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The Ozark Letter – November 2009
By MMCG.ORG | November 1, 2009
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NOVEMBER GREETINGS: Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. Ephesians 6:11
A Publication of the Mid-Missouri Church of God
November, 2009
Volume XIII, Issue 11
The Ozark Newsletter
Lake of the Ozarks
Wherever you were, we hope that you had a wonderful Feast of Tabernacles. United Christian Ministries, led by Ray Wooten, sponsored a site in the Lake of the Ozarks area. Inspiring messages and special music were provided every day. We saw many old friends and made many new friends. There were many opportunities to witness and for fellowship. About 100 people were in attendance each day and we were blessed with several babies and young people.
In this area, we have had a verrrrry wet autumn, but the fall colors have been spectacular. Unfortunately, the color happened about a week after the Feast of Tabernacles; therefore, those in attendance from other areas were not witness to these beautiful colors, but I hope that the color in your area was just as spectacular
Veterans Day is November 11 and that is a day that we humbly pay honor to those who daily put their lives on the line in U.S. military service to preserve our God-given freedoms. Yes, we should honor God first, as Creator and Provider of all good things and if we don’t, all our defenses will ultimately fail against the evil forces from without and within. Each Christian should daily don the whole armor of God that we may stand against the wiles of the devil and the rulers of the darkness of this age. (Eph. 6:10-17)
U.S. Thanksgiving Day – November 26. Where will you be on Thursday, November 26? Driving to Grandma’s house, or heading to a fine restaurant for that special holiday dinner, or maybe the family will be gathered around your own table? Wherever you go and however you choose to celebrate the occasion, let’s all thank God for our many blessings, and may HE grant us safe travel and a pleasant day.
Don’t forget to mark your calendar — Super Sabbath will be January 9th. There will be a Bible study at 10:30am and services will begin at 11:30am with a potluck to follow. The afternoon will be filled with singing, readings, whatever talent you might provide. More information will follow at a later time.
We will not be having a potluck on the 4th Sabbath in November, since many may be planning to be out of town following the Thanksgiving holiday. Instead, we will be having a church family Thanksgiving Potluck on the 1st Sabbath in December (Dec 4, 2009). We invite any and all who would like to come and share a Thanksgiving after Thanksgiving with us, for shouldn’t we be giving thanks all the time anyway! Please contact Martha Roberts at 573-291-9937 or Ruth Weinmeister at 573-392-0915 if you need more information.
The following is an inquiry about how you would like to receive this newsletter …i.e., email, snail mail, etc. Or you may opt to not receive this newsletter at all – you must make a positive reply to continue receiving this newsletter – the exception is those living in Canada or foreign countries. I will assume that they do want to stay on the mailing list, but should you want to get the newsletter via email, you will need to make a response. Thank you for your participation in this matter and I am always looking for articles to put in the newsletter. You may mail us back the top portion of the next page with your response or you may contact us by email at info@mmcg.org with your response.
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The following was taken from the Internet:
GospeLines Ministries®
Daily Devotional for Monday, September 21, 2009
“Did You Ever Feel Like Jonah?”
“But Nineveh has more than a hundred and twenty-thousand people who cannot tell their right hand from their left, and many cattle as well. Should I not be concerned about that great city?” (Jonah 4:11 – NIV)
In our town there has always been a man with long hair, appears unkempt, sits on the side of the curb quite often in different spots throughout the day wearing his green army jacket, seems to keep to himself, yet has that far away look in his eyes that says that he could possibly be a few fries short of a happy meal, or simply emotionally conquered by events of the past. I have often wondered if he is homeless and prayed for him. I have often driven by with the kids in the car and felt the tug in my spirit to hand him a sandwich or a heavy winter coat. I never did. Another time, while driving past last summer, I noted that he had a haircut and a shave. He cleaned up nice, he did. I thought about stopping and asking him to church with us one Sunday. But, I never did. Winter is coming once again, and I wonder about the homeless man that I’ve observed from a distance.
My husband came home a while back and shared that a man who lived in a tent on the edge of town had died. (My heart sank, was this my homeless man?) I could see the sadness in my husband’s eyes. He and a man he works with used to take turns buying the homeless man a sandwich and a hot cup of joe at a local diner by the railroad tracks here in town, they brought him a thermal blanket, and gave him a winter coat. I sat, tears streaming down my face, in admiration for the men who helped… and in remorse before God, for not doing as His Holy Spirit had lead me. It was too late. There was no excuse. I blew it and I knew it. To this day, I still wonder if someone ever shared the free gift salvation with that homeless man. I will not get another chance to help or to share the love of Christ with him. I just cringe thinking about what God is going to say to me come Judgment Day because of it. There is nothing I can say in my defense.
Much to my surprise, I passed ‘my’ homeless man that I thought had died. I couldn’t believe my eyes! I immediately took the next turn to go back to find him. I had another chance – and I wasn’t going to blow it this time! Impatiently, I stopped at a cross walk waiting for folks to cross. I saw a big city bus pull up to the curb at the end of the green, blocking my view of the man. The bus pulled away, I searched frantically. He was gone. He must have gotten on the bus, or walked away. I missed my chance, but I knew there was hope! I prayed for God to bring someone to share the saving sacrifice of Jesus with this man.
