Faith Devotional - Wednesday, September 30

The Heroes of Faith   "Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. For by it the men of old gained approval" (Hebrews 11:1-2).   Christian faith produces righteous deeds.   Hebrews 11 has been called "The Heroes of Faith," "The Faith Chapter," "The Saints Hall of Fame," "The Honor Roll of the Old Testament Saints," and "The Westminster Abbey of Scripture." Those are appropriate titles because this chapter highlights the virtues of faith as demonstrated in the lives of great Old Testament saints. It also reminds us that without faith, it is impossible to please God.   Such a reminder was necessary for the first-century Hebrew people because Judaism had abandoned true faith in God for a legalistic system of works-righteousness. Its message is also valid today because our devotion to Christ can easily degenerate into a religion of rules and regulations.   While affirming the primacy of faith, the writer of Hebrews doesn't undermine the importance of righteous works. Quite the contrary. He exhorts us "to stimulate one another to love and good deeds" (10:24) and to pursue holiness so others will see Christ in us and be drawn to Him (12:14).   Yet, righteous works are the by-product of true salvation, not its means. As the Apostle Paul wrote, "We are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them" (Ephesians 2:10). Apart from faith, all attempts to please God through good works alone are as useless and offensive to Him as filthy rags (Isaiah 64:6). That's why Paul gladly set all his Jewish legalistic practices aside, counting them as "rubbish." He wanted only "the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith" (Philippians 3:8-9).   As you read through the heroes of faith listed in Hebrews 11, remember that they weren't perfect people. But their faith was exemplary, and by it they gained God's approval.   – John MacArthur   Copyright © 2015 Immanuel Church, All rights reserved. . Our mailing address is: Immanuel Church 325 104th Avenue Holland, MI 49423 Add us to your address book unsubscribe from this list    update subscription preferences

ADOPTION/FOSTER SEMINAR TONIGHT!

ADOPTION FOSTER SEMINAR

Don't miss it. Starts in 30 minutes (6:00-7:30). Bethany Christian Services is coming to Immanuel to help us learn the unique situations of adopted and fostered children and how we can better understand their needs.

Learn and be a blessing. See you soon

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David Faris
Children's Pastor
Immanuel Church
dave@immnauel.cc - 616.392.1814
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Faith Devotional - Tuesday, September 29

Relying on God Requires Faith "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight." – Proverbs 3:5-6 (NIV) When you lean on something, you trust that it will hold you up. When you lean on the Lord, you are saying, "I have faith that God is strong enough to hold me up." God told Joshua, "No one will be able to defeat you all your life. Just as I was with Moses so I will be with you. I will not leave you or forget you" (Joshua 1:5 NCV). And God says that to you too. As long as Joshua leaned on God, he was undefeatable. Joshua accomplished the impossible because he was depending on the Lord. Who or what are you leaning on for strength? Are you leaning on the approval of other people? That is a very shaky foundation. People are going to let you down. Nobody can hold you up all the time. Eventually, they're going to get tired and you're going to get dropped. You can't even trust in yourself. Have you noticed how often you let yourself down? You make promises to yourself all the time that you don't keep. So what can you do? "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight." (Proverbs 3:5-6 NIV). Leaning on the Lord can be scary. Sometimes it's uncomfortable. It can make you worry, "Is God going to come through? Is he going to hold me up?" That's why it requires faith to lean on the Lord. You have to believe he has your best interest at heart. You have to trust him even when you don't understand, and you have to move forward convinced that he will make your paths straight. When you do this, you will discover that "no eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him" (1 Corinthians 2:9 NLT).   – Rick Warren Copyright © 2015 Immanuel Church, All rights reserved. . Our mailing address is: Immanuel Church 325 104th Avenue Holland, MI 49423 Add us to your address book unsubscribe from this list    update subscription preferences

