Preached the Gospel to Myself and Others Again Today

Today I had the privilege to preach at the friendliest church we have attended since Sandhills PCA. Rev. Lee Shelnutt & his wife Joni were celebrating his parents 50th Wedding anniversary out of state and asked me to fill the pulpit. This church is just up the road from our home and we have attended about 3 times in between traveling and preaching in other churches. A sweet portion of the Body of Christ.

Westminster meet in a building that is officially owned by the United Methodist Church. The UMC congregation officially ceased to exist last week and have asked the trustees of the denomination to gift the building to Westminster. They are to find out this week the results of the trustee's decision. Pray for them.

It has been affirming all the opportunities God has given me to minister to others. I Corinthians 9:24-10:13 was the text today.

1 Corinthians 9:24-10:13

New International Version (NIV)

Copyright ©

 24Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.

 25Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.26Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. 27No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.

1For I do not want you to be ignorant of the fact, brothers, that our forefathers were all under the cloud and that they all passed through the sea. 2They were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea. 3They all ate the same spiritual food 4and drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ. 5Nevertheless, God was not pleased with most of them; their bodies were scattered over the desert.

 6Now these things occurred as examples^[a] to keep us from setting our hearts on evil things as they did. 7Do not be idolaters, as some of them were; as it is written: "The people sat down to eat and drink and got up to indulge in pagan revelry."^[b] 8We should not commit sexual immorality, as some of them did—and in one day twenty-three thousand of them died. 9We should not test the Lord, as some of them did—and were killed by snakes. 10And do not grumble, as some of them did—and were killed by the destroying angel.

 11These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the fulfillment of the ages has come. 12So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don't fall! 13No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.