Brother Mark and Shelley Hall were celebrating their anniversary as we gathered to worship Sunday morning at Mill Creek Baptist Church. Wayne Johnson opened our service with prayer and special prayers were requested for the Fred Hall family, the Ada White family, Jerry Abercrombie, Weston Allison, Bill Nelson, Ashton Cory, the Dover's grandson, Angela's friend, Donna and Roxanne.
Linda Abercrombie read Psalm 51:7 "Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow" and then gave the devotional "B.C." Linda talked about buying a new stove and cleaning behind the old one. Before Christ, we have a heart and pretty much do what's right but we only have a surface understanding of Christ. When we have a heart of God, Christ becomes real and we become eager to prepare our heart for God. Once we admit our sins and surrender, we can experience Christ's peace. We were blessed with music from Jerry Abercrombie who sang "Unspoken Request," and Karen Gardner sang a song dedicated to Brother Mark, "For Those Tears I Died." Tyrel Lett asked God's blessing and he and Rick Lett collected the offertory.
Brother Tom Sharp welcomed our visitors and filled in at the pulpit for Brother Mark with a key verse from Psalm 82 and the title of the message "They Walk On In Darkness." Brother Tom talked about the state of our world and religion and the fact that fewer and fewer people are being saved -- they walk in darkness. He told us, "Our hearts have become hardened and we refuse to listen to the word. You can preach your heart out to people and they don't care enough to pray for the lost.
A lost world doesn't hear. We, as Christians, also don't always do what Jesus Christ wants us to. In this world, our hearts have become hardened to sin and our eyes have become closed to sin and vulgarity. It is a sad thing. What do our kids think about what they hear us say and see us do?"
Brother Tom talked about an animal that gets together in a group and migrates and no one can stop them from destroying their life just like man sets his course to destruction. He talked about his dad who trained Tennessee walking horses. A barn caught on fire and they had to get the horses out to save them. Although they opened the stall doors, some wouldn't come out and perished. Just like man, they had the way before them and didn't take it. We have the opportunity to hear the word of God and we don't take advantage of it and stay in darkness. We have eyes and don't see because we don't want to.
Brother Tom also talked about a mine shaft tour and talked of mules who were brought into the mine to live and stay there to work. After a while in the mine, because of the darkness, they became blind, but still knew the track. In comparison, the lost person becomes blind and continues to follow the sin path. Brother Tom reminded us that we need to "read the Bible for comfort, joy and happiness. The Bible is full of God's wonderful blessings." Jeremiah 6:17 tells of God offering us a better way.
In closing, Brother Tom said, "God speaks to us to take up His cross and follow him. Can you imagine how much God loves us? He will supply our needs if we will let him. The moon reflects light from the sun just as church reflects light from Christ to light the way for us. There is no need to walk in darkness and be led by a false light." In John 8:12 Jesus tells us, "I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life."
Our hymn of invitation was "Wherever He Leads I'll Go" and Brother Mark gave the benediction. We invite you to worship with us at Mill Creek Baptist Church Sunday mornings at 11. Sunday school begins at 10. Everyone is welcome.
Religion on 02/23/2017