Feb 19, 2017
Love and Wholeness
Posted by Laura Grice
Leviticus 19:1-2, 9-18 (NRSV)
Matthew 5:38-48 (NRSV)
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  • Feb 19, 2017Love and Wholeness
    Feb 19, 2017
    Love and Wholeness
    Posted by Laura Grice
    Leviticus 19:1-2, 9-18 (NRSV)
    Matthew 5:38-48 (NRSV)
  • Nov 20, 2016King Jesus
    Nov 20, 2016
    King Jesus
    Posted by David Jones
    Colossians 1: 11 – 20  (NRSV)
    11  May you be made strong with all the strength that comes from his glorious power, and may you be prepared to endure everything with patience, while joyfully 12  giving thanks to the Father, who has enabled you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the light. 13  He has rescued us from the power of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of his beloved Son, 14  in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. 15  He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation; 16  for in him all things in heaven and on earth were created, things visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or powers-- all things have been created through him and for him. 17  He himself is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18  He is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that he might come to have first place in everything. 19  For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, 20 and through him God was pleased to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, by making peace through the blood of his cross.
  • Nov 13, 2016Praising God with Our Lives
    Nov 13, 2016
    Praising God with Our Lives
    Posted by Laura Grice
    Psalm 8 (NRSV)
    1  O LORD, our Sovereign, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens. 2  Out of the mouths of babes and infants you have founded a bulwark because of your foes, to silence the enemy and the avenger. 3  When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars that you have established; 4  what are human beings that you are mindful of them, mortals that you care for them? 5  Yet you have made them a little lower than God, and crowned them with glory and honor. 6  You have given them dominion over the works of your hands; you have put all things under their feet, 7  all sheep and oxen, and also the beasts of the field, 8  the birds of the air, and the fish of the sea, whatever passes along the paths of the seas. 9 O LORD, our Sovereign, how majestic is your name in all the earth!
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  • Nov 6, 2016Grateful and Generous Hearts
    Nov 6, 2016
    Grateful and Generous Hearts
    Posted by David Jones
    Mark 12: 38 - 44 (NRSV)
    38  As he taught, he said, "Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes, and to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces, 39  and to have the best seats in the synagogues and places of honor at banquets! 40  They devour widows' houses and for the sake of appearance say long prayers. They will receive the greater condemnation." 41  He sat down opposite the treasury, and watched the crowd putting money into the treasury. Many rich people put in large sums. 42  A poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which are worth a penny. 43  Then he called his disciples and said to them, "Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the treasury. 44 For all of them have contributed out of their abundance; but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on."
  • Sep 4, 2016Take the Job and Love It
    Sep 4, 2016
    Take the Job and Love It
    Posted by David Jones
    Colossians 3: 23 - 24 (NRSV)
     
    23 Whatever your task, put yourselves into it, as done for the Lord and not for your masters, 24  since you know that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward; you serve the Lord Christ.
  • Aug 28, 2016Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner
    Aug 28, 2016
    Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner
    Posted by David Jones
    Luke 14: 1, 7 - 14 (NSRV)
    1  On one occasion when Jesus was going to the house of a leader of the Pharisees to eat a meal on the sabbath, they were watching him closely. 7  When he noticed how the guests chose the places of honor, he told them a parable. 8  When you are invited by someone to a wedding banquet, do not sit down at the place of honor, in case someone more distinguished than you has been invited by your host; 9  and the host who invited both of you may come and say to you, 'Give this person your place,' and then in disgrace you would start to take the lowest place. 10  But when you are invited, go and sit down at the lowest place, so that when your host comes, he may say to you, 'Friend, move up higher'; then you will be honored in the presence of all who sit at the table with you. 11  For all who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted." 12  He said also to the one who had invited him, "When you give a luncheon or a dinner, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors, in case they may invite you in return, and you would be repaid. 13  But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind. 14  And you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you, for you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous."
