Combined Service this Sunday

With so many folks out of town, we are going to combine efforts with our sister church in Manchester, NH

The service will be in Manchester, here is the website for directions and general information.

10 a.m. Worship Service.

A blog everyone should be following

A blog everyone should be following, and praying along with this family.

A PCA minister in Western PA and his family's struggle with a rare disease that has affected their oldest daughter. Very heart wrenching stuff, but the witness of the gospel is impressive. This family seeks to be transparent and honest in their thoughts and feelings.

Here is the link to their blog. I have been a subscriber, I would encourage more to do so as well.

Modern Cathedral

I first saw this on CNN and did some research.

Instead of building the standard large gymnasium looking building, Calvary Church in Charlotte built this structure.

I think it is an interesting take on the traditional cathedral. What do you think?

Pew Forum Research on Freedom of Religion

The Study has surprised a lot of people, 70% of the World's Population live in Countries that restrict Religious Freedom. India and China make up the bulk of that statistic.

We maybe a Global Society open to free trade, but not freedom of religion.

Click Here to read the CT Article on the Research

Sermon Text: Genesis 11:1-9

Gen. 11:1 Now the whole earth had one language and the same words.
Gen. 11:2 And as people migrated from the east, they found a plain in the land of Shinar and settled there.
Gen. 11:3 And they said to one another, “Come, let us make bricks, and burn them thoroughly.” And they had brick for stone, and bitumen for mortar.
Gen. 11:4 Then they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city and a tower with its top in the heavens, and let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be dispersed over the face of the whole earth.”
Gen. 11:5 And the LORD came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of man had built.
Gen. 11:6 And the LORD said, “Behold, they are one people, and they have all one language, and this is only the beginning of what they will do. And nothing that they propose to do will now be impossible for them.
Gen. 11:7 Come, let us go down and there confuse their language, so that they may not understand one another’s speech.”
Gen. 11:8 So the LORD dispersed them from there over the face of all the earth, and they left off building the city.
Gen. 11:9 Therefore its name was called Babel, because there the LORD confused* the language of all the earth. And from there the LORD dispersed them over the face of all the earth

One of my favorite spots

Rivendell

Sermon Text: Genesis 8

Gen. 8:1 But God remembered Noah and all the beasts and all the livestock that were with him in the ark. And God made a wind blow over the earth, and the waters subsided.
Gen. 8:2 The fountains of the deep and the windows of the heavens were closed, the rain from the heavens was restrained,
Gen. 8:3 and the waters receded from the earth continually. At the end of 150 days the waters had abated,
Gen. 8:4 and in the seventh month, on the seventeenth day of the month, the ark came to rest on the mountains of Ararat.
Gen. 8:5 And the waters continued to abate until the tenth month; in the tenth month, on the first day of the month, the tops of the mountains were seen.
Gen. 8:6 At the end of forty days Noah opened the window of the ark that he had made
Gen. 8:7 and sent forth a raven. It went to and fro until the waters were dried up from the earth.
Gen. 8:8 Then he sent forth a dove from him, to see if the waters had subsided from the face of the ground.
Gen. 8:9 But the dove found no place to set her foot, and she returned to him to the ark, for the waters were still on the face of the whole earth. So he put out his hand and took her and brought her into the ark with him.
Gen. 8:10 He waited another seven days, and again he sent forth the dove out of the ark.
Gen. 8:11 And the dove came back to him in the evening, and behold, in her mouth was a freshly plucked olive leaf. So Noah knew that the waters had subsided from the earth.
Gen. 8:12 Then he waited another seven days and sent forth the dove, and she did not return to him anymore.
Gen. 8:13 In the six hundred and first year, in the first month, the first day of the month, the waters were dried from off the earth. And Noah removed the covering of the ark and looked, and behold, the face of the ground was dry.
Gen. 8:14 In the second month, on the twenty-seventh day of the month, the earth had dried out.
Gen. 8:15 Then God said to Noah,
Gen. 8:16 “Go out from the ark, you and your wife, and your sons and your sons’ wives with you.
Gen. 8:17 Bring out with you every living thing that is with you of all flesh—birds and animals and every creeping thing that creeps on the earth—that they may swarm on the earth, and be fruitful and multiply on the earth.”
Gen. 8:18 So Noah went out, and his sons and his wife and his sons’ wives with him.
Gen. 8:19 Every beast, every creeping thing, and every bird, everything that moves on the earth, went out by families from the ark.
Gen. 8:20 Then Noah built an altar to the LORD and took some of every clean animal and some of every clean bird and offered burnt offerings on the altar.
Gen. 8:21 And when the LORD smelled the pleasing aroma, the LORD said in his heart, “I will never again curse* the ground because of man, for the intention of man’s heart is evil from his youth. Neither will I ever again strike down every living creature as I have done.
Gen. 8:22 While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night, shall not cease.”

In Memory of Les Mason

Details of Les Mason's Funeral can be found in the obituary in the Nashua Telegraph.

Click Here to read the notice.

Sermon Text: Genesis 6:9-7:24

Gen. 6:9 These are the generations of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his generation. Noah walked with God.
Gen. 6:10 And Noah had three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth.
Gen. 6:11 Now the earth was corrupt in God’s sight, and the earth was filled with violence.
Gen. 6:12 And God saw the earth, and behold, it was corrupt, for all flesh had corrupted their way on the earth.
Gen. 6:13 And God said to Noah, l“I have determined to make an end of all flesh,* for the earth is filled with violence through them. Behold, I will destroy them with the earth.
Gen. 6:14 Make yourself an ark of gopher wood.* Make rooms in the ark, and cover it inside and out with pitch.
Gen. 6:15 This is how you are to make it: the length of the ark 300 cubits,* its breadth 50 cubits, and its height 30 cubits.
Gen. 6:16 Make a roof* for the ark, and finish it to a cubit above, and set the door of the ark in its side. Make it with lower, second, and third decks. Gen. 6:17 For behold, I will bring a flood of waters upon the earth to destroy all flesh in which is the breath of life under heaven. Everything that is on the earth shall die.
Gen. 6:18 But I will establish my covenant with you, and you shall come into the ark, you, your sons, your wife, and your sons’ wives with you.
Gen. 6:19 And of every living thing of all flesh, you shall bring two of every sort into the ark to keep them alive with you. They shall be male and female.
Gen. 6:20 Of the birds according to their kinds, and of the animals according to their kinds, of every creeping thing of the ground, according to its kind, two of every sort shall come in to you to keep them alive.
Gen. 6:21 Also take with you every sort of food that is eaten, and store it up. It shall serve as food for you and for them.”
Gen. 6:22 Noah did this; he did all that God commanded him.
Gen. 7:1 Then the LORD said to Noah, “Go into the ark, you and all your household, for I have seen that you are righteous before me in this generation.
Gen. 7:2 Take with you seven pairs of all clean animals,* the male and his mate, and a pair of the animals that are not clean, the male and his mate,
Gen. 7:3 and seven pairs* of the birds of the heavens also, male and female, to keep their offspring alive on the face of all the earth.
Gen. 7:4 For in seven days I will send rain on the earth forty days and forty nights, and every living thing* that I have made I will blot out from the face of the ground.”
Gen. 7:5 And Noah did all that the LORD had commanded him.
Gen. 7:6 Noah was six hundred years old when the flood of waters came upon the earth.
Gen. 7:7 And Noah and his sons and his wife and his sons’ wives with him went into the ark to escape the waters of the flood.
Gen. 7:8 Of clean animals, and of animals that are not clean, and of birds, and of everything that creeps on the ground,
Gen. 7:9 two and two, male and female, went into the ark with Noah, as God had commanded Noah.
Gen. 7:10 And after seven days the waters of the flood came upon the earth.
Gen. 7:11 In the six hundredth year of Noah’s life, in the second month, on the seventeenth day of the month, on that day all the fountains of the great deep burst forth, and the windows of the heavens were opened.
Gen. 7:12 And rain fell upon the earth forty days and forty nights.
Gen. 7:13 On the very same day Noah and his sons, Shem and Ham and Japheth, and Noah’s wife and the three wives of his sons with them entered the ark,
Gen. 7:14 they and every beast, according to its kind, and all the livestock according to their kinds, and every creeping thing that creeps on the earth, according to its kind, and every bird, according to its kind, every winged creature.
Gen. 7:15 They went into the ark with Noah, two and two of all flesh in which there was the breath of life.
Gen. 7:16 And those that entered, male and female of all flesh, went in as God had commanded him. And the LORD shut him in.
Gen. 7:17 The flood continued forty days on the earth. The waters increased and bore up the ark, and it rose high above the earth.
Gen. 7:18 The waters prevailed and increased greatly on the earth, and the ark floated on the face of the waters.
Gen. 7:19 And the waters prevailed so mightily on the earth that all the high mountains under the whole heaven were covered.
Gen. 7:20 The waters prevailed above the mountains, covering them fifteen cubits* deep.
Gen. 7:21 And all flesh died that moved on the earth, birds, livestock, beasts, all swarming creatures that swarm on the earth, and all mankind.
Gen. 7:22 Everything on the dry land in whose nostrils was the breath of life died.
Gen. 7:23 He blotted out every living thing that was on the face of the ground, man and animals and creeping things and birds of the heavens. They were blotted out from the earth. Only Noah was left, and those who were with him in the ark.
Gen. 7:24 And the waters prevailed on the earth 150 days.

