Dealing with Rejection…July 2nd

“To dismiss or refuse a proposal; to shun or cast out.” At one time or another each of has experienced REJECTION. Have you ever said, ‘That was a good idea, how could they just shoot it down?’ When you believe in a project, and have taken a strong stance, only to be soundly rejected…how do you handle it? To be honest, we all know that rejection hurts.Rejection

But when we consider the level of rejection the Messiah experienced, our ‘broken heart’ is minor at best. And He knew His disciples would be faced with times of rejection as well. Therefore He tried to prepare them (and us) for being told ‘NO…’ Read Mark chapter 6… “Any place that does not receive you or listen to you…shake the dust off the soles of your feet.” Join us on Sunday (July 2nd) as we consider the idea of ‘Dealing with Rejection.’

“…I will sing with the spirit and I will sing with the mind also.” I Corinthians 14:15

Sunday morning, July 2, 2017

The following songs are found in the hymnal, Songs of Faith & Praise.

“Holy, Holy, Holy” – 47

Beginning with the soprano voices and adding each subsequent part, we sing the words of Revelation 4; “Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord God Almighty (vs. 8)…all the saints adore Thee, casting down their golden crowns around the crystal sea (vs. 6)…Only Thou art holy! There is none beside Thee (vs. 2-9)…Who wast, and art, and ever more shall be!” (vs. 8)

“Create in Me a Clean Heart” – no book

Taken almost verbatim for Psalm 51, we’ll sing the words of King David, “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast (right) spirit within me. Do not cast me away (Cast me not away) from Your presence (O Lord). And (take not) do not take Your Holy Spirit from Me. Restore (un)to me the joy of Your salvation and sustain me with a willing spirit (renew a right spirit within me).”

“We Saw Thee Not” – 342

The next two songs will be in a medley using verse one from “We Saw Thee Not” followed immediately with verse 1 & 2 of “Ten-Thousand Angels.” Notice the connection… “We Saw Thee Not when Thou dids’t come to this poor world of sin and death; Nor yet beheld Thy cottage home in that despised Nazareth…But we believe Thy footsteps trod it’s streets and plains, Thou Son of God…” “They bound the hands of Jesus in the garden where He prayed, they lead Him through the streets in shame. They spat upon the Savior, so pure and free from sin, they said ‘Crucify Him! He’s to blame.”

twelve legions of angels“Ten-Thousand Angels” – 349

As we continue this medley before the Lord’s Supper, the pattern will continue; back to verse 2 of our previous song, “We saw Thee not when lifted high…” transition to verse 3 & 4 of Ten-Thousand Angels; “When they nailed Him to the cross…” and “To the howling mob He yielded…” Be sure to focus on the words and the message these two spirit songs provide as you prepare for the partaking of the Lord’s Supper.

“We Saw Thee Not” – 342

Coming back to where we started before the Lord’s Supper, we’ll remember that even though we never gazed in the open tomb nor walked with those who saw Him “from the earth ascend…” we still believe in His death, burial and resurrection. We may not have seen, but we believe!

“Savior, Like a Shepherd Lead Us” – 391

Not if, but when we face rejection that causes our hearts to melt, we look to our Savior for strength and leadership. He love us and He will lead us. He is the one who will defend us, receive us and free us! Perhaps we should be more earnest in our following of Him, and as we sing in the third verse…“Early let us turn to Thee.”

“Jesus Is Tenderly Calling” – 947

Being rejected can cause us to feel weary and entice us to sink into despair. But that’s not where we stay. We must never give up as that causes us to drift, “…farther and farther away.” So you have to ask yourself, when rejection comes and depression covers our hearts (dust covers our feet), will we sink away or shake the dust off and answer His call? He is calling today…what’s your answer?

“Hand in Hand with Jesus” – no book

A great message that focuses us through the days of rejection. Notice verse 2… “In my night of dark despair, Jesus heard and answered prayer. Now I’m walking free as air, hand in hand with Jesus.” But we must remember that we can only ‘handle the rejection’ when we stay close to Him overcomes. “Hand in hand we walk each day. Hand in hand alone the way. Walking thus we will not stray… hand in hand with Jesus.”

