This will replace the blog on the church website, so you must subscribe via the link below to access it. A kind approach to life’s big questions. From Pastor Mark https://markrobertson745367.substack.com/ Views: 13

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First, let me just state – I love our church. I love that every time I’m at Companion Coffee or Rivertown, I see our church members – we’re committed to the truth of the gospel and we’re committed to loving this community – it’s going to be a consistent mantra for us as a church –…

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Hello Church! Marci and I just returned from Malibu from our marriage retreat – it was splendid; great views, great talks, and a nice time of refreshment. As you might imagine, our favorite times weren’t spent sitting around a board room talking about marriage – that’s important, but our most impactful moments were waking up early…

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I came across this in my Bible reading today: Now the whole earth had one language and the same words.2 And as people migrated from the east, they found a plain in the land of Shinar and settled there. 3 And they said to one another, “Come, let us make bricks, and burn them thoroughly.” And they had…

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I came across this in my Bible reading this week: Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at his right hand to accuse him. 2 And the Lord said to Satan, “The Lord rebuke you, O Satan! The Lord who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you! Is…

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I came across this in my Bible reading today: The Lord said to Gideon, “The people with you are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hand, lest Israel boast over me, saying, ‘My own hand has saved me.’ 3 Now therefore proclaim in the ears of the people, saying, ‘Whoever is fearful and…

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I came across this in my Bible reading today: On that day it shall be said to Jerusalem: “Fear not, O Zion;     let not your hands grow weak. 17 The Lord your God is in your midst,     a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness;     he will quiet you by his love;…

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I came across this in my Bible reading today: Now the angel of the Lord went up from Gilgal to Bochim. And he said, “I brought you up from Egypt and brought you into the land that I swore to give to your fathers. I said, ‘I will never break my covenant with you, 2 and you…

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I came across this in my Bible reading today: In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. 2 The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. – Genesis 1:1-2 These are the first two…

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I came across this in my Bible reading today: The scatterer has come up against you.     Man the ramparts;     watch the road; dress for battle;     collect all your strength.- -Nahum 2:1 Nahum’s prophecies come about 100 years after the time when Jonah was asked to go to Nineveh and demand their repentance; but Nahum prophesies to…

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I came across this in my Bible reading today: Who is a God like you, pardoning iniquity     and passing over transgression     for the remnant of his inheritance? He does not retain his anger forever,     because he delights in steadfast love. 19 He will again have compassion on us;     he will tread our iniquities underfoot. You will cast…

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I came across this in my Bible reading today: He has told you, O man, what is good;     and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness,     and to walk humbly with your God? – Micah 6:8 These are famous words and they are often passed over glibly, or…

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I came across this in my Bible reading today: There was not a city that made peace with the people of Israel except the Hivites, the inhabitants of Gibeon. They took them all in battle. 20 For it was the Lord‘s doing to harden their hearts that they should come against Israel in battle, in order that…

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I came across this in my Bible reading today: But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah,     who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me     one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old,     from ancient days. 3 Therefore he shall give them up…

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I came across this in my Bible reading today. I’m including a whole chapter here: Then I saw another mighty angel coming down from heaven, wrapped in a cloud, with a rainbow over his head, and his face was like the sun, and his legs like pillars of fire. 2 He had a little scroll open in…

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I came across this in my Bible reading today: It shall come to pass in the latter days     that the mountain of the house of the Lord shall be established as the highest of the mountains,     and it shall be lifted up above the hills; and peoples shall flow to it, 2     and many nations shall come,…

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I came across this in my Bible reading today: And the Lord said to Joshua, “Do not fear and do not be dismayed. Take all the fighting men with you, and arise, go up to Ai. See, I have given into your hand the king of Ai, and his people, his city, and his land.” –…

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Today I came across this in my Bible reading: But Joshua commanded the people, “You shall not shout or make your voice heard, neither shall any word go out of your mouth, until the day I tell you to shout. Then you shall shout.” – Joshua 6:10 This verse is found within the famous account of…

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I came across this strange verse in my Bible reading today: When the Lamb opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour. – Revelation 8:1 In this apocalyptic vision that John is shown, the Lord is in the process of opening the seven seals; Jesus is the focus, the Lamb…

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I came across this in my Bible reading today: After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, 10 and crying out with a…

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I came across this in my Bible reading today: For behold, the Lord is coming out of his place,     and will come down and tread upon the high places of the earth. 4 And the mountains will melt under him,     and the valleys will split open, like wax before the fire,     like waters poured down a steep…

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Paul says this in 2 Corinthians 9: “The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace…

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I came across this in my Bible reading today: And when the soles of the feet of the priests bearing the ark of the Lord, the Lord of all the earth, shall rest in the waters of the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan shall be cut off from flowing, and the waters coming down from…

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I read this this morning, and I’m going to post the whole chapter here because it holds together so well: Then the word of the Lord came to Jonah the second time, saying, 2 “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and call out against it the message that I tell you.” 3 So Jonah arose and went…

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I came across this in my Bible reading today: “Only be strong and very courageous, being careful to do according to all the law that Moses my servant commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may have good success wherever you go.8 This Book of the Law…

