Friday, June 13, 2025

Here are some words for us from the Old Testament book of 1 Kings...

                    "O, Lord, God of Israel, there is no God like you in all of heaven above or on the earth below. You keep your covenant and show unfailing love to all who walk before you in wholehearted devotion. You have kept your promise to your servant David, my father. You made that promise with your own mouth, and with your hands you have fulfilled it today."     ( 1 Kings 8: 23-24   NLT) 

These words from today's scripture verses are a prelude to Solomon's prayer at the dedication of the just-finished temple. The king began by thanking God for keeping God's promises to King David, Solomon's father, and then recounted God's other promises.
   
And this prayer stands, I think, as an example of praying in faith --- believing God's promises and then humbly asking God to keep those promises. This is the prayer God delights in answering.  
   
The great nineteenth-century preacher Charles Spurgeon put it like this: "Nothing pleases God better than to see God's promises put in circulation; God loves his children to bring them up to him, and say, 'Lord, do as you have said.' And let me tell you that it glorifies God to use God's promises." 
   
Don't just read God's promises -- lay hold of them and believe God for the answer!   

   Lord, thank You for the many, many promises You've made to us in Your written Word. Remind us often to lay hold of those promises for ourselves as we come to You in prayer. Amen. 

+++ We gather for worship on Sunday at 8:30am and 10:00am. This week the services will be quite different. At 8:30am we will be celebrating Trinity Sunday and I will be thinking about how the gift of the Holy Trinity is "Received Without Payment." At 10:00am, we will celebrate Music Sunday as our choir offers us a few of their favorite anthems from this past season and we look at God's amazing gift of music and how it enhances our worship. We will be "live-streaming" on the church's Faceook page at 10:00am and then uploading the completed worship to our YouTube channel, as usual. We hope you can join us for worship on Sunday.... either in the Sanctuary or online!  

+++ This Sunday we also will receive our special Peace With Justice offering. This is one of our 6 general offerings throughout the year and these offerings are used to support the work of peace with justice in communities in the U.S. and around the world. Look for the special offering envelopes in the Narthex on Sunday.  

+++ Sunday is also the deadline for applying for camper scholarships for youth attending summer camping programs. Please let the office know so we can make sure the funds get to the camp location on time! 

+++ Committee and Team leaders please remember that the deadline for articles for the July/August edition of the church newsletter are due in the office on 6/20!  Thanks!    

+++ You will find the July/August edition of the Upper Room magazine in the rack in the Narthex. Make sure to pick up your copy today.  

+++ And please mark your calendars that our Summer Worship Schedule begins on June 29th!  Beginning on that day we will offer one worship service at 9:00am each week... through 8/31.  Those viewing on-line will also want to make sure that you log on to the Facebook "live stream" at 9:00am through the summer months!  

Make this day a great day and believe that God will fulfill God's promises!     
Pastor Jack