Airport Road
Church of Christ
loving God, loving people
and bringing the two together
The Airport Road Church of Christ
Loving God, loving people and bringing the two together Volume 50 September 24, 2023 Number 39
FROM YOUR MINISTER: I had never read the article on the next page of today's bulletin until I saw it in an email last week. I was greatly moved, and hope that you are as well. I see that it's about at least two very important things. ~It's about priorities. What is really important in life? God's word mentions the Kingdom of God, loving God, giving oneself to God, and prayer as very important things (Matt. 6:33, 22:37-38, 2 Cor. 8:5, and 1 Tim. 2:1) ~It's about serving others. "Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves" (Romans 12:10). "Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ" (Galatians 6:2). It's always a good time to re-evaluate. May God bless us in so doing!
QUOTES FOR THE WEEK: Any Christian who makes soul winning his or her priority is considered a wise person because God has placed in such a person the wisdom to have everything about his or her life advancing. ~Jerry J. Panou
Imagine a world where men had an inner construction from their identity in God, and out of that created priorities and loyalties which drove their choices. ~Kenny Luck
Jesus taught that your highest priority must be your relationship with Him. If anything detracts you from that relationship, that activity is not from God. God will not ask you to do something that hinders your relationship with Christ. ~Henry Blackaby
THIS WEEK FROM THE BIBLE: Isaiah 1:16-17 Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean; Remove the evil of your deeds from My sight. Cease to do evil, Learn to do good; Seek justice, Reprove the ruthless, Defend the orphan, Plead for the widow.
FAMILY NEWS: Mark your calendar now! Kathy Fosnaugh has announced a church potluck for Sunday, October 8.
The next Ladies Lunch will be Thursday, Oct. 12 at a local restaurant. Please contact Kathy or Allison so they can have a headcount.
Stan and Marnita have been busy fixing up his house to put on the market in preparation for their marriage!
We're always happy to Welcome back Sharon Gregory who is here with Jo Ella while the Fosnaughs are in Utah!
Wives of Weinsberg
It happened in Germany in the Middle Ages. The year was 1141. Wolf, the Duke of Bavaria, sat trapped inside his castle of Weinsberg. Outside his walls lay the army of Frederick, the Duke of Swabia, and his brother the Emperor Conrad.
The siege had lasted long, and the time had come when Wolf knew he must surrender. Messengers rode back and forth, terms were proposed, conditions allowed, arrangements completed. Sadly, Wolf and his officers prepared to give themselves to their bitter enemy.
But the wives of Weinsberg were not ready to lose all. They sent a message to Conrad, asking a promise of safe conduct for all the women in the garrison that they might come out with as many of their valuables as they could carry.
The request was freely granted, and soon the castle gates were opened. Out came the ladies, but in startling fashion. They carried not gold or jewels. Each one was bending under the weight of her husband, whom they hoped to save from the vengeance of the victorious host.
The Emperor, who was really a generous and merciful man, is said to have been brought to tears by the extraordinary performance. He hastened to assure the women of the husbands' safety and freedom. He invited them all to a banquet and made peace with the Duke of Bavaria on terms more favorable than expected.
The castle mount was afterwards known as the Hill of Weibertreue, translated, The Hill of Woman's Fidelity.
~selected from Montpelier, VT Church of Christ bulletin
PRAYERTIME: Prayer is the inner bath of love into which the soul plunges itself. ~John Vianney Marnita Baird had foot surgery on Tuesday and requests prayer for her recovery. Four-year-old Juniper Ammons is back home in the Placerville area after months of being hospitalized. Please be praying for her therapies and recovery. Let's remain in prayer for 11-year-old Zoe, daughter of Gemma and Pastor Chase Ward. The family is traveling together until she begins trial treatments for DIPG brain cancer at UCSF. We continue to pray for Rosella Paslay as she has another chemo treatment and seems to be handling things well. Please keep praying for Aulika and Mickey, Susan Biegler's brother Ted, Diana Buffaloe, Gary and Reuben Crowder, Russ and Kim Garvin, Marnita's cousin Antoine, Ralph's sister Kay Dean, Al and Susan Sheehan, the Shuping and Jones families upon the passing of Butch in Idaho, Fred and Linda Welden, and John Wood. Please be in prayer for our mission works in Venezuela with Daryl and Valerie Griffin and in Vigan City, the Philippines with Rolando Azurin. Colossians 1:11 {We pray that you be} strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for the attaining of all steadfastness and patience...
