Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
John sure knew what he was talking about. He mentions here that Jesus is going to baptize with the Holy Spirit, which is exactly what Jesus did. Jesus baptized all of us with the Holy Spirit which means, among other things, that we are constantly surrounded by the Holy Spirit. The fact that we have the Holy Spirit with us at all times means for us that God is with us at all times. We are never alone, though sometimes we may feel like it. No matter where we go or what we do we have the Holy Spirit with us to guide us, to lead us, to give us strength. We have been baptized with the Holy Spirit, which means we have the Holy Spirit with us at all times. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Friday, October 31, 2008
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Guest Preacher for Sunday November 2, 2008
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
This Sunday we will be having a guest preacher in worship. Judy Chan, a missionary from China, will be sharing with us the work she has been doing in China. This is a time for us to learn first hand what God is up to in the world. Judy will also be leading Sunday School which begins at 9:45. Please come to this special Sunday. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
This Sunday we will be having a guest preacher in worship. Judy Chan, a missionary from China, will be sharing with us the work she has been doing in China. This is a time for us to learn first hand what God is up to in the world. Judy will also be leading Sunday School which begins at 9:45. Please come to this special Sunday. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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John 1: 1-18; The Word Became Flesh
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
"And the word became flesh and dwelt among us." We lived with God for a time. Jesus, who is God in the flesh, came down into this world in order that we may have life. God's love for us is so great that he came down into this world himself to save us from sin. That is an amazing love. And throughout his life Jesus continued to reveal to us just how much God loves us. When we look at Jesus we need to see love. Yes, we think of the cross and everything we have because of the cross. But when we look at Jesus what we are supposed to think is just how much God loves us. God loves us so much he came down into this world to give us life. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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"And the word became flesh and dwelt among us." We lived with God for a time. Jesus, who is God in the flesh, came down into this world in order that we may have life. God's love for us is so great that he came down into this world himself to save us from sin. That is an amazing love. And throughout his life Jesus continued to reveal to us just how much God loves us. When we look at Jesus we need to see love. Yes, we think of the cross and everything we have because of the cross. But when we look at Jesus what we are supposed to think is just how much God loves us. God loves us so much he came down into this world to give us life. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Daniel 12: 1-13; The End Times
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
"As for you, go your way till the end. You will rest, and then at the end of the days you will rise to receive your allotted inheritance." Jesus says, in John's gospel, that he has gone away to prepare a place for us. Someday he will come back and take us to this place, where there are many rooms, where we will receive all the rewards promised to us in the New Testament. Our rewards do not end with our salvation; there is much more in store for us. Someday, at the end of days, we will rise and receive our allotted inheritance. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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"As for you, go your way till the end. You will rest, and then at the end of the days you will rise to receive your allotted inheritance." Jesus says, in John's gospel, that he has gone away to prepare a place for us. Someday he will come back and take us to this place, where there are many rooms, where we will receive all the rewards promised to us in the New Testament. Our rewards do not end with our salvation; there is much more in store for us. Someday, at the end of days, we will rise and receive our allotted inheritance. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Daniel 11: 36-45; The King Who Exalts Himself
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
"The king who exalts himself...will come to his end at last, and no one will help him." When we seek our own glory no one will be there to help us. We need to remember that we live for the glory of God, not the glory of ourselves. When we love God, when we love our neighbor, when we practice holiness, we are not doing those things to make sure we are in good shape. We do those things to honor and glorify God for who he is and for what he has done for us in our lives. This king that Daniel is talking about is one who is seeking glory for himself, and that is not the kind of life we should be living. We should be living the kind of life that honors and glorifies God for all he has done for us. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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"The king who exalts himself...will come to his end at last, and no one will help him." When we seek our own glory no one will be there to help us. We need to remember that we live for the glory of God, not the glory of ourselves. When we love God, when we love our neighbor, when we practice holiness, we are not doing those things to make sure we are in good shape. We do those things to honor and glorify God for who he is and for what he has done for us in our lives. This king that Daniel is talking about is one who is seeking glory for himself, and that is not the kind of life we should be living. We should be living the kind of life that honors and glorifies God for all he has done for us. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Monday, October 27, 2008
Daniel 11: 1-35; The Kings of the South and the North
