Sunday October 9, 2016

Hi

Here's some notes from Sunday's service. (Thanks, Jean)

Dr. Barclay: Choices are extremely important.

We never know at the moment what the results will be when we make choices at any given moment. The bible is full of examples of real humans who faced grave choices such as Rahab, she made the choice to hid the Hebrew spies in Joshua 2 and she was blessed for doing such a brave thing and putting her life on the line for the children of Israel.

Joshua 2:14

14 So the men answered her, “Our lives for yours, if none of you tell this business of ours. And it shall be, when the Lord has given us the land, that we will deal kindly and truly with you.”

Elimelech in Ruth 1 made the choice to take his family from Judah the land of Yahweh to the heathen country of Moab of foreign gods and sinful practices. This choice had disastrous consequences resulting in poverty and the death of his two sons. However Ruth makes the choice to go to Judea with her mother in law Naomi; and this choice brought blessing to her, God provided her a home and a Godly husband.

Many times in history countries and world leaders have faced important choices, the results of some choices have been greatly beneficial and others have resulted in death and misfortune.

The bible tells us Christ has chosen us and we need to accept his choice.

John 15:16

16 You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit,and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you.

Joshua 24:14-15

14 “Now therefore, fear the Lord, serve Him in sincerity and in truth, and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the River and in Egypt. Serve the Lord! 15 And if it seems evil to you to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”

Joshua warned the children of Israel to turn away from foreign gods and idols served by their enemies. But ultimately the choice was up to them as it is to us today, we all need to heed Joshua’s call to chose today whom we will serve. A true surety is that every choice has consequences whether blessings of great benefit or results of grave despair. Therefore we must chose Christ and follow his law, for as St. Paul warns us -for in due season we shall reap the results of everything we sow.

Galatians 6:9

9 And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.

Pastor Caroline Barclay: The Christian is to have a heart of Thanksgiving.

Phllippians 4:19

19 And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

The bible should be the manuscript of our lives. Christians have so much to be thankful for. When we are down we need to praise and thank God for everything, even our life itself. We must always remember that Christ is as close as the whisper of his name and that we never walk alone.We all need to be ever thankful to God for paying the price of sin and providing eternal life in heaven, through his son Jesus.As we become more like Christ and think on his goodness, we will be filled with love in our hearts and will want to give to others, asPsalm 103:2 says 2 Bless the Lord, O my soul, andforget not all his benefits:When we are faithful and sincerely serve God -the benefits of the righteous -only eternity will fully reveal. We can never out give God.

Psalm 118:1

Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good!
For His mercy endures forever.