Dear Lord, Thank You for fearfully and wonderfully creating each of us. Thank You for giving us worth in Your eyes. Help us live as the one You uniquely intended us to be. Help us abide instead of strive, living peacefully and joyfully as heirs to Your Kingdom and co-heirs with Christ. In Jesus' Name, Amen. ~ Julie Sunne
The Airport Road Church of Christ
Loving God, loving people and bringing the two together Volume 50 September 17, 2023 Number 38
FROM YOUR MINISTER: As part of my morning devotions, I often go through a meditation plan. Part of the plan is to ask the question, "Who do I say that God is today?" Usually, a word pops into my mind and I spend time thinking and praying through that concept of God. The other day, the word that came to me was 'facilitator'. The word is often used in the business world, and I found descriptions online from wwwleadstat. I was amazed. As a facilitator—God guides, motivates, builds bridges, anticipates and manages conflict, praises, makes peace, and assigns tasks. Now, that's something worthy of meditating upon. Thank You, Lord!
QUOTES FOR THE WEEK: Though our feelings come and go, God's love for us does not. - C.S. Lewis
Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God. - Corrie Ten Boom Joy is not necessarily the absence of suffering, it is the presence of God. - Sam Storms
God does not give us everything we want, but He does fulfill His promises, leading us along the best and straightest paths to Himself. - Dietrich Bonhoeffer
God is in control and therefore in everything I can give thanks. - Kay Arthur
THIS WEEK FROM THE BIBLE: 2 Corinthians 2:14 But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us reveals the fragrance of the knowledge of Him in every place.
FAMILY NEWS: Mark your calendar now! Kathy Fosnaugh has announced a church potluck for Sunday, October 8.
Ken and Mary Fletcher are visiting Hawaii for the first time this week. Enjoy!
We welcome Bill Kenson's daughter Christina to our family! She is now working at Eagle Valley Children's Home. We are happy to have her!
We sadly announce that Suzy Pence has moved to Reno! She will be worshiping with a congregation there, and we will miss her greatly! We are hoping for frequent visits!
Help is here!
No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 8:37-39).
Bills pile up. Savings accounts go down. Marriages go south. Pandemics rage. Work goes off the rails. Stress goes off the charts. Suddenly, you feel powerless to calm life's chaos. It's all too much to take on by yourself. But there is good news — Help Is Here.
Our Good Shepherd doesn't just feed us; he leads us (Psalm 23:1-2). He does more than correct us; he directs us (Psalm 23:3-4). And best of all, he's commissioned the Holy Spirit to guide us down the winding roads of life, wherever they may lead us (Romans 8:14-17).
No more walking this path alone. No more carrying weight you were not intended to bear.
Enjoy the presence of the Holy Spirit and experience the vigorous life he offers. You can rest easy knowing that Help Is Here.
For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your heart through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord's holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge — that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Love. (Ephesians 3:14-21)
~Max Lucado, heartlight.org
PRAYERTIME: We thank You, God for being You. ~Monte Brewster Jo Ella's nephew Butch Shuping has passed away after a long battle with infection. His wife Charlene continues to recover from surgery. We pray for comfort for the family. Four-year-old Juniper Ammons is back home in the Placerville area after months of being hospitalized. Please be praying for her therAPIs and recovery. Let's remain in prayer for 11-year-old Zoe, daughter of Gemma and Pastor Chase Ward. The family is traveling together until she begins trial treatments for DIPG brain cancer at UCSF. We continue to pray for Rosella Paslay as she has two more chemo treatments and seems to be handling things well. Please keep praying for Aulika and Mickey, Susan Biegler's brother Ted, Diana Buffaloe, Gary and Reuben Crowder, Russ and Kim Garvin, Marnita's cousin Antoine, Ralph's sister Kay Dean, Al and Susan Sheehan, Fred and Linda Welden, and John Wood. Please be in prayer for our mission works in Venezuela with Daryl and Valerie Griffin and in Vigan Citand, the Philippines with Rolando Azurin. Colossians 1:10 {We pray} that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God...
Father, sometimes it does feel that you have left us in the battle. We know that you are with us, but so are our feelings of aloneness. The Enemy seems to be taking ground. Our crying out to you seems to go unanswered. We know you are at work but help us trust you in the midst of our questions. In Jesus' Name, Amen. ~ Ron Moore
The Airport Road Church of Christ Loving God, loving people and bringing the two together Volume 50 September 3, 2023 Number 36
FROM YOUR MINISTER: Jesus seems to have had a tendency to boill everything down to just a few things. He told one fellow to sell everything and follow Him. After a man asked Him out of the hundreds of commandments, which was the greatest? He trimmed them down to loving God and loving people. The other day, I ran across words many of us memorized when we were children. "Do to others as you would have them do to you" (Luke 6:31). What's that? Treat others the way you would like to be treated! Now, that says it all. Thank You, Jesus.
