Thursday, May 15, 2014

May 15 E-News

Announcements

Confirmation!-- The session approved Jade, Chase, Ashley and Jackson to be confirmed on May 18! This is great news for the kids, for this congregation and for the Kingdom of God! Please join us on the 18th to celebrate what God is doing in their lives.

Purpose-Driven Life!-- This Monday is Day 15!


Community Kitchen Spot

There are a lot of hungry and homeless children of God and the community needs some help feeding them. If you would like to help out, please bring the following items to church this Sunday & put them on the bookshelf.
Plastic Forks, Knives, Spoons
Dinner Napkins
Heavy Duty Sectional Dinner Plates
Dessert Plates


New Hope News

Sunday SchoolWe press forward in Matthew, focusing on the Lord's Supper this Sunday.


Pray For:
Norma Capone

The medical research community, that a cure for cancer may be discovered

The displaced people from Syria, and all those who live in refugee camps

For Steve Hayner, the president of Columbia Seminary and one of the best men I know.


Links






Keith's Random Thoughts

My mother has approximately 14 million books. They are everywhere in her house, and she is constantly on the lookout for more. I have acquired this trait, for we have too many books in our own household. I long since stopped trying to acquire enough bookshelves to house all of our books. Now I just look for creative ways to store them. (I haven't found any... they just end up in piles on the floor.)
So it makes perfect sense that when I ask her to borrow a particular book, that one isn't available. It's been lent out to someone else. Fortunately, I have enough of my own books to distract me until it returns. I can't read the book if it's not available, right?
I was listening to a sermon the other day on availability, and it's the same principle. God wants to use us for his glory and for his kingdom. I believe that when God is using us for his purposes, our lives are as fulfilling as possible, because we were created in the image of God and are most fulfilled when we are living into our created purpose, which is for God's Kingdom. So God wants our live to be rich with his presence and glory.
But what happens is we loan ourselves out and become unavailable to God. We get so wrapped up in our pursuit of our own goals that we aren't available for God to use us. God wants to use us, and he can use anyone, but only if we make ourselves available to him.
So we need to check ourselves back in to God, and to make sure that we are paying attention to him above all else. When we go out to work or play or serve, we need to do so with a mind focused on paying attention to God in the midst of what we are doing, to make sure we are available to him while we are doing the things of life. When we are available during work and school and such, God will work in and through us, that our lives might find their ultimate purpose in God alone.



Text for this Sunday (Click on Link below to read)

Romans 12:1-8 (NIRV)


12 Brothers and sisters, God has shown you his mercy. So I am asking you to offer up your bodies to him while you are still alive. Your bodies are a holy sacrifice that is pleasing to God. When you offer your bodies to God, you are worshiping him. 2 Don’t live any longer the way this world lives. Let your way of thinking be completely changed. Then you will be able to test what God wants for you. And you will agree that what he wants is right. His plan is good and pleasing and perfect.

3 God’s grace has been given to me. So here is what I say to every one of you. Don’t think of yourself more highly than you should. Be reasonable when you think about yourself. Keep in mind the amount of faith God has given you.

4 Each of us has one body with many parts. And the parts do not all have the same purpose. 5 So also we are many persons. But in Christ we are one body. And each part of the body belongs to all the other parts.

6 We all have gifts. They differ in keeping with the grace that God has given each of us. Do you have the gift of prophecy? Then use it in keeping with the faith you have. 7 Is it your gift to serve? Then serve. Is it teaching? Then teach. 8 Is it telling others how they should live? Then tell them. Is it giving to those who are in need? Then give freely. Is it being a leader? Then work hard at it. Is it showing mercy? Then do it cheerfully.




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