Sermon from 5/24

Here is a link to my sermon that was preached on Sunday night 5-24-15:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jEMRb76wres

Also, below are my notes for the sermon and a pdf of the hymn that I wrote because of Psalm 51

8 Principles for How to Treat Our Personal Sin

Context- 2 Samuel 11:1-12:23

Psalm 51

1. Recognize the gravity of the situation

2. Beg God for Mercy (vs. 1)

Mercy is rooted in God’s Steadfast Love

God extends pity to the helpless

Our greatest example of Mercy is Christ’s work on the Cross

God promises the forgiveness of our sins

3. Ask God to Blot out Transgressions (vs. 1)

God has promised to forget our sin

Sin is behind God’s back (Is. 28:17)

Sin is in the depths of the sea (Micah 7:19)

Sin is forgotten (Heb. 8:12)

Sin is as far as the East is from the West (Psalm 103:12)

Four words used for sin in this Psalm

Transgressions- To break a law.

Iniquity- To warp

Sin- To miss the mark

Bloodguiltiness- Murder

4. Ask God to Wash You Thoroughly (vs. 2)

Carries the idea of becoming ceremonially clean

Upper Room (John 13:1-17)

Paul’s example (Phil. 3:8-16)

5. Recognize the Realities of Sin

Sin will be pressing on our mind until we deal with it (vs. 3)

We have sinned against primarily God (vs. 4)

God’s punishment of sin is Just (vs. 4)

We were born this way (vs. 5)

God sees our motivations (vs. 6)

6. Realize the Powerful Results of Forgiveness

God can make us clean (vs. 7)

God’s discipline gives us joy (vs. 8)

God’s forgiveness changes our hearts (vs. 9&10)

We are sealed (vs. 11) (2 Cor. 1:21-22)

We have ultimate Joy (vs. 12) (Gal. 5:22-23)

We are servants (vs. 12)

7. Our Obligations to Forgiveness

We ought to teach others about sin (vs. 13)

We ought to sing praises to God (vs. 14&15)

8. God Can’t be Bought (vs. 16-19)

We are saved through faith, not works (Eph. 2:8&9)

We are saved to do good works

Redemption comes at a great cost that we would be unable to pay

Remember

-There is a plan to redeem

-The Redeemed are dead to sin, but alive to Christ 

(Gal. 2:20)

Lastly, here is a link to a lyric video of this song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7dVNMtt8HEU

May 31 Bible Reading

Matthew 15

Jesus’ interactions with the Pharisees makes it clear that merely acting out religion does not please God.  Jesus was unimpressed with all of their added regulations to the law.  He even pointed out that their rules detracted from God’s Word.  We must remember that God is after our heart, not our actions primarily.  We must believe in Christ and let our actions be informed by Him.

Psalm 38-41

We find David in the midst of great turmoil in Psalm 38.  He cries out for God to remember him.  Often we become impatient in hard times when it seems that God is far away.  We must be willing to wait for the Lord.  Again in Psalm 39, David cries for deliverance.  It is incredible that he shows such faith in the midst of trouble, knowing that God is his hope.  Psalm 40 presents a picture of David now that God has delivered him from oppression.  David recognizes that in response to God’s power to save him he must keep the Lord’s commands and praise Him.  David rejoices that God has blessed him for his faithfulness in Psalm 41.  David knows that God rewards those who seek after Him and His heart.  We should take hope in hard times that the Lord will reward those who are faithful to Him.

Genesis 30&31

Interactions between Laban and Jacob are marred with deception and misunderstanding.  It is important to remember this and observe its affects in a family relationship.  Deceit and misleading are dangerous tools to employ in any relationship, but they are harshly harmful between family members.

Isaiah 43-45

The Lord makes it clear that He alone is God.  In such audacity He challenges anything else who claims to be a god to speak and say so.  It is almost as if He says, “Prove it!”  And how wonderful the silence that answers that call.  Our God is the Lord Most High.  No one is like Him.  No one can offer salvation like His.  No one can created the earth, and be worshipped by its inhabitants like Him.  No one can challenge Him on His plan for the cosmos.  No one is like our God!  How amazing is that?!

1Corinthians 3&4

Paul takes time to remind the Corinthian church that it is useless to claim one apostle over another.  It is not important to follow men; it is important to strive to be Christlike.  We must run toward the goal of becoming like our Savior.  Paul reminds these people that the true life of service to Christ and His people is not one of luxury, but one of hardships.

Judges 19-21

What a mess!  The last verse of this book sums up the whole of Judges pretty well.  “Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.”  Our eyes are untrustworthy.  We must not rely on our own judgement to do what is good and righteous.  We too often will deceive ourselves.  We must learn and obey God’s commands.  It is imperative to view life through God’s eyes.  When we are looking at our situations through eyes informed by God, we will know what we ought to do.

Weekly Update 5/31

Dear Friends and Family,

This morning was one of wonderful collective praise to the Lord Most High.  I was comforted by the reminders of who God is and His steadfast love and faithfulness to us.  The song “This I Believe (The Creed),” is one that I hope you will continue to learn and enjoy.  As I mentioned this morning, this song comes from the Apostle’s Creed.  The earliest known version of the creed dates back to 390 A.D.  It is suggested that each of the twelve apostles submitted one of the twelve statements in the creed.  Each of these statements can be found referenced throughout the New Testament.  Although the original text was in Latin, it has for several reasons since been translated into English a number times by various bodies of believers.  It is important to note that many English texts translate the ninth statement as “Holy catholic Church.”  This does not necessarily refer to the Roman Catholic Church, as one might assume.  This particular use of the word “catholic,” which is translated from the Latin word catholicam, simply means the entire church.  This creed was designed to encapsulate the central tenants of the Christian faith, much like the Shloshah-Asar Ikkarim (the thirteen principles of the Jewish faith) by the Rabbi Rambam, or the five pillars of Islam.  These twelve statements are truths that unite Christians.  These are twelve things that are central to our belief in Christ’s redeeming work.

This is the translation from the Church of England’s Common Worship.
I believe in God, the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried;
he descended to the dead.
On the third day he rose again;
he ascended into heaven,
he is seated at the right hand of the Father,
and he will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting.
Amen.

Here is a link to Hillsong’s lyric video of “This I Believe (The Creed)”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0LZcE4eKZyU

I hope that my sermon last Sunday night was able to minister to your hearts.  It was a great honor and joy to be able to learn from God’s Word with you.  I hope to have the video of the sermon up soon.

