On Sat, May 6, 2023 at 7:56 AM Pancoast's <bpancoast@sbcglobal.net> wrote:
Hello to our church family,“Oh earth, earth, earth,Hear the Word of the LORD.”Jeremiah 22:29GIVING THANKS:* Mildred is doing better and has been discharged from the rehab center and is home. Her address again is* Ashley Stephens Mom is home from the hospital and is weak but doing better. Her nephew is also healing from surgery.* Lesline Thomas, Nadine's family member had a successful surgery. She has a long road of recovery ahead so continued prayers.* Spooner House continues to be grateful for all of our contributions! For those who are new members, here is their link so you can see more about this great work. Contributions can be made directly as well.
PRAYER REQUESTS:* Daniel Ruiz and his girlfriend Bella are going through a difficult time. Prayers for God's direction.* Teri Fernandes was admitted to the Oncology floor at St. Vincent's Medical Center due to severe pain. Our prayers go out to both Teri and Mike.* Prayers for Karen Rzasa as she completes her 2nd Master's degree.* Michelle Wilson asked for prayers for Amina Smith who is having a hard time dealing with her Mother's death.* Nadine asked for prayers for her Mother's health. Her blood pressure is high.* Prayers for adult children to develop their relationship with God.* Prayers for all of our students finishing up school soon. Lots of finals and exams so this is a stressful time for them.* Kris Eddy asked for prayers for his employee Mike Muller who is in his late 20's who recently got married and found out that he has a brain tumor.There will be a brief meeting after services on May 21st for VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL. Thanks to everyone for contributing towards this evangelistic event which will encourage y'all ages! Please see Jayden Rzasa if you are unable to attend.The Secret Prayer Sister REVEAL will be on Saturday June 3rd at 11:30 a.m. at the church building. There will be a devotional on prayer, singing, and brunch. Watch for the sign-up sheet. Thanks to our sister Nadine who has organized this wonderful activity!TIDAL RIVER CHRISTIAN CAMP:Nurses are needed for the camp sessions this summer.Our congregation has been asked to provide food as we do every year.:Trumbull Church of Christ is to provide:Cookies (15) packages (any kind)Potato Chips (10) Large Bags (10+ oz Size)Any craft supplies are welcomed as well.*Cash donations will also be gladly accepted.Please bring items the first day of camp (July 2, 2023)or email tidalriverchristiancamp@gmail.com if you have any questions or delivery changes.EVANGELISM IS:The act of preaching the gospel with the intention of sharing the message and teachings of Jesus ChristThe spreading of the Christian gospel by public preaching or personal witness.Sharing the message of Jesus Christ with others.Showing them and telling them in word and deed – who Jesus is!
* Wednesday evening at 7pm via zoom – Ron is leading a study on “The Fruit of the Spirit”* Sunday morning Bible classes – for all ages – begin at 10:00 a.m. & Worship at 11:00 a.m.* There are church cards on the back table to be handed out when we meet and greet people throughout the week! Begin dialogue with the checker at the grocery store; families with young children & more.* Use our homes to invite neighbors over for coffee, or a meal and begin faith dialogue with them.* Talk about the joy you have in Jesus Christ.* Show love and kindness to all as we reflect God's glory to the world.COMING UP:* There will be a memorial service for Suzanne Babcock on Sunday, May 21st at 3pm at the Sterling church of Christ, Sterling, CT. Gary is leading a workshop there so they will have the service that Sunday afternoon.* The Danbury church of Christ will host a hymn sing on May 21st from 3-4:30pm at the Danbury Church of Christ. The address is 90 Clapboard Ridge Road, Danbury, CT. 06810NOTE: There are several other events being hosted by local congregations. See flyers on the table in the auditorium.The scriptures from Genesis to Revelation teach us to listen and HEAR THE WORD OF THE LORD.The importance of hearing God's word produces faith and blessings!In the Old Testament, Ezekiel was a Jewish priest who was captured and taken to Babylon a few years after Daniel.God chose Ezekiel to prophesy about all of the things that were happening back in Jerusalem.The Babylonians desolated Israel and they took the people captive as we learn in Daniel chapter 1. They brought down the city and destroyed their temple.Ezekiel had proclaimed a blessing to all of Israel, that they would produce fruit, even though they were in desolation. That they would re-inhabit their towns and see the ruins re-built.In chapter 3:10 God spoke to Ezekiel…“And he said to me,“Son of man,listen carefully andtake to heart all the words I speak to you.”Ezekiel heard the words of the LORD…In Ezekiel chapter 36. Rebuilding seemed impossible. Restoration seemed impossible. Under the foot of the most powerful Empire at the time and with the poorest of the poor as noted in 2 Kings 24:14, living in the city, they could see no possible renewal of the Israelite nation.Chapter 37 is when Ezekiel's vision takes place. We read about the Valley of the dry bones where Ezekiel is lead by God into a valley filled with dry skeletal bones. The LORD asks Ezekiel if the dry bones can live?
