| |
|
|
 |
Compiled by the Faith Newsletter editor: Burt Pearson
Contents:
From the Pastor
Vacation Bible School
Blessed is the Man (and the Church)
Gospel Amnesia
Welcome to the Fullers
The Perfect Graduation Gift
Just Checkin' In
Southern Baptist Outlook
|
| |
From the Pastor |
I simply want to take a moment and particularly invite everyone to attend our Sunday evening service. Lord willing, I will be preaching a series of sermons, which will explain/support our philosophy of ministry from a biblical perspective. I will also attempt to integrate this philosophy of ministry into the overall vision we believe God has given us here at Faith. Therefore, I have three requests:
1) Would you be in prayer for me as I prepare these special sermons?
2) Would you continue to pray for the Session as we seek to faithfully lead our congregation?
3) Would you consider attending our evening services, and take advantage of one of the important means of grace God has given to you in your walk with our Lord?
|
Grace and peace,
Pastor Adams |
| Back to top |
| |
Vacation Bible School |
Many of our church family have been working very hard to make sure that everyone, whether child or adult, who comes to Vacation Bible School this year has an exciting experience.
If you know people with children between the ages of 4 and 12 years, invite them to come. They will have a great time. For the adults, Frank Van Dalen, who leads World Witness, will be on hand to present the messages for the adults and older children.
Vacation Bible School runs from July 11 – 15, 6:15-8:15 and includes a light dinner each evening. |
| |
| Back to top |
| |
Blessed is the Man (and the Church) |
Psalm 1
1 Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked,
Nor stands in the way of sinners,
Nor sits in the seat of scoffers;
2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD,
And on his law he meditates day and night.
3 He is like a tree planted by streams of water
That yields its fruit in its season,
And its leaf does not wither.
In all that he does, he prospers.
4 The wicked are not so,
But are like chaff that the wind drives away.
5 Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,
Nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous;
6 For the LORD knows the way of the righteous,
But the way of the wicked will perish.
The book of Psalms, or Psalter, is a portion of scripture whereby God’s people communicate with God in a most personal way. It is used both privately and publicly in the worship of God. God has given us His word in songs that we might sing and pray them back to God for His glory and learn and meditate upon them for our good. One reason God gave us His word in song is so that His word would be memorized by His people. We know how much easier it is to memorize words when they are sung. And remember that only since the 1500’s were the people of God able to have a copy of the scriptures for themselves. This is why I believe we are told in Ephesians 5:19 and Colossians 3:16 to speak, teach and admonish one another in Psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. God’s people were able to speak the truths of God to one another because they had memorized the truths from the psalms and other songs they were singing. The purpose of this article is not to discuss the songs we should use in worship. The point of this article is to look at what God says in Psalm 1 and see how it’s simple, but powerful message applies to each of us individually and also to us as a church body. My goal is to encourage and to exhort, so that we would think on and be reminded of the incredible goodness of our God and the way He has said He would bless us.
The editor of the Psalter placed Psalm 1 at the beginning of the book in order to set forth the tremendous blessings and outcomes of turning from evil and delighting and meditating on the law of LORD. Psalm 1 is also significant in its relationship to Psalm 2. Psalms 1 and 2 serve as an introduction to the Psalter. When Psalms 1 and 2 are considered together, they provide a balanced approach to the practice of individual piety as well as corporate worship. Psalm 1 stresses individual meditation, and Psalm 2 stresses public worship. Both psalms talk of the wicked and their judgment by the LORD. The two psalms together provide a balanced perspective as God’s people consider and meditate on the rest of the psalms. Even though the focus of Psalm 1 is individual worship and Psalm 2 is corporate worship, we can apply the truths relating to the corporate to the individual and the truths of individual worship can be applied to the corporate body. For instance when in Psalm 2:11 it says, “Worship the Lord with reverence and rejoice with trembling,” we know that this applies to both the individual and the corporate body as well.
