Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
God instituted a special relationship with Israel. He brought them out of the land of Egypt and eventually to the Promised Land. This relationship was supposed to be two-sided, with Israel keeping up their part. Over time, though, they failed to do so and the relationship became strained. God has established a relationship with us, through his son Jesus Christ. God takes care of us, and we are supposed to do everything God wants. Our relationship with God calls for responsibility on our part. We need to ask ourselves every day what we can, and should, do to make sure we are keeping our part of the bargain. What can you do to please God today? God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Monday, August 30, 2010
Psalm 113: 1-9
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
'From the rising of the sun to the place where it sets the name of the Lord is to be praised.' That is our goal, as Christians, as we strive to live out the Great Commission. Our aim is to tell the whole world about Jesus so that the world might praise Jesus, so that 'At the name of Jesus every knee shall bow...and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.' We share our faith so others might come to a life of faith. We tell people about Jesus so they will give their hearts to him. Our top priority should be telling the world about Jesus to the words in this Psalm will come true: 'From the rising of the sun to the place where is sets the name of the Lord is to be praised.' God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
'From the rising of the sun to the place where it sets the name of the Lord is to be praised.' That is our goal, as Christians, as we strive to live out the Great Commission. Our aim is to tell the whole world about Jesus so that the world might praise Jesus, so that 'At the name of Jesus every knee shall bow...and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.' We share our faith so others might come to a life of faith. We tell people about Jesus so they will give their hearts to him. Our top priority should be telling the world about Jesus to the words in this Psalm will come true: 'From the rising of the sun to the place where is sets the name of the Lord is to be praised.' God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Psalm 112: 1-10
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
"Blessed is the man who fears the Lord, who finds great delight in his commands." Fear, here, means respect, just to clarify. Our lives will be blessed if we love God and show that love for God. If we live the life God wants us to live God will reward our efforts, he will reward our faithfulness. The best way for us to have a good life is to do all the things God calls us to do, to be the people he wants us to be. If we respect God, if we love him, if we do what he tells us, our lives will be blessed. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
"Blessed is the man who fears the Lord, who finds great delight in his commands." Fear, here, means respect, just to clarify. Our lives will be blessed if we love God and show that love for God. If we live the life God wants us to live God will reward our efforts, he will reward our faithfulness. The best way for us to have a good life is to do all the things God calls us to do, to be the people he wants us to be. If we respect God, if we love him, if we do what he tells us, our lives will be blessed. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Saturday, August 28, 2010
Psalm 111: 1-10
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
"The works of his hands are faithful and just; all his precepts are trustworthy." God works in our lives, and God works for good. We do not have to live our lives in fear that God is going to do something bad to us to punish us. Why? Because Jesus has taken the punishment that should have been ours. Jesus was punished so we would not have to be. We can trust that God's ways are perfect and just. He is not going to punish us for our sins, for Jesus has been punished in our stead. Live your life without fear or worry that God is going to hurt you. God loves you, and in his love for you God will bless you. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
"The works of his hands are faithful and just; all his precepts are trustworthy." God works in our lives, and God works for good. We do not have to live our lives in fear that God is going to do something bad to us to punish us. Why? Because Jesus has taken the punishment that should have been ours. Jesus was punished so we would not have to be. We can trust that God's ways are perfect and just. He is not going to punish us for our sins, for Jesus has been punished in our stead. Live your life without fear or worry that God is going to hurt you. God loves you, and in his love for you God will bless you. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Friday, August 27, 2010
Psalm 110: 1-7
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
This Psalm is about Jesus, but there are words in here for us as well. We are invited to be in God's presence. More than that, God is at our right hand. God stays with us. No matter where we go or what we do God is always right there by our side. That is the real blessing of Jesus. He opens that door for us. Jesus brings God into our life. Jesus makes it possible for God to be at our right hand. Let that be of comfort to you. God is with you, always. He was with you yesterday. He is with you today. He will be with you tomorrow. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
