July 5, 2009

Photographic Memory

Alex and Ramon (and their parents) graduate from high school!

(July 4, 1776, after signing the Declaration of Independence). “I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary Festival. It ought to be commemorated, as the Day of Deliverance, by solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty. … “I am well aware of the toil and blood and treasure that it will cost to maintain this Declaration…Yet through all the gloom I can see the rays of ravishing light and glory…Posterity will triumph in that day’s transaction, even though we [may regret] it, which I trust in God we shall not.” —John Adams

Remembering His Grace, Begging His Mercy

God has faithfully guided the United States of America now through 233 years of waywardness and defiance against Him. How great is His mercy. How super-abundant is His grace. How wicked we are. How desperately we need Jesus Christ.

Thank You, Lord, for the grace You gave to Adriana Flores, Brenda Mesa, Leslie Marchelli, and Roderick Díaz (and their parents!) in order to complete the requirements to graduate from high school.

Wanda Slaven’s surgery was performed and a follow-up appointment confirmed no more cancer! Wanda will soon begin radiation treatments.

Pam Holmberg has not fully recovered from her recent surgery. Ask God to ease the discomfort and bring further healing to her body.

Mrs. Duncan’s funeral was Friday, June 26. Thank you for asking God’s blessing in the funeral service. Please pray for a safe journey home.

The Rigsbys leave this week for an eventful vacation in western Kentucky. Would you pray for safety in flight, rest, and blessing on their plans?

Mildred Watson has been ill and not able to eat. She is also lonely and misses the fellowship at church. Mildred asks prayer that she is able to return soon.

Pastor Tony Núñez has begun his sabbatical in order to complete his doctoral dissertation. As you pray for Tony, also pray for those who lead the church.

Johnnie Pyburn was diagnosed with a staph infection due to a blood clot that is not in a vein. Please pray that Johnnie’s health be restored. She is now home.

Jeannie Leonard is third on the list for a Senior Apartment in Bell Gardens (and very anxious to be able to regularly come to church again).

Chuck and Sharon Norris are on the road the next three weeks. Please pray for their safety in travel and an enjoyable, relaxing journey.

Stella Rogers’ hand pain is more bearable but still troubling. Would you please pray that God give her relief and stop the pain?

Armon Siemsen returns home July 15. God is blessing his work in helping to start a new Christian school in North Carolina.

National Night Out at Ford Park, August 4, 2009; 6:00 to 9:00 PM. The event in Bell Gardens is in association with the Police Department and Neighborhood Watch and churches.

The Korean Bible Conference began last Tuesday, June 30. Each summer a foundational study of God’s plan throughout the Scriptures to redeem mankind is presented. Ask God to and encourage and strengthen the new believers.

Spanish Men’s breakfast, July 11, 2009. The purpose is to present the Gospel of Jesus Christ to invited friends. Ask the Lord to open hearts to be saved.

July 26 is a dedication day for Kairi Frees. Ask God’s blessing on her life and the preparations for this day.

Peggy Mann and her family have been enjoying her grandson, Jeremy, who is currently on leave from the military and his position overseas.

• Marvin Funkhouser—deployed to Iraq for 18 months
• Coleen—a friend of Woody and Barbara Blalock
• Tony Loving—flying troops in and out of various areas
• Bryan Miller—in Guam, will be in Iraq soon
• Sam Im
• Steven Henning
• Jorge Avalos
• Ryan Bareng
• Jeremy Peters—currently in Iraq
• Jeremy Thomas—currently in Afghanistan
• Jason Kiser—currently in the Gulf
• John Kiser—currently in Iraq

Read the Bible

Our journey through the Bible moves from the Old Testament historical books to the prophets. In July we’ll read Isaiah (66), Jeremiah (52), and Lamentations (5). The chapter totals are listed to help set your reading pace. Remember to include 3 Psalms and 1 chapter from Proverbs each week.

The suggested 2009 Bible reading guide (1 page) can be downloaded here.

“God doesn’t tell us His plan because we wouldn’t believe it anyway.”

Letters

Bill and Barbara Bielecki, Lakota Native American Outreach
This week has been a difficult week for us. The enemy is fighting hard to deter our jail ministry. Things have just been happening one thing after another. But as I have said before the enemy will not win. Bill and I refuse to stand down to the enemy. We have a mighty and powerful God. We know we must stand strong and continue our ministry for the Lord Our God! We need prayer for our ministry here. The Jail ministry, the Legal ministry, the hospital ministry. Our home, our safety both spiritually and physically. Read the entire letter. Send an email.

