Sermon Preview:

My Dear Brothers and Sisters in the Lord,

This coming Sunday, we will continue our study of Hebrews 7:11-22. The subject being addressed here by the inspired author is the superior nature of our Lord’s ministry as the Better High Priest.

And, as you remember, the whole purpose for the lengthy and detailed exposition of this most significant point is that we might have great confidence and hope in our Savior, and may bear the fruit of good works and love until the Day that He comes again in glory (10:23-25).

As you read over our sermons passage, take careful note of what we learn about Christ’s most excellent Priesthood:

It is based upon a superior order (7:11).

It is accompanied by a new law (7:12).

It is not established upon physical descent (7:14).

It achieves the complete forgiveness of our sins (7:19).

It is the fulfillment of a better covenant (7:22).

Thank you for your faithful prayers as we prepare to assemble together in the Name of our Great High Priest and King!

I love you all so very much,

Mike

Announcements:

COVID-19 Message:

For those of you who are attending worship in person on Sunday morning, please practice social distancing as much as you are able and observe the pew markers so that we may keep a safe, 6-ft between families. During this time, we will not have nursery or fellowship time with food and drink. If any family member has been sick, or you have a pre-existing condition, please consider staying home and joining us by watching the recorded service when it is sent out. Masks are not required if you are maintaining social distance, but are welcome. We hope and pray that if you have any needs, you will let a staff member or deacon know so that we can serve you well during this trying time.

Youth Group:

Youth Group meets March 7 at 4:30 PM at the church house.

Children’s Ministry:

There will be a planning meeting for the children’s ministry on Sunday, 2/28, at 4 pm at the Turnbull’s house. Please join us if you’d like to be involved in prayer and planning for 2021!

Women’s Ministry:

Women’s Bible Studies have resumed for the new semester. Times and subjects below:

Mothers Morning Bible Study
Date: Tuesdays through May
Time: 9:30 am
Location: Christ Pres Church

Women’s Morning Bible Study
Date: Wednesdays through May
Time: 10-11:30 am
Location: Christ Pres Church
Topic: Book of Acts Ch, 1-12 by R. Albert Mohler Jr.
Acts 1-12 For You (a companion commentary ) by R. Albert Mohler Jr.

Women’s Evening Bible Study
Date: Wednesdays through May
Time: 6-7:30 pm
Location: Christ Pres Church
Topic: Book of Acts Ch, 1-12 by R. Albert Mohler Jr.
Acts 1-12 For You (a companion commentary ) by R. Albert Mohler Jr.

Career/Singles:

The weekly bible study and fellowship for career/singles has resumed at 5:30 PM Sunday evenings at the home of Jim and Sharon Daughtry.

Senior Fellows:

The Senior Fellows have an ongoing weekly Bible study on Tuesdays from 9:00 to 10:00 AM. We will use the Zoom virtual meeting application to study The Last Days According to Jesus by R.C. Sproul. The topics for the 12 week series are listed below. Church members are welcome to join us. For further information, email us at seniorfellows@christpreshamptoncove.org.

Mar. 2 – A Question of Time
Mar. 9 – Literal or Figurative?
Mar. 16 – This Generation
Mar. 23 – The End of the Age
Mar. 30 – The Destruction of Jerusalem
Apr. 6 – The Book of Revelation
Apr. 13 – The Antichrist
Apr. 20 – The Beast
Apr. 27 – The Rapture
May 4 – The Millennium

Prayer Requests:

Healing: Please pray for the health of the following individuals: Dave Angotti, Dustin and Katie Jackson, Zig and Virdia Jastrebski, Ramona Edwards, Bill Dent, Jacky Haynes, Steve Terry, Bill Cowley, Larrabee Kirkland, and Elizabeth Holton.
Bereavement: Please pray for Mark Hearn, whose brother Mike died last week.
Expecting: Please pray for the Deans, expecting in July.
Ministries: Please pray for the following missionaries and ministries: Seth and Jessica Lewis (Ireland); Steve and Rita Williams (New Zealand); Noah and Karleigh Stephens (Thailand); Vinnie and Molly Athey (RUF at UAH); Amos and Jessica Williams (RUF at Alabama A&M); Ken and Angie Burnett (FCA); Franky and Alaina Garcia (church plant in Canada); Dieter Paulson (church plant in Scottsboro, AL); Gannon Miles (seminary student); The Huntsville Pregnancy Resource Center.

