Haggai 1:5 says: Now, therefore, thus says the Lord of hosts: Consider your ways.
Popular band Switchfoot a few years ago sang: This is your life, are you who you want to be? This is your life, is it everything you dreamed it would be When the world was younger and you had everything to lose?
The song poses a good question. Maybe a better question is, have you aligned what you want to be with all that God wants you to be? Have your desires become HIS desires? If so then you know that you can find true joy in HIM. If not, this is a good time think about what you want to do to change that.
Psalm 144:4 says, Man is like a breath; his days are like a passing shadow.
Don’t allow another year pass by not living the way that God wants you to live, “Consider your ways” (Haggai 1:5), set your priorities, “train yourself for godliness” (1 Tim 4:7). Make this a HAPPY ReNEW YEAR (Rom 12:2) :)
Hello Everyone! I thought I would give you a recap from yesterday and also refer you to some helpful resources that you may or may not be aware of.
First, a book by Don Whitney, Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life. The first chapter of this book is much of what I gave you yesterday, a description, PURPOSE, and call to Spiritual disciplines.I believe Mr. Whitney is a great author, but the main thing is that he uses THE BIBLE.If you are not a big reader, you can go to itunes and download the audio version for $9.99.
Also, here is a link to The Discipleship Journal Bible Reading Plan. We had some of these available in hard copy on Sunday and will have more this week. But if you would like to download and print your own you can do so. If you are going to read the whole Bible in a year as many of us are, please sign up at the WelcomeCenter at GBF or email me and let me know. I’d like to put you on an email list to provide encouragement from time to time.
SUNDAY RECAP:
Romans 12:1-2 – Happy ReNew Year!
The renewing of our minds is a constant process of renewal. One of the ways that we can do this is through Spiritual disciplines. While our holiness ultimately depends on God (John 17:17, Heb 2:11), He has given us a measure of participation through avenues such as the spiritual disciplines.
Spiritual disciplines- personal and corporate disciplines that promote spiritual growth.
Examples of spiritual disciplines: bible reading, prayer, scripture memorization, journaling, corporate worship, fasting, giving, fellowship, solitude, etc.
1Timothy 4:7-8
The purpose or goal of spiritual disciplines is GODLINESS. (Synonymous with Christ-like and holiness)
It is of great importance that we get the purpose because if we don’t they can just become a chore that we face and over time resent.
“DISCIPLINE WITHOUT DIRECTION IS DRUDGERY”
Jesus is our ultimate model for spiritual discipline, praying, fasting, quoting scripture when tempted. He was disciplined to pray and seek God, even when he was facing the cross: Matthew 26: 42 Again, for the second time, he went away and prayed, “My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, your will be done.”
Jesus, modeled the ultimate discipline of himself for godliness
Spiritual disciplines have been described as HIGHWAY to the oceans of God, or putting yourself in the PATH of God, a CHANNEL through which his grace flows, or a GREENHOUSE, where all of the elements are just right for growth.
Freedom can be found in the spiritual disciplines when we find that we are blessed by what we are bound to. If our goal is to be Christ-like and spiritual disciplines are a means by which we can achieve that, then we love them and embrace them. See Jesus words in Matthew 11:28-29
The Texoma Blood Drive Bloodmobile will be at The Dollar General Store in Gunter for a blood drive To Benefit Ian Johnson on Wednesday, December 23 from 11am to 3:30pm
Christmas Eve, Candle Light Service and Communion, 6pm Please join us at Grace Bible Fellowship as we come together to sing praises and take Communion, all in remembrance and celebration of King Jesus. Nursery (24 months and under) will be provided.
Because your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise you. Psalm 63:3
This verse has been on my mind for nearly a week now! The psalmist is giving his reason for praise to God. Which he says is God’s “steadfast love”. That makes sense right, we praise God because he loves us so much. Because of all that he has done for us. We praise him because he has given us so much, for how great our life is, for good food, good health, a home, a family…BUT WAIT. What did the psalmist say that his love was “better than”? He said that his love was better than “life”. So His love is better than all of the things that we might normally praise him for. His steadfast love is better than…my house…food…comfort…my health…my family...HIS STEADFAST LOVE is BETTER than all of that, better than LIFE!
Psalm 73:25-26 Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.
Lamentations 3:24 “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I will hope in him.”
These verses remind me of the frailty of life and the value of God, and how easily everything around me can be gone so quickly. But the steadfast love of God never changes. No disaster, no tragedy, no illness, no poverty, nothing can take away the steadfast love of God. He IS worthy of our praise! Psalm 63:3 is right on!
Because your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise you. Psalm 63:3
“Life is dear, but God's love is dearer. To dwell with God is better than life at its best; life at ease, in a palace, in health, in honour, in wealth, in pleasure; yea, a thousand lives are not equal to the eternal life which abides in Jehovah's smile.” – Charles Spurgeon
Since the time of ordination in October, the elder team at Grace Bible Fellowship has been actively pursuing their responsibilities to LEAD, FEED and PROTECT the body of believers at Grace Bible Fellowship.(1Peter 5:1-3) We have begun the elder enrichment process led by Mr. John Jonas of Broken Heart Ministries. During this process Mr. Jonas is instructing the elders how to effectively minister to the believers in our body. Mr. Jonas is providing a solid Biblical foundation on which our elders can grow and mature as effective leaders in the church.
