Bulletin for 5-29-22

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Birthdays and Anniversaries:

6-3 Julie Best

6-4 Steven & Michelle Best

Prayer requests:

Paul Tyler has Parkinson’s. Please pray for him.

Darlyne Stewart, Karl’s sister, her cancer seems to be under control for the moment.

Shirley Weeks, Steve’s mom, is not well.

Sharon Best, Steven’s mom, still taking treatments for her pancreatic cancer.

Sarah, Chris Girvin’s sister, on hospice care

Eleuterio Oviedo recovering from knee replacement surgery

Doris Coley, regular listener, also recovering from knee surgery.

Robert and Sue Waller, health issues.

Darla Nitti, Wendi’s mom, stage 4 kidney disease, stroke. New living situation!

Leta, has a recurring cancer, prayer request from her granddaughter via our website.

Tammy Jones, Weeks’ neighbor, kidney failure/dialysis

Jessie Phillips, friend of the Weeks’, heart attack, one stint

Sympathy: Our condolences to the family of Carl Brown. He passed away last Wednesday and services were held Saturday at Laurel Oaks. Please keep April, Christie and family in your prayers.

Article:

by Michael Brooks, link to original article

The value of a soul

“But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8 ESV).

World news is dominated by the invasion of the Ukraine by Russian troops. As I write this article this war is approximately six weeks old and shows no signs of abating soon. World leaders, especially those of Europe and America, are loudly condemning Russia’s actions and calling for them to withdraw and for investigation of possible “War Crimes” to be conducted.

Yet, despite the great outrage, there are clear, definable limits to what those leaders and their nations are willing to do to protect and defend innocent Ukrainians from aggression. Since the Ukraine is not a part of NATO and lacks other treaty commitments with its neighbors, all of those outspoken leaders have made it clear that they will not take up arms against Russia for the sake of Ukraine.

I do not mean this to sound judgmental; I am simply stating the facts as reported frequently by news agencies. But it seems justified to analyze this position by stating, in the eyes of world leaders, one small, unaffiliated nation is not worth risking an outbreak of a World War, with possible deployment of nuclear weapons.

In contrast we are taught in the Bible, “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). Unlike humans, God gave everything so that even one person might be saved from eternal destruction in Hell because of sin.

The contrast is amazing. God loves so much more, so much better, than do humans. He gave his most precious possession to spare sinners from punishment which they deserve. Alliances with friends, family, or nations may disappoint us. Trust in God will never fail. He cannot lie (Titus 1:2) therefore we believe and depend upon his promises. He knows our needs (Matthew 6:32) and wants what is best for us (1 Timothy 2:1-4).

The caution of world leaders in the face of threat is understandable. Many of us probably agree with their positions and decisions in this regard. God’s level of love doesn’t really make sense to logical people. Why would he do so much for those who have rejected him and defied his authority? Are immoral persons, drug traffickers, thieves, and murderers really worth such concern? Speaking as humans, probably not. But God views them differently.

God is their creator who brought them into the world and “determined . . . allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place” (Acts 17:26). He is their Father, not spiritually so long as they remain in sin, but as the source of their being. He longs for their return to fellowship, for the opportunity to grant them redemption and adoption back into his family. And he has shown the lengths to which he will go to make that happen.

“In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his only Son to be the propitiation for our sins” (1 John 4:9-10).

Bulletin for 5-22-22

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Birthdays and Anniversaries:

5-22 Sam Pirozzo

5-25 Eleuterio & Lidia Oviedo

Prayer requests:

Darlyne Stewart, Karl’s sister, her cancer seems to be under control for the moment.

Shirley Weeks, Steve’s mom, is not well.

Sharon Best, Steven’s mom, still taking treatments for her pancreatic cancer.

Sarah, Chris Girvin’s sister, on hospice care

Eleuterio Oviedo recovering from knee replacement surgery

Doris Coley, regular listener, also recovering from knee surgery.

Robert and Sue Waller, health issues.

Darla Nitti, Wendi’s mom, stage 4 kidney disease, stroke. New living situation!

Leta, has a recurring cancer, prayer request from her granddaughter via our website.

