For many years, I have loved the Chris Tomlin song, GOD OF THIS CITY. There have been many video backgrounds attached to this song and posted on Youtube. Click HERE to see one of my favorites! In the song, there is a line that goes: “Greater things have yet to come and greater things are still to be done in this city.” I believe that about our city and I hold with conviction that GOD wants to do greater things here! In both the Old & New Testaments, GOD’s Word calls GOD’s people to bless the place where HE has planted us. This Sunday, we’ll think deeply and practically about what it could look like if we’d focus one month on serving our city. Pastor Joe Still _______________________________ Connect with us: Website: http://www.riverbluff.org Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RiverbluffChurch Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/riverbluffchs/ How can we pray for you? http://www.riverbluff.org/help/prayer-request Give to the Kingdom work of Riverbluff Church: http://www.riverbluff.org/give

Throughout the history of “the Church”, there have been many great moves of GOD. And as followers of Jesus, we should be praying frequently and fervently to see a great move of GOD in our homes, and cities, in our churches, and our nation. But while praying for that, we must not lose sight of how GOD is always moving in HIS Church. Jesus said in John 5:17, "My Father is always at His work…”. This reminds me that GOD is always moving in HIS Church, and what I need, are the “spiritual eyes” and the biblical foundation to see it happening! Join me as we look to GOD’s Word and allow HIM to point us to how and where HE is moving in HIS Church known as Riverbluff! Pastor Joe Still _______________________________ Connect with us: Website: http://www.riverbluff.org Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RiverbluffChurch Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/riverbluffchs/ How can we pray for you? http://www.riverbluff.org/help/prayer-request Give to the Kingdom work of Riverbluff Church: http://www.riverbluff.org/give

I imagine many of you have already begun your INDEPENDENCE DAY celebration. Over on our side of town, folks began shooting fireworks at the beginning of this week! Over these last 250 years, GOD has richly blessed these United States of America. When it comes to this nation, “GOD shed His grace on thee,” as boldly proclaimed in the song AMERICA THE BEAUTIFUL, is an understatement! One of the ways GOD has blessed this nation is by giving us many great leaders at just the right time when they were most needed. The year I was born, John F. Kennedy stepped into the office of President. One of the most important and often quoted statements he made was from his Inaugural Address on January 20, 1961. Near the conclusion of that speech he said: “And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you--ask what you can do for your country.” Rather than acting as passive recipients of government benefits, or harsh critics, he challenged ordinary Americans to commit themselves to the success and progress of the nation. It was not a completely original concept. Thousands of years earlier GOD gave that command to HIS people. It is recorded in Jeremiah chapter 29. I’m praying you’ll join us as we give thanks to GOD for HIS blessing on our nation and humbly ask HIM for more. We’ll also look to HIS word to discover the role HE has assigned if we truly want to see HIS future blessings come on our nation! Pastor Joe Still

What a truly wonderful week the LORD gave us at VBS! GOD’S protection over technology and our facilities, (especially HVAC), has been seen by all of us who are “VBS Veterans” here at Riverbluff. More importantly GOD is doing a great work in the lives of so many kids, (and some of their parents). It is so beautiful to see! This Sunday we’ll celebrate that work of GOD and our children will be leading out in a variety of ways this Sunday, leading some of our worship, leading our prayers, and giving testimony to JESUS’ goodness and greatness! You don’t want to miss this! Pastor Joe Still

Freedom has been an illusive longing in the hearts and minds of humanity since we were created and placed in the Garden of GOD, where we quickly chose enslavement to sin! (see Genesis 3) I write this on a national holiday commemorating the day Union soldiers arrived in Galveston, Texas, to announce the end of the Civil War and ensure that all remaining enslaved people were freed. It is a celebration of freedom, marking the end of that heinous practice of legalized human enslavement in this country. We live in a nation that I believe, comparatively speaking, has been appropriately nicknamed “the land of the free”. And we get to celebrate our nation’s birth in just a few weeks. But we don’t have to wait until then to celebrate “freedom”. In fact, every Sunday as we gather, we celebrate the freedom from sin that our Good, Good FATHER gave to us in JESUS! As we gather this Sunday to celebrate GOD as our FATHER, we will also take some moments, on FATHER’S DAY, to honor our earthly fathers, just as GOD commanded us to do. (see the 5th of the 10 Commandments) And since many fathers love “football” in one form or another, we have the Head Football Coach of Fort Dorchester High School joining us this Sunday to talk about the rare and precious gospel partnership GOD has given us. So, I hope you are making plans to join us as we worship THE MOST INCREDIBLE FATHER EVER! Pastor Joe Still

