Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
'O God, do not keep silent.' God is not always easy to hear, for he sometimes speaks in different ways. God sometimes speaks through fire, as he did with Moses. God sometimes speaks through a whirlwind, as he did with Job. God sometimes speaks through a person, as he did through the prophets. It is not always easy to hear God speak which means we have to keep our ears open. We need to be aware of all the ways God can speak and make sure we are listening for his voice, as God's voice can come in a variety of ways. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Saturday, July 31, 2010
Friday, July 30, 2010
Psalm 82: 1-7
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
We want justice, and so we ask God to deliver it. All around the world people do bad things, horrible things that make us shudder and shed countless tears. These things are not easy for us to see or hear. When these things happen we sometimes come to God in prayer demanding punishment for the sins that have been committed. In some ways that is understandable, but let us remember the words of Jesus that we are to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us. Jesus also commands us to forgive unconditionally. No matter what someone has done to us, or someone else, we are called to show mercy, and we should ask God to show them mercy as well. God may judge, but it is our call to forgive. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
We want justice, and so we ask God to deliver it. All around the world people do bad things, horrible things that make us shudder and shed countless tears. These things are not easy for us to see or hear. When these things happen we sometimes come to God in prayer demanding punishment for the sins that have been committed. In some ways that is understandable, but let us remember the words of Jesus that we are to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us. Jesus also commands us to forgive unconditionally. No matter what someone has done to us, or someone else, we are called to show mercy, and we should ask God to show them mercy as well. God may judge, but it is our call to forgive. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Sunday Scripture and Sermon for August 1, 2010
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
The Scripture passage for this Sunday comes from 2 Samuel 11: 1-14, in which David has an affair with Bathsheba and subsequently has her husband, Uriah the Hittite, killed. The sermon is titled 'Losing It' and will focus on how David has lost his way, as well as how we sometimes lose our way and how we can get back on track. I hope to see you all in church on Sunday. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
The Scripture passage for this Sunday comes from 2 Samuel 11: 1-14, in which David has an affair with Bathsheba and subsequently has her husband, Uriah the Hittite, killed. The sermon is titled 'Losing It' and will focus on how David has lost his way, as well as how we sometimes lose our way and how we can get back on track. I hope to see you all in church on Sunday. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Psalm 81: 1-16
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
Sing with joy for the blessings God has given his children. That is a pretty good summation of this Psalm, but also serves a reminder of what we should be doing with our time. God has blessed in so many ways. Children of God (us) are are called to look back, to review, over our lives and remember the ways in which God has blessed us. Children of God (us, still) are also called to rejoice for those blessings. Remember God's blessings and celebrate them with joyful hearts. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Sing with joy for the blessings God has given his children. That is a pretty good summation of this Psalm, but also serves a reminder of what we should be doing with our time. God has blessed in so many ways. Children of God (us) are are called to look back, to review, over our lives and remember the ways in which God has blessed us. Children of God (us, still) are also called to rejoice for those blessings. Remember God's blessings and celebrate them with joyful hearts. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Psalm 80: 1-19
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
As Psalm 23 says, 'The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.' God is our good shepherd, he leads us where we need to go, he provides for us what we need. Sometimes, as sheep are wont to do, we run away, only to find our shepherd will not abandon us. He is right there, following us, trying to bring us back into the fold. When we do come back, our shepherd welcomes us with open arms, forgetting, and forgiving, our flight. What a blessing it is for us to have such a wonderful shepherd. We just need to make sure we do a better job of following him. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
As Psalm 23 says, 'The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.' God is our good shepherd, he leads us where we need to go, he provides for us what we need. Sometimes, as sheep are wont to do, we run away, only to find our shepherd will not abandon us. He is right there, following us, trying to bring us back into the fold. When we do come back, our shepherd welcomes us with open arms, forgetting, and forgiving, our flight. What a blessing it is for us to have such a wonderful shepherd. We just need to make sure we do a better job of following him. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Psalm 79: 1-13
