How Did We Get Here?…June 18th

Driving down the street with your mind on that meeting; your spouse’s doctor appointment and the ‘conversation’ you had with the kids earlier, did you notice the stop drivingsign? Of course I did, I stopped didn’t I…didn’t I? After leaving the house you drove those familiar streets to your next stop, but have you ever ask yourself, “What did I pass, how did I get here?”  

This Sunday morning we’re not talking about driving, but we are going to look at what we have done (what happened while I was raising my family) to get where we are today. And since its Father’s Day, we’ll look at a father whose son challenged him at every corner. With or without challenges, you have grown up in a family that brought you to this day, so maybe we should ask the question…“How Did We Get Here?”

“…I will sing with the spirit and I will sing with the mind also.”  I Corinthians 14:15

Sunday morning, June 18, 2017

The following songs are found in the hymnal, Songs of Faith & Praise.

“Let Every Heart Rejoice and Sing” – 8

We’ll open our worship with a song encouraging ALL to rejoice and sing. “…Ye aged men and children bring to God your sacrifice…” Together we will lift up our hearts as a sacrifice of praise!

“Wonderful Words of Life” – 543

Dads (Grandads), as you raise your family insure that you are singing to your children about a God who created them and loves them? Sing so that your children would say, “Sing them over again to me, wonderful words of life…” If you want your family to head toward heaven, point them toward God. You can do that by singing to them about the wonderful words of life.

“There is a Redeemer” – 287

The next two songs will usher us toward the Lord’s Supper. The prayer we’ll sing is simple, “Thank you, O my Father for giving us Your son.” Tell your children and your grandchildren about the gift God has given us through His Son! Without it, our families will be in distress wondering ‘how did we get here?’

“It Is Well with My Soul” – 490Old rugged cross

The second verse of this song before the Lord’s supper we’ll focus on a call to remember Christ sacrifice, “My sin! O the bless of this glorious thought, my sin, not in part, but the whole is nailed to HIS cross and I bear it no more…Praise the Lord!” Maybe this could be a song before the Lord’s Supper.

“Remind Me Dear Lord” – 606

“Nothing good have I done to deserve God’s own Son, I’m not worthy of the scars in His hands. Yet He chose the road to Calvary to die in my stead, why He loved me, I can’t understand.” Sometime we need the curtain of our memory rolled back so we can remember where we came from…we need that if we are ever going to know how we got where we are!

“Faith of Our Fathers” – 754

Before our lesson we’ll sing about the faith of our forefathers. We stand on the shoulders of those who have gone before us. If we fail to see what our fathers have done to bring us this far we miss the value of our legacy. Not to mention we’ll never know…you got it…how we got here!

“How Deep the Father’s Love” – no book

An invitation song that might not be ‘typical,’ but one that clearly reminds us (if we’re thinking about the words) that we were once a wretch, but now we are His treasure. That it was my voice that was heard among the scoffers and my sin that held Him to the cross. And perhaps most importantly, I have NO answer as to why I should gain from the reward of His death and resurrection. If we fail to examine this, our destination might not be the end result we all are hoping for. We might wonder not how did I get here…but why did I do that?

“Oh, To Be Like Thee” – 429

You want to have certainty of where you’re going? What to have confidence in knowing you’re directing your family toward heaven? Then consider this song, “Oh to be like Thee, blessed Redeemer! This is my constant LONGING AND PRAYER…” If our constant longing is to be with our God, and if we are leading our families in that direction, and if we obey God’s instructions to join Him in heaven…we’ll know how we got there!

God’s Chosen Fathers…June 16th

kids early yearsOn a clear Sunday afternoon in the mid-1990’s our family went to eat lunch after morning services.  As we were getting our children out of their car seats and into the restaurant, Logan, then three, asked, “Since we celebrate mommy’s on Mother’s Day and daddy’s on Father’s Day, when do we celebrate ‘Son Day’?”  My response; “Every day…is son’s day.”

