Good morning church family,
GIVING THANKS:
* Eric Reynolds gives thanks that both he and his Father are doing much better. He appreciates all of the prayers.
* Gregory Taylor is doing much better so thanks for everyone's prayers.
* Thanks to Joanne Discala for opening her home up to the ladies last evening. There was a great turn-out and time of fellowship. All were edified regarding the power of prayer, and God was glorified.
PRAYER REQUESTS:
* Dorothea will be having an Interventional pain procedure on her spine on July 7th. She is not a candidate for surgery so prayers that all go well.
* Pat Yaglowski is also seeking alternative measures to her high pain levels. She will know more in a few weeks.
* We have several members who deal with excruciating pain levels, so prayers for them to endure & find the right cure.
* Robert Aggrey's Aunt passed away from cancer. They will be attending the funeral services out-of-state this weekend.
* Debbie Christy's friend Carolyn Farris lost her husband of 60 years.
* Mary Lou asked for prayers for Kimberly, a friend of her son Greg's, who has been diagnosed with a serious illness.
* Prayers for the Repecko family as they go through this difficult time.
SPOONER HOUSE:
Reminder to bring in a few non-perishable foods for Spooner House!
SCHOOL SUPPLIES NEEDED FOR GHANA
Our sister Esther Aggrey is going to Ghana in December and is bringing school supplies to the children there. The organization she is participating in is called DREAM HUNT which is a campaign to help children in Ghana fulfill their career dreams.
Here is list of items that the children need:
Shoes for children, boys and girls , gently used – or new – it doesn’t matter
Sizes from 4 years old up to age 10
Pencils
Color books, color, pencils
books for children
Erasers sharpeners
Color pencils, rulers
backpacks
underwear for children
There is a bin in the foyer for all donations. Items will be shipped at the end of October.
Thanks to Esther and her volunteering in this wonderful effort!
* VACATION BIBLE SHOOL IS COMING UP ON July 22nd 10am – 2pm
Thanks to everyone for your donations thus far!
A food sign-up sheet is posted on the auditorium doors. If you are able to help with food, please sign up. Here is a copy of the list.
A FEW VBS SUPPLIES STILL NEEDED:
* A polaroid camera to borrow
* 14 rectangular plastic table cloths – multi colored
Ron is leading a great study each week on the book of Acts. He is also leading a wonderful study on the Gifts of the Holy Spirt on Wednesday nights at 7pm. Please carve time out to join us for these rich studies.
The word Freedom brings with it many thoughts and emotions. Freedom is not free, but comes at a great cost. Freedom is a powerful concept for which men and women have fought and died.
Freedom is the longing of every heart.
We live in a fallen world where many are in bondage physically, politically, emotionally, and spiritually.
There are five types of Earthly Freedoms:
Freedom of speech
Freedom of religion
Freedom of press
Freedom of assembly
and the freedom and right to petition the government
All together these five guaranteed freedoms allow us – citizens of the United States of America – to be the freest in the world.
But spiritual freedom, which is not noted above, is the greatest of all Freedom.
When we hear the word freedom, the first thing that comes to mind is “being FREE to do whatever we want”. Free from bondage, free from enslavement, free from restrictions, just Free….
Sadly our freedom here in the U.S. has fueled selfishness, disobedience, disregard for human life, disrespect, and the list goes on. We have taken our freedom for granted, and lost the core values that built this country which were Hard work, commitment and dedication, brotherhood, regard for human life, and Faith.
The scriptures are clear… freedom to do whatever we want, WILL lead to our demise.
Galatians 5:13
“You my brothers and sisters were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather serve one another humbly in love.”
Romans 6:34
“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.“
No doubt our world is in peril. People are lovers of themselves as noted in 2 Timothy, and doing whatever they want to do, without boundaries or accountability.
True freedom is not a matter of doing what we want, without restraint. Good parents set boundaries for their children which keep them healthy, and safe. The laws of our land, have established boundaries to protect us. Boundaries prevent chaos and are for our protection and our own good.
True freedom is when our wants, align with God's will.
Thank God we have a Savior, who paid the price for our sins.
He was the Word in human flesh and sacrificed His life, for ours.
Christians who decide to follow Jesus, are asked to be obedient to His commands.
John 8:31-16
“To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said,
If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples.
Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.“
Jesus shows all people the way to the Father and eternal Glory, a forever freedom. An eternal freedom.
He bears eternal scars for US!
The path to eternal life requires a decision…to choose Righteousness, over sin.
In Romans 6:15-23 the Apostle Paul asks…
“What then? Shall we sin because we are not under the law, but under grace?
By no means!
Don't you know that when you offer yourselves to someone to obey him as slaves,
you are slaves to the one whom you obey – whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience,
which leads to righteousness?
But thanks be to God that though you used to be slaves to sin,
you wholeheartedly obeyed the form of teaching to which you were entrusted.
You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness.
I put this in human terms because you are weak in your natural selves.
Just as you used to offer the parts of your body in slavery to impurity and to ever-increasing wickedness,
so now offer them in slavery to righteousness leading to holiness.