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
Accountability is not an easy thing. We do not always like to hold ourselves accountable, and we certainly do not like to hold others in that fashion. These days, saying someone is sinful is tantamount to murder. In Biblical times, though, this practice was pretty regular. The Israelites were supposed to hold each other accountable for sins, and Jesus instructed his disciples to do the same. We need to get back to this practice. There are rules of course. Jesus tells his disciples this must be done in a group. The point is, though, it matters to God how we live, and we should all do what we can to make sure we are living according to God's will. At times this means we must hold each other accountable for the sins we have committed. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Accountability is not an easy thing. We do not always like to hold ourselves accountable, and we certainly do not like to hold others in that fashion. These days, saying someone is sinful is tantamount to murder. In Biblical times, though, this practice was pretty regular. The Israelites were supposed to hold each other accountable for sins, and Jesus instructed his disciples to do the same. We need to get back to this practice. There are rules of course. Jesus tells his disciples this must be done in a group. The point is, though, it matters to God how we live, and we should all do what we can to make sure we are living according to God's will. At times this means we must hold each other accountable for the sins we have committed. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Monday, July 26, 2010
Psalm 78: 1-72
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
God speaks. Notice that I say that in the present tense; God speaks. God spoke in the past to Israel; he spoke through the Prophets; he spoke through Jesus. But God still speaks now. Even now God is speaking to us. He tells us what to do; he gives us comfort; he tells us what we need to know for our lives and our journeys of faith. God still speaks. We need to open our ears so we can hear the words he is saying to us. It is not always easy to hear God's voice. He gets drowned out by the rest of the world; he gets silenced by our own voices who do not always want to listen. We need to open our ears that we would hear the word of God coming to us. God is still speaking. Are you listening? God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
God speaks. Notice that I say that in the present tense; God speaks. God spoke in the past to Israel; he spoke through the Prophets; he spoke through Jesus. But God still speaks now. Even now God is speaking to us. He tells us what to do; he gives us comfort; he tells us what we need to know for our lives and our journeys of faith. God still speaks. We need to open our ears so we can hear the words he is saying to us. It is not always easy to hear God's voice. He gets drowned out by the rest of the world; he gets silenced by our own voices who do not always want to listen. We need to open our ears that we would hear the word of God coming to us. God is still speaking. Are you listening? God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Sunday, July 25, 2010
Psalm 77: 1-20
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
When we have nothing else, we have God. When our world crashes around us we still have God in our lives. Remember Job? He had everything he could ever want, and in an instant all of it was gone. Everything Job once had was gone. One thing, though, remained in Job's life: God. It took Job a while to see God in his life and feel God's love, but in the end Job did and he realized the blessing of God being in his life. Job give us an important lesson. When things go wrong we feel like we don't have anything. But in those times, we have God. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
When we have nothing else, we have God. When our world crashes around us we still have God in our lives. Remember Job? He had everything he could ever want, and in an instant all of it was gone. Everything Job once had was gone. One thing, though, remained in Job's life: God. It took Job a while to see God in his life and feel God's love, but in the end Job did and he realized the blessing of God being in his life. Job give us an important lesson. When things go wrong we feel like we don't have anything. But in those times, we have God. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Saturday, July 24, 2010
Psalm 76: 1-12
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
God has made himself known in many ways. Through Scripture God speaks to us and tells us who he is and what he wants from us. God continues to speak to us now, if we would only open our ears and hear him. God shows us his glory as well. Everyday miracles happen around us. Everyday is filled with the beauty of God's creation. We need to be more aware of God's presence in the world, and share with others that good news. The first step is opening our eyes and ears to see and hear God in the world. He is there, we just need to realize it more. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
God has made himself known in many ways. Through Scripture God speaks to us and tells us who he is and what he wants from us. God continues to speak to us now, if we would only open our ears and hear him. God shows us his glory as well. Everyday miracles happen around us. Everyday is filled with the beauty of God's creation. We need to be more aware of God's presence in the world, and share with others that good news. The first step is opening our eyes and ears to see and hear God in the world. He is there, we just need to realize it more. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Friday, July 23, 2010
