Sunday Service Preparation: 05.26.19

The goal of this post is to help you prayerfully and thoughtfully prepare for gathering together as the church this Sunday. Take some time to read the selected sermon text, listen to some of the songs, and pray for the pastor and those who will gather.

SERMON TOPIC
Genesis: is Anything Too Hard for the Lord?

SCRIPTURE TEXT
Genesis 18 (click to read online)

SUNDAY’S LITURGY
Call to Worship – Psalm 66:1-5
     This is Amazing Grace
     Your Grace is Enough
     Jesus, I My Cross Have Taken
     It is Well
Apostle’s Creed
 I Believe
Sermon
The Lord’s Supper
 All Things New
Benediction

PRAYER OF PREPARATION
Consider joining us this Sunday morning for our pre-service prayer from 8:45-9:45 a.m. in the Rec. Room Kitchen. Pray with us as long as you’re able, even if you can’t stay the entire time.

If you’re unable to gather with us in prayer Sunday mornings, below is a prayer of preparation you can pray to ready your heart to be met by God in our service this Sunday.

Dear God,
Silence all voices within our minds but your own.
Help us to seek and be able to follow your will.
May our prayers be joined
With those of our sisters and brothers in the faith,
That together we may glorify your name
And enjoy your fellowship forever.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen

Sunday Service Follow Up: 05.19.19

Sunday Service Follow Up – 05.19.19

This past Sunday, we continued our series in Genesis, as Joshua preached on Genesis 17. In this passage we see God’s assurance to Abraham and Sarah of his commitment to them in the midst of their struggles and failures.

Below you will find discussion questions that you can work through individually, as a family, or with other believers.

Discussion and Response Questions

Read Genesis 17 consider the questions below:

1. In your own words, what’s the main point of this passage?
2. In the midst of your struggles and failures, how do you think God relates to you? How does this passage shape your view of who God is for you?
3. This passage assures us of God’s commitment to his people. Where are you most aware of your need for this assurance right now? How can we help you live in light of this assurance?

A Prayer From Mother’s Day

Father God,

We thank you for another Sunday where we can come together as a church and find our Sabbath rest in you. We thank you that your Son, Jesus, gave his life so that we can rest from our attempts to earn favor with you. Thank you that we are forgiven by his blood and have been made your sons and daughters.

Lord, as it is Mother’s Day today, we think of a group within our church that is not known for getting much rest, the young mothers. May you bless and strengthen them, give them patience and love for their children, and remind them that you gently lead those who are with young ones. Would you bless the older moms and give them vision to help train the younger moms. Would you bless and strengthen those who are caring for their elderly moms, honoring them as they live out their days. Would you bless all those who love on the kids of this church.

We ask that you comfort those today who are reminded of their moms who have passed on. We ask that you comfort the mothers who are grieving over their kids in some way. We ask that you comfort those who would like to be moms, but for whatever reason their story hasn’t gone that way. Please give them faith to believe that their sorrows are shaping their hearts, and you are with them in their suffering. Help us all to trust that your intentions for us are always good, because your very character is goodness.

Lord, in Isaiah 49 you hold out a mother’s love for her nursing child as the very strongest of bonds. You say, “Can a woman forget her nursing child, that she should have no compassion on the son of her womb? Even these may forget, yet I will not forget you. Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands.”  Lord…as strong as a mother’s love can be, your love for each one of us is infinitely more. You have written us on the palms of your hands. You will not forget us. Help us to rest in that love today.

Amen.

Sunday Service Preparation: 05.19.19

05.19.19
The goal of this post is to help you prayerfully and thoughtfully prepare for gathering together as the church this Sunday. Take some time to read the selected sermon text, listen to some of the songs, and pray for the pastor and those who will gather.

