Good Morning Brothers and Sisters in Christ! I'm baaack! Karen and I thank you for your prayers! We had a great week of getting some things done at home and then away for a nice retreat in the mountains west of Gettysburg. Now for the transition back--help us Lord! We could both enjoy the retired life! BUT GOD! In His timing! So back at it! There is so much I want to share, yet so much that I think God wants you to process on your own. These blogs are typically my journal notes based off our devotionals for the day. That may be changing? I am still seeking God on that. Today, I am just sharing Our Daily Bread's reminder that we are to be joy bringers as we choose joy and celebrate all God is doing--even the little things along the way. What's God saying to you? I threw in Charles Stanley's reminder to always celebrate and praise. Keep building those gratitude lists!
It sure was nice to get away. We will be doing that for Karen's birthday next month as well. Can't wait! However, there is so much joy and satisfaction in serving God and allowing Him to mold me into my fuller potential and doing what He created me to do that I can't ever imagine retiring. Even if I retire, there is no retiring from Christian service. God loves you and has plans for you until He calls you home as well. Rejoice and choose to follow well and bring His love and joy wherever He leads you today! Amen!
Schedule for the week:
Tue: Zoom Huddle 10-11, 11 AM meet with Revival Church elders to sign contract for Sun evening worship and to tour building, 6:30 PM Vision Team Zoom (Please pray for our leaders to hear God and make His plans for the summer)
Wed: 10-12 Donut Day at the Bread Ministry. (pray for God to connect us to some neighbors and to connect them to Him) 6-7:30 Dinner Huddle with Family Ministry and Adults. All welcome! (Possible meeting with new NA group that wants to use our building)
All week: Pray for me to transition back to sermon prep, huddles prep, and janitorial duties and some visitations well. Thanks
ODB:
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When France and Argentina met in the 2022 World Cup final, it was an incredible contest that many dubbed the “greatest World Cup match in history.” As the final seconds ticked off in extra time, the score was tied 3-3, sending the soccer teams to penalty kicks. After Argentina made the winning goal, the nation erupted in celebration. More than a million Argentineans overwhelmed downtown Buenos Aires. Drone footage spread across social media showing this raucous, happy scene. One BBC report described how the city quaked with “an explosion of joy.”
Joy is always a wonderful gift. Proverbs, though, describes how a city, a people, can experience joy that goes even deeper and lasts far longer. “When the righteous prosper,” Proverbs says, “the city rejoices” (11:10). When those who truly live by God’s designs for humanity begin to influence a community, then this signals good news because it means God’s justice is taking hold. Greed diminishes. The poor find support. The oppressed are protected. Whenever God’s right way of living flourishes, then there’s joy and “blessing” in the city (v. 11).
If we’re genuinely living out God’s ways, then the result will be good news for everyone. The way we live will make the community around us better and more whole. God invites us to be part of His work to heal the world. He invites us to bring joy to the city.
By Winn Collier
REFLECT & PRAY
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Where do you see the need for joy in your city? How can you bring God’s joy there?
Dear God, please help me to join You in bringing joy to others.
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SCRIPTURE INSIGHT
The book of Proverbs belongs to the Wisdom Literature of the Old Testament. It can be divided into two sections. In chapters 1-9, Solomon offers wisdom to his son on a variety of topics, ranging from money to choosing good companions to sexual purity. Chapters 10-31, however, are a seemingly random collection of wise sayings. A number are presented in statements of contrast called antithetical parallelism, where the righteous are contrasted with the wicked. Many are written by Solomon (10:1–22:16). Chapters 25-27 are Solomon’s proverbs collected by the men of King Hezekiah. Others come from a group of anonymous wise men (22:17–24:34), Agur (ch. 30), and King Lemuel (ch. 31).
The proverbs contain a treasure chest of wisdom on perennial subjects such as managing relationships, work, integrity, and parenting. Some are also quoted in the New Testament; for example, Romans 12:20, James 4:6, and 1 Peter 5:5.
Open the treasure chest of wisdom in Proverbs here.
Bill Crowder |
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Charles Stanley:
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