Preparing for the Lord's Day How do you move from lament to praise? To lament is to give voice to your hardships and struggles. It is to call out in distress and frustration to the Lord. When we enter into periods of suffering it is only natural for us to lament all that we are enduring. Nevertheless, as God's people we are called to move from lament to praise, from distr...

Preparing for the Lord's Day It is every Pastor's worst nightmare. You come to preach your sermon and there is nobody in the sanctuary! Throughout my years as a pastor I have had such fearful dreams yet this week it came to pass. But in a way that I could never have foreseen. Last Saturday the Pastors and staff met together to decide if we would hold a public worship serv...

Preparing for the Lord's Day Psalm 23 begins with a powerful and meaningful confession of faith, "The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want." Guidance, provision, and protection of life are entrusted to the Lord God alone who cares for his people as a shepherd cares for his sheep. The title of shepherd was given not only to those who literally cared for sheep, but in the ...

Preparing for the Lord's Day As the father of five young children I have seen the following situation play-out in a variety of ways throughout the years. A young child has a birthday party. There is cake, ice cream, and decorations. There are fun activities and favors for all present. And, of course, there are gifts for the birthday boy or girl. Despite all of the fun, th...

Preparing for the Lord's Day It is common to express one's experience of guilt as being weighed down or burdened by the emotion. One might think that it is merely an expression, but research suggests that people who have feelings of guilt literally feel heavier. There is a true physical feeling of carrying a weight when one's conscience is sounding the alarm. To alleviate...

Preparing for the Lord's Day Our Psalm for this week holds a special place in the life and history of Rivermont Presbyterian Church. As many of you know Psalm 121 is painted on the wall panel adjacent to the pulpit. The dedication inscription says, "In Loving Memory of Graham and Lena Gilmer who served this congregation from 1923-1953. Given by their children and grandchi...

Preparing for the Lord's Day Dick Thomson was my first pastoral visit in ordained ministry. I had recently received a call to pastor a church in Gaffney, South Carolina and it was my goal to meet all the members, face to face, including the shut-ins. I really did not know what to expect when I arrived at Mr. Thomson's apartment in the Eden Terrace nursing facility. I was ...

Preparing for the Lord's Day Our Psalm for this Sunday invites us to ask the question, "What is the nature of a blessed life?" Our culture presents us with a variety of different answers to the question of what constitutes a well lived or happy life. There is the take life by the horns approach. This says that the blessed life is one that is filled with adventure and risk...

Preparing for the Lord's Day James 4:6 tells us that, "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble." It is a theme that runs throughout God's word, those who trust in man fall but those who trust in the Lord are raised up. The men who built up the tower of Babel were cast down in humility (Gen 11:8). Yet when Joseph was unjustly casted down into prison the Lord ra...

Preparing for the Lord's Day It took twenty-five years for the Lord to fulfill His promise to Abraham. As a seventy-five year-old man, the Lord promised to make him a father and I am sure Abraham thought that it would be soon. Yet, year after year the promise did not come to pass. His wife Sarah remained barren and the hope of a child was tested. The Lord was gracious to ...