August 04th, 2019

Elk Rapids Bible Church

“Where the UNCHANGING WORD
meets the needs of a CHANGING WORLD”
Pastor Gary Gladfelter 342-8663 or 264-6671
PastorGladfelter@elkrapidsbc.com
elkrapidsbc.com
Will we trust the “Unseen” in 2019?
August 4, 2019
Worship in Introduction
          “Lord I Lift Your Name on High” - #107
Worship in Offering
Worship in the Word – Psalm 97
Worship in Song
          “Majesty” - #10
          “To God be the Glory” - #56             
Worship in Concert – Chris Knobloch
Worship in Communion
Closing – “I Love You Lord” - #78
Unsung Servants: All who helped with Harbor Days!  Thank You!

Welcome to our services!

  9:00 a.m. – Sunday School
10:00 a.m. – Morning Worship Service
Prayer Ministry Today: Richard           
Next Week: Cheri
Junior Church Today: Jerica 
           Next Week: Kathy A
Join us for lunch today!
T H I S    W E E K
Wednesday, August 7th – Bible Study and Prayer Time – 6:30 pm – “I pray that from His glorious, unlimited resources He will empower you with inner strength through His Spirit.  Then Christ will make His home in your hearts as you trust in Him.  Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong.  And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep His love is.  May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully.  Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.” --- Ephesians 3:16 – 19
The offering last week was $1,464.00: Building Fund - $30.00; Special Missions Fund - $20.00; General Fund - $1,414.00.
                The anti-God bumper stickers covering the car seized the attention of a university professor. As a former atheist himself, the professor thought perhaps the owner wanted to make believers angry.  “The anger helps the atheist to justify his atheism,” he explained.  Then he warned, “All too often, the atheist gets exactly what he is looking for.”
                In recalling his own journey to faith, this professor noted the concern of a Christian friend who invited him to consider the truth of Christ.  His friend’s “sense of urgency was conveyed without a trace of anger.”  He never forgot the genuine respect and grace he received that day.
                Believers in Jesus often take offense when others reject Him.  But how does He feel about that rejection?  Jesus constantly faced threats and hatred, yet He never took doubt about His deity personally.  Once, when a village refused Him hospitality, James and John wanted instant retaliation.   “Lord,” they asked, “do you want us to call fire down from heaven to destroy them?” (Luke 9:54).  Jesus didn’t want that, and He “turned and rebuked them” (v. 55).  After all, “God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him” (John 3:17).
                It may surprise us to consider that God doesn’t need us to defend Him.  He wants us to represent Him!  That takes time, work, restraint, and love. --- by Tim Gustafson, odb.org