This Psalm is about Jesus, but there are words in here for us as well. We are invited to be in God's presence. More than that, God is at our right hand. God stays with us. No matter where we go or what we do God is always right there by our side. That is the real blessing of Jesus. He opens that door for us. Jesus brings God into our life. Jesus makes it possible for God to be at our right hand. Let that be of comfort to you. God is with you, always. He was with you yesterday. He is with you today. He will be with you tomorrow. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Sunday Scripture and Sermon for August 29, 2010
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
Our Scripture passage for this Sunday is from Matthew 28: 16-20, in which Jesus gives the Great Commission. The sermon is titled, 'Called by Name' and will focus on how Jesus has called us to a life of faith and how we, in turn, should call others to a life of faith as well. I hope to see you all on Sunday morning. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Our Scripture passage for this Sunday is from Matthew 28: 16-20, in which Jesus gives the Great Commission. The sermon is titled, 'Called by Name' and will focus on how Jesus has called us to a life of faith and how we, in turn, should call others to a life of faith as well. I hope to see you all on Sunday morning. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Psalm 109: 1-31
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
Vengeance is the Lord's. Ours is to show mercy. Being sinned against is in no way pleasant. Whether someone says something to us, or does something to us, it causes us a great deal of pain when someone sins against us. What do we do when that happens? Our human instincts and emotions tell us to seek revenge, to repay what has been done to us. Jesus would say something different, though. In fact, he does say something different. Jesus tells us to forgive, unconditionally, just as God has forgiven us. Jesus also gives us a promise: that vengeance is the Lord's. He will deal with those who sin against us in whatever way he sees fit. Ours is not to punish. That is God's territory. Ours is to be merciful. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Vengeance is the Lord's. Ours is to show mercy. Being sinned against is in no way pleasant. Whether someone says something to us, or does something to us, it causes us a great deal of pain when someone sins against us. What do we do when that happens? Our human instincts and emotions tell us to seek revenge, to repay what has been done to us. Jesus would say something different, though. In fact, he does say something different. Jesus tells us to forgive, unconditionally, just as God has forgiven us. Jesus also gives us a promise: that vengeance is the Lord's. He will deal with those who sin against us in whatever way he sees fit. Ours is not to punish. That is God's territory. Ours is to be merciful. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Psalm 108: 1-13
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
David knows a lot about God's love, perhaps more than anyone else in scripture. Over the last couple of months we have been taking a closer look at David in our worship services, and one of the things we have kept coming back to is David's sins with Bathsheba. David committed adultery with Bathsheba, lied about, and then had her husband, Uriah the Hittite, killed to cover his tracks. Those are all really really bad sins, and David committed them with gusto. And yet, God loved David. Yes, there was punishment, but David was still loved, and looked after, by God. The same is true for us. We may sin and fall short of God's glory, but God still loves us. God will always love us, no matter what we do. Remember David. Remember his sins and the love God still had for him. Remember those things and be reminded of God's never-ending love for you. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
David knows a lot about God's love, perhaps more than anyone else in scripture. Over the last couple of months we have been taking a closer look at David in our worship services, and one of the things we have kept coming back to is David's sins with Bathsheba. David committed adultery with Bathsheba, lied about, and then had her husband, Uriah the Hittite, killed to cover his tracks. Those are all really really bad sins, and David committed them with gusto. And yet, God loved David. Yes, there was punishment, but David was still loved, and looked after, by God. The same is true for us. We may sin and fall short of God's glory, but God still loves us. God will always love us, no matter what we do. Remember David. Remember his sins and the love God still had for him. Remember those things and be reminded of God's never-ending love for you. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Psalm 107: 1-43
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
'Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love,' is repeated several times throughout this Psalm. Thanksgiving is a pretty important things. I think most of us tell our children to be thankful not just on Thanksgiving, but every day of the year. This is something we all need to keep in mind. I encourage you all to pray every single day, even if it is just for a couple of moments. When you pray I encourage you to take a second and thank God, really thank him, for all he has done in your life. Obviously, we have the Bible as a testament to what God has done in the world, but God has done so much for us as individuals as well. With that in mind, repeat this mantra every day: Thank you God for your unfailing love.' God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
'Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love,' is repeated several times throughout this Psalm. Thanksgiving is a pretty important things. I think most of us tell our children to be thankful not just on Thanksgiving, but every day of the year. This is something we all need to keep in mind. I encourage you all to pray every single day, even if it is just for a couple of moments. When you pray I encourage you to take a second and thank God, really thank him, for all he has done in your life. Obviously, we have the Bible as a testament to what God has done in the world, but God has done so much for us as individuals as well. With that in mind, repeat this mantra every day: Thank you God for your unfailing love.' God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Monday, August 23, 2010
Psalm 106: 1-48
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
Faith, at times can be an up-and-down journey. For Israel their journey of faith was exactly that. At times they worshiped God, but at other times they ignored God, only then to get back to worship God. This Psalm gives us an image of Israel's struggle with their application of their faith. The same is true for us. Some days are simply better than others when it comes to our faith. That is natural. Being human, with the emotions, and busyness, of our lives, we go back and forth sometimes. For many of us keeping our faith at the absolute center of our lives is a daily struggle. The trick is to take it day by day. If every day is going to be a struggle, do what you can to win the day. Too often we look too far ahead. Take it all just one day at a time, and try your best to win each individual day. Faith can be up-and-down, but it does not have to be. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Faith, at times can be an up-and-down journey. For Israel their journey of faith was exactly that. At times they worshiped God, but at other times they ignored God, only then to get back to worship God. This Psalm gives us an image of Israel's struggle with their application of their faith. The same is true for us. Some days are simply better than others when it comes to our faith. That is natural. Being human, with the emotions, and busyness, of our lives, we go back and forth sometimes. For many of us keeping our faith at the absolute center of our lives is a daily struggle. The trick is to take it day by day. If every day is going to be a struggle, do what you can to win the day. Too often we look too far ahead. Take it all just one day at a time, and try your best to win each individual day. Faith can be up-and-down, but it does not have to be. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Sunday, August 22, 2010
Psalm 105: 1-45
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
'Give thanks to the Lord, call on his name.' We need help, and God can help us. Sometimes this life is too much for us to handle on our own. In those times God is there to help us, to offer assistance to what we go through. We should take God up on this offer. His strength is limitless, as is his love. God will always want to help us, and he will always have the strength to help us. Whatever our struggles, whatever our burdens, God wants to help us with them. Call on God. Ask him for a hand. There is nothing wrong with that. And you'll find, in God, all the help and strength you need. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
'Give thanks to the Lord, call on his name.' We need help, and God can help us. Sometimes this life is too much for us to handle on our own. In those times God is there to help us, to offer assistance to what we go through. We should take God up on this offer. His strength is limitless, as is his love. God will always want to help us, and he will always have the strength to help us. Whatever our struggles, whatever our burdens, God wants to help us with them. Call on God. Ask him for a hand. There is nothing wrong with that. And you'll find, in God, all the help and strength you need. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Saturday, August 21, 2010
Psalm 104: 1-35
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
'He makes winds his messengers, flames of fire his servants.' God works in many ways, and he speaks in many ways. These ways are not always easy to see or understand. Part of our journeys of faith is being attentive to the many ways God can work in this world. We need to stay alert, keeping our eyes, ears, and spirits open to God. He is speaking, he is working. Right now, God is at work in the world. We need to make sure we are paying attention so we can know what he is doing, and so we can know what we might do to help. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
'He makes winds his messengers, flames of fire his servants.' God works in many ways, and he speaks in many ways. These ways are not always easy to see or understand. Part of our journeys of faith is being attentive to the many ways God can work in this world. We need to stay alert, keeping our eyes, ears, and spirits open to God. He is speaking, he is working. Right now, God is at work in the world. We need to make sure we are paying attention so we can know what he is doing, and so we can know what we might do to help. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Friday, August 20, 2010
Psalm 103: 1-22
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
'God is good, all the time. And all the time, God is good.' That is an exercise that some churches do at the beginning of each worship service. Those words serve as a helpful reminder of God's goodness and love. God has done so much for us, and we need to remind ourselves each and every day of his goodness, of the blessings he has given to us. Repeat this exercise every day, reminding yourself that God is good. 'God is good all the time. And all the time, God is good.' God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
