Announcements
SYMPATHY: to Sharon Reynolds at the passing of her husband, Hugh Reynolds, on Tuesday, January 13, in Martinsburg, WV, after a brief illness. Services will be private.
BUS WORKERS: There will be a meeting for all bus workers (drivers, bus captains, helpers, and teachers) on Sunday, January 25, after the evening service in room 417/418. If you are looking for somewhere to serve or would like to be part of our Bus Ministry, please join us for this informative meeting. See Pastor Jonathan Oberbeck if you have any questions.
TITHING STATEMENTS: for 2025 are available for pick up at the table in the church hallway before and after each service through Sunday, January 25.SUPER SIXTIES DAY TRIP: On Thursday, January 22, at 9:30 a.m., we will be going to the Premium Outlets in Clarksburg for some shopping, and then we will have lunch at the Golden Corral in Frederick. We should return by 3:00 p.m. If you would like to go, please sign up at the Welcome Desk. See Pastor Howell if you have any questions.
LIVING CROSS MEETING: A casting meeting for this year’s presentation will take place on Sunday, February 1, after the evening service, in Baker. Please make plans to attend if you have already been assigned a role or if you would like to participate.
DEACONS: Please pick up your packets at the Welcome Desk.
From My Heart
The Bible is the most amazing Book ever penned! What makes it so amazing is the fact that the Bible is God’s Book, not man’s Book. We are told in II Peter 1:21 that “holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.” The Apostle Paul tells us in II Tim. 3:16, “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God….” He used human beings to pen the Bible, but the Holy Spirit of God inspired their words.
I took a class while working on my Doctorate, on the Authority of the Scriptures. The professor taught us a little principle, which he said will authenticate the Scriptures every time! His principle was this: “The best commentary on the Scriptures is the Scriptures.” He then laid out several examples to prove his point. Let me point out just a couple for you in this column.
Back in Exodus 7, God told Moses and Aaron to go before Pharaoh and tell him that Jehovah, the God of Israel, commanded that Pharaoh let the Jews leave Egypt, so they could go to the land He had promised to Abraham. In v. 11, after Moses was instructed by the LORD to throw his staff on the ground, it miraculously turned into a serpent. Then Pharaoh called his “wise men” to duplicate the miracle, which they did! But then, the serpent of Moses turned around and devoured the wise men’s serpent.
Here is what I want you to see: the names of these “wise men” are not given in Exodus 7. But when Paul wrote his second Epistle to Timothy, he gave us their names. In II Tim. 3:8, we learn their names were Jannes and Jambres. So, how could Paul have possibly known their names? Because the Holy Spirit of God inspired the words Paul wrote to Timothy.
A second example of allowing the Scriptures to interpret the Scriptures is found in the Bible account of Gideon as he judged the Midianites in Judges 7-8. After a huge battle, a couple of Midianite princes fled by camel, and Gideon went after them and killed both when they turned to fight him. In Psalm 83, David is speaking prophetically of the coming Battle of Armageddon. He tells us that in that great battle, the enemies of God will be destroyed. And he gives the two princes, Zebah and Zalmunna, as examples of how these enemies of God will be destroyed. This is another example of the Holy Spirit giving credibility to God’s Word. David did not write the Book of Judges, and many years passed before David wrote Psalm 83. The Holy Spirit of God told us the story of Gideon! But the Spirit of God also led David to use Zebah and Zalmunna to describe how destructive the coming Battle of Armageddon will be.
We can trust our Bible! The Bible is God’s Word, and we can trust it in all areas! There has never been another Book like the Bible. Have a great day!
Pastor Norris