QUOTES FOR THE WEEK: If you contemplate the Golden Rule, it turns out to be an injunction to live by grace rather than by what you think other people deserve. ~Deepak Chopra
Remember! --It is Christianity to do good always--even to those who do evil to us. It is Christianity to love our neighbor as ourselves, and to do to all men as we would have them do to us. It is Christianity to be gentle, merciful and forgiving, and to keep those qualities quiet in our own hearts, and never make a boast of them. ~Charles Dickens Instead of seeing how much pain I can dish out towards those I disagree with, or who I believe have done me wrong, I seek to follow the golden rule and use my words and behavior to create more of what the world needs – love, compassion, and connection. ~Aspen Baker
THIS WEEK FROM THE BIBLE: Nehemiah 8:10 Go and celebrate with a feast of rich foods and sweet drinks, and share gifts of food with people who have nothing prepared. This is a sacred day before our Lord. Don't be dejected and sad, for the joy of the Lord is your strength!
FAMILY NEWS: There will not be a Ladies Luncheon in September. Check with Kathy about going out for lunch in October.
Lots of apples are available this year in the backyard. Who can be most creative with them?
The Griffins enjoyed a family reunion in the Bay Area last week. All six siblings and their spouses attended!
Gate A-4 by Naomi Shihab Nye
Wandering around the Albuquerque Airport Terminal, after learning my flight had been delayed four hours, I heard an announcement: "If anyone in the vicinity of Gate A-4 understands any Arabic, please come to the gate immediately." Well—one pauses these days. Gate A-4 was my own gate. I went there. An older woman in full traditional Palestinian embroidered dress, just like my grandma wore, was crumpled to the floor, wailing. "Help," said the flight agent. "Talk to her. What is her problem? We told her the flight was going to be late and she did this." I stooped to put my arm around the woman and spoke haltingly. "Shu-dow-a, Shu-bid-uck Habibti? Stani schway, Min fadlick, Shu-bit-se-wee?" The minute she heard any words she knew, however poorly used, she stopped crying. She thought the flight had been cancelled entirely. She needed to be in El Paso for major medical treatment the next day. I said, "No, we're fine, you'll get there, just later, who is picking you up? Let's call him."
We called her son, I spoke with him in English. I told him I would stay with his mother till we got on the plane and ride next to her. She talked to him. Then we called her other sons just for the fun of it. Then we called my dad and he and she spoke for a while in Arabic and found out of course they had ten shared friends. Then I thought just for the heck of it why not call some Palestinian poets I know and let them chat with her? This all took up two hours.
She was laughing a lot by then. Telling of her life, patting my knee, answering questions. She had pulled a sack of homemade mamool cookies—little powdered sugar crumbly mounds stuffed with dates and nuts—from her bag—and was offering them to all the women at the gate. To my amazement, not a single woman declined one. It was like a sacrament. The traveler from Argentina, the mom from California, the lovely woman from Laredo—we were all covered with the same powdered sugar. And smiling. There is no better cookie.
And then the airline broke out free apple juice from huge coolers and two little girls from our flight ran around serving it and they were covered with powdered sugar, too. And I noticed my new best friend— by now we were holding hands—had a potted plant poking out of her bag, some medicinal thing, with green furry leaves. Such an old country tradition. Always carry a plant. Always stay rooted to somewhere. And I looked around that gate of late and weary ones and I thought, This is the world I want to live in. The shared world. Not a single person in that gate—once the crying of confusion stopped—seemed apprehensive about any other person. They took the cookies. I wanted to hug all those other women, too.
This can still happen anywhere. Not everything is lost.
PRAYERTIME: To love someone more dearly every day... This is my task. ~Maude Ray, 1903 Our brother, Rolando Azurin in the Philippines reports another Tsunami that is affecting their congregations. Please include them in prayer. Susan Biegler asks us to pray for her brother Ted in North Carolina. He has had three back surgeries and is not doing well. Jo Ella's nephew Butch Shuping and his wife Charlene are both home in Lewiston, ID. Please be praying as she recovers from surgery, and he continues to be treated for infection. Continue praying for Marnita's cousin Antoine who is now home from the hospital and recovering after heart attacks. Let's keep Danette's daughter Shawna in prayer as a newlywed and as she continues MS treatment. Please remain in prayer for 11-year-old Zoe, daughter of Gemma and Pastor Chase Ward. Radiation treatments are now over and the family is traveling together until she begins trial treatments at UCSF. Please keep praying for Aulika and Mickey, Diana Buffaloe, June Cantwell, Christina & Andrew Cole in Missouri, Jacob Connell, Gary and Reuben Crowder, Russ and Kim Garvin. Ralph's sister Kay Dean, Harlan and Rosella Paslay, Al and Susan Sheehan, Fred and Linda Welden, and John Wood. Please be in prayer for our mission works in Venezuela with Daryl and Valerie Griffin and in Vigan City, the Philippines with Rolando Azurin. Colossians 1:3 We always pray for you, and we give thanks to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
A PRAYER WHEN YOU WANT TO GIVE UP
Father, I confess my fears to you. Help me overcome them by trusting in Your presence and power that You make available in every task. Help me worry less about committing on my end and focus more on admitting my weaknesses and submitting to Your plans. In Jesus' Name, Amen. ~Micca Campbell
The Airport Road Church of Christ Loving God, loving people and bringing the two together VOLUME 50 August 27, 2023 Number 35
FROM YOUR MINISTER: Have you ever noticed that much of what God expects of us is because of who He is? To illustrate that, notice this from 2 Corinthians 1. "All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort. He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us." Since God is the source of all comfort, He expects us to comfort others. The same is true of His love, mercy, grace—well, you get the idea. It's called godliness! Lord, help us to become more like You!
