Mars Hill Baptist Church

Happy New Year to you all! A new year, a new day, another opportunity to serve our great God!

If you need a resolution this year, make it count, make a vow to get closer to God, to pray more, to love more, to be a doer of the Word, and not just a hearer.

We are saved by faith, but God asks us to put legs on that faith and get out and work for his coming Kingdom. Jesus, is coming again my friends, no one knows the day or the hour, but he is coming. Coming for those that are looking for him.

Are you ready for 2016 spiritually?

Bro. William Short’s message this week was taken from James 1:22-25. But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.

For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does.

What do you see when you look into the mirror? The more important question is do you like what you see in this mirror?

Do you see yourself as someone who is a doer, always ready to lend a hand to others, with a Christ-like attitude? Are you ready to help those who cannot possibly return a favor?

Do you look for ways to serve in your church or community without expecting payment of any kind? Do you pray and ask God what He would have you do? Do you see someone who is rich spiritually?

Or do you see someone who says they are saved, but sitting in the pew, expecting God to bless you? Do you see a person who prays and wants that prayer answered immediately?

Do you care if the neighbor next door has food to eat, warm clothing, a church family? When was the last time you helped someone in need without expecting anything in return?

Its great to have a church family, one that prays together, helps others and are doers of the word.

God expects each individual to do his or her part as well. It is wonderful to have a pastor who puts out the word of God, tells the truth, never holding back on Gods word.

God expects us all to not just sit in the pew and hear the word, but to get up and act on it. Do not be and “I cannot” Christian, be an “I can do this” Christian.

Study the bible, God’s holy word; it is not a book of suggestions, but one of commandments.

Take the 10 Commandments given to us from God through Moses. I do not think God was kidding when he gave them to us. He meant them then and he means them now.

The bible is not an old fashioned thing of the past, as its words are relevant for today’s living, no matter what your station in life may be.

Do you want to be blessed by God? Do you need to be blessed by God? If the answer is yes then become a doer of his word!

Do not ignore his word, and what he is telling you. Get up and act, put your faith to work by becoming doers of the word. Its just not enough to be saved and go to church whenever the doors are opened, you have a job to do, a job that no one else can do. Find out what that job is, and then do it to the best of your ability. Remember, God does not call the qualified, but he qualifies the called!

Are you a follower of Jesus? Do you have a know-so hope in God? Or do you have a hope-so, maybe-so, hope?

Ask these questions to the person in the mirror. If the answer is not what you like, then call on the name of Jesus repent of your sins.

God says if we confess our sins, he will forgive all our sins. Turn your hope-so into a know-so today, friend. Give your heart and life to Jesus, become a doer of his word.

Sunday the youth will be providing lunch to raise money for their Gatlinburg trip, come on out and support them, while Wednesday will be our quarterly business meeting.

Jan. 15-18, pray for our youth on their trip. Sunday Jan. 24, our youth will be in charge of the morning service.

Please remember to pray for our church, our pastor, his family, our youth, our children, schools, our military, our missionaries at home and abroad, our government, the sick, the lost, the hurting and the peace of Israel.

God is good, all the time! Amen.

Old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new, according to 2 Corinthians 5:17.