Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
Prayer is one of the most useful tools at our disposal. Through prayer we are given knowledge, and willingness to follow, God's will. When we pray the Lord's Prayer and say 'thy will be done,' we are reminding ourselves of the importance of following God's will. We take time in prayer to thank God, to make our requests known to God. But we also take that time to put ourselves in the right frame of mind, the frame of mind in which we obediently follow God's will for us. Remember in prayer to open yourself up to whatever God's will for you may be. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Friday, July 31, 2009
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Matthew 6: 1-4; Giving to the Needy
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
Everything we do should be done to the glory of God, not to the glory of ourselves. When we do something for one another we should do it to honor God, not to get a thank you, or perhaps a return gift of kindness. Our worship, our acts of kindness, our practice of holiness should be done to honor God, to bear witness to God's love and power. If we are doing any of these things to attain glory for ourselves then we are doing it for the wrong reason. Make sure you are living your faith for the right reason, to honor and glorify God. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Everything we do should be done to the glory of God, not to the glory of ourselves. When we do something for one another we should do it to honor God, not to get a thank you, or perhaps a return gift of kindness. Our worship, our acts of kindness, our practice of holiness should be done to honor God, to bear witness to God's love and power. If we are doing any of these things to attain glory for ourselves then we are doing it for the wrong reason. Make sure you are living your faith for the right reason, to honor and glorify God. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Sunday Scripture and Sermon for August 2, 2009
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
The Scripture passage for this Sunday is from Colossians 4: 2-6, in which Paul gives the Colossians some final instructions. The sermon is titled 'Through Prayer,' and will focus on what we are to be saying in prayer, and the things that happen as a result of our prayers. I hope to see you Sunday. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
The Scripture passage for this Sunday is from Colossians 4: 2-6, in which Paul gives the Colossians some final instructions. The sermon is titled 'Through Prayer,' and will focus on what we are to be saying in prayer, and the things that happen as a result of our prayers. I hope to see you Sunday. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Matthew 5: 43-48; Love for Enemies
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
The way to perfection, or holiness, is love. Jesus tells us here, and in other places, that we are supposed to love our neighbors. Here he even goes so far as to say to love our enemies. And in the end of this passage Jesus sums it all up by saying, 'be perfect, as your father in heaven is perfect.' The way for to be perfect is through love. In loving our neighbors as ourselves, as well as loving God, we achieve the holiness God wants for/from us. We know how to be perfect. Let us continue to work toward that goal. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
The way to perfection, or holiness, is love. Jesus tells us here, and in other places, that we are supposed to love our neighbors. Here he even goes so far as to say to love our enemies. And in the end of this passage Jesus sums it all up by saying, 'be perfect, as your father in heaven is perfect.' The way for to be perfect is through love. In loving our neighbors as ourselves, as well as loving God, we achieve the holiness God wants for/from us. We know how to be perfect. Let us continue to work toward that goal. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Matthew 5: 38-42; An Eye for an Eye
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
Violence begets violence is another way of saying it. Stopping evil in its tracks is sometimes an overwhelming idea, but there are some things we can do to help. One of those things is to not participate in evil things, but rather in holy things. The less evil done by us lessens the aount of evil in the world. The more love shown by us increases the amount of love in the world. Let us all do what we can to rid the world of evil by resisting evil at every turn. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Violence begets violence is another way of saying it. Stopping evil in its tracks is sometimes an overwhelming idea, but there are some things we can do to help. One of those things is to not participate in evil things, but rather in holy things. The less evil done by us lessens the aount of evil in the world. The more love shown by us increases the amount of love in the world. Let us all do what we can to rid the world of evil by resisting evil at every turn. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Monday, July 27, 2009
Matthew 5: 33-37; Oaths
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
As God has remained faithful to his promises to us, we ought to remain faithful in our promises to him. Jesus tells us to not swear by anything, but to simply let our yes be yes, and our no be no. However, I still think Jesus would have be faithful and actually do something if we say we are going to do it. Whether we say 'yes' to another person, or 'yes' to God, we need to be faithful to that yes (or no). God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
As God has remained faithful to his promises to us, we ought to remain faithful in our promises to him. Jesus tells us to not swear by anything, but to simply let our yes be yes, and our no be no. However, I still think Jesus would have be faithful and actually do something if we say we are going to do it. Whether we say 'yes' to another person, or 'yes' to God, we need to be faithful to that yes (or no). God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Sunday, July 26, 2009
Matthew 5: 31-32; Divorce
