The Guide for the Week
June 25th- July 1 2023 AD.
4th Sunday After Pentecost
Bible Passage for the Week
Proverbs 5:1-6
1 Samuel 1:9-20
Micah 7
Psalm 78
Verse to Memorize
1 Peter 5:8
Catechism Questions
Q. 135. What is the sixth petition?
A. "And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil."
Q. 136. What do we pray for in the sixth petition?
A. That God would keep us from sin.
People to Pray for:
Church: Christ Church Cincinnati
Pastor Joseph Bayly
Ministry: SKC Family Ministry
Civil Magistrate: Indiana State Legislature
Notes for Parents:
Proverbs 5:1-6
Listen up men,
You need to teach your sons how to avoid the wicked woman. Many of you know what it is to be ensnared by this harlot. She is the type of woman who can flatter with her words. She is attractive and will seduce a man right into the pit of hell.
Your sons need to know that the immodest woman who gives them attention isn’t stable. She is the type of woman who will make them miserable.
Also teach your daughters not to be this woman. Not to be the woman constantly flirting with and toying with young men. She shouldn’t be a flatterer. She should be the kind of wise and humble woman with a quiet and gentle spirit. Now the loud and boisterous woman who destroys others.
1 Samuel 1:9-20
Hannah is a woman full of sorrow. She has not been able to have children. Her husband then married another woman who had many. This second wife never stopped taking time out to rub it in. And Holy Scripture says that year after year, Hannah was in grief and distress.
Every year, she would go to the house of God for what should be a joyous time, and every year she would be so distraught that she could not eat. Have you ever felt like this? To be the one lone person in the party that can't find joy. To be so afflicted that you can't eat.
Hannah knew this unspeakable pain. Yeah, she went to the Lord with her distress. She wept before him. She prayed. She made a vow to God that if He would give her a son, she would give him back to the Lord. She would ensure that he would be set apart for the service of God. In the Bible, vows are used by God's people to express their faith and commitment to God. They are not ways to buy off God. God cannot be bribed, but a vow is a way that one can commit to God.
It was while Hannah was praying that Eli was watching. Eli thought she was drunk. She was moving her mouth and in deep emotion but not speaking aloud. He spoke up to rebuke her.
Eli sitting by the doorpost reminds me of the monks in some of the monasteries in Israel. They would make everyone take their hats off or put a head covering on. Eli has the boldness to speak to what he thought was sin, but he also was rash in his judgment.
We must be bold to speak to sin and yet not rash in our judgment. Eli needed more than just a superficial judgment. He needed more information before making his judgment. Thankfully, when he received more information when Hannah defended herself, he changed his assessment. Sometimes you will make judgments that are wrong, and you need to be willing to change them when you receive more information.
Be bold to speak against sin. Be careful against rash judgments. Be willing to change your judgment when given more information. Hannah defended herself. She was not drunk. She was unburdening herself to the Lord. Eli, a priest, told her to go in peace. He joined in with her prayer that God would grant her petition. Hannah went away in peace. Her turmoil was gone even though her situation had not changed.
What changed then? She had given her pain to God. She had trusted Him. And God had comforted her with one of his servants joining in. This was all before Hannah was ever pregnant. That did not come about until later. What can you learn from this?
When you are full of anxiety and sorrow, cast your cares on Him. Pray with thanksgiving, lifting up your supplications to Him. Have other brothers and sisters join you in prayer. And then trust that God will do what is right.
Philippians 4 says, "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."
Hannah knew that peace. Again, this was before God gave her a child. Why is that important? God may or may not change your circumstances. He may not answer your prayer in the exact way you want. But you can have joy in the midst of affliction when you give it all to Him.
Micah 7
The prophet Micah has been rebuking the sins of the people and this chapter is the climax. He laments that there are no righteous in the land. Everyone is corrupt. They take bribes, they give bribes. They lie. You can’t trust your neighbor. Sons dishonor fathers. Daughters rise against their mothers. The home is in disarray. It is dark.
And yet despite this, Micah is determined to trust in God. God is sovereign. God is just. He will be faithful. Micah sees that all people are evil, but God is merciful. He will trust in God. Micah finds solace in the assurance that God hears his prayers and will ultimately bring about justice and redemption.
Micah then confesses the sins of the people and acknowledges their need for repentance. He recognizes that God is merciful and forgiving to those who turn to Him in genuine repentance. Micah appeals to God's character, expressing confidence that God will pardon and restore His people.
God’s people had been found wicked. They had been disciplined but God is going to deal with their sins.
Listen to this wonderful promise given my Micah:
Who is a God like You, who pardons iniquity And passes over the rebellious act of the remnant of His possession? He does not retain His anger forever, Because He delights in unchanging love. He will again have compassion on us; He will tread our iniquities under foot. Yes, You will cast all their sins Into the depths of the sea.
