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Weekend Recap – 2 Ways To Relate To God

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My sermon from 8/26/12AM entitled Relating To God from Hebrews 12:18-24 is now online.  The sermon exposed the ways we try to relate to God but, in the end, showed that only relating to God through Christ is the path that allows us to face God, the judge of all, with confidence.  Jesus’ blood speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.  This also was an amazing lead in to the Lord’s Supper and Jesus’ blood of the covenant.  It was an amazing Lord’s Day.

The morning, coupled with Jerry Bridges’ chapter “I am a new creation” (Who Am I? chapter 5) helped show the glorious realities that are ours in the Gospel.  I hope you had a great Lord’s day reveling in truths like these.

Eyelids Testing…

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Having a four and two year old in the house can create some fun situations. This week, Meg is working on potty training Gabe and when she’s in the bathroom with him (and Andrew knows that no one is there to stop him) he raids the pantry. On Monday, he downed a container of chocolate chip cookies. Yesterday, it was something else.

Today, I was working through a Psalm of the Day, Psalm 11, and read the following:

The Lord is in His holy temple;
The Lord’s throne is in heaven;
His eyes see, His eyelids test the children of man. (v.4)

I wondered immediately, what does this mean that “His eyelids test the children of man”? How do eyelids test or assess? The answer is found back in my opening illustration. What do you do when you think God won’t see (i.e. you think His eyelids are shut)? v.5 continues:

The Lord tests His righteous,
but His soul hates the wicked and the one who loves violence.

These anthropomorphisms (attributing earthly characteristics to God) are the Psalmists way of helping us see our constant accountability before our Maker. What does God see? Everything. Therefore, let’s live before this Holy One in a way that brings glory to Him.

Father, You are holy and Your eyes see everything about us. Let us take refuge in You and live for You because You are righteous and You love righteous deeds. And, let all the upright behold Your face. May we live our lives in ways that make You glorious. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Weekend Preview – Ecclesiology

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This weekend, we are taking a break from Colossians in the AM to address some issues in church life from Titus 2:1-8. I’ve entitled the sermon Ecclesiology 101. Ecclesiology is the “study of things pertaining to the church.” This passage holds relevant instruction for: why we put such a priority on teaching, how men’s and women’s ministries should function and what kind of life we are all called to live. It really will be a good, fresh reminder of some core convictions we hold to.

In the evening, we will finish up Hosea, looking at Hosea 13:4-14:9. This book has been a great treasure for us on Sunday evenings this year. My basic outline for this sermon has to do with God’s attributes of justice and love.

Hope to see you this weekend!