A group of four year olds were gathered in a Sunday school class in Chattanooga.  The teacher, looking at her class enthusiastically, asked, “Does anyone know what today is?”   One little girl knew.  “It’s Palm Sunday!” she said.
 “Very good,” said the teacher. “And does anyone know what next Sunday is?” The same little girl lifted her hand again.  “Yes, next Sunday is Easter.” She announced.

The teacher was very pleased with this little girl, and she complimented her effusively before asking a third question.  “Now, does anyone know what makes Easter so special?” It was the same little girl who again raised her hand and offered this answer: “Yes, next Sunday is Easter because Jesus rose from the dead…”  Before the teacher could compliment her, she kept on talking: “…but if he sees his shadow, he has to go back in for seven weeks.”

-Copied-

A man was lost while driving through the country.  As he tried to read a map, he accidentally drove off the road into a ditch.  Though he wasn’t injured, his car was stuck deep in the mud.  So the man walked to a nearby farm to ask for help.

 “Warwick can get you out of that ditch,” said the farmer, pointing to an old mule standing in a field.  The man looked at the haggardly mule and looked at the farmer who just stood there repeating, “Yep, old Warwick can do the job.”  The man figured he had nothing to lose.  The two men and Warwick made their way back to the ditch and stuck car.

 The farmer hitched the mule to the car.  With a snap of the reins he shouted, “Pull, Fred! Pull, Jack! Pull, Ted! Pull, Warwick!” And the mule pulled the car from the ditch with very little effort.

 The man was amazed.  He thanked the farmer, patted the mule and asked, “Why did you call out all those other names before you called Warwick?”

 The farmer grinned and said, “Old Warwick is just about blind.  As long as he believes he’s part of a team, he doesn’t mind pulling.”

-Copied-

All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It straightens us out and teaches us to do what is right. 2 Timothy 3:16

YOU WAKE UP on the morning of your sixteenth birthday and stumble into the kitchen for breakfast. Your mom greets you with a kiss and a cheery “Happy Birthday!” Then she adds, “There’s something out in the driveway for you!”  You race outside with your mom right behind you. You stop a few feet from the driveway and stare. “It’s not new,” Mom says, nodding to the car in the driveway, “but it has a CD player that works, just like you wanted.”  You look at your mom and then back at the car. “But where are the wheels?”
 You get closer to the car. “And there’s no steering wheel either!”
 “But look at that CD player,” Mom announces proudly. “Pretty neat, huh?”
 You pop the hood to take a look. “There’s no engine!” you bellow.
 “You didn’t say you wanted all those things,” she says in a huff. “You just said you wanted a car with a CD player that works.”
 “Mom!” You’re trying not to shout. “It has to have all those things. “If it doesn’t, it’s not a car. It’s just…it’s just a piece of junk!”
 No one expects a car to work without tires, a steering wheel, and an engine. Without that basic equipment you really are the owner of a piece of junk.
 It’s the same with finding a trustworthy way to help you decide issues of right and wrong. You need a standard. And a true standard requires some basic equipment, or it’s no standard at all – just a piece of junk.
 First, a true standard of right and wrong has to be objective, meaning it exists independently of what you or any other person thinks or feels.
 Second, a true standard of right and wrong must be universal, applying to all people in all places.
 Third, a true standard of right and wrong is constant, meaning it doesn’t change. If standards change, you never know what the rules are. What is right in one generation may be wrong in the next.
 Someone uniquely loving and smart knew that you would need an objective, universal, and constant standard to teach you the truth and help you tell right from wrong. God didn’t plop you on this planet without a reliable guide for making right choices. He gave you the Bible as your flawless map to life.
 

Nabal is a churlish, rude and arrogant man, who refused to help God’s cause   and God’s man.  In contrast, his wife Abigail was kind, helpful and a beautiful woman.   She tried to help Nabal to overcome being stingy and selfish.  When Nabal refused to help God’s cause, he got drunk in an orgy state and died of fright.  What a contrast in the home!   
Here are Nabal’s advantages:
  1)  He belonged to a good family.
  2) He married an excellent wife.
  3) Nabal enjoyed plenty of prosperity and money.
  4) He could have honored God’s man, David.
  5)  Nabal should have been thankful to God, the provider.

What lessons do we learn from Nabal?
  1) The worth of a person consists not in what they have, but in what they are.
  2) Wealth and money places on a person a serious responsibility
  for a Godly use in life.
  3) A person’s position on earth disappears in the light of eternity.
  So honor God!
            Dr. John Adams

These seven men & wives were introduced Sunday, February 19th, as prospective candidates for Deacon and wife church ministry.  First Baptist will formerly vote in the March 4th A.M. service.  If approved, we will ordain these men on April 29th at a 2:00 service.  Pray for this Bible process.  

     F.B.C. Deacon Candidates & Wives are:

     1.  Jason Carter & wife – Erin
     2.  Scott Clouse & wife – Shauna
     3.  Grant Jenkins & wife – Andrea
     4.  Mark Jenkins & wife – Renee
     5.  Michael Johnson & wife – Elizabeth
     6.  Brent Kitchens & wife – Shasta
     7.  Derek Nichols & wife - Trinity

Being reconciled to one another is an important aspect of our Christian life.  Jesus said, “Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee; leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift” (Matt. 5:23, 24).

If you know you have offended someone, you need to make things right.  Go to the person for a face-to-face meeting or call on the phone if it is not possible to go in person.  Say to the person you have offended, “God has convicted me of my sin against you.  I have come to ask, “Will you forgive me?” Remain silent and wait for a response.
Keep the following in mind: (1) Do not say, “I’m sorry,” say, “Will you forgive me?”  There is a world of difference.  (2) Do not say, “If I have offended you,” instead say, “God has convicted me of my sin against you.”  (3) Do not involve anyone other than the person who has been offended by you.  It is unnecessary and may even be unwise.  (4) If the person does not immediately forgive you, be patient and wait for God to work in their heart.
          Dr. John Adams