The Source. October 2018

Transcription

1 The Source October 2018

2 Inside The Source Birthdays/Anniversaries Page 11 B-SiDE Youth Ministry Page 7 CHAMPs Children s Ministry Page 6 Family Updates Page 11 Financial News Page 2 Grief Ministry Page 10 Growth Group Roster Page 8 Growth Group Photos Page 4 Growth Group Photos Page 5 Growth Group Purpose Page 10 Monthly Calendar Page 12 Prayer Changes Things Page 3 Randolph s Random Reflections Page 4 Stewardship Corner Page 2 Trash 2 Treasure/HOPE Pantry News Page 8 Troop Support Page 10 Upcoming Sermon Titles Page 12 Women s Ministry Conference Recap Page 9 Women s Ministry Information Page 10 Young At Heart Page 5 $$$ FBC Financial News $$$ Stewardship corner Reporting Period: 8/28/18-9/30/18 Total Contributions: $ 40, Total Expense: $ 33, Difference: $ 7, Checking Balance: $ 1, (09/30/18) Savings Balance: $ 12, (09/30/18) FBC is supported solely by the tithes and offerings of its members and regular attenders. Thank you for your continued faithfulness. 2

3 The Bible mentions prayer a lot, but prayer is much more than simply repeating words or wishful thinking. Prayer is talking and listening to God. Prayer, like a conversation, can be done at any time, anywhere because God is always with us and is always listening. Some questions we ask ourselves regarding prayer are, Why would God want to talk with me? Is there a right and wrong way to pray? Why does God answer some prayers but not others? Does it matter that we only have a little faith? Thankfully, the Bible gives us insight into the hows and whys of prayer. Since God invites us to talk with Him, it s not surprising that He also gives us guidelines on how to do it. Here are some of them. Luke 18:13-14: But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, God, have mercy on me, a sinner. I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted. These verses, from the well-known story of the Pharisee and the tax collector praying in the temple, reveals the prayer that allows us to enter into a relationship with God. The tax collector was honest with God about his sin. He humbled himself, repented, and acknowledged his need of God s mercy. God answered his prayer and saved him. Bottom line the first step in developing a prayer life is calling upon God for His salvation. Psalm 66:18: If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened. This verse from David s Psalm shows us a major hindrance to God s willingness to hear our prayers unconfessed sin. Some might ask, If sin prevents God from hearing our prayers, then none of us have a chance, because we all sin, even after we are saved. A careful reading of this Psalm, however, draws our attention to the word cherished. To cherish sin means to embrace it. To love it, h old on to it, and refuse to give it up. This is vastly different from committing a sin that we regret, confess, and forsake as soon as the Holy Spirit brings it to our attention. God doesn t expect us to be sinless, but He does call us to deal with our sin as soon as possible. Bottom line we can t live a consistently sinful lifestyle and expect God to hear our prayers. Psalm 34:15: The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their cry. If we have a right relationship with God and are earnestly trying to follow and honor him with our lives, we never have to wonder if He s listening to our prayers. On the contrary, this verse assures us that He is carefully attuned to our lives and eager to hear every prayer that comes from our lips. Bottom line God hears the prayers of those who put their trust in Him. Daniel 9:18: We do not make requests of you because we are righteous, but because of your great mercy. This beautiful excerpt from Daniel s prayer on behalf of the Jews exiled in Babylon shows us a profound truth about prayer that God answers our prayers because of His mercy, not our good works. Many believers think their good works obligate or persuade God to act on their behalf. And while God does call us to live holy lives, it is not our obedience that moves God to answer our prayers, it is His great mercy toward us. Bottom line God s mercy, not our goodness, is the basis for answered prayer. Psalm 5:3: In the morning, O Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation. The psalmist who penned this models the attitude we should have when we pray that of eager expectation. We should believe God will answer our prayers and diligently watch for His hand at work. Bottom line when we pray, we can wait in eager anticipation for God to work on our behalf. 1 John 5:14: This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. God delights in answering prayers that align with His will. But how do we know what God s will is? The most reliable way is by reading His Word. As we seek God through Bible reading and prayer, we get to know His heart and gain wisdom and spiritual insight. This gives us a greater understanding of how to pray according to His will, and a greater chance of having our prayers answered. Bottom line God answers every prayer that aligns with His will. Mark 9:24: I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief! This honest confession comes from a man whose son was demon-possessed. He wasn t fully convinced Jesus had the power to deliver his son, but he asked anyway. This passage debunks two of the greatest misconceptions about prayer that if we have enough faith, God will answer our prayers, and if we don t, He won t. Scripture doesn t support the idea that great faith produces great miracles and small faith prevents them. Instead, God tells us to ask in faith, believing that He can and will answer our prayers in the way He knows is best. Bottom line it s not how much faith we have that matters, but Who we have faith in. James 5:16: The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective. What a beautiful affirmation James, the halfbrother of Jesus, gives in this short verse. When we wonder if prayer accomplishes anything, He encourages us not only is prayer powerful, but it s effective. You re not wasting your time, He seems to be telling us. Keep praying! God is using your prayers to accomplish His will. Bottom line prayers work. When we pray, we are changed. Our prayers draw us closer to Him, and that can change how we look at what we are going through. This gives us the strength to carry on, knowing that God hears us and He s working all things out for our good. Amen! 3