Online Donations:

If you would like to give to Christ Presbyterian, you can do so at the following link:

Emails:

general inquiries: admin@christpreshamptoncove.org
benevolence needs: benevolence@christpreshamptoncove.org
counsel and ministry needs: matthew@christpreshamptoncove.org
men’s ministry: men@christpreshamptoncove.org
women’s ministry: women@christpreshamptoncove.org
children’s ministry: children@christpreshamptoncove.org
youth ministry: youth@christpreshamptoncove.org
senior fellows: seniorfellows@christpreshamptoncove.org

Address:

288 Old Highway 431
Owens Cross Roads, AL 35763

“ So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love”–1 Corinthians 13:13

My Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ Jesus our Lord,

So, what will it be like in heaven, after our Savior has returned, raised us all from the dead, and safely sequestered us in the New Jerusalem?Well, let me tell you what will not be there.There will be no hope in heaven, or any faith either.

Now, that’s certainly a shocking thing to be confronted with on a Monday. But it is absolutely the truth! Heaven will be a place where hope and faith are not needed and, thus, will not be found there, at least in the way that we know them now. The reason for this is simple when you really think deeply about it. Hope exists only in this life. For the time being, we hope for those things that God has promised us, but that we do not see, nor have we experienced fully as of yet. And the same thing goes for faith. We also believe what we cannot see. As Hebrews 11:1makes clear, “ faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen” (NASB).

If we wanted to be a bit provocative, we could say that heaven is both ‘a hopeless and faithless place.’ And this is a good thing! There, all of our hopes will be realized in ways that we cannot comprehend today. And also there, all that we have believed in, the unseen things that God has assured us of, will be seen and experienced in the fullness of their eternal glory! So, faith and hope will not be necessary in the heavenly City of God.

But as for “ love,” well that’s another story altogether!

In the magnificent and much-treasured thirteenth chapter of 1 Corinthians, we have the greatest expression of love ever set forth in human language. And among the many amazing things that the Apostle Paul says about love, we should not forget that among its dazzlingly beautiful attributes is its eternal nature. It abides in a way that even faith and hope do not. As Paul declares in verse 8, “ Love never fails.” And by this he really means “ never,” as in for all eternity!

Heaven, then, will be a place where the love of God is the essence of our existence, the heavenly ‘air’ we shall breathe for all eternity, and the one characteristic of our new home that stands above all others, far surpassing the splendor of the streets of gold and the twelve pearly gates (Revelation 21:21).

Of course, in heaven we will be with the One who is Love Embodied, and forever we shall gaze at His face. And there, in that most Holy City, we shall also experience an unhindered love for our fellow-redeemed and glorified brothers and sisters in Christ. Words simply cannot depict how wonderful this will be!

But we need to bring this blessed truth back down to earth just for a moment. This love, which shall endure for all time and eternity, is not a blessing that is known only in heaven, in the future. It is here now! We have it now! We share it now! And this means that as we love one another as Christ has loved us, we are bringing some of heaven’s eternal glory to this present lost and needy world. In other words, as we love one another, beginning in our own homes, and then radiating out to our fellow-believers in the Body of Christ, and then further out to the world at large, we are granting to love’s recipients a taste of heaven itself!

This means that if we are truly ‘heavenly minded,’ we will love others. Far from being detached from the world, and removed from those sinners who live with us here, a mind that is “ set on things that are above” (Colossians 3:2) will make itself known by our love for others on this side of eternity. When we love someone in this way, we are touching their lives with something eternal in nature. We are granting to them the highest blessing possible, the most priceless treasure of all, the very love of God in Christ Jesus!

