Are You Ready for an Encounter with God's Kingdom Now?

The Kingdom of God is usually associated with the hereafter, but consider the following and ask yourself if you're ready for an encounter with God's Kingdom now.

“Jesus’ many kingdom parables refer to surprise. When the great pearl is found, everything must be sold to gain it. When the treasure is uncovered in the field, all is sold to gain the one thing of importance (Matt 13:44-45). Thus things must be lost for other things to be gained. Luke’s story of the prodigal [son] (Luke 15) illustrates the principle well. Technically the younger son is alive in the far country living with Gentiles—but in reality he is ‘dead’. He is only ‘alive’ when he recognizes what he has done, repents, and returns to the father he originally offended. [And the son is forgiven by the father, enthusiastically forgiven!] Christians too readily view these parables as metaphors for ‘eternal life’. The found pearl includes this but it is more: It is the discovery of the ‘kingdom’, which Jesus sees as something we may encounter even now.” 

The New Interpreter’s Dictionary of the Bible: I-Ma. Volume 3. Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press, 2008.

ECBC Easter Egg Hunt, 2012 ...

Good Friday 04/06/12: Fill the Easter Eggs with Candies Immediately following the 7:00pm Good Friday Service (in Church Office, upstairs).

Saturday Egg Hunt at ECBC, April 7, 2012

9:00am.....Hide the Eggs (Pastor Joseph and whoever shows up)

10:00-10:30am............Egg Hunt Event with Pastor Joseph & Volunteers

10:30-11:00am............Arts and Crafts with Kathy J.

11:00-11:30am(ish).....Easter Story Time with Sue H.

Easter Egg Hunt Event at ECBC will be held rain or shine! Light Refreshments Provided!

All friends are welcome!!!!!!!!! Children through Grade 5 will enjoy the Egg Hunt and Youth Grade 6 and up will serve as helpers!!!!!

Weekly Bible Verse: Mark 11: 1-11: Hosanna!

Mark 11: When they were approaching Jerusalem, at Bethphage and Bethany, near the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples ²and said to them, “Go into the village ahead of you, and immediately as you enter it, you will find tied there a colt that has never been ridden; untie it and bring it. ³If anyone says to you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ just say this, ‘The Lord needs it and will send it back here immediately.’” ⁴They went away and found a colt tied near a door, outside in the street. As they were untying it, ⁵some of the bystanders said to them, “What are you doing, untying the colt?” ⁶They told them what Jesus had said; and they allowed them to take it. ⁷Then they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks on it; and he sat on it. ⁸Many people spread their cloaks on the road, and others spread leafy branches that they had cut in the fields. ⁹Then those who went ahead and those who followed were shouting,

“Hosanna!
Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!
¹⁰Blessed is the coming kingdom of our ancestor David!
Hosanna in the highest heaven!”

¹¹Then he entered Jerusalem and went into the temple; and when he had looked around at everything, as it was already late, he went out to Bethany with the twelve.

Our Chance

Electronic outreach is within your grasp. You can spread the joyous news of Jesus Christ around the globe from the keyboard of your computer. Will you?

This short film is provided by ABCUSA as part of their effort in evangelism through the social media.

If you wish to try your hand at this, here's a strategy. Simply tell readers a story of what Jesus has done in your life. People love to hear other peoples' stories.

Internet Evangelism Day Coming April 29: ABCUSA Promotes. YOU Are Invited!

 

Internet Evangelism Day resources

The amazing growth of digital media is transforming the world and changing the way we communicate and even think. There are growing opportunities for digital evangelism. Internet Evangelism Day is an annual focus day, scheduled for 29 April 2012. It creates a space for churches, ministries and individual Christians to investigate the many options for sharing the good news online.
The Internet Evangelism Day website is also a year-round online resource guide to help Christians understand these varied opportunities. Topics covered include: how to build a church website that is 'outsider friendly', using Facebook and Twitter in evangelism, and the growing options for using your mobile phone.
For many of these opportunities, you need no technical knowledge at all. And there are many opportunities to volunteer to be an email mentor to inquirers who have visited outreach sites operated by several online ministries.
Internet Evangelism Day is an initiative of the Internet Evangelism Coalition, based at the Billy Graham Center, Wheaton. It is supported by a wide range of Christian leaders and groups. "I am glad to commend Internet Evangelism Day," said the late John Stott.
More information: www.IEDay.net

Weekly Bible Verses: Psalm 51: Have Mercy On Me, O God ...

Psalm 51: ¹Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions.
²Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.
³For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me.
⁴Against you, you alone, have I sinned, and done what is evil in your sight, so that you are justified in your sentence and blameless when you pass judgment.
⁵Indeed, I was born guilty, a sinner when my mother conceived me.
⁶You desire truth in the inward being; therefore teach me wisdom in my secret heart.
⁷Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
⁸Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones that you have crushed rejoice.
⁹Hide your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities.
¹⁰Create in me a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit within me.
¹¹Do not cast me away from your presence, and do not take your holy spirit from me.
¹²Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and sustain in me a willing spirit.
¹³Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will return to you.
¹⁴Deliver me from bloodshed, O God, O God of my salvation, and my tongue will sing aloud of your deliverance.
¹⁵O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise.
¹⁶For you have no delight in sacrifice; if I were to give a burnt offering, you would not be pleased.
¹⁷The sacrifice acceptable to God is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.
¹⁸Do good to Zion in your good pleasure; rebuild the walls of Jerusalem,
¹⁹then you will delight in right sacrifices, in burnt offerings and whole burnt offerings; then bulls will be offered on your altar.

When Anxiety Can Do You Good

Whenever you are struggling with a thing, you are journeying with God, possibly to more maturity. Let yourself stay with your discomfort and trust that something is happening. Anxiety is always the seed for growth. Something is fermenting, God is bringing something new. Don't run away or hide or you will go through this again! 

Wisdom from a Spiritual Formation class.