Doctrines of Grace Bible Study

Wednesday Nights, 6:30 pm, Grace Bible Church

This class is taught by Kevin Godin, an Elder of our church

You're invited to attend and bring a friend who would like to learn more

about the Doctrines of Grace

National Day of Prayer, 2010

National Day of Prayer Under Attack

As honorary chairman for the National Day of Prayer Task Force, Franklin Graham is challenging pastors and churches over the next two Sundays to intercede for America.

“Only two Sundays remain before the National Day of Prayer, an event under attack like never before,” Graham said. “I am calling on pastors to ask their congregations to stand with us as we pray for our president, our leaders, our men and women in the military, and our nation as a whole. We need churches everywhere to stand with us on May 6 as we join in prayer as one nation, under God.”

VIDEO: Franklin Graham speaks with CBN News about the Army's decision to rescind an invitation to speak at the Pentagon.

Graham will be in Washington May 6 to lead a prayer service for the nation at the Cannon House Office Building. He was also scheduled to speak at the Pentagon until the U.S. Army rescinded his invitation.

“I want to express my strong support for the United States military and all our troops,” said Graham, whose youngest son serves in the Army. "I will continue to pray that God will give them guidance, wisdom, and protection, as they serve this great country.”

Graham joins a task force led by Mrs. Shirley Dobson whose mission is to mobilize the Christian community to intercede for America and its leadership in the seven centers of power: Government, Military, Media, Business, Education, Church, and Family.

VIDEO: Franklin Graham responds to a judge's ruling that the National Day of Prayer is unconstitutional.

Millions will unite in prayer at thousands of events from coast to coast. This year’s theme is “Prayer for Such a Time as This” and is based on Nahum 1:7: “The LORD is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in Him.”

The National Day of Prayer is an annual observance held on the first Thursday of May, inviting people of all faiths to pray for the nation. It was created in 1952 by a joint resolution of the United States Congress, and signed into law by President Harry S. Truman.

The day has become a national observance, with events held across the nation and in Washington, D.C. Last year, local, state and federal observances were held from sunrise in Maine to sunset in Hawaii, uniting Americans from all socio-economic, political, and ethnic backgrounds in prayer for our nation. It is estimated that more than two million people attended more than 40,000 observances organized by tens of thousands of volunteers. At state capitols, county court houses, on the steps of city halls, and in schools, businesses, churches, and homes, people stopped their activities and gathered for prayer.

The National Day of Prayer transcends differences, bringing together citizens from all backgrounds.“We have lost many of our freedoms in America because we have been asleep,” said Mrs. Dobson, chairman of the task force. “I feel if we do not become involved and support the annual National Day of Prayer, we could end up forfeiting this freedom, too.

For more information, visit the National Day of Prayer web site.

Prayer for the Nation By Franklin Graham – 2010 Honorary Chairman

Lord, We are thankful for the abundant blessings You have bestowed on America.

Our forefathers looked to You as Protector, Provider, and the Promise of hope. But we have wandered far from that firm foundation. May we repent for turning our backs on Your faithfulness.

We pray that this great nation will be restored by Your forgiveness.

From bondage, You grant freedom.

Through Your own sacrifice, You offer salvation.

From the state of despair, You offer peace.

From the bounties of Heaven, You have blessed – not because of our goodness – but by Your grace. You have given us freedom to worship You in spirit and in truth as Your Holy Word instructs. May our lives honor You in word and deed. May our nation acknowledge that all good things come from the Father above.

President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed that our nation should set apart a day for national prayer to confess our sins and transgressions in sorrow: “...yet with assured hope that genuine repentance will lead to mercy and pardon… announced in the Holy Scriptures and proven by all history, that those nations only are blessed whose God is the Lord.”

“We have vainly imagined in the deceitfulness of our own hearts, that all these blessings were produced by some superior wisdom and virtue of our own… we have become too self-sufficient to feel the necessity of redeeming and preserving grace, too proud to pray to the God who made us! It behooves us then… to confess our national sins and to pray for clemency and forgiveness.”

