NEWSLETTER July 2018
Peace Talk
House of Prayer on Parker and Main
This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. ~ 1John 5:14
From the Deacon’s Desk Grace, Mercy and Peace to you from God Our Father and Our lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen
Pslam 23:1 Pslam 22:1
The Lord is my Shepherd I shall not want My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?
There is quite a contrast to these two Psalms. The first identifies and communicates a truth about our Good Shepard and how He provides for us. The second are words spoken from that Good Shepard from the cross as He laid down His life for His sheep. I shall not want. The Lord knows what we need even before we ask and provides what is good for us. Yet by coming to Him in prayer our faith and our relationship with Him grows stronger as we see what we ask for provided.He does not give us everything that we ask for such as the winning numbers of the lottery (nice as we would imagine that to be) but all that He has promised. Even when times are difficult, challenging and lean He brings us through it. My God, My God why have you forsaken me? shows what great love He has for us. For before the foundations of the world, before Adam and Eve were created, God knew to create us would require Him to die to rescue us from sin, death and the devil. He created us anyway. I’m am certain we will never understand fully, this side of Heaven, how great His love for us is. The world so often only offers us snide remarks and sarcasm. This is our experience and we learn to guard against these jibes. I am just as certain we never understand this side of Heaven, how many times He rescued us from danger, guided us back on the narrow path, and carried us. That this was done not by a peer but by the one who created all things and us in His own image is even the more mind boggling. In this world, national leaders accept as a possibility assassination but they are surrounded by others who have pledged to lay down their lives to protect them. In this sinful world such protection is necessary. But Our Lord and Savior, Our King and Shepard chose rather than have others lay down their lives in sacrifice to Him for His preservation while He walked the earth to lay down His life for us. It is the love He first showed us that draws us to follow Him by the power of the Holy Spirit by grace through faith. That faith that teaches us who Our Good Shepherd is. Through His sacrifice He sets us free from those that once oppressed us. Those who caused us to fear. As we remember and celebrate the anniversary of our independence as a nation from an earthly tyrant let us also thank the Lord for His gifts to us as a nation, as disciples, and as individuals and for His all atoning work that He accomplished freeing us and all people from the Tyranny of sin, death, and the devil for and the provisions He continues to give us as our Good Shepherd. In Jesus,
Deacon John Babbitts If you find yourself unable to attend worship on Sunday, head over to Facebook and during the readings and sermon portion of the service we will go LIVE on “God’s Peace at Parker and Main”Facebook page. Now you can stay connected to God’s word and and Pastor message each and every Sunday. Past Sundays are available now on the “Video” section of the page.