2012 Southwestern Illinois Home Builders Home Show

Today is a great day to venture out to see the displays and meet local builders and businesses at the Greater Southwestern Illinois Home Builders Association Home Show at the Belleville, Illinois Fairgrounds.

You'll get fresh ideas (and motivation) to start that remodelling, restoring, or creating project you've been thinking about all winter. If you're thinking of re-doing the landscaping of years past, great ideas abound there. More than 100 local companies are there to showcase their work and services. It's a family affair and parking is free.

Admission is $6.oo for adults, free for children under 12. Exhibition Saturday is until 8:00 PM. Sunday hours are from 11:00 AM until 4:00 PM.

The Belle Clair Fairgrounds Park is at 200 South Belt East, Belleville, Illinois.

Here's wishing you the Merriest of Christmas and may you find yourself surrounded with loving family and friends this special season.

The Beatitudes

Matthew 5:6

⁶ Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
For they shall be filled.

Romans 3:10-20

¹⁰ As it is written:


“ There is none righteous, no, not one;
¹¹ There is none who understands;
There is none who seeks after God.
¹² They have all turned aside;
They have together become unprofitable;
There is none who does good, no, not one.”
¹³ “ Their throat is an open tomb;
With their tongues they have practiced deceit”;
“ The poison of asps is under their lips”;
¹⁴ “ Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness.”
¹⁵ “ Their feet are swift to shed blood;
¹⁶ Destruction and misery are in their ways;
¹⁷ And the way of peace they have not known.”
¹⁸ “ There is no fear of God before their eyes.”
¹⁹ Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.
²⁰ Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin.

Romans 4:1-8

Abraham Justified by Faith

¹ What then shall we say that Abraham our father has found according to the flesh? ² For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. ³ For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” ⁴ Now to him who works, the wages are not counted as grace but as debt.

David Celebrates the Same Truth

⁵ But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness, ⁶ just as David also describes the blessedness of the man to whom God imputes righteousness apart from works:
⁷ “ Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven,
And whose sins are covered;
⁸ Blessed is the man to whom the LORD shall not impute sin.”

^{Romans 4:23-25}
Now it was not written for his sake alone that it was imputed to him, ²⁴ but also for us. It shall be imputed to us who believe in Him who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead, ²⁵ who was delivered up because of our offenses, and was raised because of our justification.

Romans 5:1-5

Faith Triumphs in Trouble

¹ Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, ² through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. ³ And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; ⁴ and perseverance, character; and character, hope. ⁵ Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

Lord, even as your word says that we are to seek (hunger and thirst) after righteousness, there are none that are righteous, nor seek after God. But it is your act of mercy towards us, that first brings us to faith in you, because your first loved us. Faith without works is dead, so we pray that our faith will bring action, acts of love and mercy towards any of those who we feel have hurt us, and give us compassion towards those who are weak, or poor in spirit. Let us give kindly to those who are without food, shelter, or clothing, especially during this upcoming season of Christmas. May we not look down on those who are needy, nor look up to those who are rich in this world, but are without Christ. Those who are quick to bring the poor into court. Those whose riches will wither away. May our works never be to gain worldly wealth, power, or acclaim. Even while we are yet, uncircumcised and sinners, may we say "Yes Lord" and do that which is right before you.

In Faith We Pray - Amen!

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Happy Halloween From O'Fallon, Illinois!

It's Trick or Treat Time in O'Fallon, Illinois, October 31 from 6:00 - 9:00 PM tonight.

In addition, the City of O'Fallon Police, Fire & Medical Service Departments have provided two Halloween Safe Stops tonight:

Firehouse #1 on 106 East Washington from 6:00 - 8:30 PM and

Central School on 309 Hartman Lane from 5:00 - 8:00 PM.

Personally, we look forward to the kids knocking on our door for their candies, (while their parents are hiding behind bushes) every year. Since we moved to this new neighborhood two years ago, we've had more kids drop by and we're just happy to oblige. I hope we get a lot of them tonight. Happy Halloween!