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
In reading this passage I am reminded of what is said in Isaiah 40: 8; "The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our Lord stands forever." All of the things of this world will pass away. Kings and presidents will come and go; countries will come and go. But the Lord will always remain. God will always be there. That should give us hope. No matter what happens to us, or those around us; no matter how much things change; no matter how much it seems like the world is going to end. God will always be there. He is the constant; he is the one who is without end. Remember the words from the prophet Isaiah, that the word of our Lord stands forever. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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In reading this passage I am reminded of what is said in Isaiah 40: 8; "The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our Lord stands forever." All of the things of this world will pass away. Kings and presidents will come and go; countries will come and go. But the Lord will always remain. God will always be there. That should give us hope. No matter what happens to us, or those around us; no matter how much things change; no matter how much it seems like the world is going to end. God will always be there. He is the constant; he is the one who is without end. Remember the words from the prophet Isaiah, that the word of our Lord stands forever. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Sunday, October 26, 2008
Daniel 10: 1-21; Daniel's Vision of a Man
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
Daniel's work cost him a lot of strength. He needed the power of God in his life to do what God called him to do. And in this passage he is given the encouragement he needs. He is told, in his vision, to be strong. We need these words of encouragement sometimes, too. In our journey of faith we sometimes face trials and tribulations, and when that happens we need to hear from God words of encouragement. The Lord is with us. In the end of Matthew's gospel, when Jesus gives the Great Commission, he also tells his disciples that he will be with them to the end of the age. That is from where we get our strength, from knowing the Lord is with us. Be strong! We can be strong knowing the Lord is with us. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Daniel's work cost him a lot of strength. He needed the power of God in his life to do what God called him to do. And in this passage he is given the encouragement he needs. He is told, in his vision, to be strong. We need these words of encouragement sometimes, too. In our journey of faith we sometimes face trials and tribulations, and when that happens we need to hear from God words of encouragement. The Lord is with us. In the end of Matthew's gospel, when Jesus gives the Great Commission, he also tells his disciples that he will be with them to the end of the age. That is from where we get our strength, from knowing the Lord is with us. Be strong! We can be strong knowing the Lord is with us. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Saturday, October 25, 2008
Daniel 9: 20-27; The Seventy Sevens
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
Daniel's prayer for salvation was answered. He came to the Lord in confession and asked God for forgiveness and it was granted. Our prayer for salvation has been answered as well. God sent Jesus into the world to give us life, to bring us salvation. We, like Israel, have prayed for salvation, and it has been granted to us through Jesus. Daniel confessed his sins, he asked God for forgiveness, and it was granted. We confess our sins, we ask God for forgiveness, and it has been granted through Jesus. We are forgiven! God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Daniel's prayer for salvation was answered. He came to the Lord in confession and asked God for forgiveness and it was granted. Our prayer for salvation has been answered as well. God sent Jesus into the world to give us life, to bring us salvation. We, like Israel, have prayed for salvation, and it has been granted to us through Jesus. Daniel confessed his sins, he asked God for forgiveness, and it was granted. We confess our sins, we ask God for forgiveness, and it has been granted through Jesus. We are forgiven! God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Friday, October 24, 2008
Daniel 9: 1-19; Daniel's Prayer
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
Here we have a prayer of confession from Daniel. Confession is an important part of the life of a Christian. We need to confess that we need Jesus. We don't confess our sins to make ourselves feel bad; we don't confess our sins to create a pity party; we confess our sins simply as a recognition that we have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. Jesus came here to save the world, and it is important that we recognize that we need that salvation. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Here we have a prayer of confession from Daniel. Confession is an important part of the life of a Christian. We need to confess that we need Jesus. We don't confess our sins to make ourselves feel bad; we don't confess our sins to create a pity party; we confess our sins simply as a recognition that we have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. Jesus came here to save the world, and it is important that we recognize that we need that salvation. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Thursday, October 23, 2008
Sunday Scripture and Sermon for October 26, 2008
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
The Scripture for this Sunday is from Zephaniah 3: 14-20, in which the prophet is giving hope to the people Israel. The sermon is titled 'There is Hope,' and will focus on the hope we have as children of God. I hope you all are able to make it. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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The Scripture for this Sunday is from Zephaniah 3: 14-20, in which the prophet is giving hope to the people Israel. The sermon is titled 'There is Hope,' and will focus on the hope we have as children of God. I hope you all are able to make it. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Daniel 8: 15-27; The Interpretation of the Vision
