Teague Bible Church

THE HEAT THAT MELTS THE BUTTER TEMPERS THE STEEL
In every crisis in history we see the best and the worst in mankind. In the recent flooding in Texas we see this in the news each day. Not really the time for gaining the larger picture you say? Maybe it is. Most definitely it is that time.
Of course, no one wants to listen to some armchair evaluation of the larger things in life, if the first things; meeting the physical needs of the victims is neglected. James 2:15-16 says, ” If a brother or sister is without clothing and in need of daily food, and one of you says to them,’ Go in peace, be warmed and be filled,’ and yet you do not give them what is necessary for the body, what use is that?”
Praise God for the outpouring of support from the residents of the state of Texas, and the nation, and each church. We need to focus on these good things being supplied, and relieving suffering, in one of the worst events we may see for a while.
In every life God gives an opportunity to see the truth of Jesus Christ and respond to it. What a gracious thing to be driven to it through trials. If that is what it takes to get us to see our need for Christ, then so be it.
I had a brother in Christ tell me in the middle of his trials, ” I can’t wait till my life gets back to normal. I cannot be expected to function until it does! ” I thought that was an odd statement for a man in his forties to say that. “When has life ever been normal?” I said. He only felt threatened by the conversation.
He had a concept of the ideal life floating around in his head. He was given opportunity after opportunity to become real in Christ and give up a false image of himself, but he refused. When an overwhelming storm came into his life he was mad at God, but hide that anger and blamed the people around him for his less than “ideal,” less than “normal” life.
All of us will face all types of trials throughout our lives. Yet, when life gets back to “normal” what does that look like? That is the real question.
Do we go back to spending time with God only when we are troubled? Will we try to “live by bread alone” again? Will we act and speak as if we will be on this planet forever?
When people talk to you they need to sense something deeper than just another person living for the moment. Those who encounter you need to see a traveler, someone who is unselfish and can meet immediate needs, yet lives for someone who is far beyond this immediate world. The world needs to see that believer who spends times with God.
We are either coming out of some trial or going into some trail. Of course, there is great rest in the Lord, for every believer, (who surrenders to training from the Lord,) along the way. That rest is not a journey to your idea of “normal.” Life is not normal; it is hard; but we overcome and become transformed through the journey.
We need constant reminders of this by staying in the Word of God. You really can’t scold people into seeing there deepest need. Sometimes they can only see their need when a crisis comes.
We are not pets in a cage. God does not want pets, He wants sons and daughters. That will mean trails, but not without resources to overcome. The goal is to be like Christ; not to return to normal, (if your normal means you are in control of all things.) He has not left “normal” as an option open to us; He never intended to.
Pray with me today. “Thank you Lord for not leaving me, and my brothers and sisters in Christ to ourselves! I do not want someone’s short-sighted and selfish view of normal imposed over me. I reject my own ideas I have imposed on myself. I appreciated the things that come from you; but what I really want is just You. I just want to know You”

” Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ; and though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and thought you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, obtaining as the outcome of your faith the salvation of your souls.” I Peter 1:3-9

ANNOUNCEMENTS FOR AUGUST 27, 2017

• Cleaning: Week of Aug. 27—Bev
• Nursery: Sept 3—Nancy.
• SERVICE TIME CHANGE: Sunday School: 9:30-10:25am, Fellowship: 10:25-10:45am, Service: 10:45-11:45am to start next Sunday, Sept. 3rd.
• CHURCH COUNCIL MEETING: Sept. 10th after services.
• SHARP POINTY THINGS: Tuesday, Sept. 5 @ 6pm. Topic: The Death of Civil Discussion. Meeting at TBC.
• YOUTH GROUP: Wednesday Sept. 6 @ 3:15pm.
• WOMEN’S STUDY: Wednesday, Sept. 6 @ 6pm. Meeting at TBC, then Wayne’s Diner. Book: CALM MY ANXIOUS HEART.
• Hooks, Sticks, and Needles (Women’s Crafting Group): Thursday 5:00pm. Quilts, Crochet, Knitting, Etc.
• POTLUCK DINNER: Last Sunday of each month after services. SEPTEMBER 24.  THEME: To Be Announced.  Join us for lunch!
• E-mail photos to kerrfamily3162@sbcglobal.net
• Follow us on Facebook or at teaguebiblechurch.org

ZEITGEIST AND BASKETBALL
You hear the German word, “Zeitgeist” a lot in political news today. It means ,”The defining spirit or mood of a particular period of history as shown by the ideas and beliefs of the time.” I just call it the “Spirit of the age.” It seems some believe that if you can gain a consensus on an idea, then that idea can come true.
There is this thing, however, called reality, that pulls all such foolishness to the ground. As one of my professors said of a particular Zeitgeist of the 70’s, ” It was a beautiful theory but it was destroyed by a gang of ugly facts!”
So if you are avoiding the truth you will need to recruit distractions to sell your idea. If doing it via a movie, you would have moving music in the background. You would manipulate the pictures to give a certain impression. You give only one side of all philosophical arguments. Check out this verse.
“,,,If our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they may not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.” II Corinthians 4:3-4. I did not see this truth of the gospel till the Lord saw fit to reveal it to me at the right time. That time was when I was held up to see the truth from the Zeitgeist, and then helped to accept the truth. I had to chose also.
I was into mindless activity and fun. As long as I kept the noise going I was content in the “spirit of the age.” Very few consequences had come my way at 19 years old. They were coming, but I did not sense them because I choose to stay blind. John 3: 16-21.
I played basketball in school. My only resource? Speed! I was sent in to do the “fast break.” A little fast guy gets the ball and outruns the others and scores a layup. One problem: the Zeitgeist of the other team. They knew how to deal with someone like me. Even if they could not catch me they could intimidate me by stooping their feet and yelling loudly right behind me as I went up for the shot. I missed that shot a lot because you have to slow down the last two steps and gently lay it into the backboard or you missed.
The facts were that nothing was hindering me from hitting that shot. However, the Zeitgeist seemed more real to me many times that the reality. The reality was the points were mine if I could deliver under the noise and pressure. My coach did this one thing that helped me during those fast breaks. He would cup his hands by his mouth and say, ” Slow down.” Those two words I could distinguish from all other voices.
How has the Zeitgeist affected you? What fear is trying to run your life right now? I have certain verses that help me, ” deliver to the basket” each day. I hope they help you escape the spirit of the age so you can continue toward the upward call of God in your life. Let us continue to pray for each other.

