RELIGION: Let not your heart be troubled

Janice Mason and David Collingsworth were celebrating birthdays as we gathered to worship Sunday morning at Mill Creek Baptist Church. Doug greeted the congregation and opened our service with prayer.

The adult Sunday school class studied John 8:3-18 about the adulterous woman in the lesson "I am the Light." We are reminded that Jesus offers grace and forgiveness to all who repent and believe in Him. "Only the grace of God can bring man into His holy fellowship and enable man to fulfill the creative purpose of God." Believers "should seek to be agents of God's forgiveness, testify with confidence that Jesus offers forgiveness and be aware of the traps of judging others." Terry taught the kids' Sunday school lesson.

Linda shared the devotional "Power Up" and read 1 Corinthians 4:20. When the power goes out, we have a need for a generator. God is our generator. When we become weak, we have access to a spiritual power to overcome sin, enemies, hardships and helps us pray to reconnect ourselves to God's will.

Tyrel Lett and Mitchell Lett served as ushers and collected the offertory as Susan played "Rock of Ages." We were blessed with special praise music from Jerry and Karen.

It was a blessing to have Brother Pat Jeffers bring us God's message from 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12 about Paul's writing that talks of anxiety. Brother Pat told us there are a lot of things in life that can cause us to be overwhelmed and anxious.

"We are living in perilous times in this world and studies show that one-fifth of the people suffer from anxiety and worry about what's to come. The Holy Spirit prompted Paul to write to the believers because they were experiencing anxiety." Pat referred to Luke 21:26 where Jesus tells us, "Men's hearts failing them from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on earth, for the powers of heavens will be shaken."

As Brother Pat talked about Paul's writing to the believers, he told them to not be troubled. "False teaching made the believers think that they had missed the rapture. What is the day of Christ? It is a period of time preordained by God when Christ will come and meet His church in the air. In 2 Thessalonians 1:2, Paul is offering encouragement by telling them, 'Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.' Paul is trying to clarify to the anxious believers that the day of Christ hadn't happened yet. They were anxious that it had from false teachings. The rapture will happen but we don't know when."

As Pat talked about the Day of the Lord, he told us that many times in the Old Testament there is reference to what happens after the great tribulation.

"Jesus comes to earth, reclaims the throne, defeats the enemy of God and regains the rule." He referred to Acts 2:20 which says, "The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before coming of the great and awesome day of the Lord." Brother Pat told us that the Day of God follows the time we're here. "In the beginning God created and in the end, He uncreated," as he referred to 2 Peter 3.

Brother Pat told us that back in those days, there was no Bible, just the Apostles.

"We now have the authority and word of God today, the Bible. We are blessed to have that today to reassure us. Back then, some were leading the believers astray. As Christians, we must be on the defensive against false teachings. Don't depart from the truth. Paul warned the believers against this. Beware of messages that tickle your ears that aren't teaching the truth from the Bible. The Antichrist won't be revealed until God reveals it on the Day of Christ. The Antichrist will deceive. There are false teachers out there."

In John 16:8-9, Jesus tells us, "And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness and of judgment of sin, because they do not believe in Me."

Brother Pat read 2 Thessalonians 2:7-8, "For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way. And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming." Brother Pat told us that that will happen at the rapture and, as believers, we should not become anxious. "The mystery of lawlessness makes us uneasy. God will guide us safely into port. The Holy Spirit is our comforter called alongside to help." In John 12:1, Jesus tells us "Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me."

In closing, Brother Pat told us that "once Jesus Christ saves us, He won't let go. The rapture is the promise of God to take us with Him and remove us from the wrath of this world. The Day of Christ precedes the evil one. False teachings are so prevalent today. God talks to us through His word. Pray and talk to Him. My favorite scripture is John 14 when we are told not to let our heart be troubled. Don't be anxious. Jesus tells us He is the way to eternal life and there is no other way. God will save you by His grace. Make it all about Jesus because He made it all about you over 2000 years ago. He doesn't want us to live our lives in fear. I hope today that you leave church changed people through the word."

We invite you to worship with us next Sunday morning at 11 a.m. as Alan Brock, director of missions for Shoal Creek Baptist Association will be our speaker. Sunday school begins at 10 a.m. and Bible study is held at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday evenings. Everyone is welcome at Mill Creek Baptist Church, located 3 1/2 miles east of Noel, just off Highway 90.

The opinions expressed are those of the author.