Notes of Faith December 2, 2024

Notes of Faith December 2, 2024

A Sure Word

But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of you shall come forth to Me the One to be Ruler in Israel, whose goings forth are from of old, from everlasting.

Micah 5:2

There are 60 major prophecies in the Old Testament concerning the first coming of Jesus Christ. In their book Science Speaks, Peter Stoner and Robert Newman calculated the odds of any one man in all of human history fulfilling only 8 of those prophecies to be 1 in 100,000,000,000,000,000. They compared those odds to covering the state of Texas two feet deep in silver dollars, then sending a blindfolded man into Texas to pick out one marked silver dollar.

Matt 2:1-6

2 Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying, 2 "Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him." 3 When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. 4 Gathering together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. 5 They said to him, "In Bethlehem of Judea; for this is what has been written by the prophet:

6 'AND YOU, BETHLEHEM, LAND OF JUDAH,

ARE BY NO MEANS LEAST AMONG THE LEADERS OF JUDAH;

FOR OUT OF YOU SHALL COME FORTH A RULER

WHO WILL SHEPHERD MY PEOPLE ISRAEL

Jesus didn’t fulfill only 8 of the 60 Old Testament prophecies—He fulfilled all 60! The odds of that happening are astronomical unless it was the plan of God. The prophet Micah prophesied that Jesus would be born in a tiny, rural suburb of Jerusalem called Bethlehem—and He was. Fulfilled prophecy assures us that Jesus Christ is the One God sent to save us from our sins.

Faith in Christ is not a leap in the dark. It is faith based on God’s sure word of fulfilled prophecy (2 Peter 1:19).

No Bible subject holds more practical implications than the matter of prophecy.

Vance Havner

Jesus said that the Word of God is truth. All of Scripture is truth. We do not get to pick and choose the things we like or agree with to be called truth. God is truth. He cannot lie. Satan is the father of lies and deceives the world to attempt to take glory from God. All that belong to God will come to faith believing in Jesus, that He is God, that He was the only perfect sacrifice for the sin of mankind, bringing redemption, forgiveness, and eternal life to those who believe and obey. May we worship and give thanks every day for the God of truth and not believe the evil deceptions of Satan. Listen closely for God is speaking to you to come to Him in faith…today!

Pastor Dale

Notes of Faith December 1, 2024

Notes of Faith December 1, 2024

Surprising Grace

And this is the law of the sacrifice of peace offerings that one may offer to the LORD. If he offers it for a thanksgiving, then he shall offer with the thanksgiving sacrifice unleavened loaves mixed with oil, unleavened wafers smeared with oil, and loaves of fine flour well mixed with oil. With the sacrifice of his peace offerings for thanksgiving he shall bring his offering with loaves of leavened bread. — Leviticus 7:11–13 ESV

Surprisingly, the first time thanksgiving is ever mentioned in Scripture, it’s to note that the thanksgiving offering is part of the peace offering.

Could it be that no one receives the peace of God without giving thanks to God?

Is thankfulness really but the deep, contented breath of peacefulness? Is this why God asks us to look for glimpses of grace to give thanks for even when things look dark? When there doesn’t seem to be much to give thanks for?

There were to be ten offerings of bread in every thank offering of the Israelites. The first were like crackers. The second like wafers. These were known for their thinness. This was the order of thanks. The thanks began for the thin things, the wafer things that almost weren’t, and the way the people of God gave thanks was first to give thanks for even the meager and unlikely.

Then it came, thanks for the leavened bread. Why would leaven, yeast — that which is seen in Scripture as impure, unwanted — be included as part of the thank offering?

…because our God is a God kneading all things into a bread that sustains. To bring the sacrifice of thanksgiving means thanking God for everything because He is benevolent. A sacrifice of thanks lays down our perspective and raises hands both in honest lament and heartfelt praise — always. A sacrifice is, by definition, not an easy thing — but it is a sacred thing.

There is this: We give thanks to God not because of how we feel but because of who He is. It’s counting the ways He still loves. This is what keeps multiplying joy.

The life that keeps counting blessings discovers it’s yielding more beauty than it seems.

God, move me to know it afresh today: the life that counts blessings discovers it’s yielding much more beauty than it seems. And my life yields most when I yield most to You.

Excerpted from Gifts & Gratitudes by Ann Voskamp, copyright Ann Voskamp.

Every moment of life is a moment of God’s amazing grace! Give thanks!

Pastor Dale

Notes of Faith November 30, 2024

We will meet with Christ Covenant church on December 1 at 11 a.m. We will have no other services this day.