This is a promise that is fulfilled in Jesus Christ. This is the gospel. No one does good, no not one. No one then can save himself. Therefore our only hope is to cling to the mercy of God found in Christ.
Psalm 77
The Psalm writer said that He was going to instruct the people of God. He was going to speak the truth that his father had told him. In verse 4 he says We will not conceal them from their children, But tell to the generation to come the praises of the Lord. There are four generations mentioned here: the fathers, the Psalm writer, the children, and the generation to come. The testimony of God’s faithfulness was meant to be passed down.
This testimony of God’s faithfulness also included the faithlessness of the people. The Psalm writer goes on to retell of how God had called his people and led them out of slavery but they had broke his covenant time after time. They had refused to honor God and God disciplined them. God also protected them.
As the Psalm writer tells of the faith, God is the one who gets the glory. The psalm writer doesn’t conceal the sins of the people. This is very humbling but so very useful for the children.
They needed to know that disobedience brought pain. They also need to know that God is merciful.
Will you conceal the truth of God’s faithfulness to your children? Or will you tell the whole account of how God rescued you from darkness. Will you tell the story in such a way that God is always glorified even at the expense of your own pride? Will you tell of how God disciplined you?
Your children need to know these stories. They need to see that you are humble and willing to own your sin and trust God for forgiveness. They need to see God’s holiness and his mercy on display.
We do not want to raise up proud hypocrites. One of the ways to guard against this is to be the kind of father who confesses his sins and shows his children that he needs the mercy of God every day.
Catechism/ Memory Verse
Utah news reports that When Kyle Burgess was on a run about 2 miles up Slate Canyon on Saturday evening and saw four small animals scampering around on the trail ahead, he didn’t realize what they were at first.
Thinking they were bobcats (it wouldn’t be the first time he’d seen those), Burgess pulled out his phone and started recording. Seconds later, when their mother came into view, it dawned on him that he was in big trouble.
They were mountain lion cubs. And their mother lion was not happy. The instant the full-grown mountain lion mother charged him, Burgess’s adrenaline fired up. He let out a stream of profanities while he backed away. The cougar dove into the trees along the side of the trail, as if to flank him. She reappeared on the trail. Her eyes locked on him, and she followed him as he retreated backward. What came next was the longest six minutes of Burgess’ life. The 26-year-old from Orem did everything he could think of to ward the mother cougar off. He knew not to turn his back to her. He knew to back away — but not too fast. He cursed, yelled, growled and grunted while she continued to follow him, flashing her teeth at him, her ears pinned, her tail swishing. “Go! Go! Go!” Burgess yells at her a minute into the video recorded encounter.
Burgess said every time he took his eyes off her or tried to stoop down for a rock to throw at her, the mountain lion lunged at him, hissing. With each pounce, her front paws and claws flared. Her powerful hind legs kicked up dust and gravel.
After 6 minutes Burgess is finally able to grab a rock and throw it at the lion who takes off. Mr. Burgess was blessed to escape being stalked by a lion without any physical harm. You can watch the whole frightening encounter online (beware it does contain some profanity). Its hard to not hold your breath the whole video because it is so tense.
Holy Scripture says that our enemy is like a roaring lion stalking his prey. The lion Mr Burgess faced was trying to protect her cubs and wasn’t looking to kill him. Our enemy protects no one and is always looking to steal, kill, and destroy. The Apostle Peter tells us to be on the alert and be sober minded. We are to always be ready because the devil is constantly scheming to bring us into sin and death.
Temptation can come anywhere at any time. Our elder, Mr. Sabie, has a story from his time in the navy aboard a ship in the middle of the ocean. They were far from civilization when a box floated up to the boat. They got the boat on the ship and opened it. Inside of it were magazines full of wicked content. Temptation had floated up to them in the middle of the ocean.
There is no place where the devil won’t attack. He will attack you with immorality. If that won’t work, he will tempt you to be proud. He will tempt you to try and operate by your own strength in your own wisdom. He wants to cause you to deny Christ. The Apostle Peter knew those attacks and how he himself had been tempted into sin by them. And he warns us to be alert.
Jesus Christ teaches us in the Lord’s prayer that we can’t fight this roaring feline on our own. Going barehanded into a battle with a raging wildcat isn’t something you want to do. You will get torn apart.
Rather we need the power of God. We need God to lead us away from temptation and to keep us from the evil one. We need our Father in heaven, the mighty warrior, to take out the lion for us.
When you pray and you lift up your requests to God do not forget to pray that God would keep you from temptation and protect you from the enemy.
People to Pray for:
Prayer for Christ Church Cincy
Pastor Joseph Bayly
O Lord our King.