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
Jesus says later that Moses gave his permission for divorce because of the hard hearts of the Israelites. In other words, we need to have soft hearts. Everything we do for one another should be done in love. Hardness of heart causes us to do things that we will later regret. In our hearts there needs to be love and compassion. In keeping those two things at the surface we will treat each other the way we are supposed to: with love, not hardness of heart. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Jesus says later that Moses gave his permission for divorce because of the hard hearts of the Israelites. In other words, we need to have soft hearts. Everything we do for one another should be done in love. Hardness of heart causes us to do things that we will later regret. In our hearts there needs to be love and compassion. In keeping those two things at the surface we will treat each other the way we are supposed to: with love, not hardness of heart. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Saturday, July 25, 2009
Matthew 5: 27-30; Adultery
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
We learn from this that it is not just what we do that matters, it is also what we think. We need to make sure we are living holy lives, but we also need to make sure we are thinking holy thoughts. That is where our holiness starts, from thinking the right way. Jesus tells us that if our hand causes us to sin we are to cut it off. To be sure, we cannot cut out our minds, but we do need to make sure our minds stay pure, as well as our bodies, that we can move closer to being the people God wants us to be. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
We learn from this that it is not just what we do that matters, it is also what we think. We need to make sure we are living holy lives, but we also need to make sure we are thinking holy thoughts. That is where our holiness starts, from thinking the right way. Jesus tells us that if our hand causes us to sin we are to cut it off. To be sure, we cannot cut out our minds, but we do need to make sure our minds stay pure, as well as our bodies, that we can move closer to being the people God wants us to be. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Friday, July 24, 2009
Matthew 5: 21-26; Murder
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
Our relationship with God has been made perfect. Through Jesus we have been recocniled to God. However, there is another element in reconciliation that is just as important: we need to be reconciled to each other. Forgiveness is hard, for when we are wronged it is almost all we can think about. But forgiveness is necessary. Before we can worship God, before we can truly live a life of faith we need to make sure we have forgiven those who have sinned against us. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Our relationship with God has been made perfect. Through Jesus we have been recocniled to God. However, there is another element in reconciliation that is just as important: we need to be reconciled to each other. Forgiveness is hard, for when we are wronged it is almost all we can think about. But forgiveness is necessary. Before we can worship God, before we can truly live a life of faith we need to make sure we have forgiven those who have sinned against us. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Thursday, July 23, 2009
Sunday Scripture and Sermon for July 26, 2009
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
The Scripture passage for this Sunday is from Colossians 3: 12-17, in which Paul talks about how we are supposed to treat one another. The sermon is titled 'Wearing Love' and we will be talking about how love should be at the center of everything we do. I hope to see you all on Sunday. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
The Scripture passage for this Sunday is from Colossians 3: 12-17, in which Paul talks about how we are supposed to treat one another. The sermon is titled 'Wearing Love' and we will be talking about how love should be at the center of everything we do. I hope to see you all on Sunday. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Matthew 5: 17-20; The Fulfillment of the Law
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
God gave the Law and called the Prophets in order that the world may be saved from sin. God gave the Law to give the Israelites a way to achieve holiness, and so achieve salvation. God called the Prophets to get the Israelites back on track, that they might have salvation. Jesus came to fulfill the idea behind both of those acts. Through Jesus we have the salvation the world was supposed to receive through the Law and the Prophets. However, this does not free us from having to live a holy life. God still expects us to live a certain way. We are called to honor Jesus and give praise to God, and we do that by living a holy life. We have our salvation, but we need to remember that we are called to honor it. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
God gave the Law and called the Prophets in order that the world may be saved from sin. God gave the Law to give the Israelites a way to achieve holiness, and so achieve salvation. God called the Prophets to get the Israelites back on track, that they might have salvation. Jesus came to fulfill the idea behind both of those acts. Through Jesus we have the salvation the world was supposed to receive through the Law and the Prophets. However, this does not free us from having to live a holy life. God still expects us to live a certain way. We are called to honor Jesus and give praise to God, and we do that by living a holy life. We have our salvation, but we need to remember that we are called to honor it. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Matthew 5: 13-16; Salt and Light
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
"In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven." It is not just what we say that matters, it is how we live our lives. People are watching us, to see if we live by our faith, to see if we really do have peace and joy in our lives. The way we live our lives is a testimony to those around us. This is one of the many reasons it is important for us to live a life worthy of our calling. We are called to bring people to Jesus, and one of the ways we do that is by living a holy and righteous life. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
