We had such great attendance as everyone gathered to worship at Mill Creek Baptist Church Sunday. Doug Cory greeted the congregation and special prayers were requested for Kevin Sherman, Alesia Parish, Kim LeeMasters, Polly Ritter, Cleta Lackey, Gene Hall, Barbara's friend, Marlene's brother, Wayne and Becky Johnson and unspoken. In announcements, we will deliver gifts to the children on Friday at noon. We are also busy working on our SWC Christmas parade entry, "The King Is Coming." Our annual Christmas program directed by Terry Lett will be held Sunday, Dec. 22, during the morning worship service.

Janet Chaney gave the devotional, "What You Do With Your Time." She shared a story about a man's life and the box that contained a pocket watch representing time, the most valuable thing in his life. Time is especially important to many of us, especially during this busy time of the year. We must always remember to trust in God's time.

Mitchell Lett and Tyrel Lett served as ushers and collected the offertory as Susan Cory played "Silent Night." Congregational hymns included Christmas carols led by Karen Gardner.

Sunday's message concluded the sermon series on emotions and feelings. Scripture was Matthew 5:23-24 from the Sermon on the Mount where Jesus says, "Therefore, if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift."

The title of Sunday's message was "Hung in offense." Our pastor, Brother Mark Hall began by saying that, no matter how long you have been a Christian, the devil always has one last weapon that he uses to get to us and that is playing on our emotions and feelings. We must always be on our guard.

Brother Mark talked about crossing a fence and getting hung up on barbwire. "Getting hung up in a fence is like getting hung up in offense. Just like crossing fences, we seem to get hung up in offense more and more the older we get. When offense becomes a fence, you can get hung up in offense the same as you can a fence and not reach your blessings on the other side. When we get hung up in a fence, we can stay there or get out.

When you come to the altar to meet with God, you are coming to make an exchange. You come and leave with a blessing. But when you get hung up in offense, you go away with nothing. Is it worse to be the offender or to be the offended? Nothing will stunt spiritual growth in life and church more. The offended get hung up in offense and can't maintain happiness for any time and share no blessings or praise. Being hung in offense usually means sharing pain, always having something wrong and being critical of everything.

The hypocritical are always hypercritical. It is always someone else's fault. The offended believe in the Golden Rule in reverse. "Do for me what I never bothered to do for you." If you really get hung up on offense, you become totally oblivious to your status and then you just become angry. Brother Mark read Proverbs 19:11, "The discretion of a man makes him slow to anger, and his glory is to overlook a transgression." Brother Mark said, "When we become offended by someone, we have been guilty of the same thing."

Ecclesiastes 7:21-22 says, "Also do not take to heart everything people say, lest you hear your servant cursing you. For many times, also, your own heart has known that even you have cursed others." Brother Mark asked, "Why is it that everyone else's mistakes seem worse than our own? We do it ourselves, but don't stop to remember that when we talk about someone else. When we do that, we rob ourselves of blessings, peace, joy, contentment and mostly our fellowship with God."

Brother Mark again referred to Matthew 5:23-24 and asked, "How do we reconcile with our brother? We treat them like a brother again. When you do that, it becomes easy to forgive them and we forget the offense. It is hard to take offense to someone that you love."

In Luke 23:34, even when Jesus is being crucified, He says, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do." Brother Mark said, "Jesus did that because of His ultimate love for us. He forgave them."

In closing, Brother Mark told us that ultimately, we know who the judge is and He is justified. "When you are willing to have that Christ-like character, the better we come to understand Jesus Christ and the less time we spend hung up in offense. When you are hung up in offense and bring it to the altar, the blessings will flow."

Our hymn of invitation was "Have Thine Own Way, Lord," and Wayne Holly gave the benediction.

We invite you to worship with us during the Christmas season as we celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Everyone is welcome at Mill Creek Baptist Church. Sunday school begins at 10 a.m. and morning service at 11 a.m. Mill Creek Baptist Church is located 3 miles east of Noel or 8 miles west of I49, just off Highway 90, on Upper Mill Creek Road.

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RELIGION: Learn to Forgive and Forget - Mdcp.nwaonline.com