THE EVANGEL

February 2019

From The Pastor,

         I love to watch people, and some of my favorite folks to watch is small children. You can learn a lot from those little ones.

        The other day I was watching a little girl I would imagine to be about 3 or 4 years old. She was intently working on a puzzle that had about a dozen pieces. As I watched I could not figure out if she was matching the shapes of the pieces, the colors, or the picture itself. She had progressed to the last piece, and I began to swell with pride that this little gal had done such a good job. I was sure she had learned her skills in the nursery and extended session here at church.

       As she picked up the last piece, she laid it on the puzzle and it didn't fit. I watched as she tried to force it into place. She tried several times and started to become a bit agitated over her lack of success. Finally I decided to offer her a little help. My suggestion to turn the piece around did not meet with any appreciation. To the contrary the little darling looked at me and announced, " I want it to go this way!" Not willing to deterred, again I offered my advice to just turn the piece around and it would easily fit into place. Her response was a stern, "NO!" Not giving up I offered a final suggestion, "Why don't you try turning the puzzle around." She did not like that idea any better. She pushed the puzzle aside - unfinished. By her expression and actions she was not happy.

      I realized that she had learned something else, besides her skill in putting a puzzle together. She had learned that she wanted things her way. That seems to be a lesson kids learn on their own. Our adult response is usually that prayerfully they will grow out of such an attitude.

     I wonder, as God watches our lives, if he does not see a lot of the same attitude from us as adults. We should know that God had a plan and a will for our lives. My observation as a pastor is that we are a lot like that little girl. As long as everything fits our life's picture the way we want it to, we are OK. But sometimes God gives us a piece that we want to fit one way and it doesn't work. Instead of adjusting the piece or our life, we try to force God's will to fit or push it aside.

     The reason I can make such a dogmatic observation is from biblical examples and personal experience. Perhaps one of the best known examples in the Bible, of someone struggling with the will of God, was Jonah. In the words of one of our youth, going to Nineveh to preach was not on Jonah's 'To Do List'. There has been more than one occasion when God has plainly revealed his will for my life, and I decided it did not fit my plans. That was not a smart plan of action, and proved every time to be a regret. Finally, with the patience and grace that God has shown me, I have grown out of some old attitudes. Don't get me wrong I still have room for improvement, but I have learned that God's will is always best. 

     The only way for our life's picture to be what God wants it to be it to use the pieces he gives us and to put them in the places where they fit. Paul tells us exactly how to do this. "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but by ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God." Romans 12:1-2

     I can't help but believe that if that sweet little girl had taken my advice she would have been happy with the success of completing her puzzle. I certainly know I would have been. Doesn't it make even more sense that our lives, lived in and by the will of God would bring a sense of satisfaction and fulfillment? To be able to stand before him and hear, "Well done thou good and faithful servant," certainly would be a welcomed epitaph for life.

 Bro. Danny

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Miles Pike in Concert

Sunday, February 17th

6:00 p.m.

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 FEBRUARY CALENDAR

3 - Deacons' Meeting 7:15 p.m. 

   9 - Adult Valentine Party 6:00 p.m.

   10 - Brotherhood Breakfast 8:30 a.m.

12 - LINCOLN'S BIRTHDAY

14 - VALENTINE'S DAY

17 - Miles Pike in Concert 6:00 p.m.

18 - PRESIDENTS' DAY

     18 - Association Executive Committee 7:00 p.m.

         22 - WASHINGTON'S BIRTHDAY.

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Adult Valentine Social

Saturday - February 9, 2019 

$10.00 per person

                                                            Nursery provided for birth - 3 year olds

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Welcome New Members

Derek Taylor

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WHO TO LOVE

February is known as the month of love. It is a month when many people go to special lengths to demonstrate and proclaim their love. The Word of God teaches us the two greatest commandments have to do with love. These commandments instruct us on loving God and our fellow man. I hear people talking about falling in and out of love, but these two commandments indicate that love is very much a choice we make. Read these commandments carefully, let them speak to your heart, and then obey each.

Mark 12:30-31  "And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.  And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these."

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BIRTHDAYS

1 - Lucy Dickson

    Ann Sims

    3 - Matthew Chattin

  4 - Lori Foster

       Kim Whitworth  

    Amie Atkins

      Kristy Crabtree

     5 - Lisa Farrow

     Kelly Lawler

      Jenni Nabors   

       9 - Alysia Swanson

     Katie Adams

10 - Sue Tindall

11 - Stacey Travis

Terry House

Tim Horner

12 - Gene Vess

14 - Amy Jackson

Angie Davis

Logan James

June Bailey

Carol Born

17 - Robert Silvers

Justin Junge

Andy Kinzalow

Sheial Saunders

18 - Kendall Foster

Randall Foster

19 - Donald Powell

Jody Roach

Hayden Adkins

20 - Carol Holloway

21 - Wanda Altman

Cindy Norman

Wanda Horner

Robin Tamewitz

22 - Byron Crump

24 - Ed Runion

Johnny Rae

Helen Majors

25 - Frank Shirley

Sharon Ware

Shirley Perry

Tiffany De La Garza

26 - Marlene Hickey

Cathy Larid

27 - Jason Garrison

29 - Tammy Crumley

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 ANNIVERSARIES

 2 -  Charles & Robin Whitlow

8 - Robby & Lori Coffman

  10 - Glenn & Martha Price

   12 - Casey & Lacey Brown

      14 - Wayman & Ann Sullivan

 16 - Melvin & Jean Altman

   20 - Clinton & Stacey Travis

     21 - Jerry & Linda Elliott

Wade & Lynn Kent

   23 - Gary & Debbie Daugherty

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Welcome To New Staff Members

Church Secretary - Laura Hall

Childrens' Director - Jill Lawler

Youth Director - Jeff McGuire

Pray for Laura, Jill, & Jeff in their new roles.

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Just A Thought

                                             "When I have learned to love God better than my earthly dearest,

                                                         I shall love my earthly dearest better than I do now."   

                                                                                 Author Unknown