The Berthoud Bugle: Emmanuel
- berthoudfoursquare
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Volume 2025: Edition 44
Food for thought: Our Good Shepard - God with us
Hello everyone. We thank you for your love and support for our Church and our family. Please continue to pray for our church, our pastor and his leadership, and our church leaders that we may continue to share the word of God. We are so blessed and grateful for the growth in our church, the ability to share our messages and newsletters with our viewers, and the strengthening of our church family and viewers as a congregation and as individuals. We strive to bring encouragement and connection through this newsletter, which we will continue to post every 1st of the month. So, we hope you will continue to learn and grow in God's word with us.
"Then Jesus told them this parable: “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent."
(Luke 15:3-7)
As I am opening this month’s newsletter with the parable of the 99, it is only fitting that we continue from last month's newsletter on how great God’s love is for us.
How beautiful it is that our creator loves us so much that no matter how much we fail Him, or how lost we are in this world, He is always waiting for us to return to Him. His never-ending love and mercy are always a breath away, and our God just wants us to believe in Him and follow Him.
For me, this parable has always tugged at my heart. I have always felt like I have been lost in this world. That I have let the world engulf me and dictate my ways instead of allowing my Savior to lead me. I have always kept a distance in my relationship with my creator because I want to control my destiny. But doing so has led me towards many hardships and bad decisions. Trying to control my own destiny has made me feel, so often in my life, lost.
When I read this parable, I was reminded how we as Christian’s, when we feel lost or see someone lost, should reach out and help one another. We shouldn’t be afraid to ask for help or reach out and help the needy. We all have our ups and downs in this life we live, but God didn’t make us to be alone. God wants us to turn to Him and to lean on one another for encouragement and friendship.
"A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."
(John 13:34-35)
I fight this daily because of the lifetime of bad decisions and the desire to control my own destiny. I prioritize myself first, and try to make everything else revolve around my time and desires.
This month's newsletter was meant for a whole different topic, but when I came across this parable and thought about it, the more I knew this would just be a continuation of last month’s topic. After trying to wrap my head around the billions and billions of souls God has made throughout time, I came to realize that the Love and mercy our God has for us is immeasurable.
Realistically, if this little story about a shepherd looking desperately for one lost sheep happened today, most people would have saved themselves the trouble and said, “It’s just one, we have 99 of them still.” They would write off the fact that they had lost one and continue about their day, because that is the kind of people we are. Thank God that our God doesn’t see us that way. That we have a God who cares deeply for each and every one of us as unique individuals. We are all His children, and He will do everything to try to bring us back to Him.
Yes, we have free will, and often we use that free will to wander away from our Good Shepard and do as we please; that’s where this story can hit home. This parable is a reminder that we are all lost sheep, wandering in this world, and despite it all, God has given you and me a way back home.
We can never thank God enough for what He has done for us. For sending His son in the flesh, fully man and fully divine, born to a virgin, to grow up in this world and walk in our shoes, live the perfect life, and to lay down His life to save ours because of our sins. He is truly our Good Shepard.
"No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven—the Son of Man. Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.” For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him."
(John 3:13-17)
I know going into this month, that there will be more distractions than usual. We will be celebrating Christmas and we will be ringing in a new year as well.
Many of us will partake in Christmas festivities and celebrate with family and friends. Many will run to online shopping and stores to get gifts for this Christmas celebration. Go to parties and enjoy all that this holiday season brings.
But remember, in all the distractions, set your sights on our Lord. Ask in prayer for guidance, for understanding, for wisdom, and for peace and love in your heart. Because in all the festivities of the holiday season, there are people who are lost, in pain, who carry heartache, who have no one to share in celebrating a holiday that has been corrupted by this world.
Do what our Lord commanded us to do :
"A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another."
(John 13:34)
Show compassion to one another. Show love.
We will end this newsletter with another parable. Keep In mind our God's Love:
"Jesus continued: “There was a man who had two sons. The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them.
“Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.
“When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’ So he got up and went to his father.
“But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.
“The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son
“But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.
“Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. ‘Your brother has come,’ he replied, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’
“The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. But he answered his father, ‘Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!’
“‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’”
(Luke 15:11-32)
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Upcoming Events:
Special Prayers:
Pray for Nicole and Damian's safe return from Hawaii back to Colorado and that the Lord watches over them during their move.
Pray for those who have fear and uncertainty during this season, and in any season, that the Lord may open their eyes and their hearts to find hope and peace in Him.
Continued prayer for the Salazar Family
Pray for our Newsletter that we can continue to write through the Holy Spirit
Pray for our Pastor and our church that we may be blessed to continue to grow and share the word of God
Weekly Devotional: The Danger of Being Lukewarm
Begg, Alistair. Truth for Life- Daily Devotions
Verse of the Week:
"Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests."
(Luke 2:13-14)
Announcements:
It is Christmas time! If the Lord has put it in your heart to speak, play, sing, or give Him honor and glory in any way we would love to give you time to do so during our Christmas Eve Service. Christmas Eve Service will start at 6:00 PM this year and will be followed by dinner. If you would like to help in anyway or if you have any suggestions for dinner dishes please let Pastor Stevie know. We can't wait to see you during our Christmas Eve Service and we hope you have a Merry Christmas!
Get Involved! There are many ways you can support our church inside and outside of service and help us reach out to our community here in Berthoud. You can help us with the newsletter, plan a fellowship meeting, lead a church activity, help keep the church clean, join in on decorating the church seasonally, design and build church floats in the winter and summer parade, play with and teach the little kids that come in, participate in bible studies, sing or play in worship, lead a bake/ craft sale, make burritos for our Burrito Sales, help maintain the church property, etc.
“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters.” (Colossians 3:23)
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