Posts Tagged ‘Deena’

April 17, 2011 Bulletin

April 18th, 2011

Prayer Request

New Requests:   Bonnie Ferguson Family,  Doug Hester,  Charlie Thompson

Continuing Requests:  Richard Vergne,  Steve Hampton,  Joyce Hampton,  Terri Howard,  Steve Applegate,  Lance O’Cull

Cancer Patients:  Tammy Doyle,  Deena Taylor,  Lanny Cooper,  Jay Iery,  Earl Cooper,    David Howard,  Maurice Kennedy,  Chief Little,  Alexandra Mason,    Randy Bartee,  Doug Caseman,  Ruth Hurst,   Sue Calvert

Elderly and Shut Ins:  Maxine Soards,  Carrie Edington,  Helen Dixon,  Ina Hurst,   Leland Roberts,  Sammy Ginn, Gardena Ginn,  Don McCann,  Malcolm Roe,   Flora Wells,  Delores Pepoon,  Charles Riley

Our Troops, Unspoken Needs, Missionaries, the “Lost”, the Emotionally, Physically and Spiritually Troubled

Reminders

Sunday Night Bible Study—Genesis 26
Easter Egg Hunt after church next Sunday
Bring in napkins for camp by May 15

 

T.G.I.F. (Easter version!)

“T.G.I.F.,” under normal circumstances, means “Thank God, it’s Friday!” – we smile, relax and look forward to a much-needed weekend break. Well, today is Friday, but it’s no “normal” Friday – it is Good Friday, the day we commemorate our Lord’s death on the Cross. Let us acknowledge THIS day–with holy awareness and heart-felt thanksgiving…
For it’s Friday…and He’s faithful! It’s Friday…and He’s forgiving! It’s Friday…and He’s my Friend! All because of the Cross; all because on that momentous day in history when He defeated sin, death and hell forevermore. Our Lord came face to face with His foe–and ours. He has “bruised the serpent’s head” and He’s become our conquering King! We can shout today, wherever we are and wherever we go, Thank God, It Is Finished!

What does that mean to ME this day? The finished work on Calvary frames the portrait of my life. And as I live within its boundaries, I am “free, yes, free indeed!” When Satan, the accuser of the brethren, rears his ugly head in my face, I can say, “Devil, it’s Friday, and He’s faithful! It’s Friday, and I’m forgiven! It’s Friday and my Friend has set me free! It’s Friday–and IT IS FINISHED! T.G.I.F.!! Believe it–and have a wonderful day!

 

Wet Blankets/Joyless religion: Luke 15:21-32

The tragic story was going to have a happy ending after all. The prodigal son returned home, repentant. A celebration was called for. Jesus says that a homecoming banquet was being arranged. It was a time for rejoicing in the life of a family whose wayward son had come home.

But then, just as the festivities were getting under way, the older brother of the prodigal son arrives to play the ignoble part of the wet blanket (an image of being less than enthusiastic; it comes from fire fighting use where a wet blanket effectively quells small fires).

Unwilling to forgive his brother and jealous of the attention being showered on his sibling, this older brother feels he is owed some kind of payment for his ethical and moral stability and superiority. To those listening to the story unfold, that happy ending now begins to turn sour.

There is a reason, of course, why Jesus includes the part of the older brother in the story of the prodigal son. He includes this wet blanket to do far more than add interest to the story. There is scarcely a fault more common than jealousy or the begrudging of good to those we deem less deserving than we think we are. It is entirely possible that the story of this elder brother is a mirror in which we will discover ourselves.

Among the many lessons to be learned from the story of the prodigal son is the one that it is not enough merely to have “stayed with the supplies” (a phrase from 1 Samuel 25:13 and 1 Samuel 30:24 ). The attitude with which you did it counts as well. As always, Jesus is honing in on attitudes as much or more than actions.

When forgiveness is based on repentance, there just ought not to be any wet blankets in the church. We must be willing to accept as brothers all those who repent and receive God’s forgiveness. And we must do so joyfully, unless we want to find ourselves in the place of the older brother.

 

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March 06 2011 Bulletin

March 6th, 2011

Prayer Request

New Request:  Kevin Duff,  Helen Ginn,  Noretta Bloomfield

Continuing Request:  Lance O’Cull,  Alexandrea Mason,  Barbara Jordan,  Stephanie Thornton,  Nancy King,  Parker Adoption

Cancer Patients:   Tammy Doyle,  Deena Taylor,  Lanny Cooper,  Jay Iery,  Earl Cooper,  John Warren,  David Howard,  Bonnie Ferguson,  Justin Brown,  Maurice Kennedy,  Chief Little

Elderly and Shut Ins:   Maxine Soards,  Carrie Edington,  Helen Dixon,  Ina Hurst,  Leland Roberts,  Sammy Ginn,  Gardeana Ginn,  Don McCann,  Malcom Roe,  Flora Wells,  Delores Pepoon,  Charles Riley,  Debbie Kegley,  Emmy Hamilton

Our troops,  Unspoken Needs,  Missionaries,  the “lost”,  the Emotionally,  Physically and Spiritually Troubled

Birthdays/Anniversary

March 7 – John and Jacqui Cordle

March 13 – Melvin Wills

Reminders

Tonight Bible Study – Genesis Chapter 16

Ladies Meeting – 6:00Pm – Thursday – Chapter 2 – Melissa – Hostess

 

Who And Why Is God?

When did God begin to rule?
It was ‘ere eons old;
Before He set the firmament
And formed earth’s veins of gold. 

He was King before He molded man,
Or even shaped the stars,
‘Ere a cloud He placed in clear blue skies,
Or set the oceans in their bars.

When did my God begin to be?
When spoke  He the angel’s laws;
Or threw Satan out of paradise,
Or made the thunder pause?

In the beginning He began,
He always and ever was
Father, Son and Spirit, He,
Why was He?  Just because!