4 Test yourselves to see if you are godly. If you recognize sin in your life, confess and repent. Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you unless, of course, you fail the test? Corinthians 13:5 (NIV) Hopefully the current 40 Days of Prayer church-wide emphasis is a time of intimate and powerful prayer in your life. The following reflections, however, are related to seasons of life in which God is apparently silent. In accepting Christ and committing your life to Him, you are a child of His. Scripture encourages us to be still and know He is God. Realize that God will let you know what He is doing in your life when you need to know. As you have very likely already realized, God does speak to us when we pray. John 8:47 (NIV) reads, Whoever belongs to God hears what God says. The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God. There are times, however, when it seems, even to a child of God, that God is being silent. Take action concerning what God has already revealed to you instead of being a mere hearer of the Word. Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. --- James 1:22 (NIV) Have an expectation founded on the promises of God that God is going to reveal Himself further to you Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know. --Jeremiah 33:3 (NIV) THREE POSSIBLE REASONS FOR SILENCE Possible sin in your life You have not applied what God has already revealed to you God is preparing to reveal Himself to you in a way He never has previously In times of silence obey what you do know to be consistent with what God has already shown you about WAYS TO RESPOND WHEN GOD IS APPARHimself and trust Him, in His timing, to continue to ENTLY SILENT reveal Himself to you. 4 4

5 Please join us Wednesday October 11:30 am Invite a friend Bring a main dish, side dish or a salad to share. It s important that you bring a dish to share to make sure there is enough for all. Drinks & Dessert Provided Be sure to join us for fun, food & games! Please RSVP to: Diane Armbruster 909)

6 ZIP! Kicked off with a great start on 9/26! The new format for Wednesday nights has really resonated with the students and families. The shorter program allows for earlier bedtimes, and the ability to jump in at any time during the ten week session is a terrific added benefit. For the better part of the evening the kids are all together, and then they break into smaller groups for about 20 minutes. It s a fast paced, God filled 90 minutes! You should check it out! Wednesday 10/31 6:00 7:30 pm See Hollie Boyer or Judy Rooze on how to help out on this safe alternative to Halloween. Bouncer, Games, Trunk or Treating Sunday mornings in The Dugout with all of the students has been great fun. The kids are loving learning all about prayer the same as their families are learning in the Worship Center. The curriculum is filled with great music, videos, games and teaching that is enabling the kids to understand that prayer is simply talking to God, just like they would to their friends and family. Make sure that you take the time to talk to your child about what they learned on Sunday mornings. Each week they are given take home items to help them share what they have learned. 10/7 PRAYER IS TALKING & LISTENING TO GOD 10/14 PRAYER IS TALKING TO GOD WHEN TMES ARE TOUGH 10/21 40 DAYS OF PRAYER CELEB RATION After our 40 DOP celebration on 10/21, we will head right back in to the Gospel Project material. The team is looking forward to spending Fall with your children. 10/28 JESUS CRUCIFIXION & RESURRECTION 6

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8 It s not too late Growth Groups that are still waiting for you to join are: For: When: Where: General Sundays at 1:00PM Akanwo Home, Rancho Cucamonga Led by: Randolph & Renetta Romero Young at Heart Seniors Tuesdays at 11:30AM Here at FBC Led by: Randolph Romero Jr. Women Tuesdays at 6:30PM Here at FBC Led by: Judy Rooze General Tuesdays at 6:30PM Taylor Home, Rancho Cucamonga Led by: Bill Williams General Wednesdays at 6:00PM Armbruster Home, Ontario Led by: Ray & Linda Durand General Wednesdays at 6:30PM Freeman Home, Alta Loma Led by: Jeff & Deanna Freeman Young Adults Wednesdays at 6:30PM Here at FBC Led by: Samantha Guynes Pantry List The pantry is in need of your help. Here are some items that we need to have in stock at all times. Packaged Dinners Hot Cereal Fruit Rice or Dried Beans Chili Canned meats - tuna/chicken Jelly Soup-Canned or Packaged Peanut Butter Macaroni & Cheese Vegetables Spaghetti or other pasta Deodorant Disposable Razors Bar Soap Toothbrush/Toothpaste Jell - O Liquid Soap Refried Beans Shampoo/Crème Rinse Spaghetti Sauce Feminine Hygiene Products Shaving Cream HOPE Pantry October 6th 7:00 am October 13th Yard Sale October 20th 7:00 am 8

