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Greetings, everyone! Hallelujah, Christ is risen! He is risen from the dead! Let all who trust in Him give praise, praise to our exalted Head!
TODAY is the last day of quizzing for our Nationals Bible Quiz Team members. Pray for them as they compete and as they travel back from Wisconsin overnight, arriving in St. Joe mid-morning tomorrow. Follow this link, then click on site 1, 2, or 3 to see some of the quizzing live streamed. TOMORROW is THE LORD’S DAY! We will gather for Bible Study at 9:30 am followed by corporate worship at 10:40. Dads, I want to exhort you especially on this point: One of the best things you can do for your family's discipleship long-term is to lead your family to consistent, weekly attendance at Bible Study and worship. Moms, if Dad is unable or unwilling to lead out on this point, it is up to you to make sure you and your family are present. Providential hindrances (the proverbial "ox in the ditch") and works of necessity (police, fire, EMS, emergency healthcare, folks who keep our utilities functioning) are exceptions, but otherwise, worship with God's people on the Lord's Day. That is a commitment you will never regret. As we gather, we will be reading the following Scriptures. Take a few moments to read and meditate on them as you prepare for corporate worship: Fighter Verses: Psalm 1:1-23-4 Call to Worship: Psalm 23 Scripture Readings: Acts 4:5-12; 1 John 3:16-24 Assurance of God's Pardon: John 10:9-11 Sermon Text: Luke 5:27-32 Benediction: Romans 15:5-6; 13; 33 THIS WEEK
ICYMI Last Sunday’s Message "Forgiven and Healed" Luke 5:17-26 Please visit our YouTube Channel to see the edited service video. READ THROUGH THE BIBLE Week 17 of the 5 Day Bible Reading Program. Read through the entire Bible following this plan, or read only the New Testament (in italics). Day One: 1 Samuel 9-10; Acts 8 Day Two: 1 Samuel 11-13; Psalm 38; Acts 9 Day Three: 1 Samuel 14; Psalm 124; Acts 10 Day Four: 1 Samuel 15-16; 1 Chronicles 1; Psalm 39; Acts 11 Day Five: 1 Samuel 17; 1 Chronicles 2; Acts 12 Visit the website for more up-to-date information! BONUS: I recommend podcasts from time to time, and one that I recommend on a recurring basis is The Briefing, a daily 25-minute podcast with Al Mohler. Dr. Mohler is the president of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and one of the more insightful commentators on culture from a biblical worldview. This episode from Thursday describes what is going on in England and Australia to effectively silence Christian teaching and Christian morality, specifically when it comes to the advancement of the LGBTQ+ agenda. The current controversy involves government bans on so-called "conversion therapy," a loaded term which formerly referred to extreme techniques such as electro-shock therapy to try to "convert" someone from homosexuality to heterosexuality, often employed against their will. Now the term "conversion therapy" is being used to refer to any and all attempts to help someone change unwanted homosexual desires, behaviors, or orientation by any means, including parental conversation with their own teenagers, preaching from Christian pulpits, and even prayer. Mohler discusses how this is coming to America. The revolution is on our doorstep, and it is not going away. What can Christians who are committed to the Bible and the Lordship of Christ do? 1. Keep preaching and teaching the truth. 2. Keep standing athwart the coming revolution and shouting, "Stop!" (apologies to William F. Buckley) 3. Be prepared to go to jail. We recently saw this happen in Canada in a church where the pastor dared to defy the provincial government mandate on limiting gatherings. He was jailed, and only released due to public outcry. 4. Be prepared to go "underground." I have been advocating this for years. Churches of the future America will need to meet secretly in homes for worship, teaching, and fellowship because public gathering will be outlawed or greatly curtailed. 5. Be prepared to surrender comforts and privileges. If jail and harassment by the police are not used, other means will be. This will be the soft totalitarianism of a "social credit" system, not unlike what is going on in China now. The public is monitored by the technology they voluntarily use (smart phones, electronic tablets, and computers combined with public cameras and facial recognition software). Those who download the speeches of the Communist Party chairman, who buy things approved by the Party, go places approved by the Party, etc., will have a higher social credit score, resulting in more "freedoms" granted by the Party. More freedom of movement; more favor from the Party in issuing government contracts, loans, and grants; more economic opportunity in terms of job promotion and higher wages; more freedom from harassment by the state police. On the other hand, those who use their devices to listen to Christian sermons or read the Bible, who buy things not approved by the Party, who go to church, etc., will have a lower social credit score. Their movement is impeded, their employment is stifled, they are frequently harassed by the state police, and they may even be jailed for their activities, especially for religious or free-speech activities. This last item is the most pernicious because it is coercion by voluntary means. Those who go along with the prevailing opinion of the secular state will be treated with preference, while those who go against it will be treated with disfavor. To all this, what Jesus said to His disciples should sustain us as well: "In the world you will have tribulation. But be of good cheer. I have overcome the world." (John 16:33) See you in church! Grace and peace, Pastor Greg
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Greetings, everyone! Here is Part Two of our weekly update:
TOMORROW is THE LORD’S DAY and as we gather for worship, we once again rejoice in the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus from the dead. To remind us of this and to help prepare our hearts to gather tomorrow, I share with you these words from John of Damascus who died in the year A.D. 750. Click on the link to hear a glorious choral arrangement of this hymn and follow along with the lyrics: "Come, ye faithful, raise the strain of triumphant gladness; God hath brought his Israel into joy from sadness; loosed from Pharaoh's bitter yoke, Jacob's sons and daughters led them, with unmoistened foot through the Red Sea waters. "'Tis the spring of souls today; Christ hath burst his prison, and from three days' sleep in death as a sun hath risen. All the winter of our sins, long and dark, is flying from his light, to whom we give laud and praise undying. "Now the queen of season, bright with the day of splendor, with the royal feast of feasts, comes its joy to render; comes to glad Jerusalem, who with true affection welcomes in unwearied strains Jesus' resurrection. "Neither might the gates of death, nor the tomb's dark portal, nor the watchers, nor the seal hold thee as a mortal; but today a midst thine own thou didst stand, bestowing thine own peace which evermore passeth human knowing." Our corporate worship will be framed and informed by the following Scriptures. Please take a few moments to read and meditate on them as you prepare for worship. Fighter Verses: Psalm 1:1-2 Call to Worship: Psalm 4 Scripture Readings: Acts 3:12-19; 1 John 3:1-7 Assurance of God's Pardon: Romans 8:1 Sermon Text: Luke 5:17-26 Benediction: Numbers 6:24-26 THIS WEEK
COMING UP: SAVE THESE DATES!
