The LORD's Day July 29,2007

If The LORD Had Not Been On Our Side

Psalm 124

Psalms of Ascents or “The Goings Up” were recited and sung as the pilgrims made their way to Jerusalem as well as when they entered the gate of the city. They would pass battle scenes along the way- David and Goliath, Joshua and Jericho, and then finally arriving at Jerusalem which David captured from the Jebusites.

The whole family would join in singing and reciting these Psalms. They were full of object lessons for the children. They took a spiritual journey and made it even more meaningful.

These Psalms of Ascents speak of life. They were learning as they were traveling to Jerusalem and we must to. Our journey to heaven (and the New Jerusalem)should be one where we are maturing in the things of God.


1. If the LORD had not been our side in times of spiritual battle.

Satan would like to sift us as wheat.

The Battle is the LORD’s.
Our armor is spiritual. Our weapons are spiritual. (Ephesians 6) The soldier stands. It is the armor of God that enables him to do so. The LORD gives us victory.

He is our shield, our defense, our strong tower, our shelter and our fortress.

let Israel say- if the LORD had not been on our side when men attacked us, when their anger flared against us,
*they would have swallowed us alive; Like the eating of fresh greens in the spring. The enemy would have eaten us up when we were young- ex/Herod’s desire to kill the baby boys in Bethlehem.
*the flood would have engulfed us,
*the torrent would have swept over us, like in a wadi or stream bed.
*the raging waters would have swept us away. churning, raging- taking our life’s breath away.

If the LORD had not been our side we would have suffered defeat. Our victory in spiritual battles is not by might nor by power but by His Spirit. We would have devoured We do not know the plans of the enemy for us. The LORD goes before us He knows what the enemy is up to and what his plans are for us. The LORD takes care os us With the shield of faith we can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. As we keep our feet planted firmly on the rock, the LORD Jesus, we stand. Satan would like to snuff us out ... But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ. II Corinthians 2.14

2. If He had not been our side in times of great need.

Financial Need - not always money issue- sometimes sanity and emotional stability.

We spoke of the feeding of the 5,000 a few weeks ago. The need was great.

Without Jesus they would have just had a boys lunch but with Him multitudes were fed.

We have all had the feelings at one time or another of “I don’t know if I am going to make it.” Certainly if we have not had those feelings we have had the feelings of “I don’t know how I am going to make it.” We have all rejoiced when the truth became evident, “I know the LORD will make a way for me ”

Think back of a great need you had in the past and how the LORD made a way for you Philippians 4.19

3. If He had not been on our side in times of emotional difficulty. Psalm 46.1

Times of Sorrow and Grief can be one of the most challenging times in our lives emotionally because basically we do not have the control of our emotions like we do at other times. For instance, if we are feeling upset over the way someone treated us we can go to them and tell them.

But with the loss of someone we love we do not have that option. We may even get the feelings like we want to talk to someone who has recently died only to remember they are not here anymore.

One of the things the LORD has taught me on my journey is that everyone grieves differently and the only way we can know what a person who is in deep sorrow is going through is if they tell us. The only way we will find out is if we are quiet and let them talk.

The only true and lasting comfort in times of sorrow is the LORD. He is with us through the Valley of the Shadow of Death. He walks with us.

If the LORD has not been on our side we would have swept away in grief- some people are But thanks be to God we are here this morning

Disappointment
In Charles Dickens’ Great Expectations, Pip is introduced to Miss Havisham, an eccentric old woman, and her charge, Estella, with whom Pip falls in love. Estella has been taught by Miss Havisham to break men's hearts as restitution for Miss Havisham's having been left at the altar years before by Compeyson, who later turns out to be a convict.

We can become bitter or despondent over life’s disappointments. The two on the road to Emmaus were in danger, “We had hoped...” If the LORD had not been on their side they would have wallowed in hopelessness the rest of their lives. We can become more than conquerors in our disappointments if we allow the LORD to lead us and help us.

The Stress we face in Life
God is changing us if we are walking with Jesus. There are times when we get stressed out and we need to ask forgiveness form the LORD and those we have offended for falling short. We want to be like Jesus. We are in the process of becoming like Him.

If the LORD had not been our side in these times we would get swept away in the flood of it. Even Paul the apostle spoke harshly and needed to ask forgiveness when he was before the High Priest.

Mysteries of Life

There are simply things that happen to us that we cannot fully understand until we see Jesus. He is with us in the mysteries of life and it often there we have the opportunity for deeper and richer fellowship with Him. Mysteries are just that- a bundle of unanswerable questions.

Jerry Hadley, the world-class tenor known for his agile and lyric voice, died on July 18, a week after he shot himself in an apparent suicide attempt. He was 55. Hadley, who had been battling personal problems, shot himself with an air rifle July 10 at his home in Clinton Corners, 80 miles north of New York City. Hadley built his reputation tackling demanding work, including the title role in composer John Harbison's 1999 The Great Gatsby at the Metropolitan Opera. Leonard Bernstein chose Hadley to sing the title role in a 1989 production of his musical Candide, and he sang the lead in Paul McCartney's Liverpool Oratorio in 1991.

4. If the LORD had not been on our side in times of danger.
Lucy seeing her car, “Thank God.” meaning she was not hurt worse than she was.

I have said this before many times- I believe that there have been times in all our lives when we have been close to disaster and not realized it. The LORD has protected us. He has kept us from being swept away in the floods. He has been our Shield and Defender.

Be Still My Soul
Be still, my soul: the Lord is on thy side.
Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain.
Leave to thy God to order and provide;
In every change, He faithful will remain.
Be still, my soul: thy best, thy heavenly Friend
Through thorny ways leads to a joyful end.


Be still, my soul: thy God doth undertake
To guide the future, as He has the past.
Thy hope, thy confidence let nothing shake;
All now mysterious shall be bright at last.
Be still, my soul: the waves and winds still know
His voice Who ruled them while He dwelt below.
Be still, my soul: when dearest friends depart,
And all is darkened in the vale of tears,
Then shalt thou better know His love, His heart,
Who comes to soothe thy sorrow and thy fears.
Be still, my soul: thy Jesus can repay
From His own fullness all He takes away.

Be still, my soul: the hour is hastening on
When we shall be forever with the Lord.
When disappointment, grief and fear are gone,
Sorrow forgot, love’s purest joys restored.
Be still, my soul: when change and tears are past
All safe and blessèd we shall meet at last.

Be still, my soul: begin the song of praise
On earth, believing, to Thy Lord on high;
Acknowledge Him in all thy words and ways,
So shall He view thee with a well pleased eye.
Be still, my soul: the Sun of life divine
Through passing clouds shall but more brightly shine.