QUOTE FOR THE WEEK: There is a kind of gospel being proclaimed today which conveniently accommodates itself to the spirit of the age and makes no demand for godliness. - Duncan Campbell It comes to my having the mind of God, do I want to be like Christ in everything? If born of God, I have power to overcome all that is not of God, and to walk according to God. - G.V. Wigram
Let us follow in Jesus' footsteps. Let people say whatever evil they want to, about us. If we honor God, He will one day honor us. - Zac Poonen
THIS WEEK FROM THE BIBLE: 1 Corinthians 1:30-31 God has united you with Christ Jesus. For our benefit God made him to be wisdom itself. Christ made us right with God; he made us pure and holy, and he freed us from sin. Therefore, as the Scriptures say, "If you want to boast, boast only about the Lord."
FAMILY NEWS: In last Sunday's service, Stan and Marnita announced their engagement to be married. Congratulations, and what a beautiful ring! Keep your eyes on the church apple trees and feel free to take when they're ready. It was wonderful having Pearl Curtis back in services last week. Welcome home! There will not be a Ladies Luncheon in September. Check with Kathy about going out for lunch in October.
But go and learn what this means: I desire mercy, not sacrifice. For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners. — Matthew 9:13
Thought God is merciful. Yes, we can probably recall some of those occasions when God was fed up and furious with the unrighteousness and rebellion of his people. But, we also remember them precisely because they did not occur that frequently over the hundreds of years he led the Israelites. God has shown us his heart by being gracious and forgiving with his ungrateful and forgetful people. God revealed his heart to us in Jesus' compassion as the Lord dealt with sick, broken, grieving, and sinful people in his earthly ministry. God has demonstrated his mercy and love with you and me by calling us, while we are sinners, to his side and to bring us salvation (Romans 5:5-11). He will not leave us unchanged and content with our sins. Yes, he does call us to change our ways. However, the generosity, mercy, and love of the almighty God, ruler of heaven and earth, to invite us near and give us a chance to experience his mercy is almost too good to be true — no wonder this same God calls us to share his mercy, love, and grace with others. We have been blessed to be a blessing (Genesis 12:1-3; 2 Corinthians 9:10-15).
Prayer Thank you, Almighty God, for being tender as well as powerful, forgiving as well as righteous, and merciful as well as holy. Please mature me in these sets of character-defining traits. I don't want to be self-righteous but righteous. I don't want to be a bully, but compassionately strong. I don't want to be sanctimonious but loving and merciful. Please fill me with your Spirit and gently confront me in those areas that need growth and transformation. May others see in me a reflection of you and your righteous character, gracious compassion, and faithful lovingkindness. In the name of Jesus, I pray. Love.
~by Phil Ware, heartlight.org
PRAYERTIME: I want to be just like You. Give me a heart that's after You. ~Bethany Jennings Please be in prayer for Kathy's granddaughter and her husband, Christina & Andrew Cole as they go through a miscarriage in Missouri. They are receiving much support from their church family and would greatly appreciate our prayers as well. Let's be praying for J.J. Griffin as she recovers from COVID. We are thankful that Juniper has been released from Shriner's Children's Hospital and is now home! Continue praying for her recovery. Reuben Crowder has been released from the hospital. Please be in prayer for him as well as for his dad, Gary. Thanksgivings for Jacob Connell feeling better and being back to work! Please keep praying for Jo Ella's nephew Butch Shuping in Lewiston, ID who is now in a facility receiving daily infusions. He is upbeat as they continue to treat the infection. Sergio says he feels better knowing that he is being prayed for! Let's keep Danette's daughter Shawna in prayer as a newlywed and as she continues MS treatment. Please remain in prayer for 11-year-old Zoe, daughter of Gemma and Pastor Chase Ward as she finishes radiation treatments and begins trial treatments at UCSF. Please keep praying for Aulika and Mickey, Diana Buffaloe, June Cantwell, Russ and Kim Garvin. Ralph's sister Kay Dean, Harlan and Rosella Paslay, Al and Susan Sheehan, Fred and Linda Welden, and John Wood. Please be in prayer for our mission works in Venezuela with Daryl and Valerie Griffin and in Vigan City, the Philippines with Rolando Azurin. Philippians 4:6 Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.
