Recap from Sunday, May 17th, 2015

Announcements:

Our class will be providing refreshment for VBS on Thursday, June 4th. During our class time, we will be passing around a list in order for you to sign up. Many of you will be teaching and working with this program and we thank you for your service. This is a great opportunity for those of us who are not able to volunteer to contribute to this valuable outreach.

Visitors: Shannon and Jan Vinyard - new members to FBCE


Prayers of Praise:

Vev and I would like to thank you for your prayers and concerns for Vev's father, Richard Baird, during his surgery. The surgery on his neck was successful and he will be recuperating for the next six weeks.

For the Cruz family, we lift up a prayer of thanksgiving for the safe return home of Jeremy from his last duty. We are glad you are back at FBCE!

We will be adding to our prayer list the following people and their families:
3 year old son of Aaron Cureton: snake bite
Micky Gwen: heart attack
Remember to check the list on the right of this blog for other prayer needs.

Lesson for Sunday, May 17th, 2015


Stick with Service
Galatians 5:13-15; 6:1-5,10

Many times we become focused on rituals and procedures as if they will assure us of being saved and having eternal life with Jesus. Such was the case of the people of Galatia, but Paul instructs them to understand that the old law was fulfilled by Jesus and that we should be following the Law of Christ. We should be following in His footsteps: loving God and loving people.

We should love one another so much that we are willing to carry each other's burdens. That we care deeply and are willing to come alongside to help through our prayers, our willingness to listen, our caring hearts, and our honest and frank words that convict our souls.

The 10th verse indicates that "as we have opportunity, we must work for the good of all." We need to be in prayer to see the opportunities that are available for us to love others through Christ like service.

There is a story about a lady who was celebrating her 100th birthday. She was very active and acute mentally. A reporter asked her "To what did you attribute your longevity?" With everyone expecting an answer that centered on exercise, good diet, and abstaining from bad habits, she gave her response. She said, " I have come to understand that today somebody is going to need me. I don't know who that person will be, but he/she will need me. So, as I arise every morning, I look forward to that person whom God puts in my path."

What about it? Who is going to need you today? Will you see him/her or will you pass him/her by? Focus on following after Jesus and you will see!

RECAP from Sunday, May 3rd, 2015

Announcements:

Congregational Survey from Search Committee: 

Please complete the survey that the Search Committee has produced. They are available at the church office, sanctuary, and Sunday School classrooms. This survey is your opportunity to share your attitudes and desires regarding the selection of our new pastor. Please be in prayer concerning your answers. Continue to pray for the Search Committee, individually and collectively as they seek God's will in HIS search and call for our next pastor.

  

Sunday, May 3rd - Lesson: ACTS 9:26-28, 11:21-26 

Joseph, a Levite of Cyprus: Called "Barnabas" meaning "encourager"

Teaches us three things in these scriptures:

1. Encourage for Acceptance

2. Encourage for Spiritual Growth

3. Encourage for Christian Service to others

Who is your Barnabas? The person who lifts you up!

But most important, Whose Barnabas are you?

Be a Barnabas for 

Your Church - Your Family - Your Community

Philippians 2:14 instructs, "Do everything without complaining."
Dr Jay Wolf ..............

It is easy to develop a critical spirit. I recently talked with a friend who confessed, "I have become a negative, bitter and unattractive person who is very hard to live with." Another lady told me, "I took my husband for better or worse, but he's a lot worse than I took him for!"

I recently read an editorial that observed, "America has become a nation of complainers." We all have the capacity to turn a sunny day into a gripe session about having to wear sunscreen.

There are two types of complainers: the Perfectionist and the Martyr. The Perfectionist demands that everything be done to their standard and any perceived error reaps a crop of harsh criticism. The Martyr complains about all of their really special problems and the lack of help and sympathy they receive from others. The complaining Perfectionist repels friends and the whining Martyr drains them.

The better way is God's way. Try to delete your whining and focus on shining by implementing the following suggestions:

1. Choose a grateful spirit instead of a critical attitude. If you were graced by God to be born in America, and you enjoy the benefits of consistent food, shelter and transportation, then you are a blessed person who should be grateful to God and to others. When you quit focusing on your own navel and look at the drastic poverty and problems in our fallen world, it will prompt you to do a checkup from the neck up and get rid of your stinking thinking and ungrateful attitude! Remember that you are blessed! Then praise God for your blessings which activate His presence because the Lord inhabits the praise of His people.

2. Stop complaining. For the next 24 hours, intentionally delete negative griping, whining, and gossip-flavored communication. Follow the admonition of Matthew 5:16, "You are the light of the world..." which means you should shine bright and not whine about your plight.

3. Start encouraging. Encouragement is the miracle-grow of the soul. Pour sincere affirmation on the people around you by refilling your spirit with Christ's Spirit, which makes you an attractive and positive friend. Remember, a pat on the back is only 18 inches removed from a kick in the pants, but the results are miles apart. Consistently apply Hebrews 10:24 which coaches, "Encourage one another and all the more as you see the day of Christ drawing near."

The Bottom line: Remember the light of the encourager attracts and sustains while the criticism of the complainer repels and drains. So choose TODAY to shine and not whine!

