Prayer
List
Betty Harris will receive several test
results on Nov.. 11.
Ben
Harrington’s stint procedure will be Nov. 3.
Sue Morgan
is in a Nursing Home and still needs our prayers.
Charles
Counts’ sister Wanda Peterson is home but will need heart stints
inserted.
Kathy Hill’s
friend Terry Turner has asked for our prayers.
Jerry Foster
is in Carrus for rehab. He is in room 214.
Leta Embry,
Jerry and Betty Harris, Nell Hall, James and Florene Griffin, Don
Hickerson, Lester and Billie Phillips, Shirley Quinn, Jack and Diane
Arnold, Betty Clark, Dale Counts, Debbie Kluge, Sonny and Doris
James, Beryl Miller, and Dean and Della Price.
Serving in
the military: Travis Counts Cody Blomstedt Dakota Smitherman
Let us pray
for our country and government leaders and those who are in harms
way, military and civilian personnel.
“The
effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much…
The Men’s
Business Meeting is next Sunday Nov. 8 after evening worship
services. All men are invited and encouraged to attend.
Pantry
Item: Canned Tomatoes
Nov. 8th
Prayers – Morning: Robert Embry – Jack Cawthon
Evening: Charles Counts – Jerry Harris
Scriptures: Greg Counts
>>>>>>>>>>>
Seek First
the Kingdom in
Walking
According to the Spirit
By Jim Poland
Walking
according to the Spirit can only be done “in Christ”. “There
is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus,
who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit”
(Romans 8:1, 4). To be “in Christ” requires that we are
baptized into Christ (Romans 6:3,3). This is the only way God has
provided that we may put on Christ (Galatians 3:27). Therefore, we
can only walk after the Spirit by obeying what the Spirit has
inspired to be written as they did on Pentecost, 33 A.D. (Acts 2:38).
Baptism into remission of sins removes those sins that separate us
from God and His service (Isaiah 59:1, 2).
Walking
according to the works of the flesh, we “will not inherit the
kingdom of God…” (Galatians 5:21). It is a condition
that must be practiced to be free from condemnation and that the
righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us (Romans
8:1, 4). The smallest deed is better than the grandest intention.
Our
ability to “walk” does not earn commendation. The righteous
requirement is “fulfilled in us, “not by
us. Some think God saved them and converted them just to hear
them and condemn sin. That’s like the rooster who thinks the sun
comes up just to hear him crow. Righteousness does not consist in
being a little less bad than someone else. It comes as a gift
through obedient faith in Christ Jesus (Romans 5:1, 2; Ephesians 2:8,
9).
Seeking
the kingdom first requires a certain state of mind. Jesus said,
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of
heaven” (Matthew 5:3). The Spirit must have priority in our
thinking to “set” our minds on the things of the Spirit (Romans
8:5). This is not what comes from just any meditation of mankind.
That which comes from man’s spirit still minds the flesh. The
state of mind that puts the kingdom first must come from the Word
that the Spirit reveals (John 14:25; 16:13)! Priorities determine
life or death spiritually/ “For to be carnally minded is death,
but to be spiritually minded is life and peace” (Romans 8:6).
The carnal mind is an enemy of God (Romans 8:7; James 4:4). The
carnal mind cannot please God (Romans 8:7, 8).
Seeking
the kingdom first requires a certain manner of life. Galatians
5:16-26 was written to the “children of God” (Galatians
3:26, 27). The lust of the flesh and walking in the Spirit are
opposed to one another (Galatians 5:16-18). We must stop practicing
the works of the flesh, or we cannot inherit the kingdom of God
(Galatians 5:19-21). We must produce the “fruit of the Spirit”
as we walk through life, or we have not truly set our lives to seek
the kingdom first (Galatians 5:22-26).