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Support a Nigerian Missionary (Al's info below)
18-26... Young Adutl updates.

NIGERIAN MISSIONARY:
Some of you may recall that when Al was here, he spoke of his return to Nigeria. He grew up there when his dad was a missionary. One interesting comment on Nigeria: 90% of all Christians killed in the world are in Nigeria. Al shared with us the great news that they have 1,000 men and women trained and ready to be sent as missionaries. They just lack funds. What is amazing is the price tag to send just one is $600... ANNUALLY! I suggested we might have a few folks interested in sending a missionary outright. He has given me the following information:

To support one of these Nigerian missionaries, send your $600.00 check to: Mr. Tony Rondinella, Box 5310, Glendale, CA 91201. Make your check out to Global Teaching Network and ear mark your check EMS Missionary support. They will choose your missionary and send you a tax receipt, bio of the missionary, tribe where he or she is from, and where they will be sent. You will not be able to be in contact the missionary at any time for security reasons. They do ask that you pray for your missionary every day.

STANDING STONE BIBLE

WEEKLY

Tuesday, August 11, 2025

A Point from pastor

Thank you to our Creation Days Conference Team! Pastor Tim, Abby, Hugh, Rebekah, and Grace. There were a lot of little parts to the project . . . and some big tasks too (including set up and tear down...Whew!). Ryan Cox was great. The event was great. Those that took in the day and sessions were blessed. Thank you to all who helped in some way to pull this off!

May God continue to be glorified from that event!

We are moving towards fall programming. If you've been around SSB, then you know that our Wednesday nights operate different during the summer. During the school year, we have a full Wednesday night schedule with activities for all ages. OA:sis (One Another: sharing, inspiring, serving) begins again on Wednesday, September 3rd. There are activities for all ages. At 6pm, we begin with a meal (for a donation . . . even a couple of dollars is just fine). Around 6:45, our elementary-age kids head to Kidz Clubs. This is followed by the youth at 7pm (LIGHThouse) and adults (in either Prayer Force or a Life Group lesson).

Plan on joining us this season. This is an important part of connecting to your SSB church family in the middle of the week so that you can actively serve, pray, and love one another.
Ask how you might be able to serve this year. Send one of the pastors a note. We may need help with:
- Security
- Meals
- Club workers (working with grades K-5th)
- LIGHThouse workers (working with 6th - 12th grade)
- Nursery help (wrangling and teaching the little ones)
- Check in table help

Friday is Assumption on some calendars. A hanging calendar has it listed. Every August 15th is "Assumption Day." In the Roman Catholic tradition, it is the celebration of Mary's body and soul being taken into heaven (assumed) at the end of her life. The "assumption of Mary" is a doctrine with zero basis from Scripture. It was in the second through fourth century that certain teachers praised Mary's obedience and virginity, which began to venerate her to others. The idea began to be discussed about her being a perpetual virgin. At the council of Ephesus (431), she was titled "Mother of God." That she was preserved from original sin began appearing in the 8th and 9th centuries. This would also be the time when some reasoned that she was assumed into heaven (no body remained to be buried). It was reasoned in 1854 that she was also immaculately conceived (much like Christ). Pope Pius XII formally defined the Assumption as a dogma of faith in 1950.

Scripture calls Mary blessed but never gives her divine honors. She is shown, as the mother of Jesus, to be a humble, faithful servant of God. There is no explicit teaching of Mary being sinless, having perpetual virginity, or of interceding for believers. Scripture is also clear that she had other children - James and Jude are both written by her sons (perpetual virginity?). Mariology, the study of the doctrine of Mary, would only begin to be an idea late in the second century.

Most Roman Catholics would argue that the "venerate" Mary but do not "worship" her. Veneration meaning that she is honored as the greatest of saints. Honoring her is right - she was the mother of our Lord Jesus Christ, she was blessed by God, and she was a faithful servant. There is much to honor in remembering her. The trouble begins as we blur the lines. . . and this often happens. When we begin to sing songs to Mary, pray to her, trust her as a source of grace, or suggest that she participates in our redemption in any way - we have crossed the line. Worship alone belongs to God! Too often Catholicism, including a feast like Assumption, sets Mary too high up. . . at best she quickly becomes an idol... at worst, she becomes the Catholic God. And, either way, we have broken God's law. Be careful with Mary.

Church Notes...

The funeral for Peggy Olson will be Thursday morning at SSB, 10:30am. The visitation is the evening before (Wedn) from 5 to 7pm. There will be a private burial Friday at 12:30 at the Omaha National Cemetery.

After the funeral on Thursday, we will be serving lunch. We are looking for help with sides/salads and desserts. The church will provide fried chicken.
If you are able to provide a side/salad or dessert, please let us know (church office or Whitney).

LIGHThouse News

LIGHThouse Calendar

THIS WEEK

Here are the highlights of classes and events THIS week

Young Adults - SSB's young adult and college age group meets on the 2nd and 4th Monday evenings (TONIGHT) for a study and fellowship. They now also meet on the 1st and 3rd Saturdays at 1pm, currently studying "The Pursuit of Holiness" by Jerry Bridges.