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
God does give us an idea of what is going to happen. Sometimes we wonder what exactly is going to happen to us or the world. And one of the pieces of good news we get from Daniel is that God does sometimes let us know what is going to happen. Sometimes there is a mystery to it all, but sometimes, like with Daniel, God lets us know. And even if God does not let us know what will happen, he does know himself. While sometimes it may remail a mystery to us, God knows. God is in control, we are in his hands. In all things we need to make sure we trust God and continue to follow the path he has laid out for us. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
God does give us an idea of what is going to happen. Sometimes we wonder what exactly is going to happen to us or the world. And one of the pieces of good news we get from Daniel is that God does sometimes let us know what is going to happen. Sometimes there is a mystery to it all, but sometimes, like with Daniel, God lets us know. And even if God does not let us know what will happen, he does know himself. While sometimes it may remail a mystery to us, God knows. God is in control, we are in his hands. In all things we need to make sure we trust God and continue to follow the path he has laid out for us. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Daniel 8:1-14; Daniel's Vision of a Ram and a Goat
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
We have victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. One of the many things Jesus accomplished in his ministry was wiping out the powers of evil. We no longer have to worry about the evil one, because Christ has defeated him once and for all. The old saying, 'all he can do is lie,' is true because he has no power to do anything else. We can rest easy, we can simply go on through our journey without fear. Jesus has defeated evil, he is protecting us. The goat defeated the ram in Daniel's vision. In reality, Jesus defeated Satan and the power of evil. Praise God for he has been victorious over evil. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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We have victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. One of the many things Jesus accomplished in his ministry was wiping out the powers of evil. We no longer have to worry about the evil one, because Christ has defeated him once and for all. The old saying, 'all he can do is lie,' is true because he has no power to do anything else. We can rest easy, we can simply go on through our journey without fear. Jesus has defeated evil, he is protecting us. The goat defeated the ram in Daniel's vision. In reality, Jesus defeated Satan and the power of evil. Praise God for he has been victorious over evil. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Daniel 7: 15-28; The Interpretation of the Dream
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
Sometimes things get worse before they get better. Throughout the Bible we get the sense that there are going to be some rough times for the children of God. That is the bad news. The good news is that it is going to get better. Someday Jesus will return and call of us to him, and he will take us to heaven to be with him that we may live in peace and harmony for all eternity. There is hope, in other words. No matter how bad things get, they will get better. We are in the hands of God and someday God will make all things new, and he will make all things better. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Sometimes things get worse before they get better. Throughout the Bible we get the sense that there are going to be some rough times for the children of God. That is the bad news. The good news is that it is going to get better. Someday Jesus will return and call of us to him, and he will take us to heaven to be with him that we may live in peace and harmony for all eternity. There is hope, in other words. No matter how bad things get, they will get better. We are in the hands of God and someday God will make all things new, and he will make all things better. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Monday, October 20, 2008
Daniel 7: 1-14; Daniel's Dream of Four Beasts
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
A couple of weeks ago in Bible study we talked about the transfiguration, in which Christ was transfigured to a dazzling white and had a conversation with Moses and Elijah. The story of the transfiguration and Daniel's dream are important because they remind that there is something glorious about our faith. We don't always see it in the world, but someday when we are in heaven with our Lord we will behold wonderful and amazing things. We may see strange animals, we may see folks glowing in a dazzling white. Whatever it will be we will be witnesses to the glory of heaven. Do not pass off Daniel's dream as simply a dream. He was given a glimpse of what our kingdom will be like when we arrive there. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
A couple of weeks ago in Bible study we talked about the transfiguration, in which Christ was transfigured to a dazzling white and had a conversation with Moses and Elijah. The story of the transfiguration and Daniel's dream are important because they remind that there is something glorious about our faith. We don't always see it in the world, but someday when we are in heaven with our Lord we will behold wonderful and amazing things. We may see strange animals, we may see folks glowing in a dazzling white. Whatever it will be we will be witnesses to the glory of heaven. Do not pass off Daniel's dream as simply a dream. He was given a glimpse of what our kingdom will be like when we arrive there. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Sunday, October 19, 2008
Daniel 6: 1-28; Daniel in the Lion's Den
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
