Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
I am leaving this afternoon for my mission trip to Haiti. While I am gone I will not have access to the internet, so there will be no posts until my return. If you need anything from the church please contact one of the elders. I ask for your prayers as I embark upon this journey. My thoughts and prayers will be with you over the next week and a half. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Friday, February 27, 2009
Romans 11: 1-10; The Remnant of Israel
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
God did not break his covenant with Israel, he made a new one, one that enhances the old covenant. The new covenant is sealed in the blood of Jesus, and that blood provides for us life and salvation. God has not forgoten Israel. Rather, he reached into the world and to bring the entire world to him, which includes Israel. Israel has the same chance at salvation that we do, if they only confess Jesus as Lord and Savior. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
God did not break his covenant with Israel, he made a new one, one that enhances the old covenant. The new covenant is sealed in the blood of Jesus, and that blood provides for us life and salvation. God has not forgoten Israel. Rather, he reached into the world and to bring the entire world to him, which includes Israel. Israel has the same chance at salvation that we do, if they only confess Jesus as Lord and Savior. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Romans 10: 1-21
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
"That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved." Our salvation rests on Jesus, and nothing else. If we recognize and confess that Jesus is Lord then our salvation is secure. We have nothing more to worry about. Jesus has taken care of the rest for us. We do not have to make animal sacrifices anymore; we do not have to jump through any other kind of hoop. All we need to do is confess Jesus as Lord and believe that God raised him from the dead. In so doing we receive our life and salvation from Jesus. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
"That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved." Our salvation rests on Jesus, and nothing else. If we recognize and confess that Jesus is Lord then our salvation is secure. We have nothing more to worry about. Jesus has taken care of the rest for us. We do not have to make animal sacrifices anymore; we do not have to jump through any other kind of hoop. All we need to do is confess Jesus as Lord and believe that God raised him from the dead. In so doing we receive our life and salvation from Jesus. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Ash Wednesday Service
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
This evening, at 7:00 p.m., we will have an Ash Wednesday service in the Chapel. The Scripture passage is from Matthew 6: 1-6, 16-21. The sermon will focus on holiness. Please join us for this special worship service as we begin the Lenten season. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
This evening, at 7:00 p.m., we will have an Ash Wednesday service in the Chapel. The Scripture passage is from Matthew 6: 1-6, 16-21. The sermon will focus on holiness. Please join us for this special worship service as we begin the Lenten season. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Romans 9: 30-33; Israel's Unbelief
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
Paul sometimes goes back and forth between faith and works. Here, he places the emphasis on faith. We need to believe in the right way before we can work in the right way. Belief is a fundamental aspect of faith in that we need to believe in God as the one and only God and we need to believe in Jesus as God's one and only son. There are other aspects of faith to be sure, but I think these are good starting points. We need to act according to our faith, but we also need to have the right kind of faith to begin with. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Paul sometimes goes back and forth between faith and works. Here, he places the emphasis on faith. We need to believe in the right way before we can work in the right way. Belief is a fundamental aspect of faith in that we need to believe in God as the one and only God and we need to believe in Jesus as God's one and only son. There are other aspects of faith to be sure, but I think these are good starting points. We need to act according to our faith, but we also need to have the right kind of faith to begin with. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Romans 9: 1-29; God's Sovereign Choice
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
Paul spends a lot of time in his letters talking about Abraham and Sarah. And the reason for this, I think, is because Abraham and Sarah were blessed by God for being faithful to God's will. Abraham and Sarah did everything God asked of them and because of their faith God rewarded them, not just with a son, but a place to call home. There is a lesson in that for us: If we are faithful to God's will he will bless and take care of us. If we follow God and, like Abraham and Sarah, do everything he has called us to do then we, too, will be blessed in our life. This is a praying process. Through prayer God speaks to us and reveals his will. Our part is to listen and do what he calls us to do. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Paul spends a lot of time in his letters talking about Abraham and Sarah. And the reason for this, I think, is because Abraham and Sarah were blessed by God for being faithful to God's will. Abraham and Sarah did everything God asked of them and because of their faith God rewarded them, not just with a son, but a place to call home. There is a lesson in that for us: If we are faithful to God's will he will bless and take care of us. If we follow God and, like Abraham and Sarah, do everything he has called us to do then we, too, will be blessed in our life. This is a praying process. Through prayer God speaks to us and reveals his will. Our part is to listen and do what he calls us to do. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Monday, February 23, 2009
