To God's Beloved At Cloverdale Baptist Church:
I love Manasseh, even though he was perhaps the most wicked man who ever lived, he began again, when he was near the end of his life, and God uses that story to show us His grace, and our opportunity. I love that we can live, "today forward in God's grace", if we are willing to repent in humility before God!
Obedience to God is something we will constantly have to work on, and He wants you to start today, in repentance, to do things His way. Now that is really a big statement, and anything that falls short of God's glory is sin, so where should you begin...as one who wants to be on God's side...
1. Love: We are called to be known for our self sacrificial love for one another. Choose someone who does not deserve your love, and connect, give them a gift in Jesus name, and build the local church for the glory of God. Choose to live a life of love (Ephesians 5:1-2; 1 Peter 4:11). Don't wait for humans to deserve your love, rather experience God's undeserved love towards you, and offer it to others who He has placed in your life.
2. Service: We are truly great when we serve, but the negative is as important, when we choose not to serve, to use our gifts to build the local church, the church will not be where God wants her to be. Find a place to serve, and use who God has made you to build others up. Maybe it is being an usher, or someone who comes with a love antenna up to build others up, or teaching Sunday School...whatever it is, choose to engage (Ephesians 4:11-16)!
3. Impact: God has placed you in the world you are in, your sphere of influence for such a time as this. I love the programs we have for evangelism, and just last week people gave their lives to Jesus for the first time through God's people at CBC (THANK YOU TO ALL WHO SERVED AT SPARK STUDIO'S...LIVES WERE CHANGED)...we have an outreach through sports, through food to the needy, kids ministry, youth ministry and more. Yes we need you in those...so engage there, but even more our passion is for each person who know Jesus as LORD to impact their sphere of influence with the love of Jesus and His Gospel.
Choose to see your life as a beacon of light for His glory, and take advantage of opportunities He gives you to show people how amazing He is, and where they can find forgiveness and hope (2 Corinthians 5:11-21).
Pick one of those three steps of obedience, and align your life with God, and make changes that are in keeping with His character and Word. (Acts 26:18-20 give a great definition of repentance).
Let us learn from Manasseh in humility, that God gives grace when we live lives of repentance, and let us choose holiness, love, and mission. Don't sell your life short and only see it from the perspective of the world...see your value to God and His perspective of your life from your experience of His love, and choose today...in His strength to live for His glory!
Don't wait! Be HUMBLE before God, see Him for who He is and rejoice that He is always ready to forgive (Psalm 51:17).
I am glad I am a part of the family of God, and that together we can know in our minds, hearts and lives, HIS MERCY IS MORE!
A fellow trophy of grace,
Pastor Rob
Bulletin
New Episode & Book Giveaway!
► The Cloverdale Baptist Podcast: In the latest episode of the Cloverdale Baptist Podcast, Pastor Rob shared a timely reflection on the value and dignity of human life from womb to tomb. Listen on your preferred podcast app!
Also, enter our giveaway for a chance to win a copy of the book If I Could Speak: Letters From the Womb, written by Mark Jones from the perspective of an unborn baby making a plea to her mother to not abort her. Enter here >
Support for Missionaries in Ukraine
Please prayerfully consider supporting our missionaries in Ukraine and Poland who are meeting Ukrainian refugee needs. Donate here.
Reconnection Event
Saturday, August 13th / 4:00 – 8:30 PM / CBC
An afternoon of fun games and delicious food for everyone 18 and older to reconnect with friends and meet new people. We’ll be playing games like bocce, corn hole, and even have an 18-hole mini golf contest indoors! For dinner, we’ll be serving Filipino food. Register today in the foyer!
Tuesday Evening Prayer Meetings
Tuesdays / 7–8 pm / Fellowship Hall
Our elders will be leading prayer meetings throughout the summer. We will take a short look at passages in Isaiah and pray for each other, our church, city, country and world.
