Faith in God has a multitude of benefits - God can!

June 2018 – The school year is complete.  Summer activities are in full swing.  Life is moving along with challenges and opportunities all around us. 

This Sunday, June 3^rd we’re working, hoping, and praying for every member of the church of Christ at Watterson Trail to be present for worship, fellowship, and Bible study on our annual 100% ATTENDANCE DAY.  You and I both know that 100% attendance is only our desire and a mighty big goal to achieve.  Some of our Christian brothers and sisters literally cannot come out to gather with us.  Though they cannot make it due to their illnesses, family issues, and/or private problems, I know they’ll be here with us in “spirit.” 

It could be that you haven’t been with your Christian family for a while.  Don’t fret, worry, or regret.  Just get up, get in the car, and come on in.  You’ll be met at the door, not with looks and words of disapproval but with a Christian smile, a hardy handshake, and words of love and kindness that say, “Welcome home.” 

I’ll be preaching the second sermon in our series “Six Benefits of Faith in God.”  I know there are a multitude of benefits to having faith in God, but I’ve chosen only six.  If you remember, last Sunday we looked at “Faith determines what God can do in my life.”  God can.  We know this.  Then what’s the problem?  Could it be me?  Maybe so.  So many times in the Bible we learn about Jesus looking at the faith of some and asking them to believe.  I believe. 

This Sunday (June 6) we’ll look at “Faith can solve impossible problems.”  In Matthew 17:24-27 we find that Jesus needed money for the “temple tax.”  Have you ever been short of money for taxes?  We’ll Jesus sent Peter fishing.  Peter caught a fish, opened the fish’s mouth, and found the money to pay their taxes.  I don’t fish that much, but when I have gone fishing, I never did find money in a fish’s mouth.  However, I do know that there is money “in” fishing.  Our faith in God can solve “impossible” problems. 

In Matthew 15:21-28 Jesus met a woman who had a daughter who was severely “demon-possessed.  This woman pleaded with Jesus to help her.  Jesus told her that His mission was to the Israelites, not to Canaanites.  She argued her case to Jesus with humility, sound judgment, and great faith.  Jesus complimented her faith and said, “O woman, great is your faith!  Let it be done as you desire.”  Faith in God solved impossible problems. 

In Matthew 17 14-21 a man met Jesus and begged for mercy for his son who was suffering severely with a demon that caused him to fall into the water and into the fire.  This man had already asked Jesus disciples to help him and because of their lack of faith in God they couldn’t help him.  After Jesus rebuked His disciples for their lack of faith in God, He granted mercy to the boy and his dad.  Faith can solve impossible problems for you and me too.  God can.  Too many times our own lack of faith in God affects what He will do in our lives.

Come back for Sunday afternoon.  The 1^st Sunday in the month is our Singing Service.  Every brother who will stands to read a passage from the Bible, offers prayer, or leads the church in a song of his choice.  You’ll love it.

Our Tuesday Summer Series begins this Tuesday, June 5 at 7:00 p.m.  Remember that we will NOT meet on Wednesday’s for the summer (June, July, and August).  Instead we will meet on Tuesday’s to hear 13 of the very best preachers in the area and a couple from out of state.  Our theme is “The Greatest Questions – The Greatest Answers – The Greatest Book.”  I hope you’ll make plans to be here every Tuesday.  God bless us all.  MB

100% Attendance Day - Tuesday Summer Series on the Horizon...

May 2018 – What a beautiful week we’re having in our old Kentucky home, Louisville, Kentucky; warm sunshine, flowers blooming all around us (Just outside my office window I can see purple, red, yellow, white, blue, and green), green grass and trees, and everyone excited that summer is finally on the horizon.  Last Sunday was Mother’s Day.  I hope we all celebrated our mothers in ways that let them know they are loved and appreciated for what they have done and what they do every day.  My lesson was a bit challenging for us on Sunday, especially when I spoke about the responsibility every child has to obey their parents, even if their parents ask them to do something they think is wrong.  No parents should ever ask a child to do something wrong, but we live in a world where some parents use and abuse children. Children are innocent.  Adults will be held accountable before God for sins against children.  Of course when we become adults, we are no longer under our parents’ authority and are accountable for our own thoughts, words, and actions.

Coming up at Watterson Trail!  We’re having a very special Sunday we’re calling “100% Attendance Day” scheduled for Sunday, June 4^th (Only 2 weeks away).  I hope every member of the Watterson Trail congregation has marked this day to gather for Bible study, worship, and fellowship.  Wouldn’t it be fantastic to have every member assembled together to honor God and encourage one another? Plans are to meet for Bible Class at 9:30 and then worship together at 10:30.  No “potluck” lunch this year!  Sorry about that.  We’ll meet again at 1:30 for a short devotional period then break for the day.

Also, our Tuesday Summer Series begins on Tuesday, June 5^th with Brother Dean Beard from Piedmont, Alabama coming to share a lesson on our theme; “The Greatest Questions – The Greatest Answers – The Greatest Book.”  His question is “Is Anything Too Hard for God?”  Our Tuesday Summer Series will continue every Tuesday at 7:00 p.m. in June, July, and August.  You won’t want to miss a single Tuesday.

God is so good to us every day; yesterday, today, tomorrow, and forever.  May we live for Him every day in a way that honors Jesus Christ, His most precious gift to the world. 

Derby Weekend is upon us - Be careful out there - And be good!

May 2 – Hello!  Derby Weekend is this weekend and you know what that means:  Yes: 21 of the most beautiful and powerful horses from all around the world coming to Louisville, Kentucky for the run for the roses, but also higher prices for food, clothing, fancy derby hats, and especially gasoline.  And there will be hundreds of thousands of people from all around the world visiting with us to watch “the fastest two minutes in sports.”  Be careful out there.  I love the horses and love to see them run, but when you add in people and the things we come up with to attach to horses and running, well, that’s a horse of a different color.

On Sunday (May 6) at the Watterson Trail Church of Christ we’ll continue in our series on “Experiencing God’s Power through and in Prayer” on the topic of THE DYNAMIC OF PRAYER.  God demands that we pray.  He expects His children to pray.  Ask. Seek. Knock.  Pray without ceasing.  Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.  God describes prayer and teaches us to pray with supplications, communion, intercessions, and thanksgivings.  The direction of our prayer should be to God, in the name of Jesus Christ, for everyone and everything.  When we come to God in prayer we must have clean hands (God will make us clean).  We must have a peaceful heart (God will give us the peace that passes all understanding).  We must live a faithful life (Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God).

Every first Sunday in the month at 1:30 p.m. we meet for a very special time of singing, Bible reading, and prayer.  Come be a blessing and be blessed.

Mother’s Day is next Sunday (May 13^th).  Better get a move on and take care of your mom.  Hope to see you on Sunday for Bible study at 9:30 a.m., for worship at 10:30, and then for our afternoon service at 1:30.  God bless us all.