Monday, July 30, 2012

VBS IS GOING GREAT IN THE COUNTRY!

Our VBS at Enola is going great. We had a great crowd last night (142). Our teachers did an outstanding job with their lessons, a fact I’m sure will continue and excel through the entire series which will conclude on Wednesday evening. We all go to our respective classrooms at 5:00; the adults in the main auditorium, teens in the small auditorium, grades 1-2 and grades 3-4 are meeting in the Fellowship Hall, and the remaining ages in the education building in front of the small auditorium. Last night everyone seemed to get to their sessions without any problem. After class we all meet in the small auditorium for singing and a conversation with “Booster Rooster.” Last evening Booster Rooster got all mixed up on her instructions when she put guacamole in her cupcakes instead of milk. Yuck! I mean; I like guacamole with chips, just not in cupcakes. After this we all walk over to the fellowship hall for cookies and Kook Aide. Yum! Tonight’s program begins at 7:00 p.m. Come out to the country and see how it is. You’ll love it for sure. Adults: Many times VBS is for children. At Enola the adults are having a great study from Proverbs about wisdom. I am teaching the first two sessions: Following Instruction and Avoiding Foolish Behavior. Brother Eddie Hawkins is taking the next two sessions: Living God’s Way and Gaining Wisdom,

Thank you to Brother Brandon Breeding and every Christian brother and Christian sister for your love for God and His church at Enola, for your sacrifices every week, for your dedication to living the Christian life, and especially for your participation this year’s very special Vacation Bible School. God is blessing us. I’m so very glad.

Well, we’re praying and hoping and continuing in faith. And yet, no rain. We must not – will not stop praying, working, dreaming, worshipping, praising, and living for God every day with or without rain. Please! May the Lord bless us in these terrible times of drought with what we need!
This Sunday (August 5) we will begin a new series of lessons entitled: FOUR POOR DECISIONS CHRISTANS CAN’T AFFORD TO MAKE. I hope this series will help us all to be more aware of the God’s provision and our enemy’s deception. We will use Abram and Sarai along with others from the Bible as examples of those who made poor decisions that were so very costly to their relationships with others and with God. If you would to read ahead, read Genesis 16.

Lesson 1 – We cannot afford to let fleshly desire overrule the word of God

Lesson 2 – We cannot afford to listen to those who do not know God’s word

Lesson 3 – We cannot afford to blame others for what we bring on ourselves

Lesson 4 – We cannot afford to shirk responsibility for the sake of keeping peace

We meet at 253 Highway 107 North in Enola every Sunday morning (10 and 11), Sunday evening (5:00) and Wednesday evening (7:00) for Bible study, worship, and fellowship in the name of Jesus Christ. Please come and grow with us.

Tuesday, July 17, 2012

July 17,2012


     We’re praying every day for rain here in the country.  May God bless us with what we truly need, not necessarily what we think we need.  God always hears our prayers and answers in just the right time.  While we wait we will continue to trust and obey.
     We had a great Sunday this week.  Almost 150 members and guests were present for worship, study, and fellowship.  It is always good to have guests from the community and the surrounding area.  I hope that our guests were encouraged and challenged to move a little closer to God in life and living.  We had a great attendance on Sunday evening, too.
     Our Sunday morning sermon series “Repentance – A Command for All for All Time” continues this coming Sunday when we will talk about “Fortifying the Must of Repentance.”  We have studied the meaning of repentance – to regret, turn, change, and relent.  We have studied the motivation to repentance – God’s goodness, Godly sorrow, His word, and His longsuffering.  This Sunday we will find that if anyone wants to be in heaven repentance is a must.
     On Sunday evening, July 22nd we will welcome Brother Bob Turner, a representative of Bear Valley Bible Institute.  He will share the latest information from the college and their plans for the coming year.  Come and hear the good news.
     Our Vacation Bible School is only a few days away, scheduled for July 29th through August 1st – Sunday evening through Wednesday evening at 7:00 p.m.  Our teachers are preparing for their sessions.  We’ll have some exciting activities in addition to some really interesting and informative lessons from God’s word from the Book of Proverbs.  We are planning sessions for everyone including children, teens, and adults.  I hope every member of the Enola church of Christ will plan to be present every evening.  Come and bring a friend.
    Next week, I have been invited to present a lesson to the adults at Mar’s Hill in Vilonia on Monday evening, July 23rd during their VBS. The subject is “In the Light.”   I have also been invited to present a lesson on Tuesday evening, July 24th to the adults at the Greenbrier congregation during their VBS.  Their theme is the same as ours at Enola.   It would be a blessing and a great encouragement to me to have several from the Enola congregation there to support our fellow Christian brothers and sisters at Mar’s Hill and Greenbrier.
     Take care to enjoy your summer.  The new school year is on the horizon with Razorback football and new opportunities and adventures.  This is an election year.  In November we will be going to the polls once again to place our vote for the men and women whom we believe will lead America toward God.  May God give us courage and wisdom to do what needs to be done for the good of our nation and our future.

