Dear Church Family, an update for the week of August 29, 2010…
Thank you to those who came out on Saturday to help with the All-Church Cleanup Day and the Sunday School / Children’s Church workshop and classroom setup for the next school year to begin this coming Sunday. Please come to the 9:30am Promotion Assembly on September 5 to join in with the new classes for this coming year.
Thank you to Nadine Yamamoto for the Children’s Message, “Where is Heaven?” Nadine realizes, no one really knows where Heaven is, but knows that the bible describes it as a very wonderful place. With the help of some from Children’s Church, they described what some people might think are ways to get to heaven: Doing good things, like feeding the poor; loving others; giving money; reading the Bible every day; or singing praise songs. None of these ways will ever be enough to get someone into Heaven. We are never good enough on our own, but God has His perfect plan for us. We can’t climb our way to heaven, so God came down to us with His Son, Jesus. It is God who loves us so much, He sent us His one and only Son, Jesus, that as we love and believe in Him, He makes the way for us to be with Him. Doing good things, sharing, loving, giving, Bible reading and worshiping, are all good things to do because we love Jesus, but not to earn salvation.
Thank you to Pastor Eric Yata for bringing the message from Romans 8:28-39, “Why God?” In our lives, there are times of victories, such as Saturday, August 28, the Kung Fu Pandas, a softball team with members of SanLo (including Pastor Eric), took the Division title! Sometimes with those victories, there are also time of difficulties and trials, whether it is global or personal. In the middle of these times, we sometimes wonder, “Why God?” We find comfort in God’s Word, particularly from today’s passage.
1) God reminds us of His glorious plan for us. (vv.28-30) 28And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. 29For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; 30and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified. God had foreknowledge of His great plan of salvation. He also predestined those who He would call. We did not choose God, He chose us. God extended the calling to us in an invitation or summons. We have been justified, acquitted, or declared righteous, freed and saved by faith in Jesus. We are all guilty, but declared innocent because the penalty for our sin was paid in full by Jesus, the perfect sacrifice. Those who have put their faith in Jesus Christ will be glorified, when upon our passing, we will be given a new body and eternal life. It is important to know these doctrines so when we go through times of trial & strife, this promise will carry us through suffering. Because we know that in the end, we win in heaven. When hard times come, our faith will equip us to better endure, despite the difficult circumstance we may find ourselves in.
2) God reminds us of His gracious sacrifice for us. (vv.31-36) 31What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us? 32He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things? 33Who will bring a charge against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies; 34who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us. 35Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36Just as it is written, “FOR YOUR SAKE WE ARE BEING PUT TO DEATH ALL DAY LONG; WE WERE CONSIDERED AS SHEEP TO BE SLAUGHTERED.” Nobody can over take us because God is for us. Nobody can separate us from Christ.
3) God reminds us of His amazing love for us. (vv.37-39) 37But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. 38For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, 39nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. We are more than conquerors. God’s love is so powerful. Nothing can ever separate us from His love and care. His love is so amazing.
Have you allowed God’s love to embrace you and carry you through the difficulties in your life? We have victory in Christ.
Have a blessed week in God’s glorious plan, His gracious sacrifice and amazing love,
Stan, for SLZJCC