Did you ever hear the expression, “You can run but, you can’t hide?” All I have to say is thank God for that big ole’ fish that He sent to swallow Jonah for those 3 days and nights! God did what it took to get Jonah where He wanted him to be. What a great example God gave us with Jonah! I thank God that I had a second chance with ‘my’ homeless man… but now, I can’t help but wonder about the man who used to live in the tent. Did he know Jesus?
God’s Word is for everyone, there are no exceptions. Those who are called to serve God are to carry out His works and preach God’s message and His truth to everyone – no matter how unpopular or hard it may be. If we, as Christians, simply proclaim what we know about Jesus… I bet we’d be surprised at just how many are willing to listen! *********************************************************************
Unlikely Justice
by Whaid Guscott Rose, General Conference President
“Lo! Freedom weeps,/Wrong rules the land and waiting Justice sleeps.” Josiah Holland’s quote would have resonated with the prophet Habakkuk. His plea for justice came during the final days of the Assyrian Empire and the beginning of Babylon’s domination (seventh century BC).
The object of Habakkuk’s concern, however, wasn’t the surrounding enemy nations but Judah itself (1:204). Those were dark days: Justice had disappeared, evil was rampant, and violence went unchecked.
Habakkuk’s prayer for divine intervention was met with a surprising answer: God would send the Chaldeans to judge Judah (vv.5-11) – no solution to the prophet’s dilemma. Judah was God’s covenant people; Lord, cleanse their sin and restore their righteousness. To use the Chaldeans to judge a nation more righteous than they added insult to injury. After all, wasn’t God on Judah’s side?
Most of this prophecy is dialogue, even argument, between the prophet and his God. The exchange soon shifts from how God dealt with injustice to God’s character in light of His covenant with His people. This is a real theological conundrum.
The argument reached its zenith when Habakkuk climbed the city’s watchtower in protest (2:1). I’ll come down when God has a satisfactory answer, he may have thought. And what was God’s answer? “The just shall live by his faith” (2:4 NKJV). This statement, twice quoted by Paul (Rom. 1:17; Gal. 3:11), not only informed Habakkuk’s thinking but also has been used by the Holy Spirit to spark movements that significantly reshaped the church in history.
Beyond inspiring the doctrine of justification by faith, Habakkuk 2:4’s application is that God is sovereign, which, rather than His temporal blessings, should be the true motivation of worship:
Though the cherry trees don’t blossom and the strawberries don’t ripen, though the apples are worm-eaten and the wheat fields stunted, though the sheep pens are sheepless and the cattle barns empty, I’m singing joyful praise to God. I’m turning cartwheels of joy to my Savior God. Counting on God’s Rule to prevail, I take heart and gain strength. I run like a deer. I feel like I’m king of the mountain! (3:17-19, The Message**).
The tendency to serve God for material benefit has a reverse effect: We may be inclined to view such blessings as evidence of “favored-nation status” and guarantee of national security. That’s why modern Christians, especially in America, have much to learn from Habakkuk’s experience. These are dark days for our nation – “Truth forever on the scaffold, wrong forever on the throne” (James Russell Lowell). Enemies flex their nuclear muscles; terrorism looms. Is God on our side? Would He allow nations less righteous to judge the U.S. for its sins?
God’s answer is no different than it was for this seventh century prophet. He is sovereign and will do what honors His cause. Meanwhile, we live by faith, trusting Him amid national and world conflicts. What ultimately happens is God’s business because history is “His story.” Instead of “Is God on America’s side?” the vital question is “Whose side is America on?”
In answering the question “Where was God on September 11?” Anne Graham Lotz suggests that God was where secular culture put Him: out of our schools, out of our government, out of our business and system of values. God quietly backed away, removing His hand of protection.
Thomas Jefferson once said, “I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just; that his justice cannot sleep forever.” A little godly fear and trembling might be in order these days, in the nation and in the church.
Scripture taken from The Message. Copyright 1993, 1994 1995, 1996 2000, 2001 ,2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group
MID-MISSOURI CHURCH OF GOD
PO Box 92, Eldon, MO 65026/mailing address. Actual physical address is: 602 East North Street. Phone: 573-392-1232 or 573-498-3775; Email: info@mmcg.org Website: www.mmcg.org The Mid-Missouri Church of God (MMCG) holds Christian Sabbath services each Saturday at 11:30 a.m. at 602 East North Street, Eldon, MO… A Bible Study and song service is scheduled at 10:30am before Sabbath services. Potluck meals after services are planned for the fourth Sabbath of each month. A weekly Bible study is held each Thursday at 6:30pm. It is best to call ahead and confirm times if you are traveling any distance to visit us (see the phone numbers above). Occasionally we will cancel local services to attend en masse elsewhere. Come and enjoy the fellowship! Also, the first Wednesday of each month the ladies meet for a “get together” and you can contact Martha Roberts at 573-496-3203 or Charleen Gitthens at 573-392-5965 for location and time if you plan to attend. You can also check the events calendar on the website.
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