Good afternoon PCF family, tonight is choir rehearsal at the church at 6:30. All are welcome to attend if you would like a midweek boost of great worship music.
I just received news that Mary Knapp, who has been recovering from a broken hip, has fallen and broken her hip again. I know she has had an operation at Barnes but I don’t know more than that at this time. I’ll keep you posted in the meantime please lift Mary and her husband Lee in prayer.
Truth can be very hard and even painful. That is why I believe in truth with love and compassion. Jesus, although sinless himself, came back into the world he created and was immersed in a place of sinful people yet he approached them with love and compassion. I guess there were Pharisees who may have thought differently but the tax collectors, prostitutes, thieves, you name it, were always approached by Jesus with God’s truth and with love and compassion. The Pharisees were given the truth but they hated it. Their reaction was like many of us when we have to face truth about our own lives. Truth can at times seem like punishment, because when you have lost yourself in false beliefs and lies, it’s like having spent days, months or maybe even years in darkness. And when you have adjusted to such darkness and someone comes along and turns on a bright light, it can be painful to our senses at first. It takes awhile to adjust one’s life to seeing the world in the light of truth.
All of us have some darkness in our life which the bible calls sin. Sin is darkness. Sin is living outside the truth of God. Last week I read a scripture: John 8:12. “When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
The light of life is living in God’s truth. Jesus told the Pharisees that they listen but do not hear or understand, look and do not see. But Jesus says: John 1:5. “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” When you are walking with Jesus and have taken Him into your heart and life as your savior, you have His light and truth within you. There will still be darkness around you as there was for Jesus, But Jesus is a light for your path through all darkness. As the scripture above says, The light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not ( and will not) overcome it. Think about it! Sincerely, Kent
- Patti Franklin, Patti will be going in for a right shoulder replacement on Friday, January 24th.
- Alene Schuette, Kent’s aunt has had a stroke and is at Anderson hospital. I don’t have a lot of information at this time but prayers are appreciated.
- Richard Reed that his kidney function will improve.
- Mary Knapp, see above.
- Art Hansen, Please pray for Art who is having pretty serious breathing issues. He wants to be with us but his breathing difficulty is preventing him from making it to the services.
- Tim Curren, Jerry and Sandy’s son has been suffering with a pinched nerve in his neck and is in severe pain.
- Joe Stevens, Joe is in therapy from his fall which caused a brain bleed. He is still in need of care.
- Scott Schuette, Kent’s cousin has been diagnosed with colon cancer
- Linda Daniels at Eden Care due to stroke.
- Tom Gain’s friend Ross Besch needs prayers that he will be able to walk again.
- Brody Sedlacek, 8 year old in cancer treatment
- Dustin Bilderback’s sister who is in treatment for cancer
- Jane Hyten who is in late stage MSA asking for God’s peace
God we lift all these people on our prayer list to you because you are the perfect healer. We ask that you open their hearts to your word, your truth, your love and your ability to change things in their lives, and for this we praise you!
Praise Community Fellowship is a very Joyful, Prayerful church! We meet Sunday mornings at 10:30am at the Esic Worship Center located at 1000 University Drive Edwardsville near the old YMCA . We believe in teaching all of God’s truth with love and compassion. PCF is a 100% volunteer church. Come be part of a Joyful Christian Family. We have a Sunday school program and a nursery for the little ones. If you have questions call Pastor Kent @ 618-334-3575 or our board president Gary Watson @ 409-781-6510.