Help us to pray earnestly for our president and leaders who govern, that they will humble themselves and seek Your guidance so that everything we do will shine the light of Your glory in a darkened world.
May our prayers as a people and a nation be heard and blessed for such a time as this. We make this plea in faith, believing in the mighty Name of Jesus our Lord.

Amen

Sunday Bulletin, April 25, 2010

Sermon by Pastor Bill Connell

"The Parable of the Shrewd Manager"

Using Present Opportunities to Prepare for the Future

Luke 16:1-9

To hear this morning's sermon, go to our website

http://www.gracebiblesouthgate.org/, and click on Recent Sermons

Regular Services at Grace Bible Church

*Every Sunday, 9:45 am

Sunday School for all ages in the Fellowship Hall & Classrooms

*Every Sunday, 10:45 am

-Kids for the Lord Children's Church, Grades 1-6, Downstairs

-Adult Worship Service in the Main Auditorium

-Infant Nursery Upstairs

-Toddlers & Preschoolers Downstairs

Special Activities at Grace

*Tonight, 6:00 pm
Flock will meet continuing our study of the Gospel of John.
Tonight's group will meet in the Fellowship Hall
and will be facilitated by Tom Gabbert.
A light meal will be served.

*Saturday, May 1, 9:30 am
Field Clean-up Day - Details below

*Thursday, May 6
Participate in a community observation of the National Day of Prayer
in Taylor, Trenton, Riverview, Monroe & other cities.
Check for other locations at
www.nationaldayofprayer.org/about/find-an-event/

*Sunday, May 9
Mother's Day

*Thursday, May 20
Anderson High School Bar-B-Q Luncheon Outreach

*Saturday, May 22
Spring Work Day

*Saturday, June 26
Downriver Cruise Outreach

*July 19-23 & 25
Vacation Bible School

Prayer Opportunities

Family of the Week
Rob & Diana Carpenter

Missionary of the Month
Crisis Pregnancy Center of Lincoln Park

Let's Have A Field Day!

Please help us get the field cleared of debris and ready for grass cutting.
The more help the merrier! Many hands mean less time for us all.
So, show up to pick up!
See y'all there.
Thank you!

Missions Update from Chris Hardy

April, 2010

Hello Prayer Partners,

What a beautiful Spring day in Michigan. I hope you are enjoying the warm weather and a strong sense of the Lord’s presence today. Here’s an update of what has been going on with us and the ministry of Relational Life Ministries.

1) The number one prayer request this month is for the Lord’s favor with Ms. L the IRS worker assigned to RLM’s request for tax exempt status. I just answered her second round of questions regarding our application. I don’t know if she is being picky on her own or if it is increased scrutiny by the IRS in general on non-profits. In any case, please pray that this round of answers satisfies her and she rules favorably in RLM’s request.

2) Keep praying about the development of small groups. It has not been easy getting together with the guys I mentioned in the last two updates. I will be trying again soon and will also be advertising Spiritual Discovery Discussion Groups in the next couple of weeks. These would be advertised via the internet, posters, and word of mouth. Please pray that the Lord will bring the people he wants to be a part of that group.

3) Continue to pray for me as I develop an equipping seminar to help people learn how to engage in relational evangelism. Many of you have taken the survey I sent about Christians’ perceptions of Non-Christians. Thanks. If you have not taken it, please open the attached file, fill it out and email it back to me at http://www.blogger.com/ I am making good progress on the seminar and potentially have the first group who wants to participate in the training. I’ve pushed back the deadline a bit, but should have it completed in the next couple of weeks. I’ll let you know more soon. The new RLM website is in the works (I have found someone with a free content management program that will help me build the site, though I haven’t settled on a host or registered the domain name yet. I’ll be doing that this week. My RLM related blog is up and running. It’s called 21st Century Wineskins and can be found at http://www.blogger.com/ (it’s not case sensitive, I just wrote it that way to make it easier to read. Check it out and let me know what you think. You can sign up for email alerts when a new article is posted. I’m trying to write at least one new post per week. Hope you like it and are challenged.