“Then he said to me,“Prophesy to these bones and say to them,‘Dry bones,hear the word of the Lord! “Ezekiel 37:4The LORD instructs Ezekiel to prophecy to the bones, telling them thatGod “Will make breath enter you,and you will come to life.I will attach tendons to youand make flesh come upon youand cover you with skin“.Ezekiel 37: 5-6.There is great symbolism here… of desolated Israel, and the dry bones (which symbolize no signs of life or recovery), which would take a miracle to restore again. Ezekiel knew it was impossible to raise Israel from the dead as it was to bring life to the dry bones in the valley.God asked Ezekiel to prophecy over the dry bones, commanding them to attach to one another. He Heard the word of the LORD and listened to God. They do so, and skin, tendons, and muscles cover the bones. But they still have no life in them.Then God has Ezekiel command breath into the dead bodies, and they spring to life, standing on their feet, enough people for an entire army. Note, the word breath in this verse is the same one used in Genesis when God breathed life into Adam.GOD took dry bones and made an army!GOD brought what is dead, back to life!As we read in Genesis 18:13-14 “Is there anything too hard for the LORD?”Can we be like dry bones? No life, ineffective, dead.Isaiah talks about a rebellious nation. If we do not hear the Word of the LORD, we will become just like Sodom and Gomorrah.Hosea speaks of the powerful relationship between God and His People. He admonishes the Israelites of their unfaithfulness, and misdeeds and appeals to them to Hear the Word of the LORD.We must hear the word of the LORD, so GOD can restore us.Romans 10:17 “Faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ.“Revelation 2:11 “He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death“The world needs to hear that JESUS CHRIST offers us new life, to our dry bones, through His death and resurrection.He can restore all things. Whenever we lose hope or are in despair, we can rest assured that God promises to restore all things, just as he had with the Israelite captives in Babylon.We become a NEW CREATION when we are baptized into His name – 2 Corinthians 5:17“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation;the old has gone, the new has come.”Forget about new tendons, and flesh, when we are baptized into Jesus Christ's name, we receive the indwelling of the Holy Spirit! The spirit of God dwells in us.Why do we need to hear the word of the LORD?Our deep spiritual needs can only be fulfilled by HIM.Life as we know it, requires breath. We cannot breathe without the breath of life, and we cannot live without HIM.Why does the world need to hear the word of the LORD?We have not evolved, we were CREATED..and formed from the dust.“The LORD GOD formed man from the dust of the groundand breathed into his nostrils the breath of life,and the man became a living being“.Genesis 2:7God breathed HIS OWN BREATH of life into man.Adam's body had just been formed by God from the dust of the earth – then GOD “breathed” His own “Breath of life” into his nostrils. God IS our source of life. Every breath, each and every moment, is from Him!In John 20:22, Jesus breathed on the disciples, imparting the HOLY SPIRIT UPON THEM. “And when He had said this, He breathed on them and said to them, ” Receive the Holy Spirit”.Why do we need to hear the Word of the LORD?By God's doing, man became a LIVING BEING WITH A SOUL.
In Genesis 2:7 we read that God made man become a living soul. The word soul in Hebrew is nephesh, meaning “an animated, breathing, conscious, and living being.” Man did not become a living soul until God breathed life into him. As a physical, animate, rational, and spiritual being, man is unique among all living things upon the earth.So, what is the breath of God? It is the life and power of God, given to man. The Hebrew word for spirit is ruach, which means “wind, breath, air, spirit.”Job acknowledges that God's breath is within him. Job 33:4Why do we need to hear the Word of the LORD?FOR SALVATION.God is eternal and His desire is for ALL to be saved, and be eternal with Him.Jesus Christ came to set us free from the bondage of this life! Romans 8:2; Galations 5:1 & Galations 3:22We take this life for granted. We get so focused on our mundane self-centered world, that we fail to appreciate our precious moments of life here. However, when we think about our CREATOR, our SUSTAINER, our REDEEMER, and the miracle of life, that very thought should take our breath away!We live, then we die.The question as to where we will end up, is up to each one of us individually.Every soul needs to Hear the Word of the LORD!WE HAVE BEEN REDEEMED & THERE IS SO MUCH TO SING ABOUT!THESE ARE THE DAYS OF ELIJAHThese are the days of Elijah,declaring the word of the Lord,
And these are the days of Your servant Moses,righteousness being restored.
And though these are days of great trials,of famine and darkness and sword,
still we are the voice in the desert crying,“Prepare ye the way of the Lord”
Chorus:
Behold he comes,Riding on the clouds,
Shining like the sun,at the trumpet call,
So lift your voice,it's the year of Jubilee,
And out of Zion's hill salvation comes!
And these are the days of Ezekiel,the dry bones becoming as flesh,
And these are the days of Your servant David,rebuilding a temple of praise.
And these are the days of the harvest,the fields are white in the world.And we are Your laborers in Your vineyard,declaring the Word of the LordChorus:
Behold he comes,Riding on the clouds,
Shining like the sun,at the trumpet call,
So lift your voice,it's the year of Jubilee,
And out of Zion's hill salvation comes!
Who was, and Who is, and Who is to come!
Who was, and Who is, and Who is to come!CAN'T KEEP IT TO MYSELFI said I wasn't gonna tell nobody but I
Can't keep it to myself, (No I)
Can't keep it to myself (No I)
Can’t keep it to myself
I said I wasn't gonna to tell nobody but I
Can’t keep it to myself
What the lord has done for me!!You would have been there (You would have been there)
When you saved my soul (when you saved my soul)
You would have been there (You would have been there)
When I put my name on the roll!
I'll keep walking
and I'll keep walking
and I'll keep talking
and I'll keep singing,and I'll keep shoutingWhat the lord has done for me!“That which was from the beginning,which we have heard,which we have seen with our eyes,which we have looked at and our hands have touched—this we proclaim concerning the Word of life.“1 John 1:1Hear the Word of the LORD…..To the Glory of God, and in the name of His Son Jesus Christ.In Him,Bruce & Paula