We come before Your throne, lifting up Christ Church in Cincinnati and its pastor, Jake Joseph Bayly. We thank you for the work You are accomplishing through this congregation and for the steadfast commitment to the truth that permeates their ministry.
Grant Pastor Joseph an abundance of wisdom as he leads. Guide him by Holy Spirit in every decision, every teaching, and every moment of shepherding Your flock. Strengthen his resolve to faithfully proclaim the unchanging truth of Your Word, even when it is unpopular or challenging.
We pray, O God, for unity within the body of Christ. Protect them from the divisive tactics of the enemy and grant them a spirit of love, harmony, and mutual edification. Guard them from the temptations of the devil, the world, and the flesh. Strengthen them to resist the allurements of compromise, cultural pressure, and sinful desires.
Fill their hearts with unwavering faith, unwavering love for You, and unwavering commitment to Your truth. In the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, we pray, confident that You hear us and will answer according to Your perfect will. Amen
Sovereign King Church Family Ministry and soon to be assistant pastor Greg Anglen.
Gracious and Sovereign Father,
We humbly seek Your guidance and wisdom for the Sovereign King Church Family Ministry and our dear brother, who will soon be Assistant Pastor, Greg Anglen. We acknowledge You as the ultimate authority and the source of all wisdom, and we entrust this ministry and our beloved brother into Your capable hands.
Father, we pray for Assistant Pastor Greg Anglen, that You would grant him discernment and wisdom as he leads families in the pursuit of honoring You. May he be rooted in Your Word and led by Your Spirit as he instructs and disciples those entrusted to his care. Grant him a deep understanding of Your truth, that he may effectively communicate it to fathers, mothers, and children alike.
We ask, Lord, that You would strengthen fathers within our church family to fulfill their God-given role of disciplining and instructing their children. May they lead their families in a manner that reflects Your character and truth. Give them patience, gentleness, and courage to guide their children in the ways of righteousness, pointing them always towards You.
Furthermore, we pray for the wives within our church family, that they would embrace their role as helpers and nurturers in their homes. May they diligently seek Your wisdom and knowledge, that they may faithfully instruct their children in the ways of the Lord. Grant them grace, love, and an unwavering commitment to the truth found in Your Word.
Lord, we recognize that without Your guidance and empowerment, our efforts are in vain. We ask that You pour out Your Spirit upon Assistant Pastor Greg Anglen and the families within our church, that they may be transformed and unified in their pursuit of honoring You. May Your truth take deep root in their hearts, producing godly fruit that will impact future generations.
In the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, we pray. Amen.
Prayer for the Indiana State Legislature
Almighty God, our heavenly Father,
we come before Your presence with humble hearts and contrite spirits, seeking Your guidance and mercy for the members of the Indiana State Legislature. We acknowledge that You are the ultimate authority and source of wisdom, and we recognize our own limitations as we lift up our leaders in prayer.
Heavenly Father, we pray for those who serve the state of Indiana. Grant them clarity of thought, moral discernment, and the courage to uphold the truths that align with Your divine Word. Convict their hearts, dear Lord, of any sinful and ungodly abuses of authority they may have committed, whether knowingly or unknowingly. Grant them the humility to acknowledge their wrongdoings and the strength to repent and seek Your forgiveness.
We grieve, Lord, over the widespread acceptance and promotion of wicked practices that go against Your sacred design for life and human sexuality. We lift up the issue of abortion before You, asking for Your mercy and compassion to touch the hearts of our senators. Help them recognize the sanctity of every human life, from conception to natural death. Grant them the wisdom to protect the vulnerable and champion the rights of the voiceless.
Furthermore, Father, we mourn over the promotion of sexual immorality in our state. We live in a culture that has strayed from the created order and your command for human relationships, disregarding the beauty of marriage and promoting abominations contrary to Your Word. We pray that our state legislators would recognize the damaging effects of these practices and turn their hearts toward Your truth. May they seek righteousness, purity, and fidelity in their personal lives, serving as examples of integrity and godliness.
In their pursuit of justice and legislation, may they prioritize obedience to Your Word. Give them the strength to resist worldly pressures and political expediency, and instead, may they be guided by Your eternal truth and the well-being of the nation.
Finally, Lord, we ask for Your blessings upon our these elected officials and their families. Grant them good health, wisdom, and discernment in all their endeavors. Surround them with godly counsel and guide their steps according to Your will. If they will not serve you, please remove them from office and replace them with someone who will.
We offer this prayer in the name of Your Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. Amen.
