Benediction

Now to Him who is able to keep you from falling,

and to present you before His glory without fault and

with unspeakable joy,

to the only God, our Savior, be glory and majesty,

power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord,

before time was, now, and in all the ages to come.  Amen.

Jude 24, 25

The letter of Jude was written by Jude, the brother of Jesus.  Like his other brother, James, Jude did not believe in the divinity of Jesus until after the resurrection.  His letter begins with an exhortation to …those who have obeyed the call, who are loved by God the Father, and kept in the faith by Jesus Christ.  

It ends with one of the most powerful promises in the Bible:  Jesus Christ is able to keep us from falling, and to present us faultless to the Father.  May that pledge strengthen your faith today as you trust your heart and soul to the Savior.

 

FAITH: So Many Others

And what more shall I say?  I do not have time to tell about…

those who through faith conquered kingdoms,

administered justice (Deborah);

who shut the mouths of lions (Daniel);

quenched the fury of the flames (Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego;

and escaped the edge of the sword (Elijah, Jeremiah);

whose weakness was turned to strength (Samson);

who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies (Joshua);

Some faced jeers and flogging,

and even chains and imprisonment (Paul, Barnabus);

they were put to death by stoning (Stephen;)

they were sawed in two (Isaiah);

they were killed by the sword.

The world was not worthy of them… 

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses,

let us throw off everything that hinders,

and the sin that so easily entangles;

and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us,

fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.

Hebrews 11

FAITH: David & Samuel

And what more shall I say?

I do not have time to tell about… David and Samuel…

Hebrews 11:32

The writer of Hebrews, running out of time and space in his exposition of the faithful, lists six men of faith by name only.  Let’s take a look at the last two:

David:  Goliath was a member of the Philistine army, standing about 9 ½ feet tall.  David was a boy who listened too the giant spew out his hatred and scorn, then proclaimed, “Who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God?”  Then David took his sling, five smooth stones and his faith in the Almighty, and challenged Goliath:  “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel.”

Samuel:  The first of the great prophets after Moses, Samuel was from the tribe of Levi.  His mother gave her very young son to the high priest Eli to be trained as a man of God.  God visited Samuel when he was 12 years old, giving him a message of rebuke for Eli.  By the time Eli died, Samuel was recognized as a leader, prophet and judge in Israel who had been in communion with God since childhood.  He was a man who permitted no compromise when the honor of God was at stake, or when a direct command from the Lord had not been carried out.   

 

FAITH: Samson & JJeptha

 

And what more shall I say?

I do not have time to tell about… Samson and Jeptha…

Hebrews 11:32

The writer of Hebrews, running out of time and space in his exposition of the faithful, lists six men of faith by name only.  Let’s take a look at the next two: 

Samson:  I am always surprised to see Samson listed here as a man of great faith.  Not exactly the picture I have of headstrong, profligate Samson.  But at the end of his life, when everything has been taken from him, and he is nothing but an object of ridicule and scorn for his enemies, Samson pleads with God for one last burst of superhuman strength, and God honored his faith and his request.

Jeptha (or Jephthah):  Jeptha is an even bigger surprise in this list of people of faith.  Yes, he was a major judge of Israel.  But he is notorious for his actions prior to a military campaign against the Ammonites.  Before the battle, Jeptha rashly vowed that if given the victory, he would offer as a burnt sacrifice to the Lord the first thing that emerged from his house.   Goat, sheep, servant – no, the first thing to come out to greet the returning hero was his only child - his daughter.  The writer of Judges says he “did with her according to his vow.”  Since God is not into human sacrifice (naming it as an abomination) it is unknown how he fulfilled his vow.  In any situation, we would all do well to rely on prayers rather than rash promises.

FAITH: Gideon & Barak

And what more shall I say? 

I do not have time to tell about Gideon and Barak…

Hebrews 11:32 

The writer of Hebrews, running out of time and space in his exposition of the faithful, lists six men of faith by name only.  Let’s take a look at their lives…

Gideon:  Gideon was from the tribe of Manasseh.  He was called by an angel of the Lord to deliver Israel from the Midianites.  He gathered together a huge army of 32,000 men, which God whittled down to just 300. In the middle of the night, they surrounded the Midian army, armed with only a trumpet, a torch and a jar.   Gideon’s men smashed the jars, blew the trumpets, and held high their torches.  The Midianites became disoriented, started killing each other, and finally fled into the night with Gideon and his 300 men in hot pursuit.