Notes of Faith November 30, 2024

The Future

Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in Your book they all were written, the days fashioned for me, when as yet there were none of them.

Psalm 139:16

Why do fake indulgences like horoscopes, fortune cookies, and fortune tellers attract people? Because they all deliver messages about the same subject: the future. If the average person could have one question answered, it would likely be this: What does the future hold for me?

That is a human question, one as old as time. The ancients were as curious about the future as we are. For that reason, the psalmist assured Israel that though we don’t know what the future holds, we know Who holds the future. In fact, he wrote that all of our days were written in God’s “book” before even one of them came to pass. That means we can give thanks for the future today before the future arrives. If God has our future in His hands, we know it will be for our good regardless of what it holds (Romans 8:28).

The future entails the rest of today, not to mention tomorrow and the years to come. Starting today, give thanks for the future.

Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God.

Corrie ten Boom

Prov 16:9

9 The mind of man plans his way,

But the Lord directs his steps.

God is more intimately involved in our every moment than we could ever imagine. His Word speaks of creation, the beginning of what we know and partially understand about the origin of all things except God who is eternal. He knows the end from the beginning, living outside of what we call time and yet works His desire and plan in and through all circumstances that happen in each life. Trying to think these things through is difficult but God’s Word says that He knows every hair that is on my head. He knows every thought I think and word I say before I think or say a word. The implication is that God knows everything and is intimately involved with His creation. Mankind is the only being God created in His image, reflecting His glory, that all mankind might come to know and have a special relationship with Him! The future is indeed in the hands of God. God does have plans for those that belong to Him, those that love Him, and are waiting for the return of Jesus to claim what belongs to Him. Let us wait with patient anticipation for the skies to break forth with the glory of God looking forward to a new heaven and new earth created for reward and blessing to people from every tribe, tongue and nation. This promised future was declared from before the foundation of the world, a guarantee from the One who cannot lie.

Prov 3:5-6

5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart

And do not lean on your own understanding.

6 In all your ways acknowledge Him,

And He will make your paths straight.

Pastor Dale

Notes of Faith November 29, 2024

Notes of Faith November 29, 2024

Prayer, Then Praise

[The righteous] will not be afraid of evil tidings; his heart is steadfast, trusting in the Lord. His heart is established; he will not be afraid.

Psalm 112:7-8

There are numerous instances in the Old Testament where God said something was done before it happened. For example, before the Israelites conquered Jericho, God told them, “I have given Jericho into your hand” (Joshua 6:2). Between the time of God’s promise and its realization, the Israelites acted in faith and saw the walls fall down.

In the New Testament, promises were made, and faithfulness was expected in the interim. For example, ten lepers were cleansed only after they obeyed Jesus’ instruction to go to the priests (Luke 17:11-14). A blind man was healed only after he obeyed Jesus’ instructions to wash in the pool of Siloam (John 9:6-7). So what should we do in the interim between asking God for something and seeing it realized? Absent any specific instruction, we can praise and thank God for what His love and goodness will deliver in our time of need (Psalm 103:1-5). That is how we exercise faith after we have made our needs known to God (Philippians 4:6-7).

After you pray, be sure to praise God for the answer He is going to bring.

If we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.

Charles Spurgeon

Ps 103:1-5

103 Bless the Lord, O my soul,

And all that is within me, bless His holy name.

2 Bless the Lord, O my soul,

And forget none of His benefits;

3 Who pardons all your iniquities,

Who heals all your diseases;

4 Who redeems your life from the pit,

Who crowns you with lovingkindness and compassion;

5 Who satisfies your years with good things,

So that your youth is renewed like the eagle.

This psalm speaks of things that are all true though some have a future context. Those who come to Jesus in faith are spoken of thereafter as saints, no longer sinners, righteous, those who walk with God, those who trust God through any of this life’s circumstances. May you be blessed today, no matter your circumstances. If you are in Christ, you are an overcomer, a victor over sin and death and will reap reward from your Creator, Savior, and King that lasts forever!

Pastor Dale

Notes of Faith November 28, 2024

Notes of Faith November 28, 2024

Thanksgiving Life

It is good to give thanks to the Lord, and to sing praises to Your name, O Most High; to declare Your lovingkindness in the morning, and Your faithfulness every night.

Psalm 92:1-2

At many Thanksgiving gatherings, attendees share what they are most thankful for before partaking of the meal. Some mention things that apply to all people: life, health, family, friendships—all worthy reasons to be thankful. Christians have reasons to be thankful for Jesus Christ, for forgiveness, for salvation, for the Scriptures, and more. Depending on the closeness of the group, some individuals might be bold enough to mention more personal reasons to be thankful: deliverance from an addiction, the restoration of a marriage, a changed life, and more.

