Church guide

EVE AND I TALK TO SERPENTS As a kid, I loved spending weeks in the summer at my grandparents' house. I’d get unlimited blueberries (they always had tons), get overpaid for mowing lawns, walk all over town on my own, get taken to every store and get just about anything, and have my own room and TV with no bed-time or anything resembling one. I remember the day I was in the back bedroom and found a bag under the bed with what seemed like hundreds of quarters. This is the moment the angel and demon appear on your shoulders. After a lengthy conversation with the angel about having a home to stay in where I literally get to do anything I want without guilt around people who love me regardless, about how I’m better than this, about how I may hurt them by taking something that’s theirs, about how I may be caught... I began listening to the other voice. I’m not sure this one is actually a demon. Pretty sure it’s just me... In the beginning, God made a beautiful world and placed a couple in it. “It’s all yours,” he said… “name the animals, have fun working, enjoy the most beautiful mate I’ve ever made (AKA the only one), eat whatever you want!” Literally… “the world is yours” and then he follows with a “don’t mess this up” message. “...don’t eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. If you eat its fruit, you are sure to die.” When I opened that bag from under the bed, honestly, the arguments didn’t matter. I wasn’t thinking long-term… I wasn’t thinking that it belonged to the ones who were taking care of me and who I loved dearly. I was thinking only about me and what I could do with… get this, twenty-two dollars and seventy-five cents! What finally did it for me, is that I convinced myself that the next time my grandparents and I went to the store, they would refuse to buy something I wanted (I didn’t trust them to, at least), and I would be able to provide for myself in their failure. Conveniently, it seems that the first couple found themselves near that one tree they were told not to eat from (think… with the whole garden to wander, they happened to be there) talking to a serpent. The serpent asked about the tree. I think Eve wanted to sin. I think Adam did too. I think like I had convinced myself that my grandparents wouldn’t come through for me the next time I was at the store, Eve had convinced herself that God was keeping something from her and her man. So the serpent asked… “do you think your dad is reasonable?” Of course every parent will give boundaries… but the sneakiest of sneaky kids will do what’s necessary to make those boundaries seem unfair. Instead of quoting God’s actual instruction to the serpent, Eve tells him that God said, ‘You must not eat it or even touch it; if you do, you will die.” Think of how petty this makes God seem… that he won’t even let them touch the fruit. The serpent, to strike at their maker, sees how much they desire to please themselves and attacks God by offering exactly what they’re looking for. First side: To the serpent, they were a way to attack God. To God, they were the object of his love. You may seek value in the things this world offers, but they’re never going to see you as something of value. When you die, what you had goes to the next person. When you’re fired or retire, someone else gets your job. When you can't pay your bills, someone else moves into your house. Second side: I think it’s important to realize that often, Satan hurts us to hurt God… to spite God. The way you hurt me most is through my kids… apparently, it’s the same for God. Remember Job. Remember Lazarus. Remember the orphans and widows. Remember the stragglers coming out of Egypt. I remember feeling guilty for years that I had taken from family that loved me so much. Every Time I saw them, they gave me far more than $22.75. It’s sad that something with such little value hurt me so deeply. I wish we rarely traded things of value for things of little value. But we do it all the time. The hidden and sinful pleasure of an affair isn’t worth the guilt you carry, or ruining a relationship built over years of joy and struggle. The damage to your reputation… the hits your character takes. The secrets you share that weren’t yours to have. The gossip you stab in the back with. You may feel important until you’re the one they’re shared about. It’s never worth the guilt and shame when you see what they do to someone else. Each time you sink this low a new standard is set. Stealing a hundred bucks, cheating on a test, lying to a parent, hiding something from a boss. Momentary pleasures with lasting blowback. Guilt is good… maybe it’s divine. It may remind you that God has better for you. Hurting someone else makes you responsible. Eve probably thought that God didn’t need the fruit on the tree. What she didn’t realize is that he knew that she needed to learn who he was… and that some things are just for him… you know, because he’s God and all. So… what do we do? I think the answer is simply this. Eve got to where she was because she didn’t trust that God had her best in mind. Stop that. If you’re going to trust anyone, start with the one who loves you. Start with the one who made you. When God says certain lifestyles are not good for you… instead of making him seem unfair… trust him. When God gives a schedule of worship… a sexual ethic… a requirement to turn the other cheek… a call for patience… instead of justifying your inability to live to such a ridiculous standard (like not even touching the fruit)… trust him. When God says your wife is all you need… stop making excuses. When God says you can learn to be happy with lots or with little… stop complaining. When God says to honor your parents or love your enemies or take care of those in need or love even the ones hardest to love... When God says he’s strong in your weakness… stop refusing to let him take over. I think this is where it all starts. Do we trust that God has our best in mind? Eve didn’t. Adam didn’t. I honestly don’t know that I always do. I’m working on it.

Don't forget the rummage sale this Thursday thru Saturday hours are 9 to 5. Do you have anything you want to add to the sale? Let me know if you do.

Good Morning everyone!!! I just came in from checking the roads and it is safe to come to church today!

We hope to see everyone on Sunday morning at 10:45 as we finish VBS. Come be a hero and have a great time with the children singing and learning about how to be a superhero for God.

I hope to see everyone today to celebrate He is ALIVE!!! See you at 10:40 this morning!!!

Just wanted to remind everyone that tomorrow is pastor Robert and Diane's last day with us. Please come tomorrow morning for church and wish them well in their new endeavors. They will be greatly missed.

Just a little reminder of tomorrow morning special event. Set your clocks ahead one hour before going to sleep tonight. See you at church.😀😀

Freezing Greetings everyone!!! All activities for this evening are canceled due to the ice skating rink called Elk City. Please stay warm and safe tonight and see you all Sunday!!!

All Wednesday night activities for February 19, 2019 are canceled. We will miss our time together and will look forward to seeing you Sunday morning.

Greetings Church, This evenings children’s activities, I.e. quizzing, will be canceled. Pastor Christina is sick. Please lift her in prayer. We will go ahead with the adult Bible study at 6:30pm. Pastor Robert

Greetings church, This Wednesday evening’s adult bible study will be canceled due to pastor Robert being sick. The children’s quizzing will continue as usual. Pastor Robert

https://app.backtothebible.org/en/messages/965?orgid=67 Worship - https://app.backtothebible.org/en/messages/965?orgid=67 via @Elk City First Naz

https://app.backtothebible.org/en/messages/5011?orgid=67 Nowhere Else to Go - https://app.backtothebible.org/en/messages/5011?orgid=67 via @Elk City First Naz

I personally needed this passage this morning... https://app.backtothebible.org/en/messages/42692?orgid=67 Then Along Came Titus - https://app.backtothebible.org/en/messages/42692?orgid=67 via @Elk City First Naz

https://app.backtothebible.org/en/messages/5350?orgid=67 The Way of Freedom - https://app.backtothebible.org/en/messages/5350?orgid=67 via @Elk City First Naz

This did not post for some reason but we wanted to let everyone know that it's all okay.... Demaque learned the real meaning of Easter. Now if we can keep him away from candy isles....

Demaque found the bunny but as we know It's not about a bunny or candy. See you all tomorrow and let's help Demaque know what Easter is about.

We hope you visit us this Sunday for a awesome Easter service.

The blessing box