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Listening to What the Spirit Says to the Churches

To God's Beloved:

It is good to celebrate in remembrance those who have gone before us, and sacrificed their lives for our freedom.  Ultimately it reminds us of Jesus sacrifice for us, and never forgetting what He has done, and always living in His presence, and what He has purchased for us in the past, and promised for our future.  There is nothing so unifying as a fixation with Jesus that brings colour and meaning to everything else!

Take the time this week to pray for nurses, doctors, police, care givers, and others who are called to serve in times like these.  Many are facing hard choices, and need our prayers for energy, wisdom, and courage to keep serving people and our society.  If you know anyone serving like this, send them a quick note of encouragement and let them know of your prayers!

It has been another week of strange weather in the world we live in, and a reminder that we are so small in comparison to God and His creation.  Please pray for those who have been flooded, or are trapped either in slides, or because of slides.  So many will be going back to the damage that of water, and need our prayers.  Please also use this as a reminder of the greatness of God and our own absolute dependence on Him always.  

Take the time every day to share what you are learning with someone else.  One fo the best ways to chase conversation that is not honouring to God away is to begin with, and stay with conversation that honours Him.  If we truly want unity in mind, mission, and motive, we must stay word saturated together.  SHARE WHAT YOU ARE LEARNING FROM GOD'S WORD WITH ONE ANOTHER!

Reminder, our AGM is this Wednesday at 7:00.  This is an opportunity for you to join us in remembering what God has done for us in the past year, as well as to refocus on what His will is for us moving forward.  Please join us in prayer NOW, and in presence on Wednesday as we seek Him, His Will, and His Glory!  Your prayers and presence are key in our success as a congregational governed church seeking God's will together.  Come, to join us in putting aside all self, in fixing our eyes on the Saviour, and in the fullness of the Spirit seeking His will for us as we live on mission for Him here in our community.

Sunday Is Coming:

We are in our last Sunday before we begin Advent season, and focusing on Jesus, and His messages to the churches.

We have learned to have a first love devotion to Him, that pain is a privilege under His Sovereign care if we respond loyal to Him, and that we are to be loyal to His Word.

Often people group the church of Thyatira with Pergammum.

Title:  The Compromise Crisis
Text:  Revelation 2:18-28

Read the text:

Remember the context of what Jesus has already taught us as He walks among the churches.

  • How does Jesus display Himself here?
  • Do you see Jesus like this?
  • What are the strengths of this church?
  • How can we make sure that as Jesus walks among us, here at CBC, that He sees these same things in us?
  • What does Jesus hate in this church?
  • Why is compromise and hypocrisy so distasteful to Jesus?
  • What is His reward to those who overcome?
  • As you prepare your hearts for Sunday, what is the Spirit saying to you?

I am excited to pursue with you a community of faith and holiness, and to seek to not only acknowledge Jesus presence in and among us, but also to live in light of it.

Blessed to be His servant, and yours,

Pastor Rob

Reminder, we are putting together love hampers for those who would be blessed by that this Christmas, and we are reminded to bring breakfast items, jam, cereal, or syrup.  This is a great ministry every year by our church family, so please consider joining us in this, as the need around us seems to be intensifying.

 

Growth Group Questions:  Sermon On November 14, 2021 

Text:  Revelation 2:12-15

Title:  Real Truth, Real Life

 

Read the text:

  •  Review:  What does it mean to have a first love devotion to Jesus?  How can you makes sure this is where you live, and what you are pursuing?
  • How does responding well to persecution/pain help you in your pursuit of who God wants you to be?  How can you learn to see pain in a biblical way (James 1:2-4)?
  • Take the time to make sure we are those who do have ears who are hearing what Jesus is saying to the churches!
  • How is Jesus portrayed in his letter to the church of Pergamum?
  • Why is it essential to see Him as the One who is always right?
  • How does His being on the throne help us as a church to live for Him?
    • Habakkuk 3:17-19
  • How does Jesus awareness of the context that they were in and what they were doing well, help us to live in His presence now?
  • What does it mean that they live where Satan had his throne?
  • Why is it so important to stand firm in persecution?  How do we do this in our own lives, where perhaps we haven’t experienced a lot of persecution, but where we do experience pain?
  • Why is it so important to choose our friends wisely?
    • 1 Corinthians 15:33
  • How do you see ways in your life where your choice of friends has helped you honour God and build others up?
  • How did Jesus critique this church?
  • What are some of the areas where false teaching is threatening to invade your life?  Our church?
  • Why is it so important not to compromise with the culture when it comes to biblical issues, by adding to God’s Word, or taking away from it?
  • Why is this so difficult in the history of the church, and in our culture?
  • How does Jesus call help us to know how best to hear this letter to the churches as individuals and as a culture?
  • What is the promise of Jesus to those who hear and respond in victory?
  • What are steps you can take to be word saturated, and having your view of reality dominated by God’s?

Prayer:

  • For church health
  • For God’s blessing
  • For our pastors, teachers, elders and deacons…that they would avoid adding to God’s Word, fight taking away from it, and STAY LOYAL TO HIS WORD in a culture that threatens to invade with worldly wisdom.