Romans 8: 28-39; More Than Conquerors
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." We are blessed by God because he loves us. It really is that simple. Our lives are enriched by God, he takes care of us, we have everything we will ever need. Our lives are good because we have God. Our lives our good because God loves us and we love him. God blesses those who love him and those who serve him faithfully. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." We are blessed by God because he loves us. It really is that simple. Our lives are enriched by God, he takes care of us, we have everything we will ever need. Our lives are good because we have God. Our lives our good because God loves us and we love him. God blesses those who love him and those who serve him faithfully. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Sunday, February 22, 2009
Romans 8: 18-27; Future Glory
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
The New Testament Lectionary reading for today is Mark's version of the Transfiguration. One of the things I love about the transfiguration is that it gives us a very brief glimpse of what we will be seeing in Heaven when we get there. When we enter the kingdom of Heaven we will bear witness to God's glory, to God's amazing power. We have seen bits and pieces of it in our own lives. But someday, when we are all gathered together in the place Jesus has prepared for us, we will be eternally surrounded by God's glory and power. Paul knows that, too. He talks here about what we will be seeing and hearing in the future, when we are in heaven. This is one our many hopes; that someday we will get to bear witness to God's amazing glory and power. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
The New Testament Lectionary reading for today is Mark's version of the Transfiguration. One of the things I love about the transfiguration is that it gives us a very brief glimpse of what we will be seeing in Heaven when we get there. When we enter the kingdom of Heaven we will bear witness to God's glory, to God's amazing power. We have seen bits and pieces of it in our own lives. But someday, when we are all gathered together in the place Jesus has prepared for us, we will be eternally surrounded by God's glory and power. Paul knows that, too. He talks here about what we will be seeing and hearing in the future, when we are in heaven. This is one our many hopes; that someday we will get to bear witness to God's amazing glory and power. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Saturday, February 21, 2009
Romans 8: 1-17; Life Through the Spirit
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
As Christians we are to live in the Spirit of God. By living in the Spirit we live the kind of life God wants us to live. We do this through prayer and discernment. We need to listen to God. He speaks to us through the Spirit, telling us what his will for us is. We need to have our ears open to what God is calling us to do. As we strive to live a holy and righteous life we need to make sure we are listening to/for the Spirit, that we may be guided in our faith to follow God's will. The Spirit speaks, we need to listen. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
As Christians we are to live in the Spirit of God. By living in the Spirit we live the kind of life God wants us to live. We do this through prayer and discernment. We need to listen to God. He speaks to us through the Spirit, telling us what his will for us is. We need to have our ears open to what God is calling us to do. As we strive to live a holy and righteous life we need to make sure we are listening to/for the Spirit, that we may be guided in our faith to follow God's will. The Spirit speaks, we need to listen. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Friday, February 20, 2009
Romans 7: 7-25; Struggling With Sin
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
We cannot plead ignorance when it comes to sin. We know what sin is, which means we are able to avoid. This is another mark in favor of holiness being something we can achieve. We know what we are supposed to do, and we know what we are not supposed to do. And because that is true we have an idea of what it takes to live a holy and righteous life. We also have Jesus with us giving us strength. What this means for us is that if we put forth the effort and rely on the power of Christ we are able to live the kind of life God wants us to live. Yes, we struggle with sin, but we have the power and presence of Jesus in our lives. We also know what God requires of us. With both of those pieces of knowledge we have what we need to live the kind of life God wants us to live. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