4) Continue to intercede for our support. Nothing new has come since our last update. I’m now working part time to supplement our income. If you would like to make a contribution to our ministry please reply to this email and I’ll send you a donation envelope. Thanks.

5) Please pray for our kids. Ben & Angie have put an offer (which has been accepted) on still a different house than the one I mentioned last month. The last one I mentioned needed a $30,000 septic system repair that the seller didn’t disclose so the deal fell through. They like the new place even more than the first two they put offers on. Julia likes it too because it is in our neighborhood and she can (someday) be the grandma down the block. ;) Please pray the financing goes well and that they are able to close on the house soon. Nathanael has been accepted to Grace College (where Beth attends) and has gotten a pretty nice chunk-o-change for a financial aid package. He still needs to save some more to cover what financial aid doesn’t. So please pray that the company he works for gets a lot of construction/remodeling work this summer. If you live in Washtenaw or western Wayne counties and need some work done on your house I can refer you to an honest, competent Christian contractor who will do an excellent job. Beth has about two weeks of school left and then will be home for the summer. Ask God to give her a good summer job, she has a lead on one, but hasn’t been hired yet. Rachel is going to ballet camp this summer for a month and will a couple of sign language classes at Madonna University this fall. Please pray that she will adjust well to taking college classes, and that she will find a part time job as well.

Thanks again for your faithful intercession for us. We’ll keep you up-to-date as the Lord starts to answer these requests.

Blessings,
Chris

He Who Has Ears

He Who Has Ears . . .

by Scott Anderson

Everyone loves a story. Whether young or old, we all enjoy hearing, reading, or seeing a good story unfold.

Stories are remarkably powerful things. They stir up our imaginations and excite our affections. They instruct us and inspire us. They intoxicate and influence us. They linger with us, often becoming more precious and poignant and powerful over time.

In seminary every pastor-in-training learns about the mysterious homiletical power of story and illustrations. How many times has a church congregation snapped back to attention during a sermon because the preacher began recounting a story or explaining his point with a descriptive, sensory-filled illustration? And why do good preachers do this? Because the human heart is spring-loaded to respond to stories and illustrations. Many times, long after the spoken words are forgotten, we can still call to remembrance the main point of a sermon because of the wise and effective employment of a good story.

During His earthly teaching ministry, the Lord Jesus, who was the master teacher and preacher, often used stories and illustrations as He instructed the crowds of people who flocked to hear Him. Most scholars refer to these types of stories as "parables." There are about fifty different parables of Christ recorded in the Gospels. In fact, about one-third of all of Jesus' recorded sayings are parables. This would seem to imply something very interesting: telling stories was one of Jesus' favorite methods for "proclaiming and bringing the good news of the kingdom of God" (Luke 8:1) and speaking forth "the words of eternal life (John 6:68).

The word parable communicates the idea of placing one thing by the side of another, and from this meaning you can easily figure out how they work: simple terms are used to convey a profound truth. In the ministry of Christ, parables are simple stories taken from the familiar world in which Jesus lived, and they are told to relate an unfamiliar spiritual truth. The common, mundane, and everyday are used to elucidate the uncommon, profound, and other-worldly. One person has said that a parable is "an earthly story with a heavenly message." And while the parables of Christ are not strict allegories (in which every minor detail is symbolic of something else), they are brief, simple illustrations that usually address one problem or question with which our Lord was dealing. In other words, parables usually drive home one main truth.

