Cedar Grove Church

Jesus is amazing! Jesus’ Holy Ghost power is continuing to move at Cedar Grove. Don’t miss out!

Pastor Jeff Carroll’s text came from 1 Corinthians 4:1- 21 titled “The Inside Story to the Ministry of Christ.”

Take up thy cross and follow me. Jesus let the disciples know that it would not always be easy as a steward over the mysteries of God. God created us and gave us knowledge of Christ’s salvation to eternity. Hell is hot, and sin will take you there. People today want to hear preachers that tickle their ears, not the ones that preach the true gospel and the consequences of sin. It is easy to preach to the ones that agree with your teachings, but almost impossible to preach to the ones that do not know Christ and do not want to know Christ or anything of his teachings.

Let it be known to all as preachers and all believers in Christ, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth who was crucified, whom God raised from the dead by this man, we stand here before you whole. You can and will still be judged by your past life, but none of that matters, nor is there salvation in any other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved except Jesus. We are not what we want to be but we are not what we used to be.

Jesus told his disciples to do as he did. Those who receive the gospel will never know the cost. We allow the devil to take away the seed God tries to place in our hearts. If we do not hold onto the gospel of God’s Word and his promises, Satan will have won the victory over your life. We are not playing a game here; we are in spiritual warfare. Some get mad when preachers call it like it is, but we can’t worry about that. God wants to see the power of Jesus Christ in our lives. We don’t have to or need to wait on others for the power of healing or other miracles because we have Jesus, who gives us that same power he had when he preached.

Jesus gives us a choice: do we want him to come with a rod against spiritual disobedience, or with love for your obedience and living for Christ? What is your choice: the rod of correction for the sin that needs to be beaten out of us spiritually or the love of God with blessings to follow?

Love to all and have a blessed week! Come join us at Cedar Grove.

Prayer concerns: Earl and Bobbie Giles, Billy Caton , Alton Russell, Mary McGuire, Jim Lowery, Nanett Fricke, Norma Bean, Angelic McNamar, Norma Muir, June Collins, Janet Wyatt, Jean Varden, and those in hospitals and nursing homes.

Announcements: An Easter egg hunt will be held on April 12 at 2 p.m. All are invited to attend.

Mars Hill Baptist Church

Our Sunday morning service started by baptizing two young men who gave their hearts and lives to Christ. Every service should start with souls being saved into the body of Christ. We thank you Lord, for these young men and pray they do your will. The Bible tells us that whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved (Romans 10:13). But if you don’t hear the word of God being preached or taught, how will you ever be saved?

Bro. William Shorts message came from Romans 10:14-17: How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, who bring glad tidings of good things! But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, Lord who has believed our report? So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

First of all, never follow a man, whether he is a preacher, teacher, deacon, or anyone else. Man will lead you down the wrong road; he will let you down. Always follow God, through the preaching of those whom he has called. There is only one kind of preacher, the one that is called of God. Remember this: God doesn’t call the qualified, he qualifies the called. God alone is our help, our healer, our Savior, the only one who can save our lost and dying soul from a devil’s hell. All of our trust belongs to God.

How can you know that you are saved? If you have ever prayed and asked God to come into your heart to abide with you, and you meant it with all of your being? Then you are saved, my friend. Having faith that God will always be with you. Faith is believing in things you cannot see. You cannot see God with your physical eyes, but you know he is there, working in your life because you can feel him. The world says “show me” and I will believe. God says “believe” and I will show you. God tells us to “be still” and know that he is God.

This world is getting crazier every day. We live at a fast pace, hardly slowing down long enough to see what’s really going on around us. We have a cell phone stuck to our ear, a tablet in our lap and a computer in our car of—all things— so that we are never out of touch with anyone or anything. The problem with all of this technology is this: we are so caught up in worldly things that we can’t hear what God is telling us. We need to get connected to God. Our line of communication should always be open to what God has to say. Listen for his call. How else will we know what God expects of us? Be still, and listen to what God has to say. Surrender your life to the will of God.

Were you saved years ago or last week and moved away from God? Have you been sliding backwards on your promise to God? God hasn’t moved, friend, it was you. You can get back on the right track by asking God to forgive your sins. True repentance covers all sins. You can stay in a backslidden condition so long that you can die in your sins. Some of us are sitting in the church pews today dead, just waiting on the undertaker!

God gave his own Son for the sins of the world, for you and me. Would you give up your son or daughter for sinners? That’s a hard question for us, but not for God. Jesus Christ was born to die for our sins, he arose on the third day, and is alive forever more!

You can think of yourself as a very important person, but the ground is level at the foot of the cross. No matter who you are or where you come from, what you have or what don’t have, God can and will save your soul. He won’t push you into a relationship with him; you have free will. Neither does he want anyone to go to a devil’s hell. The choice is yours: accept Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord and live in heaven with God and the saints, or reject him and die in your sins to spend eternity in hell, in a fire that burns forever and ever.

What is your choice? I made mine years ago and have never regretted it, and I know that you won’t either. It’s not an easy path to travel. There are obstacles every day that we must confront. God didn’t promise a smooth ride, but the landing will be worth it all. A mansion in heaven will be the reward of those who follow him. Won’t you ask him in today? Before it’s too late? God is love. He loves you and me, saint and sinner alike.

The Easter season is upon us and our Easter service will start at 6 a.m. with Sunrise service. Breakfast in the fellowship hall will follow at 7 a.m. and Easter service at 9 a.m. There will be no evening service.

Come and be a part of this special time with us. God is good, all the time! Amen.