Church History Spotlight
Philip Melanchthon
1497-1560
Philipp Schwartzerd was born in Bretten, Germany, in 1497. After the death of his father in 1508, his education was supervised by his great-uncle, Johann Reuchlin, the most distinguished (non-Jewish) Hebrew scholar of his day. Reuchlin took care that his great-nephew Philipp should receive a good classical education, and changed his surname from Schwartzerd to Melanchthon. (Both names mean "black earth." "Schwarz" means "black," and so does "melan," as in "melanin" or "melancholy"; "Erd" means "earth," and so does "chthon," as in "chthonic" or "autochthon".) In 1511 (at the age of 14) Philipp received his B.A. from the University of Heidelberg, and his MA from Tuebingen three years later. In 1518 he published Institutiones Grammaticae Graecae (Basics of Greek Grammar), the first of many school texts that he would eventually write. His knowledge of Latin, Greek, Hebrew, and the liberal arts won him the enthusiastic praise of the Dutch scholar Desiderius Erasmus.
In 1518 Philipp was hired by the University of Wittenberg as its first Professor of Greek. He rapidly became one of the most prominent of its lecturers. He rose every day at 2am for prayer, study, and writing (he had produced six books before arriving at Wittenberg, and in the next four years turned out seven more), and began his first public lecture of the day at 6am, often to classes of 600 students. Within four days after his arrival, he gave a speech "On the Improvement of Studies," setting out a program of study based on the classics and the Fathers of the Church as a basis for Christian education, for the renewal of theological studies and the improvement of society. He soon met Martin Luther, and the two became fast friends.
Melanchthon's cool, organized, disciplined habits of thinking and writing formed the perfect complement to Luther's brilliant but impulsive thinking and his fiery, emotional rhetoric. In 1519, when Luther debated at Leipzig with Johann Eck, the pope's representative, Melanchthon was Luther's second, and subsequently exchanged a series of pamphlets with Eck that established his reputation as a principal spokesman for the Evangelical position. In 1521, his lectures on St Paul's Epistle to the Romans were published under the title Loci Communes Rerum Theologicarum (Notes on Theology-- literally, Common Places of Things Theological). It was the first systematic statement of Evangelical theology, and it became an instant best-seller, going into 18 Latin editions alone (plus numerous translations) within four years. Eventually, the University of Cambridge made it required reading, and Queen Elizabeth of England virtually memorized it. To Melanchthon's grief, it brought about a permanent break with his beloved great-uncle, who remained a loyal adherent of the Papal position.
In 1520, he married the daughter of the mayor of Wittenberg, and they had two sons and two daughters.
Melanchthon was of a conciliatory spirit, always trying to find and emphasize areas of agreement with fellow Christians. Thus, in 1530, when he drew up the Augsburg Confession (in Latin the Confessio Augustana), a statement in 28 Articles of the Lutheran position, to be presented to the Emperor, he began by stating that the Lutherans differed from Rome in no article of the Faith, and affirming in the first 21 Articles some of the many doctrines that the two sides both believed. In the article on the Mass, he wrote that Lutherans had been falsely accused of abolishing the Mass, and that, on the contrary, they celebrated it regularly and with great devotion, but that they had added hymns and prayers in the German language, by way of instructing the people, so that they might better understand the significance of the service. Only in the latter part of the Confession, the last 7 Articles, does he discuss what he calls "reforms of abuses."
The Romanists naturally published a rebuttal to the Augsburg Confession, and Melanchthon wrote an Apology of the Augsburg Confession (Apology=Defense) in 1531. The Apology, along with the Confession itself, is one of the great statements of faith of the Lutheran Tradition. The Confession, the Apology, the Catechism, the Schmalkald Articles, and the Formula of Concord are usually published together in a single book, called the Book of Concord.
Luther died in 1546. In 1547 the Lutherans were defeated in a major battle at Muehlberg, and were in danger of being suppressed altogether throughout Germany. Melanchthon, for the sake of peace, proposed a settlement which would preserve the essentials of the Faith as understood by the Lutherans, but would make concessions on ritual and practice and on non-essention matters of doctrine. For this, he was again denounced as a traitor by many Lutherans.
On any short list of the men who, in the troubled years of the sixteenth century, undertook to serve Christ by working for a spiritual renewal in His Church (and I am here thinking both of those who defended the Papacy and of those who attacked it), Melanchton's name deserves to be included. He died in Wittenberg, 19 April 1560, and was buried beside Luther.
