Today's Sunday school lesson was canceled because the teacher's mom is doing worse than last week. It looks like she is at the end and about to see her mansion He has prepared for her. Prayer requests were made for her and the family. Please pray for strength of the family and grace for her mom as she passes. Shawn Renshaw is also requesting prayers as she has been diagnosed with invasive breast cancer. She is facing chemo and a mastectomy (possibly double mastectomy) but she is hoping that it hasn't already metastasized into her nodes. Pray for healing, strength, but let us not forget that her family is going through this, too. She has three sons, the youngest is still in high school, and rightly so, these kids and her husband are scared and worried. Her husband is trying to be the strong one for the family, so he needs strength. There were other prayer requests, but I will just leave it to God as he knows what we need and we need only ask. So please just pray for those whose names were written on our board. I really believe that is all He needs.
I asked in Sunday school what can I do to help someone to get back to God. I have someone I am really close to that has forgotten their relationship with their Father. Their love of Christ has been replaced with anger, resentment, spite, and anxiety. I got back some really good advice. Do the possible and leave the impossible up to Him. Instead of letting our problems drive us from God, how about we let our problems drive us to God. Just keep praying. It might not happen immediately, but a mountain isn't made overnight.
John 3:1-7 was our focus for morning service and was really poignant for me and the title of the sermon was "Lost Church Member".
Background- Nicodemus was not just a church member, but was considered a preacher and expert of the Bible. He was by-the-book religious in everything except by Regeneration. He was a Pharisee who were considered to be hypocrites, but not Nicodemus.
Nicodemus realizes that all his good works and studies have been for naught. Jesus tells him that the only way into Heaven is to be born again. His incredulity of how to be born again was matched by Jesus' supreme knowledge of all things spiritual. Reformation is turning over a new leaf, a fresh start. Reformation is putting a new suit on a man. Reformation is putting a new man in the suit. Our sins come from the inside, as so is our rebirth. Our literally birth was on the outside, our rebirth is from the inside and is just as definite. It can never be repeated. Salvation is simple. Believe in Him & repent.
The evening service started off with a video of a very talented child, I would have to guess 5 years old, telling the story of Jonah in her own words. I can't say I have ever understood it better than when she told it. She was very animated and entertaining. I can see her having a future in ministry.
I think it would be easiest to break down what I got out of the sermon in bullets.
- We have to do the will of God from our heart or it is wasted.
- My God gives second chances and I am grateful he does!!!
- We are under the wrath of God because of our sins but we are protected from wrath by His love with salvation.
- God likes deadlines (Noah, Jonah...)
- Have you reached your deadline God gave you?
- Even the livestock received benefit from the revival in Ninevah
- Guilt of sin is overwhelming. It can be a big reason for keeping people away from God.
- Jonah 3:9 - repent & relent. Turn from your anger and not perish.
- God does not change his mind. I really think that he planned it all along to save the citizens of Ninevah and needed to scare them into salvation. We all know how much fear can motivate.
- God does not excuse sin, but forgives sin if asked.
There is not any day of the week we enjoy more than Sundays, except possibly Wednesdays! My daughter and I were talking about how much we loved going to church and there were just too many days between Wednesday and Sunday. She came home and was singing hymns in the shower.
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