Know well...make well known.

Yesterday was Palm Sunday, the day that Jesus made his “The Triumphal Entry” into the cit of Jerusalem. The following sets the scene:

Matt 21:8-11
Most of the crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. 9 And the crowds that went before him and that followed him were shouting,” Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!” 10 And when he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred up, saying, “Who is this?” 11 And the crowds said, “This is the prophet Jesus, from Nazareth of Galilee.”

What a beautiful picture right! The crowds making the way for Jesus, praising, “Hosanna!” The word Hosanna in Hebrew means “save, we pray”, see Psalm 118:25-26. But remember, Jesus is received by the words “Hosanna, Hosanna!” and just a few days later the crowds of this city would yell, “Crucify him! Crucify him!”…How is this?

In Matthew 21:10 we have a very important question, a question that many are still asking today. Look at the end of verse 10, “the city was stirred up, saying, “Who is this?” You have the crowds answer in verse 11, and we know what would be said regarding Jesus just a few days later, “let him be crucified” Matt 27:23. But what is our answer when we are asked that question? If someone were to say to one of us, “you are a Christian right? Well who is this Jesus?” I hope our answer would be simple, but layered. I hope that we would be able to give a very clear and personal short answer, but one that we could talk about for a lifetime. I pray that our answer would be the same today and forever, but also, that it would be even richer as our journey with Him goes on. In short, I hope we know, and are getting to know our Jesus.

And this is eternal life…know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ…” John 17:3

Let’s be a people who know our God well, that we may make him well known!!!

-Layman called pastor

Sunday Recap...The Essence of Christian Community

Sunday Recap…

It sure was good for me to be back with the church family after being out for a week. LOVED ISRAEL! (you’ll be hearing more about that in the near future) but it was good to be home, and what a way to bring in the spring, SNOW! crazy hu?

Hey don’t forget that we have a Family Easters Celebration immediately after CG this week. We’ll have bounce houses, an egg hunt for the kids, and hot dogs for all. Bring a lawn chair, and enjoy the fellowship, it’ll be EGGTASTIC!

Also, we’ll have a baptism for Parker Johnson at the Crelia’s house (formerly the Scales’ house) at 4 pm on Sunday! If you need directions to the Crelia’s contact the church office: secretary@thegbf.com

Man that Rhome can preach right!

Here is a recap of the Word that he shared with us on Sunday:

THE ESSENCE OF CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY
Our Bible text was from Ephesians with the application portion coming from Ephesians 4:25-32. I highly recommend reading the text from your Bible and spending some time in prayer about its contents.

Here are Rhome’s 5 points from Sunday:
1. Speak the truth to one another
2. Be angry at the right things and don’t let the your anger go long
3. Share with one another, be generous
4. Watch what you say and how you say it, be edifying
5. Forgive one another

As I read these 5 things I can’t help but think what a great case they are for Lifeline groups. We need some small groups to begin meeting in homes on a regular basis for the purpose of authentic community and spiritual growth, a place where the “one anothers” from the Bible can be learned and lived out. The first step to getting groups like this started are identifying and equipping some leaders to lead these groups. I know God has laid it on the hearts of some folks to lead a group like this. Remember, you don’t have to be a Bible teacher to lead a Lifeline group, but you do have to have a desire to love people. You don’t have to be a perfect person to lead a Lifeline group, but you just have to be a REAL PERSON. If you are interested in Lifeline group leadership, please let me know! roy@thegbf.com ….don’t wait on someone else to do it if the Lord is calling YOU...remember, God does not always call the equipped, but many times he equips the called!

I’m really pumped for our next two Sundays together. This week REMEMBER THE PASSION OF CHRIST….Then next week, CELEBRATE THE RISEN SAVIOR!

Have a great week,
The Layman called Pastor

EaSteR FaMiLy CeLEbraTIoN

This Sunday, GBF will be hosting an informal Easter family celebration. Immediately following Community Groups, we invite ALL families and individuals to stay for a time of fun and fellowship! Hotdogs, bouncehouses, and an egg hunt will be held on the playground on the northside of the property! The old elementary gym is reserved as a backup, in case of bad weather circumstances!

WHAT TO BRING: Lawn chairs or a blanket to lounge on and an Easter basket or sack for any children who want to participate in the egg hunt

DONATIONS: Please send candy/surprised filled egg donations to the church office (Monday-Thursday from 9am-2pm) or drop them off at the children's hall at GBF!