Is it not amazing what God can do? So many times we read stories like Daniel in the lion's den and we think that miracles like that don't happen anymore. The truth is that miracles happen every day. Sometimes they may be harder to see, but God works in our lives; he makes things happen, good things. God continues to work miracles in the lives of his children. We need to open our eyes that we may see them, open our ears that we may hear them, open our hearts that we would be aware of the ways in which God works in the world. God still does miracles, we just need to be aware of them. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Is it not amazing what God can do? So many times we read stories like Daniel in the lion's den and we think that miracles like that don't happen anymore. The truth is that miracles happen every day. Sometimes they may be harder to see, but God works in our lives; he makes things happen, good things. God continues to work miracles in the lives of his children. We need to open our eyes that we may see them, open our ears that we may hear them, open our hearts that we would be aware of the ways in which God works in the world. God still does miracles, we just need to be aware of them. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Saturday, October 18, 2008
Daniel 5: 1-31; The Writing on the Wall
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
Daniel spoke without fear the words God gave him. As he is standing before the king, who had the power to have him put to death, Daniel did not hesitate for a moment to bring this message before him. These words, which to some would seem insolent, were given to Daniel by God and Daniel spoke them without fear. God has given us all a message to proclaim. He has given us words to share with those around us. Sometimes that message is not going to be well received. But in those times we must rely on the strength of the Lord; to strengthen us for our journey of faith for the work we have been given, to proclaim the message instilled in our hearts. May God be with you as you share with others the message he has given you. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Daniel spoke without fear the words God gave him. As he is standing before the king, who had the power to have him put to death, Daniel did not hesitate for a moment to bring this message before him. These words, which to some would seem insolent, were given to Daniel by God and Daniel spoke them without fear. God has given us all a message to proclaim. He has given us words to share with those around us. Sometimes that message is not going to be well received. But in those times we must rely on the strength of the Lord; to strengthen us for our journey of faith for the work we have been given, to proclaim the message instilled in our hearts. May God be with you as you share with others the message he has given you. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Friday, October 17, 2008
Evening Worship Service: Sunday, October 19, 2008
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
We will be having our evening worship service this Sunday at 7:00 p.m. The service, including the message, will be led by John McCarty, and Dan Lutes will be leading the music. Please stop by the church to worship God during this time. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
We will be having our evening worship service this Sunday at 7:00 p.m. The service, including the message, will be led by John McCarty, and Dan Lutes will be leading the music. Please stop by the church to worship God during this time. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Sunday Scripture and Sermon for October 19, 2008
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
This Sunday's Scripture passage is from Habakkuk 1: 12-2:1, in which Habakkuk asks God some questions. The sermon is titled 'Seek Understanding,' and will look at how it is ok to ask God questions, for as Christians we are supposed to seek understanding so we can serve Him better. I hope to see you Sunday. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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This Sunday's Scripture passage is from Habakkuk 1: 12-2:1, in which Habakkuk asks God some questions. The sermon is titled 'Seek Understanding,' and will look at how it is ok to ask God questions, for as Christians we are supposed to seek understanding so we can serve Him better. I hope to see you Sunday. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Daniel 4: 28-37; The Dream is Fulfilled
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
God does what he says he is going to do. Nebuchadnezzar found that out the hard way. Looking at this in a positive way, God keeps him promises. How much of a relief it is that we can trust in God. We do not have to worry about God not keeping his promises. Eliah's name is symbolic of that. Her name is greek for 'olive tree, or branch,' which is symbolic of God's promises in the Old Testament and the New Testament. In the Old Testament God sent the dove to Noah carrying and olve branch, which is how Noah knew the flood was over. In the New Testament, Jesus is arrested while on the Mount of Olives, fulfilling God's promises to save the world. God makes promises, and he keeps them. We can always trust God to follow through with what he says. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
God does what he says he is going to do. Nebuchadnezzar found that out the hard way. Looking at this in a positive way, God keeps him promises. How much of a relief it is that we can trust in God. We do not have to worry about God not keeping his promises. Eliah's name is symbolic of that. Her name is greek for 'olive tree, or branch,' which is symbolic of God's promises in the Old Testament and the New Testament. In the Old Testament God sent the dove to Noah carrying and olve branch, which is how Noah knew the flood was over. In the New Testament, Jesus is arrested while on the Mount of Olives, fulfilling God's promises to save the world. God makes promises, and he keeps them. We can always trust God to follow through with what he says. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Thursday, October 16, 2008
Eliah Jean Snyder
Eliah Jean Snyder was born on October 15, 2008 at 9:31 P.M. She is 7 pounds 14 ounces and is 21 inches long. Kate is doing well, and so is our daughter, whom we are calling Ellie for short. We thank you all so much for your thoughts and prayers and we cannot wait for you to meet our little girl. God bless you all.
