Congratulations to SAWYER FLOYD on his decision to become a Christian. He confessed Jesus as the Son of God last Wednesday evening and was immediately baptized into Christ by his dad, Greg. We are thrilled that another young man has chosen Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord of his life. Thank you to every Christian who has lived the Christian life before Sawyer day in and day out showing him the way to heaven.
This past Sunday was another very special day for us at Enola. We had 134 in attendance which was incredible since we had the very same number last Sunday. We are so very blessed to have so many children among us. They sometimes get a little rambunctious but they bring such joy and excitement to the church. May we never take for granted these rich blessings. There are many congregations that only dream about the blessings we enjoy all the time.
Did you notice that we had a few guests with us on Sunday morning and also on Sunday evening? Thank you for showing them Enola hospitality.
Just think about it. The Enola church of Christ is celebrating with eight (8), that’s right, eight graduating high school seniors this year. We are hosting a Senior Banquet for our seniors and their families on Sunday, May 27th. We will have our regular morning Bible study and worship hour. Following our morning worship assembly we will enjoy lunch together and a PowerPoint presentation featuring our seniors and their pathway to graduation. Indeed, we are truly blessed, all because of a Savior that loves us and gave Himself for us.
We have several members who are very sick at this time. Please remember them in your daily prayers to our Father, God. Also remember the Heffington family and the Goodnight family. Sister Laura and Sister Louise are in the midst of very difficult adjustments. Also remember our graduating seniors as they move from childhood into adulthood. Pray for their families as they make the necessary adjustments.
Our Sunday morning sermon series “Growing in Gladness” continues with a lesson to help us grow through our singing in worship. When the church comes together we remember our Savior in the Lord’s Supper. We pray with supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings. We share from our financial blessings through the offering. We praise God in our singing. We have the privilege of studying together from the Bible. Through our meetings together we grow in gladness.
On Sunday evening we have been thinking about just how powerful our Father, God is. He is able to save us completely and eternally. Heaven is a prepared place for a prepared people. I am prepared and preparing. Are you?
I look forward to seeing you on Wednesday evening at 7:00 for Bible study and then again on Sunday morning, the Lord’s Day for worship, Bible study, and Christian fellowship.
Monday, April 23, 2012
Monday, April 16, 2012
We had another wonderful weekend and another very special Sunday in the country. We enjoyed beautiful weather, cooler, a good mixture of sunshine and rain, no stormy weather except for a little bit of wind, and plenty of fellowship together serving one another in Christ.
We all have been saddened by the reality of life and death. Two of our dear brothers in Christ; Buz Heffington and Leon Goodnight passed from this life to Paradise. We were privileged to share in the grief that comes with saying goodbye for a little while to these two brothers with their families. It was an honor and a blessing for me to stand before the family and friends of these two brothers and offer words from the Bible to comfort and strengthen them during their sorrow. God is our refuge and strength. He is a very present help in times of trouble. Psalm 47 is certainly a beautiful passage of Scripture to read, think about, and apply to life. Of course we know that God watches over us. He cares for us. He knows our needs and is ready, willing, and able to provide according to His purpose. Let us pray without ceasing with supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings (1 Timothy 2:1-4). Let us also remember our sisters in Christ, Laura, the wife of Buz and Louise, the wife of Pa in the coming days as they make adjustments to a new way of living.
This Sunday morning our series continues “Growing in Gladness.” We have looked at how we can grow in gladness through our assemblies together, the Lord’s Supper, prayer, and this Sunday, our giving. Jesus said it. Paul preached it. Luke wrote it. It is more blessed to give than to receive (Acts 20:35). Do we believe it? Our actions often speak louder than words. God is so good to us. We love Him because He first loved us. We give to Him because He has first given to us.
On Sunday evening we will once again consider that God is able. He is certainly able to save anyone who comes to Him by Jesus Christ, the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Additionally, He is also able to destroy both body and soul in hell. Whew! Remember. God is loving. He is also just. He is full of grace. He is also a God of vengeance. He will forgive. He will also chastise. He will help us. He will also test us. He will save. He can and will destroy. The Bible tells us that our God is a consuming fire, that vengeance is His, that it is a terrible thing to fall into the hands of the living God, that His Son will one day return in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God and have not obeyed the gospel of Christ. I hope you will be here this Sunday evening for this very special sermon.
