Service of Sunday July 3, 2016

Notes from Sunday's service.  (Thanks, Heather)

Something to Think About

• Did you know there's a prayer room before service?
• Jesus said 'My house will be a house of Prayer.'
• Many people who do pray seem to think their prayers are unanswered.
• In some churches, they teach all prayers are answered: Sometimes he says 'yes', sometimes he says 'no', sometimes he says 'wait'.
• No where is it found in the Bible that God says he answers ALL prayers, or that he hears all prayers.
• "The prayers of a righteous man availeth much"... And yes the Bible says none is righteous. Hmmmm...
• A righteous person has to have faith.
• Prayer without faith is useless.
• We are to prayer in faith, when some of us pray in fear.
• Prayer is a communication with God. Thus, if we are not praying for 'healing' (for example), when we are not ill, we should be praising for health!
• We are more likely to help a friend with financial needs if it's someone who you speak to often; maybe a 'stranger' wouldn't get the same treatment
• Faith without prayer is useless.
• HOWEVER, without submission, this is all useless
• Pharisees were good at faith and prayer, but they weren't submissive.
• Answered prayers are from those who pray in everything, and pray earnestly. This is why some prayers aren't answered until what seems to be the last minute; we are not praying in submission.
• And when we pray/communicate with God, sometimes what we once prayed for,  changes.

The Message ~ Pastor Caroline

• Pastor Caroline just gave the title and ending of her prepared sermon, but gave up the Message time for a personal testimony from a congregation member
• "Testing Times, Trusting Him"
• When you trust God, you will see the positive and the rewards will be yours. In your testing times, trust God. And when you come through, Praise God.

Praise testimony to God was given from a man in our congregation:

PART I (last Sunday)

• Recovering from alcoholism
• Quitting smoking
• The belief in the power of prayer, through answered prayer.

PART II

• Had a baby in his teens, but wasn't in the child's life.
• Later married and had a daughter.
• 18 years later, alcoholism had taken over and the marriage ended in divorce
• We all need help at times, but we don't know how to get it/to ask for it.
• Watched porn channels, just from time to time, but there was 'side-effects' of that.
• Through friends, true friends with concern, he started seeing a counselling.
• 28 weeks, still seeing a councillor!
• January 2016. In a counselling session, he decided he wanted to know the children of his daughter that he hasn't seen for some time.
• Without knowing how to make contact, he prayed!
• Decided to 'give up' in April.
• On an errand to Sears, he met the mother of his first child at the mall, and she said his grand-son wanted to meet him.
• Through meeting his grand-son, who happened to attend the same University as his daughter, he was able to find out something's about her, and have tracked her down!
• God has a sense of humour. He wanted to get in-touch with his daughter to see his grand-children, and who does God send as the messenger... The son of his first born!
• He then thanked many people in the church and said he has NEVER felt acceptance until becoming a part of this assembly!