Another Reminder That We're Not

Yet In the Kingdom

esterday morning I went out early to start my day. I had plans to get a lot of things done.  I opened my door to the Civic to find a gaping hole in my dash where my stereo used to be!!! I stood there dumb founded. It was a decent after market stereo that WAS in my car when I bought it. Well someone else decided they wanted it at a discount!

 

            So instead of getting some work done, I called the police and waited to file a report.

 

            I was angry, not so much that I lost my stereo, but that I live in a world where stealing is normal and expected. To add to that frustration I had two different officers during the day tell me "It's a good thing you didn't have the door locked then you'd be replacing the side window." In other words, "They're going to steal, might as well make it easier so they don't destroy more." "What!" "Is that our world?!" Well, yes it is.

 

            It made me desire even more the Kingdom of God. I thought of this verse in Isaiah, "They will not build and another inhabit, they will not plant and another eat." (Isaiah 65:22) In other words you won't have to worry about your stuff. There won't be stealing, violence or pain.

 

            I really long for the day when Jesus comes back and sets up his everlasting Kingdom on the earth. Not just so people won't steal my stereo, but for more important reasons.  This stealing incident was just a small reminder of the curse we're living under.

 

I also found it interesting that my Bible was lying in plain sight and for some reason that didn't take that. I wish they would have – they need it!                                                                     - Pastor Alan Cain, 8-11-07

 

REGARDING THIEVES and many others (see above article), they still have an appointment with God:

“Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.” (1 Cor. 6:9-11) 

PRAISE GOD, THIEVES AND ALL THE REST

CAN BE FORGIVEN IN CHRIST!

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DOROTHY ROBERTSON entered Ashtabula hospital Aug. 10^th.  I’m not sure she will still be in the hospital by today.  She very much would appreciate your prayers.

 

 

A NEW CHURCH directory has been printed. Anyone reading this may request an electronic copy.

 

THE MACBOOK LAPTOP has arrived and was displayed by Mark this past Sunday.  Its portability will make it possible for the pastor to work on sermons while on vacation! Thanks, congregation, for this thoughtful addition to my office! 

 

THESE 5 MEN FROM ALBANY NEW YORK (a picture of the men is in the church bulletin) arrived in Bedford last Tuesday to witness of Christ on our main street.  Their names are John Obelenus, Sal Lituma, Joshua Gabrigl, Sean Finnegan and Joe Testa.

 

            They are on a 2-week evangelical trip visiting several of our churches in the Midwest.  Sean is a 2005 graduate of ABC and he has also taught some intensive courses at our Bible College.

 

            Our church provided them with a dinner Tuesday evening and some of our congregation came to visit with them in the evening.  They went downtown and talked with various people and handed out literature.  We were very pleased they stopped by our church!

 

Whatever Happened To Modesty?

Kent Ross in his THRIVE daily devotional has expressed his concern for Christian teens and their modesty in clothing.  It resulted in someone providing these web sites where some good suggestions about modest dress can be found and even where modest clothes can be purchased – EVEN PROM dresses!!  I’ve heard parents say, “You can’t find anything decent in the stores!”  Hopefully, these sites can help.

Modesty Zone - www.modestyzone.net
Dress Modestly.com - www.dressmodestly.com
Pure Fashion - www.purefashion.com
Modesty By Design - www.modestbydesign.com
Modest Apparel USA - www.modestapparelusa.com

Our Trip to Mexico

(Philippians 4:6-7) "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding will guide your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

                      

As we recently traveled over a great number of miles on the mission trip to Mexico, I claimed this verse. We traveled some in rain (sometimes coming down pretty hard), traveled through mountains where the passing zones are not the greatest, traveled with the "check engine" light on for a while and just simply traveled when we were tired and weary. But in all of this, I did not feel anxious. We began each day asking God to direct and protect and each evening we thanked Him for doing exactly that. We prayed for easy passage across the border - He answered our prayers. We prayed for a good VBS - He answered by sending us more children than we had prepared for but gave us easy solutions to take care of that. All in all, God honored our requests and gave us a sense of peace as we served Him. And I pray He was honored when we took the time to acknowledge that He was the source of our strength and that He was the One that had directed all of our hearts and minds. Truly we serve an awesome and powerful God.                                                                              – July Myers, 8-10-07

 

PRAY FOR: Dorothy Robertson, Tim Guiles (S. Cain’s nephew)), Jim Engledue (accident, by Rx), Lois Maze (by Robertson), Vicki Phillis, Pastor Beder (cancer, Peru), Kate Liauw (28, MS, by R Phillis), Iris Horst (cancer, by Roper), Emory Macy, Amy Gunselman (cancer, by R Phillis), Evelyn Pennington, Ruby Korode, Lucinda (by Szekely), Gene & Gloria Faehnrich, Edith Speer, Grady Hudspeth*, Jacob Hinton*, Kathy & Destiny Reed*, (*by Skip), W.C. & Craig Blankenship, College students: Jackie Schuld, Dan & Rachel Cain (internship / teaching degree), Shut-ins: Helen Matthews, Military: Rodger Schuld, Those serving in other countries: Lupe Badillo-Mexico, Tracy Zhykhovich-Russia, Beder Ucañay-Peru, Pastors in Malawi &  Mozambique, Lesly Bertrand and the Pastors in Haiti. Colleges / Churches: RRCC, ABC, Golden Rule, Grace Brethren and for the peace of Jerusalem, Ps. 122:6; Isa. 62:6, 7

 

Aug. 2007

19  “Enter to worship – leave to serve.”

26  Annual Church Picnic / 10:30am / No services here (no SS classes) – all at Longwood Park, Rt. 82, 1 mile east of Macedonia

                                

 

Musicians: (Frank Roper and Mark Cain)

Welcome / Announcements

Worship Hymns / Mark Cain

Prayer / Offering

Message: God Can Transform You Into Gold

Key Texts: Lk 19:1-9; 8:1-3; Jn 3:1-3; Acts 7:54-8:1; 9:1-9;

Eze 36:25-28; Rom 6:5; Eph 2:5

382 Amazing Grace, How Sweet the Sound

 

IF YOU WOULD LIKE to become a member in the Family of God and worship and serve him through this assembly, contact Pastor Cain at any time, at any hour.  He would be delighted to talk with you about what God requires – things such as repentance, faith, baptism and the godly life.  We have lessons, if you prefer, that will take you step by step through the basics of our faith and what God expects from His servants.