In addition, the elder team has been reviewing the 2009 church budget and has been praying over the 2010 budget. We are seeking God's counsel on how to best utilize the resources he has provided for ministry. In addition, we are asking the Holy Spirit to convict our members to search their hearts and ask God for guidance in their lives in the realm of stewardship and financial support of the church. We are asking our members to adhere to the Biblical guidelines surrounding stewardship, and eagerly await witnessing the blessings on their lives that will flow to them as a result of their obedience. (Proverbs 28:20)
Finally, we are working on solidifying the vision for Grace Bible Fellowship. What does God want GBF to be in the Gunter community? How can we be salt and light to both OUR members, and the people in our community who do not know Jesus?(Matthew 5:13-16) As part of this vision, we are seeking God's wisdom on how to best utilize the second hour of our Sunday morning time. We are firmly committed to discipling our members in the Word of God. We are seeking ways to help our members become fully literate, knowledgeable believers who will be able to take the Word of God, understand it, and use it to impact others around them. (2 Timothy 2:15)
We continue to covet your prayers of support and encouragement. We will be the first to admit that we do not know all of the answers.....but God does. We ask that he reveals his will to us and that we remain steadfastly obedient to fulfilling his will in our lives. To Him be the glory.
Watoto FREE Concert This Wednesday Evening! Since 1994 Watoto Children’s Choirs have toured internationally spreading a message of hope for Africa’s children. The choir represents Watoto’s vision and mission through their music and dance. The children are among the 1.8 million boys and girls in Uganda who have had the tragic experience of losing one or both of their parents to AIDS or war. The purpose of Watoto is to provide spiritual, physical, educational and emotional care for every child so that each one will become a responsible Christian and productive citizen of Uganda.
Join us Wednesday night at 6:30pm for an inspiring performance by the Watoto Children’s Choir. The concert will prove to be colorful and lively demonstration of the life-changing love of God experienced by the children of Watoto.
The concert is free. A love offering will be collected.
Just a quick update on the NM Family 2 Family mission trip, it was incredible! Through selfless service the Navajo people were blessed, the gospel was proclaimed, our partnership with them was furthered, our eyes were opened, and we as a 10 car line of missionaries did lots of “livin’ and lovin’” together.All for the GLORY of GOD in the name above all names, JESUS.
Thank you so much to EVERYONE, for all the prayers, contributions, and participation. We all had to pull together for this one and it was evident in the successful outcome of the trip.
We’ll have a slide show and some folks to share a little this Sunday! Also this Sunday, we’ll continue our Life In HD series and have Communion as well. We’ll see you then!
In the mean time, before we dig in to all that Turkey day goodness around the table, take time to thank God for all He has blessed you with. Then, maybe spend some time thanking God for being GOD. I posted the following on my Facebook status today: Thankful for so many things, but on my mind today, that FACT that His "...steadfast love is better than life..." -Psalm 63:3 Speaking about the things of this earth: "These are but scattered beams, but God is the sun. These are but streams, but God is the ocean" -Jonathan Edwards
And remember, for us as Christians, Thanksgiving is not merely a holiday, BUT A WAY OF LIFE:
Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.1 Thess 5:16-18
After all, we have been saved by Grace through Faith in the Son of God, Jesus Christ. Who humbly came to earth, lived a sinless life, suffered the horrific cross, overcame sin and death that we may have abundant life in Him and spend eternity with GOD. (Eph 2:8-9, Phil 2:3-4, Rom 10:9, John 10:10, 1 John 5:11-12)
Hello all.I hope you’re week is bringing GLORY to GOD and JOY to you!
I wanted to let you all know that this Sunday, as some of us will be out on a mission trip to the Navajo Reservation in New Mexico, the rest of you will be in for a special Sunday as well. Ben Mogos, who currently teaches Bible Study Methods at Dallas Theological Seminary, and is an employee of Chuck Swindoll’s, Insight For Living will be here to share the Word with our church. Ben brings a well of Biblical knowledge, experiences, and culture as well, as he calls Romania his home.
Also, in the youth room, during EKG hour this Sunday, will be Everette Robertson, who is the son of lifelong missionaries in Ivory Coast, Africa, and has done extensive missionary work himself. He graduated from Southwest Seminary, has taught Greek at the University of Michigan and is studying with Wycliffe to serve as a Bible translator to Ghana. He’ll have some great pics, stories, and a question and answer time for everyone. Did I mention that he is Charlotte Scales cousin???Make sure your students are there!
LAST SUNDAY'S RECAP: we continued our series Life In HD, with the subject of Integrity.
Proverbs 10:9Whoever walks in integrity walks securely, but he who makes his ways crooked will be found out.
Proverbs 11:3The integrity of the upright guides them, but the crookedness of the treacherous destroys them.
Proverbs 2:7he stores up sound wisdom for the upright; he is a shield to those who walk in integrity,
Proverbs 2:21For the upright will inhabit the land, and those with integrity will remain in it
Integrity – in Hebrew, is a word that means whole, sound, unimpaired.Webster’s dictionary says that it is an unimpaired condition, soundness…adherence to a code of moral, artistic, or other values…the quality or state of being undivided. Or maybe better understood by its opposite –hypocrisy.
So to be a person of INTEGRTIY is to be WITHOUT HYPOCRISY... without hypocrisy in what we say, and in all of how we live.
A couple of major benefits of a living a life of integrity are:
1. A life that is WITHOUT THE DIFFICULTIES OF DUPLICITY. That we are not constantly lying, covering up, living with guilt, shame, etc.
