- Saturday, March 28th @ 10:30 a.m.
- Followed by refreshments in the Fellowship Hall and a time of remembering his life.
What a man of faith and love!
We give thanks for this wonderful man and celebrate his life in Christ.
Selah.
Friday, March 27, 2009
A service of witness to the resurrection -- David Ashley
Memorial service for David E. Ashley
What a man of faith and love!
We give thanks for this wonderful man and celebrate his life in Christ.
Selah.
What a man of faith and love!
We give thanks for this wonderful man and celebrate his life in Christ.
Selah.
Friday, March 6, 2009
Egypt: Land of Ancient Monuments and Christian Community
Egypt: Land of Ancient Monuments and Christian Community
Dr. Clarence Menninga will be hosting an informative lecture at Okeechobee Presbtyerian Church, entited, "Egypt: Land of Ancient Monuments and Christian Community."
- Date: March 15
- Time: 6:00 p.m.
The talk will be followed by a time for questions and answers, and then a light refreshment in the Fellowship Hall. Admission is free. So everyone can afford to come!
Dr. Menninga is a Professor Emeritus from Calvin College, well-learned and warmhearted. His talks are always well appreciated by those who take the time to hear. So come and be blessed!
Turning from self
Blessed are...
“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.” Matthew 5:6
Turning from Self
The criticism is sometimes leveled against Christianity that it is, fundamentally, a selfish faith. You can see where the idea comes from. Many of the most popular hymns and songs seem to have an unhealthy preoccupation with the self. For example, “And Can It Be?” is a stirring affirmation of the saving work of Christ, but it does concentrate upon the first person singular. “My chains fell off, my heart was free, I rose, went forth, and followed Thee.” Without further explanation, personal piety can easily come across as being selfish. It’s as though the world does not exist. All that seems to matter is my relationship to Christ. And so I sing about my forlorn condition, apart from grace; I mourn my sinful state; then, I rejoice to learn the story of salvation. Christ dies for me – I shall live forever. It does sound like it’s all about me!
Of course this is a caricature of true Christianity. I must deal with my sin as an individual for the very good reason that it is my sin that I must confess. And I must come to my Savior as an individual, since the punishment that He bore was mine. However, if my faith remains focused upon myself then it cannot bear fruit. As I grow in Christ, I learn to think less and less of myself and more and more of my Savior. At the same time, I am to become more aware of those who share my condition, and to reach out to them with the blessings of the Gospel. Following the example of Christ, I am to turn from self and pour out my life in the service of others. So it is that, in the fourth Beatitude, Jesus begins to move from the blessedness that arises from poverty of spirit, personal loss, and humility, to a blessing that requires community. If I am really to hunger and thirst for righteousness, then I cannot do so alone.
Prayer
Lord God,
Release me from the introspection
that cares only for my own desires.
Teach me the liberty of service,
the joy of finding and of doing Your will.
Make me secure in the righteousness that is Your gift,
then help me to share it with others.
For Your love’s sake.
Amen.
Selah.
From Blessed Are..., a Lenten devotional by Alan Trafford.
“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.” Matthew 5:6
Turning from Self
The criticism is sometimes leveled against Christianity that it is, fundamentally, a selfish faith. You can see where the idea comes from. Many of the most popular hymns and songs seem to have an unhealthy preoccupation with the self. For example, “And Can It Be?” is a stirring affirmation of the saving work of Christ, but it does concentrate upon the first person singular. “My chains fell off, my heart was free, I rose, went forth, and followed Thee.” Without further explanation, personal piety can easily come across as being selfish. It’s as though the world does not exist. All that seems to matter is my relationship to Christ. And so I sing about my forlorn condition, apart from grace; I mourn my sinful state; then, I rejoice to learn the story of salvation. Christ dies for me – I shall live forever. It does sound like it’s all about me!
Of course this is a caricature of true Christianity. I must deal with my sin as an individual for the very good reason that it is my sin that I must confess. And I must come to my Savior as an individual, since the punishment that He bore was mine. However, if my faith remains focused upon myself then it cannot bear fruit. As I grow in Christ, I learn to think less and less of myself and more and more of my Savior. At the same time, I am to become more aware of those who share my condition, and to reach out to them with the blessings of the Gospel. Following the example of Christ, I am to turn from self and pour out my life in the service of others. So it is that, in the fourth Beatitude, Jesus begins to move from the blessedness that arises from poverty of spirit, personal loss, and humility, to a blessing that requires community. If I am really to hunger and thirst for righteousness, then I cannot do so alone.
Prayer
Lord God,
Release me from the introspection
that cares only for my own desires.
Teach me the liberty of service,
the joy of finding and of doing Your will.
Make me secure in the righteousness that is Your gift,
then help me to share it with others.
For Your love’s sake.
Amen.
Selah.
From Blessed Are..., a Lenten devotional by Alan Trafford.