Sermon Text: Genesis 5:28-6:8

Gen. 5:28 ¶ When Lamech had lived 182 years, he fathered a son
Gen. 5:29 and called his name Noah, saying, “Out of the ground that the LORD has cursed this one shall bring us relief from our work and from the painful toil of our hands.”
Gen. 5:30 Lamech lived after he fathered Noah 595 years and had other sons and daughters.
Gen. 5:31 Thus all the days of Lamech were 777 years, and he died.
Gen. 5:32 After Noah was 500 years old, Noah fathered Shem, Ham, and Japheth.
Gen. 6:1 When man began to multiply on the face of the land and daughters were born to them,
Gen. 6:2 the sons of God saw that the daughters of man were attractive. And they took as their wives any they chose.
Gen. 6:3 Then the LORD said, “My Spirit shall not abide in* man forever, for he is flesh: his days shall be 120 years.”
Gen. 6:4 The Nephilim* were on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of man and they bore children to them. These were the mighty men who were of old, the men of renown.
Gen. 6:5 The LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.
Gen. 6:6 And the LORD was sorry that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him to his heart.
Gen. 6:7 So the LORD said, “I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the land, man and animals and creeping things and birds of the heavens, for I am sorry that I have made them.”
Gen. 6:8 But Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD.

Makoto Fujimura

Heard about him at the lecture Friday, which I enjoyed. Japanese Artist in NYC who is a Christian and Reformed. Enjoy!

CT Article on current debate on Justification

This is a recent article in Christianity Today that talks about the growing debate about the doctrine on Justification. The PCA is mentioned given the debate a few years ago at General Assembly in Memphis.

Interesting read, a topic that reveals that some Protestants are returning to Rome.

AP News Article on Ministry in New England

Rev. Doug Warren, a member of my Presbytery is quoted in the article. Good read, gives a pretty good assessment of ministry in New England.

Click Here, to read the article.

Sermon Text: Genesis 3:14-24

Gen. 3:14 The LORD God said to the serpent,
“Because you have done this,
cursed are you above all livestock
and above all beasts of the field;
on your belly you shall go,
and dust you shall eat
all the days of your life.
Gen. 3:15 I will put enmity between you and the woman,
and between your offspring* and her offspring;
he shall bruise your head,
and you shall bruise his heel.”
Gen. 3:16 To the woman he said,
“I will surely multiply your pain in childbearing;
in pain you shall bring forth children.
Your desire shall be for* your husband,
and he shall rule over you.”
Gen. 3:17 And to Adam he said,
“Because you have listened to the voice of your wife
and have eaten of the tree
of which I commanded you,
‘You shall not eat of it,’
cursed is the ground because of you;
in pain you shall eat of it all the days of your life;
Gen. 3:18 thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you;
and you shall eat the plants of the field.
Gen. 3:19 By the sweat of your face
you shall eat bread,
till you return to the ground,
for out of it you were taken;
for you are dust,
and to dust you shall return.”
Gen. 3:20 The man called his wife’s name Eve,* because she was the mother of all living.
Gen. 3:21 And the LORD God made for Adam and for his wife garments of skins and clothed them.
Gen. 3:22 Then the LORD God said, “Behold, the man has become like one of us in knowing good and evil. Now, lest he reach out his hand and take also of the tree of life and eat, and live forever—”
Gen. 3:23 therefore the LORD God sent him out from the garden of Eden to work the ground from which he was taken.
Gen. 3:24 He drove out the man, and at the east of the garden of Eden he placed the cherubim and a flaming sword that turned every way to guard the way to the tree of life.

Thomas Boston

I am referring to him again in the sermon because of his work, The Four fold State of Man. Excellent work, a must read.

Thomas Boston

“The Humanity of John Calvin”

This Friday, a special lecture will be taking place in Manchester, NH.

Thirteenth Annual Reformation Day Conference
on the 500th Anniversary of Calvin’s birth

"The Humanity of John Calvin"

John Calvin (1509 – 1564)

Lecturer: Dr Gregory Edward Reynolds

The lecture will present a portrait of the humanity of Reformer John Calvin
in response to his many detractors past and present.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 30 AT 7:30 PM
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

AMOSKEAG PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
95 Brook Street, Manchester
Call 668-3069 or visit www.amoskeagchurch.org

personally, I refer to him as Jean Calvin. Look at the picture, isn't it obvious he is French?

Brainerd to Judson

Just finished reading David Brainerd, his journal and diary. Very good, enjoyed his personal writings more than his public journal for he missionary society from Scotland. Overall, really enjoyed it, and thought it was well worth the time. Some good quotes and thoughts from a man who suffered so much.

Now on to Adoniram Judson, reading To the Golden Shore, a biography on Judson. So far, it has been a great read, I am up to the formation of the Missionary Society. Not sure if I will finish it, I am mostly interested in New England and the majority of the book deals with his time in Burma. Not a complaint, it should spend most of it's time on the mission field. But I have a duel purpose in reading. One for transformation, and secondly for research. I have already found it useful for locating local New England historical spots. Looking forward to visiting these locations in the coming weeks.

Sermon Text: Genesis 3:1-13 (ESV)

Gen. 3:1 Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God actually say, ‘You* shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?”
Gen. 3:2 And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden,
Gen. 3:3 but God said, ‘You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.’ ”
Gen. 3:4 But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die.
Gen. 3:5 For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”
Gen. 3:6 So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise,* she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate.
Gen. 3:7 Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths.
Gen. 3:8 And they heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden.
Gen. 3:9 But the LORD God called to the man and said to him, “Where are you?”*
Gen. 3:10 And he said, “I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked, and I hid myself.”
Gen. 3:11 He said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten of the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?”
Gen. 3:12 The man said, “The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me fruit of the tree, and I ate.”
Gen. 3:13 Then the LORD God said to the woman, “What is this that you have done?” The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.”