How Did We Get Here?…June 18th

Driving down the street with your mind on that meeting; your spouse’s doctor appointment and the ‘conversation’ you had with the kids earlier, did you notice the stop drivingsign? Of course I did, I stopped didn’t I…didn’t I? After leaving the house you drove those familiar streets to your next stop, but have you ever ask yourself, “What did I pass, how did I get here?”  

This Sunday morning we’re not talking about driving, but we are going to look at what we have done (what happened while I was raising my family) to get where we are today. And since its Father’s Day, we’ll look at a father whose son challenged him at every corner. With or without challenges, you have grown up in a family that brought you to this day, so maybe we should ask the question…“How Did We Get Here?”

“…I will sing with the spirit and I will sing with the mind also.”  I Corinthians 14:15

Sunday morning, June 18, 2017

The following songs are found in the hymnal, Songs of Faith & Praise.

“Let Every Heart Rejoice and Sing” – 8

We’ll open our worship with a song encouraging ALL to rejoice and sing. “…Ye aged men and children bring to God your sacrifice…” Together we will lift up our hearts as a sacrifice of praise!

“Wonderful Words of Life” – 543

Dads (Grandads), as you raise your family insure that you are singing to your children about a God who created them and loves them? Sing so that your children would say, “Sing them over again to me, wonderful words of life…” If you want your family to head toward heaven, point them toward God. You can do that by singing to them about the wonderful words of life.

“There is a Redeemer” – 287

The next two songs will usher us toward the Lord’s Supper. The prayer we’ll sing is simple, “Thank you, O my Father for giving us Your son.” Tell your children and your grandchildren about the gift God has given us through His Son! Without it, our families will be in distress wondering ‘how did we get here?’

“It Is Well with My Soul” – 490Old rugged cross

The second verse of this song before the Lord’s supper we’ll focus on a call to remember Christ sacrifice, “My sin! O the bless of this glorious thought, my sin, not in part, but the whole is nailed to HIS cross and I bear it no more…Praise the Lord!” Maybe this could be a song before the Lord’s Supper.

“Remind Me Dear Lord” – 606

“Nothing good have I done to deserve God’s own Son, I’m not worthy of the scars in His hands. Yet He chose the road to Calvary to die in my stead, why He loved me, I can’t understand.” Sometime we need the curtain of our memory rolled back so we can remember where we came from…we need that if we are ever going to know how we got where we are!

“Faith of Our Fathers” – 754

Before our lesson we’ll sing about the faith of our forefathers. We stand on the shoulders of those who have gone before us. If we fail to see what our fathers have done to bring us this far we miss the value of our legacy. Not to mention we’ll never know…you got it…how we got here!

“How Deep the Father’s Love” – no book

An invitation song that might not be ‘typical,’ but one that clearly reminds us (if we’re thinking about the words) that we were once a wretch, but now we are His treasure. That it was my voice that was heard among the scoffers and my sin that held Him to the cross. And perhaps most importantly, I have NO answer as to why I should gain from the reward of His death and resurrection. If we fail to examine this, our destination might not be the end result we all are hoping for. We might wonder not how did I get here…but why did I do that?

“Oh, To Be Like Thee” – 429

You want to have certainty of where you’re going? What to have confidence in knowing you’re directing your family toward heaven? Then consider this song, “Oh to be like Thee, blessed Redeemer! This is my constant LONGING AND PRAYER…” If our constant longing is to be with our God, and if we are leading our families in that direction, and if we obey God’s instructions to join Him in heaven…we’ll know how we got there!

How Can I Know There Is a God? … June 4th

There is a question that has been asked for generations, from young and old, ‘How do you know? You say this is the way it goes, but howquestion mark do you know?’ Some will tell you that the answer to the question is this…but how do they know? Even the jury needs to know for sure before coming down with a verdict. As a Christian, you have been told that there is a God. Still some may ask, “How do you know?”