It is not for man to know His ways,
Or ask of Him a reason,
For God was always, and forever is,
And man is for just a season.

He need only say to sinful man
I AM the great I AM.
Never has there been another God,
Nor another sacrificial Lamb.

All you have and all you are,
You owe it all to me.
Just believe in all I say,
For my truth will set you free.

You need not know when I began,
Or even why or how;
Just simply bow the humble knee
And begin to worship me just now.

~ Joyce Guy ~

 

 

No More With Me

“I’m sorry. Please forgive me! I don’t mean to hold you up,” he said as he struggled to get off the escalator.

I’ll admit to it. There have been times when walking or driving behind an older person I’ve gotten impatient and upset. I’ve huffed and zoomed around them because I was in a hurry to get nowhere.

Perhaps I’m more aware of it now because I see myself there one day soon. Today I saw myself in this old man’s shoes and it caused me to slow down, stop and ask for his forgiveness.

He was about five or six people ahead of me. I was in a hurry and saw him as an obstacle. I’ve seen people get off the end of an escalator and stop dead in their tracks, gather their things and suddenly there’s a pile up of angry people behind them. You can’t stop an escalator full of people behind you. Like the Energizer bunny, they keep on goin’.

This man was well aware of the challenge. He tried desperately to step aside. Fumbling with his small packages, struggling to gain his footing, you could see how troubling this was for him. “I’m sorry. Please forgive me! I don’t mean to hold you up,” he said as he struggled to get off the escalator.

I suddenly saw this in a whole new light. It was like I was watching my future. I felt sorry for him. I felt sick to my stomach because this man was apologizing to everyone, when we should have been helping him and calming his fears.

One by one, people zipped around him. I heard a few angry comments whispered as one lady passed by him.

I saw me.

By the time I got to him he was just about steady on his feet.

“Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t know there was more,” he said.

“No, sir. No more with me,” I said. This really hit me hard. I realized right then how sad it was that the world was in such a hurry. That, of course, included me. But…no more with me. Count me out.

This wonderful man paid his dues. For whatever time he had spent on this earth, he most likely walked many rough roads and too many important miles. Now he should be apologizing for moving slower?

My heart ached as I looked into his eyes. I wished that I could see what he had seen all those years. His face weathered from life itself, was creased and wrinkled. The small soft pockets under his eyes and the gentle lines that curved up and around them told me he had many happy moments, too. Those were traces left behind from laughter and a smiling, happy man.

“My friend, can I help you with those things?” I asked.

Hesitant at first, he finally said, “Well, yes, thank you!”

I placed my hand under his left arm and walked with him a safe distance away from the rush of people.

“So what are you shopping for, sir?”

“Oh, just a little something for my neighbor. She’s a young mother raising kids on her own. She’s always so nice to me. I thought a box of candy for Mother’s Day…” he said, stopping suddenly as he searched his inside pocket of his sport coat.

“Do you need something?” I asked.

“Oh, no. Here. I think I have it right here. I always carry them with me,” he said. Then pulling out a hand full of papers he shuffled through them and handed me a business card that read:

“John A. Pomicter
Friend to all…enemy to no one!
I said a prayer today and you were the answer. Thank you!”

“That’s for you,” he said. “Thanks for stopping to help an old man.”

“My friend, you helped me. I discovered that I was unhappy with the world and I was part of the problem. Now I’ll be part of the solution. No more with me!”

“Then this was meant to be,” he said smiling.

“You know God sends me gifts every day and always at least one special person. You were my gift for today! Let’s go get some chocolates, my friend.”

Written By Bob Perks

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February 27 2011 Bulletin

February 27th, 2011

Prayer Request

New Request:  Stephanie Reis Thornton,  Diana Jane Wilson Parker

Continuing Request:  Anna Sullivan,  Luke Greene,  Lance O’Cull,  Alexandrea Mason,  Barbara Jordan,  Linda Abrams,  Joe Mefford

Cancer Patients:   Tammy Doyle,  Deena Taylor,  Lanny Cooper,  Jay Iery,  Earl Cooper,  John Warren,  David Howard,  Bonnie Ferguson,  Justin Brown,  Maurice Kennedy,  Chief Little

Elderly and Shut Ins:   Maxine Soards,  Carrie Edington,  Helen Dixon,  Ina Hurst,  Leland Roberts,  Sammy Ginn,  Gardeana Ginn,  Don McCann,  Malcom Roe,  Flora Wells,  Delores Pepoon,  Charles Riley,  Debbie Kegley

Our troops,  Unspoken Needs,  Missionaries,  the “lost”,  the Emotionally,  Physically and Spiritually Troubled


 

Birthdays

March 1 -  Brittany Wolfe

March 5 – Kelly Nolen

 

 

 

Reminders

Tonight Bible Study – Genesis Chapter 14

 

A Happy Celebration

Even though this world is in turmoil and pain,
The true child of God has everything to gain.
The Father said, in this world ye shall tribulation,
but soon we will have a happy celebration. 

In Him we can have comfort, joy, and peace,
His great love for us will never cease.
Fight the good fight and run in this race,
We are kept strong by the Father’s saving Grace.

Many are weak, their battle worn and weary,
but it’s no time for the saints of God to be dreary.
We knew this day was drawing near,
but the Word of God said not to fear.

We must keep the faith and hold our heads high,
The one we’re looking for will appear in the sky.
He’s coming for those who look for Him,
we must stay alert and keep our lamps trimmed.

While we are waiting for Jesus to come back,
don’t mess around and get on the wrong track.
Satan is busy he’s after your soul,
always remember that heavens your goal.

Who said it was easy to follow the Lord’s way,
It will be worth it all to hear Him say,
enter thou into the Joys of the Lord,
I’ve prepared a place for you, now we’re all together in one accord.

by Mary Eldridge

 

 

 

First Church of McDonald’s

Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.   Matthew 5:6 

Kurt Garland is a skinny guy — but don’t be fooled by his trim appearance. He’s aggressive on a basketball floor. (“The guy’s all elbows!” says a friend who guarded Kurt once) and a fount of seemingly endless energy when pounding the drums for his church’s worship band.

