Scripture for Oct. 9th: Psalm 51:1-6; 10-17

Sermon Title: What to Do When You Have Blown It

Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me. Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight;
so you are right in your verdict and justified when you judge. Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me. Yet you desired faithfulness even in the womb; you taught me wisdom in that secret place.

Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me. Then I will teach transgressors your ways, so that sinners will turn back to you. Deliver me from the guilt of bloodshed, O God, you who are God my Savior, and my tongue will sing of your righteousness. Open my lips, Lord, and my mouth will declare your praise. You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings. My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart you, God, will not despise.

Dr. Warren Wiesbe writes the following about this chapter:

Like Psalm 32, it came out of David’s sin with Bathsheba (2 Sam. 11–12) and his futile attempt to cover it up. If any chapter in the Bible reveals the high cost of sinning, it is this one. Sin hurts the sinner. David’s whole being was affected by his sin: his eyes (v. 3), mind (v. 6), ears (v. 8), heart (v. 10), spirit (v. 10), and mouth (vv. 13–15). He lost fellowship with God (v. 11) and the joy of the Lord (v. 12). Are the pleasures of sin worth paying this great price? Sin hurts others. Sin can bring tragic consequences to the lives of others (James 1:13–16), especially one’s family. David’s sin led to Uriah’s death. Bathsheba’s baby died. David’s lovely daughter Tamar was violated by her brother Amnon, who was then killed by Absalom, who in turn was slain by Joab. Is a fleeting moment of sinful pleasure worth a lifetime of sorrow? Sin hurts God. We hurt ourselves and others when we sin, but primarily, our sins are against God (v. 4). Sin makes us dirty (vv. 2, 7). Sin is rebellion against God’s holy law. If you want to know how much sin hurts God, go to Calvary and see His Son dying for the sins of the world. God is love, and our selfish sins break His heart. God is merciful and gracious and forgives when we come in repentance and faith (1 John 1:9). David did not want “cheap” forgiveness; he came with a broken heart.

When we "blow it," we pay a heavy price. Sin comes with a penalty and that penalty is ultimately death. So what do we do? David gives us a road map to restoration: ask for God's forgiveness, seek a full relationship with God and serve Him by serving others. We will explore this more on Sunday as we continue our series of messages, God is Closer Than You Think. Hope to see you then!

Scripture for Oct. 2nd: Psalm 77:1-14; 19-20

Sermon Title: What to Do When You Are Troubled

I cried out to God for help; I cried out to God to hear me. When I was in distress, I sought the Lord; at night I stretched out untiring hands, and I would not be comforted. I remembered you, God, and I groaned; I meditated, and my spirit grew faint. You kept my eyes from closing; I was too troubled to speak. I thought about the former days, the years of long ago; I remembered my songs in the night. My heart meditated and my spirit asked: “Will the Lord reject forever? Will he never show his favor again? Has his unfailing love vanished forever? Has his promise failed for all time? Has God forgotten to be merciful? Has he in anger withheld his compassion?”

Then I thought, “To this I will appeal: the years when the Most High stretched out his right hand. I will remember the deeds of the LORD; yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago. I will consider all your works and meditate on all your mighty deeds.” Your ways, God, are holy. What god is as great as our God? You are the God who performs miracles; you display your power among the peoples.

Your path led through the sea, your way through the mighty waters, though your footprints were not seen. You led your people like a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron.

Dr. Warren Wiersbe has written the following concerning this Psalm: "Joyless days of trouble and sleepless nights of despair plagued the psalmist. Why? Not because of unbelief but because of faith. Because he believed in the Lord, he wrestled with himself and with God. He could not understand why the Lord did not keep His promises and deliver His people from bondage. What do you do in a situation like that? Of course, you pray (verse 1) and tell God just how you feel. Reach out to Him in the night seasons (verse 2), but do not refuse the comfort that He sends. He will remind you of His past works and wonders, and the more you meditate on them, the better you feel."

As Dr. Wiersbe points out, the feelings of despair when we are troubled are not just felt by unbelievers. Everyone is troubled from time to time, and when we are, God is there to comfort us. How does He do this? He uses our memories of what He has done in our lives to bring us hope, as He did with the Psalmist. He also reminds us of His great power to help us and the fact that He is a Great Shepherd leading us in mighty ways. We will talk more about this on Sunday as we continue our sermon series, "God is Closer Than You Think." I hope to see you then!

Scripture for Sept. 25th: Psalm 139:1-8; 13-16

Sermon Title: What To Do When You Feel Like A Nobody

You have searched me, LORD, and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue you, LORD, know it completely. You hem me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain. Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.

For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.

One night in April, 1994 rocker Kurt Corbin took his life by overdosing on drugs and alcohol. Although he was famous, wealthy and successful, he suffered from depression and often felt out-of-place and misunderstood. He wrote the following the night of his death: "I can't stand the thought of Frances becoming the miserable, self-destructive, death rocker that I've become." Frances was the name of his only daughter and he feared that she would grow up to lose the innocence that he long lost in his own life. Although Mr. Corbin was admired by literally millions of adoring fans throughout the world, he found himself feeling like a nobody at the very end of his life.

