Southeast Family, Throughout the Scripture we see many of God’s choicest servants facing great

persecution and trials. Abel was killed by his brother because Cain was jealous that his brother’s offering was accepted while his was rejected. Moses faced great difficulty in his life, not just from the Egyptians, but also from his own people whom God had called him to lead out of slavery and to the Promised Land. Queen Jezebel wanted to kill Elijah. Isaiah and Jeremiah were despised by their generation. Then in the New Testament, John the Baptist wound up beheaded for his faithfulness to the Lord. Jesus was crucified. Stephen was stoned to death. Church history tells us that Peter was crucified upside down. Christians were being burned at the stake. Some were encased in wax and lit on fire to illuminate Nero’s garden. And recently, we learn that believers who had gathered in Egypt on Palm Sunday to worship the Lord Jesus Christ were killed by Muslims in a senseless act of terrorism. No doubt Satan was behind all of this at some level, and he uses examples like these to discourage people from following Jesus. If being a fully devoted follower of Jesus means you may have to face persecution, pain, or even death, it sure doesn’t make us feel warm and fuzzy about total surrender. While some are telling people that if they will come to Jesus He will relieve them of all struggle, we know, based on Scripture and our own experience, that trials and difficulties come even to believers.

Remember in the book of Job, how God and Satan have a conversation about Job? God gave Satan permission with limitation to bring hurt and havoc into Job’s life. Satan came against Job to the full extent that God permitted him, but God didn’t allow him to go as far as he probably wanted. Being on Satan’s hit list is not something that excites most people. But if you are going to live in obedience to Christ, if your life is going to count, Satan is going to take notice of that. Sure, you can live like thousands of others and be a lukewarm, casual, cultural Christian and escape Satan’s attention. But then you miss the incredible and rewarding chance to make an eternal difference in the lives of others, in the community we live, and even in the world for the cause of Christ. Individual

Baby Dedication - Sunday, May 14th during 10:30 am Worship Service.

Ladies Breakfast - Sunday, May 21st during 9:30 am Sunday School.

CHURCH SCHEDULE

SUNDAY: Men’s Prayer 8:30 am Sunday School 9:30 am Worship 10:30 am, 6 pm Worship Choir 5 pm Children’s Choir 6 pm Kid’s Mission Group 6 pm Youth Praise Band 6 pm

WEDNESDAY : Church Dinner 5 pm AWANAs 6 pm Youth Praise 6:15 pm Worship 6:30 pm

SS OO UU TT HH EE AA SS TT BB AA PP TT II SS TT CC HH UU RR CC HH May 18, 2012

WWoommeenn’’ss BBiibbllee SSttuuddyy MMoonnddaayyss 66 –– 77::3300 ppmm ((ssttaarrttss JJuunnee 55tthh)) ffoorr AALLLL AAGGEESS.. PPrriisscciillllaa SShhiirreerr ““TThhee AArrmmoorr ooff GGoodd””.. BBooookkss $$1122.. SSiiggnn uupp iinn tthhee ffooyyeerr!!

Special Edition Baptist Messenger Periodicals Postage Paid May 5, 2017

WWeeddnneessddaayy,, MMaayy 1100

tthh

55 ppmm,, HHaalllleelluujjaahh CCllaassss..

SOUTHEAST BAPTIST CHURCH 2511 E. Hancock Muskogee OK 74403 918.683.1447

sebcmuskogee@gmail.com www.sebcmuskogee.com

Shane & Beth Haff are adopting! HHEELLPP BBRRIINNGG RRUUTTHH HHOOMMEE!!

There will be a Garage Sale on May 6

th in the Fellowship Hall with all

proceeds going to adoption expenses.

Sundays, 9:30 am Bible Study in the

Adult Area, led by Pastor Mike.

GGOOOODDTTIIMMEERRSS

AAmmiisshh DDiinnnneerr TThhuurrssddaayy,, MMaayy 1111tthh CCoosstt:: $$1166

WWee’’llll lleeaavvee aatt 55::3300 ppmm ffoorr tthhee NNoorrmmaann MMiilllleerr ffaarrmm iinn

MMaazziiee.. SSiiggnn uupp iinn tthhee ffooyyeerr!!

Sunday, May 7

th at 5 pm

in the Adult Area.

SSuunnddaayy,, MMaayy 77tthh

dduurriinngg 1100::3300 aamm WWoorrsshhiipp SSeerrvviiccee..

