Guest speaker, Dr. John Wecks shares a message on Psalm 113, How to Give Thanks When You’re Hurting.

In this message, Dr. John Wecks looks Romans 9: 30-10:21. God holds every person responsible for the correct answer to the one all-important question on the final exam. Chapter 9 told us God’s responsibility in our salvation—that God chose us in Christ. Chapter 10 will uncover our responsibility in our salvation. We will examine some reasons why God holds every person accountable. No excuses!

When we trusted in Jesus, we died to the ability of the law to condemn us. Since no one stands over us to make sure we obey, are we free to do whatever we want? As Christians, we are on the “honor system” and we don’t want to abuse our liberty. Since Christ set us free from struggling to keep a bunch of rules, we want to please Him.

The direction of your face is where you are going and the path you are taking. So what’s the direction of your face? In Psalm 1:2-3 we learn that what delights my heart directs my life.

Psalm 100 tells us how we should feel as we enter worship on Sundays and how we get to the point where we feel the way we should. We will present an analogy that might help us.

On this Palm Sunday we will examine Luke 19:28-44.We will celebrate that Jesus is King! He is Lord of all!  He is in charge of everything! We do not need to fear earthquakes, fires, floods, or other catastrophes, He rules over every nation’s ruler and the world economy. No need to fear your future, for your family, your job or our church. Jesus is King of Kings!

Have you seen God’s faithfulness this past year? Are you looking in the right place? How can we say “God is faithful” when our family situation is so messed up that God seems not to care? When personal tragedy strikes? When your health is failing? When you’re wrestling with daily temptations and losing the match? Sometimes we can’t see a reason for what God is doing, so we think, “The problem must be in my thinking, not in God.” But what is the problem? How do I explain it when nothing makes sense? This last Sunday morning in 2023 will explore God’s Word for answers.

Have you ever felt overwhelmed by your responsibilities?  Ever wished for more ability, strength, wisdom, or time?  We will take a break from John’s Gospel to study the story found in Mark 6:30-44. We will put ourselves in the sandals of the disciples to feel what they must have felt. This miracle is not just to feed the people, but to teach the disciples about how to get the job done when your heart is weary and you don’t have enough of what it takes.

Relationships sometimes squeak when we disagree or hold strong opinions that differ.  In Colossians 3 we learn how to respond to frustrating disagreements with others in the church.  How do we apply God’s loving attitudes to our marriage or other relationships?  God’s way is so much better than “fight” or “flight” because Christ is all we need.

What is the value of preaching about end-time events? Does it have anything to do with present-day needs and stresses? We need strength as we struggle with stress, strains, anxieties, so how does what is happening in the future help us? We will gain wise insight when we look forward to the things found in Daniel 12. Daniel received a personal word to encourage his heart at the end of the book of Daniel, “Heroic Faith in Troubling Times.”