Hello FBC Friends!
Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. (Psalm 51:7)
David’s psalm of repentance is an amazing example to us in many ways. It shows a contrite heart, on the heels of a dramatic moral failure. It reminds us of God’s absolutely amazing grace, as David was restored to right relationship with Him in spite of such horrendous sin (this is the psalm he wrote in response to the prophet Nathan confronting him, after David had committed adultery with Bathsheba and arranged for the death of her husband Uriah). It gives us something to read, meditate on, and turn into a prayer of our own in response to our own sinfulness. If you haven’t read it lately, I’d encourage you to take a look at Psalm 51 today. Perhaps today would be a great day to get on your knees with Psalm 51 in front of you and pray it as a prayer from your own heart.
Psalm 51:7 is also one of the cross-reference verses for what is probably the key verse in Isaiah 1 (which I will be preaching on Sunday). “Come now, let us reason together, says the LORD: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool” (Isaiah 1:18). The title of the message this week is “When Red Becomes White.” Please take some time between now and Sunday to prayerfully read through Isaiah 1 in preparation for what He wants to say to us through His Word.
AWANA registration begins at 6pm tonight! Hope to see all of you here who have kids to get registered. Lord, may this be an amazing year in Awana, as You use us to help children come to know, love, and serve You! May the kids have a blast, learn a lot about You, and do well at hiding Your Word in their hearts!
Pregnancy Alternatives Center Lucheon: September 21 from 12-2pm at River Center in Lebanon. Special speaker is Abby Johnson. If anyone is interested in going to this, please let me know so I can RSVP to PAC!
Men’s Roundup: Tomorrow (Friday) through Sunday. It’s not too late to register online, or just register in person! Justin, Jeff Stoneberg, myself, and my boys will be camping up there, so let me know if you want to join us! I believe Dave and Ivan are attending but driving back and forth from home, so that’s an option too. I think the speaker (John Lynch) is going to be amazing this year. So please consider dropping your other plans and going up to Camp Tadmor this weekend! (Our volleyball team will also be defending our trophy, so if you can play, then we really want you to come!)
Operation Christmas Child Shoeboxes: We have a sweet young lady in the church who has a real passion for getting shoeboxes filled, with much love and with a desire to get the gospel to children around the world. She would like to collect bottles and cans to help cover the cost of shipping for all the boxes ($9/box). So if you have cans/bottles you’d like to donate for this project, you can bring them Sunday and Brianna Wrightson will be collecting them and turning them in. Also, if you’d like to make a monetary donation, Brianna would love to do the leg work of getting more boxes filled for you!
I’m so thankful for a God who is willing and able to wash me and make me whiter than snow, aren’t you?!
Love From Your Pastor,
Michael