Faith Covenant Presbyterian Church: Recent Episodes
Faith Covenant Church
Preaching and teaching audio from Faith Covenant Presbyterian (PCA) which exists to glorify God in the Flathead and Montana community.
16 and 21. But we’re going to be looking at the life of Abraham, God’s calling on him as we look at God’s faithfulness in his life. We look through the reading of God’s word if you would join with me in prayer. Well, Lord, we do ask that you would shed your light upon us, that being rid of the darkness of our hearts, that we may come into the true light, which is Christ, who is the light of the…
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Doing our series on God’s generational faithfulness. And so far we’ve looked at the generations of Adam. Despite Adam’s rebellion, God remains faithful. Despite Cain’s murder of his brother, God remains faithful. But it doesn’t get better. We’re going to look how it gets worse in this first passage we’re going to read. You follow with me. This is Genesis 6: 5-8. The Lord saw that the wickedness of…
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Hear God’s word read. Let me pray for this, the reading of his word. This will flow from Psalm 119, the section entitled Zion. Let us pray. Lord, remember your word to your servant in which you have made me hope. This is my comfort in my affliction that your promise gives me life. The insolent utterly deride me, but I do not turn away from your law. When I think of your rules from of old.
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As we see, of course, the Bible is one continuous story, but we’re going to be looking at the major moments of transition and the unfolding of the covenant of redemption. And today we’re starting with the fall. God’s good creation turns bad as we look through the reading of God’s word. If you’d please join with me in prayer. Our Father, majesty and bounded, worthy of all worship, and you, Christ…
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Proverbs 4, the last of the summer psalms and Proverbs, we finish out our look at living a life in wisdom directed by the Proverbs. As we look to the reading of God’s word, though, if you please join with me in prayer. Father of all mercies, let us stand in awe of you this day. We ask that you’d help us by your spirit put your words into our hearts, that you would write them upon our minds…
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Please speak peace to our anxious hearts. We incline our ears to hear your words of truth. Amen. Well, since I am the new youth guy, I figured that I would preach a sermon on generational wisdom. Every generation has its new idiosynchrosies, its new little things. I like to show how they’re different from those who’ve come before. And so often there’s these new words that come out. So I looked up…
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We’re looking at the value of being told no, that no is good for our souls. I’m very aware of the yeah, but nature of this message. Yeah, but what about this circumstance? Well, you don’t understand. Yeah, but this is different. I would just simply want to encourage you, listen first, and then not to let your objections keep you in the way of hearing God’s word. We look through the reading of God’…
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Amid fiery beast, the children of man, whose teeth are spears and arrows, whose tongues are sharp swords. Be exaltet, oh God, above the heavens. Let your glory be over all the earth. They set a net for my steps. My soul was bowed down. They dug a pit in my way, but they have fallen into it themselves. Say, La. My heart is steadfast, O God. My heart is steadfast. I will sing and make melody. Awake…
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And the wisdom that God gives to us through it. We look to the redeemed God’s word, though, if you would please join with me in prayer. Christ our God, we ask that you set our hearts on fire with love through your word. Lord, that in it we would love you with all of our heart, with all of our mind, with all of our strength, and our neighbor as ourself. For that by keeping your Commandments, Lord…
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The lens of God’s character. What we saw is that knowing is relational. This morning in the next couple of weeks, we’re going to look at Proverbs expanding on that understanding of wisdom is relational. If we look to the reading of God’s word, if you please join with me in prayer. Bless are you, O God, the Father of all mercy. You have elected us. You’ve called us. You’ve justified us and…
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The underlying truths of the psalm, how that informs our considerations as we look to the reading of God’s Word. If you join with me in prayer, Father, we do thank you and bless you that you have given us your word preserved from one generation to the next. And Father, as we come before you today with questions of our generation, we ask then that you would continue to speak your eternal truths…
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As we prepare to hear God’s word read, I encourage you to take your Bibles in hand and open up to Psalm 56. If you didn’t bring your Bible with you, you can find it in the pew on page 476. But in anticipation of the reading and the hearing of God’s word, let me pray. This will flow from Psalm 119, the section entitled Vab. Let us pray. Father, we ask that your steadfast love would come to us. Oh…
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After a couple of weeks in Proverbs, we shifted over to a psalm today. It’s a beautiful morning with joyful music that we’ve just sung in a very difficult psalm. Some directional help as we go forward. We are going to start by plunging down as it were a massive dark wave, and then we will ride it back up to join to the top, the daylight of the great grace and mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ.
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The last couple of weeks in Proverbs, we have looked at what it means to have a peaceful heart in conflict, as well as in giving and receiving correction. And this morning, we looked at God’s wisdom in our anger. It was all dovetailed together. So we looked at the reading of God’s word, though, if you please join with me in prayer. Our blessed Triune Lord in your great and kind providence…
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Remember of Psalms and Proverbs, and we are looking at a medley of text starting with Proverbs 27. We consider the wisdom in both giving and receiving instruction or correction. We look to the reading of God’s word. If you please join with me in prayer. Lord, we do ask that you would shed your light upon us by being rid of the darkness of our hearts, that we might come into the true light…
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Proverbs 15, Summer Psal. Proverbs are back for a limited time, and we are ready to jump right in with this Book of Proverbs, looking at how our relationship to Jesus transforms conflict in our other relationships. As we look to the reading of God’s word, if you please join with me in prayer. Oh God, we do ask that you would guide us by your word and spirit, that in your light we may see the light…
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Let’s pray as we prepare to hear God’s word. This prayer flows from Psalm 119, the section entitled KAAF. Let’s pray. Father, we, our souls, long for your salvation. And we long to hope in your word. Our eyes long for your promise. And yet at times we find we ask, When will you comfort us? For we have become like a wine skin in the smoke, and yet we have not forgotten your statutes.