Arlene Pittman

View this email in your browser Arlene Pittman, 85, of Royal Park, formerly of Holland, was called home to be with her Lord and Savior Thursday, September 24, 2015. Arlene was born April 4, 1930, on the Oetman family farm in Graafschap, to George and Anna (De Pree) Oetman. She married Alvin Jay Pittman in 1950. Arlene and Al raised their family in Holland and were members of Immanuel Church for over 60 years. Arlene was very active in several Immanuel Church ministries. Arlene was one of the first employees of Gentex. She was preceded in death by her son, Jack Allen Pittman January 21, 1969; and her husband of 63 years, Alvin J. Pittman April 6, 2013. She is survived by her children, Randall and Mary Pittman of Ann Arbor, Lori and Dennis Koster of Holland; her grandchildren and great grandchildren, Stephanie and Theodore Saypannha (Addi and Emmi) of Holland, Kyle and Jessica Lorenz of Holland, Cole Jack Pittman of Ann Arbor; siblings: Mary Oetman of Zeeland, Helen (Art) Feenstra of Jenison, Edna Vander Sluis of Holland, Eleanor (Ron) Koetsier of West Olive, Joe (Kay) Ver Meulen of Holland, Don (Corlyn) Oetman of Holland; in-laws: Ruth (Jim) Rabbers of Holland, Shirley Pittman of Grand Rapids; many nieces and nephews. Services are 1 p.m. Tuesday, September 29, Langeland-Sterenberg Funeral Home, 315 E. 16th St., Holland. Private interment in Graafschap Cemetery. Visitation 6-8 p.m. Monday, at the funeral home. Memorial contributions to Immanuel Church or Hospice of Holland. - See more at: http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/hollandsentinel/obituary.aspx?n=arlene-pittman&pid=175929405&fhid=25615#sthash.cL82SNtA.dpuf Pastor, David Faris Children's Ministry  |  dave@immanuel.cc  |  Immanuel Church     cell:  616-335-1296  |  office:  616-392-1814 unsubscribe from this list    update subscription preferences

This email was sent to media403.3921814@blogger.com why did I get this?    unsubscribe from this list    update subscription preferences Immanuel Church · 325 104th Ave · Holland, MI 49423 · USA

Faith Devotional - Monday, September 28

Walking Our Faith "Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect?" -- James 2:22 Often we Christians are urged not just to "talk the talk" but to "walk the talk." The same advice may be expressed in these words: Don't let your behavior contradict your professed belief. At other times we are admonished to be sure that life and lip agree. If our conduct doesn't harmonize with our confession of faith, however, that discrepancy nullifies the testimony of the gospel which we proclaim. As far as we can know, Mahatma Gandhi never became a Christian, but he made a statement that we who follow Jesus would do well to ponder. When asked to put his message into one short sentence, he replied, "My life is my message." Certainly we should explain the gospel message as clearly as possible. Yet the clearest explanation isn't going to win hearts for our Lord unless His love is embodied in our lives. To quote the apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 11:1, "Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ." And holding himself up as a pattern, he wrote in Philippians 4:9, "The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you." Pray, then, that like Paul we may live out our saving faith before the watching world. Let the beauty of Jesus be seen in me— All His wonderful passion and purity! O Thou Spirit divine, all my nature refine, Till the beauty of Jesus be seen in me. —Orsborn The world is watching us—do they see Jesus?   -- Our Daily Bread Copyright © 2015 Immanuel Church, All rights reserved. . Our mailing address is: Immanuel Church 325 104th Avenue Holland, MI 49423 Add us to your address book unsubscribe from this list    update subscription preferences

Faith Devotional - Friday, September 25

The Faith to Persevere Perseverance means more than endurance – more than simply holding on until the end. A saint's life is in the hands of God like a bow and arrow in the hands of an archer. God is aiming at something the saint cannot see, but our Lord continues to stretch and strain, and every once in a while the saint says, "I can't take any more." Yet God pays no attention; He goes on stretching until His purpose is in sight, and then He lets the arrow fly. Entrust yourself to God's hands. Is there something in your life for which you need perseverance now? Maintain your intimate relationship with Jesus Christ through the perseverance of faith. Proclaim as Job did, "Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him" (Job 13:15). Faith is not some weak and pitiful emotion, but is strong and vigorous confidence built on the fact that God is holy love. And even though you cannot see Him right now and cannot understand what He is doing, you know Him. Disaster occurs in your life when you lack the mental composure that comes from establishing yourself on the eternal truth that God is holy love. Faith is the supreme effort of your life – throwing yourself with abandon and total confidence upon God. God ventured His all in Jesus Christ to save us, and now He wants us to venture our all with total abandoned confidence in Him. There are areas in our lives where that faith has not worked in us as yet – places still untouched by the life of God. There were none of those places in Jesus Christ's life, and there are to be none in ours. Jesus prayed, "This is eternal life, that they may know You …" (John 17:3). The real meaning of eternal life is a life that can face anything it has to face without wavering. If we will take this view, life will become one great romance – a glorious opportunity of seeing wonderful things all the time. God is disciplining us to get us into this central place of power. "Because you have kept my command to persevere …" (Revelation 3:10) – Oswald Sanders Copyright © 2015 Immanuel Church, All rights reserved. . Our mailing address is: Immanuel Church 325 104th Avenue Holland, MI 49423 Add us to your address book unsubscribe from this list    update subscription preferences

