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Tuesday, March 13, 2012
Sunday, March 11, 2012
2 Timothy 2: 14- 3: 9; Dealing With False Teachers
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
Quarrels only serve to divide. The Church is split into countless denominations and sects. This is not pleasing to God, and it is not helpful to the world. We spend so much time fighting among ourselves that God's work, at times, is left undone. This must end. We can start by developing good relationships with our brothers and sisters in Christ, or to repair them if necessary. If we are gracious to each other that grace will flow upward until it is in every person. When God's grace is in everyone we will be able to put an end to our fighting and be able to live a life worthy of our calling and do the work God has given us. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Quarrels only serve to divide. The Church is split into countless denominations and sects. This is not pleasing to God, and it is not helpful to the world. We spend so much time fighting among ourselves that God's work, at times, is left undone. This must end. We can start by developing good relationships with our brothers and sisters in Christ, or to repair them if necessary. If we are gracious to each other that grace will flow upward until it is in every person. When God's grace is in everyone we will be able to put an end to our fighting and be able to live a life worthy of our calling and do the work God has given us. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Saturday, March 10, 2012
2 Timothy 2: 1-13; The Appeal Renewed
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
"If we died with him, we will also live with him; if we endure, we will also reign with him." Jesus died on the cross, but was brought back to eternal life. We can receive that same blessing if only we die with Jesus. What does it mean to die with Jesus? It means we give up ourselves, our hopes, dreams, desires, way of life, etc. We give our entire selves over to Jesus. We are to die to Jesus. In doing so we unite with him, and in uniting with him we receive his blessings: resurrection, eternal life, and a great many other things. In short, if we give ourselves to Jesus we will share in his blessings. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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"If we died with him, we will also live with him; if we endure, we will also reign with him." Jesus died on the cross, but was brought back to eternal life. We can receive that same blessing if only we die with Jesus. What does it mean to die with Jesus? It means we give up ourselves, our hopes, dreams, desires, way of life, etc. We give our entire selves over to Jesus. We are to die to Jesus. In doing so we unite with him, and in uniting with him we receive his blessings: resurrection, eternal life, and a great many other things. In short, if we give ourselves to Jesus we will share in his blessings. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Friday, March 9, 2012
2 Timothy 1: 15-18; Examples of Disloyalty and Loyalty
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
The power of prayer is undeniable. Paul spends a lot of time in his letter praying for others. In this passage we see Paul praying for Onesiphorus, a beloved friend and faithful disciple. We never learn from Paul what happens to this man, but there is no denying that Paul prayed for him. There is also no denying that his prayers worked, that Onesiphorus was truly blessed. We all know people who are sick, hurting, sad, etc. We should lift them up in prayer. We should continually intercede for others asking God's blessings to be upon them. And God, who hears our prayers and loves us, will answer those prayers. Let us all learn from Paul and remember those in need in prayer. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
The power of prayer is undeniable. Paul spends a lot of time in his letter praying for others. In this passage we see Paul praying for Onesiphorus, a beloved friend and faithful disciple. We never learn from Paul what happens to this man, but there is no denying that Paul prayed for him. There is also no denying that his prayers worked, that Onesiphorus was truly blessed. We all know people who are sick, hurting, sad, etc. We should lift them up in prayer. We should continually intercede for others asking God's blessings to be upon them. And God, who hears our prayers and loves us, will answer those prayers. Let us all learn from Paul and remember those in need in prayer. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Thursday, March 8, 2012
Sunday Scripture and Sermon for March 11, 2012
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
The Scripture passage for this Sunday is from John 2: 13-25, in which Jesus clears the Temple. The sermon title is 'The Clearing of the Temple' and will focus on what this event teaches us today. I hope to see you all in Church on Sunday. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
The Scripture passage for this Sunday is from John 2: 13-25, in which Jesus clears the Temple. The sermon title is 'The Clearing of the Temple' and will focus on what this event teaches us today. I hope to see you all in Church on Sunday. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
2 Timothy 1: 6-14; Appeal for Loyalty to Paul and the Gospel
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