We, too, can have a life filled with loving, caring people and yet at times feel like a nobody. No doubt the King David, the writer of Psalm 139, found himself at times feeling like a nobody - left by friends, betrayed by loved ones with many upset with him. He, too, could say, "I hope my children don't grow up to be like me." But his "self-esteem" was not based on his own accomplishments or lack thereof. No, he knew he was important and a "somebody" because he was important to God. It was God Who followed him, created him, and worked in his life. Because God cared for him so much, David knew that he was always a "somebody."

This coming Sunday we will talk about how we can overcome feeling like a "nobody" by remembering that we are important to God, we are desired by God, and we are loved by God as we continue our sermon series, "God Is Closer Than You Think." Hope to see you then!

Scripture for Sept. 18th: Psalm 23

Sermon Title: What to do in Times of Crisis

"The Lord is my Shepherd. I will have everything I need. He lets me rest in fields of green grass. He leads me beside the quiet waters. He makes me strong again. He leads me in the way of living right with Himself which brings honor to His name. Yes, even if I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will not be afraid of anything, because You are with me. You have a walking stick with which to guide and one with which to help. These comfort me. You are making a table of food ready for me in front of those who hate me. You have poured oil on my head. I have everything I need. For sure, You will give me goodness and loving-kindness all the days of my life. Then I will live with You in Your house forever. "

An old man and a young man were on the same platform before a vast audience. A special program was being presented. As part of the program, each was to repeat from memory the words of the 23rd Psalm. The young man, trained in the best speech techniques and drama, gave, in the language of the silver-tongued orator, the words of the Psalm: 'The Lord is my Shepherd ....' When he had finished, the audience clapped their hands and cheered, asking him for an encore so that they might hear again his wonderful voice. Then the old gentleman, leaning heavily on his cane, stepped to the front of the same platform and in feeble, shaking voice repeated the same words: 'The Lord is my Shepherd ....'

But when he was seated, no sound came from the listeners. Folks seemed to pray. In the silence, the young man stood to make the following statement: 'Friends,' he said, 'I wish to make one explanation. You asked me to come back and repeat the Psalm. But you remained silent when my friend here was seated. The difference? I shall tell you. I know the Psalm, but he knows the Shepherd.'

During times of crisis, we don't simply need to know the Psalm, we need to know the One that the Psalm is about. In knowing Him, we will find that He will lead us, causes our fear to depart and gives us His joy in the mist of our troubles. We will talk more about each of these benefits on Sunday, as we continue the sermon series, God Is Closer Than You Think. Hope to see you then - and remember, bring a friend as we celebrate Friend Day!

Scripture for Sept 11th: Psalm 73:1-17; 21-26

Sermon Title: What to Do When You Get A Raw Deal


Surely God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart. But as for me, my feet had almost slipped; I had nearly lost my foothold. For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. They have no struggles; their bodies are healthy and strong. They are free from common human burdens; they are not plagued by human ills. Therefore pride is their necklace; they clothe themselves with violence. From their callous hearts comes iniquity; their evil imaginations have no limits. They scoff, and speak with malice; with arrogance they threaten oppression. Their mouths lay claim to heaven, and their tongues take possession of the earth. Therefore their people turn to them and drink up waters in abundance. They say, “How would God know? Does the Most High know anything?” This is what the wicked are like— always free of care, they go on amassing wealth. Surely in vain I have kept my heart pure and have washed my hands in innocence. All day long I have been afflicted, and every morning brings new punishments. If I had spoken out like that, I would have betrayed your children. When I tried to understand all this, it troubled me deeply till I entered the sanctuary of God; then I understood their final destiny.

When my heart was grieved and my spirit embittered, I was senseless and ignorant; I was a brute beast before you. Yet I am always with you; you hold me by my right hand. You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me into glory. Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.


Tara Creamer awoke one September morning to prepare to take a flight from her home in Massachuetts to Los Angeles. As a buyer for TJMax stores, she sometimes had to travel but did not like to because she was a mother to a 4 year old son and a 15 month old daughter. As she said good-bye to her husband who she met in college some 9 years earlier, it was the last time she was seen alive by her family. You see, the plane that she boarded that sunny September morning was one of the planes that struck the World Trade Center buildings on September 11th, 2001. We read the details about her life and the lives of those who were lost that day and we say, boy, they got a raw deal. They did not deserve to die, nor did their families deserve to suffer the devestating loss of their presence in their lives. And perhaps some of us look at our own lives and make the same observation - things have happened that we did not deserve and those events have greatly influenced our lives negatively. What are we to do when we find ourselves in those circumstances?

