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Upcoming Events
Be sure to visit http://www.bca-online.com/events.htm
for more information on these and other upcoming
events. Exciting Stuff Our annual Vacation
Bible School Outreach begins next week! Volunteers are still needed for
PowerLab on July 21-24. Please email Lisa Carlson at
lisac@bca-online.com if you can
help! Something to Think About MYTH: THE BIBLE
RESTRICTS MY LIFE During our Mythbusters teaching series, we are going to separate truth from fiction and dispel the myths about God, faith and spirituality that are out there. The Bible says that we need to be prepared so that when we face myths we are not led astray. Colossians 2:2-4 reads, "My purpose is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. I tell you this so that no one may deceive you by fine-sounding arguments." Some people think that the Bible is just a bunch of rules and stuffy regulations. They don't want anyone telling them what they can't do. They want to be free to live they way they want to live, without being confined or restricted. But today we are going to dispel the myth that the Bible restricts your life. And the amazing thing about this myth is that the opposite is true! James 1:25--But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it-he will be blessed in what he does. What is the Bible saying? As you look intently into the Bible and do what it says, it's then that you remove the ropes from your life and have the freedom to enjoy what God has for you. Not living according to the Bible restricts your life and causes you to miss out on all the great stuff that God has for you. The Bible brings freedom from sin, freedom from bondage, and a lot more! The paradox is that people who don't want to be bound by rules sometimes find themselves bound by guilt, regret, and much more. Let me give you three steps that will dispel this myth in your life. 1. UNDERSTAND THE
PURPOSE OF THE BIBLE. Here is the great news! Not only does the Bible bring freedom to us, but it also serves as a guide! According to the verse above, God guides us towards "righteousness, so (we) may be thoroughly equipped for every good work." The phrase "thoroughly equipped" means "able to meet all demands." Ever been overwhelmed by the demands put on you? You can face a lot of demands in life, can't you!? There are demands at work, at home, with family, in your finances, and much more. Sometimes it can be overwhelming. God is saying, "The purpose of the Bible is so I can guide you towards being who I want you to be so you can be equipped to meet all the demands at a high level." Imagine you were given an address to get to, but you dad no idea how to get there. You could either search for it yourself, or use GPS to find it. Which would you choose? The beauty of GPS is that you put in a destination or address and it guides you there. Now, you can resent the directions if you want to. You can scream at the GPS and say, "Forget you. I can get there on my own." But in the end, more often than not, if you don't follow it, you will get lost. You may never get there, or if you do get there, it will have cost a lot more in gas and stress, and caused a lot more tension with your spouse! The Bible is your GPS unit for life, guiding you to the address God wants you to go to. You can scream at it, forget it, or choose to go your own way, but it doesn't change the fact that it knows the right way. And there is a very real possibility that you will end up experiencing a lot more stress and heartache in this life--and after this life--if you ignore it. How does the
Bible guide us towards righteousness? After you understand the purpose of the Bible, then you get to... 2. BUILD YOUR LIFE
ON THE BIBLE. What is your life built on? None of us would ever buy a house with a cracked foundation. I want to know that what I am standing on is solid. That is true in life as well; I want to know that the principles that I am standing on for my life are solid. The call in James to "do what it says" is at the center of all that James teaches. James says that we have got to put into practice what we profess to believe, and that "anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like." What is the lesson here? Out of sight, out of mind. Keep the Bible in sight and in mind by following what it says. Psalm 119:9-16--How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to your word. I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands. I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you. Praise be to you, O LORD; teach me your decrees. With my lips I recount all the laws that come from your mouth. I rejoice in following your statutes as one rejoices in great riches. I meditate on your precepts and consider your ways. I delight in your decrees; I will not neglect your word. How do you build
your life on the Bible? After you understand the purpose of the Bible and work to build our life on it, then you get to... 3. EXPERIENCE THE
BLESSINGS IN THE BIBLE. God gives us an "if/then" statement here in James. He says, "If you do this, then you will be blessed." And the word picture we are given in Psalm 1 is that a well-watered tree will produce good fruit. As you build your life on the Bible, you are planting yourself right by a stream for a continual source of water, so you are going to produce good fruit. You will be healthy and growing! Notice that in this Psalm, not only is he delighting himself in the law of the Lord, he is also not doing the things that are easy to do, such as walk in the counsel of the wicked and sit in the seat of mockers. Instead, he chooses to delight himself in the law of the Lord, and because of that he experiences the blessings of God! When it really comes
down to it, the Bible is here to make you who God wants you to be. And
when you are the person that God wants you to be, you will benefit, your
marriage will benefit, your kids will benefit, your job will benefit, and
the kingdom of God will benefit. The Bible doesn't restrict you--it
actually guides you towards experiencing all that God has for you. Messages Online Note: Hyperlinks to sermon notes for the upcoming weekend are typically active by Friday afternoon. To view all messages available for download, visit http://www.bca-online.com/messages.htm. Sermon Notes: Mythbusters: Dispelling Myths About the Christian Faith -- Myth: There are Many Gods One Church--Different Styles--Same Message We have something to suit your taste.