Tammy Jones, Weeks’ neighbor, kidney failure/dialysis

Jessie Phillips, friend of the Weeks’, heart attack, one stint

Sympathy: Our condolences to the family of Sandy Pryor. She passed away last Sunday and services were held Friday at Laurel Oaks. Please keep Buddy and family in your prayers.

Article:

Acceptable to God through Christ

If we compare man-made religions with Christianity, a stark contrast emerges. Christianity exhibits non-human characteristics. People did not dream this up.

 

For starters, let’s roll the clock back to the ancient Mesopotamian religions. At that time humans thought they sustained the gods by offering sacrifices. The Sumerians even believed their purpose involved saving the gods from having to work.

Reflecting a similar theme, the Akkadians claimed that the gods discovered just how dependent they were upon humanity after having decimated the human population with plagues and flood. The Mesopotamians were not unique.

Fast forward to the Greco-Roman culture of Paul’s day. Standing on the Aeropagus, Paul contrasted prevalent Roman notions regarding gods with the Creator of heaven and earth. “He is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything, because he himself gives life and breath and everything to everyone” (Acts 17:25).

Contrary to human thinking requiring humanity to first establish moral or spiritual merit before the divine acts, God is the initiator and provider.

  • God sends sunshine and rain upon all. Matthew 5:45
  • God provides for our physical needs and well being. Matthew 6:31-33; 1 Timothy 6:17
  • God has provided everything we need to be spiritually blessed. Ephesians 2:4-7; 2 Peter 1:3
  • God even provides these spiritual blessings to the worst of sinners. 1 Timothy 1:15-16
  • God assembles Christians into a community that serves as his temple in which he dwells. Ephesians 2:21-22
  • And when we offer to God spiritual sacrifices, God has even provided the means for our sacrifices to be acceptable to him!

You yourselves, as living stones, are built up as a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood and to offer spiritual sacrifices that are acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 1 Peter 2:5

When people create a religious system, people don’t envision God graciously providing for all of our needs. Nor do they suggest that all of God’s provisions are offered to even the worst examples of humanity. Regardless of one’s past, the riches of God’s love remain available to those outside of Christ until they die.

Barry Newton, link to original article

Bulletin for 5-8-22

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Birthdays and Anniversaries:

5-10 Mark Grubbs

Prayer requests:

Sandy Pryor is in Hospice Care at Cheyenne Medical Lodge in Mesquite.

Darlyne Stewart, Karl’s sister, her cancer seems to be under control for the moment.

Shirley Weeks, Steve’s mom, is not well.

Sharon Best, Steven’s mom, still recovering from surgery.

Sarah, Chris Girvin’s sister, on hospice care

Eleuterio Oviedo recovering from knee replacement surgery

Doris Coley, regular listener, also recovering from knee surgery.

Robert and Sue Waller, health issues.

Darla Nitti, Wendi’s mom, stage 4 kidney disease, stroke. New living situation!

Leta, has a recurring cancer, prayer request from her granddaughter via our website.

Tammy Jones, Weeks’ neighbor, kidney failure/dialysis

Jessie Phillips, friend of the Weeks’, heart attack, one stint

Article:

Lose the world, win your soul

BY GARY C. HAMPTON — Every year someone makes a list of the world’s richest people. Some get on the list through years of hard work. Others make it because of dad’s money. Most consider everyone on the list to be among life’s winners. Jesus disagreed. He told his disciples,

“For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?” Matthew 16.26 ESV.

The word “gains” simply means “wins.” That is how Paul uses it to describe his reason for preaching. “For though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win more of them” 1 Corinthians 9.19. He went on to write,

“To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some. I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share with them in its blessings” 1 Corinthians 9.22-23.

The Lord is saying each of us has a choice. You and I can choose to win the world and lose our souls. Or, we can lose the world and win our souls. That is why the apostle declared,

“Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. On account of these the wrath of God is coming.” Colossians 3.5-6.

Everyone likes to win, but Paul was willing to lose if it meant he could gain heaven. He could have bragged about his fleshly achievements. They included:

“circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless” Philippians 3.5-6.

