Community Church of Henderson

Dear Members and Friends;

I would like to share this article on thanking God for all our gifts from the Prairie Overcomer.

It has often been pointed out that thinking precedes thanking. When we are presented with a gift, it is because we think of its significance and meaning that we are led to express our appreciation.

What are the thoughts that entertained by the Christian, lead to thanksgiving? Somewhere in our thinking there should be thoughts of God. Perhaps we should start there. God – what a train of thoughts should be started when we think of Him! Power, wisdom, goodness, grace, love, care: these are just some of the thoughts that cluster around the word God.

When Paul traces the downward path of mankind he begins by saying that men, “When they knew God … glorified Him not as God, neither were thankful.” (Romans 1:21) Men were not thankful that they had a revelation of God; indeed, they sought to suppress that knowledge and to evade its power. In addition to thoughts of God, there would be thoughts of ourselves. We should see our own insignificance in the light of the facts we know about God. We should see and confess our own frailty and failures. We should admit our commitment to earthly things. But we should not stop there. We should think thoughts about our privileges in Christ. God has loved us and made us in the Beloved Son.

In the light of these thoughts, we should be led to think of our responsibilities. We are now responsible to live for God’s glory. Redeemed, we should seek to serve Him faith-fully. We should recognize our responsibility to be thankful and from our lips there should come a daily song of praise.

Why is it then, that we are not more thankful? The truth probably is that we don’t stop to think. The cares and riches and pleasures of this life choke the plant of gratitude and our lives become unfruitful.
Thanksgiving is really the product of careful cultivation. It is the fruit of a deliberate resolve to think about God, ourselves and our privileges and responsibilities. By giving thanks we make manifest the fact that our lives are not controlled by the imperious cares and concerns of this life. We give testimony to the fact that material things do not dictate the horizons of our soul. (Prairie Overcomer)

In Christ, 

Merrill  

2016

Parking Lot Sale

Saturday, October 22

 8a.m.-2p.m.

JOIN US FOR A FUN DAY WITH FOOD, TREASURE HUNTING, AND HOLIDAY SHOPPING AT COMMUNITY CHURCH OF HENDERSON.

Click HERE for a copy of our flyer and contact information.

Dear Members and Friends; 

The privilege of following Jesus requires a plan, a direction, determination and depth.  Achieving anything requires discipline — determined, deliberate, definable actions with a clear goal in mind. 

Many centuries ago, Paul coached Timothy, his son in the ministry, with the words, “Discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness.” (1 Timothy 4:7) 

I don’t want to shame you into walking a spiritual treadmill, nor do I want to convince you that a no-fun checklist of spiritual tedium will somehow pay dividends in eternity. On the other hand, I don’t want to suggest that becoming like Christ will be easy. Seeking intimacy with the Almighty requires focused determination; demands specific changes in attitude and behavior and will come with a number of heartbreaks and setbacks. 

This is merely an invitation to live life as Christ intended, which includes difficult choices, some hard work and an increasing capacity to enjoy all the goodness God offers those who come to Him. 

Paul chose carefully when he selected the Greek term gymnazo. (Most English transliterations spell it gymnazo, from which we get our word gymnasium.)  The New American Standard Bible renders it “discipline.” Look at how several other translations present Paul’s command: 

Paul has in mind the word picture of an athlete preparing for the day of competition.

I would prefer to translate it “Condition yourself,” which raises two points: 

First; conditioning involves repetitive training exercises so that the athlete’s mind and the appropriate muscle groups learn to work together reflexively and automatically.  Conditioning combines endurance and skill. Conditioning turns game winning abilities into habits. 

Second, no one can condition someone else.  An athlete can seek out a coach to help him with conditioning, but he cannot hire someone to do the work for him.  Condition yourself.  Check the Internet, look through the Yellow Pages.  If you ever find “Lease-a-Dieter” or “Rent-a-Runner,” let me know. I want the number! 

Conditioning is between you and God. 

