Daily Email: Tuesday, October 3, 2017

DEVOTION: Isaiah 5:1-7English Standard Version (ESV)

The Vineyard of the Lord Destroyed

5 Let me sing for my beloved
    my love song concerning his vineyard:
My beloved had a vineyard
    on a very fertile hill.
²He dug it and cleared it of stones,
    and planted it with choice vines;
he built a watchtower in the midst of it,
    and hewed out a wine vat in it;
and he looked for it to yield grapes,
    but it yielded wild grapes.

³And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem
    and men of Judah,
judge between me and my vineyard.
⁴What more was there to do for my vineyard,
    that I have not done in it?
When I looked for it to yield grapes,
    why did it yield wild grapes?

⁵And now I will tell you
    what I will do to my vineyard.
I will remove its hedge,
    and it shall be devoured;
I will break down its wall,
    and it shall be trampled down.
⁶I will make it a waste;
    it shall not be pruned or hoed,
    and briers and thorns shall grow up;
I will also command the clouds
    that they rain no rain upon it.

  7 For the vineyard of the Lord of   hosts
      is the house of Israel,
  and the men of Judah
      are his pleasant planting;
  and he looked for justice,
      but behold, bloodshed;
  for righteousness,
      but behold, an outcry!
   
  You understand what God is saying here, don't you?  We are the vines and the earth is the ground of the vineyard.  God has planted us, watered and fertilized us in   His Word and Sacraments, and yet many of his vines have rejected him.  
       This is how it was in the time of Isaiah as well.  Most of Israel (the vines) rejected the Lord. They grew only "wild grapes".  God had done everything for his   vines and his vineyard.  There was nothing more he could do and so he let the vine go and grow wild.   
       Sometimes a person can have everything he needs to be saved and to believe and still reject the Lord.  The Israelites had it all.  They were God's chosen people.   They had his Word.  They had Moses, Elijah, David, and the list goes on and on of stories and people through whom God had shown his power.  They had every opportunity to believe and produce the fruits of faith.  But they didn't, and so God eventually had no   choice but to let the vineyard go to weeds.  They weren't going to produce fruit no matter how much they were cared for.  They rejected God.  
       Yet, he didn't forget his vines or his vineyard.  He was still keeping track of it from afar.  The vine was not willing to produce good grapes, but God still   loved it. 
       In the New Testament he saved his vineyard.  He bought it back and he took all of the weeds, briers, and thorns out of it.  He did this all through his Son Jesus.    It is a wonderful thing that he has taken care of (his vines).  And because the Son grew up in the vineyard and produced fruit, and because the Son now lives in his vines, they will produce fruit!  Thank God for living in His vines and in His vineyard and   for producing fruit in us! 

Prayer: Lord, thank you for pruning, weeding, and feeding your vineyard with yourself, and for producing fruit in me, your vine, your child. Amen.

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CALENDAR:

Tues- Quilting 9-2

Wed- Stephen Ministry 6; Choir 7

Thurs-Alzheimers Support Group 1; Karate 6:15-7:45

Sat- HOLY YOGA 10-11; Worship 5pm

Sun- Worship 8:30 and 11; Sunday school 9:45; Elders noon

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WORSHIP WORKERS:

Acolyte- 8:30- Savannah Masters; 11- Dulci Rahn

Ushers- Jason Figura, Charlie Figura, Brett Nordwald, Erv Yoder

Altar- Set up- Terry McKenzie; Clean Up- Wanda Turnure

Elders- Sat- Roy Bohning; Sun- 8:30- Don Turnure; 11-

Greeters- 8:30- Ken and Marilyn Foster; 11- Al and Karen Benton

Lay Reader- Sat- Sandra Perricone; 8:30- Steve McDowell, 11- Ben Hoelscher

Sat Pianist- Kathy Barrow

Organist- Barb Dreyer

Projectionist: Sat- Fischer; Sun, 8:30- McKenzie; 11- Rausch

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YESTERDAY'S QUIZ:

In approximately what year did Zechariah receive his prophecies? Approximately 520 BC, no later than 460 BC. Thanks Don!

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TODAY'S QUIZ: What is the Feast of Purim?

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NEWS:

Worship from yesterday, 10/1/17. Enjoy and share!
https://youtu.be/aTbi82DcwKc

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A NOTE FROM THE LITTLE LAMBS TEACHERS ABOUT THE PRESCHOOL ROOM

If you use the preschool area, make sure you put everything back just like you found it. If you have little kids down there, take note of where everything is and make sure it gets put back. It was not left the way it should be, and the teachers were not happy.

They are happy to let you use it, as long as you respect it and put things back where they go.

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LADIES AID VENDOR FAIR AND BAKE SALE COMING UP SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 4

If you would like to be a vendor or know someone who would, the cost is $20 per spot. They also need baked goods. Call 456-2888 to reserve your spot or to let them know you'll donate some baked goods.

Invite your friends and family and come on down to enjoy it!