"In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven." It is not just what we say that matters, it is how we live our lives. People are watching us, to see if we live by our faith, to see if we really do have peace and joy in our lives. The way we live our lives is a testimony to those around us. This is one of the many reasons it is important for us to live a life worthy of our calling. We are called to bring people to Jesus, and one of the ways we do that is by living a holy and righteous life. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Matthew 5: 1-12; The Beatitudes
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
We are blessed. I'm sure each of us fits into one of these categories, which means we are blessed by God. Even when it feels as though we have nothing else going for us in our lives we still have God with us, blessing us until our cup overflows. There are times in our lives when we feel lost and alone. In those times we are still blessed. God will never leave us nor forsake us. Even when things seem at their worst we still have God with us, loving us and blessing us. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
We are blessed. I'm sure each of us fits into one of these categories, which means we are blessed by God. Even when it feels as though we have nothing else going for us in our lives we still have God with us, blessing us until our cup overflows. There are times in our lives when we feel lost and alone. In those times we are still blessed. God will never leave us nor forsake us. Even when things seem at their worst we still have God with us, loving us and blessing us. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Monday, July 20, 2009
Matthew 4: 23-25; Jesus Heals the Sick
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
It goes without saying that Jesus has great power when it comes to healing. Countless people come to him throughout Matthew's gospel to seek healing, and he is able to help them out. However, Jesus is also a very compassionate person. He heals, not just because he can, but because he wants to. Jesus loves the people who come to him. He wants to see them well. Jesus does everything within his power to make sure people do not suffer. What would the world look like if we practiced that kind of compassion; the kind of compassion in which we would spare nothing to ensure everyone around us was free from suffering. Above all we need to have the same compassion in our hearts that Jesus has in his. In so doing we make God's kingdom a reality in this world. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
It goes without saying that Jesus has great power when it comes to healing. Countless people come to him throughout Matthew's gospel to seek healing, and he is able to help them out. However, Jesus is also a very compassionate person. He heals, not just because he can, but because he wants to. Jesus loves the people who come to him. He wants to see them well. Jesus does everything within his power to make sure people do not suffer. What would the world look like if we practiced that kind of compassion; the kind of compassion in which we would spare nothing to ensure everyone around us was free from suffering. Above all we need to have the same compassion in our hearts that Jesus has in his. In so doing we make God's kingdom a reality in this world. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Sunday, July 19, 2009
Matthew 4: 18-22; The Calling of the First Disciples
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
Jesus called the fishermen. As much as I love fishing I will tell you that fishermen in the time of Jesus were not known for their intellect. Jesus could have chosen the smartest, richest, most well-connected people to join him in his ministry. Instead, though, he called the simple fishermen. What this means for us is that God can use anyone. This passage is for all those who think they are not good enough, smart enough, rich enough, etc. to be used by Jesus. We are called into God's service, and God can use all of us. It does matter where we come from, the color of our skin, what we do for a living, what our GPA was in college. God can, and will, use anyone. We need to be willing to get out of the boat and follow him. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Jesus called the fishermen. As much as I love fishing I will tell you that fishermen in the time of Jesus were not known for their intellect. Jesus could have chosen the smartest, richest, most well-connected people to join him in his ministry. Instead, though, he called the simple fishermen. What this means for us is that God can use anyone. This passage is for all those who think they are not good enough, smart enough, rich enough, etc. to be used by Jesus. We are called into God's service, and God can use all of us. It does matter where we come from, the color of our skin, what we do for a living, what our GPA was in college. God can, and will, use anyone. We need to be willing to get out of the boat and follow him. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Saturday, July 18, 2009
Matthew 4: 12-17; Jesus Begins to Preach
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
We are all called to share with those around us the good news of Jesus Christ. That good news will be known later in Matthew's gospel, Jesus dying for us. In that act we receive the good news of God's love, our salvation, our eternal life, our personal relationship with God. Those are the blessings we should be making known to those around us. Our words do not have to be complicated, our message does not have to be very long, but we do need to make sure that the world hears from us the good news of Jesus, that they may know the blessings we know. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
