Weekly Update 7/5

Dear Friends and Family,

Thank you for your encouraging singing this morning.  I know it was a little different from what most of us are used to, but it was uplifting to see everyone coming together to sing to our Lord and Savior.  Bible study went exceedingly well this week.  It was a pleasure to examine what is meant by God’s glory and explore passages in which it is discussed.  Summer Spirit was also a fun night; we learned that the power to do Godly things come from the Holy Spirit in us and not our own strength.  In Sunday school this morning we exposited Philippians 2:14-18.  Next week the kids in Summer Spirit will learn about Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane and that Jesus was faithful even when His friends abandoned or denied Him.  In Bible study we will continue through the Scripture section of Why God Created the World.  This week’s chapter, chapter 3, will reveal passages to us that do the following: 1) explicitly state God’s intentions for creating the world, 2) tell of what part humanity plays in creation, 3) reveal what is at the root of what makes something like God (good, true, or beautiful), 4) tell us what God expects His followers view of life to be, 5) teach what the desires of God followers should be, 6) reveal Jesus’ mission, and 7) explain what is often explained as God’s goal in His daily operations.  It will be a lengthy chapter, but one that will reveal much about God and His purposes in creating.  Lastly, in Sunday school next week we will be diving into Romans 3:21-28.

In leu of a bio about a hymn writer, this week I encourage you to read this paper which explains where the words to “Man of Sorrows,” our new song of the month, come from in Scripture.

Here is the link to the paper: http://drewsinternship2015.blogspot.com/2015/07/man-of-sorrows-hymn-study.html

Here is a video of the new song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s7ZJ5D5q54g

This week’s psalm translation of Isaac Watts is Psalm 8.  I suggest singing this text to the tune “O Lord, You’re Beautiful” by Keith Green.

O Lord, our heavenly King,

Thy name is all divine;

Thy glories round the earth are spread,

And o’er the heavens they shine.

When to thy works on high

I raise my wondering eyes,

And see the moon complete in light

Adorn the darksome skies:

When I survey the stars,

And all their shining forms,

Lord, what is man, that worthless thing,

Akin to dust and worms?

Lord, what is worthless man,

That Thou shouldst love him so?

Next to thine angels he is plac’d,

And lord of all below.

Thine honours crown his head,

While beasts like slaves obey,

And birds that cut the air with wings,

And fish that cleave the sea.

How rich Thy bounties are!
And wondrous are Thy ways:

Of dust and worms thy power can frame

A monument of praise.

Out of the mouths of babes

And sucklings Thou canst draw

Surprising honours to Thy name,

And strike the world with awe.

O Lord, our heavenly King,

Thy name is all divine;

Thy glories round the earth are spread,

And o’er the heavens they shine.