If the LORD had not been on our side we would not be here this morning He has kept us safe. He has taken care of us. Through many dangers, toils and snares we have already come All the Way our Savior has led us We all have our own live’ experiences we can insert in the statement, “If the LORD had not been our side...”

So this brings us to today. Jesus Christ is the same, yesterday, today and forever He does not change like the shifting shadows. One of the benefits of reading God’s Word is that it speaks to us today and we can rest in the assurance that the LORD is faithful to all His promises He will never let us down.

The spiritual battles that are ahead of us He will fight. The battle belongs to the LORD In the times ahead of great need, the LORD will be there and will meet those needs. A friend described his life this week as riding an emotional roller coaster. Many of us can relate to that, can’t we. In times of great emotional stress, that is beyond our ability to bear, the LORD is with us and underneath are His everlasting arms In times of danger (and we are living in such times right now ) The LORD will be with His people and will help them and strengthen them.

If the LORD had not been our side we would have been swept away But we are not because He is on our side. He loves us. All the promises of His Word for His followers are for us

Lead On King Eternal

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The LORD’s Day

July 29, 2007
We Worship In Singing
We Worship In Prayer
We Worship In Hearing the Word of God
If the LORD Had Not Been On Our Side Psalm 124

*Tithes and Offerings can be placed in the box at the rear of the sanctuary*
Please join us for coffee and bagels downstairs if you are visiting today.
Prayer in the Parsonage Backyard- 6pm
V
This Week
Bible Reading Psalm 125-129 (The Psalms of Ascents)
Monday Men’s Prayer Meeting 6:30am in the church basement
Wednesday Bible Study -7:30pm at the parsonage
Thursday Bible Study 10:30am in the church basement
Next Lord’s Day
Morning Prayer- 10am in the church basement
Morning Worship- 10:30am(Sunday School for Children) The Lord’s Supper
Spanish Service- 4pm

In Your Prayers For All of God’s People
Remember the men serving in the armed forces: Bradley, Julia Bujold’s grandson with Special Forces in Afghanistan, home on leave right now, Ken Brown, Pastor’s friend’s son on his third tour of Iraq- He will be there until October. Please pray for the whole family. Billy Knapp, Jr. in Iraq with the Marines (neighbor of the church and Pastor- Billy’s sister graduated from Good Shepherd). Matthew Klaus, brother of Good Shepherd parent in Iraq as a firefighter for Haliburton. Pastor’s nephews’ and niece’s cousin Kim’s husband, Jay, in Iraq. Pray for them and the others away from their families. Praise God for keeping David Louis, Jake Morgan and Tom Hindelang safe during their times in Iraq. Christine Frankland, Katharina’s daughter undergoing treatment for leukemia. Kathy, Ziggy and Margot’s daughter-in-law, under the doctor’s care for fibromyalgia. Pray for Eloise Brooks in Sunrise Manor undergoing rehab. She is in need of healing in her leg. She is in room 214. Remember Jean Louis as both he and Eloise are on dialysis. Pastor’s neighbor, John Mehler, beginning dialysis as well. Grace Martin, Edie Raevis’ daughter, seeing a surgeon. Edie’s daughter’s mother-in-law, Millie Espisito undergoing chemotherapy. Reginald Mooney, friend of Terri and John Garry, with a tumor in his kidney. Please remember Pastor’s friend Kim Richardson’s (who is recovering from a heart attack) daughter, Kelly, undergoing chemotherapy. Please remember this whole family in prayer. She is going to need an additional surgery for the chemo port next month. Iola’s results of blood work were good. Let’s pray for a good report. Margie Grant home from Southside Hospital with blood problems. Jeannie Rocarro and Diane Davison recovering from surgery. Pastor Jerry Bonfiglio’s father in South Nassau... Leah May’s cousin, Joan, is there too with respiratory problems. Lucy Mancini under doctor’s care for pain and injuries resulting from the accident.

If you would like to help with the Sunday Morning Bagel ministry see John or Terri Garry.


Notes on Our Time in the Word of God This Morning:
If The LORD Had Not Been On Our Side

Psalm 124

Pastor’s messages are now available online:
http://thesundaymorningmessage.blogspot.com/
Church e-mail: bayshorenaz@rock.com
Church Phone: 631-969-1730
1314 Pine Acres Boulevard, Bay Shore, Long Island, NY 11706-5436

Whatever you do, in word or deed, do all for the glory of God

The LORD's Day July 22, 2007

Brokenhearted Over Sinfulness

Psalm 119.129-136

Hearts break over many things- a lost love, the death of a loved one, the loss of a friend.

Heartbreak in the Bible Jacob, Esau, Rachel, Joseph, David, Rachel ‘s children, Paul’s tears and of course, Jesus our LORD.

The Psalmist was heartbroken over the fact that the Word of God was not being obeyed. The actual word is Torah. The people of God were ignoring the Word of God. The people of God were treating the history of Genesis like it had no meaning, the Exodus became something they forgot almost altogether, along with the Ten Commandments. The fact that God had brought them into the land was no longer a part of their thinking. They lost touch with their past. The beginning of the earth and the beginning of this nation was recorded in God’s Word and they ignored what He said. The travels to the Promised Land and the people God used were cast aside. God’s wonderful dealing with the nation, His Hand upon as it was just being born and taking root, His guidance and provision all showed that He loved His people. Now they are rejecting Him. This is a spiritual tragedy.

It is heartbreaking when we see people forsake their spiritual heritage. When we see people who once had spiritual fervor become too busy to serve the LORD, it hurts. When an adult forgets the teaching he received as a child and goes down the wrong path, it is a tragedy. When people depart from the faith as the Bible said they would in the Last Days we experience a pain that sometimes we cannot put into words.

The Psalmist was watching the beginnings of the nation going down the tubes. He was watching the nation forget the LORD. He was watching the law of the LORD being broken. This broke his heart. He knew what Israel could be if they only obeyed, but he is observing the opposite. They were on a crash course of disobedience ending in severe punishment.

People who knew better were sinking morally. People who had been entrusted with the very words of God were behaving like the other people around them who did not have the Word of God. When this happens those who walk with the LORD suffer inward hurt. That hurt eventually comes out on the countenance in one way or the other. What we see on a face is a reflection of a heart.

1. It was in his heart.

The Psalmist is speaking.

He had hidden God’s Word in his heart. (v.11) and he didn’t have to look it up to see if it was being violated. He knew it in his heart because that is where God’s Word was in his life

We shared in the Bible Studies how this is a double edged sword. We hide the Word of God in our hearts and there is great blessing but there is also the pain that comes to our hearts when it is disobeyed. We recognize sin more sharply when the Sword of the Spirit is within us.

