Author: janicevance

             Perhaps you’ve heard about a Gallup poll reflecting a drastic drop in the number of Americans who believe in God. The latest poll shows that only 81% of Americans believe in God – down from 87% in 2017. The poll also showed that only four in ten believe God can intervene on people’s behalf through prayer. While these facts are disturbing, I urge everyone to examine the various demographics of this poll at:  https://news.gallup.com/poll/393737/belief-god-dips-new-low.aspx

            While we are saddened to see our nation drift farther and farther away from God, we are fearful our religious freedom is in jeopardy. Our Savior has told us what He expects of us: “Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 10:32-33; NKJV).

            As a Christian minority, will we be willing to hold true to the faith? Knowing what God expects of us and doing the same are often two different things. We already know that, or we’d never sin again (Romans 3:23; 1 John 1:8). If put to the test, will we deny our Lord or confess Him? I’m sure we’d all like to think we’d not be like Peter (Luke 22:33-34, 54-62). But God’s people must always be prepared to stand up for what is right, and the Scriptures are filled with many examples. Let’s keep building up our faith by reading about such in Daniel 1, 3, 6:10-28 or Hebrews 11.

            We are approaching my favorite time of the year – Christmas! However, the holidays can be a time of sadness and depression for those who have lost loved ones. On Sunday afternoon, November 6th, we will host a special session of GriefShare from 3:00-4:30 called “Surviving the Holidays”. This is for members of this congregation only. Then, beginning on January 8, 2023, we will host a 13-week session of GriefShare open to everyone. More details will be announced later.

Justin Morton

My first experience with fishing was in the pond behind our house, a pond I knew very well because I lost quite a few baseballs in that pond. However, I never spent much time fishing. Then one day my uncle was fishing and decided to teach me the finer points of his hobby. Within a matter of minutes, I had caught my first fish. As exciting as it was to catch that fish, do you know what I remember most about that day? I remember the fish struggling to survive. That fish wanted to be back in the water because water is a source of life for fish. Once a fish is out of water, it is unable to survive for very long.

Sometimes I feel as though Christians have a lot more in common with fish than we probably realize. You see, like fish, we sometimes take the bait and allow ourselves to be pulled away from our source of life into a world that threatens our survival. James said “A friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God” (James 4:4). When we allow ourselves to bite the lure the world dangles before us, we are pulled away from obedience to God. We find ourselves giving in to sin and thereby making ourselves an enemy to God.  Like fish, we take the bait and are pulled away into a world that threatens our survival, our eternal survival.  

Sure the bait looks appetizing, but it’s just a trick. By the time the fish realizes it has made a huge mistake, it is struggling to survive. Friends, let’s stay alert so we don’t take the bait that leads to our separation from God.

Fall is probably my favorite time of the year.  The chill in the air and a little reprieve from the hot summer along with the anticipation of the holidays make it a very exciting time.  It is also an exciting time for Walter Hill.  We have several fall activities coming up including a camping trip, RUSH at Freed-Hardeman, our Fall Fellowship, our teen’s Fall Retreat, and our Annual Gospel Singing.  If you haven’t attended our singing, please put it on your calendar now and make plans to attend.  It is a great evening of beautiful singing and beautiful fellowship!  I’m sure most families have events, vacations, or other activities planned this fall as well!   

The date of this bulletin should remind us of the brevity of life.  Some of us may recall the events on this day back in 2001 and for many of us, that day is still etched in our memory.  Other days in this month from recent years are also etched in our memory that remind us of the same.  As of today, there are 111 days left in 2022 (depending on how you count).  Little did we think about the time left in the year 2001 and how our lives would be changed after that single day.  It should remind us to treasure the time with which we have been blessed.  Count our blessings for the first 254 days of this year and make the most out of the 111 days left.  Don’t wait until 2023 to make new resolutions.  Resolve now to appreciate what we have, love who we have with us, and use the activities this fall to bring glory to an Almighty God and bring people to Christ!

by Justin Morton

Today begins a new quarter in our Bible school program. If you have not already done so, take some time to check out all the different class options we have available for our adults. There are so many different classes to choose from that I am sure you will find one on both Sunday and Wednesday nights you will enjoy.