“But he who enters by the door is a shepherd of the sheep. To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he puts forth all his own, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice. A stranger they simply will not follow, but will flee from him, because they do not know the voice of strangers.” John 10:3-5 (Matthew 6: 32-33/ John 16:33/ I John 4: 4b) JWP

Please join us in today’s word. And let us know what you think….either in our comment section or in person at our next service. Join us every Sunday at our worship times–9:00am for Worship Service and at 10:30am for Sunday School. We’d love to see you here!

Please bring cases of bottled water to church on Sunday, 8/27/17. We will forward them to the victims on Monday and beyond. We will stack them in the foyer and the office. Will keep you informed on the relief effort. Thank you. JWP

Rollie Free
This man set the world speed record for motorcycles in 1940. If you really want to get a laugh, download the picture. I love motorcycles, and have his picture above my desk. Here he is on a rare 1000cc Vincent HRD “Black Lightening.” But that is not the funny part. He is stripped down to a bathing suit, shower cap, and slippers, at 150.313 M.P.H.
He dressed like that to reduce drag, but I keep it in front of me because if you did not know the background, and say the picture for the first time, it just looks like a guy that was hanging on for dear life against his will!
Life does feel that way at times; a high-speed ride. A ride in which if we step away, and give up on, would surely result in disaster! It looks as if the windy ride stripped every non-essential thing away from him, and you think he must really be scared!
The real story is he is having the time of his life. So let’s gets down to you and me. Everybody needs deep rest, not only of the body, but of our eternal souls as well, as we fly through this life. The same Lord who saved us also provides everything we need to be “more than conquerors in Christ.” Romans 8:37.
It all gets down to how well we are “equipped” for this life. When natural talents fail, (and they will,) you have all these resources in Christ. It would be ashamed to not know we have them, or not know how to use them to fulfill our destiny in Christ. Can we really be at peace and sense the power of Christ in our lives while flying through this life? The answer is a resounding, “Yes.” Read all of Romans 8 today. Choose to read it over all the other things you feel pressured to do. Ask the Lord to help you realize the resources you have. JWP

• Cleaning: Week of Aug. 13/20—Ponders (two-week cycle).
• Nursery: August 27—Linda P.
• CHURCH VOTE: During 08/27 service. Suggested time change for services (Sunday School: 9:30-10:25am, Fellowship: 10:25-10:45am, Service: 10:45-11:45am) to start on Sunday, Sept. 3^rd. Also discussing Worship Leader and Outreach. Next Church Council meeting Sept. 10^th after services.
• YOUTH GROUP: Wednesday, Aug. 23^rd @ 3:15pm.
• Hooks, Sticks, and Needles (Women’s Crafting Group): Thursday 5:00pm. Quilts, Crochet, Knitting, Etc.
• MEN’S SATURDAY LUNCH: Aug. 26 @ 1pm. Send Jason suggestions for your restaurant pick.
• POTLUCK DINNER: Last Sunday of each month after service. AUGUST 27.  THEME: FINGER FOODS.  Sign-up list forthcoming.
• E-mail photos to kerrfamily3162@sbcglobal.net
• Follow us on Facebook or at teaguebiblechurch.org

YOU ARE HERE,,,,
I guess you heard the joke about a man who stopped dating a girl because she was too dumb to date? He took her to Six-Flags Over Texas. He stopped to refer to the park map which had the “you are here” emblem to help you locate your position. His date looked at him with shock and wonder and said, “how did they know?”
Without staying in the Word of God we are lost in this world. We cannot navigate through it based on short-sightedness. The “perpetually exhausted” swim in the arena of short-sightedness.
Imagine, however, if the girl had seen the “you are here” sign, but engraved in stone with it was her name! Not so dumb now, right? If it gave more details about her life, and her part in the larger scheme of things, she would know something special was taking place.
Sunday we deal with the question of, “is this the last hour?”
(I John 2: 18-24 is the passage this Sunday, 9:00 A.M. August 20, 2017.) How can anyone not see that something of great significance is taking place in our world right now?
The question is this; do you know where you are standing in the flow of these events and what your part is in it? We need clarity in these days; to such an extent that each one of us can say, ” I am here, and I am prepared, and I am empowered by the Lord to carry out my part!”
The “urgent things” seem to drain away time from the “important things.” I expect unbelievers to get lost in the next set of circumstances, and run out of meaning in the process. I know that for believers it does not have to be this way. Life for a believer is not a mindless string of activities.
We have an “anointing” that can separate us from such regret. In fact the whole passage Sunday is a play on the word, “anoint.” The word Christ means, “Anointed One.” Our life in deeply connected to His life and His victory. Much more to this than can be covered here. See you Sunday! JWP

Church Council meeting after Sunday School on August 20th.