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SHARING THE GOSPEL
Theme for March
newsletter monday edition
03/14/2013 |
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Greetings!
Are you a "slacker?" I remember reading something about someone using this word, "slacker," in place of "sluggard"
which is the word for a lazy person in the King James Version of the bible.
In reality, laziness is equal to being a "slacker" in more contemporary lingo. Just like those who refuse to help around the house, or like students who do not study but spend more time playing games in their computers, or even parents who do not care to discipline their children -- these are among those who can be classified as slackers.
Now, about sharing the gospel, are you a slacker? Do you use one excuse after another for not sharing the good news with a relative, a friend or a neighbor? Or are you too encumbered with non-essentials that you don't have time for the essentials?
"Take a lesson from the ants, you lazybones (sluggard in KJV and NIV). Learn from their ways and be wise! Even though they have no prince, governor, or ruler to make them work, they labor hard all summer, gathering food for the winter. But you, lazybones, how long will you sleep? When will you wake up?..." PROVERBS 6:6-9 NLT The Church Staff |
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LAST SATURDAY... Core Group Meeting
We had a good Core Group meeting which began a little after 2:00 p.m. Pastor Joannie informed us of what the church staff talked about at their last meeting. There will be a simple Easter presentation on our Saturday evening service on March 30. Tessa Charles has a skit to present that requires four women and two men. Call her please, if you'd like to be one of these.
Regarding an Easter Sunday activity, the group decided to have an early devotional-praise and worship on March 31st at the GLC office followed by a potluck breakfast. Please let Ruby Dijamco know if you plan to bring food on Easter Sunday. The City Blessing Church pastors Paul and Him met with Pastor Joannie and Mik for an informal "get-to-know-you-better" lunch recently and they discussed partnering in all seriousness, in so far as their activities and ours where both sides can benefit from each other. They talked about CBC's "compassion ministry" which they'd like for us to help lay the groundwork to extend this ministry to the Philippines. CBC has long been doing this, sending shipping containers full of food, clothing and other goods for distribution among needy populations in foreign countries. Additionally, we will set up meetings between their church staff and ours on a more regular basis to help get our two congregations really working with each other in different areas of church work. It was a concensus that this relationship be developed and fostered. We heard a brief report about Pastors John and Jessie's continuing ministry in the Philippines. Positive connections with area pastors and churches are being made and added, and it is others who call our Global Outreach in the Philippines asking to be taught our "Keys to the Kingdom" series of bible study lessons and the strategies being implemented to advance God's gospel in many areas there. They ask for your intercessory prayers on behalf of the ministries they are conducting there. The group also heard Pastor Hansel repeat the plea to keep our eyes and ears open for possible connection and networking opportunities with other individuals or groups in the area with the idea of finding a path that will help us in our desire to make our influence transformational in the society around us. Another push for everyone at least joining if not hosting or leading a small group was expressed again at the meeting. Since our core group meeting last month, three new small groups have been formed and more are in the offing. It was emphasized that small groups need not be confined among the congregation of GLC, but that these groups can be effective tools in asking others not of our group to join the small group. A group of three or four is probably a practical way to get started. If help is needed to get a group started, please do not hesitate to let the office staff know about it. *** First Saturday  Pastor Hansel led out at our First Saturday service. He first told his story about several experiences in ministering to others, not only locally, but during his previous trips to other countries including Fiji and China. He pointed out these demonstrations of God's involvement in human affairs as manifestation of His Holy Spirit working in us and through us, and that sharing the gospel with others is truly a fun experience. Ruth Jordan spoke about one of the most common questions asked, "What on earth are you here for?" which is the subject of their current small group discussion. She talked about their experiences as a group over the last 9 years where they have gone through trials, laughter, crying or getting "mad" together and witnessing 6 members of their group over the years getting baptized. She invited others to come and join their Monday night small group which meets at the GLC office at 7:30 p.m. and encouraged others to join the small group of their choice. She quoted John 12:26 -"All those who want to be my disciples must come nd follow me, because my servants must be where I am. And if they follow me, the Father will honor them." NLT Janice Alano gave a beautiful testimony next regarding our need to practice "grace" on a daily basis. She used a story about a familly interaction experience that her family had just been through in order to show that our natural tendency is to be selfish, but that we need to be not who we want ourselves to be but rather what God wants us to be or to do. In quoting Psalm 37:4 -"Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart," (NIV) she encouraged everyone to "make God the center of your life" and to radiate God's grace to change the atmosphere where you might be. She said that practicing grace towards others brings you to higher and higher levels, to the point that others will want what you have. Everyone participated in the Communion Service and another praise and worship song culminated our service for the evening. As is our common practice, most everyone stayed around for a while as the prayer and healing ministry teams continued to work and pray for others while some folk took the opportunity to fellowship and socialize with others for a little while. |
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Reminders that you may like to be refreshed about:
A TV miniseries called "The Bible" has just started on the History Channel. Check your provider for the show times.
