THE
HEIGHTENER
"Humble yourselves
in the sight of the Lord, and he shall exalt you." -James
4:10
| Volume XXX |
September 1, 2009 |
Number 35 |
|
VIEWPOINT
“I had
to come to worship; I can’t do without it!” That’s what visitor
Craig Robinson said after church Sunday. He’s a long way from his
home in South Carolina, but that’s to be expected – his business is
truck driving. Driving is what brought him to Cedar Grove; he had
called for times and location Saturday evening.
After the assembly I complimented his commitment to finding a church
and meeting with us. His reply was about his own recognition of
need. “I need more than this,” he asserted. “But I have to have
some time just to keep going spiritually.”
In the midst of a culture that downgrades spiritual values and
upgrades every possible distraction, it was refreshing to interact
with someone with clear vision. It was a helpful reminder of the
simple desire to worship the Lord and how powerful that can be in
our hearts.
----------
Spotted on a church sign: “Be a fisherman for the Lord – you
catch them, He’ll clean them!” (Reported by Lisa Boucher).
Quoted from a professional athlete: “I refuse to let my
character be defined merely by the circumstances in which I find
myself.” (Reported by Phil Hamby and adapted to
spiritual conditions.)
I look forward to seeing
you in a few days with a Bible, a smile and a positive word! RA
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|
Praise
“HOLY, HOLY, HOLY,
the Lord God the Almighty, who was and is
and is to come. . . . You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive
glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your
will they existed and were created”
(Revelation
4:8-11, NRSV).
MAN IS ONE
of your creatures, Lord, and his instinct is to praise you. He
bears about him the mark of death, the sign of his own sin, to
remind him that you “thwart the proud.” But still, since he is part
of your creation, he wishes to praise you. The thought of you stirs
him so deeply that he cannot be content unless he praises you,
because you made us for yourself and our hearts find no peace until
they rest in you.
(Augustine, Confessions)
IF WE HAVE no
real interest in praising him, it shows that we have never realized
who he is. For when one becomes conscious of who God really is, and
when one realizes that he who is almighty, and infinitely holy, has
“done great things to us,” the only possible reaction is the cry of
half-articulate exultation that bursts from the depths of our being
in amazement at the tremendous, inexplicable goodness of God to
men.
(Thomas
Merton, Praying
the Psalms)
FAITH IN GOD
is an experience that lives and grows by praise. There is
continual spiral reinforcement: praising God helps us to appreciate
what one is praising God for.
(David F. Ford and Daniel W. Hardy, Living in Praise:
Worshipping and Knowing God)
GOD MADE US,
redeems us, provides for us. The natural, honest, healthy, logical
response to that is praise to God. When we praise we are
functioning at the center, we are in touch with the basic, core
reality of our being.
(Eugene Peterson, A Long Obedience in the Same Direction)
GOD INHABITS
the praise of the people.
(Robert Webber, Blended Worship)
WHEN LIFE
is seen as the gift of God, praise and thanksgiving are inevitable.
A constant attitude of gratitude is life-giving. In the face of
such amazing grace and generosity, the only possible response must
become that of continuing and ever-deepening praise.
(Esther De Waal, The Celtic Way of Prayer)
–
Compiled by Richard A. Kauffman
|
FROM THE MAILBAG
Dear Friends,
Thank you so very much for
your cards of
encouragement! You really made my day with your thoughtfulness.
Please continue to keep the
Raintree work in your daily prayers.
God bless,
Kenny Holton
WEDNESDAY NIGHT MEAL
As we say farewell to summer
we will kick off our first Wednesday night of the month dinner on
Wednesday, September 2 at 6:30. We will have a "picnic" type meal
with everyone's favorite -- fried chicken.
BAPTISMS
It was a
privilege to witness Reagan and Sophie Brinkley being buried with Christ
in baptism Sunday morning. Their genuine faith was precious as they
expressed their desire to be right with God. We give thanks for
their desire to follow Jesus!
COMING EVENTS
-
September 12 --
Workshop for Bible Teachers at Lithia Spring.
-
September 13-16 --
Series of sermons on church growth at the North Cobb church.
-
September 19 -- Fourth
Annual Ladies' Inspiration Day at the Riverdale church.
-
September 20-23 -- Fall
Revival at the Hillcrest Church of Christ.
-
September 26 -- Ladies'
Day at the McDonough church.
SISTER ACT
Sister Acts will resume our meeting on Tuesday, September 8 at 7:00 p.m.
We will be studying the book of Philippians.
OUR SICK
Keith Bearden is recovering
from his successful
cataract surgery last week.
Gary Kato had skin surgery
last week.
Lynda Elam is having tests
for her aneurysm.
Grace Denton, Josiah
Henderson, Barbara Massey and Hayden Thompson were sick Sunday.
Continue
to remember Susan Carson, J. W. Raines, Paul Smith, Richard Smith, Geneva
White, Bill McBride and Bob McDowell.
|
THOSE TO SERVE - September 6,
2009 |
|
Welcome |
Jim Warren |
|
Song Leader |
Bobby Mitchell |
|
Opening Prayer |
Joe Maddox |
|
Lord's Table |
* Keith Bearden |
|
|
* Jason Ray |
|
|
Josh May |
|
|
Trent Burnett |
|
Scripture Reading |
Chris Thompson |
|
|
Psalm 33:18-22 |
|
Closing Prayer |
Jim May
|
|
Welcome -PM |
Jim Warren |
|
Song Leader |
Bobby Mitchell |
|
Opening Prayer |
Jimmy Pulliam |
|
Scripture Reading |
Joe Minichowski |
|
|
Psalm 66:16-20 |
|
Closing Prayer |
Dick Massey |
|
Communion Preparation
|
Susan Fincher |
|
Nursery Attendant |
Lynn Pulliam Cassidy
May |
RECORD 8/30/09
|
Bible School |
75
|
|
Worship AM |
102
|
|
Worship PM |
50 |
|
Wednesday Bible Study |
46
|
|
Contribution |
N/A |
|