Once again, here, again is a link to the hymn that we closed our service with: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7dVNMtt8HEU

My upcoming events this week are Tuesday night Bible study with Why God Created the World, Summer Spirit on Wednesday night, and preparing for the new song for the month of June.  Also, I will begin teaching the first through sixth grade Sunday school next week.  This Tuesday we will look at chapter one of Why God Created the World.   This chapter will help us understand the goals that God must have had in mind when He created the world.  It will help us gain a grasp on what would motivate a self-sustaining God to create something exterior to Himself.  In Summer Spirit, we are going to study the Transfiguration.  It is important to understand the Deity of Jesus, and to understand its implications on our beliefs.  Finally in Sunday school, each week we will dissect a passage of Scripture that the kids are working on memorizing.  This first week we will exposit John 14:1-7.  I hope to remind the children that believing in Jesus Christ is the only way to Salvation.

This week’s hymn author is Anne Steele.  She was born in 1717 in Broughton, Hampshire.  Her mother died when she was only three years old, and her father, a merchant and pastor, raised her.  Her story is one of great suffering and hardship, yet her lyrics offer such a passionate love for her Savior.  She understood that in the trying times of life, one must lean on the Lord for respite.  She was an invalid from age 19 on because of a hip injury, and when she was only 21, her fiancé drowned on the day of their wedding.  She is considered the most prolific Baptist hymn writer.  A song of hers that is dear to my heart is “Dear Refuge of My Weary Soul.”

This is a link to Hymnary.org’s page about her: http://www.hymnary.org/person/Steele_A

This is a link to the song “Dear Refuge of My Weary Soul”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NY5gg6HrlfI

Lastly, I recently purchased a copy of Isaac Watts’s The Psalms of David: Written in the Language of the New Testament and Applied to Christian Worship.  Watts has translated a number of the psalms into English in singable meters for congregational worship.  Colossians 3:16 commands us, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.” (ESV)  We should be training ourselves to sing psalms.  What a great way to memorize Scripture and keep the Word of God on your heart, mind, and tongue.  Each week, from now on, I will include one of these Psalms and a tune that it can be sung to.  I hope that you take the time to sing through at least a stanza.  It is such a joy to be able to sing the thoughts of David, which wonderfully communicate God’s truths and the human condition, through the beautiful word smithing of Isaac Watts.  Below is Psalm 23.  It is in Short Meter.  I suggest to sing it to the tune ST. THOMAS, which is the tune for “Stand Up and Bless the Lord” (65 in the church’s hymnal), “I Love Thy Kingdom, Lord” (405), and “Rise Up, O Church of God” (433).

1. The Lord my Shepherd is,
I shall be well supply’d;
Since He is mine, and I am His,
What can I want beside?

2. He leads me to the place
Where heavenly pasture grows,
Where living waters gently pass,
And full salvation flows.

3. If e’re I go astray,
He doth my soul reclaim,
And guides me in His own right way,
For His most holy name.

4. While He affords His aid,
I cannot yield to fear;
Tho’ I should walk thro’ death’s dark shade
My Shepherd’s with me there.

5. In spite of all my foes,
Thou dost my table spread,
My cup with blessings overflows,
And joy exalts my head.

6. The bounties of Thy love
Shall crown my following days;
Nor from Thy house will I remove,
Nor cease to speak Thy praise.

May 30 Bible Reading

Matthew 14

It is important to remember that Peter asked Jesus to call him out of the boat.  Often, we follow what we assume is the will of God without ever asking Him to actually lead us.  Peter wanted to come to Jesus, but he asked Him to command him to walk on water before he began.  We must ask God to lead us, if we are going to follow Him in faith.

Psalm 35-37

These Psalms present a great view into David’s heart as he is surrounded by his enemies.  He knows that God has to power to overcome these enemies and uphold the righteous.  I think a more New Testament perspective would be one of praying for those who persecute you.  David prays that God will be just. We know that God’s justice will come to fruition, either in the punishment of those people or their punishment being on Christ.  

Genesis 28&29

The desperate cries from Leah’s soul are heartbreaking.  All she wanted was her husband to love her.  We must be on the lookout for people crying for love with desperation.  We must be willing to show that love that we may win our lost friends to Christ.  It is easy to be selfish and brush these pleas aside, but Christ would commend us to show compassion and love.

Isaiah 40-42

When Israel needed comforting, Isaiah reminded them of who God is.  This was the ultimate comfort for a people waiting to be punished for their idolatry.  They were reminded that God is the creator of the earth and that He controls its going-ons.  They are even commanded to sing unto God because of His greatness.  In our times of doubt and weariness, we can also be comforted by who God is.

1Corinthians 2

As believers, we have an incredible gift, the Holy Spirit.  Christ promised His disciples a helper who would remind them of all that He said and teach them.  Paul recognizes that we have insight into the truths of God because of the Holy Spirit inside of us.  We must never forget this incredible gift of God.

Judges 16-18

God gave Sampson his supernatural strength once more in order to defeat idol worshippers.  God despises idol worship intensely.  It is demonstrated again and again in the book of Judges that God cannot tolerate idols.  He is a jealous God.

May 29 Bible Reading

Matthew 13

Jesus tells us that the Kingdom of Heaven is highly valuable.  He describes it in terms of rarity.  It is only found by some.  Out of the four examples of those who hear of it, only one group attained the Kingdom of Heaven.  It is also something to be shared greatly.  He instructs those who have heard and believe to spread the seed of the Kingdom.  It is described as something so valuable, that it is worth anything else.  A merchant sells all that he owns to obtain a pearl.  We must understand and treat our gift of a place in the Kingdom with this much respect and value.

Psalm 33&34

These Psalms remind us of the amazing qualities of God.  We ought to praise God heartily because of who He is.  David has a good grasp on who God is.  He understands God’s inhuman qualities that make Him greater than all of creation.  In response to David’s understanding of God, he praises Him.  We too ought to strive to understand God, and in response to our increased knowledge of Him, praise Him.

Genesis 26&27

It is, of course a sin to lie.  Jacob experienced first hand the terrible consequences of deception.  God does not take oaths lightly.  What Isaac promised to Jacob could not be revoked, but Jacob still had to suffer the consequences of his deceit.  He was torn from his family and all that he had known.  Lying and deceit are not things to be played with.

