Murray
Presbyterian Messenger
November 2009
“Busyness and God”
November is
here! This fall has been going by
quickly. In a short time December and
Christmas will be upon us. For November
our church has many activities planned.
These events and activities will be beneficial to our congregation’s
fellowship and community. Yet, I know
that sometimes the busyness of church, work, and family life gets in the way of
our relationship with God. Have you
experienced that in your life? Is your
schedule running you ragged as you go from one thing to the next?
There are many things
that distract us from God. There are
relationships with friends and family, work schedules, church events, school
programs, television, etc. In a recent article—I
shared with our session—we read how we as believers need to focus fully on God
in our lives. God is jealous of our
attention. The observation of the
writer—Claire Taulbee—was that Christians are too often prone to “half-baked
multitasking.” Her point hits home. The busyness draws us away from God.
Not only do we as
believers need to make time for God in our lives, but we also need to make time
for others who need to experience his grace.
Do we truly listen to those who have problems or are we too busy? Do we take the time to hear what is on their
hearts?
As we enter November
I want to encourage you as you walk with the Lord. Lets live out the
truth we believe in our relationship with God and with those around us. May we be focused on Christ our Savior and walk
humbly with him day by day.
One way I think we
can counteract the busied lives we live is to recognize those things that
hinders us. Be aware of those things and
make sure that they don’t interfere with your relationship with God. As we deal with busyness lets remember the
importance of worship.
Worship is central to the relationship we have with God. In worship we come into God’s presence with
reverence and awe. Worship helps us
focus on God. We pray and hear God’s
word and sing our praises to Him.
Worship, prayer, devotions, bible reading, and small group studies are
the routines of our spiritual lives that help us stay close to God. May we be faithful to our spiritual routines
so that we can stay close to Him and not be drawn away.
In Christ,
Jeff
Ann Wieringa:
Prayers for healing and strength. (2739 Overlook Circle – Beaver Lake, 68048)
Fay
Jose: Prayers for healing and strength for
Fay. (Waterford At the Woodbridge, Rm 117, 1913 E Hwy 34– Plattsmouth,
68048)
Tanner
Miner: Prayers for healing and strength. (2004 Splitt Drive – Murray, 68409)
Betty
Tepner: Prayers for healing and strength for Betty
and strength for Dixie Craft.
(5309 Crogans Way Rd. Council Bluffs, IA
51501)
Don
Loftin: Prayers for healing & strength. (9500
Milford Rd.-Beaver Lake, NE 68048)
Dave,
Jenny, Samantha & Ella Cook: Prayers of strength for
the family & healing for Ella.
(9923
12th Street – Murray NE
68409)
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Additional
Prayer Concerns:
Cathy
Balfour
as she battles cancer. (11509 A Street-Avoca, NE 68307)
Nickey
Johnson: Prayers for Nickey and her family as they
mourn the passing of her mother. Continue to Pray for her father’s health.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Thoughts
& Prayers for our shut-ins:
Lottie
Johnson:
Continual prayers. (Ambassador,
1800 14th Ave. #208, Nebraska City, NE 68410)
Mildred
Moritz:
Continual prayers. (1300 Avenue D-Plattsmouth, NE 68048)
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
Remember
the members of our Armed Forces, who are serving overseas and stateside:
Dave
Cook
Kris
Kidd
Philmore
Williams
*************************
Continued
Prayers of comfort for:
The
Family of Nickey Johnson
Many Thanks!
Thank you to all
the
Halloween party
helpers
and for the party contributions. Your
time and effort were both
greatly
appreciated.
The Sunday School
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WOW! CHILDREN’S CHOIR
will be singing for us on Sunday,
November 8th
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Prayer Chain
Please call(235-3323)or
e-mail(Harold-laverne@inebraska.com)
LaVerne Ebner if you have anything to put out on the prayer chain – no matter
how small you may think it is!
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Murray Presbyterian Church
T-Shirts
We have a few shirts
left (Youth Small and Large; Adult Small and X-Large). If you would like one, please see one of the
Deacons. The cost to you is $3.00.
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Join
the Women’s
Circle every
month, on
the second Wednesday,
at the church at 7pm!
This Month:
November 11th
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PLATTSMOUTH FOOD
PANTRY
Please
remember the food pantry and those in need as you shop at the grocery store
this month. If you have any donations
and you cannot get to the food pantry to drop them off, please bring them to
church and we will be happy to deliver them for you!
*********************************************
MEMBERSHIP CLASSES
If you are
interested in attending a Membership Class - Pastor Jeff McDonald will be glad
to talk to you! Please call (402)
682-1439
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*Denise
Ayers is
always looking for Liturgists.
If you are interested, please sign-up on the sheet on the back
table. Please participate and know that
your service to the church is appreciated.
A special Thank You to all who have done so in the
past.
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Please
visit our website at www.murraypresbyterian.com to
see the weekly bulletin, congregational life, and the monthly newsletter!
Tell a
friend!!!!!