2. Of course, becoming more useful for GOD AND HIS GLORY.
Becoming a person of integrity is something that we should be intentional about. It is part of a process called sanctification, which is God’s will for you and I. (1 Thess. 4:3)
I thought you might enjoy the closing quote that I used from pastor Charles Swindoll, Living Above the Level of Mediocrity, p.107-8
THE WORLD NEEDS MEN...
who cannot be bought;
whose word is their bond;
who put character above wealth;
who possess opinions and a will;
who are larger than their vocations;
who do not hesitate to take chances;
who will not lose their individuality in a crowd;
who will be as honest in small things as in great things;
who will make no compromise with wrong;
whose ambitions are not confined to their own selfish desires;
who will not say they do it" because everybody else does it";
who are true to their friends through good report and evil report, in adversity as well as in prosperity;
who do not believe that shrewdness, cunning, and hardheadedness are the best qualities for winning success;
who are not ashamed or afraid to stand for the truth when it is unpopular;
who can say "no" with emphasis, although all the rest of the world says "yes."
In addition, if you would please pray for the following to be accomplished on the trip to New Mexico:
·To share the message and love oF Christ
·To share the resources God has given us
·Further our partnership with the navajo people for the Kingdom of God
·To practice and promote missional livng and unity in our local body of believers
The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul.He leads me in paths of righteousnessfor his name's sake.
If you missed Sunday, one of the things we talked about was that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom (Proverbs 9:10).We defined this fear of God by saying it was desperate dependence resulting in reverent intimacy.One of our illustrations was my 20 month old daughter, Norah, who is pretty much FEARLESS!She’ll just take off in Wal-Mart if you let her and won’t look back!Well, this past Monday night, the FEARLESS Norah strikes again. About 9:45 Monday night, we are all still awake and the house is still full of activity…All of a sudden we hear Trinity say “oh no Norah” followed by a big THUD. We have hard wood floors so everything makes a loud noise, so our first response was to look at each other and wait for what followed. A split second later, we hear Norah, “WHAAAAA”, loud crying. The kind of crying that makes parents lose all sense of reality and knock each other down trying to get to the source. NORAH, who had been playing in her baby bed, had found a way to get her leg up over the bed rail, and had FALLEN to the floor, hence the THUD noise.Now before you call 911, CPS, my in-laws, or any of the number of people who love and help us take care of Norah, let me tell you, she was fine. A little shook up, scared, but fine. Trinity who witnessed this dramatic event was probably the most upset! We still don’t know how she did it (she must have her dad’s freakishly strong upper body, NOT)! Or WHY she did it? It just seems crazy to leave a perfectly comfortable safe place to go plummeting to the floor below! (Unless of course she knew that was a sure way to get to sleep in mom and dad’s bed, and it wasJ)
Here’s the point, aren’t we many times a lot like Norah when it comes to God, our “Shepherd”, and His “green pastures” and “still waters”? Don’t we find ourselves ignoring God’s wisdom, leaving His protection, and trying instead to do it our own way? Many of us continue to endure unnecessary pain in life, because even though we may be able to quote Psalm 23, we don’t always live like we believe it.Do we really possess this desperate dependence resulting reverent intimacy with God?
Reread Psalm 23:1-3
What does the Psalmist say that the Lord is to him?
What are the results of the Lord being those things to him?
Does your life reflect the Shepherding of God?
In verse 3, for who’s namesake does He lead us in “paths of righteousness”?
Prayer response:
God, you are so awesome, and I don’t want to be anywhere but where you are. Forgive me for the times that I have strayed. Thank you for being my shepherd, for your protection, and provision. Make me a humble sheep who desires reverent intimacy with you.Amen.
Do you ever feel like the view you are getting of life is a little fuzzy? Like there is something MORE than what you are seeing? Join us Sunday mornings as we seek CLARITY from God’s Word, on some very familiar areas of life.
Don't settle for a fuzzy, low resolution version of life, it's time for LIFE IN HD! John 10:10
FAMILY 2 FAMILY BOXES:Do you want to help out with the Family 2 Family Mission Trip to New Mexico but can’t attend????We have a way for you and your family to actively participate from here at home!
As most of you are aware we will be sending some of our very own GBF families on a mission trip to the Navajo Reservation the weekend prior to Thanksgiving.
Therefore, we only thought it appropriate to assist with the Mission Trip by asking families to help by gathering shoeboxes, or storage boxes similar in size.Much like Operation Christmas Child, we ask that you stuff each box with necessities that would be useful to the people of the New Mexico Reservation.
Such items would include:gloves, socks, toboggans, toothbrush, brush, toothpaste, soap, deodorant, etc.
Our goal is to send at least 25 boxes.If you would like to participate but do not have the funds to fill a full box, the Children’s Hall will have a few boxes that you can slowly fill with a few items at a time!
Boxes may be stacked in front of the kitchen on the children’s hall or at the church office from 9am-2pm (Monday-Thursday).The last day to donate will be November 19th.
This is a great opportunity to help give this season and a great way to support our GBF missionaries!!
For more information please contact Mandy Turner at mandy@thegbf.com or at 903-818-7722.
Think about how many times have you heard or said things like this: “We are out of (insert random much needed item here), I’m going to the store!” or “Oh no, we need to stop at the store!” or “did you remember to stop at the store?”…We are CONSTANTLY running to the store for something that we suddenly realize that we don’t have, but desperately need. If you don’t believe me, go to Dollar General, it’s always packed with frantic people like you and I, buying one or two items at a time. Btw- what in the world did we do before Dollar General anyway? Oh the horror right! Let’s not even think about it!
