Church guide

Weekend Update: April 5 - 11, 2019

Empowered to Connect Conference well underway! #showhope #trauma #TBRI

Isaiah 50-51 Who? Who among you fears the LORD and obeys the word of his servant? Let him who walks in the dark, who has no light, trust in the name of the LORD and rely on his God. Isaiah 50:10 Isaiah 50:4-11 contains the third of the four “Servant Songs” found in Isaiah (42:1-7; 49:1-7; 52:12 - 53:12). Following the “song” is a recognition that there is a remnant that fears the LORD and obeys this Servant that will suffer. This remnant is given some admonitions. They are to look back and remember that God is faithful (51:1-3). They are to look ahead and realize that God has a plan that He is working out (51:4-6). They are then challenged to look in their hearts for what they know to be true (51:7-8). God searches for men and women who are devoted to Him. God made this clear through Hanani the seer to Asa in 2 Chronicles 16:9. He searches for those who will fear Him and whose hearts are fully committed to Him, He strengthens. He strengthens them to remember, to look ahead with confidence and to look inside for the change that He has made in their lives. “Who among you fears the LORD and obeys the word of his servant?” Me!! Lord, let this be me! Let me obey all that Jesus has taught. O Dear LORD, please take my life as a willing sacrifice. Help me to be one of those who is following You closely. Help me remember Your faithfulness, help me look forward with confidence, and help me see the absolute ways You have taken my heart of stone and given me a heart of flesh that is tender toward You!! Amen.

Isaiah 48-49 If only This is what the LORD says—your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: “I am the LORD your God, who teaches you what is best for you, who directs you in the way you should go. If only you had paid attention to my commands, your peace would have been like a river, your righteousness like the waves of the sea. Your descendants would have been like the sand, your children like its numberless grains; their name would never be cut off nor destroyed from before me.” Isaiah 48:17-19 These verses remind me of the lament that Jesus offers over the city of Jerusalem in Luke 19:42. God laments what the nation missed out on. By their own choice, they turned to other gods and trusted in them. Those gods brought pain and judgment upon the nation. If only they had listened to the teaching of the Holy One. If only they would have chosen what is best instead of settling for the least. If only they had paid attention to the commands and the directions of the right way to go. Things would have been much different. There are consequences to sin. Sin is forgiven, but the consequences remain. They could have known peace. They could have lived lives of righteousness. Their children would have learned the same obedience and would have flourished. God makes this statement so that they can see how they ended up where they were. This new generation has a new choice to make. Will they listen to the Teacher? Will they follow His directions? Will I? Today is a new opportunity for me to listen carefully to what God teaches—to look deeply into His Word for the truth that will guide my life. A new opportunity to lean on God and God alone for all my needs and to take the Holy Spirit power within me to have my life choices be righteous choices. O LORD, I know that I could live in regret for all that could have been if I had only listened and obeyed Your teaching. Instead, I choose to live going forward. I choose to have Your teachings continually lead me on the path that is best. I choose to allow Your power within me to give me the strength to follow You! Amen.

Isaiah 46-47 Faithfulness “Listen to me, O house of Jacob, all you who remain of the house of Israel, you whom I have upheld since you were conceived, and have carried since your birth. Even to your old age and gray hairs I am he, I am he who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you. Isaiah 46:3-4 Once again, God’s Word shows that confidence is to be found in His faithfulness. Over and over in this section of Isaiah (chapters 40-48), God is revealing His nature and character so that His people can find comfort. Over and over He states that He is in control and that His love for His people will never wane. The repeated truths and clear teachings will bring great comfort to a nation returning from exile and—much more—to all those who have followed. This promise, that God will be with Israel even to their old age, is a promise to a nation that God loves deeply. Just as He loved them in their infancy, so He will love them and sustain them and carry them. He will rescue them. God has certainly not turned His affection away from the house of Israel. He still has a deep and abiding love for them and a plan to rescue them. They can be confident of that. Many times I have heard verse 4 read without verse 3. When this is done, it gives a much different interpretation of the passage. God is clearly speaking to a nation here. But even as He speaks to a nation, He reveals His nature and His character. As He does, I am able to apply the truth of His nature and character to myself individually as well. Since God is faithful to sustain, carry, and rescue a nation that He loves, He will sustain, carry, and rescue me, as a child He has adopted into His family through Christ. This brings me great comfort. My confidence can be found in God’s faithfulness as well. O LORD, great is Your faithfulness. Who am I that You should care for me in the same way that You care for Your chosen nation? Thank You for Jesus and for making it possible for me to experience Your faithfulness in my life. When I am tempted to doubt, fill me with the comfort of Your promises. Amen.

