Christ in the Park: November 2018

Monday, November 26, 2018

We are blessed

CitP blog, 11-26-18

This is the handout from Christ In The Park yesterday. It was a day of celebration, giving thanks, and enjoying fellowship around Christ. And…Barbara cooked a turkey, dressing, gravy, and added some cranberry sauce to the table. And a friend, David Hansen (proprietor of Nine Flags Wood-Fired Coffee Roasters on Main Street in Nac) supplied the grounds to make coffee for all to enjoy.

God supplied His Word, His Spirit, and His Mind to grasp His work in the lives of Believers everywhere…especially at Festival Park this Sunday.

How Blessed Are We?

Matthew 5:8-9, “Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.

Blessed are the peacemakers: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

One of the greatest mistakes that many Christians make is this: they try to GET what they already HAVE. Many long for a pure heart, wanting to see God. Yet, God has already said that His kids have been given His heart, which is pure. The “real” person of Christians ARE pure in heart. And Christians are the only persons who SEE God.

Ezekiel 36:26, “A new heart also will I give you,

and a new spirit will I put within you…”

One of the greatest promises God ever made for His kids was the “new creation,” the “new you” He said He would make of those who trust Christ as Savior. God has GIVEN a “pure heart” within every Believer.

Likewise, the Christ IN EVERY Christian IS a peacemaker. That is the nature of every Christian. Those who do not have Christ are the ones who know nothing of peace, and don’t “want” peace. The kingdom of heaven ALREADY BELONGS to Christians. God says so.

John 14:2, “In My Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so,

I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.”

Philippians 3:20-21, “For our citizenship is in heaven; from whence also we look

for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ. Who shall change our vile body,

that it may be fashioned like unto His glorious body…”

We Christians are just abiding time here on earth, waiting to go to our real home, to live forever in peace.

How blessed are we? Beyond measure. Enjoy His peace this Thanksgiving, enjoy what is already ours…instead of trying to get it.

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Christ in the Park ministry

a ministry of

Lee McDowell Christian Ministries

(email) leemccm@gmail.com

(blog) christinthepark.blogspot.com

(Facebook) Christ In The Park

P.O. Box 633244 Nacogdoches, TX 75963 936-559-5696

Sunday, November 4, 2018

If There Be Any Virtue

This was a somber day at CitP…Big Bill (Freddie Gibson), one of our regulars, passed away this past week. He loved being with everyone at the park on Sunday mornings, and made the effort to make his way (in his motorized chair) from his place about 2 blocks away. Bill loved the Lord, loved the fellowship of the Saints. He will be missed.

One great praise…Bill had asked Bobby to come stay with him and help him, only 2 days before he passed. God gave Bobby an opportunity to be with Bill, even to have helped him dress and get ready to go the park last Sunday, just before God took Bill home. We thank the Lord that He gave Bobby this ministry in Bill’s last hours, that Bobby experienced knowing God used him to be a friend and comfort in that time.

Our discussion this week focused on one more thought the Apostle Paul penned in Philippians chapter 4. Even though there wasn’t much said, just being together and thinking about the things of God was a comfort to those in attendance. See what you think about the handout.

If There Be Any Virtue

Philippians 4:8, “Finally, brethren…if there be any virtue…

think on these things.”

The Greek word for “virtue” means “excellency, being pleasing to God, in a moral sense what gives a person their worth.”

In the New Testament, virtue speaks of the force of energy of the Holy Spirit accompanying the preaching of the glorious Gospel of Christ, or in a person it is the courage or resolution the Holy Spirit brings to the life of that person.

All along we keep speaking of Christ IN a Believer, and His Spirit (Holy Spirit) energizing “our life.” It is really HIM living through us. We are to keep our minds focused on this Truth…think on this Truth!

Anytime we let our mind slip back to us having to “do,” we negate the energy of the Holy Spirit.

Bobby experienced this virtue, this Holy Spirit energy, ministering to Bill. Bobby will always have the memories of Holy Spirit energizing his life when a friend he had known for many, many years was drawing near to stepping out into eternity and God was ministering through Bobby to that friend. Thank You, Lord.