But you might be wondering, why parables? Well, you would not be the only one to have asked that question. After hearing Jesus tell the parable of the soils, "the disciples came and said to him, 'Why do you speak to them in parables?'" (Matt. 13:10). The reply of our Lord is very interesting:

"And he answered them, 'To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, bu to them it has not been given. For to the one who has, more will be given, and he will have an abundance, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. This is why I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand.

But blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear'" (vv. 11-13, 16).

You see, Christ was speaking to a mixed-multitude. There were those who received His teaching with open hearts, and those who spurned His truth and persisted in unbelief. Rather than try to weed-out the believers in order to instruct only them, Christ set His teaching before the crowds in the form of parables. Those who had hearts to believe would embrace the teaching and seek to understand further, and those who rejected it, even though they had heard, would not understand at all. In this way, parables withdraw the light from the rebellious at heart who hate the truth, and give light to those who believe and love the truth.

The implication of this is profound: more than a mere homiletical device or a powerful didactic tool, the parables of Jesus are actually designed to help us see whether illuminating grace is on the move in our lives. (Whether we fully understand every nuance of a given parable is not the main concern - even the disciples had to have some interpreted for them.) Parables function as little tests of faith, beckoning us to see and believe and obey the truth of the Storyteller.

So as we seek to be the church in this world, let us eagerly read the parables of Jesus - and all of God's Word - with a humble dependence on the gracious, illuminating work of the Holy Spirit. Let us as these kinds of questions: Am I embracing Christ as the ultimate good of the gospel today? Am I open to His teaching? Am I joyfully abiding in His instructions? Am I really interested in His truth? Do I have eyes that want to see and ears that want to hear the words of life?

In reading this way, we will become joy-filled partakers of the great story to which the gospel has so graciously called us, and the Word of God will become a deep well of life-giving truth that provides rich, spiritual satisfaction for our souls.

Scott Anderson is director for networking and partnership for Desiring God Ministries in Minneapolis, MN. This article taken from Ligonier Ministries' Tabletalk Magazine, April, 2010.

Our pastor, Bill Connell, is currently in the process of teaching from the Parables of Jesus. If you'd like to listen to past sermons, go to our web site at http://www.gracebiblesouthgate.org/; click on Recent Sermons and select the sermon you'd like to hear. You're also invited to join us each Sunday morning to hear Pastor Bill in person as he continues this series.

Sunday Bulletin, April 18, 2010

Sharing today: Elder Kevin Godin and Pastor Bill Connell

We will hear highlights of the "Together for the Gospel" Conference they attended in Louisville, Kentucky this past week. To listen to this morning's service, go to http://www.gracebiblesouthgate.org/, then go to Recent Sermons and click on today's message. To listen to the Conference Speakers, go to www.t4g.org/resources. You will be greatly blessed by both.

Men's Prayer Breakfast

One of the great things about Grace Bible Church is the variety of opportunities we take to pray together. On Saturday, April 24, the men of Grace will gather in the Fellowship Hall for great food, guest speaker Tony Royals and a time of prayer together. Men, join us as we pray for our nation, our state, our families, and our ministries. Tony Royals is a preacher at the Detroit Afro-American Mission, a man with a unique approach to ministry.

Sign up on the whiteboard outside Pastor's office. A suggested donations of $3.00 is appreciated but not required.

"And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints. Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel..." Ephesians 6:18 & 19, NIV

Prayer Opportunities

Family of the Week
Kina Robinson

Missionary of the Month
Crisis Pregnancy Center of Lincoln Park

Regular Services at Grace Bible Church

*Every Sunday, 9:45 am:
Sunday School for all ages in the Fellowship Hall and classrooms

*Every Sunday, 10:45 am:
-Kids for the Lord Children's Church, Grades 1-6, Downstairs
-Adult Worship Service in the main auditorium
-Infant Nursery Upstairs
-Toddlers & PreSchoolers, Downstairs

*Every Wednesday, 6:30 - 8:00 pm:
-Team KIDZ for grades 1-6 in the Fellowship Hall
-Adult Bible Study & Prayer Meeting in the Upstairs Narthex
-Infant Nursery, Upstairs