Isaiah 44-45 Sovereign “This is what the LORD says to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I take hold of to subdue nations before him and to strip kings of their armor, to open doors before him so that gates will not be shut: Isaiah 45:1 This is a most surprising verse! It is significant for several reasons. First, God is making clear that He will overthrow Babylon through a Persian king. Remember that neither Babylon nor Persia had power at the time of this writing. Furthermore, God names a man yet to be born. No less than 150 years prior to the birth of Cyrus, God has decreed his name. Beyond that, God has determined that this man Cyrus will be God’s anointed, even though he will not acknowledge God (45:4)! God is stating that He has chosen and empowered Cyrus to carry out God’s will. God does this so that it may be clear to all that God is LORD and that there is no other god before Him (45:6). God has chosen to give this pagan a title of honor so that through this man, God may work His plan for the rebuilding of a temple, a city, and a people. In this clear prophecy, which declares with great detail what will happen 150-plus years in the future, God declares His absolute authority over all things and all times. God alone is sovereign over all there is—not just over those who turn to Him. All people serve God’s purposes. That can be hard for me to understand, but God is absolutely sovereign over all things. As I embrace that truth tightly, it brings great peace. God’s plans cannot and will not be thwarted by any person. The created does not control the Creator (45:9). Dear God, thank You for the peace that comes to me as I ponder the truth that You are sovereign. Sometimes I am tempted to doubt that fact. I get wrapped up thinking that things are falling apart. Remind me that they are not. You are holding all things together and are working all things together for Your purposes. Thank You for the clear teaching in this passage. Amen.

Isaiah 42-43 I,even I “You are my witnesses,” declares the LORD, “and my servant whom I have chosen, so that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he. Before me no god was formed, nor will there be one after me. I, even I, am the LORD, and apart from me there is no savior.” Isaiah 43:10-11 “I, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions, for my own sake, and remembers your sins no more. Isaiah 43:25 Twice in this chapter God makes an emphatic statement through Isaiah. “I, even I.” There can be no doubt. God is making a sure statement that He alone can save people from their sins. There is no savior apart from Him. His suffering servant (Isaiah 42:1-7) will set the captives free. He saves for His own sake. This is significant and must be remembered. I do not deserve forgiveness. God is perfectly within His rights to punish me for my transgressions. I have no claim on forgiveness. Nor does God owe me or save me for happiness. He saves me to show the compassionate nature of His character. He saves me to declare and proclaim His glory through my forgiveness and salvation. He is the only Savior who saves. In saving, He saves completely. He blots out sins and remembers them no more. It is not that they are forgotten—it is that God chooses not to remember them ever. Sin will never be held against the person whom God has saved through Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1)! A desire to be a witness that testifies to the fact that God saves stirs up in me when I understand my salvation in this way. Just as God saved the nation of Israel so that they could be a witness, so also God has saved me to be a witness of His loving kindness, extended through the complete forgiveness of sins. Dear God, You, even You, are the One who has saved me completely. You have rescued me from my bondage to sin and have set me free—not because of anything I have done, but because of Your overwhelming love and mercy. How I love You and how I long to make You and Your forgiveness known. Help me have the boldness needed to share what You have done for me! Amen.

