Here is some info to prepare your heart and your family for corporate worship this Sunday.
Text-
Songs (the links send you to websites where you can listen to 30 second clip of the song)-
For You Are Holy - by Zach Jones
He Knows My Name - by Tommy Walker
Mighty is the Power of the Cross - by Chris Tomlin
Thabiti Anyabwile recently wrote an article for Boundless Webzine entitled “Honor Thy Father and Thy Mother.” It is an excellent article directed towards teens and twenty-somethings and parallels Josh’s sermon this last Sunday. Here are his suggestions with some highlights.
Be thankful for your parents.
Do not wrongly judge your parents.
Have you been judging and condemning your parents, using your own standard of righteousness and withholding the forgiveness you’ve received in Christ? Have you been withholding honor due to them because of a judging, condemning heart? Will you repent and seek to honor them, no matter their behavior or part, before it’s too late?
Develop a biblical understanding of adult freedom.
The world pictures adulthood as a time of unfettered liberty and limited responsibility, a time when we indulge our desires without fear of repercussion. It’s a time when responsibility is to be avoided and pleasure pursued. The Bible presents Christian adulthood as a time of greater responsibility to the Lord and liberty chained to Christ. The Christian man or woman is a person who takes responsibility for others and uses their freedom to benefit others, not their fleshly desires.
So the key question during this transition is: Am I using my freedom to serve God and others, including my parents, or am I using “freedom” as an excuse for selfishness and indulgence in sin? Often, honoring our parents requires thinking biblically about Christian freedom.
Develop a biblical perspective on adulthood.
Define the transition to adulthood with your parents.
It would be wise to sit with our parents and define some particular goals for this transitional period and clarify some expectations. Ask your parents to help you identify ways you need to prepare for marriage and parenthood. Ask them to point out some strengths and gifts that need to be cultivated along with some areas where more maturity is needed. There is a tremendous opportunity between the high school and twenty-something years to lay a solid foundation for lifelong joy in the Lord. Don’t neglect the gift that this period represents. “Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed” (Prov. 15:22). Honor your parents by thinking and planning with them.
See your parents as counselors on your team, not as adversaries.
If we would honor our parents in adulthood, we should ask: Am I humble enough to solicit and consider their counsel, believing that they are “on my team” and desire my best? Do I seek their counsel on all important decisions before I make a decision? Do I honor their counsel by evaluating it with the counsel of God in Scripture?
Live a transparent life with your parents.
Increasing independence is not a synonym for increasing distance or secrecy. We honor our parents, and we protect ourselves, when we grant them access to our lives. If during the transition to adulthood we find some issues we are afraid to share with our parents, chances are those are issues displeasing and dishonoring to both God and our parents.
Just a friendly reminder- this Saturday we will open up the feeding troughs for the men of ASGF- come enjoy a home style breakfast, rich fellowship, and the meat of the word.
8am at the Myer’s/Thornton’s home.
Erik Raymond at Irish Calvinist posted the following recently- a simple but affection stirring meditation on the demoniac of Mark 5. It has application both for our understanding of our own dependence on grace and the power of God’s grace to save and transform those we see around us.
As I read the Bible and consider my own life I am more and more thankful for the sovereign grace of God and in particular for the powerful confrontation ministry of Jesus.
When I read a passage like Mark chapter 5 and see Jesus encounter the freak who lived at the local cemetery I am encouraged. I’m sure you recall the story, this guy was unable to bound by shackles and chains (Mk. 5.3), he was constantly engaged in violent outbursts (5.4), and to make matters worse he ran around screaming and gashing himself with stones (5.5). All of this was done, as Luke tells us, in the nude (Luke 8.27). And this is the guy who comes running up to Jesus as the Messianic boat is anchored on the shore of Gerasenes?
So what happens? Quite simply the Sovereign Lord of everything and his imposing power overshadow this guy as he bows before the Savior. Jesus of course, in full Sovereign mode, confronts the unclean spirits and then provides the gracious comfort that was needed for this desperate man.