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I came across this in my Bible reading today: Then they said to him, “What shall we do to you, that the sea may quiet down for us?” For the sea grew more and more tempestuous. 12 He said to them, “Pick me up and hurl me into the sea; then the sea will quiet down for…

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I came across this in my Bible reading today: The twenty-four elders fall down before him who is seated on the throne and worship him who lives forever and ever. They cast their crowns before the throne, saying, 11 “Worthy are you, our Lord and God,     to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all…

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I came across this in my Bible reading today: “And to the angel of the church in Laodicea write: ‘The words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God’s creation. ‘I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! 16 So, because you are…

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I came across this in my Bible reading today: He found him in a desert land,     and in the howling waste of the wilderness; he encircled him, he cared for him,     he kept him as the apple of his eye. – Deuteronomy 32:10 Chapter 32 of Deuteronomy is fascinating, because these words are in the midst…

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I came across this text in my Bible reading today: “For this commandment that I command you today is not too hard for you, neither is it far off. 12 It is not in heaven, that you should say, ‘Who will ascend to heaven for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and…

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I was reading this in my Bible reading this morning: To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. – Revelation 1:5b-6  Oftentimes this kind of language is found at…

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I came across this in my Bible reading today: But you must remember, beloved, the predictions of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ. 18 They said to you, “In the last time there will be scoffers, following their own ungodly passions.” 19 It is these who cause divisions, worldly people, devoid of the Spirit.20 But you, beloved, building…

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I came across this today in my Bible reading: “I hate, I despise your feasts,     and I take no delight in your solemn assemblies. 22 Even though you offer me your burnt offerings and grain offerings,     I will not accept them; and the peace offerings of your fattened animals,     I will not look upon them. 23 Take away…

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I was thinking of this today when in prayer for our church: And James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came up to him and said to him, “Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you.” 36 And he said to them, “What do you want me to do for you?” 37 And…

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I came across this in my Bible reading today: 8 And the Lord brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, with great deeds of terror, with signs and wonders. 9 And he brought us into this place and gave us this land, a land flowing with milk and honey. 10 And behold, now…

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Trust in the Lord with all your heart,     and do not lean on your own understanding. 6 In all your ways acknowledge him,     and he will make straight your paths. – Proverbs 3:5-6 Wisdom is the strongest theme in Proverbs, and is a virtue that is scant in the world today. And that is ironic, of course,…

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I came across this in my Bible reading today: When you reap your harvest in your field and forget a sheaf in the field, you shall not go back to get it. It shall be for the sojourner, the fatherless, and the widow, that the Lord your God may bless you in all the work of…

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I came across this in my Bible reading today: Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father loves whoever has been born of him. 2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments. 3 For this…

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I came across this in my Bible reading today:  In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has ever seen God; if we…

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I was thinking of these verses today: So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy,2 complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. 3 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but…

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I mentioned yesterday in the sermon Psalm 13, which is a display of the doubt of David. I was thinking of this psalm this morning as I read more terrible news coming out of Texas. This is the whole Psalm: How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever?     How long will you hide your face…

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In my Bible reading today, I have come across these verses: The Lord utters his voice     before his army, for his camp is exceedingly great;     he who executes his word is powerful. For the day of the Lord is great and very awesome;     who can endure it? 12 “Yet even now,” declares the Lord,     “return to me…

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“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing,  give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” – 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 This is how Paul ends his first letter to the church in Thessalonika. Notice that it’s similar to how he ends his letter to the Philippians, even though he was in…

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I was reading in the book of Deuteronomy today, and came across this verse: “Your eye shall not pity. It shall be life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.” – Deuteronomy 19:21 This can sound like God is instructing Israel to be vengeful, to take what is theirs,…

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Here are the words of the prophet Isaiah – the text from which the sermon came from Wednesday evening: In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple. 2 Above him stood the seraphim. Each had six wings:…

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Hello church! I’ve started my morning by meditating on this Scripture: So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, 2 complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. 3 Do nothing from…

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Greetings from Chattanooga! I greatly enjoy gathering with elders in the PCA for General Assembly. It is here that we worship together, pray for our church, and make decisions that impact our denomination and individual churches. The biggest takeaway for me is always our unity! We disagree well, debate well, and give each other great deference…

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Hi Church! It’s good just to have occasional check-ins with our focus for 2025: unity in the church. As a reminder, these are our focus verses: Ephesians 4:1-6, “I urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one…

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UNITY ONE CHURCH. ONE FAITH. ONE MISSION. “I, therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, 3 eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit.” – Ephesians 4:1-4 FOR WOMEN…

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UNITY ONE CHURCH. ONE FAITH. ONE MISSION. “I, therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, 3 eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit.” – Ephesians 4:1-4 FOR MEN…

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UNITY ONE CHURCH. ONE FAITH. ONE MISSION. “I, therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, 3 eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit.” – Ephesians 4:1-4 UNITY IN…

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UNITY ONE CHURCH. ONE FAITH. ONE MISSION.   “I, therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, 3 eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit.” – Ephesians 4:1-4 UNITY…