It's gonna be an EGGSalent time:-)

BIG GOD - small hands... recap,

You are not a god created by human hands
You are not a god dependent on any mortal man
You are not a god in need of anything we can give
By Your plan, that’s just the way it is

You are God alone from before time began
You were on Your throne Your are God alone
And right now in the good times and bad
You are on Your throne You are God alone

You’re the only God whose power none can contend
You’re the only God whose name and praise will never end
You’re the only God who’s worthy of everything we can give
You are God and that’s just the way it is
Unchangeable...Unshakable …Unstoppable…That’s what You are
(Phillips,Craig, & Dean - You Are God Alone)

Acts 17:24-25
24The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man, 25 nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything.

So we don’t serve God as though He is in NEED…How do we serve Him?

1 Peter 4:11
whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

2 Chronicles 16:9
For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to give strong support to those whose heart is blameless toward him.

We serve Him by the strength that he supplies, bringing GLORY TO HIM. Our service is to make much of GOD!
As we serve, we look to HIM, and as we look to HIM, we rely on HIM to supply us, support us, and empower us, so it is to HIM that the GLORY belongs!

Matthew 5:16
16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.

Serving our God knowing that HE is receiving the glory is all the more reason to “Serve the Lord with gladness!” –Psalm 100:2

This Sunday we are going to being talking about CONNECT with one another, John 13:34 will be a good place to start reading ahead.

Have a great week GBF!

Do You Want to Help Send a Child to Camp KIDJAM???

The GBF children will be attending Camp KIDJAM this summer for the fourth time! We need your help to send a few extra kids that would not have the opportunity to attend! This Sunday we will be taking up a special love offering to raise scholarships for the camp. The camp cost is $255. Our goal would be to send 4 additional students. Any donations would help make this goal possible. For more information regarding the camp or scholarships please contact Mandy Turner at 903-818-7722/ mandy@thegbf.com.

Sunday Recap...SERVE: Grace Bible Battleship

"even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” - Jesus, Matt 20:28

Our life as Christians is to be a life that follows the example of Jesus to SERVE.
The church can many times be approached as a cruise ship, where all of our desires are fulfilled. But we ought to be more like a BATTLESHIP, where we all have a role to fill. (See Romans 12:5-6 and 1 Peter 4:10)

Some time this week, go back and look at Philippians 2:1-8, and really let that text soak in. Jesus is the ultimate servant, looking to the interest of us in obedience to the Father. Our life should be one of obedience to serve others as well and as Philippians 2 tells us, it's about having HIS mind, (the mind of CHRIST) seeking his attitude, not our own, and not the self seeking attitude of this world. Having a servant's heart takes a NEW PERSPECTIVE. One that says: Praise God for the opportunity to SERVE!!
See also, Matt 20:20-28 and Jesus' example of serving in 20:29-33.
Don't forget, it all comes down to "basin theology" : )
Have great week in the Lord Grace Bible Battleship family! We'll see you Sunday, if not before.
Roy

H.A.L.T. Temptation...

HALT TEMPTATION!!!

Psalm 38:3
There is no soundness in my flesh because of your indignation; there is no health in my bones because of my sin.

Sin is so painful to the one whose aim is to please God. We get so frustrated and disappointed in ourselves that it can feel almost unbearable. Many times our sin can hinder us from reading our Bibles or praying because we feel ashamed to meet with God. This of course, is NOT what we need to do. In times when we have sinned are the times when we need to CLOSEST to God through His Word and prayer.

But what about trying to cut sin off before it happens? Part of avoiding sin is identifying when we are most likely to be TEMPTED. There are situations and times in our life when we are more susceptible to sin than others. Here is an acronym that I recently learned to help identify those times and situations:

H.A.L.T. it stands for HUNGRY, ANGRY, LONELY, and TIRED

Think about the times when you struggle most with sin, isn’t it when you are hungry, angry, lonely, tired or a combination of some or all four? Unfortunately, we live in a high speed, fast food, independent, right now, deadline driven, one million and ninety one things to do in a day culture that does not help, right! So we have to make adjustments. Make God our priority, remember, only HE TRULY satisfies.

If we can identify those times and situations we can do our best to avoid them, and then be better prepared to deal with them when they present themselves.

So let’s do our best to H.A.L.T. TEMPTATION…and when we do fall into sin, don’t let it separate you from the Word of God and prayer, do as the psalmist did in Psalm 38, bring it to God and be real about it. He loves, forgives, corrects, enables, and encourages.

GROW: Toward Christian Maturity...

What a great time of worship at GBF this Sunday!
This week we talked about what it means to GROW toward Christian maturity. We looked at Psalm 1, 2nd Peter 3:17-18, and then discussed 7 indicators of Christian maturity.
Psalm 1
Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked,
nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers;
2 but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night.
3 He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season,
and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers.
4 The wicked are not so, but are like chaff that the wind drives away.
5 Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous; 6 for the Lord knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.

2 Peter 3:17-18 ...take care that you are not carried away with the error of lawless people and lose your own stability. 18 But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity.

