Christ Independent Methodist Church

Today gave us a great opportunity to go to the house of the Lord and thank him for the much needed rain. Along the way, we noted fall’s colors throughout the landscape as the red dogwood and goldenrod vie with each other for superiority in color.

Our hymns of praise were “For the Beauty of the Earth,” “Let the Beauty of Jesus Be Seen in Me” and “’Til the Storm Passes By.”

Dr. Mac Stinson’s sermon title today was “Who Wants to be the Greatest?” This sermon is one of a trilogy based on the scripture from Mark 9:30-37. The three connected services were, in numerical order, “Who is Jesus,” “Who is the Greatest” and today’s title “Who Wants to be the Greatest.” If you take the last title seriously, the Bible is very explicit in telling you how to reach that goal. There is no beating around the bush; it is spelled out in easily understood English. The Gospel of Mark 9:35 says, “And he sat down and called the twelve, and said unto them, ‘If any man desires to be first the same shall be last of all and servant of all.’” Today’s sermon set forth in greater detail and examples of those who chose to follow the Master’s instruction.

It has been written that great minds have purposes and small minds have wishes. Jesus realized his disciples were seeking recognition and glory, not the purpose of God, so Jesus sat down and used the occasion as a teaching moment. I think we all have these moments if we only recognize them for what they represent.

Dr. Stinson ended his sermon today with this profound message: “To make your life count, find a place where you can serve. It may be in your work or in your church, but you will never be happy or successful until you see that we are here to serve, not to be served. To serve others, particularly the least and lowest, is the best way to serve God.

Our prayer list: Dr. Mac Stinson, Robbie Houston, Carl and Ann Glass, Opal Miller, Cathy Leufta, Bonnie Headley, Shea Simms in Kuwait, Bee Bee’s nephew in Afghanistan, our members of the military and their families, our church, community, little Israel and each other.

No Wednesday Bible study group during the month of October.

Please accept this challenge: Commit to observe the 40 days of prayer, fasting and action from Sept. 28 until Nov. 6. You are asked to give up one thing (meat, sodas, etc.) or one meal a day for the forty days. Fasting is a sacrifice to God. Fasting may help turn America back to God come Nov. 6. Have a blessed week.

Samaria Baptist Church

We celebrated our rainy Sunday morning by thanking God for the much needed rain. Bro. Charles’ text for his sermon titled “What is a Christian” came from Romans 10:1-15. We come asking and believing, and he will save us. He who believes and is baptized shall be saved. He who believes not shall be damned. Trust in what they can see. This is an attitude of factual information that is needed. Some people simply will not let faith work for them; if they cannot see something, then it must not be real. Thomas, the doubter, had this kind of faith. We know that he eventually came around. We will never outgrow sin. As Christians we sin as long as we are in the human flesh, but one day, when Jesus returns, he will change our earthly bodies into bodies that have no chance to sin. Temporary faith doesn’t last. Some folks serve without the calling; this won’t last. Some may choose to preach because people look at them and say they would be a good minister. This ‘man calling’ will not last without the call and the touch of the Master on this person’s life.

When people use the gift that God gave them to glorify him, then they are truly blessed. We have some with a flawed faith. It doesn’t have the true power to overcome the selfishness of flawed faith. Judas had a flawed faith, too. His faith was based on what he could get for himself. He abused the privilege of working with Jesus, and betrayal for a few dollars meant more to him than his soul.
If you are not experiencing blessings from God, then there is a human reason. You have a lack of faith. He is standing and waiting to bless you and answer every prayer, whether his answer is a yes or no. He never fails to answer, in his time. Jesus answers when we call upon him to save us. The Holy Spirit of a living God is planted inside our hearts. We know that Christ died for the ungodly. While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.  
Confess, repent and receive the blessings of a living Lord. Freely take of the Water of Life. Everything we invest in serving God pays awesome dividends.

Join us at Samaria, and worship this amazing Lord with us.
Prayer concerns are for James Smith and Chilton Medical Center. God can do his work without you, but don’t you want to be part of his family? May God bless you and keep you in all your needs today.