Following Jesus Son of God …

Good Friday Afternoon to All!

Here is something that I hope to never get over: Being amazed at the wisdom and the reach of our God in his Holy Book the Bible!

Wow and Wow! Right in front of our noses … that is if our noses are bowed before the throne of God! If your nose is elsewhere (and you know who I’m talking to), then not so much. 🙂

I thought I was choosing our Ezra study, but I have a sneaking suspicion that God was leading me on, but, then again, I guess he is supposed to do that so I am okay.

Enough rambling. But the church has always been the church, hasn’t it. Except when it was Israel but you know what I mean. They finally had the foundation to the new temple finished and were praising God … except the ones who were crying so loud that you could hardly hear the praise band.

With their attention dominated by the physical dimensions of the building, they could not see the glory of their God.

But those who were able to trust God were in for an amazing ride. This week we have guest appearances by Haggai and Zechariah who give us more of God’s perspective of this rebuilding project than what we see from Zerubbabel and Jeshua’s ground level view.

Message Title: It’s Not the Building, It’s the God!

Message Text: Ezra 3:1-13

• PDF It’s not the Building, It’s the God! : Ezra 3-1-13 : FFC : Dave Scott : 022314 HANDOUT ONE
• PDF It’s not the Building, It’s the God! : Ezra 3-1-13 : FFC : Dave Scott : 022314 HANDOUT TWO

See you Sunday!

Dave

Now when you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap to the very corners of your field, nor shall you gather the gleanings of your harvest. Nor shall you glean your vineyard, nor shall you gather the fallen fruit of your vineyard; you shall leave them for the needy and for the stranger. I am the L ord your God.

“God, help me to believe.”

It seems I pray that often. Not … help me to believe in God for salvation (been there, done that), or help me to believe that the Bible is the word of God (ditto). But help me to live by a faith that grows, that continues to believe God is God and is not limited by my knowledge or experience or by our culture or politics or point in history on this planet.

I believe, help me to believe.

Help me to actually live by faith.

• (Mark 9:24 KJV) And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.

I don’t go KJV too often, but this is a verse that comes to mind attached to the above thoughts.

• (Mark 9:24 NCV) Immediately the father cried out, “I do believe! Help me to believe more!”

The New Century Version gives us another “angle” on this truth. More. Believe more. Trust you for more, Lord. Never be satisfied for the meager scraps that my vision of life would yield.

A faithful group meets in our church basement every Wednesday, and we pray for more. We keep pushing against the door, keep knocking, keep asking. We do not puff ourselves up, or name and claim and all that silliness. We bow before God trying to believe that he will actually break down the walls of darkness in our community and allow us to effectively shine the light of the gospel.

That we can effectively carry the light of the gospel and break the bonds of alcoholism and materialism and the stranglehold of anxiety that so many face.

We believe, but we want to believe more.

We want to be an effective light set upon a hill. Effective as in we are passionate about seeing prisoners of darkness brought to the light, people saved from their sins, breathing the fresh air of forgiveness, finding their rightful place before their Creator and Redeemer.

But it is God who does these things. And we have to believe that he can and will. We ask God that we can be part of his grace and mercy and truth, vessels of honor through which the piercing light of the gospel shines and saves.

We pray. We huddle together as servants/slaves of God Most High and ask him to do things that only God can do. Bring sinners to repentance and salvation.

We believe, Lord. Help us to believe more.

Not more as in adding to the story, but more as in fully believing in and living by what is written and has been handed down from generation to generation. The eternal words of God which have made their way into our lives for a time by ink and paper but will continue long after this Earth goes up in flames.

There is no need to add or embellish, just believe what is written. Believe what is written which the Holy Spirit of God will teach us if we listen.

We believe, Lord. Help us to believe what we believe. Amen!

Hello to All,

Does God build now the way he built in Old Testament times? Whether ancient temples then or evangelizing our community now, I believe in Ezra we see essential principles for being part of God’s construction process.

Message Title: Principles of Building 101

Message Text: Ezra 1:5-2:70

• PDF Principles of Building 101 : Ezra 1-5 – 2-70 : Dave Scott : FFC : 021614 HANDOUT ONE
• PDF Principles of Building 101 : Ezra 1-5 – 2-70 : Dave Scott : FFC : 021614 HANDOUT TWO

• Principles of Building 101
  ✓ God stirred their spirits to go, 1:5b.
  ✓ They rose up, 1:5a.
  ✓ They supported the work, 1:6-11.
  ✓ They left their comfort zone, 2:1.
  ✓ They followed their leaders, 2:2-70.

