I find it interesting that one of the top hits on youtube is a clip that tells us Jesus came to abolish religion. The video is catchy, if you like the genre; it contains some good points; but it also is filled with false assumptions. If you want a good critique then you should read this. I think Kevin DeYoung covers the subject well.

My point (and I hope Ben’s point) is that there is such a thing as “pure religion.” In fact the Bible (James) says that there is. Then James goes on to explain in detail what it is.

The point of this post is, “Do you have it?” And a secondary point is, “Do your friends understand it?”

With that in mind, it would be a good week to invite a friend to church and use the sermon to lead into some fruitful discussion about “Who is right about religion?” What does the Bible say? Who are the fakes?

(And it would be good for Ben to look out and see the conference center packed.)

Take a few minutes and read over James 1:19-27. “Quick to listen” it says. Read the context and answer the question, “Quick to listen to what?” I think that will help you prepare.

See you at 10.

(this is Emily and Ben)

When I was a boy, I was told that the answer to the question was a tithe. (10%) I found that teaching helpful then and I still do. It is simple, straightforward and you can find it in the Bible.

Maybe you have benefitted from the same teaching. So, let me ask you a few questions. Do you tithe on your take-home pay? Or do you tithe on your check before the company takes out the deductions? Or do you consider the entire expense to your employer? Since in the Old Testament the tithes totaled closer to 30%, have you ever considered applying that kind of math to your giving?

The more questions I ask, the more I am reminded of Jesus’ criticism of the Pharisees.  “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices– mint, dill and cummin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law– justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former. You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel. Matthew 23:23-24

Jesus is saying that giving is not all about percentages. It is primarily about attitudes. He commends their giving, but he says that just giving isn’t enough.

Isn’t that the message of 1 Corinthians 13?  If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing. 

This week we will examine instruction on giving from 2 Corinthians 8-9. Notice the descriptive words: “overflowing joy – privilege of sharing – eager willingness – cheerful giver – generous on every occasion – obedience”. And the entire context begins and ends with praise to God for his grace. Not a word about percentages.

Do percentages matter? Do numbers matter? (I heard of an old preacher who reminded his people that there is a book in the Bible called Numbers!) I know that I need a plan for this area of my life just as I need a plan to read my Bible, and pray, and worship with God’s people.

Why should I give? Where should I give? How much should I give? What will be the result? 

You will have to give an honest answer to those questions, yourself.
See you Sunday at the city center.

Since childhood we have been told, “no”. Don’t say that. Don’t bite your sister. Don’t cheat on the test. We grow up and we are told not to drive so fast, not to eat so much, and we still shouldn’t bite our sister.

The 10 commandments are mostly negative. I count 2 positive commands (keep the Sabbath and honor your parents) and 8 negative.

Do you know the most repeated negative command of the Bible? It is this: “Fear not!” This week I read the following quote, “The most repeated negative command in Scripture is ‘fear not.’ It appears 365 times — one for each day of the year — and is usually followed by ‘for I am with you.’” (Ramon Presson is the author of that quote. His book is When Will My Life Not Suck?, which makes me think he’s been having a hard time.)

That is amazing! What does God want us to stop doing? Stop being afraid. Why are we afraid? Because we don’t trust Him.

Nobody wants to be afraid. But, there is only one way to become fearless. It is to find your courage in God.

But now, this is what the LORD says– he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine.  When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.  For I am the LORD, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior. Isaiah 43:1-3

Where do you seek peace? What do you cling to for security? What do you have that you can’t do without? Do you see how this connects with our theme, “we cannot serve God and money?”

“So for our estates, when the world smiles upon us and we have got a warm nest, how do we prophesy of rest and peace in those acquisitions, thinking great things for ourselves; but Providence by a particular or general calamity overturns our plans (Jeremiah 45:4-5), and all this to turn our hearts from the creature to God, who is our only rest.”
John Flavel 1627-1691

See you Sunday at the city center.

“It’s all paid for, and we have the title.”

“We believe in the right of of people to own and control their own property.”

We have said all of the above. Our kids know which toys are theirs. We do a little dance when we make the final payment and hold a title. We have witnessed the continued failure of communism; we encourage responsible behavior through private ownership, and our Bill of Rights protects this right.