Christians, and churches, don’t make a difference by being lukewarm and by blending with culture. We make a difference by following Jesus, obeying His Word, and allowing the Lord to conform us to the image of Christ. And here is one place we can take courage. Just like it was with Job, Satan can only come against us to a certain point. He can’t eternally destroy us or reclaim us. And God greatly rewarded Job for his faithfulness. Our rewards may not come in part and certainly not in full in this life, but God will greatly reward His servants who faithfully follow Jesus. It will cost you to follow Jesus. But one day when we look back on a life that made a difference in the lives of others for the cause of Christ, we hear our Lord say, “Well done,” and we receive our eternal reward, it will be worth every sacrifice and every hardship. Stay focused on Who and what matters most!

APRIL 30, 2017 Sunday School 220 Morning Worship 303 Evening Worship 148 Tithes/Offering $11,710

F i x i n g o u r E y e s o n J e s u s !

WWeeddnneessddaayy,, MMaayy 1100

tthh

55::4455ppmm,, OOffffiiccee AArreeaa..

WWeeddnneessddaayy,, MMaayy 1100

tthh

66::3300 ppmm,, WWoorrsshhiipp SSeerrvviiccee..

Wednesday, May 10

th, 10 am

This month’s mission project is the Owasso Children’s Home.

DEAR SOUTHEAST FAMILY, A professor, a pastor, and a pharmacist decided to go deer hunting. None of the three had ever hunted deer, but they all had guns, and had heard from others how great it was so they decided to try it. They got to the woods and were going to their stands when suddenly a large buck bounds across an opening directly in front of them. They all three raise their guns and fire at the same time, and the buck falls to the ground. As they get to the deer, up walks the game warden. The three men tell the game warden they all three shot at the same time so they are unsure which one of them had shot the deer. The warden told them he might be able to determine who had shot the deer and asked to look at each man’s gun. Then the warden looked at the deer for what was only a few seconds and stated, “The pastor shot the deer.” The men were astonished that he could make the determination so quickly, so the other two men ask, “How do you know for sure it was the pastor who shot the deer?” The warden answered, “Because the bullet went in one ear and out the other.” I bet there are some mothers who feel like most of what they say to their kids goes in one ear and out the other. This Sunday is a day set aside for us to honor our mothers for all the sacrifices they’ve made, the guidance and instruction they’ve given, and the love they’ve shown us. If your life has been graced by the presence of a godly mother, then you have enjoyed one of the world’s greatest treasures and blessings. Abraham Lincoln said, “No man is poor who has had a godly mother.” If you’ve had a godly mother, you’ve been richly blessed. If you still have your mom on this earth take advantage of the opportunity to let your mom know how blessed you've been to have her as your mother.

Church Schedule Sunday:

Men’s Prayer 8:30 am Sunday School 9:30 am Worship 10:30 am, 6 pm

Worship Choir, 5 pm Kids Mission Group 6 pm

Children’s Choir, 6 pm Youth Praise Band, 6 pm

Wednesday:

AWANAs 6 pm Youth Praise 6:15 pm

Worship 6:30 pm

2511 E. Hancock Muskogee OK 74403 918.683.1447 sebcmuskogee@gmail.com www.sebcmuskogee.com

F i x i n g O u r E y e s o n J e s u s

Shane & Beth Haff are adopting! HHEELLPP BBRRIINNGG RRUUTTHH HHOOMMEE!! SSPPIIRRIITT NNIIGGHHTT aatt CCHHIICCKK--FFIILL--AA TTUUEESSDDAAYY,, MMAAYY 1166

TTHH 55 –– 88 ppmm

PPoorrttiioonn ooff pprroocceeeeddss ffrroomm eevveerryy ccuussttoommeerr wwhhoo mmeennttiioonnss

SSPPIIRRIITT NNIIGGHHTT wwiillll ggoo ddiirreeccttllyy ttoowwaarrddss aaddooppttiioonn eexxppeennsseess..

DDoonnaattee hhttttpp::////aaddooppttiioonnbbrriiddggee..oorrgg//ffaammiilliieess//ffoouurr--hhaaffffss--mmaakkee--wwhhoollee SSttaayy ccuurrrreenntt oonn tthheeiirr jjoouurrnneeyy aatt wwwwww..hhaaffffwwaayyaarroouunnddtthheewwoorrlldd..ccoomm

ALSO IN MAY 24 Comfort for Kids, 10 am 24 Youth/Adult Worship 6:30 pm, Auditorium 28 Building & Grounds Meeting, 5:30 pm 31 Kids Drive In Movie 6:30 pm, Fellowship Hall

May 7, 2017 Sunday School 247 AM Worship 307 PM Worship 143 Tithes/Offerings $23,241

CC AA MM PP DD AA TT EE SS 14–17 CROSSTIMBERS CAMP 19–24 FALLS CREEK CAMP

Graduation this

Wednesday! 6:00 – 7:30pm Special

Activities & fun for kids, 3 years – 6

th grade!

