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Isaiah 57:15 -- For thus says the One who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: "I dwell in the high and holy place, and also with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly, and to revive the heart of the contrite."
I find this to be an amazing verse declaring the humility of the Lord. He is the One who inhabits eternity, who dwells in the high and holy place...whose name is Holy. Yet He is also the one who dwells with the contrite and lowly in spirit in order to lift them up and exalt them to where He is...eternity.
The Lord is truly incredible. He will revive our hearts and strengthen our spirits, not when we do everything He commands us to, but when we humble ourselves and recognize our need for His grace in our lives. I love this Holy One.
In the Grace of Christ,
Pastor Alan
Discussion Point
Why do you love the Holy One?
Weekly Updates:
- Remember to help the parents understand what you have taught the children in their classes. This is very important.
- Make sure you get signed up for Family Camp. Our theme this year is "House on the Rock". It is going to be a great time!
Upcoming Events:
- CM Water Olympics - Wednesday, August 4th (7:00-8:30pm)
- Family Camp - "House on the Rock" - August 20th - 22nd
- CM Graduation Sunday - August 29th
- CM Equipping for Ministry - Sunday, August 29th 1:30-3:00pm
2 Chronicles 30:18-20 -- For Hezekiah had prayed for them, saying, "May the good LORD pardon everyone who sets his heart to seek God, the LORD, the God of his fathers, even though not according to the sanctuary's rules of cleanness." And the LORD heard Hezekiah and healed the people.
In the above verse, the people had gathered together to celebrate the Passover...a thing which had not been done in years. King Hezekiah had sent word to all of Israel to come and honor the LORD through the observance of this holy meal. So many people showed up to eat of the Passover, that all the rules according to the law delivered to Moses could not be observed. Levites had to help with the sacrifices (only priests could do this according to the law) and some people had to eat of the Passover lamb while unclean according to the law. Hezekiah knew what the law said, but he also knew the people's desire to seek the Lord was good...so he by-passed the law to allow the people to honor God....and the LORD healed the people.
I often think of this story in respect to decisions we are faced with in life. Sometimes, though we pray for wisdom and guidance and seek His word for clear direction, it is not clear to us what the right decision is in certain situations. We struggle to be in the "perfect" will of God. It is in those times we must come before the Lord knowing the state of our hearts...are we truly seeking the Lord in all we do; do we really want His will to be done? If so, we can peacefully make a decision that we think is best and trust the Lord, who judges the thoughts and intentions of the heart, to heal our every choice. It is by our faith in His grace and righteousness in us that we can walk in all confidence in our decisions.
In the Grace of Christ,
Pastor Alan
Discussion Point
How has the Lord covered some of your decision making in the past?
Weekly Updates:
- Remember to help the parents understand what you have taught the children in their classes. This is very important.
Upcoming Events:
- CM Orientation - Thursday, July 29th (6:30-8:30pm)
- CM Water Olympics - Wednesday, August 4th (7:00-8:30pm)
- Family Camp - "House on the Rock" - August 20th - 22nd
Romans 2:4 -- Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?.
I find this to be an amazing verse. Often we think of repentance as resulting from an acknowledgment of God's expectant wrath upon a sinner...the ole 'repent or else' mentality. While this is good and right, it is not God's wrath that He wishes to exalt, but His kindness. This is why He uses His kindness to lead us to repentance (and why He gave His Son on the cross).
When faced with my own inept ability to follow God and then witnessing His lavish kindness on my life (which He does presently with all good and perfect gifts and He did past with the death of His own Son), it draws me to my knees to beg God to help me be the person He is...full of kindness and mercy! What an awesome and loving God we serve!!
In the Grace of Christ,
Pastor Alan
Discussion Point
How has God shown you His kindness in your life this week?
Weekly Updates:
- We are looking for people who would like to help out with this year's VBS. If you would like to help out please let me know ASAP...planning has begun!!!
- Remember to help the parents understand what you have taught the children in their classes. This is very important.
Upcoming Events:
- VBS - Victory In Jesus! - Monday, July 19th - Friday, July 23rd (6:30 - 8:30pm)
- CM Orientation - Thursday, July 29th (6:30-8:30pm)
- CM Water Olympics - Wednesday, August 4th (7:00-8:30pm)
Romans 1:16 -- For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.
The gospel is the power of God for salvation...we need to always remember this. We do not give it power, but it has an inherent power as the word of God...the word of God for salvation at that. All we need do is not hinder the power of the gospel by presenting it well.
Does that mean we have to get all our words just right and leave nothing out...unfolding the whole book of Romans to all who will listen? No, it simply means we must surrender ourselves over to the Holy Spirit and let HIM speak the gospel through us. This does not mean we need not study the gospel in order to present it well...in order to be saved a person must believe the correct gospel...we simply need not worry and let the Holy Spirit guide us in our speech.
The Gospel in short...
Eternal life is a free gift...this is good because man is a sinner and cannot earn or deserve eternal life. This is also good news because while God is love, He is also just and he MUST punish the guilty. However, in order to keep us from being punished and still keep in line with His just character, God sent Jesus, His son, to die on the cross for us...taking our punishment on Himself. And because Jesus died on the cross and raised Himself from the dead, He now has the power over our punishment and He will forgive us of all our sins if we put our trust in Him and live our lives to please Him. When we trust Jesus with our lives and seek to follow Him, He gives us His Holy Spirit to live inside of us and help us do the things He tells us to do.
Remember, the children don't need fancy words, they just need the surrendered hearts of people like you to share with them the power of God for salvation.
In the Grace of Christ,
Pastor Alan
Discussion Point
Have you seen the gospel work the power of God for salvation in the life of a young child?
Weekly Updates:
- We are looking for people who would like to help out with this year's VBS. If you would like to help out please let me know ASAP...planning has begun!!!
- Remember to help the parents understand what you have taught the children in their classes. This is very important.
Upcoming Events:
- VBS - Victory In Jesus! - Monday, July 19th - Friday, July 23th (6:30 - 8:30pm)
- CM Orientation - Thursday, July 29th (6:30-8:30pm)
- CM Water Olympics - Wednesday, August 4th (7:00-8:30pm)
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