EAST TAMPA CHRISTIAN CHURCH
7824 S. 24th Ave., Tampa, Fla. 33619 / (813) 626-2507
Terry Tyree, Minister
ORDER OF WORSHIP
Announcements
Prayer
Sermon
Invitation Song
Communion Song
Communion / Offering
Praise Songs
Living Hope
You Say
I Can Only Imagine
Battle Belongs
Closing Prayer
“O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?”
ON THE CALENDAR
Sunday: Sunday School /Adults 9 a.m., Children 9 and 10 a.m.
Worship, 10 a.m.
Tuesday: Hunger-Free Mission / Worship, 9:30 a.m.
Food and clothing distribution, 10 a.m.
Wednesday: Prayer meeting, 6 p.m.
Thursday: Bible study, 11 a.m.
February 12: Valentine’s luncheon following worship
March 3-4: Men’s retreat at Lake Aurora Christian Camp
March 19-22: Rock Solid Ministries revival
THIS AND THAT
Birthdays this week: Pat Swindle (Thursday)
Offerings last week: $1,160.00 (general fund)
Meditations next week: Dan Hefner
FROM THE WORD
18 I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. 19 For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed. 20 For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God.
Romans 8:18-21
ADDITIONAL
We live in a fallen world; a place of sufferings and trials, and a time of heartaches and problems; a life of difficulties and sickness, and a season of disappointments and death.
Afflictions and anguish stalk us like a hungry pack of jackals, and they are no respecter of persons or position, clime or creed, wise or foolish, young or old, believer or unbeliever. And if this were all that life offered to humanity, we would indeed be the most miserable of species, for we would remain dead in trespasses and sins, without God and without any hope in the world.
Romans, Chapter 8 reminds us that as Christians, we will not escape the sufferings of this age. Indeed, Paul writes to Timothy: “All who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.”
But Romans 8:18 is a verse of contrasts. Suffering is placed alongside great glory, sadness is contrasted with lasting joy, despair is put in contradistinction with the glorious hope that is set before us, while death is forever swallowed up in the abundance of everlasting life.
Suffering helps us to keep our eyes off the things of this world, the lust of the flesh, the pride of life. It is in times of suffering that we are inclined to lean upon the Lord, to entreat Him in prayers and petitions, to stay very close to the shelter of His wings. And Paul reminds us that “suffering produces perseverance, perseverance, character; and character, hope.”
But here, Paul is exhorting us not to keep our eyes on what suffering in this world is doing in us, but to lift our eyes and fix our gaze on Jesus and “the glory that is to be revealed to us.”
Suffering and all its aggressive associates pale into blinded insignificance when placed in their correct eternal perspective, for when laid alongside the truth of the gospel and the glory that shines forth from its eternal pages, they are not even worthy to be considered in the same breath as our reality in Christ and our eternal heavenly future. – Knowing-Jesus.com
TODAY IS THE DAY OF SALVATION
The invitation at the close of each worship service extends an opportunity for anyone outside of Christ to unite with him and become a Christian through belief (John 3:16); repentance (turning away from sin,
Acts 2:38); confession of belief in Christ (Romans 10:10); baptism into Christ for forgiveness of sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit (Mark 16:16, Acts 2:38, Romans 6:1-8) and devoting the rest of your life to
Christ (Matthew 10:22).
The Lord’s invitation also is open to anyone desiring to rededicate his or her life to Christ; to baptized
believers wanting to transfer their membership to this congregation, or to request prayer support.
ABOUT US
For more than a half-century, we have been a restoration plea fellowship in unity with other independent New Testament church bodies. Certainly, we are not the only Christians, but we are Christians only.
In that regard, we assume no denominational name. We observe the Lord’s Supper every Sunday to honor him and reflect upon his great sacrifice on our behalf (Acts 2:42, 1 Corinthians 11:23-28, Hebrews 10:25).
We teach directly from the Bible. Where it speaks clearly – such as the Gospel plan of salvation and other directions or commands – we seek unity. In matters of opinion, where the Bible does not expressly speak, we seek liberty. In all things, however, we speak love for one another, just as Jesus loved us and laid down his life for us!
If you agree with these matters, please join us to proclaim salvation and unity to those who need to hear it in the name of our blessed Lord and only Savior, Jesus Christ. We urgently invite you to do so since his glorious return is imminent.
OUR ELDERS
Jim Fairchild (813) 361-7809 jfairchild@famins.com
Dan Hefner (813) 244-9843 danshirlh@msn.com