A Prayer of thanks for Philip Melanchthon
Almighty God, gracious Lord, pour out your Holy Spirit upon your faithful people. Keep them steadfast in your Word, protect and comfort them in all temptations, defend them against all their enemies, and bestow upon the Church your saving peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
Almighty God, we praise you for the men and women you have sent to call the Church to its tasks and renew its life, such as your servant Philip Melanchthon. Raise up in our own day teachers and prophets inspired by your Spirit, whose voices will give strength to your Church and proclaim the reality of your kingdom; through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
Upcoming Events:
Tuesday Morning Study Hour With Pastor 6-7AM
June 28 Women’s Bible Study
July 2 Small Group
July 3 Monthly Outreach
July 5 Prayer Meeting
July 19 Family Ministry Night
Proverbs 5:1-6
1 Samuel 1:9-20
Micah 7
Psalm 78
Verse to Memorize
1 Peter 5:8
Catechism Questions
Q. 135. What is the sixth petition?
A. "And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil."
Q. 136. What do we pray for in the sixth petition?
A. That God would keep us from sin.
People to Pray for:
Church: Christ Church Cincinnati
Pastor Joseph Bayly
Ministry: SKC Family Ministry
Civil Magistrate: Indiana State Legislature
Notes for Parents:
Proverbs 5:1-6
Listen up men,
You need to teach your sons how to avoid the wicked woman. Many of you know what it is to be ensnared by this harlot. She is the type of woman who can flatter with her words. She is attractive and will seduce a man right into the pit of hell.
Your sons need to know that the immodest woman who gives them attention isn’t stable. She is the type of woman who will make them miserable.
Also teach your daughters not to be this woman. Not to be the woman constantly flirting with and toying with young men. She shouldn’t be a flatterer. She should be the kind of wise and humble woman with a quiet and gentle spirit. Now the loud and boisterous woman who destroys others.
1 Samuel 1:9-20
Hannah is a woman full of sorrow. She has not been able to have children. Her husband then married another woman who had many. This second wife never stopped taking time out to rub it in. And Holy Scripture says that year after year, Hannah was in grief and distress.
Every year, she would go to the house of God for what should be a joyous time, and every year she would be so distraught that she could not eat. Have you ever felt like this? To be the one lone person in the party that can't find joy. To be so afflicted that you can't eat.
Hannah knew this unspeakable pain. Yeah, she went to the Lord with her distress. She wept before him. She prayed. She made a vow to God that if He would give her a son, she would give him back to the Lord. She would ensure that he would be set apart for the service of God. In the Bible, vows are used by God's people to express their faith and commitment to God. They are not ways to buy off God. God cannot be bribed, but a vow is a way that one can commit to God.
It was while Hannah was praying that Eli was watching. Eli thought she was drunk. She was moving her mouth and in deep emotion but not speaking aloud. He spoke up to rebuke her.
Eli sitting by the doorpost reminds me of the monks in some of the monasteries in Israel. They would make everyone take their hats off or put a head covering on. Eli has the boldness to speak to what he thought was sin, but he also was rash in his judgment.
We must be bold to speak to sin and yet not rash in our judgment. Eli needed more than just a superficial judgment. He needed more information before making his judgment. Thankfully, when he received more information when Hannah defended herself, he changed his assessment. Sometimes you will make judgments that are wrong, and you need to be willing to change them when you receive more information.
Be bold to speak against sin. Be careful against rash judgments. Be willing to change your judgment when given more information. Hannah defended herself. She was not drunk. She was unburdening herself to the Lord. Eli, a priest, told her to go in peace. He joined in with her prayer that God would grant her petition. Hannah went away in peace. Her turmoil was gone even though her situation had not changed.
What changed then? She had given her pain to God. She had trusted Him. And God had comforted her with one of his servants joining in. This was all before Hannah was ever pregnant. That did not come about until later. What can you learn from this?
When you are full of anxiety and sorrow, cast your cares on Him. Pray with thanksgiving, lifting up your supplications to Him. Have other brothers and sisters join you in prayer. And then trust that God will do what is right.
Philippians 4 says, "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."
Hannah knew that peace. Again, this was before God gave her a child. Why is that important? God may or may not change your circumstances. He may not answer your prayer in the exact way you want. But you can have joy in the midst of affliction when you give it all to Him.
Micah 7
The prophet Micah has been rebuking the sins of the people and this chapter is the climax. He laments that there are no righteous in the land. Everyone is corrupt. They take bribes, they give bribes. They lie. You can’t trust your neighbor. Sons dishonor fathers. Daughters rise against their mothers. The home is in disarray. It is dark.
And yet despite this, Micah is determined to trust in God. God is sovereign. God is just. He will be faithful. Micah sees that all people are evil, but God is merciful. He will trust in God. Micah finds solace in the assurance that God hears his prayers and will ultimately bring about justice and redemption.
Micah then confesses the sins of the people and acknowledges their need for repentance. He recognizes that God is merciful and forgiving to those who turn to Him in genuine repentance. Micah appeals to God's character, expressing confidence that God will pardon and restore His people.
God’s people had been found wicked. They had been disciplined but God is going to deal with their sins.
Listen to this wonderful promise given my Micah:
Who is a God like You, who pardons iniquity And passes over the rebellious act of the remnant of His possession? He does not retain His anger forever, Because He delights in unchanging love. He will again have compassion on us; He will tread our iniquities under foot. Yes, You will cast all their sins Into the depths of the sea.
