Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
We should all lend a hand when it comes to doing the work of Jesus. Moses recognizes the importance of having help, of getting other people involved in the day-to-day lives of Israel. We should have the same thoughts in our lives. There is much work that needs to be done and we can all lend a hand. Our call as Christians is to continue the ministry of Jesus in this world. Let us all do what we can to fulfill that call. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Sunday, May 31, 2009
Saturday, May 30, 2009
Deuteronomy 16: 13-17; Feast of Tabernacles
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
Worship should be more than just an hour on Sunday. Even as we leave the house of the Lord we should continue to worship God for all he has done. We should continue to sing songs of praise and thanksgiving; we should continue to go before the throne of grace in prayer; we should continue to read and study the word of the Lord. We gather at the church for worship for an hour each Sunday; let us continue that spirit of worship as we live the other minutes, hours, and days of our lives. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Worship should be more than just an hour on Sunday. Even as we leave the house of the Lord we should continue to worship God for all he has done. We should continue to sing songs of praise and thanksgiving; we should continue to go before the throne of grace in prayer; we should continue to read and study the word of the Lord. We gather at the church for worship for an hour each Sunday; let us continue that spirit of worship as we live the other minutes, hours, and days of our lives. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Friday, May 29, 2009
Deuteronomy 16: 9-12; Feast of Weeks
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
Our giving should be based on what the Lord has given to us. God has taken care of everything for us, and we should give out of what we have in gratitude for what God has done. We do not give to the church because we have to do; we do not do it because it is what is expected of us; we do it because the Lord has given us so much and giving is a way for us to show how thankful we are. Israel is called to give a freewill offering, an offering based soley on their gratitude. Our offerings should be given in the same way: in remembrance of what God has done for us. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Our giving should be based on what the Lord has given to us. God has taken care of everything for us, and we should give out of what we have in gratitude for what God has done. We do not give to the church because we have to do; we do not do it because it is what is expected of us; we do it because the Lord has given us so much and giving is a way for us to show how thankful we are. Israel is called to give a freewill offering, an offering based soley on their gratitude. Our offerings should be given in the same way: in remembrance of what God has done for us. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Sunday Scripture and Sermon for May 31, 2009
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
This Sunday is Pentecost, which is a very important day in the Church year. It was the day on which the Holy Spirit was poured out on the Christians. This Sunday we will be celebrating the presence and work of the Holy Spirit in our lives and the life of the Church.
The Scripture for this Sunday is from John 15:25-16:15, in which Jesus talks about the Holy Spirit and the work the Spirit will do. The sermon is titled 'The Holy Spirit' and will focus on the work of the Holy Spirit. I hope to see you all on Sunday. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
This Sunday is Pentecost, which is a very important day in the Church year. It was the day on which the Holy Spirit was poured out on the Christians. This Sunday we will be celebrating the presence and work of the Holy Spirit in our lives and the life of the Church.
The Scripture for this Sunday is from John 15:25-16:15, in which Jesus talks about the Holy Spirit and the work the Spirit will do. The sermon is titled 'The Holy Spirit' and will focus on the work of the Holy Spirit. I hope to see you all on Sunday. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Deuteronomy 16: 1-8; Passover
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
A call to remembrance. Israel was saved by God. They were salves in Egypt, living a horrible life, and God saved them from that. He led them out of Egypt into the Promised Land. Israel is supposed to remember that; they are suppsed to look back and remember what God did for them in Egypt. We should do the same thing. We should look back over the course of our lives and see the times when God has lifted us up; when God has saved us from our time of distress. In so doing our love for God should be renewed; our service to God ought to be strenghtened. Look back over your life and see the things God has done for you. And in the knowledge of those things, think of how you can show your love for God and better serve him in this world. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
A call to remembrance. Israel was saved by God. They were salves in Egypt, living a horrible life, and God saved them from that. He led them out of Egypt into the Promised Land. Israel is supposed to remember that; they are suppsed to look back and remember what God did for them in Egypt. We should do the same thing. We should look back over the course of our lives and see the times when God has lifted us up; when God has saved us from our time of distress. In so doing our love for God should be renewed; our service to God ought to be strenghtened. Look back over your life and see the things God has done for you. And in the knowledge of those things, think of how you can show your love for God and better serve him in this world. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Deuteronomy 15: 19-23; The Firstborn Animals
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