When God’s Word is hidden in a heart that person knows how things ought to be. The Divine Ought becomes very apparent. When we see it broken, we know this grieves the Spirit. We also know from God’s Word that the wages of sin are death.

The brokenheartedness he was feeling was within. God reveals things to our hearts much more from His Word there than He does visions and dreams. I have had Him speak that way but much more often it is within, in that still small voice, bringing His Word to me.

A broken heart over sinfulness is a result of God speaking through His Word . His Word within us pointing out waywardness.

God’s Word was a lamp for his path and light for his path (v.105) When God’s Word is cherished likethis then those who do not walk with him are seen for what they really are.

His heart was breaking so...

2. Tears flowed down his cheeks.
We have all witnessed crocodile tears. It is disgusting. Some people could win an academy award for their ability to do that. Those kind of tears are not from a broken heart but a warped mind.

This was not just the eyes welling up. This was tears flowing. He is describing a continual weeping because of the spiritual condition of those around him.

It may border on a type of depression but its basis is more from God’s love being turned down and people destroying their lives.

It is heartbreaking to see people destroy themselves. Habbakuk the prophet was upset with the LORD for making him look at things in his day. We would rather not see it. We would rather avoid it. But God uses broken hearts in His people to draw them into an intercessory relationship with Him.

Tears from a broken heart are close to God’s heart. The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and He saves those who are crushed in spirit. (Psalm 34.18)

In the prophet Hosea, the LORD has Hosea go through some horrible experiences so that he can convey God’s love for unfaithful Israel to them. Hosea had his heart broken over his wife Gomer. It was a gut wrenching experience for him. Heartbreak resulting in tears is deep pain. Some of that pain is nearly indescribable.

Tears come when words can’t. God’s heart broke over Israel and Jesus spoke to the churches in Revelation about things they needed to turn from.

As we look as things going on here around us tears flow at times because people are breaking God’s law and in so doing destroying themselves. Quietly we weep over family members who do not Christ. We pray regularly for those whose lives are on the broad way that leads to destruction.

But for a number of reasons, in our culture, we do not want to see people cry. We tell children, “Don’t cry.” I have seen adults tell other adults not to cry. I even remember an over ambitious couple with their first child, who did not want the baby to ever shed tears. When the child would fall, instead of allowing the little guy to express pain, the family would cheer and laugh and make him smile. He is now in his 30's and I wonder how many psychologists he has been to.

Sometimes we need a good cry Sometimes, like with this Psalmist, tears flow like a river He was not just an emotional person he was one who found it horrible that God’s Word was not being obeyed. He continually wept. He was like Jeremiah who said his head had become a fountain of tears.

3. There are promises for the brokenhearted, even a blessing pronounced.

Blessed are those who mourn... for they will be comforted. If you look closely at that section of the Sermon on the Mount that we call the Beatitudes, you will find a progression there of Christian living. One of the first steps in coming to God and it is the one of the first steps in becoming Christlike, a Man of Sorrows and familiar with suffering, is this beatitude Grieving over our own personal sin and after we have come to Christ grieving over others lost in sin.

Those who sow in tears will reap with songs of joy (Psalm 126.5) (Continually weeping as we sow).

Joy will come for those who work the harvest fields. Seeing tomatoes turn red and then eating this delectable fruit is wonderful. Joy comes to those whom work in the Harvest of souls for the kingdom of God. To work in that field means tears. We mentioned the Apostle Paul’s tears- Acts 20.19,31:I served the Lord with great humility and with tears, although I was severely tested by the plots of the Jews. So be on your guard Remember that for three years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears. Philippians 3.18 For, as I have often told you before and now say again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ.

But there is joy too!

What joy when we see a soul respond to Jesus Christ. We join in with the joy of the angels in heaven. We see the joy of lives headed in the wrong direction turned around. Apart from our own salvation is there anything more thrilling on earth than that?

So we shed tears. They seem to be in part the water the seeds need.
Let us not become weary in doing good for we will reap a harvest in due season if we do not give up. (Galatians 6:9)

My granddaughter, Emma, was over on a Saturday afternoon in the spring. We had decided in advance to plant some seeds together. We put the soil in the planters and the seeds in the soil; and then we watered them. Five minutes later she tracked me down to announce, “They aren't up yet, Poppa I explained it takes time for seeds to grow. She waited about half an hour and gave me the same announcement. Finally I explained, It will be a very long time until we see the plants pop up, but they will come.

Waiting for answers to prayer is not easy. Looking for results from our labor can take time. Planting seeds, watering them, and then waiting for them to grow—this is our job. It is God who gives them life and causes them to grow. His ways are not our ways and His timing is not ours. He makes all things beautiful in His time—not ours. There are lessons that take a lifetime to fully learn. Like the person who prayed, LORD, I want patience, and I want it now we are like my sweet granddaughter Emma. We expect things to happen quickly, and then we are disappointed when they don’t.

I have to confess that when it comes to answers to prayer, I am more like Emma than I care to admit. I look for the seed to pop up when I should rest and leave it in the Lord’s hands. As the words of the familiar song read, “O what needless pain we bear ”

Emma and I will are now rejoicing over the new plants that in the backyard now.

You will reap what you sow. If you sow to the Spirit, if you sow in tears, if do not become weary in doing good, you will reap love, you will have joy, the joy of seeing God answer prayer for lost souls, if you do not give up.

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The LORD’s Day
July 22, 2007
We Worship In Singing
We Worship In Prayer
We Worship In Hearing the Word of God
Brokenhearted Over Sinfulness Psalm 119.136

*Tithes and Offerings can be placed in the box at the rear of the sanctuary*
Please join us for coffee and bagels downstairs if you are visiting today.