As you sit before the Lord today, think of those personal, intimate reasons you have to give thanks to the Lord—things you might be hesitant to share in a group setting but which you know are true. Every Christian knows who they were before and after knowing Christ (1 Corinthians 6:9-11). Give thanks today for the new person you are in Him (2 Corinthians 5:17)—that you are different from how you were.

Instead of one Thanksgiving Day, consider living a thanksgiving life. There are an infinite number of reasons to give thanks to God.

God’s giving deserves our thanksgiving.

Ps 100

Shout joyfully to the Lord, all the earth.

2 Serve the Lord with gladness;

Come before Him with joyful singing.

3 Know that the Lord Himself is God;

It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves;

We are His people and the sheep of His pasture.

4 Enter His gates with thanksgiving

And His courts with praise.

Give thanks to Him, bless His name.

5 For the Lord is good;

His lovingkindness is everlasting

And His faithfulness to all generations.

It is good to live a life of giving thanks to God and for others in your life. Consider helping (giving) to those less fortunate than you, inviting them to your Thanksgiving meal, providing one for them in their home, meeting a need, perhaps financially. Look for ways to bless others. I guarantee you will be blessed by God through your giving with a thankful heart! May you enjoy the supreme blessing of knowing that your are a child of God and will be bless for all eternity in His kingdom and the eternal home He has prepared for you.

Pastor Dale

Notes of Faith November 27, 2024

Notes of Faith November 27, 2024

Jesus Revealed in Us

Those who suffer according to God’s will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good. — 1 Peter 4:19

If our kids always behave

and our boss is always pleased and our home is always orderly

and our bodies always feel good

and we are patient and kind and thoughtful and happy and loving,

others shrug because they’re capable of being that way too.

On the other hand,

if we have a splitting headache,

the kids are screaming,

the phone is ringing,

the supper is burning,

yet we are still patient, kind, thoughtful, happy, and loving,

the world sits up and takes notice.

The world knows that kind of behavior is not natural. It’s supernatural. And others see Jesus revealed in us.

~ Just Give Me Jesus

You Can Know God

You will seek the Lord your God, and you will find Him if you seek Him with all your heart and with all your soul. — Deuteronomy 4:29 NKJV

If Adam knew God as a beloved Father,

if Eve knew Him as the original Homemaker,

if Noah knew Him as the Refuge from the storm,

if Abraham knew Him as a Friend,

if Moses knew Him as the Redeemer,

if Rahab knew Him as the gracious Savior,

if David knew Him as his Shepherd,

if Elijah knew Him as the Almighty,

if Daniel knew Him as the Lion Tamer,

if Mary Magdalene knew Him as the Bondage Breaker, if Martha knew Him as the Promise Keeper,

if Lazarus knew Him as the Resurrection and the Life, if Bartimaeus knew Him as the Light of the World,

if John knew Him as the glorious King upon the throne,

surely you and I can know Him too!

~ Just Give Me Jesus

The Sufficiency of God's Power

To Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us,… be glory. — Ephesians 3:20–21 NKJV

If you are questioning the sufficiency of God’s power to resolve your problems and pressures, your suffering and stress, your crisis and change, His answer is the same. The infinite power of the living Logos of God is adequate for any need you or I will ever have.

We may intellectually grasp the truth that God’s power is adequate, but we can never know that by experience if we stay in our comfort zone. If all you ever attempt is what you know you can do yourself, if all your needs seem to be met through someone or something other than God, if you never have any difficulties that are greater than you can bear — how will you know the awesome greatness and personal availability of His infinite power?

It’s when the Red Sea is before you, the mountains are on one side of you, the desert is on the other side, and you feel the Egyptian army closing in from behind that you experience His power to open up an escape route.

He has power to do the supernatural, the unthinkable, the impossible.

~ Just Give Me Jesus

Excerpted from The Joy of My Heart by Anne Graham Lotz, copyright Anne Graham Lotz.

Great book! These are great excerpts looking into the depths of God, who He is, what He has done, is doing, and promises to do. He alone is God and worthy of our worship, praise, love and trust. May you draw closer to Him this Thanksgiving weekend.

Pastor Dale

Notes of Faith November 26, 2024

Notes of Faith November 26, 2024

Entire Chapters of Gratitude

We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers.

