We want to see you go from where you are to where God wants you to be.
Get your cowboy get-up on and let’s have some “devil stompin” church!! There will be a “best western-dressed” Cowboy, cowgirl, Man and Woman.
We will be sharing a pot-luck western grub dinner – whatever you cook up..and bring a bunch! There will be a community outreach on Saturday morning inviting those in the community, friends, family and neighbors to join with us for a great time of worship, food, and fellowship! There will be NO EVENING SERVICE.
Fire And Rain
In mercy the throne will be established; and One will sit on it in truth . . . judging and seeking justice and hastening righteousness. —Isaiah 16:5
When a wildfire raged through the beautiful canyons near Colorado Springs, Colorado, it destroyed the habitat of all kinds of wildlife and hundreds of homes. People across the nation cried out to God, pleading with Him to send rain to douse the flames, put an end to the destruction, and give firefighters relief. Some people’s prayers had an interesting condition attached to them. They asked God to show mercy and send rain without lightning, which they feared would start even more fires.
This reminds me of how we live in tension between things that save us and kill us. With fire, we cook our food and keep warm, but in it we can be consumed. With water, we keep our bodies hydrated and our planet cooled, but in it we also can drown. Too much or too little of either is life-threatening.
We see the same principle at work spiritually. To thrive, civilizations need the seemingly opposite qualities of mercy and justice (Zech. 7:9). Jesus scolded the Pharisees for being sticklers about the law but neglecting these “weightier matters” (Matt. 23:23).
We may lean toward justice or mercy, but Jesus keeps them in perfect balance (Isa. 16:5; 42:1-4). His death satisfies God’s need for justice and our need for mercy.
Father, for personal reasons I sometimes lean toward
showing mercy, and sometimes I just want justice now.
Teach me the balance as I look at Your character and
give me the wisdom I need in specific situations.
God’s justice and mercy met at the cross.
Article by Julie Ackerman Link, Our Daily Bread, Copyright 2013 by RBC Ministries, Grand Rapids, MI. Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved. Further distribution is prohibited without written permission from RBC Ministries
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Legacy of Worship
One of the first places we see the word Worship is in Genesis 22:5 “And Abraham said to his servants, Settle down and stay here with the donkey, and I and the young man will go yonder and worship and (a)come again to you.” (AMP)
Abraham, the “Friend of God”, is being called to approach worship in a place of supreme sacrifice. Responding with reverent obedience, he turned toward the high place of devotion. After telling the servants to stay behind, he and Isaac went up to worship.
Abraham left the security of fellowship and beast, which may have made the climb easier. Why? It was a voyage of God’s divine choosing; how could the servants possibly understand what he was about to do? The donkey may have slowed his pace or perhaps he just needed to feel the weight of the burden himself. Comforts forgotten, he completed the journey and the covenant promise met the covenant maker.
Can we grasp the importance of Abraham including Isaac in the difficult task? By placing the wood upon Isaac’s shoulders, he taught the covenant promise to bear the burden of worship. Lifting the fire pot and knife, father and son made the climb together.
The word worship evokes memories of great church. While prayer sets the atmosphere, the praise team leads us in a concert of praise making it is easy to respond in a form of worship. However; we shouldn’t forget, the summons to true worship is frequently met with a demand to ascend alone.
I continually witnessed my parents answering the summons to their place of worship. The climbs were difficult, often met with loss; yet, with divine purpose. Each time, I discovered great faith infused with heartfelt worship in the face of suffering. They simply released the covenant promise into the presence of the covenant keeper. What a powerful Legacy of Worship!
By Donna Ten Eyck, (Mississippi’s Daughters of Zion Director and Promotions Director for the District Ladies Ministries Committe)
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