'God is good, all the time. And all the time, God is good.' That is an exercise that some churches do at the beginning of each worship service. Those words serve as a helpful reminder of God's goodness and love. God has done so much for us, and we need to remind ourselves each and every day of his goodness, of the blessings he has given to us. Repeat this exercise every day, reminding yourself that God is good. 'God is good all the time. And all the time, God is good.' God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Sunday Scripture and Sermon for August 22, 2010
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
The Scripture passage for this Sunday is from 2 Samuel 23: 1-7, in which David's final words are given to us. The sermon is titled 'David' and will focus on David's unwavering faith, and how that can be a model for our faith. I hope to see you all in church on Sunday. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
The Scripture passage for this Sunday is from 2 Samuel 23: 1-7, in which David's final words are given to us. The sermon is titled 'David' and will focus on David's unwavering faith, and how that can be a model for our faith. I hope to see you all in church on Sunday. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Psalm 102: 1-28
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
We are lost without God. Vacations are wonderful things, but for many of us, when we go on vacation, there is something we forgot to do. 'Did I close the garage door?' 'Did I turn off the lights?' 'Did I turn up/down the furnace/air conditioner?' We forget to pack things: toothpaste, soap, shoes, etc. The thing we may have forgotten to do, or to pack, gnaws at us. There is a sense that something is wrong, that, maybe something is missing. That is how it is when we do not have God in our lives. There is something missing, a hole that cannot be filled by anything else. Make sure you are getting your fill of God each and every day. He will fill the emptiness inside of you, he will make you whole. With God there is never a sense that something is wrong, or missing. He fills you completely. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
We are lost without God. Vacations are wonderful things, but for many of us, when we go on vacation, there is something we forgot to do. 'Did I close the garage door?' 'Did I turn off the lights?' 'Did I turn up/down the furnace/air conditioner?' We forget to pack things: toothpaste, soap, shoes, etc. The thing we may have forgotten to do, or to pack, gnaws at us. There is a sense that something is wrong, that, maybe something is missing. That is how it is when we do not have God in our lives. There is something missing, a hole that cannot be filled by anything else. Make sure you are getting your fill of God each and every day. He will fill the emptiness inside of you, he will make you whole. With God there is never a sense that something is wrong, or missing. He fills you completely. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Psalm 101: 1-8
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
As children of God we are called to a life of holiness. Jesus died on the cross, and in that death the bonds of sin are forever broken. In other words, sin no longer has any power over us, which means we are free to live a holy life. We can only do this through Jesus Christ our Lord. In following Jesus we are agreeing to live the kind of life Jesus wants us to live, and in following Jesus we are given the strength we need to live the kind of life Jesus wants us to live. Jesus' commands are not simply empty words, they are a high calling to a life of righteousness. We must remeber that we do not practice holiness to achieve our own salvation. Only Jesus can save us. We practice holiness as an act of gratitude, as a way of saying thank you to Jesus for what he has done for us. Remember this day your call to holiness, and the reason we should follow that call. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
As children of God we are called to a life of holiness. Jesus died on the cross, and in that death the bonds of sin are forever broken. In other words, sin no longer has any power over us, which means we are free to live a holy life. We can only do this through Jesus Christ our Lord. In following Jesus we are agreeing to live the kind of life Jesus wants us to live, and in following Jesus we are given the strength we need to live the kind of life Jesus wants us to live. Jesus' commands are not simply empty words, they are a high calling to a life of righteousness. We must remeber that we do not practice holiness to achieve our own salvation. Only Jesus can save us. We practice holiness as an act of gratitude, as a way of saying thank you to Jesus for what he has done for us. Remember this day your call to holiness, and the reason we should follow that call. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Psalm 100: 1-5
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
'His love endures forever.' Over the last couple of months we have been talking about David in our worship service. Recently we have been discussing David's relationship with Bathsheba and the grave sins David committed in that story. Obviously, David's sins were wrong, but at the same time God's love for David never went away. God continued to love David and show his love for him despite what David had done. The same is true for us. God's love for us endures forever. No matter what we do or where we go, God will always love us. God has made that love known to us through Jesus. God sent his son into the world in an act of unfailing love and compassion. That love and compassion will never fail, no matter what. 'His love endures forever.' God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