The firstborn was considered the very best, which is what God requires of us. We are supposed to hold nothing back for ourselves in our service to God. The first disciples, when they were called by Jesus, left their nets to follow Jesus, but they also left their friends, their families, their whole way of life. They did that in service to Christ. The disciples gave Jesus their very best. They should be our example. We are supposed to give Jesus our best, keeping nothing back for ourselves. Like God commanded Israel, we are supposed to "set apart for the LORD your God every firstborn male of your herds and flocks." We are supposed to set apart for the Lord our God our very best. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
The firstborn was considered the very best, which is what God requires of us. We are supposed to hold nothing back for ourselves in our service to God. The first disciples, when they were called by Jesus, left their nets to follow Jesus, but they also left their friends, their families, their whole way of life. They did that in service to Christ. The disciples gave Jesus their very best. They should be our example. We are supposed to give Jesus our best, keeping nothing back for ourselves. Like God commanded Israel, we are supposed to "set apart for the LORD your God every firstborn male of your herds and flocks." We are supposed to set apart for the Lord our God our very best. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Fun Times at Mt. Lebanon Christian Church
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
Recently we had a worship service geared toward the children in our church. It was a really fun time for them. Here you can see the kids enjoying a moment with their pastor:
Recently we had a worship service geared toward the children in our church. It was a really fun time for them. Here you can see the kids enjoying a moment with their pastor:
And the fun does not stop there. Here are some of our other kids playing bells for us during our Easter Sunday Worship Service
Deuteronomy 15: 12-18; Freeing Servants
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
I think this command really goes beyond slavery in general. God reminds the Israelites here of what he did for them in Egypt. And in doing so I think God says to the Israelites, 'do to others as has been done to you.' God took great care of the Israelites when he brought them out of Egypt. He wants the Israelites to remember that blessing and show that same kindness and love to those around them. God has done so much for us in our lives. We have been blessed beyond measure. And we are supposed to remember those blessings and treat others the way God has treated us. God has blessed us and we are supposed to share those blessings with those around us. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
I think this command really goes beyond slavery in general. God reminds the Israelites here of what he did for them in Egypt. And in doing so I think God says to the Israelites, 'do to others as has been done to you.' God took great care of the Israelites when he brought them out of Egypt. He wants the Israelites to remember that blessing and show that same kindness and love to those around them. God has done so much for us in our lives. We have been blessed beyond measure. And we are supposed to remember those blessings and treat others the way God has treated us. God has blessed us and we are supposed to share those blessings with those around us. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Monday, May 25, 2009
Deuteronomy 15: 1-11; The Year for Cancelling Debts
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
In one form or another we are all in debt to someone else. I am reminded of the parable Jesus told about the wicked servant who, having just been forgiven of his debt, refused to forgive someone who owed him money. Jesus would not have us abuse our position of power when our neighbors owe us something. Jesus would have us forgive the debt, remembering when Jesus paid our debt by going to the cross. In any case, we should not hold things against our brothers and sisters. Instead, we should continue to show them love and respect, no matter how much they owe us, keeping in mind how God did not hold our debt against us. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
In one form or another we are all in debt to someone else. I am reminded of the parable Jesus told about the wicked servant who, having just been forgiven of his debt, refused to forgive someone who owed him money. Jesus would not have us abuse our position of power when our neighbors owe us something. Jesus would have us forgive the debt, remembering when Jesus paid our debt by going to the cross. In any case, we should not hold things against our brothers and sisters. Instead, we should continue to show them love and respect, no matter how much they owe us, keeping in mind how God did not hold our debt against us. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Sunday, May 24, 2009
Deuteronomy 14: 22-29; Tithes
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
Gratitude should be our guide for our giving. God has done so much for us. If you have time I encourage you to read the Bible in its entirety. If you do you will find countless examples of how God has worked in the lives of his children. I also encourage you to look at your life. If you do you will find countless examples of how God has worked in your life. In witnessing all of this we should be filled with such gratitude that we give to God all we can to make sure his work can continue to be done here in this world. Our giving is a way of thanking God for the countless things he has done for us in our lives. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Gratitude should be our guide for our giving. God has done so much for us. If you have time I encourage you to read the Bible in its entirety. If you do you will find countless examples of how God has worked in the lives of his children. I also encourage you to look at your life. If you do you will find countless examples of how God has worked in your life. In witnessing all of this we should be filled with such gratitude that we give to God all we can to make sure his work can continue to be done here in this world. Our giving is a way of thanking God for the countless things he has done for us in our lives. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Saturday, May 23, 2009
Deuteronomy 14: 1-21; Clean and Unclean Foods
