Men's Fellowship and MeetingMen's Fellowship and Meeting

November 7 at 8:00 AMNovember 7 at 8:00 AM

Dinner Bell in FlintstoneDinner Bell in Flintstone

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Church Fellowship and Church Fellowship and DinnerDinner

November 14 at 1:00 PM

We are taught to be happybe happy in time of trialtrial, for God is with us.

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The trials come to testtest us, that we might seesee our own weaknesses and praypray.

When we suffer for Christ's sakeChrist's sake, we know that we will share in His GloryHis Glory.

HeavenHeaven will be sweeter for having suffered in this lifethis life.

1 Peter 4:14 If ye be reproached forfor the Name of Christ, happy are ye; for the Spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part He is evil spoken of, but on your part He is glorified. 15 But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men's matters.

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ReproachedReproached: defamed, ridiculed, picked on, lied on:

For the Name of ChristFor the Name of Christ.

(TLB) 14 Be happy if you are cursed and insulted for being a Christian, for when that happens the Spirit of God will come upon you with great glory.

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God is fixing to bless you!

15 But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men's matters.

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It is a shamefulshameful thing when a Christian suffers for sinsuffers for sin.

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There is no comfort in sufferings, when we bring them upon ourselves by our own sin and folly.

Matthew Henry Concise Bible Commentary

Any hardship or suffering is made lightermade lighter by the Presence and Comfort of God's Holy Spirit.

But a rebelliousrebellious child of God does not enjoy that blessing.

Even the best of men need to be warned against the worst of sins.

Matthew Henry

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None of usNone of us can know absolutely that we will neverwill never fall (or slideor slide) into gross sin.

16 Yet if any man suffer as as a Christiana Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf.

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Acts 16 25 And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them.

17 For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the Gospel of God?

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Knowing that God allows His ownHis own children to suffer for sin in this lifein this life as He does,

How awfulHow awful will be the Judgment of God against those who have rejected His Sonrejected His Son!

18 And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear? 19Where-fore let them that suffer accordinaccording to the Will of God commit the keeping of their souls to HIM in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.

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Even the righteous are saved onlysaved only by the Grace of God.

Live a life of well-doingwell-doing in gratitude unto The OneThe One Who is faithful to us.

There is no hopeno hope of eternal life outside of God.

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John 3 17 For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through Him might be saved. 18 He that believeth on Him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is is condemned alreadycondemned already, because he hath not believed in the Name of the only begotten Son of God. 19And this is the condemnation, that Light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than Light, because their deeds were evil.

Since we know that we we shallshall reign in glory with our Lord, Jesus Christ,

We can gladlygladly suffer persecutions and

hardships for the sakesake of His Precious Name.

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