OK THEN!

 While it looks like it will be dry on Saturday, the forecast now says it will only be 44 degrees. So we are going to try for Sunday afternoon, when it's forecast to be 60 degrees.

The Saturday ride and blessing of the bikes is postponed until Sunday afternoon at 1:00.  

On The Road For Lost Souls

First ride of 2017 is tentatively scheduled for this Saturday, April 1. We will meet at the church at 1:00, have a brief "Blessing of the Bikers" and then hit the road for a short inaugural ride. If you have a bike, join us! And even if you don't, pray for the day, for invitations have been posted and we hope to have some from the community join us with their bikes.

So far the weather forecast is favorable, but just in case, Sunday April 2 is the rain date.

Remember - You Have Friends At Friendship Bible Church!

Little Things You Have Done

I dreamed I went to heaven 

And you were there with me; 

We walked upon the streets of gold 

Beside the crystal sea. 

We heard the angels singing 

Then someone called your name. 

We turned and saw a young man running 

And he was smiling as he came.

And he said, "Friend you may not know me now." 

And then he said, "But wait, 

You used to teach my Sunday School 

When I was only eight. 

And every week you would say a prayer 

Before the class would start. 

And one day when you said that prayer, 

I asked Jesus in my heart."

Thank you for giving to the Lord. 

I am a life that was changed. 

 Thank you for giving to the Lord. 

I am so glad you gave. (Ray Boltz)

This evening we return to our regular schedule for midweek prayer meetings at 6:30 PM. Charles Spurgeon said, "No man can do me a truer kindness in this world than to pray for me." True. And so we will gather and pray for one another as the Bible commands. Will you join us? We need you, and you need this too.

BUT THEN AFTER PRAYER MEETING, we will be stamping and labeling invitations for Easter. There will be pizza and pop so you can plan on munching while you mail. It's always an enjoyable time, and always made better when we have many hands. Will you join us? This is a great ministry to bring your older kids to, too. If you come for prayer meeting, be there at 6:30. If you want to just come for the food and fellowship after, be there at 7:15.

Stamping and labeling postcards might seem a little thing… might seem insignificant. You might think you have a better plan for the evening, but then remember that every little thing done here for the Lord will receive its reward one day!

One by one they came 

Far as the eye could see. 

Each life somehow touched 

By your generosity. 

Little things that you had done, 

Sacrifices made, 

Unnoticed on the earth 

In heaven, now proclaimed.

Thank you for giving to the Lord. 

I am a life that was changed. 

Thank you for giving to the Lord. 

I am so glad you gave. (Ray Boltz)

Remember - You Have Friends at Friendship Bible Church!

The Case...

Prayer Meeting will deviate from the norm this evening, as we will meet at 7:30 for an abbreviated time of prayer, and then at 8:00 view a webcast by Lee and Leslie Strobel. 

Lee will share his journey from atheism to faith -- and the evidence that convinced him Christianity is true. He will also share scenes from the upcoming movie version of "The Case for Christ" and take part in a short Q&A.

Pray with us at 7:30

Join us for the webcast at 8:00

Remember - You have FRIENDS at Friendship Bible Church!

Things to do on Saturday Mornings

The list is long that describes what we might do to start our weekend. It includes things like sleeping in, kicking back with your coffee and reading your Bible, housework, yard work, family and kid time, recreational activities, and on and on.

But I would like to suggest a starting activity for this weekend that never fails to start things out right:

How can you top eggs, bacon, sausage, pancakes, hash browns, potato casserole, breakfast pizza, fruit, juice, coffee, and of course, BISCUITS AND

GRAVY? There is no better way to start a Saturday morning.

And that's just the physical part - those attending will also hear a devotional from the Word to feed their soul, and we will pray for one another that we might be the men of God He desires us to be.

Will you join us? There's always plenty of food and fellowship to go around. Come. Bring a friend. Start your weekend right! It all starts at 8:00 AM Saturday, March 18th, in Fellowship Hall.

Remember - You Have Friends at Friendship Bible Church!

Saint Patrick

On this day that bears his name, let's not celebrate the way the world does, but rather by remembering who the man really was - a soul winning missionary to Ireland. A couple quotes from his "The Confessions of Saint Patrick" might give us a glimpse into the man whose name is remembered this day:

Patrick was taken into slavery in Ireland as a youth:

"I, Patrick, a sinner, a most simple countryman, the least of all the faithful and most contemptible to many, had for father the deacon Calpurnius, son of the late Potitus, a priest, of the settlement [vicus] of Bannavem Taburniae; he had a small villa nearby where I was taken captive. I was at that time about sixteen years of age. I did not, indeed, know the true God; and I was taken into captivity in Ireland with many thousands of people, according to our deserts, for quite drawn away from God, we did not keep his precepts, nor were we obedient to our priests who used to remind us of our salvation. And the Lord brought down on us the fury of his being and scattered us among many nations, even to the ends of the earth, where I, in my smallness, am now to be found among foreigners."

Years later, having obtained freedom, Patrick went back to Ireland, this time as a missionary:

"... not by my own grace but by God who is victorious in me and withstands them all, so that I might come to the Irish people to preach the Gospel and endure insults from unbelievers; that I might hear scandal of my travels, and endure many persecutions to the extent of prison; and so that I might give up my free birthright for the advantage of others, and if I should be worthy, I am ready [to give] even my life without hesitation; and most willingly for His name. And I choose to devote it to him even unto death, if God grant it to me."