Kurt’s favorite fuel for all that energy is burgers and fries. This kind is hungry all the time. He’s always happy to eat your leftovers and has no trouble eating a meal too big for most guys twice his size. As a young teacher, he often left a sign in the middle-school cafeteria saying, “Please leave all uneaten sandwiches for Mr. Gar- land.”

“I’d feast on roast-beef day!” says Kurt, “None of those kids liked the sandwiches, so there was always plenty left for me.”

With such a healthy appetite, Kurt thought he’d found the perfect job; manager at a local McDonald’s! “Anything left over at the end of the day was fair game. I never went home hungry.”

Unfortunately, Kurt also had unhealthy appetites. “I was a pretty hard person,” he admits. “Drank a lot. Did drugs.” He hungered for something more in life, something deeper. He tried to fill that hunger through partying, but he wasn’t satisfied.

That was when he noticed something at work — strange people working with him. He confronted his coworkers. “What makes you so different? You’re joyful, you’re happy. You don’t cuss, you don’t drink, you don’t really care about peer pressure. Why are you so different?”

These strange people had only one explanation: Jesus. They were Christians, and during shifts at work they befriended Kurt and told him more about Jesus Christ.

Kurt was interested but unwilling to make a change. Still, he found something very attractive about these Christians. They all started spending time together after work, building friendships beyond McDonald’s.

One night they were relaxing, hanging out at a friend’s house. The conversation turned to Jesus, and eventually one friend asked Kurt if he wanted to become a Christian.

The hunger burned inside Kurt’s soul. He desperately wanted what these people had, but he wasn’t sure Jesus was truly all they said he was. He mused for a minute, “OK. I’ll try Jesus for thirty days and see if it changes me.”

Two decades later, Kurt laughs when recalling the “Jesus trial period.” Obviously, I kept on going. It was a very exciting time for me. It reached a point where I was actually telling customers at McDonald’s about Jesus — I almost got fired for it!”

Each day of that thirty-day trial (and each day since it), Kurt found him- self irresistibly drawn to the Bible. He read it and asked many questions of his Christian friends. During that time he discovered more about Jesus. Jesus Christ truly was the nourishment his spirit had been craving for so long. “I felt an overwhelming peace during that time. I was loved by God, and it didn’t matter what else people thought.”

Twenty years later this skinny guy with a giant appetite still remembers how he ate at McDonald’s for fuel but found nourishment for his soul in the Bible.

For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world. Then said they unto him, Lord, evermore give us this bread. And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.
John 6:33-35

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February 20 2011 Bulletin

February 20th, 2011

Prayer Request

New Request:  Anna Sullivan,  Bree Walker,  Donald Bradford,  Alexandrea Mason

Continuing Request:  Luke Greene,  Andrew Scott,  Lance O’Cull,  Shannon Gilbert

Cancer Patients:   Tammy Doyle,  Deena Taylor,  Lanny Cooper,  Jay Iery,  Earl Cooper,  John Warren,  David Howard,  Bonnie Ferguson,  Justin Brown,  Maurice Kennedy,  Chief Little

Elderly and Shut Ins:   Maxine Soards,  Carrie Edington,  Helen Dixon,  Ina Hurst,  Leland Roberts,  Sammy Ginn,  Gardeana Ginn,  Don McCann,  Malcom Roe,  Flora Wells,  Delores Pepoon,  Charles Riley,  Harold Applegate

Our troops,  Unspoken Needs,  Missionaries,  the “lost”,  the Emotionally,  Physically and Spiritually Troubled

Birthdays

February 20 – Wilma Mefford

February 26 – Grace Wills

Reminders

Tonight Bible Study – Genesis Chapter 12

Your Motive

What motive’s behind; What you’re working for?
Is it the praises; That you so adore?

Is it for money, Or is it for fame?
Are all your talents; Gifts for your gain?

Why are you serving? Why are you giving?
Is it for Jesus; That you’re truly living?

Need now to hear; Your praises from peers?
To feel great inside, To fill up your ears.

Is it for blessing; From His hand above?
Is it because; He’s all that you love?

Give Him the glory, His honor, His praise,
Give of your talents, And give of your days.

He will reward you; In His own sweet way.
You’ll hear, well done; On that great final day.

What is the purpose; You live day to day?
Is it for others; That need shown the Way?

God surely loves us. He gave us His Son.
Our love is in weakness; Look, what He’s done.

Live to Him, it’s gain. Live to self, it’s loss.
All you live and breathe; Your motive be the cross.

by~ Susan Y Nikitenko ~

Presidents Day February 21st

In regard to this Great Book, I have but to say, it is the best gift God has given to man. All the good the Saviour gave to the world was communicated through this book. But for it we could not know right from wrong. All things most desirable for man’s welfare, here and hereafter, are to be found portrayed in it. To you I return my most sincere thanks for the very elegant copy of the great Book of God which you present. – Abraham Lincoln on September 7th, 1864

Success In Spite Of Adversity

Nothing in the early life of James Cash Penney indicated that his name would one day become a household word in homes across the United States. Born in 1875, he grew up on a small farm in Kentucky. His father was a minister in the Primitive Baptist Church. Both parents were committed Christians who instilled a deep and abiding faith in their children.

While Penney was a teenager his minister father became the victim of church politics and was removed from his position. The ensuing financial hardship for the family meant that Penney had to leave school, taking a job to help support the family. He began to work as a clerk in a local store. Although he didn’t realize it at the time, this modest start was providential and would propel him into an illustrious career as a retailer.

After working in various stores, Penney was able to purchase a one-third interest in a dry goods store in Kemmerer, Wyoming. The date was April 14, 1902. Kemmerer was a small mining town of less than 1,000 people. Penney and his wife lived in a tiny attic apartment above the store. Their furniture consisted of a large empty dry goods box for a table and smaller boxes for chairs. When their first child was born, Penney’s young wife wrapped their infant in a blanket, allowing it to sleep under a counter while she stood beside it, working alongside her husband, serving their customers.