Isaiah 40-41 Comfort Comfort, comfort my people, says your God. He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young. Isaiah 40:1,11 Chapter 40 opens a new section for Isaiah. It has been observed that the book of Isaiah, in some ways, is like a Bible in miniature. The Bible has 66 books and Isaiah has 66 chapters. The Old Testament has 39 books and there are 39 chapters in the first part of Isaiah. Both seem to focus primarily on the judgment of sin by God. The 27 chapters of the second part seem to parallel the 27 books of the New Testament, in that they both seem to emphasize the grace of God. These 27 chapters of Isaiah open with the ministry of John the Baptist and close with the new heavens and the new earth. Of course, the chapter breaks were not part of the original text of Isaiah, but it is an interesting way to consider the book as a whole. The comfort spoken of by Isaiah in chapter 40 and forward is for a future generation. Rabbis have called Isaiah 40-66 “The Book of Consolation.” Indeed, that is what it is. It provides comfort as it reveals that God is to be trusted and that He cares for and comforts His own. He tends His flock like a loving shepherd. It would be a visual for the people who would be coming back to rebuild the city of Jerusalem and the temple of God. It is a comfort for me today as well. I can be comforted to know that God is a God of judgment, but also a God of grace, who longs to comfort His own. Dear God, how I need the comfort that can only come from You. So many times I can feel overcome with the circumstances of life that seem to try to overtake me. Remind me often that I am gathered in Your arms and that You are carrying me close to Your heart. I rest in Your care. Amen.

Weekend Update: March 29 - April 4, 2019

Isaiah 38-39 Humbly But what can I say? He has spoken to me, and he himself has done this. I will walk humbly all my years because of this anguish of my soul. Lord, by such things men live; and my spirit finds life in them too. You restored me to health and let me live. Surely it was for my benefit that I suffered such anguish. In your love you kept me from the pit of destruction; you have put all my sins behind your back. Isaiah 38:15-17 Hezekiah has been given a promise from God. In his anguish, he cried out to God and God answered. This is Hezekiah’s response. He has seen the hand of God in the midst of his anguish and he declares that it will change the rest of his life. He will live differently because the Lord’s deliverance has allowed him to see that the suffering brought three things to him. First, it was for his benefit, as it brought him wholeness and peace upon receiving deliverance. Second, it brought an awareness of the love of God and the rescue that that love brought to him. Finally, and perhaps most incredibly, it brought about the removal of sin. In some way, the encounter with God allowed Hezekiah to know that his sins had been hurled away. Through Christ, I have the same opportunity. I have been delivered from the anguish of sin in my life, knowing that, as my Savior, He has hurled my sin “behind His back.” I know that it was for my benefit that God showed me the cause of my anguish and that He did indeed rescue me. I also know His love—and it has changed me. All the days of my life will be different because He has rescued me from the anguish of my sin. By His grace, I will walk humbly with Him all my days. O LORD, what can I say? I have been set free from my anguish and I long to walk with You humbly, declaring Your great power and Your endless love demonstrated for me. Let me live that I might praise You, my Rock and my Redeemer. Amen.

Isaiah 36-37 Prayer Hezekiah received the letter from the messengers and read it. Then he went up to the temple of the LORD and spread it out before the LORD. And Hezekiah prayed to the LORD: “O LORD Almighty, God of Israel, enthroned between the cherubim, you alone are God over all the kingdoms of the earth. You have made heaven and earth. Give ear, O LORD, and hear; open your eyes, O LORD, and see; listen to all the words Sennacherib has sent to insult the living God. Isaiah 37:14-17 Hezekiah brings the insults that have been hurled against God to God’s attention. He spreads them out before God and begins a conversation with God about it. He recognizes the majesty of God and that God’s majesty has been defamed. He calls out to God to defend His name. I am sure that Hezekiah was also filled with fear. There was an impending defeat. His forces (in their own strength) would surely fall to Sennacherib. Yet that is not what he began with in his prayer. He began by acknowledging the rightful reign of God and His power. His prayer is that God would reveal Himself in such a way that it would be clear that He was truly God, so that all kingdoms would know Him as the LORD God. God answered this prayer. Am I overwhelmingly concerned about the reputation of God? Do I lay before Him all the places I see His name defamed and do I ask Him to move in power to reveal the power of His name? What are the ways that my life distorts His reputation? Am I willing to have Him do whatever He sees necessary in my life for His power to be revealed—even if it is uncomfortable for me? God’s name is to be great and it should start by being great with me, as one of His children! O LORD, help me turn quickly to You in prayer when I see Your name defamed. Help me see the places where this is happening—there are so many places and the truth is that I have become numb to many of them because of the way they have been found acceptable in our society. Help me stand against those who blaspheme Your name. Cause their voice to be quieted, God! Silence them so that the world will know that the LORD is God. Amen.