Atheists coming to the NYC Subway

This has been spreading across Great Britain, and has finally landed in North America. Not surprisingly, first stop, NYC.

The messages of Atheism in the NYC subway system are popping up prior to the holiday season. My only problem with this is this notion of a "debaptism". Is that really necessary? Or even possible? Not really in my opinion.

What I find annoying is statements like this, from the article...

"John Rafferty, president of the Secular Humanist Society of New York, another member group of the coalition, said the ads are in no way an anti-religious campaign"

Really? Then stop suggesting debaptism.

Click Here to read the Article from CNN

NPR Radio on R Crumb's Genesis

Very interesting. I would listen to the NPR broadcast. Sounds worth picking up. R Crumb, a cartoonist has done all 50 chapters of Genesis. Take a look

Sermon Text: Genesis 2:18-25

Gen. 2:18 Then the LORD God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for* him.”
Gen. 2:19 So out of the ground the LORD God formed* every beast of the field and every bird of the heavens and brought them to the man to see what he would call them. And whatever the man called every living creature, that was its name.
Gen. 2:20 The man gave names to all livestock and to the birds of the heavens and to every beast of the field. But for Adam* there was not found a helper fit for him.
Gen. 2:21 So the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and while he slept took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh.
Gen. 2:22 And the rib that the LORD God had taken from the man he made* into a woman and brought her to the man.
Gen. 2:23 Then the man said,
“This at last is bone of my bones
and flesh of my flesh;
she shall be called Woman,
because she was taken out of Man.”*
Gen. 2:24 Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.
Gen. 2:25 And the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed.

Sermon Text: Genesis 2:4-17

Gen. 2:4 These are the generations
of the heavens and the earth when they were created,
in the day that the LORD God made the earth and the heavens.
Gen. 2:5 When no bush of the field* was yet in the land* and no small plant of the field had yet sprung up—for the LORD God had not caused it to rain on the land, and there was no man to work the ground,
Gen. 2:6 and a mist* was going up from the land and was watering the whole face of the ground—
Gen. 2:7 then the LORD God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature.
Gen. 2:8 And the LORD God planted a garden in Eden, in the east, and there he put the man whom he had formed.
Gen. 2:9 And out of the ground the LORD God made to spring up every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food. The tree of life was in the midst of the garden, hand the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
Gen. 2:10 A river flowed out of Eden to water the garden, and there it divided and became four rivers.
Gen. 2:11 The name of the first is the Pishon. It is the one that flowed around the whole land of Havilah, where there is gold.
Gen. 2:12 And the gold of that land is good; bdellium and onyx stone are there.
Gen. 2:13 The name of the second river is the Gihon. It is the one that flowed around the whole land of Cush.
Gen. 2:14 And the name of the third river is the Tigris, which flows east of Assyria. And the fourth river is the Euphrates.
Gen. 2:15 The LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it.
Gen. 2:16 And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, “You may surely eat of every tree of the garden,
Gen. 2:17 but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat* of it you shall surely die.”

Changing of the Guard in the PCA

Good article by Dr. Bryan Chapell. I hope he is right.

A Changing of the Guard Will Guide Us

Explotation in Atlanta

Read this in our denomination's magazine. Great to hear of a PCA church doing something for the sake of exploited children in our world.

Bringing Hope to Exploited Children

Sermon Text: Genesis 1:26-29, 2:7-8

Gen. 1:26 Then God said, o“Let us make man* in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”
Gen. 1:27 So God created man in his own image,
in the image of God he created him;
male and female he created them.
Gen. 1:28 And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”
Gen. 1:29 And God said, “Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit. You shall have them for food.
Gen. 2:7 then the LORD God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature.
Gen. 2:8 And the LORD God planted a garden in Eden, in the east, and there he put the man whom he had formed.

Sermon Text: Genesis 1:1-2:3

Gen. 1:1 In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.
Gen. 1:2 The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.
Gen. 1:3 And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.
Gen. 1:4 And God saw that the light was good. And God separated the light from the darkness.
Gen. 1:5 God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day.
Gen. 1:6 And God said, “Let there be an expanse* in the midst of the waters, and let it separate the waters from the waters.”
Gen. 1:7 And God made the expanse and separated the waters that were under the expanse from the waters that were above the expanse. And it was so.
Gen. 1:8 And God called the expanse Heaven.* And there was evening and there was morning, the second day.
Gen. 1:9 And God said, “Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear.” And it was so.
Gen. 1:10 God called the dry land Earth,* and the waters that were gathered together he called Seas. And God saw that it was good.
Gen. 1:11 And God said, “Let the earth sprout vegetation, plants* yielding seed, and fruit trees bearing fruit in which is their seed, each according to its kind, on the earth.” And it was so.
Gen. 1:12 The earth brought forth vegetation, plants yielding seed according to their own kinds, and trees bearing fruit in which is their seed, each according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.
Gen. 1:13 And there was evening and there was morning, the third day.
Gen. 1:14 And God said, “Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night. And let them be for signs and for seasons,* and for days and years,
Gen. 1:15 and let them be lights in the expanse of the heavens to give light upon the earth.” And it was so.
Gen. 1:16 And God made* the two great lights—the greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night—and the stars.
Gen. 1:17 And God set them in the expanse of the heavens to give light on the earth,
Gen. 1:18 to rule over the day and over the night, and to separate the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good.
Gen. 1:19 And there was evening and there was morning, the fourth day.
Gen. 1:20 And God said, “Let the waters swarm with swarms of living creatures, and let birds* fly above the earth across the expanse of the heavens.”
Gen. 1:21 So God created the great sea creatures and every living creature that moves, with which the waters swarm, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.
Gen. 1:22 And God blessed them, saying, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth.”
Gen. 1:23 And there was evening and there was morning, the fifth day.
Gen. 1:24 And God said, “Let the earth bring forth living creatures according to their kinds—livestock and creeping things and beasts of the earth according to their kinds.” And it was so.
Gen. 1:25 And God made the beasts of the earth according to their kinds and the livestock according to their kinds, and everything that creeps on the ground according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.
Gen. 1:26 Then God said, “Let us make man* in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”
Gen. 1:27 So God created man in his own image,
in the image of God he created him;
male and female he created them.
Gen. 1:28 And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”
Gen. 1:29 And God said, “Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit. You shall have them for food.
Gen. 1:30 And to every beast of the earth and to every bird of the heavens and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food.” And it was so.
Gen. 1:31 And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.
Gen. 2:1 Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and wall the host of them.
Gen. 2:2 And on the seventh day God finished his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done.
Gen. 2:3 So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all his work that he had done in creation.

Jonathan Edwards Resolutions

I was reading the Life and Diary of David Brainerd this weekend, and in the introduction, the editor has a short bio on Jonathan Edwards. I know quite a bit about him, so I was skimming over the intro when I came across the section, Jonathan Edward's 70 Resolutions.

It is worth reading through, and something I found very insightful and useful. Not that I am about to write mine own, but I may start using them to guide in my prayer life. Edwards continues to impress me in his Christian Walk.

Anyhow, here is a list of the resolutions on Yale University's Website.

Sermon: Intro to Genesis

This Sunday we start a new sermon series that will take us through 2010.

This will be an overview of the Book of Genesis. Please plan to join us this coming Sunday.

