KEEPING IN TOUCH
SEPTEMBER 7, 2010

Good morning church family,
I began last week’s KIT with this statement. "Did you know? This August has 5 Sundays, 5 Mondays, and 5 Tuesdays in one month. It only happens every 823 years. (At least that’s what someone told me)" Well, I sure am glad that I put in the parenthetical statement. According to Snopes.com, it ain’t so. It doesn’t happen often. But it doesn’t take anywhere near 800 years for it to happen.

Anyway,

We began a new series on Sunday. I call it, "Rob who?" I am thinking of all of the ways that we rob God, we rob others, and we rob ourselves. The first in this series highlighted the Sabbath. One of the Big Ten, straight from God, commands us to "Remember the Sabbath day and keep it Holy. God consecrated one day in seven. He even observed one day Himself.

The word Sabbath does not mean seventh, or Saturday or Sunday. It is a transliteration of the Hebrew word Shabbat, which means to rest. Sabbath is a time consecrated by God for us to replenish our body and spirit. It is a command. But we don’t do it. We don’t take one day in seven and spend it as God would have us to. So we:

*Rob God because all of our days belong to God. When we don’t take a Sabbath, we are not giving God the one day that He has consecrated. We are not obeying His commandment.

*Rob others because we claim that we believe in God. Yet we don’t do what we say that we believe. Others see what we do much more than they hear what we say. We say we trust God, then we try to do everything ourselves. Also, we rob others because when we don’t take a Sabbath, we get worn down and sometimes irritable. We are not as effective in dealing with others.

*Rob ourselves because Jesus said that we were not made for the Sabbath, but that the Sabbath was made for us. We are not to be a slave to a certain day or to a certain set of legalistic rules about a certain day. But since our bodies, minds and souls need rest and rejuvenation, the Sabbath was made for us. We have this opportunity to spend time resting our bodies, minds and souls in God. It is a command for us to take a gift. When we don’t, we rob ourselves.

Take inventory. Do you find yourself feeling tired, a bit emotionally worn, and not as close to God as you would like to be? When is the last time that you have taken a Sabbath?

Lord, let it begin with Jerry.

Coming up this week:
Wednesday: 7:00 p.m. WOW. We are worshiping with the parables of Jesus. If we have ears to hear, we can hear God speaking through them.

Thursday: 6:30 p.m. Men’s Fellowship. Choir practice will follow WOW.

Saturday, September 18 is only 11 days away. That is the date of our annual Harvest Sale. Last week in KIT, I talked about how, through the families within the family, you have many opportunities to get involved. The truth is, you can’t feel like a part of the family if you don’t get involved. Each year, the Harvest Sale is an important fund raiser for us. But much more, it is an important time for the GC family to get involved and work together. If you have not been personally assigned to a duty, please call Maria Wiggins today to tell her that you want to be a part of the family.

Scripture of the Week: Luke 11:42
"But woe to you Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue and herbs of all kinds, and neglect justice and the love of God; it is these you ought to have practiced, without neglecting the others."

Quote of the Week:
"Despite the high cost of living, it remains popular." Anonymous

Funny of the week:
The village blacksmith finally found an apprentice willing to work hard for long hours. The blacksmith immediately began his instructions to the lad, "When I take the shoe out of the fire, I'll lay it on the anvil; and when I nod my head, you hit it with this hammer." The apprentice did just as he was told.
Now he's the village blacksmith.

Numbers:
Attendance: 8:30 worship, 77 ; 10:30 worship, 104
Offering: $5683. Weekly offering needed: $5334
Building Fund: $1020. Weekly offering needed: $3165

On a personal note:
Yesterday, Labor Day, was the last official day off for the summer for many folks. I took a portion of the day and did some odds and ends that I have been planning to do for a long time. In the afternoon, I got the chance to spend a little time with two of my girls at my father’s pool. Even though their dad was there also, I am glad that Maia and Kelli still let Papa hang out with them. My other girl, Sally Ann has been away at the beach with her family for a few days. I can’t believe how much I miss seeing her during that time.

Here’s my point, if you aren’t an old guy like me, you might not realize how special your time with others really is. For me, it’s my girls (my granddaughters). But whoever it is for you, don’t miss it. If you do, you will definitely be robbing someone. Rob who?
Searching inward, worshiping upward, reaching outward,

Pastor Jerry
God is good!