Sunday, July 18, 2010

Stay In The Boat - And Trust

One of our teachers was telling me (and I've been telling a lot of other people) about an incident that occurred during her Bible class when our family was here for the funeral for Donna's mother. The teacher was telling her class about the time when Jesus calmed a violent storm on the Sea of Galilee (cf. Matthew 8:23-27; Luke 8:22-25). She had not yet reached that point in her telling of the account.
She was telling how the disciples feared for their lives because of the violent winds and the waves. She must have done an outstanding job of describing how the boat was being tossed about in the waves and how fearful the disciples were, because it was at this point in the lesson that she asked the students a question and received an unexpected response.
The question she asked was, “What would you do?” Our oldest granddaughter, who was in the class, replied immediately, “I'd get out of that boat!”
I've chuckled a lot and others have chuckled with me about her answer. (I'm sure that they were just being nice to another guy telling another grandchild story). After doing some thinking about this, though, it occurs to me that there may be an important lesson here.
If the disciples had left the boat, would they have been better off? Would they not still have been in the violent storm without any protection at all and without the Lord? Sometimes (maybe many times), our solutions to the storms in our own lives make just about as much sense as a three-year-old' s “solution” to the disciples' dilemma. What seems to be an easy way out just makes matters worse.
When the waves are crashing and the wind is howling, we would be well advised to stay in the boat with the Lord and to trust Him. He will get us safely to the other side. “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths” (Proverbs 3:5-6).
“What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee” (Psalm 56:3).

-Jim Faughn
Central Church of Christ
Paducah KY

Elgin Family News and Announcements

July 24 - Vacation Bible School at the McCreary church, Whitley City, KY on Saturday from 9:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

July 31 - Vacation Bible School hosted by the Wartburg church from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Frozen Head State Park. Theme: God & Nature.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

July 31 - Teen Devotional hosted by Tom and Ellen Collins from the Jamestown church.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

August 1-5 - Vacation Bible School at the Clinton church for all ages. Sunday at 6 p.m. and Monday-Thursday at 7 p.m. Theme: Jungle Journey.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

August 7 - Elgin Teen Devotional hosted by Wil and Carrie Thornthwaite.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

BIRTHDAYS: Barbara Posey (July 18); Kevin Freels (July 18); Beverly Savage (July 18); Bruce Savage, Jr. (July 21)..

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

RECENT VISITORS: Glenda Jo Phillips, Christa Simmons, Callie Bowling, Tyler Myers, Destiny Huckeby, Larae & Brook Webb, Brittney & Kayla Leighty, Brian Soloe, Macy & Emily Bunch, Monica & Rachel Beasley of Robbins; Yolonda Freels of Sunbright; Jeremy Reeder of Monroe.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Prayer Requests: Joe Arnold; Kelli Bailey; Pat Billingsley (Oneida church, breast cancer, body scan this week, surgery July 21); Estle Blaylock; Carol Butler (skin cancer, Barb Posey's mother in Harlan, IN); Erica Todd Byrd; Marie Byrd (cancer); Glen Cordell; George Cross; David Duncan (friend of Tim Freels); Elsie Ellis; Paul Ellis (cancer); Sheila (K) Freels; Rose Gibson; Keiana Gillum (20 months old, Ray Lewellen's granddaughter); Heather Griffith; Jim Morrow (lung cancer); Gary Muse (Sammie Tinin's brother; Mike Norman; James Phillips (Dewayne's father); Wanda Phillips; Mark Posey; Robby Savage (Kim's brother); Tonya Sergent; Betty Sexton; Louise Sexton; Shane and Angel Sexton; Eddie Smith (pneumonia); Justin Smith; Tray Smith; Cheryl Strunk (lung cancer); Cecil Tinin (Tom's brother); Sammie Tinin; Trish (a worker at Arthur Hughett's, her mother has cancer); Mike and Linda Warner (health); Chuck West (Highland Steel); Tom Wheeler (Elsie's son-in-law); Sheildia Young; Teresa Young; all who are traveling, our military, everyone affected by the oil spill, and all leaders of our nation.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FOOD PANTRY ITEMS

