Our_Bulletin_11_14

Family News and Notes

Thanks to those who hosted and participated in the "Amazing Race" on Saturday. It really WAS amazing.

Men's Business Meeting will be held after evening services today. You are encouraged to plan on attending. Your concerns are important to us.

Ladies Devotional at 4:30 PM this afternoon. All ladies are invited to attend.

Anyone who is interested in renewing their subscription for THE GOSPEL JOURNAL we need at least ten (10) people to receive it and we can get it for $14.00 per year per subscription. It expires in December.

Justin Barker received an Award last week for "Student Of the Week" in his kindergarten class at Annie Simms Elementary. Congratulations Justin!

Narci Cooper is now at home and on the mend. She is scheduled for tests as follow-up to her surgery.

Johnny Barrett is still in serious condition in ICU at Titus Regional Medical Center. He needs our prayers as well.

Marie Holloway of Odessa (sister of Nelda Dunn and Elna O'Neal) is still not doing well following her recent heart attack. She remains in CCU at the hospital there in Odessa.

Perry Cooper is now at home and says he is doing better.

Annah Ruth Brown is in Room 512 at Titus Regional Medical Center. She is taking therapy following her recent fall when she fractured her leg.

Howard Horton is still in Titus Regional Medical Center but the family hopes to move him to Mission Manor Nursing Home in Mount Vernon as soon as he is able to be moved. He will be going into therapy for a few weeks.

Several have been sick at home this past week: Rachel Barker, Ronald Duncan, Vernon Garrett, Zenith Hargrove, Bob Hedges, Amber Kimbrough, Autumn Miller.

Tonya Riley Mullins was air lifted to Baylor last week after developing toxemia and the doctors had to surgically take the baby. Baby Isaac was born weighing only 14 ounces and was not developed enough to survive. Tonya remains in ICU in critical condition but doctors say she is showing some improvement. We extend our heartfelt sympathy to Aaron and Tonya Riley Mullins and the entire Mullins and Riley families. Please keep these families in your prayers.

Funeral services were conducted at Lakeview Memorial Gardens in Longview Wednesday morning at 10:00 AM for Wesley Maxwell DuBose (brother of Judy Freeman) who passed away last Sunday morning. He is survived by his wife Cathy; a daughter, Jessica and granddaughter, Nobia; his parents Wesley William and Juanita DuBose; 2 sisters and brothers-in-law, Judy and Rhodney Freeman and Dana and Hollis Morton; nephew David Freeman; niece Rhonda Newman; and numerous other relatives and in-laws.

THANK YOU "Dear Brethren: Thank you for the cards, phone calls, food, and offers of assistance that you sent my way during my recent illness. Most of all thank you for your prayers.

In Christian Love

Narci Cooper"

***********************************

PRAYER LIST

Justin Barker, Rachel Barker, Johnny Barrett, Louis Bell,

Annah Brown, Sue Browning, Josephine Cooper, Perry Cooper,

Narci Cooper, Vernon Garrett, Zenith Hargrove, Bob Hedges,

Bonnye Horton, Howard Horton, Amber Kimbrough, Ruby Lawhon, Autumn Miller, Glenn Parham, Winnie Patton, Dorothy Sargent,

Alva Mae Sheets, Ola Mae Simpson

ALSO: James & Marie Butler, Tom Dooley, Ronald Duncan,

Ercell Fetters, Marie Holloway, Lavon McClish, Patricia McCracken, Kelsey Meyers, Tonya Mullins, Lynn Parker & his family

***********************************

Pressing On

Not once does the Bible condone sin, nor whitewash its earthly or eternal consequences. "Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound," Paul asks in Romans six? And the solemn answer rings forth, "God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?" No, the Bible always pictures sin for what it is, and for what it does to those who participate in it.

Sin is transgression of God's law (I Jn. 3:4). It is missing the mark, or going beyond what God authorized (I Cor. 4:6, II Jn. 9). Sin robs man of innocence and leads to great misery (Prov. 13:15). Sin destroys man's fellowship with God (I Jn. 1), erecting a wall of enmity between man and God. Isaiah wrote, "Behold the Lord's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear: but your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear" (Isa. 59:1-2). Willful sin, if continued in after learning the truth, voids the sacrifice of Jesus, and will condemn your soul at Judgment (Heb. 10:26-31). Ultimately, sin's price is death, "for the wages of sin is death" (Rms. 6:23a).

However, thanks be to God, He has not left us hopelessly lost in our sins! Though the wages of sin is death, the "good news" is that "the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Rms. 6:23b)! Yes, we've all failed the Lord miserably, but He wants us to get up, and learn from our mistakes, and go on paying the price of trying to serve Him.

Occasionally, we make terrible choices in life, because of ignorance, or immaturity, and sometimes because we're just plain rebellious. When we do, we buy for ourselves lots of trouble. Wishing we had not sinned will not make the guilt nor the consequences go away. Ignoring our sin, or trying to hide it will only add to our pain and increase our guilt. Don't compound the problem by denying your sin, or by letting it defeat or destroy you. Rather, deal with the reality of your sin, as you seek God's help for overcoming it, and His strength for living with its earthly consequences. Repenting of our sins, confessing them to God, and others, if necessary, and asking for forgiveness, is the only way to be freed from sin's eternal stain, by Christ's grace.

Sin's unpleasant consequences must always be dealt with in this earthly vale, but the eternal consequences can be avoided. John wrote, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (I Jn. 1:9). Paul penned, "...but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus" (Phil. 13-14). Peter admonished, "Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time; casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you" (I Pet. 5:6-7). John, one of the "Sons of Thunder," Paul the "Persecutor," and Peter the "Denier" knew whereof they wrote. They had all failed the Lord miserably at times, but they all kept pressing on. They knew that the race will be won not by the perfect, but by the patient, persevering souls who will not let sin destroy them.

Yes, brethren, when sin knocks you down, don't let it keep you down. Don't wallow in sin's mire! Get up, change up, fess up, pray up, and PRESS ON!

David McCain

Food For Thought

There are many people in our world who are hurting and who need only that which Jesus can provide. Let us remember, though, that you and I are the only feet, hands, and mouths Jesus has to share the Gospel with the lost and hurting masses of this world. God has placed the treasure of the Gospel in human vessels, and our mission like Christ's is to seek and to save the lost. We must not be satisfied with sitting in our whitewashed cathedrals, congratulating ourselves for our great history, and for our defense of the orthodoxy, while the world goes to hell in a hand basket right outside our door.

We dare not turn the church into a country club, which we use sporadically as entertainment for our weekends. God forbid that we should use Christianity like a psychologist to salve our conscience, so we can "feel good" about our sin. Jesus reserved His most scathing criticism for the Pharisaical hypocrites who paid lip service to compassionate, righteous, Godly living, but whose hearts were as cold as ice. Christianity serves no purpose if it is piddled with in a half-hearted way. It's all or nothing, brethren. It's about life or death. It's about heaven or hell.

May God help us to be serious about serving Him. May He help us to preach and teach the Truth, the whole Truth, and nothing but the Truth, but to do so in LOVE. May He help us to be compassionate, caring, sympathetic, and forgiving to all men, and especially to other members of God's family (Gal. 6:10). May God help us to truly be reflections of Jesus, "who went about doing good, and healing all who were oppressed of the devil, for God was with him" (Acts 10:38). D. McCain