Hello brothers and sisters of FBC!
So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ. (Romans 10:17)
Hear, O LORD, when I cry aloud; be gracious to me and answer me! (Psalm 27:7)
There was a little theme that stood out to me in my Bible reading today — the theme of “hearing.”
(A side note: a number of you are joining me in using the “M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan” for 2015. A few of us are reading out of the “ESV Daily Reading Bible” and the rest are using the printed out sheets that we supplied in the foyer. The readings should have been the same in both formats, but I discovered this week that for some reason the one I’m reading has us in Psalms, while the printed out list has you in Luke instead. So sorry about the difference – maybe we’ll get back on all the same readings in the months ahead.)
In Romans 10 Paul reminds us of the essential matter of the gospel being preached, so that people can hear the message, so that they might believe and be saved. I’ve loved verse 17 for a long time. It reminds me that what people around me need is not any fancy argument or well-worded presentation. They need the word of Christ! Hearing the word of Christ is what is absolutely critical for someone to come to faith.
In Psalm 27, David is asking the Lord to hear him as he cries out in prayer. You will see this kind of request all throughout the Psalms (and many other passages as well). One of the great blessings of our relationship with the Lord is knowing that when we pray to Him, he hears us! He listens! And He acts!
These two ideas together emphasize something very important for each of us: our faith is not simply some dogma, or some set of religious practices. No, Christianity is about a real relationship with a real God who really loves us. We can communicate with Him. We hear Him, with faith, through His Word. He hears us, by grace, when we pray. What a beautiful thing!
It was a blessing to spend some time away with my family. Thank you for your prayers for us. I am grateful for the ministry of Bob Reister, Ryan, and Bruce Tissell as they shared the Word with you. But it is also a blessing to be back here, and I’m excited to see you this weekend!
This Sunday we will jump back into Revelation! We will be in Revelation 17, discussing “Babylon the Great”. This is a challenging passage! But please read it prayerfully before Sunday and let’s ask God to communicate to us what He wants us to hear.
A few other things of note…
1) Thank you to all who have helped with the Central Linn backpack project! I know this will be a blessing to a number of families. If you’re still working on yours, please bring it Sunday. Questions? Call Elizabeth Beach, 541-979-1774.
2) This Saturday there is a work day at the church. Please come help out if you can, from 9am to Noon. It looks like there will be some important projects to help with and some general beautifying of our property that is needed. Questions? Call Flyd Sams, 541-367-2370.
3) Friday, August 28 is the premier of the movie, “War Room” in theaters. I looked online and found the Corvallis Carmike theater the closest one to us that is showing it. This is a movie from the same people who made “Courageous,” “Facing the Giants,” and “Fireproof.” It should be excellent. The theme of it is the the power of prayer. See the trailer at http://warroomthemovie.com/
4) September 11-13 is Men’s Roundup! Guys, this is a great time of growth, learning, bonding, and fun. To learn more and to register, go to http://mensroundup.com/ Questions? Call Jeff Stoneberg, 541-654-2729. We will probably try to get a camping spot together again, so please let Jeff know if you are planning to attend. This year’s main speaker is Jared C. Wilson. Learn more about him at http://jaredcwilson.com/ The musical guest is Rhett Walker Band, http://www.rhettwalkerband.com/
Hearing, by faith, the One who hears us, by grace…
Love From Your Pastor,
Michael