Posts from 2021 (Page 3)
Taking the Big Top Down
Vacation Bible School for 2021 is in the books and what a great week it has been. Along with the numerous “thank you ’ s” I offer for all those who were a part, I offer that I have learned so much more than our kids have! I am reminded about what wonderfully, sacrificial people we have who are able to meet needs, anticipate needs, and to communicate needs in the family. So much of what we do as the…
Philippines Mission Letter: June 2021
Click/tap for full PDF Dear Brethren, May the goodness and blessings of God continue to abound in you. The Lord continues to open up opportunities for us in meeting and teaching new people who are willing and interested in knowing God’s way of eternal salvation for man. The members of our congregation are continuously doing their part for the growth of the Lord’s family by showing and sharing with their loved ones, relatives, neighbors, and friends their life experiences in…
“Things for Which We Must Pray”
It ’s a simple enough title and concept, but for each season and busy opportunity in our lives, there ought to be a reminder, “this is something for which I MUST pray” (Ps. 55:7; Zech. 8:21; 1 Thess. 5:17). Here are some things God ’s people need to be lifting up and praying about NOW: Pray for our country (1 Tim. 2:1 -2). Our nation is in rapid decline. As a whole, our rulers, leaders, and educators are invested in…
Diligence and Neglect
The apostle Peter, in the early part of his second letter, gives emphasis to the importance of Christians being diligent in the development of spiritual qualities. How diligent did he want them to be? He urges, “…giving all diligence…” (II Pet. 1:5). Later, he adds, “…be even more diligent…” (II Pet. 1:12). Since Peter wanted these saints to be diligent, he also knew the need for him to be certain he did not neglect his duty to call their attention…
“You Are of Your Father… ”
In the heart -felt book of John, Jesus has several confrontations with the Jews of that day to prove to them His deity. Of note, the discussion in John 8 is particularly passionate. The hardness of heart of these people broke the Savior ’s heart as they claimed allegiance to God, to the things of God, and to God ’s faithful servant, Abraham. However, Jesus cuts to the core of their hypocrisy and powerfully says in 8:44, “You are of…
Why I Love Camp
Lord willing, we’ll be on our way Sunday morning to this year’s session of Camp Bandina. I love going to a Christian camp. I don’t love it because the counselors there are perfect, but because they’re servants of the Perfect One. As counselors, we all bring our faults and flaws right along with us, but we get a chance to serve God by teaching His perfect love and His perfect ways to the campers. I don’t love it because it’s…
Philippines Mission Letter: May 2021
Click/tap for full PDF Dear Brethren, May the Lord bless you always and your loved ones with good health, peace, and joy. We continue to have guests on the Lord’s day as our brethren encourage their relatives and friends to give what is God’s. We have been studying with some of them already on weekdays. We pray that they will continue to worship with us also. Last month, a brother in Christ had lost his mother. As we mourned and…
Reverence
The writer of Hebrews urged readers to ”. . . have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear” (Heb. 12:28). The Greek word for reverence signifies, first of all, caution, then godly fear. One English dictionary tells us it is “profound respect mingled with fear and affection.” In order to serve God acceptably, we must do so with reverence. Therefore, we must understand how reverence is produced and maintained. It is an internal trait.…
The Five-Finger Prayer Help
I want to be a person who prays more, but I just don’t know what to pray for! The truth is that nobody except Jesus is an expert at prayer (Luke 11:1; 18:1). Yet, there are a number of helps that can cause us to think more about the blessings God gives us—as well, the opportunities we have to ask God to make a difference in our world. Consider this old illustration of just using your hand to remind you…
What to Do in the Interim
With the departure of the Albers family, there is a hole left in the work of Graeber Road. While we pray for Troy, Amy, and Remi in their new home in Sunray, we also need to be praying for the work and the next associate preacher of Graeber Road. Consider that we are now in an interim time period. Interim means temporary/provisional. How long that may be is not known, however, what we can do in this interim is absolutely…
Philippines Mission Letter: April 2021
Click/tap for full PDF Dear Brethren, Last month our young people were able to enjoy a whole day youth fellowship. We invited some of the youth from our neighboring congregation and our young people also brought some of their friends and relatives to join and participate in the said event. We had two speakers who spoke on the subject of social media. The youth had really enjoyed the fellowship and all the activities. They grouped themselves into three and each…
Is There a God?
How one will answer this question WILL mold and shape their view of life, for the rest of their life and usher them into eternity. If God does not exist, then our lives will cease to have meaning outside of ourselves and there will be no absolute standard of right or wrong for us. On the other hand, if one comes to know that there is a God, then determining His will and His revelation He has made becomes an…