V
This Week
Bible Reading Psalm 120-124 (The Psalms of Ascents)
Monday Men’s Prayer Meeting 6:30am in the church basement
Wednesday Bible Study -7:30pm at the parsonage
Thursday Bible Study 10:30am in the church basement
Next Lord’s Day
Morning Prayer- 10am in the church basement
Morning Worship- 10:30am(Sunday School for Children)
Spanish Service- 4pm
Prayer in the Parsonage Backyard- 6pm

In Your Prayers For All of God’s People
Remember the men serving in the armed forces: Bradley, Julia Bujold’s grandson with Special Forces in Afghanistan, home on leave right now, Ken Brown, Pastor’s friend’s son on his third tour of Iraq- He will be there until October. Please pray for the whole family. Billy Knapp, Jr. in Iraq with the Marines (neighbor of the church and Pastor- Billy’s sister graduated from Good Shepherd). Matthew Klaus, brother of Good Shepherd parent in Iraq as a firefighter for Haliburton. Pastor’s nephew’s and niece’s cousin in Iraq. Pray for them and the others away from their families. Praise God for keeping David Louis, Jake Morgan and Tom Hindelang safe during their times in Iraq. Christine Frankland, Katharina’s daughter diagnosed with leukemia. Kathy, Ziggy and Margot’s daughter-in-law, under the doctor’s care for fibromyalgia. Pray for Eloise Brooks in Sunrise Manor undergoing rehab. She is in need of healing in her leg. She is in room 214. Remember Jean Louis as both he and Eloise are on dialysis. Pastor’s neighbor, John Mehler, beginning dialysis as well. Grace Martin, Edie Raevis’ daughter, seeing a surgeon. Edie’s daughter’s mother-in-law, Millie Espisito undergoing chemotherapy. Reginald Mooney, friend of Terri and John Garry, with a tumor in his kidney. Please remember Pastor’s friend Kim Richardson’s (who is recovering from a heart attack) daughter, Kelly, undergoing chemotherapy. Please remember this whole family in prayer. She is going to need an additional surgery for the chemo port next month. Iola is waiting for results of blood work. Let’s pray for a good report. Margie Grant home from Southside Hospital with blood problems. Diane Davison recovering from surgery Thursday night at Good Sam.

If you would like to help with the Sunday Morning Bagel ministry see John or Terri Garry.


Notes on Our Time in the Word of God This Morning:
Brokenhearted Over Sinfulness

Psalm 119.136

Thanks to each of you for the beautiful card and generous gift for my birthday last week. I feel like the most blessed man on the planet and at the same time most unworthy of it. You bring my heart great joy. God bless each of you
In Jesus Our LORD,
Pastor Larry

Pastor’s messages are now available online:
http://thesundaymorningmessage.blogspot.com/
Church e-mail: bayshorenaz@rock.com
Church Phone: 631-969-1730
1314 Pine Acres Boulevard, Bay Shore, Long Island, NY 11706-5436

Whatever you do, in word or deed, do all for the glory of God

The LORD's Day July 15, 2007

The Wonder of God’s Word

Psalm 119. 89

As we have been looking at this Psalm the past few weeks, one thing is clear. This Psalmist had a high regard for the Word of God. He was in awe of it and saw it as being central to all he did in his life. Your life comes down to one great question, “What place does the Word of God have in it?” Is it the center of your life or is something else what you are basing your life on?

At a very young age I was entrusted with the Word of God. It was one of the first books I owned. It has become the most precious possession I have.

Your word, O LORD, is eternal; it stands firm in the heavens.

There is no way I am going to be able to convey to you this morning the full wonder of the Word of God. A whole lifetime doesn’t do it. In the end it is a foretaste of glory divine. We are learning and experiencing God’s promises until we see Jesus, until our faith becomes sight.

This morning, with the help of the Holy Spirit I hope that you be able to see a little clearer a few facets of this Wonderful Communication between the LORD God and us. With awe we look into this subject today.
1. The Heavens and the Word of God.

Psalm 19.1-4 The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. 2 Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge. 3 There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard. 4 Their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world.
God’s creation of the heavens themselves are a wonder and they speak of His power to create, His faithfulness, His love and the way He sustains the things He has made. The heavens show us the vastness of God Himself. Heaven is His throne and earth is His footstool. The Psalms are full of the wonder of the heavens as part of God’s creation.

Since I was a child I had this awe in me of the heavens. When I was a kid growing up in Queens before we moved out onto the Island, I used to want to walk to the moon. As a child I would look up a the clouds. I remember seeing my first rainbow in Bellmore when I was under the age of 7. I can still see its colors that summer afternoon. As I got older I can recall summer nights at my parent’s home in Upstate NY, a mission trip to the Dominican Republic, vacations in New Hampshire when I took in the starry host and on a few occasions the Northern Lights. What an incredible sight. The Psalmist speaks of it. It thrilled David’s heart and many of us have been in awe as we have looked out into the Milky Way and realized the vastness of God’s Creation and the wonder that He calls each of these by name (Psalm 147.4)
God declares His Glory throughout the whole earth by the heavens He has made.

When we look into the heavens and we think of this verse we see that not only here on the earth which God made but out there is the expanse which He also made His Word stands firm. We hold His Word in a written form in our hands. It is the Bible. It goes beyond that. It is written in the heavens.

God’s throne is in heaven. Above the clouds and planets. Way out in outer space is the throne of God. The Jews referred to this as the third heaven. This is where the LORD rules from. This is where the activity of the Revelation 4 is taking place. Lets read it together. Whenever I read that I get this wonderful witness to my spirit from God that although things on earth may be in uproar, He is in control and is working out all things for His Glory and our ultimate good.

Not only here on earth but far above the earth His Word stands firm. Its position is above all the earth.

2. God’s Word is Eternal.
Eternal

It is the same.

It does not change. The Constitution of the United States may be able to be amended but God’s Word is eternal. The Ten Commandments were written on stone.

It has always been a guide for life, a spiritual and moral compass, a comfort in time of trouble and a direction giver in times of decision.


It has had a continuous existence. God’s law and His Word were written into the universe itself. Before God gave the law to Moses it was a sin for Cain to kill Abel. Cain knew it. In fact God had warned him that his jealousy could easily turn to murder.


It will continue. It is perpetual. It was given to us in such a way that it speaks to every age. It has this dynamic. It abides.

It is everlasting. Although heaven and earth pass away, God’s Word will endure


3. God’s Word Stands Firm.
Heaven and earth will pass away but Jesus said His words would never pass away. (Matthew 24.35)

God’s Word is upright. It is the moral code to right living. It is holy.
Live by this book and you will live the best life you can possible live. Go against it and you will experience the beginnings of hell on earth.

God’s Word takes a stand against evil. It points out what to avoid, to stay away from. For instance we are told to avoid a person who talks too much.

God established His Word to be the one thing mankind is to look to to learn about the Father in Heaven. The Bible has no equals. There is nothing that can compare with God’s Word. He has revealed Himself through His Word. We can test all experience by it and we better do just that.

God appointed, ordained His Word to produce fruit even when the messenger is unworthy That is part of the power of it

It is fixed by God. It cannot be altered. God has spoken. That is it. It is His Word to those He created. It is stationary.

It stands firm in the heavens and it is established here on earth. Given on Mount Sinai and throughout the Old Covenant, affirmed by Jesus and explained by Him, the Word of the LORD stands firm forever (I Peter 1.25).

