Cedar Grove Baptist Church

Announcements: Christmas Program on Dec. 13 at 5:30 p.m. with finger foods to follow. Sister Kay is taking donations of food, clothing, and money for Mercy Love and Grace ministry. All donations appreciated.

Prayer Concerns: Our pastors, church family, those in hospitals and nursing homes and for the spoken and unspoken requests.

Pastor Jeff Carroll’s text came from John 12:37-50 and was entitled “Expecting Something From God.”

God is always busy doing things. It is hard to understand how so many people saw the many wondrous miracles of Jesus and still did not believe. Satan believes in Jesus, while a lot of people know there is a God but do not follow God.

Believing in Jesus to a degree that it changes your life is not easy. It is not enough that you just believe in Jesus, but you have to have a personal relationship with God.

If you believe in your heart and confess with your mouth, you shall be saved. There are going to be more people that believe they are going to heaven but do not know Jesus personally. They are not living for him and will end up in hell.

You cannot compare yourself to what other people are doing. It matters not whatsoever what other people do or think, all that matters is what Jesus thinks. The Bible tells us as much about the wrath of God as it does about the love of God.

God does not need us, but we need him. God sent Jesus here to die on the cross for our sins. People are spoiled in their minds, in thinking they can do what they want and go to heaven.

Jesus was ridiculed, mocked, and hated. We are living in a world of unbelievers. The world is like sheep that have turned astray, sheep need a shepherd but do not want one. Some people you cannot shepherd. When you step out in the aisle, declare you are going to follow Jesus.

America is doing their own thing, gay today and straight tomorrow, with some people saying that is the way that God made them. God does not make mistakes. It is our choice to live by God’s word or not.

You will either serve God or the devil, there is no in between and no straddling the fence. Why does America want to take God out of everything? We need to wake up and realize where we need to be with God. If you are a Christian, thank God for his mercy and Grace.

Secret people want to call themselves Christians when around other Christians, but when out in the world, they want to deny they know God. They delight more in the praise of men than the praises of God.

Jesus is the light of the world that people can turn to, but they love the darkness of the world more than the light. Christmas is one of the brightest times of the year, with the lighting of Christmas lights and even the unbelievers unknowingly are making a prophetic statement that Jesus is the light.

What are we actually being judged by, the word of God? What have you done or not done that the word of God told you? It is your choice.

No wonder so many hate the word of God, because it gives you truth. God’s word is not confusing. The word of God will not lead you astray.

In closing, “For wide is the gate and broad is the path that leads to destruction, and many will enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow is the path that leads to life, and only a few will find it. He, who rejects me and does not receive my words, has that which judges him the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day.

For I have not spoken on my own authority, but the father who sent me gave me a command, what I should do and speak. I know that his command is everlasting Life. Therefore whatever I speak, just as the father has told me so I speak”.

Bethsalem Baptist Church

We had a cold day of worshiping and singing praises to our Lord. Welcoming ministry opportunities was brought forward by by Bro. Justin. A special music celebration choir sang “I Just Want To Thank You.”

Bro. Justin preached from Acts 2:41-47that was entitled “Carry the Cross First Priority.” Evening service bible study took place afterward.

Pray this week for our country, its leaders, Allen and Casey Daniel, the family of Roy Pike, Gladys and Charles Bryant, Amanda Cecil, Hanna Vines, Jackson Kelley, Jody Little, Ann Nelson, Nate Jones, Braxton Jones, Bobbie Tipton, Clyde Brasher, Judy Smitherman, Elaine Bridges and baby, Donna Vick, Marie Smith, Hunter More, Caleb Harrison, Pete Johnson, Charles Held, Lynn Cox, Mike Smith, Melissa Langford, Kathy Fitzgerald, Kyle Fulford, Michael Arnold, Kinlee Till, Peter Daugherty, Chad Mix, Sephanie Hinton. Paul Price, Tom Brown, our homebound, assisted living and nursing home residents, as well as those who have cancer or are in need salvation.

Happy birthday this week to Robin Wells, Betty McGee, Joshua Thrasher, Tammy Edwards, Celestle Blalock, Rebecca Gilliland, Emma Shepard, Makenzie Blalock, Dana Jones, Kaylynn Culp,

There will be no Wednesday night service due to Thanksgiving. We hope that everyone has a happy Thanksgiving and will come worship with us on Sunday.

Submitted by Elvie Patterson