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
Paul says it is not what goes into us that makes us unclean, but what comes out. This is important to keep in mind as we read this passage. We can eat all the clean food we want, but if we are not living a Christian life we are in the wrong place. We can eat all the unclean food we want and still it would be possible for us to live a Christian life. It is not what we put into us that makes us clean or unclean, but what comes out of us. It is what we say and how we act that determines the kind of life we have, and the kind of relationship we have with God. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Paul says it is not what goes into us that makes us unclean, but what comes out. This is important to keep in mind as we read this passage. We can eat all the clean food we want, but if we are not living a Christian life we are in the wrong place. We can eat all the unclean food we want and still it would be possible for us to live a Christian life. It is not what we put into us that makes us clean or unclean, but what comes out of us. It is what we say and how we act that determines the kind of life we have, and the kind of relationship we have with God. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Friday, May 22, 2009
Deuteronomy 13: 1-18; Worshiping Other Gods
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
It can sometimes be easy to be led astray, and God knows just easy this can be. This, I think, is one of the many reasons he sent Jesus into the world: that we might have a centralized focus; that we would not be led astray. Jesus is our center, he is our focus. It is Jesus that keeps us from being led astray. If we keep our eyes fixed on him we will never lose our way. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
It can sometimes be easy to be led astray, and God knows just easy this can be. This, I think, is one of the many reasons he sent Jesus into the world: that we might have a centralized focus; that we would not be led astray. Jesus is our center, he is our focus. It is Jesus that keeps us from being led astray. If we keep our eyes fixed on him we will never lose our way. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Sunday Scripture and Sermon for May 24, 2009
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
The Scripture passage for this Sunday is from John 17: 6-19, in which Jesus prays for his disciples and those who would follow after them. The sermon is titled 'Our High Priest' and will focus on Jesus' role as High Priest in our lives. I hope to see you all on Sunday. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
The Scripture passage for this Sunday is from John 17: 6-19, in which Jesus prays for his disciples and those who would follow after them. The sermon is titled 'Our High Priest' and will focus on Jesus' role as High Priest in our lives. I hope to see you all on Sunday. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Deuteronomy 12: 1-32; The One Place of Worship
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
At the center of everything in the life of the Israelites is worship. First, they are commanded to destroy everything related to idol worship. Second, they are told to not worship in their (the non-Israelites) way. Third, they are told exactly how they are to worship God. As Israel is taking possession of the Promised Land; as they are growing in their power and might they are reminded that their biggest concern is to spend time in worship, and worship in the right way. In the midst of all that going on in their lives Israel is told to make sure they worship God. The lesson for us is that we, like Israel, have a lot going on in our lives. Despite that, though, we all need to make more time for worship. This proved crucial for Israel, and it is just as crucial for us. Making time for worship should be our number one priority. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
At the center of everything in the life of the Israelites is worship. First, they are commanded to destroy everything related to idol worship. Second, they are told to not worship in their (the non-Israelites) way. Third, they are told exactly how they are to worship God. As Israel is taking possession of the Promised Land; as they are growing in their power and might they are reminded that their biggest concern is to spend time in worship, and worship in the right way. In the midst of all that going on in their lives Israel is told to make sure they worship God. The lesson for us is that we, like Israel, have a lot going on in our lives. Despite that, though, we all need to make more time for worship. This proved crucial for Israel, and it is just as crucial for us. Making time for worship should be our number one priority. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Deuteronomy 11: 1-32; Love and Obey the Lord
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
The first and most important commandment is to love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength. Against such a thing there is no law. Before we do anything else as Christians, as children of God, we need to make sure we are showing love for God. We do that by following God's commandments, by gathering in God's house for worship, by being faithful to what God has called us to do. If loving God is the first thing we need to worry about, these are a pretty good starting point for us. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
The first and most important commandment is to love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength. Against such a thing there is no law. Before we do anything else as Christians, as children of God, we need to make sure we are showing love for God. We do that by following God's commandments, by gathering in God's house for worship, by being faithful to what God has called us to do. If loving God is the first thing we need to worry about, these are a pretty good starting point for us. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Deuteronomy 10: 12-22; Fear the Lord
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
