BEAR WITH ONE ANOTHER

Posted on April 24, 2015 by highlandlakeschurchofchrist

o-OUR-GET-ALONG-SHIRT-570In Scripture, the word “bear” means to tolerate one another, to bear with them, to patiently endure their personal tendencies/idiosyncrasies and weaknesses. That is a lot easier to talk about than to practice. I like the old saying that goes like this: “To live above, with saints we love, that will be glory. To live below, with the saints we know, that’s quite a different story!” Here’s a little news flash: sometimes people are difficult to get along with! And sometimes those people that are difficult to get along with are the very people that we sit next to each and every week at church and the people we go home with afterwards.

The truth is that Satan doesn’t want us to get along with each other, neither in the church nor the home. He wants us to become annoyed, upset and out of sync with one another. Healthy relationships require hard work and a lot of grace because those relationships are rather vulnerable and can rupture quite easily. Unless we guard against it, our differences can easily become irritants and our unity can unravel very quickly. So how do we maintain our love and unity in the midst of these realities? We must bear with one another (Eph. 4:1-3)!

According to Paul there are four aspects involved in bearing with one another. First, bearing with others is part of living a life worthy of our calling (4:1). As Christian we have been called to live a life that brings honor and glory to the Lord. Part of that involves extending the same grace and forbearance He has shown to us to one another.

Second, bearing with one another requires patience, humility and gentleness. Humility allows us to see ourselves as we truly are, frankly someone who needs the patience and forbearance of others and gentleness is how we treat others because of it.

Third, bearing with one another requires forgiveness. We will offend others at times and they us, to overcome that requires us to bear with and simply forgive one another as God has forgiven us. Fourth, we find the ultimate purpose for bearing with one another. It is so that we might maintain the “unity of the spirit in the bond of peace.”

Truth be told, there is simply no way to maintain unity in the local body of believers if we can’t learn to be patient and forgiving of one another. The bigger issue is that we simply will not accomplish the work of the Lord together if we can’t first get along together. May God help us to grow in our patience with one another so that our unity might be strong and the Lord’s work accomplished. Brian Mitchell, Jackson church of Christ Jackson, MO

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APRIL 26, 2015 WEEKLY NEWS

Posted on April 24, 2015 by highlandlakeschurchofchrist

PLAN FOR A VERY SPECIAL EVENT!

Sylvester Imogoh and family (NIGERIA) Working to evangelize Nigeria using World Bible SchoolSylvester Imogoh will finally come! He will fly to the USA on June 3rd. His wife Sandra will join him at a later date and we are excited to finally meet her in person! Sylvester & Sandra, also Doug Wheeler & Diane, will arrive before supper in Kingsland on, Saturday, July 11th. They will be with us all day Sunday and will travel the next morning, July 13th, to Houston.

The Imoghohs and Wheelers will need housing for Saturday, July 11th, and Sunday, July 12th, also meals, supper on Saturday, and breakfast on Sunday morning. Sunday noon is covered, since we will have our Fellowship Meal on that Sunday at noon. The plan for that day is: after the meal we will have a short devotional and there will be no evening worship service.

If you can help, please let Joe know as soon as possible. Otherwise, alternate arrangements need to be made early, so we can have an enjoyable visit with these very special visitors. We are so grateful that we are able to show them our appreciation for the excellent work they are doing for the Lord in our behalf.

THANK YOU NOTE

Our Church Family, Thank you for all your prayers and encouragement. We feel very blessed by all of you. Bob & Doris

CONGRATULATIONS

Baby boy Kallen Zeus Kattner entered this world Friday, April 17th, weighing 7 lbs. 8 1/2 oz. and was 18 3/4“ long. Proud parents are Richard & Kayla Kattner. Proud grandparents are Henry & Mary Kattner.  We wish God’s greatest blessings on this new member of the Kattner family.

CHANGE OF PHONE NUMBER

Janet Fietz has a new phone number.  You can get the number by calling the church office.  Make sure to please enter this change into your directories.

VISITING FOR THE MASTER

VISITATION Team #1 (leaders: Teri & Joe Winnett) will meet on Wednesday, May 6th, at 6:30 pm in the library for their assignments.

FELLOWSHIP MEAL

This evening, Sunday, April 26th, after our worship assembly, we will get together for our monthly Fellowship Meal. Hosts & hostesses are: Bill & Mary K. Flanary, Ken & Gail Darnell and John C. & Ida Brewer.

