Friday, January 25, 2013

1/25/13 E-News


Announcements

Potluck!!!—This Sunday!

Playground—The playground should be finished! Unfortunately, it will not be playable until Tuesday, after it is inspected. Make plans to come play!

Chili Cook-off—Thanks to everyone for braving the cold! Congratulations to Marilyn Suber, our chili cook-off champion!

New Hope News

Sunday School—This Sunday, the adult class will study the Synoptic Gospels.


Pray For:

All those dealing with the flu

JoAn Wright, as she recovers from shoulder surgery.

Pray for those who do not know Christ.

Links







Keith's Random Thoughts

Many of you probably know that I have struggled with anxieties for the last 8 years. It's been a tough slog, and I recently started to see a new therapist in the hope that I can put this particular struggle to bed.
One of the things we were talking about was my struggles with accepting God's unconditional love. I love to talk about it, and throughout Scripture I see a witness of a God who pours his love out upon his people whether or not they deserve it. Somehow, the Devil worms its way into the human heart and convinces us that while God can love everyone else without condition, when it comes to ourselves, we often believe that due to our unworthiness, we are beyond the reach of God. It is absurd to write, and even more absurd to believe, and yet somehow I manage to stress myself out over this.
What my therapist mentioned is that after a certain amount of time believing this, it becomes an idol that I worship. Rather than trusting the God who reveals himself in Scripture, I have made God in my own image... And anyone who has read a page of the Bible can say that is wrong. It would be far wiser to trust God and his grace, and allow myself to shape my behavior based on this love, rather than try and mold my life to earn his love, a futile thought.
So I continue to struggle, but perhaps I can begin to struggle to accept God's love, rather than earn it, and my anxieties can be seen for the lies that are and the struggles they create.



Text for this Sunday
Nehemiah 8:1-3, 5-6, 8-10

All the people gathered together into the square before the Water Gate. They told the scribe Ezra to bring the book of the law of Moses, which the Lord had given to Israel. Accordingly, the priest Ezra brought the law before the assembly, both men and women and all who could hear with understanding. This was on the first day of the seventh month. He read from it facing the square before the Water Gate from early morning until midday, in the presence of the men and the women and those who could understand; and the ears of all the people were attentive to the book of the law.
And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people, for he was standing above all the people; and when he opened it, all the people stood up. Then Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God, and all the people answered, ‘Amen, Amen’, lifting up their hands. Then they bowed their heads and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground. So they read from the book, from the law of God, with interpretation. They gave the sense, so that the people understood the reading.
And Nehemiah, who was the governor, and Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, ‘This day is holy to the Lord your God; do not mourn or weep.’ For all the people wept when they heard the words of the law. Then he said to them, ‘Go your way, eat the fat and drink sweet wine and send portions of them to those for whom nothing is prepared, for this day is holy to our Lord; and do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.’


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