This Sunday completes our series of looking to Jesus from the minor prophet Joel. Come prepared to meet with the Lord and with one another in prayer, Word, song, Lord's Supper, and fellowship.
Here are a few statements to help spur our thoughts for Sunday in Joel 2:28-3:21
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Lord willing tomorrow morning we continue our short series in Joel worshipping Jesus in ch. 2:12-27. As you continuing preparing your hearts for tomorrow consider these three statements.
Tomorrow's People group we are praying for:
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Beginning this Sunday we are set to embark on a three sermon journey through the minor prophet Joel. I would encourage you from now until Sunday to read this short, yet profound Word of the Lord asking the Spirit to show you Jesus. Come ready for congregational prayer at 9a on Sunday!
The People Group we are praying for this Week:
This Sunday's Song Set:
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Tuesday Night from 6p-8p Uptown is hosting it's 5th Annual National Night Out. It will be taking place at Uptown Park (the big green lawn in front of my house).We are encouraging GCer's to take this opportunity to come out and meet others living in Uptown to hopefully begin some relationships for the purpose of commending Christ.
Below is a quick blurb from an email sent out about the National Night Out...
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WHAT | FBC West Memphis is having a Women's Retreat and they are inviting the ladies at GC to join them.
WHEN | Friday, Sept. 10th - Sunday Morning, Sept. 12th (leaving in time to return for Sunday's services)
WHERE | Tri-County Camp, Wynne, AR (same place as our annual church retreat)
DEADLINE | Last day to register is August 15th
COST | $35 which covers two nights lodging, four meals, and a t-shirt
PREACHER | Jordan Thomas on Titus 3
If you are interested in attending this retreat, or if you would like more information you can either email Nathan or contact us here.
"Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD and whose trust is the LORD." Jeremiah 17:7
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The next three weeks we intend to use Heb. 2:3 as a launching pad for more intently gazing upon Christ and His cross. This week, we hope to peer into this from Romans 5:6-11. May God help us to marvel at the demonstration of His love for His children in the death and resurrection of His Son Jesus Christ. Consider these statements from Romans 5 as means to stir your heart:
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Services at Grace have been cancelled for tomorrow due to icy conditions. Since most services are cancelled for tomorrow we would encourage you to consider a few options.
Eph. 4:2-3
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We will be hosting a Foundations of Grace Seminar on Saturday February 6th from 9a-3p. Foundations of Grace is an informal seminar outlining the vision, mission, and ministries of Grace Church. Essentially it is a meeting on what we are about, or more appropriately stated--who we are about.
Foundations of Grace serves as a prerequisite for those...
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Lord willing tomorrow morning we will spend our time together in 1 Corinthians 1 honing in more specifically in verses 17-25. So often when Pauls letters to the Corinthians are mentioned people immediately think of a church with serious issues. Although Paul does address numerous issues in these Holy Spirit inspired scriptures, he preceedes the words of teaching, rebuking, and correcting with a crystal clear picture of what he was sent to do--preach Christ and Him crucified.
As a means to help prepare our hearts for tomorrow consider this outline:
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Beginning around 7p tonight (Sunday) and spanning roughly the next 25 hours many orthodox Jews will begin celebrating Yom Kippur--the Day of Atonement. It was on this day of Atonement, which happened each year, where the Old Testament High Priest would enter into the holy of holies and atone for the sins of the nation. Many will spend the next day fasting and spending time in synagogues hoping to be absolved from their sin. What is burdensome is that for many orthodox Jews the next day is not much more than a cleaning of the slate--a doing business with God because of how bad they've lived since the last celebratory fast. For many of these orthodox Jews the next day provides nothing more than a fresh start to continue living the same way they've always been living until the next Yom Kippur celebration.
This however, is not so with the Messianic Jew...
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Welcome back to Colossians. Originally I was slated to preach Colossians 4 on April 26th, but due to getting sick a few days prior to Sunday I was unable to preach. The Lord aptly supplied His herald of truth for Grace that Sunday by way of Pastor Jim. Now, five months and two sermon series later--we're back!
In the past couple of weeks I've been re-reading and meditating upon Colossians and thinking about the personal benefit to my soul this book has been and I've come to realize that in "completing" Colossians tomorrow I'm really only that much closer to being ready to "really" preach through this book. Colossians is rich and loaded with Christ.
So, for tomorrow I would encourage you to.....
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Tomorrow night (Friday) we will be having a Grace Party at FBC West Memphis from 6:30-9p in their Recreation Center. All are invited to come participate in hearing testimonies about the work of the Lord in the hearts of His people; along with fellowshipping, eating, and playing some games together. Food will be provided. Bring clothes for wallyball, basketball, etc.
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The Sheridan's have received wonderful news and are glorifying God as a result of it. Let us be as diligent to praise God for this news as we've been to pray that Brandon would be healed.