"For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline." I think one of the greatest challenges facing the church right now is the timidity the church sometimes shows. We have been conditioned to lay back and let other people do what they want; we have been pushed to the point of not pushing back. As Christians, as God's children, we need to stand up for what we believe. We need to boldly proclaim the good news of the gospel. Is everyone going to want to listen. By no means. Will everyone want to have faith. No. But the Spirit of God gives us power and calls us to use that power for the glory of God. Let us all wake up, and stand up, for our faith and shout to the world the good news of Jesus Christ. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
"For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline." I think one of the greatest challenges facing the church right now is the timidity the church sometimes shows. We have been conditioned to lay back and let other people do what they want; we have been pushed to the point of not pushing back. As Christians, as God's children, we need to stand up for what we believe. We need to boldly proclaim the good news of the gospel. Is everyone going to want to listen. By no means. Will everyone want to have faith. No. But the Spirit of God gives us power and calls us to use that power for the glory of God. Let us all wake up, and stand up, for our faith and shout to the world the good news of Jesus Christ. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Wednesday, March 7, 2012
2 Timothy 1: 1-5; Introduction and Thanksgiving
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
As I read the beginning of this letter I cannot help but imagine in my mind the look of excitement on Paul's face. That look comes from Paul's joy at seeing his brothers and sisters in Christ very soon. Paul has so much love for them that he can't wait to visit with them. This is a feeling we should have for each other. We should love each other so much that we just can't wait to see each other at our worship service, Bible study, fellowship activity, etc. No matter what the situation is our hearts should be filled with joy and excitement when we get to see our brother and sisters in Christ. Like Paul let us say to one another: 'I long to see you, so that I may be filled with Joy. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
As I read the beginning of this letter I cannot help but imagine in my mind the look of excitement on Paul's face. That look comes from Paul's joy at seeing his brothers and sisters in Christ very soon. Paul has so much love for them that he can't wait to visit with them. This is a feeling we should have for each other. We should love each other so much that we just can't wait to see each other at our worship service, Bible study, fellowship activity, etc. No matter what the situation is our hearts should be filled with joy and excitement when we get to see our brother and sisters in Christ. Like Paul let us say to one another: 'I long to see you, so that I may be filled with Joy. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Tuesday, March 6, 2012
1 Timothy 6: 11-21; Final Charge to Timothy
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
Isaiah tells us that the grass withers and the flowers fade. Jesus tells us that rust and moth consume and thieves break in and steal the things of this world. In short, the things of this world are temporary. They will not last forever. Eventually they will all fall apart and become nothing. God, though, will never wither or fade. God will not be consumed by rust or moth. And nothing can take away, or separate us, from God and his love. With that in mind we should put our faith in God. We should put our effort to pursuing him. He will last, which means the blessings he gives will last. We don't have to worry about our salvation running out; we don't have to worry about our eternal life ending. God, and the blessings he gives, lasts forever. So let us focus on him and live the life he had called us to live. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Isaiah tells us that the grass withers and the flowers fade. Jesus tells us that rust and moth consume and thieves break in and steal the things of this world. In short, the things of this world are temporary. They will not last forever. Eventually they will all fall apart and become nothing. God, though, will never wither or fade. God will not be consumed by rust or moth. And nothing can take away, or separate us, from God and his love. With that in mind we should put our faith in God. We should put our effort to pursuing him. He will last, which means the blessings he gives will last. We don't have to worry about our salvation running out; we don't have to worry about our eternal life ending. God, and the blessings he gives, lasts forever. So let us focus on him and live the life he had called us to live. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Monday, March 5, 2012
1 Timothy 6: 2b-10; False Teachers and the Love of Money
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
The chasm between need and want seems to widen with every passing day. We have been convinced that we need certain things in order to survive: cell phones, televisions, fancy cars, big houses, closets filled to bursting with clothes, wealth, etc. We have been told that these are necessities to life when in fact they are not. Granted, it is pretty hard to imagine life without some of these things, but that does not make them necessary. The only thing that is necessary to have life is Jesus. He provides everything we need. If we just trust in him, and put our lives in his hands, we will have all our needs met. Jesus loves us. He loves us enough to die for us; he loves us enough to take care of us. 'Things' often lead us astray, away from Jesus. Jesus leads us down right paths, to still waters and green grass. Jesus fills our needs. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
