During his life, Isaac Watts wrote over 600 hymns. He was one of the first people to write songs that had lyrics other than just verses out of the Bible. He was vilified by many in his day, but his belief that songs could be written for congregations that move us to worship won out over time.

We are blessed that men like Watts took the heat for writing contemporary music. The next time you sing an old hymn remember men like Watts who have gone before us and given the church great worship music. The next time you sing a new song rejoice that God is still leading people to write great worship music. We should rejoice that music is such a significant part of worship and we stand in a long line of song writers that God has raised up. 

                                                                       Psalm 65

Many, if not most, churchgoers struggle reading the Old Testament (OT). It has all kind of strange places, people, customs, rules, worship, etc. While it takes a lot of study to really grasp the OT, one of the things that will help you is to understand the perspective of OT writers. About 2/3 of the OT is written in poetry. While Hebrew poetry was very different from our own, one thing they both have in common is imagery. Poetry is all about creating images with words. When you read the OT, look for the image the writer was trying to describe. That’s why the OT doesn’t tell us God is big, firm, immovable, and trustworthy – it says God is our rock. Rock is an image of big, firm, immovable, and trustworthy. The next time you read the OT, look for the “picture” and it will help you better understand what you are reading.

Many, if not most, churchgoers struggle reading the Old Testament. It has all kind of strange places, people, customs, rules, worship, etc. While it takes a lot of study to really grasp the Old Testament, one of the things that will help you is to understand the perspective of Old Testament writers. About 2/3 of the Old Testament is written in poetry. While Hebrew poetry was very different from our own, one thing they both have in common is imagery. Poetry is all about creating images with words. When you read the Old Testament, look for the image the writer was trying to describe. That’s why the Old Testament doesn’t tell us God is big, firm, immovable, and trustworthy – it says God is our rock. Rock is an image of big, firm, immovable, and trustworthy. The next time you read the Old Testament, look for the “picture” and it will help you better understand what you are reading.

I can still remember all the scare of Y2K and people stocking up on food, water, and other essentials. Many feared the world would come crashing down due to computer codes only using 2 digits for the year and when it turned over to 00 anything with a computer chip would freak out thinking it was 1900. Now here we are 10 years later and no one is scared of a world-wide computer crash bringing everything down. Now we are concerned about a weak economy, a government that has no answers except more government, and most of all international problems – Iran and N. Korea becoming nuclear powers, Afghanistan, Iraq, an increasingly Muslim Europe, and of course terrorists. The real issues we always face are not technology, but the human heart. “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it?” Jeremiah 17:9. We don’t need a change in technology, government, or military power. What our world needs is changed hearts.

Those two words bring lots of different images to people’s minds. For some it conjures up warm memories of a particular teacher when you were young. For others it reminds you of a boring hour spent every Sunday with a dry, dull teacher. Still others think of children learning the Bible but don’t connect Sunday School with adults. Perhaps for you the words Sunday School connect you with a difficult time in your life when your class rallied to your aid. Whatever you may think of, Sunday School is a great ministry in our church. It is a place where the Bible is studied, friendships develop, needs are met, and people come to know Jesus as Savior and Lord. If you are not in a Sunday School class right now I strongly encourage you to join one this Sunday. We have classes for everyone that meet at 9:30 and 11:00. Come join us in Sunday School adventure this week!

Psa. 65

Pastor Paul