We had a great Men’s and Preachers’ Meeting this past Tuesday. Brother Richard Ramkinson of the Windsor Lake congregation did an outstanding job presenting a lesson on “The Relationship of Faithful Elders to the Congregation They Serve.” Brother Richard’s mother is still gravely ill too far away from him in Trinidad. Please pray for her, her family, and Brother Richard.

It is a very special privilege to work along side many faithful dedicated preachers, elders, deacons, and Christian brothers in the Midlands of South Carolina. Our monthly meetings together continue to be a great blessing to me and I am sure to every brother in Christ who attends. We will not meet in December due to our busy holiday schedules. Our next meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, January 18th at 10:00 a.m. Mark your 2011 calendar for this very special time of study and fellowship.

God continues to bless us here at St. Andrews Road. It was such a blessing to see our brother Jason Gas respond to the Lord’s invitation this past Sunday morning asking for forgiveness and strength to live a better Christian life. Let us all be in prayer for Jason as he tries to live closer to Jesus.

God inspired John to write the following words in 1 John 2:1; “My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world.” If you read a few verses before this passage, you will find these words, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). What a great blessing it is to be a Christian, saved by grace through faith, walking in the light as He is in the light, continuing steadfastly in the Apostle’s doctrine, worshipping God in spirit and in truth, walking by faith and not by sight, being steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, going about doing good today and every day waiting, hoping, and looking forward to the coming of Jesus and our home in heaven!

I am excited about our Sunday morning sermon series. I usually am! What do we need to accomplish God’s purpose for us? What makes us strong? Well, there are things that we DO need and there things that we DO NOT need. This Sunday we will consider the first lesson in this series entitled, “WHAT MAKES THE CHURCH OF CHRIST STRONG.” We do not need large numbers of people, only God’s will. We do not need worldly wealth, only God’s word. We do not need better, more sophisticated ways of doing things, only God’s way. If you would like to read ahead, read Judges 7, 1 Samuel 14, Numbers 13, Revelation 3, and maybe 1 Timothy 3 and Philippians 1:1.

On Sunday evening we will consider our salvation in Christ and how thankful we should be to God for the priceless gift of our His Son. Sin separates and condemns. God unites and saves through the gospel of Jesus Christ. Through the knowledge of God’s word sin is exposed. Through our obedience to God’s word sin is expressed. Through our continuance in God’s word sin is expelled.

Thanksgiving is now only a few days away. Many of us will be traveling to visit with family and friends. Others will be busy with family arriving from just about everywhere. In all that we do this holiday season, let us take time to thank God for the rich blessings that we enjoy from His hand. “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning” (James 1:17).