It's Saturday and Sunday's Coming

Hey Freedom folks, it's Saturday and Sunday's coming like a freight train at us! Choo-choo ch-boogie!

Tomorrow we will have our Summer Begins Potluck; the Songspinners will perform at 5pm and potluck will follow

The Campeau's and Chandler's have provided the pork, bread and sauce

The rest of you folks bring picnic/BBQ sides and desserts

The church has coffee and lemonade

We will break down the auditorium after church tomorrow and set up for the fellowship

The Spinners always look forward to the shows at our church because we are so receptive

And I know you come to see how Greg will embarrass himself this year; I assure you it's an astounding embarrassment and you will enjoy it

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We have not heard anything further on the roof; assume too much rain continuing but supposed to be drier this weekend

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Bob Mahan is still in the hospital; Bertie reports he is slowly recuperating and will move to rehab when ready but no date set yet

Ruth continues to recuperate from her shoulder surgery this past Wednesday; she hopes to be at church in the evening but we'll see

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Bless ya'll's hearts and let's have a good time tomorrow!

The Pester

Memorial Day Weekend 2015 at Freedom

Hey church folks, hope you have a good Memorial Day Weekend planned

I don't have any shows so I'm doing a lot of puttering around the house and getting ready for Ruth's surgery and the grandkids from Alaska coming for 3 weeks this summer; lots to do

Will be smoking some meat; that's nothing but good!

I heard from the landlord and he has a roofer under contract as soon as the weather breaks it will get done so there is a plan; we may be coming in from the rain soon and I'll keep you posted

Pray for all our sick ones

Some will be traveling; some will be staying home; some will be tired; some will be refreshed; pray for them

And some gave all including their life; thanks to our veterans this Memorial Day

And we all will be basking in the grace of God; thanks to God for giving us life and blessing in this great land of ours

See you Sunday, Lord willing

The Pester

We are moving our Christian worldview study Thinking Like a Christian to Wednesday nights 7pm at the church. This best fits our fast-changing whacky schedules; we may move it back to Thursdays later in the summer but for now Wednesday night is the night. Our next section to study is on Psychology so come ready to psychoanalyze the pastor (scary thought).

It takes a cross to gain a crown: Easter 2015

Receiving the outcome of your faith the salvation of your souls (1 Peter 1:9)
The consummation of faith is salvation. Salvation is possible only because of the cross of Christ. Victor in this life and in eternal life is possible because of the resurrection.
The cross is necessary because of sin. Resurrection is necessary because of the triumph of righteousness over sin.
The only path to victory is through the cross and the empty tomb; they go together and cannot be separated in our Christian experience. It takes one to receive the other; therefore we will suffer in this life.
We are now currently receiving (before our full inheritance) the “end of our faith’” that is, the goal or culmination of our faith. As we grow in faith we begin to gain a sense of the timelessness of our salvation: the past, the present and the future start to blend together in the glory and the blessing that salvation brings.
Each day brings us closer to the final realization of what salvation will bring. Each trial gives us more faith which gives us more joy and hope that is becoming more like our full inheritance. Therefore we begin to welcome trial so we can experience more of the benefits of our salvation today. All of this is certainly cause for “inexpressible joy.”
What the resurrection means:
·         The priceless emotion of hope
·         A protection and shield in persecution
·         Daily joy under pressure
·         Growing in trial, not shrinking or regressing
·         A joyful soul
·         The final culmination of our faith in joy and glory
 
It is not just this life, is it? Is this all there is?
No; there is “more to come”

More that is glorious and wonderful beyond our wildest dreams

The good stories of hope and heroes and “ever after” are true; dare we believe them?
 

We know this because of the resurrection

Therefore we live - in hope, in faith, in love and in joy
Have a joyous Easter!

 

Palm Sunday 2015: My Humility is Greater Than Yours!

Our study for Palm Sunday March 29, 2015 will relate to the attitude of the disciples the night before Christ's crucifixion. At the Passover dinner and the arrest of Jesus the disciples displayed the attitude that they would follow Christ to the death but without humility. Either during or after Jesus washed their feet they were arguing about who was the greatest. When Jesus told them they were acting like pagans and were missing the point of humility and yieldedness to God's plan for them they argued that they would not betray Him. This kind of argument is something like saying "my humility is greater than yours" and "which one of us is the best servant you've got,  Jesus?" Such thinking is what defeats and destroys us as followers of Christ. We must learn to surrender our agendas, dreams, desires and personal visions to Him.
Peter went on to deny Jesus 3 times, as predicted by Jesus that Satan desired to run Peter through the filter of trials like chaff separated from the wheat as the photo depicts

• God's plan had not changed in spite of Peter's denials
• Never let a sense of failure corrupt your new action! Repent and Rise Up!
• Judas' betrayal, the "greatest" arguments, and Peter's denials tell us things won't be our way and we must humble ourselves before Him. We can't play the game of "my humility is better than yours"

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We have been going through the gospel of Luke verse by verse and are currently in chapter 21 on the Olivet Discourse. With Palm Sunday and Easter I am moving to later passages in Luke but will return to the verse by verse study after Easter. Luke's gospel is the most detailed of the 4 gospels and takes some time to teach, and by no means has the message and meaning of Luke been exhausted (thanks for stating that, Capt Obvious!).

Gospel Swing Show March 13 2015

 We had a great time Friday night March 13th singing at the Gospel Swing Show with Doyle Combs and the American Patriots Jazz Orchestra. The place was full and the band was great! I got to sing with some of the most talented musicians you would ever hope to hear, most of them retired servicemen and all so wonderful and gracious. My thanks to all who came out to hear and support the show presented by Music Evangelism Foundation. It's another checkmark on my bucket list to get to sing with a big band. The next thing on my bucket list is to run a marathon (yeah, I don't think that one's gonna get done)

I'll be singing tonight at the Gospel Swing Show with Doyle Combs and the American Patriots Orchestra at 7pm at Trinity Nazarene Church 5055 El Camino Drive. There is no admission charge as a love offering will be received. The concert is sponsored by Music Evangelism Foundation. I am so humble to receive this opportunity to sing with a great group of musicians and dedicated believers. It would honor all of us if you would come; you will enjoy the music. When we sing, we know He is pleased. Pastor Greg