He'll Help You Find Your Flight, And God

Was surfing through the radio station and this caught my ear.......

He'll Help You Find Your Flight, And God (NPR)

An interview of a Chaplain at Atlanta Airport in Georgia. Very interesting to see what he does in a day as a Chaplain at the largest airport in the nation.

Lots of lost people, literally and spiritually.

I think I would like to do something like this someday.

Sermon Text: Psalm 69

Psa. 69:1 Save me, O God,
For the waters have threatened my life.
Psa. 69:2 I have sunk in deep mire, and there is no foothold;
I have come into deep waters, and a flood overflows me.
Psa. 69:3 I am weary with my crying; my throat is parched;
My eyes fail while I wait for my God.
Psa. 69:4 Those who hate me without a cause are more than the hairs of my head;
Those who would destroy me are powerful, being wrongfully my enemies;
What I did not steal, I then have to restore.
Psa. 69:5 O God, it is You who knows my folly,
And my wrongs are not hidden from You.
Psa. 69:6 May those who wait for You not be ashamed through me, O Lord GOD of hosts;
May those who seek You not be dishonored through me, O God of Israel,
Psa. 69:7 Because for Your sake I have borne reproach;
Dishonor has covered my face.
Psa. 69:8 I have become estranged from my brothers
And an alien to my mother’s sons.
Psa. 69:9 For zeal for Your house has consumed me,
And the reproaches of those who reproach You have fallen on me.
Psa. 69:10 When I wept in my soul with fasting,
It became my reproach.
Psa. 69:11 When I made sackcloth my clothing,
I became a byword to them.
Psa. 69:12 Those who sit in the gate talk about me,
And I am the song of the drunkards.
Psa. 69:13 But as for me, my prayer is to You, O LORD, at an acceptable time;
O God, in the greatness of Your lovingkindness,
Answer me with Your saving truth.
Psa. 69:14 Deliver me from the mire and do not let me sink;
May I be delivered from my foes and from the deep waters.
Psa. 69:15 May the flood of water not overflow me
Nor the deep swallow me up,
Nor the pit shut its mouth on me.
Psa. 69:16 Answer me, O LORD, for Your lovingkindness is good;
According to the greatness of Your compassion, turn to me,
Psa. 69:17 And do not hide Your face from Your servant,
For I am in distress; answer me quickly.
Psa. 69:18 Oh draw near to my soul and redeem it;
Ransom me because of my enemies!
Psa. 69:19 You know my reproach and my shame and my dishonor;
All my adversaries are before You.
Psa. 69:20 Reproach has broken my heart and I am so sick.
And I looked for sympathy, but there was none,
And for comforters, but I found none.
Psa. 69:21 They also gave me gall for my food
And for my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.
Psa. 69:22 May their table before them become a snare;
And when they are in peace, may it become a trap.
Psa. 69:23 May their eyes grow dim so that they cannot see,
And make their loins shake continually.
Psa. 69:24 Pour out Your indignation on them,
And may Your burning anger overtake them.
Psa. 69:25 May their camp be desolate;
May none dwell in their tents.
Psa. 69:26 For they have persecuted him whom You Yourself have smitten,
And they tell of the pain of those whom You have wounded.
Psa. 69:27 Add iniquity to their iniquity,
And may they not come into Your righteousness.
Psa. 69:28 May they be blotted out of the book of life
And may they not be recorded with the righteous.
Psa. 69:29 But I am afflicted and in pain;
May Your salvation, O God, set me securely on high.
Psa. 69:30 I will praise the name of God with song
And magnify Him with thanksgiving.
Psa. 69:31 And it will please the LORD better than an ox
Or a young bull with horns and hoofs.
Psa. 69:32 The humble have seen it and are glad;
You who seek God, let your heart revive.
Psa. 69:33 For the LORD hears the needy
And does not despise His who are prisoners.
Psa. 69:34 Let heaven and earth praise Him,
The seas and everything that moves in them.
Psa. 69:35 For God will save Zion and build the cities of Judah,
That they may dwell there and possess it.
Psa. 69:36 The descendants of His servants will inherit it,
And those who love His name will dwell in it.

Guest Preacher : Dietrich Bonhoeffer

We have done a number of historical sermons, sermons delivered by a preacher from the past. It is read word for word on Sunday and has been very inspirational.

We have read sermons from George Whitefield & Martin Lloyd Jones. This coming Lord's Day it will be Dietrich Bonhoeffer, the famous German Preacher from the mid 20th Century.

Come and here his sermon on Psalm 58.

Sermon Text: Psalm 58

Psa. 58:1 Do you indeed speak righteousness, O gods?
Do you judge uprightly, O sons of men?
Psa. 58:2 No, in heart you work unrighteousness;
On earth you weigh out the violence of your hands.
Psa. 58:3 The wicked are estranged from the womb;
These who speak lies go astray from birth.
Psa. 58:4 They have venom like the venom of a serpent;
Like a deaf cobra that stops up its ear,
Psa. 58:5 So that it does not hear the voice of charmers,
Or a skillful caster of spells.
Psa. 58:6 O God, shatter their teeth in their mouth;
Break out the fangs of the young lions, O LORD.
Psa. 58:7 Let them flow away like water that runs off;
When he aims his arrows, let them be as headless shafts.
Psa. 58:8 Let them be as a snail which melts away as it goes along,
Like the miscarriages of a woman which never see the sun.
Psa. 58:9 Before your pots can feel the fire of thorns
He will sweep them away with a whirlwind, the green and the burning alike.
Psa. 58:10 The righteous will rejoice when he sees the vengeance;
He will wash his feet in the blood of the wicked.
Psa. 58:11 And men will say, “Surely there is a reward for the righteous;
Surely there is a God who judges on earth!”

Sermon Text: Psalm 51

Psa. 51:0 For the choir director. A Psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet came to him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba.
Psa. 51:1 Be gracious to me, O God, according to Your lovingkindness;
According to the greatness of Your compassion blot out my transgressions.
Psa. 51:2 Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity
And cleanse me from my sin.
Psa. 51:3 For I know my transgressions,
And my sin is ever before me.
Psa. 51:4 Against You, You only, I have sinned
And done what is evil in Your sight,
So that You are justified when You speak
And blameless when You judge.
Psa. 51:5 Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity,
And in sin my mother conceived me.
Psa. 51:6 Behold, You desire truth in the innermost being,
And in the hidden part You will make me know wisdom.
Psa. 51:7 Purify me with hyssop, and I shall be clean;
Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
Psa. 51:8 Make me to hear joy and gladness,
Let the bones which You have broken rejoice.
Psa. 51:9 Hide Your face from my sins
And blot out all my iniquities.
Psa. 51:10 Create in me a clean heart, O God,
And renew a steadfast spirit within me.
Psa. 51:11 Do not cast me away from Your presence
And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.
Psa. 51:12 Restore to me the joy of Your salvation
And sustain me with a willing spirit.
Psa. 51:13 Then I will teach transgressors Your ways,
And sinners will be converted to You.
Psa. 51:14 Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, the God of my salvation;
Then my tongue will joyfully sing of Your righteousness.
Psa. 51:15 O Lord, open my lips,
That my mouth may declare Your praise.
Psa. 51:16 For You do not delight in sacrifice, otherwise I would give it;
You are not pleased with burnt offering.
Psa. 51:17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit;
A broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise.
Psa. 51:18 By Your favor do good to Zion;
Build the walls of Jerusalem.
Psa. 51:19 Then You will delight in righteous sacrifices,
In burnt offering and whole burnt offering;
Then young bulls will be offered on Your altar.

