Announcements

MEMBER ALERT:

Mark your calendar for our fall gospel meeting with Allen Webster which starts next week on Wednesday, November 13^th and runs through Sunday November 17^th

Allen teaches at the Memphis School of Preaching, Georgia School of Preaching, and is the editor of House to House Heart to Heart. He's also a director for Polishing the Pulpit. Mark your calendar!

Please note the meeting start time on Wednesday – Each evening begins at 7 p.m.

Wednesday, 11/13/2024 7 p.m. Taking Our Spiritual Temperature (Luke 4; Revelation 3)

Thursday, 11/14/2024 7 p.m. How to Increase Our Spiritual Passion: Don't Pet the Snake (1 John 2:15-16)

Friday, 11/15/2024 7 p.m. How to Increase Our Spiritual Passion: Eyes, Ears, Knees

Saturday, 11/16/2024 7 p.m. Giving God Passionate Worship (John 4:24; Mark 14)

Sunday, 11/17/2024 10 a.m. The Greatest Command (Mark 12:30)

Sunday, 11/17/2024 11 a.m. The Greatest Text (John 3:16)

Sunday 11/17/2024 6 p.m. Seven Motivational Quotes, Five Powerful Verses, One Penetrating Question

If you cannot attend in person, join us via Zoom:

https://zoom.us/j/99914262031?pwd=STZLR3dUcEl3QW1uSTUzWjBqZXdBQT09 Meeting ID: 999 1426 2031

Bible study for the ladies on the English-speaking side: THIS Saturday, November 9th at 10 AM via Zoom. For additional information, contact Winnie Sylvester or Rosemary Dayie.

Men’s Bible study: Friday, December 20th at 7 PM, at the church building. Zoom will be available if you can't attend in-person. Volunteers to lead/facilitate future Bible studies are needed. Contact Bob Greene for more information

Ladies, the Heritage Christian University offers a credit certificate program: “The Certificate in Women’s Ministry”. It is designed to provide training to better equip women to provide holistic ministry in the congregation for discipleship, mentoring, teaching and leading. This is 15 credit hours program

Sign-up sheets are on the bulletin board for hall monitors, Sunday morning greeters, meal contact persons and Bible class substitutes and assistants on Sundays and Wednesdays.

Bible class teachers and assistants are needed, see Arnoldo Velásquez or one of the elders if you desire to serve in this capacity

Pray for our shepherds and the flock (our congregation): that we may all submit to the Lord's will and His design for His Church that He purchased with His own blood (Acts 20:28, 31; 1 Thessalonians 5:11-24; 1 Timothy 3:1-7; 5:1-21; Titus 1:6-15; 1 Peter 5:1-11).

Pray for the congregation in Ecuador, for the security of that country and for all people who are suffering through no fault of their own.

MEMORY VERSES

Exodus 20:4 - “You shall not make for yourself an idol, or any likeness of what is in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the water under the earth. NASB95

Luke 4:8 - Jesus answered him, “It is written, ‘YOU SHALL WORSHIP THE LORD YOUR GOD AND SERVE HIM ONLY.’” NASB9

The Context of “With God All Things Are Possible”

There are certain verses and phrases in the Bible that we know very well, often because of the comfort and reassurance that they bring to us. One such verse is found in Matthew, Mark and Luke. The verses vary slightly in each of the accounts, but they all say basically the same thing, “With men it is impossible, but not with God; for with God all things are possible” (Mark 10:27; Matt. 19:26; Luke 18:27).

We love that statement from the lips of our Savior! Oh, how fun it is to think that “all things are possible” with God! That makes the imagination run and the smiles come. And, even without a specific context, we could say that statement is true, for God “is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think” (Eph. 3:20). But what is the context of Jesus voicing this assurance?

The rich young ruler came to Jesus to find out what he had to do to “have eternal life” (Matt. 19:16). Jesus told him, “Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor…and come, follow Me” (Luke 18:22). The man went away “very sorrowful, for he was very rich” (Luke 18:23). When Jesus saw that, He told His disciples that it is “hard…for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God. For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God” (18:24-25). The severity of that illustration really struck His disciples. It would be impossible for a camel to fit through the eye of a needle. Impossible! The disciples “were greatly astonished at His words, saying among themselves, ‘Who then can be saved?’” (Mark 10:26). Is salvation really impossible for man?

When caught astonished at the possibility of the impossibility (in their minds) of anyone being saved, Jesus answered them with that great declaration, “With men it is impossible, but not with God; for with God all things are possible.”

“With men,” salvation is impossible! Man cannot save himself! Truly salvation is “not of yourselves” (Eph. 2:8). But what is “impossible” with men is not so with God, because for the all-powerful and all-loving and all-merciful God, “all things are possible,” including saving any and every man from his sins.

That ought to put the severity of our sins into context. It also ought to put the magnitude of the loving sacrifice of our Savior into context! We could NOT be saved without HIM! And when we choose to follow His instructions (unlike the rich young ruler) and make tough decisions “for [His] sake and the gospel’s,” we will “receive a hundredfold” blessing now, “and in the age to come, eternal life” (Mark 10:29-30). What a thought! Yes, with God, our eternal salvation is possible!

~ David Sproule ~ https://www.pblcoc.org/bulletin-articles/the-context-of-with-god-all-things-are-possible/

THINK ON THIS!

1. No problem is too big for God to solve.

2. God sometimes accomplishes things in ways that we would not expect.

3. God can do great things, even when He has very little to work with.

4. God has promised to care for us.

These phrases were taken from various writing on the Wordpoints website! (https://wordpoints.com)