'Don't Miss This'

Beautiful dogwood branches adorned the altar and Darlene Mitchell was celebrating a birthday as we gathered to worship Sunday morning at Mill Creek Baptist Church. Gene Gardner welcomed our visitors and opened our service with prayer. Special prayers were requested for Becky Johnson, Marilyn Nelson, Beverly, Debbie, Tom and Penny Hill, Mildred Sharp and safe travels for Jake. Jeanette Easter and Linda Abercrombie updated us on Mill Creek's entries for the Old Timers' Day festivities in Southwest City on May 2. Thanks to Jimmy Easter for all his work on the projects. We will also have a fellowship luncheon following our worship service on May 3. It was also announced that there will be a benefit dinner for Kenneth White at the Decatur Livestock Auction Saturday, April 25 beginning at 5 p.m.

Tom Sharp lead the congregation in a responsive reading "Majesty and Power." Wayne Johnson and Gene served as offering attendants. We enjoyed special music from Bob Obenshain, Karen Gardner and Wayne and Karen led our congregational hymns.

Bro. Mark Hall brought us God's message, "Don't Miss This" with scripture reading from Acts 9:10-22. Bro. Mark told us, "There are so many things in life that are easy to miss. Sometimes every time we have a shot at something we miss it. We get so close to something awesome God wants us to have and we miss it. God gives us the desires of our hearts -- God's desires. Have you ever seen the look in someone's eyes when they see God for who He really is for the first time? And then seeing that glazed over look in someone's eyes because they just don't see it. It's like being in the dessert, getting a drink to replenish the body and then going back out in the dessert to get thirsty again. Some would rather have things their way than to live by the water (Jesus). Some Christians say they have a home in Heaven, but have no Lord in their life. They come back for a sip of Jesus and then go back out with scales over their eyes not seeing what Jesus wants them to see. If you are living next to the water (Jesus), then you believe who God is, can do what He says he can do and believe that the Bible is the truth. If you believe in all of that, then you believe that worship time is important and so is the Sabbath."

Bro. Mark talked about the story in the Bible from Acts about Saul preaching and witnessing for Christ. "Some let their scales drop off and see what God is and then sit in a pew for years and never tell anyone about the first time their scales fell off when they saw Jesus." Bro. Mark talked about three people in the story; blind Paul with his scales on, the new Paul when the scales fell off and Ananias who showed Paul the way. "Which one are you? Ananias had a vision about Paul. How many times has God shown us someone we need to talk to about God. When God tells you to get up and go like Ananias and tell someone about Christ, do you do it? Faith is when God shows us where to go and who to see. We don't need excuses, we just need faith."

In closing, Bro. Mark said, "Ask God to reveal Himself to you and save you. Become an active servant for the kingdom of God." Our hymn of invitation was, "Wherever He Leads I'll Go" and Wayne Holly gave the benediction. Bro. Tom Sharp will fill in at the pulpit for Bro. Mark next Sunday as he will be in revival in Cassville. In two weeks, Bro. Mark's message will be "A Really Bad Day." We invite anyone who is suffering or having a really hard time to come and hear the message and join us after our morning worship for fellowship lunch. Everyone is welcome. Sunday school begins at 10 a.m. and worship service at 11 a.m. Mill Creek is located three and a half miles east of Noel just off Highway 90. Just follow the signs.