James: Faith Works!

Beginning this Sunday, August 19, 2012 I will be bringing a series of messages from the book of James. This immensely practical book has much to say to believers who are serious about living out the teachings of Jesus in everyday life. Perhaps Jame's theme may be summed up in his sharp demand: "Be doers of the word, and not hearers only" (1:22). Genuine faith works.


Invite a friend to join us for worship. This week's message, "Turning Your Trials into Triumphs," is based on James 1:1-18.

For His Glory!
Pastor Joe

James 1:1-18 (Holman Christian Standard Bible)

James 1:1-18

Greeting

1 James, a slave of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ:

To the 12 tribes in the Dispersion.
Greetings.

Trials and Maturity

² Consider it a great joy, my brothers, whenever you experience various trials, ³ knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. ⁴ But endurance must do its complete work, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking nothing.
⁵ Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives to all generously and without criticizing, and it will be given to him. ⁶ But let him ask in faith without doubting. For the doubter is like the surging sea, driven and tossed by the wind. ⁷ That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. ⁸ An indecisive man is unstable in all his ways.
⁹ The brother of humble circumstances should boast in his exaltation, ¹⁰ but the one who is rich should boast in his humiliation because he will pass away like a flower of the field. ¹¹ For the sun rises with its scorching heat and dries up the grass; its flower falls off, and its beautiful appearance is destroyed. In the same way, the rich man will wither away while pursuing his activities.
¹² A man who endures trials^] is blessed, because when he passes the test he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love Him.
¹³ No one undergoing a trial should say, “I am being tempted by God.” For God is not tempted by evil,  and He Himself doesn’t tempt anyone. ¹⁴ But each person is tempted when he is drawn away and enticed by his own evil desires. ¹⁵ Then after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin, and when sin is fully grown, it gives birth to death.
¹⁶ Don’t be deceived, my dearly loved brothers. ¹⁷ Every generous act and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights; with Him there is no variation or shadow cast by turning. ¹⁸ By His own choice, He gave us a new birth by the message of truth so that we would be the firstfruits of His creatures.

This Sunday, The Gideons International!

This Sunday, July 22, 2012, we will have as our guest, Bob Brooks in both morning services, 8:00 and 10:30 a.m. Bob serves as a Gideon in The Gideons International, a ministry that seeks to win people to Christ through the distribution of God's Word. Here is their mission statement:

The Global Mission

The mission of The Gideons International is to win the lost for Christ, and our unique method is the distribution of Bibles and New Testaments in selected streams of life. Gideons have placed or distributed more than 1.7 billion complete Bibles and New Testaments in more than 190 countries around the world . . . so far.

We will receive a love offering for The Gideons International at the conclusion of each service. 

Please join us for an inspirational time of worship and to hear the stirring testimonies of God's grace at work in our world.

For His Glory!
Pastor Joe

Sunday's Sermon Text (Daniel 6:1-28)

Sermon Series from Daniel chapters 1-6 Concludes This Sunday, July 15th. 

This Sunday I will conclude the current series from Daniel chapters 1-6.This Sunday’s sermon text will be Daniel 6:1-28. Let me encourage you to read and become familiar with this passage of Scripture.

For His Glory!
Pastor Joe

Sunday's Sermon Text (Daniel 5:1-30)

This Sunday I will continue in the series from Daniel chapters 1-6.This Sunday’s sermon text will be Daniel 5:1-30. Let me encourage you to read and become familiar with this text.

Following are some initial observations to consider:
* When Belshazzar and his banquet guests drank from the sacred vessels, what magnified their offense in the sight of God (5:4)?

* When the fingers of a man’s hand appeared and began writing on the plaster wall of the king’s palace, what was his reaction (5:5-6)?

* Why do you think the king’s wise men could not read and interpret the handwriting on the wall?

* What does the queen say about the character of Daniel (5:11-12)?

* When before the king, why do you think Daniel immediately resist the idea of receiving the king’s rewards (5:17)? What do you think this might say about Daniel’s character?

* When Daniel spoke to the king, he spoke as a prophet rather than one of his wise men. What was it about the content of Daniel’s message that indicates that Daniel was speaking as a prophet (5:22-23)?

* Beyond the sin of drinking from the sacred vessels, what was Belshazzar’s great sin (5:23)? How does this sin relate to the sin that cannot be forgiven, or the unpardonable sin?

* In the inscription that Daniel interprets, God foreknows Belshazzar’s rule and determines its length (5:26). How do we reconcile God’s sovereignty and Belshazzar’s free will with what occurred in this story?
 


See you Sunday!




For God's Glory!
Pastor Joe

Sunday's Sermon Text (Daniel 4:1-37)

This Sunday I will continue in the series from Daniel chapters 1-6. This week's text is Daniel 4:1-37. Let me encourage you to read and become familiar with this text. Following are some initial observations to consider:

* King Nebuchadnezzar knew that there was something different about Daniel. Three times we are told that "the spirit of the holy gods" is in Daniel.What do you think this means?

* There's always a purpose in God's judgements. What was God doing here in this story (v.17)?

* There is a great biblical description of repentance in verse 17. Do you see it?  What is involved in biblical repentance?

* God gives us all of our abilities and they are to be used for God's glory. How did Nebuchadnezzar view his abilities and kingdom?

* Nebuchadnezzar in a sense lost his humanity when he refused to acknowledge God's authority. How are we truly human by knowing and relating properly to our creator?

For His Glory!
Pastor Joe
"Phil. 1:3"

Celebrate Freedom!
Sunday, July 1, 2012

Dress casual or bring a change of clothes and make plans to join us for a great time of worship and fun afterwards.

8:00 a.m. – Combined Worship Service
9:15 a.m. – Sunday School/Bible Study
10:30 a.m. – Games & Activities (Softball, Volleyball, etc.)
11:30 a.m. – Hamburgers and Hotdogs

Please help by bringing drinks on the day of the event. Also, you may want to bring your favorite dessert or salad.

See you this Sunday!

Pastor Joe
"Phil. 1:3"

Sunday, May 20, 2012 Sermon Text

John 17:6-19, Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)

Jesus Prays for His Disciples

6 I have revealed Your name to the men You gave Me from the world. They were Yours, You gave them to Me, and they have kept Your word.

7 Now they know that all things You have given to Me are from You,

 8 because the words that You gave Me, I have given them. They have received them and have known for certain that I came from You. They have believed that You sent Me.

9 I pray for them. I am not praying for the world but for those You have given Me, because they are Yours.

10 Everything I have is Yours, and everything You have is Mine, and I have been glorified in them.

11 I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to You. Holy Father, protect them by Your name that You have given Me, so that they may be one as We are one.

12 While I was with them, I was protecting them by Your name that You have given Me. I guarded them and not one of them is lost, except the son of destruction, so that the Scripture may be fulfilled.

13 Now I am coming to You, and I speak these things in the world so that they may have My joy completed in them.

 14 I have given them Your word. The world hated them because they are not of the world, as I am not of the world.

15 I am not praying that You take them out of the world but that You protect them from the evil one.

16 They are not of the world, as I am not of the world.

17 Sanctify them by the truth; Your word is truth.

 18 As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world.

 19 I sanctify Myself for them, so they also may be sanctified by the truth.

For His Glory!

Pastor Joe