Dear Church Family,

Who did you pray for today? We spend a lot of time praying for ourselves, our family, our loved ones, and those close us. How often do we pray for our city? Today, I read through Jeremiah 29, where Jeremiah sends a letter to those who have gone into exile in Babylon. The whole nation hasn’t been exiled yet, but it soon will be. False prophets had been telling the exiles that they would soon return, but Jeremiah warns them that the exile will last seventy years. He tells them to build houses there, plant gardens, take wives, because they won’t be coming home any time soon. In the middle of this section, I found this verse interesting:

In their exile, God called them to seek the welfare of the city and to intercede for it. Even though they were in a place of exile, they had an opportunity to bring God’s blessing upon that place. And, in doing so, they will benefit from God’s blessing upon the city.

In 1 Peter, we are reminded that we are exiles and sojourners here on earth. This place is not our home. How can we seek the welfare of the city God has placed us? How can we pray to the Lord on its behalf? When God’s will is done in our city, we will find welfare in its welfare. All the while, we must remember that this world is not our home. The ultimate welfare for our city is when its people place their faith in Jesus Christ. The Gospel is the answer that everyone needs! May God use us right here as a city on a hill that cannot be hidden. Let’s pray for our city!

Prayer for Elder Selection: Last Sunday we went through a process for selecting elders. Our first step is to pray for God to clearly lead us through this process. Please read over 1 Timothy 3:1-7 and Titus 1:5-9 and ask God to give us unity and clear direction.

Church Potluck: Join us for our next church potluck this Sunday, September 7th, after the morning worship service. Please bring one of your favorite dishes to share with the group.

Youth Group: All youth are invited this Sunday, September 7th, from 5-7 pm, to the Bronleewes’ house. We’ll have dinner, games, worship, and continue our study, “Tackling Tough Questions.”

Men’s Breakfast: We’re excited for our next Men’s Breakfast on Saturday, September 27th, from 8-10 am, at the Gerdes’ house. Look for the sign up sheet at the Welcome Table on Sunday.

Elder Training: Our next Elder Training is Tuesday, October 7th at 7 pm at the Bronleewes’ house. We’ll continue to study 2 Timothy 1. Please contact Pastor Dave if you have any questions or need a copy of the homework.

Opportunities to Serve: We’re looking for help with sound mixing, operating the video camera, and running slides during the morning worship service. If you are interested in serving, please contact Pastor Dave (daveb@gospellifebc.com or 208-505-8974).

Life Groups: If you’re interested in joining a life group, we have several to choose from. You can check them out here:
https://gospellifebiblechurch.churchcenter.com/groups/small-groups

Request Prayer: It’s important for us to be praying for each other as a church! If you ever need prayer, we would love to come alongside you. You can always turn in a prayer request on Sundays using the Connection Card, but you can also submit a prayer request online at any time:
https://gospellifebiblechurch.churchcenter.com/people/forms/368653

This Coming Sunday:
A Spreading Gospel – Join us this Sunday, as we continue our series through the book of Philippians, “Gospel Joy.” This week, we’ll look at Philippians 1:12-18, and see why Paul is able to rejoice, even though he is in prison and others are trying to hurt him.

Previous Worship Services:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLW5IMNeRoI99I-QNoGMnuWDy6Y5svTt_c