He gave up that substantial list of life achievements. He did it because he wanted to know Christ

“and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead” Philippians 3.10-11.

I urge you to consider losing the world. It will lead to winning your soul in eternity.

link to original article

Bulletin for 5-1-22

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Birthdays and Anniversaries:

5-3 Sandy Pryor

Prayer requests:

Sandy Pryor is in Hospice Care at Cheyenne Medical Lodge in Mesquite.

Dewey Prater, Dena’s father, had a pacemaker replacement Tuesday. All went well.

Darlyne Stewart, Karl’s sister, her cancer seems to be under control for the moment.

Shirley Weeks, Steve’s mom, is not well.

Sharon Best, Steven’s mom, still recovering from surgery.

Sarah, Chris Girvin’s sister, on hospice care

Eleuterio Oviedo recovering from knee replacement surgery

Doris Coley, regular listener, also recovering from knee surgery.

Robert and Sue Waller, health issues.

Darla Nitti, Wendi’s mom, stage 4 kidney disease, stroke. New living situation!

Leta, has a recurring cancer, prayer request from her granddaughter via our website.

Tammy Jones, Weeks’ neighbor, kidney failure/dialysis

Jessie Phillips, friend of the Weeks’, heart attack, one stint

Article:

The things that make for peace

“And when he drew near and saw the city, he wept over it, saying, ‘Would that you, even you, had known on this day the things that make for peace!” (Luke 19:41-42, ESV).

As the world watches the carnage and devastation which has enveloped much of Ukraine, this heartfelt prayer of Jesus is especially relevant. He was approaching Jerusalem, probably cresting the Mount of Olives, and as the city appeared before him, he broke into tears, uttering the words cited above.

Jesus’ tears were motivated by several factors.

First there was his love for the city. This was the home of the Temple of God, built by Solomon based on plans revealed to his father David. It was the place which God had chosen in which his people could draw near to his presence and worship (Deuteronomy 12:5-7). Righteous kings had ruled from the city, prophets had proclaimed God’s messages to the people there, and many other wonderful events were associated with Israel’s historic capital.

That love, however, was complicated by his foreknowledge of the disaster which would soon come upon Jerusalem (Matthew 23:37-24:28). In about 40 years from Jesus’ triumphant entry (Matthew 21:1-10) the Roman army would invade Judea, besiege and destroy Jerusalem, and destroy the Temple. After that invasion the Temple would never again stand on its site. Jesus knew that the Jews would rebel against Rome with disastrous results. That foreknowledge undoubtedly contributed to his sorrowful tears.

A third motive for Jesus’ grief was probably the fact that this destruction was avoidable. It did not have to happen. He lamented that the city’s inhabitants did not know “the things that make for peace.”

So often we humans experience suffering when it could have been avoided. “If” is one of the saddest words in the English language, especially when it is part of a phrase like, “If only I had …”

Jerusalem was the home of God; His word had been spoken there over more than 1000 years. God’s own Son was entering the city where he would teach for a week, after which he would be betrayed and executed. There was abundant opportunity for the Jewish people to have learned the things which would have given them peace. But they refused that knowledge, thereby sealing their destiny.

What are the things that make for peace? When Moses addressed the people of Israel before they crossed the Jordan to receive the land God was giving them, he commanded them:

“And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you, but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to keep the commandments and statues of the Lord, which I am commanding you today for your good?”

If the people would simply honor God, love him, and obey his commands, God promised that they would inherit the land and “live long in it” (Deuteronomy 11:8-9). Failure to do all of those things would result in disaster (Deuteronomy 11:17).

This discussion of Jerusalem’s fate is obviously an Old Testament subject (Jesus lived under the Law of Moses), but it has relevance to our world today. God is still God — the creator and sustainer of the universe (Acts 17:24-28).

He has shown his love for humanity by sending his Son to provide salvation from sin (John 3:16; Romans 5:8). He continues to call believers to become his people and promises to be their God (1 Peter 2:9). And he continues to require of us that we love him, honor him, and obey his commandments.

Those who obey will be at peace (Philippians 4:4-7).

Michael Brooks, link to original article