Frankie Garvin was celebrating a birthday and Jerry and Linda Abercrombie were celebrating their anniversary as we gathered to worship Sunday morning at Mill Creek Baptist Church. Special prayers were requested for Nancy Grigsby, Linda's niece's family, Jimmy Easter and an unspoken. Brother Mark and Shelley will host the Widows' Luncheon on Feb. 11 after morning worship. Movie night will be at 6:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 23, with a soup and chili supper.

Linda read Jeremiah 29:11, "For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope" and gave the devotional, "God Doesn't Waste Anything." Sometimes it is the little things that made a difference as Linda retold the story of a simple new recycle cart. Inspiration comes in many disguises. God doesn't waste anything. No matter how confusing or painful a circumstance may be, God can take control and bring some good out of it. We belong to a God that takes nothing to waste.

We sang hymns of praise, led by Karen Gardner, that included "Here Comes Jesus" and "His Name is Wonderful." Tyrel Lett asked God's blessing upon the offertory, and he and Rick Lett served as ushers.

Brother Mark Hall brought us God's message, a continuance of last week's sermon, "The Funny Thing About Faith," and read Hebrews 11:1-3: "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good testimony. By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible."

Brother Mark told us, "Verse one explains what faith is and it may seem like a mysterious word. Some say they live by facts and not faith." As an explanation, he talked about the process of events for the motor of a car to start and run. "We may not understand the mechanics of it, we just turn the key and have faith the car will start and run. Faith is like a breath of air that makes our heart and body work. We breathe on faith." Brother Mark said, "Faith is believing that Jesus is who He says He is, and that He can do what He says He can do. Grace is God's riches at Christ's expense. Jesus Christ died for us suffering for our sins so we can receive God's riches. FAITH-Forsaking All I Trust Him. Faith is believing and believing is faith. Faith receives what grace provides. In order to receive the grace, we have to have the faith to receive God's graces. Grace is God's ability and faith is our responsibility to respond to God's grace." Ephesians 2:8-9 says, "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God not of works, lest anyone should boast." Brother Mark told us it is our responsibility to respond to God's grace. "Just getting in and sitting down doesn't save you, your faith turns the key and allows that grace to come to you. Faith is the key to a Christian life."

Brother Mark related a humorous story about an old Ford pickup he had that did wonders for his prayer life because he prayed for a year that it would keep running with a cracked head. He would tell people that the gas tank was full of prayer and the cab was full of faith and that's what kept it running. "Faith is the key to life. Faith is the key to your Christian life."

Brother Mark told us if you want to be saved and have peace with God, Romans 5:1 says, "Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." If you want to be sanctified, Acts 15:8-9 tells us, "So God, who knows the heart, acknowledged them by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as He did to us, and made no distinction between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith." If you want your prayers answered, Mark 11:22-24 says, "So Jesus answered and said to them, 'Have faith in God, for assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, Be removed and be cast into the sea, and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says." If you want to overcome temptations of the world, 1 John 5:4 tells us, "For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world -- our faith. And if you want to please God, Hebrews 11:6 says, "But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him."

Brother Mark said, "As an example, faith is like going to the store for something. You have to have the money to get it. Your currency is your faith of getting it. If you go to God for something, you have to have faith to get it. The good news is God's grace is the greatest. The one thing God will give you if you don't have enough faith is more faith." Brother Mark talked about the blind men and the lepers. "They all went to Jesus needing something and their faith was their currency." He talked about the boy who was healed in Mark chapter 9,"The father had enough faith to bring the boy to Jesus to be healed." In Mark 9:23, Jesus said to him, "If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes."

Brother Mark said, "Faith is believing and believing is faith. A lot of people will doubt their salvation because their faith is not in Jesus; it is in their own faith. We must put our faith in Jesus where the security of our salvation is. We can't save ourselves, only Jesus can do that. Don't trust your own faith. Real faith isn't a leap into the dark; it is a step into the light. God supplies the grace, we supply the faith. It is a lot easier to have faith in Jesus than ourselves. That is where our security is. Faith is not our way of getting done what is in heaven; it is God's way of getting His will done on earth. God supplies the grace and we supply the faith. Grace is God's ability and faith is our responsibility. How is your faith?"

Our hymn of invitation was "He Was There All the Time." Wayne Holly gave the benediction.

We invite you to worship with us at Mill Creek Baptist Church on Sunday mornings at 11. Sunday school begins at 10. Everyone is welcome. Mill Creek is located 3 1/2 miles east of Noel, just off Highway 90.