The Power to Reason and to Choose (08/29/26)
 

[Commentary on Rev. 8 & 9] Our chapters for today contain visions of disaster, and we must realize that it is spiritual and not physical disaster which is pictured. If we remember that the giving of the ten commandments from Mount Sinai was heralded by "thunders and lightnings, and a thick cloud upon the mount, and the voice of the trumpet exceeding loud; so that all the people that was in the camp trembled," we shall see that the sounding of the trumpets from heaven is a symbol of the proclamation of divine truth, and its effect shows us the spiritual devastation which is wrought in the souls of men by indifference to divine truth and denial of it.

In this world it is possible for us to put on the appearance of goodness when we are not good at heart. We all like to have others admire us and we like to think well of ourselves. But goodness which is put on for this reason has no real goodness within it. It is all on the outside and is left behind with the body when we pass into the other world. There we are seen as we really are, and if we have not learned to be genuinely humble and loving and God-fearing, our inner states appear in all their ugliness. Our selfish ambitions, our pride, our resentment against those who do not favor us, our desire to be served by others, are pictured by the strange and terrible locusts of John's vision, and the false reasonings by which we have defended our selfishness are pictured by the destructive horses and their riders.

There is another very important lesson in our chapter. We like to imagine that we can put off serious thinking about spiritual things — that the Lord is so good and loving that in the end all the evils we may have allowed to grow up within us will be overlooked, and we will be saved in spite of ourselves. But in this vision we are told plainly that in spite of the revelation of the ugly and destructive character of the things in their souls, the evil did not repent.

The Lord is indeed all-loving, but also all-wise. We were created in the  image and likeness of the Divine, which means that we were given the power to reason and the power to choose freely what we want to think and to be. The Lord cannot take these powers from us without destroying our humanity...cannot force us into a reciprocal relationship, because love must be freely given or it is not love. We know how this is from our experience with our children. We can make them behave, but we cannot make them like to behave. Our life in this world is our time of choice, the seed-time when we make ourselves what we want to be. The judgment in the other world is merely the harvest time, when we reap what we have sown.  (Dole Bible Study Notes)

SRC ANNOUNCEMENTS  (08/30/26)

Next Visit By Jane Enis (9/11-13)

Our dear friend Jane from Global Healthy Congregations will be traveling out to see us in September, from the 11th through the 13th.  We will be using her time with us to review our progress since we last met, and map our next 90 Day priorities.  This means she will join us on Saturday (for a meeting day like last time), Sunday for church, and then for our Board meeting.  JOIN US!

Rise Above It Small Group Campaign (9/20 - 11/22)

Get ready for our next small group study this Fall!  Participate in our Spiritual Growth Campaign-Rise Above It! (Sept 20th - Nov. 22nd) We will be delving into the Ten Commandments in a way that will change your perspective on their meaning (and your life!)  JOIN US!  To indicate your interest, sign up starting next week (on the sheet in the lobby), or email the pastor: ethan.mccardell@gmail.com

Three Focuses (Ongoing)

In this week's staff meeting, in preparation for Jane's visit and our review of our plans for the next 90 days, we have discerned three main priorities we are asking the congregation to rally around: a) for education/outreach - The Rise Above It Program.  b) for administration - our communication efforts (incl. marketing).  c) for property management - the grant to beautify our welcome area.  Stay tuned for more "fleshing out" of these priorities in the next newsletter!

Arizona Mountain Camp Lunch (9/6)

After our summer schedule hiatus, we return to Mountain Camp Lunch next Sunday after church.  Come partake in food and fellowship with a yummy BBQ lunch and donate to a wonderful cause (if you can!)

BLESSINGS ON YOUR WEEKEND!  

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