And let’s not forget about our children. We are blessed at Walter Hill to have so many talented and capable teachers in our children’s classes! Do not miss the opportunity you have every Sunday and Wednesday to bring your child to Bible class. Your kids will really enjoy the classes and learn a whole lot about God’s Word too.

Throughout the Bible, we see over and over again the importance of studying God’s Word (Psa. 1:1-2; 119:9, 11,16, 97). The Psalmist said, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” (Psa. 119:105). Can you image being in darkness and having access to a lamp but choosing not to make use of it? That would not make any sense. Likewise, we have this lamp, the Bible, to help direct us through this dark world; let’s make sure we are using our lamp.

Let me challenge each of us to be here every Sunday and Wednesday night for our Bible classes. Let’s see if we can raise our attendance for each of these nights to at least 200 present. I know we can do it. What do you say? Will you choose to take advantage and make the most of this opportunity to engage in a deep study of God’s Word?

            Thursday, September 1, marks the beginning of National Suicide Prevention Month. Boston Children’s Hospital has this staggering statement on its web site about suicide in children and teens: “Among children between the ages of 15 and 19, suicide is the second leading cause of death, and the leading cause of death for 14- to 15-year-olds, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.” According to the VA, the suicide rate for veterans is 1.5 times the rate of non-veteran adults. Depression and suicide are real problems in today’s world. And most of us are ill-equipped to confront these issues.

            Depression and suicidal thoughts have been around almost from the beginning of civilization. The prophet Elijah – undoubtedly a great man of God – provides a great case study for Bible students (1 Kings 19:1-18). To attribute such thoughts and behavior to a lack of faith is very naïve. Most of us need some help and encouragement to weather life’s storms.

            If you have a smart phone, please download an app dealing with suicide prevention and help just in case you ever need it. Three such apps are: A Friend Asks; SPA (Suicide Prevention App); and SAMHSA. All have the 24/7 phone number for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline – 1-800-273-8255. You can always dial 911 in an emergency, but 988 is the new Suicide and Crisis Lifeline number. Hopefully, none of us will ever need this help line, but if we do, these are the experts!

            As you read through the gospels, notice how often Jesus took care of someone’s mental or physical problems before expecting them to follow Him. For example, consider the demon-possessed man in Luke 8:26-39 or the four thousand He fed in Matthew 15:32-39. Seeking help when needed is a sign of wisdom – not weakness!

By Justin Morton

Sometimes we can walk into people’s lives at just the right moment. Do you recall the story of Naaman (2 Kings 5)? Naaman was a mighty warrior who was highly regarded by his master because he was a successful military leader. However, despite his great military success, Naaman had one big problem: he was a leper. As the leprosy progressed, it had the potential to completely change Naaman’s life.

But, at just the right moment in time, a young servant girl who served Naaman’s wife, shared some news that led to his healing. She told her master about the prophet Elisha and his ability to perform miracles (2 Kings 5:2-3). Now consider that this young girl could have kept quiet and let Naaman continue to suffer. She could have decided Naaman was a lost cause who wouldn’t believe her since she was just a servant. Although she had several options, she chose to do the right thing. The young girl made a decision to share news with Naaman that eventually led to his healing.

Like Naaman, many people find themselves in the midst of a major problem. They are infected with a life altering disease known as sin (Rom. 3:23). If not treated properly, this disease will ultimately kill them for all of eternity (Rom. 6:23).

Friends, we have a choice. Will we share the lifesaving news we have been entrusted with or will we choose to keep quiet? I am certain there is a Naaman in your life who needs you to step out of your comfort zone and share the good news of Jesus with him or her. Why wait? Work up the courage to share the amazing, lifesaving news of the gospel sometime this week.

A few weeks ago, many of us met before Sunday evening services to stuff envelopes with a letter, a book titled “Reasons to Believe”, written by Kyle Butt and Eric Lyons, and a bookmark with a link to the World Video Bible School website which encourages the study of God’s word.  We mailed out 681 of these packages to our neighbors in the Walter Hill Community. 

