Sunday

“Let God transform you into a new person

by changing the way you think.”

~Romans 12:2 NLT~

Week of Prayer for State (Louisiana) Missions – Sept. 13-20

Day 1 – Main Street Mission, Pineville

“…for we are laborers together with God.” 1 Corinthians 3:9.

Paul uses the word “we” inclusively, bringing every believer into the picture. He addresses all believers with a heart for making a difference. Believers have the responsibility to be on mission to spread God’s Good News of salvation and eternal life to the lost and unchurched in Louisiana.

At 3:00 on a hot July Thursday, the last thing a mission pastor wants to hear is the “clank, clank, clank,” of an air conditioner fan as it slowly quits turning or to discover a ceiling leak after an extremely bad thunderstorm. He whispers a prayer plea – “Who do I call now, Lord?”

We Louisiana Baptists meet this type of need through the Georgia Barnette State Missions Offering. Ask Herb Cady of Pineville’s Main Street Mission. An emergency grant, matched by funds from the sponsoring church, First Baptist, Pineville and North Rapides Baptist Association helped replace their leaking roof two summers ago.

This is only one of the many mission churches to receive emergency assistance. When you pray today, bringing Herb Cady’s prayer requests to the throne of the One who knows our every need, pray that we will recognize the importance of faithful giving to meet emergencies.

• Thank God for the fact that emergency needs and equipment needs can be and are met.
• Pray that children and their families will hear the Gospel and respond to God’s offer of salvation as Herb Cady and others work with them.
• Pray that volunteers will hear and respond to God calling them and answer as Isaiah did, “Here am I, Lord, send me.” (Isaiah 6:8).

Adrianna Cavanaugh

http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/adriannacavanagh

Please continue to pray for Clarence Johnston and his family. Clarence was unable to receive the lung transplant the other night due to the fact the lungs were filled with puemonia. Continue to pray for a donor or some type of treatment will come available for him. This is a very difficult time for his family.

Laura DeBeblanc

Baptist Press

September 11, 2009

WASHINGTON–Rep.: Plan would lead to abortion increase. http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=31239

CAIRO–During Ramadan, Egypt arrests 155. http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=31240

TENNESSEE–INTERNATIONAL DIGEST: Convictions overturned for jailed Mexican Christians. http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=31241

LOUISIANA–9/11 REVISITED (First-Person): Just another day …. http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=31242

ILLINOIS–9/11 REVISITED (First-Person): A thought experiment. http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=31243

TEXAS–WEDGWOOD REMEMBERED: Shootings, 10 years ago, gripped pastor’s grief, theology. http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=31244

TEXAS–WEDGWOOD REMEMBERED: SWBTS remembers victims. http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=31245

TEXAS–WEDGWOOD REMEMBERED: Shooting killed 7. http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=31246

GEORGIA–NAMB staff goes to the mission field. http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=31247

Isabelle “Tizzi” Scarle Eckholdt
(August 15, 1944 – September 10, 2009)

Died on Thursday, September 10, 2009 at Acadian Medical Center in Eunice, LA. She was a native of Amite, LA and a resident of Eunice, LA. Age 65 years. She was a member of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. Visitation at McKneely Funeral Home, Amite, from 6 p.m. until 9 p.m. on Sunday and from 11 a.m. until religious services at 2 p.m. Monday. Interment Woodland Cemetery, Kentwood, LA. She is survived by son, Dr. Scott Eckholdt and his wife, Deborah, Eunice; 2 granddaughters, Ashton and Madison Eckholdt; 2 brothers, G. M. “Porgy” Scarle, III, Fluker and Marshall “Mike” Scarle, Mandeville. She was preceded in death by her parents, George Milford Scarle, II and Isabelle Bethune Kent Scarle. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donation to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Louisiana Chapter, 4613 Fairfield St., Metairie, LA 70006  LINK.

Dora Nell Martin Cannon
(July 28, 1933 – September 11, 2009)

Mrs. Dora Nell Martin Cannon a loving wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and sister was born July 28, 1933 and passed away at 6:15 a.m., Friday, September 11, 2009 at North Oaks Medical Center, Hammond. She was 76, a native of Walthall County, MS and a resident of the Mt. Nebo Community.

Mrs. Nell is survived by her husband, Earl K. Cannon, Mt. Nebo; 3 sons, Terry Cannon and wife, Pam, Ponchatoula; Randy Cannon and wife, Wanda, Amite; Marty Cannon, Mt. Nebo; a sister, Patricia Kinsella, Covington; a brother, Arnold Martin, Franklinton; 5 grandchildren, Kyra McDaniel and husband Chris, Mt. Nebo, Alissa Cannon, Mt. Nebo; Whitney Cannon, Wilmer; Justin Cannon and wife, Meshelle, Amite; Jennifer Richmond, Amite; 8 great-grandchildren, Kallin McDaniel, Kayden McDaniel, Raven Cannon, Devin Conti, Olivia Wascom, Gabrianna Cannon, Abbrianna Cannon, and Donovan Meyn.

Preceded in death by her parents, Clydie & Bertie Martin; a grandson, Ryan Cannon; a brother, J C Martin and a sister, Melva Martin Sandifer.

Visitation will be at the McKneely & Vaughn Funeral Home, Amite, on Saturday, September 12, 2009 from 9:00 a.m. until Religious Services in the funeral home Chapel at 12:00 Noon with Rev. Larry Blades officiating. Interment in the Dees Cemetery.

Pallbearers will be Justin Cannon, Chris McDaniel, Randy Cannon, Terry K. Cannon, Reed Dees & Joe Wayne Sandifer.

An on-line Guestbook and to view a Video Tribute is available at http://www.mckneelyvaughnfh.com

McKneely & Vaughn Funeral Home, Amite, is located at I-55N and Hwy 16W behind Mr. Tom’s Express Car Wash & Bond Eye Clinic.
PEACEFUL COEXISTENCE?

The story is told of a Russian named Ivanovich who visited the Moscow zoo for the first time.  To his amazement, he found a little lamb sharing the cage with a big fierce lion.

Ivanovich expressed surprise to his guide.  The guide smiled and said, “That is peaceful coexistence.”

When Ivanovich shook his head in a doubtful way, the guide explained, “Of course, we have to put in a fresh lamb every morning.”

As much as we should strive for peace, there are some things which simply cannot coexist peacefully — truth and error, righteousness and ungodliness, morality and immorality.  If we try to combine two such things in our lives, they will only coexist “peacefully” only if one gobbles up the other.  That’s why James was so forceful in his warning:

“You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God?  Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.” (James 4:4, NASB)

This verse frightens me more than just about any verse in the entire Bible, because I see the influence that “the world” has on me and on Christians around me.  We have just as much interest in accumulating “things” as the world does.  We often don’t do a better job of taking care of those in need than the world does.  We worry just as much as the world does.  We value the same things as the world does.  We imitate the world to such an extent that if you were to go into an average workplace and ask the boss, “Which of these men and women working for you are Christians?”, he wouldn’t be able to identify us.

Let us beware lest we make the mistake of thinking that our association with and imitation of “the world” doesn’t affect our relationship with God.  Some things can’t live in peaceful coexistence, and “whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God”!

Have a great day!

Alan Smith
Helen Street Church of Christ
Fayetteville, North Carolina

Have a great Lord’s Day!

Anna Lee