God Is Good All the Time And All the Time God Is Good
Pastor Dan's Corner
Are You Keeping It to Yourself?
Are You Keeping It to Yourself?
Are You Keeping It to Yourself?
The gift of salvation
Is the greatest gift of all
Are you sharing it
With others
Or
Are you keeping
It to yourself
“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: It is the gift of God.” Ephesians 2:8 KJV
Pastor 55-Live Senior Group
Applegate Christian Fellowship
https://www.applegatefellowship.org/
How We Handle That Trial
Are You Keeping It to Yourself?
Are You Keeping It to Yourself?
“My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials; knowing this, that the trying of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete lacking nothing.”
James 1:2-4
When that trial comes
How we handle it
Is an expression of
Our faith in Him
Dan Patterson
Pastor of 55-Live Senior Group
Applegate Christian Fellowship https://www.applegatefellowship.org/
Is God Talking to Me?
Are You Keeping It to Yourself?
Is God Talking to Me?
Shalom,
Ever thought, or been asked, "How do I know it is God talking to me"? That is a fair question. For me a couple of verses come to mind...
1 Kings 19:9-18 tells us Elijah was hiding in a cave. There was a strong wind that battered the mountains and rocks were shook loose. The earth shook as an earthquake. There was a fire. The Lord was not in the violent wind, He was not in the quaking of the earth. He was not in the fire. After the fire there was a still small voice. Elijah heard it. In the still small voice, Elijah heard from the Lord.
Wisdom will be found when we seek the Lord in the quietness of our heart.
Blessings, Dan
Dan Patterson
Pastor of 55-Live Senior Group
Applegate Christian Fellowship
Precious truth
jeremiah 1:5
"Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations."
Testimony
suzanne deaville
Almost an Angel…But Not Quite
We should all have a “person”, someone we can trust, share our hearts with and know will love us in spite of ourselves! I met my person when I was entering the 5th grade. It was my first year in Catholic school.
Ours was a large congregation and included the church, rectory, convent, and the school, which went through the 8th grade. In charge of all of this was Monsignor Meade. He was a grandfatherly type and became my person.
I met him when my mother first wanted to enroll me. I was a deer in the headlights, and he assured me everything would be fine, and I could come to him anytime for any reason.
The transition from public school was difficult. The curriculum was more challenging, I didn’t know anyone, and this was a very affluent parish, so I didn’t feel like I fit in very well. Thankfully, there were school uniforms, the great equalizer!
All of this added to family issues created a pocket full for someone my age. I needed my person. In what was a huge leap of faith I made the way to the rectory and knocked. That was the beginning of a blessed friendship between a scrawny little girl and a wise man of God.
Many times, and for many years I made my way to the rectory and knocked. Even on weekends I’d ride my bike the two miles and knock on that big wooden door. Monsignor always had time for me no matter how big or small my need.
We’d sit in the parlor and talk. He would listen to all I had on my heart and guide me toward the Lord, praying and trusting God. I felt validated and blessed.
Every visit ended with him giving me a dollar to buy an ice cream on the way home. I really liked that part!
Our visits got further apart as I grew up and he grew older, but one of the last times I saw him I asked him if he was an angel. He replied with a twinkle in his eye, “I’m almost an angel, but not quite.”
He was not well enough to perform my wedding ceremony, but my memories are a gift. He’s waiting in heaven’s parlor.
“Suffer the little children and forbid them not to come unto me for such is the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 19:14
Testimony
laura derry
Christ Lives In Me?
A Favorite Verse: Galatians 2:20 “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless, I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me.”
Why: I wish I could say I’ve always lived with this verse as the model for my life. Truthfully, however, this verse has much more to do with God’s work in me, than my reciprocated actions…and this may be true for all believers for it speaks so grandly of His part.
I have loved this verse since the 1990’s when someone put it together with a “catchy” tune. That is such a great tool…music + scripture!!!
Doctrinally, I assented to the verse immediately, but it took years for it to take the voyage from my head to my heart. Believing in my heart that: “I was crucified with Christ” (?) that “Christ lived in me” (?) took many years to truly believe!
I used that catchy tune w/scripture to focus my heart and mind on what God said He done when the enemy tortured me and tempted me…and God was Faithful and True! The enemy of my soul fled at His Name.
Always I assented to and believed “nevertheless I live” and “the life I live, I live by faith in the Son of God” because I am alive, and faith was never an issue for me. As soon as I was an adult, learned about God’s plan for mankind and how we rejected Him and His Word, and I was going to Hell as a consequence. I believed.
Although I had thought that a grandma who prayed for me all her life and being sent to Catholic church for some of my childhood had meant nothing—I think I was wrong.
I didn’t remember the catechism and I reacted badly to the rituals and incense…but God was setting the groundwork for my now 47 years of knowing and believing He is God’s Son, and loving Jesus. It just took a lot longer for my heart to receive the full knowledge and blessing of “Christ liveth in me”!
Finishing Strong Devotional Book
Front Cover
HISTORY OF OUR 55-LIVE GROUP
HISTORY OF OUR 55-LIVE GROUP
Finishing Strong
A Devotional
by
55-Live
Senior Group
Applegate Christian Fellowship
Available in the Book store at ACF
$15 or send an email for details if you would like for one to be sent to you:
HISTORY OF OUR 55-LIVE GROUP
HISTORY OF OUR 55-LIVE GROUP
HISTORY OF OUR 55-LIVE GROUP
“55 Live” is a group of seniors desiring to gather together to worship Jesus, and for prayer, communion, and fellowship. It was started by Everett and Nadine Elder after they moved to the Rogue Valley in 1989.
