Preparing for the Lord's Day With the completion of the wall surrounding Jerusalem in Nehemiah 6, we come to the dedication of that wall in Nehemiah 12. As they set the wall apart for its intended use, the people fully knew that the protection and flourishing this wall offered would only be realized to the degree they placed their trust in God who is their true source of ...

Preparing for the Lord's Day Rebuilding the Kingdom As we have studied the books of Ezra and Nehemiah, we have seen how the Lord reestablished his people in Jerusalem following exile in Babylon. The first step in reestablishing the kingdom was to rebuild the Temple, which Ezra accomplished. Next, the defensive wall around the city of Jerusalem needed to be rebuilt, which...

Preparing for the Lord's Day Rebuilding the Kingdom It is not uncommon to hear Christians express their desire for revival. They hope for a reawakening of Christian values and practice in our churches and the culture at large. A time when many come to faith and are deepened in their faith. This hope is not farfetched or unprecedented. Throughout history, the Lord has bee...

Preparing for the Lord's Day Rebuilding the Kingdom Trumpets are meant to be loud. And for good reason. They are an instrument that is designed to announce and communicate. When you hear a trumpet, you pay attention. Growing up on military bases I remember the fast-paced morning reveille as the flag was raised and the low sonorous evening taps as the flag was lowered. Th...

Preparing for the Lord's Day Rebuilding the Kingdom January 12th is the date that most New Year's resolutions end. At least that is what one study of 31.5 million online participants revealed. People were able to gut it out for an average of two weeks and then give in. Much of the failure is due to unrealistic or overly ambitious goals. People think that they can go from...

Preparing for the Lord's Day New Year's Day Ilove the beginning of a new year. It is like a fresh pad of paper. The possibilities of what you will do with it are endless. You haven't messed up yet. Everything is clean and in order and all you must do is begin writing. I think this is why New Year's resolutions are so popular. We want to make this year one in which life b...

Preparing for the Lord's Day The Christmas Dragon In all the Christmas nativities I have seen, I have never run across one that included this particular character. Of course, there is always Mary, Joseph, and baby Jesus. Often you will have the shepherds and a few sheep. Larger scenes will include the three wisemen and even their camels. I have even seen boys with drums,...

Preparing for the Lord's Day Advent: Love What is your favorite part of Christmas? There are so many things to love about the Christmas season. There are the decorations, the parties, and the special worship services. There are presents and plays and concerts. I enjoy the food and the music and the anticipation. However, the best part of Christmas is the story of Christm...

Preparing for the Lord's Day Advent: Joy Johnathan Edwards once wrote, "Self-denial will also be reckoned amongst the troubles of the godly But whoever has tried self-denial can give in his testimony that they never experienced greater pleasure and joys than after great acts of self-denial." On the third Sunday of Advent, we focus on the theme of joy. Yet we can often mi...

Preparing for the Lord's Day Advent: Peace When you read our passage for this coming Sunday, you might ask yourself, "Why would Pastor Weber choose this passage when Sunday's theme is peace?" In the first verse of the passage, Jesus says to his disciples, "Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword."(Matthew 10...