We cannot plead ignorance when it comes to sin. We know what sin is, which means we are able to avoid. This is another mark in favor of holiness being something we can achieve. We know what we are supposed to do, and we know what we are not supposed to do. And because that is true we have an idea of what it takes to live a holy and righteous life. We also have Jesus with us giving us strength. What this means for us is that if we put forth the effort and rely on the power of Christ we are able to live the kind of life God wants us to live. Yes, we struggle with sin, but we have the power and presence of Jesus in our lives. We also know what God requires of us. With both of those pieces of knowledge we have what we need to live the kind of life God wants us to live. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Sunday Scripture and Sermon for February 22, 2009
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
The Scripture passage for this Sunday comes from Mark 9: 2-9, in which Jesus is transfigured before the disciples. The sermon is titled, 'What We Get,' and will focus on the blessings that are made known to us through the Transfiguration. I hope to see you on Sunday. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
The Scripture passage for this Sunday comes from Mark 9: 2-9, in which Jesus is transfigured before the disciples. The sermon is titled, 'What We Get,' and will focus on the blessings that are made known to us through the Transfiguration. I hope to see you on Sunday. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Romans 7: 1-6; An Illustration from Marriage
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
"In order that we might bear fruit to God." Everything we do should be done for God. That is our calling as a Christian, to honor and glorify God with our words, actions, thoughts, etc. We should nothing for ourselves, for our own glory. Our holy living, our worship, everything we do in our lives should be done for the glory of God, to bear fruit to God. God has done everything for us, including sending us his one and only son that we may be forgiven of our sin. In response to that we should give our whole life to God, and live our entire lives for God and God alone. Everything we do should be done to bear fruit to God, to honor and gorify God for all he has done for us. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
"In order that we might bear fruit to God." Everything we do should be done for God. That is our calling as a Christian, to honor and glorify God with our words, actions, thoughts, etc. We should nothing for ourselves, for our own glory. Our holy living, our worship, everything we do in our lives should be done for the glory of God, to bear fruit to God. God has done everything for us, including sending us his one and only son that we may be forgiven of our sin. In response to that we should give our whole life to God, and live our entire lives for God and God alone. Everything we do should be done to bear fruit to God, to honor and gorify God for all he has done for us. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Romans 6: 15-23; Slaves to Righteousness
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
We have been set free. Sin used to have a very strong hold on our hearts. Humanity used to serve sin and sin alone. Through Jesus we have been freed; the bonds of sin have been broken. Now we serve God, rather than our own desires. That is the work of Jesus. He came here to break the bonds of sin, to set us free from our life of slavery. This is good news for us. We are no longer subject to any thing, or any force, but God. Sin no longer has any power over us. Its power has been shattered by Jesus. Thank God that in Christ Jesus we have been set free. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
We have been set free. Sin used to have a very strong hold on our hearts. Humanity used to serve sin and sin alone. Through Jesus we have been freed; the bonds of sin have been broken. Now we serve God, rather than our own desires. That is the work of Jesus. He came here to break the bonds of sin, to set us free from our life of slavery. This is good news for us. We are no longer subject to any thing, or any force, but God. Sin no longer has any power over us. Its power has been shattered by Jesus. Thank God that in Christ Jesus we have been set free. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Romans 6: 1-14; Dead to Sin, Alive in Christ
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
Death is nothing we need to fear anymore. Next week we will begin the season of Lent, which is when we pay special attention to the death and resurrection of our Lord. This is a time when we celebrate the good news of our eternal life in Jesus. We will never die. Yes, our bodies may die, but our souls will live on forever. We share in Christ's resurrection. Christ died and was brought back to life. Now he lives and reigns with God for all eternity. Because Jesus lives, so too will we live. Through Jesus we have been given the gift of eternal life. We will live forever. More than that, we will live forever with Jesus. That is reason for us to celebrate and be glad. We are blessed with life eternal through Jesus our lord. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Death is nothing we need to fear anymore. Next week we will begin the season of Lent, which is when we pay special attention to the death and resurrection of our Lord. This is a time when we celebrate the good news of our eternal life in Jesus. We will never die. Yes, our bodies may die, but our souls will live on forever. We share in Christ's resurrection. Christ died and was brought back to life. Now he lives and reigns with God for all eternity. Because Jesus lives, so too will we live. Through Jesus we have been given the gift of eternal life. We will live forever. More than that, we will live forever with Jesus. That is reason for us to celebrate and be glad. We are blessed with life eternal through Jesus our lord. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Monday, February 16, 2009
