Calvary Independent Baptist Church

We want to thank everyone for attending services this weekend.

Sunday morning’s service included a message from John 11:45-57 about the miracle of Lazarus, who was raised from the dead after four days in the grave. This miracle caused divisions among the people who saw it happen. It caused some to believe, others went their own way, but some perceived this to be a serious problem that they needed to do something about. They were misguided because of a lack of knowledge, and the mishaps associated with their religion caused them to end up in a religious worship service wondering if Jesus was going to show up. It is not about a religious experience; it is about answering the call of God upon your life and having a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ.

The evening service included a message from Proverbs 1:23-24 titled “God’s Call Sometimes Goes Unanswered.” Scripture included 2 Chronicles 36:16; Proverbs 29:1; Zechariah 7:11-12; Isaiah 50:2, 65:2,12 and 66:4; and Hebrews 12:25-26.

God’s call upon someone’s life is made known by ministers preaching, Sunday school teachers teaching and the personal study of the word of God, but it can be refused. That call will stop one day, and there is no remedy if God’s call has gone unanswered. There is a high price to pay if we allow that to happen. God makes the call; how well are we answering?

We hope you have answered God’s call for salvation and are faithfully serving him in your life today. We want to invite you to come and fellowship with us and be a part of our services at Calvary this Sunday. We are located south of Clanton, just past Dollar General, right off U.S. 31 on Fulmer Drive. Sunday school: 9 a.m., Children’s Church and adult worship service: 10 a.m., Sunday night service: 5:30 p.m. and Wednesday service: 6:30 p.m. Visit our website at www.cibc-clanton.com to add prayer request, check our events calendar, read the latest news, listen to or download sermons or email our pastors. For more information by phone, call Pastor Oscar Mims at (205) 755-9399.

Bethany Baptist Church

Morning services began with the hymn “Tell Me the Story of Jesus,” followed by a devotion titled “Eyewitness of His Majesty” from 2 Peter 1:16-19.

Two important lessons to learn from this are: 1) God’s word is based on facts, not man-made stories. The Israelites in the Old Testament, being God’s chosen people, were led by God and heard his voice. 2) The reason for these verses is a warning against the false teachers. We need to show people that what we believe is the truth. We do that by showing them the word of God and our experiences of what God has done for us.

With a prayer, we were dismissed to Sunday school.

After singing some Christmas carols, “We Three Kings,” “What Child Is This,” “Go Tell It on the Mountain” and “The First Noel,” Bro. Aubry brought the morning message titled “To the Bottom and Back.” His scripture was taken from Matthew 26:69-75. This is Matthew’s account of Peter denying Christ before his crucifixion. Peter was seen sitting outside the palace when Jesus was brought before Caiaphas. Peter had at one time been very close to the Lord, but he had gotten far from following close to Jesus. He knew Jesus was going to die and he feared for his life also.

Was there a time in our lives when we were closer to the Lord than we are right now? After we have been saved, we will never be content being friends with the world. Peter was in the wrong place, with the wrong people, doing the wrong things. This did not happen to Peter suddenly; neither will it happen suddenly to us. First, we are close to Jesus, but then we allow our hearts to grow cold and the things of God are not as glorious to us as when we were first saved.

Three things we learn about Peter: 1) He had faith. Jesus called him to be a disciple, and Peter followed Jesus immediately. The point of our salvation is our first personal encounter with Jesus. We must work on our relationship with Jesus to avoid losing our fellowship with him. 2) Peter fell in his word. He rebuked Jesus in Matthew 16:22. Every time we open our mouths and speak, we reveal where our hearts are. Peter fell in his walk: he could not stay awake for one hour while Jesus prayed. We need not fall asleep on Jesus, nor fall far behind Jesus as Peter did in Matthew 26:69-75. We need to stay close to the Lord so people can know that we love Jesus and want to make him the center of our lives. If not, we will hit bottom, as Peter did when he gave up on the Lord and forsook him in John 21:3. 3) We see Peter’s forgiveness. A rooster crowed three times to show Peter he was wrong. When Peter heard this, he was sorry for his sins, went out and wept bitterly. Our pastor’s job is to teach God’s word, not to make us feel good all the time. Jesus knows and will supply our needs. Jesus will forgive us our sins, and restore us back to him; we only have to repent and ask forgiveness.

After a prayer and a hymn, “My Jesus, I Love Thee,” we were dismissed in prayer.

The evening service opened with a hymn, “Footsteps of Jesus.” Bro. Aubry’s message was from Exodus 16:1-7, 14-15 and Numbers 11. “Are You Satisfied With God” was the title.

Israel was once satisfied with God and ready to accept his gift, but during difficult times, they rejected God. They, like us, should have relied on God’s promise that he will be with us. We as his children will always have food, water and shelter. Everything we have is a blessing from God—even our jobs. When we become saved, Jesus is sweet and satisfying for our spiritual life. Repentance toward God and faith in the Lord is the gospel, which we must be telling the world. Today is the day of salvation.

After a prayer and a hymn, “God Be With You,” we were dismissed.

Announcements:

Dec. 7: AMD meeting at New Home Baptist Church in Wetumpka

Dec. 15: Christmas cantata at 11 a.m. followed by lunch. No evening services.

Prayer list: Melissa Peppers, Glenda Wallace, Elwyn and Grace Robinson, Billie Neeley and Jackie, Bro. Aubry (he will have surgery on Friday), Sis. Shirley, Henry and Myra Moore, Bro. Steve and Sister Phyllis as they work and serve at New Home Baptist Church, Jeanette Jessop, our church, missionaries and the lost.