The message of the first Psalm is simple and straight forward, yet gloriously inviting to the reader to put into practice the principles set forth and offers a wonderful picture of blessings for the one who does so. The theme or purpose is to implore joyful and continuous study and meditation upon the law of the LORD. As the message of Psalm 1 and its relationship to the rest of the Psalter is considered, it becomes clear that it was placed at the beginning of the Psalter on purpose and for the benefit of God’s people that they might put its message into practice and thus be like the tree that is described in verse three.
The book of psalms starts with a beatitude, “How blessed is the man,” or some translations say “happy.” This is a wonderful invitation and encouragement to be blessed. The word for blessed in the original is a plural word which implies that the person will be blessed in a multitude of ways. It first instructs us what we must avoid to be truly blessed. The person will be “blessed” or “happy” who abstains from the counsel or advice of the wicked and ways of the sinner and the place of the scoffer. These three behaviors are a progression that begins with a person taking the advice of the wicked, then moves to participating in the sins that they commit, and finally reaches the firm place of arrogance that has an attitude that openly mocks and scoffs. This is described as the more established position of sitting, “in the seat of scoffers.” This progression is meant to teach us that the path to wickedness is subtle; little by little a person is influenced away from God and toward the path that leads to sin and destruction and then when hardened by sin the person grows arrogant in his sin and openly mocks and scorns the way of the godly.
The second verse moves from the negative behavior that should be avoided to the positive behavior that is to be pursued. This verse is the main point, or theme of the psalm, that the truly happy person is one that delights in the law of the LORD and meditates on it day and night. The word here for law in Hebrew is Torah. In this psalm, the expression the “Torah of the LORD” is used in a broad sense to mean the instruction of the LORD that includes all scripture. This does not mean that one can gain self-righteousness by self-effort in observing God’s law, but by interacting with God’s holy Word which is his Torah (instruction) given to us in His written Word. One commentator, J. L. Mays, explains the use of Torah well, “It is from this written Torah that wisdom for the living of life can be gained. It is the medium from which one can learn the way and the will of the LORD and store up that learning in one’s heart so that it shapes the structure of consciousness. This is the reason why Torah is the cause of delight, not because it is an available instrument of self-righteousness, material for a program of self-justification, but because the LORD reaches, touches, and shapes the human soul through it. For this psalm, Torah is a means of grace.”
In verse 3 we are given a wonderful picture of the life of the man that has avoided the evil and has been nourished by the law of the LORD. It is a picture that is used also in Jer.17:8, “For he will be like a tree planted by the water, that extends its roots by a stream and will not fear when the heat comes; but its leaves will be green, and it will not be anxious in a year of drought nor cease to yield fruit.” This verse helps us to better understand Psalm 1:3. We can look at the fruit and leaf prospering not because the climate has been good, but it has been healthy even in the heat and drought conditions. It thrived because of the constant nourishment from the stream.
In verse 4 the psalmist begins to discuss the outcome of the life of the wicked. It is meaningless and has no substance. Like chaff that is blown away and forgotten, so will be the wicked. Even though, for a time, the wicked may seem to be prosperous, God will, in the end, judge them and cast down those who are arrogant and unrepentant from their high position.
In verse 5 the psalmist concludes with the statement that the wicked will not stand in the judgment nor in the assembly of the righteous. This verse warns that the wicked will have no part of the good that is portioned for the assembly of the righteous, and that they will receive the justice that is due them. This also tells us that there will be a future division of the righteous and the godly. This idea is similar to what Jesus taught when describing the judgment to come in the parable of the tares and the wheat in Matt. 13:30, “Allow both to grow together until the harvest; and in the time of the harvest I will say to the reapers, ‘First gather up the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them up; but gather the wheat into My barn.’ ” God’s judgment is again described even more fully in Matt. 25:31-32 when Christ says, “But when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne. All the nations will be gathered before Him; and He will separate them from one another, as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.”
And lastly, the psalm closes with the two basic paths which one must choose, the way of the righteous or the way of the wicked. Not only does this verse show that there are two choices,
but gives encouragement that the Lord has regard for the godly, but the wicked will have a disastrous end. This presses the reader to make the obviously good choice of the righteous way and warns of the danger of choosing the wicked way.