"And now, O Israel, what does the LORD your God ask of you but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to observe the LORD's commands and decrees that I am giving you today for your own good." Fear of the Lord does not necessarily mean to be afraid of the Lord; it means to respect the Lord. God has done so many wonderful things for us. He has blessed us time and again as his special people. Knowing that we should have enough respect for the Lord to follow his commands, to serve him with all we have, to walk in all his ways. Our love for God should shine so bright the entire world can see it. Fear the Lord, respect the Lord, love the Lord for all he has done for us. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
"And now, O Israel, what does the LORD your God ask of you but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to observe the LORD's commands and decrees that I am giving you today for your own good." Fear of the Lord does not necessarily mean to be afraid of the Lord; it means to respect the Lord. God has done so many wonderful things for us. He has blessed us time and again as his special people. Knowing that we should have enough respect for the Lord to follow his commands, to serve him with all we have, to walk in all his ways. Our love for God should shine so bright the entire world can see it. Fear the Lord, respect the Lord, love the Lord for all he has done for us. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Monday, May 18, 2009
Deuteronomy 10: 1-11; Tablets Like the First Ones
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
There is communal grace, as well as individual grace. Moses broke the first set of tablets, which God was not too happy about. However, God showed Moses some grace and spoke through him again to the Israelites. Israel had made the golden calf and God forgave them. Moses, in his anger, smashed the commandments, and God forgave him. Jesus came to save the world from sin, but he also came to save us individually as well. God's grace is for the world, but it is also a personal salvation. The entire world has been saved by Jesus, and so have you. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
There is communal grace, as well as individual grace. Moses broke the first set of tablets, which God was not too happy about. However, God showed Moses some grace and spoke through him again to the Israelites. Israel had made the golden calf and God forgave them. Moses, in his anger, smashed the commandments, and God forgave him. Jesus came to save the world from sin, but he also came to save us individually as well. God's grace is for the world, but it is also a personal salvation. The entire world has been saved by Jesus, and so have you. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Sunday, May 17, 2009
Deuteronomy 9: 7-29; The Golden Calf
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
If there was ever a time when God would have been perfectly justified in turning away from the Israelites, this would have been it. God did and amazing thing for the Israelites in leading them out of Egypt. In their gratitude Israel made a golden calf and worshiped it, for they had lost their trust in the Lord. However, God did not turn away from Israel. Instead, he renewed his covenant with them and continued to have a special relationship with them. God shows us that same grace and love. We, at times, have turned from God for something/one else. And instead of turning away from us God has continued to welcome us into his arms; he has continued to show us that grace and love. What a God we have. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
If there was ever a time when God would have been perfectly justified in turning away from the Israelites, this would have been it. God did and amazing thing for the Israelites in leading them out of Egypt. In their gratitude Israel made a golden calf and worshiped it, for they had lost their trust in the Lord. However, God did not turn away from Israel. Instead, he renewed his covenant with them and continued to have a special relationship with them. God shows us that same grace and love. We, at times, have turned from God for something/one else. And instead of turning away from us God has continued to welcome us into his arms; he has continued to show us that grace and love. What a God we have. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Saturday, May 16, 2009
Deuteronomy 9: 1-6; Not Because of Israel's Righteousness
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
Even though we were sinners, Christ died for us. What good news. Our salvation is not based on what we do, or what we say. Our salvation comes from none other than Jesus Christ. Jesus died on the cross that we might have salvation, that we might enter the place he has prepared for us. This takes a lot of weight off our shoulders. We do not have to worry about saving ourselves. Our salvation has been made secure in, through, and as Jesus Christ. It is not our righteousness, or lack thereof, that saves us, it is the love and life of Jesus. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Even though we were sinners, Christ died for us. What good news. Our salvation is not based on what we do, or what we say. Our salvation comes from none other than Jesus Christ. Jesus died on the cross that we might have salvation, that we might enter the place he has prepared for us. This takes a lot of weight off our shoulders. We do not have to worry about saving ourselves. Our salvation has been made secure in, through, and as Jesus Christ. It is not our righteousness, or lack thereof, that saves us, it is the love and life of Jesus. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Friday, May 15, 2009
Deuteronomy 8: 1-20; Do Not Forget the Lord
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
"Observe the commands of the LORD your God, walking in his ways and revering him. For the LORD your God is bringing you into a good land—a land with streams and pools of water, with springs flowing in the valleys and hills; a land with wheat and barley, vines and fig trees, pomegranates, olive oil and honey; a land where bread will not be scarce and you will lack nothing; a land where the rocks are iron and you can dig copper out of the hills." This sounds like a place where we all want to be. The good news is that we all get to go there. Jesus has made it possible for us to enter into this land, this place he has prepared for us. This is the good news of the Gospel, that we will one day enter the place Jesus has prepared for us. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
