CCCGNV

A Prayer for Year’s End

2011-12-29T06:36:00.004-05:00

O Love beyond Compare,

Thou art good when thou givest,

when thou takest away,

when the sun shines upon me,

when night gathers over me.

Thou hast loved me before the foundation of the world,

and in love didst redeem my soul;

Thou dost love me still,

in spite of my hard heart, ingratitude, distrust.

Thy goodness has been with me another year,

leading me through a twisting wilderness,

in retreat helping me to advance,

when beaten back making sure headway.

Thy goodness will be with me in the year ahead;

I hoist sail and draw up anchor,

With thee as the blessed pilot of my future as of my past.

I bless thee that thou hast veiled my eyes to the waters ahead.

If thou hast appointed storms of tribulation,

thou wilt be with me in them;

If I have to pass through tempests of persecution and temptation,

I shall not drown;

If I am to die,

I shall see thy face the sooner;

If a painful end is to be my lot,

grant me grace that my faith fail not;

If I am to be cast aside from the service I love,

I can make no stipulation;

Only glorify thyself in me whether in comfort or trial,

as a chosen vessel meet always for thy use.

New Address

2011-08-03T14:20:00.003-04:00

http://christcommunitychurch.com/blog/

April 8-10

2011-03-16T09:24:00.000-04:00

Mark your calendars!

We'll be holding our Conference focusing on our global and local
partnerships to extend the grace of Jesus Christ to Gainesville and
the world.

Confession & Comfort, for Sunday March 20, 2011

2011-03-16T09:08:00.000-04:00

Confession --from Psalm 40

All: O Lord, you will not restrain
your mercy from me;

your steadfast love and your faithfulness will
ever preserve me!
For evils have encompassed me
beyond number;
my iniquities have overtaken me,
and I cannot see;
they are more than the hairs of my head;
my heart fails me.

Be pleased, O Lord, to deliver me!
O Lord, make haste to help me!

Comfort-- from 1st Peter 1

You were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot. He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for the sake of you who through him are believers in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.

Pray for Japan

2011-03-16T07:20:00.001-04:00

PCA NEWS
Call to Prayer for Japan
DR. PAUL KOOISTRA, MARCH 2011

Date: March 15, 2011

Subject: Urgent Prayer for Japan

You have, no doubt, watched the unfolding of the crisis in Japan following the massive earthquake and tsunami. We are grateful that our missionaries and their families are safe, but they are also grieving for this country whose people they love. Our missionaries and the churches with which they are affiliated are making an immediate response, taking food, clothing, blankets, and especially water into the tsunami-affected area. The aftershocks have continued, and many people are still sleeping in their clothes (as much as sleep is possible) in case they need to flee their homes in the midst of powerful aftershocks. There is great concern over meltdown and potential meltdown of failed nuclear reactors. Our missionaries report that many Japanese people are in shock and denial as they are faced with this overwhelming crisis.

For prayer:
• Physical, emotional, and spiritual strength for our MTW missionaries, their churches, and the many other organizations, churches, and missionaries with whom they work
• Comfort for grieving families, especially that they will come to know the love and comfort of Christ
• Safety from aftershocks and radiation released by nuclear reactors
• Shelter, food, and water for suvivors
• Wisdom and clarity for MTW regarding our immediate and long-term response
• Restoration of power and communications
• Financial and prayer support to be raised up across the PCA

Most of all, however, pray this will be an open door for the gospel, that missionaries and national believers will be able to show the love of Christ to those around them. Relationships are critical in Japanese culture, so pray this crisis opens new doors of ministry. Pray the eyes and hearts of the Japanese people will be opened by the power of the gospel. We know God has planted His Church in Japan for such a time as this.

Thank you for standing with us in prayer for Japan.

Paul D. Kooistra
Coordinator, Mission to the World

Please note that updates will be posted on MTW’s website and Facebook page.

Find all in all in Jesus!

2011-03-15T22:45:00.001-04:00

I hear the Savior say, “Thy strength indeed is small
Child of weakness, watch and pray; find in Me thine all in all”

Blessed Trinity (Sunday we sing)

2011-03-15T13:42:00.001-04:00

Holy, holy, holy; Lord God Almighty
All Thy works shall praise Thy Name, in earth and sky and sea
Holy, holy, holy; merciful and mighty
God in three Persons; blessed Trinity

Jesus of the Scars

2011-03-15T09:59:00.001-04:00

Jesus of the Scars
If we have never sought, we seek Thee now;
Thine eyes burn through the dark, our only stars;
We must have sight of thorn-pricks on Thy brow;
We must have Thee, O Jesus of the Scars.
The heavens frighten us; they are too calm;
In all the universe we have no place.
Our wounds are hurting us; where is the balm?
Lord Jesus, by Thy Scars we claim Thy grace.
If when the doors are shut, Thou drawest near,
Only reveal those hands, that side of Thine;
We know today what wounds are; have no fear;
Show us Thy Scars; we know the countersign.
The other gods were strong, but Thou wast weak;
They rode, but Thou didst stumble to a throne;
But to our wounds only God’s wounds can speak,
And not a god has wounds, but Thou alone.

Edward Shilito

Pray for each other

2011-03-14T10:44:00.000-04:00

Please pray for some recent developments that put some of our members in times of trial:

--Rob & Sarah Hamersma:
Rob's dad was injured in Costa Rica and is now in hospital back home in Canada.

--Margaret Thaler
She was recently diagnosed and is seeking treatments. Stay updated at
http://margaretthaler.blogspot.com/

This list is not exhaustive.

Redemption Story

2011-03-13T05:17:00.001-04:00

"If you had asked a devout Israelite in the Old Testament period “Are you redeemed?” the answer would have been a most definite yes. And if you had asked “How do you know?” you would be taken aside to sit down somewhere while your friend recounted a long and exciting story—the story of the Exodus. For indeed it is the Exodus that provided the primary model of God’s idea of redemption, not just in the Old Testament but even in the New, where it is used as one of the keys to understanding the meaning of the cross of Christ.
[The Exodus] points beyond itself to a greater need for deliverance from the totality of evil and restoration to relationship with God than it achieved by itself. Such a deliverance was accomplished by Jesus Christ in his death and resurrection.”

Chris Wright

Repentance is a gift

2011-03-12T18:17:00.001-05:00

repentance is not circumstantially produced. Repentance is not produced by showing a person the terror of judgment. You know, there are some folks that think you can cause someone to repent by showing them hell. Well, my friends, God has shown Pharaoh hell. Everything but the fire, and there’s no repentance. Because repentance is a grace, it’s a mercy, it’s a gift of God, it’s a work wrought of the Holy Spirit. And it is not one that is commonly bestowed. And so, my friends, we see here the lunacy of sin and the hardness of an unrepentant heart, as Pharaoh sees the judgment of God displayed before him, and he will not turn.

--Ligon Duncan

Passover and Christ

2011-03-12T17:25:00.002-05:00

Stott informs us that the original Passover God was revealed as:
1.) Judge (He judged Egypt), 2.) Redeemer (He redeemed Israel from destruction by the blood of the lamb), and as
3.) Israel’s covenant God (He had set Israel apart as a people to whom he would later covenant).

