Please make plans to join us for family night
as we start a series on the backgrounds
of some of the songs we sing.

6:00 PM | Fellowship Hall

Menu for Family Night

Spaghetti, Tossed Salad,
Cheesecake

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Associational Brotherhood
Thursday, February 1st, 7:00 PM
New Hope Baptist, Sycamore
Hot Soup Supper Provided

All men are invited to join us.

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Giving as of January 23, 2024

Budget for 2024 . . . . . . . .  $329,423.00
Tithes Needed to Date . . . . . $19,005.18
Received to Date . . . . . . . . . $11,102.45
Needed for weekly budget . . .  $6,335.06
Tithes Received this week . . . . $2,591.25

MID-WEEK DEVOTION

Don’t forget to check out Brother David’s Mid-Week Devotion in the book of Psalms. They are uploaded each Wednesday on the sermon page.

From Our Pastor

It has often been stated that the only constant in life is change.  Every one of us is moving through our present circumstances on our way to different circumstances.  Life is a series of stages and phases.

How can we be sure that we are moving in the right direction?  As we face decisions and opportunities, we need to feel confident that we are on the right path.  We want to be sure that we are experiencing God’s will.

We find some excellent lessons in the life of David in 2 Samuel 2:1-7.  In these verses we see David made king of Judah on the way to being king of all Israel.  David’s decisions and actions are a wonderful lesson for us.

What did David do in this time?  First, David sought the Lord’s guidance.  After King Saul died, David asked God if he should return to Judah.  When God told David to return to Judah, David asked the Lord where in Judah he should go.  David sought the Lord’s guidance.

We must do the same.  As we go through a stage in life or transition to a new stage, we need to seek God’s guidance.  We do this by studying His Word, listening to Him in prayer, heeding wise counsel and by watching how God moves in circumstances and events.  We need to be sure that we are where God wills for us to be. 

Next, we follow the Lord.  When God reveals His will, we need to follow it.  When God told David to go to Hebron, David went to Hebron.  Though it may sound simple and obvious, it is imperative that we follow the Lord as He leads. 

After we have followed the Lord in all He wants us to do, we must wait for God to move.  David did not go to Hebron and say, “Make me king!”  No, he simply followed the Lord and let the Lord move the men of Judah to make him their king.  When Judah made Daniel king, he didn’t then tell all Israel to make him king.  He waited for God to do that – for 7 ½ years!  David followed the Lord and then waited on God to do as He willed.

Last, we learn from David the need to make the Lord the center of all that we do.  As David commended the men of Jabesh-Gilead for burying Saul, he told them they would be blessed by God and be shown His lovingkindness.  David’s words and. and actions made God the center.  This is what it means to be salt, light and a witness.  We need to make the Lord the center of our activities as David did.

David’s was going through a tremendous change in his life in the events of 2 Samuel 2.  It was clear he was moving the way God wanted him to go through those changes.  May we do the same.