Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
The Scripture for this Sunday is from John 9: 1-12, in which Jesus heals a man who had been blind from birth. The sermon is titled 'Because He Healed' and will focus on the good news of Jesus bringing the Kingdom of God into this world and what that means for us. I hope to see you all in church on Sunday. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Thursday, March 31, 2011
1 Kings 22: 41-50; Jehoshaphat King of Judah
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
Jehoshaphat did what was right in the eyes of the Lord. In this Jehoshaphat set an example for the people over whom he ruled. Jehoshaphat was the king and he needed to lead the people of Judah in faith. We need to remember our role as 'example' to those around. We are an example to our brothers and sisters in Christ, as well as to those who do not have faith in their lives. We are all leaders. With that in mind let us remember to be holy just as Christ has called us. We never know who may be watching us. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Jehoshaphat did what was right in the eyes of the Lord. In this Jehoshaphat set an example for the people over whom he ruled. Jehoshaphat was the king and he needed to lead the people of Judah in faith. We need to remember our role as 'example' to those around. We are an example to our brothers and sisters in Christ, as well as to those who do not have faith in their lives. We are all leaders. With that in mind let us remember to be holy just as Christ has called us. We never know who may be watching us. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Wednesday, March 30, 2011
1 Kings 22: 29-40; Ahab Killed at Ramoth Gilead
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
God's will has a way of happening whether we want it to or not. Ultimately, God is in control of the world, and all that is in it. Sometimes, God allows us that freedom we so desperately want, but at other times God has a will for and that is what will happen in our lives. Ahab did not want, or really expect, to die like this, but he did. What happened to Ahab may not happen to us, but in Ahab's life, and death, we are reminded that God has a plan for us, and that God's plans always seem to have a way of happening. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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God's will has a way of happening whether we want it to or not. Ultimately, God is in control of the world, and all that is in it. Sometimes, God allows us that freedom we so desperately want, but at other times God has a will for and that is what will happen in our lives. Ahab did not want, or really expect, to die like this, but he did. What happened to Ahab may not happen to us, but in Ahab's life, and death, we are reminded that God has a plan for us, and that God's plans always seem to have a way of happening. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Tuesday, March 29, 2011
1 Kings 22: 1-28; Micaiah Prophesies Against Ahab
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
As we can see Michaiah is not a very popular prophet, and the reason for that is quite simple: "“As surely as the LORD lives, I can tell him only what the LORD tells me.” Michaiah prophesies the words God gives him, which is not always an easy thing to do. In Michaiah's case it leaves him with very few friends and many enemies. We face the same problem in this world sometimes. Not everyone wants to hear about God. Not everyone wants to be invited to church. Some are content just to ignore us, but others seek to do us harm, whether physical or emotional. When this happens we are inclined to tone down the message to make it more popular. We must not do this. We must always speak, boldly, the words God gives us. Will they always be accepted? No. But God's word needs to be shared, no matter how unpopular it is. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
As we can see Michaiah is not a very popular prophet, and the reason for that is quite simple: "“As surely as the LORD lives, I can tell him only what the LORD tells me.” Michaiah prophesies the words God gives him, which is not always an easy thing to do. In Michaiah's case it leaves him with very few friends and many enemies. We face the same problem in this world sometimes. Not everyone wants to hear about God. Not everyone wants to be invited to church. Some are content just to ignore us, but others seek to do us harm, whether physical or emotional. When this happens we are inclined to tone down the message to make it more popular. We must not do this. We must always speak, boldly, the words God gives us. Will they always be accepted? No. But God's word needs to be shared, no matter how unpopular it is. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Monday, March 28, 2011
1 Kings 21: 1-29; Naboth's Vineyard
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
The name Ahab is synonymous with bad decisions. The King Ahab has shown, over the last few chapters that he follows only his own desires, caring nothing for the will of God. In Herman Melville's 'Moby Dick' Captain Ahab seeks vengeance on the whale who took his leg. Ahab will stop at nothing to get revenge, even though, in the end, it costs him his own life. We learn a lesson from both Ahabs. If we center our lives on Christ things will work out for the best. King Ahab is punished by God, Captain Ahab is killed. Neither man had a life of faith and because of that their lives fell apart. If we follow God, then our lives will be blessed. Plain and simple. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