1 Thessalonians 1:2

Entire chapters of the Bible are devoted to gratitude. Some of the Psalms, for example, are simply lists of gratitude, such as Psalm 103. That’s the nature of the first chapter of 1 Thessalonians. The apostle Paul had been driven out of the city of Thessalonica before he could get the new church grounded and established. He grew more and more concerned to know how they were doing, especially in the face of persecution. So he sent Timothy to find out, and Timothy brought back a great report. The Thessalonian Christians were thriving.

1 Paul and Silvanus and Timothy,

To the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace.

2 We give thanks to God always for all of you, making mention of you in our prayers; 3 remembering without ceasing your work of faith and labor of love and [a]steadfastness of hope [b]in our Lord Jesus Christ before our God and Father, 4 knowing, brothers beloved by God, your election, 5 for our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full assurance; just as you know what kind of men we [c]proved to be among you for your sake. 6 You also became imitators of us and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction with the joy of the Holy Spirit, 7 so that you became a model to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia. 8 For the word of the Lord has sounded forth from you, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith toward God has gone forth, so that we have no need to say anything. 9 For they themselves report about us what kind of an entrance we had [d]with you, and how you turned to God from [e]idols to serve [f]a living and true God, 10 and to wait for His Son from [g]heaven, whom He raised from the dead, Jesus, who rescues us from the wrath to come.

Every verse in 1 Thessalonians 1 is a descriptor of Paul’s gratitude toward them.

We’re often concerned in life. All kinds of issues leave us anxious and restless. But devoting entire prayers or journal entries to thanksgiving is a wonderful way to recover our spirits. Being thankful helps us look within and see our growth and the traces of God in our lives. Make a list of the things or people in your life for which you’re thankful and praise God for them.

Thanksgiving leads to knowing God more fully, which leads to trusting in God more, worshiping God more, and loving God more.

Dustin Crowe

A delayed flight yesterday made it impossible to make the last connecting flight to California, so I sit in the airport in Dallas today for several hours awaiting a second missed connecting flight due to mechanical delays on our plane this morning at 5 a.m… This is life. We all must be able to deal with these issues and continue to do what we have be called to do. Unlike the passenger in front of me who kept shouting expletives and shouting at the passengers in front of him to get moving. It did nothing but scare those around him and likely raised his blood pressure. We all had places to be and were late if plans had been previously made. All this to say…It gave me time to reflect on so many of my friends (you), and ask God to bless you today for your influence in my life. Thank you! If God wills, I will be in California today (sometime) and continue the routines that are what I consider “normal”, all while dealing with the unexpected, unplanned, and some good, some not so good, but God is good all the time and will provide all that is needed by His grace. Love God! Love others!

Pastor Dale

Notes of Faith November 25, 2024

Notes of Faith November 25, 2024

Thankful for Friends

We give thanks to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you. Colossians 1:3

When you attend a high school, college, or family reunion—you realise how powerful those relationships were and how thankful you are for the people who helped shape your life. If it’s true that 'we don’t miss the water ’til the well runs dry,' the same could be said for relationships. This fact ought to encourage us to invest in them more actively while we have the chance.

We often think of the apostle Paul as a missionary-scholar more than a people person—but such a perception would be wrong. Throughout Acts and Paul’s epistles we see evidence of the relationships he valued in his life. He had a deep relationship with the elders of Ephesus (Acts 20:17-38). When he wrote his letter to the church at Rome, he greeted some thirty people by name (Romans 16:1-16). He was greeted by members of the church as he approached Rome (Acts 28:14-15). He acted as a mentor to countless coworkers in ministry: Barnabas, Mark, Timothy, Titus, Luke, and more.

Thank God for your friends in the faith. While you are able, do everything you can to strengthen your bonds in Christ.

Christianity is all about relationships with God and with others.

David Watson

Acts 28: 14-15

14 There we found brothers[a] and were invited to stay with them for seven days. And so we came to Rome. 15 And the brothers there, when they heard about us, came as far as the Forum of Appius and Three Taverns to meet us. On seeing them, Paul thanked God and took courage.