HELP NEEDED

Cary Miller writes: We need another individual or two to help from time to time with the routine maintenance of our lawn/grounds. This is particularly true during the vacation season. Please see Cary if you are interested.

FOOD PANTRY NEEDS

The Food Pantry is in need of tooth paste, deodorant, and shampoo. If you are willing to help, please bring what you can as soon as possible!

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AT A LOSS?

Posted on April 19, 2015 by highlandlakeschurchofchrist

depressPaul said, “We are perplexed, but not in despair” (2 Cor. 4:8). The word perplexed means more than just being puzzled. It comes from “aporeo” which means “to be at loss with one’s self, be in doubt; not to know how to decide or what to do, to be perplexed” (Thayer, 66). We might say it means to be at your wit’s end.

No man has all the answers. No one knows the best way to handle every situation. Even Paul didn’t. He could work miracles and write by inspiration, but he didn’t always have a clear idea about how best to deal with a situation or how it would end. Earlier in 2 Corinthians he spoke of a trying ordeal in Ephesus (2 Cor. 1:8-10). He was in such danger “that we despaired even of life” that is, he thought he would die. But he didn’t. He only knew as much of the future as the Lord revealed to him, and he dealt with judgment matters the best he could. God didn’t reveal to Paul the best way to handle judgment calls any more than He does to us. As a result, Paul sometimes felt at a loss as to what to do.

If the apostle to the Gentiles was at a loss at times, how much more will we feel this way? There are times when we don’t know what to do or which way to turn. We think through the options and weigh each scenario as much as our feeble minds are able, but there is a great cost either way and we come up empty. We may be at such a loss that we don’t know what to ask God when we pray. This is not unusual. Paul said the Spirit steps in at such times: “In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express” (Rom. 8:26). Of course, there are things we know we should pray for. We know we should thank God for our blessings and confess our sins. But there are times when we don’t know specifically what we should ask even though we know we need to pray.

It is good for us to be in circumstances we cannot control or predict. It is helpful for us to be in situations we never dreamed we’d be in. It is beneficial for us to be in plights so seemingly hopeless that we can figure no way out of them. We rest on our past experience and become complacent and prideful in what we’ve learned. But when we find ourselves staring at a frightening dilemma for which we have no answer, our ignorance and inability humbles us. It is humbling to admit that you don’t know what to do, especially when you’ve told others how to fix their problems. We all need a lesson in humility once in a while. It drives us to seek the advice of others and to realize how much we need each other (Prov. 24:6). It causes us to search the Word of God for answers (Psa. 119:105). It leads us to pray to God for wisdom (James 1:5) instead of trusting in ourselves. It leads us to trust in the providence of God. When you’re perplexed, don’t despair. God is in control. – Kerry Duke, West End church of Christ, Livingston, TN

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APRIL 19, 2015 WEEKLY NEWS

Posted on April 19, 2015 by highlandlakeschurchofchrist

FOOD PANTRY NEEDS

The Food Pantry is in need of tooth paste, deodorant, and shampoo. If you are willing to help, please bring what you can as soon as possible!

HELP NEEDED

Cary Miller writes: We need another individual or two to help from time to time with the routine maintenance of our lawn/grounds. This is particularly true during the vacation season. Please see Cary if you are interested.

FELLOWSHIP MEAL

Remember, our monthly Fellowship Meal will take place next Sunday, April 26, after our evening worship assembly. Those who have volunteered to host this meal are: Bill & Mary K. Flanary, Ken & Gail Darnell and John C. & Ida Brewer.

VISITING FOR THE MASTER

VISITATION PROGRAM Team #2 (leaders: Cary & Brenda Miller) will meet on Wednesday, April 22nd, at 6:30 pm in the library for their assignments.

THANK YOU NOTE

“You mean so much—not only for being the warm-hearted people you are, but also for the generous way you share your time and talents with others. Thank You”.

For the calls, beautiful flowers and most of all, for your prayers and well wishes during my illness.  I love you all so much! May God bless and keep you; thanks for touching my life. ~ Mildred Johnson

THANK YOU NOTE

A special “Thank-You” to those who participated in the recent workday, inside and outside the building. Much was accomplished in less then two hours. ~ Cary Miller

~ Bill Flanary adds, “I would like to thank everyone who helped with the Spring clean-up. You did a very good job. Sorry I had to leave early. God bless”.