Isaiah 34-35 All Come near, you nations, and listen; pay attention, you peoples! Let the earth hear, and all that is in it, the world, and all that comes out of it! The LORD is angry with all nations; his wrath is upon all their armies. He will totally destroy them, he will give them over to slaughter. Isaiah 34:1-2 Chapters 34 and 35 end the section from chapter 28, but largely beginning with chapter 13. Before moving on, Isaiah gives one more judgment against the nations and one more promise of the future. The message of the judgment of God is not a popular message today. People would rather hear of the love and grace of God than His wrath and judgment. They would rather define God with their definition of good rather than His. But God’s loving-kindness and goodness is based in His holy, perfect, moral righteousness, which requires that a good God be a God of judgment and, yes, a God of wrath against all opposed to that righteous, holy standard (34:8). He has a day assigned for vengeance. Notice the inclusiveness of his wrath—all nations. Chapter 34 is graphic in a way that is hard for us to understand. I consider that this is God as Isaiah encountered Him in chapter 6. It is this view of God that brings awe, this view of God that is most accurate, this view of God that for us has become most uncomfortable and avoided because it does not seem attractive. It was the same for the audience in Isaiah’s day. For us, it seems much better to have a god who is there to serve our purposes, bring us comfort, and meet our needs as we have defined them. It is much better to have a god who is good (as we describe good) and is absolutely forgiving of all and accepting of anything that happens. That is a god we can tell our friends about. The only problem is that a god like that cannot be trusted because it exists only in our selfish imaginations. The commission that Isaiah accepted from God was to tell the truth. Just like all of Scripture, chapter 34 is truth. God’s righteous nature requires that justice and wrath pour out as described. It may not seem pleasant, but it is necessary for His purpose to be carried out. He is the loving, sovereign King who can be eternally trusted. We each will either face the graphic eternal judgment due to a rebellious spirit or submit in awe to His righteous, loving, just reign, as His adopted child through the provision of Christ (John 1:12) I am so grateful that, by His grace, I am living in submission as His child! O LORD, I read in these verses the outcome of Your righteous judgment against sin. We are deserving of Your wrath, and yet, You offer grace. Help me be bold to tell people truly who You are so that they may find the rescue that You have given me. Amen.

Isaiah 32-33 King Your eyes will see the king in his beauty and view a land that stretches afar. In your thoughts you will ponder the former terror. Isaiah 33:17-18a There is the sure promise of an amazing King with an amazing kingdom. Isaiah has been careful to blend the promises of the future in with the judgments that are sure to come as we wait for that day of the LORD. When I read the last part of Isaiah 33, it causes me to long for Zion of the future—that city on a hill over which our great King will reign. I long to see the King in His beauty. I long for the day that all that is opposed to Him is put aside and peace will reign. I long for the place where the things that tempt me to stray from Him will tempt me no more. When I allow those thoughts and the certainty of the hope they provide to consume my imagination it brings me peace. Because of my salvation in Christ, I have a certain hope for the future. But that is not the full extent of the message and it misses the hope needed to live for Him today. That same King whom Isaiah speaks of in chapter 33 as a heavenly King is the King that is spoken of in chapter 32 as an earthly King. The Messiah is the God-man. He is the earthly and heavenly King. His kingdom is forever and is in place now! I have the opportunity, because of the pouring out of His Spirit in my life (32:15) to live in joyful submission to His rule. Without a fear of the King (33:6), I will reject that rule. The fear of the LORD is the key to the treasure of sure foundation for my life. The fear of the LORD is the key to a rich store of salvation, wisdom, and knowledge. The fear of the LORD is what Isaiah experienced in chapter 6. Dear Jesus, You are my King. I long for that day when I see You face-to-face and there is no sin to keep me from You. I long for the day that I am set completely free from the presence of sin. Meanwhile, I rejoice that You are my King while I serve You in this fallen world, striving to make Your reign known. I need Your strength, my King, to help me in my striving. Amen.

