Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
Imagine you are a disciple of Jesus and you are hearing these words come from the mouth of Jesus. Imagine the fear that you would have in your heart; imagine the sadness that would be there as well. Jesus, your friend and leader, is going to die. The one with whom you have spent so much of your time is going to be taken by the people who hate him, then will be handed over to those who will put him to death. As a disciple your world comes crashing down around you. Then that fear and sadness turn to hope and joy. Yes, Jesus is crucified, but he comes back to life. Yes, Jesus suffers, but through that you have salvation and eternal life. Yes, Jesus' earthly life and ministry are over, but your life is just beginning. Through Jesus, especially his death and resurrection, we have everything. We have life, salvation, peace, joy, hope, etc. That is reason to rejoice and be glad. Through Jesus we have everything. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Matthew 20: 1-16; The Parables of the Workers in the Vineyard
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
There is a lot of good news in this passage, but the best news is that we do not have to worry about who has worked harder or longer at their faith. There are those around us who, for lack of a better term, intimidate us because of their faith. Sometimes we think our faith does not matter, that it pales in comparison to the faith of others. The good news is, though, that our faith, no matter how small we think it is, does not pale. Our faith matters to God. We do not all have to be famous theologians who write big books; we do not all have to be martyrs. All that matters is that we believe in God and serve him to the best of our abilities. Nothing will please God more. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
There is a lot of good news in this passage, but the best news is that we do not have to worry about who has worked harder or longer at their faith. There are those around us who, for lack of a better term, intimidate us because of their faith. Sometimes we think our faith does not matter, that it pales in comparison to the faith of others. The good news is, though, that our faith, no matter how small we think it is, does not pale. Our faith matters to God. We do not all have to be famous theologians who write big books; we do not all have to be martyrs. All that matters is that we believe in God and serve him to the best of our abilities. Nothing will please God more. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Monday, September 28, 2009
Matthew 19: 16-30; The Rich Young Man
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
It is not the young man's money that gets him in trouble, it is his attachment to it. We are supposed to live our lives for Jesus, nothing else. Yes, we have possessions. And that is OK. God is OK with us having a comfortable life with things we like to have. However, if we become slaves to those things; if those things stand in the way of us believing in God in the right way and doing his work, then a change does need to be made. God allows us to have money and other possessions, but even with that in mind we need to remember that we should let nothing, absolutely nothing, get in the way of our love for, and service to, God. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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It is not the young man's money that gets him in trouble, it is his attachment to it. We are supposed to live our lives for Jesus, nothing else. Yes, we have possessions. And that is OK. God is OK with us having a comfortable life with things we like to have. However, if we become slaves to those things; if those things stand in the way of us believing in God in the right way and doing his work, then a change does need to be made. God allows us to have money and other possessions, but even with that in mind we need to remember that we should let nothing, absolutely nothing, get in the way of our love for, and service to, God. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Sunday, September 27, 2009
Matthew 19: 13-15; The Little Children and Jesus
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
Children are a blessing from the Lord. We are blessed in our church to have little children who are truly excited about being here with us. It is our job to nurture them: to teach them the good news of Jesus, to teach them about the Bible, to be there for them as they begin their journey of faith. This is not a burden, it is a blessing. It is a blessing for us to have people who are excited about faith, and to be able to teach them and help them grow in their faith. Thank the Lord for the children he has given to us. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Children are a blessing from the Lord. We are blessed in our church to have little children who are truly excited about being here with us. It is our job to nurture them: to teach them the good news of Jesus, to teach them about the Bible, to be there for them as they begin their journey of faith. This is not a burden, it is a blessing. It is a blessing for us to have people who are excited about faith, and to be able to teach them and help them grow in their faith. Thank the Lord for the children he has given to us. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Saturday, September 26, 2009
Matthew 19: 1-12; Divorce
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
"If this is the situation between a husband and a wife, it is better not to marry." There are those who, when they figure out that faith is not a bed of roses, walk away. Things are too hard to they decide to scrap the whole idea altogether. Jesus never promises us an easy road. Sometimes it is hard to follow Jesus, to do everything he has told us to do. Does that mean we give up and stop believing? I certainly hope not. No, when things get difficult, we ought to call on the name of the Lord and ask for his help. Jesus will help us bear our burdens, he will help us through the sometimes difficult journey of faith. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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"If this is the situation between a husband and a wife, it is better not to marry." There are those who, when they figure out that faith is not a bed of roses, walk away. Things are too hard to they decide to scrap the whole idea altogether. Jesus never promises us an easy road. Sometimes it is hard to follow Jesus, to do everything he has told us to do. Does that mean we give up and stop believing? I certainly hope not. No, when things get difficult, we ought to call on the name of the Lord and ask for his help. Jesus will help us bear our burdens, he will help us through the sometimes difficult journey of faith. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Friday, September 25, 2009