Special Activities at Grace

*Tuesday, April 20, 7:00 pm
Elders Meeting

*Saturday, April 24, 8:30 am
Men's Prayer Breakfast

*Sunday, April 25, 6:00 pm
Flock Group will meet at the church as we continue our study of the Gospel of John
Tom Gabbert is facilitating

*Saturday, May 1, 9:30 am
Field Clean-up Day - Details below

*Thursday, May 6
National Day of Prayer

*Sunday, May 9
Mother's Day

*Thursday, May 20
Anderson High School Bar-B-Q Luncheon Outreach

*Saturday, June 26
Downriver Cruise Outreach

*July 19-23, & 25
Vacation Bible School

Let's Have A Field Day!

Please help us get the field cleared of debris and ready for grass cutting. The more helpers we have, the merrier! Many hands mean less time for us all. So, show up to pick up ... see y'all there!

Thank you!

Something to think about...

"If we do not abide in prayer, we will abide in temptation. Let this be one aspect of our daily intercession: 'God, preserve my soul, and keep my heart and all its ways so that I will not be entangled.' When this is true in our lives, a passing temptation will not overcome us. We will remain free while others lie in bondage."

- John Owen

Do Your Prayers Shake the Earth?

Do Your Prayers Shake The Earth?

John P. Sartelle

"And the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, rose before God from the hand of the angel" (Rev. 8:4). God loves to hear His children speak to Him. As the architect of the tabernacle and temple, He designed the altar of incense as an integral part of worship. The burning of incense produced a fragrant aroma that was symbolic of the prayers of His people: "And when he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each holding a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints" (Rev. 5:8).

There was a set time of day when the priest would ignite the incense on the altar; it was when the worshipers gathered to pray (Luke 1:10). Through this ritual God's message is clear: "Your prayers are like a sweet bouquet to Me."

I am the father of three married children who now live some distance away. When I see one of their phone numbers appear on my caller identification, a joy spontaneously erupts. I love to hear their voices. I am eager to hear their words. My Father is like that with my prayers, with my words to Him. I am saddened that my sinful heart is sometimes not so fervent to speak with Him. Dear Father, move upon my soul and make me as eager to speak to You as You are to hear me.

True prayer positions us in a holy place. The prayers of Revelation 8:1-5 are before God on His throne. These prayers are in the real Holy of Holies. The great angels are there. His court, in its glory and majesty, is the site of our prayers. Prayer is not a casual conversation between peers. Prayer is daring to converse with the Almighty, the Creator of the galaxies, the Lord and Ruler of all that is or ever will be. There is a dearth of reverence in modern evangelical worship. I fear that same drought of holy fear is absent from our times of prayer. The apostle John noted in his vision: "There was silence in heaven for about half an hour" (v.1). The silence was a holy hush as entreaties ascended to Jehovah.

True faith teaches us to wait on the Lord in our prayers. The prayers in these verses were offered on previous occasions by the martyrs (Rev. 6:10). God instructed them to rest for a time in the certainty that their requests would be addressed in the future. My father prayed early in the morning every day. A few years before he died, I expressed my concern that after he went home I would no longer be covered by his daily prayers. He corrected my faulty theology, saying "John, all the prayers I have for you since you were a baby are still before the Lord - and will be long after I am gone."

God takes the prayers of His children and shakes the earth: "And the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, rose before God from the hand of the angel. Then the angel took the censer and filled it with fire from the altar and threw it on the earth, and there were peals of thunder, rumblings, flashes of lightening, and an earthquake" (Rev. 8:4-5). God takes the prayers of His people and throws them to the earth effecting a storm of thunder and lightening and even a fearsome earthquake. Eugene Peterson in his book Reversed Thunder gives a summary picture of the scene: "The prayers which had ascended, unremarked by the journalists of the day, returned with immense force in George Herbert's phrase, as 'reversed thunder.' Prayer reenters history with incalculable effects. Our earth is shaken daily by it."

