Author Archive
God’s love was revealed among us in this way: God sent his one and only Son into the world so that we might live through him.
1 John 4:9, CSB
Only God can save us from our sins, and He showed His love for us by sending His Son to take our sins through His death on the cross and giving us life.
Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for the kingdom of heaven is theirs.
Matthew 5:10, CSB
Only God can make us righteous, and this makes the people of this world angry and want to bring us down. God has promised to deliver us through persecution and into His eternal Kingdom.
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.
Matthew 5:9, CSB
Only God can give us true, lasting peace, and through Christ we find peace and are empowered to bring peace to others to His glory.
In 2023, our church had a small sort of VBS for the first time (we made ukuleles and practiced some songs to play for the church.) This year, we do not have a VBS, though some of our teens helped lead some at other churches as evangelistic outreaches. So many other churches offer VBS that many families cycle through to essentially have summer daycare throughout June and July.
A few parents have wondered about a lack of VBS, but mostly they are okay with going to all the others. I am beginning to have my youth group do more with younger groups. (Most of the youth volunteer in some way in the church, including teaching Sunday School.) Perhaps we are approaching a time when the youth hold the VBS!
In any event, we need to pray for children to heat the gospel and how to shepherd the whole congregation, whether or not there is VBS.
Daniel
For this Sunday here’s what you can do: Shepherding people who might be upset that your church has no VBS this year.
This Sunday at Church: Shepherding people who might be upset that your church has no VBS this year
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
Matthew 5:8, CSB
Only God makes us pure, good, and holy through Christ, the one who helps us and ushers us into His presence.
Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
Matthew 5:7, CSB
We find hope and strengthened faith in living out the promise of being merciful, knowing God was merciful to us first, so we help lead others to the hope of Christ and grow in His faithfulness.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
Matthew 5:6, CSB
We find hope and strengthened faith when we seek the righteousness of God, knowing He gives us Christ’s righteousness in place of our sinfulness.
Blessed are the humble, for they will inherit the earth.
Matthew 5:5, CSB
We find hope and strengthened faith when we can admit our own weaknesses and failings, knowing we need Christ in every area of life and that we are no better than anyone else.
Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
Matthew 5:4, CSB
We find hope and strengthened faith when we consider and mourn our utter sinfulness yet in light of Christ’s grace and sacrifice for us.
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for the kingdom of heaven is theirs.”
Matthew 5:3, CSB
We find hope and faith in knowing we are hopeless on our own, in trying to succeed in life or toward eternal life, but that God has saved us by His grace in Christ.
a simple man of God 