In the same way, Jesus’ death showed Him to also be:
1.) Judge (He judged the Pharisees and said He would come again to judge the nations),
2.) Redeemer (the savior/redeemer of all mankind), and again,
3.) Israel’s covenant God (bringing the new covenant prophesied in Jeremiah 31 to fruition) (Stott, 139–140).

MOVE CLOCKS AHEAD ONE HOUR!

2011-03-12T13:17:00.001-05:00

chapter 11 outlined by Alec Motyer

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11:1 The announcement

11:2-3 The granting of favor to Israel when they made requests of the Egyptians

11:4 The Coming of the LORD to Egypt

11:4-5 The nature of the coming plague and its timing

11:6 The great cry of the Egyptians

11:8 The command to leave Egypt

11:9 A concluding comment that Pharaoh had not changed but was still resistent to the word of the LORD.

These topics reappear in the epilogue of 12:29-42.

what about 11:7??

Life From Death

2011-03-11T13:53:00.000-05:00

These ceremonies are to be observed through all generations as a reminder, in this case a graphic reminder, of the lengths God will go to save His children---his firstborn son, Israel. We see, then, a hint of what becomes clearer almost fifteen hundred years later on a cross near Jerusalem: Life comes from death, or better, life can only come from death. The tenth plague was not a divine temper tantrum where God flexes His muscles before the Egyptians and really lets them have it. It is the necessary implementation of a redemptive pattern, one that requires death as a means to fuller life. The consecration of the firstborn, therefore, is a reminder of the once-for-all substitutionary death of the beloved firstborn son who is to come.

--Peter Enns

Measure for Measure

2011-03-11T13:06:00.000-05:00

So thorough and devastating will God's action be that the Egyptians will beg the Israelites to leave. Moreover, they will be favorably disposed toward them, "so that God's people will leave with more than what they came with. Now it will be Egypt's turn to "cry" because of THEIR oppression (echo of Ex 3:7). Among the Israelites, however, not even a barking dog will be heard. The tenth plague is clearly a "measure-for-measure" punishment.

--Peter Enns

We are not exactly what we eat

2011-03-11T11:36:00.002-05:00

And Jesus answered him, "It is written, 'Man shall not live by bread alone.'"

Luke 4

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Luke 2

Jesus' parents always went to Jerusalem for Passover

Living and Dying

2011-03-09T23:07:00.000-05:00

Lent is about repentance. Valuing Christ and His love so much that we die to sin and live unto righteousness. The Heidelberg Catechism helps.

Q. What is the true repentance or conversion of man?

A. It is the dying of the old nature and the coming to life of the new.[1]

[1] Rom. 6:1-11; I Cor. 5:7; II Cor. 5:17; Eph. 4:22-24; Col. 3:5-10.

89. Q. What is the dying of the old nature?

A. It is to grieve with heartfelt sorrow that we have offended God by our sin, and more and more to hate it and flee from it.[1]

[1] Ps. 51:3, 4, 17; Joel 2:12, 13; Rom. 8:12, 13; II Cor. 7:10.

90. Q. What is the coming to life of the new nature?

A. It is a heartfelt joy in God through Christ,[1] and a love and delight to live according to the will of God in all good works.[2]

[1] Ps. 51:8, 12; Is. 57:15; Rom. 5:1; 14:17. [2] Rom. 6:10, 11; Gal. 2:20.

91. Q. But what are good works?

A. Only those which are done out of true faith,[1] in accordance with the law of God,[2] and to His glory,[3] and not those based on our own opinion or on precepts of men.[4]

[1] Joh. 15:5; Rom. 14:23; Heb. 11:6. [2] Lev. 18:4; I Sam. 15:22; Eph. 2:10. [3] I Cor. 10:31. [4] Deut. 12:32; Is. 29:13; Ezek. 20:18, 19; Matt. 15:7-9.

Frustrating

2011-03-09T16:34:00.000-05:00

Rob Bell

Dang it.

Within a 24 hour period I was reading my son an article Bell had written on Advent/Lent/Sabbath-- a very helpful meditation on our human need to have rhythms in our lives.

Then today I stumbled across an internet brouhaha that Bell started by basically denying the realities of Hell.

Two thoughts:
1.) Love is truth and love wins through truth.
Hell is real. Jesus delivers God's people from it. I feel the temptation to deny it--who doesn't. But you just gotta re-write the Bible to get away from the reality of Hell.
2.) I read and learn from many people that I disagree with on key points.
If I only read & quoted people with whom I am in complete agreement with--well, I couldn't read or quote anyone.

Dang it, Rob.

From the graveside service

2011-03-09T14:30:00.001-05:00

UNTO Almighty God we commend the soul of our brother departed, and we commit his body to the ground;

earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust;

in sure and certain hope of the Resurrection unto eternal life,

through our Lord Jesus Christ, at whose coming in glorious majesty to judge the world,

the earth and the sea shall give up their dead; and the corruptible bodies of those who sleep in him shall be changed,

and made like unto his own glorious body; according to the mighty working whereby he is able to subdue all things unto himself. ---1928 Book of Common Prayer

Sunday We Receive New Members

2011-03-09T11:38:00.000-05:00

We are always thrilled to welcome new people to our tribe. Expectantly we hope that the relationship will be mutually beneficial.

-- from Ephesians 4
We are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.

Membership Vows

1. Do you acknowledge yourselves to be sinners in the sight of God, justly deserving His displeasure, and without hope save in [i.e., except for] His sovereign mercy?

2. Do you believe in the Lord Jesus Christ as the Son of God, and Savior of sinners, and do you receive and rest upon Him alone for salvation as He is offered in the gospel?

3. Do you now resolve and promise, in humble reliance upon the grace of the Holy Spirit, that you will endeavor to live as becomes the followers of Christ?

4. Do you promise to support the Church in its worship and work to the best of your ability?

5. Do you submit yourselves to the government and discipline of the Church, and promise to study its purity and peace?

Jesus on Earthy Spirituality

2011-03-09T09:53:00.000-05:00

“Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.

2 “Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. 3 But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

5 “And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. 6 But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

7 “And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words. 8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. 9 Pray then like this:

“Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name. [1]
10 Your kingdom come,
your will be done, [2]
on earth as it is in heaven.
11 Give us this day our daily bread, [3]
12 and forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
13 And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil. [4]

14 For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, 15 but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

16 “And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. 17 But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, 18 that your fasting may not be seen by others but by your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

Lay Up Treasures in Heaven

19 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust [5] destroy and where thieves break in and steal, 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

22 “The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light, 23 but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!

24 “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.

What Every Christian Should Know About Ash Wednesday |

2011-03-09T08:21:00.001-05:00

Putting ashes on your forehead in the sign of the cross is not some kind of magic charm. It is simply a visible reminder of our condition and the power of the cross to forever change that condition.

