Tuesday, February 19, 2013 (revised)

I forgot to add this important prayer request.  Please pray for Austin Heitgerd who is having surgery to repair his knee after a motorbike accident yesterday. 
 

From: revklaus@hotmail.com
To: stjohnswarrenton@googlegroups.com
Subject: Tuesday, February 19, 2013
Date: Tue, 19 Feb 2013 10:47:55 -0600

DEVOTION:  Bring the best of the firstfruits of your soil to the house of the Lord your God.  Exodus 15:19a
 
When you are writing out your bills and thinking about what you have to spend money on, Is your offering an afterthought or is it the first thing you think about?  If you are like me a lot of times the offering is one of, if not the, last thing you think about.  What do you think God thinks about that?  Is it sinful to always think last of God's offering?
      The reading for today is just one of the many laws of Israel regarding offerings.  Here is another one, "The priests, who are Levites-- indeed the whole tribe of Levi- are to have no allotment or inheritance with Israel.  They shall live on the offerings made to the Lord by fire, for that is their inheritance among their brothers; the Lord is their inheritance, as he promised them."  Here is another one, "The first offspring of every womb belongs to me, including the firstborn males of your livestock, whether from herd or flock..... No one is to appear before me empty handed." 
         Seems like God takes offering pretty seriously.  In the New Testament we are free from the law, and so we are "slaves" to Christ.  That means that we don't have to give offerings, we don't have to do anything.  We GET to do things that please and honor God.   Here's a verse from the New Testament.  "Everyone should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver." 
      When you realize what the Lord is doing with your offering, that He is doing His will, then you can give cheerfully.  The Lord is doing great things w2ith your offerings here.  People are being helped that need help.  The building, St. John's Lutheran Church, and it's pastor are being cared for so that the Gospel can be proclaimed and people can be confronted with the law and comforted with the Gospel, people are being brought to faith, baptized confirmed and growing in their faith.  All this and so much more is what your offering helps to do. 
      I want to encourage you to look into your heart and truly DECIDE what to give, knowing that your offering will produce fruit!  I want to encourage you to give the firstfruits of what you have as an offering to the Lord knowing that God will bless it and you through it.  Mostly though, I want you to give joyfully so that God can bless it and you beyond your wildest imaginations! 
 
Let us pray:  Lord God, help us to give cheerfully!  Help us to give according to what you want and not according to our needs or wants.  Help us to give so that our offerings can honor you, but mostly just help us to give because that is what You want us to do.  Amen.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________
THURSDAY' S QUIZ: What was the misunderstanding that Moses had with the leaders of the tribes of Reuben and Gad when they requested the land of Jazer and Gilead instead of the land in the Promised Land?
 
He thought that they were going to stay there so they wouldn't have to fight with the rest of the tribes of Israel to take over the Promised Land, but really they just thought the land was good and they wanted safe place for their women and children to live in fortified cities.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
TUESDAY'S QUIZ: What inheritance did the Levites get in the and that was given to the Israelites by God (the Promised Land)?
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
CALENDAR:
Tues- Quilters 9-2; Bible study 11:30-12:15
Wed- Ladies Aid 1pm; Supper 5:30; Worship 6:30
Fri- 30 Hour Famine begins at noon for those participating
Sat- worship 5pm; 30 hr famine ends at 6pm
Sun- worship 8:30- Sunday school 9:45; worship 11am
__________________________________________________________________________________________
LENTEN SUPPER is Wednesday at 5:30!!!! 
This week's menu is spaghetti, salad, garlic bread, and dessert.  Come and support your youth with a free will offering!
________________________________________________________________________________________________
WORSHIP is at 6:30 on Wednesday!
Come and hear all about the 40 days and nights that the water covered the earth. 
________________________________________________________________________________________________
ANY BABY BOTTLES LEFT? 
Bring them to church asap to make sure the money gets to where it has to go in a timely manner so babies can get adopted into a forever home!
__________________________________________________________________________________________
RURAL KING IS DONATING 5% OF TURNED IN RECEIPTS FROM THE MONTH OF FEBRUARY
There is a week and a half left!  Get to Rural King and buy some stuff and bring your receipt to the church office!!
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
SUNDAY SCHOOL FOR ADULTS, PARENTS, AND KIDS!!!  CHECK IT OUT!!
The kids have started a new program called CROSS EXPLORATIONS, that is very interactive and the kids say it is a lot of fun!!  In our adult class we are working through a video based Bible study called "Foundations" with Ken Ham who is the founder of Answers in Genesis and the Creation Museum!!
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
 