9 Thank you so much to the Women s Team for all of their hard work in presenting the Fall Conference. It was a morning filled with lessons on how to Bee Youtiful, Bee Your Best, Bee Joyful, and Bee Creative. Kathy Farmer, Faye Moore and Diane Armbruster. Thanks to our guest speaker Toni Knight for reminding us of Who we belong to and the awesome illustrations that helped reinforce our royalty in His name. Thanks to Bill Delo, A special thanks to all of the Craig Fulfer, and Roy Taylor for presenters, Connie Henderson, tearing down the Worship CenMary Weaver, Deanna Freeter. Thanks to Bill Williams, man, Judy Rooze, Gloria Faber, Rene Castro, Roy Taylor, Jeff 9 Freeman and Steve Rooze for serving lunch and for helping put the Worship Center back together. A very special thanks to Connie Henderson for her beautiful scene setting. Last but certainly not least, a very big THANK YOU to Eartha Taylor leading the Women s Ministry has proven to be amazing and we can t wait to see what s in store for 2019!

10 God never intended for his followers to live the Christian life separated from the rest of the body of Christ. The church must provide an environment where people can share the real stuff of life and find support, encouragement, honesty, openness, grace, and biblical trust. The most effective way to do this is through small groups. Principle 1: Every Christian needs a spiritual family. Principle 2: Every Christian needs a laboratory for life. Heart to Heart Women s Ministry Upcoming Events Women s Bible Study FBC Please contact Judy Rooze for more info. Women s Yoga Class THURS Evenings 5:30 pm Women s Team Meeting October 13th 10:00 am Principle 3: Staying in your building limits your growth. If you or someone you know are struggling with grief, the Grief Support Ministry can offer practical, biblical tools to help you. Check out the Community Center for information gathered to assist you. If you would like assistance, please contact me at ( ). Thanks, Kathy Amie-Farmer Support & Prayer for Our Troops! ARMY SGT. WESLEY SCHUBERT - MARTHA & JIM TYREE S NEPHEW IF YOU HAVE A LOVED ONE WHO IS SERVING IN THE MILITARY IN ANY CAPACITY, PLEASE LET US KNOW SO THAT FBC CAN KEEP THEM LIFTED IN PRAYER. This Year s Goal is 300 Boxes! THANKS! 10

11 Barbara(Bunki) Souza 1st Donna Vivian 1st Soji Akanwo Joseph Lewis Rodriguez Brandy Butler 2nd 3rd 4th Scott & Tahmra Reid Dario & Kari Williams-Vazquez Nelson & Robbin Scherer 2nd 10th 22nd Jim Tyree 8th Virginia Delo 13th Alta Dekoven-Skratuila 15th John Davis 17th Cathy Schirano 17th Deanna Freeman 20th Tamera Frenett William(Will)Rodriguez Laura Bryant 20th 20th 21st To Bob & Addie Ann Phillips and their family. Chase Mabrie Danielle Rodriguez Eleanora Schirano Renee Romero Jeane Schildberg 21st 22nd 24th 27th 29th Their son in law Ed Stading Passed away on September 3rd. Adachi Gathright Mgbafilike 31st Directory Updates: Ben & Kaylie Nakamura Spring Street Riverside, CA If you have a change in your contact information please let us know by filling out your Connection Card on Sunday mornings with the correct information and turning it in to the office or the offering plate as it goes by. 11

12 First Baptist Church of Rancho Cucamonga 7450 Archibald Avenue Rancho Cucamonga, CA (909) Visit: Log on using: Username: fbcrc Password: sermons FBCRC Calendar Message Titles SUNDAYS 10/7, 14, 21, 28 - Celebration Services: 9:30am /11:00 am 10/7, 14, 21, 28 - Library open between Services 10/28- Blood Pressure Check After Each Service Mondays - Saturdays 10/5 & 10/19 - Assemble Food Boxes for Pantry: 9:00 am 10/6 & 10/20 - HOPE FBC: 7:00 am 10/2, 9, 16, 23, 30 - WM Bible Study: 6:30 pm 10/2, 9, 16, 23, 30 - B-SiDE Youth: 6:30 pm 10/3, 10, 17, 24 - ZIP! For Kids!: 6:00 pm - 7:30 pm 10/4, 11, 18, 25 - Women s Yoga Class: 5:30 pm 10/10 - Young At Heart Senior Lunch: 11:30 am 10/13 - Trash 2 Treasure Yard Schirano Home 10/13 - WM Team Meeting: 10:00 am 10/31 - HARVEST FESTIVAL: 6:00 pm - 7:30 pm For more information please The Community Center or log on to October 7th: October 14th: October 21st: Prayer: Throughout Your Day Prayer: Healing and Restoration Prayer: When God Says No 12