NEW SCHEDULE FOR THE SUMMER

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In April Mark and I attended a great conference of our fellowshiping churches in Meridian, Idaho.  Our main speaker, Philip DeCourcy, powerfully taught from 11 Timothy 2 and challenged us with many points God makes in that portion of Scripture.  Verse 22 particularly impressed my heart -"So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart." The word for "flee" here means to be persistently on the run from what would rob us of God's blessing like a fugitive would flee.  What a great picture of how we must not lollygag around triggers to sin. 

A couple of other quotes from this conference I would like to share with you:  "Don't be weary in well-doing; persevere until another brighter day;" "Be willing to suffer so that people can be saved;" "Every Christian is either an evangelist or an impostor." Spurgeon  Those thoughts should give all of us something to ruminate on.

Ladies and children, you are all invited to my house this Thursday morning from 9:30-11 to enjoy coffee and fellowship.  As much as possible, we will be doing this throughout the summer.  Some weeks we may be going to other ladies homes.  Next week Yorleny has invited us to her home in Lakewood on Friday (so we won't be meeting at my house that week).  We will be carpooling from the church at 10 on May 11th.  Bring along something "brunchy" to share.

THE INCOMPREHENSIBLE LOVE OF GOD

As we study the love of God this week take a few minutes to read and listen to perhaps one of the greatest songs about God's love ever written.

The Love of God

The love of God is greater far
Than tongue or pen can ever tell
It goes beyond the highest star
And reaches to the lowest hell
The guilty pair, bowed down with care
God gave His Son to win
His erring child He reconciled
And pardoned from his sin

Could we with ink the ocean fill
And were the skies of parchment made
Were every stalk on earth a quill
And every man a scribe by trade

To write the love of God above
Would drain the ocean dry
Nor could the scroll contain the whole
Though stretched from sky to sky

Hallelujah
Hallelujah
Hallelujah

O love of God, how rich and pure!
How measureless and strong!
It shall forevermore endure
The saints' and angels' song

Songwriter: Rev. Benton Vespew Ellis

Don't forget our potluck brunch this Thursday during Bible study.

THE DISAPPOINTING PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS

Pictured here--real happiness and joy; Noah helping Grandpa and Grandpa helping Noah.

Pictured here--real happiness and joy; Noah helping Grandpa and Grandpa helping Noah.

How often have you heard the mantra, "I just want to be happy"? With great interest I recently read an article in the Sky Delta magazine titled "Who Says You Can't Buy Happiness?" As this article reviewed the apps and other online programs to "improve well being," the author also reported the dire statistics concerning unhappiness in America.  52% of people are completely dissatisfied with their jobs, women are particularly unhappy, dissatisfaction costs US companies up to $500 billion a year, and only 33% of Americans describe themselves as happy.  Wow!! What is going on?  My theory revolves around my observations that the more self focused a person is (such as pursuing their own happiness), the more miserable they are.  I have never seen an exception to this.

The hidden desire in seeking "happiness" really can be found only in a richer and deeper quality of life that we would call "joy."  Joy endures through the most heartbreaking of times.  In fact my best picture of it would be Jesus as He approached the suffering of the cross. Hebrews 12:2 "... looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God."  Jesus' joy totally came from His concern for the souls of men and not for Himself. Another couple of verses to consider would be James 1:2-3; "Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness." Somehow this doesn't sound like the current pursuit of happiness, but rather the development of character for the glory of God. 

No lasting happiness takes place until life stops revolving around me and begins revolving around God and other people.