Highway Tabernacle's E-Bulletin: E-Bulletin August 4, 2014

HIGHWAY TABERNACLE ~ RESURRECTION LIFE

Monday, August 4, 2014

“Following Jesus and Loving People”

Our bodies are amazing. The Bible tells us we are “fearfully and wonderfully made.” As Christians, we recognize the importance of the body as a tool to serve Jesus and others, as well as to meet our own needs. The great challenge we all face is to discipline and dominate our bodies and not let our bodies dominate us. Our culture is obsessed with the body. The message continually promoted from the media is to pamper and give your body all the pleasures you can afford. Here’s the great problem with this mindset. Because we are distorted in our thinking (theologians use the term “fallen nature”) and separated from God, we easily fall into the trap of living for the body and its impulses (the Bible calls this “living in the flesh”). Instead of the body serving us, we “serve the flesh” and repeatedly do all kinds of shameful and hurtful acts. We may know they are wrong, but we do them again and again. Our addictions to the pleasures of the body leave us empty and alienated from our true source of satisfaction…the Lord himself. In the Bible, Paul recognized this struggle in our body and wrote, “No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize” 1 Cor. 9:27. As believers, our victory over the sinful habits of the body is found in our new life with Jesus and our willingness to submit our bodies to him and to obeying his will. To claim that we are believers and live in slavery to evil habits creates a life of tension and confusion. It comes down to love and discipline. We love Jesus and are willing to say no to evil and yes to him. Your body is an amazing tool, as long as you discipline it to follow the Lord. “Therefore, I urge you…to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God-this is your spiritual act of worship” (Rom. 12.1)

Pastor Mark Boucher

August 5-10, The Assemblies of God celebrates its centennial in Springfield, Missouri. Featuring the AG Centennial, World Assemblies of God Congress, and Global Church Planting Summit. For information go to: http://100.ag.org/

THURSDAY, 7:00 PM, Family Night Ministries, Highway Tabernacle led by our Next Generation Ministries (NGM) interns.

FRIDAY, 6:00 PM, Dinner and Youth Rally led by our NGM interns, Resurrection Life.

Compassion Family Night at Resurrection Friday August 8th, 6-8:30. See Pastor Finney to participate.

Bible Quiz and Junior Bible Quiz Ministries are GROWING!

We are introducing quizzing to all kids and youth in our ministries this summer and expect a surge in participation this fall. Coaches and support staff are needed. This is a wonderful way to invest in the next generation. To get involved, see Candace Wegner or Lisa Courtney or call the school office at 215-226-1000 or 215-563-9192. Training and a meal will be provided!

REGISTER NOW for Spring Garden Academy Fall ministries (preschool, Kindergarten-8^th grades, and After School for K-8). Talk to Lauren Morgan or another school director at lmorgan@springgardenacademy.org, 215-563-9192, or 215-226-1000.

Also…..High School after school ministry is coming this fall! Look for details in the bulletin in coming weeks. Talk to Fatima Fulks, our Out of School Time director, or another school director at ffulks@springgardenacademy.org, 215-563-9192, or 215-226-1000.

Do you want to be more involved with our Next Generation Ministries interns and Emerging Leaders middle school students? We are looking for people to host a dinner, share a testimony, and connect to this ministry to our youth. Please talk to Candace Wegner at candace@nextgenministries.us, 215-563-9192, or 215-226-1000.