STANDING STONE BIBLE

WEEKLY

May 19, 2025

A Point from pastor

It was on Saturday, May 10th, in Cozad, Nebraska, that a father brutally murdered his two sons and wife before then killing himself.  It was the older boy's graduation day.   Horrific and sad in so many ways.  The father had struggled with mental health issues since 2009.  The parents of the murdered wife posted on Facebook a frustration with the state of mental health care in the United States.  

It is a sad state we are in as a country.  We so often don't fix the problem.   This was horrific.   A guy mentioned to me the other day that this have been demonic.  Possible.   How many mental health "professionals" could address that?  We will continue to see a mental health "crisis" until we can call sin "sin" and address the great need of salvation in Jesus Christ and the good news of the gospel to address these issues.   We will otherwise continue to medicate and put band-aid psychotherapeutic tools in place that help to mask the pain and struggle, giving us "tools" to deal with it. The gospel can help us with actually solving these issues.

It may be we mistakenly speak of the gospel being about the forgiveness of sins - our salvation.  It certainly is.   But, the gospel is about so much more... and it applies to our life right now.  Just a few more thoughts on what the gospel is about:
  • abundant life
  • being transformed by God and discerning His good, perfect, and pleasing will
  • all these things added unto you
  • being filled with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope
  • God supplying every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus
  • learning in whatever situation be content knowing you can handle it through Jesus who gives you strength

Shame on the prosperity gospel to preach about STUFF - none of this list above is about stuff!  Those false preachers preach prosperity and everyone gets their ears tickled and wants to hear more because, "Hey!  I want stuff!"   And, some even get "saved" (they pray the prayer so they can get stuff).  But when they don't get everything the wealthy pastor and others have, how can that not impact their mental health?  After all, they also harmed their spiritual health.  The shame of those deceivers.

Do we preach of the gospel as an "insurance policy" - fire insurance to save you from the burning of hell?   Don't do that!   I have several insurance policies, sadly.  I never think of them until I pay the bill or until I need them.   The gospel is not an insurance policy sitting there until we collect.  It is an inexhaustible supply of God's riches in Christ Jesus able to meet every need we have!   We can cash the check and use the funds today!  

I am hurting for this family and that community - I'm hopeful that maybe they had heard the good news.  Yet, I am pained that they never did find health.  "Mental health counseling" not based on the Bible will not succeed long-term.    Without addressing our physical, mental, and spiritual health - thus, there are always sin issues and occasionally demonic spirits involved - we will continue to see frustration with the state of mental health.   God, we need your help - help us to be wise disciplers and counselors of those around us!   

Church Notes...

For those bringing children to Sunday school, "Promotion Sunday" is on June 1st.  This means...

•New pre-school children (Age 3 prior to June) will now join with the pre-school to 5th grade.  
•Pre-school through those going into 5th Grade will be in rooms 117-118 downstairs (for the summer).
•Those going into 6th grade will join the middle school class.  Room 121.  
•Those going into 9th grade will now join with the high school class in rooms 115-116.
•Senior Graduates get to choose!   They may remain in the high school class for the summer or join another adult class (the 18–26 year-old class is recommended – meets in room 123).  
•Other Adults – Hopefully, you know where you are.  Adult classes currently meet in rooms 216, 100, and 122 (women).

THIS WEEK

Here are the highlights of classes and events THIS week

LIGHThouse Continues   -   Through the summer months, LIGHThouse (6th to 12th grade will continue to meet on Wednesday nights.   This week begins TLT (for those entering 6th but highly recommended for others that have not taken).  Some youth have gone through it more than once.  

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

Prayer Force  - This prayer meeting continues meeting through the summer months at 7pm.  Join us this summer!  

Memorial Day Celebration - This coming Sunday will be a special remembrance in light of Memorial Day.  We will have a few tables set up of memories from a couple of our families who have lost a son that served.  We will also have a special video presentation during the worship service.   Make time this coming week to honor our fallen that served to keep us free.  

upcoming events

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

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.

VBS - Vacation Bible School will run from July 7-10 in the mornings.   Plan now for  your kiddo to attend.   We will also need a good-sized crew of middle to high school students to help.  Talk to PKW for more info.

Four the Master - Upcoming ministry events:
  • June 3 @ 3:30pm - Maple Ridge
  • June 12 @ 3:30pm - Aksarben Village

Creation Days is Coming!  - Full day event on August 9th

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

- Romans 8:28

The Lord has made everything for its purpose, even the wicked for the day of trouble.

- Proverbs 16:4

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

- Ephesians 2:10

the Lord's day

We opened with a declaration of the Gospel!  Pastor Tim shared the importance of preaching the gospel and we shared a video from the "Pure Gospel" series that was presented over several weeks on Wednesday nights.  

The message from Luke 15 gave us insights into God's feelings toward the lost... and His joy at finding.  How can we know God if we don't know what pains Him or what gives Him joy?  God as a shepherd searches for the one lost.  He seeks us because we are incredibly valuable.   And, when He finds?   There is "more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance" (Luke 15:7).  

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!  

The Moral of the story

Although Baltimore held a 3-0 lead going into the 4th inning, the game against the Texas Rangers on August 22, 2007 drastically changed. The Rangers scored five runs in the fifth inning, followed by another nine in the sixth.  Another ten runs in the 8th inning would take the teams, going into the 9th inning, to a score of 24-3.  

This was a home game for Baltimore.  Any thoughts on the number of fans that were still watching by the ninth inning?   They knew it.  The players knew it.  The game was over.  There was no way the Orioles could come back from 24 to 3.  Disaster!  

What if, though, by some magic or miracle, they could have returned the game to 0-0 going into the ninth inning?  The players would have been hopeful again.   Baltimore, as the home team, might have played with some intensity, cheered on by hopeful fans.  

Resetting the score in a bad game is the way forgiveness with God works.   Forgiveness restores our hope.  Many feel hopelessly defeated because of sin.  But the gospel does an amazing thing.  Even with a hopeless score, Jesus is able to reset the score again.  When our sins are forgiven, we have a clean start, a whole new ball game, with renewed hope.  And, a guaranteed victory!  “From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.”  (2 Cor. 5:16-17).

“What the reader does with the meaning [of a Bible text] is application...  The term application [refers] to the response of the reader to the meaning of the text.  Thus, it would be incorrect for us to ask in a Bible study, "What does this passage mean to you?  The correct question sequence is, "What does this passage mean?  How should you apply this meaning to your life?”


- J. Scott Duvall and J. Daniel Hays

Prayer Prods

  1. Those of us in mourning
  2. Cancer folks...  Tami's PET scan this week.  Kathie beginning new chemo
  3. Recovery:  Sue P -  tibia fracture, Marco - ankle surgery.  Others in a healing mode
  4. Cozad, Nebraska - murder/suicide tragedy
  5. Our grads... as they handle their summer months and make fall plans
  6. Three of our young adults are going to Summit in two weeks:  Aaron H, Elijah W and Isaac W

General Calendar