Sermon Text: Psalm 47

Psa. 47:1 O clap your hands, all peoples;
Shout to God with the voice of joy.
Psa. 47:2 For the LORD Most High is to be feared,
A great King over all the earth.
Psa. 47:3 He subdues peoples under us
And nations under our feet.
Psa. 47:4 He chooses our inheritance for us,
The glory of Jacob whom He loves. Selah.
Psa. 47:5 God has ascended with a shout,
The LORD, with the sound of a trumpet.
Psa. 47:6 Sing praises to God, sing praises;
Sing praises to our King, sing praises.
Psa. 47:7 For God is the King of all the earth;
Sing praises with a skillful psalm.
Psa. 47:8 God reigns over the nations,
God sits on His holy throne.
Psa. 47:9 The princes of the people have assembled themselves as the people of the God of Abraham,
For the shields of the earth belong to God;
He is highly exalted.

Christianity Today Article on George Whitefield

This feels like self promotion, but I guess I will risk it. I was recently interviewed by a free lance journalist who was doing an article on George Whitefield. It appears in the July Issue of Christianity Today. Here is the link to the article.

(For those who don't want to read the article but are looking for what I said, go to page 3 of the online article.)

Filming of the Dawn Treader has begun

Can not wait to see this movie, although I am preparing myself not to be overly disappointed. It is my favorite book in the Chronicles of Narnia Series, I hope they can do it right.

They have begun shooting the movie in Australia. Should be fantastic......

Sermon Text: Psalm 46

Psa. 46:1 God is our refuge and strength,
A very present help in trouble.
Psa. 46:2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change
And though the mountains slip into the heart of the sea;
Psa. 46:3 Though its waters roar and foam,
Though the mountains quake at its swelling pride. Selah.
Psa. 46:4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
The holy dwelling places of the Most High.
Psa. 46:5 God is in the midst of her, she will not be moved;
God will help her when morning dawns.
Psa. 46:6 The nations made an uproar, the kingdoms tottered;
He raised His voice, the earth melted.
Psa. 46:7 The LORD of hosts is with us;
The God of Jacob is our stronghold. Selah.
Psa. 46:8 Come, behold the works of the LORD,
Who has wrought desolations in the earth.
Psa. 46:9 He makes wars to cease to the end of the earth;
He breaks the bow and cuts the spear in two;
He burns the chariots with fire.
Psa. 46:10 “Cease striving and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”
Psa. 46:11 The LORD of hosts is with us;
The God of Jacob is our stronghold. Selah.

Sermon Text: Psalm 42

Psa. 42:1 As the deer pants for the water brooks,
So my soul pants for You, O God.
Psa. 42:2 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God;
When shall I come and appear before God?
Psa. 42:3 My tears have been my food day and night,
While they say to me all day long, “Where is your God?”
Psa. 42:4 These things I remember and I pour out my soul within me.
For I used to go along with the throng and lead them in procession to the house of God,
With the voice of joy and thanksgiving, a multitude keeping festival.
Psa. 42:5 Why are you in despair, O my soul?
And why have you become disturbed within me?
Hope in God, for I shall again praise Him
For the help of His presence.
Psa. 42:6 O my God, my soul is in despair within me;
Therefore I remember You from the land of the Jordan
And the peaks of Hermon, from Mount Mizar.
Psa. 42:7 Deep calls to deep at the sound of Your waterfalls;
All Your breakers and Your waves have rolled over me.
Psa. 42:8 The LORD will command His lovingkindness in the daytime;
And His song will be with me in the night,
A prayer to the God of my life.
Psa. 42:9 I will say to God my rock, “Why have You forgotten me?
Why do I go mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?”
Psa. 42:10 As a shattering of my bones, my adversaries revile me,
While they say to me all day long, “Where is your God?”
Psa. 42:11 Why are you in despair, O my soul?
And why have you become disturbed within me?
Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him,
The help of my countenance and my God.

Getting excited about the Historical Tour

To get those who are going on our historical tour this Saturday excited, here is an article on George Whitefield that gives you a preview of where we are going.

I think this will be a wonderful time exploring New England Church History! I am such a nerd.

Guest Preacher - Matt Harmon

For the next 3 Sundays Christ Presbyterian Church will have a guest preacher. Matt Harmon is from the Metro New York Presbytery and is in the process of ordination. He and his family are in NH for the summer.

We are looking forward to having Matt and his family with us in July! Please plan to join us.

PCA Church in Brooklyn

I heard this minister speak at General Assembly in Orlando this year. Great testimony and very encouraging to hear what God is doing in NYC.

Click here to read the CT Article.

Sermon Text: John 21

John 21:1 After these things Jesus manifested Himself again to the disciples at the Sea of Tiberias, and He manifested Himself in this way.
John 21:2 Simon Peter, and Thomas called Didymus, and Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, and the sons of Zebedee, and two others of His disciples were together.
John 21:3 Simon Peter *said to them, “I am going fishing.” They *said to him, “We will also come with you.” They went out and got into the boat; and that night they caught nothing.
John 21:4 But when the day was now breaking, Jesus stood on the beach; yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus.
John 21:5 So Jesus *said to them, “Children, you do not have any fish, do you?” They answered Him, “No.”
John 21:6 And He said to them, “Cast the net on the right-hand side of the boat and you will find a catch.” So they cast, and then they were not able to haul it in because of the great number of fish.
John 21:7 Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved *said to Peter, “It is the Lord.” So when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put his outer garment on (for he was stripped for work), and threw himself into the sea.
John 21:8 But the other disciples came in the little boat, for they were not far from the land, but about one hundred yards away, dragging the net full of fish.
John 21:9 So when they got out on the land, they *saw a charcoal fire already laid and fish placed on it, and bread.
John 21:10 Jesus *said to them, “Bring some of the fish which you have now caught.”
John 21:11 Simon Peter went up and drew the net to land, full of large fish, a hundred and fifty-three; and although there were so many, the net was not torn.
John 21:12 Jesus *said to them, “Come and have breakfast.” None of the disciples ventured to question Him, “Who are You?” knowing that it was the Lord.
John 21:13 Jesus *came and *took the bread and *gave it to them, and the fish likewise.
John 21:14 This is now the third time that Jesus was manifested to the disciples, after He was raised from the dead.
John 21:15 ¶ So when they had finished breakfast, Jesus *said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me more than these?” He *said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” He *said to him, “Tend My lambs.”
John 21:16 He *said to him again a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me?” He *said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” He *said to him, “Shepherd My sheep.”
John 21:17 He *said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me?” Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, “Do you love Me?” And he said to Him, “Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You.” Jesus *said to him, “Tend My sheep.
John 21:18 “Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were younger, you used to gird yourself and walk wherever you wished; but when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands and someone else will gird you, and bring you where you do not wish to go.”
John 21:19 Now this He said, signifying by what kind of death he would glorify God. And when He had spoken this, He *said to him, “Follow Me!”
John 21:20 Peter, turning around, *saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following them; the one who also had leaned back on His bosom at the supper and said, “Lord, who is the one who betrays You?”
John 21:21 So Peter seeing him *said to Jesus, “Lord, and what about this man?”
John 21:22 Jesus *said to him, “If I want him to remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow Me!”
John 21:23 Therefore this saying went out among the brethren that that disciple would not die; yet Jesus did not say to him that he would not die, but only, “If I want him to remain until I come, what is that to you?”
John 21:24 This is the disciple who is testifying to these things and wrote these things, and we know that his testimony is true.
John 21:25 And there are also many other things which Jesus did, which if they *were written in detail, I suppose that even the world itself *would not contain the books that *would be written.