We are all called to share with those around us the good news of Jesus Christ. That good news will be known later in Matthew's gospel, Jesus dying for us. In that act we receive the good news of God's love, our salvation, our eternal life, our personal relationship with God. Those are the blessings we should be making known to those around us. Our words do not have to be complicated, our message does not have to be very long, but we do need to make sure that the world hears from us the good news of Jesus, that they may know the blessings we know. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Friday, July 17, 2009
Matthew 4: 1-11; The Temptation of Jesus
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
This is one of the things that makes Jesus so great. Jesus is able to help us as we go through life because he has faced the same things himself. Specifically, Jesus has faced temptation, so he knows how hard it is for us when we face temptation. When we find ourselves being tempted, we need only look to Jesus and listen for his guidance. He knows how to make it through those difficult times. We are blessed with a Lord who has faced what we face, who can help us through the times when we are tempted. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
This is one of the things that makes Jesus so great. Jesus is able to help us as we go through life because he has faced the same things himself. Specifically, Jesus has faced temptation, so he knows how hard it is for us when we face temptation. When we find ourselves being tempted, we need only look to Jesus and listen for his guidance. He knows how to make it through those difficult times. We are blessed with a Lord who has faced what we face, who can help us through the times when we are tempted. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Sunday Scripture and Sermon for July 19, 2009
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
Our Scripture passage for this Sunday is from Colossians 2: 8-15, in which Paul talks about our need to stay grounded in the good news of Jesus. The sermon is titled 'Victory' and will focus on the good news of our victories over sin and death, as well as our need to stay grounded in that good news. I hope to see you Sunday. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Our Scripture passage for this Sunday is from Colossians 2: 8-15, in which Paul talks about our need to stay grounded in the good news of Jesus. The sermon is titled 'Victory' and will focus on the good news of our victories over sin and death, as well as our need to stay grounded in that good news. I hope to see you Sunday. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Matthew 3: 13-17; The Baptism of Jesus
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
"This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased." I think God says something very similar to us when we are baptized. When we make our confession of faith and are baptized into the name of the Holy Spirit we are officially adopted as God's child. Like Jesus, through Jesus, we have been named sons and daughters of God. We are God's children, and as God's children we are blessed. We are blessed with the same blessings Jesus has: eternal life, personal relationship with God, and so many more. We have been named God's children, and because of that we are blessed. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
"This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased." I think God says something very similar to us when we are baptized. When we make our confession of faith and are baptized into the name of the Holy Spirit we are officially adopted as God's child. Like Jesus, through Jesus, we have been named sons and daughters of God. We are God's children, and as God's children we are blessed. We are blessed with the same blessings Jesus has: eternal life, personal relationship with God, and so many more. We have been named God's children, and because of that we are blessed. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Matthew 3: 1-12; John the Baptist Prepares the Way
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
God has plans, he does not act randomly. God sends Jesus into the world to save the world, but he also sends John the Baptist to make sure people are ready for Jesus. We can trust God, knowing that he has a plan. His plans do not just apply to salvation, they apply to our lives now as well. We can have peace in our hearts knowing that God has plans for us, good plans, that will fill our lives with blessings. Just as we see here that God had plans for Jesus and John the Baptist, so, too, does God have plans for us. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
God has plans, he does not act randomly. God sends Jesus into the world to save the world, but he also sends John the Baptist to make sure people are ready for Jesus. We can trust God, knowing that he has a plan. His plans do not just apply to salvation, they apply to our lives now as well. We can have peace in our hearts knowing that God has plans for us, good plans, that will fill our lives with blessings. Just as we see here that God had plans for Jesus and John the Baptist, so, too, does God have plans for us. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Matthew 2: 19-23; The Return to Nazareth
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
Another angel, another dream. When we read stories like this we sometimes begin to think that God speaks only in dreams; or that angels are the only way God sends a message. Those are ways in which, throughout history, God has revealed his will. However, God has used other forms of communication as well. We need to keep our eyes open, our ears open, and our hearts open to the many ways God may communicate with us. God speaks, we need to be listening for his voice however it will come. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Another angel, another dream. When we read stories like this we sometimes begin to think that God speaks only in dreams; or that angels are the only way God sends a message. Those are ways in which, throughout history, God has revealed his will. However, God has used other forms of communication as well. We need to keep our eyes open, our ears open, and our hearts open to the many ways God may communicate with us. God speaks, we need to be listening for his voice however it will come. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Monday, July 13, 2009