Now if a person sins after he hears a public adjuration to testify when he is a witness, whether he has seen or otherwise known, if he does not tell it, then he will bear his guilt.

A Prayer for Trust and Confidence

O Lord, we ask for a boundless confidence and trust in Your divine mercy, and the courage to accept the crosses and sufferings which bring immense goodness to our souls and that of Your Church.

Help us to love You with a pure and contrite heart, and to humble ourselves beneath Your cross, as we climb the mountain of holiness, carrying our cross that leads to heavenly glory.

May we receive You with great faith and love and allow You to act in us as You desire for your greater glory.

O Jesus, most adorable Heart and eternal fountain of Divine Love, may our prayer find favor before the Divine Majesty of our heavenly Father.

(by St. Pio of Pietrelcina)
From Prayer Book App

A Work Prayer
Lord, I offer you my work
I give you the disappointment I feel
I surrender my disillusionment
I confess my weakness
Reconnect me with You
I want to live again
To be fully alive
Stir in me a new song that
I may sing for joy
Envision my mind
Equip my hands
Anoint my feet
Empower my voice
For your service
and your work
This day and everyday
Amen

Preaching on forgiveness this week. So many good sources including secular sources. Isn’t it interesting that so many people with no ties to Jesus Christ “get it” better than some who sit in the pew every Sunday.

One such secular source is psychologist Sonja Lyubomirsky. Here is an excerpt of her article on PBS. Link to full article.

And some of the greatest insights I found was that which I gleaned from various researchers thoughts on “What forgiveness is not.”

Understanding forgiveness 

In “The How of Happiness” by Sonja Lyubomirsky she states …

Researchers are very clear about what forgiveness is not:

• Forgiveness is not the same as reconciliation. Forgiveness is one person’s inner response to another’s perceived injustice. Reconciliation is two people coming together in mutual respect. Reconciliation requires both parties working together. Forgiveness is something that is entirely up to you. Although reconciliation may follow forgiveness, it is possible to forgive without re-establishing or continuing the relationship. The person you forgive may be deceased or no longer part of your life. You may also choose not to reconcile, perhaps because you have no reason to believe that a relationship with the other person is healthy for you.
• Forgiveness is not forgetting. “Forgive and forget” seem to go together. However, the process of forgiving involves acknowledging to yourself the wrong that was done to you, reflecting on it, and deciding how you want to think about it. Focusing on forgetting a wrong might lead to denying or suppressing feelings about it, which is not the same as forgiveness. Forgiveness has taken place when you can remember the wrong that was done without feeling resentment or a desire to pursue revenge. Sometimes, after we get to this point, we may forget about some of the wrongs people have done to us. But we don’t have to forget in order to forgive.
• Forgiveness is not condoning or excusing. Forgiveness does not minimize, justify, or excuse the wrong that was done. Forgiveness also does not mean denying the harm and the feelings that the injustice produced. And forgiveness does not mean putting yourself in a position to be harmed again. You can forgive someone and still take healthy steps to protect yourself, including choosing not to reconcile.
• Forgiveness is not justice. It is certainly easier to forgive someone who sincerely apologizes and makes amends. However, justice—which may include acknowledgment of the wrong, apologies, punishment, restitution, or compensation—is separate from forgiveness. You may pursue your rights for justice with or without forgiving someone. And if justice is denied, you can still choose whether or not to forgive.

Ezra gets put off for one more week. My “schedule” has been blown to smithereens anyway, and God has really put this week’s message on my heart. Just happens to hit around Valentine’s Day but was not planned (at least by me). 🙂

FORGIVENESS …

Something that as Christians we should excel at … but we all know that is too often not true.

Sometimes secular psychologists, well, it doesn’t have to be a psychologist, sometimes the guy down the road or our unsaved work friend knows forgiveness better than we do.

Does that ever just bewilder you as it does me?

FORGIVENESS …

We should have it down, but we don’t, but when we do, how amazing!

MESSAGE TITLE: FORGIVEN!

MESSAGE TEXT: Ephesians 4:31-32 & Selected

• PDF Forgiven 020714 HANDOUT ONE
• PDF Forgiven 020714 HANDOUT TWO

http://bible.com/100/ACT10.42.NASB

And He ordered us to preach to the people, and solemnly to testify that this is the One who has been appointed by God as Judge of the living and the dead. Of Him all the prophets bear witness that through His name everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins.

Bible.com/app