Church Update
The new road is coming slowly but surely. It looks like they’ll have to break time records in order to be finished by the end of the month – but I guess anything’s possible. The public hearing on the Airport Expansion Project is still scheduled for next Wednesday, Sept 27 at 5:00p at Dickinson School. We have not yet heard from them.
We began a new series this past Sunday called “Balance”. Spanning five Sundays we’ll look at God’s five purposes for our lives (fellowship, discipleship, ministry, evangelism, and worship) and how they need to balance with each other and be balanced in themselves – ultimately bringing balance to our lives. Our new Connection Cafe opens at 10:00a and the Sunday service begins at 10:30a.
Personal Update
This week has been interesting. Our internet connection was down last week Thursday through Saturday, so I didn’t post anything here and couldn’t do some web site work I needed to finish. Then sometime Saturday our water heater died. There was enough hot water in it that we didn’t notice until we were trying to get ready for church Sunday morning and there was no hot water for showers! That was replaced today; yeah!!! Thanks, Ben. The new one is larger and probably doesn’t come pre-limed-up inside. : )
Scriptural Thought of the Week
My Greek professor pointed out something to me that I had noticed before. If you have already seen or heard this, let this be a reminder to you; if not, pay close attention. The very last thing Paul wrote in his letter to the Ephesians was a great prayer of blessing on them:
“The grace [be] with all those who love our Lord Jesus Christ with an undying [love].” Ephesians 6:24 (my translation)
What a great prayer – that God’s grace would stay upon them as they continued to love Him! But there was a problem. Sometime after Paul’s letter, probably after his death and maybe even Timothy’s, something happened to cause Jesus to write,
“But I have against you that your love – the first one – you abandoned.” Revelation 2:4 (my translation)
The love that was to be undying, that would allow God’s grace to flow through the church, had turned into legalism – simply doing all of the right stuff without love for the Master.
May God never find the need to admonish us in the same way! May His grace be with you as you maintain your love for your Savior, Jesus Christ!
Quote of the Week
I wish I could quote a whole chapter of this book. I just finished chapter two, and it is fantastic! I can’t wait to get to the rest of it. The reason I like it so much, I think, is because it is both a brain-stretcher and a spirit-stretcher. Rob Bell asks you to bring your whole mind and soul to his discussion of Christianity – hopefully so you can experience the life change God wants you to have. So – reluctantly – here is just a sample of chapter two.
The reason the Bible continues to resonate with so many people isn’t just because it happened. What gives us strength and meaning and direction is something in addition to the historical events: It is the meaning of these events. Some call this the more-than-literal truth of the Bible.
We live in the metaphors. The story of David and Goliath continues to speak to us because we know the David part of the story – we have lived it. The tomb is empty because we have met the risen Christ – we have experienced Jesus in a way that transcends space and time. And this gives us hope. We were in darkness and God brought us out into the light.
The Word is living and active and it happens. Today.
Quoted from: Rob Bell, Velvet Elvis: Repainting the Christian Faith (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2005), p. 61. ISBN: 0739456652
Until next time,
Dan’l