planks

Just finished listening to this program on the radio and I wanted to share it with everyone.

http://discovertheword.org/2013/12/06/how-being-a-splinter-remover-has-its-risks-but-also-rich-rewards/

Friday, December 6, 2013, Part 4
“Judge not, that you be not judged. For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the same measure you use, it will be measured back to you. And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck out of your eye,’ and look, a plank is in your own eye? Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck out of your brother’s eye. Do not give what is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you in pieces” (Matthew 7:1-6).
IDEA: Recognizing your own faults enables you to help others.
PURPOSE: To help listeners appreciate the ineffectiveness of pride.
Listen to an illustration that Jesus used in the Sermon on the Mount, and then let’s talk about it.
I. The illustration is found in Matthew 7:3-5:
“Why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck out of your eye,’ and look, a plank is in your own eye? Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck out of your brother’s eye.”
What does this illustrate?
What do you think the crowd did as they listened to Jesus?
Is humor in a sermon an effective way to make your point?
II. What does this illustration assume about the “plank-eyed” person?
Would he say that he wants to help someone else with his criticism?
Why does Jesus call him a hypocrite (Matthew 7:5)?
Does the brother with a splinter in his eye hurt? Could he use help?
If we go to help someone in need, does it matter in what spirit we do it?
What does this look like in real life?

remember this

the great commission

Jesus said

Psalm 116:2

blessings everywhere

Humberto got back from Lima Peru yesterday and today he shared pictures and stories from his Church building trip. While he was talking I was most struck by how he is blessing us by his experience of sharing Christ with people from another country.

He spoke of how poor they were and yet he talked of how a school principal came up to him and asked them to come speak at her school. We can't do that here.

We saw pictures of them setting up and having a worship service in the street and we normally can't do that here.

There was a picture of a street and at the top of the street was the name JESUS painted on the side of the building. I'm not so sure we can do that here . . .

He told us of how he talked with them about how they may be poor but they may have more than the people who have full wallets and stomachs because they have open ears and hearts so they can hear the Lord.

So much is running around in my mind that I just wanted to start writing it down but another thought that kept coming into my mind is that while we couldn't all go to Lima that we have a huge mission field right here with people who think that they are good - but they don't know the gospel at all.

At the start of this post I kept repeating, "we can't do that here", but this is a lie. We CAN do this here and we must do this here.

Please take a peak at this short clip: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=366846306795155 and you'll see what Jesus says about all of this.

How exciting that one of our own was launched into another country to spread the gospel :)

absent from the body present with the Lord!

All,

Just wanted to let everyone know that Cody passed away yesterday evening.  He was in no pain and went to sleep and never woke up.  He is now in God’s care enjoying what we one day aspire to.  The family is soliciting all of our prayers as they go through this difficult time.  “To be absent from the body, is to be present with the Lord”.  Read 2 Corinthians 5:1-21.

Love you all,

Cody McCoy

Cody

Last week we were all asked to pray for Cody. His family wanted us to ask God to heal him.

Today we got a message from the family saying that while Cody was expected to leave this earth last week, that last night he was at church during their Hallelujah night and he even dressed up! The family thanked us for our prayers. Please continue your prayers for Cody and his family. It is so exciting to see God working through this 16 year and touching all of us.