Just think of how incredible this really is! This world, the devil’s playground and a place where hate seems to reign, is invaded by heaven every time we act in love! When we love, as commanded, we are attacking the very gates of hell. In the act of loving, we are tearing down the devil’s many strongholds, as the eternal Kingdom of Christ breaks in and takes men and women captive by a benevolent and alien power, that of our Father’s infinite love and mercy!

Let us never underestimate, downplay, or trivialize this love! For when we are “ patient,” “ kind,” not “ jealous,” not bragging, nor “ arrogant,” or acting “ unbecomingly,” and when we do not seek our own well-being, or find ourselves easily provoked, or making a record of the wrongs that we have suffered at the hands of others, or are rejoicing in “ unrighteousness,” love is powerfully released here and now!

So, if you want to do something really, really big today, something world changing, something that will make an eternal difference and will glorify your Farther, then love someone as your Savior has loved you! Let your Father use you to bring a little fraction of heaven’s glory and wealth to earth! Push back on hell’s power by the simple act of loving someone else in the name of Christ!

May our Father cause His love to fill our hearts today!

You are always my dearly beloved family, and I never cease praying for you all,

Mike

Sermon Preview:

Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

One of the most difficult subjects in the Bible is the relationship between the Christian and the Old Testament Law. This matter has been one of great controversy throughout the history of the Church, as we in evidence initially in Acts 15 (the Council at Jerusalem, led by James our Lord’s brother, dealt with this critical issue). Closer to home, it has also been the focus of much debate between the Lutheran and Reformed traditions, as Luther and Calvin certainly had their differences on the question of the Law’s validity for Christians.

In the Epistle to the Hebrews this subject is addressed at length, and in painstaking detail! In fact, we might say that from chapter 5 through chapter 10, and then again in chapters 12 and 13, the author focuses almost exclusively upon this question.

Perhaps you are like many of us and have often wondered just how we are to think about the Law, the Levitical system of sacrifices, and the Old Covenant. Is the Law still valid for us? And is there anything that the Old Covenant, and its commandments, contributes to us? What, if anything, happened to the Law when Jesus came?

Well, it seems that the original readers of Hebrews also struggled with such questions. And in this ‘Epistle-sermon’ the author gets down into the details in order provide them (and us!) with a definitive answer.

Over the next serval weeks in our Sunday messages, we will be picking our way through these chapters. And we will deviate from our normal course of taking one passage after another as it appears consecutively in the text, and will jump around a bit in order to better trace key themes and subjects concerning the old Covenant.

This Lord’s Day our sermon passage will be taken from Hebrews 7:11-22, with a special focus upon verses 11-14 which speak of Jesus as the better Priest who has given us a better Law.

Esther Begins this Sunday in Adult Sunday School!

Just a reminder that our Adults will begin studying the Book of Esther this Lord’s Day. For those interested in a commentary on Esther, I would recommend Esther & Ruth: Reformed Expository Commentary, by Iain M. Duguid (P&R Publishing, 2005).

I love you all, and eagerly await our time of worship together!

Mike

Announcements:

COVID-19 Message:

For those of you who are attending worship in person on Sunday morning, please practice social distancing as much as you are able and observe the pew markers so that we may keep a safe, 6-ft between families. During this time, we will not have nursery or fellowship time with food and drink. If any family member has been sick, or you have a pre-existing condition, please consider staying home and joining us by watching the recorded service when it is sent out. Masks are not required if you are maintaining social distance, but are welcome. We hope and pray that if you have any needs, you will let a staff member or deacon know so that we can serve you well during this trying time.

Youth Group:

Youth Group meets February 21 at 4:30 PM at the church house.

Children’s Ministry:

This continues to be a strange time and hard for churches to plan and execute as they normally would. I am thinking and praying how we can continue to minister to families and children in 2021. I would love to have input and help in planning for 2021. I have some great ideas to continue Vacation Bible School (although in a different, smaller format) as well as outdoor summer fellowships for our children throughout the summer. Additionally, I am so thankful to have so many of your children in Sunday school each week – they are growing and learning BIG truths! Thankful for the teaching of Amanda, Denise, Tim, and Kerry! Please reach out if you have any questions regarding Sunday school. And don’t forget to fill out our survey and include any feedback!