The point is that we don’t always do a good job of anticipating our needs and then we find ourselves in a panic trying to find what we need! The same can be true of how we treat the Word of God. Ever feel like you are always running into some situation that you don’t know what God says about it or where the Bible addresses it? So you find yourself either living without knowing or best case, searching and searching for that nugget of truth to bring you through a difficult time. Now, don’t let me discourage you from SEARCHING the Scriptures for answers, WE NEED TO DO THAT. But let me offer an alternative from God’s Word, Psalm 119:11 the Psalmist says, I have stored up your word in my heart…This verse holds in it the idea of STORING the Word of God in our HEART for use at a later time. So how do we do that? We read it…OFTEN…DAILY. We learn it, we meditate on it, we memorize it, we keep it, because we know that it will be put to use! Spending time learning the Word can create in our hearts a SAM’S WAREHOUSE of God’s nourishment to be put to use for our own life and to help those around us! Read the text below, in your own Bible if you can, and underline words that stand out to you as powerful. What is this passage reminding YOU to do? ….Pray and ask God to help you do it. Psalm 119:9-16 9 How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your word. 10 With my whole heart I seek you; let me not wander from your commandments! 11 I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you. 12 Blessed are you, O Lord; teach me your statutes! 13 With my lips I declare all the rules of your mouth. 14 In the way of your testimonies I delight as much as in all riches. 15 I will meditate on your precepts and fix my eyes on your ways. 16 I will delight in your statutes; I will not forget your word.
“The word of God hidden in the heart is a stubborn voice to suppress.”--Billy Graham
TeamKID and Area/Impact 56 will have Spirit Night tomorrow! So what does that mean!?!?! Well, first of all we will be a little louder and a little crazier while celebrating with our friends and rejoicing in the Lord, because He is so GOOD to us!! "We Just Won't Be Quiet about it!!! "
We will feed ALL kids PIZZA tomorrow night, as well!!! So bring your kids with empty tummies!
TeamKIDs will support their group colors from head to toe!
PreK-K: Yellow 1st-2nd Girls: Red 1st-2nd Boys: Blue 3rd-4th Girls: Pink 3rd-4th Boys: Green
God bless and enjoy the beautiful day he has given us today!!!
CELEBRATE GBF - elder ordination this Sunday DURING worship time, church-wide fellowship lunch AFTER EKG time. If you would like to bring something please call church office or email us. See you then!!!
Words…words…WORDS!!! Think about how many words you have encountered today: schedules, billboards, emails, text messages, facebook, Sports Center stats, scrolling news reports, textbooks; you may have seen many, at least a few, or maybe ALL of these forms of words, and possibly even MORE today. By now you are thinking OK ROY, SO WHY ARE YOU MAKING US READ MORE WORDS : )
We can get so bogged down with information/word overload that we don’t take time each day for the most important word of all, the Word of God. Why is it most important? Look at it again, Word OF GOD. We read the Word of God, because we WORSHIP the GOD OF THE WORD. We value Him, so we should value HIS WORD.
In the passage below, notice the synonyms for God’s Word: law, testimonies, precepts, statutes, commandments, rules. I encourage you to open your Bible and read them from there if you can! If you write in your Bible, underline the synonyms from the passage and then go back and see if you can underline an action for each one. For example for 119:1 the synonym is “law” and the action is “walk in”. Then think about what it means to “walk in” in the “law of the Lord”. Do this exercise for the whole passage, remember, IT’S GOD’S WORD!
Psalm 119:1-8 1 Blessed are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the Lord! 2 Blessed are those who keep his testimonies, who seek him with their whole heart, 3 who also do no wrong, but walk in his ways! 4 You have commanded your precepts to be kept diligently. 5 Oh that my ways may be steadfast in keeping your statutes! 6 Then I shall not be put to shame, having my eyes fixed on all your commandments. 7 I will praise you with an upright heart, when I learn your righteous rules. 8 I will keep your statutes; do not utterly forsake me!
“Some people like to read so many [Bible] chapters every day. I would not dissuade them from the practice, but I would rather let my soul soak in half a dozen verses all day than rinse my hand in several chapters. Oh, to be bathed in a text of Scripture, and to let it be sucked up in your very soul, till it saturates your heart!” --Charles Haddon Spurgeon
Here is a link to a site dedicated to the FAMILY2FAMILY New Mexico Mission for folks who have questions who haven't picked up the literature available on Sunday:
We want to remind everyone that this Sunday, we will have GBF 101 during EKG hour, if you have not signed up yet please let the office know and we will make room for you. Starting at 3:00pm, we will have a Baptism service. This will take place at the home of Jonathan and Charlotte Scales (235 Green Meadow Ct, Gunter, TX 75058). Please prayerfully consider coming as this will definitely be a wonderful time well spent, together in Christ. Hope everyone can attend!
A great opportunity has come our way, but we NEED YOUR HELP to pull this off. Please familiarize yourself with the details below.
Many of you are aware that Henry “H” Harrison, a long time Gunter resident, recently went to be with the Lord. He was employed by the Gunter ISD for years as the head of the maintenance department.
First Baptist Church Gunter along with the two Churches of Christ here in town have been led to organize a community meal and fundraiser to help his family with the cost of his medical bills and have invited GBF to be a part of this effort.
The meal will be at the high school commons on Sunday, September 13th beginning at noon. First Baptist will be providing brisket, the Churches of Christ are providing the beans and potato salad, and GBF will be responsible for bringing desserts.
So if we can count on you to be there and bring a dessert please let our office know: email secretary@thegbf.com or calling (feel free to leave a message) 903-433-1732
Please be intentional about committing to participating, communicating your commitment, and then following through as we need A LOT of desserts for this event.