Isaiah 37-39

King Hezekiah’s prayers are fascinating.  It is interesting that he would pray to God even after it seemed so pointless.  He knew that God was strong and powerful, and, importantly, in control of everything.  Often we face circumstances that seem insurmountable, but God is able to overcome these.  We must be faithful to pray, and God will be faithful to see His plan to its end.

1Corinthians 1

The issue Paul first addresses is one of division.  It is important to remember that we do not follow the wisdom of man primarily, but the gospel of Jesus Christ.  We must be fully and faithfully committed to Christ and His redeeming plan above all else.  This is our unifying factor.

Judges 13-15

I find it bizarre and comforting that God can use Sampson.  Even though Sampson struggled with many sins, God was still able to work through Him and bring His people out of persecution.  It gives me hope that even thought I may still sin, God can work through me.  The Scripture is very clear that it is the Lord who was doing the work.  It always says that the Spirit of the Lord came upon Sampson before he had a victory.  We must remember that it is the Lord who will accomplish things through us. 

May 28 Bible Reading

Matthew 12

Jesus had sovereign authority even in His incarnate state.  He was not interested in the laws that man had come up with to dilute the law of God.  We too must be careful to extend love to those in need even when it might be inconvenient or socially unacceptable to do so.

Psalm 30-32

God’s restoring and protecting power can bring our souls from the depths of depression to the rejoicing of our hearts.  David, in Psalm 30, rejoices over God’s power to save him.  He recognizes the invigorating nature of God’s redemption.  Psalm 31 uses extensive analogies and examples of how God can be our stronghold.  He is the one who carries us through our times of distress.  David recognizes, in Psalm 32, that there is a joy and freedom in being forgiven and absolved from sin.  He rejoices, not only in God’s forgiving his sin, but also in God’s discipline because of the sin, because it makes him more Godly.  We too should find joy in correction, because through it we become more like Christ.  

Genesis 24&25

God always has a plan and is faithful to carry it out.  Abraham knew that God would lead his servant to the woman that He wanted for Isaac. What a test the servant set up to find the woman for his master.  He tested her servant’s heart.  Abraham’s life is characterized by one of great faith.  This is something we could do well to mimic.  

Isaiah 34-36

In times when the downward trajectory of the earth becomes apparent, it is comforting to know that God has a plan to destroy and renew the earth.  We can look forward to being citizens of that new and perfect world that God will populate with those who believe in Him.

Romans 15&16

We must be careful to put the interests of others before our own.  Paul reminds his readers one last time to practice the standard that Christ set before us to love others more than ourselves.  If the Christian walk was characterized by this, there would be far fewer issues between believers.

Judges 10-12

God does not take our promises lightly.  We must be cautious what we promise to God.  Jephtah made a rash and foolish vow, and God expected him to keep it.  This may seem cruel, but how much more cruel would it be for God to deny His own virtues and become compromising and not consistent.  God’s attributes are rooted in His unchanging eternality.  His love is steadfast.  His patience is long.  We should expect, and can take comfort in the fact, that God is unchanging.

May 27 Bible Reading

Matthew 11
We can take comfort in John the Baptist’s doubt.  It is not a hard thing to fall away from our confidence in Christ’s work.  If John, who was a prophet for Christ, and even baptized Him, could allow doubts to arise in His mind, then we know that it is only natural for us to have those questions too.  Let us not forget to turn to what we know is true about Christ when those times arise.

Psalm 28&29
God hears the voice of His people.  There are times when it might seem that God turns a deaf ear to us, but Psalm 28 reminds us that we must be confident that He will hear our pleas.  We must honor and praise and worship God for who He is.  He is a mighty God.  David recognized His handiwork in things that we don’t even notice or give credit to nature for.  God is the one who controls the great events of the earth, and He is the one who rules over the life of the earth.  We must not forget His awesome power and strength and sovereignty.

Genesis 22&23
I had never drawn the connection as strongly before between Christ’s death and this picture of Abraham sacrificing his son.  What really drove the connection home for me was the Angel of the Lord saying, “your only son.”  Abraham was asked to give up his only and promised son.  How hard that must have been for him to do for a God who had given him so much.  Yet, how much harder it must have been for God the Father to sacrifice His Son for those who hate Him.

Isaiah 31-33
There is a principle in chapter 31, that we should not trust in our material things to protect us, but in God.  Too often, we put our faith in material possessions rather than the one who gave them to us.  It is important to remember that God promises to provide our needs and give us what He desires us to have in order to accomplish His purposes.

Romans 14
Paul reminds the Roman Christians how important it is to have another’s interests higher than your own.  Christ told us to love one another, and esteeming another as higher than oneself is the epitome of love.  We must be careful as we follow our convictions to be mindful of other’s, especially weaker brothers, perceptions.  It is a sin to grieve another brother knowing that your actions are viewed as sin to them.  What a great opportunity to learn and grow and love one another.

Judges 7-9
It is important to remember who wins our victories.  God was serious about making the point that the Israelite soldiers were not the reason that there was victory over the Midianites.  He made it quite clear that this was a miracle.  We sometimes need to step out of the spotlight and give God His due credit.

May 26 Bible Reading

Matthew 10

Following Jesus is a serious task.  In this chapter we see Jesus call His closest earthly companions.  Believers are also Jesus’s followers.  This is more than merely a choice to follow, it is a choice to obey.  Christ commanded these men to do things, and then He empowered them to accomplish these tasks.  God asks us to accomplish things for His kingdom, and we must trust that He will provide what we need to finish the task.

Psalm 25-27

The prayer of David in Psalm 25 is one that should be on our hearts and minds too.  We should be eager students of God.  As Christians living after the completion of the Bible, we have an incredible window into the heart and mind of God that has not always been available.  We can learn so much about God through His word, and that is a privilege.  David realizes that the Lord is the person able to vindicate him is Psalm 26.  He understands that God has the power to remove sin and cancel its debt.  Our prayer should be one of thanks for God’s dealing with our sins through Christ’s death and resurrection.  In the 27th Psalm, again David reminds us that God is strong and powerful, therefore we can trust in Him and not have to fear.

Genesis 20&21

When God punishes our sin, even when we recognize a sin, we must take care to not repeat it.  After Abraham saw what 21 and his house went through when he told them that Sarah was only his sister, he still did the same thing with Abimelech.  Also, I find it amazing that God preserved Hagar and Ishmael, even though Ishmael would become one of Israel’s greatest enemies.  It goes to show God’s sovereign plan even when we can’t understand it.

