One thing about watching Oklahoma weather reports is that we are prepared well in advance for winter storms whether they develop or not! Think of all the children who were disappointed that the possibility of a snow day just fi zzled into nothing--and all the happy parents who didn’t have to drive to work on snow covered ice rinks!

On Sunday, December 16^th , we will enjoy a fellowship meal in—where else—the fellowship hall. Then anyone who wants to sing or make a joyful noise is invited to go to the nursing home in Holdenville at 2:00 to sing Christmas carols and deliver cookies.

The Women’s Bible Study group will meet on Tuesday morning, the 18^th , at 9:30 in the fellowship hall. You will want to be there to fellowship with friends a bit and dig a little deeper into scripture than you might normally do.

This Sunday the wasp killin’ award went to Reverend Brown who brought it down during the greet-your-neighbors portion of the morning service. However, his technique lacks a bit of the elegance that Shelley demonstrated. Shelley gracefully went right on with what she was doing immediately after killing the wasp. Bro. Darrell and Alex, who evidently assisted in the maneuver, broke forth in a victory dance while whooping and clapping their hands above their heads, stopping only just short of mayhem. Just comparing; that’s all.

James Hammonds and Ted Deaton sang “The Only Thing That Matters” as the special music selection Sunday. James commented that it isn’t really a Christmas song. It does remind us, though, that focusing more on the gifts and traditions of Christmas than the birth of our Savior isn’t so different from mankind’s tendency to lose focus on what is really important during the rest of the year as well.

Rev. Brown’s message was titled “Stuck in the Wilderness” and was based in Mark 1:1-15. When we accept Christ as our Savior we are redeemed from the state of sin that has afflicted mankind ever since Adam and Eve committed the sin of disobedience and were driven from The Garden of Eden.

Before Christ redeemed us we were in a state of sin and we were each classified as a sinner. After we accepted the salvation Christ bought for us we were no longer in a state of sin but were re-classified as a child of the King. However, because we are spiritual beings living in a physical body, we still have to deal with the temptation to sin.

How do we deal with this temptation to sin,? Also, how do we deal with the spiritual wounds we have acquired through our own sins and poor choices or from the abuse and other kinds of wounds caused by others? Before we became a child of the King, we were lost in a spiritual wilderness because of the sins we committed and the sins committed against us. Satan likes to bring all those up again and again so that the old fears, resentments, pain, and anger keep us feeling like we’re still in that wilderness.

At the beginning of his ministry, Jesus went out into the wilderness and dealt with it successfully. He sets us free and gives us the example we need to escape the spiritual wilderness.

First, is prayer and fasting. Pray and demonstrate your earnestness to choose pleasing God rather than giving in to sin.

Second, Use Scripture to answer Satan’s deceits and rationalizations. Study the Bible and memorize scriptures from it.

Third, be humble enough to ask Jesus to minister to you.

The devil will then leave you for a season, but be aware that he may come back to attack you with the same old things, wanting to trick you into believing that you are in the wilderness of your past again. Be ready to do serious battle with prayer, fasting, God’s Word, and humbly letting Jesus minister to you again—as often as you need to do battle over it.

Jesus changed your classification from “sinner” to “Child of the King.” Keep your focus on Him and let Him also lead you out of the wilderness by giving you victory over your temptations and your anguishing over past sins and hurts.