Create in me a clean heart, oh God and renew a right spirit within me. (Words by King David. Set to music by Keith Green) and AMEN!
The Airport Road Church of Christ
Loving God, loving people and bringing the two together VOLUME 50 August 20, 2023 Number 34
FROM YOUR MINISTER: The two articles in this week's bulletin were written by my good friend Bruce Logue (yes, another Bruce!) who ministers in Merced. I decided to publish them at the same time because I see a wonderful connection and application for us as God's people! When I think of things that go together, I think of things like biscuits and gravy, arts and crafts, and night and day. Bruce writes separately about worshiping and inviting. To most of us, these are separate entities. They should not be! Worship (public and private) should be motivating us to share. How dare we keep our relationship with God to ourselves! Don't let the "buck" stop here!
QUOTES FOR THE WEEK: If you know Jesus, you have a faith story to tell. -wjof.com To worship is to quicken the conscience by the holiness of God, to feed the mind with the truth of God, to purge the imagination by the beauty of God, to open the heart to the love of God, to devote the will to the purpose of God. - William Temple
God gives us things to share. God doesn't give us things to hold. -Mother Teresa
After learning to love God (worship), learning to love others is the second purpose of your life. - Rick Warren
Our faith becomes stronger as we share it; a growing faith is a sharing faith. -Billy Graham
THIS WEEK FROM THE BIBLE: Psalm 32:10-11 Many sorrows come to the wicked, but unfailing love surrounds those who trust the Lord. So rejoice in the Lord and be glad, all you who obey him! Shout for joy, all you whose hearts are pure!
FAMILY NEWS: There is a letter on the bulletin board from a congregation in Lake Jackson, Texas requesting contributions as they are assisting those in Maui who are suffering great loss due to the recent wildfires.
Danette Clawson and her husband are traveling to Colorado for their daughter Shawna's wedding. Best wishes to all! While in North Carolina, Tristan and Adrian worked some in a restaurant owned by the family. They are returning home this week.
From Charles de Foucauld by Bruce Logue
Charles de Foucauld lived from 1858 to 1916. He was a French soldier, explorer, geographer, ethnographer, Catholic priest and hermit who lived among the Tuareg people in the Sahara in Algeria, assassinated in 1916.
I first heard of him in the 80's when I purchased a prayer book called Venite: A Book of Daily Prayer - in which I found this quote:
"I must say my Office with great care. It is my daily offering of fresh flowers to the Beloved Spouse." I made a copy of the quote and put in on the inside cover of my Bible as a reminder of what my posture before God should be - fresh flowers offered in worship.
De Foucauld set apart all worship of God in a special category of devotion. Not obligation, not burdensome, not offered begrudgingly. More like intense hunger or thirst. "As the deer longs for streams of water, so I long for you O God." Psalm 42:1.
Worshiping God is a great joy.
The Old Testament God Was an Inviter! by Bruce Logue
One of the misunderstandings I inherited about the Old Testament was that the New Testament was the exclusive domain of invitation. By that I mean that God instructed his people to be welcoming, just people.
In the Psalm for a recent Sunday's sermon the Psalmist says in the first verse of Psalm 105, "... make known his deeds among the peoples." There are two ideas that strike me in this text:
The first is that God does not want God's people to keep good news to themselves.
The second idea is that God wants God's people to take notice. To be attentive in recognizing God's work in the world.
The Psalmist declares in clear terms that God wants God's people to speak up. Silence is not a virtue in the community of God.
PRAYERTIME: Words for the day: Prayer. Care. Share. Please keep praying for Jo Ella's nephew Butch Shuping in Lewiston, ID who is now in a facility receiving daily infusions. He is upbeat as they continue to treat the infection. Sergio says he feels better knowing that he is being prayed for! Let's keep Danette's daughter Shawna in prayer as she gets married and as she continues MS treatment. Please keep praying for four-year-old Juniper who was hit by a van and is now in Shriner's Children's Hospital and making daily progress! Please remain in prayer for 11-year-old Zoe, daughter of Gemma and Pastor Chase Ward as she finishes radiation treatments and begins trial treatments at UCSF. Please keep praying for Aulika and Mickey, Diana Buffaloe, June Cantwell, Jacob Connell, Reuben Crowder, Russ and Kim Garvin. Ralph's sister Kay Dean, Harlan and Rosella Paslay, Al and Susan Sheehan, Fred and Linda Welden, and John Wood. Please be in prayer for our mission works in Venezuela with Daryl and Valerie Griffin and in Vigan City, the Philippines with Rolando Azurin. Philippians 1:9 I pray that your love will overflow more and more, and that you will keep on growing in knowledge and understanding.
