Peoria Times
14 RELIGION
July 23, 2020
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Getting to know the amazing guide on your inside
10250 N. 59th Ave. 623-937-9216 Sunday Services: Bible Study ....................................... 9:15 Morning Worship ............................ 10:30 Discipleship Training ........................ 4:45 Evening Worship .............................. 6:00
am am pm pm
Wednesdays: TeamKid, Youth Worship Bible Study & Prayer........................6:00 pm Dr. Mark Mucklow, Pastor www.fsbcg.org
OUR LADY OF PERPETUAL HELP Roman Catholic Parish Glendale
5614 W. Orangewood Ave., Glendale • 623-939-9785 www.olphglendale.com
All Services canceled until further notice due to COVID-19 See our website for updates & Online Giving
Shepherd of the Desert
Lutheran Church - ELCA
11025 N. 111th Ave., Sun City/Youngtown
• Worship Saturday 4:00pm, Sunday 9:30am • Holy Communion both services • Word on Wednesday 6:30pm, Supper 5:30pm • First Communion Classes Call to schedule • Youth Programs - Scouts After School - Camp Handicap Bus - Call for pickup
Rev. Dr. Daniel R. Defassio, Pastor 623-933-1359 shepherdofthedesertelca.org Email: sodsecretary@qwestoffice.net
The Bible says in Romans 2:14-15 that conscience originates from above us. Conscience is in people everywhere in the world. It has a common source, and that common source is God. God gave all humanity a facility called the conscience and the best standard on which the conscience operates. All people instinctively know what is right and what is wrong in a general sense. All people have a God-imparted desire to do good, and to be good when they were born. Outside influences on our conscience, if we allow it, can eventually quench it, grieve it or defile it, eventually leading to an evil conscience. Indeed, our conscience was designed by God to be our guide. It can help us or hurt us, depending on the standard we choose for it. Hint: Don’t force your conscience to malfunction by continually making self-centered, self-absorbed, “whether right or wrong, I’m going to get what I want now” decisions you heard from other sources. The best food for a healthy conscience is the Word of God. That’s what makes you and your conscience soar. To learn more about Pastor Ed Delph, the Church-Community Connection and Nation strategy, call 623-376-6757, e-mail nationstrategy@cs.com or visit nationstrategy.com.
Harvest CHurCH 8340 W. Northern Ave. Glendale, AZ 85305
10935 W. Olive Ave. Peoria 85345 Phone (623) 972-8479 office@westolive.com www.westolive.com
Sunday: 9:00 a.m., 11:00 a.m.
Sunday Bible Study 9 a.m.
Nursery Provided
Worship 10 a.m. & 6:00 p.m.
Wednesday: Family Night 7:00 p.m.
Information 623.334.9482
Dr. Ron G. Rockwell – Pastor
www.hcaz.org
Wednesday Bible Classes for all ages - 7:00 p.m.
Everyone Is Welcome!
Harvest CHurCH 8340 W. Northern
Northern Ave. Glendale Ave.
83rd Ave.
A burglar who needed money to pay his income taxes decided to rob the safe in a store. On the safe door, he was pleased to find a note reading, “Please don’t use dynamite. The safe is not locked. Just turn the knob.” He did so. A heavy sandbag fell on him, floodlights lit the entire premises, and alarms started clanging. As the police carried him out on a stretch-
if we listen to it.” Pretty heady stuff, huh. When we cheat on an examination, tell a lie or do something that we instinctively should not do, our conscience reminds and even bothers us. Something inside of us says, “Dude, you missed it!” Of course, like the burglar above, we may have abused our conscience so much that it doesn’t bother us as it did before in the significant areas of life that bring peace and prosperity. That’s a bad sign when a person or a society gets to that point. The Scriptures reveal several types of consciences. There is a clear conscience, a good conscience and an undefiled conscience. Conversely, there is an evil conscience, a seared conscience, a defiled conscience and a weak conscience. Our conscience can only respond to the standards it was given. That’s why it’s crucial to have the best standard. After all, a conscience without God is like a court without a judge. Some believe that conscience originates from behind us, that is, from our evolution. Some believe that conscience originates from around us, that is, from society-based standards. Some believe conscience originates from within us, that is, from our upbringing or family standards. Remember, society or upbringing may give us standards, but it doesn’t give us a conscience. So, where does our conscience originate?
91st ave.
Peoria Times Columnist
er, he moaned, “My confidence in human nature has been rudely shaken.” This story illustrates the need for who I would like to introduce us to today. We may stifle it; we might quench it, hurt it or even defile it. However, we will never be able to escape it. It will be there, attaching itself to the highest standard we know inside of us. Everyone has heard it talk to us, congratulate us, convict us, remind us or try to guide us. Who and what am I talking about today? Allow me to introduce you to your conscience. Charles Wesley called our conscience “a principle within of watchful godly fear.” In the Greek language, conscience means “to know with.” Greek people, in their everyday conversation, used conscience. It meant “the pain that you feel when you do wrong.” According to the standards we have in our heart, conscience is that inner faculty that indicates to us whether our actions are right or wrong. Author Warren Wiersbe writes, “Conscience is not the law; conscience bears witness to the law. Conscience is not the standard; conscience bears witness to the standard. Conscience is judicial. Conscience does not make or pass the law. Conscience bears witness to the law.” Our conscience is our God-given guide to God’s highest, our personal best and societies best
Fre ewa y
Pastor Ed Delph
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CHURCH COMMUNITY CONNECTION
