Order of Service
10:45 AM |
6:00 PM |
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Hymns:
I Will Praise Him! (44)
How Great Thou Art (49)
Special Music:
Daniel Griffin
Message By:
Dr. Norris E. Belcher, Jr.
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Hymns:
Only a Sinner (472)
In the Service of the King (415)
Special Music:
Cheryl Milholland
Message By:
Dr. Norris E. Belcher, Jr.
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Announcements
SYMPATHY: to Jean Brooks and James and Tammy Brooks at the passing of their sister/aunt, Judy Cox, on Thursday, August 26. The funeral was held on Tuesday, August 31 in Salem, Virginia.
SYMPATHY: to Pastor Richard Grammer and family at the passing of his wife, Jeanette Grammer, on Tuesday, August 31. A memorial service was held in North Carolina on Saturday, September 4.
THANK YOU: I want to thank God for his protection, his healing, his grace, for saving my soul, and for being with me during this fall. Thank you Church family for praying for me. I’m on the road to recovery but have a ways to go yet. Thanks to Pastor Shutt, Pastor Fuchs, Pastor Holbrook, and Pastor Norris. Tom Neal
JOYFUL CONNECTION: the first meeting will be on Monday, September 13, at 6:45 p.m. in rooms 417/418. A sign up sheet is at the Welcome Desk if you are interested in attending.
GRIEF SHARE: will begin on Tuesday, September 14, at 6:30 p.m. downstairs in the Music Room. A sign up sheet is at the Welcome Desk. For more information, see Kathy Reed.
SUNDAY FUN DAY: Volunteers are needed for this outreach on October 3. Please sign up at the Welcome Desk.
DONATIONS: If you have any “gently used” stuffed animals that you would like to donate for the Sunday Fun Day event, please drop them off at the Welcome Desk.
PHONE DIRECTORY: We will be printing a new phone directory. If you have any changes, please complete a form at the Welcome Desk by September 12 to ensure we have your correct information or you may email vmouring@opendoorchurch.org.
PRAYER REQUEST: If you have a prayer request or surgery date you would like in the bulletin, please call (410) 876-3838 ext. 304 or email cbowers@opendoorchurch.org. Please keep in mind we will need the first and last name for each request.
From My Heart
I have been preaching on the subject of revival on Sunday evenings. Over the last few weeks, we have started in Genesis 26: 17-18, where we are told that Isaac “digged again the wells of water, which they had digged in the days of Abraham his father; for the Philistines had stopped them after the death of Abraham....”
The Philistines were a constant thorn in the side of the Hebrew people. As a result of the work of the Philistines, the wells Isaac so desperately needed were choked - filled with debris and trash. When Isaac and his men went to the old familiar wells, there was cool, refreshing, living water but it was under a load of trash. They could not get to the water because of the garbage - so it had to be cleaned out - which would have been a terribly difficult job!
One of the greatest hindrances to revival has to be the spiritual mindset that has settled into the church in the last few decades. We can see that many folks in “the church” today, believe the fundamentals of the faith, but there seems to be something missing in their lives. The thing I think that is so often missing in the church today is energy, fire, what they used to call “the unction.”
Somewhere along the way, we have lost the fire that we so desperately need. The Bible has a few terms which describe this condition. One way of describing this condition was spoken of by the Old Testament prophet, Amos. In 6:1, he said that Israel was, “at ease in Zion.” I think this is an excellent description of the mindset most Christians have today. Those who are “at ease in Zion,” are satisfied with their religious standing! They are “at ease” with the fact that they are saved and going to Heaven when they die, so there is no need to get all radical about religion! So, they are comfortable where they are - it is enough for them.
Another phrase used in the Bible to describe or define today’s spiritual attitude is the phrase, “settled on his lees.” (Jeremiah 48:11). The “lees” are the dregs in the bottom of the bottle. Probably the best way to describe “lees” is to think of a bottle of grape juice, or orange juice with the pulp. The lees are what can be seen in the bottom of the bottle. In Jeremiah 48:11, both the word, “ease” and “settled on his lees” is used.
This is seen today in how we can go to church, week after week, and walk away in the exact same spiritual condition we were when we walked into church. We are comfortable with ourselves. Nothing stirs us, nothing moves us - we are “at ease in Zion,” and “settled on our lees!” Our spiritual bottle has not been shaken up in years!
Oh, how we need a revival sent from the Hand of God.
Pastor Norris
Hospitalizations
Terri Green - CHC #314
Dale Mann - #G10A