SOMETHING DON’D ON ME…

“Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.” Ephesians 6:18

How do YOU deal with PAIN? Joseph Scriven was born September 10, 1819, in Ireland. He was enrolled in Trinity College in Dublin and was graduating. As he was in school, he fell in love with a young lady, and they were excited to start their life together. But on the day before their wedding, she was thrown from a horse while crossing a bridge, and she drowned in front of him.

The sorrow he felt was great, and it caused him to wander from town to town. By age 25 his travels had taken him to an area near Port Hope, Canada. He became highly regarded by the people of that area. He tutored some of the local children in their schoolwork. It was there he met a wonderful young lady, Elisa Roche, and again fell in love. They had exciting plans to be married. However, tragedy reared its ugly head once again and she died of pneumonia before they could wed.

Joseph spent the rest of his life in Port Hope, Canada and was often known to serve people that had no money. In his times of grief, he started writing in a journal. He wrote the words to what we know as this beloved hymn, in hopes that it would bring some comfort to his mother. He even wrote in his journal that these words were “twixt the Lord and I-we did it together.” An attorney named Charles Converse, later added the melody…a simple song that still touches lives today.

How could he do that? How could he write that third line? “Oh what PEACE we often forfeit…” In the face of his pain, he found his peace not in a bottle or in this world, but in a TRUST with a God that sees all of our pain! He DIDN’T let the pain of his situation take away the PEACE of his broken heart!

What are you facing? Are you dealing with TRIALS…or TEMPTATIONS…is there “trouble anywhere” in your life? Maybe God is whispering to you right now… “Take it to ME in prayer!” Let GOD carry the burden that you are carrying…just as Scrivner let God carry his incredible grief.

Perhaps, one of the greatest acts of WORSHIP, is obedience in the MIDST of your pain. May you celebrate HIM instead of focusing on your hurts.

May the God that carries the universe on His shoulder, carry the struggle you are dealing with today!

Shalom Alachiem…Don

The 2023 Annual Meeting, this weekend
The Annual Meeting will open at the beginning of the Saturday Night Service on 9/23, and close at the end of the 10:30 service, on 9/24.

Those up for affirmation are:
(Elders) Glenn Johnson, Don Thomas
(Deacons) Wes Weems, Ronny Miller, David Wagner, Brian Cox, Gowan Hays
If you have any questions, please contact one of the elders.

3rd Annual Fall Festival, Oct 14!

Hey Central Fam!  Mark your calendars for our 3rd Annual Fall Festival! 🍁 October 14th from 3-6 pm, join us for fun and fellowship at the Partin’s place.  
We will have games, bounce house, face painting, food and more!! If you have any questions please contact Jennifer.

The Pastoral Board will meet 
at 6:30 pm, Monday, Sept 25.

We have several baby baskets in the sanctuary ready to fill! 

Help us bless these families!

Already arrived!
Khy Matthew Parkey, son of Matt & Kelly Jo Parkey
Irijah Terry, son of Treyven & Desarae Terry

On the Way!
Matthew & Brenda Cordova – boy, due 9/24
Caleb & Stacey Dodd – due October
Steven & Joanna Schultz – due Jan 2024
Ty & Bailey Bergman – due Dec 2023
Collin & Molly Thomas – girl, due 12/25

We are finishing up our sermon series, EMMAUS CODE and that has me thinking about ciphers (which is just a really fancy word for codes).  Here are a couple of my favorites.

A1Z26 – This code is pretty easy to crack.  A = 1, Z = 26, and each letter in the alphabet has a number.
19-5-5, 9 20-15-12-4 25-15-21 9-20 23-1-19 5-1-19-25.

Atbash – This code uses the alphabet only.  You just line up two alphabets (one forward and one backward) and then encode your message.
SZIWVI GL URTFIV LFG, ULI HFIV.

There’s also morse code, phone code, a grid cipher, and a pigpen cipher (shown above).  All of this is intriguing, but is there a way to crack the code?  There is, but you need to know how someone encoded the message to decode the message.  In other words, you need to know the writer.

We’ll never know God’s heart if we don’t read His words.  We’ll never know God’s peace if we don’t trust His strength.  Trust equals faithfulness over time.  The more we read, the more we know.  The more we know, the more we trust.  The more we trust, the more we surrender.

There are things in this life that we may never understand.  There are parts of God’s mercy and forgiveness that still blow my mind.  The Bible is a lens that helps us see the world accurately.  The Bible is a lens that helps us see ourselves accurately.  His Word is a lamp that lights our way to Him.  I love that this verse highlights WHERE the light hits.  Not in front of us to see what’s coming, but at our feet so we can take the next sure step.

I know Marea.  My wife is for me in every way.  I know her heart, I know her smile, I know when she’s hurting… I know her because I have spent so much time with her.  The more time I spend with God (in prayer and reading the Bible), the more I learn about His grace, forgiveness, and love.  I could spend a lifetime getting to know Him, but I’ll start here.

ILSB DLA, ILSB LQEBOP

This weekend we’ll look at the story of Joseph.  I have been struck by the consistency and steadiness of his heart throughout turmoil and struggle.  He knew what God promised long ago, but God’s not on our timetable.  He didn’t get restless, he didn’t question, he just continued to trust the Lord.  Why?  Because God is faithful.  Trust over time equals faithfulness and I pray that He continues to light your path.

Soli Deo Gloria!
F –