All who build their lives on it share in this quality- They stand Matthew 7.24-27
When I visited New Hampshire a few weeks ago I spent a better portion of one day in the White Mountain National Forest. I have been to many mountains here in the United States, the Green Mountains of Vermont, The Colorado Rockies, The Sierra Madre Mountains of California and the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia. They are all beautiful but the White Mountains hold a special place in my heart for a number of reasons.

There is one very sobering place to me in that beautiful Mountain Forest. It is called the Wiley House.

In the White Mountains in Crawford Notch State Park: The Story of the Willey Family

During the fall of 1825, Samuel Willey, Jr. of Bartlett moved into a small house in the heart of Crawford Notch with his wife, five children, and two hired men. The first year the three men enlarged and improved the house, which the family operated as an inn to accommodate travelers through the mountains on the desolate notch road. The little cluster of buildings was situated in the shadow of what is now called Mount Willey.

In June, following a heavy rain, the Willeys were terrified when they witnessed a great mass of soil and vegetation, torn loose from the mountainside across the river, slide in a path of destruction to the valley floor. As a result, Mr. Willey built a cave-like shelter a short distance above the house to which the family could flee if a slide threatened their side of the valley.

During the night of August 28, 1826, after a long drought which had dried the mountain soil to an unusual depth, came one of the most violent and destructive rain storms ever known in the White Mountains. The Saco River rose 20 feet overnight. Livestock was carried off, farms set afloat, and great gorges were cut in the mountains.

Two days after the storm, anxious friends and relatives penetrated the debris-strewn valley to learn the fate of the Willey family. They found the house unharmed, but the surrounding fields were covered with debris. Huge boulders, trees, and masses of soil had been swept from Mt. Willey's newly bared slopes. The house had escaped damage because it was apparently situated just below a ledge that divided the major slide into two streams. The split caused the slide to pass by the house on both sides leaving it untouched. Inside, beds appeared to have been left hurriedly, a Bible lay on the table, and the dog howled mournfully.

Mr. and Mrs. Willey, two children, and both hired men were found nearby, crushed in the wreckage of the slide. The bodies were buried near the house and later moved to Conway. Three children were never found.

The true story of the tragedy will never be known. Poets and writers have conjectured many possibilities. Perhaps the family, awakened by a threatening rumble, fled from the house to their cave, and was caught in one stream of the slide. It seems more likely the Willeys started to climb the slope of the mountain to escape the rising floods and were caught in the landslide.

Had they stayed in the house they would have been safe. We experience storms in our lives. Some come up very unexpectedly while others we can see brewing some distance off. Either way The safest place on earth is with our feet planted firmly on God’s Word and His Word planted firmly in our hearts There is the place of saftey. That is the tower the LORD provides for us in time of trouble. Stay in His Word, even if the earth around you is giving way.
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The LORD’s Day
July 15, 2007
We Worship In Singing
We Worship In Prayer
We Worship In Hearing the Word of God
The Wonder of God’s Word Psalm 119.89
*Tithes and Offerings can be placed in the box at the rear of the sanctuary*
Please join us for coffee and bagels downstairs if you are visiting today.

This Week
Bible Reading Psalm 119.113-176
Monday Men’s Prayer Meeting 6:30am in the church basement
Wednesday Bible Study -7:30pm at the parsonage
Thursday Bible Study 10:30am in the church basement
Next Lord’s Day
Morning Prayer- 10am in the church basement
Morning Worship- 10:30am(Sunday School for Children)
Spanish Service- 4pm


In Your Prayers For All of God’s People
Remember the men serving in the armed forces: Bradley, Julia Bujold’s grandson with Special Forces in Afghanistan, home on leave right now, Ken Brown, Pastor’s friend’s son on his third tour of Iraq- He will be there until October. Please pray for the whole family. Billy Knapp, Jr. in Iraq with the Marines (neighbor of the church and Pastor- Billy’s sister graduated from Good Shepherd). Matthew Klaus, brother of Good Shepherd parent in Iraq as a firefighter for Haliburton. Pastor’s nephew’s and niece’s cousin in Iraq. Pray for them and the others away from their families. Praise God for keeping David Louis, Jake Morgan and Tom Hindelang safe during their times in Iraq. Christine Frankland, Katharina’s daughter showing improvement. Kathy, Ziggy and Margot’s daughter-in-law, under the doctor’s care for fibromyalgia. Pray for Eloise Brooks in Sunrise Manor undergoing rehab. She is in need of healing in her leg. She is in room 214. Remember Jean Louis as both he and Eloise are on dialysis. Pastor’s neighbor, John Mehler, beginning dialysis as well. Grace Martin, Edie Raevis’ daughter, seeing a surgeon. Edie’s daughter’s mother-in-law, Millie Espisito undergoing chemotherapy. Reginald Mooney, friend of Terri and John Garry, with a tumor in his kidney. Please remember Pastor’s friend Kim Richardson’s (who is recovering from a heart attack) daughter, Kelly, undergoing chemotherapy. Please remember this whole family in prayer. Olga Heinrich, Helen Pawson’s sister passed away yesterday morning in Flushing. Remember the family in prayer. Iola is waiting for results of blood work. Let’s pray for a good report. Margie Grant in Southside Hospital with blood problems.

If you would like to help with the Sunday Morning Bagel ministry see John or Terri Garry.


Notes on Our Time in the Word of God This Morning:
The Wonder of God’s Word

Psalm 119.89

Pastor’s messages are now available online:
http://thesundaymorningmessage.blogspot.com/
Church e-mail: bayshorenaz@rock.com
(Church Phone: 631-969-1730
*1314 Pine Acres Boulevard, Bay Shore, Long Island, NY 11706-5436

Whatever you do, in word or deed, do all for the glory of God

The LORD's Day July 8, 2007

Feast or Famine?

John 6.1-15

In that late afternoon, amidst the nervousness of the twelve, Jesus was about to do a wonderful miracle that would go way beyond calming their fears and concern.

There in that remote area of Israel, among the farmland and pastureland Jesus, the Almighty God, was showing a group of fishermen and a former tax collector and a zealot, Who He was. This morning we read the Word of God and we see Who He is.

He is the yesterday, today and forever

I used to focus in on the first proclamation, that Jesus is the same today as He was in the past. I have found myself looking at the future aspect of that promise as well.

The miracles recorded in God’s Word were chosen by the LORD to appear there. The gospels are not a daily journal of Jesus’s life and work. Such books would be too great to produce. Notice that verse one opens with a similar phrase that verse one of chapter five opens with, “Some time after this...” There were large gaps in between the events of Jesus’ life recorded for us in the Gospels. Johns’ own testimony is very thought provoking, John 21.24 This is the disciple who testifies to these things and who wrote them down. We know that his testimony is true. 25 Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written.