Notice also that Paul has a goal in mind for the conditioning. Runners condition themselves by running. Weightlifters condition themselves by lifting weights. Each trains for a specific skill to compete in a specific event. Paul’s event is godliness. “Condition yourself toward godliness.” 

Paul uses the Greek word for godliness ten times in his writings; eight of  them appear in 1 Timothy.  Godliness is central to Paul’s advice to Timothy. 

One scholar defines the word this way:  Christian [godliness] is not moralistic, for it is rooted in the Christ event (1 Timothy 3:16). It is not just outward worship, nor a mere concept of God, nor a virtue, nor an ideal.  Over against a [Gnostic philosophy of self-deprivation] that regards creation as bad true [godliness], born of faith, covers everyday conduct in honoring God as Creator and Redeemer, even though it may expect persecution from the very orders of God which it respects. 

A “godly” person is one who ceases to be self-centered in order to become GOD-centered. Christ became a man and as a result of His earthly ministry; we see how God intended for humans to behave.  Jesus is our unblemished example of godliness.  Therefore, a godly person is a Christ-like person.  Our goal as Christians is to become like Christ. 

So why exercise spiritual disciplines?  To know Jesus Christ. They are simply a means by which you come to know Him experientially. 

So, you want to be like Christ?  Me too.  But that kind of godliness won’t just happen by  hanging around a church or thinking lofty thoughts three or four times a day or learning a few  verses of Scripture.  Disciplining ourselves will require the same kind of focused thinking and living that our Master modeled during His brief life on earth. 

Everything starts in the gymnasium of the soul.  Since this is true, let’s commit ourselves to these Eight Spiritual Disciplines. 

In Christ, 

Merrill  

Community Church of Henderson

11^th Annual Women’s Retreat

‘Shield of Faith’

October 28 – 30, 2016

Crystal Inn Suites St. George, UT

Total Cost $200 per person

Covers all expenses (room & food)

Friday 7:00 PM – Sunday 1:00 PM

Car Pool rides may be available

Registration & Payment due by

September 18, 2016

Call the church office for more information: 702-565-8563

Fellowship with Christian Women, Make New Friends, Testimonies, Bible Study, Music, Videos, Laughter, Games, Great Company and Great Food!

Sign up today by downloading your application/sign up sheet here: Sign Up Sheet

Dear Members and Friends;

The Parable of Swimming or Wading

“What are you doing hitting your sister?” said the mother.

“She slapped me first,” said Dick.

“Well, he splashed water on me by diving into the pool right where I am sitting. I just want to dangle my feet in the water.”

“Sally,” said the mother, “don’t be offended so easily. Either get your swimsuit on and get in the water or get away from the pool.”

Some people feel about the church and the Christian life like Sally felt about the water.  They just want to dangle their feet.

Anyone who is in the water swimming, takes little notice of others swimming, takes little notice of the waves that are caused by dangling feet, because they are busy in the happiness of swimming.  But those who are only wading, are not only splashed by the swimmer, they are also annoyed by waves created by other danglers.

It is so in the Christian River of Life.  People are busily engaged in the work, using their full strength to swim, are undisturbed by little things.  Their whole life is being uplifted by the water and the efforts they are making in it.

People who merely wade in the stream, never really know the power of the flowing River of Life, but rather sit in judgment and annoyance by the dabbling that is done by half-hearted Christians.

If you want to learn to swim as Christians, get into the water and give your whole self to Christ’s cause.  Are you swimming or wading?

In Christ,

Merrill  

Dear Members and Friends;

Matthew 7:24-27 says; “Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded on the rock.  Everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not act on them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand.  The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and it fell – and great was its fall.”

A Life Worthy of Reward:

The head of my seminary once made the comment that building anything worthwhile requires a firm foundation: a chicken coop may not need much of a base, but a skyscraper must be constructed upon tons of buried steel and concrete. Jesus Christ is the strongest and steadiest foundation upon which a life can be built. 