Pastor Josh
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Daniel 4: 19-27; Daniel Interpret's the Dream
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
Here in this passage we find Daniel saying a similar thing to Habakkuk, whom we discussed in church the other day. The king was in trouble because he, and the rest of the people, were not living the holy life they were supposed to be living. We need to remember that we, as Christians, are called to a life of holiness. We live this life of holiness out of response for what God has done for us. As Jesus says in the Sermon on the Mount, 'be perfect as your father in heaven is perfect.' God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Here in this passage we find Daniel saying a similar thing to Habakkuk, whom we discussed in church the other day. The king was in trouble because he, and the rest of the people, were not living the holy life they were supposed to be living. We need to remember that we, as Christians, are called to a life of holiness. We live this life of holiness out of response for what God has done for us. As Jesus says in the Sermon on the Mount, 'be perfect as your father in heaven is perfect.' God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Daniel 4: 1-18; Nebuchadnezzar's Dream of a Tree
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
Here we have another dream from Nebuchadnezzar. But the one brief phrase I would like to focus on is 'his kingdom is an eternal kingdom.' God's kingdom will never end. No matter what happens, no matter how bad things get, God's kingdom will stand forever. Let that be your source of hope. We have the hope that when all else fails God's kingdom will still be there. Someday, when Jesus returns and we are all resurrected, things will become brand new, and all things will be made good. No matter how bad things may seem, God's kingdom will last, and we will receive all the blessings that come with that kingdom. Hope in the Lord! God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Here we have another dream from Nebuchadnezzar. But the one brief phrase I would like to focus on is 'his kingdom is an eternal kingdom.' God's kingdom will never end. No matter what happens, no matter how bad things get, God's kingdom will stand forever. Let that be your source of hope. We have the hope that when all else fails God's kingdom will still be there. Someday, when Jesus returns and we are all resurrected, things will become brand new, and all things will be made good. No matter how bad things may seem, God's kingdom will last, and we will receive all the blessings that come with that kingdom. Hope in the Lord! God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Daniel 3: 1-30; The Image of Gold and the Fiery Furnace
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego are some of the most beloved characters in all of the Bible, and not just because they were able to stand in a fire and not get burned. They are also loved because they refused to recant their faith. They had the chance to stop believing in God and worship the idol the king had set up, but instead they held true to their faith and continued to believe in, worship, and rely on God. And in the end they were saved from the fire. In the end their faith in God was vindicated. When we are thrown into the fire, will our faith be as strong? When we are faced with persecutions, as well as trials and tribulations, what will we do? Will we turn away from God and follow someone/thing else? Or will we continue to believe in God and call on his name. We know what Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego would do. What would we do? God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego are some of the most beloved characters in all of the Bible, and not just because they were able to stand in a fire and not get burned. They are also loved because they refused to recant their faith. They had the chance to stop believing in God and worship the idol the king had set up, but instead they held true to their faith and continued to believe in, worship, and rely on God. And in the end they were saved from the fire. In the end their faith in God was vindicated. When we are thrown into the fire, will our faith be as strong? When we are faced with persecutions, as well as trials and tribulations, what will we do? Will we turn away from God and follow someone/thing else? Or will we continue to believe in God and call on his name. We know what Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego would do. What would we do? God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Monday, October 13, 2008
Daniel 2: 24-49; Daniel Interprets the Dream
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
From very early on in this book we see that there is something special about Daniel. You can clearly see that the Lord has touched him, and that the Lord is going to use him for great things. The number one reason why Daniel is special and was able to such great things is because Daniel was open to being used by God. Daniel was willing for God to have him interpret dreams, and use him to make a point about God's protection. Daniel was a willing person, he was open to being used by God. God wants to use all of us as well. He has called us into a life of faith, and he has called us into a life of service. We need to be open to being used by God for great things. Like Daniel, God can do amazing things through us. We just need to let him. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
From very early on in this book we see that there is something special about Daniel. You can clearly see that the Lord has touched him, and that the Lord is going to use him for great things. The number one reason why Daniel is special and was able to such great things is because Daniel was open to being used by God. Daniel was willing for God to have him interpret dreams, and use him to make a point about God's protection. Daniel was a willing person, he was open to being used by God. God wants to use all of us as well. He has called us into a life of faith, and he has called us into a life of service. We need to be open to being used by God for great things. Like Daniel, God can do amazing things through us. We just need to let him. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Sunday, October 12, 2008
Daniel 2: 1-23; Nebuchadnezzar's Dream
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
