To God's Beloved At Cloverdale Baptist Church:
Christmas has come and gone, and we have entered 2018. I hope you had an amazing Christmas season, and enjoyed the celebration of Jesus birth and have used this to further you passion for His person and purposes.
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
As we enter the New Year, who you are as a friend, and who you have as friends will have a tremendous impact on your life. Over Christmas had a lot of time to rest, read and listen to sermons. One sermon out of Proverbs that I was blessed to listen to was on friendship, and it reminded me that who we are, and are with is extremely important (1 Corinthians 15:33). I am who I am and where I am because of friends God has blessed me with! Proverbs outlines four essentials that help us know what to look for in a friend, and what to seek to be as a friend. These are great attributes to remind ourselves of as we enter 2018...1. Love (Proverbs 17:17) : As in a willingness to sacrificially seek God's best for your life, and to feel with you as you weep and rejoice. A good friend will feel with you, and serve your best interests as God describes them. 2. Loyalty (Proverbs 17:17, 9): A good friend will never leave you, will be there for you through good and bad. A good friend will be one who stands with you in struggles and joys, and who you can always count on to be with you for God's glory. 3. Listening and Leading (Proverbs 27:17, 6, 9). A good friend will not only listen, but also speak up, even when it is difficult. They will offer advice, and correction where that is needed with your good in mind. Good friends always will speak up when they can help you to be a better follower of Jesus. 4. Living Exclusively For God's Glory (2 Corinthians 6:14; Proverbs 1:7; 9:10). This is the most important for only in this will the other three be possible. A good friend will make their love for God the priority of their life...and help their friends to live for Him (Hebrews 3:12-14)
Keller sums it up saying, "a good friend will always let you in, and never let you down" . As we begin the New Year, look for good friends, and be a good friend! C.S. Lewis, in his great little book on The Four Loves, writes, "Friendship is borne at the moment when one says to another, 'what, you too, I thought no one but myself...'" Work at finding good friends, and perhaps even more importantly at being a good friend. Life is not easy, and I have found that with a few good friends, following Jesus at all times becomes possible and even delightful. In 2018 you will need good friends, and others will need you to be a good friend! Together we can follow Jesus much more effectively than we can alone.
PLEASE NOTE:
Men's Breakfast: THIS Saturday AM, join us at 8:30 for a great breakfast and some spiritual food as we fellowship together as men.
Sunday School Starts: January 14, for all ages: 9:10- 9:50 Sunday Mornings
NO Seniors Luncheon this month
AWANA starts January 9.
ESL starts January 9
Remember our resolutions: RESOLVED
- To Experience The Freedom Of Faith More Deeply: GOSPEL ORIENTATION
- To Love Jesus More Fully: RELATIONALLY DRIVEN
- To Die To Self Daily: SACRIFICIAL LIVING
- To Point To Jesus Every Opportunity He Gives Me: GREATNESS REALIZED
Sunday Is Coming: Next week we will go back to using our books again for the series on building a culture of evangelism, so dig out your books for next Sunday...
One of our goals is to begin each New Year with a message on the RETURN OF JESUS for His Church.
Title: Jesus Is Coming Again
Text: Acts 1:6-11
Why is it important for us to remember that God has a plan that He is carrying out?
How does anticipating the return of Jesus change our lives?
Why is it important that we live in the POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT?
What is the purpose God has left us here on earth for?
What does waiting look like?
How can we be faithful while we wait for Jesus return?
Even so, LORD JESUS come
Pastor Rob