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Sunday School Promotion Sunday is TODAY If you have children in Sunday school up through Senior High, they will stay in the same class or move up starting August 21st depending on their grade. Upcoming 3 year olds, 1st graders, 4th graders, and Jr. High students will be promoted up. Contact Alex Goodsell if you have any questions.  The Christian Life
How have you responded to the love of Christ? “No greater love is shown that a man lay down his life for a friend” The love of Christ refers to His love for mankind, his creation, and is seen in His willingness to always act in our best interest. “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him” (John 3:17). Christ’s love is seen in his word of truth. “All of your word is truth” (Psalm 119:160). People will lie at will, even friends, but Jesus never told a lie. His teachings are for everyone who desires truth and wants to live wisely. He came to earth for us, teaching about what is good and right (light) and warning of what is evil (darkness). Through His teachings, we avoid many pitfalls in life, if we follow them. When we understand this we begin to trust and follow His commands for our life. The love of Christ is seen in his willingness to serve. Jesus taught that true love is expressed through self sacrifice, not just words. “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Mark 10:45) Jesus’ love is seen in the giving of the Holy Spirit. “And now I will send the Holy Spirit, just as my Father promised.” ( Luke 24:49) In Ezekiel 26:36 God had made this promise. “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you. This was fulfilled through Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross and His giving the Holy Spirit to those who trust Him. The Holy Spirit empowers us to say no to sin and begin living a new life of obedience trusting Christ. His love for us is seen in His sacrifice for our sin, without which we would perish for eternity. “But God clearly shows and proves His own love for us, by the fact that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8) This love, which He demonstrated toward us on the cross, is just the beginning. When we place our trust in Him as our Savior, He makes us God’s children, co-heirs with Him forever! He comes to dwell within us through His Holy Spirit, promising that He will never leave us or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5-6). No matter what we go through, He is there, and His love is ever available to us (Romans 8:35). But as He rightfully reigns as a benevolent King in Heaven, we must also submit to His Lordship over our lives as described in Roman’s 12:1 “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your lives as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God” What a gift! God’s plan out of love, Jesus’ sacrifice out of love, so that we might not perish but have ever lasting life with Him in Heaven. “Oh that my life would be a reflection of gratitude, telling the world of His great love.” How have you responded to the love of Christ? Come! Colby Reeves -member Evangel Church PCA (evangelchurchpca.org) Alabaster Al.  Wednesday Night Fall Kick-off Celebration
Wednesday, August 17th at 5:30 p.m. Evangel Gym Parking Lot & Lawn Hamburger/HotDog Cookout with all the fixings! Join us for great food and fellowship, fun yard games, and fantastic inflatables for youth & kids! Bring your lawn chair & a friend! The Christian Life
Remembering who we serve. “ Choose this day whom you will serve! But as for me and my house we will serve the Lord.” (Joshua 24:15) In this passage, Joshua draws a line in the sand and challenges the Israelites to make a decision. How useless it is to profess belief and not live it. The Israelites were going through the motions of being God’s people, but they were not living according to His commands. In reality they were hypocrites, professing one thing while living another. Rather than remaining faithful to God, and leading others to Him through a righteous life (bearing fruit), they adopted the evil lifestyles of the very ones who they should have witnessed to. They had turned from God and embraced the world around them. Jesus said in Matthew 6:24, "No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other." We do not have to look far to see how God and the world are opposite. Pornography thrives and unbiblical relationships are prime time. Lies and broken vows are winked at. Violence and vulgarities are common place. Just as in Joshua’s day, we too can find ourselves being swept away and walking in step with those who have no regard for God’s word and serve the world and it’s views. Views that are void of Gods high morals and self control. A world where the guilty walk the streets and the innocent are killed before birth and where consequences and personal responsibility are not demanded. God’s people are to live differently. 1 John 2:15-17 says “Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.” Joshua chose to invest his trust and his life in God’s unchanging truth and his call to righteousness. God has revealed, through the scriptures, his salvation plan through Jesus his Son, who demonstrated for us a Godly life. The daily struggle we face as Christians is to reject the world’s values and persevere in faithfulness to Jesus, like swimming upstream against a current of self indulgence and moral decay. We’re to imitate Jesus through obedience, good works, kindness, and self control. This is God’s will for us. God’s word must direct our lives and we need the company of those who are committed like Joshua around us. Proverbs 13:20 tells us, "He that walketh with wise men shall be wise." We are influenced by the company we keep. 1 Corinthians 11:1 says “imitate me as I imitate Christ” At Evangel we seek to teach God’s word to all who will come and tell of the salvation he offers through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. We seek to encourage each other, in a loving community, to choose daily to serve the Lord. Come! Evangel Church PCA (evangelchurchpca.org) 423 Thompson Rd., Alabaster Al SS 9am, Worship 10:15 am Colby Reeves - member The Christian Life
Are you living in hope? “Behold, I lay in Zion a choice stone a precious corner stone and he who believes in Him will not be disappointed “. (1 Peter 2:6) “We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure”. (Hebrews 6:19) The Christian`s hope is not in the here and now but in what is to come. It is based on Jesus (the precious cornerstone) through his teachings, his death and resurrection. The Holy Spirit is given to open our spiritual eyes to these truths and sincerely believe in Jesus. John 3:3 says “unless a man be born again (born spiritually) he cannot see heaven”. This work of the Holy Spirit indwelling in born again Christians brings spiritual understanding, real belief, a new hunger for God, and assured hope. Another aspect of Christian hope, is the promise that it will not leave us disappointed. ”Philippians 1:6 reminds us “being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus”. Because our hope, is not based on our own ability, but the work of Jesus in us, we can be confident of it’s success, a confident hope. “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am”. (John 14:3) Our hope is validated, through the witness of others. Hebrews 12:1 reminds us, “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.” We are not alone. The Scriptures tell us of those who have gone faithfully before us and of those who have fought the good fight. As witnesses they encourage us to follow their example. Seeing God working in other believers strengthens our own faith and testifies to us that our hope is based on truth. And this is the will of him (God) who sent me, that I shall lose none of all those he has given me, but raise them up at the last day”. (John 6:39) The future of God’s children is more secure than tomorrow’s sunrise. When the Holy Spirit is given, it is a seal of our salvation. The names, of those to whom the Holy Spirit is given, are written in the Lambs book of life, paid for with the Savior's blood. 1 Corinthians 6:20 tells us, “for you were bought with a price” . Our hope is not just wishful thinking, but anchored on the promises and power of God. Leaving a sinful life is hard, but for those who leave and live for Jesus, there are no regrets. “’For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to give you a hope and a future. ‘” (Jeremiah 29:11). As Christians we must ask, does our life reflect this hope? If you will come to Jesus, and follow him, he will give you this Hope. Come! Colby Reeves – Evangel member Evangel Church PCA (evangelchurchpca.org) Thompson Rd, Alabaster - SS 9am, Worship 10:15 |
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