Barak:  Barak was from the tribe of  Naphtali.  Deborah the prophetess called him to lead a military campaign against the Canaanites, who had cruelly oppressed the people of God for over twenty years.  Barak gathered 10,000 men from his tribe and the tribe of Zebulun.  Barak accepted the leadership of the army only on condition that Deborah would go with them.  She agreed, saying: This day the Lord has given them into your hands.  Has not the Lord gone ahead of you?    Strengthened in faith, Gideon and his army drove out the army of the Canaanites.

 

FAITH: Rahab

 

“Our lives for your lives!” the men assured her.

“If you don’t tell what we are doing, we will treat you kindly

and faithfully when the Lord gives us the land.”

So she let them down by a rope through the window…

Joshua 2:14-15a

The writer of the book of Joshua states flat out that Rahab was a prostitute whose home was on the outer walls of Jericho, an obvious choice for a couple of men visiting the city looking for entertainment.  But these two men were spies, and they must have been quite surprised to learn that this lady of the night was a believer in the one true God.  The two sides struck a very dangerous bargain:  she hid them from the king’s soldiers, then let them down a rope to flee the city.  They, in turn, would protect her when the Israelites came to overtake the city.  Both sides kept to their agreement.

Rahab’s courage and faith in the Creator God saved her and her family, and the two men of Israel.  She is honored as one of four women listed in the genealogy of the Messiah (Matthew 1:5).  She is honored again in the faith chapter of Hebrews 11:  By faith, the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies, was not killed with those who were disobedient. 

 

FAITH: Marchers of Israel

 

By faith, the walls of Jericho fell,

after the people had marched around them for seven days.

Hebrews 11:30

I hate to be conspicuous – to stand out in a crowd.  In normal, everyday, non-musical performance situations, I don’t want the spotlight on me.  And I really dislike being in any situation where I end up feeling stupid.  I would not have been a happy camper on the Jericho walk-a-bouts.

The Israelites were going to overtake the city of Jericho.  They had been polishing their swords for weeks in anticipation of the battle.  But when the trumpet sounds, their leader Joshua says, “Leave the swords, take a bottle of water.  We’re going for a walk.”  With the ark of the covenant leading the procession and the priests blowing trumpets, the Israelites walked around the walls of Jericho.

The people of the city were watching from every vantage point, and you can just imagine the catcalls.  But the Israelites had been told: no war cries, no shouting – don’t say a word.  After one time around the fortified walls, they went back to their encampment.  For six days they did this, and I can just imagine the hooting and hollering from the Jericho crowd.  It took faith for the Israelites to step out and walk each morning - faith to believe that God knew what He was doing.

On the seventh day, the picture looked the same, but when the trumpets sounded as the Israelites surrounded Jericho, the people of God gave a mighty shout, and the walls came a-tumblin’ down.

 

FAITH: People of the Exodus

 

By faith, the people passed through the Red Sea as on dry land,

but when the Egyptians tried to do so, they drowned.

Hebrews 11:29

My favorite animated movie is The Prince of Egypt – the retelling of the Exodus story.  It is amazingly accurate biblically, and provides many “Ah-ha” moments of “hmm…could it really have been like that?” 

My favorite scene in the movie is the crossing of the Red Sea.  As the people are walking on dry land with walls of water on either side, sea animals come to the “window” of water, watching the marchers as the people stared in amazement at them.  Does the Bible say that happened?  No.  Could it have?  Oh, yes.  The Bible records, “The waters were divided, and the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground, with a wall of water on their right and on their left.”  [Ex.14:21b-22] 

It took great faith on Moses’ part to take that first step into the water; it took a tremendous amount of faith for the people to step onto that dry path and trust their lives to the One who was holding back the sea until every man, woman and child had crossed to the land on the other side..   

Summer Reading - New Testament

Monday, August 23         2 John; 3 John; Jude

Tuesday, August 24         Revelation 1-2:17

Wednesday, Aug 25        Revelation 2:18-29; 3

Thursday, August 26        Revelation 4-6

Friday, August 27              Revelation 7-9

Saturday, August 28        Revelation 10-12

Sunday, August 29           Revelation 13-15

Monday, August 30         Revelation 16-18

Tuesday, August 31         Revelation 19-22

FINISHED!