SERMON TOPIC
Genesis: God’s Assurance in Our Struggles

SCRIPTURE TEXT
Genesis 17 (click to read online)

SUNDAY’S LITURGY

How Firm a Foundation
Call to Worship
     No Longer Slaves
     He Will Hold Me Fast
Corporate Confession
     Jesus, I Come
Cornerstone
Special Offering – Car for Jazmin
Sermon
The Lord’s Supper
Amazing Grace
Benediction

PRAYER OF PREPARATION

Consider joining us this Sunday morning for our pre-service prayer from 8:45-9:45 a.m. in the Rec. Room Kitchen. Pray with us as long as you’re able, even if you can’t stay the entire time.

If you’re unable to gather with us in prayer Sunday mornings, below is a prayer of preparation you can pray to ready your heart to be met by God in our service this Sunday.

Lord, our God,
We trust your promise
to be among us as we gather.
We come in the name of Christ,
drawn by your Spirit,
eager to hear your Word.
Fill our hearts with your Spirit
and prepare us for faithful service.
Amen.

Charles Spurgeon Quote on Isaiah 49

Isaiah 49:14-16

[14] But Zion said, “The LORD has forsaken me;
my Lord has forgotten me.”
[15] “Can a woman forget her nursing child,
that she should have no compassion on the son of her womb?
Even these may forget,
yet I will not forget you.
[16] Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands…

Charles Spurgeon comments on that passage like this:

“Heaven and earth may well be astonished that rebels should obtain so great a nearness to the heart of infinite love as to be written upon the palms of His hands.  ‘I have graven you.’ It does not say, ‘Your name.’ The name is there, but that is not all: ‘I have graven YOU.’ See the fullness of this! I have graven your person, your image, your case, your circumstances, your sins, your temptations, your weaknesses, your wants, your works; I have graven YOU, everything about YOU, all that concerns YOU; I have put you altogether there. Will you ever say again that your God has forsaken you when He has graven you upon His own palms?”

Sunday Service Follow Up: 05.12.19

Sunday Service Follow Up: 05.12.19

This past Sunday, we continued our series in Genesis, as Tab preached on Genesis 16. In this passage we see the unbelief of Abraham and Sarah’s “merely human” solution to their problem and the reality of God’s constant care.

Below you will find discussion questions that you can work through individually, as a family, or with other believers.

Discussion and Response Questions

Read Genesis 16 consider the questions below:

1. In your own words, what is the main point of this passage? What’s God’s intended effect in the lives of the original audience?
2. Where does this passage specifically expose sin or unbelief in your life? (i.e. did it reveal the unbelief of a “merely human solution” to your current circumstances?)
3. How does it specifically call you to change your thinking or replace your behaviors, and trust your Savior? How can we help you live in light of this reality?
4. What would it look like for you to believe that God sees and cares for you in the midst of your current circumstances? How can we help you live in light of this reality?

Sunday Service Preparation: 05.12.19

05.12.19
The goal of this post is to help you prayerfully and thoughtfully prepare for gathering together as the church this Sunday. Take some time to read the selected sermon text, listen to some of the songs, and pray for the pastor and those who will gather.

SERMON TOPIC
Genesis: The God Who Sees

SCRIPTURE TEXT
Genesis 16 (click to read online)

SUNDAY’S LITURGY

Grace Alone
Call to Worship
     Oh God
     Revelation Song
Heidelberg Catechism Q1
     Beautiful Scandalous Night
Spoken For
Sermon
The Lord’s Supper
Your Great Name
Benediction

PRAYER OF PREPARATION

Consider joining us this Sunday morning for our pre-service prayer from 8:45-9:45 a.m. in the Rec. Room Kitchen. Pray with us as long as you’re able, even if you can’t stay the entire time.

If you’re unable to gather with us in prayer Sunday mornings, below is a prayer of preparation you can pray to ready your heart to be met by God in our service this Sunday.

Grant us, O God,
A mind to meditate on you;
Eyes to behold you;
Ears to listen for you word;
A heart to love you;
And a life to proclaim you;
Through the power of the Spirit
Of Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.