Family News and Notes
BUILDING FUND . If you are able and have made plans you may contribute to our Building Fund today. Thank you.
Men remember that we have a Men's Business Meeting scheduled following the evening services next Sunday. All the men of the congregation are encouraged to attend.
Today is a very important day in the lives of many of us. Today is GRANDPARENT'S DAY. So, compliment all of us grandparents. We are many. We like to be appreciated.
TO CORRECT SOMETHING FROM LAST WEEK'S BULLETIN ... THE LADIES DEVOTIONAL will not be on Tuesday, September 09 as shown. It WILL be on MONDAY, September 8 at 7:00 PM here at the building, as announced the two previous weeks. Vicki said she looked at her calendar wrong and apologizes for the error. Remember, there is nothing more uplifting than the love and encouragement of our Christian sisters. We would like to spend time monthly studying, praying, singing, and pleasant visiting. We will talk about future get-togethers. Bring your Bible and a snack-type dish. Call Vicki Miller or Ann Pickrel if you have questions.
THE LADIES BIBLE CLASS RESUMES on Tuesday morning, September 09, at 10:00 AM. All the ladies are invited. Lunch will be provided.
Christy Charlton left last Thursday morning to begin attending private school in Granbury, Texas. Please keep her in your prayers as she undertakes this new endeavor.
R. C. Grissom was transferred last week to East Texas Medical Center in Tyler. He has been diagnosed with a disease that keeps blood from circulating in his colon. He has not been eating properly and has lost lots of weight. Doctors began giving him fluids Thursday.
Howard and Bonnie Horton continue to improve slightly each day.
Sandra Cooper began the new treatment she has been waiting for this past Friday. This will be for a period of 7 days straight, at which time she may get to come home for a couple of weeks before returning for another series of treatment, a total of 21 days of treatment in all.
Please keep Sandra in your daily prayers.
Carl Lee had extensive eye surgery last Tuesday in Dallas, which lasted about 7 hours. A biopsy determined he had a malignancy, which was removed. He required additional corrective surgery Wednesday, involving plastic surgery, and was scheduled for possibly more in a couple of trips to follow. He has been staying at the home of his daughter, Gina, but was able to come home this weekend.
BIRTHDAYS THIS MONTH:
6 Hallie Lang
6 Gene Campbell
8 Rhonda Hedges
9 Bob Hedges
10 Edith Shiflet
12 Bud Roach
14 Charles Kyle
16 Dorothy Kyle
16 Ola Mae Simpson
16 Zeneth Hargrove
17 Brandon Cook
18 Veleta McFerrin
20 Bill Jones
21 Wade Miller
25 Dorothy Sargent
27 Johnnie Ann Wacaster
27 Iona Carpenter
28 Glenn Parham
28 Ruth Garrett
28 Thelma Reed
28 Kelly Pierce
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PRAYER LIST
Justin Barker, Louis Bell, Woodrow Cooksey, Sandra Cooper, Bonnie Horton, Howard Horton, Carl Lee, Georgia Lide, Alva Mae Sheets
ALSO: Ray Nell Benson, Judy Betts, Marie Butler, R. C. Grissom, Nita Horn, Dana Rigano, Gene Riley, Nelcene Steele, Mary Taylor
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Service Arrangements
ANNOUNCEMENTS.........Wayne Pickrel
SONG LEADER AM........Weldon Miller
PM ............ .Bill Jones
PRAYERS Sunday
AM First Prayer.................Grady Duncan
AM Closing..........................Kent Cooper
PM First Prayer..................Ralph Phillips
PM Closing............................Bud Roach
PRAYERS Wednesday Nite
First Prayer..................Woodrow Cooksey
Closing.....................................Tim Jones
COMMUNION FOR SEPTEMBER
AM Wayne Pickrel..........Wayne Charlton
David Neal.......................Joe Ferrell
Ronnie Stewart.................Tim Davis
PM Tim Jones..............Fred Harkrider, Jr.
ATTENDANCE COUNTERGrady Duncan
TRANSPORTATION....Call Frankie Sargent
903-572-2647
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Rhodney's "Funny Bone"
Any child can tell you that the sole purpose of a middle name is so he can tell when he's really in trouble.
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REPENTANCE...A RIGHT ATTITUDE
By: Jeff Sweeten (Odessa, TX)
Repentance is critical to our salvation, for Jesus said, "I tell you, Nay: but except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish" (Lk. 13:3). The scriptures also inform us that God "now commandeth all men everywhere to repent" (Acts 17:30). There is no way we can got to heaven unless we repent. But it seems that many in the church have forgotten or have never known the true meaning of repentance. Repentance is not just a one time action to be done at one's conversion, but is also a way of life that is to be manifested by the Christian as he journeys this side of eternity.