This is a promise that is fulfilled in Jesus Christ. This is the gospel. No one does good, no not one. No one then can save himself. Therefore our only hope is to cling to the mercy of God found in Christ.
Psalm 77
The Psalm writer said that He was going to instruct the people of God. He was going to speak the truth that his father had told him. In verse 4 he says We will not conceal them from their children, But tell to the generation to come the praises of the Lord. There are four generations mentioned here: the fathers, the Psalm writer, the children, and the generation to come. The testimony of God’s faithfulness was meant to be passed down.
This testimony of God’s faithfulness also included the faithlessness of the people. The Psalm writer goes on to retell of how God had called his people and led them out of slavery but they had broke his covenant time after time. They had refused to honor God and God disciplined them. God also protected them.
As the Psalm writer tells of the faith, God is the one who gets the glory. The psalm writer doesn’t conceal the sins of the people. This is very humbling but so very useful for the children.
They needed to know that disobedience brought pain. They also need to know that God is merciful.
Will you conceal the truth of God’s faithfulness to your children? Or will you tell the whole account of how God rescued you from darkness. Will you tell the story in such a way that God is always glorified even at the expense of your own pride? Will you tell of how God disciplined you?
Your children need to know these stories. They need to see that you are humble and willing to own your sin and trust God for forgiveness. They need to see God’s holiness and his mercy on display.
We do not want to raise up proud hypocrites. One of the ways to guard against this is to be the kind of father who confesses his sins and shows his children that he needs the mercy of God every day.
Catechism/ Memory Verse
Utah news reports that When Kyle Burgess was on a run about 2 miles up Slate Canyon on Saturday evening and saw four small animals scampering around on the trail ahead, he didn’t realize what they were at first.
Thinking they were bobcats (it wouldn’t be the first time he’d seen those), Burgess pulled out his phone and started recording. Seconds later, when their mother came into view, it dawned on him that he was in big trouble.
They were mountain lion cubs. And their mother lion was not happy. The instant the full-grown mountain lion mother charged him, Burgess’s adrenaline fired up. He let out a stream of profanities while he backed away. The cougar dove into the trees along the side of the trail, as if to flank him. She reappeared on the trail. Her eyes locked on him, and she followed him as he retreated backward. What came next was the longest six minutes of Burgess’ life. The 26-year-old from Orem did everything he could think of to ward the mother cougar off. He knew not to turn his back to her. He knew to back away — but not too fast. He cursed, yelled, growled and grunted while she continued to follow him, flashing her teeth at him, her ears pinned, her tail swishing. “Go! Go! Go!” Burgess yells at her a minute into the video recorded encounter.
Burgess said every time he took his eyes off her or tried to stoop down for a rock to throw at her, the mountain lion lunged at him, hissing. With each pounce, her front paws and claws flared. Her powerful hind legs kicked up dust and gravel.
After 6 minutes Burgess is finally able to grab a rock and throw it at the lion who takes off. Mr. Burgess was blessed to escape being stalked by a lion without any physical harm. You can watch the whole frightening encounter online (beware it does contain some profanity). Its hard to not hold your breath the whole video because it is so tense.
Holy Scripture says that our enemy is like a roaring lion stalking his prey. The lion Mr Burgess faced was trying to protect her cubs and wasn’t looking to kill him. Our enemy protects no one and is always looking to steal, kill, and destroy. The Apostle Peter tells us to be on the alert and be sober minded. We are to always be ready because the devil is constantly scheming to bring us into sin and death.
Temptation can come anywhere at any time. Our elder, Mr. Sabie, has a story from his time in the navy aboard a ship in the middle of the ocean. They were far from civilization when a box floated up to the boat. They got the boat on the ship and opened it. Inside of it were magazines full of wicked content. Temptation had floated up to them in the middle of the ocean.
There is no place where the devil won’t attack. He will attack you with immorality. If that won’t work, he will tempt you to be proud. He will tempt you to try and operate by your own strength in your own wisdom. He wants to cause you to deny Christ. The Apostle Peter knew those attacks and how he himself had been tempted into sin by them. And he warns us to be alert.
Jesus Christ teaches us in the Lord’s prayer that we can’t fight this roaring feline on our own. Going barehanded into a battle with a raging wildcat isn’t something you want to do. You will get torn apart.
Rather we need the power of God. We need God to lead us away from temptation and to keep us from the evil one. We need our Father in heaven, the mighty warrior, to take out the lion for us.
When you pray and you lift up your requests to God do not forget to pray that God would keep you from temptation and protect you from the enemy.
People to Pray for:
Prayer for Christ Church Cincy
Pastor Joseph Bayly
O Lord our King.
We come before Your throne, lifting up Christ Church in Cincinnati and its pastor, Jake Joseph Bayly. We thank you for the work You are accomplishing through this congregation and for the steadfast commitment to the truth that permeates their ministry.