The message of Psalm 1 for God’s people today is quite the same, because the Psalter is still used in the same way as is was when it was written, and will continue until our Lord returns. God has given His people this book as a wonderful means of private devotion for personal communion with Him in prayer as well as in the public worship of Yahweh, where God’s people lift their voices to praise the One and true God. Christ said in Luke 11:28, “Blessed are those who hear the word of God and observe it.” The idea of meditation and attention to the Scriptures is conveyed in Acts 17:11 where those in Berea were considered noble-minded, “for they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily…” The instruction given in the epistles is very similar to the instruction given in Psalm 1. We are told in Romans 12:2, “do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.” Just like Psalm 1 we are instructed to turn from the corrupting influences of the world and have our minds transformed by God’s Word. On many occasions we are instructed to lay aside the old sinful ways, to turn from evil and not walk in the course of this world, and then we are given instruction in how we ought to live as believers in Christ. And 2 Peter 1:4 states, “He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust.” And lastly, Paul tells Timothy in 1 Tim. 3:16-17 that “All scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.
Let us be the church that is like the man in Psalm one. The one that delights in God’s word and meditates on it day and night. God has said that the man would be fruitful, he will be firmly planted and what he produces will not fade or wither away, and he prospers in all that he does. Isn’t that what we want for Faith Presbyterian Church? This is God’s plan for the prosperity of His Church. Just as He told Joshua, “This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success.” (Joshua 1:8 NASB) We are very blessed here at Faith to have a pastor that labors so diligently to faithfully preach God’s Word and to have a leadership team that is equally committed to the preaching of God’s Word and worship.
Therefore, let us come together to worship our Lord not only in the morning but also in the evening that we may delight in and meditate on His Word both day and night on every Lord’s day. Psalm 92:1-2, which is titled in the original text “A Psalm, a Song for the Sabbath day” says, “It is good to give thanks to the LORD and to sing praises to Your name, O Most High; to declare Your lovingkindness in the morning and Your faithfulness by night.”
Let us feed on the green pastures of God’s Word and grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ who alone is righteous. The preaching of His Word is a primary means of grace for our sanctification. When we hear His word preached, our faith in Him increases and we are strengthened. Psalm 37:31 says, “The law of his God is in his heart; his steps do not slip.”
Will Jesus still love you if you don’t come out for evening worship? YES...if you’re His! But you surely will miss out on the blessing. God is our wonderful loving Father who invites his children to spend time with Him and be blessed by Him. God’s heart is to bless His children. Psalm 37:4 says, “Delight yourself in the Lord; and He will give you the desires of your heart” (NASB). He desires to guide us. Psalm 119:105 says. “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” Let us not follow the ways of the world that lead our hearts away from God and in the end produce waste that is like chaff void of substance and meaning. Come let us worship together and delight in hearing from our Loving God! When we do, we can expect God to make our way successful--to God alone be the glory!!!
|
Submitted by
Frank Heeman |
| Back to top |
| |
Gospel Amnesia |
At times we suffer from a disorder known as “gospel amnesia”. I think that this diagnosis is incredibly insightful and accurate. We typically see this disorder manifest itself as we go about our daily lives. Some of the most common symptoms of “gospel amnesia” include being beset by anxiety, discouragement, and anger, a sense of worthlessness, dissatisfaction, and restlessness, a relentless pursuit to prove oneself, and a constant need for affirmation, self-validation, and self-exaltation. Do any of these patterns sound familiar to you? I know that I can identify with all of these symptoms and am confronted with some combination of them on a weekly basis.
As Christians, we are called to not be conformed to the pattern of the world and yet experientially we do not look all that different from the world. This is particularly true when it comes to our response to trials in our lives. In fact, it is in the midst of suffering that “gospel amnesia” can often be most rampant. We become so fixated on the hardship of our circumstances that we can lose sight of the faithfulness of God and His promises. And yet, God in His infinite grace, wisdom, and providence chooses to work through our afflictions for His purposes.
