STANDING STONE BIBLE

WEEKLY

May 12, 2025

A Point from pastor

Let me be the last to say, "thank you moms!"   We said it yesterday and I say it again... "thank you!"   My mom is Gayna.  You probably have never heard that exact name before as her mom made that name up (her brothers are Don and Barry and sister is Cindy... so, mom is unique).  She was born on a farm in north central Kansas.  She speaks of the cold nights when you questioned whether you really needed to run out to the outhouse to use the restroom... or if you could just hold it?   She remembers when they got running water in the house - in the form of a pump on the back porch.  She remember when they got electricity.  She tells the story of eating arsenic as a young girl and nearly dying.  I tell my kids that I remember getting on the internet for the first time in 1991. . .   and it doesn't quite compare to those.  

Life has sure changed since July 10, 1941 for my mom.   If your mom is around, ask her for her stories.  What her life was like.  Changes she's seen.  People she knew.   Best friends.  
A great gift that actually goes both ways is to ask questions and listen to her stories. . . she gets the gift of an eager ear.  You get the gift of a life's experiences.   Thank your mom and listen to her. Some among us still wish they could.  Thanks mom!  

----------
As we shared yesterday, although the choosing of the new pope does not directly effect us, it has tremendous worldview implications.  It is estimated that there are over 1.4 billion Catholics in the world.  .   .  how can that not impact us?   We should be concerned for truth and doctrine and their spiritual lives.   Additionally, so often the pope can be a force for western civilization . . . either good or bad.  If the pope is liberal in his views, that will push progressive ideology along faster.  Consider this:  he is that rare individual who can request and get an audience with nearly any world leader.  What he says will carry great weight.   As we should always be, be in prayer his leadership - that his would be a conservative one.  Be in prayer that those billion-plus people will find the true Good Shepherd in Jesus Christ the only Lord!   

THIS WEEK

Here are the highlights of classes and events THIS week

Joyous Hearts - Wednesday morning is the monthly gathering for those age 55 and older.   Join in for this time of food and fellowship beginning at 10am.  

LIGHThouse Cookout   -  Wednesday night at 6:30 is a cookout for those going into 6th grade in the fall through our high school seniors that just graduated.   This cookout will kick off the summer ministry.  

No OA:sis Meal - The Wednesday night programs are on "pause" through summer.  LIGHThouse and Prayer Force will continue to meet.   Prayer Force is at 7pm.

Men's Breakfast -  Men!  Our monthly breakfast is this Saturday at 7:30.  Join in. . . if you have not been for awhile... COME!   If interested, there is also a men's Bible study that precedes this at 6:30am.  

upcoming events

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

TLT, Teen Life Truths - This is a 10-week study of basic life principles for those entering 6th grade.  This will begin on May 21 from 6:30 to 8:00pm.  Older grades may also join in.  

CCS, Colossae Collaborative School - This homeschool help offered by SSB is preparing for the upcoming school year beginning in the fall.  If you are interested, please ask for information.

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.

- Proverbs 1:7

Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.

- Ephesians 5:15-17

If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.

- James 1:5

the Lord's day

We thanked our moms.  We shared about the choice of the new pope of the Roman Catholic Church.  We honored our high school graduates - be in prayer for these four men:  Aaron, Timmy, Isaiah, and Elijah.   They each received a basin and towel signifying their call to serve in the world... especially serve the church body.  They also received a yoke signifying the call to submit to Christ and remain yoked to Him.   We also worshipped God in song including a trio of singers, accompanied by Debbie - thank you Shawna, Jettie, and Miriam.   It is interesting to me that the trio's last names all begin with the letter "B"... perhaps we call them the Hallelu-B’s?  B-Harmony?  The B3s (a bit of history here as Hammond made a B3 organ that was very popular as it was an inexpensive alternative to the pipe organ).  I await your votes!

The message was from one of the most well-known parables, the "Good Samaritan."  We learned, hopefully, that it is not primarily about being a good neighbor as much Jesus told it to teach that none of us obeys the law that instructs us to "love your neighbor as yourself."   Yes, we should all CARE for our neighbors (as the Samaritan did, let's have Compassion, take Action, use our Resources, and even give Extra time and money.  

The expert in the law rightly said that to gain eternal life we should “love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.” (Luke 10:27).  But, he missed the point.  He should have been humble and convicted to know that we don't do this... we can't do this.  We need God's grace, forgiveness and mercy.  We need a Savior who gives us eternal life and then empowers us to live more and more in a way that loves God and helps us love our neighbors.   We need Jesus!  

Did You Know?

The Youth will move to their summer hours beginning in June.   LIGHThouse (Wednesday nights) currently meet from 7 to 8:30pm.  In June, they will meet from 7 to 9.  Sunday evening's LG-t (teen) will also extend so they meet from 6 to 9pm.  The extended summer-hours begin in June!  

Be the Church

The Second Step

Last month, we looked at the first step of discipleship - we study who Jesus was and commit our life to Him.  Second... 

Young men would spend time, during Jesus’s day, investigating a rabbi to determine their credibility.  As disciples, we did this as well.  We investigated His identity to see if He was the Messiah.  After committing our life to Christ, our discipleship has only begun.  For those following a rabbi, this meant total commitment.  They would memorize what he said.  They would mimic his lifestyle.  They would choose to be with him.   They would learn from him.  They would become like him.   This is our call as a disciple.   We do not just believe in Jesus.  We also follow Him!   Disciples go deeper into relationship with Jesus; we abide in Him.  “Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:5).  Disciples of Christ, in obedience, will immerse themselves into a deep relationship with Him.  This is ongoing discipleship.  We must live this out… and help others do this as well.  Be the church! 

“When we rise and live we shall be changed into a far more glorious state than when we were sown in the grave.  It will indeed be the same body though raised in great splendor.  Our earthly bodies... will be raised with no weakness or sickness, but in glory.  Glory is the sweetness, comeliness, purity, and perfection of a thing.  Light is the glory of the sun, strength is the glory of youth, and grey hair the glory of old age.  To rise in glory is to rise in all the beauty and utmost completeness that is possible to possess as a human creature.”


- John Bunyan

Prayer Prods

  1. Marsh B and family as they mourn.  Others with recent losses.  Others with losses many years ago (Mel and Monica reminded of Matthew / Troy and Shawna reminded of Johnathan)  
  2. Several with cancer including Kathie P and Tami N
  3. Heather F & Elijah B - after baptism
  4. Recovery:  Sue P -  tibia fracture, Marco - ankle surgery.  

General Calendar