Next Tuesday, September 8th, Lady Tiger Volleyball will host "Baked Goods for Buddy" to benefit the Buddy Burney Family. Buddy Burney is currently undergoing chemotherapy and radiation treatments for cancer. The Burney's have been guests at church several times and their kids are very involved in our youth program. The baked goods silent auction will begin at 5:00pm and will close at the start of the Varsity volleyball match against Whitesboro. Please come out to bid on some delicious goodies that benefit the Burney's and watch some Lady Tiger Volleyball!!
This past Sunday we continued with our series on 4 major objectives of the church under one overarching purpose, which is of course, to BRING GLORY TO GOD. This week our time was spent talking about COMMUNITY, also referred to as FELLOWSHIP. Our Bible text came from increasingly familiar Acts 2:42-47 and we also spent time in Romans 12:9-13. We discuss that Biblical Community: • originates with God’s people uniting in Jesus’ name • includes a deep connection with others • includes a giving of ourselves to one another
Isn’t it amazing how God has uniquely placed US together to build each other up, to care for each other, to share life and God’s love with one another? We need to take full advantage of Christian Fellowship to fully enjoy all that there is in Christ Jesus and of course, to bring GLORY TO GOD.
“The Bible knows nothing of solitary religion.” –John Wesley
If you’d like, check out these supporting texts of scripture: Hebrews 10:24-25 1 Samuel 18:1-4 John 13:34-35 1 John 4:7-11
And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching…Acts 2:42
This past Sunday we focused on the churches’ objective to Illuminate Truth –teaching the Word of God. We began in Acts 2:42, clarifying that this was a priority to the early church, that they were “devoted” to it! We also spent time in 2 Timothy 4:1-5 where Paul charges a young Timothy to “preach the word” and warns him that people will not always want to “endure sound teaching”. “One generation believes a truth, the next generation assumes a truth, and the third generation denies a truth” D.A. Carson
We also spent time in Psalm 19:7-11. In this passage David very eloquently outlines several wonderful benefits to the Word of God.
Finally we ended our time in John 5:39-40. Where Jesus' words helped us see that our commitment to the Word of God has got to be about our relationship with Him. If not, we are missing it!
The Bible is not an end in itself, but a means to bring men to an intimate and satisfying knowledge of God, that they may enter into Him, that they may delight in His Presence, may taste and know the inner sweetness of the very God Himself in the core and center of their hearts.-- A. W. Tozer
Hello Family! We covered quite a bit of ground yesterday as we discussed one of the main objectives of the church WORSHIP ("the activity of glorifying God in his presence with our voices and hearts."). So I thought it might be helpful to give you a summary of the many verse references used.
Acts 2:42-47 - This was our "home base" and we discussed the AWE that the early church possessed. Hebrews 12:28-29, Romans 11:33-36 - These references support the idea of being in AWE of God. John 4:23 - We spent the bulk of our time here unpacking several things that Jesus taught us about worship through his conversation with the woman at the well. Exodus 7:16, Exodus 20:5, 1 Timothy 2:8 - These references gave us further Biblical understanding of Jesus' teaching on worship. We ended our time with this Colossian 3:16 - We ended our time with this charge from Paul, followed by a time of lifting our voices in praise to the KING of KINGS and LORD of LORDS!
Also, here’s one reference that I did NOT get to, but I feel like really puts things in perspective in keeping with the fact that worship belongs to God. Check it out for yourself: Isaiah 40:21-26
ONE LAST THING! Here is the powerful quote regarding worship that we pondered: “In many (most?) churches there are programs and activities…but so little worship. There are songs and anthems and musicals…but so little worship. There are announcements and readings and prayers…but so little worship. The meetings are regular, but dull and predictable. The events are held on time, led by well meaning people, supported by folks who are faithful and dedicated …but that tip-toe expectancy and awe-inspiring delight mixed with a mysterious sense of fear of the almighty God are missing.” -Pastor Chuck Swindoll
Please join us Sunday, 9am, as we meet together in the name above all names, Jesus. A few weeks ago we discussed how the purpose of the church and of every believer is to bring GLORY to God. (Psalm 115:1, 1 Corinthians 10:31, etc.) This week we will be taking a look at one of 4 essential objectives of the church, WORSHIP. Worship, specifically when we come into the presence of God, can be defined as "the activity of glorifying God in his presence with our voices and hearts." (Wayne Grudem, Systematic Theology) If you would like to read ahead in your Bible, take a look at Acts 2: 42-47, John 4:16-26, Colossians 3:16. We look forward to seeing you each Sunday! So bring your Bible, and prepare your heart for the presence of the God who created you!
July 20-24th is our annual S.M.A.K program for the children of our church and community! We expect a great turnout but are in much need of assistance!! We need volunteers to help in areas of Bible activities, arts and crafts, recreational playtime, and special daily activities.
We also need lunch donations, as well.
Sign-up sheets are located in the hospitality area near the SMAK display board. Your EKG leaders will have a sign up sheet, as well!
Feel free to contact Mandy Turner for more information!!! mandy@thegbf.com 972-837-6166
We are happy to announce that you can access each weekly sermon on our home web page (www.thegbf.com) as MP3's. Feel free to check it out! Download it to your ipod or collect them for your home libraries.
I hope you are all off to a great week in the Lord. I wanted to give you a recap from our time together this past week.