Friends

Song by

Michael W. Smith

Packing up the dreams God planted

In the fertile soil of you

I can't believe the hopes He's granted

Means a chapter of your life is through

But we'll keep you close as always

It won't even seem you've gone

'Cause our hearts in big and small ways

Will keep the love that keeps us strong

And friends are friends forever

If the Lord's the Lord of them

And a friend will not say never

'Cause the welcome will not end

Though it's hard to let you go

In the Father's hands we know

That a lifetime's not too long

To live as friends

And with the faith and love God's given

Springing from the hope we know

We will pray the joy you live in

Is the strength that now you show

But we'll keep you close as always

It won't even seem you've gone

'Cause our hearts in big and small ways

Will keep the love that keeps us strong

And friends are friends forever

If the Lord's the Lord of them

And a friend will not say never

'Cause the welcome will not end

Though it's hard to let you go

In the Father's hands we know

That a lifetime's not too long

To live as friends

And friends are friends forever

If the Lord's the Lord of them

And a friend will not say never

'Cause the welcome will not end

Though it's hard to let you go

In the Father's hands we know

That a lifetime's not too long

To live as friends

Though it's hard to let you go

In the Father's hands we know

That a lifetime's not too long

To live as friends

No, a lifetime's not too long

To live as friends

Love God! Love others!

Pastor Dale

Notes of Faith November 24, 2024

Notes of Faith November 24, 2024

Turn Toward Me

Make Me your focal point as you move through this day. Just as a spinning ballerina must keep returning her eyes to a given point to maintain her balance, so you must keep returning your focus to Me. Circumstances are in flux, and the world seems to be whirling around you. The only way to keep your balance is to fix your eyes on Me, the One who never changes. If you gaze too long at your circumstances, you will become dizzy and confused. Look to Me, refreshing yourself in My Presence, and your steps will be steady and sure.

Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the Cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. — Hebrews 12:2

But You remain the same, and Your years will never end. — Psalm 102:27

This then is how we know that we belong to the truth, and how we set our hearts at rest in His presence whenever our hearts condemn us. For God is greater than our hearts, and He knows everything. — 1 John 3:1-20

*

If you encounter a problem with no immediate solution, your response to that situation will take you either up or down. You can lash out at the difficulty, resenting it and feeling sorry for yourself. This will take you down into a pit of self-pity. Alternatively, the problem can be a ladder, enabling you to climb up and see your life from My perspective. Viewed from above, the obstacle that frustrated you is only a light and momentary trouble. Once your perspective has been heightened, you can look away from the problem altogether. Turn toward Me, and see the Light of My Presence shining upon you.

Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. — 2 Corinthians 4:16-18

Blessed are those who have learned to acclaim You, who walk in the light of Your presence, O Lord. — Psalm 89:15

Excerpted from Jesus Calling by Sarah Young, copyright Sarah Young.

There are many people of faith in the Word of God but few are said to specifically “walk with God”. This is my desire and my desire for you, that we would walk with God through each and every circumstance of life, that we might be obedient to His will and therefore pleasing to Him. May we strive to live in His presence for He is always there. We think we walk away when evil desires draw us to sin, but we take a holy God into that evil. The holy perfection of Jesus kept him from sin. He looked ahead in the garden of Gethsemane and saw His need to become sin in order to save mankind…He saw the separation from the Father that took place during His prayers asking if there was any other way… This was His greatest pain…to become sin…the One who knew no sin, that we through faith in Him might have the righteous of God placed to our account. Give thanks today for the love of God that sent the Son to die in your place, that you might be forgiven and redeemed from God’s wrath on your disobedience. Give thanks for the gift of the Holy Spirit, the indwelling Spirit of God in every believer that we might live a transformed life, holy and pleasing to Him.

Pastor Dale

Notes of Faith November 23, 2024

Notes of Faith November 23, 2024

Gratitude

We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is fitting, because your faith grows exceedingly, and the love of every one of you all abounds toward each other.

2 Thessalonians 1:3

Verbally expressing emotions can be challenging. And ease of expression can vary with personality type. It sometimes surprises Bible readers to discover that the apostle Paul was so free in expressing positive emotions to others. But he was—and so should we be.

Which is harder to say: “I love you” or “I’m thankful for you”? Surprisingly, it may be the latter. We say, “I love you,” frequently to family, even to friends—and that's a good thing. But it’s easy for it to become habitual and less meaningful over time. What we don’t say very often is, “I’m thankful for you.” Those words imply a degree of humility and transparency that can be more challenging. Those words say, “Your presence in my life adds things that I could not experience if you weren’t here.”

Think about the people in your life for whom you are thankful. Now think about how often you have expressed your thankfulness to them—and purpose to do it more often.

Thankfulness is a flower which will never bloom well excepting upon a root of deep humility.

J. C. Ryle

I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, because your faith is being proclaimed throughout the whole world. Rom. 1:8

I am one of the proclaimers of your steadfast faith and trust in God for the life of the church, each and every individual believer! I praise God for you and your influence on my life. We were made to be a community that grows in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ toward full maturity. May you be blessed today as you prepare your heart to meet together again tomorrow!

Pastor Dale