1. Surrendered to God’s supremacy - Whole-heartedly abandoning our will to His (Matthew 16:24; Romans 12:1-2; Galatians 2:20)

2. Engaged with Scripture and prayer. - Consistently listening to God speak us through abiding in and applying His Word, as we consistently speak to Him in prayer (John 8:31-32; Philippians 4:6-7; 1 Thessalonians 5:17; Hebrews 5:14; James 1:22)

3. Producing the fruit of the Spirit. - Showing the life and love of Christ in our attitudes and actions in a way that is sacrificial, gracious, truthful, and transparent. (John 13:34-35, 15:12; 1 Corinthians 13; Galatians 5:22-23; Ephesians 5:1-2; 1 Timothy 1:5)

4. Devoted to what’s good and right. - Making ethical choices that are consistent with our new life in Christ. (Romans 12:1-2, 14:19; Ephesians 5:15-17; Philippians 4:8-9; 1 Thessalonians 5:15-22; 1 Timothy 1:5; 2 Timothy 2:22; Hebrews 12:1-2, 14)

5. Committed to authentic community. - Relating to other believers with authenticity, complete transparency and grace, so that we can be truly known and know others, modeling and reproducing Christ’s lifestyle and influence. (Romans 12:3-21, 14:1-15:13; 1 Corinthians 12:12-30; Galatians 6:2; Ephesians 5:18-21; Hebrews 10:23-25)

6. Serving with all that God has given us, faithful in stewardship and reaching out to others in our sphere of opportunity with works of service. (Matthew 5:16, 25:34-40; James 1:27, 2:14-26, Luke 14:28-30, 33; 1 Corinthians 4:1, 6:19-20; 2 Corinthians 9:5-15)

7. Evangelically bold. - Reaching out to others in my sphere of opportunity with the Gospel. (John 3:1-4:42; Acts 1:8; Romans 10:11-15; 1 Corinthians 15:3-4; Romans 3:23, 6:23, 5:8, Ephesians 2:8-9)

I hope your week is one of JOY for you and GLORY for him!!!

CONNECT: Evangelism/Missional Living

Hey folks! Here's some notes and references from this past Sunday's sermon: CONNECT them with Christ: WHO-WHAT-WHEN-WHERE-WHY OF EVANGELISM / MISSIONAL LIVING

Acts 1:7-8

“It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

WHO? YOU – YOU will receive power…God has called each of us to share his message with the world.

• John 17: 15 I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one.
• John 17: 18 As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world.
• Matt 5:13 “You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people's feet.

“You and I are an indispensable link in the chain of redemption.” –John Piper

WHAT? - HIS WITNESSES – we are the walking testimony of the gospel of Christ Jesus, “Witnesses”

Acts 2:32 Peter preached: “This Jesus God raised up, and of that we all are witnesses.”

Acts 3:15 Peter preaching says "and you killed the Author of life, whom God raised from the dead. To this we are witnesses.

1. Do people see the gospel in us?

Matt 5:14 “You’re the light of the world”

2. Do people hear the gospel from us?

Rom 10:1 7So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.

1 Peter 3:15 always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you

WHEN/HOW? When the Holy Spirit comes upon you…The when is NOW and the Holy Spirit is HOW

1 Cor 6:19 Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own,

2 Tim 1:14 By the Holy Spirit who dwells within us, guard the good deposit entrusted to you.

Rom 1:16 I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes

WHERE – “…Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” For us today that means EVERYWHERE.

WHY-

1. TO BE OBEDIENT TO GOD

Acts 1:8 “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority…”

Matthew 28:18 All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations…

2. BECAUSE IT IS OUR HONOR

2 Cor 5:20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us.

We are ambassadors!

• Ambassador: a diplomatic official of the highest rank, sent by one sovereign or state to another as its resident representative

3. AS A REMINDER OF HOW BIG GOD IS

2 Cor 4:7 But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us.

Summary verse:

1 Peter 2:9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.

Gunter Family In Need...

Maria, Juan, and 18 month old boy Diego, lost their home and all within to a house fire on Main St in Gunter last Thursday. They are currently staying with family here in Gunter.
Maria has expressed her immediate needs as being primarily for 18 month old Diego:
Clothes sz 2T, Diapers sz 5, age appropriate toys, and blankets
While Maria has not requested items for her and Juan, please keep in mind that they lost everything. Something you might prayerfully consider doing to help would be groceries for them and the family that has taken them in and gift cards for them to replace their clothes, household items, and other needs.
Please bring items by the GBF office (404 Hwy 289) from 9 to 2pm, M - Th...or to the church (101 West Pecan) on Wednesday night from 5:30 - 8:00pm
In Christ,
Roy
roy@thegbf.com