Announcements
VBS—It's
almost that time! VBS is just around the corner, starting in 11
days!
Family
Camp—I
know that Labor Day seems like a long way away, but we're already
making plans for Family Camp at John Knox Center. We've got some
exciting things planned for the year, so be sure to sign up early!
Registration forms are in the Narthex.
New
Hope News
Sermon
Series—We've
got two sermons left in the series What
the New Testament says about...
This week we're focusing on service.
Sunday
School—We'll
explore Psalms this Sunday @ 9:45.
Sunday
Evening Prayer Service—We're
back this week!
6:00
Pray
for:
Joseph
Townley
Judy
Smith, as she recovers from her procedure
David
Smith
Links
Book
Recommendation
Want
to learn more about God? A.W. Tozer's classic The
Knowledge of the Holy
is a detailed exploration of different attributes of God. Tozer
explores God's love, wisdom, faithfulness, goodness, etc. Each
chapter is about 3-5 pages, so this makes for great reading right
before bed.
Random
Thoughts
The
other night, I was lying in bed, feeling miserable. My stomach was
acting up, and I didn't sleep very much. I had some medicine in the
bathroom, but it seemed like too much trouble to drag my body out of
bed to get it. So I laid there for another few hours before I
finally broke down and got the medicine, and wouldn't you know it, I
slept much better after that! The next morning, I couldn't help but
wonder how much better the night would have gone if I had simply got
out of bed earlier.
We
do the same thing in our own lives all the time. We often know what
we need to solve a certain problem in our life, but in order to get
to the solution it requires something that will be painful or
difficult, so we avoid it. The temporary pain is viewed as
outweighing the long term benefits.
When
we think about our spiritual lives, it's important to consider
whether or not we're giving up long-term gains for short-term
benefits. When we think about spending time in prayer, silence or
study, it's always tempting to use that time for something else.
Short-term, this may be rewarding, but in the long-term we're giving
up the spiritual growth we all desire. Maybe it means you have to
miss that television show or not read that article, but the gains we
make over the course of our lives make up for it. Christ points us
to the abundant life, but it will take some sacrifices on our part
for us to walk the road of discipleship.
Text
for Sunday, July 15
Romans 15:22-32
Paul’s Plan to Visit Rome
This
is the reason that I have so often been hindered from coming to
you. But now, with no further place for me in these regions, I
desire, as I have for many years, to come to you when I go to
Spain. For I do hope to see you on my journey and to be sent on by
you, once I have enjoyed your company for a little while.
At
present, however, I am going to Jerusalem in a ministry to the
saints; for Macedonia and Achaia have been pleased to share
their resources with the poor among the saints at Jerusalem. They
were pleased to do this, and indeed they owe it to them; for if the
Gentiles have come to share in their spiritual blessings, they ought
also to be of service to them in material things.
So,
when I have completed this, and have delivered to them what has been
collected, I will set out by way of you to Spain; and I
know that when I come to you, I will come in the fullness of the
blessing of Christ.
I
appeal to you, brothers and sisters, by our Lord Jesus Christ
and by the love of the Spirit, to join me in earnest prayer to God on
my behalf,that I may be rescued from the unbelievers in Judea, and
that my ministry to Jerusalem may be acceptable to the
saints, so that by God’s will I may come to you with joy and
be refreshed in your company.
New
Hope on iTunes
No comments:
Post a Comment