Steve Mason was celebrating a birthday and Rick and Terry Lett were celebrating their wedding anniversary as everyone gathered to worship Sunday morning at Mill Creek Baptist Church. Doug Cory opened service with prayer and read a story about not being discouraged in doing God's ministry if you don't see immediate results.
Special prayers were requested for many, including Norma, Bobby, Kim LeeMasters, Wayne Johnson, Linda's nephew, the Polly Ritter family, Don Chaney, the Lois Smith family, the Malinda Reno family and the Karen Stepp family.
Brother Mark Hall and Jeannette Easter thanked everyone for their participation and work on the Southwest City Christmas Parade float, "The King is Coming." Terry Lett reminded everyone that our annual Christmas Program will be held next Sunday during our morning worship service. Brother Mark read a thank you note from Noel Head Start.
Linda Abercrombie shared the devotional "Faces" and read Exodus 34:34-35. She read a story about George Mueller's care for orphans and the tribulations he faced in doing so. Remember that God can supply our needs. Janet Chaney reminded us of the Lottie Moon Christmas offering and read a "Christmas Letter from Jesus" about the meaning of Christmas.
Tyrel Lett and Mitchell Lett served as ushers and collected the offering, and Susan Cory and Karen Gardner led the congregation in singing Christmas carols. Jerry Abercrombie did a beautiful job of singing about the story of the Prodigal Son.
After reading Judges 6:11-16 about the angel appearing to Gideon, Brother Mark began God's message for us: "What Kind of Guy Are You?" He began by saying that like Gideon, we are not much without God, but with Him we are.
"We can fall victim to the three P's: petty, peeved and pouted. It shames us and we don't like that kind of guy. What kind of guy or gal do you want to be? Do you want to be the kind of person Jesus wants us to be? Do you want to be a Jesus hunter -- always looking for Jesus? Do you want to be where He is? God has a description for His people but it is never normal, weak or least. If we are a Christian, we are not normal. It is not being better than others, but it is being different from others when God is with us. We have to get over ourselves. When the Lord is with us, we don't do normal. Selfishness is normal. It's looking for what's in it for me. Selflessness is abnormal. It is asking yourself what you can do for others with no expectations. Brother Mark used Luke 14:12 as an example. When Jesus was invited to dinner because the host wanted to look good. He referred to Mathew 25:31-35 as Jesus talks about the sheep and the goats.
In closing, Brother Mark told us it is normal to enjoy spending Christmas with the people we love and to give to people who give and help us, but we should also do those things for someone who may never do it for us.
"That makes us abnormal. That's where Jesus is. Spending time with Jesus will change your life. It is easy to change your ways, your character and your attitude. Just find where Jesus is and hang around. The first step in being where Jesus is is bringing Him into your life and being saved."
Our hymn of invitation was "Without Him," and Rick Lett gave the benediction.
We invite you to our Christmas program and to worship with us next Sunday as we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. Everyone is welcome at Mill Creek Baptist Church. Sunday school begins at 10 a.m. and morning service at 11 a.m. Mill Creek Baptist Church is located 3½ miles east of Noel or 8½ miles west of I49, just off Highway 90, on Upper Mill Creek Road.
Religion on 12/19/2019