"Observe the commands of the LORD your God, walking in his ways and revering him. For the LORD your God is bringing you into a good land—a land with streams and pools of water, with springs flowing in the valleys and hills; a land with wheat and barley, vines and fig trees, pomegranates, olive oil and honey; a land where bread will not be scarce and you will lack nothing; a land where the rocks are iron and you can dig copper out of the hills." This sounds like a place where we all want to be. The good news is that we all get to go there. Jesus has made it possible for us to enter into this land, this place he has prepared for us. This is the good news of the Gospel, that we will one day enter the place Jesus has prepared for us. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Youth Praise and Percussion Service
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
This Sunday we will have a Youth Praise and Percussion Service here at the church. Events will begin at 6:30 p.m. We will be having a worship service which will revolve around singing and having fun in the presence of the Lord. After worship we will move to the church parking lot where we will be having a campfire and s'mores. Please be sure to join us for the evening. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
This Sunday we will have a Youth Praise and Percussion Service here at the church. Events will begin at 6:30 p.m. We will be having a worship service which will revolve around singing and having fun in the presence of the Lord. After worship we will move to the church parking lot where we will be having a campfire and s'mores. Please be sure to join us for the evening. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Conference on the Future
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
On May 17, 2009 after our morning worship service Growing in Ministry will host a Conference on the Future. This is the final step in the Growing in Ministry process. During this conference we will be talking about what we want to focus on to grow as a congregation. Materials will be provided for all those interested in attending. Lunch will also be provided. I encourage all of you to attend this conference and be a part of us growing as a church. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
On May 17, 2009 after our morning worship service Growing in Ministry will host a Conference on the Future. This is the final step in the Growing in Ministry process. During this conference we will be talking about what we want to focus on to grow as a congregation. Materials will be provided for all those interested in attending. Lunch will also be provided. I encourage all of you to attend this conference and be a part of us growing as a church. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Sunday Scripture and Sermon for May 17, 2009
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
The Scripture passage for this Sunday is from Psalm 98, in which we are told of God's reign in the world. The sermon is titled 'He Reigns in Love' and will focus on how God's reign, and the love with which he reigns. I hope to see you all on Sunday. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
The Scripture passage for this Sunday is from Psalm 98, in which we are told of God's reign in the world. The sermon is titled 'He Reigns in Love' and will focus on how God's reign, and the love with which he reigns. I hope to see you all on Sunday. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Deuteronomy 7: 1-26 Driving Out the Nations
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
"If you pay attention to these laws and are careful to follow them, then the LORD your God will keep his covenant of love with you." God rewards faithfulness. If we are faithful to what God calls us to do, then we will be rewarded for our faith. Jesus talks about this in terms of bearing fruit: if we are faithful we will bear much fruit. In any case, we have the promise that God rewards faithfulness. Our part is to make sure we are being faithful. Through prayer we hear God speaking to us, calling us to do certain things. When we hear God speaking to us we need to make sure we are doing what he tells us. And if we do that, God will reward our faith. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
"If you pay attention to these laws and are careful to follow them, then the LORD your God will keep his covenant of love with you." God rewards faithfulness. If we are faithful to what God calls us to do, then we will be rewarded for our faith. Jesus talks about this in terms of bearing fruit: if we are faithful we will bear much fruit. In any case, we have the promise that God rewards faithfulness. Our part is to make sure we are being faithful. Through prayer we hear God speaking to us, calling us to do certain things. When we hear God speaking to us we need to make sure we are doing what he tells us. And if we do that, God will reward our faith. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Deuteronomy 6: 1-25; Love the LORD Your God
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
"Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one." This is the phrase all the Israelites would say each and every day, and I think it is a helpful reminder. We are commanded, here, to love the LORD. Part of loving the LORD means we are to have nothing before God. That is to say, we are supposed to give nothing preference over God. We have many possessions, many of which are blessing given to us by God. However, we are supposed to love the LORD only, and serve him only. 'Hear, O Christians: The LORD our God, the LORD is one.' That is a phrase, I think, we need to say each and every day of our lives; a little reminder that we are to value and serve nothing more than God. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
"Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one." This is the phrase all the Israelites would say each and every day, and I think it is a helpful reminder. We are commanded, here, to love the LORD. Part of loving the LORD means we are to have nothing before God. That is to say, we are supposed to give nothing preference over God. We have many possessions, many of which are blessing given to us by God. However, we are supposed to love the LORD only, and serve him only. 'Hear, O Christians: The LORD our God, the LORD is one.' That is a phrase, I think, we need to say each and every day of our lives; a little reminder that we are to value and serve nothing more than God. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Deuteronomy 5: 1-32; The Ten Commandments
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
The Ten Commandments, the entire Law, can be summed up in the two greatest commandments given by Jesus: "you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength; and the second is like it, you shall love your neighbor as yourself." Jesus is not replacing the Ten Commandments when he says this. He is summarizing them for us. The first four commandments are about loving God, the last six are about loving our neighbor. The base idea of the commandments is to show love. Our lives should revolve around these two things: loving God and loving our neighbors. It is that simple. We are called, above all else, to show love. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
The Ten Commandments, the entire Law, can be summed up in the two greatest commandments given by Jesus: "you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength; and the second is like it, you shall love your neighbor as yourself." Jesus is not replacing the Ten Commandments when he says this. He is summarizing them for us. The first four commandments are about loving God, the last six are about loving our neighbor. The base idea of the commandments is to show love. Our lives should revolve around these two things: loving God and loving our neighbors. It is that simple. We are called, above all else, to show love. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Monday, May 11, 2009
Deuteronomy 4: 44-49; Introduction to the Law
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
Paul tells us we are free from the Law, meaning we do not have to follow the Torah anymore. The purpose of the Torah was to provide salvation for the Israelites, but since Jesus has saved us from sin we no longer have to be constrained to the rigidness of the Law. However, we are still called to live a life worthy of our calling. We are called, by Jesus, to be a holy people. Even though we have been saved we are still supposed to live the kinds of lives God wants us to live, lives which revolve around holiness. Our holiness comes from our gratitude. We do not practice holiness because we have to, but because we want to; to please God, to thank God, to honor God. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Paul tells us we are free from the Law, meaning we do not have to follow the Torah anymore. The purpose of the Torah was to provide salvation for the Israelites, but since Jesus has saved us from sin we no longer have to be constrained to the rigidness of the Law. However, we are still called to live a life worthy of our calling. We are called, by Jesus, to be a holy people. Even though we have been saved we are still supposed to live the kinds of lives God wants us to live, lives which revolve around holiness. Our holiness comes from our gratitude. We do not practice holiness because we have to, but because we want to; to please God, to thank God, to honor God. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Sunday, May 10, 2009
Deuteronomy 4: 41-43; Cities of Refuge
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
God is our safe haven. Moses gave people some land that they could retreat to and be safe. That is one of the roles God plays for us. When we are feeling threatened; when we are feeling alone or abandoned; when we feel defeated we can go into the presence of the Lord and be lifted up. We can receive rest and protection that we need sometimes in our journey of faith. God provided for the Israelites 'cities of refuge' that they might be safe. God is our refuge and our strength; God is our city of refuge. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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God is our safe haven. Moses gave people some land that they could retreat to and be safe. That is one of the roles God plays for us. When we are feeling threatened; when we are feeling alone or abandoned; when we feel defeated we can go into the presence of the Lord and be lifted up. We can receive rest and protection that we need sometimes in our journey of faith. God provided for the Israelites 'cities of refuge' that they might be safe. God is our refuge and our strength; God is our city of refuge. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Saturday, May 9, 2009
Deuteronomy 4: 32-40; The Lord is God
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
God has done so many amazing things for us in our lives as individuals and for the world. Our part is to make sure our eyes are open to what God is doing now. We can read through the Bible and see all the things God did for Israel and what He did through Jesus Christ. Those are not simply stories for 'back then,' those are stores for now. God continues to act, he continues to move in this world and make things happen. We need to keep our eyes open that we may see what God is doing. Miracles have been done in the past that we might know the Lord is God; miracles are being performed now that we might know the Lord is God. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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God has done so many amazing things for us in our lives as individuals and for the world. Our part is to make sure our eyes are open to what God is doing now. We can read through the Bible and see all the things God did for Israel and what He did through Jesus Christ. Those are not simply stories for 'back then,' those are stores for now. God continues to act, he continues to move in this world and make things happen. We need to keep our eyes open that we may see what God is doing. Miracles have been done in the past that we might know the Lord is God; miracles are being performed now that we might know the Lord is God. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Friday, May 8, 2009