LLaaddiieess BBrreeaakkffaasstt Sunday, May 21st

9:30 am, Fellowship Hall during Sunday School!

BBaabbyy DDeeddiiccaattiioonn Sunday, May 14th, 10:30 am Service “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it”. Proverbs 22:6

BAPTIST MESSENGER Periodicals Postage Paid

Special Edition

May 12, 2017

In observance of

Mother’s Day we will not hold

evening services on Sunday, May 14th.

CCoommffoorrtt ffoorr KKiiddss This missions sewing

group needs material. Donations can be left in

the church office.

MMootthheerr’’ss DDaayy

OOffffeerriinngg will be taken Sunday,

May 14th

for Oklahoma Baptist Homes for Children & Baptist

Village Communities.

WWoommeenn’’ss BBiibbllee SSttuuddyy

MMoonnddaayyss 66 –– 77::3300 ppmm

((ssttaarrttss JJuunnee 55tthh

)) ffoorr AALLLL

AAGGEESS.. ““TThhee AArrmmoorr ooff GGoodd””

bbyy PPrriisscciillllaa SShhiirreerr.. BBooookkss

$$1122.. SSiiggnn uupp iinn tthhee ffooyyeerr..

VBS 2017 June 5th – 9th

Register in the foyer!

CCHHUURRCCHH PPIICCNNIICC HHoonnoorr HHeeiigghhttss PPaarrkk -- 55ppmm SSuunnddaayy,, JJuunnee 1111

tthh.. TThhiiss

wwiillll bbee aa ttiimmee ooff ffoooodd,, ggaammeess && aaccttiivviittiieess.. SSiiggnn uupp iinn tthhee ffooyyeerr!!

CHURCH SCHEDULE SUNDAY:

Men’s Prayer 8:30 am Sunday School 9:30 am Worship 10:30 am, 6 pm

Worship Choir, 5 pm Kids Mission Group 6 pm

Children’s Choir, 6 pm Youth Praise Band, 6 pm

WEDNESDAY :

Youth Praise 6:15 pm Worship 6:30 pm

2511 E. Hancock Street Muskogee OK 74403 918.683.1447 sebc2511@att.net

Baptist Messenger Special Edition

Periodicals Postage Paid

Fixing Our Eyes

on Jesus!

Southeast Family, We are entering a very busy season as a church family. Lots of events are coming up over the next month and

a half. This Sunday morning, May 21 at 9:30 a.m. will be our women’s breakfast in the fellowship hall. It is

always a special time for our ladies. Our deacons along with several other men are already planning to

prepare a great breakfast. This year Katie Osburn will be sharing testimony and you won’t want to miss her

story. All the men who are not helping with the breakfast or with children will be in the auditorium and Bro.

Adrian will be teaching from God’s Word. It’ll be a great morning. On that evening at 6 p.m. we will be

meeting in the fellowship hall for a time of fellowship and testimony. We are asking everyone to bring

sandwiches or finger foods. Hope you will make plans to join us!

Vacation Bible School is quickly approaching. It starts on Monday, June 5 and goes through Friday, June 9.

All children 3 years old through the 6th grade are invited to attend. Be sure you get your child registered soon,

which you can do in the front lobby or online at sebcmuskogee.com. You can also order a VBS t-shirt for $7.

Get yours before they are gone; we have a limited supply. We encourage you to invite boys and girls who are

not already connected in a local church. Encourage your children to invite their friends. VBS has long been

one of the most effective outreach endeavors in a church where thousands of children have come to faith in

Christ through the years. Join us in praying that many children will trust in Christ this year and encourage

your kids to invite their friends this year to VBS!

June 11 we will have a church-wide picnic at Honor Heights park. We will have games and activities that

start at 5 p.m. and we will eat at 6 p.m. The church will provide fried chicken and drinks, we are asking you

to sign up to bring the various sides that will be needed. There are sign-up sheets in your Sunday school class

and also at the information center in the lobby. This is a great opportunity to get better acquainted with

members of our church family that you may not know well yet. It is also a great opportunity to invite friends

or family who may not know Jesus or may not be connected to a church family. Hope you will make plans to

join us and bring someone with you!