CANNED FRUITS

Don't Bury Your Talent

We all know well the parable of the talents that Jesus told in Matthew 25:14-30. We know that the servant given five talents earned five more, and the one given two talents earned two more. We know that the master was very pleased with them. And we know the servant given one talent went and buried it. We also know that the master was displeased with this one and called him wicked. But do we know why the master called him wicked?
-Did he embezzle the talent?
-Did he squander the talent?
-Did he lose the talent?
-Was he dishonest with the talent?
The answer to all these questions is "no." He was able to give back the very talent the master gave him. Then why was he called wicked? He was called wicked for what he did not do. He did not put the talent given him to work for the master. Do you have any talents given to you by the Master? Then use them for His glory (James 4:17).

-Edd Sterchi
Jackson Church of Christ
Jackson, MO
Christ Has a Job for You!

If you are not working in the church because no one has given you a job, wait no longer - Christ has a job for you...
...feed the hungry, give a drink to the thirsty, help strangers, clothe the
naked, visit the sick (Matthew 25:34-40).
...bear one another's burdens (Galatians 6:2).
...comfort those in trouble (II Corinthians 1:3-4).
...admonish the disorderly (I Thessalonians 5:14).
...study the Scriptures (John 5:39).
...exhort one another (Philippians 1:11; 4:15-17).
...do good deeds to all (Galatians 6:10; Hebrews 13:16).
...teach (II Timothy 2:2-4).
...give (Matthew 5:42).
...pray (Matthew 6:9-15).
...increase your faith (John 6:29).
...bear fruit (Galatians 5:22-23; Philippians 1:11).
Yes, Christ does have a job for you. It is time to stop complaining that we haven't anything to do and make do with the tasks the Lord has given us.

-Copied
via Harrisburg Church of Christ
Harrisburg, IL

"Faithfulness"

(Sometimes the best examples of desirable traits are given by members of the animal kingdom. For instance, what is more faithful than a faithful dog? The following is from Cybersalt Digest.)

The front door was accidentally left open and our dog was gone. After unsuccessfully whistling and calling, my husband got in the car and went looking for him.
He drove around the neighborhood for some time with no luck.
Finally he stopped beside a couple out for a walk and asked if they had seen our dog.
"You mean the one following your car?" they asked.

-via THE SOWER
Arthur Church of Christ
Arthur, IL

”And they that know thy name will put their trust in thee: for thou, LORD, hast not forsaken them that seek thee.” -Psalm 9:10
In Christ We Have:

A love that can never be fathomed.
A life that can never die.
A peace that can never be understood.
A rest that can never be disturbed.
A joy that can never be diminished.
A hope that can never be disappointed.
A glory that can never be clouded.
A happiness that can never be interrupted.
A light that can never be extinguished.
A strength that can never be overcome.
A beauty that can never be marred.
A purity that can never be defiled.
Resources that can never be exhausted.

-Bulletin Digest
Via The Encourager
Calvert City Church of Christ
Calvert City, KY
Please continue to pray for our military leaders and those who are serving under them and their families waiting here at home.
-In Search of the Lord's Way - Sundays at 7 a.m. on Fox 43 (cable channel 11).
-The Bible View - Sundays at 3:30 p.m.; Thursdays at 6:30 p.m. on cable channel 5.
-Preaching the Gospel - Sundays at 7:30 a.m. on WBXX 20 (cable channel and at 8 a.m. on Direct TV channel 321.

Our congregation members are striving to each read through the Bible in a year. The web page address for each month's schedule is shown below. It will open in a new window, so simply close the window in order to return to this page.

-

For questions on the bulletin, please contact Debbie Anderson: danderson63@yahoo.com

Back to Elgin Evangelist Homepage

Return to Homepage