TRAVELING FELLOWSHIP GROUP  (TFG) IS GOING TO THE CREATION MUSEUM IN CINCINNATI!!! 
A great time is planned for August 23-25 as we head to the Creation Museum just south of Cincinnati, Ohio.  We will be making a stop at the Abraham Lincoln National Historic Site in Kentucky on the way.  Along with the creation museum on Saturday, we will also enjoy a comedy on the Showboat majestic in the evening.  On Sunday we will tour the national museum of the US Air Force in Dayton, Ohio.  As usual, cost will depend on the number of people going.  As of now it should run about $350 per person, plus meals, or $506 a couple.  If you are interested in this trip, please sign the sheet on the counter in the narthex.  Again you may invite your friends and family to join us.

_________________________________________________________________________________________
PRAYERS:
For Karin Klaustermeier's family, as they mourn the loss of her aunt Alice, who was laid to rest yesterday.
 
For CAROL KOHRS who is recovering from gall bladder surgery at SSM rehab in Wentzville.
 
For LIL WINTER who is having back surgery on Wednesday.

For JOSIAH TULEY, a son of friends of the Hances who is going through chemotherapy treatments for cancer. 
 
For JEANETTE KOEHLER who is still at the Cedars, but should be going home this week. 
 
For ANITA ALTHEIDE, a friend of the Klaustermeiers from Hannibal, MO, who has been put on hospice care.
 
For MIKE WADE, a missionary St. Johns has sponsored for at least 12 years, as he has had to take leave because of severe migraine headaches.  
 
For KIM, a friend of the Robines who undergoing a very difficult pregnancy. 


 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
     

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Tuesday, February 19, 2013

DEVOTION:  Bring the best of the firstfruits of your soil to the house of the Lord your God.  Exodus 15:19a
 
When you are writing out your bills and thinking about what you have to spend money on, Is your offering an afterthought or is it the first thing you think about?  If you are like me a lot of times the offering is one of, if not the, last thing you think about.  What do you think God thinks about that?  Is it sinful to always think last of God's offering?
      The reading for today is just one of the many laws of Israel regarding offerings.  Here is another one, "The priests, who are Levites-- indeed the whole tribe of Levi- are to have no allotment or inheritance with Israel.  They shall live on the offerings made to the Lord by fire, for that is their inheritance among their brothers; the Lord is their inheritance, as he promised them."  Here is another one, "The first offspring of every womb belongs to me, including the firstborn males of your livestock, whether from herd or flock..... No one is to appear before me empty handed." 
         Seems like God takes offering pretty seriously.  In the New Testament we are free from the law, and so we are "slaves" to Christ.  That means that we don't have to give offerings, we don't have to do anything.  We GET to do things that please and honor God.   Here's a verse from the New Testament.  "Everyone should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver." 
      When you realize what the Lord is doing with your offering, that He is doing His will, then you can give cheerfully.  The Lord is doing great things w2ith your offerings here.  People are being helped that need help.  The building, St. John's Lutheran Church, and it's pastor are being cared for so that the Gospel can be proclaimed and people can be confronted with the law and comforted with the Gospel, people are being brought to faith, baptized confirmed and growing in their faith.  All this and so much more is what your offering helps to do. 
      I want to encourage you to look into your heart and truly DECIDE what to give, knowing that your offering will produce fruit!  I want to encourage you to give the firstfruits of what you have as an offering to the Lord knowing that God will bless it and you through it.  Mostly though, I want you to give joyfully so that God can bless it and you beyond your wildest imaginations! 
 
