Why are we so afraid of feeling needy?
We are needy.
If we feel needy, we are feeling something that is real. The truth is that we are maybe most needy when we don’t feel needy. After all, who is in a more dangerous situation than someone who is proud?
The solution to feeling needy is not pretending we are not, but happily going to the God who loves to graciously give strength to those who know they need Him and come in Jesus trusting He will be faithful to His promises.
And He has made great promises.
I mean, listen to this one:
For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to give strong support to those whose heart is blameless toward Him.” (2 Chronicles 16:9)
Imagine God’s eyes running to and fro looking for someone.
And in the context there he’s talking specifically about looking for someone who depends fully on Him.
The strongest believers are the least afraid of feeling needy because it drives them to rely completely on God’s strength.
Are we relying completely on God’s strength?
How do we do that?
One thing we do is pray.
Will you please be praying God makes us a church that is faithful to Him?
Will you please be praying God uses His Word this week to change our lives?
Will you please be praying God does a powerful work through His Word in our children’s lives at Vacation Bible School this week? We are so grateful for those who have put in such hard work to get everything ready. We need to come and work alongside them in prayer that this is not only a fun week for the children, but one that God uses to reveal Himself to them.
Will you please be praying we will seize the opportunities He gives us to talk about what matters most with others who don’t know Jesus? I’ve been so encouraged as I’ve heard reports of people sharing the gospel with others. Life is short. We’ll be with our Savior soon. Let’s partner together in dependence on God to take this good news out.
I guess one reason I am thinking so much about our dependence on God is because I am thinking a lot about leadership! This week we are going to continue to look at what the Bible says about leadership. Specifically, we are studying Luke 6 and considering what the Bible teaches about the office of apostle. And as you look at the apostles, you will see, it definitely wasn’t anything special about the apostles that enabled them to make such an impact. It was all Jesus!
Come ready! Come expectant! Come praying!
Joshua
To help you make the most out of Sunday messages, I’ve made some changes to the sermon brief I normally send out. Check it out.
For the younger children this Sunday, you can have them listen for the word, “apostle.” To encourage them, Marda will have some treats afterward.
A way to help:
We will begin our Pastor’s Q and A Podcast again very soon. You can help us by sending in questions you might have. They can be really about any biblically related kind of issue. We especially love questions about applying the Bible to our lives. But, they could also be questions about the church as well. We want to serve you as well as we possibly can. So, if you have any questions you would like the pastors here at CBC to discuss on the podcast, please contact us
Vacation Bible School. Sunday, July 31st to Wednesday, August 3rd, 6-9 p.m. Registration is open at the church website. Please invite your friends! (For children Pre-K to 6th Grade this fall).
Membership. If you are interested in becoming a member of Cornerstone Bible Church, please contact James Lee or Adam Bakonis. We hope to start a membership class this fall!
Cornerstone Bible Church Missions Conference! Saturday, August 20th, 8:30 a.m.–12:45 p.m. Our missionaries Joshua Lee and Marcus Denny will join Pastor Joshua in preaching on the Great Commission. Please RSVP here.
UPDATE: Bible Reading Project resumes on August 11th at 6:30am.
VBS Volunteer Meeting. This Sunday, July 31st, there will be a volunteer meeting for everyone serving at VBSin the sanctuary.
Church-Wide Prayer. Next week, August 7th, the church will join together to pray at 9am.
Equipping Hour will return on August 14th with testimonies from this summer’s short-term trips. On the 21st, there will be a Q&A with our missionaries, Joshua Lee and Marcus Denny.
Children’s Ministry Schedule:
Order of Service
Welcome and Call to Worship - Isaiah Mackler
Singing
Announcements
Scripture Reading: Ephesians 2:11–22
Pastoral Prayer
Preaching of God’s Word: “Understanding Church Leadership: Jesus, Apostles, and Us” – Luke 6:12–16
Singing
Link to Questions, Quotes and Notes