Lunenburg United Methodist Charge
Antioch UMC Williams UMC
On our walk. . . . .
March 3, 2009
Romans 4: 16-21
Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace and may be guaranteed to all Abraham's offspring—not only to those who are of the law but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham. He is the father of us all. As it is written: "I have made you a father of many nations." He is our father in the sight of God, in whom he believed—the God who gives life to the dead and calls things that are not as though they were.
Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, "So shall your offspring be." Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead—since he was about a hundred years old—and that Sarah's womb was also dead. Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised.
Dead Ends
Oftentimes things do not always go as planned! At times, life is filled with dead ends. There are occupational dead-ends, financial dead-ends, relationship dead-ends, legal dead-ends – many and various dead-ends. How do you know when you have come to a dead-end in your life? You know it when things look hopeless. When you realize that God is going to have to perform a miracle for things to come out right! What do you do when you come to a dead-end? Remember what God can do. Don’t dwell on what you cannot do. Dwell on what God can do! Don’t dwell on the situation. Don’t fixate on the impossibility! Don’t look at what you can’t solve, instead of panicking focus on God. Faith is not just a positive mental attitude. It is not hoping or wishing.
Only God…
Gives life to the dead
Calls into being things that do not exist
God specializes in the impossible!
We serve a great God and there is nothing too hard for Him. The first thing we want to do when we are at a dead-end in our lives is to remember what God can do!
Recall What God Has Said
Find a promise in God’s Word and hold on to it. You won’t have any trouble finding one. There are over 7000 promises in the Word of God. God has placed them there for our benefit. “Focus on what God has promised! Sometimes when we hit dead-ends we begin to panic. But that is the time God says “Trust Me, believe My word.” Promises are only as good as the One making the promise, and if God is making a promise you can be sure He will keep it!
Resist the Facts with Faith.
Faith does not pretend there is no problem. Faith confronts and challenges the facts with faith. Faith does not deny difficulty. The denial of difficulty is fantasy. Faith is not convincing yourself that things don’t exist when they do or that things do exist when they don’t. The Bible never calls on us to ignore reality. Rather, it calls on us to put our faith in the Lord of reality. In other words, faith doesn’t declare the circumstances and natural barriers to be non-existent. Faith simply declares that God is not shackled by them as we are. Faith is facing the difficulty but realizing that our God is greater than any difficulty that can ever be thrown at us. Faith means you face the facts and aren’t discouraged by them but that you believe in the God who is bigger than the facts. The key to keep from getting discouraged is to look beyond the circumstances you are facing.
Don’t look inward -- you’ll be disgusted.
Don’t look at others -- you’ll be disappointed.
Don’t look backward -- you’ll be defeated.
Don’t look at circumstances -- you’ll be disheartened.
Don’t look at blessings -- you’ll be diverted.
Look at Jesus -- you’ll be delighted.
So much depends on our focus!
Reckon On God To Act.
The only type of faith that will work when you have a dead end situation is a personal faith. If there is not a living, dynamic faith, if it is not real and personal and based on God and His Word, your faith will fail in a difficult situation.
Dead ends will come, how will you handle them?
HAVE A BLESSED WEEK!
Opportunities for Ministry and Service
Monday, March 9
Bible Study @ Antioch @ 7:00 PM
Tuesday, March 10
Bible Study @ Audrey Smith’s @ 10:00 AM
Outreach Committees (Mission, Evangelism, Family Ministries) Meeting @ Antioch@7:00PM
Wednesday, March 11
Prayer Meeting @ Williams @ 5:45 PM
Choir Practice @ Williams @ 6:30 PM
Worship Events –March 8 - The Second Sunday of Lent
This week’s Sermon text : Mark 8:31-38
Hebrew text : Genesis 3: 8-13
Who Is Frank?