FAITH: Moses' Mother

 

By faith Moses’ parents hid him for three months after he was born,

because they saw he was no ordinary child…

Hebrews 11:23

Today I would like to make an “addition” to the faith list in Hebrews 11.  Moses is part of that illustrious list, but as far as I am concerned, the person in Moses’ household who stands at the top of the faith podium is his mother.

Imagine going to the hospital and experiencing the birth of your child – a son.  Then imagine when he is 3 months old, wrapping that baby in his receiving blanket, placing him in a secure box made with your own hands, then placing it on the sidewalk outside the Governor’s mansion, or Harvard University, or the White house, for that matter.  Could you do that?  I know I couldn’t…

…unless, I was Moses’ mother.  Jochebed had tremendous faith in God, and placed her child in His hands, amid the rushes in the waters of the Nile.  God honored that faith, and returned her son to her to cherish until it was time for Moses to go to Pharaoh's household.

Today's Summer Reading:  1 John 1-3

Sunday's Summer Reading:  1 John 4-5

FAITH: Joseph

 

Then Joseph said to his brothers,

“I am about to die.  But God will surely come to your aid

and take you up out of this land to the land He promised

on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.  God will surely come to your aid,

and you must carry my bones up from this place.”

Genesis 50:24-25

Joseph had relied on the Lord his God for his entire life, from slavery to the second highest position in the land of Egypt.  Joseph relied on God and the Almighty blessed him. Now he is awaiting death, and his trust is still in God.  He believes the promises made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.  He urges his brothers to place their faith in the same place, knowing that those promises would be fulfilled.

Then he gave one more direction to his family:  When God opened up the way for them to go to the land given to them by faith, they were to take his remains with them, so that he could be buried in the land of promise.

It was by faith that Joseph, on his death-bed, spoke

of the exodus of the Israelites, and gave orders

about the disposal of his own human remains.

Hebrews 11:22

FAITH: Sarah

Then the Lord said to Abraham,

Why did Sarah laugh and say, “Will I really have a child now that I am old?”

Is anything too hard for the Lord?

Genesis 18:13-14a

This story is, in my opinion, the brightest revelation of God’s sense of humor in all of Scripture.  The LORD comes down to talk to Abraham, Sarah is eavesdropping at the door of their tent, God says that Abraham will have a \son with Sarah, and she, perhaps looking at her reflection in the tent mirror, laughs at the very thought of giving birth at the age of 90+. “Now that I am worn out and my master is old, will I now have this pleasure?”

God asks Abraham why Sarah laughed.  I have no idea why the Almighty addressed Abraham instead of Sarah.  Never being afraid to speak her mind and knowing exactly Who Abraham was talking to, Sarah backpedals into a lie: “I didn’t laugh!”  And God [picture Him with a grin on His face] fires back, O yes, you did!”

Nine months later, when their son is born, the parents give the child the name Isaac – which means he laughs.  Who gave them that name for their son?  God did, of course!

 

FAITH: Abraham

 

It was by faith that Abraham obeyed the summons to go out to a place

which he would eventually possess, and he set out in

complete ignorance of his destination.

Hebrews 11:8

Imagine this:  your doorbell rings, and a man greets you with a smile and a handshake. 

He then says, “I’d like you to gather the family, pack everything of significance, rent a U-Haul trailer, load it all up, and be ready to set out tomorrow at noon."  When you ask where exactly you are going to be going, you get a grin, and the assurance that at the point when you need to know that, you’ll be told that.  “Just pack up your entire lives, pack food, drink and snacks for the journey, and follow Me.”

Would you do that?   I don’t think I would, to be frank.  But Abraham did just exactly that – instantly moving away from his comfortable life and the rest of his extended family, following God wherever He led..

For Abraham’s eyes were looking forward to that city with solid foundations,

of which God Himself is both architect and builder.

Hebrews 11:10

FAITH: Noah

 

Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people

of his time, and he walked with God.

Genesis 6:9 

Noah had never seen rain, because the earth was watered with dew each morning.  Noah had never seen a large boat – he did not live near a body of water.  Noah had never seen all the animals that inhabited the earth.  After the entrance of sin, many of them were wild and kept their distance.  When God called him to build an ark because the earth would be flooded with water, he believed God, even when he could not picture it all in his head.