When I read an account like this I get encouraged. My encouragement comes first by my identification with the freak at the tombs. He is in my family, if you will. I see strands of his problems in my own spiritual genes. I remember a man who was completely enslaved to sin while standing not only unable but unwilling to do anything but which my demonic master commanded. I too was approached by Jesus. And just like this one my Savior powerfully confronted me with his lovingkindness and grace. I too found myself in a bit of hazy amazement as I sat in my ‘right-mind’ following Jesus powerful confrontation.
I am also encouraged in this narrative by the power that is exhibited by King Jesus. We often categorize folks as how may be likely to be saved or unlikely. Well, here is an example that should tip the scales a bit; a naked, self-mutilating, tomb-living, freak begged Jesus to follow him (Mk. 5.18)! I’m guessing you don’t have too many guys like this on your “lost person prayer list”.
Let’s remember what we are dealing with here. Jesus Christ has all of the power in the universe, this means that he is able to penetrate any heart with his gospel and he has the power to change anyone.
So let’s not cast folks off for their supposed ‘lack of potential’ for if truth be told, no one has potential. We are all relegated to the helpless state of our cemetery guy in Mark 5. And thankfully, we are not talking about a semipotent but and omnipotent God.
So join me today in thanking God for his radical grace through his Son’s glorious ministry of confrontation, and let’s also pray and preach like we have a powerful God that delights in saving radical sinners like you and me. And let’s head this powerful Savior’s words to the guy at the cemetery:
Mark 5:18-19 18 As He was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon-possessed was imploring Him that he might accompany Him. 19 And He did not let him, but He said to him, “Go home to your people and report to them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how He had mercy on you.”
¨ Nursery Shower/Potluck– October 7th immediately after service we will be having a shower and potluck for our nursery. This will serve to provide an opportunity for fellowship and to collect needed supplies. A-M bring a salad. N-Z bring a dessert. If you are able please bring an unwrapped toy to help supply what is needed for the new toddler nursery class. The needed toys have been carefully selected and registered for at Target under “Sovereign Grace” as the mother’s name.
¨ Men’s Breakfast– September 29th at 8am at the Myers/Thorntons home. Contact Pat Myers for more information.
¨ Directory Proofs– A rough draft of the directory is now available. Please stop by the information table, check the information for accuracy, make any needed changes, and initial once you have confirmed the correct information.
¨ Women’s Mentoring Ministry– In seeking to apply Titus 2:3-5 ASGF is beginning a ministry that partners women together. If you have a desire to learn from an older woman or a heart to encourage younger women please plan on attending a meeting on October 14th immediately after service in the Canyon View Room. Contact Kathy Peterson or Barb Schauer for details.
¨ Women’s Prayer Meeting– The women will now be meeting the last Sunday (next Sunday) of every month at 9am to pray for each other and the church. Contact Shannon Bell for more details.
¨ Equip Family Worship– This class is meeting on scheduled Saturday evenings. Contact Josh Winans or Brad Hilton for details.
¨ Equip Bible Doctrine– Meets on Tuesday evenings from 7:00-8:30 at Tim and Nicole Pickard’s home. Contact Tim for more details.
Here is the information for tomorrow’s service. You may find it beneficial to review ahead of time the text and the songs to prepare your heart and your families’ hearts for corporate worship tomorrow.
Text:
Colossians 3:20-21
Songs:
Forever
My Raptured Soul
I Boast No More
Almighty God
Here is Love
Thou Lovely Source of True Delight
Shine On Us
If you’re anything like me you have wondered about how we are to interpret Psalms that call for curses and disaster upon the wicked and upon the Psalmist’s enemies.
This last week Justin Taylor at Between Two Worlds posted several resources to help us think through these types of Psalms. Some of the resources he links to are quite lengthy but there may be some helpful stuff in there (the links are at the bottom under the quotes).