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Today, we celebrate the birth of the church, Universal. The Holy spirit launches the message of Christ into the world through a newly empowered people. It has been the case through the early church, the two greatest celebrations, first being Easter, the second being Pentecost, which may surprise some, has somewhat become culturally invisible, at least amongst protestants. May we change that.
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We finish our series this morning on the discipleship in the gospel of Mark. For us is the call of Jesus in crossbearing. We look through the reading of God’s word. If you please join with me in prayer. Father, indeed, we thank you that you have given to us your words, that you have had them written down for our learning. And we ask Lord God, that you would indeed help us to hear them…
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What does it mean for followers of Christ to live for him with one eye on the future horizon and the other upon our present suffering? We look through the reading of God’s word. If you please join me in prayer. Father, of all mercy in your word, your endless glory shine forth. And we ask them that you would reveal them to us this day, all through the marvelous working of your Holy spirit…
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I bring the word this morning, and before I do, let’s pray for the reading of this word. This will flow from Psalm 119, a section called Hey. Let us pray. Heavenly Father, we ask this morning that you would teach us, O Lord, the way of your statutes, that we would keep them to the end, that you would give us understanding, that we may keep your law, that we would observe it with our whole heart.
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He sat down and called the twelve, and he said to them, ‘If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and a servant of all. ‘ And he took a child and put him in the midst of them, and take him in the arms, he said to them, ‘Whoever receives one such child in my name, receives me. ‘ ‘Whoever receives me, receives not me, but him who sent me. Mark 10. And Jesus called them to him and he said to…
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Mark, starting in Mark 10. We’re looking at what it means to walk by faith. What is a disciple’s faith? We use that word all of the time. There’s at least six aspects of faith that theologians discuss with several subpoints below each of these in the broader topic. But what does it mean to have faith? How is our faith exercised? That’s what we’re looking at this morning as we look to the reading…
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Father, at times in our lives we recognize that our soul clings to the dust. And so we would ask that you would give us life according to your word, Lord. When you told. In your word, Lord. When we. When rather our ways were told to you, you answered them. And so we ask that you would teach us your statutes. That you would make us understand the way of your precepts. That we would meditate on…
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We’ve been working our way through the gospel of Mark in a series on discipleship, and we pause that rightly for Easter Sunday, and we’re going to be switching over to the gospel of Matthew, Matthew 28, as we consider the resurrection story of Jesus. We look to the ream God’s word, though, if you would please join with me in prayer. Holy God, blessed are you. In your son, Jesus…
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Celebrations. In the spring, there were two, the Passover, and then the Feast of Weeks, Pentecost, and then in the autumn, the Feast of Booth. Here, Jesus is coming to Jerusalem during the time of the Passover. We look to the reading God’s word. If you please join me in prayer. Oh, Lord, indeed, the grass withers and the flower fades, but your word will stand forever. As we come then to your…
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Text this morning, Matthew 15: 10. Earlier, Jesus had sent out his disciples to minister in his name, and now we see those ministering in Jesus’ name wanting to send others away from Jesus. We look to the reading of God’s word. If you please join me in prayer. Living God, we ask you to help us to hear your Holy word this day, that we may truly understand, and Lord, that in understanding we would…
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Let’s pray for the reading of God’s word. This prayer will flow out of some Psalm 119, the section called Sade. Let us pray. Heavenly Father, we recognize that you are righteous. Oh, Lord, right are your rules, and you have appointed your testimonies in righteousness and in all faithfulness. Lord, we desire that our zeal would consume us. Lord, that there would be a great difference between us and…
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A real mission and a training mission all rolled into one. We look to the reading of God’s word. If you would please join with me in prayer. Bless are you, O God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. And you, Father, are all mercy and all goodness. You have elected us, you have called us, you justified us, you have sanctified and glorified us all through your son, who is the living word.
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Mark Chapter 4. We continue working our way through the gospel of Mark with an eye to discipleship. Today, we step into the boat with the disciples with the great storm, Galilee. Maybe you’ll recall the wonderful painting by Rembrandt depicting this very picture of Jesus being woken up by terrified disciples as the boat is tossing and pitching in the great waves. As we look through the reading of…
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As we continue walking through the gospel, marked with that question in mind, we come to Jesus speaking in parables. What are we to make of that? We look to the reading of God’s word. If you please join me in prayer. Most gracious God, our heavenly Father, in you alone dwells all the fullness of light and wisdom. We ask them that you would enlighten our minds by your Holy spirit to truly…
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That your Commandments would make us wiser than our enemies, for they would be ever with us. That we might have more understanding than our teachers. That your testimonies would be our meditations. That you would give us wisdom among the agent, that we would keep your precepts, that you would, by your word, hold us back, hold our feet from every evil way. That we might not turn aside to the right…
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Consider fasting in the life of a believer. So you look to the reading of God’s word. What does it mean to be a follower of Jesus? We continue looking at discipleship in the gospel of Mark, and today we consider fasting in the life of a believer. So you look to the reading of God’s word, if you please join me in prayer. Blesser to you, Holy God, is in Jesus Christ, your son, that your light shines…
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Mark Chapter 2. What does it mean to be a follower of Jesus? We continue looking at discipleship in the gospel of Mark. We look to the reading of God’s word. Please join me in prayer. Living God, we do ask that you would help us to hear your Holy word that we would truly understand. And Lord, that in understanding we may believe, and in believing we may follow in all faithfulness and obedience…
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Amen. Mark 1, beginning in verse 14. Now, after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled and the Kingdom of God is at hand. Repent and believe in the gospel. ‘ Passing alongside the sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew, the brother of Simon, casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. And Jesus said to them…
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I’ve quoted this before, but from rabbi Jacob Milner in his commentary on Leviticus, Words fall from our lips like the dead leaves of autumn, but rituals endure with repetition. They are visual and participatory. They embed themselves in memory at a young age, reinforced with each enactment. When a ritual fails because it either lacks content or is misleading, it loses its power and its purpose.
