Associate Pastor Ryan Crawford brought us our Sunday morning message: "Holy Heartburn."
We stood for opening prayer and the reading of God's word taken from Luke 24:13-17 and 28-35.
The choir did a beautiful job singing our monthly special, "By His Blood."
Senior pastor Dr. Larry Crawford led the church in prayer for Debbra and Russell Urich and the victims of Hurricane Matthew.
Why do we come to church? We come to church because it makes us feel good. We use it as a social club to see our friends, to do good, to feed the hungry. We come to church to teach our children, and we mainly come to church for our "holy heartburn."
The heart issues are that good hearts do good things and bad hearts do bad things. We guard our possessions with passwords. Shouldn't we guard our hearts the same? We have holy heartburn when we are on fire for God.
Two men from Emmaus were walking, discouraged about Jesus' death, and Jesus himself walked up and fellowshipped with them. But the Bible says that after he was gone and vanished they said one to another, "Oh, how our heart burned within us."
When God deals with a man, he deals with the heart. Holy heartburn comes from a walk that's personal, a wanting of his presence, the Word that's powerful, and being a witness to people.
Reading Luke 24:20-22, we have been where they were. Upon our personal walk we will be concerned and often find ourselves despondent, desolate and discouraged. Jesus will show up -- right on time -- and rebuke us and remind us not to be weak-hearted.
"Then he said unto them, O, fools and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken." (Luke 24:25).
Brother Ryan says he has his favorite CD of preachers. This helps him find himself. We can't find Jesus in the darkness. We must walk in the light where He is.
If you let God pass on by, he will! We must have a wanting of his presence.
What is your passion? Is it sports, work or your children? Do you give God as much passion as you do your personal passion? If you do not want to be used by God, the trees, hills and the stars will. In provisional wanting, Luke 24:30 explains God cooked and served the meal in his guest's home. God can make us so much better if we allow God to provide for us instead of saying, "I got this."
Their eyes were opened and they knew who He was when He provided for them. David said, "Taste and see that the Lord is good." Taste and see what Jesus wants for you. Let him move your mountain. Let him financially secure you. Let him take care of your children and parents. Then your eyes will be opened. How is it that of the 12 men that went to spy on Canaan, two believed and ten denied? Two tasted and saw that God is good!
The scriptures are kindling to the burning in our heart.
"And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?"
The Bible has and will start the burning. By reading your Bible, your heart will have the right kind of heart burn. The Bible can give an answer of the hope that lies within you. By going to a church based on the Word, witnessing based on the Word, tithing and giving based on the Word and knowing the Bible, you can "shut up the opposition!"
We are reminded that with fall upon us, we are having our own harvest. We need to pray before planting so when sowing, we will have the best picking of friends for Friend Day Nov. 6.
Have you read your Bible today? If not, read Proverbs.
Remember, if you do not have a home church, visit us at 206 E. Fifth St. in Pineville. We are one of the friendliest churches in town.
Sunday school starts at 9 a.m. and is immediately followed by church service at 10 a.m. We will have our potluck dinner Sunday, Oct. 23, so come and visit and we will feed you physically and spiritually.
The Nursing Home Ministry meets at McDonald County Living Center in Anderson at 2:30 p.m. every other Saturday. The next meeting is Oct. 22.
Please check out our FBCP Teen Group Facebook Page.
Our Friday Night Bible Study Group will meet in the church gym at 6:30 p.m. Bring your favorite dish along with your Bible.
Our normal WMU meeting, Oct. 11, was cancelled and has been rescheduled for 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 18 at the FBCP.
Religion on 10/13/2016