Psalm 75: 1-10
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
Judgment belongs to God, it is his to deal out however he sees fit. These are good words for us to keep in mind. There are people in the world who look different than we do, who live different than we do, who speak different than we do. Ours is not to judge them or tell them they don't belong or God doesn't love them. God loves the world and everyone in it. It is not ours to close the door of a church or put a fence around Christ's table. Everyone has a place near the throne of God. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Judgment belongs to God, it is his to deal out however he sees fit. These are good words for us to keep in mind. There are people in the world who look different than we do, who live different than we do, who speak different than we do. Ours is not to judge them or tell them they don't belong or God doesn't love them. God loves the world and everyone in it. It is not ours to close the door of a church or put a fence around Christ's table. Everyone has a place near the throne of God. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Sunday Scripture and Sermon for July 25, 2010
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
The Scripture passages for this Sunday come from Genesis 12: 1-5 in which God calls Abraham to seek out the Promised Land, and from Matthew 4: 18-22, in which Jesus calls the first disciples. The sermon is titled 'Step Up' and will focus on the ways we can step up and do more for Jesus. I hope to see you all on Sunday morning. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
The Scripture passages for this Sunday come from Genesis 12: 1-5 in which God calls Abraham to seek out the Promised Land, and from Matthew 4: 18-22, in which Jesus calls the first disciples. The sermon is titled 'Step Up' and will focus on the ways we can step up and do more for Jesus. I hope to see you all on Sunday morning. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Psalm 74: 1-23
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
'My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?' These are some of the most haunting words from Jesus if for no other reason than the fact that this is how we feel sometimes. We go through life feeling like we are alone, like God has abandoned us. We need to remember that God is always with us no matter what. Yes, there are times when it feels like God is light years away, but he isn't really. Remember his promise: I will never leave you, nor forsake you.' Keep those words close to your hearts, always. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
'My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?' These are some of the most haunting words from Jesus if for no other reason than the fact that this is how we feel sometimes. We go through life feeling like we are alone, like God has abandoned us. We need to remember that God is always with us no matter what. Yes, there are times when it feels like God is light years away, but he isn't really. Remember his promise: I will never leave you, nor forsake you.' Keep those words close to your hearts, always. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Psalm 73: 1-28
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
Jesus warns against false prophets, against us being led astray. There are people on TV, people who write books, people who have influence in the world that try to lead us astray with their words. We need to be mindful of such people and not allow them to lead us astray. The best way to do this is to continually read the Bible. Those are the words God has given us. Those are the words Jesus spoke. In reading those words we stay grounded in God's message and keep ourselves away from the false prophets of the world. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Jesus warns against false prophets, against us being led astray. There are people on TV, people who write books, people who have influence in the world that try to lead us astray with their words. We need to be mindful of such people and not allow them to lead us astray. The best way to do this is to continually read the Bible. Those are the words God has given us. Those are the words Jesus spoke. In reading those words we stay grounded in God's message and keep ourselves away from the false prophets of the world. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Psalm 72: 1-20
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
"He will endure as long as the sun, as long as the moon, through all generations." God will always be there. In a changing world, that promise means a lot. Things come and go. Our jobs, our families, and our friends. The world changes, too. Earth looks vastly different than it did 200 years ago. But the one thing that has remained the same through all of that is God. No matter what has changed in the world, God has always been there. We can say the same about the future. I do not know what tomorrow will bring, and anyone who tells you they do is not being truthful. However, one thing we do know about tomorrow is that God will be there. No matter what changes around us, God will always be there. Or, as Isaiah tells us, 'The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God stands forever.' God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
