DOES THE “CLEANING BUG” ever bite you? Well, sometimes for us with our management and caretaker positions at the apartment complexes we work at during the week – it feels like we are always cleaning somewhere … anywhere … everywhere … but at home! Today was my “day off” from my retail job and we didn’t have to be at the apartment complexes until early afternoon, so – o – o my hubby and I decided to treat ourselves to some fall housecleaning at home! What a concept!!! What we do for everyone else – we finally got to do for ourselves! It was actually fun to clean and reorganize and rearrange drawers and cabinets and shelves for part of the forenoon, until it was time to head to the apartments and then after that, an enjoyable chat with one of our church teens at a coffee place! And now, we get to “chat” with you “via our church blog” and share what’s on our hearts today! As we were cleaning, I couldn’t help but wonder if God gets as much enjoyment at “doing some fall housecleaning” in our lives as we did just cleaning in our home! I’m glad He doesn’t let the dust get too thick on our conscience … or the attitudes of our hearts too skewed and off-track … or our vision too clouded … before He gets out His dust-cloth – His de-greaser – and His glass-cleaner! I love it when things in our home are neat and in place, when things are sparkly clean and fresh, and when long lists of things awaiting our attention get shortened up a bit! And I’m sure God loves it when we respond to His cleaning methods. His purging – throwing things out that are not pleasing to Him. His pruning – carving away all the useless, fruitless parts of our lives. His refining – polishing us up so we’ll be better able to reflect His likeness in our world. I wonder if He stands back and gazes at His cleaning work, knowing that what He has accomplished has been a good thing. As He looks, He sees us through His view of eternal perspective. He sees us from before birth – to this moment in our life’s journey on earth. He sees into our future when someday when we will breathe our last breath – and He sees us in eternity where those who know Him personally will be sharing our “forever lives” with Him! That’s why He keeps those cleaning supplies handy; wanting to prepare us for what’s to come, so that we will be ready for His appearing. In Ephesians chapter 5, the apostle Paul writes about wives and husbands and likens the marriage relationship to Christ and the church. In the last verses of the chapter, he instructs the wives and husbands to love each other … “just as Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the Word, and to present her to Himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.” So you see, there is good reason for the housecleaning in our lives. Just as we prepare our homes for guests, so Christ instructs us to prepare ourselves as His church, His bride – for that long-awaited moment when He, our Bridegroom, comes for us! There is only one way that we can ever be as radiant and as holy as He desires us to be. And that is because He gave Himself for us, gave His very life – His life’s blood for us, so that we will be able to present ourselves washed and cleansed when He appears! Not always do we jump at the necessity of cleaning house, but hopefully we will welcome the times when God comes with His cloths and cleansers. Think about how awesome your home looks right after you’ve finished cleaning it. Then think of how you look to the world around you after God has finished His cleaning process in you! It will always be worth any “scrubbing” that has to take place! So let’s run TO the cleansing and purifying ~ and not away from it!
IN A NUTSHELL . . .
- WE WANT TO WELCOME Lyndel and Mo, along with Natalie and Brandon, who worshipped with us this past Sunday at Elevation North! What a joy it was to have all of you, and we look forward to having you join us in God’s House again soon!
- HOW EXCITING it was to see our Sunday School classes filled to overflowing … and we thank God for added resources – including a wonderful supply of nursery and toddler toys for our little ones donated to us by Laura!
God bless you, Laura, for meeting a very specific need!
- BELATED HAPPY BIRTHDAY WISHES to James who celebrated his special day on Tuesday, the 22nd! AND SPECIAL BIRTHDAY WISHES to our son, Dana, (in Michigan) on September 25th! We love you, son!
- LOOKING AHEAD . . .
- THIS SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 27TH:
- 10:00 a.m. – WORSHIP & PRAISE – come with an expectancy of God’s presence and power!
- 11:15 a.m. – SUNDAY SCHOOL CLASSES – learning experiences for all ages!
- You will discover a blend of preaching and teaching as this week Pastor Doug begins a series of messages on “The Day of the Lord” from the book of Haggai. Don’t miss what he has to share from God’s Word! Be an active participant in the worship and singing and prayer-time … as well as opening your arms and hearts to each other, and especially our first-time visitors and newcomers! Plan to stay after worship and take part in a class – just for you!
- TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 29TH - JR/SR HI YOUTH: RE: FUEL … need some extra spiritual energy? Ready for some awesome fun and hanging out with other Christian teens along with Pastor D and Debbie? Weather permitting, we will head to the park for a hike, and then return to Pastor’s back-yard for some s’mores around the fire-pit! Invite several friends!
- NEXT SUNDAY, OCTOBER 4TH: WORSHIP & COMMUNION, SUNDAY SCHOOL, and an after-church “kidz event” with lunch at McDonald’s, a trip to the Serengetti Water Park, and treats back at Pastor’s and Debbie’s home after – for 4 year olds through 5th graders. We will have plenty of chaperones to help out!
- COMING SOON: WOMEN OF FAITH CONFERENCE is just around the corner on Friday/Saturday, October 16-17th at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul. You’ll love the awesome ministry centered around the theme “A GRAND NEW DAY” – for two energy packed days of incredible speakers and music and drama and more! We’ve obtained a special price of $79 without the minimum number for a full group, so please call Debbie or Tina right away with your reservation and payment, so that we can all sit together in a group! Go to the Women of Faith link on our church blog for full details and schedules. Pray about joining us; it will be a life-changing experience you will never forget!
- PRAYER OPPORTUNITIES . . .
- How we love being in the middle of what God is doing! His faithfulness and His miracles are to be praised! This week we ask you to continue to pray for Jim and his upcoming liver transplant in Denver; for the perfect buyer for the Bucholz home; for God to open doors for added ministries; for answers to several unspoken requests; for pastors around the world, for our nation’s leaders and military personnel; and for God to do His cleaning in each of our hearts and lives – that we might be more effective than ever before!
- THIS WEEK – Remember, “The light of God surrounds you; The love of God enfolds you; The presence of God protects you; and God is always with you!” (Quote – unknown)
Serving Christ Joyfully . . .
Pastor Doug and Debbie