Romans 5: 12-21; Death Through Adam, Life Through Christ
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
Because of the sins of Adam we were all subject to death. But because of the death of Jesus we are all saved from sin. Before Jesus we were all trapped in the consequences of Adam's decision, the decision to sin against God. And the consequence for that was death. After Jesus we are all given the gift of eternal life; we are all given the peace and joy that comes from knowing there is life for us. Through one man we were condemned to die, but through one man we were given life. Thanks be to God for sending Jesus into this world to undo what had been done by Adam. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Because of the sins of Adam we were all subject to death. But because of the death of Jesus we are all saved from sin. Before Jesus we were all trapped in the consequences of Adam's decision, the decision to sin against God. And the consequence for that was death. After Jesus we are all given the gift of eternal life; we are all given the peace and joy that comes from knowing there is life for us. Through one man we were condemned to die, but through one man we were given life. Thanks be to God for sending Jesus into this world to undo what had been done by Adam. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Sunday, February 15, 2009
Romans 5: 1-11; Peace and Joy
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
"While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." I am reminded of Christ's words on the cross, 'Father forgive them for they do not know what they are doing.' Jesus died on the cross for the very people who crucified him. He died for us, who would have been caught up in the act of crucifixion as well. We are sinners by nature, but Jesus still died for us. Even though there was nothing we could do to repay him Jesus died for us. Even though we did not in any way deserve it Jesus died for us. That is Christ's love for us; that even though we are sinners he died to save us. What amazing love. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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"While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." I am reminded of Christ's words on the cross, 'Father forgive them for they do not know what they are doing.' Jesus died on the cross for the very people who crucified him. He died for us, who would have been caught up in the act of crucifixion as well. We are sinners by nature, but Jesus still died for us. Even though there was nothing we could do to repay him Jesus died for us. Even though we did not in any way deserve it Jesus died for us. That is Christ's love for us; that even though we are sinners he died to save us. What amazing love. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Saturday, February 14, 2009
Romans 4: 1-25; Abraham Justified by Faith
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
Abraham had great faith. When God told him to leave his family and home behind, he did. When God promised Abraham a child Abraham believed God. When God told Abraham to sacrifice his son, Isaac, he was willing to make the sacrifice. There are many people in the Bible who serve as examples for us, and Abraham is certainly one of them. We should have a faith like his; a faith that is willing to go wherever God calls us; a faith that is willing to believe in any promise God makes; a faith that is willing to do whatever God requires, trusting that God will take care of us. Our faith needs to be as strong as Abraham's. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Abraham had great faith. When God told him to leave his family and home behind, he did. When God promised Abraham a child Abraham believed God. When God told Abraham to sacrifice his son, Isaac, he was willing to make the sacrifice. There are many people in the Bible who serve as examples for us, and Abraham is certainly one of them. We should have a faith like his; a faith that is willing to go wherever God calls us; a faith that is willing to believe in any promise God makes; a faith that is willing to do whatever God requires, trusting that God will take care of us. Our faith needs to be as strong as Abraham's. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Friday, February 13, 2009
Romans 3: 21-31; Righteousness Through Faith
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
"This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe." Our faith in Jesus has made us right with God. Before Jesus our sin caused us to be separated from God. After Jesus we have been brought into right relationship with God. We have been made righteous, we have been made presentable to God through the work of Jesus Christ. We cannot attain this relationship or righteousness by ourselves. It is through Jesus, and Jesus alone, that we receive these blessings. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
