MEN'S BUSINESS MEETING TONIGHT FOLLOWING THE EVENING SERVICES. ALL MEN ARE ENCOURAGED TO ATTEND.
Ladies Devotional this afternoon at 4:30 PM here at the building.
Visitation Team No. 4 will meet after evening services on Sunday, May 16. Further plans will be announced later.
Vacation Bible School June 07 thru June 11. Donations are being requested to help purchase refreshments. If you can help please contact Ann Pickrel or Lee Moses.
First Summer Youth Series begins on June 01, 2004.
Brother Howard Horton was feeling pretty good last week and was able to attend Wednesday evening services.
Alice Freeman is recovering from her recent surgery and hopes to be able to resume normal daily activities soon.
Elna O'Neal has been running a temperature. She has an infection in her neck.
Bill Jones is not doing well. Everyone is urged to continue keeping Bill and Amy in your prayers.
Patsy Walker (1st cousin of William Embree) passed away last Wednesday. Her funeral services were conducted Saturday at 10:00 AM by Alexander Funeral Home in Naples with burial at Omaha Cemetery.
Funeral services were conducted for Louise Bates (wife of Lon Bates of Bates-Cooper Funeral Home and who passed away on May 05, 2004) at First Baptist Church at 10:00 AM Friday with burial at Nevill's Chapel Cemetery.
THANK YOU "Dear Church Family: We want to thank you for the prayers, cards, calls and visits during and after the illness and death of our sister, Judy Betts. We will forever be grateful. Your kindness was beyond measure.
--We love you all,
Wayne Charlton Family"
THANK YOU "A special thanks to all of you for your concern for us. The many cards we have received have been very encouraging. We treasure the prayers that you have offered on our behalf. Your support and remembrance of us in so many ways is really appreciated.
--Sincerely,
Amy and Bill Jones"
The following books have been donated by Iona Carpenter for placement in our Library:
IN MEMORY OF LINA RHEA
"The Truth About Human Origins"
"Have Atheists Proved There is No God?"
IN MEMORY OF JAMES DILLARD
"None Of These Diseases"
"The Stones Cry Out"
These books will be available for your reading as soon as they can be cataloged and placed in our library.
New 911 Address for:
Myrtice Grissom
484 CR 1330
Mt Pleasant, Texas 75455
MOTHER
(Author Unknown)
Mother You filled my days with rainbow lights,
fairytales and sweet dream nights,
A kiss to wipe away my tears,
Gingerbread to ease my fears.
You gave the gift of life to me,
And then in love, you set me free.
I thank you for your tender care,
for deep warm hugs and being there.
I hope that when you think of me,
A part of you, you'll always see.
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PRAYER LIST
Louis Bell, Winell Blackard, Sue Browning, Josephine Cooper, Perry Cooper, Barbara Duncan, Irene Duncan, Alice Freeman, Howard Horton, Bill Jones, & Amy, Elna O'Neal, Winnie Patton, Alva Mae Sheets, Ola Mae Simpson
ALSO: Clovis Davis, Diane Johnson, Charles Kyle, Velma Lucky, Kelsey Meyers, Delaney Upchurch, Linda Walker
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Rhodney's "Funny Bone"
I've been dieting for the past month, but all I lost was 31 days!!
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Failure to Correct (Part I)
By Lee Moses
"All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for correction" (II Tim. 3:16).
Every Christian should be thankful for the corrective instruction of God's word. Were it not for the correction provided by His word, a Christian would be doomed to apostasy and eternal destruction upon his first sin following baptism. Correction is one of the great functions of God's word. And as Christians are entrusted with the ministry of proclaiming God's word (II Timothy 4:2; 2:2), they are Christians who are entrusted with the duty of correction. This is not the duty of "correcting" every person with whom one has a personal disagreement, but of correcting those who err outside of the way of Christ. Yet Christians often fail in this regard: They will sit quietly by as denominationalists stand condemned, they will hold their tongues while false teachers shout forth error, and they will blind themselves to the problem when loved ones have "eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin." Following are some of the reasons why so many fail with regard to correction.