Isaiah 30-31 Stubborn This is what the Sovereign LORD, the Holy One of Israel, says: “In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength, but you would have none of it. Isaiah 30:15 Isaiah describes the nation of Judah as obstinate children (30:1). Over and over, in many different illustrations and contexts, God, through Isaiah, is trying to make the message clear. Trusting in anything other than God will fail and is rebellion against Him. It is as if the nation were a stubborn, strong-willed little child. Isaiah reminds them that going back to Egypt for help is going back to the place they were held in slavery! That is foolish. It is foolish to go to the places that have wounded me and caused me to be in bondage to try to find healing and freedom. What are the ways I do that in my life? God says that there is freedom available in salvation and strength. It comes from repentance, rest, quietness, and trust (30:15). But stubborn children will have none of it. God reveals in this chapter that if Judah finally comes to her senses, He stands ready to bless graciously and with compassion (30:18). I see what God promises to them if they will turn in repentance. First, He will bring spiritual regeneration (19-22). They will hear the whisper of God in their ears telling them where to go and what to do! This will allow them to detest the idols they have placed in their lives and they will discard them as the disgusting things that they are. Secondly, God will pour out physical blessings (23-26). They will see that all things come from Him. Finally, He will defeat their enemies (27-33). I must search my heart for the places that my stubborn refusal causes me to miss the compassion that God longs to show me! Dear God, I am a stubborn man. I hold on to things that keep me from relying fully upon You. I miss out on compassion that You are showing me because I am looking away from You. Draw me to repentance so that I may hear Your sweet guidance for my life. Amen.

Isaiah 28-29 Refuge You boast, “We have entered into a covenant with death, with the grave we have made an agreement. When an overwhelming scourge sweeps by, it cannot touch us, for we have made a lie our refuge and falsehood our hiding place." Isaiah 28:15 After looking at God’s sovereignty over the nations, in particular (chapters 13-23) and in general (chapters 24-27), Isaiah turns his attention to Northern Israel (Ephraim) and Judah. They have fallen into the trap of trusting in nations and their kings rather than the King. It is not natural for God to be our refuge. The natural self looks only to the things it can devise for security and strength and refuge. The natural self is totally and completely opposed to God. It is reliance upon self that Isaiah is speaking against. In Isaiah 28:15, we see the natural choice for people: finding refuge in lies and making falsehood and illusion a hiding place. Judah chose to ally itself with Egypt and trust in the drunken power of Egypt—rather than the sobering power of God—to put off the threat that was coming from Assyria. Bad choice. Egypt could no more save Judah than it could save itself. Not only was it a bad choice to trust in Egypt instead of God, it was a bad choice to boast about it. God makes it clear what will happen to their refuge and hiding place (28:17). God will not be mocked. Is He my refuge? Where do I go for a hiding place? My lips may say one thing—but what does my heart say (29:13)? My natural self will not choose God for refuge. Is my refuge, my security, my hope, and my hiding place in anything temporary? Dear God, I long for You to be my only place of refuge. I am so drawn to provide spaces of safety for myself in temporary things, only to find them very insufficient and unable to keep me safe. Forgive me for not trusting in You alone. Amen.

