Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
I will be gone on a mission trip to Ghana fom August 21-31, 2011. If you need anything while I am away please contact one of the church Elders. Reverend Tracy Mills will be preaching in the worship service on Sunday, August 28, 2011. I will not be posting blogs during this time. Posting will resume when I return. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Sunday, August 21, 2011
Isaiah 8: 1-18; Isaiah and His Children as Signs
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
"The Lord almighty is the one you are to regard as holy." Israel's problem is that they think of other things, and gods, as holy as well. They have let themselves be led away from God to something, or someone else. The Exile is going to to serve as a reminder for them that God is the only one they should worship. These other gods are nothing, they do not give what God gives. The Lord almighty is the one you are to regard as holy. Good thing we don't worship other gods these days. Or do we? God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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"The Lord almighty is the one you are to regard as holy." Israel's problem is that they think of other things, and gods, as holy as well. They have let themselves be led away from God to something, or someone else. The Exile is going to to serve as a reminder for them that God is the only one they should worship. These other gods are nothing, they do not give what God gives. The Lord almighty is the one you are to regard as holy. Good thing we don't worship other gods these days. Or do we? God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Saturday, August 20, 2011
Isaiah 7: 18-25; Assyria, the LORD’s Instrument
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
The Israelites cannot ever claim that they were not warned of their impending punishment. God let them know exactly what was coming. That obviously does not help too much, but one piece of comfort we can take from that is this: If God was able to warn Israel then that means God knew what was coming; and if God knew what was coming that means he was in charge of it all. In other words, God had a plan. He had a plan for the Israelites, and he has a plan for us now. We do not know what that plan is. Most likely we will not even like the plan. But we can rest in knowing God has a plan for us. And in the end that plan is going to work for good. There is no doubt about that whatsoever, for the Lord protects (watches over) those he loves. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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The Israelites cannot ever claim that they were not warned of their impending punishment. God let them know exactly what was coming. That obviously does not help too much, but one piece of comfort we can take from that is this: If God was able to warn Israel then that means God knew what was coming; and if God knew what was coming that means he was in charge of it all. In other words, God had a plan. He had a plan for the Israelites, and he has a plan for us now. We do not know what that plan is. Most likely we will not even like the plan. But we can rest in knowing God has a plan for us. And in the end that plan is going to work for good. There is no doubt about that whatsoever, for the Lord protects (watches over) those he loves. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Friday, August 19, 2011
Isaiah 7: 1-17; The Sign of Immanuel
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
Immanuel: God with us. For years I have tried to convince my wife that this would be a good name for a child, as a reminder of God's continued presence in our lives through the Holy Spirit. That being said, the name is what this passage is all about. God with us. Jesus is not just another random prophet called by God to preach. No, Jesus is God in the flesh. In other words, God loves us enough that he came down here. He left heaven to find us and bring us back to him. This name, Immanuel, adds the deepest level to the birth of Jesus. God loves us enough to be with us, to come down here and walk among us; to come down here to save us. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Immanuel: God with us. For years I have tried to convince my wife that this would be a good name for a child, as a reminder of God's continued presence in our lives through the Holy Spirit. That being said, the name is what this passage is all about. God with us. Jesus is not just another random prophet called by God to preach. No, Jesus is God in the flesh. In other words, God loves us enough that he came down here. He left heaven to find us and bring us back to him. This name, Immanuel, adds the deepest level to the birth of Jesus. God loves us enough to be with us, to come down here and walk among us; to come down here to save us. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Thursday, August 18, 2011
Sunday Scripture and Sermon for August 21, 2011
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
The Scripture passage for this Sunday is from Acts 8: 9-25, which tells the story of Simon the Magician. The sermon is titled 'Simons' and will focus on the two Simons we meet in this passage: Simon the Magician, and Simon Peter. 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 Acts 8: 9-25, which tells the story of Simon the Magician. The sermon is titled 'Simons' and will focus on the two Simons we meet in this passage: Simon the Magician, and Simon Peter. I hope to see you all in church on Sunday. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Isaiah 6: 1-13; Isaiah’s Commission
