April 27, 2025
“If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.”
~ Philippians 2:1-4 (NIV) ~
INVESTING GOD’S WAY
I want to share a story that I recently read. It is a moving story that David Jeremiah wrote about Bob Pierce, the founder of the international Christian relief agency, World Vision.
Bob had advanced leukemia, but he went to visit a colleague in Indonesia before he died.As they were walking through a small village, they came upon a young girl lying on a bamboo mat next to a river. She was dying of cancer and had only a short time to live.
Bob was indignant. He demanded to know why she wasn’t in a clinic. But his friend explained that she was from the jungle and wished to spend her last days next to the river, where it was cool and familiar.
As Bob gazed at her, he felt such compassion that he got down on his knees in the mud, took her hand, and began stroking it.Although she didn’t understand him, he prayed for her.Afterward she looked up and said something. “What did she say?” Bob asked his friend.
His friend relayed, “She said, ‘If I could only sleep again, if I could only sleep again.’” It seemed that her pain was too great to allow her the relief of rest.
Bob began to weep. Then he reached into his pocket and took out his own sleeping pills, the ones his doctor had given him because the pain from his leukemia was too great for him to sleep at night.
He handed the bottle to his friend. “You make sure this young lady gets a good night’s sleep,” he said, “as long as these pills last.”
Bob was ten days away from where he could get his prescription refilled. That meant ten painful and restless nights. That day his servanthood cost him greatly. But even in the midst of his suffering, God had infused a supernatural sense of satisfaction that he had done the right thing.
“For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve…” ~ Mark 10:45 (NIV) ~
In the Biblical accounts of Jesus’ life, we see that He came as a man for the people. He didn’t set Himself apart or above ordinary men and women. He stayed right in the midst of them. He got His hands and clothes dirty as He touched and served them. Jesus is the example of how we are to live in this world.
We must never make our faith and the church about us alone. Anytime we do — we are out of sync with Jesus. It was never about Him. His attitude was always to serve the broken and the hurting.
Discovering that truth about Jesus is easy it’s written all over the four gospels. The real albeit uncomfortable challenge for us, is to discover what our truth is. Is our truth about servanthood or is it about our own comfort? Is it about our own safety? Is it about a safe religion? Those are questions that each of us must decide for ourselves.
This week, as we journey together in our lives of discipleship and ministry, let’s make sure we see the actual picture of the serving Jesus Jesus as He really is the Jesus who never came to be served the Jesus who only came to be a servant. However, let’s not stop there. Let’s ask Jesus to show each of us someone that we can serve this week. It may be someone you already know but it may be a total stranger that will come across your path. Let’s ask Jesus for the courage and determination for His servant’s heart to be willing to do what it takes to meet real needs. Let’s be willing to get our hands and clothes dirty as we engage with those in our community who are broken and hurting. Let’s ask God to infuse us with a supernatural sense of satisfaction that we have done the right thing.
Blessings on your week. I look forward to worshipping this Sunday morning with you as we look together at THE INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITY OF A LIFETIME.
Pastor Terrell
ScheduleforSunday,April27,2025
The Saints Class @ 9:00 AM Room #201
Ruth Class @ 9:00 AM Room #202
Youth Bible Study @ 9:00 AM in Cabin
Prayer Room open @ 9:00 AM Room #206
Preschool Worship opens in KID CITY 10:15 AM
Sunday Morning Worship @ 10:30 AM in Worship Center
Kidz4Christ K-6th dismissed during Morning Worship
Schedulefortherestoftheweek:
Tuesday@ 10:00 AM in Fellowship Hall - Women’s Bible Study
Tuesday@ 10:00 AM in Room #202 - Men’s Bible Study
Wednesday@ 6:30 PM in Cabin - Youth Group
Thursday@ 6:00 PM in Fellowship Hall – Adult Bible Study
Saturday@ 8:30 AM in Fellowship Hall – Men’s Breakfast
Women’s Bible Study
Tuesdays 10:00 AM Fellowship Hall
Men’s Bible Study 10:00 AM
Tuesdays Room #202 UNWAVERING TENACITY
Students in grades 7
Wednesdays 6:30 PM at the CABIN !
Sunday Morning Youth Bible Study AM to 10 AM at the Cabin !
Adult Bible Study
Thursdays @ 6 PM in Fellowship Hall
IF YOU NEED HELP OR ASSISTANCE
Deacon of the Week:
Doug Crow
520-831-0146
got questions?
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GUYS !! This Saturday, MAY 3, 2025 @ 8:30 AM in Fellowship Hall.