Isaiah 28-30

There is a clear pattern that shows that those who turn from God’s commands and worship idols will be judged by Him, and those who obey Him and honor Him will be blessed.  We must watch to be children who honor God with our obedience.  Christ says, “If you love me, keep my commandments.”

Romans 13

Here, we are clearly instructed to submit to authorities.  It may seem hard for 21st century Americans to obey this verse, but we have to realize what the Christian Roman citizens were facing.  There governments dealt far more harshly with them than ours do us.  It is important to have a respect for our leaders and to obey the laws that God has placed us under.  We must be a people described by love.  Without love, Paul later tells us, we are useless.  This was Christ’s greatest commandment for us, that we would love one another.  If we simply followed this one rule, our lives would be much more obedient to God in many areas.

Judges 4-6

God does amazing things in our lives everyday.  Sometimes, we have the opportunity to recognize these things.  When we see God move and work in our life in an awesome way, we should be faithful to praise Him for it.  Not only does God deserve, and through acts like this, unnecessarily deserve these praises, but it also is a testimony to those around us.  I pray that as I see God do things in my life, I will share these things, so that my brothers and sisters in Christ may be encouraged, and those who are not believers will see God’s awesome hand.

May 25 Bible Reading

Matthew 9

Christ truly is the Great Physician.  What an awesome chapter recounting His miraculous power over disease and even death.  I find it a great comfort to read about the power that Jesus’ possessed to heal those who had faith in Him.  Even more important is His claim to Deity in this chapter.  He frees people from sin.  This is something that only God can do.  What a beautiful and clear display of His Godship.

Psalm 22-24

Psalm 22 is an intimate and beautiful look into what Christ must have felt on the cross.  This is one of the prophetic psalms.  This particular prophetic psalm points us forward to the crucifixion of Jesus and God’s forsaking of Him.  What a great privilege it is to be able to look into the pain and suffering that Christ experienced for our sake.  This is followed by one of the most beloved Psalms, Psalm 23.  I had the privilege to sing this Psalm as a part of choir this year.  Even now, it runs through my head.  I love the wonderful implications that this Psalm spells out for our lives.  The pictures of God as Shepherd are gorgeous and comforting.  In Psalm 24, we are reminded of God’s Kingship over creation.  He is a glorious King.  We should not only rejoice in His authority, but take that truth to heart and serve Him as citizens to His world.

Genesis 18&19

The Lord does not take our sin lightly.  He will punish ungodliness.  However, He provides protection to those who have faith in Him.  Even in Lot’s reluctance, God provides a means of escape from His judgement.  I pray that if God needs to rescue me from a circumstance like that, that I will be willing to come along and not have to be dragged out of the city.

Isaiah 25-27

We must worship God for who He is, even in the midst of understanding His judgements.  He is powerful and He provides for His children.  It is important to remember that from the same power that God uses to destroy evil doers, comes His ability to provide for our needs.

Romans 11&12

It is such an amazing blessing that God has grafted us Gentiles into the work of Jesus Christ.  It is an undeserved blessing that we would be thought of too.  God did not need to bring Salvation to the Gentiles, but I am so joyful that He did.  We must not forget the root from which we have come.  The story of God’s people is one that should inspire us and bring us to a better understanding of Salvation.

Judges 1-3

I find it incredible that after all that God had done for the people of Israel, they still turned to idols.  But, God always brought foes against them so that they would come back to Him.  We should be watchful to not forget the amazing things that God has done in our lives, and we should be mindful to turn back to Him when we stray to idols.

May 24 Bible Reading

Matthew 8
The cost of following Jesus is a high one.  It is one that must be understood and weighed before making a decision to commit yourself to Him, but it is worth the great cost.  Jesus was unapologetic about the high demand that it was to be His disciple, yet many had faith and believed in Him.  Believing in Christ has bountiful rewards.  Not only does Christ remove sin and create an new person in you, but He also adds blessings to that, making us more like Him each day, and giving us good gifts.

Psalm 19-21
God is so great that the entirety of creation cries out His praise.  Not one created thing will be able to abstain from giving Him glory.  God’s law should make our hearts rejoice.  This law is the key to becoming more like Him.  The Lord has promised to give us many things, and He blesses us above that.  It is very appropriate to wish these blessings on our family members in Christ.  God is a powerful and great God.  It should inspire a fear in us and also a confidence that the Lord will protect us and that we can rest in Him.

Genesis 15-17
When God promises us something, we must have faith that He is able to accomplish it.  The Israelites would suffer greatly because of Abraham’s haste.  We must be patient as God accomplishes His will in our lives.  It truly is a test of faith, not only to follow and hear, but to wait.

Isaiah 22-24
The Lord’s wrath against sin is great and severe.  I am so grateful that I have been spared this wrath through the saving work of Christ.  As believers in the gospel we should rejoice at such an incredible blessing that is, and we should press to tell others of the good news realizing the harsh judgment sin incurs.

Romans 10
The Gospel is what has the power to change lives.  We must not underestimate the importance of sharing the good news with others.  Christ’s death and resurrection is not a message that should be kept under lock and key; it should be shouted proudly.  We are the few to whom the Gospel has been revealed.  It is our duty to share it with those who have not heard.  They cannot come to know Christ if they have never heard of Him.

Joshua 22-24
God will not have any other gods before Him.  We too ought to take notice of the warning that God gives His chosen people at the end of Joshua.  He wants a people fully devoted to Him.  We must make a choice.  Do we serve the whims of this world, or do we dedicate ourselves fully to Christ?

Weekly Update 5/24

Dear Friends and Family,

This has been an enjoyable week of ministry with you.  I enjoyed honoring our veterans and worshipping with you this morning.  What a great message!  Our lives should be uncompromisingly Christ-centered.  I was happy to be able to direct the Fine Arts Choir at DCS for their graduation ceremony this week, and I am so proud of our graduates.  I also enjoyed working with the kids at Summer Spirit.  This past week we looked at some hard things that are a result of following Jesus and how God is faithful through them.  This upcoming week we are going to take a look into the story of Ananias and Sapphira.  We’re going to see what we can do about the sin that we commit that only God can see.