Good brief note ;

http://www.sojournmusic.com/2009/01/what-every-christian-should-know-about-ash-wednesday/

genesis 18
Abraham answered and said, "Behold, I have undertaken to speak to the Lord, I who am but dust and ashes."

Joel, 2nd chapter

2011-03-09T05:51:00.001-05:00

12 "Yet even now," declares the LORD, "return to me with all your
heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning;
13 and rend your hearts and not your garments." Return to the LORD
your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and
abounding in steadfast love; and he relents over disaster.

THE IMPOSITION OF ASHES

2011-03-08T15:24:00.001-05:00

During this time, you are invited to receive ashes on your forehead or the back of your hand. In Scripture, ashes serve both as a symbol of mortality and as a sign of mourning and repentance.

But neither sin nor death are the final word.

We leave today in confidence and gratitude: Christ has conquered death, and nothing can separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus, our Lord.

--from our Ash Wednesday service, which is here:

THE AIM OF ASH WEDNESDAY

2011-03-08T15:17:00.002-05:00

6:00am & 6:00pm; half-hour services in the sanctuary

The aim of Ash Wednesday worship is threefold:

~to meditate on our mortality, sinfulness, and need of a savior;

~ to renew our commitment to daily repentance in the Lenten season and in all of life; and

~ to remember with confidence and gratitude that Christ has conquered death and sin.

—The Worship Sourcebook

FREDERICK BUECHNER ON CONFESSION

To confess your sins to God is not to tell Him anything He doesn't already

know. Until you confess them, however, they are the abyss between you.

When you confess them, they become the Golden Gate bridge.

—Frederick Buechner

ASH WEDNESDAY: A DAY FOR NEW BEGINNINGS

Ash Wednesday is a particular time for new beginnings in the faith, a time

for returning to the Lord. On this day we recall our mortality and wait upon

the Lord for a renewing Spirit. This is a time for putting aside the sins and

failures of the past in light of who we are yet to become by the grace of God.

—Handbook of the Christian Year, 106

Israel's Plunder

2011-03-08T10:29:00.001-05:00

We are going to be looking at the 1st Passover this Lenten season. Our journey in Exodus has us at the spot where God's people will be spared and freed by the blood of a lamb.

"When it comes to Israel's plunder, what is usually overlooked is what

these gifts reveal about Egypt's spiritual condition. By his mercy God was

turning some of his enemies into friends. Many of the Egyptians had begun

to believe in the existence of the one true God. They acknowledged his power

and honored his prophet. They recognized the importance of treating God's

people with respect and generosity. They were making spiritual progress —

so much progress, in fact, that when the Israelites finally left, some of the

Egyptians actually went with them (cf. Ex 12:38). --Phil Ryken

Exodus 12:37,38
The people of Israel journeyed from Rameses to Succoth, about six hundred thousand men on foot, besides women and children. 38 A mixed multitude also went up with them, and very much livestock, both flocks and herds.

Tuesday 6:30am men, location change

2011-03-07T15:06:00.001-05:00

The men's group that normally meets Tuesday 6:30am in the office complex will be meeting at Starbucks in the Town of Tioga.

Ash Wednesday

2011-03-07T14:55:00.002-05:00

6:00-6:30am AND 6:00-6:30pm

These two half-hour services will be held in the sanctuary.

Ash Wednesday begins the season known as Lent, which begins forty days prior to Easter and is characterized by a focus on repentance, fasting, prayer, and the needs of others. The purpose is to set aside time for reflection on Jesus—His suffering and His sacrifice, His life, death, burial and resurrection. This first day of Lent reminds Christians of the words of Jesus in Matthew 16:24, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me." The way to Easter is the way of the cross.

As the first step in the Lenten journey the Ash Wednesday service invites us to acknowledge
-- our mortality,
-- our sinfulness and -- our dependence upon the grace of God.

We encourage all that are able to fast on Ash Wednesday leading up to the Ash Wednesday service as the Lord's Supper is served.

A unique feature of this service is the marking of the forehead with ashes in the sign of the cross (imposition of ashes). Since the 10th century this practice has been used to symbolize the frailty of our human existence and the 'dust and debris' in our lives (thus the name Ash Wednesday).

We hope you'll join us as we begin the Lenten season looking forward to its culmination on Easter Sunday morning as we worship our risen Savior.

Prayer Meeting Sunday 6pm

2011-03-05T17:13:00.000-05:00

In January the elders decided to seek for God's glory to be known in and through Christ Community. The plan involves monthly prayer meetings that seek this purpose.

Remember the connection between the Exodus and prayer?

The exodus was set in motion by the prayers of God's people: "The Israelites groaned in their slavery and cried

out, and their cry for help because of their slavery went up to God. God heard

their groaning and he remembered his covenant" (Exod. 2:23b, 24a).

Wise Blood, Lent, and Easter

2011-03-03T15:54:00.001-05:00

Haze Motes preaches a "Church without Christ" where nobody sheds
blood, and there's no redemption "'cause there ain't no sin to
redeem," and "what's dead stays that way."

Basically, what Haze took out is that in which we glory. And at no
time more than Lent & Easter.

Sober Awareness

2011-03-03T15:38:00.001-05:00

For the seven weeks leading up to Resurrection Sunday, we practice
sober awareness of our frailty, sins and smallness. It starts on Ash
Wednesday when those ashes are traced on our foreheads in the shape of
the cross, a tactile reminder of our origins in the dust. From there
we come, and to there we will go.

You want to really live, the kind of living that drains the marrow
from every day? Then start by facing your death, your weakness, your
smallness.

We spend seven weeks facing our death and despair and doubt, entering
into it with the fullness of our being—heart, mind, emotions.

--Rob Bell

Ash Wednesday and Lent resources

2011-03-03T12:55:00.001-05:00

Mark Roberts overview article here
Craig Higgins "Keeping a Holy Lent"
"The Lenten season is the spiritual equivalent of an annual physical exam; it’s a time to take stock of our lives, our hearts."
"Tomorrow is Fat Tuesday" by yours truly
Ashes of Affirmation, Lent and Our Worldview, by Jim Tonkowich. My favorite line is:

"Lent is a great affirmation. It tells the truth about life—or, if you prefer, it affirms a core truth commitment of a Christian worldview: There is more to life than this world of time and space."

Devotional for Lent, from City Church of San Francisco

6:00am and 6:00pm in the sanctuary--
We will have a simple half-hour services on Ash Wednesday.

A prayer for the morning--GOD ALL-SUFFICIENT

2011-03-03T08:10:00.001-05:00

O Lord of Grace,

The world is before me this day,

and I am weak and fearful,

but I look to thee for strength;

If I venture forth alone I stumble and fall,

but on the Beloved's arms I am firm

as the eternal hills;

If left to the treachery of my heart

I shall shame thy Name,

but if enlightened, guided, upheld by thy Spirit,

I shall bring thee glory.

Be thou my arm to support,

my strength to stand,

my light to see,

my feet to run,

my shield to protect,

my sword to repel,

my sun to warm.