Congratulations to two dear sisters in Christ; Brianna Breeding and Regina Hodge. Brianna came forward Sunday morning to ask for the prayers of the church and for God’s forgiveness and blessings. Regina came before the Lord and His church to confess Jesus as the Son of God and put Him on in baptism. Regina came out of denominationalism to the Lord’s church some time ago but did not fully understand the difference in what many denominational churches teach concerning God’s plan of salvation and what the Bible plainly teaches concerning God’s plan of salvation. She is now a Christian. Oh, how simple God’s plan of salvation is. Hear the message of Jesus Christ, the gospel (Romans 10). Believe what you hear (Hebrews 11:6). Repent of any and every sin (Luke 13:3). Confess the fact that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God (Acts 8:37). Be baptized to have your sins washed away (Acts 22:16). Rise from the waters of baptism to walk in newness of life. What a blessing it is to be a Christian!
We all have been saddened by the reality of life and death. Two of our dear brothers in Christ; Buz Heffington and Leon Goodnight passed from this life to Paradise. We were privileged to share in the grief that comes with saying goodbye for a little while to these two brothers with their families. It was an honor and a blessing for me to stand before the family and friends of these two brothers and offer words from the Bible to comfort and strengthen them during their sorrow. God is our refuge and strength. He is a very present help in times of trouble. Psalm 47 is certainly a beautiful passage of Scripture to read, think about, and apply to life. Of course we know that God watches over us. He cares for us. He knows our needs and is ready, willing, and able to provide according to His purpose. Let us pray without ceasing with supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings (1 Timothy 2:1-4). Let us also remember our sisters in Christ, Laura, the wife of Buz and Louise, the wife of Pa in the coming days as they make adjustments to a new way of living.
This Sunday morning our series continues “Growing in Gladness.” We have looked at how we can grow in gladness through our assemblies together, the Lord’s Supper, prayer, and this Sunday, our giving. Jesus said it. Paul preached it. Luke wrote it. It is more blessed to give than to receive (Acts 20:35). Do we believe it? Our actions often speak louder than words. God is so good to us. We love Him because He first loved us. We give to Him because He has first given to us.
On Sunday evening we will once again consider that God is able. He is certainly able to save anyone who comes to Him by Jesus Christ, the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Additionally, He is also able to destroy both body and soul in hell. Whew! Remember. God is loving. He is also just. He is full of grace. He is also a God of vengeance. He will forgive. He will also chastise. He will help us. He will also test us. He will save. He can and will destroy. The Bible tells us that our God is a consuming fire, that vengeance is His, that it is a terrible thing to fall into the hands of the living God, that His Son will one day return in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God and have not obeyed the gospel of Christ. I hope you will be here this Sunday evening for this very special sermon.
Congratulations to two dear sisters in Christ; Brianna Breeding and Regina Hodge. Brianna came forward Sunday morning to ask for the prayers of the church and for God’s forgiveness and blessings. Regina came before the Lord and His church to confess Jesus as the Son of God and put Him on in baptism. Regina came out of denominationalism to the Lord’s church some time ago but did not fully understand the difference in what many denominational churches teach concerning God’s plan of salvation and what the Bible plainly teaches concerning God’s plan of salvation. She is now a Christian. Oh, how simple God’s plan of salvation is. Hear the message of Jesus Christ, the gospel (Romans 10). Believe what you hear (Hebrews 11:6). Repent of any and every sin (Luke 13:3). Confess the fact that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God (Acts 8:37). Be baptized to have your sins washed away (Acts 22:16). Rise from the waters of baptism to walk in newness of life. What a blessing it is to be a Christian!
Wednesday, April 11, 2012
Wasn’t Sunday so very special! Wow! What a day! God blessed us so much with 219 present for worship and fellowship. We had a great crowd back for the evening assembly too. Everyone looked beautiful. Brother Troy did an outstanding job leading our singing. His song selections for the day were perfect. His enthusiasm was contagious as everyone could see. We were sitting mighty close together. That’s for sure. Cindi and I had our children and grandchildren visiting with us from Conway. I noticed that there were other parents and grandparents enjoying the same blessing. Above the crowd, the enjoyment of worship, and the love of family and friends gathered together for fellowship, we met to honor and worship God. I hope you were encouraged and challenged by the sermon. It was my purpose to help us to have a greater appreciation for the Lord’s Supper. Greater appreciation follows a better understanding. Upon the first day of the week we come together to worship God and remember Jesus in the Lord’s Supper. We are just following Biblical instructions. When we eat the unleavened bread, we remember Jesus’ body on the cross of Calvary. When we drink the fruit of the vine, we remember His blood that washes away our sins. We desire to eat the Lord’s Supper in a worthy manner. We can do this by remembering Jesus and examining ourselves measuring our lives by Jesus’ life. It is such a blessing to be a Christian and a member of the church of Christ at Enola. And hey, we dismissed at 12:02. Just right!
