DEVOTION: Psalm 149
149 Praise the Lord!
Sing to the Lord a new song,
his praise in the assembly of the godly!
2 Let Israel be glad in his Maker;
let the children of Zion rejoice in their King!
3 Let them praise his name with dancing,
making melody to him with tambourine and lyre!
4 For the Lord takes pleasure in his people;
he adorns the humble with salvation.
5 Let the godly exult in glory;
let them sing for joy on their beds.
6 Let the high praises of God be in their throats
and two-edged swords in their hands,
7 to execute vengeance on the nations
and punishments on the peoples,
8 to bind their kings with chains
and their nobles with fetters of iron,
9 to execute on them the judgment written!
This is honor for all his godly ones.
Praise the Lord!
A new song..... Everyone likes a new song, don't they? After hearing a song over and over again, even if it is a good song, you get tired of it.
The same holds true for our lives in Christ. How, you ask? Well, let's look at it from a different perspective. If you are like me, you tend to get down on yourself and on the world. You may be speaking the truth. You may be right in your judgment that the world is going to hell in a handbag. You may speak the truth that the world is messed up and lost. You may shake your head over and over again at all of the tragedy and suffering going on in the world. You may be in total despair and sadness over the weight of the world on your shoulders.
But where is that going to get you? Is that going to give you comfort and peace? Is that going to make others who are lost want to have what you have and come to a knowledge of the truth of Jesus? Most likely not.
That is why the Psalmist exhorts us to sing a NEW song today! Stop singing the old tune of the law and sing a new song of the good news of the Gospel! Jesus has risen from the dead! Death has been swallowed up in victory. The old has gone, the new has come!
The reason St. John's is still growing is that I, and many others with the same mindset as me, make the GOOD NEWS of Jesus and His forgiveness and salvation the MAIN message here. We preach and teach Christ crucified! People are drawn to that! They are drawn to the love that the Holy Spirit exudes through us! They love to hear the story of Jesus and His love!
Imagine how much more it would grow if EVERYONE did the same thing. Imagine if all of you reading this today would simply tell someone, anyone, that Jesus loves them and has forgiven them of their sins. Would that make a difference to them, to you, to the church?
I urge you to SING A NEW SONG today! get off your high horse of judgmentalism. Get away from your sadness and meanness. Sing a new song! Make music in your heart toward God! REJOICE!!!
Prayer: Lord, help me to sing a NEW song to you today so that You alone may be praised. Amen.
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CALENDAR:
Mon- Confirmation 5-6:15; Family Night 6:15-7:30
Tues- Quilting 9-2; Bible study 11:30-12:15 (We will begin our look at "Christianity: the First Three Centuries")
Wed- 8th graders go to LHS for talk on sexual purity leave church at 5:30 and return at 9
Thurs- Karate 6:15-7:45 (Pastor in KC for Lead a Child Banquet)
Fri- Chili cook off and Supper- 5-6pm; Pastor in KC for Lead a Child board of directors meeting; Chili judging is at 5pm; Trunk or Treat 6-8pm
Sat- Worship 5; REFORMATION DAY (actual)
Sun- Worship 8:30 and 11; Sunday school 9:45 ALL SAINTS DAY
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WORSHIP WORKERS:
Acolyte- 8:30- John Pezold ; 11- Jacob Winn
Ushers- Allan Dreyer, Lew Feldkamp, Kent Jacobsmeyer, Paul Klover
Altar- Set up- Lucille Luebke; Clean up- Pam Linke
Communion Assistants- Sat- Charlie Figura; 8:30- Steve McDowell; 11- Dave Winter
Greeters- 8:30- Lew and Dianne Feldkamp; 11- Brett and Amanda Nordwald
Lay readers- Sat- Marcia Sevier 8:30- Amber Vossen 11- Gus Klaustermeier
Sat. Pianist- Molly Hendershot
Organist- Rachel Fisher
Projectionists: Sat. Pam Bueltmann, 8:30- George Pezold, 11- ?????
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NEWS!!!! PLEASE READ IT ALL!!!!
A HUGE THANK YOU TO THE HEITGERDS FOR HOSTING OUR HAYRIDE AND BONFIRE!!
They did A LOT of work for it in setting up and cleaning up! THANK YOU SCOTT AND LANI!! You're the best!
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