To God's Beloved Who Belong To Him @ Cloverdale Baptist Church:
Today could be a significant day in history and in shaping eternity! Choose to use your time wisely. On this day, in 1863 Lincoln delivered the Gettysburg address, Pelle scored his 1000 goal (soccer) 1969, and many have given their lives to Jesus for the first time. Today matters, as we seek God's plan for His glory, and who knows what we might discover happened on this day, when we look back from eternity at what God has accomplished. Live today with the joy of knowing that your life matters, and that God is at work to use you to accomplish His purpose!
Who Is The Fastest Pastor:
This Sunday, Pastor Stewart has challenged the other pastors to a race. All of us have been getting in shape as we want to win (Romans 12:10), but it turns out it is an AWANA car race. So right after the service this Sunday (10 minute break for coffee), we are going to meet in the gym for a race. The prize is pretty big, (bragging rights for a year) so come cheer on your pastors (all of us please), as we have fun, and seek to give our great KIDS program some visibility.
November Blues
They say that November and February are the hardest months for people struggling with feeling down. Some think it might be darkness, others that it is the lack of having something in the immediate future to look forward to, and in my thinking there are probably a number of other factors. If you struggle a little with feeling blue, what should you do?
Be honest about it to God and the people that are close to you!
Pray that you would see and experience God's love!
Go for walks!
Look for ways you can be around other people that pull you up!
Look for a place to serve others, and actively engage in love!
Don't ignore your feelings, rather embrace the tender care of our loving God and His people around you.
As we gather together Sunday's and beyond look for people to encourage, and as we build one another up, we will discover the flowing grace of God together.
Growing Together: One over One (one positive, one warning)
Would encourage you this week to continue to grow in your faith! We have been talking a lot about prayer, and growing in this relational active dependence on God. My encouragement to you is to begin the day by reading a Psalm or a Proverb, and praying through it. This does take some time, and as your passion for prayer grows, will even take more time, but what a great way to begin your day! A friend shared with me today that God has been leading them to more and more prayer, and if that passion catches I can't wait to see what our God will do in us and through us. "God shapes our world by prayer, the more prayer there is in the world the better the world (church) will be..." E.M. Bounds
As an active pursuit may I encourage you to be someone who uses your mouth only to build up others (Ephesians 4:29). One of the "Respectable Sins", that Jerry Bridges warns about in his great book by that title is sins of the tongue. It is helpful to pray that God will set a guard over our mouth (Psalm 141:3), and more positively that the words of our mouth and meditation of our heart will be pleasing to Him (Psalm 19:14). Our words are a tattle tale on our heart, so may I encourage you to discipline your mouth to only speak words that honour Jesus, and when you find that you have slipped up in gossip, or slander that you repent and check your heart, and guard it. So much pain can be avoided if we are careful in what we say and how we say it! Also, if you are around others who name Jesus and are falling into the sins of the tongue, help them to stop. I know this is hard, but we long for a stronger and cleaner atmosphere, and this is one of the areas that is easy to struggle in. We all struggle, so let us focus on ourselves and graciously helping others around us so that God is praised in our presence (James 3:9).
Prayer:
Please continue to pray for the people of Paris, and the church in Paris. It is so important for us to join them in their struggle by seeking God's best for them. Pray that our Prime Minister would come to know Jesus as well, and experience His grace and love richly. Also would love for us all to continue to pray for REVIVAL, personally and corporately. Please also pray that Pastor Les and DeeDee would be able to sell there house in Salmon Arm. All they need is one buyer...
Sunday Is Coming:
Learning Jesus Is King
Text: Mark 11:1-11
What in this story shows you the power of God and His plan for Jesus?
How does Zechariah 9:9 help us to understand this prophecy?
What does it mean that Jesus is a righteous King?
How does the prophecy point us to Jesus as our Saviour?
Why do you think He chose a donkey?
How does His Kingship impact your choices in life?
Have a great week, I am blessed to be your pastor!
Pastor Rob