Good morning all,
We were away a few days this past week and wanted to share some pictures of the sequence of the sunrise over the beach with you all. The scripture that came to mind is…
Psalm 19:1
“The heavens declare the Glory of God and the firmament is His handiwork.“
We serve an Almighty and Amazing GOD!
Romans 11:33
“Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God!
How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out!“
GIVING THANKS:
* Emille received great news from the doctor in Texas. He was given a clean bill of health and is cancer free. There is no lymphoma. The myeloma is stage zero (MGUS only) and they want to follow up with him in 6 months. They suggested he see and orthopedist or chiropractor for the back pain. We give much thanks for this great news! Praise God!
* Pat Yaglowski gives much thanks that she is making good progress. Although she said she “will always have pain”, the spine procedure she recently had seems to be working. It will take several more weeks before she feels the full effects, but thus far, she is doing better and she is grateful. Thank you all for your prayers!
* Thanks to Ron & Lisa for hosting the Young Adults devotional last night. They had a great turn-out and a fun time! Here are some photos to share:
PRAYER REQUESTS:
* Irene Aschen's surgery was postponed to next Thursday, Lord willing. Prayers for all to go well.
* Linda Cerminara fell and hit her head. She is home from the hospital and waiting on tests. Greg had an endoscopy and is also waiting on test results. Prayers for them both.
* Our son-in-law Matthew's Mother Karen McMullen, and her mother Clydia Birdsall are both having serious health challenges.
COMING UP:
* Sunday – September 17th will be a POT LUCK after worship. Please join us in the fellowship hall for food & Fellowship. Gone are the days of the pandemic, let's get BACK to congregating together.
* Tuesday – September 19th at 9:30 begins the Tuesday Ladies Bible study via zoom. See Mary Lou or Lisa if you'd like to join the class. They will be studying the book of James.
Light in the scriptures symbolizes God's presence from creation to the burning bush. Every morning the sun rises, God reminds us that …“HE IS“!
Colossians 1:17 “He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. “
Revelation 1:8 “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end, says the LORD God. I am the One who is, and always was, and who is still to come. The Almighty One.”
The theme of LIGHT is found throughout the book of John.
John 1:1-5 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it.“
Jesus is our light! He lights the way for our path as we follow Him.
John 8:12
“I am the light of the World,
whoever follows me will never walk in darkness,
but will have the light of life.“
Peter shares that we are a Chosen people…
A Royal Priesthood…
A Holy nation…
A People belonging to God…His special possession
We get to declare the praises of HIM who called us out of Darkness….INTO – HIS – WONDERFUL – LIGHT!
Because of JESUS…
Ephesians 1:4 “Because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. “
Romans 8:2 “because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death.“
Psalm 29:11 “The LORD gives strength to his people, the LORD blesses his people with peace.”
We are called by Jesus to stand-out and be apart from the world. To share joy, demonstrate gentleness, have patience, bring peace, have self-control and walk faithfully with Him! Thankfully He provided us His Spirit to help us show these qualities of HIS LIGHT to the world.
We all fall short of His Glory daily by dwelling on the negative, being critical, letting discouragement consume us, and the evil one continues to pull us away from God's light. As we keep on keeping on, with JESUS at the helm, we continue to walk in HIS LIGHT, and strive to BE THE LIGHT!
God gives us all of the tools we need to live in the LIGHT.
We get to offer Him THANKS & PRAISE…
Psalm 103:1-4
“Praise the LORD, my soul; all my inmost being, praise His holy name. Praise the LORD, my soul, and forget not all His benefits – who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion.”
Colossians 2:6-7 “As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving.“
Isaiah 12:4-5 “And on that day you will say, “Give thanks to the LORD, call on His name. Make known His deeds among the peoples; make them remember that His name is exalted.” Praise the LORD in song, for He has done glorious things; let this be know throughout the earth.”
1 Chronicles 16:34 “Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; for His steadfast love endures forever!”
Hebrews12:28 “Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our “God is a consuming fire.”
Psalm 95:1-5 “Oh come, let us sing to the LORD! Let us shout joyfully to the Rock of our salvation. Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving; let us shout joyfully to Him with Psalms. For the LORD is the great God, and the great King above all gods. In His hand are the deep places of the earth, the heights of the hills are His also. The sea is His, for He made it; and His hands formed the dry land.“
God has also provided for us a written guide as we stumble through this life. His word is our source of light in the midst of darkness. It is our beacon when we feel lost, and our map when we've lost our way.
Psalm 119:105
“Your word is a lamp unto my feet,
and a light unto my path.“
Jesus caught Paul's attention in the book of Acts chapter 9, In Acts 26:12-18. Paul recounted when he was blinded by Jesus' light and inward change happened to Paul.
“On one of these journeys I was going to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests. About noon, O king, as I was on the road, I saw saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, blazing around me and my companions. We all fell to the ground, and I heard a voice saying to me in Aramaic, 'Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads'.
Then I asked, 'who are you, Lord?'
'I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.' The Lord replied.
'Now get up and stand on your feet. I have appeared to you to appoint you as a servant and as a witness of what you have seen of me and what I will show you. I will rescue you from your own people and from the Gentiles. I am sending you to them to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.'
How blessed we are by GOD'S WONDERFUL LIGHT!
KEEP SINGING:
SHINE JESUS SHINE
Lord the Light of your love is shining,
In the midst of the darkness, shining,
Jesus Light of the World, shine upon us,
Set us free by the truth You now bring us:
Shine on me, shine on me,
Shine, Jesus shine,
Fill this land with the Father's glory.
Blaze, Spirit blaze, set our hearts on fire.
Flow, river flow,
Flood the nations with grace and mercy,
Send forth Your Word,
Lord, and let there be light!
Lord, I come to Your Awesome presence,
From the shadows into Your radiance,
By the blood I may enter Your brightness,
Search me, try me, consume all my darkness,
Shine on me, Shine on me…
Shine, Jesus shine,
Fill this land with the Father's glory.
Blaze, Spirit blaze, set our hearts on fire.
Flow, river flow,
Flood the nations with grace and mercy,
Send forth Your Word,
Lord, and let there be light!
Our time here on earth is like a vapor, so keep shining!
Our days are not about us…but about HIM!
We are the LIGHT of the world. May we reflect God's glory to the lost and be the best we can be!
In His Love and service,
Bruce & Paula