'His love endures forever.' Over the last couple of months we have been talking about David in our worship service. Recently we have been discussing David's relationship with Bathsheba and the grave sins David committed in that story. Obviously, David's sins were wrong, but at the same time God's love for David never went away. God continued to love David and show his love for him despite what David had done. The same is true for us. God's love for us endures forever. No matter what we do or where we go, God will always love us. God has made that love known to us through Jesus. God sent his son into the world in an act of unfailing love and compassion. That love and compassion will never fail, no matter what. 'His love endures forever.' God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Monday, August 16, 2010
Psalm 99: 1-9
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
Looking back is important. The Psalmist mentions Moses and Aaron here and with that our minds go immediately back to the Exodus, when God led the Israelites out of Egypt. Looking back to see what God has done is a helpful exercise, especially in times of trouble. When we are in timed of darkness it is not always easy to see the light at the end of the tunnel. We do not know what the future will bring, so it is sometimes hard to imagine what is going to happen. However, one thing we can always do is look back. We can look back and see what God has done in our lives. Israel always looked back to the Exodus and that reminded them of what God had done, and it gave them hope for the future. We can do the same. We can look back over our lives and see what God has done for us to remind us of God's love, and to give us hope for what God is going to do in the future. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Looking back is important. The Psalmist mentions Moses and Aaron here and with that our minds go immediately back to the Exodus, when God led the Israelites out of Egypt. Looking back to see what God has done is a helpful exercise, especially in times of trouble. When we are in timed of darkness it is not always easy to see the light at the end of the tunnel. We do not know what the future will bring, so it is sometimes hard to imagine what is going to happen. However, one thing we can always do is look back. We can look back and see what God has done in our lives. Israel always looked back to the Exodus and that reminded them of what God had done, and it gave them hope for the future. We can do the same. We can look back over our lives and see what God has done for us to remind us of God's love, and to give us hope for what God is going to do in the future. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Sunday, August 15, 2010
Psalm 98: 1-8
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
"The Lord has made his salvation known." How has God done that? Through Jesus, of course. We are saved. We have a place in heaven. Personally, I like the comfort of knowing this life is not all there is. It gives me hope and courage to think that there is more than this. We have the blessing of having more because of Jesus. We are given a new life, another life, through Jesus. He has saved us from sin, which means for us that we get more life when this life is over. God has made salvation known; he has made life known. We get these blessings. Isn't that great?! Doesn't that make you want to shout with joy? God has blessed us all. Remember that. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
"The Lord has made his salvation known." How has God done that? Through Jesus, of course. We are saved. We have a place in heaven. Personally, I like the comfort of knowing this life is not all there is. It gives me hope and courage to think that there is more than this. We have the blessing of having more because of Jesus. We are given a new life, another life, through Jesus. He has saved us from sin, which means for us that we get more life when this life is over. God has made salvation known; he has made life known. We get these blessings. Isn't that great?! Doesn't that make you want to shout with joy? God has blessed us all. Remember that. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Saturday, August 14, 2010
Psalm 97: 1-12
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
God is power. "The mountains melt like wax before the Lord." I love the visual image we are given in this Psalm. Too often, because of some of the things that happen around us, we think of God as weak, unable to do anything in the world. This Psalm serves as a good reminder that God has great power. We may not always see it, but more often than not that is because we do not have our eyes open. God is not weak. He works in this world all the time. Sometimes those ways are 'flashy,' for lack of a better word. Other times, God's works are much more subtle, and require more sight on our part. We need to open our eyes and see the power God has, and how he uses that power each and every day. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
God is power. "The mountains melt like wax before the Lord." I love the visual image we are given in this Psalm. Too often, because of some of the things that happen around us, we think of God as weak, unable to do anything in the world. This Psalm serves as a good reminder that God has great power. We may not always see it, but more often than not that is because we do not have our eyes open. God is not weak. He works in this world all the time. Sometimes those ways are 'flashy,' for lack of a better word. Other times, God's works are much more subtle, and require more sight on our part. We need to open our eyes and see the power God has, and how he uses that power each and every day. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Friday, August 13, 2010
Psalm 96: 1-13
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