Children’s Survey 2021

Women’s Ministry:

Women’s Bible Studies have resumed for the new semester. Times and subjects below:

Mothers Morning Bible Study
Date: Tuesdays through May
Time: 9:30 am
Location: Christ Pres Church

Women’s Morning Bible Study
Date: Wednesdays through May
Time: 10-11:30 am
Location: Christ Pres Church
Topic: Book of Acts Ch, 1-12 by R. Albert Mohler Jr.
Acts 1-12 For You (a companion commentary ) by R. Albert Mohler Jr.

Women’s Evening Bible Study
Date: Wednesdays through May
Time: 6-7:30 pm
Location: Christ Pres Church
Topic: Book of Acts Ch, 1-12 by R. Albert Mohler Jr.
Acts 1-12 For You (a companion commentary ) by R. Albert Mohler Jr.

Career/Singles:

The weekly bible study and fellowship for career/singles has resumed at 5:30 PM Sunday evenings at the home of Jim and Sharon Daughtry.

Senior Fellows:

The Senior Fellows have an ongoing weekly Bible study on Tuesdays from 9:00 to 10:00 AM. We will use the Zoom virtual meeting application to study The Last Days According to Jesus by R.C. Sproul. The topics for the 12 week series are listed below. Church members are welcome to join us. For further information, email us at seniorfellows@christpreshamptoncove.org.

Feb.23 – Understanding the Parousia
Mar. 2 – A Question of Time
Mar. 9 – Literal or Figurative?
Mar. 16 – This Generation
Mar. 23 – The End of the Age
Mar. 30 – The Destruction of Jerusalem
Apr. 6 – The Book of Revelation
Apr. 13 – The Antichrist
Apr. 20 – The Beast
Apr. 27 – The Rapture
May 4 – The Millennium

Prayer Requests:

Healing: Please pray for the health of the following individuals: Dave Angotti, Dustin and Katie Jackson, Zig and Virdia Jastrebski, Ramona Edwards, Bill Dent, Jacky Haynes, Steve Terry, Bill Cowley, Larrabee Kirkland, and Elizabeth Holton.
Bereavement: Please pray for Mark Hearn, whose brother Mike died last week.
Expecting: Please pray for the Deans, expecting in July.
Ministries: Please pray for the following missionaries and ministries: Seth and Jessica Lewis (Ireland); Steve and Rita Williams (New Zealand); Noah and Karleigh Stephens (Thailand); Vinnie and Molly Athey (RUF at UAH); Amos and Jessica Williams (RUF at Alabama A&M); Ken and Angie Burnett (FCA); Franky and Alaina Garcia (church plant in Canada); Dieter Paulson (church plant in Scottsboro, AL); Gannon Miles (seminary student); The Huntsville Pregnancy Resource Center.

Online Donations:

If you would like to give to Christ Presbyterian, you can do so at the following link:

Emails:

general inquiries: admin@christpreshamptoncove.org
benevolence needs: benevolence@christpreshamptoncove.org
counsel and ministry needs: matthew@christpreshamptoncove.org
men’s ministry: men@christpreshamptoncove.org
women’s ministry: women@christpreshamptoncove.org
children’s ministry: children@christpreshamptoncove.org
youth ministry: youth@christpreshamptoncove.org
senior fellows: seniorfellows@christpreshamptoncove.org

Address:

288 Old Highway 431
Owens Cross Roads, AL 35763

“ What then is Apollos? And What is Paul?  Servants. . . For no man can lay a foundation other than the one which has been laid, which is Jesus Christ”–1 Corinthians 3:5, 11 (NASB).

