MESSAGE: It’s amazing to me that people who trust God for their salvation, their eternity in heaven, won’t trust God with their finances. What’s the logic in that? If we can trust God for our eternal destiny, don’t you think we can trust God with our careers, our finances, and our giving? My message tomorrow morning will be based on Malachi 3. In the end, when we rob from God we are actually robbing ourselves. We are robbing ourselves of spiritual blessings, of God’s provisions, of a church that can meet the needs of others.
MINISTRY. Our Vacation Bible School is starting this Sunday. Your help is still needed. Please, contact Rhonda Hicks, Summer Bradford, or pastor Aubrey if you are interested in helping in this exciting ministry.
Our church is growing not only through membership transfers and baptisms, but with newly born babies. I see this as a blessing of heaven. With more babies and several expecting mothers we felt it was the right time to renovate our church mothers’ room. David Denton and John Turner are the architects of this transformation. Our apologies to the parents with small babies. The room may not be available tomorrow.
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The fire department had another training event at the parsonage this week. It looks like the burning/demolition will take place in the middle of August.
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From Pastor Aubrey: “This week I had the privilege of being the camp pastor at Cool Camp, a summer camp run by the Collegedale Church. We spent each morning looking at God’s power in the life of Elisha and how God can use His power in our lives too. Read 2 Kings 4 and be encouraged, if God has the power to work in all the situations Elisha faced, He has the power to help you no matter the situation.
I also would like to solicit your prayers. This coming week on July 12 I will be having outpatient surgery on my left ankle to repair some ligament damage. It will be a long recovery process and I will be non-weight bearing for about 2 weeks. Please pray for a swift and painless recovery over the next weeks and months. Thank you.”
A word from Steven Bremner, finance committee chairman: “On Tuesday July 12, the Worthy Student Aid Committee will be meeting and praying for the families on how they can assist them financially so their children can receive a Christian Education. At least $4,000 additional funding is needed to assist the children so they can attend OAKS this school year. Your donations and prayers will be much appreciated. Please fill out a tithe envelope and mark it “Student Aid”. Thank you, and God bless you.”
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Church garden. Yesterday I went to our church garden to pray for the needs of our church. What a fabulous garden we have on our church property! You need to see it for yourself. It is absolutely beautiful. In every every plant and flower bush I could see love, hard work, and commitment. Thank you Connie Jones, Jessica Turner, and everyone else who is helping with the garden. It is a great witness of God’s creative power.
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Young at Heart lunch. I thoroughly enjoyed lunch with many of our church members on Thursday afternoon. What a great to connect and support one another. If you are interested in going out to eat with this happy bunch of our church members talk to Nancy Smiley and she’ll keep you posted on the future get together dates.
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Giving: For those traveling or those who prefer an electronic method of giving, don’t forget that donations can be made online through our church website at www.ooltewah church.org.
Prayers. Your prayers are needed for Kristy, who fell from the 4th floor balcony at the same apartment complex where we live. Her condition is getting more stable, but she needs a miracle for a full recovery.
Pray for David Denton’s grandmother, Katherine. She is currently in the hospital and needs God’s healing touch.
Please, pray for our nation. It needs healing and reconciliation. Violence is not an answer to the problems of our society. Hatred will bring more evil. God’s grace and forgiveness is the only path to healing. That same power that broke prison chains, raised Lazarus from the dead, and parted the Red Sea, the same power that healed the blind man and delivered the delirious from demons; that same power is at work still today. He is the same. Yesterday, today, and forever.
May we stand together and pray for God to heal our land and strengthen His people. May we pray for all those in authority, for God’s miraculous intervening, for blinding hatred to be removed, and for many to see the power of our Lord as never before.
Pray for the Protestant believers in Russia. The anti-missionary law was was signed by president Putin and comes into effect on July 20.
See you tomorrow,
Peter
Ooltewah Seventh-day Adventist Church 