The chasm between need and want seems to widen with every passing day. We have been convinced that we need certain things in order to survive: cell phones, televisions, fancy cars, big houses, closets filled to bursting with clothes, wealth, etc. We have been told that these are necessities to life when in fact they are not. Granted, it is pretty hard to imagine life without some of these things, but that does not make them necessary. The only thing that is necessary to have life is Jesus. He provides everything we need. If we just trust in him, and put our lives in his hands, we will have all our needs met. Jesus loves us. He loves us enough to die for us; he loves us enough to take care of us. 'Things' often lead us astray, away from Jesus. Jesus leads us down right paths, to still waters and green grass. Jesus fills our needs. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Sunday, March 4, 2012
1 Timothy 5: 1- 6: 2a; Widows, Elders and Slaves
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
Widows were a major concern of the early church. Widows were defenseless, often left at the mercy of their families to receive provision, which often did not. The church, seeing this, stepped in and cared for them when almost no one else would. We need to ask ourselves who is in need in the world today and what can we do to help? God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Widows were a major concern of the early church. Widows were defenseless, often left at the mercy of their families to receive provision, which often did not. The church, seeing this, stepped in and cared for them when almost no one else would. We need to ask ourselves who is in need in the world today and what can we do to help? God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Saturday, March 3, 2012
1 Timothy 3: 14- 4: 16; Reasons for Paul's Instructions
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
Paul is writing these instructions to help people, which reminds us that as the body of Christ we are to care for, and help, other members of this body. On one hand this means that we are to offer a hand where help is needed. In other words, to feed the hungry, to clothe the naked, etc. And on the other hand it means to do what Paul does here, to help people in their journey of faith. For those of us who have been at this for a while we can assist others who are new to faith. We can, and should, teach them what it is to have faith, what it is to worship, pray, etc. Paul reminds of our call to help others, to encourage others, in their journey of faith. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Paul is writing these instructions to help people, which reminds us that as the body of Christ we are to care for, and help, other members of this body. On one hand this means that we are to offer a hand where help is needed. In other words, to feed the hungry, to clothe the naked, etc. And on the other hand it means to do what Paul does here, to help people in their journey of faith. For those of us who have been at this for a while we can assist others who are new to faith. We can, and should, teach them what it is to have faith, what it is to worship, pray, etc. Paul reminds of our call to help others, to encourage others, in their journey of faith. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Friday, March 2, 2012
Taize Worship Service
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
Please join us Sunday night, March 4, at 7:00 p.m. for a Taize Worship service in the Chapel. This is a contemplative worship and prayer service in the tradition of the Taize community in France. Through scripture, prayer, song, and silence, we will engage in one continual prayer that is both communal and individual, allowing us to open our eyes and hearts during our Lenten journey. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Please join us Sunday night, March 4, at 7:00 p.m. for a Taize Worship service in the Chapel. This is a contemplative worship and prayer service in the tradition of the Taize community in France. Through scripture, prayer, song, and silence, we will engage in one continual prayer that is both communal and individual, allowing us to open our eyes and hearts during our Lenten journey. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
1 Timothy 3: 1-13; Qualifications for Overseers and Deacons
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
If I may, I will sum this up by saying, 'Live out faith.' In order to be used by God we have to be willing to do what God calls us to do. He gives us a pretty clear picture of the kind of life we are supposed to live. In Scripture we see it, but God also continues to speak us day in and day out, reminding us of our call to live out our faith. All of us should have a burning desire to be used by God. The first step in making that a reality is by practicing faith, living it out in our daily lives. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