The name Ahab is synonymous with bad decisions. The King Ahab has shown, over the last few chapters that he follows only his own desires, caring nothing for the will of God. In Herman Melville's 'Moby Dick' Captain Ahab seeks vengeance on the whale who took his leg. Ahab will stop at nothing to get revenge, even though, in the end, it costs him his own life. We learn a lesson from both Ahabs. If we center our lives on Christ things will work out for the best. King Ahab is punished by God, Captain Ahab is killed. Neither man had a life of faith and because of that their lives fell apart. If we follow God, then our lives will be blessed. Plain and simple. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Sunday, March 27, 2011
1 Kings 20: 35-43; A Prophet Condemns Ahab
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
Once again Ahab's disobedience catches up with him. Ahab continues to break God's will and God continues to punish. Though it is used many times in the Old Testament I do not like the word punish as it applies today. Using that word makes us think there is no love involved. God loves us, and in his love for us God will bring us back to the path of faith in whatever way he sees fit. This may not be pleasant for us, but it is ultimately for the best. We need to be obedient. We need to stay on the path God has laid out for us. Or, like Ahab, we may experience something we do not like. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Once again Ahab's disobedience catches up with him. Ahab continues to break God's will and God continues to punish. Though it is used many times in the Old Testament I do not like the word punish as it applies today. Using that word makes us think there is no love involved. God loves us, and in his love for us God will bring us back to the path of faith in whatever way he sees fit. This may not be pleasant for us, but it is ultimately for the best. We need to be obedient. We need to stay on the path God has laid out for us. Or, like Ahab, we may experience something we do not like. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Saturday, March 26, 2011
1 Kings 20: 13-34; Ahab Defeats Ben-Hadad
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
Just like that the threat is gone. Why? Certainly not because of Ahab's great faith (we have seen earlier in 1 Kings the lack of faith he has); and certainly not because of Ahab's great army. No, the reason Ahab is able to defeat Ben-Hadad is because of God's grace and love. Without those thing Ahab would have been in a bad way for sure. The same is true of us. We sometimes come against seemingly insurmountable odds. When that happens God steps in to help us, and if we let him we will find victory. God's grace and love surpass any other power in the world. Let them help you. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Just like that the threat is gone. Why? Certainly not because of Ahab's great faith (we have seen earlier in 1 Kings the lack of faith he has); and certainly not because of Ahab's great army. No, the reason Ahab is able to defeat Ben-Hadad is because of God's grace and love. Without those thing Ahab would have been in a bad way for sure. The same is true of us. We sometimes come against seemingly insurmountable odds. When that happens God steps in to help us, and if we let him we will find victory. God's grace and love surpass any other power in the world. Let them help you. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Friday, March 25, 2011
1 Kings 20: 1-12; Ben-Hadad Attacks Samaria
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
Adversaries are never an easy thing to face. We give a little to make sure they do not hurt us too much, but when they want more trouble comes. When we are faced with adversity we need to believe in God's power and presence in our lives. We need to believe that God is with us, that he will never leave us nor forsake us. Always remember, no matter what happens, the Lord is with thee. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Adversaries are never an easy thing to face. We give a little to make sure they do not hurt us too much, but when they want more trouble comes. When we are faced with adversity we need to believe in God's power and presence in our lives. We need to believe that God is with us, that he will never leave us nor forsake us. Always remember, no matter what happens, the Lord is with thee. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Thursday, March 24, 2011
Sunday Scripture and Sermon for March 27, 2011
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
The Scripture passage for the third Sunday in Lent is from John 4: 1-15, in which Jesus rests by Jacob's Well and offers a Samaritan woman something to drink. The sermon is titled 'Because He Gave Water,' and will focus on the water, or nourishment, Jesus gives to us. I hope to see you all in church on Sunday. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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The Scripture passage for the third Sunday in Lent is from John 4: 1-15, in which Jesus rests by Jacob's Well and offers a Samaritan woman something to drink. The sermon is titled 'Because He Gave Water,' and will focus on the water, or nourishment, Jesus gives to us. I hope to see you all in church on Sunday. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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1 Kings 19: 19-21; The Call of Elisha
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
Elisha may not have come as quickly as Elijah would have liked, but Elisha did drop everything to follow this great prophet. Elisha leaves behind his family, his friends, his work, etc. in order to be faithful to the call God had placed on his life. We need to show that same kind of faith. When God calls us to do something we often claim we are too busy to follow. We need to have a faith like Elisha's. We need to have enough faith to do whatever God tells us, to go wherever God sends us, recognizing that following God is the most important thing we could ever do. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Elisha may not have come as quickly as Elijah would have liked, but Elisha did drop everything to follow this great prophet. Elisha leaves behind his family, his friends, his work, etc. in order to be faithful to the call God had placed on his life. We need to show that same kind of faith. When God calls us to do something we often claim we are too busy to follow. We need to have a faith like Elisha's. We need to have enough faith to do whatever God tells us, to go wherever God sends us, recognizing that following God is the most important thing we could ever do. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Wednesday, March 23, 2011