The Airport Road Church of Christ
Loving God, loving people and bringing the two together
VOLUME 50 August 13, 2023 Number 33
FROM YOUR MINISTER: Among the Gospel writers, only Luke tells the story of Cleopas and his friend as they walked the seven-mile road from Jerusalem to their home in Emmaus. They had been with fellow believers who had been talking about the empty tomb of Jesus some of them had seen that very morning. Suddenly Jesus began walking with them! Unrecognized, He explained from scripture all the things that the Messiah was to suffer before entering glory. As they reached home, they began eating with Jesus, and as they recognized Him, He disappeared. They said to each other, "Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?" (Luke 24:32). Well, on this very day, we're walking a road too! Let's make sure that Jesus is walking that road with us!
QUOTE FOR THE WEEK: One road leads home and a thousand roads lead into the wilderness. ~C.S. Lewis
I took the road less travelled by, and that has made all the difference. ~Robert Frost
The road ahead won't be easy, but if you take the passenger seat and let God do all the driving, you are headed in the right direction. ~About.com
THIS WEEK FROM THE BIBLE: 2 Chronicles 33:9-10 So Manasseh encouraged Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to do more evil than the nations whom the Lord destroyed before the sons of Israel. So, the Lord spoke to Manasseh and his people, but they paid no attention.
FAMILY NEWS: Sergio Torres has taken his grandsons, Adrian and Tristan to North Carolina to visit family and friends. Enjoy!
THE NARROW WAY IS NOT ABOUT NARROW THINKING!
He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God (Micah 6:8).
I can feel the momentum building. He is gathering a band of agents, known and unknown, from around the world — everyday people — "broken people He has mended, and those from prison He has freed."
These followers are not what they used to be and not yet what they are going to be... they are learners.... they still have the same bodies, but on the inside, they are in process... being transformed from one calling to the next. And they are grateful and grace-filled. They are, after all, simply thrilled to be in His presence.
You've heard that the road ahead is narrow, but it's not about the road. It's about Jesus! The band is there because Jesus is there. The road is too narrow for "big heads" to make it. Being on this road — in the narrows — not about being good, or knowing the right answers, or attending the best church. The narrow road is humbling — wide enough for ONE. It is not about us at all. The narrow road is the only way to save us from ourselves. There is only room for Jesus on this narrow road.
Self-centered, prideful, condescending, big-headed people are not on the narrow way — regardless of how much they know about the narrows. The rules of the road are not detailed and complicated. They are, however, sweeping and simple: To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.
The followers follow... They walk where Jesus leads. These ordinary people, people who believe deeply in the Savior they follow. They are not undercover agents or highly trained operatives. They don't necessarily hold special degrees or training certificates. They are regular folks with a story to tell. They simply wake up each morning and look for Jesus, then walk the road He is on. He is the Way of the narrow road! Ummmmm. Sounds a lot like walk humbly with your God!
Something new is happening in the narrows. God is gathering... God is gathering His agents from around the world — not in one place, but in His presence. Jesus is on the move, and the Spirit is wisely placing agents in just the right spots. We may be in the narrows, but we are not alone. We walk with Jesus! We follow him on the way! After all, this dark world desperately needs light... not glaring, blinding light, but guiding, welcoming, and warming light — the reflected light of those who follow the Light.
Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road. (Mark 10:52) ~Ron Rose in heartlight.org
PRAYERTIME: Prayer is our light on what can be a very dark road. ~ Brewster Sergio Torres has asked us pray for his life as a Christian. We are thankful that Kathy's grandson, Jacob Connell is now home in Layton, Utah recovering from surgery. Let’s keep Danette’s stepdaughter in prayer as she continues MS treatment and prepares for her wedding later this month. We are thankful that our sister, Diana Buffaloe, is regaining strength and healing after weeks of radiation treatments. Reuben, Gary Crowder’s son is now hospitalized and needs our prayers for God’s strength. Continue praying for four-year-old Juniper who was hit by a van and is now in Shriner’s Children’s Hospital and making daily progress! Please remain in prayer for 11-year-old Zoe, daughter of Gemma and Pastor Chase Ward of Carson City, diagnosed with DIPG brain cancer and now undergoing radiation treatments. Please keep praying for Aulika and Mickey, June Cantwell, Russ and Kim Garvin. Jo Ella’s nephew Butch Shuping, Ralph’s sister Kay Dean, our mission works: Daryl and Valerie Griffin (Venezuela) and Rolando Azurin (Philippines), Harlan and Rosella Paslay, Arin Reiutz, Al and Susan Sheehan, Fred and Linda Welden, and John Wood. Ephesians 6:18 With every prayer and request, pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be alert with all perseverance and every request for all the saints,
If I am right, Thy grace impart,
Still in the right to stay; If I am wrong, O teach my heart To find that better way.
