Jan
25
Jan
19
Carwash
Very rarely will I take my car or truck to one of the automatic carwashes. Normally I will take it to one where you feed a machine a bunch of quarters and wash the vehicle yourself. There are a couple of reasons why. One is simply the cost. The other reason is, I like to be in control of what is going on. In the automatic carwash it seems as though you lose all control. You get ready to go into the tunnel and as you do you check and recheck to make certain that all the windows are closed. You ease your vehicle up and before you know it powers that are beyond your control begin moving your car forward as if on a conveyor belt. There you are on the inside cocooned inside your car when all of a sudden there is a thunderous rush of water followed by an immense amount of soap. Out of the walls come brushes that seem to hit your car from all directions. What if something goes wrong? Maybe the power goes off and you are stuck in that place. What if the water pressure is too strong and all of a sudden a window shatters letting in a flood of water? What would happen if a brush was not positioned just right and a long scar is left on your car? Then just as suddenly as it began, the water ceases. The brushes make one final pass over your car and you are free to move out of the tunnel. Your car is clean and you are ready to go on about your activities.
Have you ever experienced those stormy troublesome times in life. It seemed as though you were on a conveyor belt and were experiencing forces that were beyond your control. It seemed as if trouble came at you from all directions and there was nothing that could be done to slow down the flood of events that were coming. Maybe it starts with the inability to pay a bill one month. As you play catch-up the car breaks down and you have another expense. While taking care of the car, you find that your child has had a bad experience at school and you need to work on that. You get the picture, one thing after another. Life has given you a lemon and you don’t have time to make lemonade. How do you move forward during these times, so that you will be able come out on the other side safe and secure? Remember that whenever you pass through those difficult experiences that your redeemer has been and will continue to be with you. When you come out on the other side, you will be able to say with joy and confidence that he is a faithful God! Are you in the midst of a “carwash experience?” Trust God to bring you through to the other side. When he does, you will be a shining testimony of His love and sustaining power. Isaiah said; “When you pass through the waters I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, I will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire you will not be burned…” (Isaiah 43:2).
Jan
13
Help Wanted
The Benevolence committee needs men willing to help one Monday evening per month. We meet most Mondays at 7PM to serve those in need from our community.
Jan
13
Men’s Breakfast
Our next Men’s Breakfast will be May 19. Be sure to watch for the sign-up sheet and sign up.
Jan
13
Missions
We are collecting toothpaste and toothbrushes under the Mission bulletin board, and aiming to gather 2000 of each by March 4.
Jan
12
A beautiful thought
My first recollection of prayer was the standard prayer that many children learned. “Now I lay me down to sleep…”As I would go to bed each night, I thanked God for parents, sister, grandfather and even my dog Ranger. All of these things were important to me. On one occasion I ventured out into a more mature prayer. The occasion came one day when I called my neighbor something I should not have called him. I was angry at him and what I said, I knew was wrong. It bothered me a great deal. Finally I told my mother what I said. She too was hurt; you could see it on her face. That night as I went to bed and began my prayer as usual, it came to me that I needed to ask God to forgive me. Guess what? Right then and there, God forgave me and if I understand God’s word he also forgot it. I doubt if I completely at that moment understood the significance of what God did for me. I do know that I felt better at that point, than I had felt all day long. Forgiveness is such a wonderful feeling!
The Bible is very clear when it tells us; “In him we have redemption through his blood the forgiveness of our trespasses” (Ephesians 1:7). Those of us who have received the Lord Jesus as our Savior, enjoy freedom from sin’s eternal condemnation. Paul put it this way; “there is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1). The apostle John continues the beautiful thought by ensuring us that we can daily have forgiveness and cleansing. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (I John 1:9).
