NEWSLETTER September 17, 2012 |
 Expectations What are we looking for?
In the back of each person's mind is always a kind of expectation of some sort or another. What will this day bring? Will I fulfill the tasks I have set out to do? Are there challenges to look out for, or is it going to be smooth sailing? Will I have to change my plans? Are there built-in barriers that I do not see? What possible hindrances could there be if I followed Plan A , or if I pursued Plan B?
There could be a hundred and one different scenarios that play in our thoughts singularly or all at once. Events in our lives may be difficult to predict. Plans and projects that we have perfected in our minds and put on paper are suddenly faced with unforeseen obstacles due to circumstances about which we have no control. But our merciful God promises help in times of trouble.
"But the salvation of the righteous is from the Lord; He is their strength in the time of trouble." Psalm 37:39 NKJV
The Church Staff |
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Sue & Fred Lohmann and Ernie & Ruth Jordan at the last month's fellowship dinner. |
Tomorrow: Tuesday Evening
Monthly Fellowship Dinner
Our monthly fellowship dinner is here! Tomorrow evening, Tuesday, September 18, at 6:30 p.m. we will meet at the Original Thai BBQ Restaurant in West Covina, at Amar Road and Azusa Avenue. Many of you are familiar with the place as we've been there a few months ago.
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Most of your dinner reservations are in, but for those who haven't made them yet, please call Johnny Chua at (909) 228-2162. If you are unable to make your reservations today, come anyway and "pay at the door."
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The evening promises another opportunity to bond and exchange opinions and experiences, and to share how God sees us through even when things look bleak from our human perspective. God is good, ALL THE TIME! |
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Alex, his sister and his mom, Archie, pose together yesterday for the Newsletter. |
Off to Boot Camp
Alex Cabrera Goes with Blessings from GLC
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Prayers for blessings, guidance and protection were offered as a send-off for Alex Cabrera, the youngest child of Archie and Cesar Cabrera, who has joined the military and is going off to boot camp this week.
Alex follows the footsteps of his older sister, Jessica, who joined the U.S. Army and was stationed in Afghanistan. She has since come home and is now attending college.
Our congregants gathered around Alex after the Good News Hour yesterday to lay their hands on him as prayers and words of knowledge and wisdom were pronounced over him.
Gospel Life Community blesses you, Alex, as you go to serve your country! |
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Pastor Joannie |
Loving Your Family
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2d in the Series on Christlikeness
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Yesterday's Good News Hour message, Loving Your Family, is part of Pastor Joannie's series on Christlikeness, which is the theme for the month of September.
She began by quoting Jesus' commandment to "love your neighbor as yourself" (Matthew 12: 30-31) and to "love each other as I have loved you" (John 13:34). Pastor Joannie proceeded to lay out GRACE as the basis for loving our family. She spelled G-R-A-C-E in terms of Generosity, Responsibility, Acceptance, Commitment and Encouragement, supporting each characteristic with appropriate biblical quotes. 1 Corinthians 13 was cited in defining what love is, or is not. She admonished each one to take responsibility for his or her relationship with family members and to practice a lot of patience, making ample allowance for their faults. Towards the end of her sermon she quoted George Bernard Shaw's statement that "a happy family is but an earlier heaven..." |
 Continue in Prayer Update on Pastors Jessie and John -An optimistic report was given to us by Pastor Joannie yesterday before she started her good news hour message. You will recall that approximately two weeks previously, Pastor Jessie had a freak accident where she fell from a four-foot height hitting her head against a concrete planter as both she and Pastor John were getting ready to teach a Basic 10 course to a group of pastors who were gathered in Bustos, Bulacan, in the Philippines.
She was hospitalized for a few days and was discharged home after that. She continued to be weak and had been unable to gather much strength to get up and move about, and had difficulty retaining food that she tried to eat. Seeing that she was slow in getting better, Pastor John, who has been her caregiver at home, took her to a hospital close to their residence.