'Go forth and make disciples of all nations...' Those are the final words Jesus shares with his disciples before he ascends to the heavens. We find that same message here. Being a child of God is a wonderful blessing. Being named as one of God's children give us so many wonderful blessings, blessings that we would be able to count, even if we tried. Do we want to keep that joy, those blessings, to ourselves? Don't we want other people to have those same blessings? Yes, should be our answer. With that in mind let us all go forth and tell people about God, and about the wonderful blessings God can bring into their lives. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
'Go forth and make disciples of all nations...' Those are the final words Jesus shares with his disciples before he ascends to the heavens. We find that same message here. Being a child of God is a wonderful blessing. Being named as one of God's children give us so many wonderful blessings, blessings that we would be able to count, even if we tried. Do we want to keep that joy, those blessings, to ourselves? Don't we want other people to have those same blessings? Yes, should be our answer. With that in mind let us all go forth and tell people about God, and about the wonderful blessings God can bring into their lives. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Sunday Scripture and Sermon for August 15, 2010
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
The Scripture passage for this Sunday is from 2 Samuel 16: 1-14, in which David flees Jerusalem following Absalom's rebellion. The sermon is titled 'Bold Faith' and will focus on David's words of hope concerning God's future blessings in his life and what those words mean for us. I hope to see you all in church on Sunday. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
The Scripture passage for this Sunday is from 2 Samuel 16: 1-14, in which David flees Jerusalem following Absalom's rebellion. The sermon is titled 'Bold Faith' and will focus on David's words of hope concerning God's future blessings in his life and what those words mean for us. I hope to see you all in church on Sunday. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Psalm 95: 1-11
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
God is our maker. Our being here is not an accident. We were created by God for a purpose. Our purpose is to sing praises to God and to bring as many people to God as we possibly can. If you are struggling to find your purpose in life, look no further than the Bible. The Bible tells that we are created, and why we were created. Are you serving your purpose today? God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
God is our maker. Our being here is not an accident. We were created by God for a purpose. Our purpose is to sing praises to God and to bring as many people to God as we possibly can. If you are struggling to find your purpose in life, look no further than the Bible. The Bible tells that we are created, and why we were created. Are you serving your purpose today? God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Psalm 94: 1-23
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
Vengeance is the Lord's, we are called to forgive. Jesus tells us that we are to forgive someone 'seventy times seven.' Does that mean we are supposed to keep count? No. What that means is we are supposed to forgive people unconditionally. No matter how many times someone may sin against us we are called to forgive them. This is not easy. Our feelings get hurt, our bodies get hurt. There is real evil in the world and it impacts us all. We want vengeance; we want punishment. Those are natural feelings, but are feelings we need to rid from our hearts. For one thing, vengeance is God's territory, not ours. For another, God has forgiven us unconditionally. Should we not do for others what God has done for us? Should we not forgive others keeping in mind the many times God has forgiven us? God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Vengeance is the Lord's, we are called to forgive. Jesus tells us that we are to forgive someone 'seventy times seven.' Does that mean we are supposed to keep count? No. What that means is we are supposed to forgive people unconditionally. No matter how many times someone may sin against us we are called to forgive them. This is not easy. Our feelings get hurt, our bodies get hurt. There is real evil in the world and it impacts us all. We want vengeance; we want punishment. Those are natural feelings, but are feelings we need to rid from our hearts. For one thing, vengeance is God's territory, not ours. For another, God has forgiven us unconditionally. Should we not do for others what God has done for us? Should we not forgive others keeping in mind the many times God has forgiven us? God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Psalm 93: 1-5
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
'The seas have lifted up their voice.' The earth praises the Lord. I love the idea that the waves of the ocean are the ocean's way of praising God. The whistle of the breeze, the song of a bird, the rippling of the river. All of these things are acts of praise from creation. These are things nature says to show their praise and love for God. What are you saying today to show your praise and love for God? God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
'The seas have lifted up their voice.' The earth praises the Lord. I love the idea that the waves of the ocean are the ocean's way of praising God. The whistle of the breeze, the song of a bird, the rippling of the river. All of these things are acts of praise from creation. These are things nature says to show their praise and love for God. What are you saying today to show your praise and love for God? God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Monday, August 9, 2010