Our time on Sunday was spent talking about 3 things about elders: 1. Elders in New Testament churches are biblical: • Elders in Ephesus Acts 20:17 • Elders in all the churches that Paul founded Acts 14:23. • Elders in the church at Jerusalem Acts 15:2 • Elders in all the churches of Crete Titus 1:5 • Elders in all the Churches of the dispersion of the Roman Empire James 1:1; 5:14 • Elders in all the churches in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia 1 Peter 1:1; 5:1 2. What elders do: LEAD, FEED, and PROTECT • Acts 20:28-31 • 1 Peter 5:1-5 3. Who elders are. (their qualifications) • 1 Timothy 3:1-7 • Titus 1: 5-9 In closing we looked at the following definition for elders: Elders: “are the doctrinal guardians of the flock and the overseers of the life of the church responsible to God for the feeding and care and ministry of the people” -John Piper
GATHER will begin meeting this next Wednesday immediately following S.A.M. Club. We will meet every Wednesday up until July 15th from 11am-12:30pm.
This will be an informal time to "gather" our children for fun, games, and devotional times. A light lunch will be served, as well!
It is recommended that only school-aged children attend as older children will be grouped in with us as well.. This will help ensure safety among game time and such!
We are needing much help with the following......... 1) Volunteers to donate and prepare light lunches for approximately 50 children (hot dogs, nachos, sandwiches, etc...). GBF will provide paper goods and lemonade. 2) Adult and Youth Volunteers to help maintain a safe but yet fun environment and to help assist Mandy in leading games and activities (this does not have to be an EVERY WEDNESDAY COMMITMENT). 3) Prayer for a continuous growth of friendship and spiritual knowledge for the children and leaders involved.
If you are interested in helping please contact Mandy Turner at mandy@thegbf.com or at 972-837-6166.
Sign Up Sheets for lunches will be in the kiosk area on Sunday, as well!!!!
STUDENT MINISTRY MISSIONS OFFERING, June 7TH SEND THEM – Romans 10:15
Please prayerfully consider making a SEND THEM donation on or before Sunday June 7th. Funds received will help pay for MISSION TRIP TRANSPORTATION and assist students who need help with funding to GO on a mission trip.
We want to remind everyone that this Sunday afternoon, starting at 3:00pm, we will have a Baptism service and Communion immediately following. This will take place at the home of Jonathan and Charlotte Scales (235 Green Meadow Ct, Gunter, TX 75058). Please prayerfully consider coming as this will definitely be a wonderful time well spent, together in Christ. Hope everyone can attend!
We wanted to let everyone know in advance, to please mark your calendars for Sunday morning, June 7th as we'll be taking a look at biblical qualifications and the role of elders. This message is the next step in Grace Bible Fellowship's exciting transition to becoming the elder led church God has called us to be. Again, that's Sunday, June 7th, 9:00am. We look forward to seeing you there!
This week we looked mainly at Colossians 1:15-23. However, we started in Matthew 16:13-17 to make sure we have a good solid answer for the question, who is Jesus?
It is that busy time of the year when school comes to an end. Lots of programs, lots of banquets, lots of baseball games, etc..... Therefor, we wanted to update you on some important church events that you may want to add to your calendar.
1) This Sunday we will be taking up a special love offering to help fund scholarships. Please come prepared if you would like to help. This is the one and only fundraiser the Children Ministry will partake in for the whole year!
2) Sunday Night, we will be hosting an Appreciation Dinner for workers, volunteers, and/or snack providers for the TeamKID program. Bring the family and have lasagna with us and be prepared to participate in a few fun games!!! The dinner will begin at 5pm in the sanctaury!
3) The TeamKID banquet is next week, May 20th at 6:30 pm. Awards, leadership recognition, "showing off" and refreshments will be happening during this last hour! Please invite all family and friends to attend!
4) Next Sunday, May 24th, will be Senior Sunday! Please confirm with Lara Martin or Casey Layman that your child will be present that morning!
5) May 31st is the last Sunday of the month, which means we will have GBF 101 during the EKG hour, Baptisms will be hosted at the Scales home at 3pm, and Communion Service will be held at church at 5pm. Sign up sheets are at the the kiosk in the greeting area!
The staff has been doing a great job with keeping all the blogs updated! The calendars are active, as well. A church wide calendar is presented on the home page of www.thegbf.com. You can also find specific calendars for the youth and children's programs on specific blogs. Please utilize these tools as it helps the staff not have to duplicate many tasks. Encourage other members and attendees to use these tools, as well!
Colossians 1: 9-14. We approached this text in somewhat of a reverse order, looking first at verses 12-14, as Paul gave thanks that we that we who are in Christ have been “qualified…to share in the inheritance of the saints in light.” (vs 12) Furthermore we discussed that we have been:
Rescued us from ignorance vs13a “He has delivered us from the domain of darkness” Relocated to his kingdom vs13b “transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son” Redeemed vs14 “in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins” verses 9-11. Paul prays that we deepen our relationship with Jesus:
· FILLED WITH JESUS – vs9 “filled with the knowledge of his will (Jesus’ WILL- the Goal) in all spiritual wisdom and understanding (the Holy Spirit-The Means) When a Christian is saved they receive the Holy Spirit as a guide among other things. See John 14:26, 1 Cor. 2:12, John 16:23 Paul prayed, and we should pray,that our whole life comes under the influence of the Holy Spirit.
· WALKING WITH JESUS – vs10“walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God” Paul prays that the Colossians practice what they preach. Our faith should be evident in the way we live our life. "If Christianity is really true, then it involves the whole man, including his intellect and creativeness. Christianity is not just "dogmatically" true or "doctrinally" true. Rather, it is true to what is there, true in the whole area of the whole man in all of life." –Francis Schaeffer See also: James 3:9-10, Romans 12:9, Philippians 1:10
· JOY WITH JESUS – vs 11“May you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy...” Paul prayer is for God’s power and might because believers have to endure and be patient, but in all this we have JOY. It’s the purpose and pleasure of every Christian to bring GLORY to God: Joy – is pure GLORY unto God.