This Sunday morning we will look at how we can GROW IN GLADNESS through PRAYER. Prayer should be the very first thing we do in the morning and the last thing we do in the evening before we go to sleep. All during the day we should “pray without ceasing” just like the Bible says. We will take a closer look at what God’s word says about prayer and then decide to grow in gladness through prayer.
On Sunday evening we are focusing on a series of sermons entitled “God is Able.” This Sunday evening we will see that God is able to subdue all things to Himself. He is all-powerful. Think about the examples of God’s power in the Bible. “And God said, ‘Let there be light’ and there was light.” Think about all the terrible plagues God brought to the Egyptians because they would not reverence Him and allow His people to follow His will. Think about God feeding the Israelites for 40 years with manna. Think about how God provides for everything in the world. Turn to the New Testament and see the power of Jesus Christ. Think about Jesus waking up in the middle of a storm, the wild wind, the waves crashing over into the boat, His disciples so scared. He said three words, “Peace. Be still.” And everything was calm. Think about that demon-possessed man named Legion, running toward Jesus from the cemetery, naked, screaming and crying. Jesus was not afraid at all. He healed the man. Think about Jesus standing in front of His friend, Lazarus’ tomb. All He said was “Lazarus, come forth.” Lazarus came out of the tomb still wrapped in his burial clothes. Think about Jesus having the power to call 12 legions of angels to rescue Him from murderous humanity. He didn’t. He died for you and for me. Think about the third day. The angel said to those who came looking for Jesus, “Why do you seek the living among the dead. He is not here. He is risen.” Think about a day that will come, when everyone will hear Jesus and look up to see Him in the clouds. God is able to subdue all things to Himself.
I look forward to seeing you on Sunday, Lord willing for another wonderful day of worship, study, and fellowship.
This Sunday morning we will look at how we can GROW IN GLADNESS through PRAYER. Prayer should be the very first thing we do in the morning and the last thing we do in the evening before we go to sleep. All during the day we should “pray without ceasing” just like the Bible says. We will take a closer look at what God’s word says about prayer and then decide to grow in gladness through prayer.
On Sunday evening we are focusing on a series of sermons entitled “God is Able.” This Sunday evening we will see that God is able to subdue all things to Himself. He is all-powerful. Think about the examples of God’s power in the Bible. “And God said, ‘Let there be light’ and there was light.” Think about all the terrible plagues God brought to the Egyptians because they would not reverence Him and allow His people to follow His will. Think about God feeding the Israelites for 40 years with manna. Think about how God provides for everything in the world. Turn to the New Testament and see the power of Jesus Christ. Think about Jesus waking up in the middle of a storm, the wild wind, the waves crashing over into the boat, His disciples so scared. He said three words, “Peace. Be still.” And everything was calm. Think about that demon-possessed man named Legion, running toward Jesus from the cemetery, naked, screaming and crying. Jesus was not afraid at all. He healed the man. Think about Jesus standing in front of His friend, Lazarus’ tomb. All He said was “Lazarus, come forth.” Lazarus came out of the tomb still wrapped in his burial clothes. Think about Jesus having the power to call 12 legions of angels to rescue Him from murderous humanity. He didn’t. He died for you and for me. Think about the third day. The angel said to those who came looking for Jesus, “Why do you seek the living among the dead. He is not here. He is risen.” Think about a day that will come, when everyone will hear Jesus and look up to see Him in the clouds. God is able to subdue all things to Himself.
I look forward to seeing you on Sunday, Lord willing for another wonderful day of worship, study, and fellowship.
Tuesday, April 3, 2012
We’re doing very well out in the country; enjoying some fine Arkansas spring weather, getting our lawns and flower beds in order, gardening, sitting on the porch watching the sunset before retiring a little bit later than usual. The evidence of God is all around us. We can see this evidence when we decide to look. Someone said, “You can learn a lot by listening.” Stop. Look. Listen. How simple!