Joyous Hearts - Meets Wednesday at 10am for food and fellowship. This ministry is for those age 55 and older.

TLT, Teen Life Truths - TLT is playing catch-up to finish the final lessons...The final lesson should wrap up this week.

Fall Helpers - We will need a few more interested in helping us in the fall with children and youth programming. Let one of the pastors know of your interest. Thanks!

Men's Breakfast - Saturday at 7:30am is the monthly men's breakfast. This is an opportunity to share with other men (encouragement!) and to join in some good food... and hear from one of our guys. There is also a men's Bible study proceeding this at 6:30 if you are interested.

Parenting Class - "Shepherding Your Child's Heart," continues this Saturday - 9 to 10:30am. There are three sessions remaining - 8/ 16, 8/23, and 8/30. Childcare is available.

upcoming events

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

Baptism Class - You? We are wanting to offer a baptism class in the near future if there is interest. Let one of the pastors know of your following Christ this way or just learning more.

For the Master - Ministering in Bellevue on Monday, August 18th @ 3:30pm. Heritage Ridge.

And who has also put his seal on us and given us his Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.

- 2 Corinthians 1:22

You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him.

- Romans 8:9

And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.

- Ephesians 4:30

the Lord's day

We finished our Creation Days conference with Ryan Cox sharing about Feather Tales of dinosaurs. So much of the information that is taught about dinosaurs is literal science fiction. It is taught as fact, including in school text-books and on museum signs. But, it just is not true. The final lesson was quite intriguing. Be on guard!

We heard an update on our "A-money" giving . . . the first quarter of each year, we take 10% of our general offerings and give that to some area ministries that do much of the "heavy lifting" that we cannot in the community. They do so with a purpose of sharing the Gospel with others. Chris S. shared about that giving and those ministries.

We worshipped God in song... asking our Good Shepherd to lead on! May we follow our Great Shepherd through the valleys and to the green pastures... Surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.

Our message from Jude was a plea to contend for the faith. Contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints (Jude 3). We must remember that we are fighting for our finished faith! This means we must know our faith. . . know the entire body of belief that goes into the gospel. Know what you believe and why. We also must guard our faith . . . spot distortions and errors and block them. Then, we can speak the faith... proclaim it. Give reasons for it. Call sin for what it is, ungodliness. Through that we then begin to strengthen the church. Pray for others. We become one who helps to build up others in their faith. Finally, as we contend for the faith, we engage others with mercy . . . we become ones who can help to rescue those who are deceived.

View Past Worship Services

Did You Know?

The Youth has returned to their regular hours.
LIGHThouse, on Wednesday nights, runs from 7-8:15 pm.
LGt, on Sunday nights, meets from 6 to 8:15 pm.

Who is Worthy?

Hosea, the son of Beeri, was the first of the minor prophets. He preached probably beginning around the mid 700’s BC and prophesied for over 50 years. At God’s command, he took Gomer, a harlot, as his wife. They had two sons and a daughter. Yet, Gomer was unfaithful. She became an object lesson to Israel illustrating their infidelity to God. Israel’s relationship to God was like a marriage and Israel had been unfaith to Him - an adulteress. Hosea calls Israel to repentance but it is clear he knows there will not be a positive response. Judgement will come! God’s punishment would certainly fit Israel’s crimes but, in God’s mercy, each punishment was disciplinary – God’s desire was to turn Israel back to Him. Just as Hosea could be reconciled to his wife, so can Israel be, ultimately, restored. God is willing to take back even the most wayward one… Yes, this includes you and I. He has loved us with an everlasting love. God is worthy!

This Month in Christian History

August 4, 1821
Reverend William C. Blair was the first Sunday school missionary of the United States. A Sunday school missionary was one responsible for leading and organizing Sunday school programs. He began this work in August of 1821. In his first year, he traveled 2,500 miles, mostly on horseback, visited six states, and founded 61 Sunday schools, four adult schools, and six tract societies. He later apologized as illness kept him from doing more.

The Sunday school movement in the United States was inspired much by Robert Raikes’ work in England during the 1780s to provide poor children with basic education and religious instruction on Sundays (their only day off work). William Blair was a Presbyterian layman who believed “there ought to be eight or ten Sunday-school missionaries in every state.” Through his work, reading and writing (through the Bible) was taught, especially in very rural areas. Children were taught moral instruction (discipline, prayer, and Christian ethics). Sunday schools began to become the first point of contact for families that would later join churches. The American Sunday School Union would be founded in 1824 with the mission of “A Bible for every home, a school for every child, and the gospel for every soul.”

Be the Church

Saying “No” to Self

Jesus said, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me” (Luke 9:23). This is embracing the cross. Those executed on a cross had no “rights.” That criminal had no future or friends. The one on the cross had nothing. Are we willing to have nothing but Jesus? Embracing the cross means that we love Jesus more than anything and everything else. It is a willingness to give up a job, possessions, even relationships to fully embrace Christ. Are you embracing the cross? Say “no” to self. Be the church.