Matthew 18: 21-35; The Parable of the Unmerciful Servant
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
The first servant, the one with the larger debt, has his debt cancelled. He is not given more time, or more money. Instead, he is granted forgiveness, his debt is completely wiped off the books. Even with the grace he has received he still cannot find it in his heart to forgive someone who is indebted to him. Are we going to act like this servant? Are we going to come to God and beg him for forgiveness but refuse to give it to those who sin against us? Or, are we going to follow Jesus example and forgive those who harm us. "Forgive them father, for they do not know what they are doing." Jesus utters those words from the cross, on behalf of those who put him on the cross. Jesus forgives those who have sinnned against him, the unmerciful servant does not. Which one are we going to be? God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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The first servant, the one with the larger debt, has his debt cancelled. He is not given more time, or more money. Instead, he is granted forgiveness, his debt is completely wiped off the books. Even with the grace he has received he still cannot find it in his heart to forgive someone who is indebted to him. Are we going to act like this servant? Are we going to come to God and beg him for forgiveness but refuse to give it to those who sin against us? Or, are we going to follow Jesus example and forgive those who harm us. "Forgive them father, for they do not know what they are doing." Jesus utters those words from the cross, on behalf of those who put him on the cross. Jesus forgives those who have sinnned against him, the unmerciful servant does not. Which one are we going to be? God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Thursday, September 24, 2009
Sunday Scripture and Sermon for September 27, 2009
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
The Scripture passage for this Sunday is from 2 Thessalonians 2: 1-12, in which Paul tells us of the Man of Lawlessness. The sermon is titled 'Best Laid Plans,' and will focus on God's plans for us as a church and the world. I hope to see you Sunday. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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The Scripture passage for this Sunday is from 2 Thessalonians 2: 1-12, in which Paul tells us of the Man of Lawlessness. The sermon is titled 'Best Laid Plans,' and will focus on God's plans for us as a church and the world. I hope to see you Sunday. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Matthew 18: 15-20; A Brother Who Sins Against You
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
We work on our journey of faith together. Jesus tells us here that when someone sins we are supposed to bring it to their attention. We do this not to make the person feel bad, our ourselves feel better. We do this so we can all live the kind of life God wants us to live. We are called to help each other in our journey of faith: to support each other, to love each other, to pray for each other, and, in some cases, to correct each other. On our journey of faith we have Jesus to guide us and direct us, but we also have each other. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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We work on our journey of faith together. Jesus tells us here that when someone sins we are supposed to bring it to their attention. We do this not to make the person feel bad, our ourselves feel better. We do this so we can all live the kind of life God wants us to live. We are called to help each other in our journey of faith: to support each other, to love each other, to pray for each other, and, in some cases, to correct each other. On our journey of faith we have Jesus to guide us and direct us, but we also have each other. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Matthew 18: 10-14; The Parable of the Lost Sheep
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
One of the most amazing things about this parable is that sheep, in fact, do wander off from time to time. And when that happens it is the job of the shepherd to go and find them and bring them back to the flock. The shepherd's love for his sheep is so strong that he is willing to find the one sheep that is lost. We are like sheep. Sometimes, for one reason or another, we wander off. It may not be very far, and it may not be for very long, but at times we find ourselves away from God, from the rest of the flock. Our human instinct during that time tells us to panic. We're alone, we're lost, scared. The good news is, though, we do not have to be scared. Our shepherd will come and find us. No matter where we are Jesus will come to us. He will find us and bring us back to him, and the rest of the flock. Our great and loving shepherd will always seek out his sheep. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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One of the most amazing things about this parable is that sheep, in fact, do wander off from time to time. And when that happens it is the job of the shepherd to go and find them and bring them back to the flock. The shepherd's love for his sheep is so strong that he is willing to find the one sheep that is lost. We are like sheep. Sometimes, for one reason or another, we wander off. It may not be very far, and it may not be for very long, but at times we find ourselves away from God, from the rest of the flock. Our human instinct during that time tells us to panic. We're alone, we're lost, scared. The good news is, though, we do not have to be scared. Our shepherd will come and find us. No matter where we are Jesus will come to us. He will find us and bring us back to him, and the rest of the flock. Our great and loving shepherd will always seek out his sheep. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Matthew 18: 1-9; The Greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