There is a picture of this 'reversed thunder' in Acts 4. Peter and John were arrested in the very early days of the church after Pentecost. They were taken before the Sanhedrin and faced the same men who plotted the crucifixion of Jesus. Their courage was impressive, but the court strongly threatened them against any further mention of Jesus. When they safely returned to their fellow Christians, the prayer of the congregation was for boldness in response to the world's power: "And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness" (Acts 4:29). How did God answer their prayer? "And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness" (v.31). God replied with an earthquake. He wanted them to know that their prayers could shake the earth. It is as if the incense is changed and thrown back to the world as dynamite.

When I read passages like this I do think we play at praying. We know of John Knox as a preacher. However, it was not his preaching that Mary, Queen of Scotland, feared. She confessed, "I fear the prayers of John Knox more than all the assembled armies of Europe." She may not have known the theological foundations of prayer, but she did know the effects of his prayers.

God revealed to a persecuted and suffering church in Revelation: "There is power in prayer - power that can shape history and shake the earth." Does the world fear our prayers?

Rev. John Sartelle is senior minister of Tates Creek Presbyterian Church in Lexington, Kentucky. This article is taken from Tabletalk Magazine, Ligonier Ministries, Orlando, FL.

Sunday Bulletin, April 11, 2010

"The Parable of the Eccentric Employer"

Scripture: Matthew 20:1-16

"Jesus Himself taught elsewhere that a worker deserves his wages (see Luke 10:7). We know that God notices when people don't treat their employees right: 'Look! The wages you failed to pay the workmen who mowed your fields are crying out against you. The cries of the harvesters have reached the ear of the Lord Almighty' (James 5:4). God knows when we are not being paid what we deserve. Yet here is a parable that seems to contradict that idea."

From The Parable of Jesus by R.T. Kendall

Regular Services at Grace Bible Church

*Every Sunday, 9:45 am:
-Sunday School for all ages in the Fellowship Hall and the classrooms.

*Every Sunday, 10:45 am:
-Kids for the Lord Children's Church in the Fellowship Hall (through grade 6)
-Adult Worship Service in the main auditorium
-Infant Nursery Upstairs
-Toddlers & Pre Schoolers Downstairs

*Every Wednesday, 6:30 - 8:00 pm:
-TeamKIDz Children's Program, Grades 1-6 in the Fellowship Hall
-Adult Bible Study in the upstairs Narthex, followed by Prayer Meeting

Special Activities

*Tonight, 6:00 pm: Gospel of John Bible Study Flock with Tom Gabbert. The food and fellowship are at Pastor Bill and Nancy's home. All invited.

*Tuesday, April 20, 7:00 pm: Elders Meeting

*Saturday, April 24, 8:30 am: Men's Prayer Breakfast

*Wednesday, May 19: Tentative Date for Anderson High School Luncheon outreach

*Saturday, June 26: Downriver Cruise Outreach

*July 19-23 & 25: Vacation Bible School

Men's Prayer Breakfast

One of the great things about Grace Bible Church is the variety of opportunities we take to pray together. On Saturday, April 24, the men will gather in the Fellowship Hall for great eats, guest speaker Tony Royals, and a time of prayer together. Men, join us as we pray for our nation, our state, our families, and our ministries. Tony is a preacher at the Detroit-Afro American Mission, a man with a unique approach to ministry.

Sign up on the whiteboard outside Pastor's office. A $3 donation is encouraged, but not required.

Prayer Opportunities

Family of the Week
Terri Thompson & Family

Missionary of the Month
Crisis Pregnancy Center of Lincoln Park

Men's Prayer Breakfast

Missions Update: BEE World -Jody & Linda Dillow

February, 2010 Newsletter

Jody & Linda Dillow

Year End Ministry Summary

It is time for an annual accounting. What have Jody and Linda been doing this year?