Recently you have seen the word “FRANK” showing upon our roadside sign as well as in our bulletins. What is, or who is “FRANK”? Well, frank is a special worship service that will take place on March 29th at Antioch. Each letter of the word has a meaning. For “F” it meant friend and for “R” it means relative. Each letter is a guide to invite someone to join us at worship on March 29. Plans are to have a special group from Tarboro, NC, Curtis Hyler & Jubilation, bring services to all that day. This group has been singing together for many years and they are well know in North Carolina and Virginia. Immediately after services there will be a luncheon. If you would like to help the Outreach Committees in their planning for this special day please contact Brenda Barnes, Betsey Hendricks, or Diane Overby.
Sunday School is available each Sunday morning. The importance of Sunday School is that, though you may think hearing the word will suffice for you, you really need to be in attendance at Sunday School to gather all the information that you can in an open discussion classroom. Jesus’ word cannot be totally understood just by listening to a sermon. You have to interact with it and with other Christians to learn what He was saying to us. This is a life long study and you should take part. There is a class for every age so please plan on joining us to learn more about our Lord, Jesus Christ. Sunday School at Williams begins at 10:45 AM and at Antioch at 10:00 AM.
Evening Bible Study Evening Bible study will continue on Mar.9 at 7:00PM at Antioch. We will be reviewing the first 10 chapters of Isaiah. We will discuss the events depicted in the book. If you are looking for a study of God’s word join us not only for the study, but good fellowship.
Morning Bible Study. Morning Bible study will meet this Tuesday Mar 10 @ 10:00 AM at Audrey Smith’s house when we will discuss the Book of Ecclesiastes. If you are looking for a study of God’s word join us not only for the study, but good fellowship.
Picture of Events.
If you would like to see pictures of recent events at Antioch please go to antiochmethodistchurch.org. This is the address for our webpage and it is updated as information becomes available.
If you cannot reach Rev. Ed at the parsonage, you may call him on his cell phone: 252-532-0952, parsonage phone: 434-676-2314 or 252-537-5705. He can also be reached via e-mail at revedumc@yahoo.com .
Prayer List
Please keep the following families in your prayers:
Becky Eades & boys
Edna A. Bagley
Dee Welch
Harry & Margaret Smith
Edith Parham
Bernard Bottoms
Walter B. & Carolyn Moseley
Tommy Cage
Bertha Bottoms
Fred & Denise Harper
Grace DiStefano
Betty Reese
CV & Agnes Thompson
Gertrude Hite
Grace Marshall
Nathan Hendricks
Hitson Family
Bertha Arthur
Margaret J. Conner
Catherine White
Allen Alcock
Sgt Christopher Thompson
Ann Faison
Douglas Stewart
Martha G. White
Jane Clarke
Layton Powell
Miranda Eley
Justin McDaniel
Alicia Clary
Ronnie Liestra
Vivian Rackley
Tony Chumney
Elizabeth Biggerstaff
Kay Thompson
Laura Dutzman
Rev. & Mrs Robert Day
Terrisa Thompson
Tom Fowler
Frances Hawthorne
Dorothy Ann Irby
Jeff Hendricks
Cameron Fowler
Brock Liles
Maria Kay
Kathy McReynolds
Sheila Cage
Red Tanner
Earl "Chucky” Barnes
David Jones
Edward Garner
Dee Walker
Linda Dunlow
Tommy Ray Gee
Anne Ilacqua
Brenda Epley
Kim Mc Henry
Sam & Clare Armstrong
Justine Mc Henry
Prayer Gram.
Please, when putting somebody’s name on our prayer list, PRINT their names and addresses if you have them. This will help us get the prayer grams out sooner and it will also make it easier to read during services.
A Final Word: A kindergarten teacher gave her class a 'show and tell' assignment. Each student was instructed to bring in an object to share with the class that represented their religion. The first student got up in front of the class and said, 'My name is Benjamin and I am Jewish and this is a Star of David.'
The second student got up in front of the class and said, 'My name is Mary. I'm a Catholic and this is a Rosary.'
The third student got in up front of the class and said, 'My name is Tommy. I am Methodist, and this is a casserole
Have a blessed week
