Faith

Throughout the years, every time I’ve seen the title of this column, I have thought of the 23rd Psalm and flocks of sheep (or in our case, Angora goats). If you have not been a “herdsman”, you may wonder “How in the world do you get those critters to go where they need to go?” Those critters can be rather willful, but they do respond to gentle guidance and to the fulfillment of their need for food. The shepherd’s staff as a tool, has been around for centuries and can be used in ...

The Golden Rule seems to be one of the few universally constant mandates of morality. Most cultures and religions around the world maintain some version of this concept. The exact phrase may vary, but the sentiment expressed by them remains the same. Sometimes it is articulated in the negative: “Do not do to others what you do not want done to you.” Other cultures formulate the Golden Rule in the positive: “Treat others as you wish to be treated.” For us Christians, Jesus tells us,

Mason Young Life has been blessed to be in ministry with Mason high school students for 8 years. As we approach another amazing year of sharing the good news of the Gospel with students, we face a significant financial impact on the ministry due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Out of respect for our struggling families and businesses, we chose to cancel our Spring fundraiser and rely on monthly donors, cash reserves, and “belt tightening” to keep the ministry afloat.

As I sit here in an attitude of prayer, I’m asking Jesus to write what’s on His Heart upon the tables of my heart, so I can then, with His guidance, share with all who read this column. As I continue to sit here, I can’t help but ponder what the heart of God is in all this craziness? We see people in fear, we see despair, we see stealing, killing, and destroying; it’s right here in our own nation.

Proverbs 25:11 gives wise advice about how we should speak to one another as we live in community in God’s world: “A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in a setting of silver.” This verse encourages us to think carefully and considerately in our speaking and in our relationships in community together.

(Mason, Texas) - Students from around the Mason Area invite students from surrounding communities to share their Christian faith with fellow students during our 5th Annual National Fields of Faith Event. This interdenominational outreach event will be held in over 500 locations throughout the nation. Fields of Faith is structured as a student-to-student ministry.

The best way to ruin a good worry session is turning it into prayer. For the many people who struggle to pray, they seem to have no problem worrying. Actually, most of us are experts at it. I really think worry is misplaced and uninitiated prayer. This one little discipline - turning worries into prayers - is life changing. Jesus gave us lots of promises regarding prayer - they are worth looking for.

You too may have seen their commercials on TV, and thought like I did, “What a strange name for a company”. (It’s a Dutch banking and financial service company if you’re wondering – I was.) ING-it’s not even a word. But when we add it to a word, a verb, it then is talking about something that is done over and over again.

During the Mason/San Saba football game on September 11th, Fellowship of Christian Athlete Huddles from both schools will be competing in a friendly fund raising challenge. Each School will be taking donations at the gate during the first half of the game. The school who raises the most money, wins the challenge. After the game, each team will meet on the field to pray together and the winner will be awarded a plaque to signify the win.

On Wednesday September 9th the Mason County Ministerial Alliance is holding a day of Prayer and Fasting. 2 Chronicles 7:14 reads, “…14 if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, pray, seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.” This passage deserves some studying.