Volume 2024: Edition 27
Food for thought: The Lord's Prayer
Hello everyone. We would like to thank you for your love and support during this difficult time in our Church and in our family. It has been very hard, but it is also a time of growth in our church and the strengthening of our faith. We strive to bring encouragement and connection through this newsletter that we will be continuing to post every 1st of the month, so we hope you will continue to learn and grow in God's word with us.
“My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who Will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me, and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.”
(John 17:20-23)
What a fitting verse and prayer for the time we are living in as a church, a community, and as individuals. It is an important verse to have, for what is happening in our country and the small surroundings we are a part of in our daily lives, as our reminder and our encouragement to unify in Christ and be strong and not back down.
If you have been reading along these past 6 months, you will know that it’s been a rollercoaster of a ride for me personally. I have been sharing my thoughts and going with difficult topics that I feel should be shared and pondered, and I pray that God continues to guide and lead my thoughts and writings so that these topics are discussed with love and compassion, just as our LORD would want us all to be with one another.
But this topic is simple and a little gentler than our previous topics, it’s our Lord’s prayer for us that I want, not only myself, but you who are reading and following along, to sit and think about.
To think that Jesus, before going to the cross, would pray for not only His disciples, but all current and future followers, to be together in Him and their belief in Him and the Father is a true testament to the grace and undying love of God. To know the path and its end that He was to walk to save all mankind, and to lead the way and make a path of salvation for us, and then pray for that path makes for the greatest love story ever told.
Our Lord prayed for us because He knew what was to come of the road ahead for His followers. He knew that the world was going to throw everything at us to enslave and crush His people; to get us to give up; to lose hope in Him.
If you look closely inside the small bubble that you live in or even widen your perspective outside of it, you will see a world of chaos. Families are torn apart; hatred and sin spread throughout society; churches and church leaders fight with each other on who’s right, whose religion is the true religion; what political party is the right political party. The list can go on and on, but the fact is: when we lose focus on Christ, we fall into the trap of all the chaos surrounding us.
As followers of Christ, we will go through struggles and face the consequences of being a believer. Because as believers, sometimes or rather most of the time; our biggest problem is ourselves and our power struggle for control, instead of letting the one who saved us be front and center. We must give up our old selves and let the Lord lead the way.
“All men will hate you because of me, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved.”
(Matthew 10:22)
“ If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you.”
(John 15:18-19)
I know this is all familiar, especially if you have been reading these past 6 months, but I can’t repeat this enough: We have to stay strong together. We have to pray for one another. We have to do things we normally don’t do and reach out and have fellowship with one another. Believe it or not, that’s so hard for so many, especially me. I have people in my life who remind me on a daily basis that I am not liked, but I must do my best to pray, not only for them, but myself, that we can be an open book and share our faith when an opportunity is presented, and not forget that we have to be accountable for our feelings and actions at all times. We have to fight for each other now because we don’t know if we will have another tomorrow. Please take time and ponder the opening verse,
And NEVER give up!
“Take heed that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that in heaven their angels always see the face of My Father who is in heaven. For the Son of Man has come to save that which was lost. “What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them goes astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine and go to the mountains to seek the one that is straying? And if he should find it, assuredly, I say to you, he rejoices more over that sheep than over the ninety-nine that did not go astray. Even so it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.”
(Matthew 18:10-14)
We are grateful to have you with us as readers, church members, and interested guests and we are always open to any suggestions and volunteers for our website, newsletter, and future activities. We hope to see you at our Sunday services and stay tuned for our coming newsletters and updates at church, at bible study, on Facebook, on the Wix App, and the website.
Upcoming Events:
Special Prayers:
Pray for the Salazar family and the congregation during this very difficult transition.
Pray for the Little Free Library that is under construction that the Lord blesses it and blesses those building it and that the Lord uses it for His good and glory.
Pray for Dave for continued strength and the miraculous healing of God as He continues to make a full recovery from his hiking accident
Pray for the Bibles we are trying to send to Kenyan Children and Youth that the lord provides a way for them to be sent.
Pray for our Newsletter that we can continue to write through the Holy Spirit
Pray for our Pastor and our church that we may be blessed to continue to grow and share the word of God.
Weekly Devotional: Struck Down but Not Destroyed
"Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places."
(Ephesians 6:11-12)
Christians are engaged in spiritual warfare. We have an adversary who seeks to wound, hurt, and destroy. We are warned in 1 Peter 5:8: "Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour." If we are on the front lines advancing the cause of Christ, we will get assaulted. Family and friends may betray us. Financial hardships may come. Physical trials may ensue. Fear can grip our hearts as we wonder if we will survive.
God's Word assures us that we will not be destroyed. Our enemy can never mortally wound us because Jesus has given us eternal life. Christ conquered death once and for all when He was resurrected. He has given us the same Victory. Knowing that the war has been won gives us strength to get back up and persevere. We can "fight the good fight"(2 Timothy 4:6-8). Jesus is with us in the battle. He goes before us. He walks beside us. He is our rear guard. Do not be discouraged-never give up, for He is Emmanuel: "God with us" and through Him we can overcome any obstacle.
Rayburn, Julie. Be Still and Know. . . Barbour Publishing, 2014.
Verse of the Week:
"But now, thus says the Lord, who created you, O Jacob, And He who formed you, O Israel: 'Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; You are Mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, Nor shall the flame scorch you. For I am the Lord your God, The Holy One of Israel, your Savior; I gave Egypt for your ransom, Ethiopia and Seba in your place.'"
(Isaiah 43:1-3)
Announcements:
We would love to send out the newsletter personally to every member as well as pray for and celebrate birthdays and anniversaries together as a church family. We are asking for all of our members to send their birth date, anniversary date, and email to 303-916-3950 or to the church email. You could also write it down on our paper before or after services.
We are halfway through building a little free library to put in the churchyard to encourage community and engagement. If anyone would like to donate children's books, young adult books, or any adult novels we would love the assistance in filling up the little library. If anyone would like to participate in the construction and decoration of the little library, please contact Taylor Lambrecht.
Questions?
For any questions or suggestions regarding our newsletter please email berthoudfoursquarechurch@gmail.com or call (720)466-0951
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