12/5/2014
Matthew 6 is about some DOs and DON’Ts. Do give to the needy, but do not announce it to others. Do pray for people, but not because others will see or hear you pray and think you are righteous. Do focus upon God through sacrifices and fasting, but do so quietly and humbly. Be good stewards of all that God has given you; do not squander your money or other resources. God is a great provider. Do not worry about your needs – today or into the future. Be blessed.
12/4/2014
Want to be blessed? To learn biblically how to do so, read Matthew 5. If we do the things that Jesus described, we will be blessed. If we do the things that Jesus described, we will shed His light in a darkened world. May we be the change that Jesus would like to see… in the hearts, minds, and souls of all people. May we practice and teach the commands, both in letter and the spirit, as set forth by Jesus in Matthew 5.
12/3/2014
Have you ever been tested? Jesus was! Testing has a way of helping us decide what is important; it helps us set priorities. Meeting the challenges of daily living and “passing the tests” can make us stronger. May we realize there is more to life than food; more to life than power; more to life than possessions. May we reflect on what is truly important during this Christmas season – our relationship with God, our relationship with others, and our becoming more Christlike disciples.
12/2/2014
Do you hear the voice of one calling? In Matthew 3, John the Baptist is preparing the way for Jesus Christ – His message and His ministry. We entered the advent season last Sunday. Advent is a time of preparation. We are preparing to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. We are also to prepare for the return of Jesus Christ. Are you prepared? May His kingdom come. May His will be done. May we be blessed with His daily provision. May we be prepared to spend eternal life with Him.
In Matthew 2, we see how God would speak to Joseph in his dreams. It is interesting that Joseph did not question if it was really God speaking to him, he just listened and then obeyed. May we clearly hear when God speaks to us. May we be quick to respond to His words and instructions.
The River Run Church is learning about the “organic church” and is seeking to function as the early church did. A suggestion, from our reading, was to work our way through the four gospels in three months. To do so, we should try to cover a chapter a day. Maybe you would like to join us?
Considering Matthew 1…
At first glance the genealogy may look boring, but with a little exploration and study we can see how God can and does use us… broken and flawed as we may be.
The First Place 4 Health Bible study book we are using for the support group this fall/winter is entitled The Power of Hope. The “Week Two” chapter is “Heartsick and Battle Weary” and the Scripture verse is from Proverbs 13:12, which states “Hope deferred makes the heart sick, But a longing fulfilled is a tree of life.”
Even though we are not slaves to the Egyptian taskmasters, daily life and relationships can take a lot out of us. This chapter reminds us that we need to be honest with ourselves about the role we have played in getting us to where we are today… both good and bad. When we are feeling defeated, Exodus 3:7 reminds us that God hears our cries and is concerned about our suffering. Much of this chapter revolves around Psalm 107. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/…
Psalm 107 presents a number of scenarios [someone who is lost, is in darkness, is rebellious, or is tossed to and fro] where we can see a pattern emerge. People, in distress, cry out to God, He hears them and delivers them from their suffering, and the people in return give thanks to God for His unfailing love. May we remember to cry out to God when we are in need. May we wait upon the Lord for His deliverance. May we remember that He loves us and seeks only what is good for us. May the Lord fulfill our deepest longings.
References:
First Place 4 Health, “The Power of Hope.” Bible Study Series (2010), Gospel Light, Ventura, CA.
The River Run Church of the Nazarene will continue its Health and Wellness Support Group. In addition, River Run will share Health and Wellness material here, on the church’s website/blog page. In sharing items, we will try to model much of what is reflected in the First Place 4 Health Program. First Place 4 Health is a Christ-centered, biblically based, medically trustworthy wellness program that addresses the whole person—physical, mental, emotional and spiritual. We hope you will find the information shared to be useful.
The River Run Church of the Nazarene kicked off a silent auction fundraiser on Friday, November 21, 2014. Registration for the silent auction will continue at scheduled River Run Church events until the conclusion of the silent auction fundraiser at 6 PM on December 19. Additional details on how the silent auction will be conducted will be via email inquiries to riverrunnaz@midmaine.com. Silent auction items will be on display at the Detroit Town Hall, located at 35 South Main Street in Detroit, Maine. Many items are pictured on River Run’s Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/RiverRunChurch. Bidding will close, prior to the beginning of the family movie night movie, at 6 PM on December 19, 2014. Silent auction items will be awarded after the movie is shown. All unclaimed silent auction items must be picked between 2:00 PM and 4:00PM on Sunday, December 21, 2014. Silent auction proceeds will be used to support the River Run Church’s community garden, food pantry, and fellowship meals projects. Come check out the silent auction items and help the River Run Church continue to serve area residents by meeting some of their needs for food. For more information send inquiries to riverrunnaz@midmaine.com. We will also be accepting donations of non-perishable food, personal care items, or cash in support of River Run’s community garden, food pantry, and fellowship meals effort.
I am taking an online training class about the Nazarene Church’s Organic Church Network. They suggested I ask some folks the question: “What do you think about Jesus?” Anyone want to respond? Feel free to respectfully post a response. Comments are moderated and can be posted for 14 days. The comment period will close on July 24.
Faithfully Yours Forever 