She now continues to be at the Cardinal Santos Medical Center in San Juan, MetroManila, where her medical management is being intensified and closely monitored. Our individual and collective prayers are solicited for both of their health, for her quick recovery and for miraculous and supernatural healing, and for Pastor John to be able to render support and care, as they are away from their family and home church halfway around the world.
In his most recent e-mail, Pastor John indicated an upbeat spirit in this quote: "... Today (Sunday), I will hold a Spiritual Gifts Seminar in a church in Pasig City. This is one of the ways we market the Kingdom Lifestyle School and recruit potential students for the school, which starts in April, 2013. We are not retreating or surrendering. We continue to advance and take more territory from the enemy.
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"It appears that we are being attacked both in the financial and physical health fronts. It's exciting to anticipate what God will do next to resolve our issues and provide for all of our needs. We know that the same circumstances that the enemy uses to attack and disable us from doing Kingdom work are also used by God in His sovereign way to turn it into something positive and great for our eternal good and for His glory. God is really good! We continue to believe and trust in His faithfulness and wisdom and provision.
"So, let's continue encouraging each other. Let us keep on keeping on! Let us fix our eyes upon Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith. He deserves all our praises and devotion and obedience. To God be the glory!"
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Marketplace Ministry
Making the Lord Our Banner
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"Moses built an altar and called it The Lord is my Banner." Exodus 17:15 - The Amalekites came and attacked the Israelites at Rephidim. God instructed Moses to stand on top of the hill with the staff of God in his hand. Moses' staff represented something that God said He would use to bring glory to Himself. The staff represented what Moses had done for most of his life - shepherding. It was his vocation. When God first called Moses at the burning bush, He told him to pick up the staff; He would perform miracles through it. - God wants to perform miracles through each of our vocations. At Rephidim, God defeated the Amalekites only when Moses held his staff to Heaven. It was a symbol of dependence and acknowledgment that Heaven was the source of the Israelites' power. When he dropped his hand, the power was removed and they began to lose the battle. Each day we are challenged to reach toward Heaven and allow God to be the source of victory in the workplace or be defeated. - God calls us to let His banner reign over the workplace so that others may know the source of our victory. "Then the Lord said to Moses, 'Write this on a scroll as something to be remembered and make sure that Joshua hears it, because I will completely blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven' " (Ex. 17:14). The Lord wants those behind us and around us to know that He is the source of our power and success. With each victory is a testimony that is to be shared with our children and our associates. - Is the Lord your banner today? Reach toward Heaven today and let His banner wave over your work so that He might receive glory from your life.
- (Today God Is First (TGIF) devotional message, Copyright by Os Hillman, Marketplace Leaders. )
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Coming Up
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Second Session, "You Make Me Crazy," tonight, at the Monday evening SGF, Fellowship Hall, 7:30 p.m.
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Tomorrow, Tuesday evening, 6:30 p.m. - Monthly Fellowship Dinner - at the Original Thai BBQ restaurant, at Amar Rd. and Azusa Ave. in West Covina.
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Wednesday, NEW Mid-Week Worship, 7 p.m. and blending into the Intercessory Group Meeting
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Friday, 7:30 p.m. and Saturday, 8:30 a.m.,September 21-22, Men's Mini-Retreat
at the Fellowship Hall
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Friday, 7:00 p.m. - LOL (Living Out Loud) - for Middle School and High School kids
at the Church Sanctuary |
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MAILING ADDRESS:
436 Crestwood Lane
Walnut, CA 91789
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"Dear gracious, merciful, loving Heavenly Father, Thank You for this day. Thank You for Your never-ending love and Your tender mercies. I pray for those today who are in need of a special touch, those who are facing challenges, obstacles, consequences; those who need favor from a spouse, an employer, a friend, a judge, an insurance company, a hospital, a landlord, a financial institution, or any other person or organization with whom there may be a special situation.
"Thank You for working in these situations, in these lives, in these places to bring about good. Thank You for granting favors, touching hearts, moving mountains when necessary for Your will, Your glory, and in the best interest of those who need Your help.
"May You be honored. May lives be changed. May souls be rescued. May needs be met. In the name of Jesus our Savior I pray, amen." |
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