Atwood Baptist Church
Not to complain or anything, but one of the jokes going around is that there are roads built during the time of the Roman Empire that are in better shape than parts of I-35 and I-40. Of course the Romans had a bigger tax base than Oklahoma does, and the wheels and suspensions system in their chariots wasn’t quite as good as the tires and springs in our chariots, but still…. Well, actually it’s just better to stop before you start overthinking a joke or you’ll never get to the end of your opening paragraph…
On the evening of the 23rd we are planning to have a Family Game Night at the church fellowship hall. Besides games, there will be snacks and the movie, I Can Only Imagine. I’ve heard nothing but good things about this production so plan on coming early and staying until the credits on the movie are finished.
Rememberalsothat on the 25th at 9:30 Shelley Brown will be leading the Bible Study group. Shelley always has an interesting topic to investigate so come be a part of the studious, bu. All women in and around the community are invited.
Thenonthe30th , Kevin Duck will be preaching both morning and evening revival sermons at Atwood Baptist Church. Bo Chesser and Jake Walker will be leading the music for the evening services.
JoyceSearcybrought the special music at the worship services this Sunday. She sang “Without a Valley.” The point was not that you would be living somewhere out on the Plains. It was that without the contrast between the ups and downs of life, we could not appreciate how precious the joy in our lives is.
Rev. Brown’s sermon was titled “Don’t Tell God What You Heard,” and it was from the passage of scripture in Acts 9:1-19.
SaulofTarsuswas earnestly seeking to rid the world of Christ followers. He was on his way to Damascus to look for these people so that he could bind them and take them back to Jerusalem for trial. On the way, though, Saul had a most supernatural experience Surrounded by intense light, He met Jesus, and from that point he was transformed from what had been basically a terrorist into an evangelist for Christ.
Jesus told him to go into Damascus where he would be told what to do. Saul arose and opened his eyes only to fi nd that he was blind. Therefore, the men who had been traveling with him led him.
TheLordalsospoke to a faithful disciple named Ananias giving him instructions to go over to Judas’s house and lay hands on Saul so that he might see. At this, even Ananias hesitated. He explained to God that he had heard about this Saul of Tarsus, and now Saul had received authority to bind all followers of Jesus.
Ananias wasn’t telling the Lord anything new, but sometimes we forget things like that when we pray. Apart from trusting the Lord, even if what we’ve heard was true, the situation might have changed.
Atthispivotalpoint in Christian history, after receiving assurances from the Lord, Ananias put aside what he had heard and trusted God.
[Considertheimportance of trusting God rather than what we hear from other sources. Also consider the courage required at times to obey God rather than doing what seems to be expedient.]