Lads-To-Leaders
BIBLE BOWL: Practice will resume each Wednesday evening at 6:15 pm here at the building beginning January 4, 2012.
Dec
30
Dec
30
1-1-2012
New Year, New Life
Have you ever wondered why God arranged times and seasons the way He did? I am convinced that the concept of a new day, new week, New Year has a significant meaning for our lives. Consider the definition of NEW! Think of a new car, new house, new born baby; all these evoke meaning of clean, pure, and unaffected by hardness of life.
Have you ever pillowed your head and simply taken satisfaction that the present day is over and tomorrow is a NEW day. The scripture speaks volumes about the “Newness in Christ”. One of my favorite passages is Romans 6.
It details the significance of baptism in cleansing us and making us “new”. Other scriptures speak of us being “born again”, “becoming a new creature”, “all things becoming new”. David prayed for God to “create in him a clean heart and reNEW a right spirit within him”.
So, as we welcome another NEW year let us pause and consider the Newness that we continually have in Christ Jesus! Of course, we do not and should not wait for a new year to make the appropriate changes in our lives but think of today as a NEW day, NEW week, and a NEW year. What changes would you like to see in your life? Where do you want to be spiritually 365 days from now?
There are so many opportunities for us to grow in Christ here at Maple Hill. I believe a noble resolution would be to become more involved with the work of the kingdom here at Maple Hill. “The harvest is plenteous”; we need more laborers!
Jamie and Greg
Parents: Pick up a 2012 calendar at the youth board ASAP!
Important Dates
Jan 8th
Middle School Devotional
Jan 13th-16th
Evangelism UN/High School Retreat
Dec
30
1-1-2012
Lads-to-Leaders/Leaderettes
Mass Media Group Videos
1-Friday, January 6th
“Charlie’s Angels”
7th Grade Team A-4-8pm
2-Saturday, January 7th
“Hawaii 5-0”
7th Grade Team B-12-3pm
3-Saturday, January 7th
“Extreme Home Makeover”
6th Grade Team B-4-7pm
4-Sunday, January 8th
“Law and Order”
8th Grade Team-12-3pm
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PLEASE NOTE THE FOLLOWING CHANGE
5-Sunday, January 15th
“Gotta Have a Good Defense”
5th Grade-2-4pm
6-Sunday, January 15th
“Andy Griffith”
6th Grade Team A –4-7pm
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January Calendar
15th
3rd-6th Devotional
11am-1pm
22nd
K-2 Movie Day
11am-1pm
29th
Lads-to-Leaders Youth Night
during evening service
Join:“Maple Hill Church of Christ
Children’s Ministry” on Facebook
Dec
29
What will it be?
If you ever need that “feel good feeling” you may be in need of a “Pollyanna” experience. Many of you can reflect to the Disney movie about the optimistic young girl who always found something to be glad about—even when bad things happened. Do you ever go discouraged with the way things are going? Maybe it is not something terribly bad, it just not what you expected or even wanted. Such is life. 2011 may have had its share of ups and downs for you. How did you handle them? I am guessing that 2012 will probably be the same way, filled with ups and downs. Wouldn’t the coming year be much more pleasant with a “Pollyanna” outlook on life. Today would be a good day to resolve to look at life in a more optimistic way.
Somewhere in the world right now a farmer is dropping seeds into the ground. Soon those seeds will begin to change the place where they were planted. The carefully prepared soil that appears barren today will become a field ready for harvest. I believe that in the same way, our New Year’s resolutions can be seeds to alter the landscape of our life as well as the lives of others. You have probably read the prayer of Saint Francis of Assisi. It is a powerful model of a longing spirit to bring positive change in a hurting world. Assisi said; “Lord, make me an instrument of Your peace. Where there is hatred, let me sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; and where there is sadness, joy.” WOW!! Can you imagine the change in your life and others life if we approached 2012 with this type of spirit?
A farmer who sows wheat is never going to be surprised when wheat grows from the ground where it was planted. It is that universal law of sowing and reaping. It is the same principle that Paul used to illustrate a corresponding spiritual principle. “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap” (Galatians 6:7). Wouldn’t it be grand to sow a “Pollyanna” spirit wherever life takes us this year? It is up to us as to what type of spirit we will sow. Paul continues in Galatians by saying; “The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.” Even though we find ourselves in the middle of winter on January 1, 2012, it is still planting time!! Make your resolutions and renew them in prayer daily. Put those resolutions into practice each and every day. Resolve today to be optimistic, because the Lord is going to be with you. Today then is planting time. God has promised each of us “In due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart” (Galatians 6:9). Remember sow today what you want to reap tomorrow.
Dec
29
Dec
22
A Man called Jesus
Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, has been described as the battle that turned the tide of America’s Civil War. No matter how many times I read the historical accounts of the battle, I come away amazed at what mankind will do to one another. We should be able to get along with one another, especially within our own country. During the battle of Gettysburg, there became a focal point on a rocky knoll called Little Round Top. It was at a location that a union colonel, Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain encouraged his men to make a stand. The men of the 20th Maine Infantry stood their ground against the relentless attacks of the confederates. Historians believe that if the Confederate troops had gotten past Chamberlain’s men that the result of the battle and eventually the war would have been different. As it happened though the “20th Maine” became the last line of defense in this monumental battle.