     
  • Aug 7, 2016By Faith
    Aug 7, 2016
    By Faith
    Posted by Laura Grice
    Hebrews 11: 1 - 16 (NSRV)
    1  Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. 2  Indeed, by faith our ancestors received approval. 3  By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was made from things that are not visible. 4  By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain's. Through this he received approval as righteous, God himself giving approval to his gifts; he died, but through his faith he still speaks. 5  By faith Enoch was taken so that he did not experience death; and "he was not found, because God had taken him." For it was attested before he was taken away that "he had pleased God." 6  And without faith it is impossible to please God, for whoever would approach him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. 7  By faith Noah, warned by God about events as yet unseen, respected the warning and built an ark to save his household; by this he condemned the world and became an heir to the righteousness that is in accordance with faith. 8  By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to set out for a place that he was to receive as an inheritance; and he set out, not knowing where he was going. 9  By faith he stayed for a time in the land he had been promised, as in a foreign land, living in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. 10  For he looked forward to the city that has foundations, whose architect and builder is God. 11  By faith he received power of procreation, even though he was too old-- and Sarah herself was barren-- because he considered him faithful who had promised. 12  Therefore from one person, and this one as good as dead, descendants were born, "as many as the stars of heaven and as the innumerable grains of sand by the seashore." 13  All of these died in faith without having received the promises, but from a distance they saw and greeted them. They confessed that they were strangers and foreigners on the earth, 14  for people who speak in this way make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. 15  If they had been thinking of the land that they had left behind, they would have had opportunity to return. 16 But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God; indeed, he has prepared a city for them.
  • Jul 31, 2016Growing Like Jesus Grew
    Jul 31, 2016
    Growing Like Jesus Grew
    Posted by David Jones
    Luke 2: 41-52 NSRV
    41  Now every year his parents went to Jerusalem for the festival of the Passover. 42  And when he was twelve years old, they went up as usual for the festival. 43  When the festival was ended and they started to return, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but his parents did not know it. 44  Assuming that he was in the group of travelers, they went a day's journey. Then they started to look for him among their relatives and friends. 45  When they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem to search for him. 46  After three days they found him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. 47  And all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers. 48  When his parents saw him they were astonished; and his mother said to him, "Child, why have you treated us like this? Look, your father and I have been searching for you in great anxiety." 49  He said to them, "Why were you searching for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father's house?" 50  But they did not understand what he said to them. 51  Then he went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them. His mother treasured all these things in her heart. 52  And Jesus increased in wisdom and in years, and in divine and human favor.
  • Jul 24, 2016An Attitude of Gratitude
    Jul 24, 2016
    An Attitude of Gratitude
    Posted by Charlie Hornes
    Luke 17:11-19NSRV
    11  On the way to Jerusalem Jesus was going through the region between Samaria and Galilee. 12  As he entered a village, ten lepers approached him. Keeping their distance, 13  they called out, saying, "Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!" 14  When he saw them, he said to them, "Go and show yourselves to the priests." And as they went, they were made clean. 15  Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice. 16  He prostrated himself at Jesus' feet and thanked him. And he was a Samaritan. 17  Then Jesus asked, "Were not ten made clean? But the other nine, where are they? 18  Was none of them found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?" 19  Then he said to him, "Get up and go on your way; your faith has made you well."
  • Jul 17, 2016What the World Needs Now
    Jul 17, 2016
    What the World Needs Now
    Posted by David Jones
    James 2: 1 - 17 NSRV
    1  My brothers and sisters, do you with your acts of favoritism really believe in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ? 2  For if a person with gold rings and in fine clothes comes into your assembly, and if a poor person in dirty clothes also comes in, 3  and if you take notice of the one wearing the fine clothes and say, "Have a seat here, please," while to the one who is poor you say, "Stand there," or, "Sit at my feet," 4  have you not made distinctions among yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts? 5  Listen, my beloved brothers and sisters. Has not God chosen the poor in the world to be rich in faith and to be heirs of the kingdom that he has promised to those who love him? 6  But you have dishonored the poor. Is it not the rich who oppress you? Is it not they who drag you into court? 7  Is it not they who blaspheme the excellent name that was invoked over you? 8  You do well if you really fulfill the royal law according to the scripture, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." 9  But if you show partiality, you commit sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors. 10  For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become accountable for all of it. 11  For the one who said, "You shall not commit adultery," also said, "You shall not murder." Now if you do not commit adultery but if you murder, you have become a transgressor of the law. 12  So speak and so act as those who are to be judged by the law of liberty. 13  For judgment will be without mercy to anyone who has shown no mercy; mercy triumphs over judgment. 14  What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but do not have works? Can faith save you? 15  If a brother or sister is naked and lacks daily food, 16  and one of you says to them, "Go in peace; keep warm and eat your fill," and yet you do not supply their bodily needs, what is the good of that? 17 So faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead.
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