As a parent, I was/am concerned about my children’s teeth, so I have them brush and take them to the dentist, as do most parents.  But we are also concerned about:

·        Their physical health so we have them eat well

·        Their social skills so we have them interact with other children and attempt to teach them manners

·        Their academics so we send them to school, invest in tutors, and spend hours working with them on homework 

·        Their athletic abilities so we get them into sports at an early age and run them all over town taking them to practices and purchasing all of the equipment needed for their protection   

·        Their dental hygiene so we have them brush and go to the dentist 

 These are all important, but in the midst of it all we often forget that there is an eternity before us and we must first and foremost be concerned about that!  Sadly, many people spend more time taking care of their teeth during the week than they do reading and studying their Bible.  Too often our Bibles as well as theirs sit on the shelf collecting dust until we pick them up to go to church.  Deuteronomy 11:18-21 instructs parents and grandparents to teach God’s word to their children and grandchildren! Why?  So that as they grow up they will not turn from following God (Proverbs 22:6 NIV), they will avoid sin (Psalm 119:11 NIV), they will have direction for their lives (Psalm 119:105 NIV) and they will spend eternity in Heaven (John 3:16, John 6:40, John 14:6, etc.)!   God desires an intimate relationship with us which requires more than 2-4 minutes a day. He has so much for us, and unless we invest the time with Him through prayer and reading the Bible, we will never know all that He has in store for us!  Let me encourage you this day to pursue intimacy with God above all else, and to encourage your children to do the same. 

 Challenge Question: What is taking up your time and causing you to miss out on intimacy with God?

9:45am – CG Groups

10:45am – Worship

6:00pm – Sunday Night Live & Xtreme Youth

Wednesday

6:30pm – Family Night

Inclement Weather – Please watch News Channel 10 or call the church. We will have any delays, cancellations or postponements on the answering service.

The number is 540-772-9482!

“Pastor Myron
I have just received the report………..it is confirmed……….I have been diagnosed with a case of “It”. I am glad to report that I developed this disease while attending worship at PFWC and there having formed a personal relationship with one Jesus Christ. The symptoms include a feeling of a fire burning inside, yet not consuming me; love for everyone, experiencing forgiveness, unquenchable joy and the strong desire to “infect” others with “It”. I am told that once “It” takes over you, “It” can not be totally removed from the body. At times “It” may appear hidden and yet as soon as “It” is in the presence of others who share “It”, the joy and fire erupts all over again. I just want to let you know the danger that attending PFWC presents to the world. Why what if it got so full of “It” that it exploded and set the world on fire for this one Jesus? What if “It” infected the whole community with joy and love? Would you want that responsibility on your mind? (say AMEN!!)

My medication will involve dissolving two chapters of this serum, called the BIBLE, in a cup half full (not half empty) of Holy Spirit before going to bed! I have also been told to remain in the company of those at PFWC who love me, appreciate me and most importantly, allow me to be what this one Jesus has called me to be…..Contagious! Then I get to go with “It” to this beautiful place called Heaven! What a great prognosis!

Heed the warning, but not “It”!

I’ve got whatever “It” is! And I am liking “It’.”

Willard was:

A World War II Hero – Bob Slaughter, was a sergeant with the 116th Regiment, 29th Division, describes an incident that took place on D-Day along Omaha Beach; “With all the artillery and machine-gun fire, it was like going into a hornet’s nest. We were still about a hundred yards from shore and the coxswain piloting our craft said, “I’ll let the ramp down here.” He wanted to dump us and get the heck out of there. But Willard Norfleet, our platoon sergeant, said, “These men have heavy gear. They’ll drown.” When the coxswain protested, Norfleet stuck a pistol to his head. He took us all the way in.”

A Saint – Psalm 116:15 says, “Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints.” Willard has been a saint at PFWC for many years. He was a faithful greeter at the church and always gave people a smile. He took his relationship with Jesus Christ seriously and knew that the Lord had brought him into this world and was ready for that day the Lord would take him home. He was never ashamed of his Christian faith and always shared the love of Jesus with everyone whether it was at the VA, the hospital, the church, or on the street. Willard was able to say as Paul said in I Corinthians 11:1 “Follow my example as I follow the example of Christ.”

A Fighter – Even though Willard was injured in WWII, he never allowed his injures to slow him down. He kept fighting from day to day and demonstrated that spirit by his determination to do thing himself.

A loyal Husband, Father and Grandfather – Willard and Helen celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary last week. This is a feat that is unusual in this day and age.

There will be a celebration/memorial service for Willard on Monday here at PFWC (time TBA) following the service and there will be a dinner in which we will need your assistance. We will set up Sunday evening before and after revival services. We will need people to prepare foods to bring in and people able to be here Monday for the serving and clean up. Thank you to each of you for your assistance!

Because of HIS Amazing Grace,
Myron D. Atkinson
Pastor

Women like Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Alice Paul would not even recognize the modern women’s movement, with its extreme dedication to abortion on-demand. The words of these early advocates for women and their unborn children show an unbridled compassion and recognition that abortion is not the key to women’s liberation.’ 1
In speaking of equal rights, let us remember that we need to stand for equal rights for ALL – from the womb to the deathbed. If we fail to protect the most innocent of humans, the unborn, then it endangers the physically, mentally or emotionally challenged, the elderly, the orphans, or anyone else deemed unwanted. It’s not to hard to say when life began. Psalm 139:13-16 says, ‘For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. 14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, 16 your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.’

I thank God for those who have fought for life – from our American Forefathers to those who continue to fight for it today! Let me encourage you this day to give God thanks for the life that He has given you. You are a wonderful creation! May God bless you this week! I look forward to seeing you in Church this Sunday! 

Because of HIS Amazing Grace,
Myron D. Atkinson
Pastor
Penn Forest Worship Center
A Ministry of the Wesleyan Church
http://www.pfwc.net/ 

‘Abortion is the ultimate exploitation of women.’
-Alice Paul is the author of the original Equal Rights Amendment (1923)

‘When we consider that women are treated as property, it is degrading to women that we should treat our children as property to be disposed of as we see fit.’
- Elizabeth Cady Stanton in a letter to Julia Ward Howe, October 16, 1873. Recorded in Howe’s diary at Harvard University Library.

Please pray for Lois and the family. 

God bless you this day!