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The Eucharist, which is simply the Greek word for giving thanks, the breaking of bread, love feast. All these have been names used for this central Christian sacrament. And yet with such lofty names, it seems so strange that within the Christian church, it is so divisive at so many levels. We look to the reading of God’s word. If you please join me in prayer. Christ our God, we ask that you’d…
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It’s a delight to bring God’s word to you this morning. In preparation of reading his word, let us pray for this. This comes out of Psalm 119, the section titled Lamed. Let us pray. Forever, O Lord, your word is firmly fixed in the heavens, and your faithfulness endures to all generations. You have established the earth, and it stands fast. Lord, by your appointment, they stand this day…
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Quest. I had many more questions about baptism, and I thought it would be wise to address them in another sermon. And generally, don’t say this, but it would be worth your while to listen to the first one. We’re going to cover a new ground this morning, and that one I gave the Old Testament underpinnings the baptism as well as a discussion of infant baptism. So I just encourage you to go back and…
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Fultz kinds of sermon. I recognize one sermon will not cover all of your questions. If you look around, we are a congregation from newborns to 90 with people of all kinds of church backgrounds. Some have thought about these issues in a deep and serious way, and others, this may be brand new. So all I have to say, extend charity, not just to me, to one another in a topic that sometimes is greatly…
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Join me as we pray for the reading of God’s word. Father, we give you all thanks and praise for you have brought us through this advent season in which while we were preparing for your first coming, your incarnation, the word became flesh and dwelt among us. Lord, we were also to be training our thoughts on your second coming. And Lord, we thank you that you have promised to come again. And Lord…
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Last week, we looked at the Messiah’s message pronounced in Isaiah 61. And today, we are considering the temptations Jesus endured as part of his preparation for his Ministry of Redemption. We look through the reading of God’s word. If you please join me in prayer. Living God, we ask that you would help us to hear your Holy word that we truly understand in Lord and understanding we would believe…
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Look to the reading of God’s word, if you please join me in prayer. Father God, indeed, you are the source of all light, and by your word, you give light to our souls. We ask then that you would pour out upon us a spirit of wisdom and understanding. That being taught by you in holy scriptures, our hearts, minds will be open to know all that pertains to life and wholeness. And this we ask through…
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We’re given to us in Genesis 3:15, all the way to the birth of John the Baptist. And today we’re going to see the Messiah is the King in the line of David, as well as the Messiah is the Prophet like Moses. The shadows of the Old find the reality in the light of Christ. We look to the reading of God’s word. If you please join me in prayer. Father of all mercies, you have given to us your glorious…
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See, there are multiple scriptures this morning in your bulletin we’re looking through. We consider advent, and we remind ourselves that advent is not simply a countdown to Christmas. It is not a reenactment. It is first and foremost, a celebration and a reminder of the person and work of Jesus Christ in his full gospel power and glory. His first coming is to remind us of the pledge and the…
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It’s an X and an R. It looks like a P, but this is the word for Christ. The first two letters is C-H. Even you see the symbol here, the IHS. It’s Latin taken from Greek, and it’s just the first three letters of Jesus and the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. The church has used colors from the beginning because the Lord has instructed us to use colors. We see that in the prescribed…
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As a church intern, I saw something firsthand. A family had taken on a high niche child. I can’t remember if it was a foster adoption, something to that degree. The wife particularly had asked, maybe demanded a lot of help from others in the church. Several families had come together and brought meals. They arranged for extra care, and they really rallied together for the family. I was a part of…
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So today’s a topical message, looking at a component of biblical Anthropology. It’s a fancy way of saying we’re going to talk about our feelings today. It applies to everyone who’s still breathing. Sometimes we think of these types of conversations and it’s like, Oh, not one of those. But again, the reason for it is this affects all of us. There’s not a person here who has not in some way…
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Psalm 1:19. Let us pray. Heavenly Father, we ask that you would remember your word to us, your servants, and that it would be that in which you have made us hope. That it would be a comfort in our affliction, that your promises would give us life. That when we think of your rules from of old, that we would take comfort, O Lord. Lord, that your statutes would be our songs in the house of our…
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Let us pray. Father, we do ask that your steadfast love would come to us, Lord, that your salvation would be according to your promise. Then we shall have an answer for those who taunt us, for we will trust in your word. Lord, take not the word of truth utterly out of our mouths, for our hope is in your rules. We desire to keep your law continually, forever and ever. We desire to walk in wide…
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We’ve seen Paul’s final greeting and final caution. Next week, we’ll be looking at the doxology at the end of chapter 16. We’ll be finishing out our series in the Book of Romans. We look through the reading of God’s word. If you would please join me in prayer. Blessed, trying Lord in your great and kind providence, all holy scriptures were written and preserved for our instruction. And so we ask…
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The Minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles in the Priestley service of the gospel of God, so that the offering of the Gentiles may be acceptable, sanctified by the Holy spirit, by the power of signs and wonders, by the power of the spirit of God, so that from Jerusalem and all the way around to Illyricum, I have fulfilled the ministry of the gospel of Christ. And thus I make it my ambition to…