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
This is one of the most beautiful passages in all of Scripture because it gives one of the few brief glimpses into the heavens. Isaiah finds himself before God's throne, and he bears witness to the angels worshiping God. I guess the best bit of good news we can find in this passage is the fact that we will be blessed to see the same thing someday. Of course, God may call us into service in a similar way, but what I really mean to say is that someday we will all be in heaven; we will be before God's thrones. And with the angels we will worship God. If that does not fill you with joy and peace I do not know what will. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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This is one of the most beautiful passages in all of Scripture because it gives one of the few brief glimpses into the heavens. Isaiah finds himself before God's throne, and he bears witness to the angels worshiping God. I guess the best bit of good news we can find in this passage is the fact that we will be blessed to see the same thing someday. Of course, God may call us into service in a similar way, but what I really mean to say is that someday we will all be in heaven; we will be before God's thrones. And with the angels we will worship God. If that does not fill you with joy and peace I do not know what will. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Wednesday, August 17, 2011
Isaiah 5: 8-30; Woes and Judgments
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
In the world, not of the world. That is the mantra of the Israelites. Or rather, it's supposed to be. They are supposed to live in the world; they are human. They have to look after their worldly bodies and concerns that go along with that. They must eat; they must drink; they must have a place to live. God also wants the Israelites to be happy, to enjoy life and all it brings. However, the Israelites are supposed to be of God. In other words, while they are to look after their worldly lives they are not supposed to be consumed by them. The Israelites are to refrain from building large houses; they are to refrain from drinking too much; they are too refrain, in short, from letting the world have too much influence in their lives. Now, here's the kicker: we are supposed to do the exact same thing. As children of God, as disciples of Christ, we are supposed to be in the world, but not of the world. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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In the world, not of the world. That is the mantra of the Israelites. Or rather, it's supposed to be. They are supposed to live in the world; they are human. They have to look after their worldly bodies and concerns that go along with that. They must eat; they must drink; they must have a place to live. God also wants the Israelites to be happy, to enjoy life and all it brings. However, the Israelites are supposed to be of God. In other words, while they are to look after their worldly lives they are not supposed to be consumed by them. The Israelites are to refrain from building large houses; they are to refrain from drinking too much; they are too refrain, in short, from letting the world have too much influence in their lives. Now, here's the kicker: we are supposed to do the exact same thing. As children of God, as disciples of Christ, we are supposed to be in the world, but not of the world. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Tuesday, August 16, 2011
Isaiah 5: 1-7; The Song of the Vineyard
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
God has given the Israelites everything they need to do his will. He has given them the Promised Land; he has given them the Law; he has given them the Prophets. God has blessed all the Israelites collectively and individually. And yet, the Israelites continue to be mired in sin. They simply refuse to do God's will even though they have all the right tools. And in the book of Isaiah the Israelites are given the bad news: they are going to be punished by God; not for their mistakes, but for their willful disobedience. God has given us tools as well. God has planted a new vineyard; plowed it, planted seeds, watered, etc. More than that God has left us the hoe, the shovel, the trowel, the oxen, and everything else we need to tend this vineyard. Are we going to be like Israel and let weeds (i.e., sin) take over the place? Or are we going to use the tools God has given us to work the garden, keep it looking nice, and help make it bear good fruit? God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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God has given the Israelites everything they need to do his will. He has given them the Promised Land; he has given them the Law; he has given them the Prophets. God has blessed all the Israelites collectively and individually. And yet, the Israelites continue to be mired in sin. They simply refuse to do God's will even though they have all the right tools. And in the book of Isaiah the Israelites are given the bad news: they are going to be punished by God; not for their mistakes, but for their willful disobedience. God has given us tools as well. God has planted a new vineyard; plowed it, planted seeds, watered, etc. More than that God has left us the hoe, the shovel, the trowel, the oxen, and everything else we need to tend this vineyard. Are we going to be like Israel and let weeds (i.e., sin) take over the place? Or are we going to use the tools God has given us to work the garden, keep it looking nice, and help make it bear good fruit? God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Monday, August 15, 2011
