Mars Hill Baptist Church

There are many things that I thank God for each day when I wake up. One of them is my sight, because I can see the sun shining and I can see the face of my grandson. Have you ever wondered what it must be like to be blind, stumbling around in the dark every day and night without end, never seeing the faces of your family, never seeing the sun come up or to witness the beautiful sunset? Close your eyes and walk around your house, then imagine doing this all the time. Did you stumble over something? I bet you did! Yes, the eyes are a blessing from God. Be thankful that you can see.

Bro. William Short took the message this Sunday from Matthew 9:27-30, 36-38. Two blind men followed Jesus, crying out and saying to him, “Son of David, have mercy on us!” Jesus asked them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?” and they said to him, “Yes, Lord.” Then Jesus touched their eyes, saying, “According to your faith, let it be to you.” And their eyes were opened. No longer were they blind; they could see the world, their families and their friends. What a miracle! Yes, Jesus was and is a miracle worker. He can still do today what he did then, because he never changes. Praise the name of Jesus!

Now skip to verse 37-38, where Jesus is talking to his disciples: “The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.” What does the harvest have to do with being blind? More than you think. While in the Scripture as read, Jesus healed the physically blind men. But being spiritually blind is worse than being physically blind. The good news is that Jesus also heals those who are blinded spiritually. How does he do it? He saves them, opening their eyes to things not seen physically; healing them according to their faith; by looking outward, not inward; and by reaching into the heart and healing from within.

Spiritual blindness keeps you from seeing the harvest—his harvest, the harvest of God. This harvest is ready; the fields are white, ready to be reaped. What is in the fields? What should we be harvesting? The harvest that Jesus is speaking of here is people who are lost and dying without God, without hope, without a prayer of ever seeing anything except what is in this world! We are spiritually blind, not looking for these that are lost. In Jesus’ time, the shepherd who watched the sheep would leave his herd to look for even one lost sheep. We can’t even see the herd, forget about the one lost!

There are more lost people in this world than there are people who have been saved by the grace of God. Where are they? Who are they? They are your neighbors, your friends, your family, your co-workers, the person you meet in Wal-Mart or that one on the street you passed by. If you are a saved child of God, would you not hate to be at the gates of heaven and hear someone say, “Why didn’t you tell me about Jesus? You knew this would happen! Why didn’t you ask me to church?” Oh, Church, open your spiritually blind eyes and see what God wants us to do! To carry out his mission, to tell a lost and dying world that Jesus lives. He is alive, more today than ever before, and this world needs a Savior, one who can take the harvest of the fields and turn them into blessings for another to see and find hope.

It’s not just the preacher’s job to go out and visit or ask others to church; it’s our job, maybe even more our job than that of the preacher. Have you invited anyone to church lately? Have you prayed for someone you know is lost? Why is it that some come to church but never seem find their way back? Have we tried to show them? Why would we not ask someone to church? We can’t save ourselves, much less anyone else, but Jesus can. We catch them, and then Jesus cleans them. Amen.

At 6 p.m. on Nov. 10, Stephanie Levins will be singing and giving her testimony for the Lord. We will have finger foods in the fellowship hall afterward. Make plans to come and join us for this.

Our Operation Christmas Child boxes need to be packed and ready for delivery on Nov 17.

Thanks to all who participated in our Harvest Fest on Saturday.

This Halloween night, share Jesus with those who knock on your door; it’s something that won’t cause tooth decay and will stay with them.

Please pray for our church, our pastor, the sick, the lost, the hurting, our schools, our children, our troops and our government. God is good, all the time! Amen.

Bethany Baptist Church

Morning services began at 10 a.m. with the song “To God Be the Glory,” and a devotion from Matthew 28:18-20 titled “The Great Commission.” Jesus gives the church her instructions about spreading the gospel. We, as New Testament churches, should make disciples, baptize and teach them God’s word. Before salvation, a person cannot understand the teachings of God in his word. After salvation, a person’s heart is open and receptive to learning God’s will for their life.

After a prayer and Sunday school, we began our worship service at 11 a.m. Songs were “How Great Thou Art,” Are You Washed in the Blood,” “The Eastern Gate” and “Standing on the Promise.” Bro. Aubry made announcements, took prayer requests, had prayer and offering, then he began his message from Joshua 23 and 24.

The subject of the message focused on the end of Joshua’s life. He knew he was old and would soon die, so, in Chapter 23, he called a meeting of all the elders, officers and leaders of the nation of Israel. (In Chapter 24, he called a meeting of the entire nation.) Joshua encouraged the Israelites to stay the course for God, regardless of the disappointments, trials and tribulations. We should do the same today. Keep God’s work alive at all cost, so the world can see the glory of God in us.

Joshua’s concern for Israel and our concern today is this: 1) Do not fall into complacency, becoming content with the way things are. We need to always be striving to do more for the Lord. 2) Be committed to God and the church. Do not get slack on going to church and spreading the gospel of Christ. 3) Be concerned for our church. Concern leads to challenges, as in Joshua 23:9-16. We should consider God’s wrath. Although, he is a loving God, he is also a God of wrath. When we disobey his commandments, he will chastise us.

When we join a church, we promise to keep the church covenant, which is promising to work for the advancement of our church. The book of Joshua closes with three funerals: Joshua’s, Joseph’s and Eleazar’s. As they all died, we too will leave this world. Jesus is preparing a place for the saved in heaven.

Evening services opened at 6 p.m. with a song, “There Shall Be Showers of Blessing” and a prayer. The text for the evening sermon was taken from Genesis 25:1-10. We, as saved people, should obey as Abraham did. When God called him out of his homeland, which was a pagan country that worshipped false gods, to a land he promised, Abraham obeyed immediately.

Although we think of Abraham as having only two sons, Ishmael and Isaac, he married another woman after the death of Sarah. With this wife and some concubines, he had more children. God had promised a great nation would come from Abraham through Isaac, his son of old age with Sarah. He gave all he had to Isaac, as God instructed him to do, and gave gifts to all the other children.

When a person dies, three things come up in our conversation: how they lived their life, the events surrounding their death and whether they were saved. As Abraham lived a life of faith in God every day, we should do the same. Hebrews 11:6 states: “Without faith, it is impossible to please God.” God wants us to depend on him for our daily needs. A life lived for Christ is a life that will never lack blessings, although we will still go through trials and tribulations. Our faith gives the assurance of our salvation.

After the message and a song, we were dismissed in prayer.

Our prayer lists include Henry and Myra Moore, our church, Bro. Aubry and Shirley, Billie Neeley, Elwyn and Grace Robinson, Bro. Steve and Phyllis, Mrs. Biggs, Mrs. Roberson and many more too numerous to name.