From that humble beginning J. C. Penney would eventually preside over 1,700 stores. He would lead the country’s largest chain of department stores, each one bearing his name. The influence of Penney’s godly parents became evident with the growth of his business, as he began to describe his chain as the Golden Rule Stores, based on the words of Jesus in Matthew 7:12: “Do for others what you would like them to do for you” (NLT).

Although his enterprise made him incredibly wealthy, Penney’s life was not devoid of setbacks and troubles. In fact, beginning in 1929, events took place that nearly cost Penney his life.

When the Great Depression struck the country, it came at a time of great financial vulnerability for Penney. While his stores continued to do well, Penney had been adding outside interests, and these were proving to be extremely costly. In order to finance these interests, Penney borrowed heavily. In addition, Penney was becoming a major philanthropist, giving generously to organizations and individuals. The Depression prompted banks to request repayment of his loans sooner than anticipated. Suddenly cash flow was tight, and Penney was finding it difficult to meet payment schedules. Constant and unrelenting worry began to take a toll. “I was so harassed with worries that I couldn’t sleep, and developed an extremely painful ailment,” he said.

Concerned about his deteriorating health, Penney checked himself into the Kellogg sanitarium at Battle Creek, Michigan, the Mayo Clinic of its era. There, Dr. Elmer Eggleston, a staff physician, examined Penney, declaring that he was extremely ill. “A rigid treatment was prescribed, but nothing helped,” Penney recalled. He was attacked by the twin demons of hopelessness and despair. His very will to live was rapidly eroding. “I got weaker day by day. I was broken nervously and physically, filled with despair, unable to see even a ray of hope. I had nothing to live for, I felt that I hadn’t a friend left in the world, that even my family had turned against me.”

Alarmed by his rapidly deteriorating condition, Dr. Eggleston gave Penney a sedative. However, the effect quickly wore off, and Penney awakened with the conviction that he was living the last night of his life. “Getting out of bed, I wrote farewell letters to my wife and to my son, saying that I did not expect to live to see the dawn.”

Penney awakened the next morning, surprised to find himself alive. Making his way down the hallway of the hospital, he could hear singing coming from the little chapel where devotional exercises were held each morning. The words of the hymn he heard being sung spoke deeply to his condition. Going into the chapel, he listened with a weary heart to the singing, the reading of the Scripture lesson, and the prayer. “Suddenly something happened,” he recalled. “I can’t explain it. I can only call it a miracle. I felt as if I had been instantly lifted out of the darkness of a dungeon into a warm, brilliant sunlight. I felt as if I had been transported from hell to Paradise. I felt the power of God as I had never felt it before.”

In a life-transforming instant Penney knew that God, with His love, was there to help. “From that day to this, my life has been free from worry,” he declared. “The most dramatic and glorious 20 minutes of my life were those I spent in that chapel that morning.” The words from the hymn that spoke so eloquently and miraculously to J. C. Penney were “God will take care of you.”

The hymn God used to save J. C. Penney’s life was written by Civilla Durfee Martin. Not much is known about the hymn writer. She lived between 1866 and 1948, writing the hymn in 1904. The inspiration for the words may have come from 1 Peter 5:7 : “Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about what happens to you” (NLT).

The opening lines read:

Be not dismayed whate’er betide, God will take care of you; Beneath His wings of love abide, God will take care of you. God will take care of you, Through every day, o’er all the way;  He will take care of you, God will take care of you.

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February 13 2011 Bulletin

February 13th, 2011

Prayer Request

New Request:  Bill Scott Family,  Wilma Cooper Family,  Mike Murphy Family

Continuing Request:  Wanda Cox,  Lance O’Cull,  Shannon Gilbert

Cancer Patients:   Tammy Doyle,  Deena Taylor,  Lanny Cooper,  Jay Iery,  Earl Cooper,  John Warren,  David Howard,  Bonnie Ferguson,  Justin Brown,  Maurice Kennedy,  Erin Thomas,  Chief Little

Elderly and Shut Ins:   Maxine Soards,  Carrie Edington,  Helen Dixon,  Ina Hurst,  Leland Roberts,  Sammy Ginn,  Gardeana Ginn,  Don McCann,  Malcom Roe,  Flora Wells,  Delores Pepoon,  Charles Riley

Our troops,  Unspoken Needs,  Missionaries,  the “lost”,  the Emotionally,  Physically and Spiritually Troubled

Birthdays/Anniversary

February 13 – Betty/Willie Wills

February 17 – Scott Sullivan

February 20 – Wilma Mefford

 

Reminders:

Tonight Bible Study – Genesis Chapter 12

 

Minutes; Jesus Helping Hands Meeting February 10, 2011:

The meeting was called to order at 6:00 PM. at the church by the president, Karen Stafford. Pledges were recited and the meeting was opened with a reading and a prayer.

Old News:  approved to continue supporting Andy Martin, discussed cutting quilt blocks,  mentioned the ham dinner that will be in May and snack list for our meetings.

Ten members were present. Prayer request: Bill Scott,  Joe Mefford,  Anna’s brother,  Jenny’s brothers granddaughter,  Jay Iery,  Gracie,  Anna,  Maurice Kennedy,  Wilma Murphy Family,  Shirley’s new grandchildren’s process,  and Lance O’Cull and his family.

Circle prayer was offered,  Jacqui began our book study. She did an excellent job.  Next moth we will be studying chapter 2.   Karen Stafford  provided refreshments; everyone enjoyed both good food and fellowship.

The next meeting will be March 10

 

Valentine’s Day with Jesus

by  Marilyn Ferguson

Jesus does not send perfume
To linger in the air
Instead He sends salvation, sweet
To show how much He cares.

