DEVOTION: Psalm 139:1-10 English Standard Version (ESV)
To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.
139 O Lord, you have searched me and known me!
2 You know when I sit down and when I rise up;
you discern my thoughts from afar.
3 You search out my path and my lying down
and are acquainted with all my ways.
4 Even before a word is on my tongue,
behold, O Lord, you know it altogether.
5 You hem me in, behind and before,
and lay your hand upon me.
6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;
it is high; I cannot attain it.
7 Where shall I go from your Spirit?
Or where shall I flee from your presence?
8 If I ascend to heaven, you are there!
If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there!
9 If I take the wings of the morning
and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,
10 even there your hand shall lead me,
and your right hand shall hold me.
The omniscience, omnipresence, and omnipotence of God is beyond understanding. We just don't get it. We can hide things from other humans, but we can't hide things from God, and eventually all those things we try to hide will be found out. God will make them known. The lesson to be learned…. You might as well come clean. There is no use in holding on to your dirty secrets. It's liberating, freeing, and cleansing to tell the truth, to confess your sins. To come clean.
It is also good and peace filling to know that even though God is all-everything, he doesn't hold our sins, failures, shortcomings, and just plain awfulness against us. Instead of pushing us away, keeping us down, or annihilating us, he lifts us up. He holds us in his right hand. He covers us with his wings. He restores us. He gives us more grace. When we are weak, He is strong. When we fail, he succeeds. When we fall he rises up. He is our all in all.
All of this is too much for us to comprehend. It is all way over everyone's heads. And that is good. If he wasn't God, he wouldn't have the power to save us. He wouldn't have the strength to defeat death, the devil, and hell, and he wouldn't have the ability to call you out of darkness and into his marvelous light. Praise the Lord for his omniscience, omnipresence, and omnipotence!
Lord, thank you for being present wherever I go, having power over me, and knowing everything about me and still loving me and saving me. Amen. .
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CALENDAR:
Mon- Confirmation 5- 6:15; Youth Supper and Steak dinner meeting 6:15-6:45; High School Youth meeting 6:45-7:30
Tues- Quilting 9-2; Trustees 7
Wed- Outreach 5; Stephen Ministry 6; Security meeting 7
Thurs- karate 6:15
Sat- worship 5pm
Sun- worship 8:30 and 11; Sunday school and adult Bible class 9:45; Elders Noon
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WORSHIP WORKERS:
Acolyte- 8:30- Addie Hoelscher; 11- Loren Howard
Ushers- Sat- Marv Hendershot; Sun- Don Turnure, Don Nolte, Drent Davis, Larry Schulze
Altar- Set up- Marilyn Foster; Clean Up- Sandy Robine
Communion assistant- Sat- Randy Fischer; 8:30- Don Turnure, 11- Al Benton
Greeters- 8:30- Lew and Dianne Feldkamp; 11- Joan Sexton
Projectionists- Sat- Kathy Fischer; 8:30- Terry McKenzie; 11- Cameron Faerber
Lay Readers- Sat- Sandra Perricone; 8:30- Lois Boeger 11- ????
Organist- Sat and Sun- Pat Golden
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YESTERDAY'S QUIZ: How long was Noah, his family and all the animals on the ark? (Somewhere between 370-377 days, depending on how many days were in the Jewish calendar year at the time. He went into the ark on the 17th day of the second month (Genesis 7:11), and came out of the ark on the 27th day of the second month (Genesis 8:14) Thanks Don!
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TODAY'S QUIZ: Who was Abimelech?
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NEWS:
SCRIP ORDERS ARE DUE TODAY!!
Call the office or fill out a sheet on the counter in the narthex to get your order in!!!!
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YOUTH SCHEDULE FOR TONIGHT
Confirmation- 5:6:15
Supper and Steak Dinner/Auction meeting 6:15-6:45
High School Youth and Parents Meeting- 6:45-7:30
At least one parent and their youth should be there.
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ADULT BIBLE STUDY TASK FORCE FORMING
I am in need of one or two more people who are interested in forming a "curriculum" for our adult Bible studies for this year. Please reply to this email if you are interested! We need more Bible studies and more people involved in them.
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INSTALLATION OF CONGREGATIONAL OFFICERS AND BOARD MEMBERS IS THIS SUNDAY!!
Since we had the "ice storm" this past weekend that kept a bunch of people home, we will do the installation this coming weekend. Please make plans to be there if you are on a board or are one of our officers!!
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OFFERING ENVELOPES ARE ON THE SHELVES UNDERNEATH THE CHURCH MAILBOXES IN THE NARTHEX IF YOU HAVEN'T PICKED THEM UP YET!
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OUR LAST DIRECTORY (Last updated in August of 2016) has a lot of outdated phone numbers. If your number has changed, please call the office 456-2888 and let Terry know!
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DUE TO SOME TROUBLES WITH OUR CHURCH EMAIL ADDRESS WE HAVE HAD TO GET A NEW ONE
Our new email address is sjwarrlutheran@gmail.com. Please change it in your address books!!
Pastor's email, revklaus@hotmail.com will remain the same.
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A NEW AND EXPANDED VERSION OF LUTHER'S SMALL CATECHISM IS AVAILABLE AT A REDUCED PRICE OF $14.49!!
It is a great tool for learning and for daily meditation and devotions. Sign up to get your copy in the narthex today!
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LITTLE LAMBS IS STILL SELLING CANDY BARS AND COULD USE YOUR HELP!
If you'd like to help sell a box or two of candy bars as a fundraiser for Little Lambs preschool. Let Terry or one of the preschool ladies know. They'll hook you up right quick!
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SUNDAY SCHOOL MEMORY VERSE IS: Where is he who has been born King of the Jews? For we saw his star in the east and have come to worship him. Matt. 2:2
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DO YOU HAVE A THRIVENT FINANCIAL ACCOUNT OR POLICY?
You may be eligible to receive money for Little Lambs or Good Shepherd!! Go to www.thrivent.com/choicedollars to check it out!
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OPERATION BACKPACK DONATIONS FOR THE MONTH OF JANUARY IS CANNED FRUIT.
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PRAYERS:
For BOB LINKE who is hospitalized with breathing problems.
For PAUL TOEDEBUSCH as he continues to recover from a sprained his ankle and broke a bone in his leg.
For LEO BADER as he recovers from hip replacement surgery.
For GEORGE HOELSCHER, BUCK HAMPTON, DENISE HOOKER (Betty Tameler's daughter) as they continue to deal with cancer.
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PRAYERS FOR OUR MILITARY PERSONNEL:
For COLTON FIGURA deployed to Turkey, SAM HARGROVE deployed in Kuwait and DAN DREYER deployed to Kandahar, Afghanistan, that the Lord would keep them safe from harm during their service and bring them home safely.
For DAVID TATE stationed in Japan, and ALEX WALTERS, stationed in Tennessee. That God would bless their service to our country and keep them safe as they all await possible deployment.
For CALEB FIGURA AND VINCE MASTERS who are both serving our country in the National Guard and take time out of their lives, jobs, and families to go on duty several times a year.
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