Sermon Text: John 13:1-38

John 13:1 Now before the Feast of the Passover, Jesus knowing that His hour had come that He would depart out of this world to the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end.
John 13:2 During supper, the devil having already put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon, to betray Him,
John 13:3 Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come forth from God and was going back to God,
John 13:4 *got up from supper, and *laid aside His garments; and taking a towel, He girded Himself.
John 13:5 Then He *poured water into the basin, and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded.
John 13:6 So He *came to Simon Peter. He *said to Him, “Lord, do You wash my feet?”
John 13:7 Jesus answered and said to him, “What I do you do not realize now, but you will understand hereafter.”
John 13:8 Peter *said to Him, “Never shall You wash my feet!” Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me.”
John 13:9 Simon Peter *said to Him, “Lord, then wash not only my feet, but also my hands and my head.”
John 13:10 Jesus *said to him, “He who has bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean; and you are clean, but not all of you.”
John 13:11 For He knew the one who was betraying Him; for this reason He said, “Not all of you are clean.”
John 13:12 So when He had washed their feet, and taken His garments and reclined at the table again, He said to them, “Do you know what I have done to you?
John 13:13 “You call Me Teacher and Lord; and you are right, for so I am.
John 13:14 “If I then, the Lord and the Teacher, washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet.
John 13:15 “For I gave you an example that you also should do as I did to you.
John 13:16 “Truly, truly, I say to you, a slave is not greater than his master, nor is one who is sent greater than the one who sent him.
John 13:17 “If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them.
John 13:18 “I do not speak of all of you. I know the ones I have chosen; but it is that the Scripture may be fulfilled, ‘HE WHO EATS MY BREAD HAS LIFTED UP HIS HEEL AGAINST ME.’
John 13:19 “From now on I am telling you before it comes to pass, so that when it does occur, you may believe that I am He.
John 13:20 “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who receives whomever I send receives Me; and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me.”
John 13:21 When Jesus had said this, He became troubled in spirit, and testified and said, “Truly, truly, I say to you, that one of you will betray Me.”
John 13:22 The disciples began looking at one another, at a loss to know of which one He was speaking.
John 13:23 There was reclining on Jesus’ bosom one of His disciples, whom Jesus loved.
John 13:24 So Simon Peter *gestured to him, and *said to him, “Tell us who it is of whom He is speaking.”
John 13:25 He, leaning back thus on Jesus’ bosom, *said to Him, “Lord, who is it?”
John 13:26 Jesus then *answered, “That is the one for whom I shall dip the morsel and give it to him.” So when He had dipped the morsel, He *took and *gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot.
John 13:27 After the morsel, Satan then entered into him. Therefore Jesus *said to him, “What you do, do quickly.”
John 13:28 Now no one of those reclining at the table knew for what purpose He had said this to him.
John 13:29 For some were supposing, because Judas had the money box, that Jesus was saying to him, “Buy the things we have need of for the feast”; or else, that he should give something to the poor.
John 13:30 So after receiving the morsel he went out immediately; and it was night.
John 13:31 Therefore when he had gone out, Jesus *said, “Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in Him;
John 13:32 if God is glorified in Him, God will also glorify Him in Himself, and will glorify Him immediately.
John 13:33 “Little children, I am with you a little while longer. You will seek Me; and as I said to the Jews, now I also say to you, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come.’
John 13:34 “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another.
John 13:35 “By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”
John 13:36 Simon Peter *said to Him, “Lord, where are You going?” Jesus answered, “Where I go, you cannot follow Me now; but you will follow later.”
John 13:37 Peter *said to Him, “Lord, why can I not follow You right now? I will lay down my life for You.”
John 13:38 Jesus *answered, “Will you lay down your life for Me? Truly, truly, I say to you, a rooster will not crow until you deny Me three times.

What I am watching

Not that anyone is that interested, but I thought I would make the list for my own amusement....

Ice Road Truckers

Wrecked

Speed Channel => F1 Racing, Le Mans, NASCAR, Rolex, etc.... I am into Auto Racing

Retro TV

All Time Favorite Show, the Default when nothing is on..

5 years and counting

This is my annual address to the congregation about the state of the church. This sermon will reference Acts 5:12-42, which has something significant for us to remember. Please join us, but kow it is going to be a little different than typical Sunday Mornings.

Retro TV

I recently discovered this on our TV programing.

RTV - Retro Television Network

I find it comforting to watch shows from the past. My son is enjoying some of those old shows as well, like the A-Team & Magnum PI.

Still love that Ferrari 308!

Have you heard of this?

This really surprised me, a minister has a bible study and needs a permit. Wow! Here is the article

Sermon Text: John 15:18-27

John 15:18 “If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you.
John 15:19 “If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, because of this the world hates you.
John 15:20 “Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A slave is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you; if they kept My word, they will keep yours also.
John 15:21 “But all these things they will do to you for My name’s sake, because they do not know the One who sent Me.
John 15:22 “If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin.
John 15:23 “He who hates Me hates My Father also.
John 15:24 “If I had not done among them the works which no one else did, they would not have sin; but now they have both seen and hated Me and My Father as well.
John 15:25 “But they have done this to fulfill the word that is written in their Law, ‘THEY HATED ME WITHOUT A CAUSE.’
John 15:26 “When the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, that is the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify about Me,
John 15:27 and you will testify also, because you have been with Me from the beginning.

Dr. Ralph D. Winter

When I was in College, I took a course on Global Missions. My prof, not an expert in the field by any means used a course from the U.S. Center for Global Missions. It was written by it's leader, Dr. Ralph D. Winter, and it was very formative in my Christian Walk.

After graduating, I studied for several weeks in Pasadena, CA at the HQ for the U.S. Center for Global Missions. I was there to prepare for teaching English in China. Ralph Winter was of course there and I had a chance to meet him. It was a honor for me, and I was thankful to meet the person who influenced me in my thoughts on Global Ministry.

Ralph Winter went to go home with the Lord on Wednesday. I think we lost a very valuable resource when it comes to global missions. A very influential man, I am sad to hear of his passing.

Honesty is Dead

Not sure how many folks heard about this story. It is from New Zealand, some folks got some $$$ deposited into their account that was an error, a multimillion dollar error.

Instead of pointing it out and returning it. They fled the country. Nice.

Sermon Text: John 15:1-17

John 15:1 “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser.
John 15:2 “Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it so that it may bear more fruit.
John 15:3 “You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you.
John 15:4 “Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me.
John 15:5 “I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.
John 15:6 “If anyone does not abide in Me, he is thrown away as a branch and dries up; and they gather them, and cast them into the fire and they are burned.
John 15:7 “If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.
John 15:8 “My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples.
John 15:9 “Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you; abide in My love.
John 15:10 “If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love.
John 15:11 “These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full.
John 15:12 “This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you.
John 15:13 “Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends.
John 15:14 “You are My friends if you do what I command you.
John 15:15 “No longer do I call you slaves, for the slave does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I have heard from My Father I have made known to you.
John 15:16 “You did not choose Me but I chose you, and appointed you that you would go and bear fruit, and that your fruit would remain, so that whatever you ask of the Father in My name He may give to you.
John 15:17 “This I command you, that you love one another.