Each miracle has meaning. Jesus did not just go around indiscriminately healing people. He had personal contact with all He touched. He had purpose in His miracles. All of them save one were to meet human need. He never used His power for His own gain or benefit. As a friend of mine has often said, “He was others-centered.”

Jesus’ miracles taught things about life. This one is contained in all four gospels, besides the resurrection, it is the only one to be in all four.

People live in either feast or famine in their lives. Some give abundantly while others are skin flints and stingy, always thinking about the price tag. Some people are grabbers others are givers. Grabbers are always looking for blessings. Givers are looking for ways to pass the blessings of God on. Would you like to guess who is the more content and who enjoys life more? In the words of Jesus (and in His life and in His work), “it is more blessed to give than to receive.”

So as we look at this miracle this morning, let’s hear what the Spirit is saying to the church today. Let the LORD speak gently to your heart about how much He cares for what you have need of.



The Jewish Passover was near. Pilgrims from all over the world were heading to Jerusalem for the Feast. They were going to celebrate the feast of unleavened bread. The Bread of Life was standing their in their midst. The Passover Lamb.

1. When we go through tests He already has in mind what He is going to do v.5-6

I believe sometimes we think that our challenges are surprises to God At least we pray that way too often. So much time telling the LORD details of what He already knows. Jesus’ prayers were short for the most part and to the point. There were times He prayed all night but there were times when it was just a few sentences. We do not need to fill the LORD in on what is going on. He is ahead of us- He tests us (like He did here to Philip) and He already knows what the solution is Circumstances do not sneak up on God. God is NEVER surprised by life's twists and turns; and He is never out of control.

Philip failed the test. He should have said, “LORD, you know.” This was in the region fo the sea of Galilee. Philip was from Bethsaida, a small fishing village on the west shore of the Sea of Galilee, home of Andrew, Peter, and John. It is not far from where the Jordan River empties into the Sea of Galilee. The name of the town means “House of Fish”.

This was Philip’s home area. He would have known all the places where bread could be obtained. There were mills (built over brooks) and bakeries (sometimes in the same spot). He approached this from the earthly, practical, business like manner of doing things. Many times the LORD does not operate this way Mission Organizations and churches were not founded because someone came and said, “Here is a million dollars. Let’s send some missionaries out.” No most of the time it is faith missions. It is a step of faith. If you see everything laid out you are walking by sight. You are not walking by faith.

Philip approached it on the basis of a budget. Jesus approached it on a boy and some bread and his willingness to give it all to Jesus. God doesn’t need budgets we do. Have you ever noticed how elaborate and extravagant the LORD is in His creation. In a single cucumber there is the raw material to plant a whole garden of them and then some

2. Jesus does what He has in mind to do. vs.8-11

God’s will will be done. Jesus does what He has in mind to do. He may have to use another group of people from time to time, but He accomplishes what He wants.

It was the LORD’s desire to feed that multitude of 5,000 men closer to 20,000 when you count the women and children. These were families on their way to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover. Celebrating the Passover in Jerusalem is a dream of every devout Jew. Jerusalem means the final resting place of the ark and the tabernacle. It mean no more wandering and reminds them of the victory over the Egyptian Army. Jerusalem is the fulfillment of the promises of God to the Jew.

This is one of the reasons it was proclaimed the eternal capital of Israel back in the 1980's.

Jesus had in mind to feed these Galilean Pilgrims along with others going to the Holy City for the Passover Feast. He met the human need of hunger.

He did it with a boy’s lunch. I love the way Jesus involved the disciples. They were learning as they worked with Jesus. And we are too Think of the wonder of this miracle. Here are twelve people following Jesus. They have no resources. They are challenged by Jesus with some pretty powerful words. Matthew 14.15 As evening approached, the disciples came to him and said, This is a remote place, and it's already getting late. Send the crowds away, so they can go to the villages and buy themselves some food. 16Jesus replied, They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat. YFC Bob Pierce and World Vision/ Frankiln Graham and Samaritan’s Purse.

The LORD wants us involved He wants us to get our hands into His work. It is not that He needs us. It is that we need Him and He wants us to experience the joy of co laboring with Him. I brought Emma, my granddaughter, a garden tool bag, complete with all the tools a child could want. They are all safe for her to use. One is a clipper. I love to have her help me but when she has that in her hand I need to watch her. But I love to work with her. The work may take a little longer when she is by my side but she loves to help Poppa and so I let her join me in my work. I love the way the LORD put this in the hands of his disciples and the stuff they came up with A budget, a boy’s lunch with a doubt cast in then Jesus stepped in and performed a miracle

This was near the time of the Passover. The winter rains would have produces a lot of grass and there was a place for the people to sit.

The people ate to their heart’s content. They were all full.

3. Abundance does not constitute a valid reason for waste. vs.12-13

It did not in Jesus’ time and it does not today. Waste is a sin.

There should be no wastage of talent being used, or of things the LORD has blessed us with. We need to fight against a throw away society.

If we do pick up the leftovers like Jesus had the disciples do then we could fall into a trap of taking His blessings for granted. It is interesting that He had something for everyone to do. That is that way it is in His Kingdom and among the various members of His body, the church. We all have areas to fill be it encouraging, leading, helping and on it goes.

Judas would have had a legitimate gripe if this was left and not picked up, “Why this waste?” How do we treat the gifts of God in our lives? Some mistreat it completely. Look at the next few verses...
4. Those who are not true followers of the Master will try and fashion Him to their own design and desire and He will not allow it. vs. 14-15

From the feeding of the 5,000 until now men have tried to make Jesus to be something other than He is

These men tried to make Him king by force. He did not come to set up an earthly kingdom nor did He come the first time to restore the kingdom to Israel.

He came to die on a cross for the sins of the whole world.

Others try to make Him someone who provides financial gain. This is a false representation of the One who said He had no place to lay His head. This has seeped into some once strong Christians thinking. They believe it is God’s will for everyone to be affluent. Satan provides all kinds of possibilities for them to pursue that course. These men were dreaming of a king who could take care of them.

Some try and make Him the way for all humanity to go to heaven. Gaining more popularity all the time is the notion that we are all going to heaven, regardless of what we believe or who we believe in. Jesus told us not everyone even who calls Him, Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom of heaven. He told us the way to heaven is straight and narrow and only a few will find it.

Many call on Him when they need Him but do not walk with Him. These people who left Him that day after He had fed them were like that. Oh how the thousands came when the bread was multiplied

Many twist God’s Word to say what they want it to say. They do not correctly divide the Word of Truth.

