drive thru pick up will be located at 213 Hurst St (Old Medico Pharmacy). Will also deliver for orders 5 or more. Contact Connie Brinson 936-427-2255 or Herman Collins at 318-461-0253.
Faith
November 3, 2025 - Good Morning! It’s Monday, November 3.
The Wizard of Oz is considered to be one of the greatest and best loved movies in history. But it didn’t start out that way. Premiering in 1939, it did only modest business. After production and publicity costs, its studio, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, ended up a million dollars in the hole. And then, on November 3, 1956, it showed up on TV. By that time, over 60 million American homes had a television set, and the failed movie became a nationwide success. In 1959, a tradition began where The Wizard of Oz was shown every year on Easter Sunday. The rest, as they say, is history.
History teaches us that failure doesn’t have to have the last word. The Bible teaches us the same lesson. David was an adulterer and a murderer, but we remember him as a great king. The mighty prophet Elijah had bouts of severe depression, but did mighty things for God. Mark, as a young man, deserted the Apostle Paul on a missionary journey, but went on to write a gospel, the gospel that Matthew and Luke used as a source for their books. Paul, himself, appears first in the New Testament as a persecutor of Christians, and ends up as the primary architect of the Christian faith.
Perhaps the greatest biblical success story is Peter’s story. On the night before Calvary, he denies he even knew Christ. He hides in fear as Jesus dies on the cross. But then, Peter is the first disciple to see the resurrected Savior. It is Peter who stands before thousands and preaches with power at Pentecost. And it is Peter who becomes the first leader of the young Church.
Failure doesn’t have to have the last word. History teaches us that. And so does the Word of God.
Meet you back here tomorrow,
David
cindertex50@yahoo.com
October 30, 2025 - James would write for us, “Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow, For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.” (James 4:14) If you want to make God laugh, really laugh, tell Him what you are going to do tomorrow.
The Bible is filled with examples of those who had great plans for tomorrow and yet, tomorrow never came. When Felix heard Paul preach, he trembled upon hearing the word of God. He told Paul to go his way and he would call for him at a more convenient time. He told Paul he would wait until tomorrow and for Governor Felix, tomorrow never came.
Jesus tells us of a rich farmer who had an abundant harvest in Luke chapter 12, He was planning to tear down his old barns and build greater barns to have a place to store all his abundance. He had great plans for tomorrow, but God had other plans. God called that man a fool and told him his soul was required that very night. Tomorrow never came for that farmer.
Paul would write to the church in Corinth, “now is the day of salvation” (II Corinthians 6:2). Do not put off serving the Lord until tomorrow, but begin today, right now to serve the Lord and live His kind of life, His way.
It’s something to think about... tbp
Come and Worship with us at Center Church of Christ or online at www.centerchurchofchrist.com.
October 29, 2025 - St. Paul’s Missionary Baptist Church is having its 116th church anniversary on Sunday, November 2, 2025 at 2pm.
Guest church will be Spring Hill Baptist Church, Mansfield, Louisiana.
Guest Pastor is Eric Cason.
The church is located at 617 Hopkins St, Center, TX 75935.
October 28, 2025 - The Calvary Boys will be in concert at Old Home Baptist Church Saturday, November 1st at 6pm. Everyone is invited to come out for a night of good gospel music.
Old Home Church is located at 635 CR 3455, Joaquin, Texas, 1/4 mile off of FM 699.
October 28, 2025 - Ramah Baptist Church Christian Fall Festival Trunk-A-Treat in Tenaha is 5pm until 7pm on Saturday, November 1st. Come join us for Food, Fun, and Fellowship.
October 27, 2025 - Get ready for an unforgettable night of praise, worship, and community as A Gospel Celebration takes the place on Friday, November 21, at the John D. Windham Civic Center. Doors open at 6pm, and the celebration begins at 7pm.
This powerful evening will feature the legendary Dr. Dorinda Clark Cole, known worldwide as a member of the Grammy Award–winning Clark Sisters, along with an incredible lineup of musicians and gospel groups ready to lift the name of Jesus high.