This coming Sunday, April 8th is “Easter Sunday” according to the calendar. Many will be present for worship this Sunday for the first time this year, maybe for the first time since last “Easter.” The Enola Church of Christ will meet for Bible study at 10:00 and then gather for worship at 11:00 just like we always do. We will return at 5:00 on Sunday for our evening assembly, just like we always do. We remember the birth, life, death, burial, resurrection, ascension, and the promised return of Jesus Christ our Savior every Sunday when we gather together as the Lord’s church. I am so very happy to be a member of the church of Christ, to be able to find our name in the Bible (Christian and church of Christ), to be able to look in the Bible and see that we are organized just the way God authorizes (Elders overseeing the church, deacons serving in specific areas of ministry, preachers preaching and serving, members loving God and loving and serving one another), to be able to look in the Bible and find that we are worshipping God in spirit and in truth as God has instructed us, to be able to see God’s plan of salvation and know that we are following His plan in every way, not adding to it nor taking from it. Of course we are still learning and growing. The Bible is a deep well of spiritual water. Every drink we take from God’s word just increases our desire for another. Our faith comes by hearing God’s word. Our hope lies in the promises of God in His Son Jesus Christ. Our love and our life rests in His love and in His life. God is our all.
Our sermon series, “Growing in Gladness” will continue this Sunday with a lesson about the Lord’s Supper. Do we realize what a blessing it is to remember the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus every first day of the week just like the early church did (Acts 2:42, Acts 20:7)? Do we realize how blessed we are to follow God’s instructions to examine ourselves every Sunday as we eat the unleavened bread and drink the fruit of the vine (1 Corinthians 11)? When we “break bread” together we look back to the past. We look ahead into the future. We look at where we are now. I hope you will be present for this lesson on Sunday morning.
On Sunday evening we are studying about God’s great power. God is able to hear and answer our prayers according to His will. It is true. Sometimes God says, “Yes.” Sometimes He says, “No.” And sometimes He says, “Not yet.”
As I close this week’s blog I would like for everyone to remember and pray for the Mulhearn family as we all mourn the passing of little Stella. She is resting with Jesus in Paradise. She cannot return to us, but how wonderful it is to know that in Jesus Christ, the Son of God, we can go to her one day.
This coming Sunday, April 8th is “Easter Sunday” according to the calendar. Many will be present for worship this Sunday for the first time this year, maybe for the first time since last “Easter.” The Enola Church of Christ will meet for Bible study at 10:00 and then gather for worship at 11:00 just like we always do. We will return at 5:00 on Sunday for our evening assembly, just like we always do. We remember the birth, life, death, burial, resurrection, ascension, and the promised return of Jesus Christ our Savior every Sunday when we gather together as the Lord’s church. I am so very happy to be a member of the church of Christ, to be able to find our name in the Bible (Christian and church of Christ), to be able to look in the Bible and see that we are organized just the way God authorizes (Elders overseeing the church, deacons serving in specific areas of ministry, preachers preaching and serving, members loving God and loving and serving one another), to be able to look in the Bible and find that we are worshipping God in spirit and in truth as God has instructed us, to be able to see God’s plan of salvation and know that we are following His plan in every way, not adding to it nor taking from it. Of course we are still learning and growing. The Bible is a deep well of spiritual water. Every drink we take from God’s word just increases our desire for another. Our faith comes by hearing God’s word. Our hope lies in the promises of God in His Son Jesus Christ. Our love and our life rests in His love and in His life. God is our all.
Our sermon series, “Growing in Gladness” will continue this Sunday with a lesson about the Lord’s Supper. Do we realize what a blessing it is to remember the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus every first day of the week just like the early church did (Acts 2:42, Acts 20:7)? Do we realize how blessed we are to follow God’s instructions to examine ourselves every Sunday as we eat the unleavened bread and drink the fruit of the vine (1 Corinthians 11)? When we “break bread” together we look back to the past. We look ahead into the future. We look at where we are now. I hope you will be present for this lesson on Sunday morning.
On Sunday evening we are studying about God’s great power. God is able to hear and answer our prayers according to His will. It is true. Sometimes God says, “Yes.” Sometimes He says, “No.” And sometimes He says, “Not yet.”
As I close this week’s blog I would like for everyone to remember and pray for the Mulhearn family as we all mourn the passing of little Stella. She is resting with Jesus in Paradise. She cannot return to us, but how wonderful it is to know that in Jesus Christ, the Son of God, we can go to her one day.
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