He doesn’t bring me candy hearts
In boxes of delight
Instead He always lets me know
I’m precious in His sight.

He doesn’t pass out pretty cards
Trimmed in shades of red
Instead He gave His life for me
His precious blood was shed.

He doesn’t hand out fancy gifts
Like we would send to mother
Instead He sends a message clear
To always love each other.

He doesn’t give me teddy bears
That whimper, “Please be mine”
Instead He gave His heart to me
I wear it all the time.

He doesn’t give me roses, pink
For all the world to see
Instead He gave eternal life
That’s good enough for me.

The History of the song: “It Is No Secret”

Back in the 50′s there was a well known radio host/comedian/song writer in Hollywood named Stuart Hamblen who was noted for his drinking, womanizing, partying, etc.

One of his bigger hits at the time was
“I won’t go hunting with you Jake, but I’ll go chasing women.”

One day, along came a young preacher holding a tent revival.  Hamblen had him on his radio show presumably to poke fun at him. In order to gather more material for his show, Hamblen showed up at one of the revival meetings.

Early in the service the preacher announced, “There is one man in this audience who is a big fake.” There were probably others who thought the same thing, but Hamblen was convinced that he was the one the preacher was talking about (some would call that conviction) but he was having none of that.

Still the words continued to haunt him until a couple of nights later he showed up drunk at the preacher’s hotel door around 2AM, demanding that the preacher pray for him! But the preacher refused, saying, “This is between you and God and I’m not going to get in the middle of it.” But he did invite Stuart in and they talked until about 5 AM at which point Stuart dropped to his knees and with tears,
cried out to God.

But that is not the end of the story. Stuart quit drinking, quit chasing women, quit everything that was ‘fun.’ Soon he began to lose favor with the Hollywood crowd.

He was ultimately fired by the radio station when he refused to accept a beer company as a sponsor.

Hard times were upon him.  He tried writing a couple of “Christian” songs but the only one that had much success was “This Old House”, written for his friend Rosemary Clooney.

As he continued to struggle, a long time friend named John took him aside and told him, “All your troubles started when you ‘got religion,’ was it worth it all?”  Stuart answered simply, “Yes.”

Then his friend asked, “You liked your booze so much, don’t you ever miss it?” And his answer was, “No.” John then said, “I don’t understand how you could give it up so easily.”

And Stuart’s response was, “It’s no big secret. All things are possible with God.” To this John said, “That’s a catchy phrase. You should write a song about it.”

And as they say, “The rest is history.”

The song Carl Stuart Hamblen wrote was “It Is No Secret.”

“It is no secret what God can do. What He’s done for others, He’ll do for you. With arms wide open, He’ll welcome you. It is no secret, what God can do….”

 

By the way… the friend was John Wayne. And the young preacher who refused to pray for Stuart Hamblen? …That was Billy Graham.


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February 6 2011 Bulletin

February 6th, 2011

Prayer Request

New Request:   Jerry Wilburn

Continuing Request:   Wanda Cox,  Lance O’Cull,  Shannon Gilbert,  Betty Porter

Cancer Patients:   Tammy Doyle,  Deena Taylor,  Lanny Cooper,  Jay Iery,  Earl Cooper,  John Warren,  Bill Scott,  David Howard,  Bonnie Ferguson,  Justin Brown,  Maurice Kennedy,  Erin Thomas,  Chief Little

Elderly and Shut Ins:   Maxine Soards,  Carrie Edington,  Helen Dixon,  Ina Hurst,  Leland Roberts,  Sammy Ginn,  Gardeana Ginn,  Don McCann,  Malcom Roe,  Flora Wells,  Delores Pepoon,  Charles Riley

Our troops,  Unspoken Needs,  Missionaries,  the “lost”,  the Emotionally,  Physically and Spiritually Troubled

Birthdays/Anniversarys

February 8 – Bailey Duff

February 11 – Tammy/Jason Cox

February 12 – Jerry Miller

February 13 – Betty/Willie Wills

 

Reminders

Tonight Bible Study – Genesis Chapter 10

Ladies Meeting – Thursday Night 6:00 PM

 

 

Take Up Thy Cross and Follow Me

I walked one day along a country road, And there a stranger journeyed, too,
Bent low beneath the burden of His load: It was a cross, a cross I knew.

“Take up thy cross and follow Me,” I hear the blessed Savior call;
How can I make a lesser sacrifice, When Jesus gave His all?

I cried, “Lord Jesus,” and He spoke my name; I saw His hands all bruised and torn;
I stooped to kiss away the marks of shame, The shame for me that He had borne.

“Take up thy cross and follow Me,” I hear the blessed Savior call;
How can I make a lesser sacrifice, When Jesus gave His all?

“Oh, let me bear Thy cross, dear Lord,” I cried, And, lo, a cross for me appeared,
The one, forgotten, I had cast aside, The one, so long, that I had feared.

“Take up thy cross and follow Me,” I hear the blessed Savior call;
How can I make a lesser sacrifice, When Jesus gave His all?

My cross I’ll carry till the crown appears— The way I journey soon will end—
Where God Himself shall wipe away all tears, And friend hold fellowship with friend.

“Take up thy cross and follow Me,” I hear the blessed Savior call;
How can I make a lesser sacrifice, When Jesus gave His all?

Words and music by Alfred Ackley

 

 

The Smallest Snowflake

Christiana was the smallest of all the snowflakes. It seemed she and her family, along with many other snowflake families, had been floating always through the long day as she tumbled delightfully about with her friends. But their journey took them as well through seemingly endless freezing cold and darkness. Sometimes the north wind blew them along their way so hard she could scarcely breathe. At these times, as much as the bracing wind would permit, Christiana huddled close to her parents, Celeste and Chaucer, completely unaware that they were as uncomfortable as she.

At other times they were assailed by a gust of warmer air up in the atmosphere that threatened their very lives. Afraid, the little crystalline beauty would bow her minuscule head and cry. Celeste and Chaucer tried to shield and protect their little progeny as best they could.