The meaning of true repentance revolves around the RIGHT ATTITUDE. We must have the right attitude toward sin, God, our fellow man and ourselves before we can know true repentance.
To truly repent, we must have the right attitude toward sin. Paul tells us that this attitude is "godly sorrow." Paul declares, "Now I rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but that ye sorrowed to repentance: for ye were made sorry after a godly manner, that ye might receive damage by us in nothing. For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death" (2 Corinthians 7:9-10). Paul DID NOT say that repentance was merely "godly sorrow," but he said that godly sorrow LEADS ONE TO repentance. We must show remorse for any evil we have committed, or else we will never repent of that sin. We must be sorry that we transgressed God's law, and then that sorrow will lead to a change of mind, a resolution not to commit sin, and a change of action and thought. This is having the right attitude toward sin, remorse for committing it and resolve to do it no more.
Furthermore, to truly repent, we must have the right attitude toward God. Jesus, in the parable of the Prodigal Son, describes the attitude that the lost son had toward his father; and therefore, the attitude we should have toward our heavenly Father. The lost son of the parable said, " I will arise and go to my father, and will say until him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee" (Lk. 15:18). We must realize that when we sin we sin against God! Our repentance, therefore, should be directed toward God. Our attitude toward God must be one of wanting to return to Him and being faithful to Him. We must also have the right attitude toward our fellow man. In Acts 16:16-34), we have the account of the conversion of the Philippian jailor. After Paul had taught the jailor and his household the word of the Lord, the jailor "took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes; and was baptized, he and all of his, straightway" (Acts 16:33). In his repentance, the jailor had an attitude of restitution, for he "washed their stripes," that is, doctored the wounds that were given them maybe by his own hands through lashing. We must, as much as possible, always make restitution. If we have stolen, we must give back that which we have stole; if we have marred another's name, we must make every effort to correct it; etc.
The right attitude toward ourselves is also vital to true repentance. After the lost son of Luke 15 has said that he had sinned against his father and heaven, he goes on to say, I "am no more worthy to be called thy son: Make me as one of thy hired servants" (Lk. 15:19). Repentance must be done with the attitude of humility. We must humble ourselves in the sight of God as did the publican in Luke 18:13, where he declared, "God be merciful unto me a sinner." Repentance is an attitude of humility.
We must have the right attitude toward sin, God, our fellowman and ourselves if repentance is to be acceptable unto God. Remember, "Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish" (Lk. 13:3).
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Obituary
Author Unknown
Today, we mourn the passing of a beloved old friend by the name of Common Sense who has been with us for many years. No one knows for sure how old he was since birth records were lost long ago in bureaucratic red tape. He will be remembered as having cultivated such valued lessons as knowing when to come in out of the rain, why the early bird gets the worm and that life isn't always fair.
Common Sense lived by simple, sound financial policies (don't spend more than you earn) and reliable parenting strategies (adults, not kids, are in charge).
His health began to rapidly deteriorate when well intentioned but overbearing regulations were set in place. Report of a six-year-old boy charged with sexual harassment for kissing a classmate, a teen suspended from school for using mouthwash after lunch, and a teacher fired for reprimanding an unruly student, only worsened his condition.
It declined even further when schools were required to get parental consent to administer aspirin to a student but could not inform the parents when a student became pregnant and wanted to have an abortion.
Finally, Common Sense lost the will to live as the Ten Commandments became contraband, churches became businesses, and criminals received better treatment than their victims.
Common Sense finally gave up the ghost after a woman failed to realize that a steaming cup of coffee is hot, spilled it in her lap, and was awarded a lot of money.
Common Sense was preceded in death by his parents, Truth and Trust; his wife, Discretion; his daughter, Responsibility; and his son, Reason.
He is survived by two stepbrothers, My Rights and Ima Whiner.
Not many attended his funeral because so few realized he was gone.
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The Bible
A father was approached by his small son who told him proudly, "I know what the Bible means!"
His father smiled and replied, "What do you mean, you 'know' what the Bible means?"
The son replied, "I do know!"
"Okay," said his father. "So, son, what does the Bible mean?"
"That's easy, Daddy. It stands for 'Basic Information Before Leaving Earth.'"
This young boy understood what so many of our world fail to realizewe NEED to realize. The apostle Peter said it this way, "According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue" (2 Peter 1:3). Friends, the Bible is all-sufficient (cf. 2 Tim 3:16-17).
Think about it!
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