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Contributing Writers: David Mathis | Tim Perkins
Past Contributing Writers: Mike Mills, Spring Hill Church | Doug Fincher | Pastor Randy and Sue Smith | Mike Belgard
Faith
November 24, 2025 - Good Morning! It’s Monday, November 24. And we continue today our Thanksgiving series, with a look at a Bible character who was thankful.
The Apostle Paul wrote just about half of the New Testament - 12 books out of 27 - 13 if you believe that he wrote Hebrews. I do not. I like to believe, as do some theologians, that Paul’s fellow missionary, Priscilla, wrote Hebrews. Out of the 66 books in the Bible, it would be nice if at least one of them was written by a woman.
But I digress. Our focus this morning is thankfulness, and in almost every one of Paul’s books, or letters, he takes the opportunity to express his thankfulness for the churches to whom he was writing. Here are just a few examples.
- Romans 1:8 - I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you
- I Corinthians 1:4 - I give thanks always for you
- Ephesians 1:16 - I do not cease to give thanks for you
- Philippians 1:3 - I thank my God in all my remembrances of you
- Colossians 1:3 - We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you
- Philemon 1:4 - I thank God always when I remember you in my prayers
Well, you may say, those thank you notes all appear at the beginning of the letters, and that was something Paul included simply out of habit, like Dear Sir or Sincerely Yours. Even if that was true, and I don’t believe it was, Paul would still be making a choice to express thankfulness. And, when it comes down to it, isn’t that what every relationship is built upon - making the right choice? Making the choice to be encouraging, making the choice to be forgiving, making the choice to love.
I encourage you to make the choice this week to reach out to someone in thankfulness - what better time! Maybe a family member or friend, maybe a Sunday School teacher or your pastor, maybe someone from your past who made a difference in your life. What a blessing it would be for them to receive your message of thankfulness. What a blessing it would be for you to send it.
One last word from Paul, in I Thessalonians 5:18 - Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
Meet you back here tomorrow,
David
cindertex50@yahoo.com
November 20, 2025 - It’s the season for Thanksgiving, and to be sure, we have much to be thankful for. Most of us will never be rich in the way that the world measures riches, and yet, all of us may be rich toward God. The riches of the world are subject to loss, taxation and the fluctuation of the markets. The riches of God cannot be stolen, taxed or devalued. They can however be shared.
To many folks, there is only one kind of wealth. Houses, stocks, securities and money in the bank. Their happiness rises or falls with the stock markets. To these people everything has a monetary value. Often, only bitter experience is able to teach them that some things in life are more valuable than money.
The carpenter of Nazareth lived and died as one of the poorest men on the earth, yet he taught the true sense of values when he proclaimed, “A man’s life consists not in the abundance of the things he possesseth” (Luke 12:15) He came to enrich human life, to teach the value, not of man’s accumulations but of his soul. Faith, hope, love, these attributes of the soul, Jesus made them of inestimable value.
We must not let things which are part of the passing scene, stocks, houses, securities and money in the bank cloud our vision to the finer spiritual securities in Jesus Christ. Yes, at this season of the year we say, “Thank you Lord!”
It’s something to think about... tbp
Join Us for Worship This coming Lord’s Day
Center Church of Christ
www.centerchurchofchrist.com
November 18, 2025 - The Shelby County Ministerial Alliance invites you, your family, friends and neighbors to join us for a heart-warming Community Thanksgiving Service on Sunday, November 23rd at 6pm, hosted at First Baptist Church, Center.
We’re delighted to welcome Pastor Malcolm Monroe from First Methodist Church, Center, who will be sharing an uplifting message of gratitude and hope.
Got a Favorite Pie? Enter the Pie Judging Contest!
Add to the fun by sharing your best pie creation. Anyone can enter! Drop off your entry by 5:30pm. For more info, simply contact First Baptist Church at (936) 598-5605
November 17, 2025 - Pastor Donny Riley and the St. John Missionary Baptist Church in Tenaha Texas is cordially inviting everyone to their Annual Family and Friends day on Sunday, November 23 at 2:30pm. The guest Pastor for the service is Pastor Morgan and the Snowhill Baptist Church Ore City, Texas.
November 17, 2025 - Good Morning! It’s Monday, November 17.