Sometimes however, it was all they could do to hold on themselves. The beloved but naive little snowflake was oblivious to everything but observances from her youthful perspective and her own unreliable emotions and feelings. Life seemed to her a series of events: those that made her feel good, the ones she relished with great glee, and those that were so traumatic they drove her to despair. These ups and downs were punctuated with exasperating periods of sheer boredom.

Between the frigid wind that blew them, forcing them along in their descent to the earth, and their greatest foe, the warm counter-winds that swished by occasionally and threatened to dissolve them, the snowflake life was much more treacherous than observers might perceive it to be.

On their flight to the earth, the snowflake highs were very high indeed. It was almost like a symphony as they floated along together when none of their enemies were nearby. The sound of snowflake laughter and singing were delightful to the ear. But, as quickly as they had begun, these delightful times became a memory, as worries and trials became their portion once more.

Each time these difficult periods came ’round again, the music ceased and tension, fear, and strife shoved aside the joy and began to rule. Christiana and her peers lived only for the times of joy, pouting and resisting those that kept them from their fun. At one particularly dark and trying hour, Celeste and Chaucer, who had been on this flight much longer and had learned to take things more in stride, hovered near their lovely and delicate daughter. “How do you manage to remain so calm when our enemies are near?” Christiana asked.

“My dear”, said her father, “When we began this journey, before you were born, the father of snowflakes, the one who formed us, spoke a promise for us to hold close to our hearts along the way.”

“Long ago,” he said, “because the snowflake journey is fraught with enemies, I sent my perfect snowflake to the earth. He made the same journey that all snowflakes make, but because of who he is, he defeated the foe of the snowflakes and took away his power. And, if you will but trust in him and in me, and keep us at the center of your hearts, and if you will remember that we are with you at all times, a special wind you haven’t known will keep you safe, guiding you, teaching you, and giving you peace along your way.

Then, no matter what tactic your enemy may use to try to destroy you, when your traveling days are done, you will make your landing in a new and better world. I myself will be there to welcome you. At that point your life here will be at an end, but you will have fulfilled your purpose and you will have joy, for from the clouds I will lift you up to myself once more as I did the perfect snowflake.”

by Daphne Harrington

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January 30 2011 Bulletin

January 30th, 2011

Prayer Request

New Request: Makayla Harr,  Chief Little

Continuing Request: Wanda Cox,  Lance O’Cull,  Shannon Gilbert,  Larry Ratliff

Cancer Patients: Tammy Doyle,  Deena Taylor,  Lanny Cooper,  Jay Iery,  Earl Cooper,  John Warren,  Bill Scott,  David Howard,  Bonnie Ferguson,  Justin Brown,  Maurice Kennedy,  Erin Thomas

Elderly and Shut Ins:  Maxine Soards,  Carrie Edington,  Helen Dixon,  Ina Hurst,  Leland Roberts,  Sammy Ginn,  Gardeana Ginn,  Don McCann,  Malcom Roe,  Flora Wells,  Delores Pepoon

Our troops,  Unspoken Needs,  Missionaries,  the “lost”,  the Emotionally,  Physically and Spiritually Troubled

Birthdays

January 30 – Sam Love

February 1 – Jacqui Cordle

Reminders

Tonight Bible Study – Genesis Chapter 8

Memorial page on this site – Give picture and information to Jason Cox

Anyone wanting an Aills Christian Church.com email address Contact Jason

 

 

Faith Without Works

Believe and be saved the minister said,
Believe and be saved and rise from the dead.

Through grace ye are saved from sin and from hell,
So simply believe and all will be well.

The preacher continued and read from the book,
How all can reach heaven, both angel and crook.

When all had been said and the church recessed;
With money collected and everyone blessed;

The preacher retired to his spacious new home,
In his humble Mercedes with everything chrome.

He sat in his study, his thoughts running deep,
He dozed for a moment, and died in his sleep.

He ran to Saint Peter and wearing a grin,
Said “I believe in the Savior, so please let me in”

“Oh no, not another”, said Peter with a sigh,
“Satan’s sure working, the tolls running high.”

The preacher looked puzzled, then saw in a flash,
The plan of salvation, beginning at last.

Believing is nothing, if nothing is done.
In getting to Heaven you follow the Son.

To follow a leader, you do what is said,
Faith without works is nothing but dead.

Satan knows Jesus, believes in him too.
So what’s the difference between Satan and You?

Believe in the Savior, but always recall,
Faith is important, but sure isn’t all.

- Wes Stephenson

 

 

The Parable Of The Two Screws

Once upon a time there were two screws fastening a vital part of a gasoline engine. One of the screws was haughty and proud of it’s shining head. The second screw was quiet, intent only on doing its job to the best of its ability.

One day a speck of rust appeared on the head of the second screw. Filled with vain pride of its own beauty, the first screw began to laugh at the second. “Your head is tarnished,” the first said to the second. “Look at you. Your perfect luster is gone.”

The second screw said nothing. Instead, it concentrated on what it was doing.

“How ugly you have become,” the first screw chortled, “and how beautiful I have remained.” Then it began to laugh so hard at the second screw that it failed to notice that it was working itself loose. Finally it dropped off the engine and plunged into a small pool of dirty oil below.

With the first screw no longer holding up its end of the load, the second was faced with doing the work of two. Meanwhile the first screw, now covered with grimy oil, wailed and lamented. “Just look at me! I’m dirty and filthy and all my beauty is gone. By laughing at the blemish on my friend the second screw, I worked myself loose and fell into the muck. Now I’m doomed.”

Now, it just so happened that a short time later the owner of the engine started it up. He immediately noticed that something didn’t sound right — the engine was running rough. When he checked, he instantly saw that one of the two screws holding the vital part was missing. “Ah ha!” the owner said. “One of the screws must have worked itself loose and fell to the ground, but I don’t see it. Maybe it fell into that puddle of old oil.”

