Mars Hill Baptist Church

Friends, it was a beautiful day in God’s house! We were filled with the Spirit, and Bro. William gave us a wonderful message.

People, pray for this nation as you have never prayed before! Ask yourself this question: Who are you following? If the answer is anything other than Jesus Christ, you are in the wrong place. Turn around and head the other way, back toward salvation and Jesus Christ—follow him. Amen.

Bro. William Short’s message was taken from Luke 9:57-62: “Now it happened as they journeyed on the road that someone said to him, ‘Lord, I will follow you wherever you go.’ And Jesus said to him, ‘Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.’ Then he said to another, ‘Follow me.’ But he said, ‘Lord, let me first go and bury my father.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and preach the kingdom of God.’ And another also said, ‘Lord, I will follow you, but let me first go and bid them farewell who are at my house.’ But Jesus said to him, ‘No one, having put his hand to the plow and looking back is fit for the kingdom of God.’”

Have you ever seen an old farmer plow his field with a horse and plow? My grandfather did this, and he would tell me to always look ahead, never behind. If you look back at what you have done, then what’s in front of you will be crooked, and the rows of your plowed garden will zig and zag, waving like stalks of full grown corn.

Jesus was telling those with him to let the past stay in the past, and to follow him from that day forward. He is telling us the same today: Don’t look back; if you do, your future will never be what it could be. Look ahead, and follow Jesus.

It is so easy to be misled today, we are weak in spirit and our flesh is strong. Friends, we go to doctors for every ache and pain we have in our bodies. We need to go to Jesus for the aches and pains of our heart, soul and life; he is the healer, and by his stripes we are healed.  Jesus knows that our spiritual condition is much more important than our physical condition.

We have leaders of our nation today who are trying to mislead the people of this country, but don’t be fooled. Just because a certain few have said it is OK for man to marry man and woman to marry woman doesn’t make it right with God. Who are you following? If something was a sin 25 years ago, it’s still sin today. There is no big sin or little sin. In God’s eyes, anything contrary to his Word, the Bible, is sin.

I was told this week that the Bible was a fairy tale meant to scare little kids and old people. I had only one thing to say to this person: I sincerely hope that his attitude and heart changes before he meets God on the day of judgement. Amen.

God will not bless a man, woman or a nation who does not follow him, and the USA is slowly forcing our God further and further away. People, pray like never before for our nation to turn to God again. He will heal our land if we get on our knees and pray for forgiveness and follow him.

God is not in the world causing havoc, murder, suicide or wars. These things are the work of Satan, and the ‘ol devil knows his time is drawing to a close. He is trying to take as many people with him as he can. Don’t be fooled.

Who are you following?  It’s either Jesus or the world, my friend, which one do you choose? For me, I’ll take Jesus, every time! I’m not perfect; I’m just a sinner saved by the grace of God.

Search your heart today. If we are not helping the cause of Christ, then we are hindering it. Get right with God, people. Now is the time, and today is the day. God will not turn you away.

Please pray for our church, our pastor, our children, the military, our missionaries at home and abroad, our government, our leaders, our country and the peace of Israel. God is good, all the time! Amen.

Bethsalem Baptist Church

Our day of worship was wonderful. Bro. Justin welcomed everyone and made the announcements.

The Celebration Choir sang “Holy, Holy, Holy,” and their special music was “The Cross.”

Bro. Justin preached from Ephesians 4:6-10 and Romans 3:21-31. Be a believer, and live a holy life. To God’s holy people: Prayer changes everything.

The video “How Do We Live in This World” was shown by Dr. Moore. The message of the video: Stand firm about God’s Word.

Pray for our country and its leaders, our homebound, assistant living and nursing home residents, all those on our prayer list, Wayne Smith, Mike Smith, Lynn Cox, Shirley Smith, Betty McGee and Diana Moore.

Happy birthday to Troy Millen, Jeremy Lasiter, James Glenn, Scott Merritt, Susie Chavers, Shannon Merritt, Tyler Harmon, James Wells, Brittan Stange, Anabeth Polk, Kim Grant, Dawn Ellison, Kaitilan Potts, Steve Bodie, Allie Fulmer, Danny McGee, Shirley Smith, David Lightsey Gary Elbon and Chris Clark.

Submitted by Elvie Patterson