Deuteronomy 4: 15-31; Idolatry Forbidden
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
"Thou shall have no other gods before me." The word 'gods' does not only include those spiritual beings that may or may not exist. 'Gods' includes anything in our lives that we put before God. If anything gets in the way of our love for, or service to, God then we are having another god before God. We need to not do this. God is our center, he is our cornerstone. Everything we do should be done to the glory of God. Nothing should come before him. No matter what it is, or how much worth we think it holds we need to have no other gods before God. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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"Thou shall have no other gods before me." The word 'gods' does not only include those spiritual beings that may or may not exist. 'Gods' includes anything in our lives that we put before God. If anything gets in the way of our love for, or service to, God then we are having another god before God. We need to not do this. God is our center, he is our cornerstone. Everything we do should be done to the glory of God. Nothing should come before him. No matter what it is, or how much worth we think it holds we need to have no other gods before God. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Thursday, May 7, 2009
Sunday Scripture and Sermon for May 10, 2009
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
The Scripture passage for this Sunday is from John 15: 1-8, in which Jesus says he is the true vine. The sermon is titled 'Being a Branch' and will focus on our role as the branches on the vine. I hope you are all able to come and worship with us. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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The Scripture passage for this Sunday is from John 15: 1-8, in which Jesus says he is the true vine. The sermon is titled 'Being a Branch' and will focus on our role as the branches on the vine. I hope you are all able to come and worship with us. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Deuteronomy 4: 1-14; Obedience Commanded
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
Obeying God can sometimes be a difficult thing. We have been trained to think individually, to be independent people. Obeying God means that we submit to the will someone else; that we do not follow our own path. God, here, commands us to be obedient. There is more than a command, though, when we look at the life of Israel. When Israel was being obedient to God and following his path they were rewarded, they were blessed. If we follow God, if we obey God, we will receive many blessings. Obeying God is a command, but in that command there is some grace. Obeying God will bring many blessings to us in our lives. Though it may sometimes be hard we are commanded to obey God. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Obeying God can sometimes be a difficult thing. We have been trained to think individually, to be independent people. Obeying God means that we submit to the will someone else; that we do not follow our own path. God, here, commands us to be obedient. There is more than a command, though, when we look at the life of Israel. When Israel was being obedient to God and following his path they were rewarded, they were blessed. If we follow God, if we obey God, we will receive many blessings. Obeying God is a command, but in that command there is some grace. Obeying God will bring many blessings to us in our lives. Though it may sometimes be hard we are commanded to obey God. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Deuteronomy 3: 21-29; Moses Forbidden to Cross the Jordan
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
Moses is not allowed to enter into the Promised Land because of his sin, and the sins of the people of Israel. Moses was punished because of the problem of sin and disobedience that continued to plague the Israelites. God took care of that problem once and for all when he sent Jesus into the world. We no longer have to worry about being punished for sin; we no longer have to worry about being kept out of the place Jesus has prepared for us. We have been pardoned, we have been saved. As such, we no longer have to worry or fear. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Moses is not allowed to enter into the Promised Land because of his sin, and the sins of the people of Israel. Moses was punished because of the problem of sin and disobedience that continued to plague the Israelites. God took care of that problem once and for all when he sent Jesus into the world. We no longer have to worry about being punished for sin; we no longer have to worry about being kept out of the place Jesus has prepared for us. We have been pardoned, we have been saved. As such, we no longer have to worry or fear. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Deuteronomy 3: 12-20; Division of the Land
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
There is always something more to do. In our journey of faith we never reach the end; we continue to grow all of our days. These folks in our Scripture passage, to whom God gave the land, were told they had a few more things to do before they were able to inhabit the land God gave them. Up to this point they had worked hard, and been faithful. They were more than ready to move into the land God gave them, but there was more for them to do. We have all worked hard on our faith, but there is still more to do. Before we are able to rest in the place God has given us we need to continue to work on our faith and grown in our faith. We never reach the end. There is always more growing we can do. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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There is always something more to do. In our journey of faith we never reach the end; we continue to grow all of our days. These folks in our Scripture passage, to whom God gave the land, were told they had a few more things to do before they were able to inhabit the land God gave them. Up to this point they had worked hard, and been faithful. They were more than ready to move into the land God gave them, but there was more for them to do. We have all worked hard on our faith, but there is still more to do. Before we are able to rest in the place God has given us we need to continue to work on our faith and grown in our faith. We never reach the end. There is always more growing we can do. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Monday, May 4, 2009