David found himself in similar circumstances. In the passage above, he speaks of his "raw deal" - he says he "saw the prosperity of the wicked" and that "they are not plagued by human ills." And although he believes in God and tries to follow Him, he writes that "all day long" he was "afflicted, and every morning brings new punishments." And yet he realizes that he has nothing of lasting eternal value apart from God. He declares, "Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you." He decides to not give his attention to the injustice in his life, but rather give his heart to God. And by making God his passion and desire, he is able to overcome his bitterness and anger that he had because of his "raw deal."

If we are going to overcome our "raw deals" in life, we must pursue God passionately. And we need to remember that God will one day bring justice to the world, He is working through the "raw deals" in our lives and He is seeking to make us disciples, not potted-plants! We will talk about each of these points on Sunday as we began a new sermon series, "God is Closer Than You Think." Hope to see you then!

Sunday, August 28th: Revival Services

This coming Sunday, August 28th, we will hold revival services at 10:30 a.m. and 6 p.m. At 10:30 a.m., Rev. Shaun Williamson will preach; at the evening service, Rev. Terry Turner, pastor of Prairie Temple Assembly of God in Virden will be preaching. I hope that you can make it to at least one of the services and bring someone with you, as we pray that God will move on our hearts to draw us closer to him.

Scripture for August 21st: Job 2:3-9; 4:8; 8:8; 11:4-6

Sermon Title: Lessons From Job’s Friends – Giving and Receiving Advice

Job 2:3-9
3 Then the LORD said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil. And he still maintains his integrity, though you incited me against him to ruin him without any reason.” 4 “Skin for skin!” Satan replied. “A man will give all he has for his own life. 5 But now stretch out your hand and strike his flesh and bones, and he will surely curse you to your face.” 6 The LORD said to Satan, “Very well, then, he is in your hands; but you must spare his life.” 7 So Satan went out from the presence of the LORD and afflicted Job with painful sores from the soles of his feet to the crown of his head. 8 Then Job took a piece of broken pottery and scraped himself with it as he sat among the ashes. 9 His wife said to him, “Are you still maintaining your integrity? Curse God and die!”

Job 4:8 - As I have observed, those who plow evil and those who sow trouble reap it.

Job 8:8 - Ask the former generation and find out what their ancestors learned…

Job 11:4-6
4 You say to God, ‘My beliefs are flawless and I am pure in your sight.’ 5 Oh, how I wish that God would speak, that he would open his lips against you 6 and disclose to you the secrets of wisdom, for true wisdom has two sides. Know this: God has even forgotten some of your sin.

Have you ever received bad advice on a bad day? That’s what Job was experiencing when he received advice from his wife and three friends. They may have had the best of intentions, but because their advice was based on wrong principles, they added to Job’s suffering. So how can we make sure we don’t hurt those who are hurting when we give them advice? Perhaps this story will give us an idea:

A big, burly man visited a pastor's home and asked to see the minister's wife, a woman well known for her charitable impulses. "Madam," he said in a broken voice, "I wish to draw your attention to the terrible plight of a poor family in this district. The father is dead, the mother is too ill to work, and the nine children are starving. They are about to be turned into the cold, empty streets unless someone pays their rent, which amounts to $400." "How terrible!" exclaimed the preacher's wife. "May I ask who you are?" The sympathetic visitor applied his handkerchief to his eyes. "I'm the landlord," he sobbed.

Our motives must be pure when we extend our advice to others. Advice must come from a heart of love and compassion, not one which condemns or belittles others. If we are like the burly man in the story, we will give advice to benefit ourselves. But advice that helps the hurting always comes from a sacrificial heart.

What are some other ways we can ensure that our advice will help those that hurt? We can make sure our advice is necessary, Biblical and factual – all of which we will talk about this coming Sunday. Hope to see you then!

Scripture for August 14th: John 14:6

Sermon Title: Knowing Jesus

"Jesus answered, 'I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."

Who was Jesus? There are some who say that Jesus was a good man, others that say He was a prophet or holy man. But Jesus said He was the only Way to the Father, the Truth of life and the Source of Life itself. The question today is what do you say? Is Jesus truly Who He claimed to be? Do you truly live like you believe it?

Someone once wrote about some well-known hymns that we would sing in church if we were really honest about how we live our lives. Here's the list:

1. I Surrender Some
2. There Shall Be Sprinkles of Blessings
3. Fill My Spoon, Lord
4. Oh, How I Like Jesus
5. He’s Quite a Bit to Me
6. I Love to Talk About Telling the Story
7. Take My Life and Let Me Be
8. It is My Secret What God Can Do
9. There is Scattered Cloudiness in My Soul Today
10. Where He Leads Me, I Will Consider Following
11. Just As I Pretend to Be

The list is humorous, but it points to the fact that we often say we believe Jesus was the Way, Truth and Life, but we don't live as if He truly is. What does it mean to live like Jesus is the only Way, the complete Truth and the Source of Life? We will talk about this on Sunday as we celebrate the completion of our Vacation Bible School. Hope to see you then!