Isaiah 4: 2-6; The Branch of the Lord
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
There is so much imagery in this passage. I have always been a little partial to the image of God as a pillar of both smoke and fire. God appeared this way for the Israelites when they wandered in the wilderness so they would have the guidance they needed. The pillar of fire and smoke also symbolized God's continual presence with the Israelites. God never left them; he was always with them to guide them. We have a very similar image for God, only we know it as the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit was poured out at Pentecost to give the good news of God's presence in the world. The Holy Spirit is for us what the pillar of fire and smoke was for the Israelites: a reminder of God's presence in our lives. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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There is so much imagery in this passage. I have always been a little partial to the image of God as a pillar of both smoke and fire. God appeared this way for the Israelites when they wandered in the wilderness so they would have the guidance they needed. The pillar of fire and smoke also symbolized God's continual presence with the Israelites. God never left them; he was always with them to guide them. We have a very similar image for God, only we know it as the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit was poured out at Pentecost to give the good news of God's presence in the world. The Holy Spirit is for us what the pillar of fire and smoke was for the Israelites: a reminder of God's presence in our lives. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Sunday, August 14, 2011
Isaiah 3: 1- 4: 1; Judgment on Jerusalem and Judah
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
Confession. Confession is a word that crosses my mind when I read these verses. Not only confession, but also accountability. Israel's biggest problem is that they do not believe they have sinned. They have fooled themselves into thinking they are doing right. Haughty is used in this passage. In other words, arrogant. This is a lesson that translated almost perfectly to today's world. We need to confess. We need to come to God, in prayer, and tell him of our sins. We need to lay it all down before the king. We have sinned. We need to confess, for if we don't the cross becomes meaningless. Why would Jesus have died if we didn't him to do so? Confess your sins to God and then be assured of his love and mercy. He has forgiven all of us already, before we even committed the sin. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Confession. Confession is a word that crosses my mind when I read these verses. Not only confession, but also accountability. Israel's biggest problem is that they do not believe they have sinned. They have fooled themselves into thinking they are doing right. Haughty is used in this passage. In other words, arrogant. This is a lesson that translated almost perfectly to today's world. We need to confess. We need to come to God, in prayer, and tell him of our sins. We need to lay it all down before the king. We have sinned. We need to confess, for if we don't the cross becomes meaningless. Why would Jesus have died if we didn't him to do so? Confess your sins to God and then be assured of his love and mercy. He has forgiven all of us already, before we even committed the sin. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Saturday, August 13, 2011
Isaiah 2: 6-22; The Day of the Lord
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
The Day of the Lord will be good for some people and bad for others. For those who have been obedient to God's will there will be many blessings. But for those who have been disobedient to God's will there will be many curses. This is a moment for us to decide upon which side we are going to be. Are we going to enjoy the Day of the Lord, or are we going to rue it? God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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The Day of the Lord will be good for some people and bad for others. For those who have been obedient to God's will there will be many blessings. But for those who have been disobedient to God's will there will be many curses. This is a moment for us to decide upon which side we are going to be. Are we going to enjoy the Day of the Lord, or are we going to rue it? God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Friday, August 12, 2011
Isaiah 2: 1-5; The Mountain of the Lord
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
Isaiah has a sort of 'back and forth' approach. At times Isaiah upbraids the Israelites for their sins, but at other times, as in this passage, he gives them hope. Isaiah shares with the Israelites in this passage that the mountain of God, the dwelling place of God, will be re-established. In other words, the punishment Israel is going to endure will not last forever. They will not be subject to eternal punishment. They will, someday, be delivered from that punishment. This is a reminder for us that we do not have to worry about punishment. We have all confessed Jesus, and have accepted the gifts he offers. Since we have done that we are saved; we are spared the punishment. Is not that a wonderful feeling. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Isaiah has a sort of 'back and forth' approach. At times Isaiah upbraids the Israelites for their sins, but at other times, as in this passage, he gives them hope. Isaiah shares with the Israelites in this passage that the mountain of God, the dwelling place of God, will be re-established. In other words, the punishment Israel is going to endure will not last forever. They will not be subject to eternal punishment. They will, someday, be delivered from that punishment. This is a reminder for us that we do not have to worry about punishment. We have all confessed Jesus, and have accepted the gifts he offers. Since we have done that we are saved; we are spared the punishment. Is not that a wonderful feeling. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Thursday, August 11, 2011