If I may, I will sum this up by saying, 'Live out faith.' In order to be used by God we have to be willing to do what God calls us to do. He gives us a pretty clear picture of the kind of life we are supposed to live. In Scripture we see it, but God also continues to speak us day in and day out, reminding us of our call to live out our faith. All of us should have a burning desire to be used by God. The first step in making that a reality is by practicing faith, living it out in our daily lives. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Thursday, March 1, 2012
Sunday Scripture and Sermon for March 4, 2012
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
The Scripture passage for this Sunday is from Mark 8: 27-38, in which Peter makes the Good Confession, and Jesus predicts his death. The sermon is titled 'Christ-Centered,' and will focus on our need to center ourselves on Jesus and Jesus alone. I hope to see you all in worship on Sunday. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
The Scripture passage for this Sunday is from Mark 8: 27-38, in which Peter makes the Good Confession, and Jesus predicts his death. The sermon is titled 'Christ-Centered,' and will focus on our need to center ourselves on Jesus and Jesus alone. I hope to see you all in worship on Sunday. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
1 Timothy 2: 1-15; Instructions in Worship
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
At the top of the list is prayer. I cannot stress enough how important daily prayer is to the journey of faith. Prayer is a time when we place ourselves in the holy presence of God. We come there to speak with God and allow him to speak to us. We come there to ask for God's help and allow him to give it. Prayer is a time when we are guided in faith, when we are strengthened for all that lies ahead, when we are blessed to hear the voice of the almighty. Any act of worship should begin with prayer, spending time in God's presence. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
At the top of the list is prayer. I cannot stress enough how important daily prayer is to the journey of faith. Prayer is a time when we place ourselves in the holy presence of God. We come there to speak with God and allow him to speak to us. We come there to ask for God's help and allow him to give it. Prayer is a time when we are guided in faith, when we are strengthened for all that lies ahead, when we are blessed to hear the voice of the almighty. Any act of worship should begin with prayer, spending time in God's presence. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Wednesday, February 29, 2012
1 Timothy 1: 18-20; The Charge to Timothy to be Renewed
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
Paul knows firsthand how difficult faith can me. Paul was arrested and tortured on numerous occasions. In the end Paul lost his life for believing in, and preaching, the good news of Jesus. So when Paul writes to Timothy '...holding onto faith and a good conscience...' Paul knows how hard that is. It is hard for us, too. Many things are easier in the 21st century with all the advances in technology, medicine, travel, etc. But faith is still sometimes a very difficult thing to maintain. We all may find ourselves in a place, spiritually speaking, when we ask ourselves if we are doing the right thing, by keeping the faith. The answer to that question, if it ever comes, is a resounding 'yes!' Even though it may be hard we must, as Paul tells us here, to maintain our faith, to not let the things of this world get us off track. We need to keep believing in Jesus as Messiah and the work he has done on our behalf. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Paul knows firsthand how difficult faith can me. Paul was arrested and tortured on numerous occasions. In the end Paul lost his life for believing in, and preaching, the good news of Jesus. So when Paul writes to Timothy '...holding onto faith and a good conscience...' Paul knows how hard that is. It is hard for us, too. Many things are easier in the 21st century with all the advances in technology, medicine, travel, etc. But faith is still sometimes a very difficult thing to maintain. We all may find ourselves in a place, spiritually speaking, when we ask ourselves if we are doing the right thing, by keeping the faith. The answer to that question, if it ever comes, is a resounding 'yes!' Even though it may be hard we must, as Paul tells us here, to maintain our faith, to not let the things of this world get us off track. We need to keep believing in Jesus as Messiah and the work he has done on our behalf. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
1 Timothy 1: 12-17; The Lord's Grace to Paul
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
Christ came to save sinners, but not only to save us, but to change us. I love what Paul makes clear in the first part of this passage, that he used to be a sinner, but was brought to a new way of life through God's grace. That is what grace is all about. The first part of grace is that we are saved, but the second part is that through grace we are called to a life of discipleship. So we no longer are who we were before. We become someone new: someone who does not live in sin, but rather lives in God's grace. Just as Paul was brought to a new life, so are we, and that call is renewed regularly. God continues to call us out of the world and into a new life with him. We need to heed those words and renew our commitment to God and his grace. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Christ came to save sinners, but not only to save us, but to change us. I love what Paul makes clear in the first part of this passage, that he used to be a sinner, but was brought to a new way of life through God's grace. That is what grace is all about. The first part of grace is that we are saved, but the second part is that through grace we are called to a life of discipleship. So we no longer are who we were before. We become someone new: someone who does not live in sin, but rather lives in God's grace. Just as Paul was brought to a new life, so are we, and that call is renewed regularly. God continues to call us out of the world and into a new life with him. We need to heed those words and renew our commitment to God and his grace. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Monday, February 27, 2012
