July 21, 2023
July Focus of the Month
Reminder: Deacons Meeting Preparation
Please spend some time preparing before our next Deacon meeting. During our meeting we’ll spend some time in a large group discussion. To be fully prepared for that discussion please spend time alone and with your spouse thinking about and writing down some answers to the following questions::
What has been encouraging over the last year of ministry? How have you been refreshed by ministry? What reasons do you have to be grateful? How has God answered prayers? How have people gotten saved or grown in Christlikeness? How have YOU grown? What Scriptures did God bring to mind and solidify in your heart through faithful service in this ministry post?
What has been discouraging over the last year of ministry? Do you feel worn down and beat up in any way? What trials has your group endured? How have difficult people in your ministry caused pain or problems for you or others? How has the ministry NOT worked out in a way that you desired it would? Have you been mistreated or misrepresented by those you lead? Have those you lead in your life group or ministry not responded with faithfulness?
And remember the details: July 28th, 6pm-8:30pm, Join us for dinner, fellowship, and an encouraging time of devotion. We will be meeting at the Stonehill Church Offices (1608 N Meridian Rd, Meridian, ID 83642) in their chapel space. Please let Cody know (cody@compassbible.tv) if you can’t make it for any reason.
Spouses Welcome at the Deacons Meeting
Your spouses - even if they don’t serve as a deacon with you - are more than welcome to attend the Deacon Meeting! We are grateful for both of you and pray that both of you will be encouraged through this time together.
John Sanborn Is Heading to Uganda
John Sanborn is heading to Uganda from September 4th through the 28th to help support Shannon Hurley and Sufficiency of Scripture Ministries, our ministry partner there. Below is a letter detailing what he will be doing while he is there. As the trip gets closer, we will have details for how you and your life group can partner with his trip to Uganda. If you would like to have John come and share more about the work at your Life Group, whether before or after the trip, please feel free to reach out. You can also watch the video John put together below, which shows the work that he does on his previous trips out to SOS Ministries.
Dear Church Family,
I hope all is well with everyone! As most of you already know, Compass Bible Church supports the Hurley family in Uganda. They are our missionary family abroad. Few of us have had the privilege to travel to East Africa to serve alongside them. God has presented me with another amazing opportunity to again go and serve him with the abilities that which he has given me. I am still able and willing to make the trek to East Africa to be in service to our King. The tasks at hand will be grading and excavating areas on campus at SOS Uganda’s development manager has requested the following tasks:
-Finish grading around church building
-Finish grading of family tri-units 1-5 and 6-10 + Courtyards
-Clearing the bush (AKA Jungle) for future FTU building and PTP buildings of double triplex with plumbing
-Filling of the old Barrow Pit for future building site
-Road Maintenance
-and unknown added tasks (last minute)
Please pray about it and consider teaming up with us this trip in prayer and support. The word says in Matthew 6:21 for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. As Pastor Ben says LET’S GO! In this case I look at it as I get to go and count it an honor to do so in service to the King. Lord willing…Depart September 4th and return on September 28th.
Love you all so much,
John
Application Questions:
Summer in the Psalms
Crying for Justice in an Unjust World
Psalm 58
Read Matthew 5:4. How much would you say you mourn over your own sin and the sin around you in the world? What keeps you from being truly grieved by sin?.
Read Matthew 6:10. How should these requests from the Lord’s prayer and the ideas of asking God to stop the wicked and bring justice impact your prayer life?
Read Luke 18:9-14. What is the difference between righteous prayers for God’s justice and self-righteous prayers like the one of the Pharisee in this passage? How can you make sure that your prayers don’t follow his example, but that of David in Psalm 58?
Read Psalm 37:8-9. Are you tempted towards worry or anger because of the wickedness that you see in the world? How can these verses and what we learned in Psalm 58 either redirect or calm your concern?
Read Psalm 58:11. How should this reality shape your life this week? What are the temptations you should avoid and the righteous things you should pursue as a result of this truth?
