Dear Church Family, I’ve always remembered 1 Corinthians 10:12 since I first read it, “Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall.” I’ve seen this too often around me and even in my own life: pride sets us up for great failure. Pride often sets in after times of great victory. It’s in these moments that we need to be careful that we don’t “think that we stand.” We need to cling to Jesus just as closely on the highest mountain tops as in the deepest valleys. I was so impressed with King Hezekiah’s dependence upon God in Isaiah 37 when faced with the great threats from Assyria. I’m sure they were on the mountaintops after seeing this great miracle: Isaiah 37:36-38 (ESV) And the angel of the Lord went out and struck down 185,000 in the camp of the Assyrians. And when people arose early in the morning, behold, these were all dead bodies. 37 Then Sennacherib king of Assyria departed and returned home and lived at Nineveh. 38 And as he was worshiping in the house of Nisroch his god, Adrammelech and Sharezer, his sons, struck him down with the sword. And after they escaped into the land of Ararat, Esarhaddon his son reigned in his place.
As amazing as that was, God did something even more amazing in the chapter 38. He turned back time! More literally, God caused the shadow on the sundial to go back 10 steps as a sign. He must have either caused the rotation of the earth to reverse or in some other way caused this miracle to occur. Hezekiah had been sick and God informed him that it was time for his death. In response, Hezekiah plead with the Lord and God added 15 years to his life. This miracle was a sign that his life would be extended. After these incredible miracles, what comes next is shocking! In Chapter 39 envoys come from Babylon (the nation that would later overtake them). Hezekiah responded in an interesting way: Isaiah 39:2 (ESV) And Hezekiah welcomed them gladly. And he showed them his treasure house, the silver, the gold, the spices, the precious oil, his whole armory, all that was found in his storehouses. There was nothing in his house or in all his realm that Hezekiah did not show them.
By showing them everything he had and withholding nothing, Hezekiah displayed both foolishness and pride. He foolishly gave a potential enemy complete access and pridefully showed off all of his possessions. Because of this, Isaiah prophesied that all of these possessions would one day be carried away into Babylon and even his own descendants would be taken to Babylon. Even so, there would remain peace in Hezekiah’s day (vs. 5-7). After great victory and incredible signs came a terrible fall. We all need to be on guard against falling into temptation. Have you had a recent victory? Have you seen incredible signs? Don’t let your guard down! Don’t give pride a foothold! Remember to cling to Jesus just as much on the mountain top as in the valley. What’s Happening at Gospel Life:Pray for Brooke: We’re excited for Brooke’s opportunity to go to France to serve with Youth With a Mission (YWAM). Please continue to pray for her trip. Nampa Farmers Market Outreach Possibility: We are gathering interest for who would be willing to help with a new possible outreach. The Nampa Farmer’s Market meets April-November every Saturday from 9 am – 1 pm and we could host a booth offering prayer to those that attend. We are hoping to have enough people sign up that you could serve one Saturday every other month. If you are interested in helping, you can sign up below: https://gospellifebiblechurch.churchcenter.com/people/forms/532322 Prayer Night: Our next prayer night will be this Sunday, April 2nd at 6 pm at the Bronleewes’ house. We have the privilege of bringing our needs before the Lord and praising Him for Who He is and what he has done for us. Easter Sunday: Join us on April 9th as we celebrate God’s amazing power in resurrecting Jesus from the dead. Be in prayer about someone God might have you invite to hear the Good News of the Gospel. Church Potluck: Our next potluck will be April 16th after the morning worship service. We will be celebrating our one year anniversary as a church. Please bring one of your favorite dishes to share with the group. Communion: We will next be celebrating the Lord’s Supper together as part of our Sunday morning service on Sunday, April 16th. Through the ordinance of communion, we remember Jesus’ body that was broken and His blood that was shed for us. Life Groups: Life Groups are an important way to connect and grow at Gospel Life. We have several exciting groups for men, women, or both. You can hear about some of these groups here: https://youtu.be/4GEoz7aeYTE?t=873 If you’re looking for a group to join, you can sign up below or stop by the Welcome Table on Sunday. https://gospellifebiblechurch.churchcenter.com/groups/small-groups This Coming Sunday: Finding the Entrance to the Kingdom – Join us on Sunday in our series through the Gospel According to Mark. How do you enter the Kingdom of God? Who can enter it? Come here Jesus’ answers these questions in Mark 10:13-16. Watch Previous Worship Services https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLW5IMNeRoI99I-QNoGMnuWDy6Y5svTt_c |