“Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you.”  James 4:8

Daily Bible Reading: Joshua 23:1 – 24:33 (“After these things Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of the Lord, died, being 110 years old.”)

This Week’s Memory Verse: “Have nothing to do with irreverent, silly myths. Rather train yourself for godliness.”  1 Timothy 4:7

Remember These In Prayer:

Arlene Kellum came through her surgery on Friday at Vanderbilt Medical Center.  Danny reported “all went well.  We are thankful for all the prayers.”

Carolyn Rupe is scheduled to undergo surgery on November 11 at Vanderbilt Medical Center to implant a shunt to drain excess fluid from her brain.

Brenda McKinnis is scheduled to undergo surgery at Vanderbilt Medical Center on November 13 following the recent discovery of breast cancer.

Sherry Carden is to undergo cataract surgery on November 19.  She has asked for our prayers for all to go well.

Ralph Quesinberry, father of Kelly Shaw and Brandon Quesinberry, was discharged from Johnson City Medical Center on Friday and is now staying with another daughter, Dedra.  Brandon reports that the recovery for the broken femur will be long, but that Ralph is having surprisingly little pain.

Houston Bacon, father of Jerry Bacon, continues his recovery at Johnson City Medical Center from head trauma suffered in a recent fall.  Jordan Bacon, his granddaughter, reports that “he’s been doing better than he was, but not his best still.”

Lin Chisam, mother of Scott Chisam, was to have undergone surgery on Friday at Johnson City Medical Center to implant two stents.  We received no update on how things went.  Keep her in your prayers.

Lee Davis has completed two rounds of chemotherapy for the MDS that was recently diagnosed.  Carla writes that “Lee has shown no improvement at this time, and his blood work is actually worse.  We pray that in time there will be a turnaround.”  They will leave Sunday morning to travel back to Nashville to meet with Lee’s doctor on Tuesday.  Carla also writes, “Please keep us in your prayers”, and that “communications from brothers and sisters in Christ really do brighten our days.”

The family of Faye Ray, wife of Collis Ray and a member of the Maple Avenue Church of Christ in Lancaster, Kentucky, is mourning her passing on Thursday following a couple of weeks of health issues.  Collis is one of the elders of that congregation, and this is the church I was with recently in a gospel meeting.

Tomorrow Is The Lord’s Day!  Spend some time today preparing your heart for worship tomorrow.  Let’s give the Lord our very best worship.  Join us for Bible study at 9:15, and for worship at 10:15 and at 6:00.

“Sharing Thanksgiving” Begins: Tomorrow you will be encouraged to take one or more of the bags that you’ll see at either of the Welcome Centers.  On each bag is posted a list of items that will make a complete Thanksgiving meal.  Please fill these and have them back to our building by Sunday, November 24.  These will then be distributed to families in need in our community.  Monetary donations are also needed to help purchase the hams that will be given out.

Happy 95th!  In speaking with former member Wanda Lewis on Friday we learned that her husband Boyd will celebrate his 95th birthday on Sunday.  Boyd and Wanda now live in St. Augustine, Florida.  Wanda sends her greetings to all, and says she misses her long-time church family.  Her address is 165 Silver Lane, # 218, St. Augustine, FL, 32084.

More Will Graduate This Evening from NewLife Behavior courses taught at the Mountain City prison.  Students from “Christians Against Substance Abuse” and from “Managing My Anger” will receive their certificates and enjoy a meal prepared by Adam Maurer.  About 10 or 12 from Central will be in attendance at the graduation.  Say a prayer that these studies will lead these men to a better life.

It’s Not Just Central that is involved in prison ministry.  The article you can read by clicking here states that more than 10,000 per year are being baptized by churches of Christ in the U.S.  A leading figure in prison ministry among our churches is Buck Griffith, of the Kings Crossing Church of Christ in Corpus Christi, Texas.  He’s the brother who helped our own Marshall Danby get into this work.

The Preciousness Of The Creator:  *  “Nothing teaches us about the preciousness of the Creator as much as when we learn the emptiness of everything else.”  (Charles Spurgeon)  *  “But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’ So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.”  (Luke 12:20,21)