Ps. 107:43 Who is wise? Let him give heed to these things, and consider the lovingkindnesses of the LORD.
For further reading on what we should both give heed to and consider read Ps. 106-107.
Once again we are offering our Foundations of Grace seminar for those who would be interested in pursuing membership at Grace or desire to know more about the church and our desire for Christ to be preeminent in all things.
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A few weeks ago our church sent Jordan on an eight week sabbatical. In an effort to preserve this unique time for Jordan to seek the face of the Lord, our elders sought to temporarily relieve him of pastoral and preaching duties. However, we thought it would be helpful for those praying to get a weekly snapshot of how the sabbatical is being spent and some specific ways to pray for him during this time. Here is what he sent earlier today:
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Richard Owen Roberts will be at Bellevue Baptist Church this Wednesday at 6:30p and will be preaching at Christ Church in New Albany this Fri.-Sun. Friday and Saturday will be at 6:30p; Sunday 11a. You can hear some of his sermons here or you can read articles here.
I would encourage you to attend any of these services that you are able to attend.
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In about a month we hope to begin our Fellowship of the Burning Heart Reading Groups. The name and purpose derive itself from these two areas:
Luke 24:32 They said to one another, "Were not our hearts burning within us while He was speaking to us on the road, while He was explaining the Scriptures to us?"
and the other area is a quote from The Pursuit of God by AW Tozer
"To have found God and still to pursue Him is the soul's paradox of love, scorned indeed by the too easily satisfied religionist, but justified in the happy experience by the children of the burning heart."
My parents, Roger and Jamie, boarded a plane bound for Ecuador this past Saturday. From Monday till the upcoming Monday they will primarily spend their time in one village--a village they visited on a previous trip. During their time in this village they will have to approach the president of this particular village requesting to stay their along with having the opportunity to live among the people for teaching and fellowship. Their prayerful hope is to spend this time among the Quichua teaching the gospel. According to a conversation my mom overheard there is no church and no current gospel influence among the Quichua in this village. Here is a recent update that I just received:
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Voddie Baucham will be leading a conference entitled "Ever-loving Truth and Family Driven" at Lifepoint Church in Senatobia April 10th-11th. Check here for all pertinent details or you can email me if interested in getting a group together to attend.
***Set your clocks forward one hour on Saturday night so that you don't show up for service thinking it is time for prayer or for service and wonder why I'm already in (v6) of Colossians 2:1-15***
This Sunday, Lord willing, we will spend our time together worshipping Christ in Colossians 2:1-15. Here is a snapshot of things Paul says about Jesus in our text.
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I've recently began re-reading sections of Courtney Anderson's book, To the Golden Shore in preparation for a series of sermons on Missions I will be preaching in a few weeks for a Student Ministries Disciple Now in Ohio. To the Golden Shore is an account of the life and missionary efforts of Adoniram Judson--the first American Missionary to Burma. To set this quote up, which comes towards the end of the book, Judson has returned to America and travels around to various churches preaching. Judson was one of the more brilliant minds in his day and people were fascinated that he would spend his life among a pagan people preaching Christ and translating the Bible in the Burmese language. So when he arrived back in the states (which, according to his letters, was never his intention when he got on the boat to head to India) you can imagine how the Northeast was buzzing to hear from Judson about his missionary efforts.
"Although the day was rainy, the church had become crowded with people who had learned he [Adoniram Judson] would have something to say......
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Last week we looked at Colossians 1:24 where Paul tells the young church at Colossae '"Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I do my share on behalf of His body, which is the church, in filling up what is lacking in Christ's afflictions."
Read this story and pray for those--who like Paul had not seen the people at Colossae face to face, as they share in the sufferings of Christ.
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Check here for details on our upcoming Foundations of Grace Seminar. You may register using our online contact info. Lunch will be provided and contacting us through the online form will help us to know who is coming so that we may better prepare meals.
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"Rash preaching, said Rowland Hill, disgusts. Timid preaching leaves poor souls fast asleep. Bold preaching is the only preaching that is owned by God."
Taken from Horatius Bonar's book Word's to Winner's of Soul's.
This Sunday, Lord willing we will be worshipping the preeminence of Christ in reconciliation from Colossians 1:19-23. I encourage you to prepare your hearts with these statements about Christ:
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I'm not quite sure how to title this post from an article of an attempted abortion, where the baby was born and then still murdered. What is shocking still is abortion rights activists are apalled at this sort of behavior.
"Even those who support abortion rights are concerned about the allegations."It really disturbed me," said Joanne Sterner, president of the Broward County chapter of the National Organization for Women, after reviewing the administrative complaint against Renelique. "I know that there are clinics out there like this. And I hope that we can keep (women) from going to these types of clinics."
It is totally incomprehensible.....