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WITH EYES WIDE OPEN

Posted on April 11, 2015 by highlandlakeschurchofchrist

The apostle Paul, in Romans the twelfth chapter, makes an appeal based on “the mercies of God”. The NIV puts it like this: “Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God — this is your spiritual act of worship.” The action urged is “In view of God’s mercy.” I like Phillips’ translation which says, “With eyes wide open to the mercies of God.”

open-your-eyesAre my eyes wide open to all the mercies God extends, or do they seem like pictures on the wall which I see every day, but don’t really see at all? Visit any hospital and you will come away with a new perspective. Do you have eyes to see? Lungs with which to breath? A heart which functions properly? It’s so easy to take all of these things for granted. G.K. Chesterton has commented on our passing about the great mercies to which we are blind. He says we thank God for the presents in our stockings at Christmas, but we ought to thank God we have legs in our stockings!

The old adage is true: we don’t appreciate the water until the well runs dry. “Nothing raises the price of a blessing like its removal; whereas, it was its continuance which should have taught us its value.” (H. Moore)

Consider what God has done in giving us life, sustaining us through the years, granting the blessings of family and friends, saving us from our sins, granting us the privilege of prayer, preparing for us an eternal home. And the list goes on and on . . . Do we have eyes wide open to the mercies of God?

Hannah Moore has a word in season for all of us: “There are three requisites to the proper enjoyment of earthly blessings: a thankful reflection on the goodness of the Giver; a deep sense of our own unworthiness; and a recollection of the uncertainty of our long possessing them—the first will make us grateful; the second humble; and the third, moderate.”

It’s a challenge, but we all need eyes wide open to the mercies of God. Then we will present ourselves as living sacrifices to God. – John Gipson

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APRIL 12, 2015 WEEKLY NEWS

Posted on April 11, 2015 by highlandlakeschurchofchrist

WITH SYMPATHY

Our brother, Hack Sexton, finished his earthly life on Tuesday, April 7th, after a long battle with health problems. In spite of this, he was dedicated in his service to his Lord and was, with this, an inspiration to all of us. A memorial service, with Joe officiating, will be held here at the church building on Thursday, April 16th at 11 am, followed by the family meal. Afterwards Hack’s ashes will be taken to the cemetery in Marble Falls, where his wife Patsy had been laid to rest.

We will miss our dear brother in many ways! We also express our condolences to daughter Cindy and her husband and to all in the family and Hack’s many friends.

THANK YOU NOTE

Not enough can be said, in the way of “thank-you”, to all for the continuous prayers, the encouraging cards, phone calls, visits, the delicious food that was brought in and other kind actions during my long recuperating time at Health South in Austin, in the Kingsland Care Center and at home. My unfortunate fall caused a number of problems, and I can only say that by the grace of God and the support of my Christian family here, was I able to handle what so unexpectedly had come into my life. I am doing well and started to work again last Monday.

My very heartfelt “thank-you” to Paula Welch for filling in for me these past four months! Like always, she did an excellent job with the bulletin and in other areas that needed to be done.  I pray for God’s richest blessing on all! In His love, Helga Blackstone

SUMMER CAMP

The Sunset Ridge church of Christ in Brady, TX, will be conducting the “Heart of Texas Bible Camp” this June. Once again, our congregation is prepared to sponsor the children of our congregation who want to go to camp. If you have a child in mind that would like to go to camp, please talk to Joe for details. The sessions are as follows:

Session 1: June 7 to 12 – age: 4th through 8th grade

Session 2: June 14 to 19 – age: 8th through 12th grade.

HELP NEEDED

Cary Miller writes: We need another individual or two to help from time to time with the routine maintenance of our lawn/grounds. This is particularly true during the vacation season. Please see Cary if you are interested.

VISITING FOR THE MASTER

VISITATION PROGRAM Team #2 (leaders: Cary & Brenda Miller) will meet on Wednesday, April 22nd, at 6:30 pm in the library for their assignments.