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SUNDAY SCHOOL MEMORY VERSE IS "Let each of you look not only to his own interest but also to the interests of others." PHILIPPIANS 2:4

Whoever comes to Sunday school and tells me this verse will get a prize!

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NEW OUTREACH BOOKLET DISPLAY AT CHURCH

Our board of outreach and evangelism purchased a set of outreach booklets on all different topics of interest. They are for you to use for yourself, but also to take to friends, family, coworkers, and neighbors who may be dealing with the things covered in these booklets or may just have questions regarding to the faith. Please check it out and as it says, PLEASE TAKE ONE!

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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OUR NEXT FIFTH SUNDAY CELEBRATION WILL BE ON SUNDAY, OCTOBER 29… REFORMATION SUNDAY!! TO CELEBRATE THE 500^TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE BEGINNING OF THE REFORMATION AND THE POSTING OF THE 95 THESES BY MARTIN LUTHER ON THE CASTLE CHURCH DOOR IN WITTENBERG, GERMANY!!

It is going to be a blowout celebration! Mark your calendars today to make sure you are there to enjoy the celebration!

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OPERATION BACKPACK DONATIONS FOR THE MONTH OF OCTOBER IS CANNED VEGETABLES. PLEASE BRING YOUR DONATIONS TO CHURCH AND PUT THEM IN THE TUB MARKED "BACKPACK BLESSINGS"!

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PRAYERS:

For the HUNDREDS IN LAS VEGAS who are dealing with the tragic shooting last night.

For LORI FELDKAMP AND KEVIN PEDERSON as they are getting married next Saturday, Oct. 7.

For LIL WINTER who is at home recovering from surgery.

For DAVID GRAYSON, BUCK HAMPTON, AND GEORGE HOELSCHER all dealing with cancer and chemo treatments.

For the INFANT GRANDSON OF DANE AND JODI BALDWIN who was born twelve weeks premature. Right now he is getting some help with breathing, but all vitals and everything are good. He was born at 2 and a half pounds.

For CAL TAMELER who is HOME and is recovering from surgeries and a heart attack.

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PRAYERS FOR OUR MILITARY PERSONNEL:

For SAM HARGROVE deployed in Amman, Jordan 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, COLTON FIGURA stationed in California, 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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Daily Email: Monday, October 2, 2017

DEVOTION: Psalm 80:7-19 English Standard Version (ESV)

⁷Restore us, O God of hosts;
let your face shine, that we may be saved!

⁸You brought a vine out of Egypt;
    you drove out the nations and planted it.
⁹You cleared the ground for it;
    it took deep root and filled the land.
¹⁰The mountains were covered with its shade,
    the mighty cedars with its branches.
¹¹It sent out its branches to the sea
    and its shoots to the River.^[a]
¹²Why then have you broken down its walls,
    so that all who pass along the way pluck its fruit?
¹³The boar from the forest ravages it,
    and all that move in the field feed on it.

¹⁴Turn again, O God of hosts!
    Look down from heaven, and see;
have regard for this vine,
¹⁵    the stock that your right hand planted,
    and for the son whom you made strong for yourself.
¹⁶They have burned it with fire; they have cut it down;
    may they perish at the rebuke of your face!
¹⁷But let your hand be on the man of your right hand,
    the son of man whom you have made strong for yourself!
¹⁸Then we shall not turn back from you;
    give us life, and we will call upon your name!

¹⁹Restore us, O Lord God of hosts!
Let your face shine, that we may be saved!

As I sit here listening to the news, I am so very sad. It only reminds me that evil is all around us. It can even be at a country music festival where people are just going to have fun and enjoy some music. It has been around since Adam and Eve fell into sin, and it keeps getting worse. There is no escape from it, as it even permeates our own hearts and minds at times.

While we will never understand what makes a person shoot and kill so many people, we can know that evil is real and the world is full of it. It is a sad truth, but a truth nonetheless.

Here's a good truth for you today. The Lord will restore it and all of us who believe. In fact, he has already restored us. He has restored us through faith in the grace of his Son, Jesus. He has restored our souls.

Find comfort in these words from Matthew 10:28 "Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell."

There is only one who can destroy both soul and body and hell, and he loves you so much that he sent his Son, Jesus to save you from your sins. If you trust in him, and live in his grace. If you believe in His love and have faith in him, you have nothing of which to be afraid. You have nothing to fear! Death is not the end, but only the beginning for those who are in Christ Jesus.

I do feel extremely sad for the families of those whose loved ones died without faith in the Lord. That is what breaks my heart. I encourage you to make sure everyone you know and love at least knows about the love of Jesus. Whether they accept and believe it or not is up to them.

In the same way, find hope and peace in the midst of tragedy in Jesus Christ and his salvation from this sin sick world! Have peace, not in this world, and what humans can do, but in God who can do all things well!

And know that there will come a day when Jesus will return and restore us and this whole world to what he intended it to be, back to Eden.

Prayer: Lord, in the midst of tragedy, all we can do is turn to you for solace and comfort. Come quickly, Lord Jesus, and restore us. Amen.