Mars Hill Baptist Church

Thanksgiving, a time to show thanks to our Lord for the blessings we have received. To gather family and friends around us and have the turkey and ham. But, Thanksgiving should not be just once a year. As Christians, we should show our love for Jesus by thanks-living, every day of the year. Our service started with our young children at the altar, with the filled Samaritans Purse shoeboxes, to bless the boxes, that the gifts and messages inside would touch other young children, that they might come to know Jesus Christ as their Savior. This is the reason we come to church, to receive a blessing and to be a blessing to others. Bro. William Short’s message this week was taken from 2 Thessalonians 2:1-10. The word of God is just as relevant today as it was when this letter was written to Paul to people of Thessalonia and to the people of Mars Hill Baptist Church. Paul describes two events in this passage that take place prior to or just after the day of the Lord begins. He tells us of a great “falling away.” A time of open rebellion against God then the man of sin will be revealed. Do we have to look very far or think very long to see that this “falling away” has already begun? We have allowed God to be removed from our schools and our government. We look for a man to come in and fix all of our problems. That will never happen, friend. God is still in control of this world, and he is still on his throne. He is the only one who is able to help this world, but we have to first come back to him. The whole point of coming to church is to focus on Jesus to worship him in spirit and truth. If you miss this point, you have missed it all. Everything is in vain without Jesus Christ. God doesn’t make us read our bibles and pray but if we belong to him, we will read and pray daily. Other people will deceive you; be strong in your faith, be ready for Satan and his lies. Don’t be the one to fall away. We only have to answer for our own sins, not the sins of others. In this respect, we are that man of sin referred to in this passage. No man is without sin, and all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. If we belong to God, our sins are made known to us the instant we commit them. The way to fix this sin is on bended knee, in prayer, asking forgiveness and being thankful to a merciful God for loving us like no other could ever do.

Begin a new year in Christ now with thanks-living, compelling others to come to Jesus. Have you felt the Holy Spirit moving in your heart and life lately? Do you need a heart check? It is all about Jesus, my friend. It is time to get back to real worship, shouting glory to God! Isaiah 12: 4 says, “give thanks to Yahweh, proclaim his name!”

Please make plans to attend Mars Hill on Nov. 25. The Kempters will be singing in our worship service beginning at 5 p.m. Everyone is encouraged to come and help with refreshments afterward in our fellowship hall. It will be a great time in the Lord this night. Please pray for our church, the lost, the sick, the hurting, our troops and our country. God is great, all the time. Amen.

Bethany Baptist Church

As we prepare to celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday this week, Bro. Steve reminded us that as far back as 1623 the governor of the Plymouth Colony three years after their arrival prepared a worshipful celebration for the colonists to attend in thanksgiving to God.

Bro. Steve brought a message on giving thanks to God, taken from 1 Thessalonians 5: 16-18. Verse 18 says, “In every thing give thanks for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” It is God’s will for us to express gratitude to God in every thing (situation). We may not feel like thanking God for everything but in every circumstance we can find something to be thankful for. Even during trials God cares for those who love him and things work out for good “to those who love him, who are the called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8: 28) Exhibiting thankfulness to God is a good way to witness our faith to others and to God. The best thing we can do every day is to thank God for our salvation.

If any nation has reason to thank God, it is America, and if any people in the United States of America have reason to thank God, it is Christians.

Sunday evening Bro. Steve read the scripture in Matthew 10: 29-31 concerning how God cares for the birds but cares for us much more. Then he did a word study on 11 verses in the Bible about wings. Even though we don’t believe God has wings, his protection, mercy and compassion are sometimes compared to comforting the shadow of thy wings.” Isaiah 40: 31 may be the most familiar; it talks about wings of renewal so that we can walk and run and not be weary and faint.

Prayer list: Betty Biggs, James Bixler, Doris and Verdie Glenn, Paul Gray, Hubert Griffin, Mildred Griffin, Ernestine Hatch, Laverne and Dick Hayes, Journey Mission in Calera, Ethel Kelly, Billie Neeley and Skipper Wallace.

See you Sunday!