If someone only did a shallow, superficial reading of the first four books of the New Testament, (the Gospels), they would certainly walk away knowing that Jesus did not come to earth looking for perfect people.  The lives of those closest to Jesus during His earthly ministry, were pretty much all “hot messes”! When the Apostle Paul wrote his first letter to Christians in the city of Corinth, he resolutely and tenaciously pointed out this reality in their lives too! “Brothers and sisters, consider what you were when God called you to be Christians. Not many of you were wise from a human point of view. You were not in powerful positions or in the upper social classes. But God chose what the world considers nonsense to put wise people to shame. God chose what the world considers weak to put what is strong to shame. God chose what the world considers ordinary and what it despises—what it considers to be nothing—in order to destroy what it considers to be something… You are partners with Christ Jesus because of God.”                                                1 Corinthians 1:26–31 (GW) “Don’t you know that wicked people won’t inherit God’s kingdom? Stop deceiving yourselves! People who continue to commit sexual sins, who worship false gods, those who commit adultery, homosexuals, or thieves, those who are greedy or drunk, who use abusive language, or who rob people will not inherit God’s kingdom. That’s what some of you were!”                     1 Corinthians 6:9–11 (GW) Hebrews 13:8 declares that “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.”  This means He is still seeking imperfect people! Join us as we explore why an “unwritten rule” at Riverbluff is “NO PERFECT PEOPLE ALLOWED”! Pastor Joe Still ____________________________________ Connect with us: Website: http://www.riverbluff.org Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RiverbluffChurch Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/riverbluffchs/ How can we pray for you? http://www.riverbluff.org/help/prayer-request Give to the Kingdom work of Riverbluff Church: http://www.riverbluff.org/give

How to Let God Fight for You - part 2 In John 5:17, JESUS said, “My Father never stops working, and so I keep working, too.” In HIS great grace, our GOD has invited us to join HIM where HE is working in our city and in places around the world. We are going to take some moments this Sunday to celebrate just a few of the places HE is moving and the joy we receive when we join HIM! I sure hope you’re making plans to join us this Sunday at our service at 9:30 or 11AM, or in our livestream service at 11AM on riverbluff.live as we celebrate and thank GOD for the joy HE brings! We’re also going to finish the message I began last Sunday, learning from the life of Joshua, HOW TO LET OUR GOD FIGHT FOR YOU! Pastor Joe Still ____________________________________ Connect with us: Website: http://www.riverbluff.org Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RiverbluffChurch Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/riverbluffchs/ How can we pray for you? http://www.riverbluff.org/help/prayer-request Give to the Kingdom work of Riverbluff Church: http://www.riverbluff.org/give

This Sunday when we gather, we have the great privilege to celebrate with a special group of people in our River-family, they are our recent Graduates. Some earned their high school diplomas, several earned a bachelor’s degree, one earned their Ph.D.! While all these Grads have completed a great challenge, each of them will now step into a new arena where they will face new opponents and battles. That is also true for you! We all are constantly moving from one arena to another where we face new battles and new opponents. That movement is called life! You may be about to enter the arena of college, or the arena of the workplace, or marriage, or parenting, or retirement. Some have entered the arena of battling financial crisis, or job loss, or the arena of chronic illness or debilitating disease. No matter your current arena or the opponent you are facing, GOD has promised His people that HE desires to fight for them if they will let Him! I’m praying you’ll join us as we learn from the life and leadership of a man named Joshua, HOW TO LET GOD FIGHT FOR YOU in the arena you are battling through in this season of life! Pastor Joe Still

