Listening for God
This past Sunday (2/2/20) Stephanie Joyner shared about this encounter with her neighbor in a local grocery store.  Here’s the written version in case you missed it or just want to mull it over a little more! My grandfather was a dynamic storyteller. I could sit in a room and listen to him tell stories all day long. He was known for his laughter and large, winsome personality. He could capture the attention of a whole room of people, but his attentiveness was another thing entirely. In his older age, he wore hearing aids, and if I am remembering correctly,
Getting Ready for Jonah
As we begin our study of the book of Jonah this Sunday (2/2/20), here are some resources for you to consider as you study the book personally:  A helpful overview video of the book - by the creative folks at the Bible Project. https://thebibleproject.com/explore/jonah/ A free commentary online - by Prof. Tom Constable https://www.planobiblechapel.org/tcon/notes/html/ot/jonah/jonah.htm Background info. https://www.biblicaltraining.org/library/book-jonah Wonderful teaching on the book in the form of a book! - Tim Keller is so insightful in his book “The Prodigal Prophet”.  Highly recommended by Carson Cobb. You can buy it from Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Prodigal-Prophet-Jonah-Mystery-Mercy/dp/0735222061/ref=asc_df_0735222061_nodl/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=312143170987&hvpos=1o1&hvnetw=g&hvrand=9585698680667910039&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9009718&hvtargid=pla-536222951976&psc=1 Legit Commentary - I am working with
Praying About Work and Workdays
What’s work? Benjamin Quinn and Walter Strickland's book, "Every Waking Hour", suggest: “Work is what creatures do with God’s creation.” On Monday mornings with our customers and midnight Thursday caring for our kids, we are God's creatures, interacting with God's creation. “Vocation is the way or ways in which we make ourselves useful to others.” Our jobs are the ways we bring benefit to other people. Here are three ways that may be helpful praying about your work: 1. We should see our work as methods for loving God & neighbors. Bondservants, obey your earthly masters with fear and trembling,
 An Alone Person in Our Gatherings Is An Emergency
“If someone collapsed in your church building, everyone would mobilize. But every week, people walk into our gatherings for the first time and get effectively ignored. They may not know Jesus, or they may have spent years wandering from him. Their spiritual health is on the line, and a simple conversation could be the IV fluid God uses to prepare them for life-saving surgery. Eternal lives are at stake. What if it’s a regular church member who is alone? An isolated believer is an emergency too.” To read more click the link below. Make Sunday Mornings Uncomfortable Article by Rebecca McLaughlin
Bible Study…Loving God…But I Don’t Have Time!
Loving God more, by knowing Him personally and hearing from Him directly through the scriptures….but  __________, ____________, and _________ are happening in your life right now and you simply don’t have time. Regardless of the season of life you are in, showing and experiencing love for another takes time, sacrifice, and intentionality. For a family member or friend, it is easier to be intentional and sacrifice other things in order to spend time with them, which results in growing closer to them and understanding them more deeply.  Yet, when it comes to loving God, can we honestly say that we
The Compassion of Christ
In yesterday’s sermon (1/5/20) we looked at the compassion of Jesus.  As the elders lead us to follow His example this year, this simple weekly prayer guide can be a good prompt.  Just read the day’s passage and pray that you would be compassionate like Jesus and that our church would be, too! Meditations on the Compassion of Christ Sunday - Luke 7.11-15 Monday - Matthew 14.13-21 Tuesday - Matthew 15:32-39 Wednesday - Matthew 20:29-34 Thursday - Mark 9.14-29 Friday - Luke 10.25-37 Saturday - Luke 15:11-32
A Good Prayer for Christmas Day!
 Advent Prayer by Angela of Foligno, 1248-1309 O Lord Jesus Christ, make me worthy to understand the profound mystery of your holy incarnation, which you have worked for our sake and for our salvation. Truly there is nothing so great and wonderful as this, that you, my God, who are the creator of all things, should become a creature, so that we should become like God. You have humbled yourself and made yourself small that we might be made mighty. You have taken the form of a servant, so that you might confer upon us a royal and divine
A Good Meditation for Christmas Eve!
Let the just rejoice, For their justifier is born. Let the sick and infirm rejoice, For their savior is born. Let the captives rejoice, For their Redeemer is born. Let slaves rejoice, For their Master is born. Let free men rejoice, For their Liberator is born. Let All Christians rejoice, For Jesus Christ is born. St. Augustine of Hippo (AD 354-440)
Advent Through The Eyes of a First-time Dad!
My wife and I recently welcomed our first child into the world, and it has proven to be a unique time of the year for the baby to come. She was born a week prior to the beginning of Advent. Over the past couple of weeks, we have had many opportunities to be confronted with the absolute helplessness of a newborn. There is essentially nothing she can do for herself yet. We must feed her, change her, clothe her and carry her. It is astounding how utterly dependent newborns are which caused me to think, “Jesus embraced this for us?”
A Lost Screwtape Letter
Brothers and sisters, I found this to be a good reminder during a season full of distractions. I hope it reminds you to stay on guard and hold fast to the hope of Christ. Noah A Lost Screwtape Letter (Dated December)