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*Anniversaries
Happy
Anniversary to:
Rich & Karen Gregerson 11/27
*Birthdays
Happy Birthday to:
Where we’ve been in the Bible: Study Guide (Paul’s Letters)
Study Guide
2 Corinthians (written about AD. 56)
-Corinth, Greece—major ancient
commercial center. Corinth has been
referred to as the Las Vegas of the ancient world.
-Paul defends his ministry against
false teachers—Judaizers.
-In 2 Corinthians Paul focuses on the
centrality of the cross.
-Paul encourages the Corinthian
Christians to be generous.
-Paul trusts in God for strength when
he is weak and things are difficult.
Philippians
(written about A.D. 61)
-Philippi, Macedonia (Northern,
Greece). Military
retirement community.
-Very generous in their giving.
-Paul calls the Philippians to imitate
Christ’s humility.
-He also instructs them to not put
confidence in ritual, but rather in Jesus Christ.
-The quarrel between Eudia and
Syntyche. Paul pleads with them to agree
with each other in the Lord.
-Paul tells the church at Philippi to
put into practice whatever is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, and
admirable. Think about things that are
excellent and praiseworthy.
Colossians (written about A.D. 61)
-Colosse—located in what is today
southwestern Turkey.
-Small town. Various cults have an extremely strong
presence in the community.
-Paul stresses that Christ is the
Supreme creator and ruler of the universe.
-He teaches that Jesus is not just a
way to God—Jesus is God.
-True fullness is to be found in Jesus
Christ and not human traditions—festivals, religious diets, etc.
-Paul urges the Christians in Colosse
to pray constantly and share their faith.
Philemon (written about A.D. 61)
-Paul wrote this letter to a wealthy
man in Colosse named Philemon.
-Paul writes a very warm and
appreciative letter to Philemon asking him to welcome back a slave named
Onesimus.
-Onesimus had apparently stole money
from Philemon and then ran away.
-Onesimus had a
life changing conversion to God and somehow became friends with Paul in
Rome. Now Paul wants Philemon to welcome
back Onesimus as a brother in Christ.
1
Thessalonians (written about A.D.
50)
-Thessalonica, Macedonia (Northern
Greece).
-Thessalonica was a large commercial
center and a major seaport.
-Earlier Paul had started a riot there
when he visited the town and preached the “Good News.” (Acts 17)
-Paul
gives thanks for the Thessalonian Christian’s faith, defends his own ministry
there, and rejoices that the Thessalonian Christians have accepted the word of
God as it truly is the word of God (ch. 1 & 2). These believers are doing a great job of
sharing the faith.
-Thessalonian Christians are being
persecuted by unbelievers
and
tempted by Satan, but their faith is remaining strong (ch. 3).
-Paul gives instructions in Christian
living—live a quite life, work, earn respect from
outsiders by how you live (ch. 4).
Avoid immorality and love each other.
-Paul explains what will happen to
believers—both the living and the dead—at the time of the second coming of
Jesus (ch. 5). Encourage one another and
build each other up.
Galatians
-Galatia (Central Modern Turkey)
-Paul writes this letter to the church
in the region known as Galatia. Written circa 47-48 A.D.
-The letter to the Galatians was
written to emphasize the complete sufficiency of justification by faith alone
in one’s relationship with God.
-This letter stresses that God has
freed us from the project of self-salvation.
-The Galatian churches—where many new
believers were Gentiles—were being strongly influenced to add traditional
Jewish beliefs and practices to their newfound faith.
-While it was quite natural for Jewish
Christians to continue to worship as they always had in the past, to require
the same for Gentiles was, to Paul, tantamount to promoting a different gospel.
James
-James was
written as a practical letter to Jewish Christians scattered throughout the
Mediterranean world.
-James was
the half brother of Jesus.
-Ch. 1:Don’t
just be a hearer of God’s Word (scripture), but be a doer. Be quick to listen and slow to speak.
-Ch. 2:
Favoritism is forbidden in the church.
We are not saved by deeds, but deeds give evidence that you have
faith. Intellectual assent to God is not
enough we must follow Him in our daily lives.
-Ch. 3:
James focuses on the need to control your tongue.
-Ch. 4:
Friendship with the ways of the world is hatred towards God. Christians are to submit themselves to God
and follow Him.
-Ch. 5: As
we face suffering we are to be patient and stand firm.
1 Peter
-1 Peter was
written by Peter to suffering Christians who were experiencing persecution.
-Written to
various churches in northern Asia Minor (present day Turkey). Written in the 60s.
-Peter
reminded them of their heavenly hope and eternal inheritance so that they would
be strengthened to persevere in the midst of suffering.
-He
emphasized that believers are called to live lives of holiness and love in the
midst of trials.
-Live like
living stones who are built into a spiritual house
with Jesus Christ as the cornerstone.
-Respond in
a godly way to suffering and persecution.
Suffering can produce maturity in the Christian.
-Resist
Satan and realize that there are other Christians suffering throughout the
world.
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