Matthew 2: 13-18; The Escape to Egypt
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
Joseph's trust in the Lord has always astounded me. I'm sure, in the back of his mind, he may think he can protect his family. After all, he knows the area well. Surely he can hide somewhere where Herod will not find him. But when God calls Joseph to go to Egypt, Joseph does. He trusts that God is not going to lead him somewhere where his family will be harmed. Even though Joseph may think he can save his family himself he knows God knows best and he submits to God's will. We need to have trust like that. Yes, sometimes we can accomplish things ourselves. But we need to remember to trust God more, to rely on him more. God will take care of us, we just need to trust him. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Joseph's trust in the Lord has always astounded me. I'm sure, in the back of his mind, he may think he can protect his family. After all, he knows the area well. Surely he can hide somewhere where Herod will not find him. But when God calls Joseph to go to Egypt, Joseph does. He trusts that God is not going to lead him somewhere where his family will be harmed. Even though Joseph may think he can save his family himself he knows God knows best and he submits to God's will. We need to have trust like that. Yes, sometimes we can accomplish things ourselves. But we need to remember to trust God more, to rely on him more. God will take care of us, we just need to trust him. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Sunday, July 12, 2009
Matthew 2: 1-12; The Visit of the Magi
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
The Magi have faithfully follwed the light and now they find themselves in the presence of the Lord Jesus. I wonder where our lesson is. Jesus says, 'I am the light of the world.' If we follow the light of the world we will find ourselves in the presence of the Lord Jesus. It is a tough road sometimes, filled with pot-holes, roots, rocks, and other things that get in our way. However, we need to continue to follow the light, to follow that path that has been laid out for us, the path that leads to the Lord Jesus. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
The Magi have faithfully follwed the light and now they find themselves in the presence of the Lord Jesus. I wonder where our lesson is. Jesus says, 'I am the light of the world.' If we follow the light of the world we will find ourselves in the presence of the Lord Jesus. It is a tough road sometimes, filled with pot-holes, roots, rocks, and other things that get in our way. However, we need to continue to follow the light, to follow that path that has been laid out for us, the path that leads to the Lord Jesus. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Saturday, July 11, 2009
Matthew 1: 18-25; The Birth of Jesus Christ
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
Following the Lord's will sometimes requires us to do what is uncommon in the eyes of others. Joseph finds himself in a precarious position: the woman he is about to marry is pregnant. He thinks about sending her away, but the Lord tells him otherwise. Joseph is within his rights to divorce Mary, but he does not. When God calls us into his service we need to expect the unordinary. Things will not always happen the way we think they should. However, even though things may turn out different, things also turn out good. All things work for good for those who love God. The unexpected may happen, but one thing we can expect is blessings. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Following the Lord's will sometimes requires us to do what is uncommon in the eyes of others. Joseph finds himself in a precarious position: the woman he is about to marry is pregnant. He thinks about sending her away, but the Lord tells him otherwise. Joseph is within his rights to divorce Mary, but he does not. When God calls us into his service we need to expect the unordinary. Things will not always happen the way we think they should. However, even though things may turn out different, things also turn out good. All things work for good for those who love God. The unexpected may happen, but one thing we can expect is blessings. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Friday, July 10, 2009
Matthew 1: 1-17; The Genealogy of Jesus
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
Matthew begins his genealogy with Abraham, one of the heroes of the Old Testament. This is significant because God made many promises to Abraham and those promises are brought to fulfillment in Jesus Christ. Through Jesus we have what was promised: salvation, eternal life, a personal relationship with God, and many others. The good news of the birth of Jesus is that Jesus made a reality the promises that God made to Abraham as well as the other folks from the Old Testament. Jesus is the fulfillment of the promises made in the Old Testament. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Matthew begins his genealogy with Abraham, one of the heroes of the Old Testament. This is significant because God made many promises to Abraham and those promises are brought to fulfillment in Jesus Christ. Through Jesus we have what was promised: salvation, eternal life, a personal relationship with God, and many others. The good news of the birth of Jesus is that Jesus made a reality the promises that God made to Abraham as well as the other folks from the Old Testament. Jesus is the fulfillment of the promises made in the Old Testament. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Sunday Scripture and Sermon for July 12, 2009
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
The Scripture passage for this Sunday is from Colossians 1: 13-29, in which Paul shares with the Colossians the good news of Jesus. The sermon is titled 'The Supremacy of Christ' and will look at who Jesus is and what he has done for us. I hope to see you Sunday. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
