Sermon Preview

I am struggling with two themes for Sunday Morning. I haven't decided which one to preach. Right now it is between the necessity to rest (Sabbath was made for man, not man for Sabbath) or the Adoption of the saints. My mind has been on adoption all week (actually for years now), but I have also had a long week. For the last two days all I can think about is the need for rest.

Fortunately, both of these realities are used as analogies for the faith. We have been adopted into the family of God and one day we will enter into his rest, if we continue on in the faith. Both themes have the ability to enrich our understanding of God's love, both offer the potential to encourage.

Please pray that God would give me the wisdom to make the right choice and that he would help me to be prepared.

Sunday Night (6:00) will be business meeting.
Wednesday Night (6:00) we will have a special potluck meal together followed by a One Voice Prayer meeting at (7:00). We will be joining with our Baptist brothers and sisters around the state in praying for awakening and revival. I encourage you all to come and eat and stay to pray.

Soon we will begin looking at the book of Hebrews on Sunday mornings, so I urge you to begin prayerfully reading through Hebrews. In a couple of week we will begin an exciting study on Wednesday night that will hopefully help us give biblical answers to the questions: What is healthy church? What is a healthy church member? and How do I live a gospel centered life?. A list of books is available for the Wednesday night class so if you need one let me know.

My prayer is that God would reveal his love to you as you ponder your own adoption. Yes, you have been adopted by God, if you are in Christ. And that you would continually remember that a day of rest is coming for all those who have faithfully labored in the Lord.

Sermon Preview

In the weeks (and hopefully months) ahead I want to give you the Scripture reference and topic of upcoming sermons and lessons to enable you to prepare for the messages.

August 31, 2008
Sunday Morning: Lord willing I am going to preach from Prov. 25:28. We will be looking at self-control. What areas do you find it the easiest to control yourself? What are the hardest areas for you? How do we balance the biblical call to practice self-control with the biblical view that self-control is the work of the Spirit in our life?

Sunday Evening (6:00):
We will be looking at questions 31 and 32 from the Baptist Catechism.
Question 31 asks, "What do we mean by Christ's humiliation? (Luke 2;7, 22:44; Gal 4:4; Isa 53:3; Matt 12:40, 27:46, Phil 2:8, Mark 15:45-46).
Question 32 asks, "What do we mean by Christ's exaltation? (1 Cor 15:4; Acts 1:11, 17:31; Mark 16:19) We will also spend sometime reflecting on Phil 2:5-11

Sept. 3, 2008
Wed. Night (7:00): This week we will continue our discussion of the doctrine of the perseverance of the saints (eternal security). Continue to Read through Romans 6:1-8:39, 1 John, 2 Peter 1:3-11, and Gal 5:22-23.
Things to consider: How should a professing believer relate to sin? Where does our confidence rest? Can we be eternally secure? Please pray for me: 1) that I would manage my time well; 2) that I would study with diligence; 3) that I would have a clear direction as I study.