Pastor Josh has moved to a new website:


The daily devotionals will continue, but the site will also have posts of a more reflective nature.

Check it out!


Tuesday, June 30, 2009

Deuteronomy 29: 1-29; Renewal of the Covenant

Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.

"Carefully follow the terms of this covenant, so that you may prosper in everything you do." God has made a new covenant with us through Jesus. The commands of that covenant are the two greatest commandments Jesus gave: to love God, and to love our neighbor. If we follow those commandments then our lives will be blessed. We will receive the promises of the covenant if we remain faithful to what God has called us to do. If we truly want our lives to be blessed Jesus has told us all we need to do: love God and love our neighbors. God bless you.

Pastor Josh
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Monday, June 29, 2009

Deuteronomy 28: 15-68; Curses for Disobedience

Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.

Thank God for Jesus Christ! If Jesus had not come into the world these are the kinds of things we would be subject to. We would have been left to our own devices, awaiting that awful hammer to come crashing down on us. Instead, though, we are saved. We have been forgiven of or sins, not cursed for them. The things described in this passage would have been our fate if not for Jesus. Thank God for Jesus Christ and the salvation be brings. God bless you.

Pastor Josh
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Sunday, June 28, 2009

Deuteronomy 28: 1-14; Blessings for Obedience

Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.

God rewards faithfulness. If we are faithful to what God calls us to do we will be blessed. It is that simple. If we, as a congregation, faithfully stay on the path that God has laid out for us, we will find at the end of that path blessings beyond count. This is a process of prayer. We need to pray constantly, asking for God's guidance and strength that we might stay on the right path. The more we pray, the more we will hear God's voice keeping us where he wants us to be. God bless you.

Pastor Josh
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Saturday, June 27, 2009

Deuteronomy 27: 9-26; Curses From Mount Ebal

Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.

This is where loving your neighbors comes from. The Scripture is pretty clear on two things: that we are supposed to love God, and that we are supposed to love one another. When we interact with one another we are supposed to keep in mind that God does not want us to cause anyone any amount of pain, be it emotional or physical. Love for our neighbor should be one of the main driving forces in our lives. God bless you.

Pastor Josh
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Friday, June 26, 2009

Deuteronomy 27: 1-8; The Altar of Mount Ebal

Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.

We are supposed to remember what God has done for us. There is Jesus, for one thing, but this also applies to our own individual lives as well. God has done so much for us on a personal level. For all of those things, and the things he has done for us collectively, we need to be mindful and thankful. We may not always be called to build an altar to the Lord, but we are all called to remember what the Lord has done for us in our lives. God bless you.

Pastor Josh
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Thursday, June 25, 2009

Sunday Scripture and Sermon for June 28, 2009

Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.

This Sunday is stewarship Sunday. I encourage you all to think and pray very hard about your gift(s) to the church, so that together we can continue Christ's work in the world.

The Scripture passage for this Sunday comes from Ephesians 4: 7-13, in which Paul gives us an idea of what we are all called to do. The sermon is titled 'Our Calling,' and will focus on the calling we all share as Christians, which is to make sure the work of Jesus continues in this world. I hope to see you all on Sunday. God bless you.

Pastor Josh
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Deuteronomy 26: 16-19; Follow the Lord's Commands

Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.

I think the key word in this reminder to obey is 'heart.' The Israelites are told here that they are supposed to follow the commands of the Lord with their heart, which means that they should follow these commands because they love the Lord. Their love for God should outweigh every other thought in their mind. The same is true for us. We live the kind of life God wants us to live because we love God. Our love for God should be the driving force in all that we do. God bless you.

Pastor Josh
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Wednesday, June 24, 2009

Deuteronomy 26: 1-15; Firstfruits and Tithes

Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.

We have what we have because the Lord has blessed us with many gifts. So it is fitting that we designate some of what we have to give back to the Lord. We do this out of gratitude for what God has done for us, but we also do it because it is our calling to continue the ministry of Jesus. We are all called to continue what Jesus started, and one of the ways we achieve that is by giving of our tithes and offerings. In so doing we make it possible for Jesus' work to keep going in this world. Let us all give faithfully out of what God has given to us and continue Jesus' work in the world. God bless you.

Pastor Josh
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Tuesday, June 23, 2009

Deuteronomy 24: 1-25: 19; Laws

Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.

Is it any wonder the Israelites had so much trouble keeping up with the commandments God gave through Moses. Thank goodness we only have to keep track of two: to love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength; and to love your neighbor as yourself. Against such things there is no law. Our faith, our effort toward holiness comes down to these two things: love God, love our neighbors. It is that simple. God bless you.

Pastor Josh
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Monday, June 22, 2009

Deuteronomy 22: 13-30; Marriage Violations

Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.

