B
EREAN
L
OVES
Rob Stroup: Senior Saints Pastor
I S
TS
ENIOR
December 2012
S
AINTS
Ray Bacon: Bliss Editor
Hebrews 5:14: But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those
who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil
Find us on the web at www.Berean-Baptist.org, ->Ministries, ->Seniors, ->BLISS
Activities:
A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly (Pr 18:24)
12:00 NOON Lunch-Out at Red Lobster on HWY 78
7:00 PM, Wednesday, Two from Galilee performance
7:00 PM, Friday, Two from Galilee performance
7:00 PM, Saturday, Two from Galilee performance
6:00 PM Evening Service, Birthday Gift for Jesus, Choir Christmas Program
6:30 PM Monday, Senior Saints Christmas Party
6:00 PM, Ray and Ann Gibbs Christmas Concert
7:00 PM, Christmas Eve service
Thursday, CHICK-FIL-A, Tour of Home Office, Bus leaves Berean early
Anniversaries: What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder (Mr 10:9)
12-02 Martin & Betty Ballew #63
12-18 David & Virginia Twigg #58
12-08 Mitch & Marjorie Akins #21
12-19 Rob & Suellen Stroup #20
12-10 Randy & Kristy Hurst #35
12-19 Darrell & Jennifer White #31
12-11 Bob & Kay Schin #47
12-23 John & Tammy Blaylock #6
12-15 Neal & Cherie Gibson #39
12-11
12-12
12-14
12-15
12-16
12-17
12-23
12-24
01-10
Birthdays:
12-01
12-02
12-04
12-05
12-06
12-08
12-12
But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age - to discern both good and evil (Heb 5:14)
Steve Foote
12-14 Lori Henry
12-25 Ed Mills
Ed Stockton
12-17 Phil Mathews
12-27 Glenna Detrick
Mike Faulkenberry
12-18 Marjorie Akins
12-29 Rebecca Shavers
Becky Cook
12-18 Ken Clark
12-29 Connie Studdard
Jinie Miller
12-18 David Twigg
12-31 Mary Ellen Smith
Watheda Hicks
12-22 Barbara Burrow
Norm Glasser
12-23 Doug Taunton
Senior Saints in training get their own table at the German Restaurant
************ Without a Doubt ****************
Gift Exchange
************ Pastor Rob Stroup **************
Christmas in America is synonymous with the exchange of gifts. Often the gift giving begins with
shopping. “Black Friday” (the day after Thanksgiving) got its name from the retail industry. So
many people made Christmas shopping a priority after Thanksgiving that large stores moved from
the red (loss) to black (profit) on the day after Thanksgiving year after year. Thus the name, “Black
Friday.” Shopping is just the tip of the iceberg for many, however, since wrapping and delivering or
mailing the gifts often takes as much time and energy as the shopping.
Have you ever given a gift that was not appreciated? Of course, we all have, but that should not
mean that we stop giving gifts. Did God stop giving when the world rejected His gift? No, He
continues to give, even to the person that does not appreciate Him. Matthew 5:45(b) …for he maketh
his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.
Why do we spend so much time and energy to exchange gifts at Christmas? Pragmatism would say
that if you spend money on me and I spend money on you, shouldn’t we just write each other a
check so we can both get what we want? And if you take it a step further, calculate the difference in
the expense of the gifts and only give the difference to the one that receives the more expensive gift!
That takes all the fun out of it, though, because much of the enjoyment in gift exchanges is thinking
about someone else and trying to imagine what will be the best gift for them. It is great fun and a
wonderful tradition based on God’s greatest gift, His own Son, as a Savior to the world.
 We give gifts because we love others. God gave us Christ because of His love for the world.
o John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that
whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
 We give gifts to meet the needs of others. Many times we can give something to someone that
they could not get for themselves, even as God gave us salvation that we cannot earn.
o Ephesians 2:8,9 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is
the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.
 We give gifts to the undeserving because of our love, just as God did for us.
o Romans 5:8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners,
Christ died for us.
 We also receive a blessing as we give, according to Jesus.
o Acts 20:35 … remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to
give than to receive.
 We should be generous with our gifts, as God is.
o Romans 8:32 He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall
he not with him also freely give us all things?
Have a Wonderful Time exchanging gifts this Christmas, dear Senior Saints!
From Rob, Suellen, and all the Stroups
Luke 1:32 He shall be great, and shall be called the
Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto
him the throne of his father David:
BLISS 2012-12 pg3
11-10 Dinner-In
BLISS 2012-12 pg4
November 13, German Restaurant Lunch-Out