Isn’t that a beautiful thought? Doesn’t it fill you with confidence to face another day? Instead of beating ourselves up when we stumble, we can say with confidence that the God we serve loves us and wants to help us. I do at this point though need to add that we should never get the idea that our sins are taken lightly by the Lord. When we acknowledge our guilt with true repentance, God is ready for forgive because of what Jesus did on the cross. Too many times people stumble and want to blame others. We point a finger and say to ourselves it was his/her fault, when in reality it was us who had done wrong. I was mad at my neighbor, I can’t remember what he had done that got me so upset but it was something. However, he did not make me say the words that came from my mouth. I was the one who chose to say what I said. It does me no good to rationalize in my mind that had he not made me mad, I wouldn’t have said what I said. I was the one responsible. I am so thankful that when God forgives sin, He never brings it back up. I wonder if God is smiling and saying “Joe move on—you have been forgiven”
Jan
9
January Bible Reading
____January 1: Genesis 1-3
____January 2: Genesis 4-7
____January 3: Genesis 8-11
____January 4: Job 1-5
____January 5: Job 6-9
____January 6: Job 10-13
____January 7: Job 14-16
____January 8: Job 17-20
____January 9: Job 21-23
____January 10: Job 24-28
____January 11: Job 29-31
____January 12: Job 32-34
____January 13: Job 35-37
____January 14: Job 38-39
____January 15: Job 40-42
____January 16: Genesis 12-15
____January 17: Genesis 16-18
____January 18: Genesis 19-21
____January 19: Genesis 22-24
____January 20: Genesis 25-26
____January 21: Genesis 27-29
____January 22: Genesis 30-31
____January 23: Genesis 32-34
____January 24: Genesis 35-37
____January 25: Genesis 38-40
____January 26: Genesis 41-42
____January 27: Genesis 43-45
____January 28: Genesis 46-47
____January 29: Genesis 48-50
____January 30: Exodus 1-3
____January 31: Exodus 4-6
____February 1: Exodus 7-9
____February 2: Exodus 10-12
____February 3: Exodus 13-15
____February 4: Exodus 16-18
____February 5: Exodus 19-21
____February 6: Exodus 22-24
____February 7: Exodus 25-27
____February 8: Exodus 28-29
____February 9: Exodus 30-32
____February 10: Exodus 33-35
____February 11: Exodus 36-38
____February 12: Exodus 39-40
____February 13: Leviticus 1-4
____February 14: Leviticus 5-7
____February 15: Leviticus 8-10
____February 16: Leviticus 11-13
____February 17: Leviticus 14-15
____February 18: Leviticus 16-18
____February 19: Leviticus 19-21
____February 20: Leviticus 22-23
____February 21: Leviticus 24-25
____February 22: Leviticus 26-27
____February 23: Numbers 1-2
____February 24: Numbers 3-4
____February 25: Numbers 5-6
____February 26: Numbers 7
____February 27: Numbers 8-10
____February 28: Numbers 11-13
____February 29: Numbers 14-15 /Psalms 90
____March 1: Numbers 16-17
____March 2: Numbers 18-20
____March 3: Numbers 21-22
____March 4: Numbers 23-25
____March 5: Numbers 26-27
____March 6: Numbers 28-30
____March 7: Numbers 31-32
____March 8: Numbers 33-34
____March 9: Numbers 35-36
____March 10: Deuteronomy 1-2
____March 11: Deuteronomy 3-4
____March 12: Deuteronomy 5-7
____March 13: Deuteronomy 8-10
____March 14: Deuteronomy 11-13
____March 15: Deuteronomy 14-16
____March 16: Deuteronomy 17-20
____March 17: Deuteronomy 21-23
____March 18: Deuteronomy 24-27
____March 19: Deuteronomy 28-29
____March 20: Deuteronomy 30-31
____March 21: Deuteronomy 32-34/ Psalm 91
____March 22: Joshua 1-4
____March 23: Joshua 5-8
____March 24: Joshua 9-11
____March 25: Joshua 12-15
____March 26: Joshua 16-18
——March 27: Joshua 19-21
____March 28: Joshua 22-24
____March 29: Judges 1-2
____March 30: Judges 3-5
____March 31: Judges 6-7
Jan
4
Maybe it is not that tough!
The story is told of Leonardo da Vinci that at one time he was not as certain about his abilities as he could have been. His elderly, well-known teacher asked him to finish a painting he had begun. The young da Vinci stood in such awe of his master’s skill that at first he respectfully declined. However, his teacher would accept no excuse. He told da Vinci to simply “Do your best.” With trembling hands Leonardo picked up the brush and began. With each stroke of the brush, his hand grew steadier. One could sense the genius within the young artist. Soon he was so caught up in his work that he forgot his timidity. When Leonardo stepped away from the painting, his frail and weak master was carried into the studio to see the finished work. With a smile on his face the master embraced his student and exclaimed, “My son, I paint no more!”
I am completely convinced that each and every Christian has unique God-given abilities. Abilities that when used correctly will bring much glory and honor to the Lord. Unfortunately too many believers feel inferior because they don’t have as much talent as others. I don’t think God is too happy with that type of spirit. God doesn’t hold us accountable for what we don’t have. He wants us to discover and develop the skills we do have. As a young, struggling college student I questioned in my mind what would be best for me to do. The thoughts of dropping out crossed my mind more than once. A certain young lady that I was seeing on a regular basis (her first name is Elaine), encouraged me to look into teaching as a chosen profession. After thirty one years of teaching I can look back and am most thankful for that encouragement and ultimate decision. I wasn’t a scientist or an accountant. I had no interest in business, law or medicine; all professions that at that time seemed very prestigious. I became a teacher and through that profession I was blessed to be with some of the greatest kids in the world, who are now some of the greatest adults I know
Neither you nor I need to think or feel our talent is inferior because we don’t have the talents others have. I realize of course we can’t all be a Leonardo da Vinci. But we don’t have to be. The apostle Paul simply told the church at Corinth; “It is required in stewards that one is found faithful” (I Corinthians 4:2). What does that mean to you? I believe it means doing our best and leaving the results with God. Who knows, we may just surprise ourselves. It has been said that the greatest ability is dependability. In God’s kingdom there is room for all of us to use the talents he has given us. Why not take a closer look at who you are and what you do. You may just surprise yourself.