Here are some highlights-
“We should pray that our enemies be converted and become our friends and, if not, that their doing and designing be bound to fail and have no success and that their persons perish rather than the Gospel and the kingdom of Christ.”
Martin Luther, Luther’s Works, vol. 21: The Sermon on the Mount and the Magnificat, ed. J. Pelikan, A. T. W. Steinhaeuser (St. Louis: Concordia, 1956), p. 1100.
There is a lawful hatred of the sinner; and indeed there must be, since such a hatred is the obverse of the love of God. The love of God hates all that is opposed to God; and sinners–not merely sin–are opposed to God. And if such a sentiment is lawful, its expression is lawful; and one may desire that the evil in another receive its corresponding evil–provided that this hatred is restrained within the limits of that which is lawful. These limits are:
1. Hatred must not be directed at the person of one’s neighbor; he is hated for his evil quality.
2. One may desire that the divine justice be accomplished in the sinner; but it must be a desire for divine justice, not a desire for the personal evil of another out of personal revenge.
3. The infliction of evil may not be desired absolutely, but only under the condition that the sinner remains obdurate and unrepentant.
4. It must be accompanied by that true supernatural charity which efficaciously desires the supreme good–the eternal happiness–of all men in general, not excluding any individual who is capable of attaining it. In a word, the sinner may lawfully be hated only when he is loved.
John L. McKenzie, “The Imprecations of the Psalter.” American Ecclesiastical Review 111 (1944): 91. Cited in John N. Day, Crying for Justice: What the Psalms Teach Us About Mercy and Vengeance in an Age of Terrorism.
Love the Sinner/Hate the Sin- Love the Sinner/Hate the Sinner
Explaining the Imprecatory Psalms to a Child
Tedd Tripp is continuing to post on Psalm 27 and yet again I felt compelled to share his latest post with you. It reminded me of the discussion our Grace Group had this last Sunday on faith and my personal daily battle to see God as supremely desirable and valuable. Enjoy!
“One thing I ask of the Lord, this is what I seek; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and seek him in his holy temple.” (v.4)
I have a vision problem;
my eyes are okay,
but my heart
doesn’t see very well.
I live in a world
where your beauty
is everywhere visible.
It is there
in the lily.
It is there
in the cascading wave.
It is there
in the multi-hued sunset.
It is there
in the stars of the night.
It is there
in the power of the storm.
It is there
in the rhythm of the rain.
It is there
in the grandeur of the mountain.
It is there in the
lace of the clouds.
It is there
in the succulence of the apple.
It is there
everywhere I look.
But often
I do not see your beauty.
I must confess
I am so blind.
I see
my busy schedule.
I see
things to be fixed.
I see
obstacles to my plan.
I see
bills to be paid.
I see
things to be done.
I see,
but I fail to see your beauty.
Yet there is more:
I call things beautiful
that are not beautiful to you.
I am attracted to things
that you call ugly.
I even begin to believe
that there are things
more beautiful
than you.
And I want these things more
than you.
So I serve these thing more
than you.
So, Lord
correct my vision.
Please restore
the eyes of my heart.
Graciously make
the days that I have left
to be
days of beauty
because my heart
is filled
with visions of you.
This last week Justin Taylor pointed to an article by Sam Storms at Enjoying God Ministries entitled “Reflections on Church Discipline.” It is a helpful summary of church discipline. I have posted the majority of the article below.
I know this may be a stretch for many of you, but I’d like to ask that you meditate with me today on the subject of church discipline. That’s right, church discipline. The fact that your immediate and instinctive response is probably somewhat (or considerably) negative reflects how far removed we are today from the spirit of the New Testament. As we’ll see, a commitment to discipline in the local church is indicative not only of one’s love for holiness, as well as those lingering in sin, but most of all for the Lord Jesus who “gave himself up for her [i.e., the Church], that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish” (Eph. 5:25-27).
Perhaps the best way to approach this topic, if only briefly, is to ask and answer a series of five questions. (more…)
