Dear E-Flash Friends;
After tomorrow, we’ll be halfway through the year 2010. You know what that means, right? Well, for one, it means it’s definitely time to throw out that leftover spinach dip we’ve had in the fridge since the New Year’s Eve party. (I’m pretty sure it growled at me, not too long ago.)
But it also means that those of us who have been faithfully following the Bible Reading Program that we made available at the beginning of the year have now read one-half of the New Testament. Congratulations! Can you believe it? One half of the New Testament!?! Good job.
I know that some of you weren’t using the Bible Reading Program that the church provided because you already had your own Bible reading plan. That’s great, too! If you have been spending time with God on a daily basis, all year, congratulations to you!
We know from God’s word, from common sense, and from research that has been done on the matter, that our growth in the Christian faith requires us to regularly engage in spiritual disciplines on an individual basis. In other words, we need to be responsible to cultivate our relationship with God one-on-one.
There are things we can do, and need to do, with other believers. There are aspects of our faith that are developed and cultivated in community. That is a vital and important part of spiritual growth. But people who reach significant levels of spiritual maturity are always people who take individual responsibility to develop their relationship with God on their own, in addition to what they get at church.
Are you engaging in your own private time of prayer and reading the Bible? I encourage you to do so.
If you don’t currently have a Bible reading plan that you are following, I invite you to join us for the second half of the year in the Bible reading plan that many of us are using. There are copies of the plan on the literature table in the lobby of the church. It is printed on blue paper and it says “Bible Reading Plan” on the cover. It looks like this….(I’m holding up a copy of the plan right now).
(Have I mentioned that sometimes I get easily confused? Just nod your head if the answer is “yes”.)
You say, “Isn’t it too late to start the plan halfway through the year?”
No, absolutely not! There’s nothing wrong with starting now, if you don’t have a Bible reading plan that you’re using. Join us for the second half of the year.
One of the goals of the Christian life is to grow to become more and more like Christ. It is my sincere hope and prayer that that transformation is happening in your life.
God bless,
Dan
P.S. Don’t forget that this Sunday, and this Sunday ONLY, July 4th, we will have one big, massive, exciting, celebrative, inspirational service at 10 o’clock am.
*NOTE: If you would like to have the E-Flash From Dan sent directly to your e-mail address just send an e-mail message to: cog111st@aol.com ...and write: "Please send me the e-flash" in the "subject" field.
“Our
defense is in the preservation of the spirit which prizes liberty as a heritage
of all men, in all lands, everywhere. Destroy this spirit and you have planted
the seeds of despotism around your own doors.” Abraham Lincoln
