Good morning church family,
1ccf00ef-6311-cd0b-409f-387b0aa873af@yahoo.com>”>GIVING THANKS:
* Thanks be to God for His mercies which are never ceasing!
PRAYER REQUESTS:
* Prayers for Margaret as she heals from her knee surgery.
* Prayers for Jay & Flo’s long-time friend Mike Foglietta who is in hospice care as well as Mike’s family at this difficult time.
* Mary Lou asked for prayers for her friend Louise who got hurt and has blood clots from the injury. She is caregiver to her husband and now she is not able to properly care for him.
* Donna (Murphy) Blankenship a former member asked for prayers since she was recently diagnosed with melanoma. She will be seeing a surgeon at UK Markey Cancer center and she asked for prayers for proper treatment and that the cancer has not spread.
* Debbie Christy’s niece Carrie Christy was recently diagnosed with cancer. Prayers that she also finds the right doctor who can properly treat this and for her healing.
COMING UP:
* TODAY is our Vacation Bible School starting at 11:00 AM! We get to share the GOOD NEWS of Jesus’ LIGHT….prayers for all!
“I am the LIGHT of the world.
Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness,
but will have the light of life“
John 8:12
SEPTEMBER
Beginning the first Sunday in September, Ron will begin a series on “Death and the Afterlife”. Stay tuned for more details. This will be a great study and a wonderful opportunity to invite friends and family!
Friday nights in September – Flo Repecko will be teaching a series on Biblical boundaries: “What the Bible teaches about Boundaries” There will be 4 lessons total, held every Friday in September, starting September 6th – 6:30 pm for Fellowship, 7:00 pm lesson. Refreshments will be provided.
84108509-dc41-8ffa-77d8-9776bf033c3e@yahoo.com>”>
098b5d7d-3fe4-3891-f068-1c515fd38edc@yahoo.com>”>What is a Mystery?
According to Merriam-Webster’s dictionary, the meaning of MYSTERY is “something not understood or beyond understanding. Something that is difficult or impossible to understand or explain.”
Mankind, although we have made many advancements in this world, still cannot explain some of the biggest mysteries of this world. Here are a few of those un-explained mysteries which were taken from a scientific website:
0ef8d5a6-08a9-5f31-3688-7b4f28b801a5@yahoo.com>”>“What is most of the Universe made out of?
It turns out all the stars in all the galaxies in all the universe barely even begin to account for all the ‘stuff’ out there. Most of the matter in the universe is actually unseeable, untouchable, and to this day, undiscovered. It is called dark matter, and despite searching for it for decades, scientists still have no idea what it is.“
2a3451ed-10e1-4361-076c-e30813f561b6@yahoo.com>”>“What lives in the ocean’s twilight zone?
As you dive deeper into the ocean, less and less sunlight shines through, and about 200 meters beneath the surface, you reach an area called the “twilight zone”. Sunlight fades almost completely out of view, and our knowledge about these dark depths fades too. “It’s almost easier to define the twilight zone by what we don’t know, than what we do know” Andone Lavery, an acoustician at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution explained. This region of the ocean is extremely important. It’s possible – but not certain – that there are more fish living in the twilight zone than the rest of the ocean combined, and creatures of the dark ocean play a large role in regulating the climate. The ocean’s twilight zone is deep, dark, and full of wonders, but unlike the surface ocean, which is accessible by ship and can be imaged remotely, the twilight zone isn’t easily studied with ship based sonar or satellite technology. “
943b1005-f9c8-14c8-e246-5b8b7d8e0a09@yahoo.com>”>“What is ball lightening?”
“Ball lightening only lasts for a few moments and it is impossible to predict where and when it will show up. You can’t hunt ball lightening and reliably find it. Ball lightening finds you! It is rare but many people have seen it. Scientists don’t know exactly where it comes from, but that it hasn’t stopped them from trying to make it themselves, in their labs.”
There are many more epic mysteries that scientists cannot explain.
Oddly enough, another one of the un-explained questions scientists ask is, “When will the Universe end?” We as Christians know that GOD holds the end of time in HIS HANDS. No one but the Father knows when that will be.
““Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away. But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.“
Matthew 24:35,36
In the New Testament, a “mystery” is something that was hidden, but then was revealed to God’s people.
Praise God we worship the CREATOR of this world who created it all! The GREAT I AM provides us the answer to all of life’s questions and has already explained the mystery of God!
785454c2-767e-4f16-4eee-638a8c9ce62d@yahoo.com>”>The Scriptures tell us that the mystery of God is JESUS CHRIST.
Colossians 2:2-3
“My purpose is that they may be encouraged in heart and
united in love,
so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding,
in order that they may know the mystery of God,
namely, Christ,
in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.”
Jesus spoke of “the mystery of the kingdom of God” in Mark 4:11 when he spoke with His disciples.