See more here:

http://www.banneroftruth.org/pages/dailydevotion_detail.php?3007

Rob Pendley

Motley Crew 2

2011-03-03T07:27:00.001-05:00

1st Thursday's at Perkins

As Y'all Prepare for Communion Sunday

2011-03-02T14:26:00.000-05:00

Behold the Lamb who bears our sins away
Slain for us and we remember
The promise made that all who come in faith
Find forgivness at the cross

Chorus
So we share in this bread of life
And we drink of His sacrifice
As a sign of our bonds of peace
Around the table of the King

Verse 2
The body of our Saviour Jesus Christ
Torn for you eat and remember
The wounds that heal the death that brings us life
Paid the price to make us one

Verse 3
The blood that cleanses ev'ry stain of sin
Shed for you drink and remember
He drained death's cup that all may enter in
To receive the life of God

Verse 4
And so with thankfulness and faith we rise
To respond and to remember
Our call to follow in the steps of Christ
As his body here on earth

Lent begins in one week, on Ash Wednesday

2011-03-02T14:21:00.001-05:00

6:00-6:30am AND 6:00-6:30pm

These two half-hour services will be held in the sanctuary.

As the first step in the Lenten journey the Ash Wednesday service invites us to acknowledge
-- our mortality,
-- our sinfulness and
-- our dependence upon the grace of God.

We encourage all that are able to fast on Ash Wednesday leading up to the Ash Wednesday service as the Lord's Supper is served.

We hope you'll join us as we begin the Lenten season looking forward to its culmination on Easter Sunday morning as we worship our risen Savior.

Our God Reigns, and it is for our good

2011-02-28T14:43:00.000-05:00

26. Q. What do you believe when you say: I believe in God the Father almighty, Creator of heaven and earth?

A. That the eternal Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who out of nothing created heaven and earth and all that is in them,[1] and who still upholds and governs them by His eternal counsel and providence,[2] is, for the sake of Christ His Son, my God and my Father.[3] In Him I trust so completely as to have no doubt that He will provide me with all things necessary for body and soul,[4] and will also turn to my good whatever adversity He sends me in this life of sorrow.[5] He is able to do so as almighty God,[6] and willing also as a faithful Father.[7]

[1] Gen. 1 and 2; Ex. 20:11; Job 38 and 39; Ps. 33:6; Is. 44:24; Acts 4:24; 14:15. [2] Ps. 104:27-30; Matt. 6:30; 10:29; Eph. 1:11. [3] John 1:12, 13; Rom. 8:15, 16; Gal. 4:4-7; Eph. 1:5. [4] Ps. 55:22; Matt. 6:25, 26; Luke 12:22-31. [5] Rom. 8:28. [6] Gen. 18:14; Rom. 8:31-39. [7] Matt. 6:32, 33; 7:9-11.

27. Q. What do you understand by the providence of God?

A. God's providence is His almighty and ever present power,[1] whereby, as with His hand, He still upholds heaven and earth and all creatures,[2] and so governs them that leaf and blade, rain and drought, fruitful and barren years, food and drink, health and sickness, riches and poverty,[3] indeed, all things, come not by chance[4] but by His fatherly hand.[5]

[1] Jer. 23:23, 24; Acts 17:24-28. [2] Heb. 1:3. [3] Jer. 5:24; Acts 14:15-17; John 9:3; Prov. 22:2. [4] Prov. 16:33. [5] Matt. 10:29.

28. Q. What does it benefit us to know that God has created all things and still upholds them by His providence?

A. We can be patient in adversity,[1] thankful in prosperity,[2] and with a view to the future we can have a firm confidence in our faithful God and Father that no creature shall separate us from His love;[3] for all creatures are so completely in His hand that without His will they cannot so much as move.[4]

[1] Job. 1:21, 22; Ps. 39:10; James 1:3. [2] Deut. 8:10; I Thess. 5:18. [3] Ps. 55:22; Rom. 5:3-5; 8:38, 39. [4] Job 1:12; 2:6; Prov. 21:1; Acts 17:24-28.

taken from the Heidelberg Catechism, which is here

World Magazine on your iPad

2011-02-28T13:07:00.001-05:00

WORLD's new iPad app

DIGITAL REVOLUTION | WORLD's iPad app is out of development and has been submitted for Apple's approval. As soon as we receive a thumbs-up from Cupertino, iPad owners will be able to go to the iTunes store and download the inaugural digital edition of WORLD. MORE >>

The Prattle of Religious Small Talk

2011-02-28T12:22:00.001-05:00

"The book of Job is not only a witness to the dignity of suffering and God's presence in our suffering but also our primary biblical protest against religion that has been reduced to explanations or "answers". Many of the answers that Job's so called friends give him are technically true. But it is the "technical" part that ruins them. They are answers without personal relationship, intellect without intimacy…On behalf of all of us who have been misled by the platitudes of the nice people who show up to tell us everything is going to be all right if we simply think such and such and do such and such, Job issue and anguished rejoinder. He rejects the kind of advice and teaching that has God all figured out, that provides glib explanations for every circumstance. Job's honest defiance continues to be the best defense against the clichés of positive thinkers and the prattle of religious small talk."

Eugene Peterson

“Ramifications of Technological Change”

2011-02-28T12:21:00.001-05:00

"Ramifications of Technological Change"

http://christianstudycenter.org/mondayclass/ramifications-technology

Shame on me for not realizing that this series started weeks ago and that our own Scott Perry kicked it off.

Tonite my friend and next door neighbor Dr. Jay Lynch will give a brief recap of the upside of technology and then delve into some of

the problematic effects on our lives.

Tonight- MONDAY at 7:30 pm 112 16th St (one
block North of Library West off University) Some parking free on site or paid
on corner of University and 16th or on lot behind St. Augustine.

A Debtor to Mercy Alone

2011-02-26T15:35:00.000-05:00

1. A debtor to mercy alone,
Of covenant mercy I sing;
Nor fear, with Thy righteousness on,
My person and offering to bring.
The terrors of law and of God
With me can have nothing to do;
My Savior's obedience and blood
Hide all my transgressions from view

2. The work which His goodness began,
The arm of His strength will complete;
His promise is yea and amen,
And never was forfeited yet.
Things future, nor things that are now,
Not all things below nor above
Can make Him His purpose forego,
Or sever my soul from His love.

3. My name from the palms of His hands
Eternity will not erase;
Impressed on His heart it remains
In marks of indelible grace.
Yes, I to the end shall endure,
As sure as the earnest is given
More happy, but not more secure,
The glorified spirits in heaven.

--words by Toplady, music by Twit

Serving during service on Sunday February 27

2011-02-26T14:43:00.002-05:00

Piano: Anna Meyer

Vocals: Dale Anderson & Erin Taylor

Violin: Caeli Tolar
Guitar & vocals: Nate Taylor & Carter Davis

Liturgist (Leading the service): Rev. Dr. Richard Horner

Preaching: Rob Pendley

Jubilation from the Generations

2011-02-26T14:42:00.001-05:00

Exodus 10:1-2 says God is humiliating Pharaoh with and thru the
plagues---so Moses (and by implication us) can tell his kids and
grandkids, "Our God reigns!!"