Children are a blessing from the Lord, and the best part of children is their faith. Children believe in God unquestioningly. If you were to say to a child, 'Jesus walked on the water,' the response you might get would be, 'Wow, that is totally awesome.' When some adults here that Jesus walked on the water the answer may be something like, 'Well, supposedly.' We all need to have faith like a child; a faith where we believe in who God is and what God can do with no doubts in our hearts whatsoever. Our response to things needs to be, 'Wow, that is totally awesome.' Jesus tells us here how good the faith of a child is and how we should, in a sense, imitate it. I think that is advice we need to follow. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Children are a blessing from the Lord, and the best part of children is their faith. Children believe in God unquestioningly. If you were to say to a child, 'Jesus walked on the water,' the response you might get would be, 'Wow, that is totally awesome.' When some adults here that Jesus walked on the water the answer may be something like, 'Well, supposedly.' We all need to have faith like a child; a faith where we believe in who God is and what God can do with no doubts in our hearts whatsoever. Our response to things needs to be, 'Wow, that is totally awesome.' Jesus tells us here how good the faith of a child is and how we should, in a sense, imitate it. I think that is advice we need to follow. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Monday, September 21, 2009
Matthew 17: 24-27; The Temple Tax
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
"But so we may not offend them..." Jesus' concern throughout his life and ministry is of others. In this case, Jesus is concerned for the feelings of the tax-collectors and the government officials. Jesus does not have a lot of money just sitting around to pay some of these large taxes, but he makes sure the money is paid so as to not offend anyone. Jesus continually does everything within his power to make sure that the people around him are happy. Jesus continues to do this for us as well. Jesus continues to reach out to us in our times of need and do everything in his power to make sure we have joy and peace in our lives. In all things Jesus puts our needs and desires first. What wonderful news. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
"But so we may not offend them..." Jesus' concern throughout his life and ministry is of others. In this case, Jesus is concerned for the feelings of the tax-collectors and the government officials. Jesus does not have a lot of money just sitting around to pay some of these large taxes, but he makes sure the money is paid so as to not offend anyone. Jesus continually does everything within his power to make sure that the people around him are happy. Jesus continues to do this for us as well. Jesus continues to reach out to us in our times of need and do everything in his power to make sure we have joy and peace in our lives. In all things Jesus puts our needs and desires first. What wonderful news. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Sunday, September 20, 2009
Matthew 17: 14-23; The Healing of a Boy With a Demon
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
Faith can move a mountain. Personally, I have never tried this, but part of that is because I know my faith is not strong enough. Science has told me that mountains run so deep there is no way for them to be picked up and moved somewhere else. God may be able to do anything, but I have never been so sure about me. That is why this passage is so important. We need to remember that through faith anything is possible No matter what the world tells about plate tectonics our faith has the ability to move mountains. Our faith is special, it is real, it is powerful. If we truly believe in our hearts that anything can happen, anything will happen. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Faith can move a mountain. Personally, I have never tried this, but part of that is because I know my faith is not strong enough. Science has told me that mountains run so deep there is no way for them to be picked up and moved somewhere else. God may be able to do anything, but I have never been so sure about me. That is why this passage is so important. We need to remember that through faith anything is possible No matter what the world tells about plate tectonics our faith has the ability to move mountains. Our faith is special, it is real, it is powerful. If we truly believe in our hearts that anything can happen, anything will happen. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Saturday, September 19, 2009
Matthew 17: 1-13; The Transfiguration
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
The meaning behind this story can be found in the presence of Elijah and Moses. Moses is the hero of the Old Testament. He is responsible for delivering the Israelites from the hands of the Egyptians. Elijah is one of the great prophets of the Old Testament. He is responsible for giving to the Israelites God's word. Their presence with Jesus highlights what Jesus has done for us. Jesus, like Moses, has delivered us. Jesus has delivered us from the sin that held us captive. Jesus, like Elijah, has given us the word of God. Jesus has given us the true Word, the only Word to which we should be listening. Jesus is our deliverer; Jesus is the one who has given us the Word of God. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