The apostle Paul used the word mystery 21 times in his letters. In each case, the “mystery” involved a wonderful declaration of spiritual truth, revealed by God through diving inspiration.
Ephesians 3:4-5
“In reading this,
then you will be able to understand my insight
into the mystery of Christ,
which was not made known to people
in other generations
as it has now been revealed by the Spirit
to God’s holy apostles and prophets.”
The mystery of God’s will is that “which he purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment – to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.” Ephesians 1:9-10
d57728c0-47c3-6a5c-5217-21ba6a2f2258@yahoo.com>”>1 Corinthians 2:7
“No, we speak of God’s secret wisdom,
a wisdom that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began.
None of the rulers of this age understood it,
for if they had, they would not have crucified the LORD of glory.
However, as it is written:
No eye has seen,
no ear has heard,
no mind has conceived
what God has prepared for those who love him.
but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit.“
The mystery of God is the consummation of God’s plan in bringing His kingdom, in Christ, to fulfillment. The kingdom had long been prophesied, but the how and the when and the by whom was not clear until the time of Christ. It is in Christ that God has been manifested to all of mankind.
As Jesus said,
John 14:9
“Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father”
In Colossians 1:25-26 Paul said that he had been commissioned to preach “the word of God in its fullness – the mystery that had been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to the LORD’s people.“
Through the apostles we have been given Scripture; their writings, all of which focus on Jesus Christ— and shares God’s Word… to mankind.
We cannot have a relationship with God apart from having a personal relationship with His Son Jesus Christ.
John 14:23
“If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching.
My Father will love him,
and we will come to him and make our home with him.
He who does not love me will not obey my teaching.
These words you hear are not my own,
they belong to the Father who sent me.”
Jesus Christ is the “mystery” revealed to those who believe – as is the mystery of “Christ in you, the hope of glory”
ca7350e7-811e-45dd-f3bc-719ac72f10a8@yahoo.com>”>The key to having the “full riches of complete understanding” as we read in Colossians 2:2 is to be buried with Him in baptism and be born again by the Power of the Holy Spirit.
c8104c1e-d977-4c69-cf61-44f1589a48c3@yahoo.com>”>Paul tells us in 1 Timothy 3:16 “beyond all question, the mystery from which true godliness springs is great.”
The secret of being godly was hidden but is now revealed. It is to those who believe in Christ that the mystery is made known.
Jesus was God in the flesh and yet was tempted but did not sin. He lived a perfect life and became the sacrifice for all of our sins. Nothing we deserve and this came at a huge cost, his life.
2527460e-5bff-d3fe-e992-65259ca893aa@yahoo.com>”>The mystery of GOD is JESUS CHRIST!
How blessed we are to be IN CHRIST!
What true JOY we have IN CHRIST!
KEEP SINGING:
YOUR GRACE STILL AMAZES ME
My faithful Father,
Enduring friend
Your tender mercy is like a river with no end
It overwhelms me,
Covers my sin
Each time I come into your presence,
I stand in wonder once again…
Your grace, still amazes me
Your love, is still a mystery
Each day, I fall on my knees,
’cause your grace still amazes me.
Your grace still amazes me!
Oh patient savior,
You make me whole
You are the author and the healer of my soul.
What can I give you?
What can, I say?
I know there’s no way to repay you,
Only to offer you my praise…
Your grace, still amazes me
Your love, is still a mystery
Each day, I fall on my knees,
’cause your grace still amazes me.
Your grace still amazes me!
It’s deeper, it’s wider, it’s stronger, it’s higher
It’s deeper, it’s wider, it’s stronger, it’s higher
Than anything my eyes can see.
Your grace, still amazes me
Your love, is still a mystery
Each day, I fall on my knees,
‘Cause your grace still amazes me.
‘Cause your grace still amazes me!
Your grace still amazes me!
God has revealed His complete Word to us through the scriptures. We have EVERYTHING WE NEED. There will be no excuses.
26429394-454b-1a5f-c2f9-8f11a49af571@yahoo.com>”>Colossians 1:27
The “mystery of God” is God’s plan of salvation through Jesus Christ.
PRAISE GOD for the scriptures which share this eternal message!
PRAISE GOD for JESUS!
8a00e7a0-3226-d96a-d7cf-24e6883d6aa9@yahoo.com>”>To all of the scientists out there and many others who have unanswered questions, all they need to do is open God’s Word.
JESUS CHRIST IS THE WAY!
Matthew 28:18-20
“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.
Therefore go and make disciples of all nations,
baptizing them in the name of the Father, and the Son, and of the Holy Spirit,
and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded to you.
And, surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
We close with another song…
RING THE MESSAGE OUT!
PRAISE THE LORD!
In HIM,
Bruce & Paula