DYSMAS CONDUIT
FREE FOOD
(Isa 55:1)
SATURDAY, JANUARY 30, 2010
Question for the day: What does God mean when He says “Wait”?
What can we pray with YOU about today?
Good morning,
This is just a reminder that every day, while we are studying God’s Word to add to our website, someone from our ministry, Dysmas Conduit, is holding you up before the Lord in prayer. May He greatly bless you today as you pursue His will and He is glorified through you.
God’s blessings, our love,
George & Sidney Granger
CURRENT PRAYER REQUESTS:
Please continue to pray for Billy Hamburg. He had another surgery and two more tumors were discovered. Discussion is forthcoming concerning bladder removal. Please pray for the Lord’s Hand to help him overcome his anxiety as well as the cancer.
Pastor Greg Finke
Gloria Dei Lutheran Church –
Galatians 5:6, "The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love."
In worship Sunday, we took a closer look at the use of the phrase "one another" in the New Testament, as in, "Love one another," John 13:34, or as the phrase is used in our new mission statement, "Helping one another live life with Jesus every day."
If you were not able to be with us in worship you can click here to sit in.
The New Testament writers use the phrase "one another" more than 30 times. They use it to describe the relational basis for expressing so much of what the grace of God is about. Love one another. Bear with one another. Accept one another. Honor one another. Submit to one another. Encourage one another. Teach one another. Stop passing judgment on one another. Spur one another on to good works. And so on.
Here's the question: When the New Testament writers use this term, is it to be understood exclusively or inclusively? When we read "one another," is it to be understood exclusively, that is, as a holy huddle of friends, "us four and no more"? Or is it to be understood inclusively, that is, are we to love whoever we are with, bear with whoever we are with, encourage whoever we are with, etc.?
The answer is that the biblical writers intend us to understand the term "one another" inclusively. If there was any doubt about that, read what Jesus says we are to do for our enemies and for those who persecute us. (Love them and bless them, respectively. Try this: "I am to help my enemy live life with Jesus every day." Wow...)
You might remember that in the beginning of December we had a guest pastor named Dr. Jock Ficken come to Gloria Dei and share his story of missional living. He and his wife, Gail, had been a senior pastor/wife in a large Lutheran congregation for more than 20 years. Gail had been on the church staff with her husband during the last several years. When Jock felt the call of God to join the
Why? It wasn't because there weren't several Lutheran churches in the area to choose from. It wasn't because there weren't several Lutheran churches preaching and teaching the truth. What made their search so hard (and sad) was that, as Gail shared with us during our time together, every church they visited felt like they were visiting someone else's family reunion.
That really stuck with me. The churches they visited were VERY good at loving "one another" exclusively, but for the person coming through the doors it felt very lonely. Watching others love one another is not the same as being included in the loving one another.
Today as you go out into your life, remember that loving "one another" is not exclusive but inclusive. It is not exclusive to your holy huddle or "us four and no more." Jesus intended His love to be shared inclusively... with whoever He brings across your path today.
And this Sunday, let's all make sure that anyone who walks through our doors does not observe a family reunion - but is included in one.
Enjoy being His Church today! Who will you help live life with Jesus today?
Pastor Greg
YOU TUBE SONG FOR TODAY
How Great Thou Art
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nf0vJiyeLIo
…and…
Persistent Faith
Is Never Shaken By Time
Back to the Bible
Woodrow Kroll and Tami Weissert
How long are you willing to wait in faith?
For Joseph, it was years...in a prison!
But his persistent faith is a model we need today...
Series: Faith through Adversity
http://www.oneplace.com/ministries/Back_to_the_Bible/
Please send your prayer requests to
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