"He will endure as long as the sun, as long as the moon, through all generations." God will always be there. In a changing world, that promise means a lot. Things come and go. Our jobs, our families, and our friends. The world changes, too. Earth looks vastly different than it did 200 years ago. But the one thing that has remained the same through all of that is God. No matter what has changed in the world, God has always been there. We can say the same about the future. I do not know what tomorrow will bring, and anyone who tells you they do is not being truthful. However, one thing we do know about tomorrow is that God will be there. No matter what changes around us, God will always be there. Or, as Isaiah tells us, 'The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God stands forever.' God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Monday, July 19, 2010
Psalm 71: 1-24
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
I find this Psalm, which is, more than anything else, a worship Psalm, very fitting for a Monday morning. So often we spend our hour of worship on Sunday morning and don't worship any other time throughout the week. I am not just referring to organized worship, but whatever kind of activity is worshipful for you: spending a few moments in prayer, reading scripture, listening to music, etc. We all get so busy throughout the week we forget that our praise of God is not supposed to end at 12:00 p.m. on Sunday. Our worship is to continue every day we have breath. We make time on Sunday, which is great, but we need to make time to worship every other day of the week as well. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
I find this Psalm, which is, more than anything else, a worship Psalm, very fitting for a Monday morning. So often we spend our hour of worship on Sunday morning and don't worship any other time throughout the week. I am not just referring to organized worship, but whatever kind of activity is worshipful for you: spending a few moments in prayer, reading scripture, listening to music, etc. We all get so busy throughout the week we forget that our praise of God is not supposed to end at 12:00 p.m. on Sunday. Our worship is to continue every day we have breath. We make time on Sunday, which is great, but we need to make time to worship every other day of the week as well. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Sunday, July 18, 2010
Psalm 70: 1-5
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
We need God in our lives, and there is nothing wrong with that. We cannot, and should not, do everything ourselves. We need a little help, not just with our salvation, but with everything God has put in front of us. We need help with the day to day things that sometimes get us down. We need help doing all God has called us to do. If you are feeling weighed down, do keep on like you have been. Don't try to do it all alone. We are not supposed to do everything ourselves. God wants to help us, he has the power to help us. Ask him for help. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
We need God in our lives, and there is nothing wrong with that. We cannot, and should not, do everything ourselves. We need a little help, not just with our salvation, but with everything God has put in front of us. We need help with the day to day things that sometimes get us down. We need help doing all God has called us to do. If you are feeling weighed down, do keep on like you have been. Don't try to do it all alone. We are not supposed to do everything ourselves. God wants to help us, he has the power to help us. Ask him for help. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Saturday, July 17, 2010
Psalm 69: 1-36
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
As God's children we are sometimes considered outsiders. We do not always do what the world expects of us which creates in us a sense of sadness and fear. The world may not love us, but God does. That is the thing we should remember when we feel alone in this world: God is with us, and God loves us. The world may not want to have much to do with us, but God loves us enough to sacrifice his one and only son so that we might have life in us. Let that fill you with joy and peace. Let those words encourage you when you feel abandoned by the world. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
As God's children we are sometimes considered outsiders. We do not always do what the world expects of us which creates in us a sense of sadness and fear. The world may not love us, but God does. That is the thing we should remember when we feel alone in this world: God is with us, and God loves us. The world may not want to have much to do with us, but God loves us enough to sacrifice his one and only son so that we might have life in us. Let that fill you with joy and peace. Let those words encourage you when you feel abandoned by the world. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Friday, July 16, 2010
Psalm 68: 1-35
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
God does great things, and a lot of times it is the little things that are the biggest blessings. Rain to cool the heat of the day, a refreshing breeze, a card in the mail, a smile. All of these things are blessings from God. Keep count. Throughout your day keep count of all the little things that bring a smile to your face, or a moment of peace to your soul. Keep count, and give thanks to God, for the ways he blesses your life. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