Sunday Scripture and Sermon for August 14, 2011
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
The Scripture passage for this Sunday comes from the book of Acts, chapter 7, which is Stephen's speech before the Sanhedrin. The sermon is titled 'Ingredients' and will focus on the things we need for our faith to make it complete and Godly. I hope to see you all on Sunday. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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The Scripture passage for this Sunday comes from the book of Acts, chapter 7, which is Stephen's speech before the Sanhedrin. The sermon is titled 'Ingredients' and will focus on the things we need for our faith to make it complete and Godly. I hope to see you all on Sunday. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Isaiah 1: 1-31; A Rebellious Nation
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
Israel had wandered off the path. Plain and simple. They were called to obedience; to follow every letter of the Law. This call was sealed in the Covenant God made with Abraham and renewed when the Law was given to Moses. In short, Israel was supposed to be perfectly obedient to the will of God. They failed to live up to that call. They became, as Isaiah says, a rebellious nation. They turned from God; the stopped following the commandments he had given. I think we all know where this path leads: Exile. Israel was punished by the loss of the Land God had given them. They felt that sting. Here Isaiah is warning them of that. But it is too late. The Israelites had their chance and now they are going to have to await God's judgment. It is not too late for us. We can always come to God. He will never close the door on us; ever. Through Jesus, through the New Covenant, we always have a chance with God. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Israel had wandered off the path. Plain and simple. They were called to obedience; to follow every letter of the Law. This call was sealed in the Covenant God made with Abraham and renewed when the Law was given to Moses. In short, Israel was supposed to be perfectly obedient to the will of God. They failed to live up to that call. They became, as Isaiah says, a rebellious nation. They turned from God; the stopped following the commandments he had given. I think we all know where this path leads: Exile. Israel was punished by the loss of the Land God had given them. They felt that sting. Here Isaiah is warning them of that. But it is too late. The Israelites had their chance and now they are going to have to await God's judgment. It is not too late for us. We can always come to God. He will never close the door on us; ever. Through Jesus, through the New Covenant, we always have a chance with God. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Wednesday, August 10, 2011
Ruth 4: 18-22; The Genealogy of David
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
There isn't much to this passage, but I wanted to make sure we all looked at it because it highlights one very important thing: God has a plan. Ruth is David's great-grandmother. In other words, God already had it in his mind to use David for great things before he (David) was even born. This brief genealogy of David shows that God has a plan for us as individuals, and for the world. And that is an encouraging thought. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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There isn't much to this passage, but I wanted to make sure we all looked at it because it highlights one very important thing: God has a plan. Ruth is David's great-grandmother. In other words, God already had it in his mind to use David for great things before he (David) was even born. This brief genealogy of David shows that God has a plan for us as individuals, and for the world. And that is an encouraging thought. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Tuesday, August 9, 2011
Ruth 4: 13-17; Naomi Gains a Son
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
Lest we forget about Naomi she comes in again at the end of the story. Remember, Naomi lost her two sons, so the fact that she, essentially, gains a grandson here is no small thing. Naomi has already been blessed by God in many ways, and she is again here through the birth of Obed. Just when you think God cannot, or will not, bless anymore, he throws one more there into the mix. God does the same with us. God does not just bless us one time, he blesses us continually. God continues to come into our lives to bless us with what we need, and even some of the things we want, just as he did with Naomi. God blesses us: present tense. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Lest we forget about Naomi she comes in again at the end of the story. Remember, Naomi lost her two sons, so the fact that she, essentially, gains a grandson here is no small thing. Naomi has already been blessed by God in many ways, and she is again here through the birth of Obed. Just when you think God cannot, or will not, bless anymore, he throws one more there into the mix. God does the same with us. God does not just bless us one time, he blesses us continually. God continues to come into our lives to bless us with what we need, and even some of the things we want, just as he did with Naomi. God blesses us: present tense. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Monday, August 8, 2011
