SEPTEMBER 8, 2013 WEEKLY NEWS

Posted on September 5, 2013 by highlandlakeschurchofchrist

church photo misc 004Guest Preaching

In the absence of Joe, Ken Darnell will preach the morning of Sunday, September 8th. That evening, we welcome Delton McGuire and his wife, Valerie, from Cherokee Home for Children. Delton will preach and also give us a report on the work at the Home.

Ladies Bible Class

Be praying and planning to come join us to begin our study of the Minor Prophets beginning 10 AM September 11. We plan to have a guest speaker to give us some background information to the time of our study. We also plan to enjoy a salad luncheon after class.

VISITING FOR THE MASTER

(VISITATION PROGRAM) Team #1 (leaders: Teri & Joe Winnett) will meet on Wednesday, Sept. 11 at 6:30 pm in the library for their assignments.

Food Pantry Needs

Personal hygiene products, canned meat (very much needed!), peanut butter. Plastic bags are not needed at this time.

Thank You Note

Thank you for your prayers, support, and many words of encouragement for a successful recovery from my heart problem. It is truly an honor and a blessing to be a member of Christ’s church in Kingsland which is filled with Christian love and compassion.  Sincerely, Bob Foster

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WHY CHURCHES GROW

Posted on September 5, 2013 by highlandlakeschurchofchrist

church photo misc 003

 

Over the last few years, numerous books and articles have been written about why churches grow (or don’t grow). They have offered all kinds of solutions to the problems of declining church growth. Some of the ideas are:

1. Bigger buildings

2. Better location

3. Good publicity

4. Plenty of parking

5. Better qualified staff

Now these are good and if possible, churches need to have them. But when we look at the book of Acts, we see that the church described there grew because of some other reasons. Let’s consider some of them:

They Preached the Simple Message of Jesus Christ (Acts 2:22-28). Their efforts were not directed at preaching social reform or some kind of revolutionary new gimmick to try on the people. Salvation was (and is) man’s greatest need and they preached the message of the One Who could provide it.

They Enjoyed Each Other’s Fellowship (Acts 2:42-46). They spent a lot of time together even when they were not in the public assembly. They ate, prayed, and studied together. They shared their possessions.

They Had A Common Purpose (Acts 4:32a). This verse says, “All the believers were one in heart and mind.” When people are held together by like-mindedness and common purpose they are a powerful and successful force.

They Were Respected by Outsiders (Acts 5:13). There was just something about that group of Christians that commanded the respect of non-Christians. Their work, morality, zeal, dedication and spirituality just seemed to make them much better than those outside of Christ.

They Were Committed (Acts 5:29). After being put in jail and threatened, Peter said, “We must obey God rather than men.” Christianity was not (and is not now) a practice based on convenience or the mood of the one claiming to be Christian, but on giving ourselves totally to the obedience of God’s will — whatever the cost.

They Practiced Evangelism Everywhere Every Day (Acts 8:1-4). Those who were scattered as the result of the persecution “preached the word wherever they went.” Preaching and teaching Jesus was not limited to an apostolic hierarchy but it was taught as they had the opportunity by all.

So, we can see that church growth in the NT was not the result of adequate church staffs, big buildings, good locations, but by every Christian being dedicated to the cause of Christ and unswerving in his/her desire as one had talent and opportunity. Ferman Carpenter – Henderson church of Christ, Henderson, KY

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SEPTEMBER 1, 2013 WEEKLY NEWS

Posted on August 29, 2013 by highlandlakeschurchofchrist

WITH SYMPATHY

We are expressing our heartfelt sympathy and love to Charlie and Georgia Jones, combined with our prayers for all in the family and friends. Charlie’s youngest brother lost his battle with cancer and passed away last week.

THANK YOU

“Thank you for the cards, calls and prayers during my recent surgery.”  Love, James Williams

Brothers and sisters, Thank you so very much for all the cards, visits, phone calls and baked goods. We are especially grateful for the prayers. Dad is getting stronger every day and Mom is working hard also!  Thank you for loving us, Myrtle & Billy and Valerie & Dale

Dear Brethren, Diane and I were SO glad to be with you on the Lord’s Day, a few weeks ago! Thanks for having us come down to give a report about the work of God going on in Nigeria, and for letting me preach the word! I pray that you all were encouraged by our presence as Diane and I were to be in your midst! Thanks for taking up a special collection for the work of Christ in Nigeria, too! That truly was special!! Till we see one another again, we remain your friends and your brethren who are happy to work with you to reach the lost in Nigeria, West Africa! God bless you all!  In Christian love, Doug Wheeler

Come and Hear – Author/Speaker Steve Hemphill

Sunday, September 8th through Wednesday, September 11th, Steve Hemphill will present a series of interesting topics at the Cherokee church of Christ in Cherokee. The subjects are: “The Covenant”, “Discovering Heaven”, “Resurrection & Rewards”, “Are Demons Real?” “Prayers Satan Hates!” and “Reducing Satan’s Domain”. For more information about the speaker and the exact times of the lectures, please, consult the flyer on the bulletin board. It will be a good gospel meeting!