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A common meme or satire of beauty pageants is the contestant’s answer of world peace in the interview question. The greatest thing our society needs may indeed be peace, but nobody really thinks that it’s going to come about by something inspired through a beauty pageant. It’s not going to bring the world together in harmony. A while back, NBA basketball great Ron Artest, he was involved in a very…
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Eclectic group of non- Koreans who also attended. Because of a dear family from India, I was introduced to some amazing Indian cuisine. And the course of conversation over a meal, the couple mentioned how it was wrong to eat pork. Now, I don’t know if this was a regional thing in India from where they were from or maybe a part of the church that they belong to, but they could see the perplexed…
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Father, indeed, it is a joy to be here in this, your house, to worship you. But we come with busy and distracted lives. Father, we come with hearts full of trouble, with minds anxious about what has happened and what is about to happen. And Father, so we ask as we come now in this time of worship to your word, that you would soften our hearts that we would hear your word and it would take root…
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As we read this famous text, our tendency is to rush into exceptions and qualifications. Didn’t the Hebrew midwives defy Pharaoh’s order? Weren’t they commended for disobeying the civil government and saving babies? When the Apostles were strictly charged not to teach in the name of Jesus, didn’t they defy the order, claiming that they must obey God rather than men? And wasn’t God himself the one…
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Come to the end of Romans 12. We are shaped by grace, we serve by grace, and our love is to be fueled by grace. We look to the reading of God’s word. If you please join me in prayer. Heavenly Father, as we meet now in your presence, we ask that you would open our ears to hear your voice, that you would open our hearts to love you more and more, to open our souls to receive your word in its…
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In God forever. Amen. Beginning in verse three, For by the grace given to me, I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function. So we, though many, are one body in Christ and…
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Romans 12. Eleven chapters of what God has done for us. And now Paul moves to our response, how we are to be shaped by this amazing grace. We look through the reading of God’s word. If you please join me in prayer. Christ our God, we ask that you set our hearts on fire with love through your word, that in its flame we may love you with all our hearts, with all our minds, with all of our strength…
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Life and continue to cause them to bear much fruit in our lives. Lord God, that you would continue molding and shaping us into the image of our blessed savior, Jesus. We pray and ask for these things in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy spirit. Amen. Beginning in verse 14, just reading the first four verses. How then will they call on him whom they have not believed? And how are they…
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Today, we ask that you would make us hungry for this heavenly food that would nourish us in the ways of eternal life. And this we pray and ask through Jesus Christ, who indeed is the bread of heaven. Amen. Beginning with just the first six verses. What shall we say then? Is there injustice on God’s part? By no means. For he says to Moses, ‘I will have mercy on whom I have mercy…
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Well, Lord, we do ask that you would come and shed your light upon us, that being rid of the darkness of our hearts, that we would come into the true light, which is Christ, who is the light of the world, who lives and arrange with you in the unity of the Holy spirit, one God, world without end. Amen. Beginning in verse one, I am speaking the truth in Christ, I am not lying.
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‘blessed Lord, it is you who caused all holy scriptures to be written for our learning. ‘ And so we ask then that you would allow us to hear them, to read, to mark, to learn them. ‘And Father, that we would embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope of eternal life, which you have given to us in our savior, Jesus Christ, in whose name we pray. Amen. Beginning in verse 27, ‘ Likewise…
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Paul addresses that great future hope that we now have been given in him. Romans 8:14-25. We look to the reading of God’s word if you would join me in prayer. God, indeed, you are our helper. And by your Holy spirit, we ask that you would open our minds so that as scriptures are read, as your word is complained, that we would be led into your truth, that we would be taught your will. And Father…
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Romans 8. Paul keeps spelling out what our new life in Christ is to look like, Christ in us and Christ for us. And here is a picture of that as he continues. So we look to the reading of God’s word if you please join me in prayer. God of all mercy, you promise never to break your covenant with us. And amid all the changing words of our generation, we ask then that you would speak your eternal word…
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Undemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do by sending his own son in the likeness of sinful flesh. And for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh in order that the righteous requirement of law might be fulfilled in us who walk not…
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Father, as my words are true to your word, may they be taken to heart. But if my words should stray from yours, may they be quickly forgotten. I pray this in the name and in the power of Jesus Christ. Amen. Well, the signs of spring are beginning to abound. Many gardeners have started seedlings in pots by windows, and a few have decided to brave the 25-degree nights with their fall garlic or…
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In the world we live in, paying someone up front for the work they promised to do is usually considered foolish. Half now, half on completion, something like that. Why? Because once they have our money, what’s the incentive to finish the job? The objection that Paul addresses is similar. Paul, all this grace up front is going to keep people from a righteous life. There’s no incentive.