Grant Pastor Joseph an abundance of wisdom as he leads. Guide him by Holy Spirit in every decision, every teaching, and every moment of shepherding Your flock. Strengthen his resolve to faithfully proclaim the unchanging truth of Your Word, even when it is unpopular or challenging.
We pray, O God, for unity within the body of Christ. Protect them from the divisive tactics of the enemy and grant them a spirit of love, harmony, and mutual edification. Guard them from the temptations of the devil, the world, and the flesh. Strengthen them to resist the allurements of compromise, cultural pressure, and sinful desires.
Fill their hearts with unwavering faith, unwavering love for You, and unwavering commitment to Your truth. In the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, we pray, confident that You hear us and will answer according to Your perfect will. Amen
Sovereign King Church Family Ministry and soon to be assistant pastor Greg Anglen.
Gracious and Sovereign Father,
We humbly seek Your guidance and wisdom for the Sovereign King Church Family Ministry and our dear brother, who will soon be Assistant Pastor, Greg Anglen. We acknowledge You as the ultimate authority and the source of all wisdom, and we entrust this ministry and our beloved brother into Your capable hands.
Father, we pray for Assistant Pastor Greg Anglen, that You would grant him discernment and wisdom as he leads families in the pursuit of honoring You. May he be rooted in Your Word and led by Your Spirit as he instructs and disciples those entrusted to his care. Grant him a deep understanding of Your truth, that he may effectively communicate it to fathers, mothers, and children alike.
We ask, Lord, that You would strengthen fathers within our church family to fulfill their God-given role of disciplining and instructing their children. May they lead their families in a manner that reflects Your character and truth. Give them patience, gentleness, and courage to guide their children in the ways of righteousness, pointing them always towards You.
Furthermore, we pray for the wives within our church family, that they would embrace their role as helpers and nurturers in their homes. May they diligently seek Your wisdom and knowledge, that they may faithfully instruct their children in the ways of the Lord. Grant them grace, love, and an unwavering commitment to the truth found in Your Word.
Lord, we recognize that without Your guidance and empowerment, our efforts are in vain. We ask that You pour out Your Spirit upon Assistant Pastor Greg Anglen and the families within our church, that they may be transformed and unified in their pursuit of honoring You. May Your truth take deep root in their hearts, producing godly fruit that will impact future generations.
In the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, we pray. Amen.
Prayer for the Indiana State Legislature
Almighty God, our heavenly Father,
we come before Your presence with humble hearts and contrite spirits, seeking Your guidance and mercy for the members of the Indiana State Legislature. We acknowledge that You are the ultimate authority and source of wisdom, and we recognize our own limitations as we lift up our leaders in prayer.
Heavenly Father, we pray for those who serve the state of Indiana. Grant them clarity of thought, moral discernment, and the courage to uphold the truths that align with Your divine Word. Convict their hearts, dear Lord, of any sinful and ungodly abuses of authority they may have committed, whether knowingly or unknowingly. Grant them the humility to acknowledge their wrongdoings and the strength to repent and seek Your forgiveness.
We grieve, Lord, over the widespread acceptance and promotion of wicked practices that go against Your sacred design for life and human sexuality. We lift up the issue of abortion before You, asking for Your mercy and compassion to touch the hearts of our senators. Help them recognize the sanctity of every human life, from conception to natural death. Grant them the wisdom to protect the vulnerable and champion the rights of the voiceless.
Furthermore, Father, we mourn over the promotion of sexual immorality in our state. We live in a culture that has strayed from the created order and your command for human relationships, disregarding the beauty of marriage and promoting abominations contrary to Your Word. We pray that our state legislators would recognize the damaging effects of these practices and turn their hearts toward Your truth. May they seek righteousness, purity, and fidelity in their personal lives, serving as examples of integrity and godliness.
In their pursuit of justice and legislation, may they prioritize obedience to Your Word. Give them the strength to resist worldly pressures and political expediency, and instead, may they be guided by Your eternal truth and the well-being of the nation.
Finally, Lord, we ask for Your blessings upon our these elected officials and their families. Grant them good health, wisdom, and discernment in all their endeavors. Surround them with godly counsel and guide their steps according to Your will. If they will not serve you, please remove them from office and replace them with someone who will.
We offer this prayer in the name of Your Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. Amen.