Psalm 92: 1-15
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
'...there is no wickedness in him.' That seems like a 'no-brainer,' but a simple reminder is always helpful. God is not evil. God is good. God loves us and does not want anything bad to happen to us, and he does not make anything bad happen to us. No one has a perfect answer as to why bad things happen, but the one thing we can know is that God is love, and in his love for us God does not cause evil to come into our lives. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
'...there is no wickedness in him.' That seems like a 'no-brainer,' but a simple reminder is always helpful. God is not evil. God is good. God loves us and does not want anything bad to happen to us, and he does not make anything bad happen to us. No one has a perfect answer as to why bad things happen, but the one thing we can know is that God is love, and in his love for us God does not cause evil to come into our lives. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Sunday, August 8, 2010
Psalm 91: 1-16
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
God is our refuge and strength. If we come to him in times of distress and sadness then he will be there to help us through those difficult times in our lives. If we try to deal with it on our own those times will overpower us and we will not make it through. Only by coming to God can we endure times of suffering. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
God is our refuge and strength. If we come to him in times of distress and sadness then he will be there to help us through those difficult times in our lives. If we try to deal with it on our own those times will overpower us and we will not make it through. Only by coming to God can we endure times of suffering. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Saturday, August 7, 2010
Psalm 90: 1-17
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
This is subtitled as 'A prayer of Moses.' If ever there was a man who needed to spend time in prayer it was Moses. Look at what God was able to do through Moses because Moses spent time in prayer: Moses delivered the Ten Plagues on the Egyptians; Moses parted the Sea of Reeds; Moses led the people in the wilderness; Moses spoke to God and received the Law. Moses was able to accomplish a great deal because he spent time in prayer being open to God's voice, asking for God's help. What could God do through you if you prayed like Moses? God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
This is subtitled as 'A prayer of Moses.' If ever there was a man who needed to spend time in prayer it was Moses. Look at what God was able to do through Moses because Moses spent time in prayer: Moses delivered the Ten Plagues on the Egyptians; Moses parted the Sea of Reeds; Moses led the people in the wilderness; Moses spoke to God and received the Law. Moses was able to accomplish a great deal because he spent time in prayer being open to God's voice, asking for God's help. What could God do through you if you prayed like Moses? God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Friday, August 6, 2010
Psalm 89: 1-52
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
Praise God from whom all blessings flow. Praise him all creatures here below. Praise him above ye heavenly hosts. Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. God is worthy of our praise, and so it is our call to sing our praises to God for all he has done for us. Make sure you make time to praise and thank God for the many blessings he has rained down upon you. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Praise God from whom all blessings flow. Praise him all creatures here below. Praise him above ye heavenly hosts. Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. God is worthy of our praise, and so it is our call to sing our praises to God for all he has done for us. Make sure you make time to praise and thank God for the many blessings he has rained down upon you. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Thursday, August 5, 2010
Sunday Scripture and Sermon for August 8, 2010
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
The Scripture passage for this Sunday is from 2 Samuel 12: 13-24 in which David is punished for his adultery and murder. The sermon is titled 'The Final Word' and will focus on how we need to not let death have the final word in our lives. I hope to see you all in church on Sunday. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
The Scripture passage for this Sunday is from 2 Samuel 12: 13-24 in which David is punished for his adultery and murder. The sermon is titled 'The Final Word' and will focus on how we need to not let death have the final word in our lives. I hope to see you all in church on Sunday. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Psalm 88: 1-18
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
We need God's help. We are not able to go through this life alone. There is nothing wrong with needing a little extra help and strength to get us through the day. What is more is that God wants to help us. God is love, and in his love for us he has a desire to help us through life. Call out to God, ask him for help and he will give it. Life is hard; faith is hard. We need assistance. God is willing and able to give it if we only call out to him and ask. Do not let fear, anger, pride, or anything else prevent you from asking for God's help when you need it. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