Deuteronomy 3: 1-11; Defeat of Og King of Bashan
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
"Do not be afraid of him, for I have handed him over to you with his whole army and his land." I am reminded of the 4th verse of the 23rd Psalm which says, 'I will fear no evil, for you are with me.' We need not fear anything because of God's presence in our lives. There are times when we may face things we think may be too big for us. But in those times we need to remember the good news that that the Lord is always with us, giving us the strength we need to make it through those dark and difficult times. We need not fear anything, for the Lord is with us. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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"Do not be afraid of him, for I have handed him over to you with his whole army and his land." I am reminded of the 4th verse of the 23rd Psalm which says, 'I will fear no evil, for you are with me.' We need not fear anything because of God's presence in our lives. There are times when we may face things we think may be too big for us. But in those times we need to remember the good news that that the Lord is always with us, giving us the strength we need to make it through those dark and difficult times. We need not fear anything, for the Lord is with us. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Sunday, May 3, 2009
Deuteronomy 2: 24-37: Defeat of Sihon King of Heshbon
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
One of the common themes that runs throughout Deuteronomy, and Joshua, is how the Lord gives the Israelites strength to defeat other armies that are far superior. Time and again the Israelites are out-numbered, but God delivers them. We come across many seemingly insurmountable obstacles in our journey of faith. In those times we feel like we have been defeated, but what we find instead is the Lord delivering us. In those times we need to allow God to do something special in our lives, just like the Israelites did. When we feel defeated we need to believe that God can, and will, carry us through to victory. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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One of the common themes that runs throughout Deuteronomy, and Joshua, is how the Lord gives the Israelites strength to defeat other armies that are far superior. Time and again the Israelites are out-numbered, but God delivers them. We come across many seemingly insurmountable obstacles in our journey of faith. In those times we feel like we have been defeated, but what we find instead is the Lord delivering us. In those times we need to allow God to do something special in our lives, just like the Israelites did. When we feel defeated we need to believe that God can, and will, carry us through to victory. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Saturday, May 2, 2009
Deuteronomy 2: 1-23; Wanderings in the Desert
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
Once again we find God leading the Israelites as they wander through the wilderness. I am sure they had no earthly idea where they were going, having lived in Egypt for the past few centureies. However, God knew where they were going. God knew exactly where he was leading them. The Israelites had to trust God once again; they had to trust that God was going to lead them to the land he has promised them. Eventually, their faith is rewarded. They were given the Promised Land; they were rewarded for their faith and trust in God. We have been rewarded for our faith as well. We believe in Jesus, and because of that we have been rewarded with salvation and eternal life. Our faith has been rewarded. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Once again we find God leading the Israelites as they wander through the wilderness. I am sure they had no earthly idea where they were going, having lived in Egypt for the past few centureies. However, God knew where they were going. God knew exactly where he was leading them. The Israelites had to trust God once again; they had to trust that God was going to lead them to the land he has promised them. Eventually, their faith is rewarded. They were given the Promised Land; they were rewarded for their faith and trust in God. We have been rewarded for our faith as well. We believe in Jesus, and because of that we have been rewarded with salvation and eternal life. Our faith has been rewarded. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Friday, May 1, 2009
Deuteronomy 1: 26-46; Rebellion Against the Lord
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
Rebelling against the will of God is never a good thing. For one thing, when we disobey God we face the possibility of being punished. But we also have to deal with simply being unhappy. I think you will find that, no matter how hard it may be, follow God's plan for your life will bring you happiness and peace. At times following God's plan will lead us down a path that we may not want to be on. However, if we remain faithful; if we follow where God leads we will have a peace and joy that will completely fill our hearts. Follow the Lord, no matter where he leads. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Rebelling against the will of God is never a good thing. For one thing, when we disobey God we face the possibility of being punished. But we also have to deal with simply being unhappy. I think you will find that, no matter how hard it may be, follow God's plan for your life will bring you happiness and peace. At times following God's plan will lead us down a path that we may not want to be on. However, if we remain faithful; if we follow where God leads we will have a peace and joy that will completely fill our hearts. Follow the Lord, no matter where he leads. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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