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.
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