We need God's help. We are not able to go through this life alone. There is nothing wrong with needing a little extra help and strength to get us through the day. What is more is that God wants to help us. God is love, and in his love for us he has a desire to help us through life. Call out to God, ask him for help and he will give it. Life is hard; faith is hard. We need assistance. God is willing and able to give it if we only call out to him and ask. Do not let fear, anger, pride, or anything else prevent you from asking for God's help when you need it. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Psalm 87: 1-7
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
When you go to a movie theatre or an amusement park you must have a ticket to be able to enjoy the festivities. If you do not have a ticket you will be sent away, which is not a very nice feeling. Through Jesus we have our ticket to heaven. We will not be turned away, but instead will be allowed to enter those heavenly gates to spend an eternity in God's presence. Our names have been written in God's book, we are on the list, we have a ticket. We are going to heaven. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
When you go to a movie theatre or an amusement park you must have a ticket to be able to enjoy the festivities. If you do not have a ticket you will be sent away, which is not a very nice feeling. Through Jesus we have our ticket to heaven. We will not be turned away, but instead will be allowed to enter those heavenly gates to spend an eternity in God's presence. Our names have been written in God's book, we are on the list, we have a ticket. We are going to heaven. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Psalm 86: 1-17
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
'Give me a sign of your goodness...' Trust is a hard thing. We want to trust God totally and completely, but at the end of the day we are left with the fact that bad things happen to very faithful people. Where do we go from there? We ask for signs that God loves us, and that he will protect us from harm. God has given us a sign of his love: Jesus Christ. Is that a perfect answer? No. Bad things happen, and neither I, nor anyone else, can explain why. I cannot give you a promise that your life will be perfect. What I can promise you is that God will be there with you and for you in your times of suffering and sadness. Through Jesus God is eternally present in our lives. That is the sign of God's goodness. Not that he will prevent bad things from happening, but that he will be there to help us when they do. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
'Give me a sign of your goodness...' Trust is a hard thing. We want to trust God totally and completely, but at the end of the day we are left with the fact that bad things happen to very faithful people. Where do we go from there? We ask for signs that God loves us, and that he will protect us from harm. God has given us a sign of his love: Jesus Christ. Is that a perfect answer? No. Bad things happen, and neither I, nor anyone else, can explain why. I cannot give you a promise that your life will be perfect. What I can promise you is that God will be there with you and for you in your times of suffering and sadness. Through Jesus God is eternally present in our lives. That is the sign of God's goodness. Not that he will prevent bad things from happening, but that he will be there to help us when they do. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Monday, August 2, 2010
Psalm 85: 1-13
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
God loves, and his love for us creates a desire in him to see us live a holy life. When we fall short of that we disappoint God. This does not diminish God's love. Nothing will make God stop loving us. However, much in the same way a parent loves their child, but is saddened when the child breaks rules, so does God eternally love us but is saddened when we sin. In short, God cares about us, and he cares about how we live. Let us make God happy by doing what he wants us to do. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
God loves, and his love for us creates a desire in him to see us live a holy life. When we fall short of that we disappoint God. This does not diminish God's love. Nothing will make God stop loving us. However, much in the same way a parent loves their child, but is saddened when the child breaks rules, so does God eternally love us but is saddened when we sin. In short, God cares about us, and he cares about how we live. Let us make God happy by doing what he wants us to do. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Sunday, August 1, 2010
Psalm 84: 1-12
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
'How lovely is your dwelling place.' God lives in a nice place. Heaven, even though we may not know all the details, is, by all accounts, a very nice place. Scripture gives us a few brief glimpses of this place where God lives, but a lot of it is led to the imagination. However, there is a promise Scripture gives us as well: We get to live where God lives. This wonderful, perfect place is no longer closed to us. We get to live there because of Jesus' ministry. We may not know what heaven is like right this second, but someday we will know what it like: when we enter God's kingdom to live for all eternity. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
'How lovely is your dwelling place.' God lives in a nice place. Heaven, even though we may not know all the details, is, by all accounts, a very nice place. Scripture gives us a few brief glimpses of this place where God lives, but a lot of it is led to the imagination. However, there is a promise Scripture gives us as well: We get to live where God lives. This wonderful, perfect place is no longer closed to us. We get to live there because of Jesus' ministry. We may not know what heaven is like right this second, but someday we will know what it like: when we enter God's kingdom to live for all eternity. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)