Scripture makes it clear that one of the reasons for the challenges that we face is for God to use them to break us of “gospel amnesia”. Paul makes this point in 2 Corinthians 1, when he declares in verse 9 “Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death.. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God Who raises the dead.” Here, the apostle Paul relates that the extent of his suffering was so severe that it felt like a death sentence to him. I would venture to say that very few of us can truly relate to that degree of affliction. At the same time, Paul is able to maintain a proper perspective and recognize that his personal trials are not indicative of God’s cruelty, ambivalence, or faithlessness.
Rather, Paul communicates that we undergo hardship in order that we would come to the realization of our insufficiency and hopelessness apart from God, that we would consequently abandon the practice of self-reliance, and that we would instead fall on our knees and cry out to Jesus acknowledging our dire need for and utter dependence on Him and in so doing receive the comfort and hope that only His resurrection power can provide. As we undergo trials and afflictions, we are invited to use those times as an opportunity to embrace the beauty and truth of the gospel message and to express our gratitude to God that He graciously leads us back to Him. It is this gospel reorientation in the midst of life’s difficulties that enables us to be patient in our affliction knowing that God is working through His purposes for our spiritual good.
|
Submitted by
Rudy Seiffer |
| Back to top |
| |
Welcome to the Fullers |
Rob and Michele Fuller, along with daughter, Bailey, joined the Faith fellowship on Sunday, May 2, 2010. They live in Viera and have just celebrated their 4th wedding anniversary. Rob is an IT Project Manager for Percepta; Michele is a Pharmaceutical Sales Representative for Xanodyne Pharmaceuticals. Bailey is an Irish step dancer. She has just finished 6th grade at Quest Elementary and will be going to Edgewood for 7th grade. Rob has two boys, Colin,16 and Ethan, 12.
Rob moved frequently growing up, living in southern California, Pennsylvania, Missouri and other places. Michele was raised in Philadelphia. Rob became a Christian when he was about 20, coming to know the Lord at Covenant PCA. Michele became a Christian in 2001. They have been in the Reformed tradition since coming to faith.
The Fullers enjoy kayaking and are very active parents. They love traveling and seeing new places. They’ve visited the Carolinas, Europe, and like going on cruises. Additionally, Rob is a blogger – read more at www.ManUp4God.com. They are glad to have found a home at Faith.
Welcome Rob, Michele and Bailey! |
| |
| Back to top |
| |
The Perfect Graduation Gift |
Graduation time is almost here, and our churches will be saying goodbye to many graduating high school students who are going away to college.
Many of these students will lose touch with their church and miss the contact with their church family. Won't you give your college students the gift of a one-year print or online subscription to The ARP Magazine?
For $12 (online) or $20 (print), they can not only keep up with their church news, they will also find inspiring articles, which are biblically-based and spiritually uplifting. Colorful, informative, full of ideas, news and history, it's great reading for our ARP young adults. By fall, we also hope to have a monthly article by college students, for college students. Please pray about this endeavor as we seek a college reporter to take-on this responsibility. If there is a college student in your church you feel would enjoy doing this, please have them contact me at arpeditor @ arpsynod.org.
Thank you for your support.
In His Service,
|
Delores McDonald, editor
The Associate Reformed Presbyterian |
| Back to top> |
| |
Just Checkin' In |
A minister passing through his church in the middle of the day,
decided to pause by the altar and see who had come to pray.
Just then the back door opened, A man came down the aisle.
The minister frowned as he saw the man hadn't shaved in quite a while.
His shirt was kinda shabby and his coat was worn and frayed.
The man knelt, he bowed his head, then rose and walked away.
In the days that followed, each noon time came this chap.
Each time he knelt just for a moment, a lunch pail in his lap.
Well, the minister's suspicions grew with robbery a main fear.
He decided to stop the man and ask him, “What are you doing here?”
The old man said he worked down the road. Lunch was half an hour.
Lunchtime was his prayer time, for finding strength and power.
I stay only moments, see, because the factory is so far away:
as I kneel here talking to the Lord, this is kinda what I say:
I just came again to tell you, Lord, How happy I've been,
since we found each others friendship and you took away my sin.