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TESTING THE LORD GOD

Posted on April 4, 2015 by highlandlakeschurchofchrist

thJesus famously said, “You shall not put the Lord your God to the test” (Matthew 4:7) To some this assigns a certain arrogance to God, that He is above our questions and that we should not seek any assurance of His existence, work, love, or will because that would require questioning or testing God. In times of personal tragedy we’re upbraided for asking “Why did God let/cause this to happen?” Any doubt that might arise is to go unanswered, because we can only gain answers by asking questions and wrestling with the answer-giver and his reply. “Surely this is insolence?” “Surely this is presumptuousness!” “How dare we invite the wrath of God by asking questions?”

Now, friends, I don’t think asking questions is presumptuous, insolent, or uppity. Really, there are many layers of understanding about attitudes, maturity, and purpose to discuss here. Let me start by mentioning God’s maturity. It’s a sign of immaturity to be unable to tolerate inquiry. God is big enough to handle your questions and your doubts without it calling into question his sense of deity.

What our questioning reveals is really more about our own maturity and willingness to hear those answers for which we’ve asked. Jesus’ statement in Matthew 4 was originally a quote from Deuteronomy 6:16, “You shall not put Jehovah your God to the test, as you tested him at Massah.” What was particular about the “Testing at Massah” that made it stand out? Exodus 17:1-7 tells us the story of Israel’s testing God. To get to Exodus 17, we have to have gone through the Exodus from Egypt itself, the 10 plagues, the pillars of cloud and fire, and many more accounts of God’s direct work on behalf of and among the Israelites.

Here’s the rub, in Exodus 4:29-31, Aaron and Moses show “signs” (miracles) from God to establish their and God’s credibility with the Israelites. The response from the people? “…the people believed…and worshipped. From then on, God shows sign after sign of his power and loyal love to the Israelites.

Yet, time and time again, Israel ignores previous declarations of belief and disregards prior signs and always asks for a new one—withholding faith that was already given until another sign was wrought (cf. Matt. 12:39; I Co. 1:22).

After God led them out of Egypt, he brought them to the place called Massah. And there they dared ask, “Is Jehovah among us or not?” (17:7)

Ignoring evidence and past answers is inexcusable. How many times must the same fact be proven? How can we ask if God loves us when he’s given us proof in Jesus’ substitutionary death? How can we call into question his existence when creation testifies to its creator?

Friends, I dare say that you and I are not in need of more answers for our many questions. You and I need to have an “ear to hear” the answers he’s already given in the life of the Christ and on the pages of the Bible.- Levi Sisemore, Minister, 37th Street church of Christ, Snyder, Texas

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APRIL 5, 2015 WEEKLY NEWS

Posted on April 4, 2015 by highlandlakeschurchofchrist

THOSE WHO ALSO SERVE

”Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful; and, let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together as is the habit of some but encouraging one another; and, all the more as you see the day drawing near.” Hebrews 10:23-25

God has truly blessed this congregation with a member-ship who is able and willing to fill all needs of service. Thanks to everyone who fills any need; whether your work is preparing for the assembly, serving in the assembly, attending the assembly and contributing of your funds or providing encouragement; participating in the visitation program; participating in the community programs such as the food/clothes pantry; working in the World Bible School Program; attending Men’s Prayer Breakfast; working to maintain the facility outside and inside; sending cards and/or making telephone calls to the sick or wounded whether physically or emotionally; teaching in any capacity; proofreading, accounting/bookkeeping/ secretary. The proper functioning of this congregation takes all of us working together in unity and harmony to do the work He has established for us to do. Ephesians 4:11-13 “And He gave some as apostles and some as prophets, and some as evangelists and some as pastors and teachers for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ.”

GRANT AWARDED!!

Thank God for the latest evidence of His blessings. In the first part of February, our sister, Sheri Zoller, submitted a grant on our behalf to the Capital Area Food Bank for the purchase of an industrial 2 door cooler for our food bank. On Monday of this week, Sheri & David received word that our grant had been awarded. Within the next 3 weeks, the new industrial grade cooler will be delivered to us. In the next few days, you may witness a frenzy of activity making ready for the “new arrival”. As you can imagine, the new cooler will provide more capacity for adequate storage of the amount of perishable food we receive for distribution. A picture of the cooler is posted on the bulletin board.

This congregation is so blessed to have David and Sheri working here with us to provide this service to our community. Be sure to join with the Elders in congratulating David and Sheri for a job well done and for their dedication to this program as well as their unwavering desire to serve our God.   Finally and most importantly, thank God for His blessings.

FOOD PANTRY NEEDS

Food Pantry is in need of tooth paste, deodorant and shampoo. PLEASE!