Think Of Your Life As A Skyscraper. In Order To Be A Wise Builder …

Apply the Word of God. Believers build a lasting spiritual structure through study and application of Scripture. The Lord’s principles and commandments are the blueprint for a victorious Christian life.

Give sacrificially, forgive willingly and love extravagantly. (Acts 2:45; Eph. 4:32; 1 Peter 1:22)  Pride and selfishness have no place in this edifice.  Using these things a construction materials results in a teetering shack that is susceptible to fire.  (1 Cor. 3:13)

Use your gifts to glorify the Lord.  The Holy Spirit has equipped every believer to serve the Lord.  We cannot afford to be lazy or fearful because we have only a few years to work for Him on this earth.

Share the Gospel.  Telling others about Jesus Christ is the greatest service that we can offer to God and to our fellow man.  The Lord Himself has called us to this task.  (Matt. 28:19)

May we always be faithful to the Lord, each other and the church.

Faithfully Yours,

Merrill  

Dear Members and Friends;

As summer continues, we need to be constantly aware of our faithfulness to God and each other.  It’s easy to lose sight of what each of us needs to do for each other and our church because the church is always there and the people are always around. 

A few years ago there was an article by Philip Yancey in Christianity Today that I think can help to remind us about how easy it is to take things for granted.  He said:

“I remember my first visit to Old Faithful in Yellowstone National Park.  Rings of Japanese and German tourists surrounded the geyser, their video cameras trained like weapons on the famous hole in the ground.  A large, digital clock stood beside the spot, predicting 24 minutes until the next eruption. 

My wife and I passed the countdown in the dining room of Old Faithful Inn overlooking the geyser.  When the digital clock reached one minute, we, along with every other diner; left our seats and rushed to the windows to see the big, wet event.

I noticed that immediately, as if on signal, a crew of busboys and waiters descended on the table to refill water glasses and clear away dirty dishes.  When the geyser went off, we tourists oohed and aahed and clicked our cameras; a few spontaneously applauded.  But, glancing back over my shoulder, I saw that not a single waiter or busboy – not even those who had finished their chores – looked out the huge windows.  Old Faithful, grown entirely too familiar, had lost its power to impress them. 

Few things are more quickly taken for granted than God’s faithfulness.  But few things are more important.  God’s faithfulness deserves our untiring praise and wonder.”

Interestingly enough, while the workers paid little attention to the awesomeness of old Faithful, Old Faithful has changed over the years.  Seismic activity has affected the eco-balance in the park’s subterranean water levels.  These disruptions have made the earlier mathematical relationship inaccurate, but have in fact made Old Faithful more predictable.  With a margin of error of 10 minutes, Old Faithful will erupt 65 minutes after an eruption lasting less than 2.5 minutes or 91 minutes after an eruption lasting more than 2.5 minutes. 

How often do we fail to pay attention to those things near and dear to us and they change seemly without notice?  May we always be faithful to the Lord, each other and the church.

Faithfully Yours,

Merrill   

Dear Members and Friends;

As spring comes to a close, a number of things occur.  Schools will be out soon, people will be planning their vacations and every-one anticipates some leisurely time with family and friends.  Here at the church, we are preparing for our summer schedule.  There will be the Fire Works Booth, special Youth Group trips and the Men’s Group and Youth will again go to the NAOMI House.  We also look forward to Vacation Bible School in August. 

Mother’s Day is always a special day for most folk because without mothers we wouldn’t be here.  For me, I look back on the sacrifices my mother made to make sure that my brother and I got an education as well as instilling in us the values that have served us well over the years.  She once told me that the strength of one’s character is the only thing that lasts. 

To ensure that the character that we developed would endure, she made sure that we were involved in church at every opportunity.  I remember she read the Bible to us every day after supper.  At the time, it felt like she was just interrupting our play time with our friends but I now realize she was laying the foundation that will build lasting character following the examples in Scripture. 

I look forward to this summer and the events that we will participate in here at Community Church. 

May this summer be a blessing to all of you.

In Christ, Merrill