Don't know much of how to pray,
But I think about you everyday.
So, Jesus, this is me checking in today.
The minister feeling foolish, told Jim, that was fine.
He told the man he was welcome to come and pray just anytime.
Time to go, Jim smiled, said Thanks He hurried to the door.
The minister knelt at the altar he'd never done it before.
His cold heart melted, warmed with love and met with Jesus there.
As the tears flowed, in his heart, he repeated old Jim's prayer:
I just came again to tell you, Lord, How happy I've been,
since we found each others friendship and you took away my sin.
Don't know much of how to pray,
But I think about you everyday.
So, Jesus, this is me checking in today.
Past noon one day, the minister noticed that old Jim hadn't come.
As more days passed without Jim he began to worry some.
At the factory, he asked about him, learning he was ill.
The hospital staff was worried, but he'd given them a thrill.
The week that Jim was with them, brought changes in the ward
His smiles, a joy contagious. Changed people were his reward.
The head nurse couldn't understand why Jim was so glad,
when no flowers, calls or cards came, Not a visitor he had.
The minister stayed by his bed, He voiced the nurse's concern:
No friends came to show they cared. He had nowhere to turn.
Looking surprised, old Jim spoke up and with a winsome smile;
the nurse is wrong,she couldn't know, that He's in here all the while.
Everyday at noon He's here, a dear friend of mine, you see,
He sits right down, takes my hand, Leans over and says to me:
I just came again to tell you, Jim, How happy I've been,
since we found this friendship and I took away your sin.
Always love to hear you pray,
I think about you each day, and so Jim, this is Jesus checking in today.
|
Submitted by
Brenda Crooker |
| Back to top |
| |
Southern Baptist Outlook |
This summer Phil and I had the opportunity with 10,900 messengers from some 45,000 Southern Baptist churches across the world to attend the Southern Baptist Convention meeting in Orlando. The big subject on the calendar this year was the acceptance of the report of something called the Great Commission Resurgence Task Force. This is an ambitious attempt to change the way funds are allocated from the Cooperative Program to fund missions. Southern Baptists have some 4,000 fully funded foreign missionaries and 5,300 home missionaries.
At present there are 600 young adults who have completed their training and are waiting for money to become available to appoint them as career missionaries. These servants do not take time off from their ministry to come home and raise funds. Southern Baptists have pledged themselves to fund this work from their joint support.
In addition to the acceptance of this plan, supporters called for a renewal of commitment from individuals and churches to actively accept the challenge of the Great Commission. The title of the report is "Penetrating the Lostness".
Of interest to those of us who have embraced Reformed doctrine, there is a movement within the Southern Baptist Convention to restore Reformed doctrine. Before the early 1900's this was the doctrine of Southern Baptists. Through a variety of reasons this life freeing truth was lost. Now Baptists use much of the Reformed language but many do not understand its meaning. It has been estimated that some 30% of Southern Baptist pastors are Reformed. Many foreign missionaries also are because they see its evidence in salvation on their fields. While leaders are calling for unity, many young people, called "young, restless, and Reformed", are seeking truth in its deepest most meaningful level.
The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, KY, Southern Baptists' oldest seminary and now the world's largest, led by their President, Al Mohler, is fully Reformed. All professors are required to teach it. Students are coming from many denominations because their own seminaries are in trouble, mainly because of liberalism. This seminary is turning out conservative, Reformed pastors who unashamedly believe in the inerrancy of scripture and the lostness of mankind without the regenerating power of the Holy Spirit.
Phil and I are greatly blessed to be associated with this seminary. We are members of a public relations group called the Foundation Board. We have been blessed over several years to be associated with Al Mohler and young directors of several seminary agencies. In January I was surprised to receive a letter asking me to participate in a project done by "The Women of Southern Seminary". We are publishing a devotional book called "A Walk through Psalms", which will come out this summer. My psalm is Psalm 4 for January 5th. The sale of this book is to raise money for scholarships for women to Southern Seminary. The Lord is good and He's brought my life around full circle.
|
Submitted by
Carolyn Plemmons |
| Back to top |
|
|
|