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Romans 6. What a great way to move from Easter back to Romans, just as Jesus died and was raised to life, so too we are dead to sin and alive to him. We look to the reading of God’s word if you join me in prayer. Living God, we ask you to help us to hear your Holy word that we may truly understand and that in understanding we may believe and believing we may follow in all faithfulness and…
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Darkness of Good Friday gave way to the brightness of Easter morning. He has risen indeed. Our text before us is John 20. We’ll be starting with the first 10 verses. And as we look to the reading of God’s word, if you please join me in prayer. Blessed are you, Holy God, in Jesus Christ, your light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. Bless are you, God of light…
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That the inspiration of our thoughts may be true and all our ways truly righteous. Pour down your spirit, that we might be lifted up in your presence, that we might dwell in your righteousness and live forever bathed in your truth. We pray this through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen. This morning, you can see our scripture passage is John 12:12-21. One. Hear now the word of the Lord. The next day…
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Before we look at these verses 12 through 21, let’s pray together. Please pray with me. Our Father in heaven, we give you thanks for this beautiful day in which the creation is revealing your glory and power. We give you thanks for this beautiful day in which there is grace in this place for these people. We give you thanks that this is your Holy word which you gave to our fathers…
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We’ve obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand. We rejoiced in hope of the glory of God. Not only that, but we rejoiced in our suffering. Knowing that suffering produces endurance, endurance produces character, character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy spirit who has been given to us.
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You’ll join me in prayer for the reading of God’s word. Blessed Lord, in your great and kind providence. All holy scriptures were written and preserved for our instruction. We ask that you would give us grace to hear them proclaim this day. That you would strengthen our souls with the fullness of their divine teaching. That you would keep us from pride in your reverence. And that it would please…
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In one cohesive whole, all Christians are saved by God’s gift of Christ’s righteousness. We look to the reading of God’s word if you join me in prayer. Most gracious God, our heavenly Father, it is in you alone dwells the fullness of light and wisdom. And we ask them that by your Holy Spirit that you would continue to enlighten our minds to understand your word. That you would give us grace to…
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Forgotten. I pray this in the name and in the power of Jesus Christ. Amen. I don’t know if you know this about me, but I played college baseball. Yeah. Pretty impressive, isn’t it? Yeah. I played second base on the account of my weak arm, and I only started because the real second baseman thought he was too good to show up for practices, and he was quite a bit better than I was. I did, however…
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Romans 3. Paul is steadily building his argument that all are unrighteous before a holy God, that we need the righteousness of Christ received by faith alone. If you look to the reading of God’s word, though, if you would please join me in prayer. We give thanks to you, a Lord of lords, for your steadfast love endures forever. You alone do great wonders, and by your you’ve made the heavens…
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Some have referred to this part of Romans as an exposition of the Lord Jesus parable of the two lost sons. Can I have the sex, drugs, and rock and roll son of the younger brother, and then the self-righteousness, the hard-heartedness, the indifference of the older brother seen between Gentiles and Jews. We look to the reading of God’s word if you would just join me in prayer. The grass withers and…
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Reigns with you in the unity of the Holy spirit, one God, world without end. Amen. Chapter 2, beginning in verse 1. Therefore, you have no excuse, O man, every one of you who judges, or in passing judgment on another, you condemn yourself because you, the judge, practice the very same things. We know that the judgment of God rightly falls on those who practice such things. Do you suppose, O man…
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Has admitted, frankly, that abortion is murder, the extermination of the powerless by the powerful. Liberals, for the most part, have shrunk from facing the ethical consequences of their embrace of abortion, which results in the anihilation of concrete individuals that people… And not just clumps of insensate tissue. We must acknowledge that people should be a little troubled by abortion.
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Let us pray for the reading of God’s word. Father, as we come in this worship service now to this time of your word, to hear it read, to hear it preached, Lord, we need you to act. We ask that you would soften our hearts, that you would unstop our ears, that we would truly hear your word. Father, that by the power of your spirit, you would work it into our hearts and lives as we have need. Father…
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Today is Epiphany Sunday. Epiphany is that Greek word which means to show or to appear. We celebrate the light of Christ coming into the world. Typically, on Epiphany Sunday, we look either at the baptism of Jesus or global missions through the Magi. This morning, we are in Matthew 3, looking at the baptism of Jesus. As we look through the reading of God’s word, if you please join me in prayer.
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I’m a standing for a prayer and the reading of God’s word. We pray for the reading of God’s word. This is from Psalm 1:19. Let us pray. Father, we long to love your law that it would be our meditation all the day, that your commandments would make us wiser than our enemies, for they would be ever with us, that we would have more understanding than all our teachers, for your testimonies would be…
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Zephaniah, chapter three, the prophets message of God’s anger and wrath have given way to the joy of God. We look to the reading of God’s word if you join me in prayer. Blessed are you, holy God. In Jesus Christ, your light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. Blessed are you, God of light. We ask you to shine in our lives with the light of Christ that we might give you…
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Zephaniah, chapter 3. The prophet moves from judgment now to hope. So you look to the reading of God’s word, if you please join me in prayer. Father, indeed, you are the source of all life, and by your word, you give light to our souls. We ask that you would open the eyes of our heart that we would know your wisdom, that we would live by your understanding. Teach us to stay from your word of truth…
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Prophet Zephaniah. Chapter two and three. We continue looking at the Zephaniah as we consider preparation for advent. Zephaniah was a prophet who ministered before the fall of Jerusalem. It’s a great destruction. And this week we see again more of the bad news. Hope is around the corner, but it must come through the ruins. So we look to the reading God’s word. If you please, join me in prayer.
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Prophet Zephaniah. As we begin advent, we are going to do so by looking from the vantage point of the prophets. They point us as a people of God forward to the coming of the Messiah. And Zephaniah is a short and a compact summary of their message. We look to the reading of God’s word, if you please join me in prayer. Father of all mercies, Lord, in Your word, endless glory shines forth.