This upcoming week will be a busy one as I prepare for my upcoming Sunday School class and ministry tasks.  Tuesday night at 7 is the first Bible and Book study of Why God Created the World by Ben Stevens.  I hope that many of you will be able to make it out to that.  Remember, it will be held in room 103 at the church.  Also, I will be leading Summer Spirit again this week.  Please pray for my team (Nicole, Hannah, Robby, and Chelsea).  Specifically pray for Chelsea’s mom as she has surgery this week.  Please keep me in your prayers that I might be a light as I return to work at Dunham’s.

This week’s songwriter is Keith Getty.  Getty has written many hymns that we sing in our church including “In Christ Alone,” a song we sang this morning.  Born in 1974, he has been involved in music since he was very young.  In 1992 he studied at Durham University.  Although born in Ireland, he now writes and orchestrates music along with his wife, Kristyn, in the United States. His music philosophy, as I discovered at Hymnary.org, is as follows, "There are two reasons we write modern hymns.  First, it's to help teach the faith. What we sing affects how we think, how we feel and ultimately how we live, so it's so important that we sing the whole scope of truth the Bible has given us. The second reason is to try to create a more timeless musical style that every generation can sing, a style that relates to the past and the future."

Here is a link to Hymnary.org’s page about Keith Getty: http://www.hymnary.org/person/Getty_K

Here is a link to an interview with the Getty’s about “In Christ Alone”:        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z-1IMyyBjdY

I hope to minister well to you all, both tonight as I preach as well as throughout the rest of the week.  May God bless your week with His uniquely good gifts.

May 23 Bible Reading

Matthew 7

We must make Christ the foundation of our lives.  The kingdom of heaven is what we should be striving after, and with it in the center of our mindset, we can become Christlike.  This plays out in many arenas and shows itself if we truly are followers of Christ, such as how we treat others and even our approach to prayer.

Psalm 17&18

The Lord protects those who are faithful to him.  We can rest in the confidence that God is a god who is more powerful than the evils of this world.  When we are shaken and brought low by the wicked in the world, we can rest in God’s loving and forgiving arms.  Not only is He a comfort, but He is also a stronghold.  The Lord is powerful and mighty.  Psalm 18 is a wonderful explanation of the strength that God is.  We can rest safe in Him.

Genesis 13&14

God is amazing in how He blesses His people.  Abram had such incredible faith, and God rewarded that faith with such incredible blessings.  We should all strive to be like Abram, and go where God sends us and trust Him to stay there as long as He asks.  God blesses His people who follow Him and who do what He asks.

Isaiah 19-21

I am amazed at God’s unwavering plan to redeem.  Yes, the Lord will punish and root out evil, but He always is providing hope and escape for sinners.  It is incredible to see God work His salvation.

Romans 9

God’s sovereignty should be a comfort to us.  It takes the weight of salvation off our shoulders, if it were something that we did, and returns it to God’s plan.  We can rest in the fact of God’s sovereignty for His plan and will to be accomplished and can be grateful to have been made a part of that.  Our salvation is secure in our faith that God has complete control over our eternal destiny.

Joshua 19-21

God is faithful to complete what He promises.  That last verse of chapter 21 is so uplifting.  God is faithful to fulfill His promises.  I have confidence that the story of the world will end with a similar statement.

May 22 Bible Reading

Matthew 6
In this portion of Jesus’ message, we are constantly being shown a comparison between the world and the heavenly kingdom.  Christ continues to emphasize the importance that our heart belong to heaven and not to the earth.  This mindset changes the way we view the poor, what things we value, our anxiety, and even how we worship God in prayer and fasting.  Christ instructs us to keep God first.  When we pray it is His kingdom and name that we are concerned with foremost, and our needs and battles are afterthoughts.  We must keep God’s purposes at the center of our lives.  This will lead to success and fulfillment, because God has made plans for us to accomplish for His kingdom and He equips us to do them.

Psalm 14-16
Isn’t God amazing in His forbearance?  Even as David looks around and sees fools who do not believe in God, he can be confident that God is working to bring Salvation.  In the midst of feeling as if we are the only ones who fear God, we can know that God is patient and will bring lost souls to Himself.  In Psalm 15 we are reminded that God is holy and it is not an easy task to be righteous enough to stand before Him.  It is an incredible grace then that God reconciled us to Himself and made a way that we, as unrighteous people, could approach such a Holy God.  God does not abandon His chosen people.  David realizes this throughout Psalm 16.  He knows that God is what sustains him, and he needs to trust that God will uphold him.  This incredible confidence in God comes from a deep faith rooted in what we know of God.  David cries out for refuge, and finds solace in the facts of who God is and what He has accomplished in his life.  These facts lead David to have faith and confidence that God will keep David from Hell.

Genesis 11&12
God’s plan is always better than the one try to conjure up.  When Noah’s descendants disobeyed and did not fill the earth, God had to use supernatural means to accomplish His plan.  God’s will will always be accomplished, but I would rather be a yielded vessel than one that has to be broken or tossed aside in order to fit God’s will.  Even Abram did not trust that God had led in to Canaan and would provide for him.  Instead he travel to Egypt to fend for himself.  We must have an unrelenting faith, completely confident in God’s sovereignty.

Isaiah 16-18
The Lord will not stand for idolatry.  God does not want to be replaced my our insignificant mounds of clay.  He judges sin greatly.  This understanding of how severe God’s judgment of sin can be, makes the believer all the more grateful and awe-struck at the wonder of the cross.  How can it be that the Lord of Heaven, the judger of sin, would die for someone who turned his back to Him?  The gospel is incredible.

Romans 7&8
Again, Paul reminds believers that we are debtors, no longer to sin, but to the Redeemer.  We were steeped in sin and inescapably so.  But, God redeemed us from our bondage to our flesh, and He has indwelled us with the Holy Spirt.  And, as if that was not enough already, He has promised us an inheritance with Christ.  How can we remain in our sin, when God has empowered us with His presence and blessed us with immeasurable gifts?  God’s gift of Salvation should never cease to amaze His followers.  It is unlike any earthly thing.

Joshua 16-18
God is always faithful to provide what He promises.  He is also able to overcome any foe that we face.  As I think of the people that the Israelites were unable to drive out from the land, I think of things in my life that distract me from God that I ought to be driving out.  These peoples ended up distracting the Israelites from the one true God, and they fell into idolatry.  I pray that God would eliminate the distractions in my life that cause me to loose focus on God.

