On Sat, Mar 4, 2023 at 7:10 AM Pancoast's <bpancoast@sbcglobal.net> wrote:
Good morning all,“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.” Romans 15:13GIVING THANKS:* Cindy Holly's cousin Taylor is recovering from the mastectomy and reconstructive surgery and doing well. They are grateful for everyone's prayers.PRAYER REQUESTS:* Dorothea requested prayers since her former co-worker Kathy Carbone passed away. Prayers for Kathy's family as well.* Leah's co-worker Maureen had her surgery and they found cancer. Prayers for her to get through this next phase. She is alone in her life and has no-one to help her.* Prayers for Devlal while he is in Nepal and for his safe return home.SPOONER HOUSE – URGENT NEEDS FOR NON-PERISHABLE FOODS:Spooner House is in dire need for non-perishable food items such as canned soups, chili, stew, canned or instant potatoes, tuna-fish, peanut butter & Jelly, Pastas, Tomato sauce, etc. Their shelves are empty so we appeal to everyone to bring in donations so we can follow through with our commitment to this shelter in providing for the poor.Please place all donations to the bin in the church foyer. Let's make our donations be overflowing and help those in need!Thanks to Paula Slauson, Tammie Carey and several others who volunteer at the Spooner House on a regular basis.REMINDERS:* Wednesday evening Bible study is at 7:00 each week. Ron is leading a great study on the Holy Spirit. Watch for the zoom link. Be sure to make copies of the attachments for this study and learn on your own time as well.* Tuesday, March 7th and 21st are the Ladies mid-week bible studies this month at 9:30 a.m. via zoom. Watch for the link. Lisa and Mary Lou do a great job with these studies. If you are able to log on, the study is 1st and 2nd Thessalonians.* Saturday morning on March 11th at 10:00 a.m. at the buildingTori Saracino will be leading the ladies bible study. Join us as we continue our study on STANDING FIRM in the Lord. The lesson will be “ON CHRIST THE SOLID ROCK I STAND”. We will also use this morning as an opportunity to discuss details for the upcoming baby shower for Jessica Lennon.APRIL:* Tuesday morning ladies bible studies will be on April 4th and 18th this month at 9:30 a.m.* Saturday April 22nd at 11:30 a.m. we will have a baby shower here at the building for Jessica Lennon. Jessica is registered at Target.* Saturday April 29th at 6:30 p.m. Beyond Reasonable Doubt series will be shown here at the building. Our groups are getting larger which is great news! Join us for a time of fellowship after the videos. The pandemic kept us apart for years, but it's TIME to get back to fellowshipping again!SNEAK PEAK AT MAY:* Friday night May 5th at 7:00 p.m. Laney and Tori will be leading our ladies bible study. The topic is “ALL OTHER GROUND IS SINKING SAND”CONGREGATIONAL NEWS:* INSPIRE NEW ENGLAND CONFERENCE – “Revive Us Again” will be hosted at the Manchester Church of Christ on March 24th – 25th. There are workshops for the whole family. Please see the flier on the back table in the auditorium.
