Samaria

It is a wonderful day to serve our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Jeannie Mims sang for us this week. It was a beautiful song, as always. Happy birthday to our August celebrants, and happy anniversary to Bobo and Brittany, as well as Lynn and Elizabeth. School started this week, and we pray for all our local kids, teachers and parents to put God in their school day and have a wonderful year of learning.

Bro. Charles Brooks’ message was titled, “The Lost to Immorality,” from Luke 15:11-24. His focus first was on the prodigal son, who wasted his life in sin and immorality. When he finally came to his senses, he was broke, cast down and filled with remorse. He realized that his father’s servants had a better situation than did he, so he decided to go home and ask his father to make him one of the hired servants. When the father saw him coming, he ran to meet him, kissed him, put a robe on him and planned a feast to celebrate the son that was dead and now alive again. His son who had remained faithful was upset and jealous of the treatment his brother received. However, the father did what God would do and does for us who fall away and return to him.

Remember today, young couples have a responsibility to their children to create a Godly atmosphere for them to grow up in. Many young families struggle with money problems and give in to the temptation to take the problems out on each other. One such person’s story says it well. This man was a pastor, and he verbally abused his wife continually. We must be mindful of our words. Once they are spoken, the harm is done. Even though an apology may come, the scar is there forever. This man had behaved this way for so long that he did not even realize how much damage he was doing, until one day his wife said that she had suffered enough. She would be divorcing him once their daughter reached high school graduation. This was a few years away, but he definitely got the message.

They never discussed this conversation, but it was always there between them. He knew that he had done the harm and that apologizing would only make it hurt worse right now. His task was to work to make his marriage worth saving. He worked hard with God’s help to love her and treat her the way she really deserved to be treated.

She would hug him and caress him, but never did she say it was all forgiven and that she was not going to leave. Until one Christmas; he built a fire in the fireplace, and she prepared egg nog. They sat quietly together, and she said she had to get something for him. It was a Christmas card, he thought. Inside the letter she had quoted her wedding vows to him again. She was restating the vows she had spoken and was reiterating them now to let him know she wasn’t going anywhere.

Only God can change a situation like this. If you find your life in this kind of mess, remember, friends and family care, but Jesus is the only answer to how your problem can be solved.

Mt. Springs

Services started Sunday, Aug. 19 with Bro. Kenneth Moates leading the church in the following hymns: “Jesus Is Coming Soon,” “I Would Not Be Denied,” “I Know Who Holds Tomorrow” and “Getting Ready to Leave this World.”

Bro. Ricky Bice gave a devotion from Psalms 145:17-21. The Lord will keep us safe from harm.

After Sunday School, Bro. Kenneth led the church in the hymn, “When We All Get to Heaven,” and Kellie Bice sang, “Nail it to the Cross.”

Bro. Shane Wyatt and his family were with us this morning. Bro. Wyatt preached from Revelation 2:1-7. We will fight battles in our lives, but God knows what we’ll go through and he will be with us.

Sunday nights service started with Bro. Kenneth leading the church in the hymns “Leaning on the Everlasting Arms,” “I Never Shall Forget the Day,” “Where Milk and Honey Flows” and “Redeemed.”

Bro. Kenneth Moates gave a devotion from 2 John 1-3. We need to make up our mind about who we’re going to serve, Jesus or the world.

Sam Ross and Debbie Barnett sang “I Still Have it All,” and Roger Cleckler sang “I’d Rather Have Jesus.”

Bro. Johnny Dutton and his family were with us tonight. Bro. Johnny preached from Luke 13:1-5. If we sin, we have to repent to get under the blood of Christ. Are you ready for Jesus to come again?