Jesus would later say to Thomas:  Blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.  We cannot always see what lies ahead, but we can trust the One who does.

It was through his faith that Noah, on receiving God’s warning

of impending disaster, with reverence constructed an ark

to save his household.  This action of faith…won for Noah

The righteousness before God which follows such a faith.

Hebrews 11:7

FAITH: Enoch

Enoch walked with God; then he was no more,

for God took him away.

Genesis 5:24

Enoch is such a fascinating Bible character, mostly because we know so little about him.

·         We know that his father’s name was Jared.

·         We know he became a father at age 65, and had several sons and daughters

·         We know that his firstborn son was named Methuselah.

·         We know he was Noah’s great-grandfather.

·         We know he lived 300 years after Methuselah’s birth.

·         We know “he walked with God.”

I’ve always wondered if he literally walked with God as Adam and Eve did in the Garden of Eden.  The relationship between creature and Creator must have been extraordinary, because one day God decided that they were closer too heaven than they were to Enoch’s house, and decided to take him home with Him.

It was because of his faith that Enoch was taken to the eternal world

without experiencing death.  He disappeared from this world because

God had taken him, and before that happened,

his reputation was that “he pleased God.”

Hebrews 11:5

Summer Reading - New Testament

Monday, August 16         Hebrews 11-13

Tuesday, August 17         James 1-3

Wednesday, Aug 18         James 4-5; 1 Peter 1

Thursday, August 19        1 Peter 2-5

Friday, August 20             2 Peter 1-3

Saturday, August 21        1 John 1-3

Sunday, August 22           1 John 4-5

Monday, August 23         2 John; 3 John; Jude

FAITH: Abel

 

Now Abel kept flocks and Cain worked the soil.

Genesis 4:26

We all know the story:  Cain and Abel were Adam’s two sons.  Cain was the oldest – a farmer by trade.  Second-born Abel was a shepherd.  When it came time for the sacrificial service, Abel brought a lamb as God had requested – a picture of the Lamb of God who would be sacrificed for their sin.  Cain brought the very best fruit and vegetables from his garden – a picture of his ability with the soil. 

God accepted Abel’s sacrifice – and did not accept Cain’s.  Anger, hatred, jealousy, murder flowed forth from this first family on earth, and Abel paid the price with his life.

It was because of his faith that Abel made a better sacrifice

to God than Cain, and he had evidence that God looked upon him

as a righteous man, whose gift he could accept.  And though

Cain killed him, yet by his faith he still speaks to us today.

Hebrews 11:4

Today's Summer Reading:  Hebrews 5-7

Sunday's Summer Reading:  Hebrews 8-10

 

The Book of Hebrews

God, who gave to our forefathers many different glimpses

of the truth in the words of the prophets, has now, at the end

of the present age, given us the truth in His Son.

Hebrews 1:1

“Among the issues that arose in the early church, none brought more perplexity than the problem of the place of Jewish ritual requirements in the life of the Christian.  To Jewish Christians, it seemed incredible that the Jewish religious system, ordained by God Himself, could have become obsolete and that its ritual requirements were no longer binding.” – Siegfried H. Horn 

Paul, Luke, Timothy, and all of the other early church leaders constantly had to deal with the Jews who were disrupting their work, insisting that the Gentile converts must be circumcised and obey the tenants of the Law.  The Epistle to the Hebrews (Letter to the Jews) was written to these Jewish Christians, demonstrating that Jesus Christ was the fulfillment of the sanctuary system and its requirements.  At the death of Christ, the temple veil was torn from top to bottom, announcing that the final sacrifice had been offered – the death of the Lamb of God.

One of the mysterious questions that still survives for readers and scholars today:  Who exactly wrote this fascinating letter?

Onesimus

Now, do grant me this favor, my brother – such a Christian act

Would set my soul at rest.  As I send you this letter, I know

You’ll do what I ask – I believe, in fact, you’ll do more.

Philemon 1:20-21

The wonderful letter of Paul to Philemon, a leading member of the church at Colossae, reveals a story of betrayal, reformation and forgiveness.  Onesimus was a slave in Philemon’s house who ran away, made his way to Rome, met Paul, and was converted to Christianity.  We are not told the circumstances around Onesimus’ flight, only that he fled – a crime whose punishment was death.