THAT is what we ought to celebrate on this day - the gospel of Jesus Christ that saved a young man from the midst of slavery, awakened within him a knowledge that apart from Christ all are lost slaves, and filled him with a desire to reach even his captors with that same gospel truth. 

Patrick, himself, says best what we ought celebrate: "I know for certain, that before I was humbled I was like a stone lying in deep mire, and he that is mighty came and in his mercy raised me up and, indeed, lifted me high up and placed me on top of the wall. And from there I ought to shout out in gratitude to the Lord for his great favours in this world and for ever, that the mind of man cannot measure."

It's Easy To Forget

Tonight before we retire, we will all bump our clocks FORWARD one hour. Don't forget!

Now some might be tempted to use this as an excuse to not worship the Lord on His day. But I'm reminded of Hebrews 10:24-25 - And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching. When we're faithful to worship on the Lord's Day, we encourage one another, and we stir one another up to serve our Savior more and better.

So let us do as Paul told the Ephesians and redeem the time, for the days are evil. (Ephesians 5:16). 

Let's retire a bit early, so we get our rest, and then get up and worship our risen Savior and King.

All Prayer and Never Ceasing

A Puritan prayer to remind us of it's importance on this, Prayer Meeting day:

O Lord, in prayer I launch far out into the eternal world, and on that broad ocean my soul triumphs over all evils on the shores of mortality. Time, with its gay amusements and cruel disappointments never appears so inconsiderate as then. 

In prayer I see myself as nothing; I find my heart going after You with intensity, and long with vehement thirst to live to You. Blessed be the strong gales of the Spirit that speed me on my way to the New Jerusalem. 

In prayer all things here below vanish, and nothing seems important but holiness of heart and the salvation of others. 

In prayer all my worldly cares, fears, anxieties disappear, and are of as little significance as a puff of wind. 

In prayer my soul inwardly exults with lively thoughts at what You are doing for Your church, and I long that You should get Yourself a great name from sinners returning to Zion. 

In prayer I am lifted above the frowns and flatteries of life, and taste heavenly joys; entering into the eternal world I can give myself to You with all my heart, to be Yours for ever. 

In prayer I can place all my concerns in Your hands, to be entirely at Your disposal, having no will or interest of my own. 

In prayer I can intercede for my friends, ministers, sinners, the church, Your kingdom to come, with greatest freedom, ardent hopes, as a son to his father, as a lover to the beloved. 

Help me to be all prayer and never to cease praying.

Will you join us for Prayer Meeting this evening? 

We start at 6:30 and end by 7:30.

Let us be all prayer and never cease praying!

Questions Concerning "The Shack"

When the book came out ten years ago, pastors and theologians rightly sounded alarms about the false doctrine contained in this book. One man, Dr. Michael Youssef, suggested thirteen separate heresies, which I reproduce below. Think them through. Now that the book has been made into a movie, even more will be confused by these falsehoods.

Now I realize the book is a work of fiction. If a believer views it that way then it's no more harmful than any other work of fiction. But when any of the false teachings below are mistaken for true Biblical doctrine... when people are actually swayed by "The Shack" into believing in a false god such as Papa, who is so very dangerously different than the Jehovah God of the Bible, then there is a serious problem. The author's attempt to change what the Bible says about God is no different than Satan's very first and oldest attack in Eden. "Did God really say that?" We must accept the Bible as true, and reject anything that denies its validity.

So, Christians, look at Youssef's list of thirteen heresies and ask yourself one simple question - Do I have the Biblical knowledge and discernment to understand the errors here?  If not, you ought to avoid "The Shack" until you know your Bible well enough to protect you from error. The only way to rightly read the book or view the movie, is to know it is a fictional work of false teaching. If you're confused about that, stay away.

Youssef's list of heresies, all of which are stated as true in "The Shack":

1. God the Father was crucified with Jesus.

2. God is limited by His love and cannot practice justice.

3. On the Cross, God forgave all of humanity, whether they repent or not. Some choose a relationship with Him, but He forgives them all regardless.

4. Hierarchical structures, whether they are in the Church or in the government, are evil.

5. God will never judge people for their sins.

6. There is not a hierarchical structure in the Godhead, just a circle of unity.

7. God submits to human wishes and choices.

8. Justice will never take place because of love.

9. There is no such a thing as eternal judgment or torment in hell.

10. Jesus is walking with all people in their different journeys to God, and it doesn’t matter which way you get to Him.

11. Jesus is constantly being transformed along with us.

12. There is no need for faith or reconciliation with God because everyone will make it to heaven.

13. The Bible is not true because it reduces God to paper.

This is not an endorsement of Michael Youssef, or his ministry in general,  but specifically of these thirteen points. If you take the time to research the topic you'll find that many many respected pastors and theologians agree completely with his concerns.

Too busy for prayer meeting?

The following quote from "Preaching the Word: Mark - Jesus, Servant and Savior " by R. Kent Hughes is a good reminder why:

Prayerlessness is the fundamental sin of the busy Christian. Because of it, much of today’s Christian work accomplishes little for the Kingdom. “If we would give sight to the blind, we must ourselves be gazing into heaven.”

Join us for prayer meeting this evening at 6:30? Too busy?