One of our peeps

2011-02-26T13:55:00.001-05:00

Currently finishing his Phd and raising support to move to Uganda with
www.whm.org

2011-02-26T13:47:00.000-05:00

Are all drinking from the fount of wisdom that is Carter Davis?
OR
Are they pleading with him not to "do his Hendrix thing"?

We've a story to tell

2011-02-26T13:02:00.001-05:00

We have something to tell our children and our

grandchildren. It is the story of Jesus Christ, the Moses of our salvation,

who brought us out of the Egypt of our sin. It is a true story based on the facts

of history: his virgin birth, his virtuous life, his vicarious atonement, and

his victorious resurrection.

What a story! It explains everything a child really needs to know. It explains

who we are: the people of God.

where we came from: a life of sin and misery.

where we are going: to live with Christ in mansions of glory.

who God is: the Father of mercy and love.

And it explains why we are here: to glorify God by living for Christ.

--Phil Ryken

Matthew Henry on 10:26

2011-02-26T09:44:00.001-05:00

Moses said: "Our livestock also must go with us; not a hoof shall be left behind, for we must take of them to serve the LORD our God, and we do not know with what we must serve the LORD until we arrive there."

Moses gives a very good reason why they must take their cattle with them; they must go to do sacrifice, and therefore they must take wherewithal. What numbers and kinds of sacrifices would be required they did not yet know, and therefore they must take all they had.

Note, With ourselves, and our children, we must devote all our worldly possessions to the service of God, because we know not what use God will make of what we have, nor in what way we may be called upon to honour God with it.

What the Academy Award Nominees for Best Picture Tell Us About Ourselves - Drew Trotter, Host

2011-02-26T09:28:00.001-05:00

The Academy Award nominees for Best Picture may not always be the biggest box office triumphs of the year, but they are among the most influential movies for the nation's cultural gatekeepers. The nominees reflect what Hollywood thinks of itself and of American culture. Drew Trotter is the Executive Director of the Consortium of Christian Study Centers. He has written on film and popular culture for more than 30 years. This lecture explores just what those values are by looking at each of the films, their ideas, and their likely influence on, and reflection of, America in the present day.

» Watch Video

If you want to take a deeper look at Hollywood's cultural relevance, listen to our one-on-one interview with Dr. Trotter about what we can learn from movies like Toy Story 3, The Kids Are All Right, The King's Speech and more.

» Listen to Audio

http://peachtreepres.org/Features.aspx

Oscars

2011-02-26T09:23:00.001-05:00

These are the nominees for Best Picture. I wonder if Drew Trotter has written on these?

"Black Swan" Mike Medavoy, Brian Oliver and Scott Franklin, Producers
"The Fighter" David Hoberman, Todd Lieberman and Mark Wahlberg, Producers
"Inception" Emma Thomas and Christopher Nolan, Producers
"The Kids Are All Right" Gary Gilbert, Jeffrey Levy-Hinte and Celine Rattray, Producers
"The King's Speech" Iain Canning, Emile Sherman and Gareth Unwin, Producers
"127 Hours" Christian Colson, Danny Boyle and John Smithson, Producers
"The Social Network" Scott Rudin, Dana Brunetti, Michael De Luca and Ceán Chaffin, Producers
"Toy Story 3" Darla K. Anderson, Producer
"True Grit" Scott Rudin, Ethan Coen and Joel Coen, Producers
"Winter's Bone" Anne Rosellini and Alix Madigan-Yorkin, Producers

Double Miracle for Iranian Secret Believer

2011-02-26T09:15:00.001-05:00

From the folks at "Open Doors"

When Iranian convert, Sarah, was shot in the neck by robbers some years ago, medics did not expect her to survive. But today, by God's grace, Sarah is still living for Christ in Iran—ranked #2 on the new Open Doors World Watch List.

Good times at Invisible Children

2011-02-25T20:58:00.000-05:00

Darkness

2011-02-25T14:41:00.001-05:00

Exodus 10:21-29 is the account of God sending darkness over Egypt for
3 days. Due to t. Edison we don't exactly fear the darkness. But
imagine if we were too experience 72 hours of darkness, combined with
no artificial lighting.

"Deep, total darkness of the sort God imposed on the Egyptians would
also cause sensory deprivation, leading to disorientation and
psychological distress. More than just those people inclined to
light-deprivation depression would be severely depressed by the third
day. A sense of doom would pervade all minds". -- Douglas Stuart

Reminds me:
1) dude just moved to Fla from way North said, "easier to feel happy
with all the sun you get here".
2.) the children of Uganda walk from the villages into the cities
because the night brings terror

Jesus is LIGHT and promises He's making us light to the world.

No plagues for the righteous

2011-02-25T14:22:00.000-05:00

We all experience hardship in this fallen world, but in the scope of
eternity, there are no deadly plagues for the righteous, but only the
promise of a good land for them and their children.

--Phil Ryken

Did you know?

2011-02-25T10:22:00.000-05:00

On our website each week you can find the Worship Folder and CIA flyer?
Below is taken from the "Sunday Morning" section of our website

We would love to see you this Sunday.

Our Schedule:
8:30am Worship Service, with childcare provided
10:00am Classes for all ages
11:15am Worship Service, with childcare provided

Meeting Location:
1603 SW 122nd Street
Gainesville, FL 32607
352.379.4949
(map)

Downloads
February 27 Worship Folder (8:30 & 11:15); Community in Action Flyer

When All Thy Mercies-- Sunday we sing

2011-02-24T11:29:00.000-05:00

Unnumbered comforts to my soul
Thy tender care bestowed,
Before my infant heart conceived
From Whom those comforts flowed.

http://www.igracemusic.com/hymnbook/hymns/w04.html

Trailer for 30 minute film we'll screen Friday night

2011-02-24T04:39:00.001-05:00

Grief

2011-02-23T21:46:00.000-05:00

Last week I met a lady whose son had just lost his wife to cancer. She was very desirous of encouraging him during his time of grief. This article is one of the things I'll be sending her.

Grief & Glory, by Jim Cofield

http://www.ligonier.org/learn/articles/grief-glory/

Arbor House, one of our partners

2011-02-23T16:44:00.000-05:00

Empowering homeless single mother families

A living and learning motherhood community offering long term housing and programs to homeless single mother families while they pursue goals that lead to self-sufficiency.

Yutes (youth) at Christ Community

2011-02-23T16:35:00.000-05:00

Just had a great discussion with Nate Taylor about some great things happening in the YUTES of Christ Community. Repentance, faith, reaching out, prayer etc. Great things.