SUMMER CAMP TUITIONS

The Sunset Ridge Church of Christ in Brady, TX will be conducting the “Heart of Texas Bible Camp” this June. Once again, our congregation is prepared to sponsor the children of our congregation that want to go to camp. If you have a child in mind that would like to go to camp, please talk to Joe for details. The sessions are as follows:

Session 1 (6/7-6/12) Age: 4th through 8th grade

Session 2 (6/14—6/19) Age: 8th through 12th grade

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BETWEEN HOLY MEN AND COMMON PEOPLE

Posted on March 28, 2015 by highlandlakeschurchofchrist

465749272_A_Christian_xlargeIn his writings the apostle Paul refuses to draw distinctions between members of the Christian community according to the measure of the ‘holiness’ they possess. The exclusion of any leading caste in the community of a priestly or official kind extends to a rejection of any spiritual aristocracy within it as well. For a start all genuine members of the community possess the Spirit. ‘Through one Spirit’ they were all introduced into it (1 Cor. 12:13); ‘in one Spirit’ they all have equal access to God (Eph. 2:18); ‘from one Spirit’ they all draw the same resources (1 Cor. 3:18); ‘by the (same) Spirit all are to direct their lives (Gal. 5:25). Since it is the same Spirit who dwells in them all, all share in the qualities of character that the Spirit produces (Gal. 5:22-23) and all participate in the gifts of ministry that the Spirit distributes (1Cor. 12:4-11). All who belong to the Christian community, therefore, are fundamentally ‘spiritual’.

Paul’s use of the terms laos, people, and hagios, holy, confirms this. Apart from its occurrence in Old Testament quotations and in direct references to the Jewish nation (Rom. 11:1-2), laos refers only to Christians as a whole, as those upon whom the promises of God concerning the creation of a ‘people’ of His own have fallen (2 Cor. 6:6). No-where does the term refer to only part of the community, or in opposition to kleros, clergy. It was only in the third century that the words for clergy and layman came into Christian usage. Nor does any one member of the community, or group of members, possess a particular ‘holiness’ denied to others. Though, because of its Old Testament associations, Paul does sometimes use the plural of hagios with reference to the Jewish Christians in Jerusalem (1 Cor. 16:1), else-where all who are believers in a particular community are specifically referred to as ’saints’. (1 Cor. 1:2) In so describing them, Paul does not mean they possess or have received some inherent personal quality which sets them apart from others. In Old Testament terms he simply refers to their having been ‘reserved’ for, ‘set aside’ by, or ‘dedicated’ to God. Since all members of the community share equally in this, there cannot be different grades of holiness within the community.

Paul therefore has no place in his view of the Christian community for traditional distinctions between its members. He has a different and less elitist understanding of ‘spirituality’ and ‘holiness’. So alien is the later Christian notion of ‘the saint’ to his thinking, that reference to the apostle now almost uniformly as Saint Paul is ironical in-deed. What do you think?

Thoughts from reading “Participation and its Responsibilities” by Robert Banks (Paul’s Idea of Community). – Ken Darnell

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MARCH 29, 2015 WEEKLY NEWS

Posted on March 28, 2015 by highlandlakeschurchofchrist

FOOD PANTRY NEEDS

Food Pantry is in need of tooth paste, deodorant and shampoo. PLEASE!

WI-FI IS HERE!

Our building now has new wireless capabilities but access is password protected. If you would like to be able to access this device, please contact Ken Darnell.

FELLOWSHIP MEAL, TONIGHT, SUNDAY 28TH!

Hosts are Bob & Doris Foster, Don & Paula Welch, as well as Janet & Myron Fietz. Come enjoy fellowship and a good meal.

ELDERS MEETING

Meeting will be at 9:00 a.m. on Wednesday, April 1st, in the Library.

TEAM #1 VISITING FOR THE MASTER PROGRAM

Leaders Joe & Teri Winnett, Wednesday, April 8th, 6:30 p.m. at the church building.

TEAM #2 VISITING FOR THE MASTER PROGRAM

Leaders Cary & Brenda Miller, Wednesday, April 22, 6:30 p.m. at the church building.

UPCOMING MISSIONARY VISIT

Our Cambodian Missionaries, Dennis & Sharon Welch, will be here May 14-17th. Mark your calendars now.

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