1 Kings 19: 10-18; The Lord Appears to Elijah
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
"And after the fire came a gentle whisper." Stories like the burning bush are amazing. It is incredible to see how God moves and speaks to people throughout the Bible. The downside, though, is that we come to expect God to speak to us like that all the time. We expect God to get our attention in some totally unusual way. We look for a burning bush, or a fire, or a dove lightly descending from the heavens. More often that not, though, God's voice comes to us as a gentle whisper. God speaks. We need to open our ears. We need to stop looking in the wrong places and simply listen for God's voice. If we do we will hear that gentle whisper telling us what we need to hear. Listen. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
"And after the fire came a gentle whisper." Stories like the burning bush are amazing. It is incredible to see how God moves and speaks to people throughout the Bible. The downside, though, is that we come to expect God to speak to us like that all the time. We expect God to get our attention in some totally unusual way. We look for a burning bush, or a fire, or a dove lightly descending from the heavens. More often that not, though, God's voice comes to us as a gentle whisper. God speaks. We need to open our ears. We need to stop looking in the wrong places and simply listen for God's voice. If we do we will hear that gentle whisper telling us what we need to hear. Listen. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Tuesday, March 22, 2011
1 Kings 19: 1-9; Elijah Flees to Horeb
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
God takes great care of Elijah in this passage. Elijah is on the run for his very life, and as he is on the run God sends an angel to Elijah to give him the help, and sustenance, he needs to continue. Elijah is living by fear, not knowing what is going to happen next, not knowing if his next breath is going to be his last. Through all of the turmoil, though, God cares for Elijah. Our lives are like that sometimes. Sometimes we find ourselves in very difficult situations. We do not know what is going to happen next. We do not know anything about the future. In those times of uncertainty we have the blessing of God's presence and care in our lives. God is with us, especially in the difficult times, helping us. When our lives are falling apart, God is there to put us back together. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
God takes great care of Elijah in this passage. Elijah is on the run for his very life, and as he is on the run God sends an angel to Elijah to give him the help, and sustenance, he needs to continue. Elijah is living by fear, not knowing what is going to happen next, not knowing if his next breath is going to be his last. Through all of the turmoil, though, God cares for Elijah. Our lives are like that sometimes. Sometimes we find ourselves in very difficult situations. We do not know what is going to happen next. We do not know anything about the future. In those times of uncertainty we have the blessing of God's presence and care in our lives. God is with us, especially in the difficult times, helping us. When our lives are falling apart, God is there to put us back together. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Monday, March 21, 2011
1 Kings 18: 16-46; Elijah on Mount Carmel
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
'Is that you, you troubler of Israel?' Ahab, in this passage, refuses to accept any responsibility for the trouble in which Israel finds itself. It is because of Ahab's sins, and the sins of his predecessors, that Israel is being punished by God. Their collective sins disrupted the relationship between God and Israel. Too often we fail to confess our sins. We have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. It is essential that we remember this, and recognize that some of the suffering we endure we bring on ourselves. Ahab's sinned led to Israel's sufferings. Sometimes our sins lead to our suffering as well. We need to be aware of who we are and what we have done so we can have a proper relationship with God. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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'Is that you, you troubler of Israel?' Ahab, in this passage, refuses to accept any responsibility for the trouble in which Israel finds itself. It is because of Ahab's sins, and the sins of his predecessors, that Israel is being punished by God. Their collective sins disrupted the relationship between God and Israel. Too often we fail to confess our sins. We have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. It is essential that we remember this, and recognize that some of the suffering we endure we bring on ourselves. Ahab's sinned led to Israel's sufferings. Sometimes our sins lead to our suffering as well. We need to be aware of who we are and what we have done so we can have a proper relationship with God. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Sunday, March 20, 2011
1 Kings 18: 1-15; Elijah and Obadiah
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