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The Bible
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Jesus as depicted in the TV miniseries "The Bible." |
"A new miniseries titledThe Bible has begun airing on the History Channel. The show premiered on Sunday March 3, and subsequent episodes will air each Sunday in March, with the last episode coming on March 31, also known as Easter Sunday.
"The series is being produced by Mark Burnett and his wife, Roma Downey. Burnett is best-known for network reality TV shows such as Survivor, and Downey found fame in the 90s for playing an Angel in the seriesTouched by an Angel.
"According toThe Bible's website, the show will depict dramatizations of some of the best-known stories from the bible, including Noah's ark, the Israelites' exodus, and the birth of Jesus. The role of adult Jesus in the series will be played by Portuguese actor Diogo Morgado.
"Despite being on the History Channel,The Bible will not be an examination of the historicity of the Christian bible. Instead, the series is a docu-drama based on various popular stories from the book. Also, some of the stories depicted have been altered to "create a moving story" within the series' time constraints...." www.webpronews.com
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E-Mail
At least 16 in the GLC congregation have e-mail addresses that are not working, and yet these are the addresses listed in our most current church roster which is getting ready to go for final printing!
Please let us have your most recent, working e-mail addresses, so that our new church directory will contain correct listings of these. |
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You must consider everything you do
as service to God, and not to man. |
Marketplace Ministry Seeing the Ordinary as Extraordinary
"Whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God" (1 Corinthians 10:31).
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Our Lord never saw the mundane activities as ordinary. Whether He healed the sick or sat around the fire with the disciples, He did not see one activity as spiritual and the other non-spiritual. Life was lived as a holy service to His Heavenly Father.
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Many times we fall prey to a spiritual hierarchy mentality. We believe certain activity is more blessed by God because it is done under a spiritual guise. We conduct our Christian meetings and conclude one is blessed by God based on attendance. We work to give money to ministry when we fail to recognize the very work we do is ministry.
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God's glory can be expressed in the most common task. Whether washing the dishes or changing diapers or driving to the grocery store. When we begin to assign spiritual value to activities we begin to give greater importance to those activities we deem spiritually higher in the hierarchy.
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Philip was in the midst of a major crusade when the Holy Spirit abruptly instructed him to stop and go to a desert road.
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"Philip went down to a city in Samaria and proclaimed the Christ there. When the crowds heard Philip and saw the miraculous signs he did, they all paid close attention to what he said."
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"Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, 'Go south to the road-the desert road-that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.' So he started out, and on his way he met an Ethiopian eunuch, an important official in charge of all the treasury of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians. This man had gone to Jerusalem to worship, and on his way home was sitting in his chariot reading the book of Isaiah the prophet. The Spirit told Philip, 'Go to that chariot and stay near it'" (Acts 8:26-29).
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We see in this story that neither activity was more important than the other. Philip's job was to live in communion with the Holy Spirit and be obedient to His promptings.
Today, view every activity you do with an attitude of worship and communion with Jesus.
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(Today God Is First (TGIF) devotional message, Copyright by Os Hillman, Marketplace Leaders.) |
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Office Address: 1414 S. Azusa Ave., Stes 20-21, W.Covina, CA 91791
Church Address: 18901 E. Amar Rd., Walnut, CA 91789
MAILING ADDRESS: 436 Crestwood Lane, Walnut, CA 91789
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| Meditation |
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Oh Lord, thank You for making me strong and courageous. Thank You that You empower me, lift me up, and encourage me so that I will not be terrified of any thing, any person or any circumstance, because I know that You are always with me.
No matter what I face today, I know that You are here and Your Holy Spirit lives within me and has sealed me until that day when You come to take me home with You.
I know that the blood of Jesus has covered my sin and washed me white as snow, and that You have made me righteous and holy because of what Jesus did for me!
I praise You and thank You Lord Almighty for Your strength, power, grace, mercy, and love. May You be glorified in all the earth, and through my life, I thnak You, in Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
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