Calling Hours

Dave Goodyear's sister Juanita passed away this week. Calling hours are Thursday, 5-7 pm at the Assembly of God on Rt 14 in Ravenna. (Close to the State Hwy Patrol station.)

The Hungry

If you extend your soul to the hungry And satisfy the afflicted soul, Then your light shall dawn in the darkness, And your darkness shall be as the noonday. (Isaiah 58:10)

This Saturday at 10 o'clock is your monthly opportunity to serve with your brothers and sisters at the Haven of Rest in Akron.

Will you extend your soul to the hungry?

Meet at the Haven at 10. Wear a hat!

Reaching UPWARD

"If I always do what I've always done, I'll always get what I've always got!"

I heard this at a business seminar years ago.  I was cleaning out some paperwork recently and rediscovered this truth. I am a firm believer in setting goals. If you don't have something to reach for... you won't reach.

I remember when when my daughter was little.  She was probably about 2 years old.  She would play with her wooden blocks. She was very good about building. She would stack those colored blocks one on top of another. I would say to her... "stack another one on top" and she would. You see what I was teaching her was to reach. Keep building... keep stacking... don't stop. The higher the block tower grew, the more excited she would get. I would encourage her... "Come on... one more.  You can do it... be careful.  Put it on top... really careful now."  Of course, you know how this story ends.  She would knock it down.  I can still hear that baby laughter.  That precious mother and child time of togetherness. A time of teaching and a time of molding her.  These thoughts come to my mind clearly now that she is back in school working on her Masters degree.  She reached one major threshold of her education.  Now she is reaching towards another.  Reaching... because she was taught to.

I remember another time of reaching.  When my son was in 7th grade, he wanted to be on the football team. He was a perfect athlete for football. He was big. He was muscular. He was very strong. He was smart and could remember the plays.  Off he went to football practice. After the first practice, he was upset.  He wanted to quit.  He wanted to throw in the towel... literally. But Pastor Bill wouldn't let him. He told him to "keep trying."  "Not to quit." " Give it more time and give it your all." What your Pastor was teaching him was keep reaching. Do not stop reaching. Keep moving forward. There will be some pain... but pain will come... don't stop.  Well, you know how this story ends... 10 years of football. He played on a football team all through junior high, senior high, and college. Reaching... because he was taught to.

God instructs his children with the same principles. We are to never stop reaching. We are to keep reaching. God wants us to do more today than we did yesterday. He wants us to do more tomorrow than we are doing today.

When I was in Israel this past summer, I was presented with so many amazing sights. I especially remember the upward drive to Jerusalem.  Did you know that Jerusalem is built on a hill? We go up to Jerusalem. We go up to the Holy City. We reach upwards toward Jerusalem. We reach upwards toward the Holy City.  The bus started changing gears.  I could hear it down-shifting. It was adjusting the engine for the incline. I was thinking about how many people through the ages have marched up these hills. How many have reached toward the city of Jerusalem. Back in the day, they were marching on foot... not riding in an air conditioned cushy tour bus.

Come, we that love the Lord,
And let our joys be known,
Join in a song with sweet accord,
Join in a song with sweet accord
And thus surround the throne,
And thus surround the throne.

Chorus:
We're marching to Zion,
Beautiful, beautiful Zion;
We're marching UPWARD to Zion,
The beautiful city of God.
(Isaac Watts)

If you don't reach and move forward, you will never get anywhere. Someone said once... God can't move a parked car.  Well, they were wrong... God can do anything. He is the creator of that car, that parking lot, and that town. The point is we are to be moving. We are to be working. We are to be reaching upwards.  March UPWARD to Zion... that beautiful city of God.

Happy New Year and let us move ahead in 2013.

With love,

Beth

Friday Morning With Baxter

God is on your side, who hath all your enemies in his hand, and can rebuke them, or destroy them in a moment. O what is the breath or fury of dust or devils, against the Lord Almighty? “If God be for us, who can be against uso?” Read often that chapter, Rom. 8. In the day when thou didst enter into covenant with God, and he with thee, thou didst enter into the most impregnable rock and fortress, and house thyself in that castle of defence, where thou mayst (modestly) defy all adverse powers of earth or hell. If God cannot save thee, he is not God. And if he will not save thee, he must break his covenant. Indeed, he may resolve to save thee, not from affliction and persecution, but in it, and by it. But in all these sufferings you will “be more than conquerors, through Christ that loveth you:” that is, it is far more desirable and excellent, to conquer by patience, in suffering for Christ, than to conquer our persecutors in the field, by force of arms. O think on the saints’ triumphant boastings in their God: “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble: therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the seap.” When his “enemies were many” and “wrested his words daily,” and “fought against him, and all their thoughts were against him,” yet he saith, “What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee. In God I will praise his word; in God I have put my trust: I will not fear what flesh can do unto me.” Remember Christ’s charge, “Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: fear him, which after he hath killed, hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him.” If all the world were on thy side, thou might yet have cause to fear; but to have God on thy side, is infinitely more. (From The Practical Works of the Rev. Richard Baxter, Vol. 2)

An Appointment

"Don’t pray when you feel like it. Have an appointment with the Lord and keep it. A man is powerful on his knees." (Corrie ten Boom)

Prayer meeting this evening (Wednesday) at 6:30

Leadership Training Institute follows at 7:30

Join us!

THIS SUNDAY!!!!!!!

Remember Matthew 25 Saturday Morning

Serve with us at the Haven of Rest in Akron.

"For I was hungry, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in." (Matthew 25:35)

First Saturday of every month, 10:00-12:00. Meet at the Haven!