Obadiah acts in faith, but fear is still in his heart. Obadiah refuses to tell Ahab that Elijah is here because he is afraid Ahab will kill him. There are times we act on faith, and times we act on fear. The trick is to let faith do the work most of the time. We are blessed with a God who loves us and wants what is best for us. With that in mind we can have faith that he is always going to be with us, and that he is always going to bless us as we go through life. We have no reason to be afraid. We are God's children, dearly loved. We have no need to fear. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Obadiah acts in faith, but fear is still in his heart. Obadiah refuses to tell Ahab that Elijah is here because he is afraid Ahab will kill him. There are times we act on faith, and times we act on fear. The trick is to let faith do the work most of the time. We are blessed with a God who loves us and wants what is best for us. With that in mind we can have faith that he is always going to be with us, and that he is always going to bless us as we go through life. We have no reason to be afraid. We are God's children, dearly loved. We have no need to fear. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Saturday, March 19, 2011
1 Kings 17: 7-24; Elijah and the Widow at Zarephath
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
In the beginning I'm sure Elijah sees the widow as his source of food. Not that he has anything against her, but in the beginning I am not sure there is much affection. In the end, though, Elijah comes to love the woman as a sister, and feels the same about her son, which is why Elijah intercedes so strongly on the sons behalf. We are all brothers and sisters in Christ. As such we should spend time in prayer, taking time to intercede for each other, just Elijah did for the widow's son. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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In the beginning I'm sure Elijah sees the widow as his source of food. Not that he has anything against her, but in the beginning I am not sure there is much affection. In the end, though, Elijah comes to love the woman as a sister, and feels the same about her son, which is why Elijah intercedes so strongly on the sons behalf. We are all brothers and sisters in Christ. As such we should spend time in prayer, taking time to intercede for each other, just Elijah did for the widow's son. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Friday, March 18, 2011
1 Kings 17: 2-6; Elijah Fed by Ravens
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
God took great care of Elijah, here using ravens to feed the great prophet. Elijah had no worries in his life because his faith told him God would take care of him. Elijah's faith was rewarded by God actually taken care of him. In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus tells us to not worry, that as God takes care of the birds so he will take care of us. Therefore, we should trust. We should trust that God is able, and willing, to take care of our every need. Elijah did not worry. Jesus did not worry. We should not worry as well. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
God took great care of Elijah, here using ravens to feed the great prophet. Elijah had no worries in his life because his faith told him God would take care of him. Elijah's faith was rewarded by God actually taken care of him. In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus tells us to not worry, that as God takes care of the birds so he will take care of us. Therefore, we should trust. We should trust that God is able, and willing, to take care of our every need. Elijah did not worry. Jesus did not worry. We should not worry as well. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Thursday, March 17, 2011
Sunday Scripture and Sermon for March 20, 2011
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
The Scripture passage for this Sunday is from John 3: 1-17, in which Jesus teaches Nicodemus what it is to have faith. The sermon is titled 'Because He Loves,' and will focus on the ways in which Christ's love is shown in this passage. I hope to see you all in church on Sunday. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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The Scripture passage for this Sunday is from John 3: 1-17, in which Jesus teaches Nicodemus what it is to have faith. The sermon is titled 'Because He Loves,' and will focus on the ways in which Christ's love is shown in this passage. I hope to see you all in church on Sunday. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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1 Kings 17: 1; Elijah Announces a Great Drought
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
Elijah had great faith, and because he had great faith he was able to do great things. Here we see Elijah commanding a drought to take place, a punishment for the sins of the Israelites. Jesus tells us that if our faith is strong enough we can command a mountain to throw itself into the sea. With faith all things are possible. All we need to do is believe. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Elijah had great faith, and because he had great faith he was able to do great things. Here we see Elijah commanding a drought to take place, a punishment for the sins of the Israelites. Jesus tells us that if our faith is strong enough we can command a mountain to throw itself into the sea. With faith all things are possible. All we need to do is believe. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Wednesday, March 16, 2011
1 Kings 16: 29-34; Ahab Becomes King of Israel
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
One of Ahab's specific sins is listed here: worshiping other gods, which is a direct violation of the first commandment. This is something we do not have to worry about, right? Wrong. Other gods are everywhere, all around us, though we give them other names besides Baal: television, money, reputation, sports, etc. All of these things have become our gods that we put before God. At the end of the day, are we really much better than Ahab? God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
