Weekly Update

Acts 2:42 Men’s Fellowship

Weekly Update

Today is Veteran's Day, a special day when we should consider all the men and women who has served in our armed forces in defense of the freedom that each one of us is able to enjoy here in this country. Many times we take this freedom for granted and forget about all the sacrifice people have made on its behalf. The United States and everything we know would be completely different if it was not for this sacrifice. This freedom is a gift of God upon which we all should be eternally grateful.

Yet our focus as Christians should also be upon our enlistment. Never should we forget what we are in defense of. For God uses people not only to defend freedom, He uses people in the defense on proclamation of the gospel. Paul understood this when he proclaimed: "It is right for me to feel this way about you all, because I hold you in my heart, for you are all partakers with me of grace, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel" (Philippians 1:7 ESV)

Paul always made the connection of the Christian life with the idea that we are soldiers of Jesus Christ (2 Timothy 2:3). This should remind us that we are living sacrifices of the gospel and the mission at hand. We are on the front lines of a celestial battle between the forces of good and the forces of evil. Our role is simple, please the on who has enlisted us for the mission of sharing the gospel and not get entangled by the distractions of this world (2 Timothy 2:4). Let us continue this pursue and press on toward this goal.

My prayers continue to be with all of you as we approach the holiday season. I am eager for next year and watching God work through this group. All of you have been a blessing in my life and I continue to pray that I can be a blessing in yours as well...

Dinner tonight

In remembrance of Veteran's Day, we are heading up to Patty's Eggsnest / Chuckwagon on Evergreen Way for a late dinner. We are starting at 7:00pm and will be there until everyone leaves. If you feel like just dropping by for coffee or a late dessert, please feel free because tonight there is no official program. We will probably start and end the evening in prayer, but the rest will be fellowship. See you there!!

The address is:

6720 Evergreen Way
Everett, WA 98201

Here is a link for a map and directions:


1st and 2nd Timothy Study

Really excited about the upcoming study through 1st and 2nd Timothy. More information is on the way, but we will be starting on January 13th, 2010:


















Facebook

We are now officially on Facebook with our own page. Throughout the week I am going to be posting some questions and starting some discussions on various topics. It will also be a place to share prayer requests throughout the group. If you are interested in becoming a member of this page, you can find us online under Acts 2:42 Mens Fellowship or send me an email and I will send an invite. Anyway, it should be a great tool to help our growth as a group in our relationship with each other and our relationship with Jesus Christ.

Meeting format

In the coming weeks we may be experimenting with our meeting format by incorporating smaller group settings during portions of the meeting on Wednesday nights. This will allow for some more intimate settings for people to share and allow us to tackle more questions in workgroup settings. We will still have time in the large group and times of fellowship. If you have any suggestions, please let me know. Our goal is to continue to seek out ways to grow in our relationship with each other and our relationship with Him...

Fellowship

Next Study - November 18, 2009 7:00pm-9:00pm Ecclesiastes 9

Ecclesiastes: storytelling of life

Return from Hiatus

Acts 2:42 Men’s Fellowship

Each week for almost two years, I would write a brief (or an attempt to be brief) message about what thoughts were challenging my mind and walk with the Lord. Sometimes they were a little more informational; while at other times they were simply thoughts. Each message was filled with the hope that they would be an encouragement to you in order to help each one of us walk with Christ in confidence and courage. Two months ago was my last post…

Since then I have been praying about whether I should continue sharing these thoughts in this format. At that time it was simply a routine and I was not sure of the impact they were making for Christ. It almost felt like they were turning into weekly chatter. So I came to the conclusion that it was difficult to maintain without revisiting its purpose. Additionally, I needed to take a break and focus more on the family.

Today, I have decided once again to start sharing these emails and prayer request each week.

Instead of them simply covering random themes and verses as before, I believe it would be better served to go through the Bible chapter by chapter. That way over time, we will cover and address all of the topics in the Word. This way we will cover not only the chapters that are easy to discuss, but the ones which bring up difficult subjects.

In no way do I wish this email each week to boast about me. Instead I am only one person, reading the Word, interpreting through the lens I have. The Word is the truth. My word is simply my view. But my prayer is that these emails will be just as helpful and encouraging as they have been in the past.

Therefore let us continue this journey together as our founding verse proclaims:

“And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.” Acts 2:42 ESV

It is my desire to press on toward the goal and go wherever He leads this group. I have no idea at times what will be the end result of our meeting each week and emails such as these. But I do believe as long as we put Christ before us in everything we do, He will be glorified and when the race is finished He will say to each one of us, “Well done my good and faithful servant…”

God bless each one of you…
Mark