God does great things, and a lot of times it is the little things that are the biggest blessings. Rain to cool the heat of the day, a refreshing breeze, a card in the mail, a smile. All of these things are blessings from God. Keep count. Throughout your day keep count of all the little things that bring a smile to your face, or a moment of peace to your soul. Keep count, and give thanks to God, for the ways he blesses your life. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Thursday, July 15, 2010
Sunday Scripture and Sermon for July 18, 2010
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
The Scripture passage for this Sunday is from Deuteronomy 6: 4-5, which reads, 'Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.' The sermon, which will be given by Kate Snyder, is entitled 'God Before Starbucks,' and will focus on making God, and gifts to God, a priority in our lives. I hope to see you in church on Sunday. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
The Scripture passage for this Sunday is from Deuteronomy 6: 4-5, which reads, 'Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.' The sermon, which will be given by Kate Snyder, is entitled 'God Before Starbucks,' and will focus on making God, and gifts to God, a priority in our lives. I hope to see you in church on Sunday. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Psalm 67: 1-7
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
"...That your ways may be known among the earth." We have a divine calling as God's children: to tell the world about God and what he has done for us. This can be done by telling people about God, or by showing people (with our actions) God's love. In either case, the point is the same: that we let people know who God is and what he has done in our lives. We sing, pray, read the Bible, practice holiness, and do unto others to bear witness to God's love for the world. What are some ways you can bear witness today? God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
"...That your ways may be known among the earth." We have a divine calling as God's children: to tell the world about God and what he has done for us. This can be done by telling people about God, or by showing people (with our actions) God's love. In either case, the point is the same: that we let people know who God is and what he has done in our lives. We sing, pray, read the Bible, practice holiness, and do unto others to bear witness to God's love for the world. What are some ways you can bear witness today? God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Psalm 66: 1-20
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
"Come and see what God has done." It is not always easy to see God working in the world. There is so much evil and suffering that God is sometimes blocked from our line of sight. I would like to encourage you, though, to see what God has done in your life. We all have been blessed in many ways, and we need to open our eyes and see that. For one thing we need to be thankful for what God has done. But for another we need to be hopeful. Seeing the blessings God has given reminds us that God blesses, and will continue to bless. Look around you and see what God has done. Be thankful for those blessings, and be hopeful for more. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
"Come and see what God has done." It is not always easy to see God working in the world. There is so much evil and suffering that God is sometimes blocked from our line of sight. I would like to encourage you, though, to see what God has done in your life. We all have been blessed in many ways, and we need to open our eyes and see that. For one thing we need to be thankful for what God has done. But for another we need to be hopeful. Seeing the blessings God has given reminds us that God blesses, and will continue to bless. Look around you and see what God has done. Be thankful for those blessings, and be hopeful for more. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Psalm 65: 1-13
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
"Consider the lilies of the field. They do no labor or spin, yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you?" Matthew 6: 28-30. God takes care of the earth. He created the earth and he cares for it by giving the earth all it needs. God will do the same for us, and even more. God loves us, his precious children, more than he loves the earth, which means he will take care of us that much more. We need to trust in God's love and power to take care of us. In Jesus' words, 'do not worry.' God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
"Consider the lilies of the field. They do no labor or spin, yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you?" Matthew 6: 28-30. God takes care of the earth. He created the earth and he cares for it by giving the earth all it needs. God will do the same for us, and even more. God loves us, his precious children, more than he loves the earth, which means he will take care of us that much more. We need to trust in God's love and power to take care of us. In Jesus' words, 'do not worry.' God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Monday, July 12, 2010
Psalm 64: 1-10
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
God will have the final victory in the end. Our enemies may surround us now, but God will win out over them. Psalm 23 tells us that we will have a table prepared for us in the presence of our enemies. During volatile times in our lives we look forward, we look ahead to a time when we will be safe from enemies, when we will be in God's kingdom. It may not do too much for us to solve the problems of the world now, but in all things we wait and hope for the day when we will be perfectly safe from our enemies. Rest assured, that day will come. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
