God is continuing to shape Israel into his people as we read through the book of Numbers. He is breaking them of their desire for slavery and calling on them to trust in Him alone. However, the Israelites repeatedly forget what God has done and they turn to fear. They don’t trust that God will provide for them in the desert, and they don’t trust that God will deliver on His promises. Still, God does not abandon them as His chosen people and He continues to show them that He is good and trustworthy!
As we read further, God has now shown the people the land that was promised to their ancestors, that He delivers them into by His mighty hand. It is wonderful to reflect and to see God’s patience with such a wayward group, especially in light of my own waywardness.
Read Psalm 37 taking the words to heart.
What fears does this Psalm alleviate for you?
What is one place you can place your trust back on God this week?
Well, we finished up our Heroes series in a wonderful way. What a great weekend as we watched people respond to God’s call and heroically stand to follow Christ. This Sunday, we will have a great opportunity to be “fearless” in the form of generosity. We will discover how we are blessed in so many ways, and how God has called us to “do good” with all we have been given.
It’s an exciting weekend for our church as we bless those both locally and globally who are in need.
This week we finished the Book of Hebrews and have started on the Book of Numbers. The book gets its name most likely from the two censuses that are taken in chapters 1 and 26. However, Jewish readers most commonly refer to the book by a word that is more descriptive of the time in Israel’s history spent in the wilderness. Though the book at some parts feels like another round of rules and regulations, similar to Leviticus, the rules given in the book of Numbers deal with the laws and regulations for Israel while they are on the march. Numbers is one of the longest books in the Old Testament and ends at the final encampment before entering the Promise Land.
At the beginning of this week you read Psalm 30 and reflected on how God treats the down and out. Notice the imagery used and how the author describes being rescued and pulled up from the grave, out of the ground and restored. Ultimately it is a psalm of confession and thanksgiving.
Spend just a few moments this week writing down what you are thankful for. When was a time when you acted as if you did not need God? Have you ever experienced God turning a season of lament into a season of dancing?
Well, we are entering into our final week in our series titled Hero’s. What we will learn this weekend is that because of our fear, our sin may distance us from God, but our sin does not distance God from us. Being heroic does not mean we have to be perfect. This weekend we will give people an opportunity to be incredibly heroic and accept Christ for the first time.
Also, this Saturday, Men’s Ministry will be kicking off their first Men’s Breakfast. The guest speaker will be Jim Ryun, former Olympic distance runner and world record holder in the mile. Please join us in the Chapel at 8:00 am, breakfast will be served.
Join this weekly study where we’ll discuss God’s Word and its application to our daily lives. We’ll support one another in prayer and friendship as we have seen God do the miraculous amongst us. Register online. Contact Diane.
We are out of Leviticus and back into the Psalms and stating the book of Hebrews.
You made it through, and if you have not I would recommend skipping ahead and joining us on the current date.
The first part of Hebrews is in part addressing those that would want to hold to tightly to Moses as the leader of the faith to the exclusion of what Jesus did, while at the same time helping those that would be happy to just forget about Moses remember what God had done through him. The writer wants to say Moses matters but Jesus matters even more.
Hebrews 3:7-13 quotes and reflects on Psalm 95. The author wants us to be reminded that we are called to pay attention to what God is doing today, to not be overly focused on tomorrow.
As you read this section again, reflect on a time that you where encouraged and how it made you feel?
Is there a time in your life that you experienced your own heart hardening? Spend some time considering what it takes for you to remain focused on what God is up to in your life.
We’ll gather for fellowship and to hear from God’s Word, spend time in community, and encourage each other in our roles as men.
Speaker: Jim Ryun
Jim and his sons, Ned and Drew, have co-authored three books: Heroes Among Us, The Courage to Run, and In Quest of Gold! He has participated in three summer Olympic games and has achieved national acclaim as a track and field star while a high school student in Wichita, Kansas as he was the first high school male to run the mile in under 4 minutes. Jim Ryun was a member of the armed services, and Budget and Financial service committees. Jim served as a citizen-statesman with a commitment to honesty and integrity.
Well we are now six weeks into our series Heroes, with two more weeks remaining. We have been talking about what it looks like to live life heroically. Hopefully over the past six weeks God has put something on your heart that you want to go after, or something in your life that you want to give up, or even something in your life through God’s strength that you want to do or become. This week we are going to look at the obstacles that get in the way of our desire to live life heroically, through the life of Nehemiah. It’s a great story, you are not going to want to miss it.
Also, did you know we have built a baptism on campus? We are going to do our first baptism as Mariners Ocean Hills Church on March 30th. If you, or someone you know would like to be baptized, please let them know. I am going to do a message on Baptism on March 23rd, attending this service will be a “prerequisite” to being baptized. Instead of having a baptism class, the whole church is going to learn what baptism is all about, so please put that down as well.
We have been reading through the book of Leviticus, which at times can feel tedious, but don’t loose heart. Leviticus is written during the time when God is leading Israel through the wilderness to the promise land. It is the story of God dealing with his people, taking the initiative to be in relationship with humankind. Leviticus spells out the way in which God seeks to orient the people of Israel around the worship of God, breaking them of false gods from surrounding cultures and from their time as slaves in Egypt.
As you read, notice Gods heart for his people and what it means for them to be wholly devoted to the God that delivered them from slavery and wants to use them to bless the whole world.
Keep up the reading; we are almost onto the book of Hebrews. Remember if you fall too far behind feel free to just skip ahead to the current day.
