As we gathered to worship on Father's Day at Mill Creek Baptist Church, we were greeted by Doug Cory, who opened our morning service with prayer. Happy Birthday to Shelley Hall, and happy anniversary to Mitchell and Abby Lett. Special prayers were requested for Nancy Wilson, Marcella Wasson, Mildred Easter, Gene Pinkley, David Barton, Yvette Rico, Vernon Meek, Don Chaney, Skip and Debra, the Patterson family, Gene Hall and travel prayers.
Linda Abercrombie shared the devotional, "What a Father Does," and read Revelations 22:4 and 21:4. We recognized the fathers in the congregation, wished them a Happy Father's Day and asked God's blessings upon them. Mitchell Lett and Wayne Holly served as ushers and collected the offertory.
Congregational hymns included "Precious Memories" and "The Gloryland Way" led by Karen Gardner with Susan Cory at the piano. Karen sang "He Touched Me," with accompaniment from Becky Johnson.
II Corinthians 6:1-10 was the scripture for the message in the quality of walk series on common failures. Brother Mark began by telling us that having a failing doesn't make us a failure. "We all error because we are all human. The problem is that common failures can become habits and a lifestyle that harms our testimony and our quality of walk with God. The easiest way to break an old habit is to start a new one."
In Matthew 5:39, Jesus tells us, "But I tell you not to resist an evil person, but whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also." Brother Mark told us this is easy to read on Sunday morning and hard to do on Monday morning.
"We are to be role models in the Christian walk and II Corinthians 6 tells us how. Our prayer is that we can be the kind of Christian to give no offense and lead others to God and to be role models of Christianity and God's ministry."
In verses 3-4, Paul tells us, "We give no offense in anything, that our ministry may not be blamed, but in all things we commend ourselves as ministers of God." A living role model should not offend anyone and affect God's ministry." Brother Mark told us that we respond to others by replacing fleshy inclinations with spiritual inclination and he talked about four ways to do that.
First, respond with patience. Brother Mark said that having patience is easier with some than others, but every soul is valuable to Jesus. "We must be patient even though it may cost us something. Patience isn't just waiting but how we behave while we are waiting. Abraham Lincoln said to 'treat people with strength, character and a whole lot of common courtesy.'"
Second, we need to respond with purity. Brother Mark asked, "As Christians, why are we surprised that lost people act like lost people? We can't expect lost people to act like Christians, but lost people have the right to expect Christians to act like Christians."
Third, we need to respond with knowledge. Brother Mark said, "We ask, what would Jesus do? And if we live it, we need to know what Jesus would do and did." He referred to II Timothy 2:15-16 and said, "We need to study and respond with knowledge. As Christians, we need to know God's word to act like Christians."
Brother Mark told us that the fourth one is the biggest one and that we need to respond with kindness. "As Christians, we don't have the luxury to pick and choose who we are kind to. Christians should always express kindness to others not because of who they are or what they did, but because of who you are and what Jesus did. See the change in people when you show kindness to people that didn't even deserve it. It can even change people that are disagreeable. When others think of you, what could be better for them to think than what a kind person you are? How else do you want to be thought of?"
In closing, Brother Mark told us that the person with patience, purity, knowledge and kindness has many rewards in heaven. "Living in milk and honey country is not about the absence of problems, but it is about the presence of God. We can still lose it sometimes, but that doesn't make us a failure. But with practice and the presence of God, those times become less." II Corinthians 6:6 tells us one way to accomplish this is 'by purity, by knowledge, by long-suffering, by kindness, by the Holy Spirit, by sincere love.' That can help make it 'well with my soul.' We aren't going to be perfect, but with the presence of God it helps us make those mistakes less and less."
Our hymn of invitation was "Trust and Obey," and Wayne Holly gave the benediction.
Next Sunday after the morning worship service we will meet to finalize plans for Vacation Bible School for July 13. We will also have a business meeting on Sunday evening at 7 p.m.
We invite you to worship with us at Mill Creek Baptist. Everyone is welcome. Sunday school begins at 10 a.m. and worship service at 11 a.m. Mill Creek Baptist Church is located 3 1/2 miles east of Noel or 8 1/2 miles west of I49, just off Highway 90, on Upper Mill Creek Road.
Religion on 06/20/2019