~Alexander Pope
The Airport Road Church of Christ Loving God, loving people and bringing the two together
VOLUME 50 August 6 2023 Number 32
FROM YOUR MINISTER: Isaiah 40:31~ “but they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles, they shall run and not be weary, and they shall walk and not faint.” How do you wait? I don’t wait well. I pace, twiddle my thumbs, worry, and sigh a lot.! The Psalms teach us to wait expectantly (5:3), patiently (37:7), and quietly (62:1). Paul writes, “But if we look forward to something we don’t yet have, we must wait patiently and confidently” (Romans 8:25). I need to change the way I wait! How about you?
QUOTE FOR THE WEEK: One reason many people never see God working in their lives is because they never hang in long enough for God to show his power. Waiting is a very active part of living. Waiting on God, if we do it correctly, is anything but passive. Waiting works its way out in very deliberate actions, very intentionally searching the Scriptures and praying, intense moments of humility, and self-realization of our finiteness. With the waiting comes learning. I can’t think of much I’ve learned that’s positive from the times I’ve plowed ahead without waiting on God. ~Wayne Stiles
THIS WEEK FROM THE BIBLE: Romans 3:23-25 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished—
FAMILY NEWS: The Ladies Lunch for August is Thursday, the 10th, noontime @ the church building. Bring your own lunch.
Our deacons are currently investigating construction of a new kitchen/fellowship building with a local engineering firm.
Fretters and Waiters
(Read Psalm 37:1-4 & :34)
Bible Thought: Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him… ~Psalm 37:7
My wife and I are expecting the birth of our first granddaughter. Our second granddaughter will be born shortly after. There has been a combination of fretting and waiting in this season!
When David wrote Psalm 37, he had reasons to fret! His life was filled with danger as he ran from evil men; he was never sure when or where they would strike. Do we feel worried and anxious during these uncertain times? Fretting happens when we fail to see God’s control over the situation. If you are a waiter, you see God’s hand working. We usually experience a combination of fretting and waiting when dealing with uncertainty.
David gives us actions we can take when fretting; trust in the Lord and do good. Take delight in the Lord. Commit your way to the Lord. Be still before the Lord. Wait patiently for Him. These admonitions can be challenging.
Can we learn to practice these things even if the answers are in God’s timing? Some calm, patient, and trust-filled waiting could become hope-filled comfort. Let’s be faithful waiters.
Sing: “Sing and Be Happy”
Lord, help us in our fretting and grow us in faithful waiting! In Jesus’ name. Amen.
By Mark Gomez in Power for Today
PRAYERTIME: While it is not always easy, when we are waiting on direction from God, it is always worth it. ~KLOVE PLEASE be in prayer for Kathy's grandson, Jacob Connell as he recovers from surgery in Utah and is still quite uncomfortable. Rolando, our brother in the Philippines who we are helping to support, reports a terrible tsunami that has done much damage in their area. Please be praying for them and for those they are trying to help. Let’s keep Danette’s stepdaughter in prayer as she continues MS treatment and prepares for her wedding later this month. We are thankful that our sister, Diana Buffaloe, is now home and recovering from weeks of radiation treatments! She appreciates your thoughts and prayers. Reuben, Gary Crowder’s son, has had a relapse and needs our prayers for God’s strength. Ruth Kromka is receiving good care and is about to be placed in long-term nursing near her children. Continue praying for four-year-old Juniper who was hit by a van and is now in Shriner’s Children’s Hospital and making daily progress! Please remain in prayer for 11-year-old Zoe, daughter of Gemma and Pastor Chase Ward of Carson City, diagnosed with DIPG brain cancer and now undergoing radiation treatments. Please keep praying for Aulika and Mickey, June Cantwell, Russ and Kim Garvin. Jo Ella’s nephew Butch Shuping, Ralph’s sister Kay Dean, our mission works: Daryl and Valerie Griffin (Venezuela) and Rolando Azurin (Philippines), Harlan and Rosella Paslay, Arin Reiutz, Al and Susan Sheehan, Fred and Linda Welden, and John Wood. Ephesians 1:8 I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints
Holy Lord, Thank You for grace. Please help me move beyond the hurdles that trip me up and give me the strength and wisdom to look up and see the hope I run toward in Christ. In Jesus’ Name, Amen. ~ Gwen Smith
The Airport Road Church of Christ
Loving God, loving people and bringing the two together
VOLUME 50 July 30, 2023 Number 31
FROM YOUR MINISTER: I just finished reading Richard Foster’s book Celebration of Discipline. Certain spiritual practices have often been called disciplines. These are efforts put forth by believers, usually on a private basis, in order to grow in Christ. Spiritual growth doesn’t just happen; it’s a process. Foster covers these exercises to enhance one’s life as a believer. Meditation. Prayer. Fasting. Study. Simplicity. Solitude. Submission. Service. Confession. Worship. Guidance. Celebration. Let us pay attention to Peter’s instruction in 2 Peter 3:18. “But continue to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory, now and forever! Amen.”