Hallelujah what a Savior! Hallelujah, what a salvation!

follow it at:
http://youthatccc.blogspot.com/

Regarding Friday Night Film Screening and Children

2011-02-23T14:32:00.001-05:00

"Our documentary is not explicit in nature but does have mature content. The documentary explains the history of the war as it began in Uganda and the current ongoing conflict in the Congo as well as the Kampala bombings that happened this past July because the only American casualty, Nate Henn, was a full time volunteer with Invisible Children. This all ties in with the main focus of our film, Tony, who was very young when the war struck in Uganda. Tony was a dear friend to Nate and was there in Kampala with him during his final moments, and will be on this national tour with 16 other Ugandans sharing his personal story and advocating for the people of Congo who are now experiencing the effects of the LRA in their war torn region."

--

7pm on Friday Feb 25: Invisible Children film screening @ Christ Community. Trailer here

Friday Night 7pm

2011-02-23T12:59:00.000-05:00

"Invisible Children uses film, creativity, and social action to end the use of child soldiers in Joseph Kony's rebel war and restore Northern Uganda to peace and prosperity."

I'm hoping some CCC folks wind up in prison

2011-02-23T11:42:00.001-05:00

www.kairosprisonministry.org

On October 20-23, 2011 a Kairos team will bring the bring Christ's love and forgiveness to the incarcerated men at Marion Correctional Institution in Lowell, Florida. Lowell is located about half way between Gainesville and Ocala. There will be five required team training meeting, May 7, June 4, July 16, August 6, and September 7, 2011. If you are interested in serving on this team or would like more information about Kairos Prison Ministry, please go towww.kairosprisonministry.org or contact Fred Cantrell at

fhcantrell at yahoo dot com

a story that answered all the big questions

2011-02-23T10:22:00.002-05:00

The exodus was not just any old story; it was the story, the story that shaped
the Israelites into the people of God. It was the story of their salvation. It
was a true story, a story based on the facts of history. It was a story that
explained everything the children of God needed to know. It explained who
they were: the people of God, delivered from slavery. It explained who God
was: the Lord God of Israel, the God of all power and glory. It explained
where they came from: out of Egypt. It told them where they were going: into
the land of promise. And it explained what their purpose was: They were
saved for God’s glory. By sending his plagues against Pharaoh, God was giving
his people a story that answered all the big questions: Who am I? Where
did I come from? Where am I going? What is the meaning of life? Is there a
God? If there is, how can I know him, and what does he want me to do?

--phil ryken

Epic

2011-02-23T08:25:00.000-05:00

The whole exodus is an epic adventure.

It had everything: a wicked tyrant, an unlikely hero, a bitter conflict, a daring rescue, a national triumph, a spiritual quest, and a happy ending, with lots of miracles for special effect.

What a story!

-Phil Ryken

How Firm a Foundation--Sunday we sing

2011-02-22T16:07:00.000-05:00

Just pray thru this hymn. Meditate on the glorious God we meet here.

How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord,
Is laid for your faith in His excellent Word!
What more can He say than to you He hath said,
You, who unto Jesus for refuge have fled?

In every condition, in sickness, in health;
In poverty's vale, or abounding in wealth;
At home and abroad, on the land, on the sea,
As thy days may demand, shall thy strength ever be.

Fear not, I am with thee, O be not dismayed,
For I am thy God and will still give thee aid;
I'll strengthen and help thee, and cause thee to stand
Upheld by My righteous, omnipotent hand.

When through the deep waters I call thee to go,
The rivers of woe shall not thee overflow;
For I will be with thee, thy troubles to bless,
And sanctify to thee thy deepest distress.

When through fiery trials thy pathways shall lie,
My grace, all sufficient, shall be thy supply;
The flame shall not hurt thee; I only design
Thy dross to consume, and thy gold to refine.

Even down to old age all My people shall prove
My sovereign, eternal, unchangeable love;
And when hoary hairs shall their temples adorn,
Like lambs they shall still in My bosom be borne.

The soul that on Jesus has leaned for repose,
I will not, I will not desert to its foes;
That soul, though all hell should endeavor to shake,
I'll never, no never, no never forsake.

http://cyberhymnal.org/htm/h/f/hfirmafo.htm

Middle school retreat

2011-02-19T18:31:00.001-05:00

Here they are before hitting the road Friday

Tomorrow's offertory

2011-02-19T16:53:00.000-05:00

Holy, Holy, Holy Lyrics

Sufjan Stevens

Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty!
Early in the morning our song shall rise to Thee;
There is a sign at the sight of thee, merciful and mighty!
God in three Persons, God in three Persons, blessèd Trinity!

Holy, holy, holy! though the darkness hide Thee,
Though the eye of sinful man Thy glory may not see;
Only Thou art holy; there is none beside Thee,
Perfect in power, perfect in power, in love and purity.

Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty!
All Thy works shall praise Thy Name, in earth, and sky, and sea;
There is a sign at the sight of thee, there is none beside Thee;
God in three Persons, God in three Persons, God in three Persons, God in three Persons, blessèd Trinity!

Law & Gospel

2011-02-19T12:10:00.001-05:00

This is from Mike Horton's new book The Christian Faith:

In the Reformed tradition, the law-gospel distinction was interpreted within the historical context of distinct covenants in history. The covenant of creation (also called the covenant of works or law) was based on the personal performance of all righteousness by the covenant servant. The covenant of grace is based on the fulfillment of all righteousness by our representative head and is dispensed to the covenant people through faith in him. There is still law in the covenant of grace. However, it is no longer able to condemn believers but directs them in lives of gratitude for God's mercy in Christ.

Rob Pendley

Next Friday Night 7pm

2011-02-18T12:01:00.000-05:00

From the invisible children website

Josiah sermon is on iTunes & website

2011-02-17T16:07:00.001-05:00

Get in there.

WHAT A BOUNDLESS, FATHOMLESS OCEAN!

2011-02-17T09:07:00.001-05:00

by Octavius Winslow (1808 - 1878)

Eternal love moved the heart of Jesus to relinquish heaven for earth—a diadem for a cross—the robe of divine majesty for the garment of our nature; by taking upon Himself the leprosy of our sin. Oh, the infinite love of Christ! What a boundless, fathomless ocean! Ask the ransomed of the Lord, whose chains He has dissolved, whose dungeon He has opened, whose liberty He has conferred, if there ever was love like His!

What shall we say of the ransom price? It was the richest, the costliest, that Heaven could give. He gave Himself for us! What more could He do? He gave Himself; body, soul and spirit. He gave His time, His labor, His blood, His life, His ALL, as the price for our ransom, the cost of our redemption. He carried the wood and reared the altar. Then, bearing His bosom to the stroke of the uplifted and descending arm of the Father, paid the price of our salvation in the warm lifeblood of His heart!

What a boundless, fathomless ocean! How is it that we feel the force and exemplify the practical influence of this amazing, all commanding truth so faintly? Oh, the desperate depravity of our nature! Oh, the deep iniquity of our iniquitous hearts! Will not the blood drops of Jesus move us? Will not the agonies of the cross influence us? Will not His dying love constrain us to a more heavenly life?

Shout out

2011-02-16T15:56:00.001-05:00

http://youthatccc.blogspot.com/

Rob Pendley

Invisible Children overview/background

2011-02-16T14:08:00.000-05:00

On Friday Night February 25, Christ Community is hosting her 1st ever film screening.