Wednesday, July 11, 2012

We have been blessed with some much needed cooler temperatures lately and a little rain. Of course we could use much more. God sees and knows of our needs and will provide according to His will and purpose. We can depend on that for sure. I gave up on my garden several days ago. Maybe next year! I did receive a big gift from one of our master gardeners this past week: 188 ears of sweet corn. It was a great pleasure to meet him out in his garden and push the wheel barrow as he picked the corn. We put up 18 quarts of corn in our freezer. Another master gardener brought us several tomatoes. We boiled, skinned, and put them in the freezer for some delicious stews and soups later on this winter. Cindi and I are so very blessed. We thank God every day for the church of Christ at Enola, for your care and support for us as we work with you toward heaven. Can you believe that I have been the minister at Enola for one year this month?

Our Sunday morning series continues this Sunday – “Repentance – A Command for All for All Time.” Last Sunday we looked at the Meaning of Repentance. To repent means to regret, to turn, to change, and to relent. “Repentance” has always been God’s plea to mankind. This Sunday we will follow that sermon with a look at the Motivation to Repentance. What is it that leads a person to repentance? You might be thinking: What can I say to my son or daughter that would help them see their need to repent? What can I say to my parents to show them that unless they repent, they will perish? What cay I say to my friends to help them understand just where they will end up unless they repent? We will answer these questions right from the Bible. We might think that a good whipping from God is the best way to bring someone who is in sin to repentance. Now, don’t get me wrong. God sometimes chastens us. You can read Hebrews 12:3-13 to see for yourself that God often disciplines us. But, when it comes to the best way to motivate one to repentance we find that the goodness of God, His longsuffering, His love, His promises, His instructions lead people to repent. We would do well to come to a better understanding of this fact. The goodness of God leads us to repentance. What about us? If we would like to see others repent, let’s show them the goodness of God, His compassion, His love, His promises, and His instructions.

On Sunday evenings at Enola we are studying about the love of Jesus. Jesus loves us, this we know, for the Bible tells us so. The love of Christ is our motivation to serve. The love of Christ is our reason to obey. There may be many reasons to obey the gospel of Christ, but the greatest and best reason is love. Do you love God? If you do, obey His instructions. Jesus said it this way in John 14:15; “If you love Me, keep My commandments.” How can you say you love God when you are not obeying His commandments?

Remember our VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL at Enola; scheduled for Sunday evening, July 29 and continuing through Wednesday evening, August 1. Our theme is “The Treasure of the Forgotten Island.” I hope you will be here for every session. Adults: We will have a very special series of studies on the same topics as well. We will study the following lessons:

Sunday - Listening to Instructions and Discovering Truth

Monday - Avoiding Foolish Behavior

Tuesday - Living God’s Way

Wednesday - Gaining Wisdom