The Champions Spirit
Volume 69, Issue 7
Feb. 21, 2010
In This Issue
All this quality time for only $40 for Friday and Saturday or $20 for Saturday only. Scholarships available.
Ladies Retreat
March 5-6, Friday-Saturday
Lake Tomahawk Christian Retreat Center
Livingston, Texas
"Friday Night Fun" starting at 7:30
Games, Devotional, Snacks (bring to share)
Friday is a great time to kick back and enjoy fun times and laughter with your sisters in Christ!
Saturday
3 meals
2 speakers - Rachel Sherwin and Dwan Reed
Playtime - Paddleboats, Canoes, Trails, and Volleyball. Even more great fellowship opportunities! We will leave after dinner.
"What do I need to bring?"
Bedding, Toiletries, Towels, Snacks, Games, Bible, Pen or Pencil, Comfy Clothes, Comfy Shoes, and a Jacket
Transportation:
We will not be taking the church bus, but if you need transportation, you can sign the list in the foyer, and we will help you find a ride. Car pool with your friends and start the fellowship early!
FAMILY MATTERS...
Welcome to the services of the church of Christ in Champions! We hope that your experience today will be one that will enable you to draw closer to God. Thank you for blessing us with your presence and please come again at your earliest opportunity!
Teachers, your special evening is coming! Friday night, as one of our many wonderful teachers, you will be treated to an “appreciation banquet” at Los Cucos restaurant on Highway 249. You are a blessing and we are glad to honor you in this way. (Besides, John Qualls is expecting you!) Be sure to put your RSVP (or regrets) in the box on the round table in the foyer today. Again, thank you for your service to the Lord and His cause at Champions!
I am happy to share the space normally given to an article so that information about the Ladies Retreat can be shared. Much time and effort has been expended in order to make this a great opportunity for growth in love for God and one another. Take advantage of these opportunities by attending and sharing in the program.
Look at the Book: Please read the book of Joshua! After all this time, the people of Israel finally get into the land of Promise!
Parting Thought: Who is (or was) your favorite Bible class teacher? What made him or her so very special?
HAVE A BLESSED WEEK!
Jeremy’s Junction
Wednesday was an epic day. The night before, I had insomnia and found myself awake till about 4:30 in the morning. So, the whole day, I was very tired. I had a minister's meeting and then went to the comic book store to get my weekly dose of super heroes. Following this, Aubri forced me to the gym where I ran about five miles and then I came home to get cleaned up and have a Bible study with Cindy Schlesener. I have been studying with her and her daughter since my return in January and have been very impressed for their passion for God's word. They consistently show an attitude of wanting to do what the Bible says and loving Jesus. At the conclusion of the Bible study that we were using the question was asked, "Have you called on the name of the Lord?" This question was set up by showing Acts 2:21 and 2:38, explaining that baptism was the point where the Jews called upon the name of the Lord.
Wednesday night Cindy Schlesener was baptized into Jesus Christ. So many things went into setting this up. Cindy and Brittany, her daughter, had been talking about wanting to go to church. Amanda Mahle invited her caroling and to church one evening. The youth group (particularly Luke) made her feel welcome. She was baptized that night after studying the Bible. Her mom comes to church with her. People show her the love of Christ. She studied the Bible for a couple of months and decides to become a Christian.
God has a very good and righteous plan for all of us. He can take simple things that we do and make them into major events later down the line. However, all this lead up, all this support, and all this divine intervention, it still came down to a choice that Cindy had to make. She said yes. PRAISE GOD!
Whatever God is calling you to do, let Him speak to you through scripture as He writes it on your heart. Seek God's will for your life. Trust He will take care of you and the pleasures you will have through Christ will outweigh any earthly treasures you may be giving up. However God blesses you, bless others.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO CINDY!
—Jeremy Geurin
John’s Jogs
BIBLE BASICS #5
God continued His promises to Abraham and Isaac through Jacob. He then changed Jacob’s name to Israel. Israel had twelve sons thus the “Twelve Tribes of Israel” into which the promised land was divided. However, only four of those sons play a significant role in the history of the promises God made to Abraham. Remember the promises were twofold: 1) He would make of him a great nation (Israel) and 2) Through him all the world would be blessed (Christ).
Two of these four, Levi and Benjamin, did nothing outstanding themselves but their descendants played an important role in the nation of Israel. Moses and Aaron were descendants of Levi and their descendants were the spiritual leaders of the nation (priests), and King Saul was a descendant of Benjamin. Their stories come later and are not part of the Genesis story.
Therefore, there are only two sons of Israel who actually have an important role in Genesis. They cover two important tracks in the history of Abraham’s promises from God. It is through Judah that the Christ is to come – through whom the world would be blessed. Not only was it through Judah’s lineage that the Christ was to come, but it was also the tribe of Judah that kept the nation intact to trace that lineage. It is Joseph who sets the stage for 400 years later the promise of the nation to emerge.
Remember Jacob’s parents showed preference between him and his brother. Now Joseph is his favorite of the twelve making him a coat of many colors. In addition Joseph tells them of his dream that they will all bow down to him. Being jealous, his brothers sold him to a train of Midianites who took him to Egypt and sold him to Potiphar, the captain of the guard. He placed him in charge of his whole household. However, Potiphar’s wife tried to seduce him and accused him of rape when he rejected her. Thus Potiphar put him in prison.
Soon Joseph was in charge of prisoners. A baker and a cup-bearer each had a dream that Joseph asked to Lord to interpret. Both dreams came true. When the cupbearer was restored to Pharaoh, Pharaoh had a dream and the cupbearer told him about Joseph. God through Joseph interpreted Pharaoh’s dream of seven years of plenty then seven years of famine. Pharaoh placed Joseph in charge of all Egypt second only to himself to plan for the famine.
During the famine Joseph’s brothers had to come to Egypt to buy grain, setting the stage to fulfill Joseph’s dream when they bowed down to him. They then moved all Israel’s family into Egypt settling in the land of Goshen. Four hundred years later there is a Pharaoh who does not know Joseph and has enslaved the Israelites.
Next: The Exodus
—John Qualls