Hi Friends!
Well, 2 days after Christmas and I notice the decorations are starting to come down, the music lineup has changed on the radio stations, and I saw Valentine’s Day stuff in the store already! How quickly we are ready to “move on” to the next big thing. Reminds me of how quickly people tend to forget God shortly after a crisis where they had sought His help!
A few announcements:
Let me remind all the men who normally attend Bible study on Saturday mornings – we are taking this week off, and will resume January 5.
Let me remind all of you who want to read along with us using the “Daily Bible Reading Calendar” for 2013, they are available in the foyer for a suggested $3 donation. I’ve found it very helpful in keeping me in the Word every day, and I’ve been blessed in 2012 with the many times others from FBC have talked with me about things we’re both reading! Sometimes when I refer to something I read that day, I see a bunch of heads nodding – which hopefully means they read it too!
Also, since this is my last LFYP e-mail of 2012, let me encourage you to consider writing some specific, measurable, faith-stretching goals for 2013! Share them with me if you’d like. I have mine completed, and copies are available for anyone who wants to pray for me and help keep me accountable. I can also e-mail you a copy if you want.
This Sunday I will be speaking on Luke 21:1-4, “More than the Rest.” It won’t take you long to read it ahead of the service, but you may want to chew on it (meditate) a bit longer and pray about it, asking God what He wants to teach you. At the conclusion of the service I will be explaining the process for our January 6 special offering for the Christian Education classrooms building fund. I trust you are continuing to pray about this, and what the Lord would have you contribute! Couples, pray separately and see where the Lord is leading each of you. Elizabeth and I have been doing this, and when we recently discussed it, we were both thinking of the same figure. Parents, ask your kids to participate in this offering. This is to be an act of worship for every man, woman, and child! We have a goal: $70,000, and we have been praying that we will reach it! I love how the odds are stacking against us – 1) It’s after Christmas, so people are usually shorter on cash; and 2) Some are concerned about the “fiscal cliff” we are careening toward, which could affect the finances of many. This is sure to lead to God receiving all the glory when the goal is reached (which is exactly how it should be anyway)!
In today’s Bible calendar, we finished the book of Nehemiah. If you haven’t read that lately, it seems appropriate for us now. One verse really stuck out for me:
And they offered great sacrifices that day and rejoiced, for God had made them rejoice with great joy; the women and children also rejoiced. And the joy of Jerusalem was heard far away. (Nehemiah 12:43)
I wonder if you can guess what I think the main point of the verse is? This was at the end of a dedication service for the wall of Jerusalem when it was finally completed. The outcome of a major project that took great faith and everyone working together, when the goal was reached, produced GREAT JOY! I am expecting us to experience the same!
Looking forward to 2013 with great expectations!
Love from your Pastor,
Michael