The Morning Devotional for March 15, 2021
The Preaching of God's Word, Part Three
Read More2 But as for you, teach what accords with sound doctrine.
8 and sound speech that cannot be condemned, so that an opponent may be put to shame, having nothing evil to say about us. (Titus 2:1, 8 ESV)
Prayer: Our Father in heaven, you are a good and gracious God. You have not treated us as our sins deserve. You have buried them in the deepest ocean and separated them as far as the east is from the west. You are the God who provides, and you have provided us the Lord's Day to remind us of the hope we have in your Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. Throughout this day, we are reminded that the warfare of this life will come to an end. Though we are pilgrims and wrestle against the world, the flesh, and the devil, we know that your Word tells us of a rest to come that will be eternal. In that rest, we will behold your Son, and we will be like him and with him for that eternal rest which we hope and trust you will provide. We thank you that we can remember you and your mighty work of redeeming a people to yourself on this day. Thank you, our Father, for making the sabbath for man and not man for the Sabbath. We pray these things in the name of the Lord Jesus, our Sabbath rest. Amen.
Read MoreSermon: Mark 3:13-19
Discussion Questions:
What is the purpose of Christ choosing his twelve disciples?
Consider the men Christ called to be his disciples. Which of them do you know well, and which of them should you get to know? What are some of their particular characteristics?
What means did Christ employ to prepare for the choosing of his disciples? What does that teach you?
What is the mission that Christ gave his disciples? Are any of them your mission today? How?
The Morning Devotional for March 11, 2021
The Preaching of God's Word, Part Two
Read MoreAnd I, when I came to you, brothers,did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom. 2 For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. 3 And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, 4 and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, 5 so that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men[c] but in the power of God. (1 Cor. 2:1-5, ESV)
The Morning Devotional for March 10, 2021
SPECIAL EDITION: The Preaching of God's Word, Part One
Read MoreI charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: 2 preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. 3 For the time is coming when people will not endure sound[a] teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, 4 and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. 5 As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry. (2 Tim. 4:1-5, ESV)
God requires of man. (2 Tim. 1:13, 2 Tim. 3:16)
Prayer: Almighty God, you have given us your Word that we would hear your voice and your mind as an infallible rule for how we are to live. Through it, we learn how to walk with you in faith and life. We confess that we are slow to learn and mourn this effect from indwelling sin. The church of old was slow to hear you and often rebelled against what you told them. The church today is not much different. We pray that you would grant your people a greater willingness to hear you and obey you. Please grant to us the help of your Spirit to pursue your Word, learning all that it contains, with a willing heart to obey what it says. We thank you that you have not left us to wander in darkness. Your Word is a light unto our path. Please help us meditate on it and seek to bring forth its fruit in our lives. We pray these things in the name of the Savior, your Son, and our Lord. Amen.
Read MoreThe Morning Devotional for March 8, 2021
Adultery, Part Two
Read MoreMy son, be attentive to my wisdom;
incline your ear to my understanding,
2 that you may keep discretion,
and your lips may guard knowledge.
3 For the lips of a forbidden[a] woman drip honey,
and her speech[b] is smoother than oil,
4 but in the end she is bitter as wormwood,
sharp as a two-edged sword.
5 Her feet go down to death;
her steps follow the path to[c] Sheol;
6 she does not ponder the path of life;
her ways wander, and she does not know it. (Proverbs 5:1-6, ESV)
The Greek class will begin on April 6th. It will be from 6-7:30 PM every first, second, fourth, and fifth Tuesday, if applicable. There will not be a class on the third Tuesday of the month (Session meeting). We will meet in the adult Sunday school room.
The following material is REQUIRED:
Learn to Read New Testament Greek, 3rd Edition (David Alan Black)
Workbook (David Allan Black)
A Bible
A Notebook
Prayer: Our God in heaven, we thank you that you have given us your Word. Left to ourselves, we would not know what you require that we may live to glorify you. We are thankful that you have revealed yourself in creation, but that alone would not be enough for us to know what you require. Though we see your majesty displayed in the sun, moon, stars, seasons, and all that you have made, we would not understand them without that special revelation you have offered to us in the Bible. Through it, we hear from you, and we are told what we must believe to be reconciled with you. In your Word, we are told what is required of those made in your image. Please help us, therefore, to ponder deeply those things that are found in your Word and grant to us a willing heart and mind to obey you in all that you have commanded us. We pray these things in the name of the Savior, our Lord. Amen.
Read MoreThe Morning Devotional for March 8, 2021
Adultery, Part One
Read MoreMy son, be attentive to my wisdom;
incline your ear to my understanding,
2 that you may keep discretion,
and your lips may guard knowledge.
3 For the lips of a forbidden[a] woman drip honey,
and her speech[b] is smoother than oil,
4 but in the end she is bitter as wormwood,
sharp as a two-edged sword.
5 Her feet go down to death;
her steps follow the path to[c] Sheol;
6 she does not ponder the path of life;
her ways wander, and she does not know it. (Proverbs 5:1-6, ESV)
Prayer: Our God in heaven, in days of old you spoke by your own voice, through signs, oracles, and through your prophets. In these days you have spoken through your Son and now, through your infallible Word by men called by your Spirit to proclaim Your will and mind to your people. As we gather today to hear from you, we pray that you would make willing servants listening intently to you, striving to do all that you have commanded. We know that we are easily distracted by the cares of this life and these things work to sidetrack our minds and hearts from those things that are most necessary. We long to be willing listeners and doers of all that you have commanded. Please help us to hear from you today! We do not want to be like the church of old that failed to hear your voice and died in the wilderness. We long to serve you with willing hearts and minds, loving you with every fiber of our being. Please grant to us your Spirit and be merciful to your church. We pray these things in the name of the Savior, the Lord Jesus. Amen.
Read MoreThe Morning Devotional for March 5, 2021:
Anger, Part Two
Read MoreA man of wrath stirs up strife,
and one given to anger causes much transgression. (Proverbs 29:22, ESV)