To get an overview of the group that is bringing a film for us to see, see the 2 minute video below

Christians and Art

2011-02-16T10:04:00.001-05:00

"I'm interested in patterns and rhythms in my works," the Covenant College art professor said. "Pattern is an organizing strategy in our lives. Every day we start with a blank sheet and have to find a way to structure our lives."

from an article (which includes a video) by the magazine of the Presbyterian Church in America (aka PCA, by the way)
http://byfaithonline.com/page/arts-culture/do-christians-need-art
--

pray for Christians in Egypt

2011-02-16T09:57:00.000-05:00

I got this from a group called "Open Doors"

I have been told that Muslims are turning to their Christian neighbors. Christians passed out water to thirsty demonstrators who marched for a better government. It's an extraordinary time for the advancement of God's Kingdom… showing the love of Christ!

Despite these recent developments we must remember that this is not a country that is always favorable to Christians.

According to the Pew Research Center when the Egyptian population was polled:

84% believe that any Muslim who converts to Christianity should be executed.

Just days ago eleven Christians were murdered in a town about 150 miles south of Cairo. Forty-two Christians have been killed since the beginning of the year. It's a paradox of circumstances. Today Christians and Muslims link arm-in-arm in solidarity against a common enemy (the government)… but those alliances can turn overnight.

That is why this is such a critical time for our persecuted brothers and sisters in Egypt and they need your support to advance the gospel and reach out to their surrounding neighbors in love.

Please pray that their strength of faith will endure through this crisis. And pray for our ministry partners who labor tirelessly to help Egyptian Christians by providing training, Bibles, and other critical support to withstand the persecution.

Join International Friendship for an Italian Dinner- American Style!

2011-02-16T09:48:00.001-05:00

GREETINGS FRIENDS,
Please join us on Thursday, February 17th at 7:00 p.m. for our next IDEA Feast. Come and enjoy a delicious American dinner and then listen to a lecture about Leadership principles. This is a great time to have a delicious meal, meet new friends, and talk to native speakers. It's FREE for internationals, so bring your friends!

Topic: Leadership Principles

Speaker: Mr. Mitchell Cruit

Graduating Senior at UF

BS in Business Administration

Meal: Baked Ziti (pasta with tomato sauce),

Salad, Garlic Bread and Dessert.

(vegetarian meals available)

Come enjoy a great meal and some great friends. We are located in the Baptist Student Union located at 1604 W. University Avenue.
Toby Sorrels

Executive Director

International Friendship

Transportation: We always provide transportation home after class.

Extra-ordinary Prayer

2011-02-15T16:11:00.001-05:00

Some good things happening on the prayer front in CCC.

1st Sundays of each month at 6pm we will be holding kingdom-advancing prayer meetings.

Also, there are some students mobilizing prayer that will take place DURING the worship services---each one seeking God's favor on THAT service and the life of CCC and our connected ministries.

Stay tuned.

--

Communion Service cancelled

2011-02-15T16:09:00.001-05:00

There will be no communion service tomorrow evening. I am sorry for the inconvenience. My schedule just won't allow it.

The next opportunity to celebrate Holy Communion will be during the morning services on March 6.

Grace & Men recap

2011-02-15T15:59:00.000-05:00

Great weekend.

Thanks tons to people who helped in special ways: Mark Sheplak, Rick Smith, Rob Hamersma, Christian Smith.

Also, all you who made it out----was i right, or was I right?

The audio will be available soon.

--

Why I need Jesus--and maybe y'all too

2011-02-15T08:23:00.001-05:00

Jesus taught *the inward origin of human evil*. Its
source has to be traced neither to a bad environment nor to a faulty
education (although both these can have a powerful conditioning
influence on impressionable young people), but rather to our 'heart',
our inherited and twisted nature. One might almost say that Jesus
introduced us to Freudianism before Freud. At least what he called
the 'heart' is roughly equivalent to what Freud called the
'unconscious'. It resembles a very deep well. The thick deposit of
mud at the bottom is usually unseen, and even unsuspected. But when
the waters of the well are stirred by the winds of violent emotion,
the most evil-looking, evil-smelling filth bubbles up from the depths
and breaks the surface -- rage, hate, lust, cruelty, jealousy and
revenge. In our most sensitive moments we are appalled by our
potentiality for evil.

--john stott

A deep, insidious energy

2011-02-14T14:26:00.001-05:00

If our sin is mere failure to conform-simply a mistake to do what is right---forgiveness is really the granting of an opportunity to try again. In that light, it is like forgetting to finish one's homework.

We deserve a low grace, and grace becomes merely the privilege of doing it over to get a higher mark. Such a view of grace might generate appreciation, but it would never drive us to worship. If, in fact, sin is not only failure to hit the mark of God's perfection, but also a deep, insidious energy that desires to eradicate from our existence an affronting God who demands perfection, then forgiveness becomes breathtaking, incredible, and wonderfully insulting.

Dan Allender, in the book Bold Love

The Four Spiritual Laws

2011-02-13T21:22:00.001-05:00

Today in his wonderful sermon Josiah mentioned these

The four spiritual laws are:

God loves you and offers a wonderful plan for your life. (John 3:16, John 10:10)
Man is sinful and separated from God. Therefore, he cannot know and experience God's love and plan for his life. (Romans3:23, Romans 6:23)
Jesus Christ is God's only provision for man's sin. Through Him you can know and experience God's love and plan for your life. (Romans 5:8, I Corinthians 15:3-6, John 14:6)
We must individually receive Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord; then we can know and experience God's love and plan for our lives. (John 1:12, Ephesians 2:8,9, John 3:1~8,Revelation 3:20)

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Four_Spiritual_Laws?wasRedirected=true

Rob Pendley

Guys Sang this today

2011-02-12T12:32:00.001-05:00

Thou Lovely Source of True Delight

1. Thou lovely source of true delight
Whom I unseen adore
Unveil Thy beauties to my sight
That I might love Thee more,
Oh that I might love Thee more.

2. Thy glory o'er creation shines
But in Thy sacred Word
I read in fairer, brighter lines
My bleeding, dying Lord,
See my bleeding, dying Lord

3. 'Tis here, whene'er my comforts droop
And sin and sorrow rise
Thy love with cheering beams of hope
My fainting heart supplies,
My fainting heart's supplied

4. But ah! Too soon the pleasing scene
Is clouded o'er with pain
My gloomy fears rise dark between
And I again complain,
Oh and I again complain

5. Jesus, my Lord, my life, my light
Oh come with blissful ray
Break radiant through the shades of night
And chase my fears away,
Won't You chase my fears away

6. Then shall my soul with rapture trace
The wonders of Thy love
But the full glories of Thy face
Are only known above,
They are only known above

http://www.igracemusic.com/hymnbook/hymns/t11.html

Rob Pendley

2011-02-12T09:28:00.001-05:00

Accapella singing of Holy Holy Holy was tremendous

2011-02-12T09:24:00.000-05:00

Grace and Men

2011-02-12T08:13:00.000-05:00

Grace & Men, 7pm

2011-02-11T16:19:00.001-05:00

Crown Him! (Sunday we sing!)