They served the Lord faithfully until the Lord took them home to be with Him.
After, Everett stepped down as our leader, Dan and Lauralee Patterson have both been God’s blessing for us. Dan has followed in Everett’s footsteps with good humor filling us with good medicine!
Proverbs 17:22 KJV says, “A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones.”
Dan leads us with laughter and brings God’s Word to us each week and we are richly blessed! He leads us in praying for those in need and we are greatly encouraged by answered prayers!
Praise and worship in music is an important part of each meeting and has been led by our dear friend, Margy Porter. She and her husband, Bob provided the music until he went home to be with the Lord in 1997.
Doing Life Together
HISTORY OF OUR 55-LIVE GROUP
Dedication to Everett Elder
Margy continued leading us as many others have joined her, and she just recently retired from being our song leader. We are still blessed when Dan has her lead out in an old, treasured hymn! We have been so very blessed by her and all the others, over the years.
We are truly blessed by this “seasoned” group of people who have seen God’s great faithfulness and by all our love for one another. The Lord has provided us, a “safe place” to come and find comfort, encouragement, and strength!
We are thankful for all those that have been a part of this group, and for all that have encouraged and blessed each other! No better place to be!
Thank You, Lord Jesus, for all You have done for us! Sunny Couch
Special thank you to Suzanne Deaville who kindly offered to look up almost 600 verses for accuracy!
Finishing Strong Glossary 313-319
Dedication to Everett Elder
We Are Never Too Old To Serve God - Page 1 of 312 pages
Dedication to Everett Elder
My oh my…How time doth fly!
It was over thirty years ago that I approached my father-in-law Everett Elder to consider starting up a group for the senior saints here at Applegate that we would call 55-Live.
I felt in my soul that Everett was custom made for that role.
For Pops (as I called him) had a Simply Profound & Profoundly Simple faith in the promises and premises of God's Word that produced in him a contagiously cheerful heart, an eternally optimistic outlook, and a wonderfully care-free spirit...such are the results of one who is truly Heavenly-minded.
Now that I am (well past!) 55 myself, I know experientially the vital importance of such characteristics in navigating this particular season of life.
Thus, being asked to write the dedication for this volume to Everett Elder, it is a delight and honor for me...for Everett was (and indeed is!) truly dedicated to the One who, as that wonderful old song so rightly says, “gets sweeter and sweeter as the days go by”.
So, with love and appreciation for Everett Elder, and even more so to his (and our) Loving Lord & Coming King Jesus Christ, is this book-of-blessings now Dedicated.
Amen and Amen! Jon Courson
We Are Never Too Old To Serve God - Page 1 of 312 pages
We Are Never Too Old To Serve God - Page 1 of 312 pages
We Are Never Too Old To Serve God - Page 1 of 312 pages
We are never too old to serve God
Never too old to pray
We may not be able to jump as high
Or run as fast as we once did
That’s ok
We can still hold the attention of a youngster as we tell of the wonderful
works of God and how much they are loved by Jesus the Christ
"Now also when I am old and gray headed, O God do not forsake me, until
I declare Your strength to this generation. Your power to everyone who is to come.” Psalm 71:18
Dan Patterson
-1-
Back Cover
We Are Never Too Old To Serve God - Page 1 of 312 pages
We Are Never Too Old To Serve God - Page 1 of 312 pages
Finishing Strong is a book of devotions and favorite verses shared by 55-Live Senior Group at Applegate Christian Fellowship. We are a group of people committed to the Lord and dedicated to sharing the gospel and praying for one another and others. We end every meeting singing this blessing:
“The Lord bless thee and keep thee. The Lord make His face to shine upon thee and be gracious unto thee. The Lord lift up His countenance upon thee and give thee peace.” Numbers 6:24-26
God Bless!
New devotions posted daily at our website cwp-celebratingworship.com
Review For Finishing Strong Devotional
Review by len thornton
In 2012 I had heart surgery. Just before I was being admitted, Dan Patterson, our 55 Alive Pastor, showed up and led our family in prayer. He also invited Linda and I to join the 55 Alive group. When I was up to it, we joined this group and were overwhelmed by the love and welcome we received.
"The greatest commandment is Love", and this group has it in spades. There are over 100 members in our 55 Alive group. Some I know and share with, but most I just know by their name tag.
After reading these stories and related scriptures I feel I know many of them SO much better. This collection of stories, quoted scripture and verses has been a real eye-opener. The love, faith and hope that they have in Jesus and His promises is the one common denominator in their lives. It seems that some have faith that I can only aspire to.
As I read these testimonies and related verses, it seems they are broken into 3 categories. Praise or prayer of both for spiritual or physical healing, relief from financial or living situations, and for families and loved ones saved or not yet saved.
I believe that prayer for wayward loved ones weighs heavily on many in our group, but I am reminded to keep hope alive because Jesus has promised that He answers our prayers and He will work everything out for the good in His own time. Having read about the miracles and "coincidences" that have happened in our flock, some from dire circumstances, I am encouraged and blessed, and can only recommend that you read, and possibly contribute your own "story" to this uplifting collection.
Finishing Strong Devotional is available at the Applegate Christian Fellowship Book Store and at our Tuesday morning meetings at 10:00 AM at ACF.