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You. If you please stand for the reading of God’s word. Matthew 5, we conclude our series on the beatitude this morning, we end on a note of persecution. As we look to the reading of God’s word, if you please join me in prayer. Christ our God, we ask you to set our hearts on fire with love through your word, that in its flame we would love you with all our hearts, with all our minds…
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Let me pray for the reading of God’s word this morning. Let us pray. Thy righteousness is righteous forever, and thy law is true. Blessed God, eternal goodness, righteous and truth forever. Blessed are you, God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Grant to us that pure and Holy Spirit that our hearts may be right with your law written on them, that the inspiration of our thoughts may be true and…
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The Beatitudes, Matthew 5, fame poet, Emily Dickinson, told us that the heart wants what it wants. The problem is we are notorious for wanting the wrong things. We look to the reading of God’s word if you’ll join me in prayer. Lord, we do ask that you would instruct us to stay through your word, that you would command what you will. But first that you would heal us and open our ears that we would…
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Matthew 5, particularly looking at verse 7, Understanding the mercy of the Lord. As we look to the reading of God’s word, please join me and pray. God, you indeed are the source of all light. And by your word, you give light to our souls. So we ask that you pour out upon us the spirit of wisdom and understanding. That being taught by you in holy scripture, our hearts and our minds would be open…
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This morning, what does it mean to hunger and to thirst for righteousness? We will read the entire beatitudes once more. But before we do, if you join me in prayer for the reading of God’s word. Lord, you know that we are a dole of heart, prone to sin, prone to carelessness. We ask that you would open our eyes to the truths of your gospel, that you would unplug our ears, that we would hear Your…
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Let us pray for the reading of God’s word. This is from Psalm 19. Father, we ask that you would remember your word to us, your servants, in which you would have made us hope that it would be the comfort in our affliction and that your promise would give us life. That when we think of your rules of old, that we would take comfort, O Lord. Lord, we ask that your statutes would be our songs in the…
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The Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, Matthew 5:1-10. Seeing the crowds, he went up to the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him. And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying, Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
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Matthew, chapter five. We’ll be looking at the Beatitudes one by one over the next few weeks. We start, we’ll go ahead and read the entire text. And as we look to the reading of God’s word, if you please join me in prayer. O Lord, we do ask that you would shed your light on us, that being rid of the darkness of our hearts, that we may come to the true light, which is Christ, who is the light of…
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Matthew 5, we finished our short series looking at applying the golden rule in an age of unkindness, and we finish with the hardest challenge yet that Jesus gives to us. So we look to the reading of God’s word if you please join me in prayer. Christ our God, we do ask that you would set our hearts and fire with love through Your Word. Teach us, Father, to love you with all of our hearts…
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Psalm 51:10-19. Today, we look at the rest of Psalm 51, David’s Psalm of repentance. As we look to the reading of God’s word, if you would join me in prayer. God, indeed, you are a helper. And by your Holy Spirit, we ask that you would open our minds that as your scriptures are read, as your word is proclaimed, that we may be led into your truth and taught your will. Father, that you would help…
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Please join with me in a prayer for the reading of God’s word. Father, we desire to love your law that it would be our meditation all the day. We ask that your commandments would make us wiser than our enemies, that they would be ever with us, that you would give us more understanding than our teachers, that your testimonies would give us more instruction than the aged. We ask that you would…
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Vatthew 7:12, this verse is considered probably one of the best-known sayings of Jesus around the world of anything that he has said, well-known to all of us worldwide. As we look through the reading of that word, if you would please join me in prayer. Father of mercies, let us stand in awe of you this day. We ask you to help us by your Spirit to put your word into our hearts and write it upon our minds.
I invite you to remain standing for the reading of God’s word. Psalm 51, verses 10-19, we look today at the rest of Psalm 51, which we started last week, the familiar hymn of David’s repentance. As we look to the reading of God’s word, he would join me in prayer. God, our helper, by your Holy Spirit, we ask that you to open our minds that as scriptures are read, that as your words proclaim...