The Scripture passage for this Sunday is from Colossians 1: 13-29, in which Paul shares with the Colossians the good news of Jesus. The sermon is titled 'The Supremacy of Christ' and will look at who Jesus is and what he has done for us. I hope to see you Sunday. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Deuteronomy 34: 1-12; The Death of Moses
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
"For no one has ever shown the mighty power or performed the awesome deeds that Moses did in the sight of all Israel." Moses was able to great things because the Lord was with him. He did not do any of this by himself. He had to rely on the Lord to give him strength, guidance, etc. We need to remember that we need the Lord's help. We cannot make it through life, or our journey of faith, on our own. We need God with us to help us. Rely on the Lord and your life will be blessed. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
"For no one has ever shown the mighty power or performed the awesome deeds that Moses did in the sight of all Israel." Moses was able to great things because the Lord was with him. He did not do any of this by himself. He had to rely on the Lord to give him strength, guidance, etc. We need to remember that we need the Lord's help. We cannot make it through life, or our journey of faith, on our own. We need God with us to help us. Rely on the Lord and your life will be blessed. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Deuteronomy 33: 1-29; Moses Blesses the Tribes
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
Moses' life is winding down, as his ministry of leading the Israelites. One of his last acts is to bless the people he has been leading for all these years. Moses recognizes that the Israelites are God's children, his brothers and sisters. These are the same Israelites who built a golden calf, who wanted to turn back and return to Egypt, who wanted to abandon Moses as he was talking to God. At times Moses was very angry with the Israelites, but now he has forgotten his anger and sees these people as his brothers and sisters. We should remember to see each other as brothers and sisters in Christ. We have many differences, but we all share the same faith; we all share the same relationship with God. We are brothers and sisters. We need to remember that and treat each other as such. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Moses' life is winding down, as his ministry of leading the Israelites. One of his last acts is to bless the people he has been leading for all these years. Moses recognizes that the Israelites are God's children, his brothers and sisters. These are the same Israelites who built a golden calf, who wanted to turn back and return to Egypt, who wanted to abandon Moses as he was talking to God. At times Moses was very angry with the Israelites, but now he has forgotten his anger and sees these people as his brothers and sisters. We should remember to see each other as brothers and sisters in Christ. We have many differences, but we all share the same faith; we all share the same relationship with God. We are brothers and sisters. We need to remember that and treat each other as such. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Deuteronomy 32: 48-52; Moses to Die on Mount Nebo
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
Moses was not allowed to enter into the Promised Land because he led the people to sin during their time in the desert. Moses' sins, and the sins of the sins of the Israelites, kept him from receiving God's promises. It feels good to know we do not have to worry about that. Our sins have been forgiven, erased. Because of the love of Jesus we will be allowed to enter the place God has prepared for us. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Moses was not allowed to enter into the Promised Land because he led the people to sin during their time in the desert. Moses' sins, and the sins of the sins of the Israelites, kept him from receiving God's promises. It feels good to know we do not have to worry about that. Our sins have been forgiven, erased. Because of the love of Jesus we will be allowed to enter the place God has prepared for us. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Monday, July 6, 2009
Deuteronomy 31: 30-32: 47; The Song of Moses
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
Moses never had it easy. His entire life and ministry was one trial after another. However, at the end of his life he is still able to praise God. With all that Moses had been through in his life he still found enough faith inside him to offer praise and thanksgiving to God. We all face difficult times, times when we might find it hard to praise God. When we find ourselves in those times we should remember Moses. We should remember him and his faith, a faith so strong that even with all he faced he still offered his praise and thanksgiving to God. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Moses never had it easy. His entire life and ministry was one trial after another. However, at the end of his life he is still able to praise God. With all that Moses had been through in his life he still found enough faith inside him to offer praise and thanksgiving to God. We all face difficult times, times when we might find it hard to praise God. When we find ourselves in those times we should remember Moses. We should remember him and his faith, a faith so strong that even with all he faced he still offered his praise and thanksgiving to God. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Sunday, July 5, 2009
Deuteronomy 31: 14-29; Israel's Rebellion Predicted
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
The key word here is 'predicted.' God not make the Israelites rebel, but he knew they would. That, surprising though it seems, is good news. God takes the time to get to know us. He does not make us do things, but he knows us well enough to know what we are going to think, so, say, etc. We have a personal relationship with God. He loves us enough that he wants to know who we are and what we feel. God knows us intimately, and that is good news for us. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