Ruth 4: 1-12; Boaz Marries Ruth
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
What compassion we see from Boaz here. He marries Ruth, knowing full well any children he has by her will not technically, legally, be of his line, but of Ruth's former husband. But that situation does not keep Boaz from doing the compassionate thing. He still does what it right in the eyes of the Lord, even if it is not the best thing for him personally. Think on that for a while. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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What compassion we see from Boaz here. He marries Ruth, knowing full well any children he has by her will not technically, legally, be of his line, but of Ruth's former husband. But that situation does not keep Boaz from doing the compassionate thing. He still does what it right in the eyes of the Lord, even if it is not the best thing for him personally. Think on that for a while. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Sunday, August 7, 2011
Ruth 3: 1-18; Ruth and Boaz at the Threshing Floor
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
Another character is introduced, though it is not named or mentioned: the Holy Spirit is at work, working in the mind of Naomi, and the heart of Boaz. The Holy Spirit, among other things, helps us follow the will of God. Through the Spirit we are told what to do, and given strength to do it. And we all have it. We have all been blessed with the presence of the Holy Spirit. Let us be moved like Naomi and Boaz. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Another character is introduced, though it is not named or mentioned: the Holy Spirit is at work, working in the mind of Naomi, and the heart of Boaz. The Holy Spirit, among other things, helps us follow the will of God. Through the Spirit we are told what to do, and given strength to do it. And we all have it. We have all been blessed with the presence of the Holy Spirit. Let us be moved like Naomi and Boaz. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Saturday, August 6, 2011
Ruth 2: 1-23; Ruth Meets Boaz in the Grain Field
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
And it's Boaz to the rescue. In the book of Ruth we have a wonderful cast of characters, and in Boaz we see true faith in God lived out to the fullest. Here is a man who has no responsibility to Ruth, and yet cares for her. Boaz is moved by Ruth's story, by her compassion, and he moves with compassion and love as well, by giving Ruth, and Naomi, food to eat. Boaz is a man of God. He believes in God. He believes in God's love. And he lives out his faith according to what he believes in his heart. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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And it's Boaz to the rescue. In the book of Ruth we have a wonderful cast of characters, and in Boaz we see true faith in God lived out to the fullest. Here is a man who has no responsibility to Ruth, and yet cares for her. Boaz is moved by Ruth's story, by her compassion, and he moves with compassion and love as well, by giving Ruth, and Naomi, food to eat. Boaz is a man of God. He believes in God. He believes in God's love. And he lives out his faith according to what he believes in his heart. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Friday, August 5, 2011
Ruth 1: 6-22; Naomi and Ruth Return to Bethlehem
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
“Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God." This is, perhaps, the most famous quote from the book of Ruth and it really says a lot. Ruth lover her mother-in-law so much. Ruth does not want to be parted from Naomi. Here we see compassion coming from Ruth. We get the sense Ruth is young, which means she still had a chance of getting married again, having children, etc. and receiving the security she needs. However, Ruth forsakes that in order to make sure Naomi is cared for. Ruth sets aside her own happiness and well-being to make sure Naomi is safe. I wonder if we are to follow her example. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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“Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God." This is, perhaps, the most famous quote from the book of Ruth and it really says a lot. Ruth lover her mother-in-law so much. Ruth does not want to be parted from Naomi. Here we see compassion coming from Ruth. We get the sense Ruth is young, which means she still had a chance of getting married again, having children, etc. and receiving the security she needs. However, Ruth forsakes that in order to make sure Naomi is cared for. Ruth sets aside her own happiness and well-being to make sure Naomi is safe. I wonder if we are to follow her example. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Thursday, August 4, 2011
Evangelism in Action
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
Check out these pictures from Mt. Lebanon First Fridays:
Check out these pictures from Mt. Lebanon First Fridays:
And we'll be there again this Friday: August 5. Come find out what's going on at Mt. Lebanon Christian Church.
