Covenant Life Church

November 30 2009 at 4:59 am

Bookends of the Christian Life, Part 4

It was great to learn from our friend John Loftness yesterday. John served for 25 years as a pastor here at Covenant Life, before we sent him out in July 2007 to become senior pastor of our sister church in Riverdale, Md., Solid Rock Church.

In his sermon from Hebrews 10:19-25, titled “The Inner Ring,” John considered the basis and effects of our confidence before God.

Options:
• Listen online or download an mp3 of the message.
• Download a summary outline in PDF format.
• Use the following questions to reflect on how to apply the message to your life:

1. Are there “inner rings” that you are still striving to get into, and in particular, that are keeping you from enjoying and flourishing in your status as a member of the ultimate “inner ring” of fellowship with God?

2. How does confidence in the gospel change how you approach and think about your relationships?

3. John Loftness spoke about those who know the facts of the gospel, but not necessarily the effect of the gospel on their hearts and lives. Talk with each other about how God has provoked greater gospel effect in your lives and what this has looked like for you.

4. John encouraged us from God’s Word to think about and consider one another for the purpose of stirring one another up for faith and good works. How are you doing in this? How is your care group doing? How can you grow in this area? What are the hindrances?

5. How are you and the members of your group doing in being faithful to not forsake meeting together as saints? Does your attendance history demonstrate a greater willingness to accept excuses for missing or faithfulness in attending?

6. Are your life and your care group defined by both the use of correction as well as the giving of encouragement? Or, is there an unhealthy imbalance? Ask the members of your group to give you their observations about this balance/imbalance in your life.

November 23 2009 at 5:00 am

Bookends of the Christian Life, Part 3

0 Comments

Yesterday Ben Wikner preached our third “Bookends” message on “Gospel Enemy #2,” persistent guilt. He showed us how persistent guilt ultimately denies and competes with the gospel.

Options:
• Listen online or download an mp3 of the message.
• Download a summary outline in PDF format.
• Use the following questions to reflect on how to apply the message to your life:

1. Reread Hebrews 9:11-14. What are the three things that Christ has done for us as our High Priest? What is the divine truth that emerges from this passage?

2. In what ways does your conscience struggle with persistent guilt?

3. In what ways is persistent guilt an enemy of the gospel?

4. How can you shift your focus off your sin, take it to the cross, and leave it there?

5. How is persistent guilt transformed into joyful gratitude and loving service by the gospel?

November 17 2009 at 9:07 pm

A Life of Servanthood

14 Comments

A few weeks ago, I gave a message called “The Poor and Needy.” Below is a testimony of how a member in our church is living out this message. We asked Sherly Giglio to share about how her husband, Peter, has given of his time and money to bless others over the years. I hope this story will be both encouraging and provoking.

When I was asked to share about my husband’s generosity and his heart for the lost and needy, it was easy to come up with a life time of examples. For the past 32 years, I have seen Peter give, give, and give even more. He humbly serves without looking for recognition or anything in return. This is seen in many ways, such as: providing rides to people in need, opening our home and giving people a place to live, visiting a wounded soldier, going on mission trips, and giving financially to our church and other ministries, as well as to those in need.

I’d like to share the most recent example of his selfless generosity. It is something that was close to his heart:

Back in August of this year, Peter had the privilege of serving with Drew Garfield to help plan a work day at the Laytonia community, located across the street from Covenant Life. Initially, he gave of his time by attending planning meetings and liaising with the Laytonia Homeowners Association Board to see how we, as a church, could help them. This was followed by numerous trips to Home Depot and time spent organizing materials. Finally, the big work day came. Volunteers from Covenant Life and Gracia Soberana labored alongside people from the Laytonia community. What a joy it was to see multiple races, rich and poor, Christian and non-Christian working side by side each other. Most importantly, the work day provided an open door to share the gospel!

Another way Peter demonstrates his heart for the needy is that his main focus in business is to provide excellent service and be able to give even more money and time to further God’s kingdom. Peter recently did a commercial advertising our company. In the commercial, he let people know that a portion of the sales would be given to Give Uganda Water.

Peter recently returned from a trip to Fabens, Tex., where a team led by Grant Layman built an apartment for Dean Adamek (who runs an orphanage in Mexico that our church has partnered with). This apartment will allow his family and staff to have a place in the U.S. to stay when circumstances make it difficult to cross the border.

