Join us on Sunday, May 5, 2024 (Cinco de Mayo!), following worship, for a special luncheon in honor of all the volunteers who make and keep LifeBridge awesome and running!
Chicken and Beef Fajitas, Spanish Rice, and Charro Beans, plus all the fixins!
We want to thank and praise God for all the blessings He has bestowed upon LifeBridge through the many and varied volunteers, who faithfully and graciously give of their time, talents, and treasures to keep our church whole.
Join us during this celebration of gratitude and appreciation!
Our new pantry is a significant event, one that would not be possible without God’s provisions and guidance when we first started, while we have been building, and then of course when we become operational and provide help to those in need.
Unless the LORD builds the house, those who build it labor in vain.
Psalm 127:1a (esv)
Blessing this new space with scripture is “inviting” God’s presence into the new pantry. It will represent God being at the center of our new home. His protection, guidance, and peace during construction and beyond!
It is critical for us to lay a foundation of faith within the physical structure (with scriptures within the walls) to help provide love, kindness, and compassion when we move in and do His work in our community.
They say “home” is where the heart is; as Christians, our heart belongs to Jesus. And as we move into a new season and new home — let’s stay grounded in our faith and ALWAYS keep God central in all that we do — HE IS OUR SOLID FOUNDATION.
DATE:
Wednesday, April 24, 2024
TIME:
12:30 – 1:00 PM
LOCATION:
New Pantry on Old San Felipe Road
BRING:
Your favorite bible verses that you want to be “part of the foundation” of the Pantry. Markers/sharpies will be provided (unless you have a favorite you want to bring).
If You Are Unable to Attend
If you are unable to attend — but — want your scripture included, email Sue with your verse or verses and they will be added!
This is quite the milestone and it would be awesome for everyone that is available to come and be part of this. Most of you have probably not been inside and have only seen from the street — but come and see the goodness of the Lord and what He has done thus far!
Faith in Jesus is to show itself through actions. Continually. Jesus’ suffering, death, and resurrection were one-time events, but our response to the salvation won for us through them is to show itself throgh daily living.
This is [God’s] commandment, that we believe in the name of His Son, Jesus Christ and love one another, just as He commanded us.
1 John 3:23
We often don’t live like that. We confess a Faith in the Life, but live in seemingly faithless living. Yes, His commandment is “that we believe in the name of [God’s] son, Jesus Christ and love one another” (1 John 3:23), but that love is to be done “in deed and in truth,” not just “word or talk” (1 John 3:18).
God’s love, forgiveness, and faithfulness are constant. Our response should be the same! Is this true for you? What have you done lately to respond to God?
Do it! Now. Consistently. Lovingly. Responsively. Let all know about your belief in Jesus and your love for others in deeds and truth – today! Every day! In gracious thanksgiving.
Anyone who restores classic cars (or other items, I’m sure) knows that they take extra love and work. You need to take time to nurture them and keep them going. They also have less amenities, they often don’t perform as well as modern vehicles, and they are less safe.
Everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.
1 John 3:3
But classic cars are awesome! They are simpler, bring back memories of forgotten times and, frankly, they look so much better than the vast majority of modern vehicles on the road!
We can be like some of those classic cars. Through our stubbornness and arrogance we take a lot of love, nurture, and work for the Holy Spirit to do in the process of a holy “restoration.” We are simplistic by the standards of many in the world and, in our case, I don’t think we look any better.
Yet God desires us.Us! He delights in putting in the love, time, and effort to continually restore us and keep us in Him. He grinds away our old, sinful heart and purifies us from the cancerous rust and decay of our sins into beautifully restored children living for Him. He takes the old, decrepit, sin-filled junk that we were and restores us daily through our baptism, through forgiveness, and the the death and resurrection of Jesus. He transforms us from trash to His treasured children! He purifies us from refuse through His righteousness.
Now, let us live and glem in His glory, transformed and restored to what He desires us to be – His holy children and examples to the world!
Whether we’ve felt spiritually stale or devoured by doubts, we’ve all wanted God to renew us. But what does spiritual restoration even look like? The book of Nehemiah tells the story of God’s power to restore his people. As Israel returned from exile to the Promised Land, they found the walls of Jerusalem in shambles. So God equipped Nehemiah to rebuild the wall and lead the discouraged Israelites. In this 10-session series, Dr. Eric Mason shows us how God renewed his people both physically and spiritually. Through the story of Israel’s plight and God’s faithfulness, we see how God preserved his people to carry out his mission of redemption.
Series Trailer
Participant handouts, leader’s guide, and other resources for the series is available here.
When we are in the dark our eyes adjust. We may not see everything as vibrantly or clearly, but we manage. And we get used to it. So much so that, when in the dark, we dread turning on the lights or going into a brightly lit place.
God is light, in in Him is no darkness at all. If we say we have fellowship with Him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practive the truth.
1 John 1:5b-6
Coming into the light from darkness can hurt! So many stay in the dark.
But being in the light means we see things clearly! In the dark we see only dark shades of grey. In the light, we see the vibrancy of everything! And when we go from light to dark, it also hurts. We bump into things. We miss crucial things that might be right in front of us!
This is the way of sin.
When we live in sin we live in darkness. We stumble around. We hit things. We get hurt. We can’t see the full picture of what’s going on around us.
And worst of all, we get used to it and like it!
But this is not the way it should be.
“God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all.” If we say we are Christians but keep walking in darkness (sin) instead of in Him, we are lying. Those two things are incompatible!
If we are Christians, we must live in the Light. Live in Him. We must not keep going back into the darkness of sin and hiding and shame.
But we must remember that, through faith in Jesus, when we stumble back into sin and darkness, “we have have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous” who will forgive us, and bring us back to the bright living that is Him!
When someone blazes a trail, they step off the path into the unknown. Along the way, they leave marks for others to follow. Kids will learn that Jesus blazed the trail for our salvation! As they follow Jesus, they can live their own adventure that points people to Jesus.
DATES:
June 24-28, 2024
TIME:
9:00 AM – 12:00 noon
Athletes blaze trails when they set new records and act as extraordinary examples. To blaze a trail, you also must:
prepare yourself properly,
commit despite the risks,
endure through difficulties,
follow the leader, and
make your mark.
NOTE!
Children must be entering 1st through 6th grade to register! (i.e. They must have completed Kindergarten through fifth grade.)
The men said to them, “Why do you seek the Living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen.”
Luke 24:5b-6a
This Sunday marks the highest, most Holy day of the year; because the Resurrection of Jesus changed our eternity! It is the quintessential pivot point from despair to joy; from no future to an everlasting one; from death to life!