BIG Words

Annihilationism

See Daniel 12:2; Mark 9:47-48; 2 Thessalonians 1:9; Revelation 14:11. Annihilationism is the belief that after the final judgment, those who reject God will not suffer forever in hell but will be completely destroyed, ceasing to exist. According to this view, eternal punishment means eternal consequences — not eternal suffering. Supporters of annihilationism point to Bible verses that describe the fate of the wicked as "destruction" or being "consumed" (like Matthew 10:28 and 2 Thessalonians 1:9). They argue that God's justice and mercy are better reflected in the idea of ending the existence of the wicked rather than keeping them alive to suffer forever. This contrasts with the traditional Christian belief in eternal conscious torment, where unbelievers experience unending suffering in hell.

The Moral of the story

How to catch a monkey?

Some African tribes learned to trap monkeys by using a coconut shell that has been cut in two, hollowed out, and then fastened back together with an orange inside. The coconut then has a hole drilled in large enough for a monkey’s paw to pass through. The hunters then merely have to secure the shell to a tree with a rope and wait. As a monkey smells the treat, he will reach into the shell, grab the fruit, and try to get it out. The orange, being too large for the hole, remains inside of the shell, along with the monkey’s paw. As the monkey struggles to take the fruit, the hunter simply grabs the monkey with a net.

The monkey only needed to let go of the orange to be free. He cannot grasp that he is unable to have both the orange and freedom. Dumb monkey. Dumb humanity?

As human beings, we as well can waste our lives trying to get the orange out of the coconut. Jesus warned us, “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matt. 6:19-21). What the world offers can appear delicious but it often robs us of our freedom and, possibly, even our lives

• Do you not care that we are perishing? Mark 4:35-41

Does God care that we are perishing? First of all, He is in the boat with us!!! Think about that. The disciples cried out to Jesus that they were perishing, implying that He didn’t care. Yet, if they perished, He would too! For fear of the storm, they woke Jesus up. Obviously, we don’t have to wake Jesus up but think how privileged we are to have no fear to approach him with our fears. This is a God who is not afraid of the things we are afraid of. The disciples woke Him up. Jesus then first rebuked the storm, and second, rebuked the disciples. God will address the things we are fearful of. He will calm our storms and restore the peace in our lives.

Why were the disciples rebuked as having no faith? Didn’t it show faith that by waking Jesus He would take care of the storm? They didn’t fully know or trust that He could take care of the storm. This is obvious by their great fear after He calmed the storm. They were afraid of this power He displayed. MacArthur wrote, “The only thing more terrifying than having a storm outside the boat was having God in the boat!” The disciples perhaps had enough trust in Jesus that they did wake Him.

Jesus is the one who not only cares when we feel like we are perishing, He is in the boat with us. We must trust in the One who not only delivers us from storms but delivers us through them.

A Joyful Heart

Wives. Your husbands do sometimes drink directly from the milk jug. Out of either guilt or just to save you the frustration of needing to respond to it, most men only do this late at night when you are fast asleep. You are welcome. My wife can trust that I am an exception to this habit. I’m just not a milk drinker. I don’t like the taste of milk. . . by itself. Oh, I’ll drink it on cereal, of course. I’m not a lunatic.

Hopefully, wives, you are not too terribly offended at your husband right now. If he begins to drink from the milk jug while at other people’s houses, then you should say something. In defense of your husband, the hosts probably did say “make yourself at home.”

Husbands. Your wife does things you are also unaware of. I think. I just haven’t seen my wife do those things yet. So, a bit of guesswork here. She might also be a sleeper CIA agent. In a way, we all are like that, living double lives – without the badge.

Double lives. How many live one way at church or with family and another behind closed doors? How many Christians are given to gossip, profanity, sinful anger, lust, gluttony or a list of other sins ? We too often lead double lives. This always eventually leads to pain. James 1:8 says that a double-minded man is “unstable in all his ways.” James continues by sharing about the sins of partiality, empty faith, poisonous talk, and worldliness. He should know. After all, James drank milk straight from the jug as well. But James also gives us hope. The hope is framed in the grace of God. That same grace that saves us also can draw us away from sinful practices. James says that God “gives more grace. Therefore, it says, ‘God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.’ Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.” (James 4:6-8).

God is willing to cleanse us if we draw near to Him. As we do, the double-mindedness diminishes as our minds become like Christ. So, drink in God’s grace. And, men, next time, grab a glass to drink your milk.

“Prayer is no petty duty, put into a corner; no piecemeal performance made out of the fragments of time which have been snatched from business and other engagements of life; but it means the best of our time, the heart of our time and strength must be given.”

- E.M. Bounds

Prayer Prods

Marcia H has eye surgery this week (13th)
Tami N in hospital for 2 1/2 more weeks for treatment
Mike N recovering from hip replacement. Others recovering from recent surgeries: Isaiah M, Nancy S, Amy M, Jimmy Br, Holly's dad, Mary T, and Laurie H.
Ron M still weak and weary from heart troubles
Barney and family in mourning
Others dealing with cancer - Joanie B, Kathie P, JOyce N, and Ron M.

Weekly Prayer Prods