God will have the final victory in the end. Our enemies may surround us now, but God will win out over them. Psalm 23 tells us that we will have a table prepared for us in the presence of our enemies. During volatile times in our lives we look forward, we look ahead to a time when we will be safe from enemies, when we will be in God's kingdom. It may not do too much for us to solve the problems of the world now, but in all things we wait and hope for the day when we will be perfectly safe from our enemies. Rest assured, that day will come. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Sunday, July 11, 2010
Psalm 63: 1-11
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
'I will praise you as long as I live.' This morning when I was driving to the church I heard on the radio 'Praise You in this Storm' by Casting Crowns. I think the words of that song are something we always need to keep in mind. The idea is that we are supposed to praise God all the time, not just in the good times. We have been blessed in so many ways, but for some of us there have also been very difficult times. We should praise God in both times. As long as we live we should praise God for in everything he is worthy of our praise. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
'I will praise you as long as I live.' This morning when I was driving to the church I heard on the radio 'Praise You in this Storm' by Casting Crowns. I think the words of that song are something we always need to keep in mind. The idea is that we are supposed to praise God all the time, not just in the good times. We have been blessed in so many ways, but for some of us there have also been very difficult times. We should praise God in both times. As long as we live we should praise God for in everything he is worthy of our praise. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Saturday, July 10, 2010
Psalm 62: 1-12
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
Life is tiring. We have so many things that keep us insanely busy, so busy that it feels like we will never find the end. We run around day after day always doing something. Our bodies are tired, our souls are tired. The good news is that we have rest available to us, if we only accept it. God opens his arms to us and invites us to take a little nap. God wants to give us rest, rest for our weary souls. Make your way to God and find the rest you need so much in your life. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Life is tiring. We have so many things that keep us insanely busy, so busy that it feels like we will never find the end. We run around day after day always doing something. Our bodies are tired, our souls are tired. The good news is that we have rest available to us, if we only accept it. God opens his arms to us and invites us to take a little nap. God wants to give us rest, rest for our weary souls. Make your way to God and find the rest you need so much in your life. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Friday, July 9, 2010
Psalm 61: 1-8
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
One of our most common, and hearfelt prayers, is that God would hear our prayers. Doubt creeps into our minds sometimes about God's ears. Will he hear what we say? Yes, he will. God may not answer our prayers in the way we want or expect, but he will always hear the prayers we lift up before him. With that in mind, pray without ceasing, in the knowledge that God will always hear you. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
One of our most common, and hearfelt prayers, is that God would hear our prayers. Doubt creeps into our minds sometimes about God's ears. Will he hear what we say? Yes, he will. God may not answer our prayers in the way we want or expect, but he will always hear the prayers we lift up before him. With that in mind, pray without ceasing, in the knowledge that God will always hear you. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Thursday, July 8, 2010
Sunday Scripture and Sermon for July 11, 2010
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
The Scripture passage for this Sunday is from Matthew 25: 31-45, in which Jesus gives the Parable of the Sheep and the Goats. The sermon is titled 'Giving to God' and will focus on our need to give of our financial gifts to continue the ministry of Jesus. I hope to see you all in church on Sunday. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
The Scripture passage for this Sunday is from Matthew 25: 31-45, in which Jesus gives the Parable of the Sheep and the Goats. The sermon is titled 'Giving to God' and will focus on our need to give of our financial gifts to continue the ministry of Jesus. I hope to see you all in church on Sunday. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Psalm 60: 1-12
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
We can read this Psalm almost as a before and after kind of thing. This Psalm talks about God's anger and wrath, and how it has been poured out on the people of Israel. That is the same fate that used to await us. Our sin created a chasm between us and and God, and because of that we faced some serious divine punishment. However, rather than loose his terrible fury on us God instead chose to send his son, Jesus, into the world. Jesus came into to the world to prevent the words in this Psalm from happening. We have been saved, which means we don't have to worry about God abandoning us or punishing us in any way. We have been saved, which means we have been spared from God's anger and wrath. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
