STANDING STONE BIBLE

WEEKLY

Monday, November 24 2025
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A Point from pastor

Pray for the peace of Jerusalem!
- Psalm 122:6a

In this Psalm, David purposely asks the people to pray for the peace and security of the city of Jerusalem.  Prior to this, he spoke of Jerusalem as beautiful and important - the spiritual center of the nation.  

This prayer was temporarily answered during Solomon's reign (For he had dominion over all the region west of the Euphrates from Tiphsah to Gaza, over all the kings west of the Euphrates. And he had peace on all sides around him. And Judah and Israel lived in safety, from Dan even to Beersheba, every man under his vine and under his fig tree, all the days of Solomon. - 1 Kings 4:24-25).  Jerusalem literally means "foundation of peace" or "city of peace."  It has, though, been fought over throughout history probably more than any other city in the world.  

We should be praying for the peace of Jerusalem.  The ceasefire is still holding, yet still fragile.  It has always been fragile as that area has been contested for millennia.  We understand, from prophecy, that there will be future turmoil and war there.  But, yet, we must pray for peace.  The peace of Jerusalem.  

Ukraine and Russia are potentially going to enter a peace agreement in the coming days.   We ought to pray for this as well; may they find shalom.  Ukraine has been ravaged by war and, likely, will not survive another harsh winter.   The price of this war has been extreme.   Pray for their peace.  

Yet, we also realize that there will not be a fullness of peace until the Prince of Peace returns to rule.   In the meantime, we pray for the peace of Jerusalem - externally and internally.   Internally?

In Psalm 122, praying for the "peace of Jerusalem" is more than just a prayer for peace with external enemies.  Three times in verses 7-8, David writes of there being peace "within" the walls.  The Psalm ends with these words:  For my brothers and companions’ sake I will say, “Peace be within you!” For the sake of the house of the Lord our God, I will seek your good.

What Jerusalem was to the ancient Jews, so should the church of Christ be to believers.  As believers in Christ, we are citizens of a heavenly realm and, thus, a heavenly Jerusalem (Hebr 12:22-24).

The church is flawed but Christ is making her a beautiful bride.   Let us also continue to pray for  and pursue peace in church.  Let's actively seek the good of one another, pray for one another, and be glad to come into the house of the Lord (I was glad when they said to me, “Let us go to the house of the Lord!” - v. 1).   Shalom!

Church Notes...

As shared at the annual meeting, we now have a couple of postcards available that you can hand out - one is an invitation to our Wednesday night "OAsis" times (front of postcard shown).  The other is a general church invite detailing Sunday mornings.  Take a few and give them out.  

Troy gave us a challenge to hand out some of the Thanksgiving tracts and these postcards.   Give out two tracts... and one of each postcard.  
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THIS WEEK

Here are the highlights of classes and events THIS week

Thanksgiving Service - No OA:sis Activities  Wednesday, 7pm, is our Thanksgiving Service.  Join in a time of gratitude for our many blessings.  Perhaps we will make an attempt to count them all.    Note: There are no other Wednesday night activities.

Church Offices Closed:   There are no regular office hours on Thursday and Friday of this week.  

No OA:sis Meal:  Join us instead at 7pm for our Thanksgiving Service.

Cantata Rehearsal - The Christmas cantata rehearsals continue on Sundays from 11:20-12:30pm.  

upcoming events

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

Ladies' Christmas Party -  The annual Christmas party for the gals is Tuesday, December 9th at 6:30pm.  Bring a "white elephant" gift (something you really don't want ; no need to purchase anything)... if you want to participate in the gift exchange.  Also, the gals will be collecting diapers of all sizes to donate to Assure.  

Christmas Program - The Christmas program titled "No Kings! – The Protest Where Everything Changed" will be Sunday night, December 14th at 6pm.  This is brought to you by our Sunday school children.   Parents... There will be a practice on 12/13 @ 10am.  Please drop your kids off.

Cantata - The annual Christmas Cantata will be on Sunday morning, December 21st, during the worship service.  

And to him was given dominion
and glory and a kingdom,
that all peoples, nations, and languages
should serve him;
his dominion is an everlasting dominion,
which shall not pass away,
and his kingdom one
that shall not be destroyed.

-  Daniel 7:14

He disarmed the rulers and authoritiesand put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.

-  Colossians 2:15

And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.”

-  Matthew 28:18

the Lord's day

Kids are practicing their program parts during SS.  Help them at home, parents, please... there are a few original songs that might be trickier to learn.  

We had a rich time celebrating God's rich mercy!  We sang thanksgiving to God.  Several of you shared a testimony of gratitude.  God is gracious and kind and good. . .   may the week and days ahead be full of thanksgiving to God!  

In the message, we built on Jude’s call to “keep yourselves in the love of God” by showing that thanksgiving not only guards us but is a pathway to worship. When we understand the immeasurable mercy given to us—like the servant forgiven an impossible debt—we become grateful people who naturally show mercy to others. Jude seems to move from guarding gratitude to giving it: thanking God in our hearts, extending compassion to the doubting, and rescuing the wandering. Our thanksgiving becomes anchored in God’s character as the One who keeps us, both now and forever, like a climber whose security depends on a strong anchor. Jude 24–25 reminds us that confidence in God’s ability to keep us from stumbling leads to praise—glory, majesty, dominion, and authority are His eternally. True gratitude becomes worship when we reflect on the God who has kept us, is keeping us, and will keep us until the end.
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Did You Know?

The SSB Prayer Prod page is updated weekly - usually a few times each week.  Bookmark it or reference the SSB Weekly for the link - you can find the button for "Weekly Prayer Prods" in each Weekly's prayer section.  Here it is for your convenience as well: 

Weekly Prayer prods

BIG Words

Exegesis

 See Neh. 8:8; 2 Tim. 2:15; Luke 24:27; Acts 17:11; 2 Pet. 1:20-21. Exegesis is the careful, systematic study and interpretation of a biblical text in order to understand its original meaning within its historical, literary, and theological context.   The Greek word is derived from a compound of two Greek words:  ek meaning out of, and hēgeomai meaning to lead or to guide.  It literally means to lead or draw out.   The goal of exegesis is to uncover what the original author intended to communicate to the original audience, using tools such as word studies, grammar, historical background, and literary structure. Unlike eisegesis—reading one’s own ideas into the text—exegesis seeks to draw meaning out of the text itself. It is foundational for sound preaching, teaching, and theology, aiming to let Scripture speak for itself rather than imposing external interpretations.

“Worship is the submission of all of our nature to God. It is the quickening of conscience by His holiness; the nourishment of mind with His truth; the purification of the imagination by His beauty; the opening of the heart to His love; the surrender of will to His purpose.”


- William Temple

Prayer Prods

  1. Kathy A / Betty W - infection treatments
  2. Joanie B going into hospice
  3. Tami N -great PET results (remission still) but concerns about heart function
  4. Linda W's estate is being closed!
  5. Beggs acclimating to new baby Maisel
  6. Dads:  Holly S's dad (cancer concern) and Debbie S's dad (ICU after surgery)
  7. Terri G (Doug & Terri)  has an appt tomorrow (1/25) at Ne Spine+Pain - still in severe back pain
Weekly Prayer Prods

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