DEVOTION: Psalm 80:1-7 (ESV)
80 Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel,
you who lead Joseph like a flock.
You who are enthroned upon the cherubim, shine forth.
2 Before Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh,
stir up your might
and come to save us!
3 Restore us, O God;
let your face shine, that we may be saved!
4 O Lord God of hosts,
how long will you be angry with your people's prayers?
5 You have fed them with the bread of tears
and given them tears to drink in full measure.
6 You make us an object of contention for our neighbors,
and our enemies laugh among themselves.
7 Restore us, O God of hosts;
let your face shine, that we may be saved!
As Karin has been home lately she's been watching a lot of HGTV. On that channel there are several shows like "Flip or Flop" and "Fixer Upper" and other home renovation shows that take old houses and make them new. They take the old junk out and replace it with all new or at least "repurposed" stuff. They RESTORE what was useless and many times unlivable and turn it into something beautiful.
That's the same thing King David is calling on God to do for us today. He is calling on God to RESTORE us and make us new, to take away all the old sinful stuff in our lives and create a new heart and a right spirit within us. He asks God to let his face shine upon us that we may be saved.
How does this restoration happen? Well, first there is the demolition. When we confess our sins to God and turn from them to Him, it is as if he takes a sledge hammer to our sin and pulverizes it. He totally annihilates all that nasty, old, shameful sin in us and clears it out leaving it in the dumpster of hell.
Next he takes his own love, his mercy, and his grace and begins to repair the holes in the wall and all the stains and blemishes that sin has left behind. He white washes the walls and primes them with his forgiveness.
Thirdly, in the place of all that old cabinetry and furniture, he places new fixtures of joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, and self control. He takes what was a heart of stone and replaces it with a pure heart that is full of him.
Lastly, he dwells in that heart with His power and might so that he can keep it clean and pure. He keeps it clean as His own Word goes into the hears and straight to the heart, and as His own body and blood go into the mouth for the forgiveness of sins. And as he dwells in it there is peace in his newly renovated house and it is a peace that passes all understanding but never goes away.
How wonderful is that? Who knew that when we surrender our dirty, cold, and useless heart to God he is able to do such wonderfully miraculous things?
Remember this all during this Advent and Christmas Season. If you heart, your soul, needs some major renovations get them done today at no cost to you. The price has already been paid by Christ on the cross! The whole bill is paid in full! Alleluia! Praise the Lord!
Prayer: Thank you for restoring us, O Lord, and for creating a new and right spirit within me. Amen.
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CALENDAR:
Mon- Confirmation 5-6:15; High School youth and parents meeting 6:15-6:45
Tues- No quilting or Bible study till after Christmas
Wed- Supper 5:30; Worship 6:30; Choir 7:15
Thurs- GARMS FAMILY CONCERT 6pm!!
Fri- Bible Study at Hendershot's 7pm
Sat- Men's Breakfast 8am; Sunday school Christmas program practice 9-11; Worship 5
Sun- Worship 8:30; Sunday school 9:45; Sunday School Christmas Program 11am
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WORSHIP WORKERS:
Acolyte- Wed- Jack Bunge; 8:30- Sarah Cluver ; 11- Alaina Heitgerd
Ushers- Wed- Marv Hendershot, Don Luebke, Donn Nolte, Dave Callies Sun- Figura Family
Altar- Set Up- Cheri' Hofeldt; Clean up- Pam Linke
Elders- Sat- Randy Fischer; 8:30- Steve McDowell; 11- Charlie Figura
Greeters- 8:30- Lew and Dianne Feldkamp; 11- Marv and Molly Hendershot
Lay readers- Sat- Marcia Sevier 8:30- Sandra Perricone 11- Steve Robine
Sat. Pianist- Kathy Barrow
Organist- Rachel Fisher
Projectionists: Sat. Perricone 8:30- ???? , 11- ????
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YESTERDAY'S BIBLE QUIZ: Which Gospel (Matthew, Mark, Luke or John) was most probably the first to be written?
I'll leave this up since no one answered yet.
Biscuits and gravy, scrambled eggs, sausage and some sort of Christmas treat.
If you'd like it to go to the DCE fund you need to mark it for that! Please make sure you mark the ENVELOPE clearly for the DCE PROGRAM!
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DO YOU HAVE A KROGER CARD? ENROLL IT IN THE COMMUNITY REWARDS PROGRAM!!!
Register it online www.krogercommunityrewards.com and have it swiped each time you shop to earn money for Little Lambs.
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