Sermon Text: John 14:1-31

John 14:1 “Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me.
John 14:2 “In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you.
John 14:3 “If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also.
John 14:4 “And you know the way where I am going.”
John 14:5 Thomas *said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going, how do we know the way?”
John 14:6 Jesus *said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.
John 14:7 “If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; from now on you know Him, and have seen Him.”
John 14:8 Philip *said to Him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.”
John 14:9 Jesus *said to him, “Have I been so long with you, and yet you have not come to know Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?
John 14:10 “Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father is in Me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on My own initiative, but the Father abiding in Me does His works.
John 14:11 “Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me; otherwise believe because of the works themselves.
John 14:12 “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also; and greater works than these he will do; because I go to the Father.
John 14:13 “Whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
John 14:14 “If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it.
John 14:15 “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.
John 14:16 “I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever;
John 14:17 that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you.
John 14:18 “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.
John 14:19 “After a little while the world will no longer see Me, but you will see Me; because I live, you will live also.
John 14:20 “In that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you.
John 14:21 “He who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me; and he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and will disclose Myself to him.”
John 14:22 Judas (not Iscariot) *said to Him, “Lord, what then has happened that You are going to disclose Yourself to us and not to the world?”
John 14:23 Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our abode with him.
John 14:24 “He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine, but the Father’s who sent Me.
John 14:25 “These things I have spoken to you while abiding with you.
John 14:26 “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you.
John 14:27 “Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.
John 14:28 “You heard that I said to you, ‘I go away, and I will come to you.’ If you loved Me, you would have rejoiced because I go to the Father, for the Father is greater than I.
John 14:29 “Now I have told you before it happens, so that when it happens, you may believe.
John 14:30 “I will not speak much more with you, for the ruler of the world is coming, and he has nothing in Me;
John 14:31 but so that the world may know that I love the Father, I do exactly as the Father commanded Me. Get up, let us go from here.

Sermon text: John 11:1-44

John 11:1 Now a certain man was sick, Lazarus of Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha.
John 11:2 It was the Mary who anointed the Lord with ointment, and wiped His feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick.
John 11:3 So the sisters sent word to Him, saying, “Lord, behold, he whom You love is sick.”
John 11:4 But when Jesus heard this, He said, “This sickness is not to end in death, but for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified by it.”
John 11:5 Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus.
John 11:6 So when He heard that he was sick, He then stayed two days longer in the place where He was.
John 11:7 Then after this He *said to the disciples, “Let us go to Judea again.”
John 11:8 The disciples *said to Him, “Rabbi, the Jews were just now seeking to stone You, and are You going there again?”
John 11:9 Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world.
John 11:10 “But if anyone walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him.”
John 11:11 This He said, and after that He *said to them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; but I go, so that I may awaken him out of sleep.”
John 11:12 The disciples then said to Him, “Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will recover.”
John 11:13 Now Jesus had spoken of his death, but they thought that He was speaking of literal sleep.
John 11:14 So Jesus then said to them plainly, “Lazarus is dead,
John 11:15 and I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, so that you may believe; but let us go to him.”
John 11:16 Therefore Thomas, who is called Didymus, said to his fellow disciples, “Let us also go, so that we may die with Him.”
John 11:17 So when Jesus came, He found that he had already been in the tomb four days.
John 11:18 Now Bethany was near Jerusalem, about two miles off;
John 11:19 and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary, to console them concerning their brother.
John 11:20 Martha therefore, when she heard that Jesus was coming, went to meet Him, but Mary stayed at the house.
John 11:21 Martha then said to Jesus, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.
John 11:22 “Even now I know that whatever You ask of God, God will give You.”
John 11:23 Jesus *said to her, “Your brother will rise again.”
John 11:24 Martha *said to Him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.”
John 11:25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies,
John 11:26 and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?”
John 11:27 She *said to Him, “Yes, Lord; I have believed that You are the Christ, the Son of God, even He who comes into the world.”
John 11:28 When she had said this, she went away and called Mary her sister, saying secretly, “The Teacher is here and is calling for you.”
John 11:29 And when she heard it, she *got up quickly and was coming to Him.
John 11:30 Now Jesus had not yet come into the village, but was still in the place where Martha met Him.
John 11:31 Then the Jews who were with her in the house, and consoling her, when they saw that Mary got up quickly and went out, they followed her, supposing that she was going to the tomb to weep there.
John 11:32 Therefore, when Mary came where Jesus was, she saw Him, and fell at His feet, saying to Him, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.”
John 11:33 When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her also weeping, He was deeply moved in spirit and was troubled,
John 11:34 and said, “Where have you laid him?” They *said to Him, “Lord, come and see.”
John 11:35 Jesus wept.
John 11:36 So the Jews were saying, “See how He loved him!”
John 11:37 But some of them said, “Could not this man, who opened the eyes of the blind man, have kept this man also from dying?”
John 11:38 So Jesus, again being deeply moved within, *came to the tomb. Now it was a cave, and a stone was lying against it.
John 11:39 Jesus *said, “Remove the stone.” Martha, the sister of the deceased, *said to Him, “Lord, by this time there will be a stench, for he has been dead four days.”
John 11:40 Jesus *said to her, “Did I not say to you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?”
John 11:41 So they removed the stone. Then Jesus raised His eyes, and said, “Father, I thank You that You have heard Me.
John 11:42 “I knew that You always hear Me; but because of the people standing around I said it, so that they may believe that You sent Me.”
John 11:43 When He had said these things, He cried out with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come forth.”
John 11:44 The man who had died came forth, bound hand and foot with wrappings, and his face was wrapped around with a cloth. Jesus *said to them, “Unbind him, and let him go.”

Means of Grace helpful....who would have thought!

On an inspirational note, I read this article on the CBC website.

Don't know the hymn, but glad it was helpful.

I often encourage Christians to pray and come to worship, because it is spiritually nurturing. I think that is what we are seeing in this man's testimony. Glad he is okay.

A new addition to the PCA?

Came across this article today on Christianity today. I have never heard of Tullian Tchividjian until this article, but I found him interesting and may pick up his latest book.



What do you think?

Getting caught up

Not everyone would know this, but since the Conference in Chicago, it has been a torrential down pour of business that is coming to and end, I think.

After getting back from the Windy City, which was only 2 weeks ago, we travel to the West Coast for Spring Break, only to return a few days later as a church member became ill and later died.

The death was not unexpected, but was very sad for the church, and the uncertainty of the situation was difficult. Her funeral was yesterday.

There are seasons that are challenging, and they can be gospel opportunities. I think this has been one of them.

Spent the week in Chicago

This past week I was in Chicago for a Conference. I have not been to one in years, and I indeed waited for the right one. It was incredible. So glad I went, it reignited my passion for biblical teaching and expository preaching.

If you missed it, some of the talks are on line. Check out the website for more information.

Guest Speaker: Per Almquist

This Sunday we have the privilege to hear Per Almquist preach the Word of God. Per is working in Maine and is church planting in Lewiston, ME.

Please plan to join us this Sunday as we worship together and hear about their ministry.

Sunday, April 19

Since we did not have a typical service on Sunday. So we will try again this coming Sunday. The sermon text and sermon are what was planned for Resurrection Sunday. Hope you join us.

Locked out on Easter Sunday

Today was an interesting day. As the title suggests. And to be clear, it was NOT the intent of our hosts, the SDA Church to lock us out. It was a honest mistake.

We arrived Easter Morning to discover our keys did not work. After several phone calls, it was evident we were not getting access to the building. The parking lot was full of church attenders, ready for worship. It was windy and cold, so doing an open air service was not an option. What to do?