One of Ahab's specific sins is listed here: worshiping other gods, which is a direct violation of the first commandment. This is something we do not have to worry about, right? Wrong. Other gods are everywhere, all around us, though we give them other names besides Baal: television, money, reputation, sports, etc. All of these things have become our gods that we put before God. At the end of the day, are we really much better than Ahab? God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Tuesday, March 15, 2011
1 Kings 16: 21-28; Omri King of Israel
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
'A house divided against itself cannot stand.' Those are words, from Jesus, Israel would have been blessed to hear. In this passage Israel is split into two factions, which is, simply put, a recipe for disaster. In this time it would have been in Israel's best interest to unite under one common person: God. Instead, though, Israel fought, and they continued to fight and sin until they lost the Promised Land. We should heed these words from Jesus: 'A house divided against itself cannot stand.' We do not always agree. For that matter, we do not always get along. But that does not mean we should forsake each other. Instead, we should work hard to continue to see each other through God's eyes, to love each other, to stand together as the body of Christ that we might continue to do the work of Christ. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
'A house divided against itself cannot stand.' Those are words, from Jesus, Israel would have been blessed to hear. In this passage Israel is split into two factions, which is, simply put, a recipe for disaster. In this time it would have been in Israel's best interest to unite under one common person: God. Instead, though, Israel fought, and they continued to fight and sin until they lost the Promised Land. We should heed these words from Jesus: 'A house divided against itself cannot stand.' We do not always agree. For that matter, we do not always get along. But that does not mean we should forsake each other. Instead, we should work hard to continue to see each other through God's eyes, to love each other, to stand together as the body of Christ that we might continue to do the work of Christ. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Monday, March 14, 2011
1 Kings 16: 15-20; Zimri King of Israel
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
There appears to be a lot of turmoil in Israel throughout these last couple of chapters. Kings are coming and going quite rapidly, and most of them have been deposed for one reason or another. The reason for all of this upheaval is simple: Israel was living outside of God's will. They were not following the path God had laid out for them and because of that they were not doing very well. God knows what is best. When we stay on his path good things happen to us because God wants what is best for us. But when we leave God's path things begin to go wrong because while we think we know what is best for us we actually do not. Only God can bless us. Only God can make our lives good. Israel forgot that. Let us not forget the fact that only God knows what is best. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
There appears to be a lot of turmoil in Israel throughout these last couple of chapters. Kings are coming and going quite rapidly, and most of them have been deposed for one reason or another. The reason for all of this upheaval is simple: Israel was living outside of God's will. They were not following the path God had laid out for them and because of that they were not doing very well. God knows what is best. When we stay on his path good things happen to us because God wants what is best for us. But when we leave God's path things begin to go wrong because while we think we know what is best for us we actually do not. Only God can bless us. Only God can make our lives good. Israel forgot that. Let us not forget the fact that only God knows what is best. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Sunday, March 13, 2011
1 Kings 16: 8-14; Elah King of Israel
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
One of the few things we learn about Elah here is that he was getting drunk at the time he was overthrown. That one small detail is almost all we receive about him. If someone wrote a book about you, what sort of details would you want there to be? What sort of detail would there actually be? In other words, how will you be remembered? God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
One of the few things we learn about Elah here is that he was getting drunk at the time he was overthrown. That one small detail is almost all we receive about him. If someone wrote a book about you, what sort of details would you want there to be? What sort of detail would there actually be? In other words, how will you be remembered? God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Saturday, March 12, 2011
1 Kings 15: 33- 16: 7; Baasa King of Israel
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
God never stops working. Baasha created a great power for himself. He tried to get rid of many of his enemies so he had nothing to worry about. However, the one person he was not able to get rid of was God. God continued to work in Israel and eventually removed Bassha from power. We might think God is gone, that he is done with the world. We might think we do not have to worry about God anymore. We would be wrong to think these things. No matter what we do, where we go, or how much power we think we have, God is always there and working. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