I asked the team members if they would put into writing our mission trip to Nigeria and some things the Lord did in their heart while there and since we've returned. Kelly is currently in the hospital suffering from a disease related to our trip. Kelly has mentioned that she looks forward to returning to Nigeria soon, Lord willing becasue she now understands to some degree ways the Nigerians are suffering. Pray for her! May the Lamb who was slain before the foundation of the world receive His reward for His suffering. This is what Kelly Rodgers had to say:
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Last week prior to beginning the Colossians series I encouraged the children in a few ways (most of which are already doing this) in hopes that they would listen to the sermon when they sit in "big Church" (as a child this is what I called church with the adults). One of these ways was to count every time you heard Christ mentioned and then report to me after the sermon was over.
This week, Lenarious, a young boy from our surrounding neighborhood attended Grace. He didn't come with anyone, he just came! Evidently Kirk B. encouraged him with this because as soon as the sermon concluded he came straight to me and said "200. You mentioned Christ 200 hundred times today". I then asked him if there was anything that stuck out during the sermon today, to which he replied "Christ".
Will you join us in praying....
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I closed this mornings sermon from Colossians 1:13-18 wth this quote from Charles Simeon:
'Are you not ashamed that this adorable Saviour has held so low a place in your esteem, that even the most contemptible things that can be imagined have had a preeminence above him? There is not a base lust which has not more power to sway you, than love to him, or zeal for his glory. There is not a vanity which you have not more desired, nor an object whom you have not more feared, nor a device you have not more relied upon, than he. Would you not have thought it impossible, that a Being so glorious in Himself, and so gracious unto you, should ever be so despised by you, as he has been? O! humble yourselves before him; and now set yourselves with all diligence to honor and to glorify his name. Let it no longer be a doubt, either in your own minds or in the minds of any that behold you, who has the preeminence in your souls. Give yourselves wholly to him; live altogether for him: let your daily and hourly inquiry be, "Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?" In short, endeavour to begin the life of heaven whilst you are yet upon earth. When once you are there, "you will follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth." Follow him now: follow the footsteps which he trod on earth: follow him, in your affections, to the highest heavens: and look forward to the time when he, who has ascended as your Forerunner, shall come again to take you to himself, and "seat you with him upon his throne, as he sitteth on his Father's throne."
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Take a moment to read Samuel Rutherford on Christ-the Altogether Lovely. I took this quote from this book. It appears there has recently been a reprint.
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Our text this Sunday is Colossians 1:13-18 entitled the preeminence of Christ. Here is our outline for the sermon:
May the Lord use His Word to prepare your hearts to worship Him. A couple of prayer suggestions:
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Listen to this excellent Q&A audio of Al Mohler addressing several pressing moral issues. Here is a sample of some of the questions:
I thank the Lord for Al Mohler and for those the Lord raises up to help us in answering the many issues that exist from a biblical perspective.
(HT: Challies)
I am currently re-reading Horatius Bonar's book Words to Winner's of Souls. Live upon the Christ mentioned in this paragraph:
'The one true goal or resting place where doubt and weariness, the stings of a pricking conscience, and the longings of an unsatisfied soul would all be quieted, is Christ Himself. Not the church, but Christ. Not doctrine, but Christ. Not forms, but Christ. Not ceremonies, but Christ; Christ the God-man, giving His life for ours; sealing the everlasting covenant, and making peace for us through the blood of His cross; Christ the divine storehouse of all light and truth, 'In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge (Colossians 2:3); Christ the infinite vessel, filled with the Holy Spirit, the Enlightener, the Teacher, the Quickener, the Comforter, so that "of his fullness we have all received, and grace for grace" (John 1:16) This, this alone is the vexed soul's refuge, its rock to build on, its home to abide in till the great tempter be bound and every conflict ended in victory.'
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This Sunday evening from 4:30-6p at Bridges we will be having a Grace Party.
January 22, 2009 marks the first year anniversary of the death of Amber Mathenia. We have asked her mother, Laura Donovan, and her sister April Sawyer (also my wife) if they would be willing to give testimony about the kindness of the Lord that has been lavishing upon them in the past year in Christ.....
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Check out this performance here and another one here starring the wives of the elders at Grace Church.
Email if you are interested in having them perform at your venue. Hurry, they are booking up fast!!!
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A wonderful hymn by Horatius Bonar (#46 in the Christian Hymns book)
Begin the day with God:
Pastor Nathan to Pastor Jordan: Pastor Jordan, how much do you love Grace Church?
Pastor Jordan's response.........
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This Sunday Lord willing, we will be looking at Acts 20:17-28. The main thrust of the sermon though is this phrase...
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Today marks the last day that my wife April will be working; well at a
secular job that is. She is 37 weeks into the pregnancy of our first
child Jaidyn, so the real work is just about to begin.
I thank God for my wife.
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