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FAMILY NEWSTHE WEDNESDAY NIGHT BIBLE STUDY TIME CHANGES APRIL 3! We have not heard any objections, so starting this coming Wednesday, April 3, our class will begin at 7:00 P.M. instead of 7:15. This will help some of our folks and doesn’t seem to cause any problems for anyone else HIGHWAY CLEAN UP ON APRIL 6: Please plan to be a part of this. The more workers we have, the faster it goes. Be here by 10:00 A.M. Grabbers, gloves, and bags are provided, but you can use your own equipment, if you wish. If you have any questions, see Richard Hoyt. POTLUCK AND TIMBERS NEXT SUNDAY. Please stay and share with everyone at the potluck dinner. Great food and good fellowship immediately after worship. We need you to sing at the nursing home and spend a few minutes encouraging the staff and residents. The service starts at 2:30 P.M. and lasts 30 minutes at the most. SENIOR'S BRUNCH TUESDAY at Golden Corral at 11:00 A.M. and everyone is welcome. Most regulars are Christians from all over Michiana. It is just good fellowship and friendship. No formal program of any kind. TODAY'S LESSON
John used this comic, Pooch Café, as an introduction to today's lesson. (The comic is from gocomics.com for March 31, 2019.) INTRODUCTION — Fact of life — Good things end!
A. Practical examples in life are clear
I. PREPARATION # 1 — Understand there will be struggles.
B. We cannot let the end be destructive. C. There are three preparations we can make. A. Matthew 24:6-9 — Notice the things mentioned going on — wars, famine, disease, disasters, persecution.
II. PREPARATION # 2 — We can have incredible victories.
B. Every biblical hero went through these struggles. 1. David with Saul and Absalom
C. God wants us prepared for these struggles.
2. Moses with Pharaoh, the wilderness 40 years 3. All the prophets 4. Jesus 1. Hebrews 11:7-12:1
2. Marriage can be for life, if we are prepared. 3. Death can be overcome, if we are prepared. 4. Satisfaction can be found. A. Acts 8:27, 39 — Success in the physical isn’t joy & satisfaction.
III. PREPARATION # 3 — Understand the nature of afflictions.
B. Romans 8:28 — Can God make good out of anything? How did the greatest works get started? C. 1 Corinthians 10:13 — What has been your temptation? A. If you are thirsty enough, you will drink anything.
IV. ALL OF THIS BEGINS BY BEING A CHRISTIAN.
1. No love can make you take bad love — 1 Corinthians 6:15.
B. Your past explains but does not justify — 1 Corinthians 10:13.
2. Alcohol can become a relationship — Proverbs 20:1. 3. Sin is justified when we are mistreated — Matthew 5:39.
1. Do not let misery turn you from God.
2. What has happened must be left behind — Romans 6. 3. John 7:37-39 A. The bride of Christ — Last week“s lesson — Do not crash after the honeymoon.
THE BACK PAGETHE REALITY OF LIFEWe are going through some tough times right now as a congregation. The construction project has left us with major repairs needed to get our building back to the point where we can use it fully. We have had an unusual barrage of serious illnesses among our members with a number of serious surgeries, and a number of cases of cancer, heart issues, and battles with diabetes and dementia. One has to be reminded of the story of Job, where everything was going fine and Job was faithful to God and then everything collapsed. In Job 3:3-26 Job cries out in his agony and says, “What I feared has come upon me; what I dreaded has happened to me. I have no peace, no quietness; I have no rest, but only turmoil” (Job 3:25-26). Nowhere in the teachings of Christ are we told that we won’t have the same troubles that everyone else has. 1 Corinthians 10:13 tells us that “No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind.” Becoming a Christian is not a band aid to keep us from hard times. The one thing that we are promised as Christians is that “God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.” The one thing we have in our congregation is one of the ways God provides for us to bear the reality of life. No matter what comes our way we know that our brothers and sisters care. We pray for one another regularly. We share our pain, tears, grief, and our fears with one another and learn ways of dealing with the anxiety and frustration from those who have been where we are now. We minister to one another in physical ways, transporting, shopping, cooking, cleaning, doing anything we can to help. For all of us the eventual way out will be to pass away and be with the Lord. Death is a merciful end to some of the horrible things Satan brings against us. As Christians we can be confident and even joyful that the challenges of life will be over. We fight the good fight and know what is in store for us just as Paul did in 2 Timothy 4:6-8. — John Clayton Our sign by the street!
Sign saying from the hymn, “Purer in Heart, O God!” Scripture links/references are from BibleGateway.com. Unhighlighted scriptures can be looked up at their website. www.dowagiaccoc.org |