1 Timothy 1: 1-11; Timothy Charged to Oppose False Leaders
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
With so many voices speaking these days it is sometimes hard to figure out which is the 'real Jesus.' The best way to be Christ-centered, to be able to determine which is the real voice of Jesus, is to go right to the source. We have been blessed with not just one, but four gospels that tell us the story of Jesus. All of them together give us a complete picture of who Jesus was, what he said, what he did, why, etc. If we read, and re-read those gospels our hearts and spirits will be filled with Jesus. And being filled with Jesus is one of the first steps to being centered on him. The best way to oppose, or ward off, false teachers, is to stay centered on the only true teacher: Jesus. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
With so many voices speaking these days it is sometimes hard to figure out which is the 'real Jesus.' The best way to be Christ-centered, to be able to determine which is the real voice of Jesus, is to go right to the source. We have been blessed with not just one, but four gospels that tell us the story of Jesus. All of them together give us a complete picture of who Jesus was, what he said, what he did, why, etc. If we read, and re-read those gospels our hearts and spirits will be filled with Jesus. And being filled with Jesus is one of the first steps to being centered on him. The best way to oppose, or ward off, false teachers, is to stay centered on the only true teacher: Jesus. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Sunday, February 26, 2012
Proverbs 31: 10-31; The Wife of Noble Character
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
There are a lot of points to this passage, and if I may be so bold I will sum them all up by saying: a noble takes care of her husband. Now, before anyone gets upset with the onesidedness of that statement let me also say this passage can, and should, apply to husbands as well, and I will sum it up in the same way: a noble husband takes care of his wife. The idea is this, that in a marriage people are to take care of each other. Now, here is another addition: this does not just apply to husbands and wives, but to all of us: a noble Christian will take care of his/her brother/sister. We are all to care for each other, at all times, bestowing the same longkindness on those around us as Jesus did, and continues to do. Take care of each other. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
There are a lot of points to this passage, and if I may be so bold I will sum them all up by saying: a noble takes care of her husband. Now, before anyone gets upset with the onesidedness of that statement let me also say this passage can, and should, apply to husbands as well, and I will sum it up in the same way: a noble husband takes care of his wife. The idea is this, that in a marriage people are to take care of each other. Now, here is another addition: this does not just apply to husbands and wives, but to all of us: a noble Christian will take care of his/her brother/sister. We are all to care for each other, at all times, bestowing the same longkindness on those around us as Jesus did, and continues to do. Take care of each other. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Saturday, February 25, 2012
Proverbs 31: 1-9; The Sayings of King Lemuel
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
"Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute." We have voice, all of us. It is a gift of God to use for his purpose. One of those purposes: to speak for those who don't have a voice: the poor, the widows, the orphans, and all others who suffer. They don't have the ability to speak and make their suffering known, so we need to speak for them. Not only speak, but also work on their behalf. God has given many of us the means to take care of ourselves. Many others do not have those means, which means it is up to us to provide for those who have not. We have things we can use, our voice, our resources, etc. to use to help others. Let's not be shy about using them. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
"Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute." We have voice, all of us. It is a gift of God to use for his purpose. One of those purposes: to speak for those who don't have a voice: the poor, the widows, the orphans, and all others who suffer. They don't have the ability to speak and make their suffering known, so we need to speak for them. Not only speak, but also work on their behalf. God has given many of us the means to take care of ourselves. Many others do not have those means, which means it is up to us to provide for those who have not. We have things we can use, our voice, our resources, etc. to use to help others. Let's not be shy about using them. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
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