While we must continue to pray for healing for the sick, salvation for the lost, and for the needs of the down-trodden, I think for this prayer corner we should focus on praying for unity not only in our church and family but in our nation and world.
We are certainly living in uneasy times; this is the first election in my memory that businesses boarded up windows in preparation for the civil unrest that may occur on election night and the nights that follow. I know that some of you reading this already know the outcome, and just what happened, for you then it may be a prayer of healing that is needed.
Remember prayer isn’t us trying to convince an unwilling God to do something He is reluctant to do, nor is it us telling God about something he is unaware of, but it is about us aligning our hearts and minds to God’s. That is why I think at the root of our prayer for unity is this verse:
God blesses those who work for peace, for they will be called the children of God.
Matthew 5:9 NLT
God has called us to be peacemakers. We must stand in the gap between friends, colleagues, and family and say that what is needed is not more anger and hatred, but forgiveness and peace. Join me in praying that we can be these peacemakers and that God will work in the hearts of the leaders, whoever wins or has won, to be peacemakers. Let us be a light to others pointing in the direction of God and let our nation truly be one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.
I have been thinking a lot about “New Normal.” This phrase can send shivers down our spines. See, we are creatures of habit; we like things to stay the same. But God is clear that change is occurring around us all the time. When we look at the seasons, we see fall turn to winter, which turns to spring, and then summer. We see babies be born and grow, till those kids have babies of their own. There is a season and a time for everything.
For everything there is a season,
Ecclesiastes 3:1-15 NLT
a time for every activity under heaven.
2 A time to be born and a time to die.
A time to plant and a time to harvest.
3 A time to kill and a time to heal.
A time to tear down and a time to build up.
4 A time to cry and a time to laugh.
A time to grieve and a time to dance.
5 A time to scatter stones and a time to gather stones.
A time to embrace and a time to turn away.
6 A time to search and a time to quit searching.
A time to keep and a time to throw away.
7 A time to tear and a time to mend.
A time to be quiet and a time to speak.
8 A time to love and a time to hate.
A time for war and a time for peace.
9 What do people really get for all their hard work? 10 I have seen the burden God has placed on us all. 11 Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God’s work from beginning to end. 12 So I concluded there is nothing better than to be happy and enjoy ourselves as long as we can. 13 And people should eat and drink and enjoy the fruits of their labor, for these are gifts from God.
14 And I know that whatever God does is final. Nothing can be added to it or taken from it. God’s purpose is that people should fear him. 15 What is happening now has happened before, and what will happen in the future has happened before, because God makes the same things happen over and over again.
God has the final say over what is and what is not. In His sovereignty, He either allows things or causes things, but we know that all things work for the glory of the King.
Sometimes things change and we may not like the way the new thing feels or may long for the way things used to be, but we must stop wallowing in the misery of the loss and begin to seek God’s will for the new.
We ended October with Halloween, and for many people, it was a time to yearn for the way it was. I remember fondly when I was a child and got to go ToysRus to pick out my costume, which included a plastic mask held on by an elastic string. I remember going trick or treating in the good neighborhood where they passed out the big chocolate bars. These are great memories to have, but I cannot relive them, or even give those exact memories to my kids. No, instead we make new memories and enjoy today.
So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.
Matthew 6:34 NLT
This verse from the Sermon on the Mount reminds us that we need to stop worrying about tomorrow and instead focus on today. I would say that the same is true for yesterday, but instead of worry, yesterday is burdened with nostalgia.
I pray that you will not live for yesterday or for tomorrow, but will live for today. That you will fill today with memories and combat the issues that surround you by embracing God’s plan for you, your family, and all of us.
– Pastor Don
Church Values
There are a few things that are a must when you are sailing: a captain, a rudder, and a navigation plan. We could easily say the captain is God, He is in charge. The rudder is the Church (all of us), we take the captain’s orders and make it happen. The plan or the orders are what we are trying to figure out.
The Pastor and Elders of our church are seeking help to answer the question, “Why did God place Arbuckle Community Church here on earth?” Yes, the simple answer is to win the lost to Christ. But God has gifted this church in a unique way.
Come be part of this discussion and give the elders the feedback needed to discern God’s navigational plan for ACC. This event will take place on November 15th after church at noon.
2020 Advent – The Gift of…
Advent is just around the corner.
This year leading up to our Christmas Eve service we are going to take a look at the Gifts of Christmas: Hope, Joy, Peace, and Love. Then, on Christmas Eve, we will celebrate the greatest gift of all, Christ.
We are looking for families that would like to read the advent devotions. Email Pastor Don at arbucklecc@gmail.com.
New Schedule
Beginning on November 29th we will be starting a Sunday School Hour at 9:30 am. We will have classes for all ages. Classes will run from 9:30 to about 10:15, then the church service will start at 10:30.
| Event | Date | Time |
| Youth Group | Fridays | 5:00 pm |
| Food Distribution Volunteers | Nov 10 | 9:00 am & 3:30 pm |
| Church Values Discussion | Nov 15 | 12:00 pm |
| Youth Worship Takeover | Nov 22 | During Church |
| Church Time Change | Nov 29 | 9:30 am |