Church History Spotlight
Philip Melanchthon
1497-1560
Philipp Schwartzerd was born in Bretten, Germany, in 1497. After the death of his father in 1508, his education was supervised by his great-uncle, Johann Reuchlin, the most distinguished (non-Jewish) Hebrew scholar of his day. Reuchlin took care that his great-nephew Philipp should receive a good classical education, and changed his surname from Schwartzerd to Melanchthon. (Both names mean "black earth." "Schwarz" means "black," and so does "melan," as in "melanin" or "melancholy"; "Erd" means "earth," and so does "chthon," as in "chthonic" or "autochthon".) In 1511 (at the age of 14) Philipp received his B.A. from the University of Heidelberg, and his MA from Tuebingen three years later. In 1518 he published Institutiones Grammaticae Graecae (Basics of Greek Grammar), the first of many school texts that he would eventually write. His knowledge of Latin, Greek, Hebrew, and the liberal arts won him the enthusiastic praise of the Dutch scholar Desiderius Erasmus.
In 1518 Philipp was hired by the University of Wittenberg as its first Professor of Greek. He rapidly became one of the most prominent of its lecturers. He rose every day at 2am for prayer, study, and writing (he had produced six books before arriving at Wittenberg, and in the next four years turned out seven more), and began his first public lecture of the day at 6am, often to classes of 600 students. Within four days after his arrival, he gave a speech "On the Improvement of Studies," setting out a program of study based on the classics and the Fathers of the Church as a basis for Christian education, for the renewal of theological studies and the improvement of society. He soon met Martin Luther, and the two became fast friends.
Melanchthon's cool, organized, disciplined habits of thinking and writing formed the perfect complement to Luther's brilliant but impulsive thinking and his fiery, emotional rhetoric. In 1519, when Luther debated at Leipzig with Johann Eck, the pope's representative, Melanchthon was Luther's second, and subsequently exchanged a series of pamphlets with Eck that established his reputation as a principal spokesman for the Evangelical position. In 1521, his lectures on St Paul's Epistle to the Romans were published under the title Loci Communes Rerum Theologicarum (Notes on Theology-- literally, Common Places of Things Theological). It was the first systematic statement of Evangelical theology, and it became an instant best-seller, going into 18 Latin editions alone (plus numerous translations) within four years. Eventually, the University of Cambridge made it required reading, and Queen Elizabeth of England virtually memorized it. To Melanchthon's grief, it brought about a permanent break with his beloved great-uncle, who remained a loyal adherent of the Papal position.
In 1520, he married the daughter of the mayor of Wittenberg, and they had two sons and two daughters.
Melanchthon was of a conciliatory spirit, always trying to find and emphasize areas of agreement with fellow Christians. Thus, in 1530, when he drew up the Augsburg Confession (in Latin the Confessio Augustana), a statement in 28 Articles of the Lutheran position, to be presented to the Emperor, he began by stating that the Lutherans differed from Rome in no article of the Faith, and affirming in the first 21 Articles some of the many doctrines that the two sides both believed. In the article on the Mass, he wrote that Lutherans had been falsely accused of abolishing the Mass, and that, on the contrary, they celebrated it regularly and with great devotion, but that they had added hymns and prayers in the German language, by way of instructing the people, so that they might better understand the significance of the service. Only in the latter part of the Confession, the last 7 Articles, does he discuss what he calls "reforms of abuses."
The Romanists naturally published a rebuttal to the Augsburg Confession, and Melanchthon wrote an Apology of the Augsburg Confession (Apology=Defense) in 1531. The Apology, along with the Confession itself, is one of the great statements of faith of the Lutheran Tradition. The Confession, the Apology, the Catechism, the Schmalkald Articles, and the Formula of Concord are usually published together in a single book, called the Book of Concord.
Luther died in 1546. In 1547 the Lutherans were defeated in a major battle at Muehlberg, and were in danger of being suppressed altogether throughout Germany. Melanchthon, for the sake of peace, proposed a settlement which would preserve the essentials of the Faith as understood by the Lutherans, but would make concessions on ritual and practice and on non-essention matters of doctrine. For this, he was again denounced as a traitor by many Lutherans.
On any short list of the men who, in the troubled years of the sixteenth century, undertook to serve Christ by working for a spiritual renewal in His Church (and I am here thinking both of those who defended the Papacy and of those who attacked it), Melanchton's name deserves to be included. He died in Wittenberg, 19 April 1560, and was buried beside Luther.
A Prayer of thanks for Philip Melanchthon
Almighty God, gracious Lord, pour out your Holy Spirit upon your faithful people. Keep them steadfast in your Word, protect and comfort them in all temptations, defend them against all their enemies, and bestow upon the Church your saving peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
Almighty God, we praise you for the men and women you have sent to call the Church to its tasks and renew its life, such as your servant Philip Melanchthon. Raise up in our own day teachers and prophets inspired by your Spirit, whose voices will give strength to your Church and proclaim the reality of your kingdom; through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
Upcoming Events:
Tuesday Morning Study Hour With Pastor 6-7AM
June 28 Women’s Bible Study
July 2 Small Group
July 3 Monthly Outreach
July 5 Prayer Meeting
July 19 Family Ministry Night