"This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe." Our faith in Jesus has made us right with God. Before Jesus our sin caused us to be separated from God. After Jesus we have been brought into right relationship with God. We have been made righteous, we have been made presentable to God through the work of Jesus Christ. We cannot attain this relationship or righteousness by ourselves. It is through Jesus, and Jesus alone, that we receive these blessings. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Thursday, February 12, 2009
Sunday Scripture and Sermon for February 15, 2009
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
The Scripture passage for this Sunday is Mark 1: 40-45, in which Jesus heals a man from leprosy. The sermon is titled 'Heal Me, Lord,' and will focus on this miracle of Jesus as well as Jesus' healing power. I hope to see you then. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
The Scripture passage for this Sunday is Mark 1: 40-45, in which Jesus heals a man from leprosy. The sermon is titled 'Heal Me, Lord,' and will focus on this miracle of Jesus as well as Jesus' healing power. I hope to see you then. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Romans 3: 9-20; No One Is Righteous
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
We cannot be righteous by ourselves. I think that is what Paul means here. We do not have the strength by ourselves to be the holy and perfect people God calls us to be. However, through Jesus we are given the strength we need to be holy and perfect. Because Jesus is with us we have the strength to be rigtheous. Through communion, through the power of the Holy Spirit, we are given all the strength we need to be righteous. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
We cannot be righteous by ourselves. I think that is what Paul means here. We do not have the strength by ourselves to be the holy and perfect people God calls us to be. However, through Jesus we are given the strength we need to be holy and perfect. Because Jesus is with us we have the strength to be rigtheous. Through communion, through the power of the Holy Spirit, we are given all the strength we need to be righteous. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Romans 3: 1-8; God's Faithfulness
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
God loves us; that cannot be said enough. God, who is perfect and holy, would be justified if he punished us. Instead, God has shown us love and mercy through his son Jesus Christ. God's faith in us is never-ending. He believes in us, and he loves us. Rather than condemn us for our unfaithfulness and sin, God has redeemed us. That is how great the love of God is; in his righteousness he has made us love and mercy through his his son. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
God loves us; that cannot be said enough. God, who is perfect and holy, would be justified if he punished us. Instead, God has shown us love and mercy through his son Jesus Christ. God's faith in us is never-ending. He believes in us, and he loves us. Rather than condemn us for our unfaithfulness and sin, God has redeemed us. That is how great the love of God is; in his righteousness he has made us love and mercy through his his son. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Romans 2: 17-29; The Jews and the Law
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
Belief is not the only thing that matters. We are supposed to believe in God and believe that Jesus is his one and only son. But we are also supposed to act on that belief. We are supposed to act in the way Christ tells us to act. Jesus gives us some pretty clear instructions in the Sermon on the Mount, and the rest of his ministry, instructions that we need to follow if we are to honor and glorify God. Belief is one thing, it is the fisrt step. Action is the next step, the second step. We need to live holy lives to have God in us, to honor and glorify God for all he has done for us. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Belief is not the only thing that matters. We are supposed to believe in God and believe that Jesus is his one and only son. But we are also supposed to act on that belief. We are supposed to act in the way Christ tells us to act. Jesus gives us some pretty clear instructions in the Sermon on the Mount, and the rest of his ministry, instructions that we need to follow if we are to honor and glorify God. Belief is one thing, it is the fisrt step. Action is the next step, the second step. We need to live holy lives to have God in us, to honor and glorify God for all he has done for us. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Monday, February 9, 2009
Romans 2: 1-16; God's Righteous Judgment
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
"To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality, he will give eternal life." For those of us who are faithful to God and all he has called us to do, there is something good waiting for us: we will receive the gift of eternal life. There may be punishment for those who live outside the will of God, but for those of us who live according to God's will we don't have anything to worry about. For us there will be infinite blessings, the best of which is being able to live forever in the kingdom of God with our Father. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