But if the truth be know, every day we should be recognizing the Son of God and celebrate Him.  This past month we took some time to honor our mothers, and this Sunday we’ll take a minute and consider our dads.  Father’s Day and Mother’s Day were designed by our country to honor our parents (Ephesians 6:1, 2).  But men we must remember our responsibility as dads.  Join us as we consider the idea that God has chosen us to be fathers.

“…I will sing with the spirit and I will sing with the mind also.”  I Corinthians 14:15

Sunday morning, June 16, 2013

The following songs are found in the hymnal, Songs of Faith & Praise.

“Restore My Soul” – no book

As we sing this song to God we’re asking Him to restore us, revive us and renew us.  The text for this hymn is Psalm 80, “O God, restore us and cause Your face to shine upon us…”   Surely we have all felt weary, empty and ‘cold’ in our zeal for God.  But this morning as we sing, we’ll be calling on Him to renew our love for Him, rebuild our faith in Him and restore our soul.

“Night with Ebon Pinion” – no book

This is an old spiritual song that dates back to the mid-1800’s, with some very strong Biblical applications.  The poetry from this song has caused many to abandon it, but in so doing we lose a beautiful message about the last hours of Christ’s life on earth.  Terms like “ebon pinion” and “brooded o’re the vale’ have perplexed many Christians into leaving this hymn behind, but consider what we’re singing.  Ebon means ‘black in color’ while pinions are the wings/feathers of a bird.  To ‘brood’ is to hover or sit upon, and the ‘vale’ is the valley.  Now pull them all together with this translation; The dark night had settled and was hovering over the valley like the wings of bird…  We have an obligation to take the time to understand what we’re singing.  Maybe that’s why some of our older hymns have been tossed out; we would rather not think about the words.


“God is So Good”
– 83

A simple song with a complex message.  God is good, He answers prayer and He cares for me.  Would that be the reason we sing the final verse, “I love Him so…” or is our faithfulness unconditional?  He died for us when we were undeserving.  Do you love Him because He’s good and answers your prayers?  Simple, but complex…

“Walk with Me” – 394

Less than 50 years old, we sing this hymn asking for God’s guidance and presence in our daily lives.  The refrain is a personal plea that I will follow in His footsteps from Galilee to Gethsemane.  Fathers, remember our responsibility to lead our families; we’ll do it best when we walk with Jesus.Faith of our Fathers

“Faith of Our Fathers” – 754

Fredrick Faber captured the message here of a godly heritage.  When our father’s are faithful and pass that faith down to their children, we are blessed.  But fathers, have you ever been confined to the dungeon, or faced the fire and sword?  Who of us have been chained in prisons dark?  Hebrews 11:32-38 gives us the remembrance of these faithful (fore)fathers as we look at verses 1 & 2, “Now faith, is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.  For by it the men of old gained approval.”  “Faith of our fathers!  Holy faith!  We will be true to Thee (God) till death!”

“Step by Step” – 15

Before our lesson we’ll medley Faith of Our Fathers with Step by Step.  Song leaders, since the key signatures are the same and the message is sequential,  the flow of these two songs make a beautiful combination.  The tradition followed by the contemporary makes for a powerful reminder that our faith in God will seek Him in the daily.  Each step toward God shows our families, and this lost world, that we are devoted to walking in His ways.

“I Am Coming, Lord” – 923

“I hear Thy welcome voice that calls me, Lord, to Thee…”  As our invitation song we open the door, so to speak, for those who are lost or struggling in hear the voice of Godtheir faith to come back to God.  An invitation song isn’t the only time we seek the lost, but it’s a great opportunity.  In our hymnals, Faith & Praise, only the first verse is provided.  But this Sunday morning we’ll revisit Louis Hartsough’s original writing; ” ‘Tis (It is) Jesus (who) calls me on to perfect faith and love, to perfect hope and peace and trust, for earth and heav’n above…”  To those who are hurting, sad and lost in sin, there is peace in the blood that flowed from Calvary.


“To Christ Be True”
– 736

What better way to end the service this morning than to reconfirm our faith in our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.  We’ll join our voices and sing to encourage each other to be true to Christ.  Why, ‘…for He will go with you, and help you’  through all your conflicts.  But more importantly, because we have been chosen to lead our children to Him.