Pioneer Women’s Ministries engages women in Christ-centered discipleship, fellowship and service to glorify God through prayerfully planned activities and events. We are inviting you to participate in a survey that will help plan these activities and events this year. We would be delighted to hear from you either by completing the online survey or by phone by calling Lyn McCarty at 269-208-3377.
#RxF4Now
Dead Man Walking
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Speaker
Dwight K. NelsonSince 1983, Dwight Nelson has served as lead pastor of the Pioneer Memorial Church on the campus of Andrews University. He preaches on the “New Perceptions” telecast, teaches at the theological seminary and has written some books, including The Chosen. He and his wife, Karen, are blessed with two married children and 2 granddaughters.
Offering
More In This Series
#RxF4Now—Dead Man Walking
- The Self-portrait—Romans 7:7-24
- Psalm 38:5 NLT—“My wounds fester and because of my foolish sins.”
- Isaiah 1:6 NLT—“You are from head to foot—covered with bruises, welts, and infected wounds—without any ointments or bandages.”
- Martin Luther: “Human nature is like a peasant. Lift him into the saddle on one side, over he topples on the other side.”
- Philippians 3:4-6—“If someone else thinks they have reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day . . . in regard to the law, a Pharisee; . . . as for righteousness based on the law, .”
- Matthew 5:21-22, 27-28: “‘You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, “You shall not murder” [6th Commandment] . . . But I tell you that anyone who is with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment. . . . You have heard that it was said, ‘Do not commit adultery’ [7th Commandment]. But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his .’”
- The Tenth Commandment (“You shall not covet”) radically shifts our focus on the Law of God/Ten Commandments from compliance to obedience.
- Psalm 119—David sings about the Law of God:
- v 97—“Oh, how I love Your ! I meditate on it all day long.”
- v 172—“May my tongue sing of Your word, for all Your are righteous.”
- v 127—“I love Your more than gold, more than pure gold.”
- v 18—“Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in Your .”
- v 64—“The earth is filled with Your , O LORD; teach me Your decrees.”
- Romans 7:12—“So then, the law is holy, and the commandment is holy, righteous and .”
- John Bunyan, Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners: “I was more loathsome in my own eyes than was a toad; and I thought I was so in God’s eyes too; sin and corruption, I said, would as naturally bubble out of my heart, as water would bubble out of a fountain. I thought now that everyone had a better heart than I had; I could have changed heart with anybody; I thought none but the devil himself could equalize me for inward wickedness and pollution of mind. I fell, therefore, at the sign of my own vileness, deeply into despair.” (quoted in Camron Schofield Heralding the Loud Cry 32).
- The Savior—Romans 7:25
- The purpose and point of the Law is to us to .
- Galatians 3:24—“Therefore the law was our tutor [guardian] to us to Christ.”
- To throw the Law out, to get rid of the Ten Commandments—as some are inclined to teach and to do—is to cut your soul off from the very Law Giver who is your only .
- Christ’s Object Lessons: “His law is a transcript of His own , and it is the standard of all character. This infinite standard is presented to all that there may be no mistake in regard to the kind of people whom God will have to compose His kingdom.” (315)
- Camron Schofield: “So if you did everything right in your whole entire life, will the law be satisfied? It can’t be satisfied because your right-doing [the definition of “righteousness”] is not what the law wants. What the law wants is God’s right-doing, God’s perfect life—and we, in ourselves, do we have it to offer? We don’t. Is there any room for you in this picture? Can you satisfy the law? Can you? Have you in your life attained unto the very perfection of God? To do that you would have to be God yourself. Are you God? You’re not God!” (Heralding the Loud Cry 33)
- “We CAN NOT. We can do nothing to effect our own salvation. And it’s a frightful realization when we meet the law as it really is. We are dead men walking.” (35)
- “The question is: are you bad enough to come to Christ, because if you don’t think that you are too bad, you won’t come to Christ.” (35)
- Steps to Christ: “If you see your sinfulness, do not wait to make yourself better. How many there are who think they are not good enough to come to Christ. Do you expect to become better through your own efforts? . . . There is help for us only in God. We must not wait for stronger persuasions, for better opportunities, or for holier tempers. We can do nothing of ourselves. We must come to Christ just as we are.” (31)
- The purpose and point of the Law is to us to .
“Just as I Am”
It's a fresh new year, and it's time for a fresh new Grow Groups season! Grow Groups are Pioneer's small groups that incorporate 5 S's: Shared interest, Spiritual touchpoint, Service project, Social event, Semester-based. That's it, in a nutshell! Grow Groups are for EVERYONE—all welcome to join.
Leaders, if you are passionate about something and want to use that to foster community and lead others to Jesus, we can probably help you turn that passion into a Grow Group! Let us know as soon as possible because the deadline to sign up to lead a group is January 21. For more information please email growgroups@pmchurch.org or visit pmchurch.org/grow to sign up.
Dates to Keep in Mind:
- Digital Group Leader Registration Deadline: January 21
- Leader Orientation (via Zoom): February 1, 7:00 PM
- Spring Grow Groups Meet: February 7 – May 1
It is almost time for you to receive your Year-end Contribution Statement. Pioneer knows that you have had an unusual year and wants to make it easy for you to receive your Year-end Contribution Statement. This time around, you will receive your Contribution Statement easily and conveniently via email. If you have not recently updated your contact details, please email clerk@pmchurch.org with your current email address to ensure that you receive your statement. Thank you!
"Military life can be a lonely life away from family on deployment," notes James North, Pioneer's Servicepersons Coordinator. "Military families may have a difficult time in a foreign country even though they are together," he continues. "I spent 358 days (I marked each day on a self-created calendar) in Viet Nam away from my wife and 3 toddler daughters. My access to some of the following material was vital."
SDA military persons may receive complimentary subscriptions to Adventist Review, the Adult Bible Study Guide (Sabbath School), and For God and Country and the choice of 2 journals from Guide, Liberty, Message, Our Little Friend, Primary Treasure, Signs of the Times, and Vibrant Life.
A 2021 order form and instructions are found on page 28 of the current issue of For God and Country and I will post a copy of the form in next week's bulletin. If you have military Adventist family members we invite you to send this information to them.