God never stops working. Baasha created a great power for himself. He tried to get rid of many of his enemies so he had nothing to worry about. However, the one person he was not able to get rid of was God. God continued to work in Israel and eventually removed Bassha from power. We might think God is gone, that he is done with the world. We might think we do not have to worry about God anymore. We would be wrong to think these things. No matter what we do, where we go, or how much power we think we have, God is always there and working. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Friday, March 11, 2011
1 Kings 15: 25-32; Nadab King of Israel
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
Evil begets more evil. Nadab lives a life of sin and evil, and so he is killed. Baasha, throughout his reign took the lives of many people. His evil deeds continued to spread, even so far as Israel, the Northern Kingdom. We can learn a lesson from these kings: if we want to stop evil then we must sow love rather than hate. If we sow hate, if we seek vengeance, the only thing that will do is create more hate. Evil begets evil, but love begets love. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Evil begets more evil. Nadab lives a life of sin and evil, and so he is killed. Baasha, throughout his reign took the lives of many people. His evil deeds continued to spread, even so far as Israel, the Northern Kingdom. We can learn a lesson from these kings: if we want to stop evil then we must sow love rather than hate. If we sow hate, if we seek vengeance, the only thing that will do is create more hate. Evil begets evil, but love begets love. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Thursday, March 10, 2011
Sunday Scripture and Sermon for March 13, 2011
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
The Scripture passage for this Sunday is from Matthew 4: 1-11, in which Jesus is tempted in the wilderness. The sermon is titled 'Because He Was Tempted' and will focus on the good news we receive from the temptation of Christ. I hope to see you all on Sunday. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
The Scripture passage for this Sunday is from Matthew 4: 1-11, in which Jesus is tempted in the wilderness. The sermon is titled 'Because He Was Tempted' and will focus on the good news we receive from the temptation of Christ. I hope to see you all on Sunday. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
1 Kings 15: 9-24; Asa King of Judah
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
God took care of Asa. As Asa faced a political crisis, with Israel threatening to cut them off from the world, Asa's faith was rewarded. We are told he was a righteous person, that he followed the commands of the Lord, and because Asa was so faithful God blessed him with safety and security. God rewards faithfulness. If we are faithful to all God has called us to do then he will bless us more than we know. The first step, though, is to increase our faith. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
God took care of Asa. As Asa faced a political crisis, with Israel threatening to cut them off from the world, Asa's faith was rewarded. We are told he was a righteous person, that he followed the commands of the Lord, and because Asa was so faithful God blessed him with safety and security. God rewards faithfulness. If we are faithful to all God has called us to do then he will bless us more than we know. The first step, though, is to increase our faith. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
1 Kings 15: 1-8; Abijah King of Judah
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
Abijah continued the sins of his father, Rehoboam. In this is a reminder for us to raise the children of the world in faith. Whether it is our own children, or children in spirit we need to make sure they have a life in the church. The best way to do this is by example. Children watch their parents and learn from their example. With that in mind we should continue to set the example our children need: the example of living a life of faith. Abijah followed his father's example of sin. We need to set the example of faith for our children, an example they can follow. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Abijah continued the sins of his father, Rehoboam. In this is a reminder for us to raise the children of the world in faith. Whether it is our own children, or children in spirit we need to make sure they have a life in the church. The best way to do this is by example. Children watch their parents and learn from their example. With that in mind we should continue to set the example our children need: the example of living a life of faith. Abijah followed his father's example of sin. We need to set the example of faith for our children, an example they can follow. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Tuesday, March 8, 2011
1 Kings 14: 21-31; Rehoboam King of Judah
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
Rehoboam did evil in the eyes of the Lord, and this caused him great trouble in his reign. We are told in this passage that the kingdom of Judah is attacked and all their possessions are taken from them. This is, I believe, in direct response to the sins of the people of Judah. God disciplined them for the sins they had committed. This is a good passage for us to read. God may correct us at times. We have all fallen short of God's glory. We have a chance, when that happens to get back on the right path by ourselves. If we do not we may feel God's strong hands leads us back, sometimes unwillingly, to where we need to be. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Rehoboam did evil in the eyes of the Lord, and this caused him great trouble in his reign. We are told in this passage that the kingdom of Judah is attacked and all their possessions are taken from them. This is, I believe, in direct response to the sins of the people of Judah. God disciplined them for the sins they had committed. This is a good passage for us to read. God may correct us at times. We have all fallen short of God's glory. We have a chance, when that happens to get back on the right path by ourselves. If we do not we may feel God's strong hands leads us back, sometimes unwillingly, to where we need to be. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Monday, March 7, 2011