Complex about Conflict
A necessary prerequisite to correction is rebuke. How else is one to be motivated to do right if he does not know that he is doing wrong? However, rebuke is associated with conflict, and many Christians have a complex about conflict. This is not unnatural. Most people do not desire to make enemies. This should especially be so of the Christian, as the Gospel commands, "If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men" (Romans 12:28). Conflict should be neither sought nor desired. But notice that this instruction had to be qualified with "if it be possible."
The same Gospel which commands Christians to live peaceably when possible also commands Christians not to shy away from necessary conflict: "Ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints" (Jude 3, emph. LM). Many other times does the New Testament stress the importance of not shying away from necessary conflict (cf. Matthew 10:34-35; Eph. 6:10-17; Titus 1:9-11). Conflict is uncomfortable, but comfort was never to be the first priority for the Christian. Comfort certainly never held priority for Christ. Do we simply tell people what they want to hear so that our happiness of life is not disturbed? Do we allow the lost to stay lost just so that we can avoid the headache? As the old covenant instructed Israel, "Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart: thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbour, and not suffer sin upon him"(Leviticus 19:17). One who refuses to help correct a brother or sister in need of correction demonstrates hatred for that person. Words of praise can be uplifting, but they are not always what is appropriate.
He that saith unto the wicked, Thou are righteous; him shall the people curse, nations shall abhor him: But to them that rebuke him shall be delight, and a good blessing shall come upon them (Prov. 24:24-25).
Correction is a two-way blessinga blessing is pronounced by God upon the giver of correction as well as upon the willing recipient (James 5:19-20). A Christian should not let a complex about conflict prohibit him from helping another soul either to see or to reclaim the light of salvation.
(To be continued next week)
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Quitters Never Win
By David McCain
God has promised faithful Christians our work will be productive, if we will just keep at it. In Galatians six, Paul writes that we will eventually see results, if we will faithfully sow the seed, restore the fallen, and reach out to others in a benevolent fashion. Paul warns that the only hitch to successful church work is the tendency for us to become discouraged and quit before the harvest. By inspiration he admonished, "And let us not grow weary in well doing, for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not" (Gal. 6:9).
One great problem we face in the Lord's church is "faintheartedness." Like the person who can't stand the sight of blood, we "pass out" too quickly. When problems, trials, personality clashes, or discouragement of any kind set us back, the tendency for many brethren is to become depressed and to want to quit. It is so easy to "grow weary in well doing," to wonder "what's the use," to become despondent, and finally to decide there is no profit in trying any longer.
Most of us enter the Christian race with excitement and zeal, determined to give our all to Jesus. Most local congregations are conceived under the same aura of enthusiasm and dedication, where great goals are aimed for, and where plans are made to let no obstacle hinder the way to progress. Likewise, most church work programs are begun with a great deal of fanfare. In the early stages, excitement fills the air and volunteer interest is high. But, then something happens. The newness and excitement begins to wear off. The interest begins to fade and wane. The zealous new convert becomes the complacent old Christian. The exciting, vibrant, growing, new congregation, becomes the stagnant "house keeping" church. The thrilling, new church work program, becomes just so much drudgery, just plain, old, hard, unheralded work.
When this happens, and the going gets tough, many decide to throw up their hands, throw in the towel, and quit. When that time comes, however, we must not quit! We cannot afford to quit, for harvest time will be just around the corner. Like they say in the military, "when the going gets tough, the tough need to get going." How true that is, especially in the spiritual realm. The old adage, "quitters never win," applies to the Lord's work, as much as it does to any other aspect of life.
Jesus warned the church at Sardis, that their greatest problem was quitting too soon. He said, "I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead. Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God" (Rev. 3:1-2). Whether it concerns congregational life in general, some work program, or your own personal commitment to the Lord, when you begin to grow weary, remember that the Lord has promised a spiritual harvest only to those who "keep on keeping on" until they finish the race. "Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord" (I Cor. 15:58).
(PM).........................David McCain