I think the key here is to honor the sanctity of marriage. It is a holy relationship that should not be entered into lightly. As husband and wife we are to love one another, and treat each other with honor and respect. This is not limited, though, to only married people. No, before marriage, and in our other relationships, we are supposed to love one another as Jesus has commanded. Nothing short of that is acceptable in God's eyes. God bless you.

Pastor Josh
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Sunday, June 21, 2009

Deuteronomy 21: 22-22: 12; Various Laws

Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.

This why people were so keen on getting Jesus off the cross before the sun went down. Even the disciples were so caught in the past they were unable to see what Jesus did for them, for all of us: he gave us freedom from the restrictions placed on us in the Old Testament. Because of their grief the disciples were not able to hear, or see, the good news. We experience grief, but in those times we need to make sure we are continuing to believe in the good news of Jesus. Christ died for us and we are saved. Hear and believe the good news. God bless you.

Pastor Josh
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Saturday, June 20, 2009

Deuteronomy 21: 18-21; A Rebellious Son

Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.

I agree with the idea that evil in the world needs to be fought, but I'm not so sure about the stoning to death of those we see as 'rebellious.' Jesus spoke to this issue when he said to the religious leaders, 'Let he who is without sin cast the first stone.' While we need to do what we can to make the world a better place, we need to recognize that we are all in the same boat. We have all sinned, and we have all sinned, and we have all been forgiven. Together we can all bring God's kingdom closer to reality, but we should be pointing the finger at those who we think aren't good enough. In God's eyes, we're all good enough. God bless you.

Pastor Josh
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Friday, June 19, 2009

Deuteronomy 21: 15-17; The Right of the Firstborn

Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.

As children of God we are given the right of the firstborn. God has given us all he has to give. We have been given the gifts of salvation, eternal life, etc. Through Jesus we have been made sons and daughters of God. As such, we are blessed with gifts for being God's children. We have been made children of God through Jesus, and through Jesus we have been given our inheritance. God bless you.

Pastor Josh
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Thursday, June 18, 2009

Church Summer Hours

Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.

Remember, this Sunday, June 21, 2009, we move to our Summer hours. There will be no children't Sunday school, and worship will begin at 10:30 a.m. Regular hours will resume in August. God bless you.

Pastor Josh
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Sunday Scripture and Sermon for June 21, 2009

Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.

The Scripture for this Sunday is from Mark 4: 35-41 in which Jesus calms a storm which threatens to harm his disciples. The sermon is titled 'Calm in the Chaos' and will focus on the calm and peace that Jesus brings to our lives. I hope to see you all on Sunday. God bless you.

Pastor Josh
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Deuteronomy 21: 10-14; Marrying a Captive Woman

Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.

I think Christ would say something different about this passage. Jesus, more than anything, is all about love, and showing that love to those around us. I do not think this is the kind of thin Jesus had in mind when he said: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. Let that commandment from Jesus be your guide to everything you do. In all we do in our lives we should do it in love: love for God, love for our neighbor. God bless you.

Pastor Josh
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Wednesday, June 17, 2009

Deuteronomy 21: 1-9; Atonement for an Unsolved Murder

Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.

We find the meaning of the word 'atonement' in the word itself: at-one-ment. The act of atonement is to make us one, or right, with God. Being human, we all sin and fall short of God's glory. There are even cases, like the one described here, in which there is no one, seemingly, to blame for what has happened. In those cases, atonement needs to be made. We no longer have to take a bull that has never been worked to the stream, etc. We only need to pray and let God know we are sorry and ask for forgiveness. In doing so we atone for our sins and make ourselves one, or right, with God. God bless you.

Pastor Josh
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Tuesday, June 16, 2009

Deuteronomy 20: 1-20; Going to War

Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.

God can do amazing things, despite going against the odds. The Lord tells Israel here to have faith in him, to trust in him, even though the numbers may not always be on their side. This can apply to war, as it does here, but it can also apply to other situations in our lives. We come against bad odds sometimes, and in those times we need to remember to trust the Lord; to trust that he will be with us as we face difficulty. We need to remember to have that faith in God, that faith that tells us the Lord will be with us to help us as we face hard times. God bless you.

Pastor Josh
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Monday, June 8, 2009

Vacation

Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.

I will be on vacation from June 9-15, 2009. I will not be posting on the blog while I am on vacation. Posting will resume on June 16, 2009. Should you need any assistance from the church please contact one of the elders. God bless you.

Pastor Josh
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Deuteronomy 19: 15-21; Witnesses

Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.

Do not bear false witness is one of the Ten Commandments. I think this passage is especially significant for us because it reminds us to not be too angry with another person who may have wronged us. According to Biblical tradition that person should be punished, but not unjustly. So God had the people set up a check-and-balance system in which someone's anger is not a major factor in what happens. The justice that we hand out should be handed out lovingly, not with malice or anger. God bless you.