QUOTES FOR THE WEEK: God has given us the Disciplines of the spiritual life as a means of receiving His grace. The Disciplines allow us to place ourselves before God so that He can transform us. ~Richard Foster
Let the refining and improving of your own life keep you so busy that you have little time to criticize others. ~H. Jackson Brown, Jr.
We must break the habit of believing that we don’t have time for God. ~unearth
Pride was the root cause of the fall. Therefore, humility must be the first Christian discipline. ~Augustine
THIS WEEK FROM THE BIBLE: Psalm 13:2 How long must I struggle with anguish in my soul, with sorrow in my heart every day? How long will my enemy have the upper hand?
FAMILY NEWS: Last Sunday we certainly missed Kathy and Jo Ella who were in Oregon with family and Marnita who was at a family reunion in Maui. This week Steve and Linda Beach are in Seattle with that new great granddaughter!
Special thanks to John Wood and Bill Kenson who have done some maintenance work on the building lately.
Suzie Pence still plans on being part of our church family but is moving. Her new address is available from the church office.
The Ladies Lunch for August is Thursday, the 10th, noontime @ the church building. Bring your own lunch.
Bible Study
Why do so many Christians neglect the study of God’s Word? R. C. Sproul said it painfully well: “Here then, is the real problem of our negligence. We fail in our duty to study God’s Word not so much because it is difficult to understand, not so much because it is dull and boring, but because it is work. Our problem is not a lack of intelligence or a lack of passion. Our problem is that we are lazy.”
No Spiritual Discipline is more important than the intake of God’s Word. Nothing can substitute for it. There simply is no healthy Christian life apart from a diet of the milk and meat of Scripture. The reasons for this are obvious. In the Bible God tells us about Himself, and especially about Jesus Christ, the incarnation of God.
The Bible unfolds the Law of God to us and shows us how we’ve all broken it. There we learn how Christ died as a sinless, willing Substitute for breakers of God’s Law and how we must repent and believe in Him to be right with God.
In the Bible we learn the ways and will of the Lord. We find in Scripture how God wants us to live, and what brings the most joy and satisfaction in life. None of this eternally essential information can be found anywhere else except the Bible. Therefore, if we would know God and be godly, we must know the Word of God—intimately.
― Donald S. Whitney, Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life
PRAYERTIME: Of all spiritual disciplines, prayer is the most central because it ushers us into perpetual communion with the Father. ~Richard Foster Let’s keep Danette’s stepdaughter in prayer as she continues MS treatment and prepares for her wedding. We are thankful that our sister, Diana Buffaloe, is now home and recovering from weeks of radiation treatments! She appreciates your thoughts and prayers. Reuben, Gary Crowder’s son, has had a relapse and needs our prayers for God’s strength. Ruth Kromka is receiving good care and is about to be placed in long-term nursing near her children. Please join us in prayer for Jeff West, Suzie Pence’s 40-year-old nephew and father of four as he is now home recovering from a stroke and surgery. Continue praying for four-year-old Juniper who was hit by a van and is now in Shriner’s Children’s Hospital and making daily progress! Please remain in prayer for 11-year-old Zoe, daughter of Gemma and Pastor Chase Ward of Carson City, diagnosed with DIPG brain cancer and now undergoing radiation treatments. Please keep praying for Aulika and Mickey, Steve and Linda Beach, June Cantwell, Russ and Kim Garvin. Jo Ella’s nephew Butch Shuping, Ralph’s sister Kay Dean, our mission works: Daryl and Valerie Griffin (Venezuela) and Rolando Azurin (Philippines), Harlan and Rosella Paslay, Arin Reiutz, Al and Susan Sheehan, Fred and Linda Welden, and John Wood.
2 Corinthians 13:9 For we rejoice when we ourselves are weak but you are strong; this we also pray for, that you be made complete.
Dear Lord, You have placed a helmet of salvation on my head - that I might have peace of mind. You have placed a breastplate of righteousness upon my chest - so that my heart may be protected and safe. You have placed a shield of faith in my hand - so that as I journey no evil can stand against me. You have placed the sword of the spirit in my hand - that I may release those in need. You are with me. Thank you. Amen. ~prayerscapes.com
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