May 21 Bible Reading

Matthew 5

I am so grateful that Christ has fulfilled the law.  We no longer have to live in virtual personal isolation from God.  Christ has broken down the barriers between a Holy God and sinful man by dying and bringing us new life and reconciliation with God.

Psalm 12&13

Many times I can understand David’s frustration.  It can appear that anyone righteous has disappeared and that we wish God would judge sin in a way that we could see.  We can tend to feel as if living a Godly life is not worth it.  But, David sees also that God promises to uphold the righteous.  God will keep us even as we are surrounded by wickedness.  It can often feel as if God is not even hearing us.  God can seem distant, and we can even question if He is real at all.  David knows that he must trust that God has a steadfast love.  David trusts that God has promised to love him forever.  He also trust that God is a god of salvation.  We too can hold fast to the fact that God has given us victory over sin.  God has blessed us.  These are the things we must hold to when we feel alone.

Genesis 9&10

God has given us many blessings, and His promise to never destroy the earth with a flood and giving us meat to eat are only a few of them.  It is amazing to think that Noah became like another Adam in that all of the people living on the earth after him were his descendants.  What a responsibility that must have been to start over from scratch and be the grandfather of the nations!

Isaiah 13-15

God is a patient and forgiving God.  Even when we see God’s judgement on His chosen people for their sin, He shows His plan to be forgiving and merciful.  We saw that when God punished Adam and Eve in that after they are punished, He promises to send a Savior.  Here we see that although God planned to use Babylon to punish Israel, they too would fall to destruction and Israel would be restored to the land.  God disciplines us and shows us undeserved favor.  He is truly awesome.

Romans 6

We are dead to our sin and alive to Christ.  We mustn’t remain in sin and try to serve God.  We are redeemed in order that we could serve and accomplish the will of our Redeemer.  Man is never without a master, it is simply that in Salvation we’ve traded up for another one.  Sin is the master of man before salvation, and God is man’s master after salvation.  It only makes sense that, after such an undeserved thing has been given to us, we should fall on our faces and devote ourselves wholly to what God asks of us.  It is all that we created beings could give.

Joshua 13-15

God provides for His elect.  God helped Israel to drive out their enemies and then delivered to them a blessing.  After forty years of wandering, God gave His chosen people what He had promised.  God is always faithful to keep His promises.  He also blesses those who have faith in Him.  Caleb was blessed with promised land because He had faith that God would bring about the things that He had promised Israel.  We too should be confident when God tells us that He wishes us to do something.  God always has a plan for what He asks us to do.

May 20 Bible Reading

Matthew 4

Jesus’ example of resistance to temptation models for us what our response should be to sin.  He quotes the Word.  We should store God’s Word in our hearts, so that we might be able to fight against temptation when it arises in our lives.  When Jesus calls someone, the commitment is large, but these men did so.  I want that kind of confidence.  They left all that they had ever known to follow someone they had never met.

Psalm 9-11

Psalm 9 challenges me to recount the incredible things that God has done in my life.  I notice that not only does David remember the acts that God has done, but he also remembers who God is.  He writes that God is a stronghold and that He is above the nations.  We must recognize who God is, not only what He’s done.  David then realizes that God deserves our praise for who He is and what He has done.  In Psalm 10, the writer cries out in his oppression.  I too have felt that the good guy never wins, and it seems like the wrong doers are never punished.  The psalmist eventually comes to the place of recognizing that the Lord is King forever.  God is sovereign and in control.  Whatever seems wrong in your life is a part of a plan bigger than you.  He then writes that the Lord does, in fact, listen to the afflicted.  We are not without a listening Counselor in times of trouble.  David, in Psalm 11, even in the midst of people telling him that there is no hope, has complete confidence in God, because He is greater than man.  David knows that God is on His throne in heaven.  David knows that God controls everything on earth, and that He can act His will to destroy the unrighteous.  We can have confidence in God even when we are told that the wicked are winning the fight, because nothing is higher than the one true God.

Genesis 7&8

God is faithful to keep His promises.  God promised to save Noah and his family and that was accomplished.  God promised a Messiah who would defeat sin; that would not have been possible unless God saved a remnant of man.  God promised to never agin judge the earth as He had, and He has been faithful to keep that promise.  We can trust that God keeps His word.  He is the embodiment of truth.

Isaiah 10-12

God is serious about pride.  We must know that God is the one who is in control of our lives and allows us to accomplish anything.  His wrath was great against those who said, “look at what I have done,” when it was God who had accomplished these things.  We must always be aware that it is only by the grace of God that we are able to do anything.  Jesus again is prophesied about.  What an amazing picture is presented here of the peace that Christ will bring.  It is exciting to look forward to the kingdom of Heaven on Earth when the child can play with a cobra and the lion eats grass!  God’s Salvation is God’s turning away His anger from us.  It should cause us to rejoice when we realize that God’s wrath has been appeased.  It brings us hope and joy that we are not bearing the punishment for our sin.  

Romans 5

God as peace maker is also demonstrated in this passage.  Christ Jesus has absorbed the wrath of God and brought righteousness to man.  Because of Jesus’ shed blood, we can have access to God.  It is incredible to think that the same God whose wrath is so strong against sin, because He is holy, allows a sinful person, like me, to stand before Him because of faith through grace.  Jesus is truly the Prince of Peace.

Joshua 10-12

The Lord will always bring about His plan.  He knows what is righteous and could not let Israel be tempted into idolatry by letting pagans remain in the land He had for them.  We can even see how easily Israel did fall into that sin without all these people in the land.  God will not have anyone before Him.  He literally stopped the sun and moon and rained stones from heaven to defeat Israel’s enemies.  It is understandable to call God our stronghold when we know that He can defeat our foes in such dramatic ways.  God is powerful!

May 19 Bible Reading

Matthew 3

How amazing would it have been to see John the Baptist baptize the Messiah!  Even John had called out that He was the Lamb.  While John was pleading with people to repent, the man who would take the punishment for their sin showed up.  This is also a beautiful picture of the Trinity.

