Category: Faith/ Local Churches

Colossians 3:2-3 “Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.”
I hope everyone is doing well. I also pray each and every day for all the readers of this article and I hope you’re doing the same. As always, I encourage you to seek God in your life. Matthew 6:33 says; “But seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” I encourage you to pray for our troops and pray for the direction of our country. Pray for our first responders, and as always let’s pray for the lost souls of this world that we may teach them the gospel. Remember “…the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much (James 5:16). Let’s make it a personal goal to get into the word of God every day. Our question for the week is; “Where in the Bible will I find an apostle robbing churches?
The apostle Paul in laying out his many inflictions says this in 2nd Corinthians 11:24-28, “Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one. thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep; in journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; in weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger in thirst, in fastings often in cold and nakedness. Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches.” That being said one of the afflictions he suffered one was in perils of robbers, and the last part of that verse mentions the care of the churches. It’s hard to imagine someone like Paul who actually cared for the church to be a robber of a church, but the verse in question is 2nd Corinthians 11:8 in which he calls getting paid by other churches to support him in his service to the Corinthians robbery because they were not paying him for his service. “I robbed other churches, taking wages of them to do you service.” Think about it!

The Divine Savior Lutheran Church hosted its seventh annual Gift of Hope on November 12th. Audrey Jane Capps, a precious little four and ½ year old, was given the Gift of Hope this year. Audrey suffers from A-T an incurable illness. The condition is a genetic disorder known as Ataxia Telangiectasia. A-T affects the nervous system and other bodily systems.
Children with A-T typically have average intelligence but slow motor and verbal response; A-T over time affects difficulty walking, balance, hand coordination, involuntary jerking movements, muscle twitches, and disturbances in nerve function. Audrey is beginning to experience some of these symptoms. This type of response is where lifelong therapy will be a forever journey.
On December 5, Gift of Hope Chairman Robert Cappella, and Rev. Randall Wehmeyer, Pastor of Divine Savior Lutheran Church, presented Audrey and her parents (Josh and Brittany Capps) with this year’s Gift of Hope. Look at that beautiful smile of Audrey. (Baby brother Kenny was just as excited, as you can see.)
We thank all those who supported and contributed to this event. Without your help and the grace of God, we could not have done this. We extend a special thanks to some significant contributors this year: Devine Area Health and Hospice Resource (Hospice), Devine Acres Farms, Klem Family of San Antonio, Shullanberger Family of Hondo, Margaret McCloskey of Bigfoot, and Morales Feed Store of Devine.
We also extend our sincere thanks and appreciation to “Done Right Cookers” of Hondo for donating their time and expertise of cooking the meats and the beans served at our BBQ this year. Our special thanks also goes out to our meat suppliers: Schott’s Meat Market of Helotes and Kiolbassa Smoked Meats of San Antonio. Also, we thank “DJ Bobby G.” of San Antonio for providing music during the day of the BBQ & Silent Auction. Thanks to all of you who contributed wonderful items for the Silent Auction, those who bid and purchased items, and all who enjoyed a great BBQ meal. To God alone be the glory.
Save the date! We’ll have a Gift of Hope Golf Tournament for Audrey on April 29, 2023. We’ve already received several hole sponsorships. If you’d like to sign up to play in the tournament, contact the Devine Golf Course. We look forward to seeing you there! May God continue to bless Audrey and her family.