1 Kings 14:1-20; Ahijah’s Prophecy Against Jeroboam
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
Jeroboam assumed that because God had blessed him he had no need of doing good. Jeroboam felt he had reached an end point in his relationship with God. Jeroboam God what he wanted and moved on. Let us all heed from Jeroboam's life. Our relationship with God is never complete. Our service to God is never finished. God blesses us, yes. But that does not free us from a life of faith. Jeroboam believed he had nothing more to do. Let us not believe the same thing. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Jeroboam assumed that because God had blessed him he had no need of doing good. Jeroboam felt he had reached an end point in his relationship with God. Jeroboam God what he wanted and moved on. Let us all heed from Jeroboam's life. Our relationship with God is never complete. Our service to God is never finished. God blesses us, yes. But that does not free us from a life of faith. Jeroboam believed he had nothing more to do. Let us not believe the same thing. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Sunday, March 6, 2011
1 Kings 13: 1-34; The Man of God from Judah
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
Speaking the word of God is not an easy thing if for no other reason than the fact that sometimes no one wants to hear it. The Man of God speaks a word of judgment against Jeroboam and Israel, and for that he is hated. But that does not keep him from bringing the message God has given. We are called to bring a message to the world, but it is a message the world may not want to hear. With that in mind we should not remain silent. Instead we should speak with faith, by the power of the Holy Spirit, the words God has given us. They may not be popular, but they are the words God wants us to speak; they are the words God wants the world to hear. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Speaking the word of God is not an easy thing if for no other reason than the fact that sometimes no one wants to hear it. The Man of God speaks a word of judgment against Jeroboam and Israel, and for that he is hated. But that does not keep him from bringing the message God has given. We are called to bring a message to the world, but it is a message the world may not want to hear. With that in mind we should not remain silent. Instead we should speak with faith, by the power of the Holy Spirit, the words God has given us. They may not be popular, but they are the words God wants us to speak; they are the words God wants the world to hear. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Saturday, March 5, 2011
1 Kings 12: 25-33; Golden Calves at Bethel and Dan
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
It is so easy to fall back into the patterns of our former way of life. Jeroboam has constructed golden calves, very similar to the golden calf the Israelites made at the base of Mt. Sinai. For that sin many Israelites were killed. And yet, even with that knowledge the Israelites make golden calves yet again. We are always in danger of regressing. We need to be careful. Our old life, the life we had before we came to Christ, is behind us, but it can come back if we let it. We need to continue to be faithful to the life to which God has called us and be careful not to fall into hold habits. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
It is so easy to fall back into the patterns of our former way of life. Jeroboam has constructed golden calves, very similar to the golden calf the Israelites made at the base of Mt. Sinai. For that sin many Israelites were killed. And yet, even with that knowledge the Israelites make golden calves yet again. We are always in danger of regressing. We need to be careful. Our old life, the life we had before we came to Christ, is behind us, but it can come back if we let it. We need to continue to be faithful to the life to which God has called us and be careful not to fall into hold habits. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Friday, March 4, 2011
1 Kings 12: 1-24; Israel Rebels Against Rehoboam
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
We are supposed to hold one another accountable. Rehoboam was not doing the things he needed to be doing, and Israel called him on it. They wanted certain things from their king and they reacted when he did not do those things. We need to do the same on our journey of faith. We are called to help one another, to bear each other's burdens. But we are also called to hold each other accountable, to help each other, in a variety of ways, to achieve the holiness to which God has called us. Where there is sin in the world, or in the life of someone we know, we need to name it and help with the process breaking away from sin. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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We are supposed to hold one another accountable. Rehoboam was not doing the things he needed to be doing, and Israel called him on it. They wanted certain things from their king and they reacted when he did not do those things. We need to do the same on our journey of faith. We are called to help one another, to bear each other's burdens. But we are also called to hold each other accountable, to help each other, in a variety of ways, to achieve the holiness to which God has called us. Where there is sin in the world, or in the life of someone we know, we need to name it and help with the process breaking away from sin. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Thursday, March 3, 2011
Sunday Scripture and Sermon for March 6, 2011
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