Weekend Update: March 22 - 28, 2019

Isaiah 26-27 Smooth The path of the righteous is level; O upright One, you make the way of the righteous smooth. Yes, LORD, walking in the way of your laws, we wait for you; your name and renown are the desire of our hearts. My soul yearns for you in the night; in the morning my spirit longs for you. Isaiah 26:7-9a The way of the righteous is smooth and level. This song, which is actually a powerful prayer that I can pray today, recognizes the power and sovereignty of God. Isaiah recalls that righteousness brings one down a smooth road. It is a choice. Peace comes only on this smooth path. As the people sought peace, they looked everywhere except to God. This caused them to ride a rough road. Choosing what was right would have allowed them to walk a level path. What is it that my soul yearns for? When I wake, is my spirit longing for the Lord? Is the glory of God’s name the desire of my heart—does my heart break when His fame is cursed? Do I love to walk in His ways and truth so that my path will be smooth or have I listened to the lie that says that living for God is hard? Living in pride against God is a rough road indeed, but living according to His perfect design allows for peace and joy—even in the midst of pain. The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, shining ever brighter till the full light of day (Proverbs 4:18). O, upright One, keep me from the rough road of pride and disobedience and the pain that comes from choosing sin. Please help me stay on the path of the righteous, that I may be walking close to You on the level and smooth path. Amen.

Tomorrow night YOU are invited to a special event hosted by the Jr High Ministry! Calvary’s Got Talent Friday Night at 7pm Hope to see you there!!

Isaiah 24-25 Marvelous O LORD, you are my God; I will exalt you and praise your name, for in perfect faithfulness you have done marvelous things, things planned long ago. Isaiah 25:1 There is a devastation that is coming to the earth. It will be complete, as described in chapter 24. As I read this chapter, my heart sinks. It is hard to think of the complete devastation that will come because of the sin of the people God created (24:6). There will be a great celebration on the day that God reveals Himself in power and sets all things right. A cry of joy will go out when at last Satan—and all those who have chosen to serve him—will finally be judged and sentenced. All the ends of the earth will sing out, “Glory to the Righteous One” (24:16). All will cry out because of the faithfulness of God and the marvelous things that He has done—things planned before the dawn of time. We will be living forever in the presence of God, without the presence of sin, with all who have been adopted into His family, in the rooms that have been prepared for us—living true life as originally designed. It is hard not to get excited as I think about all that is involved in this promised future. And yet... And yet, like Isaiah, my heart aches for those who will miss out (24:16-18). There will come a day of great rejoicing and celebration in the presence of the marvelous God. I long for that day—but I ache for those who will miss out for all eternity and will be forever tormented. O LORD, how I long for the day when at last sin is finally defeated and I stand with all the saints in Your presence declaring Your magnificence with a new perspective. I will see You in all Your glory and I will exalt You and praise Your name. And yet, my heart breaks for those who have not yet been set free—and especially for those who never will. Who am I, God, that You would have allowed me to know You? I bow before Your greatness. Amen.

Were you able to be part of Pack Friday this year? We got to witness about 450 volunteers pack 104,760 meals on one day, November 23, 2018 - praise God! We celebrate the way Kids Around the World will be able to use these meals to reach kids in need as they show the light of Christ! And thanks to all of our awesome volunteers who showed up to help! Here's a quick video recap. #PackFriday

Just finished the first round of packing on #PackFriday at Calvary Community Church! Two more shifts at Noon and 2 - stop on by!!

Did you miss this week's announcemtents video? Check it out!

ARE YOU MAN ENOUGH TO SERVE? Men, sign up here: https://calvarycommunity.wufoo.com/forms/z3krhmn1nl3wn4/

October 20, 1-4 p.m. What's it all about? Watch this!

A special message for the ladies about Advent Dinner Hostess Meetings!

Our next round of Proactive Parenting starts this coming Sunday, September 9, at 9 AM in Fellowship Hall. Whether you're a parent, grandparent, teacher, or anyone else who has interactions with kids on a regular basis, you're encouraged to join Pastor Tim Yorgey as he helps us understand how to speak into some of the tough topics our students are facing today. We hope you can be there!

Hi Men! I would really like to encourage you to go on line and register for the conference this weekend! https://calvarycommunity.wufoo.com/forms/z1q41azt0pf7rmc/

Our men's conference is just around the corner - September 7 & 8. Men, head over to our website for more information and to sign up today! http://calvarycommunity.net/events/2018/09/07/men-s-conference

Earlier today, we checked in with the Clothing Outreach Center in Elkhorn to hear how the Undie 500 went... So see how we're impacting our community with the love of Christ by giving away free clothes - and watch to find out how you can get involved as well!