Psalm 6-8

In Psalm 6, we see that David knows who God is.  He knows that He is powerful and faithful to answer prayers, but doesn’t see immediate results.  We live in a world obsessed with instant gratification.  We tend also to want quick results, but David demonstrates that we must be patient and have faith that God is in control and will act when He wills.  Then in Psalm 7, David reminds us that the Lord is our refuge when we are pursued by enemies.  I don’t face the enemies like David did; no one is out to kill me. However, we are all battling against a greater Enemy every day.  W must trust that God is our shelter and that we can abide in His protection when we are attacked.  Verse 10 says, “My shield is with God who saves the upright in heart.”  I pray that I will be upright.  Psalm 8 focuses our minds on the Majesty of God.  The whole earth is obligated to praise Him, for He is great and greater than all of the things that He has made.

Genesis 5&6

Again, we see that sin is taken seriously by God.  So much so that He is willing and does kill all but 8 people on earth.  God abhors sin, and rightly so.  Sin is the most opposite thing of God.  God is Holy, Pure, and Righteous.  His presence cannot even be around sin.  How heartbreaking it would be to watch the creation and people that you’ve made in your likeness rebel and become an ugly, twisted thing it was never intended to be. 

Isaiah 7-9

Here we see that the Messiah is promised.  Any time I read these lines, I hear the song in my head.  “For unto us a child is born,/ to us a son is given;/ and the government shall be upon his shoulder,/ and his name shall be called/ Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,/ Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”  After prophecy of war and wrath we are promised a Savior who will make peace.  He will rule with peace.  It can make us look forward to the day when the dream of peace will be reality because of the work of Jesus Christ.

Romans 3&4

I am unrighteous.  I am a sinner in need of a righteous substitute.  God has such incredible love that He would die for the unrighteous.  The same God who is so holy and pure that he had to flood the entire earth because of its sin, died for the unrighteous.  It is amazing that Christ would do such a radical thing.  We are also reminded that God’s condemnation is just.  I tend to wonder why I receive forgiveness and someone else is denied redemption.  As I will read in chapter 9, it is not my place to ask that question.  God decides and is never wrong in His judgement.  Sin will always deserve punishment.  It is only by grace that righteousness is imputed to us instead of sin.  We are saved by grace through faith.  It is incredible that God would make a solution to our condemnation to Hell so easy to obtain.  We do not have to work for Salvation, but simply have faith that God worked through Christ’s death and resurrection to save us.  God is truly amazing for His love.

Joshua 7-9

We must trust that God’s ways are best, and we must not go through life without seeking God’s counsel.  The people of Israel and Joshua’s problem was that they thought they knew what was best for them, and that God was unnecessary.  It is strange to think that the same people who had just seen the Jordan parted would for get that they should seek God’s advise before proceeding with what God had told them to do.  The disciples had the same problem.  The people closest to Jesus, who had seen Him do incredible, supernatural things, soon forgot and doubted.  We can fall into the same pattern of thinking.  We must trust that God’s way is always best, and when we disobey, God does not take it lightly.  I pray that I would remember God, and consult Him as I walk.

May 18 Bible Reading

Matthew 2

God will always bring His plans to fruition.  This chapter reminds me that God has grand plan and will use whatever means, and His are unlimited, are necessary to bring about what He wills.  He even promises us that it is for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose.  Here we see that God was fulfilling centuries old prophecy, completing His plan, and protecting His Son, who would one day die and rise to take away the sin of the world.  And in both acts God brings His plan to fruition.

Psalm 3-5

No matter how unlikely the odds are, no matter how unstoppable our problems are, and no matter how oppressed we feel, God will protect and sustain us.  The psalmist is filled with such peace, even in the midst of oppression, that he is able to rest, because he knows that God is sovereign and will protect His chosen people.  David again in Psalm 5 recognizes that God is more powerful than himself and his enemies, but more importantly David reminds us that God upholds the righteous.  God hates evil-doers and accepts the sacrifices of the righteous.  I pray that I would have a righteous heart and that God would make my ways straight as David asked Him to do.

Genesis 3&4

The fall of man has great implications on the world we live in today.  It is a comfort to know that God has been dealing with our problem of sin since the very first man and woman walked the earth.  And it is exciting to see the plan for Jesus to be the Messiah and bring us Salvation this early in the story. 

Isaiah 4-6

God’s holiness and sanctity is something that I am still trying to appreciate fully.  He is so without sin and above the evils of this world that Isaiah realized the depravity of himself.  We too should recognize the incredible privilege it is to have access to God’s presence.  The fact that Christ’s work would allow a wretched sinner like me to approach the Holy Lord God should humble me and fill me with gratitude.  

Romans 2

Again, I see that God takes sin seriously, and is the judge of sin.  God is our Righteous Judge.  Paul reminds us that we must not only hear what is right, but we also must do it.  It is no use to listen to good things and never apply them to your life.  As a result we will be a light to this dark world, so that more people might come to know Christ.

Joshua 4-6

God wants His people to remember the things that He accomplishes for them.  When God does a great work in my life, I need to set up an ebenezer to remember the incredible power of God.  These stones were meant to keep Israel from straying from their Provider.  God is for us!  God always has a plan far better than ours, and guides us to do His will and leads us in His way.  Even when God’s ways are confusing, we can trust that He will provide for us and supply our needs.

May 17 Bible Reading

Matthew 1

God’s plan still amazes me.  He had planned to bring us salvation even before our sin.  I find it interesting that Matthew begins his gospel with the generations leading to Christ.  It is awesome to see God’s workings through these lives to lead to Christ.  Then verse 21 really lies out the idea of the rest of the gospel and the center of our lives, God will saves His people from their sins through Jesus.

Psalm 1&2

Psalm 1 reminds me what God expects a righteous man to be like.  I should strive after these traits and be a light in the dark world.  What an encouragement it is to read the second psalm and remember that God is in control of all of the earth.  God sets up and tears down rulers and we can trust in his omnipotence.

Genesis 1&2

God’s incredible work of creating man is one of the most beautiful parts of the Bible to read.  The care and tenderness of God forming man and then breathing life into his body is awe-inspiring.  It demonstrates man’s unique position in the mind of God, which is acquired because we are made in His image.

Isaiah 1-3

I am reminded that God takes sin very seriously.  God holds His specially chosen people to an even higher standard than the rest of the world.  I should be apt to listen to the warnings that Isaiah preaches against those who disobey.  I see here a pattern; those who obey, the Lord blesses, those who disobey, the Lord will judge.

Romans 1

Again I am reminded of God’s seriousness about sin.  Paul makes no hesitation in reminding the Romans that God hates unrighteousness.  It is this holiness of God that should drive us to pursue Christ-likeness and points us to the fact that we need salvation because of our depraved state.