VISITING FOR THE MASTER

(VISITATION PROGRAM) Team #1 (leaders: Teri & Joe Winnett) will meet on Wednesday, Sept. 11, in the library for their assignments.

Food Pantry Needs

Personal hygiene products, canned meat (very much needed!), peanut butter. Plastic bags are not needed at this time.

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DO YOURSELF A FAVOR

Posted on August 29, 2013 by highlandlakeschurchofchrist

2013 08 23 IPHONE 004If you were going to do the best thing you could possibly do for yourself, what would that be? If there is one thing in life that you could have over anything else, what would it be? These two questions are not exactly the same, but they are closely related.

Sometimes the thing we want the most may not be the best thing we can do for ourselves.

Once a man approached Jesus as He was walking along the road. The young man ran to Him and knelt at His feet and asked, “Good Teacher, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?” (Mark 10:17). Jesus responded by telling him to keep the Law of Moses. This was the law that was still in effect during the life of our Savior. The young man stated that he had kept the Law of Moses from his youth. At this point, Jesus challenged him concerning genuine faith.

“One thing you lack: go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow Me” (Mark 10:21). The young man did not obey this command of the Son of God. He went away in sorrow. But why?

The reason is simple and applicable to each one of us. Until we come to a willingness to give up what matters in life to us most, we cannot be disciples of Jesus! Jesus Himself proclaimed, “So likewise whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple” (Luke 14:33).

It seems fair that the One who gave up heaven and separated Himself from God on the cross with our sins, would also require a similar sacrifice. We are only Christians when we follow in the footsteps of Christ. A servant is not greater than his master.

If you want to do yourself the greatest favor you could ever do, then forsake everything you have and follow Jesus!

The second favor is like unto the first. Build relationships with people who care primarily about your soul.

“For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it” (Matthew 16:25).   Jeremiah Tatum – Pulasky Street church of Christ, Lawrenceburg, TN

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AUGUST 25, 2013 WEEKLY NEWS

Posted on August 24, 2013 by highlandlakeschurchofchrist

Things To Act Upon

  • On the bulletin board: an article about the FCC deciding not to enforce decency standards on TV anymore. Parents Television Council is requesting those concerned to contact the FCC.
  • The elders are beginning to consider the new budget for 2014. If you have any suggestions, please, share them with the elders as soon as possible.
  • If you would be interested in helping with the sign out front, please, talk to Joe or one of the elders. This would involve changing the messages every week or so.
  • A reprint of Dr. Everett Ferguson’s book, A Cappella Music in the Public Worship of the Church is available. If you are interested, sign your name to the list on the bulletin board before Saturday, August 31st. We will order these paperback books together for $5.00 each and save taxes that way. It is also available as an Amazon Kindle e-book. This book should be a good tool to make us understand why we do not use instrumental music in our public worship service and it could help us when others have questions about this our practice. Consult the e-mail flyer on the bulletin board for more information.

 Thank You

Thank you for your cards, calls and especially for your prayers and dealing with my broken arm! A special “thank-you” to the ladies who filled in for me at Hair Day and the Birthday Party at the care center. Thank God for all of you! In Christian love, Pat DeVore

Our Fellowship Meal

After our evening assembly on Sunday, August 25th, we will have our monthly Fellowship Meal. Hosts & hostess are: Myron & Janet Fietz, Bob & Donna Feuerbacher and Ken & Gail Darnell. If you are a visitor, you are our very welcome guest! Please stay and enjoy!

Men’s Prayer Breakfast

The August Men’s Prayer breakfast will meet at the Kingsland Community Center on Saturday, August 31st @ 9:00 am to enjoy the annual Lion’s Club Pancake breakfast and a time of fellowship.

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HE SAID, “FOLLOW ME’

Posted on August 23, 2013 by highlandlakeschurchofchrist

2013 08 23 IPHONE 003An Arctic explorer advertisement from 1913: “Men wanted for hazardous journey. Small wages. Bitter cold. Long months of complete darkness. Constant danger. Safe return doubtful. Honor and recognition in case of success” — and more than 5,000 men applied for the 26 job openings!