Paul mentors Onesimus, building up his fledgling faith in Christ, until the time when Paul felt that he was strong enough to return to Philemon and face the music.  To smooth the way, Paul writes this wonderful letter, attesting to Onesimus’ new faith in Jesus Christ, his work for Paul and the Gospel, and the strong bond of love that had formed between the slave and the elderly man of God.  Paul calls on Philemon to accept Onesimus as a fellow Christian first, and a returning slave last.  Paul appeals to Philemon’s forgiveness to override any feelings of retribution.

Often the Bible does not reveal “the rest of the story”, but we do know what choice Philemon made.  In later letters to the churches under his pastoral care, Paul sends greetings to Onesimus and his family.

God’s love conquered all – just as Paul knew it would.

All Scripture

 

All scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching the faith

and correcting error, for re-setting the direction of a (wo)man’s life,

and training him/her in good living.  The scriptures are the 

comprehensive equipment of the (wo)man of God, and fit him/her 

fully for all branches of His work.

2^nd Timothy 3:16-17

It has been a real privilege for me to participate in the Summer Reading Program of the New Testament.  I have, at various times in my life, tried to read specific portions of the Bible, but would slowly (and inevitably) fade away.  I credit a good deal of my success this time to the Phillips translation that I am reading – a fresh, bright look at the truths of the New Testament.

I have just discovered that Phillips also translated the first 39 chapters of Isaiah, as well as Amos, Hosea and Micah.  I was able to obtain a copy of the book,  The Four Prophets, from Amazon at a reasonable price (I bypassed the copy selling for $900+), and look forward to reading it. 

Adding Scripture to your life, a few verses each day, will enrich your faith journey.   Blessings to you as you read.

 

False Start

A man who enters an athletic contest wins no prize

unless he keeps the rules laid down.

2^nd Timothy 2:5

Every contest has rules, which are made plain from the very beginning.  If you choose to ignore those rules and do your own thing, there will be a price to pay.  I was reminded of this while watching one of the heats for the men’s 100 meter race at the Olympics.  Everyone lines up at the starting line, listens for the official to yell “Set!” then waits for the sound of the starting gun.  If someone starts out before the gun, that is called a false start.

In this particular race, one of the men made the decision to cheat – to try and beat the rest of the field by starting before the gun.  A false start was called, and everyone waited while the officials reviewed the video.  It was clear - to the officials and the TV audience, that the man had started well before the gun, and he was disqualified from the heat, and therefore from the race.  He lost all opportunity to run – simply because he made the decision to follow his own rules.

As Christians running in the race of life, we also have rules.  There are two of them: Love God with everything you are, and love your neighbor the same way you love yourself.   

 

Spiritually Fit

 

Take the time and trouble to keep yourself spiritually fit.

Bodily fitness has a limited value, but

spiritual fitness is of unlimited value, for it holds

promise both for this present life, and for the life to come.

1 Timothy 4:8

Yesterday wrapped up the Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan.  The first week of competition is always my favorite, because it features the various aquatic races.  I think competitive swimmers are some of the fittest athletes on the planet.  Their physique is shaped by their sport, with the huge arms and shoulders necessary to propel them through the water. It takes a huge amount of time and dedication for swimmers to keep themselves in top shape.

Paul urged young Timothy to take whatever time was necessary to keep himself spiritually fit – through prayer and the reading of the Word.  Physical fitness is essential and benefits all of us as we live out our daily lives on this earth.  Spiritual fitness is equally essential and has consequences for eternity

.

Summer Reading – New Testament

            Monday, August 9          2 Timothy 1-2

Tuesday, August 10         2 Timothy 3-4

Wednesday, August 11     Titus 1-3

Thursday, August 12        Philemon; Hebrews 1

Friday, August 13             Hebrews 2-4

Saturday, August 14        Hebrews 5-7

Sunday, August 15           Hebrews 8-10

Monday, August 16         Hebrews 11-13

Sing God's Praises

 

Use psalms and hymns and Christian songs,

Singing God’s praise from joyful hearts.

Colossians 3:16

Fountainview Academy, British Columbia, Canada

Today's Summer Reading:  1 Timothy 1-3

Sunday's Summer Reading:  1 Timothy 4-6

Be Happy

 

Be happy in your faith at all times.

1 Thessalonians 5:16 

At the end of the first letter to the Christians at Thessalonica, Paul  lists his hopes and dreams for the Thessalonian church members.