You and I are engaged in a war daily. We know and understand that we battle against “the wiles of the devil” (Ephesians 6:11). That is one of the reasons we are called to wear daily the armor of God and to stand firm in the conflict. (Ephesians 6:10-18). In a similar fashion we, like the Union soldiers have what we can call a “last line of defense.” For us, though, this defense is greater than any human force. Our last line of defense so to speak is found in a man called Jesus!. In Romans 8:31-39, the apostle Paul says that our ultimate confidence is in the undying love of Christ. So complete is our protection that nothing can “separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:39).It is as though he stands there watching over us, seeing our flawed life, our struggles to remain faithful, and he whispers to us “I love you, hold on, I am going to be with you through it all.” When it reaches the point that we think the enemy is overwhelming and all seems lost, that history will have to be rewritten we can remember that we have an unbeatable last line of defense. It is found in the one they call Jesus. It is in the one who was with God in the beginning and was willing to leave all of heaven to become that perfect sacrifice for our sins. That last line that cannot be beat is described in Romans 8:37. You know the verse like I, you have it memorized! You have heard or will hear a lesson about his life Sunday (today)! Paul said; “We are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.” Though Satan may attack from every angle, every weakness we possess we know that we can become victorious because of the one who defeated death, the one we call Jesus. We can rest assured that God’s plan always leads to victory. So tomorrow when you put on your armor, put it on with confidence, because you and I can be victorious.
Dec
15
Clouds
I still get excited each time I fly! It is with eager anticipation that I board a plan to head off on a “new adventure.” Ninety-nine percent of my flying is to Honduras. I am never disappointed with the trip, and I always bring back with me new memories to keep for a life-time. This year Elaine and I boarded the plane in Nashville. It was extremely cloudy and the earliness of the flight made it even more ominous. As the plane’s engines roared to life, off we went down the runway and up into the gray clouds. There was nothing to see, no landmarks to try and recognize, we were engulfed in clouds. It only took a few moments and the plane broke through the clouds and into the bright sunny morning. Below us was the clouds that we had flown through. This side of the clouds was not gray and ominous but rather white and fluffy looking. As far as we could see there was blue skies and fluffy white clouds. It was beautiful!
Our God has made such a beautiful world to live in, to view, to enjoy. Won’t it be grand to be in his bright and glorious presence for ever and ever? In Psalms 104 the writer simply starts out with the idea; “Praise the Lord, O my soul. O Lord my God, you are very great; you are clothed with splendor and majesty.” Note that the writer did not simply say God is great but rather “very great.” After that one flight I deeply appreciate that thought. Because He is “very great” the result in our life should be that of praise. Praise God for his creative genius that can take a dark and dreary cloud on one side and with the light of His sun transform it into white clouds. The psalmist goes on and says; “He makes the clouds his chariot and rides on the wings of the wind.” I still do not know what Heaven is going to be like. I get glimpses of its beauty in the scripture, but still I can not completely understand. As Elaine and I soared through the air I could not help but think about the idea of “making the clouds his chariot.” Whatever God wants is what God is able to do. As a child have you ever found the perfect little hill to lay down on and look up into the clouds. As you looked did you ever let your imagination run to the point that the clouds began to take shapes of things that your imagination allowed you to form.? Did you ever see God riding in the clouds? He was there, just look a little closer. You will see Him in an answered prayer, you will feel his gentle nudging as you are encouraged to serve him. You will feel his strong arm around your shoulder as you struggle through emotional difficulties. You will sense being held in the hallow of his hand as you are protected from the evils of this old world. Could this image cause you to “…sing to the Lord all my life; I will sing praise to my God as long as I live.” (Psalms 104: 33).
Dec
8
When We All Get to Heaven
Elaine and I fell in love with Baxter Institute in Honduras the very first year we attended a graduation. Through the years we have grown closer and closer to those we work with in Honduras. Our love for the school continues to grow each and every time we attend a graduation. Our time in Honduras was filled with events and activities from 7:00 in the morning until 10:00 at night. There are many highlights to the trip. I would however like to focus on only one in this “journey.”
Each evening we would gather as a group for a period of devotion. The gringos and the Latin Americans. In the devotional most everything was done in both English and Spanish. One night as we sang, I began to think about what was actually taking place. The song leaders would rotate singing in Spanish followed by the same song in English. One of the songs that was sung was “When We all get to Heaven.” It is a grand old song with a lot of meaning and anticipation of the day we get to go home and be with our father forever. We sang that song in English first. As we sang from memory, I admit I sang the words but didn’t really think about what was being said in that song. When one of the graduates led the song in Spanish, I became more curious of what the words actually were. By that time, I couldn’t even think of how the song begins, much less any of the words. As I sat their humming the tune it hit me!! What a grand a glorious day it will be when we can all sit around the throne of God and sing praises to him. I looked at the faces of those singing in Spanish and saw a joy as they sang with anticipation of that grand reunion. I thought of all the hard work that was before these young men and women as they go into the fields to work for the kingdom. I reflected of the hardships they will face, the opposition that Satan is going to bring to them, and yes the joys they will experience as the gospel message touches the hearts of those who hear the good news of Jesus Christ. I looked at the little children that were either sitting by their sides or in their laps and worried about what they will have to face, but then a sense of peace flooded my heart in knowing that they have parents who love them and will be with them every step of the way.
What about you? Is there a joy and peace that fills your heart when you think about the grand reunion that awaits us. Won’t it be grand to one day be sitting by one of these Latin Americans around the throne of God? “Sing the wondrous love of Jesus, Sing his mercy and His grace: In the mansions bright and blessed, He’ll prepare for us a place. When we all get to heaven, what a day of rejoicing that will be. When we all see Jesus , We’ll sing and shout the victory”