Church Blog

July 29 2009 at 1:45 pm

Gecko Voice: Brit or Aussie?

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Got the e-mail below from Matt Halsey on Sunday night. He references the GEICO Gecko, one of several characters I mentioned on Sunday in the course of explaining the way the book of Proverbs personifies wisdom and folly. I said I wasn’t sure if the gecko’s accent was British or Australian. Now I know! I won’t mention that a certain member named Theresa (last name withheld for her privacy) was the person who was so adamant that the Gecko was Australian. It’s okay, Miss Wheeler (first name withheld). I forgive you.

Josh,
 
I’m sure you’ve had several e-mails already, but GEICO’s Gecko is spoken by Jake Wood, an English actor who stars in the British soap opera, “Eastenders.”  As Brits ourselves we can tell a Cockney accent when we hear one, guv’nor.  :-)
 
Regards,

Matt and Amanda Halsey





July 27 2009 at 8:19 am

Proverbs, Part 4: Application

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Yesterday my sermon looked at the first nine chapters of Proverbs, considering how wisdom is often personified as a woman. I also compared and contrasted “Lady Wisdom” and “Woman Folly” and the sobering choice we must make between the two. Next week we will continue in the same text.

You can listen online or download an mp3 of the message here.

The memory verse for this week is Proverbs 9:9-10, “Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be still wiser; teach a righteous man, and he will increase in learning. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.” (ESV)

Here are questions to help you apply the message to your life:

1.  Josh taught us that wisdom has to be cultivated (Prov. 1:24-32; 4:5-6).  What one or two things can you do to cultivate wisdom?

2.  Josh taught that wisdom is beautiful and desirable (Prov. 3:13-15).  Are you delighting yourself in the Lord?  Is the Lord satisfying to you?  Or do find that you lack delight in the things of God?

3.  The invitation of Woman Folly is to those going “straight on their way” to forsake faithfulness (Prov. 9:15).  Are there any areas in your life (home, work, among friends, etc.) in which you have strayed from faithfulness? What would repentance look like?

4.  The rich meal of Lady Wisdom communicates the goodness of wisdom (Prov. 9: 2-5).  The meal of Woman Folly calls us to delight in the forbidden, such as sexual immorality or quick money through dishonesty (Prov. 9:17).  Are you enjoying any of the forbidden meal of Woman Folly?  If so, what can you do you do to repent and bring this into the light?

5.  Proverbs 9 teaches us that “the choice between wisdom and folly is a choice between life and death.”  As you look back over the last several months of your life, which direction would your choices reflect—wisdom or folly?  If folly, what would change look like?





July 24 2009 at 7:24 pm

The Case of the Gray Face

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Craig Sterling sent me this note after church last Sunday:

Josh,

Good afternoon! This morning you mentioned having a pet peeve (my words) with gray faces in the church directory. A few weeks ago, we received a letter from Erik Sheffer announcing that we are now under the care of Ben Wikner. So, like you, I wanted to put a face with the name of our new pastor. (If he was introduced to the congregation, I must have missed that particular meeting.)

In short, he’s not pictured in the Member Photo Directory. This morning I wondered who the person was asking us to pray for Russia. One of our row mates told us that person was Pastor Wikner. It was good to put the face with the name!

Grace and peace,

Craig and Mary Ann Sterling

Yes, we’re in the directory!  :-)

Thanks for your note, Craig. This is funny because Ben and his family all lined up and got their photos taken at church this Sunday. So, you can find the Wikners in the directory now. Your note is a great reminder (to pastors, too!) of how helpful it is to be able to put faces with names! Here’s the Wikner clan: First row: Ben and Erin, Ellie, Abigail, Lilly. Second row: William, Gracie, Hope.


Church members, here are a couple of helpful links related to the directory:

• Forgot your password?
• Member Photo Directory homepage (access your profile, settings, frequently asked questions, upload your own photos, etc.)





July 22 2009 at 5:35 pm

Your Favorite Proverb

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Take a moment to leave a comment and share a favorite verse from Proverbs that God has used to help and instruct you.





July 21 2009 at 11:35 pm

Recommended Books on Proverbs

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This Sunday in church we mentioned several helpful resources on Proverbs. Here they are:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 





July 20 2009 at 8:17 am

Proverbs, Part 3: Application

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Yesterday Robin Boisvert preached our third Proverbs message, from Proverbs 2, and 4:18-19. He taught that “we travel safely on the path of life when we fear the Lord and treasure his words.” You can listen online or download an mp3 of the message here.

Something new! The memory verse for this week is Proverbs 4:18: “But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, which shines brighter and brighter until full day.” Come to church next Sunday prepared to recite it.

Here are questions for use on your own or in Care Group to help apply Robin’s message to your life:

1. Is wisdom something you desire? Is your heart diligently seeking after wisdom? How would those who are closest to you evaluate your pursuit of wisdom? (see Prov. 2:3-5)


2. Is your heart inclined to God’s word? Is your heart attentive to treasure and to hear God’s word—privately and publicly? What is one way you can grow in acquiring a taste for God’s word? (see Prov. 2:1-2)


3. What voices in your life compete with God’s Word and God’s wisdom (e.g., the voices from TV, movies, music, the popular culture or friends)? (See Prov. 2:12-15)

4. Robin taught us, “There are choices that we can make that will determine which path we proceed along … these are usually little choices that when added up have a profound effect on whether we are numbered among the wise or the fools.” What kind of choices are you making—wise or foolish? How can you grow in honoring the Lord by choosing the path of wisdom instead of the path of the wicked? (See Prov. 4:18-19)





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