The Champions Spirit
Volume 68, Issue 8
March 1, 2009
In This Issue
An Ice Cube or an Iceberg?
In Texas, we know what ice cubes are! When you travel to England or other countries, they tend to think you just a bit “off” when you ask for ice cubes in your already chilled drink. Invariably, they will tell you that you really don’t need ice—that the drink is already cold. Nevertheless, we want the ice! Ice cubes are good...but we also know that they don’t last very long. They float to the top of the drink and soon they are gone.
In Texas, we don’t know all that much about icebergs, except from books or movies! Icebergs are those great mountains of ice in the frigid waters of the ocean. Icebergs are somewhat deceptive. One can look at the part of the iceberg that is above the water and not realize that there is more, much more under the water than there is above it. Icebergs have a depth and substance to them that their miniature cousins, ice cubes, don’t.
Spiritually, would you consider yourself an ice cube or an iceberg? Is there any depth to your spirituality? When others see the love you have for the Lord, His work, and His people are their observations only scratching the surface, or are they seeing everything? When trials come, do you melt down completely or is there a vast reserve of God that you can ultimately call on? When your faith is challenged, do
you stand strong in Him or melt away? With which do you most identify spiritually—AN ICE CUBE OR AN ICEBERG?
—Larry Keele
FAMILY MATTERS...
We are grateful for each one here today to worship our Father in spirit and truth! May our worship be pleasing in His sight! If you are visiting today, please fill out a visitor’s card—and come again!
Our family at Champions has grown again with the addition of Jeff and Caella (pronounced Kayla) Chappell and their boys, Trace and Tucker. Make it a point to get to know this fine family. May we have many years together, serving in His Kingdom.
Tonight is the visitation reorganization meeting. Visitation is an activity that can be participated in with very little effort yet produces great results. Team members are only asked to make one visit per month. Many of us can do that! Contact Bob Kendall for more information.
TNT is Tuesday! We will eat at 6 p.m. and then spend 1 1/2 hours working for the Master. There are many activities to choose from! See you then!
Men, next Saturday is the Men’s Day at the Bedrich’s farm! Bring your Bible, your softball equipment (if you want to play) and, of course, your appetite. (Curtis is providing fajitas.) We are blessed by Curtis and Molly’s hospitality and the gracious way they host this event! If you want to ride, the bus will be leaving the parking lot at 8 a.m. If you plan to drive, maps are in the foyer.
Good things continue to happen at the detention center. Last Sunday Matt Johnston preached to a group of 30 men and 6 of them wanted to be baptized into Christ. Josie Sedillo and Betty Toldan continue to work with the women and have had a number who have either been baptized or want to be baptized. We are thankful for their work.
Parting Thought: A bargain: Something you can’t use at a price you can’t resist.
HAVE A BLESSED WEEK!
Spring Class Schedule
Sunday Morning Adult Classes: Unlocking Revelation
Auditorium - Larry Keele
Fellowship Hall - Glen Asher
Library - Alan Reed and Troy Thompson
Room 12 - Young Professionals - Various Teachers
Room 11 - College Class - Ward Lusk
Cradle Roll - Newborns to two years old.
North Hallway classroom (Sunday and Wednesday)
2s and 3s meet in Room 9.
4s and 5s meet in Room 7.
K - 1st Grades meet in Room 5.
2nd - 4th Grades meet in Room 13.
5th Grade meets in Room 19.
6th Grade meets in Room 15 (Sundays).
7th-9th Grades meet in Room 17 (Sundays).
10th–12th Graders meet in Room 10 (Sundays).
Sunday Night Bible Hour is for 2 year olds through 2nd graders.
Wednesday Evenings
Becoming a Vessel God Can Use - Ladies' Class
Fellowship Hall - Diann Thurston
Heroes of Faith
Auditorium - Tony Tate
Evangelistic Methods
Library - Jason Freed
2-5 Grades—Various classrooms
6th-12th Grades meet in Room 10 Wednesdays.
Jeremy's Junction
The Blood of Jesus
One night in a Church service, a young woman felt the tug of God at her heart. She responded to God’s call and became a Christian. The young woman had a very rough past involving alcohol, drugs, and prostitution, but the change in her was evident. As time went on, she became a faithful member of the Church. She eventually became involved in the ministry, teaching young children. It was not very long until this young woman had caught the eye and the heart of the preacher’s son. The relationship grew and they began to make wedding plans. This is when the problems began. You see, about half of the Church did not think that a woman with a past such as hers was suitable for a preacher’s son. The Church began to argue and fight about the matter. So, they decided to have a meeting. As the people made their arguments and tensions increased, the meeting was getting completely out of hand. The young woman became very upset about all the things being brought up about her past. As she began to cry, the preacher’s son stood to speak. He could not bear the pain it was causing his future wife. He began to speak and his statement was this: “My fiancée’s past is not what is on trial here. What you are questioning is the ability of the blood of Jesus to wash away sin. Today you have put the blood of Jesus on trial. So, does it wash away sin or not?” The whole Church began to weep as they realized that they had been slandering the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Today, often, even as Christians, we bring up the past and use it as a weapon against our brothers and sisters. Forgiveness is a very foundational part of the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. If the blood of Jesus does not cleanse the other person completely, then it cannot cleanse us completely. If that is the case, then we are all in a lot of trouble. What can wash away my sins? Nothing but the blood of Jesus.
1 John 1:7 (NIV)
"But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin."
(Copied and adapted-Author Unknown)
John's Jogs
THE STRANGER
A few years after I was born, my Dad met a stranger who was new to our small Texas town. From the beginning, Dad was fascinated with this enchanting newcomer and soon invited him to live with our family. The stranger was quickly accepted and was around from then on.
As I grew up, I never questioned his place in my family. In my young mind, he had a special niche. My parents were complementary instructors: Mom taught me good from evil, and Dad taught me to obey. But the stranger....he was our storyteller. He would keep us spellbound for hours on end with adventures, mysteries and comedies.
If I wanted to know anything about politics, history or science, he always knew the answers about the past, understood the present and even seemed able to predict the future! He took my family to the first major league ball game. He made me laugh, and he made me cry. The stranger never stopped talking, but Dad didn’t seem to mind.
Sometimes, Mom would get up quietly while the rest of us were shushing each other to listen to what he had to say, and she would go to the kitchen for peace and quiet. (I wonder now if she ever prayed for the stranger to leave.)
Dad ruled our household with certain moral convictions, but the stranger never felt obligated to honor them. Profanity, for example, was not allowed in our home...not from us, our friends or any visitors. Our longtime visitor, however, got away with four-letter words that burned my ears and made my Dad squirm and my mother blush. My Dad didn’t permit the liberal use of alcohol. But the stranger encouraged us to try it on a regular basis. He made cigarettes look cool, cigars manly and pipes distinguished. He talked freely (much too freely) about sex. His comments were sometimes blatant, sometimes suggestive and generally embarrassing.
I now know that my early concepts about relationships were influenced strongly by the stranger. Time after time, he opposed the values of my parents, yet he was seldom rebuked....and NEVER asked to leave.
More than 50 years have passed since the stranger moved in with our family. He has blended right in and is not nearly as fascinating as he was at first. Still, if you could walk into my parents’ den today, you would still find him sitting over in his corner, waiting for someone to listen to him talk and watch him draw his pictures.
His Name?.......We just call him “TV.”
He has a wife now.......We call her computer.
(Received via e-mail)