We can read this Psalm almost as a before and after kind of thing. This Psalm talks about God's anger and wrath, and how it has been poured out on the people of Israel. That is the same fate that used to await us. Our sin created a chasm between us and and God, and because of that we faced some serious divine punishment. However, rather than loose his terrible fury on us God instead chose to send his son, Jesus, into the world. Jesus came into to the world to prevent the words in this Psalm from happening. We have been saved, which means we don't have to worry about God abandoning us or punishing us in any way. We have been saved, which means we have been spared from God's anger and wrath. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Psalm 59: 1-17
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
Our enemies surround us, and even though it may not be up to us to judge them, that does not mean we have to sit idly by and let them harm us. God does not want us to suffer, he does not want our enemies to rise up against us. And so we pray to God. We pray that he will be there for us and with us while we face our enemies. We pray that God will deliver us from those evil hands. God wants our lives to be good, and so we are allowed (and encouraged) to pray for deliverance from enemies, from those who sin against us. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Our enemies surround us, and even though it may not be up to us to judge them, that does not mean we have to sit idly by and let them harm us. God does not want us to suffer, he does not want our enemies to rise up against us. And so we pray to God. We pray that he will be there for us and with us while we face our enemies. We pray that God will deliver us from those evil hands. God wants our lives to be good, and so we are allowed (and encouraged) to pray for deliverance from enemies, from those who sin against us. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
Psalm 58: 1-11
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
Judgment belongs to God. It is not up to us to decide who deserves divine punishment. We have desires, to be sure, to see certain people punished by God, but we need to remember that that is God's decision to make. Our call is to love everyone as a precious child of God, no matter what they have done. Many of us have been sinned against, but that does not mean we turn our backs. No, we are instructed to forgive, and to love our enemies. Remember, judgment belongs to God. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Judgment belongs to God. It is not up to us to decide who deserves divine punishment. We have desires, to be sure, to see certain people punished by God, but we need to remember that that is God's decision to make. Our call is to love everyone as a precious child of God, no matter what they have done. Many of us have been sinned against, but that does not mean we turn our backs. No, we are instructed to forgive, and to love our enemies. Remember, judgment belongs to God. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Thursday, July 1, 2010
Pastor Josh on Vacation
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
I will be on vacation beginning July 2, 2010 and will be returning on July 5, 2010. I will not be posting during this time. Posting will resume on July 6, 2010. If you need anything while I am away please contact one of the church Elders. Reverend John Crist will be preaching this Sunday during the morning worship service. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
I will be on vacation beginning July 2, 2010 and will be returning on July 5, 2010. I will not be posting during this time. Posting will resume on July 6, 2010. If you need anything while I am away please contact one of the church Elders. Reverend John Crist will be preaching this Sunday during the morning worship service. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Psalm 57: 1-11
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
God has a plan for all of us. It is not always easy for us to see that plan, but we must have faith to realize God has a plan for our lives. We do not know what is going to happen, which is a great blessing for us because we still have surprises in our lives. What we do know is that God has a plan, that his hands are at work in our lives. Our job is to trust that God is going to lead us down the right path. We may not know where we are going, and we may not like the places in which we end up, but God does know where we are going, and he is leading us there with his loving hands. Trust the Lord, for he is good. He will not leave you, and he will not lead you astray. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
God has a plan for all of us. It is not always easy for us to see that plan, but we must have faith to realize God has a plan for our lives. We do not know what is going to happen, which is a great blessing for us because we still have surprises in our lives. What we do know is that God has a plan, that his hands are at work in our lives. Our job is to trust that God is going to lead us down the right path. We may not know where we are going, and we may not like the places in which we end up, but God does know where we are going, and he is leading us there with his loving hands. Trust the Lord, for he is good. He will not leave you, and he will not lead you astray. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)