Morning Cafe: New Session - Forgiveness: How To Fight To Win

 

Our Morning Cafe Session starts up again. 

 What a great way to start your Wednesdays in the New Year! 

 Bring your Bible and enjoy a cup of tea while we invite the Holy Spirit to open our hearts and conversations

   Rabbit Trails Bible Study.

Forgiveness, How to Fight to Win.

Begins January 4

Boomerang Bakery,

just south of the Square in Monroe (yummy smells, for sure!)

Wednesday mornings

9:30-11:00

**No cost and No book (except your Bible)

     for this Cafe session

**Coffee, Tea, and pastry available at the

    Boomerang Bakery for an additional cost

              

Laura, our Cafe Leader (the smiley one standing) offers several excellent reasons for studying the Scriptures prior to the Sunday Morning Message: 

By studying the sermon scriptures ahead of time,

 1.  We  prepare heart and mind to receive God’sword, His special, unique message for each of us.

 2.   We become better students of God’s word when we struggle with what it means on our own, without allowing it to be spoon-fed.  Our brains become stronger, better able to defend the hope we have (1 Peter 3:15).

 3.   It helps us to hear how God is working in each of our lives.  We are encouraged in our struggles because we see and hear how you have persevered in yours.  

For any questions: Laura would love to hear from you:  862-4334

The lesson assignments:

January 4:  James 4:1-3

January 11:  Luke 12:15-21; James 3:13-18, 4:11-12, 4:2

January 19:  1 Cor. 10:31; 2 Cor. 11:1
January 25:  OFF . . .

February 1:  Matt. 7:5; Phil 2:2-9; Mark 7:20-23

February 8:  Matt. 18:12-5:21-35; Gal 6:1; Prov. 19:11

February 15:  Col. 3:12-14; Eph. 4:29; Rom. 5:6-11

February 22:  1 John 1:6-10; James 5:16

February 29:  Romans 12:14-21; Matt. 5:23-26;
                        1 Peter 2:12, 15; Luke 6:27-31

We know you will leave with a smile:

Am I serving leftovers to a Holy God?

I am giving myself a heart check-up this week as I prepare to celebrate my Savior's birth. In his book Crazy Love, Francis Chan states "It's easy to fill ourselves up with other things and then give God whatever is left".

"When I fed them, they were satisfied, they became proud;

then they forgot me." Hosea 13:6.

I am so thankful to have the scriptures to raise my awareness. So, I asked myself:

"Am I serving leftovers to a Holy God?"

Does He hear from me in the morning or simply get the last few minutes

of my day? Am I making time each day to read His word, or is it something

I do when there is free time? Do I only pray when I need something?

How about my giving? Do I give, whether it be time or money, out of

what I have remaining? Am I asking 'how much do I have to' rather than

'how much can I give'?

Our dear friend Vicki said it perfectly the other day "I want to give to everybody. Bills? Who cares about bills". Now, she was speaking in jest as I am sure she pays her bills - but what a great attitude!

We all fall into the 'satisfied' class from time to time - but where are our hearts? When we realize it, are we seeking His forgiveness and making a change?

Thank you Lord for Your grace that covers all my faults. Help me to cultivate a heart that gives you the first fruits of all I have - after all, they are all YOURS!

"And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee:

for my strength is made perfect in weakness."2 Corinthians 12:9

Gathering Of Friends- Recap Video

I love the smiles, laughter, and hugs that are present so abundantly when friends gather together to celebrate        Jesus--

 through whom came the greatest Christmas Gift of all --

Forgiveness of  Sins and Eternal Life.

What a treat to capture some of those smiles in this years "Gathering of Friends" Video.
                               

                All have sinned and fall short of
                                 the glory of God. Romans 3:23 


                 For the wages of sin is death but
                                 the Gift of God is eternal life
                                                    in Christ Jesus our LORD.
                                                                                     Romans 6:23

Heart Check-Up

Pastor Dan’s sermon series has been dealing with our heart. In case you missed a sermon in this series I urge you to pick up a CD or go online to listen.

 This week he asked us “Do I have an oblivious heart or a discerning heart?”

 If we study the word oblivious, we will find out it isn’t something we want to be called (unmindful of, insensible to, ignorant of, blind to, deaf to, insensitive to, ...). So if we are oblivious, why are we that way? Pastor Dan asked:

 “What am I taking in that may be an ungodly influence?”

 After the first question raises our awareness, the second question must cause us to stop, think, pray and seek God’s wisdom in helping us answer.

After Christmas comes one of my favorite times of the year: New Year’s Resolutions! This year I look forward to reflecting on what my daily life says about me.

 If you were to read me like a book,

What is my life saying is most important?

What if I put each of my activities to the question?

“Is this an ungodly influence?”

 Ungodliness was defined as ‘irreverence toward God or violation of His moral standard”. How many different choices would I make?

 Just as going on a diet removes certain junk foods from our plate, it also puts healthy foods in their place. Pastor Dan finished with this question

 “What do I have established in my daily life to take in the Word of God?”

On a weight loss diet I would ‘weigh in’ each week to see how I was progressing, how about I give the same diligence to my ‘Godly Diet’?
Won’t you join me?

Ruth Fellowship

Do you love God enough to follow Him ? 

That's the question Kelly Minter, author of Ruth: loss, love, and legacy, asked us as we began the journey  through the Bible Study on the Book of Ruth.  We have all been blessed to have the Scriptures come alive since beginning this study. 

It is always an encouragment when you are on a journey to have the companionship of your girlfriends and that's why we have planned a special time for those on the road together this fall.

If you are involved in a Discussion Group,

Doing the Bible study on your own,

Or would like to start the Bible Study 
        The Evening Ladies Cafe presents
           Ruth           
              Fellowship

                                                 Wednesday, December 14

                                                      Beth Roidt's House
                                                       2625 - 22 Avenue
                                                            
                                                             6:30-7 ;50


We will have a short discussion time on Day 4 pages 79-82, then spend the remaining time in fellowship to get to know one another and encourage each other on this journey.

For information contact: Tracy @214-4976 or ctsigner@tds.net