The owner reached into the oil and found the missing screw. “Look at you,” the owner said. “You’re all covered with grime and oil. How ugly you are. But I will fix that right away.” The owner reached for a nearby rag and wiped all the oil and grime off the first screw until it shone even brighter than before. Then he replaced it on the part. Before he turned away, he noticed a little speck of tarnish on the head of the second screw. With the second rag, he wiped the head clean and bright. Then the owner walked away.

Finally the engine was started. The two screws, now equally beautiful, held the part tight. “Forgive me, my friend,” the first screw said to the second. “In my vanity, I was so busy laughing at your blemish that I did not notice that I was working myself loose.”

“And what have you learned?” the second screw quietly asked.

“I learned not to judge others because I have my own sins to deal with.”

“Then,” the second screw said, “I forgive you.”

“Thank you, my friend. And rest assured, my vanity will remain forever at the bottom of that dirty puddle of oil.”

“Blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered.” (Psalm 32:1 NIV)

– by Ed Price

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January 23 2011 Bulletin

January 23rd, 2011

Prayer Request

New Request:  Larry Ratliff,  Edna Hooper Family,  Matt Harmon Family,  Erin Thomas

Continuing Request:  Lance O’Cull,  Shannon Gilbert,  Dorothy Maverty Family,  Wanda Cox,  Paul Collier,  Patrick McGlone,  Betty Porter,  Jean Love,  Eddie Porter,  Melissa Watson

Cancer Patients:   Tammy Doyle,  Deena Taylor,  Lanny Cooper,  Jay Iery,  Earl Cooper,  John Warren,  Bill Scott,  David Howard,  Bonnie Ferguson,  Justin Brown,  Maurice Kennedy

Elderly and Shut Ins: Maxine Soards,  Carrie Edington,  Helen Dixon,  Ina Hurst,  Leland Roberts,  Sammy Ginn,  Gardeana Ginn,  Don McCann,  Malcom Roe,  Flora Wells,  Delores Pepoon,  Reno McGlone,  Wilma Horsly

Our troops,  Unspoken Needs,  Missionaries,  the “lost”,  the Emotionally,  Physically and Spiritually Troubled

Birthdays/Happy Anniversary

January – 27 – Wanda Cox – Happy Birthday!

January – 30 – Sam Love – Happy Birthday!

 

Reminders:

Tonight Bible Study –Genesis Chapter 6

Corrections To Birthdays — Mike Edington – May 9

Memorial page on this website — Give a picture and all the information RE: Who they were; Date they were born and date they passed away — to Jason, or email them to Jason

If anyone wants an @aillschristianchurch.com email account please let us know so we can set it up.

 

A Walking Sermon

Reporters and city officials gathered at a Chicago railroad station
one afternoon in 1953. The person they were meeting was the 1952
Nobel Peace Prize winner. A few minutes after the train came to a
stop, a giant of a man – six feet four inches – with bushy hair and
a large mustache stepped from the train. Cameras flashed. City
officials approached him with hands outstretched. Various people
began telling him how honored they were to meet him.

The man politely thanked them and then, looking over their heads,
asked if he could be excused for a moment. He quickly walked
through the crowd until he reached the side of an elderly black
woman who was struggling with two large suitcases. He picked up the
bags and with a smile, escorted the woman to a bus. After helping
her aboard, he wished her a safe journey. As he returned to the
greeting party he apologized, “Sorry to have kept you waiting.”

The man was Dr. Albert Schweitzer, the famous missionary doctor who
had spent his life helping the poor in Africa. In response to
Schweitzer’s action, one member of the reception committee said
with great admiration to the reporter standing next to him, “That’s
the first time I ever saw a sermon walking.”

(Author Unknown)

 

 

They Missed Him

They were looking for A Lion,
He came as a Lamb, and they missed Him.
They were looking for a Warrior,
He came as a Peace maker, and they missed Him.
They were looking for a King,
He came as a Servant, and they missed Him.
They were looking for Liberation from Rome,
He submitted to the Roman cross, and they missed Him.
They were looking for a fit to their mould,
He was the mould maker, and they missed Him.

What are you looking for?
Lion? Warrior? King? Liberator?
What are you looking for?

They were looking for their temporal needs to be met,

He came to meet their eternal need, and they missed Him.

He came as a Lamb to be sacrificed for your sin.
Will you miss Him?
He came to make peace between God and man.
Will you miss Him?
He came to model servant hood for all mankind.
Will you miss Him?
He came that we might have true Liberty.
Will you miss Him?
He came to give you eternal life.
Will you miss Him?

When we submit to the lamb we will meet the Lion.
Join with the Peacemaker and we will meet the Warrior.
Work with the Servant and we will meet the King.
Walk with the Submitted and we will meet the Liberator.
Concern ourselves with the Eternal and we will have the temporal.

If Jesus is not fitting into the mould you have then come to the mould-maker and get a new one. Submit to His plan for your life and you will see the eternal need met first then all the other things you have need of will be taken care of as well.  (Author Unknown)

 

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January 16 2011 Bulletin

January 16th, 2011

Prayer Request

New Request: Reno McGlone, Dora Johnson Family, Wanda Cox
Continuing Request: Lance O’Cull, Shannon Gilbert
Cancer Patients: Tammy Doyle, Deena Taylor, Lanny Cooper, Jay Iery, Earl Cooper, John Warren, Bill Scott, David Howard, Bonnie Ferguson, Justin Brown
Elderly and Shut Ins: Maxine Soards, Carrie Edington, Helen Dixon, Ina Hurst, Leland Roberts, Sammy Ginn, Gardeana Ginn, Don McCann, Malcom Roe, Flora Wells, Delores Pepoon

Our troops, Unspoken Needs, Missionaries, the “lost”, the Emotionally, Physically and Spiritually Troubled

 

Birthdays/Happy Anniversary

January 16 – Dean/Melissa Ginn

January 20 – Ritchie/Carol Cunningham

Reminders

Tonight’s  Bible  Study – Genesis Chapter 4

If anybody would like to have an email account set-up with any name @aillschristianchurch.com just contact me and let me know.

