Hurt, Hard Times, and HOPE-Week One

Today we began an eight week journey through the Beatitudes in Matthew 5.  We are using the Beatitudes as a spring board to talk about our brokenness and the Hope and healing Jesus wants to do in and through our lives.

Today Pastor Gerten shared a message called “The Reality Choice”.  He shared we live a plastic existence where “everything is ok” and we do not allow our real self to be seen.  Our personal persistent problems are often the hardest to deal with and we grow to accept them as normal.

We must ask the question, “What pulls me away from God?”

What is it for you?

Jesus said, “Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven”

The three points:

1. I must humbly admit I need help.
2. I must humbly ask God for help.
3. I must humbly accept help from other people.

Graduation Sunday

Congrats to all our grads this year.

Yesterday we were able to celebrate the graduation of 5 students from college and 7 from high school.

The college grads range from English to Business with plans to pursue MBA’s and also to get married.  Great work on your completion of college!

The high school grads were from Olivet, Marshall, Coldwater, and homeschooled.  The plans range from college to the military.

Corey, our youth pastor, did a great job speaking and sharing from I Timothy 4:12.

We look forward to hearing more about how God uses these students!

What Went Right, What Went Wrong-Spiritual Warfare

This is only a glimpse of an enormous topic of spiritual warfare. Please use this as a tool to move you forward to further understanding and research.

Revelation 12:

“A great and wondrous sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and a crown of twelve stars on her head. 2She was pregnant and cried out in pain as she was about to give birth. Many understand this to be Mary giving birth to Jesus.

What Went Right, What Went Wrong-Satan

Find below just a few notes regarding satan.

In OT we meet figure called “the satan” Hebrew Ha Satan, meaning “the accuser”

Some areas we learn of satan.

• Beginning of Job
• I Chron. 21:1
• David’s census
• Zech. 3:1
• Genesis 3
• Daniel, monsters coming up out of the sea

Satan is a fallen angel opposed to humanity and Jesus (Matt. 4, Rev. 21).

Always attempting to undo the project of God

Goal is death of creation and humans.  Death is sin, sin is rebellion of humanity against reflecting God’s image.  It is refusing to worship God, instead worshiping created things

CS Lewis warned we would take satan too seriously or not serious enough

Message Follow Up: What Went Right, What Went Wrong Part Two

If you are interested in further exploring this topic please see the list below.

Recommended Reading List:

The Problem of Pain by C.S. Lewis

Evil and the Justice of God by N.T. Wright

The Divine Conspiracy by Dallas Willard

Message Follow Up-What Went Right, What Went Wrong Part One

Mark Driscoll, a pastor in Seattle shares these nine sinful views on sin.

1. Sin is just breaking rules.
   1. Traveling in basketball is breaking a rule, sin is breaking relationship with God
2. Jesus died for all my sins and forgives all my sins so I do not need to change.
   1. Died so we can put sin to death
   2. Are you even a Christian? Where is the conviction and repentance?
3. If I don’t confess all my sins, I’ll go to hell.
   1. Jesus died for all you sins.
   2. Past and Future.
4. God knows my heart. That is what counts.
   1. The Bible says your heart is wellspring of life.
   2. All life is echo of heart.
5. Sin is fun.
   1. If you love Jesus sin is not fun.
   2. Conviction.
6. Not a sin if no one gets hurt.
   1. Hurts you. Hurts others around you.
   2. Sin separates you from God
7. Only a sin if you get caught
   1. God knows.
   2. Those who are close see the effects.
8. If it’s popular, its ok.
   1. Such and such does it, it must be ok.
9. Make everything into a sin issue even if it is not.
   1. The way I do it is the way everyone should do it.
   2. We love to do this in churches…can you support it with scripture?

Sunday Message Follow Up Material

There has been a slight delay and we hope to start posting the extra material later today and tomorrow.  Keep checking back.

A Tale…Wrap Up and Results

On Sunday we gathered to bring our gifts before Jesus.

The six week series, “A Tale of Two Kingdoms” came to a close.

The church was encouraged to “Spend Less to Give More” and also to give relational gifts.

Below please find the results of Sunday’s giving…

Spend Less to Give More:

$1378.00 given to the Matipane Food Project.  This means 161 days of meat and fruit for AIDS orphans.  Just over 5 months of food.  This is 16,100 meals.

$766.75 given to the Least of These.  This money gave four families Christmas and will be used in the future to support and work with individuals in Marshall.

Relational Giving:

• Adopted a family through MACS, prayed for child of this family by name.
• Paid for fuel to heat a local family’s home.
• Helped an older couple on fixed income pay for extra medication and car repairs.
• Gave toward a water project in Swaziland through Advocates for Africa’s Children.
• Adopted a family through MACS.
• Sent notes of encouragement to 60 area pastors.  Prayed for those pastors and their churches.
• In place of gifts for each other, a couple gave all they would spend on each other to food project and least of these.
• Instead of exchanging gifts at work, the office filled up a van and gave to a local family in need.
• Adopted two families in community.
• Took a van full of clothes and food to the In As Much House.
• Spent time with grandchild making cookies and candy.
• Went caroling on Christmas Eve and delivered goodies.
• Rang the Salvation Army Bell.
• Small groups supported a family.
• Went caroling with the choir.
• Sent support to Northwoods Christian Camp in the UP.
• Instead of purchasing just gifts, extended family gave money to purchase animals and items for the village our African son lives in.
• Adopted two families and gave them crib with bedding, warm clothes, children’s books, twin bed, etc.
• Connected a neighbor with a family member who both spoke Hungarian and shared time with them.
• Bought fuzzy socks and handed them out while caroling at nursing home.
• Photographed a family with children in poor health as a gift.
• Gave to the Alana Joy Foundation.
• Searched for a family which had been overlooked and adopted family.  Met family, invited them to church, and plans to follow up with them.
• Gave cookies to widower and shared faith.
• Shoveled walk for elderly gentleman.
• Spent time with a friend God had been impressing upon their heart.
• Made an international call to friends.
• Pulled multiple people out of the snow when stuck, plan to continue on.
• Shared Christmas with a family in Marshall who was having financial troubles.
• Instead of giving gifts, spent a week on vacation with family.
• Took a soup supper to local tree farm.
• Hosted a mother daughter tea.
• Made and gave cookies and fudge to neighbors.
• Gave to a local family with 10 children.
• Along with cookies and fudge, gave a gift card to a local family in need.
• Sent a donation to Heifer project to supply animals to help feed and grow food.
• Gave to a local family.

Thank You Volunteers

Last Sunday we took a day to celebrate and thank all of the volunteers at FBC.

We brought the two services together and talked through and thanks all of the volunteers in the ministries.  The church heard from various volunteers, saw ministry in action, and applauded those who give of their time and self.

Thank you volunteers for your time, effort, prayer, guidance, service, and heart in serving the Lord!

Would you take the time this week to thank someone who serves at FBC by sending them an e-mail or note?

Hands-Ideas

On Sunday morning we saw how the crowd might have used their hands when encountering the leper and also how Jesus used his hands.  Here are some ideas of ways you can use your hands in ways like Jesus did:

1. Make cookies or other baked goods with a caring note for a neighbor.
2. Ask questions which will lead into a discussion about spiritual things.
3. Get a detailed map of your neighborhood and put it up in your home and start praying together as a family for your neighbors.
4. Use the above map (#3) to plan and strategize how you will contact and reach every home in your neighborhood.
5. Throw a block party or BBQ and invite all your neighbors to come.
6. Start conversations while waiting in line at the grocery store and share the love of Christ with the people around you.