Sunday at 9:00 AM in the Worship Center This inspiring spirited traditional service features a rich blend of old and new songs and hymns, monthly communion, and strong Bible teaching.
Sunday at 10:30 AM in the Worship Center Each Sunday, our Celebration gathering features vibrant worship and relevant Bible teaching. In Celebration, you will be moved by awesome contemporary music, passionate worship and a bold proclamation of God's love.
Sunday at 10:30 AM in the Chapel A worship experience centered around the inspiring hymns and choruses of our faith heritage. Tradition provides a softer Sunday worship experience that includes responsive readings, prayer, and the Sunday sermon via large screen video.
Sunday at 5:00 PM in the Attic Fusion combines a fresh guitar-driven sound with a
relaxed environment. Each service gives opportunity for worship,
prayer, and communion in an atmosphere that allows for personal
reflection, with video and live messages that relate to everyday life
situations.
Mark your calendars now for July 21 - 24 as we make plans to discover Jesus' miraculous power! Get ready for an exciting adventure, following Jesus as he heals, helps, and gives power to people who need him. Hey kids . . . REGISTER NOW by downloading a registration form located at http://www.bca-online.com/pdf_forms/PowerLabRegistrationwithFAQs.pdf. Sign up the most friends and win a Wii system!
If you would like to volunteer to help make
Power Lab fizzing with fun for kids, please let us know by emailing Lisa
Carlson @
lisac@bca-online.com. YOU are a key ingredient to our formula for success! Single Moms Support Group
If you are a single mom, come join other moms
for a wonderful time of support, encouragement, Bible study, and prayer in
a warm and inviting environment each Wednesday at 7 PM in the BCA
Family Room. Raising kids is not easy, especially if you are doing it as a
single mom. During this 6 week group, you will be encouraged as you
connect with other moms facing some of the same challenges you are. As you
study the Bible and other resources you will gain helpful insights and
hope as you journey forward. This will also be a great time of making
friends and having fun together! Dont miss out! Shuttle Ministry We need your help to keep our parking lot open for guests! Our goal is to have 100 families commit to helping us in this endeavor by parking in the PUD parking lot, located on the corner of California Street and Virginia Avenue. Shuttles will be running between the PUD lot and the church for continuous pick-up and drop-off from 7:15 - 9:15 AM, 10:00 - 10:45 AM, and 11:30 AM - 12:30 PM. Drivers may find it easier to drop off their families at the front doors before going over to the PUD parking lot. If you need to stay later after church, you can ride the shuttle back to the PUD lot directly after church, and bring your car back. As an extra incentive, each driver using the shuttle will receive a coupon for a free drink of their choice (16 oz. size) from the Cedar Street Espresso Stand, located in the foyer outside the Activity Center. Click for map to the P.U.D. parking lot. BCA Ministries
- Bill Kibby Bethany Christian Assembly 2715 Everett Avenue | Everett, WA 98201 | 425-339-3303 |
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