Nebuchadnezzar had a dream, something that we cannot always relate to in the 21st century. If you read through the Bible you will find a lot of instances in which God speaks in a dream. We have lost this in our day. It may be that God no longer chooses to speak in that way, but I think the more likely answer is that we do not listen as well as folks did in the Bible. God continues to speak in a variety of ways. We need to pay attention for those times when God is speaking to us. Keep your mind and heart open, and you will hear God, see God, experience God in a new and miraculous way. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Nebuchadnezzar had a dream, something that we cannot always relate to in the 21st century. If you read through the Bible you will find a lot of instances in which God speaks in a dream. We have lost this in our day. It may be that God no longer chooses to speak in that way, but I think the more likely answer is that we do not listen as well as folks did in the Bible. God continues to speak in a variety of ways. We need to pay attention for those times when God is speaking to us. Keep your mind and heart open, and you will hear God, see God, experience God in a new and miraculous way. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Saturday, October 11, 2008
Daniel 1: 1-21; Daniel's Training in Babylon
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
Daniel did not want to distract himself with the king's things; he wanted to keep himself focused on God. The King wanted, through food and drink and other things, to buy the prophets. But Daniel kep himself set apart from the others. He wanted to serve God, not a king. Daniel, if nothing else, was completely devoted to God. Though it sometimes cost him, he never wavered in his service to God alone. Daniel is an example of how we are supposed to live our lives and do our ministry. We need to be completely devoted to God and not to anyone or anything else. We are to let nothing stand in the way of living our lives for God. Remember Daniel and his devotion to God. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Daniel did not want to distract himself with the king's things; he wanted to keep himself focused on God. The King wanted, through food and drink and other things, to buy the prophets. But Daniel kep himself set apart from the others. He wanted to serve God, not a king. Daniel, if nothing else, was completely devoted to God. Though it sometimes cost him, he never wavered in his service to God alone. Daniel is an example of how we are supposed to live our lives and do our ministry. We need to be completely devoted to God and not to anyone or anything else. We are to let nothing stand in the way of living our lives for God. Remember Daniel and his devotion to God. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Friday, October 10, 2008
Colossians 4: 7-18; Final Greetings
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
"See to it that you complete the work you have received in the Lord." Paul faced a lot of difficulties in his ministry, but he always continued his ministry. Whether he was in prison or on the road Paul continued to preach the good news of Jesus Christ; to see to it that as many people as he could reach were brought to faith in Jesus Christ. We all have work to do for Jesus, and we need to be doing it. God has told you what he wants you to do; God has told all of us what he wants us to do. We need to go out and make sure we are doing that work. "See to it that you complete the work you have received in the Lord." God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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"See to it that you complete the work you have received in the Lord." Paul faced a lot of difficulties in his ministry, but he always continued his ministry. Whether he was in prison or on the road Paul continued to preach the good news of Jesus Christ; to see to it that as many people as he could reach were brought to faith in Jesus Christ. We all have work to do for Jesus, and we need to be doing it. God has told you what he wants you to do; God has told all of us what he wants us to do. We need to go out and make sure we are doing that work. "See to it that you complete the work you have received in the Lord." God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Thursday, October 9, 2008
Sunday Scripture and Sermon for October 12, 2008
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
This Sunday's Scripture lesson comes from Nahum 1: 7-15, in which God talks about his displeasure with Nineveh and their unfaithfulness. The sermon is titled 'Holiness' and will focus on our call as Christians to a life of holiness. I hope to see you Sunday. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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This Sunday's Scripture lesson comes from Nahum 1: 7-15, in which God talks about his displeasure with Nineveh and their unfaithfulness. The sermon is titled 'Holiness' and will focus on our call as Christians to a life of holiness. I hope to see you Sunday. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Colossians 4: 2-6; Further Instructions
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
We need to spend more time in prayer. God likes to hear from us, he likes to have conversations with us. God likes to know what is going on in our lives and in our hearts. We have the blessing of a God who is accessible all the time; we should take advantage of that and spend more time in prayer, conversing with God; telling him about our day; telling him what we need. But prayer is also a time when we listen to God. God continues to guide us and direct us as we go through life, and one of the ways in which he does that is through prayer, because when we pray God has the chance to talk to us. Through prayer we are strengthened for our journey of faith, and through prayer God directs our paths. Pray without ceasing. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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We need to spend more time in prayer. God likes to hear from us, he likes to have conversations with us. God likes to know what is going on in our lives and in our hearts. We have the blessing of a God who is accessible all the time; we should take advantage of that and spend more time in prayer, conversing with God; telling him about our day; telling him what we need. But prayer is also a time when we listen to God. God continues to guide us and direct us as we go through life, and one of the ways in which he does that is through prayer, because when we pray God has the chance to talk to us. Through prayer we are strengthened for our journey of faith, and through prayer God directs our paths. Pray without ceasing. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Colossians 3: 17-25; Rules for Christian Households
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
