| WHAT WE KNOW AND WHO WE
KNOW? |
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We have an expression:
It’s not what you know, it’s who you know. Do you agree with
that? I suppose in many cases it is true, in others it’s not.
I got my first real job because my Dad knew somebody. So in that instance it is true. However, I wouldn’t have kept that job it I didn’t know what I was doing and could not accomplish the task. In that way it would be false. Knowing and remembering and knowing and doing are also other considerations that need to be taken into account. I’ll get to that later. First, let’s listen to a guy who knew a lot of things, St. Paul. He says, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who are called according to his purpose.” We know…Think about that for a minute. There are so many things we do not know. We do not know if the economy will improve, if our team will win or if the turkey will turn out OK. We do not know what our spouse is thinking, what she wants for Christmas or where she put my car keys. We don’t even know “what we ought to pray”. But according to Paul, we can be absolutely certain about four things. And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28. Let’s break down what ‘We Know’…
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This is one of five passages I insist my Catechism kids memorize. Can you see why? This is something that I hope you will take to heart, to mind and to memory banks. This is one of those Bible treasures that make us spiritually wealthy. Knowing this as a fact guides us as we live in that faith. Knowing and doing go hand in hand. We love because he first loved us. Let me also remind you of some of the things that GOD knows. He knows the bad we do by sin. He knows the corruption of our minds, the lusts of our eyes and the evil deeds of our hands. He knows and he forgives. He knows the good we do by faith. He knows the times we forgive as we’ve been forgiven, the moments we pause to see His glory, the lifetimes we spend in service to others out of faith in Christ. So, Who we know is God, the maker of all creation and our eternal Father. What we know is that He sent His Son Jesus to suffer and die in our place; to rise again on the third day. When we knew it was the moment the Holy Spirit’s work in our hearts in Baptism and in hearing the Word of God led us to faith. How’s that for an omniscient (all-knowing) God! |
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Something to Think
About…
Many years ago, as the story is told, a devout king was disturbed by the ingratitude of his royal court. He prepared a large banquet for them. When the king and his royal guests were seated, by prearrangement, a beggar shuffled into the hall, sat down at the king’s table, and gorged himself with food. Without saying a word, he then left the room. The guests were furious and asked permission to seize the tramp and beat him for his ingratitude. The king replied, “That beggar has done only once to an earthly king what each of you does three times each day to God. You sit there at the table and eat until you are satisfied. Then you walk away without recognizing God, or expressing one word of thanks to Him” More to Think About… Some women in a Bible study were confused about this verse from 1 Peter 1:6-7 In this you greatly rejoice though now for a little while you may have to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. They wondered what this statement meant about the character and nature of God. The cross-reference was from Psalm 66:10 For you O God tested us; You refined us like silver. One of the women offered to find out the process of refining silver and get back to the group at their next Bible Study. That week, the woman called a silversmith and made an appointment to watch him at work. She didn't mention anything about the reason for her interest beyond her curiosity about the process of refining silver. As she watched the silversmith, he held a piece of silver over the fire and let it heat up. He explained that in refining silver, one needed to hold the silver in the middle of the fire where the flames were hottest as to burn away all the impurities. The woman thought about God holding us in such a hot spot then she thought again about the verse that says: "He sits as a refiner and purifier of silver." She asked the silversmith if it was true that he had to sit here in front of the fire the whole time the silver was being refined. The man answered that yes, he not only had to sit there holding the silver, but he had to keep his eyes on the silver the entire time it was in the fire. If the silver was left a moment too long in the |
flames,
it would be destroyed
The woman was silent for a moment. Then she asked the silversmith, "How do you know when the silver is fully refined?" He smiled at her and answered, "Oh, that's easy - when I see my image in it." Think about it!! If today you are feeling the heat of the fire, remember that God has His eye on you and will keep watching you until He sees His image in you. Pastor Jim Proeber WORLD MISSION UPDATE- Native American The Native American missions field consists of five congregations and one preaching station on the northern White Mountain Apache Reservation and three congregations on the southern San Carlos Reservation. The 3,000 souls who belong to these congregations are served by three pastors, two Apache evangelists/pastors, and four dedicated lay evangelists. Apache Christian Training School (ACTS) Holding classes on both reservations is the Apache Christian Training school program. ACTS trains leaders for the congregations and also provides ministerial education for apache men, often over 10 years. Two students have graduated as evangelists/pastors and are serving in the field. About 30 students are in the apache Christian Training School program, with four more in serious studies in the pre-seminary pastoral program. DIRECTIONS TO OUR FATHER’S HOUSE: Make sure you have the correct map. It’s found in the book called the Bible. Follow the straight and narrow the whole way. It is called Faith Boulevard. When you come to a bridge built on the Rock, merge onto the King’s Highway and follow it till Grace exit. If you go too far, exit onto Gospel Lane to get you back to Grace. Do not yield to temptation. It is a dead end. Also avoid hitchhikers like envy, hate and lovelessness. Victory Street should be straight ahead. Pass through the pearly gates and you are there. The Father will be looking for you. |
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| THANKSGIVING
WORSHIP: Nov. 23rd, Wednesday Evening, is the time we’ve set aside to
thank God for all His blessings. Worship begins at 7:30.
You are again invited to bring bags of groceries for the local food
bank and Shepherd’s Gate, home for abused women and children. Our
monetary offering will go to California Lutheran High School. Thanksgiving Thoughts
Humor- Children were asked to write notes to God. Here are some notes they handed in: Dear God: Did You really mean "do unto others as they do unto you"? Because if You did, then I'm going to get my brother good. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Dear God: Thank You for the baby brother, but I think you got confused because what I prayed for was a puppy. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Dear God: Please send me a pony. I never asked for anything before. You can look it up. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Dear God: You don't have to worry about me; I always look both ways. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Dear God: I think about You sometimes, even when I'm not praying. |
NEW SMALL GROUP SERIES!
Our new semester system (with 4-12 week series topics) has begun!
Wednesday eve at 7:00 is the ENGAGE series of videos on real life
topics. This group meets in different homes. The upcoming topics include • Desk- Where do you hide? • Hose- What happens when life breaks down? • Million- How do you separate fact form feeling? • Convoy- why do bad things happen? The series will conclude in mid-December. New people can jump in at any time. Talk to Pastor for more information. Another group meets on Thursday morning at 10:00 at church under the general topic of MONUMENTAL MOUNTAIN-TOPS. Mt. Carmel, Mt. Moriah, Mount Zion, Transfiguration Mountain and of course, Calvary are all mountains we’ll visit. Humor- A nearsighted minister glanced at the note that Mrs. Jones had sent to him by an usher. The note read: Bill Jones having gone to sea, his wife desires the prayers of the congregation for his safety. Failing to observe the punctuation, he startled his audience by announcing: Bill Jones, having gone to see his wife, desires the prayers of the congregation for his safety. |
