Week of 1/19/25
Dear Church Family,
I am thankful the Lord has led us as a church to be walking through this time together towards eternity, towards Him. JESUS is LIFE and he is inviting us to believe and trust that to be true. John 6:29 has been echoing in my mind the last few days. Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.” God is working, and that work is to testify to the salvation and new life he offers us in Jesus Christ alone. There is nowhere else we are going to encounter the life he has made for us besides to live daily trusting in 'him whom he has sent'.
That ties in with the message of 1 Samuel 8 from last week. Anytime we look around horizontally for purpose, security, and justice we open ourselves up to be misled, to disappoint others, and then be disappointed ourselves. We need to look vertically for our leadership first in order to understand where that purpose, security, and justice will ultimately come from.
Home Enjoyment
Read 1 Samuel 8.
We don't have much information around Samuel and his sons, but I do think this begs a question. Did Samuel's righteous living guarantee his children would follow the Lord? How is this a comfort for a parent and a warning for a child?
What is the appeal of a king?
What was at the heart of God's concern in Israel's asking for a king?
Why do you think Samuel was discouraged?
In what ways do we ask kings for purpose, security, and justice?
Why are they unable to provide that perfectly?
We have earthly rulers, and they tax us. What instruction does God give us in regards to them? (1 Peter 2:13-17, 1 Timothy 2:1-2, Romans 13:1-7)
Romans 13:7-10 is a great example of how we are not bound by the laws of the land but operate at even a higher level as believers in Christ.
How does having God as our king, and not measuring ourselves by those around us change how we... watch the news? what we buy at the store? how we spend our time?
The apostle Paul eventually learned to count everything as loss compared to knowing Christ and making him known (Philippians 3:7-11).
Where is this hardest for you to understand or believe it practically works?
Pray for the Lord to show you how to trust him, and to trust his purpose, security, and justice in your life.
Extra Credit
Tell someone else who you see trusting the Lord in difficult circumstances where you want to grow and invite them to pray for you.
Reminders and Requests
1) This Sunday is the last Sunday of the Diaper Drive for Choices and a Potlunch followed by our Annual Meeting, which goes for roughly 45 min after we eat.
2) We are in need of help in the kitchen for the next few months for both snacks and serving. Our dear Carlene broke her wrist, please pray for her healing and recovery!
3) There are still churches from SoCal looking to place folks who lost homes in the fires. We are a long way away, but some are able to travel if you have rooms or an apartment, or room for a fifth wheel for someone to stay for short or long term please let me know. Whether it works out this time, it's still a good thing to know what resources are available.
In the Love of Christ,
Pastor Phillip
I am thankful the Lord has led us as a church to be walking through this time together towards eternity, towards Him. JESUS is LIFE and he is inviting us to believe and trust that to be true. John 6:29 has been echoing in my mind the last few days. Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.” God is working, and that work is to testify to the salvation and new life he offers us in Jesus Christ alone. There is nowhere else we are going to encounter the life he has made for us besides to live daily trusting in 'him whom he has sent'.
That ties in with the message of 1 Samuel 8 from last week. Anytime we look around horizontally for purpose, security, and justice we open ourselves up to be misled, to disappoint others, and then be disappointed ourselves. We need to look vertically for our leadership first in order to understand where that purpose, security, and justice will ultimately come from.
Home Enjoyment
Read 1 Samuel 8.
We don't have much information around Samuel and his sons, but I do think this begs a question. Did Samuel's righteous living guarantee his children would follow the Lord? How is this a comfort for a parent and a warning for a child?
What is the appeal of a king?
What was at the heart of God's concern in Israel's asking for a king?
Why do you think Samuel was discouraged?
In what ways do we ask kings for purpose, security, and justice?
Why are they unable to provide that perfectly?
We have earthly rulers, and they tax us. What instruction does God give us in regards to them? (1 Peter 2:13-17, 1 Timothy 2:1-2, Romans 13:1-7)
Romans 13:7-10 is a great example of how we are not bound by the laws of the land but operate at even a higher level as believers in Christ.
How does having God as our king, and not measuring ourselves by those around us change how we... watch the news? what we buy at the store? how we spend our time?
The apostle Paul eventually learned to count everything as loss compared to knowing Christ and making him known (Philippians 3:7-11).
Where is this hardest for you to understand or believe it practically works?
Pray for the Lord to show you how to trust him, and to trust his purpose, security, and justice in your life.
Extra Credit
Tell someone else who you see trusting the Lord in difficult circumstances where you want to grow and invite them to pray for you.
Reminders and Requests
1) This Sunday is the last Sunday of the Diaper Drive for Choices and a Potlunch followed by our Annual Meeting, which goes for roughly 45 min after we eat.
2) We are in need of help in the kitchen for the next few months for both snacks and serving. Our dear Carlene broke her wrist, please pray for her healing and recovery!
3) There are still churches from SoCal looking to place folks who lost homes in the fires. We are a long way away, but some are able to travel if you have rooms or an apartment, or room for a fifth wheel for someone to stay for short or long term please let me know. Whether it works out this time, it's still a good thing to know what resources are available.
In the Love of Christ,
Pastor Phillip
Recent
Archive
2025
2024
February
November
Categories
no categories
No Comments