Sunday, November 30, 2008
Sunday, November 23, 2008
Saturday, November 22, 2008
Opportunity to LOVE
Hello Everyone!
I trust that you all have been growing in Christ over the course of this last week. God has been doing much in our church body to increase our belief and faith in Him. Please continue to pray that God would help each of us to find our joy, peace and hope in Christ as we either experience or observe others experience various trials and suffering. Remember, God’s purpose for our lives is Christ-likeness. Any and all types of suffering in the lives of God’s children are the means by which God changes us so that we can know Him more and knowing Him is eternal life (John 17:3).
There is something else that conforms us into Christ-likeness—LOVE. Jeff and I have a burden for the saints of Summit Lake Community Church. The burden is this: to love as we have been loved. The words of John are very clear:
“Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love. By this the love of God was manifested in us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world so that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.” I John 4:7-11
The Bible clearly shows us that the world will know we are followers of Christ by observing how much we LOVE. This love is to be obvious through the way we live and act toward believers and unbelievers alike. Just think for a minute how much God has loved you. While you were His enemy deserving of His complete and eternal judgment—He saved you changing you from His enemy and making you one of His blessed children. And now He tells us to love others as He has loved us. Do you love others, including those who are not your friends and family? If so, is it evident? How?
Although it seems insignificant compared to what God has done for us, this next week we would like to love a number of families by providing a gift card that will help them purchase food. Six of the families do not attend our church. They are local families of soldiers who are currently working in support of the global war on terrorism. Please pray that God would use this gift to meet both a temporal and eternal need in the lives of these families. Pray that the Gospel would be displayed both in word and deed.
If you are aware of anyone who is in dire need of help, financial or otherwise, please let myself, Jeff or any of the council members know. We will gladly and thankfully accept donations to help purchase the gift cards mentioned above. You can either mail your contribution or give during the regular Sunday offering (please write “benevolence/gift cards” either on your check or envelope).
In the weeks and months ahead there will be many opportunities to love others. Please ask God to give you a growing love for people who are in need both physically and spiritually. Ask Him to teach you how to develop a lifestyle that is committed loving others. Remember, LOVE IS NOT AN OPTION.
“We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love abides in death. Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer; and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him. We know love by this, that He laid down His life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. But whoever has the world's goods, and sees his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God abide in him? Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth.”
I John 3:14-18
See you tomorrow!
Pastor Don
I trust that you all have been growing in Christ over the course of this last week. God has been doing much in our church body to increase our belief and faith in Him. Please continue to pray that God would help each of us to find our joy, peace and hope in Christ as we either experience or observe others experience various trials and suffering. Remember, God’s purpose for our lives is Christ-likeness. Any and all types of suffering in the lives of God’s children are the means by which God changes us so that we can know Him more and knowing Him is eternal life (John 17:3).
There is something else that conforms us into Christ-likeness—LOVE. Jeff and I have a burden for the saints of Summit Lake Community Church. The burden is this: to love as we have been loved. The words of John are very clear:
“Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love. By this the love of God was manifested in us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world so that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.” I John 4:7-11
The Bible clearly shows us that the world will know we are followers of Christ by observing how much we LOVE. This love is to be obvious through the way we live and act toward believers and unbelievers alike. Just think for a minute how much God has loved you. While you were His enemy deserving of His complete and eternal judgment—He saved you changing you from His enemy and making you one of His blessed children. And now He tells us to love others as He has loved us. Do you love others, including those who are not your friends and family? If so, is it evident? How?
Although it seems insignificant compared to what God has done for us, this next week we would like to love a number of families by providing a gift card that will help them purchase food. Six of the families do not attend our church. They are local families of soldiers who are currently working in support of the global war on terrorism. Please pray that God would use this gift to meet both a temporal and eternal need in the lives of these families. Pray that the Gospel would be displayed both in word and deed.
If you are aware of anyone who is in dire need of help, financial or otherwise, please let myself, Jeff or any of the council members know. We will gladly and thankfully accept donations to help purchase the gift cards mentioned above. You can either mail your contribution or give during the regular Sunday offering (please write “benevolence/gift cards” either on your check or envelope).
In the weeks and months ahead there will be many opportunities to love others. Please ask God to give you a growing love for people who are in need both physically and spiritually. Ask Him to teach you how to develop a lifestyle that is committed loving others. Remember, LOVE IS NOT AN OPTION.
“We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love abides in death. Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer; and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him. We know love by this, that He laid down His life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. But whoever has the world's goods, and sees his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God abide in him? Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth.”
I John 3:14-18
See you tomorrow!
Pastor Don
Sunday, November 16, 2008
Sunday, November 9, 2008
Sunday, November 2, 2008
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