When we left Abraham in the last lesson, God told him that he would become a great nation, receive a “great name,” and become a blessing to the whole world. The only problem was that it would take some time. God had said so back in Genesis 15. God warned Abraham that his descendants would […]
Matthew 21:1-9: Your King Comes, Righteous and Having Salvation
December 2, 2012 by
“Behold, your king is coming to you, righteous and having salvation.” Are you ready for your King? Are you ready for His visit? Are you prepared for His grand and glorious advent? For that’s what it is: It’s Advent. It’s not the “holiday season.” It’s not Black Friday morphing into the pre-Christmas shopping season. It’s […]
What’s First for You?
November 26, 2012 by
This is an article from our Stewardship Committee for our Dec-Jan 2012-13 newsletter. Life confronts us with many choices, often causing us to reassess our priorities. One of those choices is in stewardship. Will we adjust our standard of giving to our standard of living, or will we adjust our standard of living to […]
Being in the world but not of it
November 26, 2012 by
This is our pastor’s article for the November 29th edition of the Stone County Gazette. Psalm 1:1 tells us: “Blessed is the man who does not walk in step with the wicked, take the path of sinners, or sit in the company of mockers.” If you remember the Old Testament story of Lot, he […]
Living Out the Faith Where God Has Placed You to Serve
November 26, 2012 by
This is our pastor’s article for our December-January 1012/12 congregational newsletter. Many in our culture accuse Christians of being hypocritical. They assert that Christians talk about loving their neighbors, but then turn a blind eye to the ills around them. Sadly, they are in many ways, correct. As Christians, we believe these words of […]
From Adam to Jesus: Circumcision
November 26, 2012 by
Almost out of the blue, the Bible introduces us to Abram. From the faithful line of Noah’s descendants, from Noah’s son, Shem, comes the first of the great patriarchs: “Abraham the Hebrew” (Genesis 14:13). Abram lived in Ur (today in Iraq), a city known for its prosperity. Abram was wealthy. So, when God told Abram […]
Sunday of the Fulfillment: Jude 20-25: Contend for the Faith Once Delivered to the Saints
November 25, 2012 by
We know almost nothing about St. Jude, the author of today’s epistle reading. In the introduction to his letter, Jude only gives us a few facts about himself. He tells us that he is a servant of Jesus Christ and a brother of James. That’s it. That’s all the autobiographical data he gives us. It […]
Genesis 41:1-42:2: “God has made me fruitful in the land of my suffering”
November 21, 2012 by
Thanksgiving is a day when we as Americans gratefully remember all the blessings in our lives. And when such gratitude and thanks fill our hearts, then the sorrow and tragedy in our lives no longer seem so large. Today, we take a look at the life of Joseph. This isn’t the Joseph that was Jesus’ […]
Thanksgiving Eve Service
November 19, 2012 by
On Wednesday, November 21st, at 7:00 PM, we will have our Thanksgiving Eve service. Thanksgiving is not a holy day on the Church’s calendar. It is, however, a day of national thanksgiving when we as Americans take a moment to reflect on the blessings given to us and to thank God for those blessings. It […]
Hebrews 10:19-25: Spurring One Another On
November 18, 2012 by
God wants you to be calculated and deliberate. He tells us: “consider how we may spur one another on to love and good works.” That’s what the word “consider” means. It doesn’t mean doing something at the last moment, in an impromptu way. It means thinking about something ahead of time. So, God wants you […]