2011-02-10T12:56:00.000-05:00

 
To Thee be endless praise
For Thou for us hast died
Be Thou O Lord thro' endless days
Adored and magnified

These Talks Look Great

2011-02-10T10:43:00.001-05:00

Josiah Bancroft
"The Power of Truth"

"The Power of Joy"

John Sittema

"Good Theology Almost Killed Me"

"The Dangers of Quiet Time"

this will be a great time for guys of Christ Community and beyond---shout out an invite today

The Quiet Time: Not a Cleansing Rite

2011-02-10T09:25:00.000-05:00

John Sittema will give a talk called "the danger of quiet time" to the
guys at Grace & Men this weekend

This is a helpful article ive read in the past that touches on the same

http://www.joethorn.net/2006/11/14/the-quiet-time-not-a-cleansing-rite/

Rob Pendley

Grace & Men Schedule

2011-02-09T13:19:00.001-05:00

F r i d a y E v e n i n g F e b r u a r y 13t h , 2011 ( PM) C h r i s t C ommu n i t y C h u r c h S a n c t u a r y

6:55pm Mu s i c , S i n g i n g , & I n t r o d u c t i o n

7:10pm J o s i a h B a n c r o f t , " T h e P owe r o f Tr u t h "

8:00pm B r e a k (10 mi n u t e s )

8:10pm J o h n S i t t ema , "Go o d T h e o l o g y A lmo s t K i l l e d Me "

9:00pm Q & A wi t h J o s i a h B a n c r o f t & J o h n S i t t ema

9:30pm C l o s e wi t h p r a y e r

S a t u r d a y Mo r n i n g F e b r u a r y 14t h , 2011 ( AM) C h r i s t C ommu n i t y C h u r c h S a n c t u a r y

8:00am Op e n i n p r a y e r

8:05am Mu s i c & S i n g i n g

8:10am J o h n S i t t ema - " T h e Da n g e r s o f Qu i e t T ime "

9:00am B r e a k (10 mi n u t e s )

9:10am Q & A wi t h J o h n S i t t ema

9:40am B r e a k (10 mi n u t e s )

9:50am J o s i a h B a n c r o f t - " T h e P owe r o f J o y "

10:40am B r e a k (5 mi n u t e s )

10:45am Sma l l Gr o u p Di s c u s s i o n ( I n c l a s s r o oms a n d s a n c t u a r y )

11:45am Q & A wi t h J o s i a h B a n c r o f t

12:15 B r e a k (5 mi n u t e s )

12:20 Mu s i c , F i n a l Wo r d s & P r a y e r

12:40pm Di smi s s e d t o wo r l dwi d e Gr a c e & Me n A s s i g nme n t ( i . e . g o i n Go s p e l j o y & f r u i t f u l n e s s ! )

Not too late to sign up fellas. You can pay at the door, or not.

We want you here!

Is there a last-minute invitation you need to make today?
--

Sunday we'll confess

2011-02-08T13:38:00.001-05:00

Lord Jesus Christ, though being in very nature God, when you came to
redeem us you humbled yourself and made yourself nothing. Though you

were rich, for our sakes you became poor, so that through your poverty we
might become rich.

We confess how unlike you we are in our attitudes and actions. We strive
for recognition from others, and we sulk and become bitter if we do not

get it. We attend to our own needs and concerns, yet fail to care for others
except when it serves our purposes.

Forgive us our sin and renew our hearts. Grant us to realize that we only

achieve greatness and gain our lives by giving them away. Work in us by
the power of your Spirit so that we become more like you and so bring
glory to our Father in heaven. Amen

from Books & Culture

2011-02-08T11:21:00.000-05:00

In this week's podcast, Stan Guthrie and I discuss an extraordinary project from Crossway Books: The Four Holy Gospels, illuminated by Makoto Fujimura. (An iPad edition with additional commentary by the artist is also available.) Listening to one's recorded words can be a humbling experience, but apart from verbal imprecision and outright mistakes, I often find myself arguing with ... myself. In illuminating the gospels, Mako Fujimura drew on his mastery of nihonga, a labor-intensive style of traditional Japanese painting that involves pulverizing minerals to bring out their beauty. During my conversation with Stan, I remark that the technique itself, while certainly interesting, is not "important;" it could be used for many different purposes. True. (I had in the back of my mind the fetishism of materials and methods that is such a conspicuous feature of the contemporary art scene.) But in Mako's hands, the technique is very important, for it allows him to convey the palpable sense of God's splendor and prodigal generosity that we are inspired to feel when turning the pages of The Four Holy Gospels. Also true, wonderfully so.

This shall be the special music on Sunday Feb 13

2011-02-07T14:44:00.001-05:00

Elliot's Song

Words Inspired by Jim Elliot. Music/Arrangement by University Christian Fellowship (Birmingham, AL)

He is no fool; he is no fool

Who gives up what he cannot keep to gain what he can't lose

He is no fool; he is no fool

Who takes time to count the cost, lays down his life takes up the cross

He is no fool; he is no fool

Who trades a broken cistern for a well that won't run dry

He is no fool; he is no fool

Who gives up earthly pleasures for the one who satisfies

Chorus

You have purchased men from every tribe and race

Through the blood of Christ, You magnified your grace

Lord, we ask you to send workers to your field

To reap the harvest through the power of Your Word

Through the power of Your Word

"Cling To The Crucified" shall be sung tomorrow

2011-02-05T17:30:00.000-05:00

1. Cling to the Mighty One, Cling in thy grief
Cling to the Holy One, He gives relief
Cling to the Gracious One, Cling in thy pain
Cling to the Faithful One, He will sustain

Chorus: Cling to the crucified, Jesus the Lamb who died
Cling to the crucified, Jesus the King
Cling to the crucified, Jesus the Lamb who died
Cling to the crucified, Jesus the King

2. Cling to the Living One, Cling in thy woe
Cling to the Loving One, Through all below
Cling to the Pardoning One, He speaketh peace
Cling to the Healing One, Anguish will cease

3. Cling to the Bleeding One, Cling to His side
Cling to the Rising One, In Him abide
Cling to the Coming One, Hope shall arise
Cling to the Reigning One, Joy lights thine eyes

http://www.igracemusic.com/hymnbook/hymns/c14.html

Rob Pendley

"You Can Change"

2011-02-05T16:04:00.000-05:00

Just came across this release on the book the Tuesday women are studying.

http://timchester.wordpress.com/2008/07/24/tim-keller-on-you-can-change/

How to Pray for Egypt Today: An Insider’s Report – The Gospel Coalition Blog

2011-02-05T14:50:00.000-05:00

http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/tgc/2011/02/02/how-to-pray-for-egypt-today-an-insiders-report/

This will guide me as I pray in service tomorrow.

Feast Prep

2011-02-04T18:22:00.000-05:00