Jody's Ministry with BEE World ...
*We have 32 Partner ministries involved in our Internet Biblical Seminary Project. Many of them are well known. This is a dream that we have had for over 10 years - to see partner missions and churches sharing the same e-Learning Web site and sharing courses with one another. This eliminates much duplication and is a more efficient use of donor money.

*We started a textbook project with Cook Communications. They want to put some of their training materials on the Web and decided to test out the IBS Web Site. We are developing a test course for them right now.

*The director of BEE Korea has committed to launch BEE on the Internet Seminary this year.

*Over 50 courses are now available on IBS in Vietnamese, Chinese, and Arabic. Courses are in translation in Farsi, Urdu (Pakistan), Hindi, and Punjab.

*As of December 31, 2010, over 2200 students in 102 countries have registered.

*I finally finished the BEE course on the Family and it is now being edited for translation into several languages.

*Part 1 of my course on the Life of Christ is also finished. I am almost finished with Part 2 (lessons 13-24).



*Linda is doing much better, three years after her severe brain injury. She still cannot multitask and tends to drop details but much of her creativity is coming back, and this excites her. She is working on a new book called Marriage Matters: The Best Thing I Ever Did for My Marriage.

*She is still traveling and speaking nationally at many city wide conferences.

*Linda's books on marriage, living by faith and worship, have been translated into many East European languages.

*For several years Linda has been working some with dear friends and training them how to minister. To her joy, some recently made trips to Eastern Europe and had enormous impact.

If you have questions or comments for Jody or Linda you may email them at

jodydillow@mindspring.com or call 719-481-5997.

Mailing address - 4670 Limestone Rd., Monument, CO 80132

Something to think about...

We need to keep our heart full of a sense of the love of God. This is the greatest perspective available to us against the power of temptation in the world ... Fill your heart with a sense of the love of God in Christ, and apply the eternal design of grace and shed blood to yourselves. Accept all the privileges of adoption, justification, and acceptance with God. Fill your heart with thoughts of the beauty of holiness...then in the ordinary course of walking with God, you will experience great peace and security from temptation.

-John Owen, "Sin and Temptation" ed. John Houston

Sunday Bulletins, Easter, April 4, 2010

Sermon by Pastor Bill Connell:

"A Long Walk Down a Dusty Road"

Scripture: Luke 24:27

"To all those whose mindas reel in sorrow; to all those who feel resentful because life has done to them its worst; to all those tempted to believe there is no God in heaven, or, at least, no God of love, He comes and He shows them His hands. More eloquently than any words, those pierced hands say, "I have suffered."

From a sermon by William Sangster titled "He Dies. He Must Die"

From the moment of His birth,
Jesus lived with the shadow

of the Cross throughout His life.

He is Risen!
He is Risen Indeed!

If everybody in the world woke up and said, "Someday I have to stand before my Maker and give an account for every word I've ever spoken, every deed I've ever done, every thought I've ever thought, and every task I've failed to do," several things could happen. They could say, "I'm accountable, but isn't it great that the One to Whom and before Whom I am accountable isn't concerned about the kind of life I lead, because He understands that boys will be boys and that girls will be girls." In that case, nothing would change. But if people understood that there is a holy God and that sin is an offense against that holy God, they would break down the doors of our churches and ask, "What must I do to be saved?"

The statement that the cross was an absolutely necessary prerequisite for redemption immediately raises the "Why?" question. The answer lies, as it has even since the time of Augustine and Pelagius, with our understanding of the nature of the character of God and the nature of sin. If we are defective in understanding the character of God or understanding the nature of sin, it is inevitable that we will come to the conclusion that an atonement was not necessary.

