STANDING STONE BIBLE

WEEKLY

November 25, 2024

A Point from pastor

Wednesday night (7pm) is a Thanksgiving special at church.
No regular Wednesday night activities.
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We love Thanksgiving in America. Yet, it is not an American holiday. Oh, sure, we rightly think of the 1621 feast... Pilgrims with their flat-topped hats, indians teaching how to plant corn, sitting at a long table with a bountiful amount of food spread out, and prayers lifted up to God.

But, "Thanksgiving" is as old as Genesis 1. Mankind was created to give thanks to God. You might see the first "thanksgiving" in Scripture in Genesis 4 when Abel brings fat portions as an offering to God. Although it doesn't explicitly state that it is for thanksgiving, God accepts Abel's offering. Noah, in Genesis 8, builds an altar to God after safely surviving the flood. Surely this was at least partly an expression of thanksgiving to God for deliverance.

The very first explicit command to give thanks in the Bible was in Leviticus where peace offerings is required as a means of thanksgiving to the LORD for thanksgiving (Lev. 7:11-13). Paul then gives us the ultimate "mic-drop" on Thanksgiving when he explains that, although mankind has known God, "they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened" (Rom. 1:21). God reveals His wrath to us, and will increasingly do so, partly because we are not thankful to Him! We were created to give thanks!

We must be thankful to God... and why not? God created us. He sustains us. He redeems us. Thanksgiving should not be merely a day but an attitude of our hearts, hearts set free from sin and set free to worship, praise, honor and give thanks to the Almighty God. Give thanks to the Lord for He is good. His love endures forever.

THIS WEEK

Here are the highlights of classes and events THIS week

Thanksgiving Service - Wednesday is a thanksgiving service at 7pm. There are no other Wednesday night OA:sis events.

Office Closed - SSB's office will be closed Thursday and Friday.

Communion & Pot Trust - Sunday morning is communion service (prepare your hearts this week). After our worship service is our monthly pot trust meal (prepare some food to share).

upcoming events

Make note of the classes and events available in the near future

Ladies Christmas Party - Monday, December 2, at 6:30pm is a party for SSB gals. Dress in Christmas attire and bring a gift (up to $15) if you would like to participate in a gift exchange.

Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name.

- Hebrews 13:15

Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift!

- 2 Corinthians 9:15

Oh give thanks to the Lord; call upon his name; make known his deeds among the peoples!

- Psalm 105:1

the Lord's day

We heard from Neil H about the men's ministry. Our hope at SSB is that you stay connected to the body and these various ministry groups are designed to benefit you as well as allow you an opportunity to minister to others. Be active in the church! We also heard from Elijah W about his recent trip to Honduras. He highlighted the caravan work where over 800 were helped (medical, dental, and vision) but many also heard of the gospel and at least two came to know Jesus as Savior. Amen!

The message from Luke 16 encouraged us to be shrewd in our approach to eternity. Jesus said, "the sons of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own generation than the sons of light" (Luke 16:8). The corrupt manager in the parable had the foresight to see what was on the horizon and took action to ensure that he would enter that future with others welcoming him (and aiding him). Do we look not just to the temporary, earthly future, but to our future with God? Will there be people in eternity thanking us for our message, our service, and our generosity to them now? We must be stewards with our resources using them to serve the King. Are we faithful in serving God with our time and mammon (money and possessions)? We cannot be a servant (love slave) of both God and mammon. As a faithful follower, our money should be used to serve God and bless others.

View Past Worship Services

Thanks be to God!

^{Pictured above: Crescent Lake in the oasis city of Dunhuang, north-west China}

In our world of increasing hostility where danger like hot desert sands seem to surround us, remember that God is with us. He sustains us. Jesus promised us, "whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. That is the beginning of our story in Christ . . . and the end! We are again reminded, as John was told in the end of Revelation, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment" (Rev. 21:6).

Drink from the water! And praise the one who gives us oasis in the baren world! Thanks be to God!!!

“O my God, let me, with thanksgiving, remember, and confess unto Thee Thy mercies on me. Let my bones be bedewed with Thy love, and let them say unto Thee, Who is like unto Thee, O Lord? Thou hast broken my bonds in sunder, I will offer unto Thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving. And how Thou hast broken them, I will declare; and all who worship Thee, when they hear this, shall say, "Blessed be the Lord, in heaven and in earth, great and wonderful is his name.”

- Augustine

Prayer Prods

Thank you God for _______________
Amy M - surgery this morning.
Cheri V with surgery on Wednesday
Several at SSB with cancer
A few needing employment
A few with legal battles
Thanksgiving celebrations . . . some have family struggles and some have empty chairs

Weekly Prayer Prods