August 6, 2014
EMIGRANT LAKE ENCAMPMENT
We will have our fifth annual worship encampment at Emigrant Lake on Sunday, August 24, at 10:00 a.m. We have reserved Picnic Area D. (This is a different area than we have had before.) Entry fee is $4.00 per vehicle. *If you need a ride please let the office know.*
This is another good opportunity for you to invite family, friends and neighbors to enjoy a time of fellowship and worship. This is a wonderful experience of worshiping outdoors and getting to know one another and others in a relaxed and beautiful environment.
Please bring your lawn chairs, games, and a potluck dish to share. We will provide the meat, but ask that you bring the side dishes. We will have a sign up sheet at the back of the auditorium this Sunday for the side dishes.
*Services at the building will begin at 10:15 a.m. for those not going to the Worship Encampment. We will NOT have Bible Class or Nursery Care that morning.
A WORLD DEMON-POSSESSED
Gospel of Matthew records what would most likely strike our contemporary ears as peculiar and perplexing (Matthew 12:43-45):
“When an evil spirit comes out of a man, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. Then it says, ‘I will return to the house I left.’ When it arrives, it finds the house unoccupied, swept clean and put in order. Then it goes and takes with it seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there. And the final condition of that man is worse than the first. That is how it will be with this wicked generation.”
I would imagine the whole issue of demon-possession is one of the first things to draw our attention. We may not always come right out and say it to ourselves or to others, but most of us probably think demon-possession is a forgotten relic of the ancient unscientific past. The ancient world simply did not know about the modern understanding of psychiatric illnesses. Thus in their ignorance and naiveté, we might say, they blamed “demons” for every mental illness they encountered. Or we may just discount demon-possession as only a “first century issue” that dissipates and disappears with the advance of the Kingdom of God in Jesus Christ. Whatever we may think (or not think at all) about demon-possession, we generally speaking do not give much place to demonology in our Christian walk today.
Regardless of any differences concerning whether we believe or do not believe in actual demon-possession as real, imagined, ongoing or ended, is there a basic generalization from this text that we could apply to all of our lives? Yes, I believe there is.
The context of Matthew twelve presents a lesser to greater type argument. For instance, Jesus compares how previous generations repented at the preaching of lesser spokesmen of God, such as Jonah and Solomon, but how the then current generation does not repent even though “now one greater than Jonah is here,” and “now one greater than Solomon is here,” Jesus Christ, the Son of God (Matthew 12:41-42). In other words, Jesus expects that if previous generations heeded the words of repentance from lesser prophets, then surely a generation hearing the greater words of God speaking in the flesh should bring about repentance. The problem: Many of that generation hearing the Son of God did not repent and believe in Jesus, resulting in a “final condition of that man [that] is worse than the first. That is how it will be with this wicked generation” (Matthew 12:45).
So will it be with many in our generation who do not repent and believe in Jesus. Our human condition is wicked. Our human condition without Jesus is more than wicked. A life without Jesus is empty and equivalent to being demon-possessed seven times over (Cf., “seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there”). What is the destruction to a human life touched by the power of seven demonic personalities? What of an entire generation so touched? I imagine it would look something like the world we are presently living in today.
– Terry
Bible Busters -- All Teachers and those who would like to help with our Bible Busters, please come to a meeting scheduled this Sunday, August 10, at 4:00 p.m. in the Fireside Room. If you can commit to Wednesday evenings from 6:30-7:30 p.m. beginning Wednesday, September 10, through the end of May, we really NEED YOU! The more people we have, the more we can do for this great bunch of kids. We had about forty kids each Wednesday evening last year and we are praying more kids will be involved this coming year. This year we plan to focus on the New Testament. See Denise Beeks and we will find a place where you can help! We can’t wait to see all of our kids this September.
KIA and Service Projects -- Wednesday Evenings 6:30-7:30 p.m.
August 13: KIA Cleaning Classrooms at Building
August 20: Back to School Giveaway Setup. No Laundry Service; Videos upstairs for younger kids - ages 2 years- 3rd grade; 6:00-7:30 p.m.
Back - to - School Supplies -- Last year we were able to help 250 children with their school supplies with your generous donations. It takes over $3,000.00 to be able to help this many families. Please prayerfully consider how you can help with your donations for this worthy outreach. If you need more information, please contact September Flock. Our school supply giveaway is scheduled for Saturday, August 23.
Clothing Giveaway -- Now is the time to clean out your closets to help with our clothing giveaway on August 23. Please bring your good clean clothes (only new underwear or socks) for children and adults and put them in the correct boxes in the courtyard. Thank you for all your help.
Coffee Servers are needed for August - December. If you can help, please sign up on the list posted by the stairs. Please sign up for this easy outreach to our church family.
Nursery Help -- We still need help with our Sunday Morning Nursery during worship services. If you can help for a Sunday, please contact Diane Liles.
Missing Items – Diane Flock loaned us some costume items for VBS. If you know where the “necklace with a dragon on it and a pair earrings with axes on them” are please give them to her or Denise Beeks. These are her personal items and we need to get them back to her. Thank You.
Prayer Requests . . . For the brother-in-law of Larry and Wydie Denn, Bob Freeman, who fell and re-injured his hip and also has A-Fib...Bill Ferguson requests prayers for the family of Tony Ferguson who passed away recently...Continued prayers for the medical treatments and healing for Rosa Gomez and Gaby Dimas...For all the people who have been affected by the fires in our area and safety for the firefighters...For Buddy Rennels to continue to heal from knee surgery...For Kody Burton, Brian Morris & Brandon Burton who were in a car accident - please pray for their healing...Praise that Kim and Tony Testerman arrived safely in Kentucky...For our President and all of our military men, women and families.
Remembering Emma Tompkins . . .
Emma passed away in her home last Tuesday, July 29, 2014, at the age of 93. She and her husband John, who passed away in 1995, were long-time members of our West Main Family. Emma and John were blessed with three sons and one daughter and she had seven grandchildren and ten great-grandchildren. Emma enjoyed walking, reading and working crossword puzzles. Emma’s memorial service is to be held, Thursday, August 7, at Hillcrest Memorial Chapel at 11:00 a.m. Our sympathy and prayers are with Emma’s family during this time.
Wedding News
*There will be a Come - and - Go Reception honoring Thaddeaus and Jasmine Flock on Sunday, August 17, from 1:00-3:00 p.m. at the home of Gerry and September Flock. Finger Foods will be provided and everyone is invited to attend.
*Jay and Terri Allen are pleased to announce that their son, Jonathan Patrick Allen and Hannah Rose Freier, were united in Convenant Marriage on Sunday, August 3, 2014, in Medeira Beach, Florida. The happy couple will reside in Jonesboro, Arkansas, where they both will continue their studies at Arkansas State University.
Calendar of Events
August 9-15: Teen Agape Mission Trip
August 17: Sunday Night Live
August 20: Setup for School Supplies & Clothing Giveaway
August 23: School Supplies & Clothing Giveaway
August 24: Emigrant Lake Family Encampment
August 29: Teen Faith Quest