"To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality, he will give eternal life." For those of us who are faithful to God and all he has called us to do, there is something good waiting for us: we will receive the gift of eternal life. There may be punishment for those who live outside the will of God, but for those of us who live according to God's will we don't have anything to worry about. For us there will be infinite blessings, the best of which is being able to live forever in the kingdom of God with our Father. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Sunday, February 8, 2009
Romans 1: 18-32; God's Wrath Against Mankind
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
It matters to God what we do. We can bring to God pain with the way we live our lives, and we can bring to God joy with the way we live our lives. Some of those who have gone before us did not live the kind of life God wanted them to live. We can learn from them. We can learn what the results of our actions are. We should remember our call to holiness, we should remember the God, through Jesus, has called us to be perfect. God wants us to live a certain way, and it is our call to honor him. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
It matters to God what we do. We can bring to God pain with the way we live our lives, and we can bring to God joy with the way we live our lives. Some of those who have gone before us did not live the kind of life God wanted them to live. We can learn from them. We can learn what the results of our actions are. We should remember our call to holiness, we should remember the God, through Jesus, has called us to be perfect. God wants us to live a certain way, and it is our call to honor him. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Saturday, February 7, 2009
Romans 1: 8-17; Paul's Longing to Visit Rome
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
"That you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other's faith." We are all in this together. We have heard that saying applied to so many other things, but it is very true when it comes to matters of faith. We are all brothers and sisters in Christ, and as such, we are supposed to help one another on our journey of faith. We are to build each other up, to assist one another, to bear with one another. Faith is not a journey that is supposed to be taken alone. We are supposed to fellowship with one another, to help one another, to, as Paul says, be mutually encouraged by each other's faith. We are not alone in our faith. We have Jesus, and we have each other. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
"That you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other's faith." We are all in this together. We have heard that saying applied to so many other things, but it is very true when it comes to matters of faith. We are all brothers and sisters in Christ, and as such, we are supposed to help one another on our journey of faith. We are to build each other up, to assist one another, to bear with one another. Faith is not a journey that is supposed to be taken alone. We are supposed to fellowship with one another, to help one another, to, as Paul says, be mutually encouraged by each other's faith. We are not alone in our faith. We have Jesus, and we have each other. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Friday, February 6, 2009
Sunday Scripture and Sermon for February 8, 2009
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
The Scripture passage for this Sunday is from Hebrews 11:29-12:2, in which the faith of the Israelites is recounted. The sermon is titles, 'Runners,' and will focus on the perseverance we need for our journey of faith and how that perseverance is rewarded. I hope to see you Sunday. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
The Scripture passage for this Sunday is from Hebrews 11:29-12:2, in which the faith of the Israelites is recounted. The sermon is titles, 'Runners,' and will focus on the perseverance we need for our journey of faith and how that perseverance is rewarded. I hope to see you Sunday. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Romans 1: 1-7; Introduction
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
Notice how many times Paul mentions Jesus in these few verses. For Paul, Jesus is the center of everything. He cannot say anything without mentioning Jesus in connection with it. We should be the same. Jesus should be at the center of everything we do and say. We are Christians, which means we belong to Christ. We are Christ's possession. We live for him, we serve him, we do everything according to his will. Jesus is our reason for everything. Paul knows that, and we need to know that, too. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Notice how many times Paul mentions Jesus in these few verses. For Paul, Jesus is the center of everything. He cannot say anything without mentioning Jesus in connection with it. We should be the same. Jesus should be at the center of everything we do and say. We are Christians, which means we belong to Christ. We are Christ's possession. We live for him, we serve him, we do everything according to his will. Jesus is our reason for everything. Paul knows that, and we need to know that, too. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Ezra 10: 18-44; Those Guilty of Intermarriage
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