Richard and Ellen Hayes, Village Missions, Spokane
Thank you once again for praying for us and supporting us financially each month. Please pray for our summer outreach to our community on July 11th as we reach out to the community. While the outreach is intended to draw unchurched families, it is also our desire to build relationships in order to share the Gospel. Pray for us that we would be bold in proclaiming Christ. Send an email.

Byron and Robyn Siemsen, World Impact, Los Angeles
In April, I, Byron, had the honor of helping my 106-year-old grandfather, Dr. Victor Wellington Peters, officiate at my sister Mari’s wedding. Thank you so much for your prayers for the Excellence in Fathering Conference held this past month at World Impact Los Angeles. Putting my seminary education to work in equipping leaders here in Los Angeles is a priority. The Urban Ministry Institute of Los Angeles (TUMI) exists to provide inner-city pastors and others with the exact seminary-level education they need. Thank you for praying for TUMI and my role with them. Would you please continue to to pray for us as we raise the extra support necessary to pick up the pace and finish education at Talbot? Robyn had the opportunity to share the gospel and her testimony with a girl from her Spanish class. Pray that she will decide to put her trust in Christ. Read the entire letter. Send an email.

Pete and Joy Palmer. New Tribes Mission
PRAY: for safety on our flights July 13; for a car to use while in Florida the month of August; for rest and refreshment while in the USA (a total of 8 weeks). We are going to take 2 classes while in the States that will help us in the ministry of member care to our missionaries. Pray that we will continue to serve and love God with all our hearts and minds. Read the entire letter. Send an email.

Bill and Marge Key, Wycliffe Bible Translators
Bill has an appointment with a neurologist July 16. Pray he will find a cause for a recent seizure and continuing lack of strength. Marge fell the day after her 90th birthday, resulting in a few cuts and bruises as well as a cast on her arm and hand. Read the entire letter. Send an email.

“There is nothing the body suffers the soul may not profit by.”

How are you?…Who is He?

Hello Everyone,

Woody Blalock’s famous answer to “how are you doing?” always brought a smile and assured his inquirers that all is well. I’d like to use Woody’s answer today.

“I’m moving with vigor in some undetermined direction.”

Pastor Rigsby’s classic answer to “how are you?” makes you pause for a moment of reflection. I’d like to use Pastor Rigsby’s answer today.

“Better than I deserve.”

Not having yet attained to these high standards and possessing my own unique answer to the question “how are you?,” I’d like to use my unoriginal, well-worn, and completely overused answer today.

“OK.”

To which you are welcome to respond with the equally meaningless, “have a good day.” Now it is your turn. How do you answer the question, “how are you?”? I’m in the market for something different. And (with all sarcasm and jesting aside), I trust you are well and enjoying the goodness of our Lord.

. . .

You’ve been asked, “who is Jesus Christ?” Immediately you think of a few appropriate qualities. He is love. He is everywhere all the time. He is God. He is also human.

As a follow-up, you were asked to prioritize His characteristics in order of significance. Where would you begin? What would be of first importance? He is the Savior. He is the Creator. He is Sovereign.

Would you be surprised that John, the beloved disciple, chose none of these? In his Prologue (1:1-18), John begins his list of eight truths that reveal who Jesus Christ is with this: Jesus is eternal. “in the beginning was the Word.” With the stroke of his pen in one memorable line, John assumes God exists (as did Moses, from whom John borrowed the phrase) and declares Jesus as always existing (and especially pre-existing all of creation, time, and space). In other words, “before there was a beginning, the Word had already been.”

My head hurts trying to think of Jesus, of God, always existing. How is that possible? Was there ever a time before Jesus existed? What did He do (before “us”)? Have there been other creations He hasn’t told us about? Why now? Why this? Why us? That Jesus is eternal is incomprehensible!

Now, without even trying to prove the existence of God, John wants me to believe that 1) Jesus is God, 2) who has existed forever? Why should I believe something that appears so far-fetched, it should be labeled as a “fairy-tale”?

It is our very view of who Jesus Christ is that affects our response to Him. John’s purpose in writing his account of Jesus on earth is to offer proof that God exists and that Jesus is the Son of God because if Jesus did not exist eternally, He cannot be fully God.

Jim Covington