St. Paul's Christian Messenger News Letter for July, Page Two

40 Days Of Purpose

We will celebrate St. Paul’s 132^nd anniversary with this exciting 40 DAYS OF PURPOSE emphasis.

Why 40 days?

The Bible is clear that God considers 40 days to be a spiritually significant time period. Whenever God wanted to prepare someone for His purposes, He took 40 days:

1. Noah’s life was transformed by 40 days of rain.

2. Moses was transformed by 40 days on Mount Sinai.

3. David was transformed by Goliath’s 40-day challenge.

4. The entire city of Nineveh was transformed when God gave them 40 days to change.

5. Jesus was empowered by 40 days in the wilderness.

6. The disciples were transformed by 40 days with Jesus after His resurrection.

During our 40 Days of Purpose you and the church will rediscover God’s purpose.

Sleep Over

FRIDAY, JULY 16^thAT WATERFRONT PARK

We will watch the Trenton Thunder Baseball Game and after the game campout in center field.

The cost is $7. 20 tickets are available for Junior and Senior Youth Group members and friends. Sign up after worship on Sunday.

A Power Boost of Personal Growth

By Tom Hollowday

“[These Proverbs are] written down so we'll know how to live well and right, to understand what life means and where it's going; A manual for living, for learning what's right and just and fair ….” Proverbs 1:2-3 (Msg)

May I suggest that you commit the month of July OR August to reading through the book of Proverbs? If you accept that challenge, reading one chapter a day, I guarantee that those 31 days will be a real "power boost" of personal growth.

Proverbs is a book about genuine wisdom; it shows us the kind of wisdom that gives you the power to:

- Get life under control
- Make consistently excellent choices
- Say no to destructive temptation
- Better your relationships
- Strengthen your career

The book of Proverbs is not focused on just knowing about wisdom, its focus instead is on doing wisdom. Wisdom is smart living, the ability to apply the principles of God to the realities of life. Wisdom is both harder and easier than you may think.

Harder; because it is not just about knowing the right thing to do, but about deciding to do the right thing.

Easier: because the power behind wisdom is not from us but from the God who loves us.

Billy Graham said about the book of Proverbs, "For a number of years I have made it a practice to read 5 Psalms and 1 chapter of Proverbs a day. The Psalms teach us how to get along with God, and the Proverbs teach us how to get along with our fellowman."

Accept the challenge! And may God fill you with his godly wisdom.

Prayer: As you read through Proverbs, ask God to give you not only the wisdom to understand the right thing, but also the strength to do the right thing.