My Beloved Ones in Christ Jesus our Lord,

A couple of weeks ago at the meeting of our Presbytery, I had the joy of giving the formal ‘candidate’s charge’ to one of our own young men, Gannon Miles, who had just taken the very first step toward licensure (and eventually ordination) in the PCA as a minister of the Gospel. I read to him the rather odd words that we find in 1 Corinthians 3:5 where the Apostle Paul makes his dramatic case that no minister of Christ should ever be seen as a ‘rock star’ or ‘celebrity’ by those to whom he ministers. And neither should the minister ever seek such worldly status, influence, notoriety, or power. Rather, those of us who have been called by Christ to proclaim His Word and care for His people are, in a word, nothing. . . nothing but “ servants,” or bond slaves, of Christ (3:7). We are nothing more, and nothing less. And we must never, ever forget that!

I bring this up on this new Monday in the aftermath of the recent and horrendous scandal involving one of the most well-known Christian preachers and apologists of our day, the late Ravi Zacharias. Without going into all of the heart-breaking details and sordid facts of this disgrace, I know that many of us have found ourselves dealing with feelings of betrayal, disgust, hurt, and perhaps even embarrassment. We have read his books, listened to his sermons, benefited from his critiques of contemporary culture, profited from his evangelist strategy, and discovered great personal encouragement for our own souls. And yet, in the end, what he was to us in public was only a façade. Behind the scenes (apparently going on for years), there were unimaginably evil and perverse things happening, even to the point of criminal behavior. We should fervently pray for his wife, children, and family as they are understandably devastated by these public revelations.

But there are some great lessons here for all of us, and even a word of encouragement, arising from the debris of yet another ministerial failure in an awfully long line of such disasters.

First, God’s truth never changes, and is in no way compromised or diminished by the moral or doctrinal failures of those who declare it. As Paul makes clear to the Corinthians, it is God “ who causes the growth” of the Church and the expansion of His eternal kingdom (3:7).Those who declare and teach His Word are just the bond slaves who speak for the King. And even if, in the end, they prove to be infidels, the Word will never return void!

Second, the Church, our personal faith in Christ, and the mission to which we have been called do not depend upon any man. Preachers, evangelists, apologists, and theologians, will come and go. Some will prove to be more faithful than others. Some, as in the present tragic case, will even be exposed as devils. But be that as it may, there is only one “ foundation” for the Church, for our salvation, and for our sacred mission of proclaiming the Gospel . . . the Lord Jesus Christ! This is the very point that Paul was so passionate about making in 1 Corinthians 2:3-5–

“ And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.”

Third, let us never forget that our God and Father is the Sovereign One. Our Westminster Confession of Faith well-articulates the Biblical testimony to this reality when it declares, “ God, from all eternity, did—by the most wise and holy counsel of his own will—freely and unchangeably ordain whatever comes to pass.” In light of the present debacle, we are alarmed, shaken, surprised, and caught off guard by the unbelievable news. But there are no surprises to our Father!  His is “ a kingdom which cannot be shaken” (Hebrews 12:28). Even this terrible event, like all such things, is part of His all-glorious plan to exalt His Son, save and bless His people, and demonstrate His holiness and grace to the whole world!  He will use even this to expand the reach of His mercy!

Fourth, we are ‘brought back to earth’ by the realization (once again!) that all of those who serve us on behalf of our Lord are mere men. None are as holy as they should be, or appear to be on the outside. None are worthy objects of worship. All have their weaknesses and blind spots. All need rigorous and honest accountability. All will, to one degree or another, fail the Lord and us in some way. All are in desperate need of the grace of which they regularly speak. There is only One ‘hero’ of the Church! The rest of us, His messengers, are just His slaves.  And our success will be measured only by the degree that we decrease and He ever increases!

Finally, be encouraged by the simple fact that we are still here in 2021! The Church of the Savior is alive! The Gospel has not been defeated! And this most basic reality is massively significant given that this is far from the first time (or the last) that a scandal has befallen the Bride of Christ. From the earliest days of the Church, false doctrine and false teachers have relentlessly dogged the steps of the Bride and dotted her history.  And yet, just as Jesus said, not even the gates of hell itself shall prevail against her!