"The Truth of the Cross" - by Dr. R.C. Sproul, Ligonier Ministries

Regular Services at Grace Bible Church

*Every Sunday, 9:45 am
Sunday School for all ages in the Fellowship Hall & Classrooms
(Today, Easter Sunday, excluded)

*Every Sunday, 10:45 am
-Kids for the Lord Children's Church
-Adult Worship Service in the main auditorium
-Infant Nursery Upstairs
-Toddlers & Pre Schoolers, Downstairs

*Every Wednesday, 6:30-8:00 pm
-Team KIDz for grades 1-6 in the Fellowship Hall
-Adult Bible Study & Prayer Time, Meeting in the Narthex upstairs
-Infant Nursery Upstairs

Special Activities at Grace Bible Church

*Today, 10:45 am - Easter!
During Sunday School please join us for a
time of fellowship as we share Easter Breakfast in the Fellowship Hall

*Wednesday, April 7
NO Team KIDz; will resume April 14

*Sunday, April 11, 6:00 pm
Flock meeting facilitated by Tom Gabbert. We will continue in the study of the Gospel of John.

*Tuesday, April 20, 7:00 pm
Elders Meeting

*Saturday, April 24
Men's Prayer Breakfast. Sign up sheet located outside Pastor's office

Prayer Opportunities

Family of the Week
Stanley & Harmony Solgot

Missionary of the Month
Crisis Pregnancy Center of Lincoln Park

Happy Easter!

Good Friday

Lest we forget, or take too lightly, the reason we esteem this day:

As many were astonished at you– his appearance was so marred, beyond human semblance, and his form beyond that of the children of mankind.
(Isaiah 52:14 ESV)

Who has believed what he has heard from us? And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed? For he grew up before him like a young plant, and like a root out of dry ground; he had no form or majesty that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him.

He was despised and rejected by men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned–every one–to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all. (Isaiah 53:1-6 ESV)

He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth. By oppression and judgment he was taken away; and as for his generation, who considered that he was cut off out of the land of the living, stricken for the transgression of my people? And they made his grave with the wicked and with a rich man in his death, although he had done no violence, and there was no deceit in his mouth.
(Isaiah 53:7-9 ESV)

Yet it was the will of the LORD to crush him; he has put him to grief; when his soul makes an offering for guilt, he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days; the will of the LORD shall prosper in his hand. Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied; by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities. Therefore I will divide him a portion with the many, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong, because he poured out his soul to death and was numbered with the transgressors; yet he bore the sin of many, and makes intercession for the transgressors.
(Isaiah 53:10-12 ESV)

Services at Grace Bible Church will begin at 7:00 p.m. this evening. All are welcome to attend.

At Calvary

Years I spent in vanity and pride,
Caring not my Lord was crucified,
Knowing not it was for me He died
On Calvary.

Refrain:
Mercy there was great, and grace was free;
Pardon there was multiplied to me;
There my burdened soul found liberty
At Calvary.

By God’s Word at last my sin I learned;
Then I trembled at the law I’d spurned,
Till my guilty soul imploring turned
To Calvary.

Now I’ve giv’n to Jesus everything,
Now I gladly own Him as my King,
Now my raptured soul can only sing
Of Calvary!

Oh, the love that drew salvation’s plan!
Oh, the grace that brought it down to man!
Oh, the mighty gulf that God did span
At Calvary!


by William R. Newell, 1895

Toddlers & Pre Schoolers Schedule

Toddler & Pre School Nursery Schedule

April 4 - Karen Roelofs
April 11 - Beth Godin
April 18 - Nancy Connell
April 25 - Kelly McKee

May 2 - Rachel Norman
May 9 - Harmony King
May 16 - Karen Roelofs
May 23 - Beth Godin
May 30 - Nancy Connell

June 6 - Kelly McKee

June 13 - Rachel Norman

June 20 - Harmony King

June 27 - Karen Roelofs

Birthdays in April

Houston James - April

Riley McGee - April 16

Nicole Parrish - April 17

Sam Plaza - April 17

Sandy McGlassion - April 25