I am reminded over and over again, through my husband’s heart and example, of how much he loves the Lord and gives of himself so that the gospel continues to go forward.

November 16 2009 at 5:00 am

Bookends of the Christian Life, Part 2

1 Comments

Yesterday our friend and visiting author and teacher, Jerry Bridges, preached the second message in our “Bookends” series on the “virus” of self-righteousness, an enemy of the gospel. Since it was Jerry’s book The Bookends of the Christian Life that inspired this series, it was a special honor that he would preach a message in it.

Options:
• Listen online or download an mp3 of the message.
• Download a summary outline in PDF format.
• Use the following questions to reflect on how to apply the message to your life.

1. Jerry Bridges taught us that one of the enemies of the gospel is trusting in our own righteousness. Have you expected God to answer your prayers or bless you because you have had consistent quiet times or served faithfully? If so, whose performance are you trusting?

2. Have you ever been tempted to find something in yourself that is superior to others around you and look down on them with contempt? If so, then whose grace and righteousness matters in your life?

3. In the midst of a trial have you ever been tempted to accuse God and say in your heart, “After all I have done for God, this is what I get?” How does believing God owes us something reveal self-righteousness?

4. Jerry Bridges taught us that the self-righteous sense little need for Jesus, little need for forgiveness and therefore, have little reason to love Jesus? Does that describe you? If so, what one thing can you do to cultivate a consciousness of your own sin and an assurance of God’s forgiveness?

5. How does a moment-by-moment trust in the righteousness of Christ slay the gospel enemy of self-righteousness?

November 12 2009 at 1:10 pm

The Righteousness of Christ

2 Comments

</p><p>

This video is of my sermon from last Sunday, “The Righteousness of Christ.” You can also listen online or download an mp3 of the message here.

November 10 2009 at 6:43 pm

Prayer for the Persecuted Church

0 Comments

This past Sunday, in recognition of the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church, we took time to pray as a church for believers around the world who are being persecuted for the sake of the gospel. Mark Mitchell and the Outreach team were kind enough to compile this list of resources to help us be better informed, to serve, and to pray:

Currently, there are 200 million Christians experiencing persecution in over 40 countries. These believers are experiencing suffering in many forms, from receiving the lowest paying jobs, to imprisonment and even death. As Paul says in 2 Corinthians 4:9, they are “persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed.” When asked what they need the most, their most frequent answer is, “Please pray for us!” You can partner with the persecuted church by praying on their behalf, learning more from the ministries that support them, and providing for their needs. Here are some specific ways that you can get involved:

Be Informed and Pray

• Receive e-mail updates that will help you pray specifically for persecuted Christians through International Christian Concern, Open Doors, or Voice of Martyrs.

• Pray each day through the Open Doors’ monthly prayer calendar.

• Read the news from International Christian Concern’s latest press releases.

• Read Day by Day, a daily e-devotional written by persecuted believers through Open Doors.

• Subscribe to Voice of the Martyrs’ monthly newsletter.

Provide

• Go Christmas shopping at Christian Freedom International. Buy handcrafts made from persecuted believers to support them in providing for their families.

• Give a Bible to a child in a closed country by texting 20222 and type “Bible.” A $5 donation will appear on your phone bill (you can text up to five times per month). You can also mail a New Testament Bible into restricted nations by visiting www.BiblesUnbound.com.

• Send a care package to a Christian family through the Action Pack project through Voice of the Martyrs.

• Write a letter of encouragement to a prisoner for the gospel at www.prisoneralert.com.

• Advocate on behalf of the persecuted church by joining the Open Doors Frontline Action Network to receive e-mails alerting you to take action on new advocacy campaigns. Also visit International Christian Concern to sign the latest petitions.

• Provide financially by giving a specific item (i.e. a vehicle, medical aid, Bible training, etc.) to any of the referenced organizations.

Organizations that Minister to the Persecuted Church

Christian Compassion International
301-989-9368

Christian Freedom International
906-253-2336

International Christian Concern
301-585-5915

Jubilee Campaign
703-503-0791

Open Doors
949-752-6600

Voice of the Martyrs
877-337-0302

Page 1 of 2 pages 1 2 >

Church Blog