Can you imagine the fear that must have existed in the hearts and minds of these folks knowing their name was on a list such as this? What a horrible weight to carry around with you. Thankfully, the only list that has our name on it is the list of those who have been forgiven of all sin. There is no list of our sins, there is no list of people who are guilty of sin, only a list of those who have been saved. For us, there is Jesus. And Jesus has seen to it that we are saved from all sin, that our names are not written on a list of sinners. Jesus has given us life by making sure our name is on the list of those who have been saved. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Can you imagine the fear that must have existed in the hearts and minds of these folks knowing their name was on a list such as this? What a horrible weight to carry around with you. Thankfully, the only list that has our name on it is the list of those who have been forgiven of all sin. There is no list of our sins, there is no list of people who are guilty of sin, only a list of those who have been saved. For us, there is Jesus. And Jesus has seen to it that we are saved from all sin, that our names are not written on a list of sinners. Jesus has given us life by making sure our name is on the list of those who have been saved. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Ezra 10: 1-17; The People's Confession of Sin
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
Even though we have been saved from sin by Jesus we still need to confess our sins. We need to confess, each and every day, that we need Jesus' death on the cross. We are called to be humble before the Lord, we are called to confess our sins. Yes, we have been saved from sin. Yes, our sins have all been wiped away by the blood of the Lamb. But that does not mean we do not sin, and that does not mean we do not need to confess our sins. Make your confession to the Lord and tell him just how much we all need Jesus to save us. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Even though we have been saved from sin by Jesus we still need to confess our sins. We need to confess, each and every day, that we need Jesus' death on the cross. We are called to be humble before the Lord, we are called to confess our sins. Yes, we have been saved from sin. Yes, our sins have all been wiped away by the blood of the Lamb. But that does not mean we do not sin, and that does not mean we do not need to confess our sins. Make your confession to the Lord and tell him just how much we all need Jesus to save us. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Monday, February 2, 2009
Ezra 9: 1-15; Ezra's Prayer About Intermarriage
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
Opportunities for us to bear witness to those around us abound. We, like Ezra, are surrounded by those who live outside the will of God. Instead of completely cutting ourselves off from them we need to sieze the opportunity to share with them the good news of Jesus. What we need to do is bear witness to them, and tell them the good news of Jesus that they might begin to live a holy and righteous life. We should not ignore them altogether. Instead, we should take advantage of the opportunity we have to share with them the good news of Jesus and help then turn their life around. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Opportunities for us to bear witness to those around us abound. We, like Ezra, are surrounded by those who live outside the will of God. Instead of completely cutting ourselves off from them we need to sieze the opportunity to share with them the good news of Jesus. What we need to do is bear witness to them, and tell them the good news of Jesus that they might begin to live a holy and righteous life. We should not ignore them altogether. Instead, we should take advantage of the opportunity we have to share with them the good news of Jesus and help then turn their life around. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Sunday, February 1, 2009
Ezra 8: 15-36; The Return to Jerusalem
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
"There, by the Ahava Canal, I proclaimed a fast, so that we might humble ourselves before our God and ask him for a safe journey for us and our children, with all our possessions." We are called to be humble before the Lord. We need to recognize God's greatness and power in our lives. Rather than assuming everything is going to be ok because we planned everything we need to ask for God's blessings in our lives. For God is the only one who can make everything go well. Humility means to submit to the care of God, recognizing that only God can truly take care of us, and recognizing that God will take care of us. Be humble before the Lord, asking his guidance and blessing to be in your life, for he is the only source of those blessings. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
"There, by the Ahava Canal, I proclaimed a fast, so that we might humble ourselves before our God and ask him for a safe journey for us and our children, with all our possessions." We are called to be humble before the Lord. We need to recognize God's greatness and power in our lives. Rather than assuming everything is going to be ok because we planned everything we need to ask for God's blessings in our lives. For God is the only one who can make everything go well. Humility means to submit to the care of God, recognizing that only God can truly take care of us, and recognizing that God will take care of us. Be humble before the Lord, asking his guidance and blessing to be in your life, for he is the only source of those blessings. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
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