This weekend is designated by our nation as Memorial Day Weekend.  For many it marks the beginning of Summer and is often celebrated with camping, cookouts, and beach trips.  It’s origin is much more somber and serious in nature. While established as a federal holiday in 1971, Americans began to recognize Memorial Day in 1868. Originally known as “Decoration Day” the holiday started with communities coming together to decorate the graves of those who died during military service. We will take some moments in our services this Sunday, to honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice so that we might freely worship and we will pray for our nations “Gold Star Families”. While this weekend is important to Americans for the reasons mentioned above, this weekend is also celebrated by the Church around the world.  This Sunday, PENTECOST SUNDAY, marks the outpouring of the HOLY SPIRIT, 50 days after JESUS’ resurrection! We will celebrate the HOLY SPIRIT’S outpouring and HIS continual work and presence with us.  We will also look to GOD’s Word and see HIS purpose, that the HOLY SPIRIT would be an active in “All of Life”, for those who follow JESUS. I will also interview our own Cindy Schirle!  She will share her journey of following the leading of the HOLY SPIRIT in “All of Life”, especially into the workplace.  I’m praying you’ll make plans now to join us as we celebrate with brothers and sisters around the world the outpouring of the HOLY SPIRIT and HIS work today in HIS people! Pastor Joe Still ____________________________________ Connect with us: Website: http://www.riverbluff.org Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RiverbluffChurch Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/riverbluffchs/ How can we pray for you? http://www.riverbluff.org/help/prayer-request Give to the Kingdom work of Riverbluff Church: http://www.riverbluff.org/give

On May 14, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Monaco, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, Benin, Indonesia, Madagascar, Namibia, Vanuatu, and a few other countries celebrated a National Holiday, complete with the closing of schools, banks, and government offices. In Germany, the holiday is called “Christi Himmelfahrt”, which likely brings a smile to us English speakers! “Christi Himmelfahrt” literally means “Christ’s Heavenly Journey” and is a celebration of the day JESUS Ascended back to heaven, 40 days after His resurrection. Like Christmas, in most places, it has been highly secularized, often losing any real connection to the earthly life and ministry of JESUS. Learning this, raised a question for me. “Why don’t we celebrate it?” The Ascension of JESUS back to heaven brought many incredible, tangible blessings to our lives. In fact, after some intense study, I would say that it rivals Christmas Day in the number and power of the blessings it provides us! I’m praying you’ll make plans now to join us for this message, as we celebrate all JESUS has done for us in HIS return to heaven! Pastor Joe Still

The book of Proverbs is not a “prophetic” book, but a book of Wisdom.  It’s a collection of wise observations, assembled by the man the Bible describes as the wisest man to live, King Solomon. (see 1 Kings 3 & 4) Proverbs 31:28 tells us something incredible about Godly Mothers.  It says, “Her children stand and bless her.”  The verses just before, tell us why that would happen: “She is clothed with strength and dignity, and she laughs without fear of the future. When she speaks, her words are wise, and she gives instructions with kindness. She carefully watches everything in her household and suffers nothing from laziness.” (Proverbs 31:25-27)  This is not just some “honorable mention” thrown into the Bible. These words declare the importance that GOD places on the role of a mother. The ways they influence our lives will never be overstated! Mother’s Day is a time to honor our birth moms as well as those “spiritual moms” GOD placed along the way in our lives. We will take time in this service to do just that! As he always does, Satan seeks to distort and destroy the Truth of GOD and the beautiful Works of GOD, and he comes after moms through very masked and malevolent methods.  But, defying Satan’s best “mom-destroying-schemes” stands GOD’s Good News for moms! Join me to hear about GOD’s Good News for Moms! Pastor Joe Still ____________________________________ Connect with us: Website: http://www.riverbluff.org Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RiverbluffChurch Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/riverbluffchs/ How can we pray for you? http://www.riverbluff.org/help/prayer-request Give to the Kingdom work of Riverbluff Church: http://www.riverbluff.org/give