August Newsletter 2018
Prayer Corner
As we welcome the month of August schools across the country will be welcoming millions of students into their buildings. Please pray for the students, parents, and teachers. Some of these students are going to school for their first time- pray that God would help guide them through their first days and calm their anxious spirit. Some of these schools deny Christianity- pray that the teachers, leaders, students, and even parents would be reached in some way with the gospel. Also pray for our kids’ safety across the nation.
TO TELL THE TRUTH
By Bill Powell
Back in the day, there was a television show called To Tell the Truth. If you are too young to remember it, just go to YouTube and search it. They will have several episodes. In short, three different people would claim to be the person who did thus-and-such, and the judges would ask questions and try to figure out who was telling the truth. Unfortunately, in today’s society we are living in a live reality version of the show. Who can deny the fake news that is so rampant? The political ads are flying left and right, and they are all lying (or some have their facts wrong). To tell the truth you need to know the truth. Why would anyone want to believe a lie or deny the truth? Actually, too often people want to hear what they want to hear. Many hindrances keep us from knowing the truth and believing a lie. The Bible has much to say about truth and, the subject is so large, I thought I would hone in on only a couple of hindrances of getting to the truth.
Here is the first one: Not being teachable. (Psa 86:11) Teach me your way, O LORD, that I may walk in your truth; unite my heart to fear your name. I like the old saying, “You’re never too old to learn”. And have you ever heard someone say, “You already have your mind made up”? How about, “Don’t confuse me with the facts”. We have all met the Know-it-All. Have you ever heard someone say, “NOW the truth comes out!”? If you’re not willing to be taught…If you’re not willing to listen…If you’re not willing to get the facts, chances are you are living a life of ignorance and wouldn’t know the truth if confronted with it. The other hindrance of getting to the truth is: Not being correctable. (Pro 3:11) My son, do not despise the LORD's discipline or be weary of his reproof. (2Ti 3:16) All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness. Let’s face it- no one likes to be wrong. It definitely stings to admit you were wrong not to mention any consequences that may follow. Not being able to be corrected when wrong has no redeeming value. Some of the things that cause us from believing the truth and admitting when we’re wrong is usually caused by: stubbornness, ego, bias, prejudice, or just a lack of knowing the facts or the source of supposed facts. I love the verse, “Prove all things. Hold fast that which is good.” (I Ths 5:21, KJV). When you are proven wrong, do like the old saying, “Just bite the bullet,” or suck it up and move on. You will be the better for it. We all know the verse that tells us the truth shall set you free. (Joh 8:32) And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. (Joh 17:17) Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.
TAKE TIME TO MAKE TIME
By Chris Johnson
If you’re going to have the time, you’ll have to make the time. I use that phrase often in discipleship context when I’m speaking about reading and studying God’s Word. It’s my belief that we will make time for whatever we believe to be truly most important to us. Distractions and time thieves abound, but in the end they’re mostly just excuses we cling to in an attempt to justify what we’ve chosen to actually do with our time. The Puritan preacher Thomas Watson wrote, “Most people live in a hurry; they are so distracted with the cares of the world that they can find no time to mediate {upon God’s Word}.” I chuckled when I read that for the first time because he wrote that in 1600’s. If Watson could say that about the men and women who lived 400 years ago, what would he say of today’s daily routine? I think it’s safe to say his warning might be even stronger. In Psalm 119:97, King David wrote, “Oh how I love your law, it is my meditation all the day long.” Any man or woman who has learned to treasure the Scripture has learned to take time to make time. We take time for many things but are they the best things?
SEASONS | On GOD'S WATCH
By Christina Hutchinson
As a kid, the new year never seemed like it came at the right time. January? Nah, the new year starts when school starts. Something about the first day of school brought such a sense of fresh new beginnings. Even the season starts to change around that time. It only feels right that the “new year” should start when school starts. Sometimes we want to start our own season of life over and have a fresh start. I know for the past 6 months that’s how I have felt. But our seasons of life, fresh beginning, or an end of a chapter is all part of God’s timing. Our season are on His watch not ours. . I know it can be hard to understand why things happen when they do or why it even had to happen in the first place.. I know heartbreak and the everyday struggles that seem so endless when dealing with it. I also know that no one is exempt from it in this life. BUT here are a few things we can be comforted by: God’s ways are not our ways- For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts. Isaiah 55: 8-9 He has given us the promise of His strength- Yet those who wait for the LORD will gain new strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles, they will run and not get tired, they will walk and not become weary. Isaiah 40:31 He has promised His people an eternal future with Him! "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life." John 3:16 And this is the promise that He made to us—eternal life. 1 John 2:25 May the promises of our awesome God comfort you today and always. God Bless.
WAITING WELL
By Denisha Stearns
“ Are we there yet? ” Did you hear that question repeated from the back seat during the drive of your family’s summer vacation? Maybe that was you as a child, chirping with eager anticipation as you thought about your family’s final destination. “Have patience, enjoy the ride” your parents would respond When I became a parent, I tried to teach our children how to ‘wait well’. We waited for the doctor to see us, the restaurant to seat us, or the tow truck to rescue us. We would talk, play ‘I Spy’, or imagine pictures in the clouds. If it was a planned wait, we’d bring along books, schoolwork, or a toy or two. It is staggering to think about the amount of waiting we are asked to do in our lifetime and the relative amount of patience we will need to match. Aside from waiting for an oil change, people are waiting for a meeting to start, change to come, a goal to be reached, test results, healing, deliverance, or growth. Maybe you are waiting to go home to heaven or for Jesus to return. It is easy for children to get restless or impatient while waiting. But let’s face it. Even we grown-ups are tempted to respond in the flesh with whining, grumbling, and sighing in loud, dramatic fashion. If someone asked me how to actively wait well, I’d give them this grown-up advice: Don’t grumble or complain like the freed Israelites. Pray like Daniel. Sing God’s praises like Paul and Silas. Bloom where you are planted like Joseph. Fix your eyes on Jesus like Paul. Finally, take James’ advice, “Let patience have its perfect work so that you may be complete, lacking nothing.” (Jas 1:4) As Hubby and I wait (a bit anxiously) for our son to return from the military safely, I am giving my own self that advice and sharing it with our son too. Even when we can’t stand to wait any longer, we may be asked to wait some more. Yet, the Holy Spirit reminds me that with child-like faith, we can wait with eager anticipation for the Lord to work in those circumstances. I trust that the end result, no matter what that looks like, will be for God’s glory, and it’ll be good. And that final destination of life’s journey- the day that we no longer have to ask “Are we there yet?”- is going to be worth the wait more than anything!
