GBC Community Update: Remember, only God can save someone

Good morning. I hope you’re making this a great week!  I’m wrapping up my thoughts on sharing your faith today. I hope they got you thinking.
 
 
Financial Update from our treasurer
Here is the latest financial update from our treasurer Ken Finlay:
General Fund Offerings - Year to Date end of March 2023
Budget       $42,300
Actual          45,030
Surplus          2,730
(The Budget & Actuals above exclude contributions to the Pastor Fund)
 
Pastor Fund
Goal                                 $65,000
Contributions to date         35,950  (including the $27,550 contributed in 2022)
Still to be raised                 29,050
Thank you to  those who faithfully support us financially. It’s your gifts that allow us to do what God is calling us to in this community. If you are not giving, and would like to, you can drop cash or check in the offering box at the back of the Main Auditorium or give through Electronic Funds Transfer to [email protected]
 
 
Join us on Sunday in-person or on our livestream as we return to our series, “Firm Foundations”-a study of the book of Romans
The foundation of a building is critically important for the stability of the structure that sits on it. In many ways our faith and relationship with God needs the same thing.  How is your foundation? We continue to look at this idea as we study the book of Romans, perhaps the best book of the New Testament for this kind of thing. 
This Sunday Jacob will continue to look at Israel’s standing with God and how that relates to us.
Want to prepare? Read the text for Sunday ahead of time: Romans 10.
If you can’t make it you can connect through our website:  
www.guelphbiblechapel.ca  our YouTube channel as well as Facebook LIVE.
 
 
 
Thought for the Day: Remember that only God can save someone
I’ve been looking lately at the opportunity we have to share our faith and the Good News of the gospel with the world around us.  I hope it has stimulated some thought and reflection. The last thing I want to share is a critically important thing to remember when you start sharing your faith: only God can save someone.
I don’t know about you, but for many, me included, there can often be a lot of fear surrounding sharing our faith, especially in a post-Christian, post-modern culture.  There can also be a lot of guilt around not doing it or doing it wrong. It’s at times like this that God, as a sovereign King, chooses who he saves and when.
I remember a well-meaning youth leader who told a group of teens that when sharing their faith if they ‘got this wrong it’ll mess up kid’s eternity’.  Honestly, I was pretty steamed by that and it had a negative effect amongst this group of youth. I later reminded them that its up to God who he chooses and when.  We’re tools in his hands so relax and go with the spirit.  We need to remember to be faithful to the call and the opportunities God provides. We do our part, he does his.
In my own experience some of my most articulate, well laid out and passionate gospel appeals have fallen on deaf ears while some of the worst, poorly thought out, inarticulate times I’ve shared my faith have led to someone surrendering their life to Jesus. The key is to be open to being used by God as he sees fit in the way he wants.
So, here’s the parting lesson: God is the only one who can save someone. All I am responsible to do is bravely share what He gives me to share, in the opportunities He provides. The rest is up to Him, and He wants people to know Him far more than I ever could. So, I can trust Him. That takes away my fear.
 
In His grip,
Pastor Chris