Happy Friday FBC!
To You, O Lord, belongs righteousness, but to us open shame, as at this day, to the men of Judah, to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and to all Israel, those who are near and those who are far away, in all the lands to which You have driven them, because of the treachery that they have committed against You.
(Daniel 9:7, see the whole prayer – Daniel 9:3-19)
“Daniel learns by reading Jeremiah that the 70 years of captivity will soon end. He begins to pray in preparation, confessing his own sin and the sin of his people. Daniel includes himself as a sinner needing the grace of God because he knows how righteous and holy God is. Daniel’s words remind us that, in light of God’s holiness,
all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Rom. 3:23).” (The Gospel Transformation Bible
)
This past Tuesday Justin and I attended Franklin Graham’s Decision America Tour at the Oregon State Capitol building in Salem. It was a great reminder of our desperate need for God’s mercy in America, and that we need to be praying and confessing our sins and repenting and turning to Christ. He reminded us to confess our personal sins, our family sins, and our nation’s sins. This is a critical moment in America’s history – as we approach Independence Day let’s keep praying and seeking God’s face and ask Him to help us as Christians and as a nation to turn from our wicked ways!
Sunday I will be preaching on 2 Samuel 12:1-25, a message titled, “Conviction & Confession”. Following David’s sinful episode with Bathsheba and the murder of Uriah, he finds himself confronted by the prophet Nathan. It’s quite a powerful story with lessons for all of us. David’s prayer/song of repentance is also powerful. I’d encourage you to read it in Psalm 51. I’m working on memorizing that psalm, but I can’t guarantee I’ll have it by Sunday. What is it that you need to deal with the Lord about? You may not have committed adultery and murder, but remember, “all have sinned…”. Better to spend some time in confession and repentance, and get right in your relationship with the Lord, than to have to get caught “red handed”! Please read 2 Sam. 12 and Ps. 51 before Sunday and come with a tender heart to hear from God’s word. We will also be joining in the remembrance of the Lord’s Table together, which is a fitting conclusion to a message on repentance!
Men: Don’t forget to get registered for Men’s Roundup (Sept. 9-11)! The cabins are all taken, so we will be camping again this year. This is always a great weekend of teaching, worship, and fellowship with other men. Oh, and lots of good food too! Sign up here:
Looking forward to seeing you Sunday!
Grace to you and peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ…
Love From Your Pastor,
Michael