Prayer
List
Charles
Counts to have surgery
on legs Monday March 25.
Monte
Randolph had PET scan. Results not good.
Jeremy
King to see cardiologist for blood pressure control.
Nonie
Tucker fell, injured her new hip, & will have to restart therapy.
Went to ER at TMC on Friday for other complications.
Norma
Garza (Walter’s neighbor) will have shoulder surgery next week &
is having a lot of pain.
Ruby
Slone has pneumonia in her left lung & pain in her neck. Bone
cancer has been ruled out.
Ronald
Hickerson had surgery on shoulder, & is waiting for biopsy
results.
Eddie
Roland to get filter for blood clots & needs a hip replacement.
Pat
Rivera (friend of Frank) is in rehab for COPD & several broken
bones.
Rebecca
Van Deren has eye problems & may get insulin pump for diabetes.
Kathy
Hill (cancer), Ben Harrington (diabetes complications), Don
Hickerson (arterial problems), Eddie Griffin (heart), Tabitha
Griffin (cancer), Billie Bradford (in nursing home), Betty Clark
(in remission from cancer), Les Hamel (weekly transfusions, stress),
Beryl Miller (macular degeneration).
Serving
in the military: Tyler Davies, Josh Van Deren, Kirklynn Hance
and Kirk Johnson in the USA. Cody Blomstedt is in Korea.
Our
Spring Meeting will be April 7-10
Topic
NEVER. GIVE. UP. - a study of the saints and what kept them going
By
Clint Brown from Farmersville, Texas
Fellowship
meal will be after morning services on April 7th.
Confess
your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be
healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth
much.
James
5:16 (KJV)
Pantry
Item: Canned Sliced Carrots - or other non-perishable
items.
Men
Serving Next Week
March 31,
2019
Morning
Prayers Don Harrington, Jerry Harris
Evening
Prayers Kerry King, Walter McMillen
Scripture
Greg
Counts
Living Water
Josh Blackmer
You have probably seen this, a pool of shallow water that has no fresh source. This pool does nothing. It seems to be a petri dish of single-cell organisms and an unnamable slimy substance. It is not fit for use or consumption without serious rehabilitation. This is what we call stagnant water.
Growing stagnant spiritually is a relatively easy process. There are no steps, no programs and no support groups. You simply do nothing. I am not assuming that you, the reader, are stagnant. It is so easy to become so and being aware of the possibility may prove to be a preventative measure.
God clearly has the expectation that we should grow. In Hebrews 5:12, “For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you have need again for someone to teach you the elementary principles of the oracles of God, and you have come to need milk and not solid food.” We need to grow in our knowledge. In Hebrews 6:1, “Therefore leaving the elementary teaching about the Christ, let us press on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God.” We need to grow in maturity. We do all of this by our close contact with the Word of God. In Ephesians 4:15, “But speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ,” and in 1 Peter 2:2, “Like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation.” The Bible is clear that with the Word of God we are equipped for every good work (2 Tim. 3:16-17).
We know what God expects, but how do we do it? If we make regular Bible study a priority, things could change. If we would be at services every time the doors were open, thinks would change. If we were to actively seek out relationships with members of the church instead of people in the world, the water might become a little less stagnant. If we were to see people as souls needing Christ, our stagnant pool might be all the more clear. If we would strive to be pools of living water, our pool may be useful again.
When Christ was with the woman by the well, he told her, “But whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never thirst; but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life” (John 4:14). We should be a source of living water to those around us. We are not a stagnant dead pool. We are sons and daughters of the Most High. He has given us the source to be an influence on our family, our friends, our co-workers and even each other. When we become stagnant, we do more than just damage ourselves. We become a foul, contaminated source instead of what God intended us to be—light, salt and living water.
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We Need More “Timothys”
Dan Jenkins
We need as many “Timothys” in the church as we possibly can have—both young men and young ladies. These young people are becoming spiritual leaders in the church. “Timothys” just do not accidently happen. To understand the part you play in their growth, consider the influences in the life of Timothy, Paul’s young companion.
“Timothys” are made because of the influence of parents and grandparents. Paul’s son in the faith came from an unusual background. From early childhood, there was the influence of his mother and grandmother (2 Tim. 3:15; 1:5). His father was a pagan, yet such did not keep Lois and Eunice from shaping his life. The home shapes the lives of all of us.
“Timothys” are made because of the influence of congregations they attend. When Paul decided to take Timothy with him on his second missionary journey, the brethren at Lystra and Iconium spoke highly of him (Acts 16:2). Imagine how Timothy must have felt knowing that many brethren would stand up and support him. Lois and Eunice knew of his faith and, as he grew, others saw it.
“Timothys” are made because of the influence of elders. We know very little of the details of that time when the eldership laid their hands on young Timothy, but that influence of church leaders had to shape his life tremendously (1 Tim. 4:14). When Paul and Barnabas were sent out as missionaries, the church laid hands on them to signify the importance of their work (Acts 13:3), and perhaps this same thing happened to Timothy. Even without knowing the details we can see the important role elders played in his life.
“Timothys” are made because of the influence of preachers. Paul taught Timothy the gospel, and he was the first preacher who molded the young man’s life. He also knew Barnabas, Silas, Sopater, Aristarchus, Secundus, Gaius, Tychicus and Trophimus (Acts 20:4). These men traveled with Paul and Timothy and no doubt were part of Timothy’s growth.
“Timothys” are made because of the influence of members of the church. Timothy knew Lydia, the jailor at Philippi, Aquila, Priscilla, Crispus, Sosthenes, Gaius and a host of unnamed Christians in every church he visited. His life is such a vivid illustration of the importance of every member shaping the lives of younger Christians.
“Timothys” are being made in the church today. Take time to pray and think about the role you can play in being part of this great work today at this congregation. Get involved in the lives of our young people. The destiny of the church lies in their hands. They need your influences on them!
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Answer to last weeks question!This prophet spoke of the need to purify temple worship after the return from Babylon. He spoke of the coming of someone like the prophet Elijah. - Malachi
Trivia Question What unlucky prophet delivered an unfavorable message to King Ahab?