Family News and Notes
On Wednesday evening, September 20, 2006, Bro. Pat McIntosh will be with us to give a report to the congregation on his work with the Bear Valley School of Preaching. This should be an interesting report and you are encouraged to be in attendance.
The Monthly Devotional will be held next Sunday after evening services (September 17th). We will meet in the Multi-Purpose Room where Mexican Stacks will be served and soft drinks provided. Each family attending is asked to bring a small dessert. This event will be hosted by the Traughber and Ferrell families.
Please mark your calendars . Visitation Team meetings have been rescheduled to take place on the 1st and 3rd Sunday nights, after evening services. We will meet in the Multi-Purpose Room.
The Tuesday morning Ladies Bible Class will be studying in the 27th Chapter of Matthew.
We had 37 present for the Wednesday evening Ladies Bible Class with Iris Ramsey teaching. This is really good attendance for this class.
Jim & Barbara Duncan wish to make a correction to the announcement of the birth of their grandson. They have been informed by Odis & Kim that their new grandson's name is spelled Brayden Dean Duncan.
Lana Downs, friend of Jim & Barbara Duncan (who has visited with us on several occasions), who suffers from leukemia, has been informed by her doctor that her lymph nodes have become enlarged. She is once again undergoing chemotherapy. Please place Lana on your prayer list. Her address is: P O Box 12 ~ Mount Pleasant, Texas 75456
Clyde Bowling of Mineola (a personal friend of Jim & Barbara Duncan) underwent surgery for pancreatic cancer earlier this year. Everything appeared to be going great until the middle of August. Clyde has now re-entered the hospital with several complications. Please place Clyde on your prayer list and if anyone wishes to send cards to him the address is:
Clyde Bowling
ETMC
Room 6618
1000 South Beckham
Tyler, Texas 75701
Debbie Riley (who worships at Northridge congregation), fell last week and broke her lower left leg in 2 places. She was scheduled for a CAT SCAN on Friday to determine if there is any damage to her ankle.
Delores Blackburn (who worships at Northridge congregation) will be undergoing arthroscopic knee surgery in Houston on Wednesday, September 13. She is experiencing a lot of pain and has asked to be placed on our prayer list. Jack & Delores will remain in Houston for about a week to rest and visit with their daughter, Tammy, who is an anesthetist there. (Now you know why she went to Houston for the surgery.)
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PRAYER LIST:
Justin Barker, Rachel Barker, Jean Bell, Winell Blackard, Annah Brown,
Nancy Chastain, Josephine Cooper, Perry Cooper, Hollis Lee, Joyce Lee,
Georgia Lide, Wade Miller, Wayne Pickrel, Marie Plemmons, Helen Roper,
Alva Mae Sheets, Edith Shiflet, Ola Mae Simpson, Julia Terrell, Rebecca Tippitt
ALSO: Delores Blackburn, Clyde Bowling, Cristell Cato, Austin Cody,
Lana Downs, Juanita DuBose, Wesley DuBose, Carolyn Fox, Roy Fox, Edna Graves, Ruby Jeffery, Wayne Lineberger, Albert Miller, Johnine Phillips, Debbie Riley,
Wanda Abbey Rivera
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What Kind of Thinker Are You?
From the very beginning of time, there have been two classes of people: the"nay-sayers" and the "possibility thinkers." Like ten of the twelve spies, who reported to Moses after spying out the land of Canaan, some faithless men see only the giants in their seemingly impregnable walled cities. Thank God, however, sometimes other men arise, like Joshua and Caleb, who, through the eye of faith can see those walls come tumbling down (Num. 13-14).
More times than not, people who think they will fail usually do. Their "down-in-the-dumps" outlook on life, and their "gloom and doom" philosophy often becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. However, the converse is also true. Those who think they can succeed in life usually will!
Surely most of us remember the childhood story of the little train with the big load which faced each new hill with the "I think I can" philosophy. The moral of the story is that positive thinking can accomplish great things in life. Possibility thinkers face setbacks and failures just like the nay-sayers, but they don't allow discouragement to keep them from trying again. They believe in what they are doing so strongly, they view failure merely as a narrowing of the field of possibilities, which helps to point them towards the final solution. Norman Vincent Peale dubbed this attitude, "The Power Of Positive Thinking!"
