Mirror, Mirror on the Wall…

That famous line from the fairy tale “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” is completed with the words, “who’s the fairest of them all?” They were spoken by the evil queen who detested her step daughter Snow White, a young girl who was far more beautiful.

While we may not share the same enormous quantity of vanity as the jealous queen of Snow White, we do look into the mirror hoping for positive results. And that is, in a sense, good. It would be a sign that something was wrong if a person looked into a mirror hoping to be disappointed with the reflection.

There is a mirror, however, which does portray a vicious, nasty image of us all. That mirror is called “The 10 Commandments”. In talking with people about those laws, you might get the impression that their main purpose is to help people know what and what not to do so that they can go to heaven. A close look at those commandments and the way we actually live our lives, though, makes it pretty clear most of us aren’t going to be very successful taking that route. In fact, if we’re honest, none of us can make it into heaven being good.

So, when we look into the mirror of the 10 Commandments, what should we see? What do you think? If your answer was, “Somebody who isn’t as good as they thought they were,” then you’re right on. The drawing at the beginning of this article gets it right. We look at ourselves, our thoughts, what we say, what we do and compare them to the 10 Commandments. What we see isn’t what we like and it certainly isn’t what God wants from us. While the commandments don’t give us a flattering vision of ourselves, they are indispensable in pointing us to the only One who can resolve our problem – Jesus Christ.

This Sunday we continue to walk through the Story of God. We are at the moment when the Lord gives Moses and the Israelite people the 10 Commandments. It’s a history changing time – for all of us. If Jesus dying on the cross is going to make sense to you, take a good long look into the mirror of the 10 Commandments.

* If you would like to participate in the Story Bible series but have not yet received your copy of the Story Bible, please respond to this e-mail and we’ll get one out to you.

Sunday morning worship: 10:00 am

Some Things We Can’t Do for Ourselves

It is a humbling experience to have to admit we need help. Nobody enjoys it. We do everything possible to avoid having to go through such a situation. It’s our pride, our self-esteem. We’d like to think that we have the strength and smarts to overcome whatever life brings our way. Reality, however, teaches us this attitude just isn’t true.

God’s Story in the Bible describes how he came to our rescue, despite our stubborn inclination to resist his help. In chapter 4 of the Story Bible we encounter God’s brilliant rescue of the nation of Israel, stuck in Egypt where they are living as slaves. It’s a grand and glorious deliverance which only he could carry out. But the Exodus, as it is known today, is only a shadow of God’s ultimate mission of deliverance which his Son Jesus Christ accomplished 1500 years later.

It’s a great thing to be able to take care of ourselves. But when it comes to our relationship with God, only he can do what we can’t do for ourselves.

If you are starting to realize the need for deliverance in your life, join us for one of our weekend services. What God wants most for you is to let him do what you can’t do for yourself.

* If you would like to participate in the Story Bible series but have not yet received your copy of the Story Bible, please respond to this e-mail and we’ll get one out to you.

Saturday evening worship: 6:00 pm
Sunday morning worship: 10:00 am

When Fact Is Stranger Than Fiction

What begins as a sibling rivalry turns ugly, very ugly. And from there the story becomes increasingly complex and bizarre. From slavery, to prison, to Deputy Pharaoh, Joseph lives out a rags to riches story not even a Hollywood filmmaker could invent.

But the account of Joseph is so much more than adventure – it’s a lesson in God working out his plan in this world. It’s a lesson which you and I need to take to heart as we look at our own lives as we struggle to answer the question, “Why am I on this earth?”

The repetitious monotony of our daily lives works like an opioid, deadening our spiritual senses to all that God is doing around us. Instead of joining him in his work, we settle for a joyless routine of survival when God is wanting for us to thrive in the excitement and significance of making a difference for eternity.

While Joseph certainly must have experienced days of despair, he kept his focus on who was in control. He lived out the saying, “Those who leave everything in God’s hand will eventually see God’s hand in everything.” The same God who wrote the incredible story of Joseph’s life wants to write the same kind of story for you.

Join us for one of our worship services this weekend. Get a taste of what your story might be like.

* If you would like to participate in the Story Bible series but have not yet received your copy of the Story Bible, send us an e-mail and we’ll get one out to you.

Saturday evening worship: 6:00 pm
Sunday morning worship: 10:00 am

Beyond Bible Trivia

How do you fare when one of the categories on Jeopardy is “The Bible”? Are you proud of yourself when you are able to respond, “Who is Nebuchadnezzar,” to the question, “This ancient king had three men thrown into a fiery furnace,”? Bible trivia is fun and it is definitely helpful to have a working understanding of Bible history. It is, however, the divine truths which we learn from those historical events which change our lives here and for eternity.

This weekend we’ll be studying chapter 2 in the Story Bible – God Builds a Nation. We’ll see how God used a man named Abraham to form a nation which would become his representative in the world. It might all seem to be a lot of ancient history with little relevance to us living almost 4000 years later. But the events of the Bible are not really about people and movements – the main character is always God and what He is doing among the human beings He created.

Far from being dusty names and facts from the past, the story of Abraham is a riveting account of God working powerfully in a man as He carries out the Rescue Mission of all time.

Saturday evening worship: 6:00 pm
Sunday morning worship: 10:00 am

Where Does Your Story Begin?

Discovering one’s family history has become huge over the past few years. It began with people spending hours researching old family records. Today, the newest trend is to take a DNA test to discover your origins. In an advertisement for one ancestry company a man wearing lederhosen described how all his life he believed he was of a German descent. However, much to his surprise, he learned that actually he had Scottish blood. By the end of the commercial the man was wearing a smart looking kilt and playing bagpipes. Apparently, he felt a new sense of identity which made him extremely happy.

For some people knowing their genealogy has a profound impact on the way they see themselves. Others, however, seem to care little. Regardless of how you feel about your ancestry, there is one aspect of where you came from that should be of concern. And that is, how human life started. Are human beings no more than sophisticated animals who are the product of random chance or are we the result of a personal God choosing to create human beings with a special meaning and purpose? The answer to those questions is far more than academic, it is life changing.

This weekend we begin our series of reading through the Story Bible. We start where we need to, at the beginning. And what a beginning it is. Instead of leaving us in the dark about where our story begins, the Bible powerfully assures us, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” If you need to find out more about where you came from, join us for one of our services.

Saturday evening worship: 6:00 pm
Sunday morning worship: 10:00 am