Prayer request can be done here

Joy For The Future

Troubles and trials bring us way down,
And we drag our chin on the ground.
But think about life forever more,
Life forever on that far distant shore.
When I think of everlasting life,
My heart fills with joy and drives away strife.
My savior who died for all our sins,
Will say, “Welcome home, just come on in!”
Many years have come and gone,
Yet it doesn’t really feel so long.
Life sometimes is hard and hurts our soul,
The Jesus comes and gives back control.
I know now that I love him so much,
And always look forward to his loving touch.
Accept him into your heart today,
He really loves you don’t turn Him away.
The older I get the stronger I believe,
And I think back to when I did receive.
Christ in my heart and then it was done,
Now I eternally belong to God’s only Son!
by Dot Wilson

 

 

Thoughts To Ponder

  1. Anger is a condition in which the tongue works faster than the mind.
  2. You can’t change the past, but you can ruin the present by worrying over the future.
  3. Love….and you shall be loved.
  4. God always gives his best to those who leave the choice with him.
  5. All people smile in the same language.
  6. A hug is a great gift, one size fits all. It can be given for any occasion and it’s easy to exchange.
  7. Everyone needs to be loved, especially when they do not deserve it.
  8. The real measure of a man’s wealth is what he has invested in eternity.
  9. Laughter is God’s sunshine.
  10. Everything has beauty but not everyone sees it.
  11. It’s important for parents to live the same thing s they teach.
  12. Thank God for what you have, TRUST GOD for what you need.
  13. If you fill your heart with regrets from yesterday and the worries of tomorrow, you have no today to be thankful for.
  14. Happy memories never wear out……Relive them as often as you want.
  15. Home is the place where we grumble the most, but are often treated the best.
  16. Man looks at outward appearance but the Lord looks within.
  17. The choice you make today will usually effect tomorrow.
  18. Take time to laugh for it is the music of the soul.
  19. If anyone speaks badly of you, live so none will believe it.
  20. Patience is the ability to idle your motor, when you feel like stripping your gears.
  21. Love is strengthened by working through conflicts together.
  22. The best thing parents can do for their children, is to love each other.
  23. Harsh words break no bones but they do break hearts.
  24. To get out of a difficulty, one usually must go through it.
  25. We take for granted the things we should be giving thanks for.
  26. Love is the only thing that can be divided, without being diminished.
  27. Happiness is enhanced by others but does not depend on others.
  28. You are richer today if you have laughed, given or forgiven.
  29. For every minute you are angry with someone, you lose 60 seconds of happiness that you can never get back.
  30. Do what you can, for who you can, with what you have, and where you are.
  31. The Best Gifts to give:
  • To your friend, loyalty;
  • To your enemy, forgiveness;
  • To your boss, service;
  • To a child, a good example;
  • To your parents, gratitude and devotion;
  • To your mate, love and faithfulness;
  • To all men and women charity;
  • and to God, your life.

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January 09 2011 Bulletin

January 16th, 2011

Prayer Request

New Request: Pauline Applegate Family, Kenneth Evans Family, Justin Brown
Continuing Request: Lance O’Cull, Shannon Gilbert
Cancer Patients: Tammy Doyle, Deena Taylor, Lanny Cooper, Jay Iery, Earl Cooper, John Warren, Bill Scott, David Howard, Bonnie Ferguson
Elderly and Shut Ins: Maxine Soards, Carrie Edington, Helen Dixon, Ina Hurst, Leland Roberts, Sammy Ginn, Gardeana Ginn, Don McCann

Birthdays/Happy Anniversary

January 10: Rachel Edington

January 16: Dean/Melissa Ginn

 

Reminders

Tonight Bible Study – Genesis Chapter 4

Ladies Meeting – Thursday – 6:00pm – 1st session of book study -

If You Want to Walk on Water, You’ve Got to Get out of The Boat

 

Pathway of Pain

by Helen Steiner Rice

If my days were untroubled and my heart always light,
Would I seek that fair land where there is no night?
If I never grew weary with the weight of my load,
Would I seek for God’s peace at the end of the road?

If I never knew sickness and never felt pain,
Would I search for a hand to help and sustain?
If I walked without sorrow and lived without loss
Would my soul seek solace at the foot of the cross?

If all I desired was mine day by day,
Would I kneel before God and earnestly pray?
If God sent no winter to freeze me with fear,
Would I yearn for the warmth of spring every year?

I ask myself these and the answer is plain,
If my life were pleasure and I never knew pain -
I’d seek God less often and need Him much less,
For God is sought more often in times of distress.

And no one knows God or sees Him as plain -
As those who have met Him on the “Pathway of Pain”

 

God’s Dresser

There are many people in the world that have a problem with forgiving themselves of their past mistakes and the enemy of Hell tries his best to add condemnation to worsen the feelings they may have.

God is a God of love and compassion who wishes to forgive and restore all who come to Him.

Never allow the enemy to make you feel as if you are beyond redemption. God is able to turn your mess into a miracle.

I hope the following story will minister to you if you are having trouble forgiving yourself, or feel as if God will never forgive you of your past mistakes.

A woman was dying of AIDS.
A priest was summoned. He tried to comfort her, but to no avail.
“I am lost,” she said. “I have ruined my life and the life of everyone around me. Now I’m painfully going to go to hell. There’s no hope for me.”

The priest saw a framed picture of a young girl on her dresser. “Who is this beautiful picture of?” he asked.
The woman brightened up and said, “She’s the light of my life. That’s my daughter.” The priest asked, “If she were in trouble or if she made a mistake would you help her? Would you forgive her? Would you still love her?”

“Of course I would!” the woman cried. “I would do anything for her. Why do you ask such a question?” “Because I want you to know,” said the priest, “that God has a framed picture of you on His dresser.”

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