Jesus came to earth. Called men to follow Him. He promised them arrest, floggings, betrayal, persecution, and death (Matthew 10). Then He told them He was sending them out as sheep among wolves. He never begged them to follow Him. He simply and clearly said, “Follow me” and kept going.

Maybe we should go back to this method. We could call it the “Jesus Approach”. Instead of pleading and waiting for a man or woman to make their decision to be saved . . . we just make it plain and simple, “Do you have what it takes to follow Jesus?” “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head” (Luke 9:58). Jesus challenged men to be followers to the end. Living the Christian life is not for cowards! From: Crawford’s Clipboard

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AUGUST 19, 2013 WEEKLY NEWS

Posted on August 16, 2013 by highlandlakeschurchofchrist

THINGS TO ACT UPON

 On the bulletin board: an article about the FCC deciding not to enforce decency standards on TV anymore. Parents Television Council is requesting those concerned to contact the FCC.

 The elders are beginning to consider the new budget for 2014. If you have any suggestions, please, share them with the elders as soon as possible.

 If you would be interested in helping with the sign out front, please, talk to Joe or one of the elders. This would involve changing the messages every week or so.

 A reprint of Dr. Everett Ferguson’s book, A Cappella Music in the Public Worship of the Church is available. If you are interested, sign your name to the list on the bulletin board before Saturday, August 31st. We will order these paperback books together for $5.00 each and save taxes that way. It is also available as an Amazon Kindle e-book. This book should be a good tool to make us understand why we do not use instrumental music in our public worship service and it could help us when others have questions about this our practice. Consult the e-mail flyer on the bulletin board for more information.

From the Heart . . .

. . . “Thanks for the care, the prayers and thoughts during my recent toe surgery and recovery”.  Love, Gail Darnell

The Darnell’s friends’ son, Elijah Wiess, is now safely in the loving arms of his God and Heavenly Father. Elijah’s life ended on Wednesday, it was short, but to the glory of God in many ways. We send our love, condolences and prayers to the parents, Evan & Sherril Weiss and all the family in Littlefield, TX.

VISITING FOR THE MASTER

VISITATION PROGRAM Team #2 (leaders: Cary & Brenda Miller) will meet on Wednesday, August 21st, at 6:30 pm in the Library for their assignments.

Annual Breakfast for Public Servants

On Friday, August 23rd, we will honor our public servants with a breakfast again. It will be from 7 to 9 am. If you have not signed up yet as a cook, server, greeter or eater…there is still time to put your name to the sign-up sheets in the back of the auditorium; please indicate, where you would like to serve.

Our Fellowship Meal

It is always enjoyable to attend our monthly Fellowship Meal! It will be next Sunday, August 25th, after our evening worship assembly. Hosts & hostess will be: Myron & Janet Fietz, Bob & Donna Feuerbacher and Ken & Gail Darnell. Be sure and come! Visitors, stay too, you are always welcome as our special guests.

Men’s Prayer Breakfast

The Men’s August Prayer Breakfast on Saturday, August 31st at 9:00 am and will take place at the Moore’s residence.

Food Pantry Needs

Personal hygiene products, canned meat (very much needed!), peanut butter and plastic bags.

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WHERE IN THE WORLD HAVE YOU BEEN?

Posted on August 16, 2013 by highlandlakeschurchofchrist

“They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world” (John 17:16).

Each week we go many places and do many things. That is normal and natural. Christians are in the world. Participation in the world cannot be avoided. There is work to do; groceries to buy; ball games to play and friends to visit. The world is very powerful, however. Its influence can be overwhelmingly strong. Could it be that the world sometimes overwhelms our thinking and our faith?

Our Lord prayed to the Father for His disciples. He was concerned that while His disciples continued to live in the world they must not be part of the world. “I have given them Your Word, and the world has hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. I do not ask You to take them out of the world, but to keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is the truth. As you sent Me into the world, I also sent them into the world. For their sakes sanctify Myself, that they themselves also may be sanctified in truth” (John 17:14-10).

We must have an emotional separation from the world. We must be able to critically examine our environment and know what is sinful and what is righteous. We may be in the world but we can never be part of the world. The Lord prayed that we be kept from the evil one. We must do our part to stay away from the evil one. We must not allow the world to become the dominating factor in our life. Instead, the Word of the Lord must be the principle factor, we must be sanctified in the Word of Truth. We are in the world to change the world, not be changed by the world.