Christmas is coming! Actually, it’s been coming for a while, with Yuletide items on store shelves for weeks and weeks. We give Christmas a “wide berth.” We give it plenty of room, plenty of focus, plenty of time. But most holidays are just one day affairs, one-offs, one and done. Usually that’s fine with me. One day to feed candy to the little neighborhood monsters, one day to buy candy for our sweethearts, one day to - well, do whatever it is we’re supposed to do on Arbor Day.
But it doesn’t seem right, somehow, that we only set aside one day... for Thanksgiving. And we don’t really give thankfulness a full 24 hours - sandwiching a short prayer between the eating and the football. A spirit of thankfulness, a lifestyle of thankfulness, deserves more than just one day. So, for the next couple of weeks, here at the Daily Devotion, we’ll focus on Thanksgiving, on preparing our minds and hearts for this important holiday. We’ll look at songs of thanks. We’ll remember Bible characters who were thankful. We’ll recall Christ’s teachings on this subject that is a foundation of our faith.
Let’s “prime the pump” with some scriptures.
- “Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise; give thanks to Him and praise his name.” Psalm 100:4
- “Since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be stolen, let us be thankful...” Hebrews 12:28
- “Be joyful always; pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances...” I Thessalonians 16:18
- “Let the peace of God rule in your hearts, since as members of one body, you were called to peace, and be thankful.” Colossians 2:6-7
- “Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!” 2 Corinthians 9:15
Meet you back here tomorrow,
David
cindertex50@yahoo.com
November 14, 2025 - Pleasant Grove MBC (Hwy 87) will be hosting a Coat Drive in two locations on Nov 22, 2025 from 10am to 1pm. The two locations are:
- Hosea's House PRC, 310 Jacob's Street, Timpson
- New Life Church, 822 Hurst St, Center
Please donate new or gently used coats of all sizes. All coats collected will be given to Hosea's House and Shelby County Outreach to bless families in our community.
Help us. No one needs to go cold.
Pastor: Josh Crawford
Presented by Janette Purvis, church member.
November 10, 2025 - Good Morning! It’s Monday, November 10.
Today’s devotion remembers something that happened on November 10, and prepares us for something that will happen on November 11.
On this day in 1954, the Marine Memorial was dedicated in Washington D.C. It stands just outside of Arlington National Cemetery. Have you seen it? If not, then you’ve certainly seen the photograph that inspired it, the photograph of the raising of the flag on Iwo Jima. The Battle of Iwo Jima was one of the bloodiest conflicts of World War II. Over 6000 Marines lost their lives, trying to wrest control of that small, volcanic island from the Japanese. And finally, on February 23, 1945, six Marines raised the American flag in victory.
The picture of that moment is one of the most famous photographs in history. Film of that event was shot by Marine Sergeant Ben Genaust, shortly before he was killed in action. We remember him today, and those six Marines, and the 6000. And tomorrow, Veteran’s Day, we remember all those who have served our country and protected our freedom. I’m sure that there are veterans in your life, in your family, in your community, in your church. Take a moment to thank them. Take a moment to honor them. Take a moment to remember.
Meet you back here tomorrow,
David
cindertex50@yahoo.com
November 6, 2025 - A Love program will be hosted at 2pm on Sunday, November 9 for Charlene Cooper on the loss of her son Jeremy Smith who lost his life a month ago. The Love program will be held at Mt. Gillion Baptist Church with Rev. Rayford Caraway, 5545 State Highway 87 N, Center, TX 75935.
She as well as her son are known in the Shelby County Community, and we want people to show their love and support as she has done for others in the past.
November 6, 2025 - The 1st Annual Thanksgiving Community Gathering hosted by A Call To Help Ministries is planned for Saturday, November 22, 2025 for 12 noon until 3pm. Donation tickets will be $5.00 per person. Tickets sell now through November 11th.
Please note: If you DO NOT have a donation please still attend.
Happy Thanksgiving! Psalms 107:1 ~ Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.
The gathering will be held at the Burning Bush Venue, 1229 Southview Circle, Center, Texas 75935. Dress Attire is Black and White. RSVP by November 15, 2025. Event Date is November 22, 2025.
May the Peace of God rest upon each of you!
November 6, 2025 - Blount Chapel Baptist Church is hosting a Bake Sale from 9am until 1pm on Saturday, November 8, 2025 in front of H&S Grocery Store in Center, Texas. Come for the sweets!
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