Let us pray:  Lord God, help us to give cheerfully!  Help us to give according to what you want and not according to our needs or wants.  Help us to give so that our offerings can honor you, but mostly just help us to give because that is what You want us to do.  Amen.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________
THURSDAY' S QUIZ: What was the misunderstanding that Moses had with the leaders of the tribes of Reuben and Gad when they requested the land of Jazer and Gilead instead of the land in the Promised Land?
 
He thought that they were going to stay there so they wouldn't have to fight with the rest of the tribes of Israel to take over the Promised Land, but really they just thought the land was good and they wanted safe place for their women and children to live in fortified cities.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
TUESDAY'S QUIZ: What inheritance did the Levites get in the and that was given to the Israelites by God (the Promised Land)?
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
CALENDAR:
Tues- Quilters 9-2; Bible study 11:30-12:15
Wed- Ladies Aid 1pm; Supper 5:30; Worship 6:30
Fri- 30 Hour Famine begins at noon for those participating
Sat- worship 5pm; 30 hr famine ends at 6pm
Sun- worship 8:30- Sunday school 9:45; worship 11am
__________________________________________________________________________________________
LENTEN SUPPER is Wednesday at 5:30!!!! 
This week's menu is spaghetti, salad, garlic bread, and dessert.  Come and support your youth with a free will offering!
________________________________________________________________________________________________
WORSHIP is at 6:30 on Wednesday!
Come and hear all about the 40 days and nights that the water covered the earth. 
________________________________________________________________________________________________
ANY BABY BOTTLES LEFT? 
Bring them to church asap to make sure the money gets to where it has to go in a timely manner so babies can get adopted into a forever home!
__________________________________________________________________________________________
RURAL KING IS DONATING 5% OF TURNED IN RECEIPTS FROM THE MONTH OF FEBRUARY
There is a week and a half left!  Get to Rural King and buy some stuff and bring your receipt to the church office!!
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
SUNDAY SCHOOL FOR ADULTS, PARENTS, AND KIDS!!!  CHECK IT OUT!!
The kids have started a new program called CROSS EXPLORATIONS, that is very interactive and the kids say it is a lot of fun!!  In our adult class we are working through a video based Bible study called "Foundations" with Ken Ham who is the founder of Answers in Genesis and the Creation Museum!!
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
 
TRAVELING FELLOWSHIP GROUP  (TFG) IS GOING TO THE CREATION MUSEUM IN CINCINNATI!!! 
A great time is planned for August 23-25 as we head to the Creation Museum just south of Cincinnati, Ohio.  We will be making a stop at the Abraham Lincoln National Historic Site in Kentucky on the way.  Along with the creation museum on Saturday, we will also enjoy a comedy on the Showboat majestic in the evening.  On Sunday we will tour the national museum of the US Air Force in Dayton, Ohio.  As usual, cost will depend on the number of people going.  As of now it should run about $350 per person, plus meals, or $506 a couple.  If you are interested in this trip, please sign the sheet on the counter in the narthex.  Again you may invite your friends and family to join us.

_________________________________________________________________________________________
PRAYERS:
For Karin Klaustermeier's family, as they mourn the loss of her aunt Alice, who was laid to rest yesterday.
 
For CAROL KOHRS who is recovering from gall bladder surgery at SSM rehab in Wentzville.
 
For LIL WINTER who is having back surgery on Wednesday.

For JOSIAH TULEY, a son of friends of the Hances who is going through chemotherapy treatments for cancer. 
 
For JEANETTE KOEHLER who is still at the Cedars, but should be going home this week. 
 
For ANITA ALTHEIDE, a friend of the Klaustermeiers from Hannibal, MO, who has been put on hospice care.
 
For MIKE WADE, a missionary St. Johns has sponsored for at least 12 years, as he has had to take leave because of severe migraine headaches.  
 
For KIM, a friend of the Robines who undergoing a very difficult pregnancy.