But that isn’t what the Bible teaches. Read Genesis 1. Now, tell me who owns everything. Who made everything? Who is the king over all creation? Psalm 24:1-2 says, The earth is the LORD’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it; for he founded it upon the seas and established it upon the waters. Let’s see, I wonder what “everything that is in it” means? Could that mean my house? My car? My toys? My life? I’m sure it does.

So, there is only one person who can rightfully say, “It’s all mine!” That is God.

What we learn from creation, however, is that the one who said, “It’s all mine”, created mankind and said, “It’s all yours.” That is the difference between ownership and stewardship. And that is our topic this week. This is my Father’s world!

In preparation for Sunday, I came across this great quote.

“The worth and excellency of a soul is to be measured by the object of its love…a noble and well-placed affection doth advance and improve the spirit unto a conformity with the perfections which it loves…the sure way to improve and ennoble our souls is by fixing our love on the divine perfections, that we may have them always before us, and derive an impression of them on ourselves.” Henry Scougal 1739 Scottish Preacher

See you Sunday at the city center.

Richard Glenny

On January 8 the normal schedule resumes. Our worship service on New Year’s Day will encourage and challenge us all. We will be singing selections of music that you have chosen, we will hear testimonies of God’s blessing through the past year, and we will be led in prayer for ministries, missions, and guidance.

Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. All of us who are mature should take such a view of things. And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you. Only let us live up to what we have already attained. Philippians 3:12-16

Oh, I forgot something…

Remember that class 2 weeks ago about “Which Bible is the Best”?

Well, there was something I forgot to say. So let me say it now.It doesn’t matter if you choose the NIV, NASB, ESV, KJV, NKJV, HCSB or XYZ – if you don’t read it, you will get absolutely nothing out of it!! What is your Bible reading plan for 2012?

This year I’m doing the 5X5 plan. My Bible has 1,200 pages and I plan to read 5 pages a day, 5 days a week.

Find a plan that works for you and follow it. You can read through the Bible.

Here are multiple options.

Raising Kids

If you have kids, take 10 minutes and read this article.
It gives us hope as we raise up these cowboys (or as my NIV says, “cowpersons”).

I do not have a practice of choosing a verse for the coming year, but we read 2 verses this morning that are going to be our 2012 verses.

I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD. Psalm 27:13-14

Richard Glenny

Please note our schedule change this week. We meet for worship at 10:00. There will be no Sunday School before the service.

On Christmas morning we will remember Christ’s birth, Christ’s death, his resurrection and return. “No one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only, who is at the Father’s side, has made him known.”

Soup supper at 6 p.m. They will most likely have a time of testimonies or a short service. You can opt to bring your ice skates and go skating at Parker’s Lake, or stay at the church for board games. They are planning to end around 10:30 or 11. Please bring sandwiches if your last name begins with (A-L) or soup (M-Z). If you have leftover Christmas goodies, bring them, too! The church is at 14720 County Road 6 in Plymouth.

Jesus was told to make the children stop shouting such words of praise. They said,  ”Do you hear what these children are saying?”

“Yes,” replied Jesus, “have you never read, “‘From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise’?” Matthew 21:16
 
This is going to be one of those Sundays when we hear the children speak and sing words of praise to our Savior. I’m looking forward to hearing the words of Luke 2 and listening to their voices in song. Come and bring a friend. They need to hear of Christ.

See you at the city center.

The song was written after the assasination of President Kennedy, and the message is, “Listen, people. We are busy finding fun and building bank accounts – but we are missing something.”

I’ve never found the words of prophets on subway walls myself. (be that underground or sandwich shops) But God has certainly given us warning through the words of prophets. The entire Gospel is foretold by the words of prophets. And of course that includes the birth of Christ as well as his life, death and resurrection. Remember Ben’s quote from 2 weeks ago? 32% of the New Testament is a quotation or reference to the Old. And the last of the prophets proclaiming the coming of Christ was John the Baptist. “There was a man sent from God. His name was John.”

Listen to the words of the prophets. It’s not all about looking back. Revelation is filled with the words of the Old Testament prophets. We are the priviledged people who can see so much more because we stand on their shoulders.

As we look forward to hearing about the “Words of the Prophets” on Sunday, consider this 11th Century quote from John of Salisbury.

“We are like dwarves sitting on the shoulders of giants. We see more, and things that are more distant, than they did, not because our sight is superior or because we are taller than they, but because they raise us up, and by their great stature add to ours.”

That is a marvelous incentive to come hear the Word of the Lord.

See you at the city center.