Please visit our YouTube Channel to see the edited service video. Also, the virtual Good Friday service is in this collection. READ THROUGH THE BIBLE Week 16 of the 5 Day Bible Reading Program. Read through the entire Bible following this plan, or read only the New Testament (in italics). Day One: Ruth 1-2; Acts 3 Day Two: Ruth 3-4; Psalm 37; Acts 4 Day Three: 1 Samuel 1-2; Psalm 120; Acts 5 Day Four: 1 Samuel 3-5; Psalm 23; Acts 6 Day Five: 1 Samuel 6-8; Acts 7 Visit the website for more up-to-date information! See you in church! Grace and Peace, Pastor Greg Greetings, everyone! It is the end of a full day of ministry, so I will make every attempt to be brief and to the point.
TOMORROW is THE LORD’S DAY You can view or download tomorrow's bulletin here. Take a few moments to read through and meditate on the Scriptures for the service. Please note the correction in the Scripture reading, Acts 4:32-35 and 1 John 1:1 - 2:2. THIS WEEK'S Fighter Verse (James 1:4-5) and Announcements are available here. Tomorrow evening is church council at 5 pm followed by our monthly member meeting at 6 pm. COMING UP: SAVE THESE DATES!
ICYMI Last Sunday’s Message "I Have Seen the Lord!" John 20:1-18 Please visit our YouTube Channel to see the edited service video. Also, the virtual Good Friday service is in this collection. READ THROUGH THE BIBLE Week 15 of the 5 Day Bible Reading Program. Read through the entire Bible following this plan, or read only the New Testament (in italics). Day One: Judges 7-8; Luke 22 Day Two: Judges 9-11; Psalm 17; Luke 23 Day Three: Judges 12-16; Psalm 146; Luke 24 Day Four: Judges 17-18; Psalm 21; Acts 1 Day Five: Judges 19-21; Acts 2 Visit the website for more up-to-date information! BONUS: If you are concerned about the moral revolution so rapidly happening all around us (and you should be), you will do well to listen to this episode of The Briefing with Al Mohler. Here, Dr. Mohler discusses the current legislation in Arkansas to protect youths and children with gender dysphoria, the "scandal" of a British Labour Party leader attending a Christian church which actually adheres to the biblical understanding of gender and sexuality, and the subject of Biblical complementarianism with particular reference to Beth Moore and her recent announcement that she is leaving the Southern Baptist Convention. See you in church! Grace and Peace, Pastor Greg Greetings, everyone! Thanks to all who came out in support of our weekday Holy Week services each noon hour this week. We had a tremendous time fellowshiping around God's word and pondering the events of the last week of Jesus' ministry prior to His crucifixion. Today, we considered John 18-19, and taught on the subject of "Jesus, Our Great High Priest." We have a big weekend coming up:
TODAY (FRIDAY)
THE LORD’S DAY
MONDAY
COMING UP
ICYMI Last Sunday’s Message "A Time to Remember Christ" Matthew 26; John 13 To view last week's service, and previous services, in their totality, visit our YouTube Channel. READ THROUGH THE BIBLE Week 14 of the 5 Day Bible Reading Program. Read through the entire Bible following this plan, or read only the New Testament (in italics). Day One: Joshua 14-17; Luke 17 Day Two: Josh. 18-21; Psalm 15; Luke 18 Day Three: Josh. 22-24; Psalm 116; Luke 19 Day Four: Judges 1-3; Psalm 16; Luke 20 Day Five: Judges 4-6; Luke 21 Christian Sympathy is extended to Audrey Ousley, Irene Sifers, Nancy Jo Stahl, and Keith Estes on the death of their brother, Marvin Estes this week. Services are scheduled for Saturday, April 10, 1pm Visitation, 2 pm Funeral, at Poland-Thompson Funeral Home in Cameron. Visit the website for more up-to-date information! See you in Church! Grace and Peace, Pastor Greg |
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