Newsletter | August 19, 2020

REVELATION SERIES

Bro. Davids sermons on Revelation are now available on our website. They can be found under Sermon Series or Sermon Books.

SUNDAY SCHOOL BOOKS

Next Quarters Sunday School books are now available outside of Nikki’s office. Please stop by and pick one up. If you know of someone who might need one delivered, please let us know.

Giving As Of August 19, 2020

Budget for 2020 . . . . . . . .  $326,787.00
Tithes Needed to Date . . .  $194,815.47
Received to Date . . . . . . . . $167,153.33

Needed for weekly budget . . . . . . $6,284.37
Tithes Received this week . . . . . . . $4,202.84

From OUr Family and Music Minister

When I was growing up, I had a curious mind.  I wanted to know how things work, especially on the inside. I was known to take things apart just to see the inside. It’s fair to say that I got in trouble more than once for not being able to put whatever I took apart back together again. A few weeks ago, Edgar was tearing down the barn behind the house I grew up in, which brought back memories of me taking things apart.

The barn in our backyard had a dirt floor. Even though I wasn’t smart enough to put something back together (hypothetically, we will say the clock radio in the guest room), I was smart enough not to put the pieces in the trash can. So, I would dig a hole in the barn and bury whatever pieces it was I didn’t want my parents to see. My thoughts were if I could hide the evidence, then the evidence wouldn’t point to me.

When Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden, they tried to do the same thing. They tried to hide their sin and cover their shame from God. When we sin, we have a choice: we can call on God or cover it up. When we choose to cover it up, we are running from God. Justifying sin to ourselves, by denying something is a sin, is also covering it up and running from God. But, the beautiful thing is that when we call on God, instead of covering it up, we receive God’s grace. We only receive forgiveness through His grace alone; we cannot earn it.

 14 Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Hebrews 4:14-16

Hebrews emphasizes that we need to call on God when we fail. Adam and Eve tried to cover their shame with fig leaves; however, God covered their shame with animal skins. The importance of the animal skins is that a sacrifice was made, and blood was shed.  As Hebrews states, we have a High Priest who can sympathize with us. We have that sacrifice to erase our sins and cover our shame.

Even though my parents never found that clock radio and I never received punishment for it being disassembled, the fact is that I still did something wrong.  No matter how deep a hole we dig, we cannot run from God.

If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:8-9

When you sin, what is your response? Do you call on God or try to cover it up? God cannot cover what you are trying to cover yourself. We must quit covering our sins and call upon our God who can cover it all.

SUNDAY SCHOOL LIVE STREAM

Carl Hobbs, the teacher for Christians Under Construction, is teaching live on Facebook each Sunday at 9:30 AM. Everyone is welcome to join.

To Join: Search for Carl Hobbs on Facebook. You will then see a link to join on his page.

Call Jonathan if you have any issues.