Joy
November 22nd, 2009 | Pastor John
Joy. Many of us who gather week after week in our church confess we are Christians. But are we happy about that? We love the Lord, but do we like Jesus? We worship God, but do we celebrate God?
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Guest Pastor
November 8th, 2009 | Dave Armstrong
Today our guest pastor is Dave Armstrong. Dave is helping us out while Pastor John is on vacation. Pastor John will be back in the office tomorrow. Please call your elder with any pastoral needs that you may have.
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World Hunger Sunday
November 1st, 2009 | John Huizinga
Today is World Hunger Sunday. Ever since I (Pastor John) was a kid I remember participating in church events to raise awareness and funds in response to the many hungry people in our world. Once at a worship service, a drummer hit the drum skin once every couple of seconds to signify how often someone dies because of starvation.
After all the offerings and relief given, that starvation rate hasn’t declined. World Hunger is still a devastating problem in our world. We’re tempted to give up because it seems that for all our effort little changes. But the call of Jesus remains. When we see the hungry we are to feed them. So we’ll gather to encourage one another in this discipleship and love for our neighbor, for when we give the hungry something to eat it is as if we have given it to Jesus.
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Exploring Our Giving Together
October 25th, 2009 | John Huizinga
Since we know the Triune God by the Lord’s giving, we know also that faith GIVES. Jesus, rich in God, became poor in life, changing God’s people with the riches of heaven. Now rich in Christ, we will explore our giving together. In 2 Corinthians 8:1-15, the Apostle Paul shares how one church discovered ‘rich generosity’ even though they lived through a severe trial to extreme poverty. Their giving became a lasting blessing to many in need. In our day it is easy to let the fear of the unknown and anxiety over tomorrow color our faith today. Paul teaches, may we live and respond out of what we have, not out of what we don’t have. May this word encourage our hope enough to ‘excel in the grace of giving.’
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Faith in God
October 18th, 2009 | Mac Wiener
How are you weak and how do you honestly deal with your weaknesses. It is easy to say "trust in God." Often we trust in human solutions more than God. Of course we are thankful for many human solutions to problems in our lives, however, what or whom do you ultimately trust? To grow in faith in God more (and consequently trust in God during difficult times), we simply need to focus our attention on God more. Our faith in large part is due to what we focus on most. This sermon concludes with a challenge to focus on God's greatness using Isaiah 40, which was dramatically presented.
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Faith Today Matters for Tomorrow?
October 11th, 2009 | John Huizinga | Gideon Series: 5 of 5
Today we finish the story of Gideon and his legacy. It’s a sorry ending to what should have been a story of triumph. We’ll see how Gideon’s choices affected the lives of his children. This story gives us pause to consider how our faith response to God not only matters for today, but also for tomorrow. One of Gideon’s sons speaks a parable that probes our hearts concerning what we think best for ourselves and our children. George MacDonald observed: Man finds it hard to get what he wants, because he does not want the best; God finds it hard to give, because He would give the best, and man will not take it. May we be inspired and challenged to live for God’s Mission instead of ‘M-E’ and so find the blessings of God that extend not only through the day but into tomorrow.
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Does God Rule or Not?
October 4th, 2009 | John Huizinga | Gideon Series: 4 of 5
Today Gideon’s story ends. It ends where we began, asking, does God rule or not? Gideon’s mission from the Lord was to lead people away from pretend rulers and worship God alone. After all his victories though, the Israelites want Gideon to rule them now. “No,” Gideon says initially. But then he doesn’t follow through. In the end, Israel is looking for another false god to submit to. It makes us ask whether God rules over every area in our lives and every chamber of our hearts. We come in confession before the Lord asking to be freed from the temptation to worship lesser things.
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Will it Be God's Mission or Me? - Give God the Glory
September 27th, 2009 | John Huizinga | Gideon Series: 3 of 5
One confession we made last week was how easy it is to blame someone else when something goes wrong, but take the credit for ourselves when things go right. In today's story, Gideon is victorious, but starts taking more than is his: including glory and mission. He is supposed to be on God's mission for God's glory, but this battle is quickly turning into Gideon's mission for Gideon's glory. Do we rob God of His glory by either taking credit ourselves, or using God as an excuse to get our way?
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Have Faith
September 20th, 2009 | John Huizinga | Gideon Series: 2 of 5
Today we continue the story of Gideon. Gideon questioned God asking, "If the LORD is with us, why has all this happened to us?" God's answer for Gideon and for us comes in the form of a question, "Will it be God's mission or me?" Last time we felt Gideon's personal struggle with God's mission while all around him his neighbors answered, "ME!" Today the story is of the battle joined. And in victory Gideon experiences that the battle really does belong to the Lord! But, will he have the faith to celebrate? Gideon sees the battle before him and is tempted to respond first in suspicion and then later in self-importance. At first he wonders whether God really is good enough and strong enough to deliver. Then in victory, he gives evidence that suggests and he wonders whether he himself is the strong one. Neither response is one that will bring blessing and deliverance. When the battle is before us neither suspicion nor self-impotance will do. We must be certain of God's saving grace.
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Is the Lord Sovereign?
September 13th, 2009 | John Huizinga | Gideon Series: 1 of 5
Today we begin a five Sunday series on the life and faith of Gideon. The Book of Judges presents us with the question of sovereignty. Who really is in charge? Who really is the true God? The answer to that question shows in our response. Gideon lives with the question of God's sovereignty and God calls him to trust. "Will it be God's mission or me?" becomes Gideon's question. It's a good question for us, too.
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Establish the work of our Hands for Us
September 6th, 2009 | John Huizinga
Today we celebrate God's gift of work. We pray together that the LORD 'establish the work of our hands for us' (Psalm 90). Also, we lift up to Jesus those who are out of work that the Lord may lead us to suitable occupations.
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