After some discussion, we moved to our house (which was not prepared for this many visitors, note to self, make sure the house is clean before going to church!) It was cramped, as you can see from the picts, but it worked. We had a shorten service, and people stayed after to linger and chat. Lots of smiles, and no one seemed to mind.

What started off as bad circumstance, turned into a delightful adventure. This will be a Resurrection Sunday I will not soon forget.

Sermon Text: John 20:1-29

John 20:1 Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene *came early to the tomb, while it *was still dark, and *saw the stone already taken away from the tomb.
John 20:2 So she *ran and *came to Simon Peter and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and *said to them, “They have taken away the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid Him.”
John 20:3 So Peter and the other disciple went forth, and they were going to the tomb.
John 20:4 The two were running together; and the other disciple ran ahead faster than Peter and came to the tomb first;
John 20:5 and stooping and looking in, he *saw the linen wrappings lying there; but he did not go in.
John 20:6 And so Simon Peter also *came, following him, and entered the tomb; and he *saw the linen wrappings lying there,
John 20:7 and the face-cloth which had been on His head, not lying with the linen wrappings, but rolled up in a place by itself.
John 20:8 So the other disciple who had first come to the tomb then also entered, and he saw and believed.
John 20:9 For as yet they did not understand the Scripture, that He must rise again from the dead.
John 20:10 So the disciples went away again to their own homes.
John 20:11 But Mary was standing outside the tomb weeping; and so, as she wept, she stooped and looked into the tomb;
John 20:12 and she *saw two angels in white sitting, one at the head and one at the feet, where the body of Jesus had been lying.
John 20:13 And they *said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She *said to them, “Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid Him.”
John 20:14 When she had said this, she turned around and *saw Jesus standing there, and did not know that it was Jesus.
John 20:15 Jesus *said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” Supposing Him to be the gardener, she *said to Him, “Sir, if you have carried Him away, tell me where you have laid Him, and I will take Him away.”
John 20:16 Jesus *said to her, “Mary!” She turned and *said to Him in Hebrew, “Rabboni!” (which means, Teacher).
John 20:17 Jesus *said to her, “Stop clinging to Me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to My brethren and say to them, ‘I ascend to My Father and your Father, and My God and your God.’”
John 20:18 Mary Magdalene *came, announcing to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord,” and that He had said these things to her.
John 20:19 So when it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and when the doors were shut where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst and *said to them, “Peace be with you.”
John 20:20 And when He had said this, He showed them both His hands and His side. The disciples then rejoiced when they saw the Lord.
John 20:21 So Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you; as the Father has sent Me, I also send you.”
John 20:22 And when He had said this, He breathed on them and *said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.
John 20:23 “If you forgive the sins of any, their sins have been forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they have been retained.”
John 20:24 But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came.
John 20:25 So the other disciples were saying to him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he said to them, “Unless I see in His hands the imprint of the nails, and put my finger into the place of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.”
John 20:26 After eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus *came, the doors having been shut, and stood in their midst and said, “Peace be with you.”
John 20:27 Then He *said to Thomas, “Reach here with your finger, and see My hands; and reach here your hand and put it into My side; and do not be unbelieving, but believing.”
John 20:28 Thomas answered and said to Him, “My Lord and my God!”
John 20:29 Jesus *said to him, “Because you have seen Me, have you believed? Blessed are they who did not see, and yet believed.”

Good Friday Service

This year we will be doing a joint service at First Congregational Church of Merrimack. The Service is at 7:00 pm with the Celebration of the Lord's Supper. The Sermon Text is John 19:28-30.

Hope to see you there.

Sermon Text: John 12:12-50

John 12:12 On the next day the large crowd who had come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem,
John 12:13 took the branches of the palm trees and went out to meet Him, and began to shout, “Hosanna! BLESSED IS HE WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD, even the King of Israel.”
John 12:14 Jesus, finding a young donkey, sat on it; as it is written,
John 12:15 “FEAR NOT, DAUGHTER OF ZION; BEHOLD, YOUR KING IS COMING, SEATED ON A DONKEY’S COLT.”
John 12:16 These things His disciples did not understand at the first; but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things were written of Him, and that they had done these things to Him.
John 12:17 So the people, who were with Him when He called Lazarus out of the tomb and raised him from the dead, continued to testify about Him.
John 12:18 For this reason also the people went and met Him, because they heard that He had performed this sign.
John 12:19 So the Pharisees said to one another, “You see that you are not doing any good; look, the world has gone after Him.”
John 12:20 Now there were some Greeks among those who were going up to worship at the feast;
John 12:21 these then came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida of Galilee, and began to ask him, saying, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.”
John 12:22 Philip *came and *told Andrew; Andrew and Philip *came and *told Jesus.
John 12:23 And Jesus *answered them, saying, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.
John 12:24 “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.
John 12:25 “He who loves his life loses it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it to life eternal.
John 12:26 “If anyone serves Me, he must follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also; if anyone serves Me, the Father will honor him.
John 12:27 “Now My soul has become troubled; and what shall I say, ‘Father, save Me from this hour’? But for this purpose I came to this hour.
John 12:28 “Father, glorify Your name.” Then a voice came out of heaven: “I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again.”
John 12:29 So the crowd of people who stood by and heard it were saying that it had thundered; others were saying, “An angel has spoken to Him.”
John 12:30 Jesus answered and said, “This voice has not come for My sake, but for your sakes.
John 12:31 “Now judgment is upon this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out.
John 12:32 “And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to Myself.”
John 12:33 But He was saying this to indicate the kind of death by which He was to die.
John 12:34 The crowd then answered Him, “We have heard out of the Law that the Christ is to remain forever; and how can You say, ‘The Son of Man must be lifted up’? Who is this Son of Man?”
John 12:35 So Jesus said to them, “For a little while longer the Light is among you. Walk while you have the Light, so that darkness will not overtake you; he who walks in the darkness does not know where he goes.
John 12:36 “While you have the Light, believe in the Light, so that you may become sons of Light.”
These things Jesus spoke, and He went away and hid Himself from them.
John 12:37 But though He had performed so many signs before them, yet they were not believing in Him.
John 12:38 This was to fulfill the word of Isaiah the prophet which he spoke: “LORD, WHO HAS BELIEVED OUR REPORT? AND TO WHOM HAS THE ARM OF THE LORD BEEN REVEALED?”
John 12:39 For this reason they could not believe, for Isaiah said again,
John 12:40 “HE HAS BLINDED THEIR EYES AND HE HARDENED THEIR HEART, SO THAT THEY WOULD NOT SEE WITH THEIR EYES AND PERCEIVE WITH THEIR HEART, AND BE CONVERTED AND I HEAL THEM.”
John 12:41 These things Isaiah said because he saw His glory, and he spoke of Him.
John 12:42 Nevertheless many even of the rulers believed in Him, but because of the Pharisees they were not confessing Him, for fear that they would be put out of the synagogue;
John 12:43 for they loved the approval of men rather than the approval of God.
John 12:44 And Jesus cried out and said, “He who believes in Me, does not believe in Me but in Him who sent Me.
John 12:45 “He who sees Me sees the One who sent Me.
John 12:46 “I have come as Light into the world, so that everyone who believes in Me will not remain in darkness.
John 12:47 “If anyone hears My sayings and does not keep them, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world.
John 12:48 “He who rejects Me and does not receive My sayings, has one who judges him; the word I spoke is what will judge him at the last day.
John 12:49 “For I did not speak on My own initiative, but the Father Himself who sent Me has given Me a commandment as to what to say and what to speak.
John 12:50 “I know that His commandment is eternal life; therefore the things I speak, I speak just as the Father has told Me.”