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Psalm 51:1-9, we’ll be taking the next couple of weeks to work through this psalm. It’s one of the most well-known of the Psalms of confession, one that we have sung about in many different ways. Again, very familiar, David’s Song of Confession. As we look to the reading of God’s word, though, if you would join me in prayer. Father of all mercy, you have promised never to break Your covenant with us. And amid all the changing words
As we approach the word, let us go before the Lord in prayer. Let’s pray. Father, we have heard your call to worship, and in worship, we have sung Your praise. In worship, we have confessed our sins. In worship, we have heard of your forgiveness. In that worship, we approach your word, you who opens eyes, you who unstoppable ears. Father, we pray that by the power of your Holy Spirit, you would implant your word in our hearts,
Proverbs 8: This morning we will consider wisdom and spiritual warfare. We’ll be starting with wisdom in Proverbs 8, and we’re moving to several other places in scripture. This is more topical in nature. As we look to the reading of God’s word, if you would join me in prayer. O Lord, we do ask that you would shed your light upon us, that being rid of the darkness of our hearts, that we would come into the true light,
You our text this morning. Psalm 25. Two weeks ago we considered how can I know what God’s will is for me? And today we’re going to consider a couple of the deeper issues or fears that concern us when we discuss finding God’s will in our lives. As we look to the reading of His Word though, if you please join me in prayer. Bless are you holy god in Jesus Christ. Your light shines in the darkness, and
Me. Father, as we come before your word, we ask that we would see you as we look into your word, that you would reveal yourself to us, that we would learn of your nature, learn of your love, learn of your power, understand better your plan in the world around us and in our own life. Father, as we look to your word, may we see ourselves more clearly. May we see our needs, our anxieties, our frustrations, our
You. We are in Proverbs chapter two. Proverbs two. This morning we consider what it means to find God’s will, god’s direction for our lives, as we look to the reading of God’s Word. If you’d please join me in prayer. Father of all mercies in Your Word, endless glory shine forth. It is Your Word that guides our steps and gives discernment to those who seek you. And so we ask that you would grant that we would find
You. Psalm 43 when we are laid low, how do we speak God to our hearts? So you look through the reading of God’s Word. Would you join me in prayer? Father, you know that we are dull of heart, prone to sin, prone to carelessness. So we ask that you would open our eyes to the truth of Your Gospel, that you would unplug our ears, that we would hear Your word. And Father, that it please you to
We’re starting with Proverbs 10 this morning as we consider our speech as food for the soul. I’ve referred to at times as a nuts and bolts sermon. It is a refresher of the things we already know. We go to the Word of the Lord, you join me in prayer. Living God, we do ask that you would help us to hear your Holy Word, that we may truly understand and, Lord, that in understanding we would believe, and
Numbers, Chapter 35 and 36. We reached the end of our series on the Book of numbers. We’ve been taking, as it were, a 10,000 foot view over the whole book. This morning we are going to cover the issue of murder and inheritance, as well as connecting all the dots of the whole book as it relates to the person work of Jesus. So if you’re visiting, buckle up. To begin, if you would please join me in prayer
Continuing moving through the Book of numbers, where chapters 31 and 32 are almost near the end of our series. Today we are looking, as Israel sits across still from the promised land, a victory they have over the nation of Midian, followed by a change in some of the tribes desire for their inheritance. As we look to the reading of God’s Word, if you join me in prayer. Most gracious God, our heavenly father, and you alone dwells
As we prepare to hear God’s Word, let’s go before him in prayer. This prayer is pulled out of Psalm 119. Let us pray. Father, as we come now before your word, we ask that our hearts would be such that we would rejoice at your word. We would be like one who has found a great spoil, that you would work in us and change us such that we might hate and abhor falsehood, but rather love your law.
John 10. Last week, Pentecost Sunday, we looked at the work of the Holy Spirit as he empowers us to bring the message of Christ as the mission of the Church. And today we continue to look then on Trinity Sunday at an aspect of that core belief in the divinity of Christ. As we look to the reading of God’s Word, if you would join me in prayer. Father, indeed, you are the source of all light. And by
Genesis 11, we’ll take a break from our series on numbers in honor of Pentecost. Pentecost was the Old Testament feast of weeks. 50 days after the Passover, they celebrated the in gathering of the harvest. And for Christians, it is the celebration of the coming of the Holy Spirit upon the disciples for the in gathering of the harvest of the nations for Christ. And we will start then at the...
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As we have need to encourage, to bind up, to humble. But in all these things that you would turn our eyes to you, that we would see you as the great, faithful promise keeper. And you would teach us to trust in you this day. We pray this in Jesus’ name and for his sake, Amen. To you to work our way through numbers, we’ll be looking at chapters 26 and 27 this morning. Printed in your bulletin is a...
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Remain standing for the reading of God’s Word. The account of Balaam and his donkey is probably one of the better known stories in the Bible. And through it, we see God’s commitment to bless his people. So we look to the reading of God’s Word if you join me in prayer. Our Father, Majesty and bound, worthy of all worship, and you Christ, are the King of glory, the eternal Son of the Father.
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Numbers 21. If you’re visiting with us, we are working our way through this often neglected part of Scripture, connecting biblical dots along the way. This morning we are confronted with a pair of scandals, a sign of the serpent as a means of salvation, healing, and a seeming injustice in dealing with the enemies of God. As we look to the reading God’s Word, if you join me in prayer.
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Numbers 20 come to the low point of the wilderness wandering. Catastury comes to all three of Israel’s great leaders, and the look for mercy never shows up. As we look to the reading of God’s Word, if you would join me in prayer. Most gracious God, our heavenly father, in you alone dwells all the fullness of light and wisdom. We ask then that by your Spirit, you would enlighten our minds to truly...
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Numbers 18 and 19. Together, these two chapters answer the question asked by the people in Chapter 7, how is it possible for an unholy people to come before a holy God through the provision of priest and purification? We look to the reading of God’s Word if you join me in prayer. Father God, indeed, we ask by your Holy Spirit that you would open our minds that as your scriptures are read and as...
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As we prepare to hear the Word of God read, let us go to prayer. Father, Your Word is a lamp to our feet and a light into our paths. Lord, work in us that we would love Your law, that we would meditate on it all the day. Lord, you and your word are fixed forever firmly in the heavens. Your faithfulness endures to all the generations. You have established the earth and it stands fast.
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Luke 24, The shadows and darkness of Good Friday gave way through the brightness of Easter morning. The grave could not hold him. Death has been swallowed up in victory. He is risen indeed. If you join me in prayer for the reading of God’s Word. Father of all mercies, in your Word endless glory shine forth. And we ask that you would reveal to us this day by the marvelous working of your Spirit...