God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Sunday Scripture and Sermon for August 7, 2011
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
The Scripture for this passage is from Acts 6: 8-13, in which Stephen is seized and put on trial. The sermon is titled 'Bookends' and will focus on the good news that when we are faced with difficulty God is always there to help us stand up. I hope to see you all in church on Sunday. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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The Scripture for this passage is from Acts 6: 8-13, in which Stephen is seized and put on trial. The sermon is titled 'Bookends' and will focus on the good news that when we are faced with difficulty God is always there to help us stand up. I hope to see you all in church on Sunday. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Ruth 1: 1-5; Naomi Loses Her Husband and Sons
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
The first emotion is sadness. Naomi loses her husband, and then lost her sons. In short, her only real family is now gone. The second emotion is despair. Naomi has lost those she loves, but she has also lost her protection, her financial security, her home, etc. Women in Biblical times were not permitted to own property or money. Naomi is at the mercy of the world. She has, quite literally, lost everything. We can all understand her hardship. We have all had times when our world has come crashing down around us. I do not want to give away too much of the story, but this is not the end for Naomi, just as it is not the end for us when we face difficult times. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
The first emotion is sadness. Naomi loses her husband, and then lost her sons. In short, her only real family is now gone. The second emotion is despair. Naomi has lost those she loves, but she has also lost her protection, her financial security, her home, etc. Women in Biblical times were not permitted to own property or money. Naomi is at the mercy of the world. She has, quite literally, lost everything. We can all understand her hardship. We have all had times when our world has come crashing down around us. I do not want to give away too much of the story, but this is not the end for Naomi, just as it is not the end for us when we face difficult times. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Wednesday, August 3, 2011
Amos 9: 11-15; Israel's Restoration
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
There is always hope. The book of Amos is filled with despair and threats of punishment for Israel. This is not, in other words, a joyous book to read. However, the book of Amos ends on a very hopeful note of Israel's restoration. Amidst all the turmoil of this book there is a spot of good news: Israel will be restores. This is a message we can carry with us today. No matter how difficult life may seem, or actually is, there is always hope for the future. Like Israel we can always hold on to the hope that God will bless us; that he will restore us. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
There is always hope. The book of Amos is filled with despair and threats of punishment for Israel. This is not, in other words, a joyous book to read. However, the book of Amos ends on a very hopeful note of Israel's restoration. Amidst all the turmoil of this book there is a spot of good news: Israel will be restores. This is a message we can carry with us today. No matter how difficult life may seem, or actually is, there is always hope for the future. Like Israel we can always hold on to the hope that God will bless us; that he will restore us. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Tuesday, August 2, 2011
Amos 9: 1-10; Israel to Be Destroyed
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
This is a very dark passage. One that, I'm sure, filled the hearts of the Israelites with fear beyond anything they had ever known. That is, sadly, how Israel lived most of their life: in fear of what God may sometime do to them. Thankfully, we do not have to live with that fear. We do not have to be afraid that God is going to punish us for something. Jesus has taken our punishment. Jesus went to the cross so we would not have to suffer. We do not need to live in fear, for we do not have anything of which to be afraid. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
This is a very dark passage. One that, I'm sure, filled the hearts of the Israelites with fear beyond anything they had ever known. That is, sadly, how Israel lived most of their life: in fear of what God may sometime do to them. Thankfully, we do not have to live with that fear. We do not have to be afraid that God is going to punish us for something. Jesus has taken our punishment. Jesus went to the cross so we would not have to suffer. We do not need to live in fear, for we do not have anything of which to be afraid. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Monday, August 1, 2011
Amos 8: 1-14; A Basket of Ripe Fruit
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
'The time is ripe for my people Israel.' For Israel this is not a positive message. God says here that he will spare the Israelites no longer. However, I would like to try and turn this into a positive by saying the time is ripe for the church. We have been called into being by God, and he has set the table for us. Everything is in place for us, as God's children, to go out into the world and bring other people to faith in Jesus; to go out into the world and care for those in need. Too long have God's children sat idle. The time is ripe for us to rise and go forth. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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'The time is ripe for my people Israel.' For Israel this is not a positive message. God says here that he will spare the Israelites no longer. However, I would like to try and turn this into a positive by saying the time is ripe for the church. We have been called into being by God, and he has set the table for us. Everything is in place for us, as God's children, to go out into the world and bring other people to faith in Jesus; to go out into the world and care for those in need. Too long have God's children sat idle. The time is ripe for us to rise and go forth. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
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