Pastor Josh
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Sunday, June 7, 2009

Deuteronomy 19: 1-14; Cities of Refuge

Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.

We all have a place we can flee, a place of refuge: heaven. Jesus tells us, in John's gospel, that he is going to prepare a place for us. Jesus has prepared for us a place of rest, a place where we will be able to enter and escape the dangers and suffering of this world. Someday, we will be brought to our city of refuge where there will be only joy and peace. God bless you.

Pastor Josh
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Saturday, June 6, 2009

Neighborhood Family Barbecue

Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.

Please join us this Sunday for a neighborhood family barbecue. We will spend some time together eating, playing, and visiting. Following the barbecue we will have a dedication service for our newly renovated Chapel. Festivities will begin at 5:30 p.m. on Sunday evening. I hope you are able to make it. God bless you.

Pastor Josh
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Deuteronomy 18: 14-22; The Prophet

Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.

Throughout Israel's history promises are made of 'The One' who is going to come in the name of the Lord. Those many promises God made came true in the person of Jesus Christ. When God makes a promise to us we can be sure that God is going to come through with that promise. God made promises about Jesus, and Jesus came. We can take God at his word. When he makes a promise, we can count on it. God bless you.

Pastor Josh
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Friday, June 5, 2009

Deuteronomy 18: 9-13; Detestable Practices

Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.

"You must be blameless before the LORD your God." With this call to be blameless, it's a good thing Jesus came into the world. Jesus is there to help us in our pursuit of holiness. He has defeated the powers of sin, and he continues to be present in our lives to give us strength as we strive to be the people God would have us be. We cannot achieve holiness ourselves, but with the power and presence of Christ in our lives we are able to be the people God wants us to be. God bless you.

Pastor Josh
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Thursday, June 4, 2009

Neighborhood Family Barbecue

Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.

Please join us this Sunday for a neighborhood family barbecue. We will spend some time together eating, playing, and visiting. Following the barbecue we will have a dedication service for our newly renovated Chapel. Festivities will begin at 5:30 p.m. on Sunday evening. I hope you are able to make it. God bless you.

Pastor Josh
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Sunday Scripture and Sermon for June 7, 2009

Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.

The Scripture for this Sunday is from Isaiah 6: 1-8 in which Isaiah is called into God's service in a very special way. The sermon is titled 'Be Ready' and will focus on the kinds of things for which we need to be ready in our journey of faith. I hope to see you Sunday. God bless you.

Pastor Josh
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Deuteronomy 18: 1-8; Offerings for Priests and Levites

Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.

Here we find more words about the importance of community. We are all children of God, and should live together, sharing with one another the blessings we have received from God. If there is a need we should be there to fill it; if someone is in pain, we should be there to relieve it. We are supposed to bear with one another not just in our journeys of faith, but also as we go through life. We are called to be supportive of one another as we face things in our lives. God bless you.

Pastor Josh
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Wednesday, June 3, 2009

Deuteronomy 17: 14-20; The King

Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.

God rewards faithfulness; that is Biblical. Here the Israelites are told the kinds of things God expects of their king. They are also reminded of the kinds of lives they are supposed to be living. And God tells them if the king does the right kinds of things he will reign for a very long time, and his descendants after him. In other words, if the king follows God he, and Israel, will be blessed. The same is true for us. If we remain faithful to what God has called us to do he will bless us. God has a plan for us, in this church. And if we faithfully follow that plan God will reward our faith. Our part is to make sure we stay on that path; to make sure we are being faithful to God's will. God bless you.

Pastor Josh
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Tuesday, June 2, 2009

Deuteronomy 17: 8-13;Law Courts

Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.

Asking for help is one of the most difficult things for us to do. We are taught from a very young age to do for ourselves, that we do not need anyone else to help us. Sometimes that is true, and there are times when we need to take care of ourselves. However, there are also times when we need to allow our brothers and sisters in Christ to give us help when we need it. This is an act of love, and that love should be welcomed. We must not let pride, or guilt, get in the way of someone else wanting to be more Christ-like. Remember, too, that Jesus asked for help from his disciples. Jesus would have us allow our brothers and sisters, who love us, to help us when we are in need. God bless you.

Pastor Josh
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Monday, June 1, 2009

Deuteronomy 16: 21-17:7; Worshiping Other Gods

Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.

Though some of the language is pretty strong here, I think the spirit of this passage is good in the sense that we need to be proactive in fighting the evil that exists in the world, and in our own communities. There are things going on around us that I am sure God is not happy about. As Christians, we should not just sit idly by and let these things pass us by. Instead, we need to actively try to stop people from doing things that are evil in the Lord's sight. I am not advocating stoning people, but I am advocating a spirit of action in our hearts; that we would be proactive in our struggle with the evil that exists in the world. God bless you.

Pastor Josh
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