* Reminder that Tidal River Christian Camp is in need of counselors and volunteers for camp this year. This is the 50th year celebration for the camp's anniversary. Please see Patrick Keller if you have interest. The dates for camp are:Junior week 1 – July 2-7Junior week 2 – July 9-14Senior week 1 – July 16-21Senior week 2 – July 23-28Psalm 42:5 reads,“Why are you downcast O my soul? Why so disturbed within me?Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise Him..my Savior and my God.”We get so burdened in this life. Life is hard and brings challenges to our individual worlds that seem insurmountable. Health challenges, job challenges, monetary struggles, family issues, the list goes on.Our perspective can be compromised daily by the evil one who sends us messages of despair with no hope. Many fight feelings of discouragement and heavy hearts daily.We read in Romans 8:24“For in this hope we were saved.But hope that is seen is no hope at all.Who hopes for what he already has?But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.“God in all of His glory offers us hope through His word. This hope offers us full assurance and that God keeps his promises!Hebrews 6:9-12“Even though we speak like this, dear friends, we are confident of better things in your case – things that accompany salvation. God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them.We want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end in order to make your hope sure. We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised.“God's word provides us all of the reassurance we need to feel HOPE…Matthew 6:31-32“Do not worry saying, 'what shall we eat?' or 'what shall we drink' or 'what shall we wear?' “for the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.”Philippians 4:19“And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.”Deuteronomy 31:6“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.“Psalm 119:114“You are my refuge and my shield; I have put my hope in your word.”Psalm 27:1,5“For in the day of trouble he will keep me safe in his dwelling; he will hide me in the shelter of his sacred tent and set me high upon a rock.”We have the hope of eternal life!Titus 1:1-2“Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ to further the faith of God's elect and their knowledge of the truth that leads to godliness – in the hope of eternal life, which God, who does not lie, promised before the beginning of time.“We have hope in Christ’s return!Titus 2:11-13“For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say 'No' to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope – the appearing glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ“.We have the hope of inheritance that is eternal!1 Peter 1:3-4“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil, or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you.”We have the hope of answered prayer!1 John 5:14-15“This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us – whatever we ask – we know that we have what we asked of him“.As you can see throughout all these promises, God is the source of it all. HE IS the basis for our hope and the only reason we can have confidence.No matter how bleak our circumstances, God gives us the ability to look at every situation and KNOW, that regardless of how bad things are, HE WILL COME THROUGH for us.When we are His, we have blessed assurance.When we are His, we have a hope that is confident.With Faith and perseverance, we WILL inherit God's promises!In Hebrews 10:22 we read,“Let us draw near to God with a sincere heart with full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.“Hope is something that does not waiver, because it is rooted in the faithfulness of GOD.Hebrews 11:1,“Faith is being sure of what is hoped for, and certain of what we do not see.“When we have full assurance of Hope, there is faith!Hebrews 11:3,“By faith, we understand that the universe was formed at God's command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.“When our faith in God looks to the future, it is called HOPE.Whenever HOPE rests on the word of God, it is called FAITH.Romans 15:4 –“For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us,so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptureswe might have hope.“1 Peter 1:13“Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober, set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at his coming. “1 Thessalonians 1:3“We remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith,your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.“Colossians 1:27“To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of Glory.“Ephesians 1:18“I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people“We have such hope, why? Because He paid it all, for us.Now we get to pass this hope on…and help someone on their faith journey.This song says it all. If you haven't heard it, it is done by Hallal and worth listening to.ENTER INIn a world of pain and sorrow,When the best so often fall,When the prayers all go unanswered,When the shadows seem to overwhelm,When the light of hope has dimmed and leaves no hope at all…That's when heaven pierces through the clouds of darkness,And the glory of the Father shines from heaven's open door,And the Son of Man standing at the right hand of the Father,With a warm embrace gives welcome,And the Angels are rejoicing,And the Father with a voice like rushing wind,Says all Heaven has been waiting,Enter in!When the dreams of life are shattered,and the body wastes away,when all dignity's abandoned,and the ones who care with broken hearts,Plead for mercy, but it seems that mercy hides its face.That's when heaven pierces through the cloud of darkness,and the Glory of the Fathershines through Heaven's open door,And the Son of Man standing at the right hand of the Father,With a warm embrace gives welcome,And the angels are rejoicing,and the Father with a voice like rushing wind,Says all heaven has been waiting, enter in.Enter in, Enter in!Our hope is in the eternal…Romans 8:18-26 speaks about FUTURE GLORY…“I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed. For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God.“Hebrews 10:23“Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful!“In closing, there is so much we have to be thankful for! God is good and He has provided for us everything we need to be hopeful and have faith!Revelation 22:12-16“Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End. “Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city. Outside are the dogs, those who practice magic arts, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood. “I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright and Morning Star.”Jesus is the LIGHT, and there will be an end to darkness.LIGHT IS HOPE!Keep the Faith and may GOD be glorified in all that we say and do!In Him,Bruce & Paula