The meaning behind this story can be found in the presence of Elijah and Moses. Moses is the hero of the Old Testament. He is responsible for delivering the Israelites from the hands of the Egyptians. Elijah is one of the great prophets of the Old Testament. He is responsible for giving to the Israelites God's word. Their presence with Jesus highlights what Jesus has done for us. Jesus, like Moses, has delivered us. Jesus has delivered us from the sin that held us captive. Jesus, like Elijah, has given us the word of God. Jesus has given us the true Word, the only Word to which we should be listening. Jesus is our deliverer; Jesus is the one who has given us the Word of God. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Sunday, September 13, 2009
Pastor Josh on Vacation
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
I will be on vacation from September 14-18, 2009, during which time there will be no postings. I will resume posting on Saturday, September 19, 2009. If you need anything while I am away please contact one of the Church Elders. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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I will be on vacation from September 14-18, 2009, during which time there will be no postings. I will resume posting on Saturday, September 19, 2009. If you need anything while I am away please contact one of the Church Elders. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Matthew 16: 21-28; Jesus Predicts His Death
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
God's will is not always easy. In fact, it almost never is. Jesus' disciples do not want him to go to Jerusalem. They know, and not just because Jesus tells them, what will happen if Jesus goes there. They do not want him to go, and they certainly do not want to follow him. The disciples' will is not in line with Jesus' will, but they follow him. No matter the difficulty they follow Jesus to Jerusalem. We are in the same boat sometimes. We do not always want to follow where God leads, but we must. Yes, it is hard, but we need to remember that God's will is perfect. Even though it may not seem like a good idea, we know that all things work for good for those that love God. Following God's will may not always be easy, but if we do blessings will be rained down upon us. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
God's will is not always easy. In fact, it almost never is. Jesus' disciples do not want him to go to Jerusalem. They know, and not just because Jesus tells them, what will happen if Jesus goes there. They do not want him to go, and they certainly do not want to follow him. The disciples' will is not in line with Jesus' will, but they follow him. No matter the difficulty they follow Jesus to Jerusalem. We are in the same boat sometimes. We do not always want to follow where God leads, but we must. Yes, it is hard, but we need to remember that God's will is perfect. Even though it may not seem like a good idea, we know that all things work for good for those that love God. Following God's will may not always be easy, but if we do blessings will be rained down upon us. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Saturday, September 12, 2009
Matthew 16: 13-20; Peter's Confession of Christ
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
Who is Jesus? That is a question we need to ask ourselves every day. Is Jesus just a nice guy, someone who managed to live a decent enough life but who is not worthy of imitation? Is Jesus just a random prophet, someone who had a few nice things to say but whose words are no lover relevant in the 21st century? Is Jesus just a historical figure, someone who lived thousands of years ago and is soon to be forgotten by the present generation? Or is Jesus the Christ, the Son of the Living God? Who is Jesus for you? Does your life reflect that belief? Are we going to be like the rest of the world and push Jesus off to the side, or are we going to confess him as personal Lord and Savior and live our lives accordingly? God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Who is Jesus? That is a question we need to ask ourselves every day. Is Jesus just a nice guy, someone who managed to live a decent enough life but who is not worthy of imitation? Is Jesus just a random prophet, someone who had a few nice things to say but whose words are no lover relevant in the 21st century? Is Jesus just a historical figure, someone who lived thousands of years ago and is soon to be forgotten by the present generation? Or is Jesus the Christ, the Son of the Living God? Who is Jesus for you? Does your life reflect that belief? Are we going to be like the rest of the world and push Jesus off to the side, or are we going to confess him as personal Lord and Savior and live our lives accordingly? God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Friday, September 11, 2009
Matthew 16: 5-12; The Yeast of the Pharisees and Saducees
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
Listen to Jesus. He speaks the truth; he brings a message of grace and love; he brings the good news of our salvation. For the disciples the enemies were the Pharisees and the Saducees. For us the enemy is anyone who tells us to ignore Jesus, to follow a different path; anyone who brings a message not consistent with who Jesus is and what his will for us is. There are those who would lead us astray. We need to be mindful of them and keep ourselves centered on Christ and the words he has spoken to us. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Listen to Jesus. He speaks the truth; he brings a message of grace and love; he brings the good news of our salvation. For the disciples the enemies were the Pharisees and the Saducees. For us the enemy is anyone who tells us to ignore Jesus, to follow a different path; anyone who brings a message not consistent with who Jesus is and what his will for us is. There are those who would lead us astray. We need to be mindful of them and keep ourselves centered on Christ and the words he has spoken to us. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Thursday, September 10, 2009
Sunday Scripture and Sermon for September 13, 2009
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
The Scripture passage for this Sunday is from 1 Thessalonians 5: 1-11, in which Paul gives to the Thessalonians some final instructions. The sermon is entitled 'Stand Together' and will focus on our need and call as Christians to be one body.
