Church family and friends,
God has a way of changing our plans at times, doesn’t he? After being unable to meet last weekend, I was especially looking forward to meeting together tomorrow. Sunday is my favorite day of the week!
Due to the continued inclement weather, however, all Saturday and Sunday events have been cancelled. I’m grateful that ultimately the weather testifies to our Father’s sovereign control over all things (Ps. 147:16), reminding us of the divine power and authority at work in every detail of our lives. No matter the situation, He’s on the throne!
Here are a couple suggestions for redeeming the time this weekend:
- Gather as a family to sing, read Scripture or pray together. It doesn’t have to be formal. Have the youngest family member read a few verses (Ps. 145-150 are good places to start!), then talk about what they say about God, our need for Him, and His care for us.
- Invite a friend or neighbor to come over for a movie or to watch the Superbowl. Snow days are a great opportunity to reach out to unbelievers with the love of Jesus.
- Throw a few logs in the fireplace and dive into a good devotional book that will help you know and love the Savior. If you’re like me, there’s a large “waiting to be read” stack on the bookshelf. We’ll see how far I can get through C.S. Lewis’ Screwtape Letters!
- FOR GUYS ONLY - Get up early and make breakfast for your family or roommates. I personally recommend a good Southern approach, including omelets, grits, bacon and toast.
I pray God refreshes each of you this weekend as we rest in His sovereignty. As my good friend Gene would say, “Snow is God’s way of inserting a little margin into our lives.” And for that I give thanks!
Grace to you,
Matthew
Bolivia Missions Application Deadline
Also, due to the cancelation, the Bolivia Missions Trip application deadline and team meeting have been postponed from this Sunday to next Sunday, February 14th. The meeting will be at noon, following the Sunday Morning Meeting.
Starting today, we’ve dropped prices on almost everything at our store. For the month of February, you’ll find these ridiculously low prices:
Music:
- $5 – all downloadable albums from Sovereign Grace Music
- $6 – all CDs from Sovereign Grace Music
Books:
International shipping is 50% off. And as always, U.S. shipping is free for all orders over $15.Load up at www.SovereignGraceStore.com, and tell your friends.
This note is from Pat Ennis, Executive Director of Sovereign Grace Ministries:
Friends,
In response to the devastating earthquake that occurred in Haiti on Tuesday, Sovereign Grace Ministries has opened a Disaster Relief fund to help deliver food, medicine, and other needed aid there. We will distribute the funds we raise primarily through existing ministry contacts we have on the island—both in Haiti and the Dominican Republic—who are already involved in relief efforts.
If you want to join us in our support of these efforts, you can donate to the Disaster Relief fund
on our website or by calling 800.736.2202. On behalf of our friends in Haiti, thank you for considering this opportunity to give.
Regardless of your ability to make a donation, please join us in praying that those affected by the earthquake would receive aid quickly, and that despite these hardships the gospel would continue to go forward in that nation.
With appreciation,
Patrick Ennis
Executive Director
Sovereign Grace Ministries
Few responsibilities are more rewarding and yet more challenging than parenting. Thankfully, God hasn’t left us in the dark when it comes to successfully caring for children young and old. Starting January 27, we’re beginning a 10 week biblical foundations for parenting class on Wednesday evenings at 7:30pm. Attend as many of the two-week sessions as you like.
- Age 0-5 Jan. 27, Feb. 3
- Age 6-10 Feb. 10, Feb. 17
- Age 11-13 Feb. 24, Mar. 3
- Age 14-18 Mar. 10, Mar. 17
- Age 18+ Mar 24, Mar 31
The Goldsworthy Trilogy is an outstanding collection of three books on Biblical Theology by Graeme Goldsworthy. Each book looks at a specific genre of Biblical literature in order to see its place within the whole of Scripture by seeing Jesus throughout each one.The Gospel & Kingdom examines the Old Testament history of Israel, The Gospel & Wisdom examines Job, Solomon’s writings, and some other wisdom writings sprinkled throughout Scripture, and The Gospel & Revelation looks at Scripture’s final letter.I heartily commend the Goldsworthy Trilogy for a deeper study of seeing Jesus throughout the various parts of Scripture. (I also recommend God’s Big Picture for a basic introduction on this topic and The Big Picture Story Bible for an excellent treatment of this at the most basic level.)
In this week’s message, entitled “Our Life in Christ”, we looked at Titus 2:11-14. We heard how Jesus saves, sanctifies, secures and sends - changing the lives of all believers. In light of this grace, we looked back at 2009 and ahead to 2010. In order to better understand the implications of this work of God, let’s consider these questions:
- How does your view of God’s grace affect your perspective on making New Year’s resolutions?
- How does your understanding of how Jesus saves, sanctifies, secures and sends affect your evaluation of 2009?
- How should your understanding of how Jesus saves, sanctifies, secures and sends affect your goals for 2010?
- As you consider the various aspects of Christ’s saving work in you, in what particular ways do you desire to avail yourself to his work in 2010? What would this look like?
Let us pray this week for 2010, that God would work in us and through us by his grace and for his glory.
In this week’s message, entitled “Responding to Correction”, we looked at Proverbs 9:7-12. We heard how responding to correction can be a matter of life and death. To better understand the implications of this, let’s consider these questions:
- When are you tempted to make decisions based on yourself rather than who God is? In these kinds of decisions how could you better focus on God’s relevance?
- When are you most tempted to consider correction as relatively worthless?
- When are you most tempted to respond to correction with anger?
- When tempted to respond to correction dismissively or in anger, how can you better position yourself to chose to respond wisely?
Let us pray this week for the humility and love to seek wisdom from above as it is conveyed to us by others.
This week’s message was entitled “Words that Work”. From Ephesians 4:29-32 we heard that forgiven hearts produce constructive words. In order to better understand the outworkings of this in our lives, consider these questions:
- Have you tended to think of your words (and their power) as a squirt gun, air-soft gun, paintball gun, or bazooka? Why?
- What does Scripture have to say about the power of our words?
- When are you typically tempted to speak a “corrupt” word? In these moments what would “putting off and putting on” look like?
- How does the gospel affect the way that you see those that you are speaking to? How could you make this a greater focal point?
- In what ways does our relationship with Christ help us in speaking words of grace?
Let’s pray this week that the Spirit would empower us to speak the grace of the gospel with fitting words that build up.
(For further study on this topic, we recommend the article “Speaking Redemptively” by Paul Tripp.)
In this week’s message, entitled “How to Bring Correction”, we looked at Matthew 18:15-20. We heard how sometimes Jesus calls us to correct one another, and he really cares how. To better understand how we’re to live this out with one another, let’s consider these questions:
- Do you tend to think of correction as something positive or negative? In what ways can Matthew 18:15-20 inform this perspective?
- When you are sinned against, what tends to keep you from going to the one who has offended you? What scriptures speak to this temptation?
- What motives often come into play when you bring correction to others? How do these motives compare with the motives that Scripture instructs us to have?
- Why is it so important that we have pure motives when bringing correction? How should this influence the way that we walk through correction?
- When it comes to your bringing correction to others, what difference does the gospel make?
Let us remember the mercy that we have received and display that mercy in our relationships, especially as we correct one another in patience and love.