Here in the United States we need to have a greater understanding of God’s Sovereignty and what it means to pray to the Father, “May Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” So often we are like Jacob, wrestling with the LORD on Mount Penial. We can live in a feast of spiritual feast of good things if we submit to the LORD. Too many times we are in famine when we could be at peace and rest. The secret is submitting our will to the will of the Father.

When we do what God wants wonderful things happen Submit your will to God’s. Just like this miracle here He has in mind what He is going to do.

Let Him do it in your life today!

=========================================================
The LORD’s Day
July 8, 2007

We Worship In Singing
We Worship In Prayer
We Worship In Hearing the Word of God
Feast or Famine John 6.1-15

*Tithes and Offerings can be placed in the box at the rear of the sanctuary*
Please join us for coffee and bagels downstairs if you are visiting today.

V
This Week
Bible Reading Psalm 119.57-112
Monday Men’s Prayer Meeting 6:30am in the church basement
Wednesday Bible Study -7:30pm at the parsonage
Thursday Bible Study 10:30am in the church basement
Next Lord’s Day
Morning Prayer- 10am in the church basement
Morning Worship- 10:30am(Sunday School for Children)
Spanish Service- 4pm


In Your Prayers For All of God’s People
Remember the men serving in the armed forces: Bradley, Julia Bujold’s grandson with Special Forces in Afghanistan, home on leave right now, Ken Brown, Pastor’s friend’s son on his third tour of Iraq- He will be there until October. Please pray for the whole family. Billy Knapp, Jr. in Iraq with the Marines (neighbor of the church and Pastor- Billy’s sister graduated from Good Shepherd). Matthew Klaus, brother of Good Shepherd parent in Iraq as a firefighter for Haliburton. Pastor’s nephew’s and niece’s cousin in Iraq. Pray for them and the others away from their families. Praise God for keeping David Louis, Jake Morgan and Tom Hindelang safe during their times in Iraq. Christine Frankland, Katharina’s daughter in need of healing. Kathy, Ziggy and Margot’s daughter-in-law, under the doctor’s care for fibromyalgia. Pray for Eloise Brooks in Sunrise Manor undergoing rehab. She is coming along well. She is in room 214. Remember Jean Louis as both he and Eloise are on dialysis. Pastor’s neighbor, John Mehler, beginning dialysis as well. Grace Martin, Edie Raevis’ daughter, seeing a surgeon. Edie’s daughter’s mother-in-law, Millie Espisito undergoing chemotherapy. Reginald Mooney, friend of Terri and John Garry, with a tumor in his kidney. Please remember Pastor’s friend Kim Richardson’s (who is recovering from a heart attack) daughter, Kelly, undergoing chemotherapy. Please remember this whole family in prayer. Olga Heinrich, Helen Pawson’s sister, in Flushing Nursing Home. Iola is waiting for results of blood work. Let’s pray for a good report. She also passed her NY State Relator license exam. Praise the LORD

If you would like to help with the Sunday Morning Bagel ministry see John or Terri Garry.

Notes on Our Time in the Word of God This Morning:
Feast or Famine

John 6. 1-15

Pastor’s messages are now available online:
http://thesundaymorningmessage.blogspot.com/
Church e-mail: bayshorenaz@rock.com
Church Phone: 631-969-1730
1314 Pine Acres Boulevard, Bay Shore, Long Island, NY 11706-5436

Whatever you do, in word or deed, do all for the glory of God

The LORD's Day July 1, 2007

Life Is a Journey

Psalm 119.49-56

We spoke about journeying to heaven a few weeks ago. This morning we are going to look at the aspect of life being a journey here on earth. The journey of life, the walk from conception to the final breath we take is a journey.

Some of us keep journals- it is a good thing. I keep a number of them. ” You should write this stuff down.” I am

The Pilgrim’s Progress by John Bunyan... talks about life being a journey. Tremendous allegory and second in books read to the Bible. It is available on line. I have listed the website in the bulletin under the Notes on the Message today.

The two ways Jesus spoke about in Matthew 7. He was speaking of the road of life we travel on which determines how we live.

The walk Psalm 23 spoke about: through the valley of the shadow of death as part of our journey.

Hearts set on pilgrimage is a theme of the Psalms. Psalm 84.5 Blessed are those whose strength is in you, who have set their hearts on pilgrimage. God’s Word is the theme of our song wherever we lodge...

1. Life Keeps on Moving

And we do too Time waits for no one As one gets older I am finding out you have to handle more changes. Things that were with you in your early years change and pass.

Death slows things down but it doesn’t stop life. A number of us have felt this acutely. After the loss of a loved one our world seems to shut down but everyone else’s keeps going. We want to shout, “Stop Don’t you realize that someone has died? Someone I love ”

There are no hitching posts just guide posts on life’s journey. So often we want to keep the moment. My daughter has said this in reference to my granddaughter. We would like to pause the picture but that isn’t the way life is. I think this is one of the appeals of home videos. Sometimes if I am watching something live on the networks I have gone for the pause button only to find out this is live and you cannot pause it. You can only pause that which has already been recorded and is past. There is no pause button for life. It keep on going Once the journey begins it doesn’t stop until it come to the end.

We are called on to maximize the moment... Redeeming the time (Ephesians 5.16)... We cannot redeem the time today if we are in yesterday’s pain or pleasure.


Time is the great equalizer. Everyone is basically given a certain amount of years in their life. We all have 24 hours in a day, 7 days in week and 365 days in a year. Rich or poor, great or small, educated or illiterate, time is given out in equal portions.

At a funeral this week I attended the pastor spoke of how we all have our days numbered by the LORD. It is what we do with them that matters. We can stop life. It is a journey that begins in time and ends with eternity. Only one life twill soon be past, only what’s done for Christ will last.

Teach us to number our days aright that we may gain a heart of wisdom (Psalm 90.12) We ought to pray this often. We are all moving along and time is diminishing for us. May we have wisdom in how we use it. That wisdom comes from God alone.


2. A Journey calls for us to bring certain things along and leave certain things behind.

Vacation trips... the necessities. Leave behind your cares and concerns and problems. These were my words to my middle daughter and my son-in-law Thursday as they are now somewhere in the Adirondacks.

Life’s journey- God’s Word in our hearts. Leave bitterness and anger and sins against you behind. What a wonderful thing for a person to ask for your forgiveness and to be able honestly to say to them,” I forgave you a long time ago.”

Along life’s journey our hope and prayer is that we will bring along some to heaven with us. Those who have lost their way can find the Way Ilona told the Bible Study Thursday of witnessing to a friend. When I was walking through Target Friday going from the hospital to my oldest daughter’s home. She moved to New Jersey this week. In the middle of turmoil the LORD opened a door for ministry. Let’s keep our hearts and eyes opened- the LORD is moving in hearts.