John reminded his readers how hard emotional separation from the world would be. “Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. The world is passing away, and also its lust; but the one who does the will of God lives forever” (1 John 2:15-17). Satan will use any part of the world to entice and deceive.

Have we become part of the world from which we were to have remained separated? Have we been overcome by the world instead of allowing ourselves to be sanctified in the truth? A few questions about daily habits might help us realize where we stand. Have we been in places dedicated to decadence instead of righteousness? Have our conversations been unholy? Have we been to sports activities when we should have been in worship activities? Have we been in business activities that compromised our faith? Have we been in a relationship that is sinful? Are we willing to repent and return to sanctification? God can help us to return to His ways. He forgives and blesses, if we so desire.

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AUGUST 11, 2013 WEEKLY NEWS

Posted on August 9, 2013 by highlandlakeschurchofchrist

WITH SYMPATHY

The brother-in-law of Ken Thuleen, Laverne Taft, passed away in New Braunfels on August 6th. Private services took place on Friday in Seguin.

Our love, prayers and sympathy are extended to Ken, Thelma and to all in the family and his friends.

THINGS TO ACT UPON

  • On the bulletin board: an article about the FCC deciding not to enforce decency standards on TV anymore. Parents Television Council is requesting those concerned to contact the FCC.
  • The elders are beginning to consider the new budget for 2014. If you have any suggestions, please, share them with the elders as soon as possible.
  • If you would be interested in helping with the sign out front, please, talk to Joe or one of the elders. This would involve changing the messages every week or so.
  • A reprint of Dr. Everett Ferguson’s book, A Cappella Music in the Public Worship of the Church is available. It can be purchased from Desert Willow Publishing for $5.00 per copy plus shipping & handling ($6.99). If those interested order copies together, we will not have to pay taxes. The price is somewhat higher at Amazon and Barnes & Nobles. It is also available as an Amazon Kindle e-book. Consult the e-mail flyer on the bulletin board for more information.

OUR NEW POCKET DIRECTORY

If you have not made any correction on the pages we recently had on the table in the back of the auditorium or you weren’t here during that time, you will receive a phone call so you can confirm or change the information that we have at the present time. We appreciate your help!

ICE CREAM FELLOWSHIP

Hot weather is the perfect time to have our annual Ice Cream Fellowship on Sunday, August 11th after our worship assembly. Bring your favorite home-made ice cream, or a delicious store bought kind, or some of the good things that even enhance the best of ice creams: toppings of various kinds or cakes and cookies. Hopefully all of us have made plans to enjoy this special fellowship this evening!

FOOD PANTRY NEEDS

Personal hygiene products, canned meat (very much needed!), peanut butter and plastic bags.

Annual Breakfast for Public Servants

On Friday, August 23rd, we will honor our public servants with a breakfast again. It will be from 7 to 9 am. We will need cooks, servers, greeters and eaters. There is are sign-up sheets in the back of the auditorium; please indicate, where you would like to serve.

VISITING FOR THE MASTER

(VISITATION PROGRAM) Team #2 (leaders: Cary & Brenda Miller) will meet on Wednesday, August 21st, at 6:30 pm in the Library for their assignments.

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FULLY AWARE OF HIS GOODNESS

Posted on August 9, 2013 by highlandlakeschurchofchrist

“…to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God” (Ephesians 3:19).

Does Jesus move you?

Let me ask you in another way: “When you contemplate the wonder of Christ, does your heart respond with emotion?”  Perhaps it would benefit to ask it of yourself like this: “Am I stirred when I consider what my relationship with God through Christ brings to my life?”

In 2006 Barna Research was interviewing church leaders across the country in regard to church growth and church decline and as to what they attributed each congregation’s present experience. Then, at the end of the dialogue, the interviewer would ask each leader one final question: “What does Jesus mean to you?” The responses they received were honest and genuine” “He is my Savior, my Redeemer, my Friend.” Each response was honest and genuine, and yet, each was what we would expect. Except when they asked it of a man who ministered in a small, isolated church in the Northwest. When asked what Jesus meant to his life, the minister began to cry, incapable of even responding verbally.  Folks, that’s the response of a life that has abandoned everything for Jesus, and is fully aware of His goodness. I believe too often we’ve been conditioned to respond void of emotion. Our conditioned response is clinical. Academic. Detached. When was the last time you have stood speechless before sunrays pouring through the clouds? When were you last moved to tears in praising His name? Have you ever been driven to your knees when singing, “I Stand in Awe”?  There are some who argue emotion challenges reverence. I say they do not understand and they are missing out. Let us glorify God with our heart!

Jason Reeves – West Erwin church of Christ, Tyler, TX

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