Please note that this Sunday we return to our Fall Hours. Sunday School will beign at 9:45 a.m. for adults, and 10:00 for our Children and Youth. Worship begins at 11:00 a.m. I hope to see you all Sunday. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
The Scripture passage for this Sunday is from 1 Thessalonians 5: 1-11, in which Paul gives to the Thessalonians some final instructions. The sermon is entitled 'Stand Together' and will focus on our need and call as Christians to be one body.
Please note that this Sunday we return to our Fall Hours. Sunday School will beign at 9:45 a.m. for adults, and 10:00 for our Children and Youth. Worship begins at 11:00 a.m. I hope to see you all Sunday. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Matthew 16: 1-4; The Demand for a Sign
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
Jesus has done so much for us already. Why do we need more signs? When we read this passage we want to point our finger at those around Jesus, but we need to remember that we are just like them. We ask for signs, too. 'Just one little thing and I'll believe in you.' We want God to come and fix everything for us, and if he doesn't our faith is shaken. What we need to remember is that Jesus has fixed everything for us. Through his life and ministry; through his death on the cross; through the resurrection Jesus has given us all we need. We do not need any more signs. Jesus has revealed everything to us, he has shown us everything there is to see. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Jesus has done so much for us already. Why do we need more signs? When we read this passage we want to point our finger at those around Jesus, but we need to remember that we are just like them. We ask for signs, too. 'Just one little thing and I'll believe in you.' We want God to come and fix everything for us, and if he doesn't our faith is shaken. What we need to remember is that Jesus has fixed everything for us. Through his life and ministry; through his death on the cross; through the resurrection Jesus has given us all we need. We do not need any more signs. Jesus has revealed everything to us, he has shown us everything there is to see. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Matthew 15: 29-39; Jesus Feeds the Four Thousand
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
Jesus takes care of all needs. After Jesus goes up on the mountainside he is besieged with people suffering from many ailments. Rather than send them away Jesus heals them all, bringing to them that comfort and peace they need in their lives. The crowd whom Jesus feeds has been with him, as Jesus says, for three days. This suggests that Jesus has been preaching and teaching during that time, giving this group of people the spiritual nourishment they need in their lives. And finally, Jesus gives the people some actual food to eat. Jesus knows they are hungry, he does not want them to go away hungry, so he feeds them. Jesus offers all of these things to us as well. When we are broken and in need of healing, Jesus touches us; when we are in need of a word from the Lord and some guidance, Jesus speaks to us; and when we are hungry and need sustenance for our faith, Jesus feeds us. Jesus takes care of all our needs. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Jesus takes care of all needs. After Jesus goes up on the mountainside he is besieged with people suffering from many ailments. Rather than send them away Jesus heals them all, bringing to them that comfort and peace they need in their lives. The crowd whom Jesus feeds has been with him, as Jesus says, for three days. This suggests that Jesus has been preaching and teaching during that time, giving this group of people the spiritual nourishment they need in their lives. And finally, Jesus gives the people some actual food to eat. Jesus knows they are hungry, he does not want them to go away hungry, so he feeds them. Jesus offers all of these things to us as well. When we are broken and in need of healing, Jesus touches us; when we are in need of a word from the Lord and some guidance, Jesus speaks to us; and when we are hungry and need sustenance for our faith, Jesus feeds us. Jesus takes care of all our needs. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Tuesday, September 8, 2009
Matthew 15: 1-28; Clean and Unclean
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
"Listen and understand. What goes into a person's mouth does not make them unclean, but what comes out of their mouths, that is what makes them unclean." This worth remembering. Our actions and our words determine who we are and how people will see us. Eating a hamburger does not matter as much as not swearing at the tv when your team loses a game. Yes, we should be healthy in our eating habits, but we should also be holy in our living habits. How we live our lives, what we do and say, is extremely important, for that is what determines whether or not we are living a life worthy of our calling. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
"Listen and understand. What goes into a person's mouth does not make them unclean, but what comes out of their mouths, that is what makes them unclean." This worth remembering. Our actions and our words determine who we are and how people will see us. Eating a hamburger does not matter as much as not swearing at the tv when your team loses a game. Yes, we should be healthy in our eating habits, but we should also be holy in our living habits. How we live our lives, what we do and say, is extremely important, for that is what determines whether or not we are living a life worthy of our calling. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Monday, September 7, 2009
Matthew 14: 22-36; Jesus Walks on the Water
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