Your faith is well-founded! The Church stands upon the solid ground of God’s unfailing Word: The Word Incarnated and the Word Inscripturated!  For, “ God’s truth abideth still,” and “ His kingdom is forever”!  After all, our Savior is, indeed,  a “ Mighty Fortress”!

I love you all so very much, and I am so thankful for your prayers that our Father always uses to bless, protect, and strengthen me!

Mike

Sermon Preview:

Brothers and Sisters in the Lord,

In Hebrews 6:19-20 we discover a simple, yet very powerful image that is designed to convey to us the certainty of our salvation in Christ our Lord.

As you remember, the author of this epistle is seeking to provide comfort and assurance to his readers who are being buffeted and afflicted by various pressures coming against them. These forces include persecution, temptation, and the defection of some among them who had previously professed faith in Christ, yet had turned away from Him. And doubtless, some of the faithful among them, if not many, had been suffering through serious doubts about their own salvation.

Into this tumultuous scene, the inspired author of Hebrews inserts an ancient symbol of certainty and security in order to teach them about the unfailing nature of the salvation they had received in Christ. It is a simple nautical term, one that already had a rich history of use as an emblem of stability. He speaks of “ a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul” (v. 19). An “ anchor”!

This coming Lord’s Day, we will consider this wonderful symbol of the Christian faith, and how we may draw encouragement from it as we follow our Lord today.

A Special Prayer Request

Many of you will remember Dave and Rosemary Angotti, former CPC members who moved to St. Augustine, Florida a number of years ago. Dave faithfully served us as a Deacon, then as a Ruling Elder, and also as our Church Administrator back in those days when we were meeting in the middle school. Dave not only diligently ministered to our fellowship in each of these essential capacities, but he graciously gave me an immeasurable amount of support and encouragement as my dear brother in Christ and fellow-laborer in the Lord’s work.

Recently, Dave has been diagnosed with Pleural mesothelioma, an aggressive form of cancer that affects the lungs, and one that is normally associated with a previous exposure to asbestos. There is no cure for this deadly and aggressive form of cancer, but there are some treatments available that may slow down the progression of the disease. Please pray fervently for Dave and for Rosemary. Pray that his treatments will be effective in arresting the advance of the cancer, and that the Lord will protect him from any potential risks or side-effects from these treatments. I spoke with both of them by phone last night and assured them of our love, and our commitment to pray faithfully for them as they walk this pathway. I’ll keep you informed about Dave as we receive more information.

I love you all, and can’t wait to see you this Sunday!

Mike

Announcements:

COVID-19 Message:

For those of you who are attending worship in person on Sunday morning, please practice social distancing as much as you are able and observe the pew markers so that we may keep a safe, 6-ft between families. During this time, we will not have nursery or fellowship time with food and drink. If any family member has been sick, or you have a pre-existing condition, please consider staying home and joining us by watching the recorded service when it is sent out. Masks are not required if you are maintaining social distance, but are welcome. We hope and pray that if you have any needs, you will let a staff member or deacon know so that we can serve you well during this trying time.

Youth Group:

Youth Group meets February 21 at 4:30 PM at the church house.

Also, the presbytery-wide youth event, the ROOTS Retreat, will be March 5-7 at Camp ToKnowHim. This year’s speaker is Rev. Braden Benson. He’s an ordained PCA minister, and ACBC Christian Counselor working with the Owen Center in Auburn. He’ll be presenting a series on Fear, Anxiety, and Depression (using Running Scared by Ed Welch). Braden holds a Masters of Arts of Christian Counseling as well as a Masters of Divinity from Reformed Theological Seminary in Charlotte, NC. He received a degree in Psychology from Mississippi State University with a special focus in Marriage and Family Therapy. He is also a member of the Association of Certified Biblical Counselors (ACBC). For the past six years he and his wife have worked in ministries of counseling, adult Christian education and with Joni & Friends, a Christ-based ministry to the disabled. Through the Owen Center Braden pursues a life-calling to serve Christ by cultivating the ministry of biblical counseling in His church. This year’s Cost is $100 +$12 for a shirt. The deadline to register is TODAY February 12.

