ARE YOU DOWN IN THE
PIT(S)?
"And it came to
pass, when Joseph was come unto his
brethren, that they stripped Joseph
out of his coat, his coat of many
colors that was on him, and they
took him, and cast him into a pit:
and the pit was empty, there was no
water in it" (Genesis 37:23-24)
Have you ever felt like Joseph must
have felt on this occasion?
Forsaken by those who loved
you--having that which was precious
to you taken away (his freedom and
his coat)? Their original thought
was to kill him, but eventually they
chose to get rid of him by selling
him to Ishmaelite traders. They
thought they were through with
Joseph, but God intervened.
Trials in life make us bitter or
better. Problems can either be
opportunities to strive to do the
right thing or they can be obstacles
that cause us to shrink back and not
to do what we can to fix the
problem.
A friend once called me with a
personal problem. His words were,
"I'm about at the end of my rope--I
do not know where to turn." He was
down in the pits, but instead of
withdrawing and giving up, he asked
for help. He surrounded himself
with resources (his friends) who
could give him counsel and insight
into how he could get out of the
pits. Today he is much better
because he allowed the "bumps" in
his road to lift him up to a higher
plane of living.
Joseph no longer had his family,
but he had the greatest friend man
ever had--his God (Romans 8:31).
His days of despair were not over.
He ended up in the pit (prison)
again because he maintained his
integrity and his accountability to
God. "How then can I do this great
wickedness, and sin against God?"
(Genesis 39:9). Even in prison, God
was watching over him and blessed
him (Genesis 39:21-23). In the end,
God made Joseph the second in
command of the pagan nation of
Egypt. Joseph was reunited with his
people, and ultimately
(providentially) his family became
the nation of Israel that inherited
the Promised Land.
God had promised that He will not
forsake us (Hebrews 13:5-6). Even
when we must travel through the
valley of death, He has promised to
stay with us (Psalm 23:4). May we
look for the help He makes available
to us, and may we strive to use the
problems of life as stepping stones
to great service and as
opportunities to grow and to become
better, stronger children of God.
~~Don Williams, The
Lincoln Light, Huntsville, AL
THE
BENTLEY’S ARE COMING
Richard,
Laura, and Jonathan Bentley
will be moving to Clinton around the 1st
of October to begin their work with the
Clinton congregation. We look forward
to getting to know the Bentley’s and
working with them in our service to the
Lord.
R U S H
Freed-Hardeman University
September 17 - 19, 2010
RUSH
is for high school AND middle school
kids. You must see Joey Smith by
this evening if you want to go.
DIANA SINGING
We will be taking the van to the DIANA
SINGING Sept. 10. The singing is held
in a hay shed built especially for this
event that began in 1969. Now over 3,000
visitors regularly attend the singing.
This will be an overnight trip and cost
will be determined. Sign the list in
the foyer if you would like to go. See
Gail Sharp for more information.
FINGERFOOD FELLOWSHIP
Our
Fingerfood Fellowship for this month
will be following our morning service
today instead of after our evening
service. Please stay for this special
fellowship.
CONGREGATIONAL HISTORY
Joey
Smith
is
collecting anything (photos, bulletins,
directories, etc) of historic value to
the Clinton congregation. He is going
to put together a permanent collection
and display of these items. If anyone
has anything they'd like to donate from
"the old days" of Clinton, please give
them to Joey.
FALL
COAT/CLOTHING GIVEAWAY
The
youth group will be collecting coats
and clothing for a Giveaway in the fall
as a service project. If you have any to
donate, please place them in the closet
across the hall from the pantry.
CONGREGATIONAL CAMPOUT
October 1 – 2, 2010
Everyone
is invited to come and enjoy a time for
food a fellowship at Anderson County
Park, a great place to camp on Norris
Lake. Bring a lawn chair and a throw as
we gather around a campfire for singing
and a devotional on Friday night. Spend
the night Friday if you wish or come
back Saturday for some outdoor
activities. Pick up a flyer for a
camping list and some of the activities
that will take place. See James
McCrary for more information.
QUILTERS NEEDED
Quilters
and “Wannabee” quilters meet on Monday
evenings starting around 5:30 to quilt.
Come when you can. No experience
necessary!
YOUTH
DEVOTIONALS
Beginning in the fall, when school
starts back, we are going to start
monthly devotionals for our youth at
various members’ houses. Please give
Joey your input on what evening you
think would be best for the
devotionals. Sign the list in the foyer
if you would like to host one of these
monthly devotionals.
PRAYER LIST
Please
remember the following in your prayers:
Jennifer
Carden, Norma Cooper’s grandson’s wife,
had brain
surgery on Thursday.
Garry
Jones
is now in
India but has not been feeling well.
Betty Lay
has been having some heart trouble.
Scott
Melton
is undergoing medical treatment.
Nicholas
Miller,
a 16-year-old neighbor of Ouita Northcutt has leukemia. A Blood
Draw is being planned for his benefit.
Lisa Muse
is having some serious medical tests
done and is in need of our prayers.
Jim Nash
is undergoing dialysis.
Carl
Rutherford’s sister, Phyllis,
fell
and broke her hip and has developed a
blood clot.
Lou Amorabella, Maydene Asbury, Pearl
Colvin, Steven Day, Vera Douglas, Helen
Gilbreath, Amber Kenyon, Betty Lay,
Joellen Macrina, Jean McAmis, Scott
Melton, Derek Miller, Nicholas Miller,
Jim & Lillian Redden, Peggy Sebring,
Elmira Trentham, RoyLyn Young, Our
troops, Our elders, Our Mission Works
SHUT-INS
Wally
Caulo---Wartburg
Iva Jones---Briarcliff
Ann
Nygard---Courtyards
Assisted Living
Please
let Gail Sharp know if anybody needs to
be added to or removed from the prayer
list.
PANTRY
ITEM
Canned Fruit
Two Seas in Israel
Just yesterday I returned home from my
first trip to Israel. Wow, it was a trip
that I will never forget. It certainly
helped to put countless biblical events
into perspective. One of the interesting
things I noticed while in Israel is that
there are two seas. You know them, the
Sea of Galilee and the Dead Sea. The Sea
of Galilee is alive. It is still fished
by local people, and its banks are alive
with lush vegetation. In stark contrast
to the Sea of Galilee is the Dead Sea.
It is appropriately named, because
nothing lives in its waters, and the
land that surrounds it is barren and
desolate.
How can two seas, which are so close
together, be so different? Both seas are
fed by the same water supply, the Jordan
river. So what accounts for one being
alive and the other dead? The answer is
this simple. The Sea of Galilee not only
receives fresh water from the Jordan,
but it gives that same fresh water on to
the Dead Sea. However, while the Dead
Sea receives the fresh waters from the
Jordan, it has not outlet, it doesn't
give, it hoards all that it receives,
and is thus dead.
Come to think of it, there are two kinds
of people in this world. Which are you?
Copyright C 2010, Steve Higginbotham.
Permission is granted to copy these
articles.
Serving the Congregation Today
AM
PM
Song
Leaders:
Joey Smith
Congregational Singing
Opening Prayer:
D.
Nicholson James McCrary
Lord’s
Table: Mike
Smith, Hobert Humphrey,
Quentin Ashworth, Bob Hamby
Closing Prayer: Ben
Smith
Quentin Ashworth
PM
Table: Hubert Sharp
Announcements:
Dale
Mowery
Greeters: Mike
& Annette Smith