Keep your eyes on Jesus! Peter is doing fine until he looks down, until it enters his mind that people cannot, or should not be able to, walk on water. The doubts and fears, the words of the world creep into Peter's mind and heart, and he sinks. If he keeps his eyes on Jesus he will be fine, but he is unable to do so. If we keep our eyes on Jesus, trusting him, believing with our whole heart, that he will be there for us to guide us and protect us we will be fine. But if we, if only for a moment, take our eyes off Jesus then we, like Peter, will find ourselves sinking down. If we keep our eyes on Jesus we will walk on water. If we don't, we won't. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Keep your eyes on Jesus! Peter is doing fine until he looks down, until it enters his mind that people cannot, or should not be able to, walk on water. The doubts and fears, the words of the world creep into Peter's mind and heart, and he sinks. If he keeps his eyes on Jesus he will be fine, but he is unable to do so. If we keep our eyes on Jesus, trusting him, believing with our whole heart, that he will be there for us to guide us and protect us we will be fine. But if we, if only for a moment, take our eyes off Jesus then we, like Peter, will find ourselves sinking down. If we keep our eyes on Jesus we will walk on water. If we don't, we won't. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Sunday, September 6, 2009
Matthew 14: 13-21; Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
When we read this story we are supposed to think, in part, of the act of Holy Communion. Jesus here takes bread, blesses it, and then breaks it. Those words are also found in the Words of Institution. Jesus, in this miracle story gives the five thousand all that they need and more. Matthew tells us, 'they all ate and were satisfied.' In Communion we are filled with the sustenance we need to continue on our journey of faith. Through the body and blood of Jesus we are given what we need to carry on, we are satisfied. For that blessing, give thanks. Thank God for the food he gives us, for the strength he gives us, through Jesus, to carry on in our journey of faith. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
When we read this story we are supposed to think, in part, of the act of Holy Communion. Jesus here takes bread, blesses it, and then breaks it. Those words are also found in the Words of Institution. Jesus, in this miracle story gives the five thousand all that they need and more. Matthew tells us, 'they all ate and were satisfied.' In Communion we are filled with the sustenance we need to continue on our journey of faith. Through the body and blood of Jesus we are given what we need to carry on, we are satisfied. For that blessing, give thanks. Thank God for the food he gives us, for the strength he gives us, through Jesus, to carry on in our journey of faith. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Saturday, September 5, 2009
Matthew 14: 1-12; John the Baptist Beheaded
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
When we read this story there may be a part of us that is filled with fear. John was throne into prison and has now been killed. That certainly does not bode well for all of his followers or for Jesus' followers. However, we need to look at this story and admire John's faith and courage. He receives a word from the Lord, and he shares that with those around him. Regardless of the danger it may bring to his life John speaks out against the injustices and sin he sees in the world. We should speak with that kind of boldness. There are things going on in the world that we sometimes turn a blind eye to because we are afraid of what people will say of us. When you feel that fear creeping into your heart remember John: remember the courage and faith he had; remember how he fearlessly proclaimed the words God gave him. Speak without fear. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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When we read this story there may be a part of us that is filled with fear. John was throne into prison and has now been killed. That certainly does not bode well for all of his followers or for Jesus' followers. However, we need to look at this story and admire John's faith and courage. He receives a word from the Lord, and he shares that with those around him. Regardless of the danger it may bring to his life John speaks out against the injustices and sin he sees in the world. We should speak with that kind of boldness. There are things going on in the world that we sometimes turn a blind eye to because we are afraid of what people will say of us. When you feel that fear creeping into your heart remember John: remember the courage and faith he had; remember how he fearlessly proclaimed the words God gave him. Speak without fear. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Friday, September 4, 2009
Matthew 13: 53-58; A Prophet Without Honor
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
"And he could not do any miracles there because of their lack of faith." We have to believe in the power of Jesus before the power of Jesus can do anythig for us in our lives. When we ask God for something but do not truly believe in our hearts that it will happen it will not happen. This does not suggest that we have some kind of hidden power of the creator of the universe. It is simply to say that we must have faith. We must believe that God can and will work in our lives before He will do so. Our faith in God, and his power, can make amazing things happen in our lives. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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"And he could not do any miracles there because of their lack of faith." We have to believe in the power of Jesus before the power of Jesus can do anythig for us in our lives. When we ask God for something but do not truly believe in our hearts that it will happen it will not happen. This does not suggest that we have some kind of hidden power of the creator of the universe. It is simply to say that we must have faith. We must believe that God can and will work in our lives before He will do so. Our faith in God, and his power, can make amazing things happen in our lives. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Thursday, September 3, 2009