God calls this attitude "faith." Like the power of positive thinking, faith says, "I think I can!" Unlike positive thinking though, faith is not nearly so much belief in your own inherent ability, as it is belief in the power and ability of God, to work through you to accomplish His purposes. As Paul wrote, "For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure" (Phil. 2:13). Or, as the giant slayer, David proclaimed, "And all this assembly shall know that the LORD saveth not with sword and spear: for the battle is the Lord's..." (I Sam. 17:47). Neither is this faith based on blind luck, nor the random chances of probability, but rather on the absolute evidence of truth presented to us in God's Holy Word (Heb. 11:1).
Jesus was a possibility thinker. His mission was to bring salvation to a lost and dying world. He chose to let the world know about that salvation through the Gospel, and by "the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe" (I Cor. 1:21). He chose just twelve men to help Him accomplish His mission. Who would have thought that only twelve men could "turn the world upside down" (Acts 17:6), with the Gospel of Jesus Christ? Obviously, only someone like Jesus, who had faith in the Gospel as "the power of God unto salvation" (Rms. 1:16).
Brethren, the Gospel of Christ still contains the power of God, which can turn the world upside down for Jesus. It will work right here in Mt. Pleasant just like it worked in Jerusalem, Antioch, and Thessalonica long ago. All that's needed to unleash the power is for God's people to say, "With God's help, we are able, we can do it!" May God help us all to be possibility thinkers, who will help lead us on to victory! Which kind of person are you, a "nay-sayer," or a "possibility thinker?" Think about it! David McCain
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THE PARABLES OF JESUS!
Johnny Ramsey
There are thirty major parables of our Lord in the four accounts of the gospel. These masterful lessons thrill our souls and challenge our intellect. Knowing what is in man (John 2:25) Christ was able to convey grand truths in special and memorable ways never to be forgotten. These earthly stories with heavenly meanings have warmed the hearts of millions for 2,000 years. They stand as a tribute to the genius of the communication skills of Jesus. They are ever fresh and new though they are the heart of the legend that caused Nicodemus to exclaim in John 3:2
"Thou art a teacher come from God"
In the first seven parables that launched His epochal journey into this form of teaching technique the Savior captured the heart and core of the nature of His kingdom. Matthew 13 is a unique journey into the mind of Deity. We learn major points about the cause of Christ. In reflecting upon the parable of the Sower we can see the power of truth hindered by the hard and indifferent hearts of men. Only a few with good and honest inclination accept the challenge of truth. Jesus taught us to sow the seed and not personally to be discouraged when only a minority obey. In the parable of the Tares we can understand that Satan tries desperately to confuse the world with counterfeit religion and careless endeavor. We may have to wait until Judgment Day to see the end result of this battle between good and evil that fills us with consternation now. Then, in two parables concerning leaven and mustard seed we are told valuable points that enlighten and challenge us. It is very important for us to allow God to give the increase and take charge of keeping the roll book. The Lord adds to the church and keeps the record accurately. Read Acts 2:41; I Corinthians 3:6-7; Revelation 3:1-5! From a very small beginning Christianity grew to a wonderful power in the midst of an unbelieving world without the pomp and clever tactics used by false religions. May God help us to be content with the simple sowing of the seed and never engage in the gimmicks and gadgets of carnality.
The next two parables are truly marvelous reminders of the incomparable value of God's kingdom. The pearl of great price and the hidden treasure form a magnificent tribute to the blessings that attend salvation. Worth far more than the wealth of secular enterprise is the depth of truth and redemption in Christ Jesus.
Take the world, but give me Jesus,
All its joys are but a name;
But His love abideth ever,
Through the endless years the same.
The enduring quality of the gospel transcends all the charming and fleeting vanity of Satan's enchanting and devious schemes.
In the seventh parable of Matthew 13 our blessed Redeemer makes it very clear that no evil or error, however well-disguised, will slip through the net when the final curtain falls. Even if sinners can bluff their way and deceive their friends in this brief life they will face eternity without hope.
You can fool the hapless public,
You can be a subtle fraud
You can advertise your virtues,
But you cannot fool God!
When Jesus began to teach in parables he left a legacy that reaches the hearts and minds of men. We must preach the word but allow God to take care of the harvest. We must be patient and allow the leaven time to produce the growth. the tremendous value of the kingdom deserves our very best endeavor. And, ultimately, the righteous will not have to put up with sinners.
PRAISE GOD!
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