The Scripture for this Sunday is from Ephesians 4: 11-16, in which Paul reminds us of that each of us is called to a particular task. The sermon is titled 'Don't Give Up.' During the sermon time we will talk about the common practice to give something up during Lent and how, instead of that, we should add something to our lives. I hope to see you all in church on Sunday. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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The Scripture for this Sunday is from Ephesians 4: 11-16, in which Paul reminds us of that each of us is called to a particular task. The sermon is titled 'Don't Give Up.' During the sermon time we will talk about the common practice to give something up during Lent and how, instead of that, we should add something to our lives. I hope to see you all in church on Sunday. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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1 Kings 11: 41-43; The Death of Solomon
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
Forward is the direction we need to be moving. Solomon's death is not given very much attention here for one very important reason: Israel has faith to move forward knowing God will give them everything they need. They do not want/need to wallow in self-pity once Solomon has died. Instead they want to continue to move forward on the path God has laid out for them. We need to the same thing. Bad things happen. There is no way to sugar-coat it, and there is nothing we can do about it. When bad things happen we can do one of two things: one, not move for fear of something else bad happening; two, move forward knowing God will be there to guide us every step of the way. Your move. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Forward is the direction we need to be moving. Solomon's death is not given very much attention here for one very important reason: Israel has faith to move forward knowing God will give them everything they need. They do not want/need to wallow in self-pity once Solomon has died. Instead they want to continue to move forward on the path God has laid out for them. We need to the same thing. Bad things happen. There is no way to sugar-coat it, and there is nothing we can do about it. When bad things happen we can do one of two things: one, not move for fear of something else bad happening; two, move forward knowing God will be there to guide us every step of the way. Your move. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Wednesday, March 2, 2011
1 Kings 11: 26-40; Jeroboam Rebels Against Solomon
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
God punishes Solomon because Solomon has sinned, and in that we are reminded of one very important fact: God is still active and involved in our lives, just as he was with Solomon. We have been called to obedience. God has given us commandments, as has Jesus. Those commandments are what keep us on the path God has laid out for us. If we stray from that path, then God will bring us back to the path. As was the case with Solomon this may not be a pleasant experience for us, but it is for our benefit, for the Lord's path is the place we are supposed to be. God remains active and involved. He directs us on the path, and brings us back to it, if necessary. Let us all continue to grow in our faith, that we would continue to stay on the path God has laid out for us. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
God punishes Solomon because Solomon has sinned, and in that we are reminded of one very important fact: God is still active and involved in our lives, just as he was with Solomon. We have been called to obedience. God has given us commandments, as has Jesus. Those commandments are what keep us on the path God has laid out for us. If we stray from that path, then God will bring us back to the path. As was the case with Solomon this may not be a pleasant experience for us, but it is for our benefit, for the Lord's path is the place we are supposed to be. God remains active and involved. He directs us on the path, and brings us back to it, if necessary. Let us all continue to grow in our faith, that we would continue to stay on the path God has laid out for us. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
1 Kings 11: 14-25; Solomon's Adversaries
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
At times, we may face enemies in our lives. Whether because of our faith, or some other incident in life, there may be people in the world who do not like us. More than that there may be people in the world who would wish us harm. What do we do in the face of such pain and turmoil? We pray. Jesus tells us to 'love our enemies and pray for those who persecute you.' Returning hate for hate will get us nowhere. The only way for us to get rid of the hatred is to continue to love. This is a long process, obviously. We may continue to have enemies and those enemies may still persecute us. But our love, and the love of God, can turn things around. It may take time, but love is the best thing to put against hate. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
At times, we may face enemies in our lives. Whether because of our faith, or some other incident in life, there may be people in the world who do not like us. More than that there may be people in the world who would wish us harm. What do we do in the face of such pain and turmoil? We pray. Jesus tells us to 'love our enemies and pray for those who persecute you.' Returning hate for hate will get us nowhere. The only way for us to get rid of the hatred is to continue to love. This is a long process, obviously. We may continue to have enemies and those enemies may still persecute us. But our love, and the love of God, can turn things around. It may take time, but love is the best thing to put against hate. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
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