Faith Devotional - Thursday, September 24

Faith and Good Works While fishing earlier this summer, my vintage 3 horse Johnson motor sputtered, quit, and wouldn't restart (it ended up to have the same problem as me – bad gas. . .). As Barb was rowing us home (I was staying alert and pointing out the proper direction), I remembered the illustration someone once shared with me: life is like a rowboat on its way to Heaven working with two oars, faith and good works. This, of course, is misleading. Ephesians 2: 8, 9 tells us, "For by grace are ye saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not of works, lest any man should boast." Isaiah 64: 6 tells us that all of our good works are as "filthy rags" in the sight of the Lord as they would apply to our salvation. I love the quote by John Calvin, "Faith alone saves, but faith that saves is not alone." Paul tells us in Ephesians 2:10, "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them." Many folks want to place little emphasis on good works because it doesn't save us. Only sincere faith can accomplish that through God's grace. However, the Bible is replete with admonitions for doing good works. Galatians 6:10 says, "As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good onto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith." James 4:17 says, "Therefore to him that knoweth to do good and doeth it not, to him it is sin." In James chapter 2 verse 26 we read, "For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without work is dead also." If we have faith, we are all responsible to do good works. But many say, "I'm old and I'm tired. I've done my share. It's someone else's turn." Psalms 92:12-14 says, "The righteous shall flourish like the palm trees, he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon. Those that be planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of our God. They shall still bring forth fruit in old age, they shall be fat and flourishing." Even in old age, they will still produce fruit. The cedar tree is always flourishing. Other trees produce fruit and then whither for a time (we call it "winter"). But, the cedar is always green. ". . . faith that saves is not alone." Be thankful for saving faith, and go about doing good.      – Rich Kornoelje Copyright © 2015 Immanuel Church, All rights reserved. . Our mailing address is: Immanuel Church 325 104th Avenue Holland, MI 49423 Add us to your address book unsubscribe from this list    update subscription preferences

NEW book shelf, App and we know who did it (CLUEless)

View this email in your browser Children had fun solving the mystery of who had stolen Pastor Dean's Bible (Professor Cheezwhiz in the kitchen with a Dodge-ball).  Just as the children were "clueless" without the clues they found, we too are clueless without God's clues.  We find this help in God's Word the Bible.   This year children will learn ten godly characteristics, and how, with God's help, they can live the way He wants them too. Click here for this year's calendar to know what's coming up   "In a technologically advanced world, kids love to learn and explore new things through technology. The Explore the Bible kid's App is a great tool to dig deeper into the Bible at home." Download the Explore the Bible: Kids App today! It's fun, it's interactive, and it's FREE! THIS IS AN APP THAT FOLLOWS ELEMENTARY CLASS LESSONS We want to partner with you in helping your children grow in wisdom.   Here is how we would like to do it. Character Cards and Stickers   Collect all 10 cards (new card given every other week) Memorize all ten verses and definitions Sticker per verse and definition (stick on back of card) Show completed cards each review night, receive additional prize 4th and 5th graders will receive a free trip to summer camp if all completed Cards may be completed at any point during the year GUARD THEM WITH YOUR LIFE, KEEP THEM IN A SAFE PLACE NEW SHELVES IN THE 3-4 year old room. Thank you to Pete Koppenaal for making them, John Lorence for painting them and Tom Goossen for hanging them. Check it out, enjoy and be sure to say thanks!  HERE ARE SOME NOTES FROM THE PARENT MEETING MINISTRY OUTLINE AND UPDATES CALENDAR FORMS Pastor, David Faris Children's Ministry  |  dave@immanuel.cc  |  Immanuel Church     cell:  616-335-1296  |  office:  616-392-1814 unsubscribe from this list    update subscription preferences

This email was sent to media517.3921814@blogger.com why did I get this?    unsubscribe from this list    update subscription preferences Immanuel Church · 325 104th Ave · Holland, MI 49423 · USA