Wednesday

“The Holy Spirit will come upon you,

and the power of the Most High will overshadow you;

therefore the child to be born[e] will be called holy–the Son of God.”

~Luke 1: 35, ESV~

Jesse Dean’s sister, Patsy, is doing better.  A diagnosis is getting closer.  Plans are being made to transfer her to rehab.  Continue to pray for her.

Pray for Andy and Betty Taylor as they return to the doctor.  Andy hopes surgery will be scheduled to remove the rod in his right hand.  Pray all goes well with them.

Mike Moore of West Monroe learned last week that he has a melanoma behind one eye.  Yesterday, a doctor told him the melanoma usually travels through the blood to the liver, but this hasn’t happened yet with Mike.  Surgery to remove the melanoma has been scheduled for the first week of January.  Pray for the family.

FBC, Kentwood will make a schedule change tonight.  Prayer meeting will begin at 6 P.M. to fit better with the youth schedule.

I broke my arm at the shoulder one year ago today.  Since then, my life has been a whirl of doctors, tests, and hospitals because of my broken arm, Momma’s sickness and death, and my brain tumor.  I thank God for bringing me through this year and walking each step with me and my family.

Lottie Moon Christmas Offering®

Every penny given to Lottie Moon is used to support Southern Baptist missionaries as they share the Gospel overseas. The offering represents 57 percent of the International Mission Board’s total income.

Thought for the Day: Did You Remember to Light Your Candle?

A circus owner walked into a restaurant to see everyone crowded around a table watching a little show. On the table was an upside down pot and a duck tap dancing on it.

The circus owner was so impressed that he offered to buy the duck from its owner. After some wheeling and dealing they settled for $10,000 for the duck and the pot.

Three days later, the circus owner runs back to the restaurant in anger, “Your duck is a rip-off! I put him on the pot before a whole audience and he didn’t dance a single step!”

“So?” asked the duck’s former owner, “did you remember to light the candle under the pot?”

Well, that might be one reason that someone would put a lighted candle under a pot, but that’s not what candles are for! As Jesus said in the Sermon on the Mount, candles are meant to “give light to all who are in the house.” In like manner, our Christian lives are to “shine before men.” (Matt. 5:16-17). The reason is that we are to be a positive influence on others around us.

We sometimes speak of a “secret Christian” as if that’s a possibility. The truth is, unless our lives are reflecting the light of Jesus Christ, we’re not living Christian lives at all. If we don’t influence the world around us for Christ, the world will influence us.

“For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth).” (Eph. 5:8-9)

Did you remember to light your candle?

Have a great day!

Alan Smith

Jesus is the reason for the season!  Let your light shine for Him!

Anna Lee