To God's Beloved At Cloverdale Baptist Church:
HAPPY BIRTHDAY CANADA! 150 years and counting! May God keep this nation strong and free, and a place where we can share the Biblical Gospel with joy. May He grant us a renewal of passion for Him, obedience to His Word, and love for one another
When we hear of things going on in the world it can cause us to shudder. Terrorism on the rise, sin rampant, worldview shifts that make the Bible seem to the world like a foreign book that is against people. Not only do we see the tremors in the world, we also see them in the church, as the love of many is growing cold, and sin invades, and brokenness overwhelms. We are no longer in Kansas, so how should we respond?
1. NO FEAR: There are many places we could turn to remember who we serve in the midst of what seems to be chaos. God is still on the throne, and He can be trusted (Ephesians 1:11). Even as we see things falling apart around us, we can rejoice in Him (Habakuk 3:17-19), and know that His plan will be accomplished. In the mist of all of life (Psalm 46:2). Rest in Him, fix your eyes on Him, get to know Him better, and you will find rest (Philippians 4:4-6).
2. IMAGE HIM: Look for opportunities to live for Him in such a way that others can see His life in you (Galatians 4:19). We have the opportunity in the world now to really show up, for who we are as God's beloved children (1 Peter 2:11-12). We can show the difference a fully devoted love for God can make! The more the world looks and follows a different path, the more we will stand out, and so this new era is an opportunity to show love. I love when I hear from people speaking about our church, that when all else failed them, they found hope here through God's people. Make it your passion to have Christ formed in you (Romans 8:28-29).
3. CALL FOR HIM: Maranatha, even so Lord Jesus come (1 Corinthians 16:22)! I love be Canadian, and am proud of my earthly country, but my home is not here. Living in the world should cause us to long for our eternal home, and cry out to Him, Maranatha, even so Lord Jesus come! The more we seek to live on mission for Jesus in this world the more we will long for the next! He is coming soon (Revelation 22:120), and eternity is real and LONG, so store up treasure in heaven and long for His return!
4. ENTHUSIASTIC SERVICE: The time is short and we must make the most of every opportunity (Ephesians 5:16). This means understanding our role as Ambassador's, and representing Him well. Always being ready to share the hope we have in us (1 Peter 3:15). God has good works for you to do each day, look for them, seek to do them with joy and eager anticipation, He has made you so that you can serve Him (Ephesians 2:10), and in this find your true purpose. Make sure you are using your gifts to build the church, and effectively accomplish what God wants from you!
When we hear of things going on in the world, it can cause us to serve with more zeal, and loyalty to God's Word. Choose this day whom you will serve, as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD! This is how have a NICE life no matter what is going on around us!
Remember:
Canada Day Celebration: July 2, right after service, all are welcome for food and fun. We will be setting up family friendly activities that will seek to help us celebrate Canada day together and grow in our relationships with each other. Join us for this FAMILY FUN DAY.
Elder Led Prayer Meetings: July 4 begins the summer prayer meetings. Encourage you all to come and join us in prayer. We believe that unless the LORD builds this church, we labour in vain. Prayer draws us closer to Him in dependence and truly moves the hand of God. Together we long for God to move with power in us and through us! They will go from 7-8 every Tuesday throughout the summer.
Concerns: If you have concerns about a ministry, message, or music (or anything else) please try to wait before you talk to anyone. If after prayer, you believe you can help us to do better in our pursuit of excellence and God's glory as a church by offering your constructive critique, please offer this to a pastor, not a volunteer. We want to hear from you, we long to get more and more effective at bringing glory to God, and your help is appreciated when done in prayer and love.
Baptism: We are having a baptism service on July 9, it is always exciting to see God at work through the obedience of His people. Please contact one of your pastors if you are ready to take this next step of obedience to God.
Sunday Is Coming:
Having laid the foundation of making sure we make every effort not to add to God's Word, or take away from it, our focus this Sunday is on the second foundation, which is understanding why we are still here on earth.
Title: In The World, But Not Of The World: Foundation #2: Live For God's Purpose
Text: Matthew 28:16-20
What is the purpose of the church?
What is the purpose of your life?
How can you effectively grow in your relationship with Jesus?
What does a disciple of Jesus look like?
How can you live out your part in the Sovereign plan of God?
Excited to see how God uses this series to increase our effectiveness in living life on purpose.
For His Glory,
Pastor Rob