Be subject to one another; love and serve one another. That is what Paul really means in this passage. We are not supposed to get caught up in who is in charge, we are supposed to get caught up in serving one another, being kind to one another, loving one another. This is also the kind of instruction Jesus was giving when he tells us to love our neighbors as ourselves. Paul tells us: wives submit to your husbands, and husbands to love your wives. In other words, treat each other with love and respect. This passage usually gets people upset because it sounds harsh, but what Paul is telling us is to be subject to one another, to love and serve one another. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Be subject to one another; love and serve one another. That is what Paul really means in this passage. We are not supposed to get caught up in who is in charge, we are supposed to get caught up in serving one another, being kind to one another, loving one another. This is also the kind of instruction Jesus was giving when he tells us to love our neighbors as ourselves. Paul tells us: wives submit to your husbands, and husbands to love your wives. In other words, treat each other with love and respect. This passage usually gets people upset because it sounds harsh, but what Paul is telling us is to be subject to one another, to love and serve one another. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Tuesday, October 7, 2008
Colossians 3: 1-17; Rules for Holy Living
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
"Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity." Holiness is one of the goals of a Christian, and here we find some instruction on how to live a holy life. Holiness revolves around one word: love. When we love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength we practice holiness; and when we love our neighbor as ourselves we practice holiness. Let us be holy by loving God and loving those around us. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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"Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity." Holiness is one of the goals of a Christian, and here we find some instruction on how to live a holy life. Holiness revolves around one word: love. When we love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength we practice holiness; and when we love our neighbor as ourselves we practice holiness. Let us be holy by loving God and loving those around us. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Monday, October 6, 2008
Colossians 2: 6-23; Freedom From Human Regulations Through Life With Christ
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
"See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ." Yesterday in worship we talked about being Christ-centered, which is exactly what Paul is talking about here. No one, absolutely no one, knows more than Jesus. No one, absolutely no one, should be put in front of Jesus. Jesus is in charge, he is the one we should be listening to, not those around us. Jesus is the one who knows what is best for us, not us. Jesus is the one who has a good plan for our lives; none of us can say we have a better plan than Jesus. We need to be Christ-centered, putting Jesus in charge of our lives, and not other people. We need to listen to Christ, and not our own ideas and plans. Be Christ-centered. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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"See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ." Yesterday in worship we talked about being Christ-centered, which is exactly what Paul is talking about here. No one, absolutely no one, knows more than Jesus. No one, absolutely no one, should be put in front of Jesus. Jesus is in charge, he is the one we should be listening to, not those around us. Jesus is the one who knows what is best for us, not us. Jesus is the one who has a good plan for our lives; none of us can say we have a better plan than Jesus. We need to be Christ-centered, putting Jesus in charge of our lives, and not other people. We need to listen to Christ, and not our own ideas and plans. Be Christ-centered. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Sunday, October 5, 2008
Colossians 2: 1-5; Paul's Struggle's
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
A big reason why Paul wrote his letters was to make sure the people to whom he was writing were strengthened in his faith. The early Christians were faced with persecution in some cases, and opposition in all others. They needed a little encouragement from time to time. They needed to hear from someone that in the end it was all going to be ok. Paul shared his faith and his experiences with people so that they, too, would have the strength to continue on in their faith and in their ministry. We have all the courage we need from Jesus. He is with us, giving us all the strength we need. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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A big reason why Paul wrote his letters was to make sure the people to whom he was writing were strengthened in his faith. The early Christians were faced with persecution in some cases, and opposition in all others. They needed a little encouragement from time to time. They needed to hear from someone that in the end it was all going to be ok. Paul shared his faith and his experiences with people so that they, too, would have the strength to continue on in their faith and in their ministry. We have all the courage we need from Jesus. He is with us, giving us all the strength we need. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Saturday, October 4, 2008
Colossians 1: 24-29; Paul's Labor for the Church
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
Paul says here that he is going out and proclaiming the good news so that we all may be presented [to God] perfect in Christ. We have all been made holy and perfect through Jesus our Lord. With his death on the cross means our sins have been taken away, making us holy and perfect, the way God intended us to be. Thanks be to God that Jesus has made us perfect. Let us go forth and bring more people to Christ that they, too, may be made perfect in him. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Paul says here that he is going out and proclaiming the good news so that we all may be presented [to God] perfect in Christ. We have all been made holy and perfect through Jesus our Lord. With his death on the cross means our sins have been taken away, making us holy and perfect, the way God intended us to be. Thanks be to God that Jesus has made us perfect. Let us go forth and bring more people to Christ that they, too, may be made perfect in him. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Friday, October 3, 2008