Children’s Ministry:

This continues to be a strange time and hard for churches to plan and execute as they normally would. I am thinking and praying how we can continue to minister to families and children in 2021. I would love to have input and help in planning for 2021. I have some great ideas to continue Vacation Bible School (although in a different, smaller format) as well as outdoor summer fellowships for our children throughout the summer. Additionally, I am so thankful to have so many of your children in Sunday school each week – they are growing and learning BIG truths! Thankful for the teaching of Amanda, Denise, Tim, and Kerry! Please reach out if you have any questions regarding Sunday school. And don’t forget to fill out our survey and include any feedback!

Children’s Survey 2021

Women’s Ministry:

Women’s Bible Studies have resumed for the new semester. Times and subjects below:

Mothers Morning Bible Study
Date: Tuesdays through May
Time: 9:30 am
Location: Christ Pres Church

Women’s Morning Bible Study
Date: Wednesdays through May
Time: 10-11:30 am
Location: Christ Pres Church
Topic: Book of Acts Ch, 1-12 by R. Albert Mohler Jr.
Acts 1-12 For You (a companion commentary ) by R. Albert Mohler Jr.

Women’s Evening Bible Study
Date: Wednesdays through May
Time: 6-7:30 pm
Location: Christ Pres Church
Topic: Book of Acts Ch, 1-12 by R. Albert Mohler Jr.
Acts 1-12 For You (a companion commentary ) by R. Albert Mohler Jr.

Career/Singles:

The weekly bible study and fellowship for career/singles has resumed at 5:30 PM Sunday evenings at the home of Jim and Sharon Daughtry.

Senior Fellows:

The Senior Fellows begin a new weekly Bible study on Tuesday, February 16 from 9:00 to 10:00 AM. We will use the Zoom virtual meeting application to study The Last Days According to Jesus by R.C. Sproul. The topics for the 12 week series are listed below. Church members are welcome to join us. For further information, email us at seniorfellows@christpreshamptoncove.org.

Feb.16 – Crisis in Eschatology
Feb.23 – Understanding the Parousia
Mar. 2 – A Question of Time
Mar. 9 – Literal or Figurative?
Mar. 16 – This Generation
Mar. 23 – The End of the Age
Mar. 30 – The Destruction of Jerusalem
Apr. 6 – The Book of Revelation
Apr. 13 – The Antichrist
Apr. 20 – The Beast
Apr. 27 – The Rapture
May 4 – The Millennium

Prayer Requests:

Healing: Please pray for the health of the following individuals: Dave Angotti, Dustin and Katie Jackson, Zig and Virdia Jastrebski, Ramona Edwards, Bill Dent, Jacky Haynes, Steve Terry, Bill Cowley, Larrabee Kirkland, and Elizabeth Holton.
Expecting: Please pray for the Deans, expecting in July.
Ministries: Please pray for the following missionaries and ministries: Seth and Jessica Lewis (Ireland); Steve and Rita Williams (New Zealand); Noah and Karleigh Stephens (Thailand); Vinnie and Molly Athey (RUF at UAH); Amos and Jessica Williams (RUF at Alabama A&M); Ken and Angie Burnett (FCA); Franky and Alaina Garcia (church plant in Canada); Dieter Paulson (church plant in Scottsboro, AL); Gannon Miles (seminary student); The Huntsville Pregnancy Resource Center.

Online Donations:

If you would like to give to Christ Presbyterian, you can do so at the following link:

Emails:

general inquiries: admin@christpreshamptoncove.org
benevolence needs: benevolence@christpreshamptoncove.org
counsel and ministry needs: matthew@christpreshamptoncove.org
men’s ministry: men@christpreshamptoncove.org
women’s ministry: women@christpreshamptoncove.org
children’s ministry: children@christpreshamptoncove.org
youth ministry: youth@christpreshamptoncove.org
senior fellows: seniorfellows@christpreshamptoncove.org

Address:

288 Old Highway 431
Owens Cross Roads, AL 35763

“ My soul clings to the dust; Revive me according to Your word”­–Psalm 119:25

My Beloved in Christ Jesus,

From one end of the Evangelical spectrum to the other, from Presbyterians to Pentecostals (and everyone in between!), the language of revival can be found among those who confess faith in Christ.

