Psalm 119:162 I rejoice at thy word, as one that findeth great spoil.
Lauren, Riley, and I were visiting my family in AL over the weekend. We almost got snowed in, but we were (barely) able to make it to church on Sunday (Sweet Springs Baptist Church in Ardmore, AL – Pastor Joel Logan). And I’m sure glad we did.
The service was unique. Instead of giving a sermon, Brother Joel emphasized the importance and the blessing of daily Bible reading, then had different men volunteer to come to the pulpit and give us something God had given them from their Bible reading.
It was a good thing we had made it to church that morning because I needed to hear what the Lord had given them, and it was really a help and a blessing to me.
So let me pass along some of those notes:
Daniel Elwood read from 2 Thessalonians 1:10-12 and Galatians 1:22-24 and talked about the importance of glorifying God by your testimony – not just what you say, but how you live.
Spencer Hardiman read from 1 Peter 1:18-22 and brought out (1) the PRICE of redemption – the precious blood of Christ (2) the PLAN of redemption – foreordained before the foundation of the world and manifest in these last times for us, and (3) the PROOFS of redemption – obeying the truth and loving the brethren.
Kyle Shell read from Numbers 13:23 and noted the importance of laboring together for the Lord (it took 2 men to carry the cluster of grapes) and the result thereof – the two were “bearing” fruit.
Brent Logan read from Exodus 32:9-14, 25 and brought out the contrast between Moses and Aaron. Moses was a man who was so close to God he could talk to him the way he did (God told Moses to let him alone and instead Moses told God to repent – read it). God listened, and Moses STAYED the judgment of God on the people. On the other hand, the Bible says that Aaron made the people naked unto their shame. Most of us would refer to Aaron as a passive or reluctant or neutral or hesitant participant, but the Bible says it was his fault – because of his place and position of responsibility. So in contrast to Moses, Aaron’s failure to take decisive action in the right direction BROUGHT the judgment of God on his people.
Daniel Elwood and Kyle Shell leave this week on a survey trip to the field of Papua New Guinea. Spencer Hardiman ministers full-time in our nation’s prisons. Brent Logan is a missionary to Eastern Europe. These men could use your prayers.