When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the control of righteousness.
What benefit did you reap at that time from the things you are now ashamed of?
Those things result in death!
But now that you have been set free from sin,
and have become slaves to God,
the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life.
For the wages of sin is death,
but the gift of God
is eternal life
in Christ Jesus our Lord.“
The Apostle Paul shared with the Corinthian church in 1 Corinthians 6:12-19..
“Everything is permissible for me” but not everything is beneficial.
“Everything is permissible for me” – but I will not be mastered by anything.
“Food for the stomach and the stomach for food.” – but God will destroy them both.
The body is not meant for sexual immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body.
By his power God raised the Lord from the dead, and he will raise us also.
Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ himself?
Shall I then take the members of Christ and unite them with a prostitute? Never!
Do you not know that he who unites himself with a prostitute is one with her in body?
For it is said, “The two will become one flesh.”
But he who unites himself with the Lord is one with him in spirit.
Flee from sexual immorality.
All other sins a man commits are outside his body, but he who sins sexually sins agains his own body.
Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit,
who is in you,
whom you have received from God?
You are not your own; you were bought at a price.
Therefore honor God with your body.”
Praise God we have a Savior who paid our debt on the cross.
Praise God for His Mercy and His Grace.
Praise God we have the hope of heaven, when we are undeserving.
We have so much to be thankful for because of the gift of salvation through Jesus Christ and the peace He offers.
No matter what people think about the issues in our country, we are still the greatest country in the world with many flocking to be here.
Let us give thanks to God for the freedom we have here:
* We get to Worship together in unity as one congregation and body of believers in public!
* We get to carry our bible to worship and open it, highlight it, read from it, and share it openly with our neighbors is a privilege and not to be taken for granted.
* We get to sing Praises to our God, in public
* We get to bow our heads in prayer, in public
* We are able to open up God's word and study it, in public
* God has given us the privilege and honor to live our lives for Jesus Christ without being imprisoned.
Let us not take our freedom for granted. Singing hymns proclaim our spiritual freedom in Christ and what it cost. No matter our social, political, physical, or situational state, we are truly free, if we are free in CHRIST.
KEEP SINGING…
At age eleven, John Newton's mother died, and his father took him off to sea. On a visit back home he was impounded by the Navy and pressed into service. He escaped from the Navy, only to be impounded again. But this time, the Navy traded him to a slave trader and he became involved in the slave trade, and gross immorality. He was eventually imprisoned, and then rescued by a friend of his father. In 1748, he boarded the Greyhound headed for home, but encountered a terrible storm on the way. After 27 days of being lost at sea, the crew finally sighted land. This experience drove Newton back to the faith taught at his mother's knee. He became a preacher, and the fire that was now lit would never again be extinguished. At age 82, near death, almost blind, and with fading memory, he spoke these words: “My memory is nearly gone, but I remember two things..I'm a great sinner and Christ is a great Savior.” John Newton wrote the words to this world's best-loved hymn… AMAZING GRACE.
AMAZING GRACE
Amazing Grace,
How sweet the sound,
That saved a wretch like me,
I once was lost, but now am found,
Twas blind, but now I see.
Twas Grace that taught my heart to sing,
And Grace my fears relieved,
How precious did that grace appear,
the hour I first believed.
Through many dangers, toils and snares,
I have already come,
Tis grace hath brought me safe thus far,
And Grace will lead me home.
When we've been there,
Ten thousand years,
Bright shining as the sun,
We've no less days,
To sing God's Praise,
Than when we first begun.
LISTEN TO OUR HEARTS
“And He who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit.” Romans 8:26-27
How do you explain,
How do you describe,
A love that goes from east to west, and runs as deep as it is wide.
You know all our hopes,
Lord, You know all our fears,
And words cannot express the love we fear
but we long for You to hear.
So listen to our hearts,
Hear our spirits sing,
A song of praise that flows,
from those You have redeemed.
We will use the words we know,
to tell You what an Awesome God you are,
But words are not enough,
to tell You of our love,
so listen to our hearts.
If words could fall like rain,
from these lips of mine,
And if I had a thousand years,
Lord, I would still run out of time.
If You listen to my heart,
every beat will say;
“Thank You for the Life,
Thank You for the Truth,
Thank You for the Way.”
So listen to our hearts,
hear our spirits sing,
A song of Praise that flows,
from those You have redeemed,
We will use the words we know,
to tell You what an Awesome God You are,
But words are not enough,
to tell You of our love,
so listen to our hearts.
In closing….
Galatians 5:1
“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free.
Stand firm, then,
and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.“
Hebrews 1:8
“Your throne, O God, will last forever and ever,
and righteousness will be the scepter of your kingdom.
You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness;
therefore God, our God,
has set you above your companions by anointing you with the oil of joy.”
Our purpose in this life is found in Matthew 28:16-20
And Jesus came and said to them,
“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.
Go therefore and make disciples of all nations,
baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.
And behold,
I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
We have eternal freedom and the Hope of Heaven!
Praise GOD and REJOICE!
Our love in Him,
Bruce & Paula