Thanks to all of you who were able to meet to help in this effort.  Our intent was to remind those in our community that through the struggles the pandemic has caused and the effect it has had on the economy, one thing remains constant, that is God.  We also wanted to encourage the study of His word.  We are reminded of the parable of the Sower in Matthew 13.  Our hope is that the seeds we have sown will be as those which fell on the good ground, that they will bear much fruit.  How fortunate we are to be able to assemble each Lord’s Day to worship God who loves us.  Let us all remember the Great Commission given by our Lord in Matthew 28:18-20 and be sure we are doing our part to teach others about Jesus. 

by Justin Morton

For some of us, a new season is beginning! It’s not quite fall just yet, but many of our Walter Hall family have entered into a new season of our lives. This summer some of our members have gotten married, had children, moved to new homes, started new jobs, and our students, educators and support staff are headed back to school; maybe some of you are beginning a new season as empty-nesters. Even if you haven’t made a major life change over the last few months, consider that the upcoming weeks present all of us with an exciting opportunity.

New seasons and stages often cause us to make changes, to look for ways to do things differently than we did in the past. Perhaps some of our students want to make better grades or to forge stronger friendships. Maybe some of our adults want to improve job performance or to commit to budgeting. Whether we are going to school or work or beginning a new stage in our home lives, let’s desire to make tomorrow a new beginning of letting our lights shine brightly for Jesus.

Jesus said, “Let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 5:16). Making good grades and increasing work performance are good things; however, living our lives for Jesus in a way that others want to know more about Him is even better. I pray this season of your life is a blessing and you accomplish all of your goals. But most importantly, I pray in the coming weeks you will shine your light for Jesus! 

Jesus Christ Our Priority

As summer winds down and we begin to prepare for another school year, I’d like for us to reflect on our priorities. Greg McKeown in his book “Essentialism” points out the word “priority” was introduced into the English language in the 1400s and was singular. It wasn’t until the 1900s that the word was used in its plural form, “priorities.” Today, the word priority is used to describe what is most important in our life, but we typically talk about our multiple priorities. We attempt to make many things of upmost importance. It feels like many of our priorities conflict with one another, competing for our time, energy, and resources.

Perhaps, we would do better if instead of thinking about all of our many priorities, we just focused on our priority, Jesus Christ! When we focus on Christ as the one and only priority in our life all other things fall into place as they should. Paul’s statement in Philippians 1:21 shows what having Christ as the priority looks like, ^“For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.”

We now stand at the door of a new school year, routines will be changing, new activities will begin, and our schedules will be full. However, let us not lose sight of our priority. Let us keep Christ number one and not let anything become even close to as important in our hearts. When we have opportunities to meet with our brothers and sisters to study God’s Word, let’s take advantage of the opportunities. It’s hard to say Jesus is the priority in our life when we allow other “priorities” to get in the way of spending time in His Word with the church He died to create.

            Occasionally, I loosely borrow the quote from Amos 7:14 that “I am not a prophet nor a son of a prophet.” Then I’ll go on and make a prediction about who’s going to win a sports event or do something else in the future. I’ve also talked to people who’ve endured horrible tragedies. Most all have stated that it’s best we don’t know what the future holds – and I wholeheartedly agree! There are just some things we can’t prepare for even if we know about them beforehand.

            However, there are several things we do know await each of us. Jesus is coming again (Acts 1:9-11). All of us are assured of death unless Christ comes while we’re still alive (Hebrews 9:27; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17). There will be a resurrection of the dead when Christ returns – some to eternal life and some to eternal condemnation (John 5:25-29). Many passages warn us of the judgment to come (Hebrews 9:27; Acts 10:42; 2 Timothy 4:1; and Matthew 25:31-46). No one will escape the final judgment (Romans 14:10-11; 2 Corinthians 5:10). There are only two possible destinations for eternity – one for the saved and one for the condemned (Mark 16:16). Each of us is making a choice each moment of our lives as to where we will spend eternity. When we consider the horrors of hell and the place God has prepared for the devil and his angels, all of us should be like the apostle Paul – continually trying to persuade men to choose Christ as their Lord and Savior (Matthew 25:41; 2 Corinthians 5:11).

            Our Creator is a loving God, but He is also a righteous God – demanding justice: For we know Him who said, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord. And again, “The Lord will judge His people.” It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God (Hebrews 10:30-31; NKJV).