THE HEIGHTENER                                  

"Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall exalt you."  -James 4:10


Volume XXX

April 27, 2010

Number 17

                                                                    

VIEWPOINT

I wonder if any Christians are like the dog in the country store.

A man walked into an old country store and saw a sign just inside that read: “DANGER! BEWARE OF DOG!” The man looked around cautiously, but all he saw was an old hound curled up on the floor, sound asleep.  He said to the owner, “That dog doesn’t look dangerous to me.”

The owner said, “Well, folks kept tripping over him, so that’s why I put up the sign.”

Are we harmless to the Enemy (James 4:7)?  Or are we dangerous to the ways of the world? 

Ron Hutchcraft gives ideas for “Satan-proofing” your life:

“Satan proofing your life today might mean praying for someone you've had hard feelings toward, asking God to remove your bitterness and replace it with His love.  It might mean staying away from negative people who make you negative, from friends who lead you where you should never go, or staying away from the music, or the Internet garbage, or the TV shows that wear you down morally.  It might mean turning your fears, or your worries totally over to God so the devil can't use them again to discourage or depress you.”

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Some wonderful blessings hang upon one condition--to wait. Sometimes we should be willing to trust God to work out our troubles rather than trusting ourselves and making a mess. 

I waited patiently for the LORD; he turned to me and heard my cry” (Psalm 40:1).I look forward to seeing you Sunday with a Bible, a smile, and a positive word!                                       RA

   

 

    

“Wait”

 

Desperately, helplessly, longingly, I cried

Quietly, patiently, lovingly God replied.

I pled and I wept for a clue to my fate,

And the Master so gently said,

"Child, you must wait."

"Wait? You say, wait!" my indignant reply.

"Lord, I need answers,  I need to know why!”

Is Your hand shortened?

Or have You not heard?

By faith, I have asked, and am claiming Your Word.

My future and all to which I can relate

Hangs in the balance, and

YOU tell me to WAIT?

I’m needing a ’yes’,

A go-ahead sign,

Or even a ‘no’ to which I can resign.

And Lord, I’ve been asking, and this is my cry:

"I’m weary of asking!  I need a reply!"

Then quietly, softly, I learned of my fate.

As my Master replied once again, “You must wait.”

So, I slumped in my chair,

Defeated and taut and grumbled to God,

"So, I’m waiting . . . for what?"

And His eyes wept with mine,

And He tenderly said,

"I could give you a sign.

I could shake the heavens,

And darken the sun.

I could raise the dead, and

Cause mountains to run.

All you seek, I could give, and pleased you would be.

You would have what you want – 

But you would never know Me.

You would not know the depth of My love for a saint;

You’d not know the power that I give to the faint;

You’d not learn to see through the clouds of despair;

You’d not learn to trust just by knowing I’m there;

You’d not know the joy of resting in Me

When darkness and silence were all you could see.

You’d never experience that fullness of love

As the peace of My Spirit descends like a dove;

You’d know that I give and I save . . . for a start

But You’d not know the depth of the beat of My heart.

The glow of My comfort late into the night,

The depth that’s beyond getting just what you asked

Of an infinite God, who makes what you have LAST.

You’d never know should your pain quickly flee,

What it means that ’My grace is sufficient for thee.’

Yes, your dreams for your loved one overnight would come true,

But, Oh the loss!  If I lost what I’m doing in you!

So, be silent, My child, and in time you will see

The greatest of gifts is to get to know Me.

And though oft’ may My answers seem terribly late,

My most precious answer of all is still, ’Wait’.”

      

 

 

 

 

   

AREA CHURCHES HAVE SADNESS

Peggy Porter, wife of longtime minister Jerry Porter at the Decatur and Northlake churches, passed away very suddenly Saturday.

Rosemary Moore, wife of Herbert Moore, passed away last week after a long illness. They have worked with the Old national church for many years. 

 

 

SALAD SUPPER

The Ladies' Bible Class will host their annual salad supper at the May 4 meeting.  Ladies from the Atlanta Inner-city Ministry (AIM) will be our special guests.  We meet at 7:00 p.m. 

 

 

CONGRATULATIONS

Congratulations to Ralph and Geneva White on the birth of a great-granddaughter.  Her name is Naomi.        

 

 

 

COMING SOON AT CEDAR GROVE

Mark your calendars for May 22.  A dinner is planned for those 50 and over.  

More information will be coming later.  

 

 

 

SYMPATHY

The sympathy of the congregation is extended to Marie Porter and her family in the passing of her husband, William Porter.  They were former members at Cedar Grove.                  

 

 

 

 

 

 

VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL

 

June 19, 2010

 

One Day "Super Saturday" VBS

 

              

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

OUR SICK

Amanda Elliott was released from the hospital Monday.  She will be at her mother's home under hospice care.  The address is available in the church office.

Clark Coggin is scheduled to have his tonsils removed on Wednesday.  Their address is available in the church office.

Amanda Carson, Devin Hunt, Jason Ray and Amy Turner were sick Sunday.  

Continue to remember Susan Carson, Dick Northcutt, J. W. Raines, Richard Smith, Geneva White and Vivian Hunt.

 

 

 

 

MAY BIRTHDAYS

    May  3

               Houston Hamby

    May  5

               Adam Banuelos

    May  6

               Justin Cannon

    May  7

               Harley Shelley
    May 13                Taylor Scott
    May 14                Joe Maddox
    May 20                Kathy Riipley
    May 26                Sharon Shelton-Minichoswki

    May 27

               Everett Hayes

    May 28

               Danielle Fincher

    

               Peggy Hamby

 

 

 

 

 

THOSE TO SERVE - May 2, 2010

Welcome

Ross Anderson

Song Leader

Doyle White

Opening Prayer

Alan Henderson

Lord's Table

*Jimmy Pulliam

 

*Steve Putman  

 

Chris Greenwald

 

Bill Baker

Scripture Reading

David Hamby

 

Ezekiel 34:15-17

Closing Prayer

Mitch Robison

Welcome -PM

Ross Anderson

Song Leader

Doyle White 

Opening Prayer

Jim May

Scripture Reading

Joe Minichowski 

 

Psalm 84:1-5   

Closing Prayer

Ed Kelly

Communion Preparation

Jim and Willie Mae Warren

Nursery Attendant

            Myra White

   

 

RECORD 4/18/2010

Bible School

64

Worship AM

84

Worship PM

45

Wednesday Bible Study

54

Contribution

$ 2,833.50