OUR GOD CAN USE ANYONE

Before Semere came to Christ, he was a leader in the Muslim community in his Ethiopian village. Semere was adamantly opposed to Christianity and "since he was a young man, he wanted to persecute and even kill Christians."

But after burning the house of a Christian woman in another village, God crushed him and drew him to Himself. Since his conversion, Semere has been used by God to bring 100 people to Christ.

Like the apostle Paul, Semere's story is just one of countless stories of how God uses those who were opposed to Him before they became Christians to bring many to Him after they accept Christ as Savior. In His sovereignty and goodness God uses our past mistakes and failures to bring glory to Himself. Don't disqualify yourself from serving your Heavenly Father because of what you have done in the past. Remember: He uses us in spite of what we did while in sin.

Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory.
Ephesians 3:20-21

Prayer Requests

Judy & Grayson, Gary & Nancy Mosher, Priscilla Laughlin, and Donna Scott. Keep praying for Israel, our Pastor Tommy, our pastor's wife Teresa, our West Oaks Academy children, administrators, coaches, and of course our teachers.




DID YOU KNOW?

• ** A new film based on Paul Kengor's book "The Crusader: Ronald Reagan and the Fall of Communism" will be released September 15th in Orlando. Christians across the country are encouraged to watch this in the theatres. Also, don't forget the Christian films, "A Place of Hope: Possum Trot," "The Firing Squad" and "Forged" are all Christian films you don't want to miss.

• **Our very own Janette James teaches at West Oaks Academy. If you have not yet met Janette, be sure to do so. Just look toward the back and you will see her praising God with her hands lifted up. Janette states "I love teaching! I have been teaching now for over forty years. God has blessed me with the gift to teach Reading and l am using that gift now as a First Grade teacher. I was born on the beautiful island of Jamaica where I earned a Bachelor of Arts with honors from the University of the West Indies and a Diploma in Theology from Caribbean Christ for the Nations. I have always believed in bringing out the best in all my students with God's help. As a result, I try to instill in them the all powerful words from Philippians 4:13 "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."

Wit and Wisdom

• *** When you get to your wit's end, you'll find God lives there.
• *** Opportunity may knock once, but temptation bangs on your front door forever.
• *** Quit griping about your church; if it was perfect, you couldn't belong.
• *** The phrase that is guaranteed to wake up an audience: "And in conclusion."
• *** Be ye fishers of men. You catch them - He'll clean them.
• *** Coincidence is when God chooses to remain anonymous.
• *** Don't put a question mark where God put a period. God doesn't call the qualified, He qualifies the called.
• *** God grades on the cross, not the curve.
• *** God promises a safe landing, not a calm passage