Mesquite Bean Newsletter for September 09

Dear Fellowship Family,

Hope all is well, and you are enjoying the somewhat cooler weather we are having...well in the mornings away. You can tell there is a hint of fall in the air, and for that I am grateful. I enjoy all seasons, but fall is my favorite by far.

We are still doing the Truth Project, and I think are over half done. It has been powerful. And I have learned so much. If you get the chance to take this course, I recommend that you do.

Unless you have had you head in the ground you all know what troubled times we are living in. It seems that daily this nation is sinking to new lows. Every day after reading the news I just sit and wonder, "what next". And at times I don't even want to know. Violence, natural disasters, corrupt government..it's all there. And it isn't just this nation, it's all over the world. The birth pangs are getting stronger each and every day. And for us as Believers that is good news! All this means is that we are getting closer and closer to seeing our Savior.

While that should get us excited, and it should. The word tells us to "occupy while we are here." That to me means that we just don't sit down and fold our hands and say,"well what will be will be." There are things that God has put in place that have to happen for the end to come. Nothing we can do will change that. But we were not put on this earth to sit and do nothing. We were put on it to glorify Him. How do we glorify Him? By living for Him. By telling others about Him. By living our lives in such a way that others see Him reflected in us. By standing up for the faith, and you may not think so now, because this country has always had freedom of worship, but we are entering into a phase very quickly that that may not always be true.

One thing that has hit me while watching "The Truth Project", it is this. How did all these evil things happen? Like teaching evolution as fact. Like the complete disregard for human life, abortion etc. It happened because Christians didn't make a stand. It happened because we don't know the Word. It happened because there was no outcry, no righteous anger. It happened because we don't take prayer seriously.

It is very easy in this day and time to let satan rob us of our joy. It is very easy to let fear come in. And there are many things to be uneasy about. But.....what does the Bible tell us about fear?

I love this verse in 2 Timothy 1:7.....For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. (NKJV)

Fear does not come from God...it comes from the enemy. God does not want us to fear, He wants us to trust.

In Isaiah 26-3 God makes a promise....." You will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed in you, because he trusts in You. ( vs. 4) Trust in the Lord forever, For in Yah, the Lord is everlasting strength."

I wrote this in my journal in June and thought I would share it will all of you, I hope it encourages someone.

June 19th 2009

If it does not rain...God is still God.
If our country falls apart...God is still God.
If sickness comes into the house...God is still God.
If we go broke....God is still God.
If friendships prove false...God is still God.
If persecution comes....God is still God.

God is on His throne.
God is the same yesterday, today and forever.
God never changes.
God is just.
God is never wrong.
God never fails.
God is all powerful.
God is strong enought to bear our burdens, our sorrows and even sometimes our anger.
God loves us.
God loved us so much,
That He sent His only son,
To die a gruesome,
Death.
So that we could be free,
From the bondage of sin and,
Death.
The world has no hold on us.
the enemy has no hold on us.
If we die, we only die in the flesh.
Our spirit is set free to soar to the heavens.
Where our Father awaits.

Deut. 31-6

" Be strong and of good courage. Do not fear, nor be afraid of them, for the Lord your God is with you. He is the one who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you." ( NKJV)

God Bless and Happy Trails
Marquita

Service times for September 09

Every Friday night... Fellowship @ 6:30..study @ 7:00