DEVOTION: "As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God?" Psalm 42:1-2
One of the things we pastors struggle with is keeping the flock hungering and thirsting for God. When everything is going right or when people seem satisfied with life, they tend to not seek after God too much. They also tend to stay away from worship and Bible study when this happens.
As pastors, we want people to be like David here in this Psalm today. He was thirsting for God. He couldn't wait to get to God. His soul was indeed panting for his Savior. Part of this is because of the intense struggle he was going through. He was battling against forces from every side, and at the same time, his own king was searching him out to kill him. He didn't know what to do. He says that his tears are his food. He is out in the wilderness hiding and planning his next defense and attack against his enemy. This Psalm is part of his personal journal.
Listen to what he says here, "These things I remember as I our out my soul: how I used to go with the multitude leading the procession to the house of God, with shouts of joy and thanksgiving among the festive throng." He longs for the days when, instead of leading an army into battle to kill and destroy, he would lead thousands of people into the tabernacle for worship and celebration.
My prayer for you is that you will not reach the point that you have to be panting for the Lord. God doesn't want you to be that far away from him. He doesn't want you to have to be starving for Him. He wants you to remain close to Him. He wants you to have a steady diet of His Word on a daily basis. He wants you to get filled with His mercy and grace as you worship Him on a weekly basis.
In another Psalm David tells us what he really wants. Here's what he says, "One thing I ask of the Lord, this is what I seek, that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life and seek Him in His holy temple."
May this be your one wish, to be with God and to seek Him where He may be found. If you have been neglecting God's Word get back into it! Come to Bible class on Sunday morning between services at 9:45. Come to our Tuesday Bible Class next week (We aren't meeting today) at 11:30. If you can't make one of those Bible studies, start your own. I'd be happy to help you with it or even lead it for you.
If you have been neglecting worship, there's no better time than now to get back into it. There is nothing better than gathering together with other sinners to hear God's Word and receive His body and blood. It is what gives us that peace that passes all understanding.
I urge you to take a look at your faith life seriously and honestly and think about what the Lord can do for you!
Let us pray: Lord God, my worship and study of Your Word has truly left something to be desired. Help me to get back into it more each day so that you may have Your way with me and grow me in the way I should grow. Amen.
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MONDAY'S QUIZ: What is an acrostic poem and which one of the Psalms is an acrostic poem according to the Hebrew alphabet? An acrostic poem is one in which the first letter of each line either spells out a word or is part of something else. In this case, the Acrostic Psalms are ones in which the first letter of each line begins with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet. (You don't notice it in English.) Psalm 25 is an acrostic Psalm. (Good job Pam!
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TUESDAY'S QUIZ: Is Psalm 111 a Psalm of repentance or a Psalm of praise.
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CALENDAR
Tues- Quilter 9-2; Bible study canceled for today
Wed- Little Lambs Closing Program. 6:30pm
Thurs- nothing
Fri- Hendershot's Bible study moved to the 17th
Sat- Parking Lot and Pavilion Sale 7am-1pm; worship 5pm
Sun- MOTHER'S DAY; worship 8:30; Bible Study 9:45; worship 11; Elder's meeting noon
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BIBLESTICKS FOR SOLDIERS
Yesterday we had a video about a way that we can help soldiers who are deployed throughout the world. We can send them the Bible on an mp3 player. The cost is $25 each and with it a CD of the Bible is also sent to their family. MAKE CHECKS PAYABLE TO "FAITH COMES BY HEARING". Bring the checks to church by next Sunday and I will get them to the proper place.
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TAILGATE AND PAVILLION SALE RESCHEDULED FOR THIS COMING SATURDAY!!!!
Because of cold and wet weather this past Saturday, the parking lot and pavilion sale is this coming Saturday from 7am-1pm!!! Come and enjoy some outdoors shopping and get some treasures!!!_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
LITTLE LAMBS CLOSING PROGRAM WEDNESDAY at 6:30!!Come, hear and see how much the kids have grown and what they have learned throughout the year!!
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PAINTBALL FOR 7th-12th GRADERS!!!!
All 7th-12th graders will meet next Wednesday, May 8 to go paintballing!!! They will leave church by 5:30 and be at Wacky Warriors by 6. Cost is $15 per person. It is three hours of paintball or when paintballs and money runs out, so they should be home by 9pm. __________________________________________________________________________________________________
PRAYER REQUESTS:
A prayer of thanksgiving For KYLE AND LINDSAY SMITH at the birth of their baby JACK.
For BONNIE FRENZIA who is hospitalized with back troubles.
For PAUL TOEDEBUSCH, who will be having surgery June 14 to remove his bladder due to cancer
For RICK SPINIOLAS who has been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and will be beginning chemotherapy on Monday.
For NANCY SPINIOLAS, his wife, who is dealing with severe back pain due to many years of using an artificial leg.
For RALPH SPOEDE who is dealing with cancer in both his kidney and in his brain.
For DOMINIC GENTILE, a friend to many at church and in the community, who is suffering with brain cancer and is recovering from surgery.
For JONAS BORCHERT, grandson of Don Nolte, and Pat King's cousin on your prayers today as well. . PRAYERS FOR OUR SERVICEMEN
I have been compiling a list of servicemen who are members of St John's so that we can pray for them. Below is a list of them and where they are currently stationed. Please note that their stationing changes quickly, so this may not even be up to date, but it is the last known whereabouts that I have of these guys.
Danny Dreyer- Army- 2nd Lieutenant- graduating from Ranger school Today.
Sam Hargrove- Army- 2 Lieutenant- Ft Rucker, Alabama, will be going through helicopter flight school and other training
David Mincemeyer- Army- Army Specialist- Ft. Carson, CO
Jon Rahn- Navy- Hawaii, not sure of his rank at this time
David Tate- Air Force- 2nd Lieutenant- Kirtland AF Base, Albuquerque, NM
Alex Walters- Navy- E4- Guam
Ryan Woolf- Air Force- Airman 1st Class- Buckley Air Force Base, near Denver, CO
If there are more out there that I just don't know about, please let me know, and I will include him/her on the list.
Also, if you would like your family member or friend included in this list, please reply to this email with all the information!
Pray for these guys. Some of these guys are in harm's way right now, others are training to put themselves in harm's way. All of them have volunteered to serve and protect their country (which is you).
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