As you know, the history of the appearance and spread of Christianity in America cannot be adequately told without reference to the many ‘revivals’ that have dotted the national landscape over the passing centuries. And there are many of us in our Church fellowship that have, at one time or another, experienced such a revival. Perhaps it was in a ‘revival meeting’ that you first heard the Gospel and trusted in Christ. Or it could have been at just such a time that you came to a greater awareness of Christ’s Lordship in your life, and from then on you have lived for Him with more zeal and passion.

While there are differences and significant points of disagreement between Evangelical denominations regarding the place and purpose of such revivals in the life of God’s people, one thing is indisputable: the language of revival is also discovered in the Word of God, and especially in the Psalms. Let me give you just a few examples:

“ You who have shown me many troubles and distresses will revive me again, and will bring me up again from the depths of the earth”–Psalm 71:20.

“ Revive us, and we will call upon Your name”–Psalm 80:18.

“ Revive me according to Your faithfulness, so that I may keep the testimony of Your mouth”–Psalm 119:88.

“ I will never forget Your precepts, for by them You have revived me”–Psalm 119:93.

On this new Monday (like most of them), it is this theme of the need for ‘revival’ that seems to always come to mind. And I’m sure you are aware of the same need in one way or another. So I simply want to point out a few things about this rich Biblical topic that I believe might encourage us as we begin the week.

First, as the Psalmist uses this word, revival is something that is needed by and that happens to those who already know the Lord. It is the saints who need reviving. The lost are in need of regeneration.

Now it is certainly true that when Christians are genuinely revived there is sometimes a great outpouring of God’s mercy upon the lost. But, nevertheless, it is those who are alive in Christ who need the spiritual revitalization that is inherent in this word ‘revive.’

Second, the need for us to be revived is perpetual. This is why the Psalmist so frequently asks for it. As long as we are living on this side of heaven–as sojourners in a foreign and hostile land, fighting each day’s spiritual battles–we will need fresh spiritual life and strength.

Third, the revival of Christian believers is the work of the Holy Spirit, who accomplishes this ministry through the Word of God. It is God’s Word, illuminated and applied to our hearts by the Spirit, that awakens us to new spiritual vitality and energy.

We must remember the inviolable link between the Spirit and the Word. As we are exposed to the Holy Scriptures (through preaching, teaching, reading, and hearing) the Spirit of the Living God sanctifies and renews us.

Fourth, the prayerful plea for revival is a prayer that our Father will always answer! When we recognize our weakness, our sinfulness, our proclivity to wander, and then humbly beseech our Father to forgive and renew us, He is always delighted to do so!

But, we must turn to His Word! Christians who neglect the preaching and study of the Word will not be revived, and will rather languish in weakness and despair. But when we embrace the Word of our God, His Spirit goes to work. And His specialty is granting life!

Finally, if the need for personal and corporate revival is always present, then the experience of revival should be on-going as well. That is, revival should be the continual and repeated experience of every Christian and every local Church. We might say, revival is the normal rhythm of Christian discipleship until that day that we behold our Lord face-to-face. We always need it. Our Father is always granting it, each moment, each hour, each day, and especially each Lord’s Day as His Word is proclaimed in preaching and dramatized in the Sacraments!

So, here we are. Another Monday has arrived. Another week of fighting the good fight of faith lies ahead for each of us. Another day is before us in which we once again realize our many weaknesses and sins, and we dread the prospect of another failure, or are in mourning over one that has already occurred. We are very aware of the reality that our adversary could sift us like wheat were he to be released against us. We need revival yet again!

Well, despite all of this, there is the most wonderful news for weak Christians like you and me: revival shall come! As we ask our Father to fill us with His power and resurrection-life, we can be assured He will answer us! Revival begins today! A fresh-start awaits us! Be encouraged!

I love you all so much!

Mike