The celebration will be hosted by dynamic MC Broderick Gordon, with special appearances by Johnathan Jewett, Jeremiah W. Mosby & Friends, and more. Attendees can expect a night filled with heartfelt worship along with an atmosphere of joy and inspiration.
Tickets are available now on EventBrite and various local businesses. Click here to reserve your seat for this spirit-filled evening you won’t want to miss!
October 27, 2025 - Good Morning! It’s Monday, October 27.
Since we’re in the middle of the World Series right now, here’s a bit of baseball history. On October 27, 1985, the New York Yankees fired their manager, Billy Martin. Coaches get fired all the time, that’s not news. But that was the fourth time that the Yankees had fired Martin. Four times! And that wasn’t even the last time. Three years later, they hired him again, and then, of course, fired him again. Crazy huh?
Albert Einstein, a smart fellow, gave this famous quote - “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result”. Well, by that definition, most of us are crazy. Humans are supposed to learn from their mistakes, but we often end up making the same mistakes, over and over again. It happens in our careers, in our relationships, and goodness gracious, it sure happens in history. Here’s another quote -“Those who cannot remember the past, are doomed to repeat it”.
Here’s one more famous quote. You’ve heard it before. Maybe you’ve memorized it. It comes from King Solomon, another smart fellow. “Seek His will in all you do, and He will show you which path to take. Don’t be impressed with your own wisdom, instead, fear the Lord and turn away from evil.” Proverbs 3:6-7
Meet you back here tomorrow,
David
cindertex50@yahoo.com
October 24, 2025 - Please join us on Saturday, October 25 for our annual fall festival, at the First Pentecostal Church of Jesus Christ, in Center Texas at 5pm. The address is 480 fm 2026 in Center, Texas. Come out for a family evening of fun with games, booths, gospel karaoke, dinner, snow cones! Can’t wait to see you! Rain or shine, booths will be indoors ! Hayride weather permitting!
October 23, 2025 - When Moses sent the twelve spies on their reconnaissance mission to the Promised Land, 10 came back with a negative report. They said that they saw giants in the land and they were in their own sight as “grasshoppers.” They viewed their ability to take the land only in their own human strength. It was Joshua and Caleb who realized that taking the land depended not on their human strength but the power of God.
How often are we in life defeated before we even start because we have the “Grasshopper Complex” alive and well in our hearts? You see, often we only see the problems of life. While we cannot ignore our problems, the things that trouble us, our “grasshoppers,” we also do not want to over-emphasize them.
Do you remember what Jesus said in John 10:10? He said he came that we might have life and have it more abundantly. Jesus gave hope to people who had grasshoppers in their life. There was the woman at Jacob’s well, the widow with two mites, The sinful woman brought to him caught in adultery and Saul of Tarsus. Daniel was thrown in the Lion’s den and Abraham was asked to offer Isaac as a sacrifice.
Somehow, when you think about some of these people, our own grasshoppers don’t seem so big after all. Following Jesus, living his kind of life, being obedient to his will guarantees us an abundant life. Jesus will help us overcome the grasshopper complex.
It’s something to think about... tbp
Center Church of Christ
www.centerchurchofchrist.com
October 22, 2025 - First Methodist Church of Shelbyville would like to invite everyone to our 200th Anniversary on Sunday, October 26, 2025 at 2pm where we will celebrate 200 years since the formation of our congregation. The speaker will be Bishop Kenneth Levingston.
The First Methodist Church of Shelbyville was established in Shelbyville in 1825. As years passed, the name was changed to First Methodist Church in conformity with many historical records. Tradition holds that the first church service held in Shelbyville was held by “Brother” James English, a local Methodist preacher and circuit rider. As one approaches this, now, sleepy, but once lively community deep in the piney woods, the spire of the First Methodist Church may be seen from some distance. As early as the 1820’s another church building stood on the same spot, but it was destroyed by a storm and rebuilt in 1897.
For more information contact, Pastor Sherry Harding at saharding1969@gmail.com.
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