What was Sunday/Saturday sermon about?

I don't know.
I didn't go.
I thought about it, and even drove to the church, I even went in for Sunday school.
I dropped off a knife scabbard the my wife and I made for one of the gents and some Christmas cards and we left.

Was just summerizing the words of the preacher. Was not speaking to anyone in particular.

When God says something we need to take Him at His word, and not try to make scripture say something else other than what God intended. He is the one who put the ability into mankind to form words/languages, therefore if He want to communicate something to us, He knows how to do so.

We can put our trust in the word of God because whatever He says will come to pass, it will happen just like He said it would. His words never fail.

I preached to a family gathering, about Christ being the new covenant

Faith without works is dead. We have to answer God's call. Our destiny may not be what we ask for/want. Despite this, God will empower us during this journey.

Forgiveness. If we ask God to forgive us, and still have awe against our brother, will God still forgive us? If we say "I forgive you for a sin against me" and refuse to forget the sin, have we really forgiven our brother.

It is easy to say I forgive, but it isn't easy to actually forgive.

The nativity of Christ, asking us if we bring our own gifts to Christ by correct stewardship of our time, talent, and treasure...if we bring our own gifts to our fellow believers made in the image of God by loving and caring for them...and passing mention that the original gifts of the magi are still preserved in Greece and can be seen if you travel to Mt. Athos.

The lesson was taken from 1Samuel 8.

Israel did not want God to rule over them, they wanted a king just like the nations around them.

We must examine ourselves to see who is king in our lives, whether we have an idol or not.

Our God should be Lord over our lives and we are not to make anything in this world more important than Him.

Treaties and covenants.

The Israelites made a treaty with the Gibieonites even though the Gibeonites tricked them but the Isrealites still needed to honour that treaty or covenant even 500 years later. When Saul killed some of the Gibeonites, God was not pleased, and they had to give up some of their men in exchange because they had made an agreement to not kill them.

This is relevant to us living under the Treaty of Waitangi in NZ.
Or any of us who are married, we make a treaty or covenant about marriage its binding until death.
However the ultimate treaty or covenant was the one Jesus made when he gave his life for us and that will never be broken by Him.

Psalm 88

Sometimes we need to go through dark times. Just know that God is still there behind the clouds. Darkness drives us to seek God when everyone else forsakes us.

Pride prevents us from serving God properly, and we need to humble ourselves before we get disgraced, because pride always comes before the fall.

Sanctification through the sift - gathering His Wheat and burning up the chaff

Luke 22:31-32

31 And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan has desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat:

32 But I have prayed for you, that your faith fail not: and when you are converted, strengthen your brethren.

Lost or saved, all will bow before JESUS, IT is better now before we die,

part 90-something of a study on Joel: week 4 of a focus on Judges 19-21.
physics of galaxy formation, dark matter & energy. Matthew 23 + Colossians 1:15 + Romans 1:15-25, the unseen being seen & made visible, and the contraposition of Pharisaical theology vs John 4:24, works vs. grace -- belief, John 11:25-26
introduction of the Christology of Judges 21 in relation to Daniel 12 / Revelation 13 -- the sealed book and the unsealed intertwined, the wise will understand and none of the wicked will. the disappearance/reappearance of the wife of God; the same of the bride of Christ ((Israel/Church)) -- how the 144,000 sealed in Revelation explain the great question 'why?' that immediately rises from these facts ((Israel removed from being a nation and becoming reinstated, 70 - 1947 AD)). the innocence or guilt of Jabesh Gilead, the stealing of the young women at Shiloh. a little about how 1 Samuel 11 solves this. the wife of YHWH cut into 12 pieces because there are 13 tribes. the responsibility of being stewards of His mysteries, 1 Corinthians 4:1-2

i noticed the direct contrast of the close of Judges, particularly 21:23, with what follows immediately after, Ruth. stolen young women for wicked - but spared - husbands whose wives were killed & burned, vs. the kinsmen redeemer of a woman whose husband died.

Topic: what must one do to be saved?

According to the book of Acts:

1) You need to hear words that will cause you and your household to be saved. Acts 11: 1-4

2)You have to believe in Jesus as your savior to be justified. Acts 13:38-39

Justified: to be declared not guilty, even though we have sinned.

The law of Moses could not justify anyone because all it did was to point out peoples sins.

3) Repent and be converted that your sins may be blotted out. Acts 3:19

Repent: 1) feel regret/ sorry for your sins. 2) change of your thinking/mind from the things that are bad. 3)return to God.

When you do the things that are right, you live a new life. A resurrected life.

Some people want to go to heaven without giving up their sins. Giving up of sins is the hardest part of being a Christian.

4) Confess your faith. Acts 8:37

5) Be baptised Acts 22:16

Matthew 27:17 -- Barabbas or Jesus?

This morning our elder preached: "Some in here have arrested Jesus and freed Barabbas. Repent and let Jesus be the king of your heart".

If the church keep doing things the same way, and don't keep up with the times or the changing needs in society, it will become irrelevant. We have to come up with different ways of bringing the gospel to the people.

The church have to make sure that it is not disconnected from society to the point were it is not concerned about what is going on in the world.