Live together in peace.  Love the unruly.  Encourage the timid.  Help the weak.  Be very patient with all men.  Do not repay a bad turn with a bad turn.  Good should always be your objective.  Be happy in your faith at all times.  Never stop praying.  Be thankful whatever the circumstance.  Use your judgment.  Hold on to whatever is good.  Steer clear of evil in any form.

And then Paul promises, to the Thessalonians and to us:  ”He who calls you is utterly faithful, and He will finish what He has set out to do."

If you're happy and you know it, clap your hands,

If you're happy and you know it, clap your hands.

If you're happy and you know it then your life will surely show it,

If you're happy and you know it, clap your hands.

Like Jesus

 

As, therefore, God’s picked representatives, purified and beloved,

put on that nature which is merciful in action,

kindly in heart, and humble in mind.

Colossians 3:12 

I have discovered, through the Summer Reading program, that Paul has fifty different ways of saying the exact same thing - some ways easier to understand than others.  Our text this morning, however, is clear as a bell.  As God’s representatives, Paul calls upon  us to: 

Be merciful in action. 

Don’t jump to the worst case scenario, but give other people the benefit of the doubt.  Don’t condemn others until you’ve walked a mile (or more) in their moccasins.

Be kindly in heart.

Be a kind and loving person, having and showing benevolence, kind words, consideration and helpfulness.  Treat others as you want to be treated. 

Humble in mind.

Humility is the quality of being humble and means putting the needs of another person before your own.  It also means not drawing attention to yourself and acknowledging that you are not always right.      

 

Armed to the Teeth

 

Put on the whole armor of God, that you

may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

Eph. 6:11

The term “armed to the teeth” originated in Port Royal, Jamaica in the 1600’s, when pirates were constantly looking for ships to loot and their guns were very primitive.  They could shoot only once before a long reloading process.  Consequently, they carried a gun in each hand and possibly in each pocket.  For extra power, they would carry a knife between their teeth.  To be “armed to the teeth” meant to carry the maximum number of weapons possible.  TimesofIndia.indiatimes.com/274090.cms.

When it comes to spiritual warfare, God knows that we need to be “armed to the teeth” against our adversary, Lucifer.  Paul lists for us the weaponry of faith:  a girding of truth; a breastplate of righteousness; shoes of the Gospel of peace; the shield of faith; and the helmet of salvation. 

God has promised us victory!  So, arm yourself to the teeth with the whole armor of God -  today and every day.

 

Beans and Rice

 

And my God will meet all your needs, according to

the riches of His glory in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:19 

My husband and I were raised in very different households within different cultures, yet when we got married, we discovered that our families had one habit in common:  when things got tough and money was short, we could always count on beans and rice.

When God’s people were wandering in the wilderness, their “beans & rice” was called manna (literally meaning, What is it?)  Manna was on the ground every morning (except Sabbath) to be gathered and eaten.  I’m sure they got sick of it, as I have occasionally gotten tired of beans and rice, but it was God-provided food that met their needs until they were settled in the promised land. 

God will meet all your needs – physical and spiritual.  Trust Him.  

He’s got this covered.

The Yoke

 

Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened,

And I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you and learn of me,

For I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

For my joke is easy and my burden is light.

Matthew 11:28-30  

What Jesus is Not Offering:

• ·         Jesus is not offering to take the load from us.
• ·         He is not offering to come under our yoke so that we can continue to do our thing.

What Jesus is Offering:

• ·         An invitation to come to Him just as you are – weary, messed up
• ·         To yoke up with Jesus and walk together in His direction

What are the Benefits for You?

• ·         You will learn how to walk with Him.
• ·         He will teach you.
• ·         He will be gentle with you.
• ·         You will become stronger and more like Jesus

 You will find rest and peace of mind like you have never before experienced.

Summer Reading - New Testament

Monday, August 2            Philippians 1-3

Tuesday, August 3           Philippians 4; Colossians 1,2

Wednesday, Aug 4          Colossians 3,4; 1 Thess. 1

Thursday, Aug 5              1 Thessalonians 2-5

Friday, August 6              2 Thessalonians 1-3

Saturday, August 7          ! Timothy 1-3

Sunday, August 8            1 Timothy 4-6

Monday, August 9            2 Timothy 1-2