Mars Hill Baptist Church

Father’s Day: I hope you spent at least some of that day with your earthly father, if you are lucky enough to still have him with you. I pray that you spent at least part of the day with your heavenly Father, in his house, worshiping him in spirit and truth. Our fathers helped to mold us into the people we are today. Our heavenly Father molds us into the people we need to be today and tomorrow if we let him. I found late in life that my daddy was full of wisdom, and equally full of love for his wife and family. He worked hard for us, provided what we needed and was respected by his community. He also loved life, loved to clown around and have a good time. I loved him dearly and miss him every day. Our heavenly Father is full of love, offers us wisdom and life everlasting! He provides us with our needs and he will never leave us nor forsake us. He is always there to listen; he has the answers to a good life if we but hear him. Open your heart to the heavenly Father today. He will accept you into his family with arms wide open.

Bro. William Short’s message this Sunday was taken from 1 Corinthians 4:14-17. “I do not write these things to shame you, but as my beloved children I warn you. For though you might have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet you do not have many fathers; for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel. Therefore, I urge you, imitate me. For this reason I have sent Timothy to you, who is my beloved and faithful son in the Lord, who will remind you of my ways in Christ, as I teach everywhere in every church.”

Paul tells us in this passage that he cared for these people as his own children, that he loved Timothy as his own son. There are many dads today that have no biological children, yet they love the children in their care as if they were his very own. This proves that it takes more than DNA to be a dad. It takes love and an open heart. A true father doesn’t disappear when the baby is born. A true father doesn’t refuse to work, making his family a ward of the state, depending on the government to provide for their needs. A true father stands up for his children, he is the foundation of the family, he takes on the responsibility of raising his children and being there for them in times of need.

A true father doesn’t send his children to church; he takes them himself. He reads the Bible to them and prays for his family. The old saying “the family that prays together stays together” is very true. Not to say that problems don’t occur or that obstacles don’t arise that have to be overcome. They do. Fathers and mothers are human, as are the children. We all make mistakes, but thanks be to a loving God, we can be forgiven and accepted back into the arms of a loving home. We often have problems in the home because we don’t look upward for our help, but look outward at the world and what it has. Friends, our help comes from above, from our heavenly Father. Our trust and hope should be in him alone. Yet so many times, we worry and stress about things of this world, things we cannot change. Worry keeps us from enjoying the things we have—like our children, our families, our Christian families and even our job. Yes, I said that. We can enjoy our job with Christ as our leader. Jesus Christ is the one that can change everything for us and our family. We only have to reach out and accept him.

Fathers, do you know where your children are? What they are doing? Do you love your children? Do you love Jesus? Have your children ever heard you pray? If not, then I urge you to accept him today and become the spiritual leader of your home. It will change your life and the life of your family. We so often get on a soap box because our children aren’t allowed to pray in schools anymore. Well, do you pray with them at home? Don’t get your knickers in a knot about no prayer in school; teach them to pray in the home. It’s the first place your children are taught right from wrong, good from evil. Let them know that Jesus can be their helper, no matter where they are, whether in school, on the job or traveling down the road. Jesus will be with them when you can’t. Praise his name! He is ever-present, watching over us 24/7!

It is summer and most of us have plans to travel to the beach, the mountains or where ever it is you love to go. Make plans now to travel to heaven when your time on earth is up. It’s the only plan that you can count on; today is all we are promised. Please continue to pray for our church, our pastor, our children, the sick, the lost, the hurting, our troops and our government. God is good, all the time! Amen.

Mountain Springs Church

Services started with Bro. Kenneth Moates leading the church in the following hymns: “Come unto Me,” “Are You Washed in the Blood,” “Heaven’s Jubilee” and “I’m in a New World.”

Bro. Roger Cleckler gave a devotion from Jeremiah 9:23-24. We need to be proud to know Jesus Christ as our Savior. Everyone we see should know how proud we are of our salvation.

After Sunday School, Bro. Kenneth led the church in the hymn “Come and Dine” and Ricky and Sherrie Williams sang “I’m Glad God Saves Old Sinners.”

Bro. Heath Vines preached from Ezekiel 22:30. It is a valuable thing to be a Godly and loving father. God is looking for men who will stand in the gap for our nation, our church, our family and each other.

Sunday night’s service began with Bro. Kenneth leading the church in the hymns “I’ll Fly Away,” “He Set Me Free,” “Won’t It Be Wonderful There,” and “All Alone.”

Bro. Kenneth gave a devotion from Matthew 8:1-4. The key that unlocks the mystery of why the man with leprosy was healed is because he truly worshipped God.

Bro. Heath preached from Psalms 100:1-5. We get God’s attention by praising him and worshipping him. If we glorify God in our hearts and minds, that’s all that matters.

We will be having a singing on Thursday, June 26 at 7 p.m., with special guests the Perry’s and Cannanland. It will be a wonderful time in the Lord and we hope you and your family can attend.