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John 12. Today, of course, this Palm Sunday is the beginning of passion week, celebration of Jesus coming to Jerusalem according to prophetic proclamation. So look to the reading of God’s Word if you join me in prayer. Heavenly fathers, we meet now in your presence. We ask you to open our ears to hear your voice, to open our hearts to love you more and more, to open our souls to receive your Word...
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Conselor Christ has sent, lead us in the path of your commandments and in the ancient way of your will. Through Christ Jesus, our Savior, we pray, Amen. Selection from numbers 15, this is the word of the Lord. The Lord spoke to Moses saying, Speak to the people of Israel and say to them, when you come into the land you are to inhabit, which I am giving you, and you offer to the Lord from the herd...
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God’s Word. Book of numbers 13 and 14. From Egypt now, through the wilderness, through the very southern edge of the promised land, Israel sits, as it were, like a rocket on the launchpad. You can hear the familiar words, at least in our movies. Houston, we have primary ignition and the rockets are roaring. The smoke and the steam are billowing out and that rocket just starts to lift and it...
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Numbers 12, the grumbling and complaining of the crowds in the people of Israel have given way to now the leadership grumbling and complaining as well. As we look to the reading of God’s Word, you would join me in prayer. Christ our God, we ask you to set our hearts on fire with love through your Word, that in its flame we may love you with all of our hearts, with all of our minds...
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Numbers 11. I had grand intentions of covering Chapter 12, but next week. N umbers 11, we’ve so far come to some smooth sailing for israel, and now we hit some turbulent seas ahead of us in the response to what God is doing. As we look to the reading of God’s Word, if you’d please join me in prayer. Father of all mercy, in Your Word endless glory shine forth. Lord, Your Word guides our steps.
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As we prepare to read the word of God, let’s go before him in prayer. Father, the desire that our hearts would be warmed, our affections would be changed such that we would pray even as the Psalmist prays. Remember your word to your servant in which you have made me hope. This is my comfort and my affliction that your promise gives me life. The insolent utterly deride me. But I do not turn away...
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Word. Before we do that, let’s go to him in prayer. Father, we come before your throne and before your word, a distracted people. We are distracted by many things, the busyness of the week that has passed and all that we feel we have left undone. We’re distracted by the events of the week to come, things we anticipate and perhaps things we dread. And many of us are distracted by the events of the...
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Number six, begins with another curiosity for modern readers, the Nazareth vow. How does this fit into the flow of numbers? Then Chapter 6 ends with a very familiar blessing to us, the blessing of Aaron. As we look through the reading of God’s Word, though, if you’d please join me in prayer. Our Father, Majesty and Bounded, worthy of all worship, and you, Christ, are the King of glory...
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Numbers. Chapter five. Israel is about to set off on March and they are given three case studies to apply to help them maintain their order as we look through the reading of God’s word. If you would join me in prayer. Heavenly Father, as we come before you this day, as we meet in your presence, we ask that you would open our ears to hear your voice, to open our hearts to love you more and more...
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Please remain standing for the reading of God’s Word. We are in numbers three, continuing through this new series, looking at rather large section of chapters three to four, basically looking at who are these Levi’s and why are they having so much fun? I hope, in a way, that a bunch of docs will be connected, connected for us, that we understand numbers fits into a larger story, and if we don’t...
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A new series looking at God’s people living between the Exodus and the Promised Land. It is indeed a large book, 36 chapters at times. We’re going to cover ground more quickly, a few chapters at a time, and then we will be slowing down as well as we look through the reading God’s Word. If you would join me in prayer. Blessed Lord, you have. Must all holy Scriptures be written for our learning?
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We pray for the reading of God’s word. This prayer I’ll pull from Psalm 119. Let us pray. Heavenly Father, teach us the way of your statutes, that we would keep it to the end. Give us understanding that we would keep Your law and observe it with our whole heart. Lead us in the paths of Your commandments and enable us to delight in them. Incline our hearts to Your testimony and not to selfish gain.
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Matthew, chapter two. The day is the Sunday of epiphany. Epiphany is simply the Greek word which means to show or to appear. Epiphany is a celebration of the light of Christ coming into the world. And it marks the end of the Christmas season as we look to the reading of God’s word. If you please join me in prayer. Blessed are you, O God, the Father of all mercy. You have elected us...
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Luke, chapter nine. We’ll start this New Year’s Day with a reminder of our single minded devotion to the Lord. A call to live as followers of Jesus Christ. So we look to the reading of God’s Word. If you please join me in prayer. Most gracious God, our Heavenly Father, in you alone will all the fullness of light and wisdom. And we ask them that you would enlighten us, our minds by your Holy...
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Let’s pray for the reading of God’s Word. Heavenly Father, on this Christmas morning as we come before Your Word, we ask that you might set aside all those, even good things that may distract us from this great thing. Your Word. We ask that you would soften our hearts and open our ears that we might hear hear Your Word for us this morning. We pray this in Jesus name and for his sake. Amen.
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Luke, chapter one. We come to the end of our Advent series, looking at the coming of Christ through the eyes of Old Testament mothers. And today we look at the last of those two, with Elizabeth and Mary. He would please join with me in prayer before the reading of God’s Word. Lord God, we call upon your good name, since all the fullness and wisdom and light is found in you. We ask them that you...
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For Samuel. Chapter one. Looking at Advent through Old Testament mothers and their birth and narratives. Leah was waiting to be loved, ruth was waiting to be included, and Hannah was waiting to be remembered. Through the birth of a son, the Lord brought his hope to each one of these mothers as we look through the reading of God’s word. If you would join me in prayer. Living God, we ask you to...
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