Joshua 1-3

God protects the people who obey Him.  He honors obedience.  God sent the children of Israel into the wilderness for 40 years because of their unbelief, but God protected Rehab because she had faith.  I pray that I might have faith that God will honor.

Weekly Update 5/17

Dear Friends and Family,

This morning I was so joyed to join with you in worship.  As our friend Dave reminded us this morning, the congregational singing is a rare and treasured experience in our week.  I am looking forward to my responsibilities this week.  

Summer Spirit starts this Wednesday night at 7pm.  This is for kids going into first grade through going into sixth grade.  In our first week, we are going to look at two questions: what does it mean to follow Jesus and what does it take to follow Jesus?  I am happy to announce that Chelsea Freeman will be joining our team.  Please continue to pray for Chelsea and the other members of my team: Nicole Polohonki, Robby Walsh, and Hannah Wallace.  You can be praying specifically for God to provide for Nicole as she needs of a new car, and for Chelsea’s job hunt and safety in her surgery on the 26th.

The song I shared with you this morning is one that I wrote as my final project in Hymnology class.  It comes from Psalm 51, which is the psalm I will be preaching on at the evening service on the 24th of this month.  I would like to use this song as a congregational hymn.  In order to let you familiarize yourself with this song, here is a link to a lyric video of it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7dVNMtt8HEU .  I hope that it ministers to your heart.

On Tuesday the 26th, the Bible and Book Study of Why God Created the World by Ben Stevens will begin.  It will be meeting at 7pm in room 103, the room beside the school office and behind the coffee and donut tables in the back hallway.  Again, the ISBN is 978-1612915869.  Please bring your book and Bible to the Study.  There will be a Keurig set up if anyone would like coffee.  

As I mentioned before, I will be preaching for the evening service on the 24th.  We will be studying Psalm 51.  This psalm has had a significant impact on my life and gives us some great principles on how to deal with sin in our life.  In preparation, if you would like, feel free to read the psalm and also 2 Samuel 11:1-12:23.  

I would like to take a portion of this blog each week and introduce you to a songwriter whose works I find to be helpful and beneficial.  I hope that for many of them you are familiar with their works.  Understanding these people’s lives is important and can help us sing their songs with better appreciation.  This week I would like to introduce you to the English song writer William Cowper.  He was born November 26th, 1731.  When he was only 6 years old, his mother died.  He was not very good in school, but he played cricket and football at Westminster.  He frequently wrote love poems, but was plagued with depression even from the years he was in school.  Then, his father too died.  After his schooling had ended he tried to take his life three times.  Eventually Cowper was institutionalized.  He wrote the poem “Hatred and Vengeance, My Eternal Portions” in response to these attempts on his life.  After he was released, he lived with a retired pastor, Morley Unwin.  It was through this family that he met John Newton.  Soon after this, Unwin was thrown from a horse and killed.  Cowper then was asked by Newton to write for the hymnal Olney Hymns.  From this book came one of my favorite Cowper hymns, “God Moves in a Mysterious Way”.  In 1773, insanity again attacked Cowper.  He believed that he was eternally condemned to Hell and that God wished him to take his own life.  Unwin’s widow looked after Cowper during this dark time.  After a year he began to write again and recovered.  Eventually Cowper translated Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey into English.  In 1796, Unwin’s widow, Mary, died; this caused Cowper great grief, and he fell into another bout of depression which lasted until his death, caused by dropsy, in 1800.  While his life was rarely bright, Cowper managed to pen some of the greatest hymns.  His experiences influenced the way he understood and appreciated salvation.  

Here is a link to a video produced by Discover the Word.  It is a great explanation of Cowper and the hymn “God Moves in a Mysterious Way”.  This is well worth your time. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AXSyymBNJ98

Here is another link.  This video tells William Cowper’s story in a vivid and poignant way.  Warning, there is blood in this video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vPKcOeRoTKA

Hymnary.org is a great resource I have used.  This is a link to their page on William Cowper.  http://www.hymnary.org/person/Cowper_W

I hope that William Cowper’s story will strengthen your faith and give you a better understanding of his hymns.

Lastly, today begins my summer Bible reading program.  I will post my progress and thoughts each day on this blog.  I encourage you to follow along, if you would like.  May God bless your week and encourage you in your faith.

Weekly Update 5/10

Dear friends and family,

I am so happy to have officially started my internship today.  This morning was a wonderful time of honoring our mothers.  I can’t even imagine what my life would be like without my awesome mom.  I am looking forward to an awesome summer and can’t wait to begin all of these amazing ministries.

First of all, I’d like to introduce you to my team.  I have asked Nicole Polohonki, Robby Walsh and Hannah Wallace to help me out at Summer Spirit.  Hannah will also be helping me in Sunday School.  Please pray for these brothers and sisters.  I’m sure they are already planning on being super busy this summer and it is a great blessing that they are willing to help me.  This week, you can specifically be praying for Hannah; she will be traveling to Pittsburgh tomorrow.

My book and Bible study will be beginning on May 27th.  If you still need to purchase a book, please do so ASAP.  They are around $10 depending on where you order from.  Below is the ISBN.  The book is Why God Created the World by Ben Stevens.  You can purchase it from most online retailers such as Amazon, or on the Kindle, Nook, or iBooks stores.  Lastly, remember this study meets at 7pm on Tuesday nights.  The way things are looking now, it appears that we will be meeting at Pete and Jan Shenkle’s house.  If you need directions, you can talk to them, Pastor Ben, or me.

Summer Spirit will be starting soon.  This year we are going to be looking at some people in the New Testament and learning how their lives can inform ours.  This summer, as usual, the kids will be able to participate in a Bible memorization program.  This summer, they will be memorizing passages that we will then look at during Sunday School.  I hope to equip them not only with the knowledge of the words of these verses, but more importantly what they can teach us about Christ.  The passages that we will be looking at are as follows:

Psalm 15

Isaiah 53:3-6

Matthew 5:13-16 

John 14:1-7

John 15:1-11

Romans 3:21-28 

Romans 10:9-13

1 Corinthians 15:3-8

Ephesians 4:1-7

Philippians 2:14-18

ISBN: 978-1612915869

Again, I would like to thank every one who has supported me in this internship.  I am so excited to serve alongside you, and I can’t wait to see what God has in store for this summer.  Have a blessed week.