Falls Creek is also fast approaching. Our group will go June 19 and return June 24. All students who’ve

finished 7th grade through 12th are encouraged to participate. There are information/sign-up packets at the

information center and in the youth room. Many teens have come to faith in Christ and have been called to

vocational ministry at Falls Creek than any other camp in the world.

Make sure your teen gets signed up soon and that they invite their friends.

Lots of stuff going on. The opportunity is there for us to see a number

of people come to faith in Jesus Christ. Let’s pray for God’s moving

in each of these endeavors and invite as many people as possible so that

lost people have the opportunity to respond in faith to the gospel.

Ladies Breakfast Sunday, May 21st in the Fellowship Hall at 9:30 am during Sunday

School with Guest Speaker, Katie Osburn. The men will meet for group Sunday School

class, taught by Adrian Totty, in the Auditorium.

CChhiillddrreenn''ss CChhooiirr//KKiiddss

MMiissssiioonnss GGrroouupp EEnndd ooff YYeeaarr PPaarrttyy

Sunday, May 21st at 6 pm. Activities & Ice cream!

CChhuurrcchh FFeell lloowwsshhiipp Sunday, May 21st, 6 pm in the Fellowship Hall. Please bring sandwiches and finger foods.

Meeting Wednesday, May

24th

, 10 am, Adult Area.

VVBBSS 22001177 June 5th - 9th 9am - noon for Kids, 4 years - 6th grade.

Register in the front foyer!

Wednesday, May 24th 6:30 pm service.

May 19, 2017

WWoommeenn’’ss BBiibbllee SSttuuddyy MMoonnddaayyss 66 –– 77::3300 ppmm ((ssttaarrttss JJuunnee 55tthh))

ffoorr AALLLL AAGGEESS.. ““TThhee AArrmmoorr ooff GGoodd”” bbyy PPrriisscciillllaa SShhiirreerr.. BBooookkss $$1122.. SSiiggnn uupp iinn tthhee ffooyyeerr!!

Shane & Beth Haff are adopting! HHEELLPP BBRRIINNGG RRUUTTHH HHOOMMEE!!

TTOO DDOONNAATTEE TTOO TTHHEEIIRR AADDOOPPTTIIOONN OONNLLIINNEE,, PPLLEEAASSEE VVIISSIITT HHTTTTPP::////AADDOOPPTTIIOONNBBRRIIDDGGEE..OORRGG//FFAAMMIILLIIEESS//FFOOUURR--HHAAFFFFSS--MMAAKKEE--WWHHOOLLEE

TTOO SSTTAAYY CCUURRRREENNTT OONN TTHHEEIIRR JJOOUURRNNEEYY YYOOUU CCAANN SSUUBBSSCCRRIIBBEE TTOO TTHHEEIIRR FFAAMMIILLYY BBLLOOGG AATT WWWWWW..HHAAFFFFWWAAYYAARROOUUNNDDTTHHEEWWOORRLLDD..CCOOMM

CChhuurrcchh PPiiccnniicc iinn HHoonnoorr HHeeiigghhttss PPaarrkk

oonn SSuunnddaayy,, JJuunnee 1111tthh!! GGaammeess && aaccttiivviittiieess aatt 55 ppmm aanndd ddiinnnneerr aatt 66 ppmm.. TThhee cchhuurrcchh wwiillll pprroovviiddee ffrriieedd cchhiicckkeenn && ddrriinnkkss.. SSiiggnn uupp iinn tthhee ffooyyeerr!!

MAY 14, 2017 Sunday School 256 Morning Worship 357 No Evening Worship

Tithes/Offerings $9,210

On Wednesday, May 31st our Kids, PK – 6th Grade will meet in the Fellowship Hall at 6:30 pm to view Moana, enjoy popcorn, and have a great time!

CCAAMMPP DD AATTEESS June 14th – 17th

CROSSTIMBERS CAMP June 19th – 24th

FALLS CREEK CAMP

SS OO UU TT HH EE AA SS TT

BB AA PP TT II SS TT

CC HH UU RR CC HH

Southeast Family, Earlier this morning in my personal time with the Lord, one of the devotionals I

read daily had a statement that would have been a great quote to include in the message I

shared yesterday morning. It is a statement written by Boyd Bailey who said, “When a

husband and wife die to themselves and defer to their mate, life is breathed into their

marriage.” What married person wouldn’t like more life breathed into their marriage?

To have freshness and vitality and enjoyment and excitement in a marriage is something

probably every couple entering marriage is hopeful will be true of their relationship.