RECAP  of last week::  JOHN 15:9-14 .... LOVE ... Let love permeate every relationship

Mrs Pat shared last week from her heart... and what a joy she shared with us.

Pat and I had agreed that she would teach on the 19th and 26th. Of course the 19th we experienced the bad weather and the call homeward for Burkett. I saw Pat at the visitation on Wednesday and told her that our plans had changed and I would be pleased to teach on Sunday, the 26th. She immediately told me that she wanted to teach. That the lesson was on love and after 63 years, she had something to say about that subject; and "say" is what she did!!!! Straight from the heart!!!!

In the book (lesson book) at the end of last week's lesson, there is a quote by the author Ben Mandrell. It goes like this....

“How much pain are you willing to endure for another person? That’s the yardstick that often measures your love for them.”

 For you, Mrs. Pat, there is not a tape measure long enough to measure this!

******************************************************

COMING ATTRACTIONS

This Week

1st Sunday of the Month

(Truett's favorite Sunday)

LESSON : Stick with Encouragement

Acts 9:26-28; 11:21-26

Be a Barnabas!!!!

Please be in prayer for our Search Committee

collectively and individually

Kevin Ammons

Emily Clark

Sam Curtis

Tiffany Dowling

Mike McQueen

JP Sawyer

Gayle Stewart

ASK ME ABOUT

WNBS@FBCE

Hear God's Call to Trust and Obey!
Dr. Jay Wolfe

The famous pastor, Norman Vincent Peale, told a revealing story about his childhood and his father’s instructions on the foundational Christian discipline of obedience. Peale’s dad was a devoted Christ-follower and wanted his son to be a disciplined disciple. In particular, Norman was instructed by his father not to smoke tobacco because of its power to create an addiction. However, young Norman was drawn to the prohibition and, one Saturday, he was secretly smoking a cigar in the back yard when his father unexpectedly arrived. Norman quickly placed the cigar behind his back as his father walked up to him. The young teenager wanted to camouflage his illicit activity by asking a question. So, he blurted out, “Father, I have a date tonight. May I please borrow the family car?” His dad paused and looked deep into his son’s eyes and responded wisely by saying, “Norman, never ask for your father’s favor when you are holding smoldering disobedience.”

God’s Word tells us, “The Lord does not delight in burnt offerings and sacrifice but He rejoices when you obey His voice. Obedience is better than sacrifice.” (1 Samuel 15:22)  John Sammis captures God’s goal when he penned this great hymn: “Trust and obey for there’s no other way to be happy in Jesus but to trust and obey.” Trust and obedience are the two hands that take hold of the promises of God. Trust and obedience are the two feet that keep you walking on God’s pathway. Trust and obedience are the two ears that enable you to hear the transforming truth of God’s Word.

Embrace your assignment: throw away any “smoldering disobedience.” Instead, actively seek the sweet joy, protection, fulfillment and productivity that come when you choose to “TRUST and OBEY" because there’s no other way to be happy in Jesus but to trust and obey!”

IMPORTANT CHURCH BUSINESS

This Sunday, April 19th, 2015, "Our Church" will select "Our Pastoral Search Committee." At the 8:15 and the 10:30 services, we will vote for 4 men and 3 ladies from the list below. As we exit from the services we will place our votes in the ballot box.

This is your opportunity to prayerfully follow God's will as we seek the Pastor whom God has chosen for "Our Church."

Please continue to be in prayer for these items:

• Our Church - God will place His choice in His pulpit
• Search Committee - for wisdom and discernment to God's will
• Romans 12:2  Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will. 
• Our Pastor To Be - that he will seek to follow God's will

Listed in Alphabetical Order

Men ................................. Women

Kevin Ammons                  Emily Clark

Sam Curtis                         Tiffany Dowling

Josh Gunter                        Joyce Oliver

Henry Lincoln                    Allison Robley

Mike McQueen                  Kay Roper

Kurt Pierce                         Gayle Stewart

JP Sawyer

Joe Talmadge 

To Our Pastoral Search Committee & The Body of Christ of FBCE

In my reading, I found this article. I believe it addresses what our search committee will be doing in the future. As you will notice, it never says anything about the spiritual, personal, or physical qualities of various candidates. It focuses on finding God's Will. This is where the search committee and the Body of Christ - His Church begins and ends. 

Think about it and let us seek God's Will. May God Bless You!

Finding God's Will Together by  Ruth Haley Barton
Christianity Today - Fall 2012

Discernment is the capacity to recognize the presence and activity of God. Paul says that we are transformed by the renewing of our minds so that we can discern what the will of God is, that which is good, acceptable, and perfect (Rom 12:2). Corporate discernment, then, is responding to the activity of God as a leadership group and to make decisions in response to His Presence.

The heart of the discernment process is listening—

• to God
• the movement of the Holy Spirit
• the Scripture 
• to each other
• to what's going on in the depths of our own souls
• that place in us where God's Spirit witnesses with our spirit about those things that are true

Monday Morning Cup of Inspiration - Delivered on Tuesday Morning

Dr Kevin Elko certainly keeps me in check each week. I hope you have found his website and subscribe to his Monday Morning Cup of Inspiration.


NOTE : This one will stir your emotions and it is awesome.....
http://www.drelko.com/inspiration

Have I told you lately that I love you?????