The Christian stands tall on faith that what the Bible says is true. God is alive and Jesus loves me because…‘the Bible tells me so!’ But is there anything concrete I can share with my unbelieving friends? Can I give them something outside of God’s inspired word that confirms my belief that God is real? This coming Sunday morning at Faith Village church of Christ in Wichita Falls, come join us as we look at the question… “How Can I Know There Is a God?”

“…I will sing with the spirit and I will sing with the mind also.”  I Corinthians 14:15

Sunday morning, June 4, 2017

The following songs are found in the hymnal, Songs of Faith & Praise.

“All the Way My Savior Leads Me” – no book

Where are you going in life? Is there an ‘end game’ to your daily activities? As God’s children we know that He directs our path (Proverbs 3:6) and we follow Him by faith. Thus we sing, “All the way my Savior leads me, O the fullness of His love. Perfect rest to me is promised in my Father’s house above.” Maybe we should all ask ourselves, who is leading me and were exactly am I going?

following Christ“Step By Step” – 15

Following our opening song, “Jesus lead me all the way,” we reaffirm that we will follow Him, step by step. But not just follow Him. We will seek Him in the morning and we will learn to walk in His ways…all the way He leads us.

“Redeemed” – 458

When you know that there is a God and you are His child, it’s easy, and sweet, to sing this next song. “I’m redeemed! By love divine, Glory, glory, Christ is mine, Christ is mine.” When we believe, obey and follow God we will have a ‘sweet song’ (verse 1) and experience great joy (verse 2)!

“O Listen to the Wondrous Story” – 496

Though perhaps not known as a ‘song before the Lord’s supper,’ the chorus supports our claim that we can have assurance and know there is a God. With a short Q&A, we ask, “Who saved us from eternal loss?” Answer, “Who (else) but God’s Son upon the cross?” Question, “Why, what did He do?” Answer, “He died for you!” Question, “Where is He now?” Answer, this is good… “Believe it thou (you), in heaven interceding!” (Read Romans 8:34, “Christ Jesus is He who died, yes rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us.”)

“I Believe in the One They Call Jesus” – 356

How can we say we know for sure that God is real? Perhaps we follow the words from Romans 4:18 as Abraham’s faith was being discussed, “In hope against hope he believed…” That’s why, within this one song, we sing the word ‘believe’ eight times, in verse one alone. And before it’s all said and done, we’ll sing that we believe in Jesus, in His power, His authority, His life and His death a total of 22 times. So then you must decide if you’ll sing the last line of the chorus, “And I believe that He’s the answer for me.”

“Our God, He Is Alive” – 23

Written less than 50 years ago, this spiritual song has become one of the most popular hymns within churches of Christ. And perhaps there is no song more fitting as we consider our lesson today than the song with this title, Our God, He Is Alive! But look closely at verse three. Often skipped over and misunderstood by many, this verse reminds us that God is not only in control, He is in charge. He holds in His hand the secret of life, and though men may search for the answer, they will never find it. Why, because only God understands!

“I Know Whom I Have Believed” – 524

We have lots of questions in life. Even with this invitation song we find 5 questions we might ask. From God’s grace and His love, how the Holy Spirit ‘moves,’ what my future holds and when Christ will return. But even with these ‘queries,’ we sing with confidence…“I know whom I have believed, and I am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I have committed to Him (my life in Christ) against that day.” (See II Timothy 1:12, “…for I know whom I have believed and I am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him UNTIL that day.”…I believe that!)

“Blue Skies and Rainbows” – no book

Some say this is a campfire song…maybe, but notice the last two verses and how they support our message today. “Green grass and flowers all blooming in spring time…are works of the Master I live for each day…” and, “Tall mountains, green valleys, the beauty that surrounds me, all of this makes me aware of the One who made it all.” Look around you and you’ll see God’s hand. Then you’ll sing, “I know that Jesus is well and alive today!”