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December
18, 2011We are a group of believers who simply try to follow the Bible as a guide for all we do. Everything done in our worship service is something we have a Bible basis for. You are welcome to participate as much or as little as you wish. We will sing hymns together and we will observe the Lord's Supper or Communion together. We will also have an opportunity to give to the work of God in this area. This collection is for the members here, and if you are visiting you should not feel any pressure to give. Our lesson time will be divided into two groups. The young children will go to our classroom area in the basement where they will be taught the Bible at a level they can understand. The adults will stay in the auditorium for a lesson at an adult level. We do try to serve the community, and if you have some needs that we can help you with, mention it to one of the members. Thank you for worshipping with us.
FAMILY NEWS
NILES CHRISTMAS PARTY. I hope we got to everyone, but the Niles Christmas party is today after services. They changed it at the last minute, and some of us will leave after services and join them for a potluck meal and singing. If you would like to go, let Bill Gibson or John Clayton know and we can arrange transportation for you.
HOLIDAY SCHEDULE. Our services will be different the next two Sundays because of the holiday. We will not have an evening service, December 25 or January 1, and our monthly potluck in January will be on January 8, not the first. We will have classes and worship in the morning on those Sundays, but not an evening service. Our Wednesday night class on 1 Corinthians will function normally.
WEATHER CANCELLATIONS. We have a telephone chain set up to advise people of cancellations in services due to weather problems. If you are not in the directory, please be sure we have your phone number so that if we have to cancel services for some reason we can get in touch with you.
TODAY'S
LESSON
GENTLENESS
Galatians 5
INTRODUCTION
The
battle of Spirit versus flesh is one
we all have (verse 17).
The opposite of gentleness is "lust of the flesh" (verses 19-21).
How do you become a gentle person?
GENTLENESS
COMES WITH WISDOM. The opposite of gentleness is "lust of the flesh" (verses 19-21).
How do you become a gentle person?
Does
not mean weak, passive, or
un-convicted.
Has to do with how we treat others.
Has to do with how we treat others.
As you
age you become gentler or rougher.
WE ARE
TO BE TEACHERS, NOT ENFORCERS Learn
to cope with not having everything
your way.
Elders are to be gentle people.
James 3:13-18 Elders are to be gentle people.
1
Timothy 3:2-7; Titus 1:6-9
How
much does envy drive your life?
How do you deal with "want to?"
Remember how badly you wanted . . .
Does it have to be your way?
How much of your energy goes toward "good fruit?"
Are you peaceable? Without partiality?
Making peace is not equal to
compromise How do you deal with "want to?"
Remember how badly you wanted . . .
Now
what?
How much are you willing to yield?Does it have to be your way?
How much of your energy goes toward "good fruit?"
Are you peaceable? Without partiality?
1
Thessalonians 2:1-7--We nurture, we
do not force feed.
Titus 2:15--"Let no one despise you . . . ." How?
Titus 3:1-15--"Avoid foolish disputes." Does it matter?
Titus 2:15--"Let no one despise you . . . ." How?
Titus 3:1-15--"Avoid foolish disputes." Does it matter?
2
Timothy 2:23-26
Avoid
foolish and ignorant disputes (verse
23)
Be patient (verse 24)
Be gentle in humility correcting (verses 24-25).
Follow Christ 2 Corinthians 10:1
Be patient (verse 24)
Be gentle in humility correcting (verses 24-25).
Follow Christ 2 Corinthians 10:1
GENTLENESS
IS A FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT
Galatians
5:22
We
accept it or reject it.
It should not be strangled (quenched)--Thessalonians 5:19.
We are to be like Jesus--how do you see
Jesus? How do
you respond to this message?
It can be grown, nurtured.It should not be strangled (quenched)--Thessalonians 5:19.
Galatians
5:19-21--Work of flesh strangles.
We do
this through prayer.
We do this is by obedience.
We do this is by obedience.
THE COATS FOR KIDS--DOING THINGS RIGHT
One of the great things about this congregation is the amount of work that is done to address needs in the community. Our food pantry serves a large number of people in the community, and we are so thankful for the workers here who keep the pantry stocked and meet with people from the community when they come with a need for food or other basic necessities in life.
This past Wednesday night, Bill and Patty Gibson laid out the coats, gloves, and hats that they purchased from a wholesaler with a little more than $300 of the money we have in our treasury. There were some 20 coats and a number of gloves and hats that were purchased at wholesale. Leon Forbes took a number of the coats to the school which he works with in Cassopolis, and Tracey Brewer is working with the school where she works to make sure that kids who have no winter coat or other outdoor gear have it before snow falls again.
Dick Hoyt just took us through James 2:14-16, where James brings us face to face with whether our faith has value in God's sight or not. James says, "What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him, “Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead" (NIV).
The secular world pays a lot of attention at this time of year to those who are in need. We all know about radio-sponsored programs that address needs in communities, and programs like "Toys for Tots" or the "Prisoners Alone" (a program to get gifts to families who are suffering because of a loved one being in prison). These are wonderful programs and we applaud what they do. The church however does what it does on a 24/7/365 basis. We have distributed the coats because of when they become available, not because of the holiday season. Our food program operates whenever the need arises.
Our thanks to all who work so hard on our programs. We should thank God that He has used our financial resources in such a beautiful way. I know it will bear ultimately fruit for Him.