Sunday, September 6, 2009
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
Our guest preacher this Sunday will be The Reverend Ty Sybella. He will be bringing God's word to you during our morning worship service. Please come to the house of the Lord and here what God has given Ty to say. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Our guest preacher this Sunday will be The Reverend Ty Sybella. He will be bringing God's word to you during our morning worship service. Please come to the house of the Lord and here what God has given Ty to say. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Matthew 13: 47-52; The Parable of the Net
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
In many of his parables Jesus offers a warning, a reminder. He reminds us that what we do here in this world does have bearing on our life in the kingdom of Heaven. Yes, we are offered salvation from Jesus. However, we have to accept that salvation and then go on to live a life worthy of the love and mercy we have been shown. It is not enough to accept what Jesus offers and then continue to live a life of sin. When we accept Jesus' salvation we are also accepting Jesus' call on us to be a holy and righteous people. Our lives need to reflect what we have been offered and what we have accepted. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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In many of his parables Jesus offers a warning, a reminder. He reminds us that what we do here in this world does have bearing on our life in the kingdom of Heaven. Yes, we are offered salvation from Jesus. However, we have to accept that salvation and then go on to live a life worthy of the love and mercy we have been shown. It is not enough to accept what Jesus offers and then continue to live a life of sin. When we accept Jesus' salvation we are also accepting Jesus' call on us to be a holy and righteous people. Our lives need to reflect what we have been offered and what we have accepted. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Matthew 13: 44-46; The Parable of the Hidden Treasure and the Pearl
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
Imagine the excitement these two people have in their hearts when they find the treasure and the pearl. Now they are rich; now they will have everything they need and more; now they will have no more worries. How high is you excitement level knowing you have Jesus as personal Lord and savior? Through Jesus we have everything; the same as the two people who found the treasure and the pearl. We have security, salvation, riches, life, etc. All that we need, and so much more, can be found in Jesus. Does that make you leap for joy? It should. We should hold in our hearts indescribable joy because we know Jesus, the same joy our friends have when they find their treasure and pearl. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Imagine the excitement these two people have in their hearts when they find the treasure and the pearl. Now they are rich; now they will have everything they need and more; now they will have no more worries. How high is you excitement level knowing you have Jesus as personal Lord and savior? Through Jesus we have everything; the same as the two people who found the treasure and the pearl. We have security, salvation, riches, life, etc. All that we need, and so much more, can be found in Jesus. Does that make you leap for joy? It should. We should hold in our hearts indescribable joy because we know Jesus, the same joy our friends have when they find their treasure and pearl. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Tuesday, September 1, 2009
Matthew 13: 36-43; The Parable of the Weeds Explained
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
We will shine like the sun in the kingdom of our Father. Though we do not want to get too much into what the rewards are for our journey of faith, there is, in fact, a reward for our us. We are going to be rewarded with a place in heaven, a place in God's kingdom. All of this is not for nothing. We have the comfort and peace of knowing that someday we will be blessed with the opportunity to enter the kingdom God has prepared. We are able to do that because of the person and work of Jesus Christ. Jesus has made it possible for us to enter the kingdom of Heaven. Through his birth, life, death, resurrection, and ascension we have access to God's dwelling place. It will be a glorious day when we are all gathered there. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
We will shine like the sun in the kingdom of our Father. Though we do not want to get too much into what the rewards are for our journey of faith, there is, in fact, a reward for our us. We are going to be rewarded with a place in heaven, a place in God's kingdom. All of this is not for nothing. We have the comfort and peace of knowing that someday we will be blessed with the opportunity to enter the kingdom God has prepared. We are able to do that because of the person and work of Jesus Christ. Jesus has made it possible for us to enter the kingdom of Heaven. Through his birth, life, death, resurrection, and ascension we have access to God's dwelling place. It will be a glorious day when we are all gathered there. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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