Colossians 1: 15-23; The Supremecy of Christ
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
When we look at Jesus we are looking at God. Jesus is God in the flesh. He is not just a prophet, he is not just a man who was able to perform miracles. Jesus is God in the flesh. This is good news for us because did not call someone, he came down himself. God came down and walked beside for a little while as the man Jesus. God's love for us is so great that he came down to earth and dwelt among us. As Paul says, once we were alienated from God, but not anymore. God has brought us back into right relationship with him. As God came down he righted all the wrongs. Jesus is God in the flesh, and that is the good news of the gospel. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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When we look at Jesus we are looking at God. Jesus is God in the flesh. He is not just a prophet, he is not just a man who was able to perform miracles. Jesus is God in the flesh. This is good news for us because did not call someone, he came down himself. God came down and walked beside for a little while as the man Jesus. God's love for us is so great that he came down to earth and dwelt among us. As Paul says, once we were alienated from God, but not anymore. God has brought us back into right relationship with him. As God came down he righted all the wrongs. Jesus is God in the flesh, and that is the good news of the gospel. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Thursday, October 2, 2008
Evening Worship Service: October 5, 2008
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
This Sunday we will have our Evening Worship Service at 7:00 p.m. Music will be led by Dan Lutes, John McCarty, and Kate Snyder. The sermon will be based on the Parable of the Talents. We will also be celebrating Holy Communion. I hope you are able to make it. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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This Sunday we will have our Evening Worship Service at 7:00 p.m. Music will be led by Dan Lutes, John McCarty, and Kate Snyder. The sermon will be based on the Parable of the Talents. We will also be celebrating Holy Communion. I hope you are able to make it. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Installation Service: October 5, 2008
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
This Sunday we will have a special installation service to install Pastor Josh as our minister. The Reverend Bill Allen, Interim Regional Minister, will be leading the installation service. Please come and celebrate with us on this special day.
The Scripture passage for this Sunday is from John 1: 35-50, in which Jesus calls the first of the disciples. The sermon is titled 'Follow the Leader,' and will focus on what we need to be doing as disciples of our Lord Jesus Christ. I hope to see you Sunday. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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This Sunday we will have a special installation service to install Pastor Josh as our minister. The Reverend Bill Allen, Interim Regional Minister, will be leading the installation service. Please come and celebrate with us on this special day.
The Scripture passage for this Sunday is from John 1: 35-50, in which Jesus calls the first of the disciples. The sermon is titled 'Follow the Leader,' and will focus on what we need to be doing as disciples of our Lord Jesus Christ. I hope to see you Sunday. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Colossians 1: 1-14; Greetings and Thanksgivings
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
Paul begins all of his letters by thanking God for the people to whom he is writing. Before he gets into any admonitions, theology, or anything else he tells the people, in this case the Colossians, that he is thankful for them. How often do we thank God for one another? We are blessed to have companions in our faith, brothers and sisters in Christ who will bear with us as we go through our journey of faith. We are not alone. Not only do we have Jesus, we also have each other. Each and every day we should take time to remember how much of a blessing it is to have brothers and sisters in Christ; and each and every day we should remember to thank God for each other. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Paul begins all of his letters by thanking God for the people to whom he is writing. Before he gets into any admonitions, theology, or anything else he tells the people, in this case the Colossians, that he is thankful for them. How often do we thank God for one another? We are blessed to have companions in our faith, brothers and sisters in Christ who will bear with us as we go through our journey of faith. We are not alone. Not only do we have Jesus, we also have each other. Each and every day we should take time to remember how much of a blessing it is to have brothers and sisters in Christ; and each and every day we should remember to thank God for each other. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Wednesday, October 1, 2008
Acts 28: 1-10; Ashore on Malta
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
Last night at Bible study we talked a little about faith. The disciples, at point, were not able to heal because they did not have enough faith. Jesus admonishes them simply because they had the ability to heal people and cast out demons, but were unable to do so because they did not believe. Paul had great faith. He knew that the Lord was with him giving him strength to heal people who were in need, like the sick man on the island of Malta. We need to remember that with faith all things are possible. If we believe in the power of God with all our hearts amazing things will happen for us. Remember, be strong in your faith, trusting in the power of God Almighty. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Last night at Bible study we talked a little about faith. The disciples, at point, were not able to heal because they did not have enough faith. Jesus admonishes them simply because they had the ability to heal people and cast out demons, but were unable to do so because they did not believe. Paul had great faith. He knew that the Lord was with him giving him strength to heal people who were in need, like the sick man on the island of Malta. We need to remember that with faith all things are possible. If we believe in the power of God with all our hearts amazing things will happen for us. Remember, be strong in your faith, trusting in the power of God Almighty. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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