We ended with three application points: 1.Seek to have every area of your life become more and more under the influence of the Holy Spirit. 2.Show the worth of Christ in your walk. 3.Discover the joy in Jesus that brings Glory to God. God is glorified when we are satisfied in him.
The GBF children will be attending Camp KidJam this summer for the third time! We need your help to send a few extra kids that would not have the opportunity to attend! Next Sunday we will be taking up a special love offering to raise scholarships for the camp. The camp cost is $249. Our goal would be to send 4-5 additional students. Any donation would help make this goal possible. For more information regarding the camp or scholarships see the children's blog for weblinks and/or contact Mandy Turner at 972-837-6166/ mandy@thegbf.com.
Sincerely and Much Appreciation, Mandy Turner, Children's Minister
Hey folks, hope you all had a great Sunday and are off to a week that brings honor and glory to God as well as joy to you.
I wanted to give you a quick recap of what we covered yesterday in our time together. Our biblical text was over Colossians 1:3-8. We discussed three specific things, possessed by the Colossians, that the apostle Paul was thankful to God for:
FAITH IN JESUS(1:4a) Our faith is not merely a blind faith, it is a faith in a real person in Jesus Christ. Nor is it just a set of rules that we go by, our faith is based on actual events.
LOVE OF JESUS(1:4b) We referenced 1 John 3:14 which says “ we know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers” and discussed 4 things that can help us as we love each other through our differences:
Avoid Gossip. (2 Cor. 12:20)
Speak criticism directly to each other if you feel you need to speak to others about it. (Rom 12:18)
Look for and assume the best motive in other's viewpoint, especially when we disagree. (Rom 14:6)
Be more amazed that you are forgiven than you are that you are right. And in that way shape your relationships by the gospel. (Eph 4:32-5:2 & Luke 7:47)
3. A HEAVENLY HOPE LOOKING FORWARD TO JESUS(Col 1:5) This hope is the knowledge of the glorious reward that awaits us. We discussed just a few ways that can be heavenly minded in our time here on earth:
Think heavenly thoughts - about how great it will be when we are with our Savior whose love is so great that he died for our sins.
Pray heavenly prayers - address God with the knowledge and believing that will actually be in his presence one day. That we can't wait until we are in his presence but until then we'll be doing his work.
Read heavenly words - read your Bible, not merely as self help book, but as God's revelation of himself to us. Spend time getting to know the God you will spend eternity with. (see John 17:3)
Hope to see you all this Sunday for Colossians 1:9-14, read ahead if you'd like!
Join us Thursday evenings at 7pm - 8:45pm for a study named "Pursuing God." We are walking through and flying over the entire Bible. Come join us as we get our bearings of God's word.
It is hard to believe how quickly this year is going by and it seems like only yesterday we were sitting around the Christmas tree. I hope and pray that this week for you holds many opportunities to share the love of Christ with those around you. I am looking forward to next Sunday morning's worship time as we take an opportunity to publicly thank our leaders in our community for their acts of service for the betterment of our lives. I hope that each of you can join us as we gather to say Thanks to the men and women who make Gunter, Texas, all that it can be. Have a great week and remember to thank God for the many blessings in your life...
This week we will be finishing up our study of Nehemiah and my prayer continues to be that this will be more than just a series of messages and that it will be a road map that will forever change the way we do church. God has blessed so tremendously during this time and I cannot wait to see what happens this Sunday. I do ask each of you to be in prayer for this Sunday and don't forge that we also have GBF 101 for those signed up, baptism services at 3:00 p.m. @ the Scales' and then we will come together at the church campus at 5:00 p.m. to observe a time of communion together. Have a great weekend and I look forward to seeing you all...
As most of you know, the Nehemiah series will be coming to an end this Sunday, along with our discussion of the completion of the wall.
Raising our children is a work that never really has a "last brick" to put in place.
Children are works in progress. Life brings many situations to help us teach them. Mistakes are part of growing up. Since our children are in process, all judgments are provisional. Their story isn’t over yet. They are constantly growing, being challenged beyond their current weaknesses and limitations. Does this sound familiar to you?
But it occurred to me that it really isn’t fair to judge something until it is finished. And then it’s probably best to leave that job to the ONE who canceled all judgments held against us, once and for all, at the cross.
Jesus called John "Son of Thunder" when he met him on the shores of the Sea of Galilee in Mark 3:17. However, over 40 years later we see John is known as the Apostle of Love. If he can change through his relationship with Christ, then so can we.
As we conclude our God of the City series this Sunday, I hope that you have been motivated to rediscover your place on the wall. Rebuilding the walls doesn't just happen. Generally speaking- we can pray about it...but it's sort of one of those things that doesn't require a lot of prayer...God says do it! The tough thing is finding out WHAT God wants us to do. Now that requires a great deal of prayer.
One thing I remember from reading Experiencing God years ago, is that the author says that if you want to get excited about God, then be where He is. The whole point of this concept is that yes, God is everywhere, but we all know that there are a host of dead congregations out there that aren't doing a whole lot to be the hands and feet of Jesus. I don't know about you, but I want to be someplace where God is working, people are excited, the spirit of God is flowing, the Word of God is being preached, lived and shared. I want to live in that same sort of community. How do we get a community like that? The church begins living it outside of the walls of our building on Sunday morning.