The key word here is 'predicted.' God not make the Israelites rebel, but he knew they would. That, surprising though it seems, is good news. God takes the time to get to know us. He does not make us do things, but he knows us well enough to know what we are going to think, so, say, etc. We have a personal relationship with God. He loves us enough that he wants to know who we are and what we feel. God knows us intimately, and that is good news for us. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Saturday, July 4, 2009
Deuteronomy 31: 9-13; The Reading of the Law
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
"Their children, who do not know this law, must hear it and learn to fear the LORD your God as long as you live in the land you are crossing the Jordan to possess." The children are the future of the church. We are blessed in this congregation to have some children who are excited about faith. Our call is to teach them the good news, that they might teach their children, and all those around them, the good news. We are supposed to pass on what we have learned, not keep it to ourselves. In so doing we do our part to make sure the world comes to accept Jesus as personal Lord and Savior. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
"Their children, who do not know this law, must hear it and learn to fear the LORD your God as long as you live in the land you are crossing the Jordan to possess." The children are the future of the church. We are blessed in this congregation to have some children who are excited about faith. Our call is to teach them the good news, that they might teach their children, and all those around them, the good news. We are supposed to pass on what we have learned, not keep it to ourselves. In so doing we do our part to make sure the world comes to accept Jesus as personal Lord and Savior. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Friday, July 3, 2009
Deuteronomy 31: 1-8; Joshua to Succeed Moses
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
Life goes on. We cannot get hung up on what happened in the past because God has a future in mind. We still have work to do in our own lives and as a congregation. God is not finished with us yet. Yes, it is sometimes hard to move forward. But we need to keep in mind that God has a plan for us beyond this moment, and we need to make sure we are working toward that plan. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Life goes on. We cannot get hung up on what happened in the past because God has a future in mind. We still have work to do in our own lives and as a congregation. God is not finished with us yet. Yes, it is sometimes hard to move forward. But we need to keep in mind that God has a plan for us beyond this moment, and we need to make sure we are working toward that plan. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Thursday, July 2, 2009
Sunday Scripture and Sermon for July 5, 2009
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
The Scripture for this Sunday is from Mark 6: 1-13, in which Jesus is not welcomed in his home town, and in which Jesus sends out the twelve. The sermon is titled 'Have Faith,' and will focus on the need to for us to have faith in a variety of times and situations. I hope to see you Sunday. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
The Scripture for this Sunday is from Mark 6: 1-13, in which Jesus is not welcomed in his home town, and in which Jesus sends out the twelve. The sermon is titled 'Have Faith,' and will focus on the need to for us to have faith in a variety of times and situations. I hope to see you Sunday. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Deuteronomy 30: 11-20; The Offer of LIfe or Death
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
"Now what I am commanding you today is not too difficult for you or beyond your reach." God would not tell us to do something we were incapable of doing. When Jesus says, 'be perfect as your Father in heaven is perfect,' that is something we are capable of doing. With Jesus giving us strength and guidance we can do what he tells us to do. We need to make sure we are following his guidance and allowing his strength to fill us up. If we do those things we will be able to live the kind of life Jesus wants us to live. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
"Now what I am commanding you today is not too difficult for you or beyond your reach." God would not tell us to do something we were incapable of doing. When Jesus says, 'be perfect as your Father in heaven is perfect,' that is something we are capable of doing. With Jesus giving us strength and guidance we can do what he tells us to do. We need to make sure we are following his guidance and allowing his strength to fill us up. If we do those things we will be able to live the kind of life Jesus wants us to live. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Deuteronomy 30: 1-10; Prosperity After Turning to the Lord
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
The promises of the New Covenant are a little different, the big difference being that the promises made in the New Covenant have been brought into reality through Jesus. We, like Israel, are promised salvation, a place of rest, and a personal relationship with God. All of those things, and so many more, have been given to us through Jesus Christ our Lord. Through his birth, life, death, resurrection, and ascension we have been granted these promises that have been made. We have received our prosperity because we have turned to the Lord. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
The promises of the New Covenant are a little different, the big difference being that the promises made in the New Covenant have been brought into reality through Jesus. We, like Israel, are promised salvation, a place of rest, and a personal relationship with God. All of those things, and so many more, have been given to us through Jesus Christ our Lord. Through his birth, life, death, resurrection, and ascension we have been granted these promises that have been made. We have received our prosperity because we have turned to the Lord. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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