December 7, 2014 WELCOME! WE'RE GLAD YOU'RE HERE We 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 for which we have a Bible basis. 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 and 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.

POTLUCK T0DAY: Today is the first Sunday in December and we always enjoy a time of good food and good fellowship at this monthly event. Plan to stay — we have plenty of food.

CHRISTMAS FLOAT: Our thanks to everyone who participated in the Dowagiac Christmas Parade. It is important that we let the community know we are a part of it, and that we support every positive good event that comes along. Having our dossier read from the reviewing stand is the best advertising of the Lord's work we can have, and those of you who spent an evening greeting the community in the name of the Lord did a great service. Thank you. A special thanks to Bill and Patty who got the float ready with very little help from the rest of us.

CANCELLATION: If bad weather makes it dangerous to hold classes or services we will cancel them. Call Bill Gibson at 782-4564 if you have doubts. Remember that we have people coming from great distances, so where you are may affect this. Christmas Eve is Wednesday, December 24 and New Year's Eve is Wednesday, December 31. We will not have class on those two nights.

TODAY'S LESSON

GOD IS A RATIONAL GOD
John Clayton

This past Wednesday night after class we were all supposed to help decorate the float for the Christmas parade in town. As five of us were standing around the van and the trailer doing the decorating I got to thinking about what was going on among our small group. Rose was having surgery the next day with her son having surgery on Monday. Karl and Julie were wrestling with health issues with Karl's sister. Tina had a bad cold and was at home. Audrey went home the day before and the family was scrambling to get help to take care of her 24/7. Three of our families were facing serious long-term family health issues, and Wednesday was Bill and Patty's anniversary and here they were decorating a float in the dark. In our Bible study that night the subject was “God's rest” in Hebrews 3. We sure do not seem to be getting much rest.

David seemed to have the same frustrations we do as life seems to be impossibly hard at times. As you read the early Psalms of David you see statements like “Why, LORD, do you stand afar off? Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?” (Psalm 10:1). “How Long, LORD? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and day after day have sorrow in my heart? How long will my enemy triumph over me?” (Psalm 13:1 – 2).

In Philippians 4:11 – 13 Paul says he has “LEARNED to be content whatever the circumstances” (emphasis mine). He goes on to say that he has being content “whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.” He concludes by saying, “I can do everything through him who gives me strength.” Think about what you have overcome in the past and ask where that strength came from? God does hold us up in special ways when we LEARN to seek him and rely on him.

— John Clayton

Our sign by the street!

Sign saying from www.sayingsforchurchsigns.com