Rediscovering gets the attention off you and onto a lost world..a lost country, a lost state, a lost community. If you are facing loneliness, depression, jealousy, anger, a complaining spirit, critical attitude or anything less that excitement for what God is doing in your life, then take a look around your community and get involved in something bigger than yourself. I promise when you get focused on someone else, you'll feel better!
Check out these verses today: Romans 12:10, Hebrews 13:1, Eph. 4:2, 5:21
I pray that each of you have had a great week of building and yes even battling! I have found that over the course of the past few weeks one thing is very clear, that not only does God call upon us to build walls but also spend time protecting what is inside those walls. I encourage you to take a moment and think about what all is contained within your walls...The wall that has been erected around your family, is it strong? Is it secure? or does it need attention? Take the time to observe and carefully check the footings, the foundation, etc. I am praying for another great day this coming Sunday and am looking forward to celebrating with each of you as we gather to Worship. I also want to just take a minute and ask that each one who reads this update to begin praying right now for God to prepare your heart for Worship. Have a great weekend and I will see you on Sunday...
Bruce
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it. Prov 22:6
I’ve been thinking about my father-in-law’s funeral. I wasn’t too long ago…June 2007. Jonathan’s mom asked him to say a few words at the service. The night before Jonathan and I started talking about all the things he had learned from his dad. I got a pen and took notes.
The next day, Jonathan got up in front of a full house and listed off “Things My Dad Taught Me.” The scribbled notes from that day are long gone, written on the back of a spare piece of paper and lost somewhere between the church and the cemetery. I’ve pieced together the list as best I can from our memories and the memories of a few close friends in attendance. Here it is:
Things My Dad Taught Me
1. How to drive a nail, use a T-square, change the oil, and mow a lawn.
2. The importance of keeping your workbench and your desk neat, clean, and organized.
3. The value of saving every nut, nail, bolt, or scrap of wood you find. Most will find a use down the road. Of course, they should all be kept neatly and in their rightful places (see #2).
4. The danger of procrastination.
Don’t put off until tomorrow what you can stay up late tonight and finish.
5. To be passionate about your country, your politics, and your family.
6. How to shave that dimple in my chin.
7. That most things in life can be worked out or explained with pen and paper. When you don’t have paper, a napkin or the back of an envelope will do.
8. The dangers of debt. Never owe money to anyone. Ever.
9. Responsibility. Keep your cars and home in top working order.
10.Faithfulness. My dad taught me how to love a woman for 50 years.
Jonathan’s dad was quite a man. Bigger than life, really. He passed down a lot of values that have a huge positive impact on our family even today. I don’t think Bert set out to teach Jonathan these lessons. He didn’t preach them. Most of his wisdom was taught by example (including the dimple shave).
Proverbs tells us that we are to “train up a child in the way he should go.” Since so much of that training comes from example, we have a responsibility to live a life that points them in the right direction.
So that leads to the question, what are our kids learning from my example? What values does my life teach? What do my kids learn from my attitudes about finances, contentment, faith, marriage, and responsibility? There are a few areas that could use adjustment, that’s for sure. And with God’s help, I am going to make changes that will benefit generations to come.
Every week after service, Todd and I usually have some time to discuss Sunday's worship and EKG hour. This week we sat at the table talking about the significance of weapon choices Nehemiah used for protecting his people on the wall: swords, spears, and bows. Todd brought up a great point that I thought was worth sharing...........
Nehemiah 4; 13-14 “Therefore I stationed some of the people behind the lowest points of the wall at the exposed places, posting them by families, with their swords, spears and bows. 14 After I looked things over, I stood up and said to the nobles, the officials and the rest of the people, "Don't be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your brothers, your sons and your daughters, your wives and your homes.”
When I read these verses Sunday, I began to think of the “enemies’ of our family household. What are they? Who are they? When do they attack?
As parents we are coming to grip with the idea of being “role models” for our kids. Not just telling them to “eat right” but showing them that we eat right. Not saying to “behave certain ways” but showing them that we behave that way also.
Do they see us reading our Bibles, working out, spending down time, putting each other’s needs before our hobbies, helping our neighbors, etc. If they don’t, then telling them to behave that way is almost pointless. They will see the hypocrisy immediately, or soon enough.
Nehemiah said that he put his workers on the wall with the following weapons: Swords, Spears, and Bows. Each had a different purpose and a distinct range.... Up close combat, mid-range, and distant warfare.
As parents, we have to look for enemies of our households in different areas; Up-Close (Internal Enemies), Mid-Range (Friends and Extended Families), and Distant (The World).
I challenge you to look for the enemies that attack your family. What habits does your family have that add un-needed stress to your week? What commitments do you have that take away from exercising your minds and bodies? Do you have unhealthy relationships? Does TV or movie watching take the place of time better spent elsewhere? Does your love of materials/status/self outweigh your commitment to teach your kids about God’s Love and Commandments?Are you an enemy of your own family?
Like in Nehemiah, you, parents, are responsible for building the wall around your home and defending it. Use your tools and weapons accordingly to defend your territory!
Romans 6:13 says: "Do not offer the parts of your body to sin, as instruments (weapons) of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer the parts of your body to him as instruments (weapons) of righteousness." There is no sitting on the fence (or wall for this reference). You are to use your time and efforts for righteousness. Be on guard!
Sundays 9:30am: Childcare during Worship Hour for infant-Kindergarten
Sunday EKG Hour 10:30am: SONKIDS for PreK-3rd Grade and IMPACT for 4th-6th grade
Wednesday Programs run from 6:30-7:45pm
TeamKID: PreK-4th grade
Impact/Area 56: 5th and 6th grade