Let’s leave our failures behind. Let’s let go of past hurts and pain- they are much too heavy of a burden for anyone to carry.

They weight us down.

They cause internal problems- emotional, physical and spiritual. It is so healthy to forgive. It is so destructive to carry grudges. Unresolved anger issues show up in your face, your speech and in your relationships. Those who are enjoying the journey the most are not those who have a life of ease but rather those who have forgiven everyone who has sinned against them- they are growing and becoming more like Jesus


3. A Journey has its ups and downs.

Riding around Setauket Wednesday. Whoever said there were no hills on Long Island?

Susie, Pedro and Michele Parraga 1986- last year. “Here is the little girl you prayed for.”

This is life.

10 years ago this month my brother Mark treated for migraine headaches... 4 months later diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor, 7 years ago last month went to be with Jesus. People told me, “God healed him.” Pretty hard to hear when my brother literally died in my arms and I watched my nephews get hit the news of their dad’s death. Sometimes God does not heal.

Some years ago I heard Paul Martin say that there is something about God that you will not know until death comes. So true So wonderful. He is with us always- even as David said through the valley of the shadow of death. This is also life
The LORD has literally hung rainbows in the sky and sent white doves to our family. He has given us strength.

Life is not full of disappointments but we do encounter them from time to time. If we try and avoid them we will live below of God’s will is for us. People will let us down. We will go through a time of sifting from time to time.

We will have valleys but we will have victories too.


4. Keep a song in your heart wherever you go

It helps us keep joy within.

It keep praise going to the LORD.

Not all the Psalms are happy frothy ones. Some are dirges. But all the Psalms are directed to the LORD. I believe we need to do a lot more praising on life’s journey. We have perfected complaining to an art form. What a sin Of all the people on the earth God has blessed America so much. We have much to celebrate this 4th of July- very much. We have been blessed as a nation. We should be thanking God for this country

Keep on walking and singing as you go.


5. A Journey has a beginning and an end.

Not perpetual motion. One day our journey of life will come to an end. It will be over.

Not endless. The LORD will come for His people one day. It could be soon. It could be today

Wherever you are on the journey of life right now you can change things that will affect eternity.

First we need an eternal perspective. We are being bombarded today with universalism- “Everyone is going to heaven. Therefore it doesn’t really matter how you live: That is false teaching. The eternal perspective influences all we do.

We need to think about the passage of time often. We are not going to be here forever. We need to live our lives now in light of eternity.

We need to pray along this journey to the point where we cannot go very far without praying. The place prayer holds in our life shows the place the LORD has in our life.

Keep singing until the day God calls you home- Until Then:

Until Then
Words and music by Stuart Hamblen
copyright 1958

My heart can sing when I pause to remember
A heart ache here is but a stepping stone.
Along a trail that's winding always upward,
This troubled world is not my final home.

But until then my heart will go on singing,
Until then with joy I'll carry on,
Until the day my eyes behold the city,
Until the day God calls me home.

The things of earth will dim and lose their value,
If we recall they're borrowed for awhile;
And things of earth that cause the heart to tremble,
Remembered there will only bring a smile.

But until then my heart will go on singing,
Until then with joy I'll carry on,
Until the day my eyes behold the city,
Until the day God calls me home.

This weary world with all its toil and struggle,
May take its toll of misery and strife;
The soul of man is like a waiting falcon;
When it's released, it's destined for the skies.

But until then my heart will go on singing,
Until then with joy I'll carry on,
Until the day my eyes behold the city,
Until the day God calls me home.
*****************************************************

The LORD’s Day
July 1, 2007

We Worship In Singing
We Worship In Receiving the LORD’s Supper
We Worship In Hearing the Word of God
Life is Journey Psalm 119.49-56

*Tithes and Offerings can be placed in the box at the rear of the sanctuary*
Please join us for coffee and bagels downstairs if you are visiting today.

V
This Week
Bible Reading Psalm 119.57-112
Monday Men’s Prayer Meeting 6:30am in the church basement
Wednesday Bible Study& Thursday Bible Study will not be held this week .
Next Lord’s Day
Morning Prayer- 10am in the church basement
Morning Worship- 10:30am(Sunday School for Children)
Spanish Service- 4pm


In Your Prayers For All of God’s People
Remember the men serving in the armed forces: Bradley, Julia Bujold’s grandson with Special Forces in Afghanistan, home on leave right now, Ken Brown, Pastor’s friend’s son on his third tour of Iraq- He will be there until October. Please pray for the whole family. Billy Knapp, Jr. in Iraq with the Marines (neighbor of the church and Pastor- Billy’s sister graduated from Good Shepherd). Matthew Klaus, brother of Good Shepherd parent in Iraq as a firefighter for Haliburton... Pray for them and the others away from their families. Praise God for keeping David Louis, Jake Morgan and Tom Hindelang safe during their times in Iraq. Christine Frankland, Katharina’s daughter in need of healing. Kathy, Ziggy and Margot’s daughter-in-law, under the doctor’s care for fibromyalgia. Pray for Eloise Brooks in Sunrise Manor undergoing rehab. She is coming along well. She is in room 214. Remember Jean Louis as both he and Eloise are on dialysis. Pastor’s neighbor, John Mehler, beginning dialysis as well. Grace Martin, Edie Raevis’ daughter, seeing a surgeon. Edie’s daughter’s mother-in-law, Millie Espisito undergoing chemotherapy soon. Reginald Mooney, friend of Terri and John Garry, with a tumor in his kidney. Please remember Pastor’s friend Kim Richardson’s (who is recovering from a heart attack) daughter, Kelly, due to begin chemotherapy soon. Please remember this whole family in prayer. Olga Heinrich, Helen Pawson’s sister, in Flushing Hospital. Remember Leah May in prayer. She has not been feeling well.

If you would like to help with the Sunday Morning Bagel ministry see John or Terri Garry.



Notes on Our Time in the Word of God This Morning:
Life is a Journey
Psalm 119.49-56
Website for The Pilgrim’s Progress- http://www.ccel.org/ccel/bunyan/pilgrim.html



But Until then my heart will go on singing
Until then with joy I'll carry on,
Until the day my eyes behold the city,
Until the day God calls me home.


Pastor’s messages are now available online:
http://thesundaymorningmessage.blogspot.com/
Church e-mail: bayshorenaz@rock.com
Church Phone: 631-969-1730
1314 Pine Acres Boulevard, Bay Shore, Long Island, NY 11706-5436

Whatever you do, in word or deed, do all for the glory of God