Redeeming the Time

Parents and students,

“Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.” As you finish up your day, let me ask you a question: “Were you biblically productive? I’m not saying whether you completed your endless to do list or not. I’m not even saying whether you were on time to everything on your schedule. But were you biblically productive? Every living person has the same number of hours to use in every day. Busy people are not given a special bonus added on to the hours of the day :). The clock plays no favorites. We all have an equal measure of time in every day. Where we differ from one another is in how we redeem the time that God has given us. When something is redeemed, it is rescued or purchased from a negative situation or circumstance. The basic negative condition we are concerned with is WASTE. To waste time is to spend it on that which has little or no value for eternity. Let me challenge us all with this….what are you spending your time on? Will you look back with regret and see that you have not redeemed the time from wasting it on temporal events? Or, will you look back with the assurance that you have invested your life in the eternal things that matter to your Creator God? God does not call us to a busy life that is cluttered with distractions, but to an intentional life where we are living for His glory and His kingdom. I realize that we all have our pursuits, goals, and dreams for ourselves and our children. I encourage you to take some inventory during this month of November as a family and see if you are being biblically productive in your different roles, responsibilities, and activities. To help you with this, I am pointing you to a great resource for your walk by C.J. Mahaney entitled, “Biblical Productivity.” As I watch for your soul this month, my desire to come alongside you and encourage us all to live intentional lives that are invested in the eternal.

In Sunday School, we are continuing our DVD series with John Piper on “The Blazing Center: A Soul-Satisfying Supremacy of God in All Things.” Last week, we went through the importance of seeing God as supreme. This Sunday (10/24), we will resume our study on. Last Wednesday, we talked about how essential it is for us to be committed in loving and serving the local church that Christ has called us to. Tonight we will continue to break up into small groups and discuss the “one another” passages in the New Testament. I’m really looking forward to getting into these passages together with you!

IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT: The Harvest Party Event for this Saturday has been changed! We had to move it to another date for several reasons, but one main reason was transportation and leader involvement. By moving the event to next Wednesday evening, we will have all of our buses available and our leaders will be able to come and help with the event. So, we will have our annual 10:31 Harvest Party on Wednesday, November 3rd at Glen Thomas’ Property in Bedford. The cost is $2 per person ($5 max per family). Parents and students are welcome to attend this event. We will meet at the church at 5pm and drive over to the property, but you are free to meet us there and park outside of the gate. We will return to the church by 10pm.

Here are directions if you are driving your own vehicle: Take 460 West toward Roanoke. Once you arrive in Bedford, turn right off 460 into Wal-Mart parking lot and go toward Ruby Tuesday. Follow Lowry St/Fuqua Mill Rd to Venhorst Drive. Turn right onto gravel road and follow to the gate and park your vehicle on the grass. Do not pull through the gate and park by the pavilion.

Here are our upcoming October Events :

• Harvest Party Event: Wednesday, November 3rd from 5pm-10pm
• TBC Men’s Retreat: 11/12-11/13 (Friday PM‐Saturday afternoon). I encourage ALL Fathers and Sons (who are 9th grade and older) to consider coming to this event! Sign up and see the details on our website:
• Snowflex S.N.A.C. – We will be having a Sunday Night After Church Activity on 11/14 from 7:30‐9:30pm at Liberty Mtn. Snowflex Center
• Underground Church Activity Canceled: This event that was scheduled for Friday, 11/19 from 7‐11pm is now canceled. We will hold this event at another time.

Let’s remember to seize the opportunities to be intentional and invest for eternity!

Your fellow servant,

Pastor Stephen

(You can view all of our fall events on our website)