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UNITY ONE CHURCH. ONE FAITH. ONE MISSION. “I, therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, 3 eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit.” – Ephesians 4:1-4 UNITY IN…

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To Read: Luke 2:15-21 When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” 16 And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a…

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To Read: Luke 2:8-14 And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. 10 And the angel said to them, “Fear not,…

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To Read: Luke 2:1-7 In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered.2 This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. 3 And all went to be registered, each to his own town. 4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea,…

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To Read: Matthew 2:19-23 But when Herod died, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt,20 saying, “Rise, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the child’s life are dead.” 21 And he rose and took the child and his mother and…

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To Read: Matthew 2:16-18 Then Herod, when he saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, became furious, and he sent and killed all the male children in Bethlehem and in all that region who were two years old or under, according to the time that he had ascertained from the wise men. 17 Then…

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To Read: Matthew 2:13-15 Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Rise, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you, for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him.” 14 And he rose…

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To Consider: The Gift of Myrrh We are considering the three gifts brought by the wise men to the baby Jesus. Today we get to the gift of myrrh. Gold points to Christ as King, Frankincense to Christ as our Great High Priest, and the myrrh points to his death. Myrrh is another fragrant spice, like…

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To Consider: The Gift of Frankincense Today we look at the second gift mentioned from the Wise Men – frankincense. It was common for people to bring spices to a king, and we see this in the Queen of Sheba’s visit to Solomon in 1 Kings 10. But frankincense had a special function in the life…

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To Consider: The Gift of Gold We read in the last passage that the wise men from the east brought three gifts: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. This has led to some confusion historically about how many people are in the group of the wise men – often it has been thought of as three due to…

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To Read: Matthew 2:11-12 And going into the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh. 12 And being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed to their own country by another…

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To Read: Matthew 2:7-10 Then Herod summoned the wise men secretly and ascertained from them what time the star had appeared. 8 And he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, “Go and search diligently for the child, and when you have found him, bring me word, that I too may come and worship him.” 9 After listening to the…

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Redeemer Church of the Shoals will be going back to a small group structure starting January 26, 2025. This blog post will explain the necessities of these kinds of groups, articulating its strengths and limitations to best prepare you as we make this change. First, the structure itself: We’re going to start with four very large…

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To Read: Matthew 2:3-6 When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him; 4 and assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. 5 They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it is written by the prophet: 6 “‘And…

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To Read: Matthew 2:1-2 Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, 2 saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” We…

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To Read: Matthew 1:22-25 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: 23 “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son,     and they shall call his name Immanuel” (which means, God with us). 24 When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him: he took…

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To Read: Matthew 1:20-21 But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 She will bear a son, and you shall…

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To Read: Matthew 1:18-19 Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. 19 And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to…

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To Read: Isaiah 60:1-6 Arise, shine, for your light has come,     and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you. 2 For behold, darkness shall cover the earth,     and thick darkness the peoples; but the Lord will arise upon you,     and his glory will be seen upon you. 3 And nations shall come to your light,     and…

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To Read: Isaiah 53:2-6 For he grew up before him like a young plant,     and like a root out of dry ground; he had no form or majesty that we should look at him,     and no beauty that we should desire him. 3 He was despised and rejected by men,     a man of sorrows and acquainted with…

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To Read: Isaiah 12:1-6 You will say in that day: “I will give thanks to you, O Lord,     for though you were angry with me, your anger turned away,     that you might comfort me. 2 “Behold, God is my salvation;     I will trust, and will not be afraid; for the Lord God is my strength and my song,     and…

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To Read: Isaiah 11:1-6 There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse,     and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit. 2 And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him,     the Spirit of wisdom and understanding,     the Spirit of counsel and might,     the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord.…

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To Read: Isaiah 9:1-6 But there will be no gloom for her who was in anguish. In the former time he brought into contempt the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the latter time he has made glorious the way of the sea, the land beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations.…

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To Read: Isaiah 7:7-14 Thus says the Lord God: “‘It shall not stand,     and it shall not come to pass. 8 For the head of Syria is Damascus,     and the head of Damascus is Rezin. And within sixty-five years     Ephraim will be shattered from being a people. 9 And the head of Ephraim is Samaria,     and the head…

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To Read: Isaiah 6:1-7 In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple. 2 Above him stood the seraphim. Each had six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with…

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Hello All. Welcome to Advent, the season of waiting on the Lord’s coming. Anticipation is wonderful – particularly when the gift we’re waiting on is so fantastic! We’re going to take a little journey together each day exploring the Scriptures, singing hymns, and praying in great anticipation of Christmas because salvation has come in Jesus! Joy…

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Church, we’re preparing to be quite proactive when it comes to discipleship. Many of you get this organically already, but we want to be sure from a leadership level, that everyone has access to both know more about the Word and to become more like Christ through intentional relationships. So just be on the lookout –…

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Jesus invites us to consider children as appropriate models for faith (Mark 10:15). They receive the good news unflinchingly, and worship our Lord with great freedom. What this means for Redeemer is this: we must embrace our children as vital contributors in our church, and we must consider them to be as valuable as any other…

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