However, the path to life in a marriage is through death. Jesus’ words in John 12:24 are

helpful here. He said, “Unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains

alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.” Spiritual life and vitality comes to the one who

is willing to die to themselves and follow Jesus, and in the similar way marital life and

vitality comes to the couple who are willing to die to themselves for the sake of their

spouse and family. This is one of the paradoxes of Scripture and of relationships. The

secret to life is through death – dying to self. If your marriage could use some life

breathed into it, the means of seeing that happen is you taking the first step and dying to

self. You might say, “Well, what if my spouse continues to be selfish and die to self?”

Pray for them and ask the Holy Spirit to convict them of the need for them to die to self,

to be selfless, while you conduct yourself in an attitude of selflessness. Then allow the

Holy Spirit to do His work. A grain of wheat that falls to the earth and dies doesn’t

sprout up immediately. There is a span of time filled with sunshine and rain, but in time

the seed that died springs up a mighty stalk of wheat. Be willing to die to self, to be

selfless, so that your marriage can stand strong and tall as a testimony of God’s grace and

power.

The characteristic of being selfless is one of the most important traits any

Christian can have. It is so significant that Jesus said it is the second most important of

all God’s commandments: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Jesus had much

to say about selflessness during His earthly ministry. In the Sermon on the Mount,

selflessness is one of the primary themes. Jesus tells us throughout the sermon how we

are to respond in difficult situations and how we are to treat others when we’ve been

wronged. It’s a difficult thing to lay aside hurt feelings and wounded hearts, but that’s

part of being selfless. It is important for us to remember that no person has hurt us as

severely as each of us has hurt the Lord. Remember, it was our sin that put Him on the

cross. Yet He willingly forgave each of us. If we are going to have marriages and

relationships that are full of life then it will require you and me to die to self; to be

selfless.

SSOOUUTTHHEEAASSTT BBAAPPTTIISSTT CCHHUURRCCHH

2511 E. Hancock Muskogee OK 74403 918.683.1447 sebcmuskogee@gmail.com

www.sebcmuskogee.com

BBBaaappptttiiisssttt MMMeeesssssseeennngggeeerrr PPPeeerrriiiooodddiiicccaaalllsss PPPooossstttaaagggeee PPPaaaiiiddd

May 21, 2017 Sunday School 265

AM Worship 301

Tithes/Offerings $6,356

On Wednesday, May 31st our Kids, PK - 6th Grade will meet in the Fellowship Hall at 6:30 pm to view Moana, enjoy popcorn, and have a great time!

CHURCH SCHEDULE SUNDAY:

Sunday School 9:30am

Worship 10:30am, 6pm

GPS Kids Group 6pm

Youth Praise Band 6pm

WEDNESDAY : GPS Kids Group 6:30pm

Youth Praise 6:30pm

Worship 6:30pm

Special Edition

May 26, 2017

June 5th - 9th

9am - noon for Kids, 4 years - 6th grade. Register in the front foyer!

iinn HHoonnoorr HHeeiigghhttss PPaarrkk oonn

SSuunnddaayy,, JJuunnee 1111tthh!! GGaammeess aanndd aaccttiivviittiieess aatt 55 ppmm wwiitthh ddiinnnneerr

aatt 66 ppmm.. TThhee cchhuurrcchh wwiillll pprroovviiddee ffrriieedd cchhiicckkeenn aanndd ddrriinnkkss.. WWee

nneeeedd yyoouu ttoo bbrriinngg aa ffoooodd iitteemm aanndd yyoouurr llaawwnn cchhaaiirrss.. BBee ssuurree ttoo

ssiiggnn uupp iinn tthhee ffooyyeerr!!

Shane & Beth Haff are adopting! Help Bring Ruth Home! DDoonnaattee hhttttpp::////aaddooppttiioonnbbrr iiddggee..oorrgg//ffaammiill iieess//ffoouurr--hhaaffffss--mmaakkee--wwhhoollee SSttaayy ccuurrrreenntt oonn tthheeiirr jjoouurrnneeyy aatt wwwwww..hhaaffffwwaayyaarroouunnddtthheewwoorrlldd..ccoomm

Join us in reading the entire

New Testament this summer. Pick up a reading guide at the

Visitor Center in the foyer.

“The Armor of God” by Priscil la Shirer.

Mondays 6 - 7:30 pm beginning June 5th for women of ALL AGES. Books: $12. Sign up in the foyer!

WWee wwiillll nnoott mmeeeett ffoorr eevveenniinngg

sseerrvviicceess oonn SSuunnddaayy,, MMaayy 2288tthh iinn oobbsseerrvvaannccee ooff MMeemmoorriiaall DDaayy..