 |
|
|
Weekly Update from the Senior Pastor
January 4, 2007
Dear Family and Friends,
This New Year (2007) ends with a 7, a special number in Scripture, especially in the book of Revelation.
Biblical sevens usually symbolize maturity, completion or a finished work; or at other times a complete and total (sometimes perfect) manifestation of a personal characteristic. For example:
- There are 7 days in creation and the 7 th day symbolized God’s rest in His finished work. Thus the 7 th day became God’s Old Covenant symbol to Israel of their physical rest in His redemption and provisions.
- In the New Covenant, as blood flowed from His 7 wounds, Jesus’ 7 th statement on the Cross echoes this creation pattern. Jesus said: “It is finished,” His death allowed us to enter the rest of His new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17 ). Now we can go directly to Him, 7 days a week, to find true rest for our souls (Matthew 11:28 -30).
- Therefore the risen and glorified Christ is described in Revelation 5 as the Lamb that was slain (but is standing) with 7 horns (complete power) and 7 eyes (complete wisdom) and He receives 7-fold praise.
On the other side of the equation:
In Revelation 12:1, Satan is portrayed as a red dragon with 7 heads (the devil is the ‘perfection’ of evil) and he calls forth a beast in his image who also has 7 heads (13:1-2). But the dragon, his beast and their false prophet can only offer a pseudo-security as a counterfeit to the authentic work of Father, Son and Holy Spirit. This evil false trinity can never really offer or help man achieve salvation and rest, so they are symbolized by a number that forever falls short (666).
Let’s make this year, 2007, a season of genuine godly maturing for us.
Let’s build Homes of Light by leaning into the perfect power (777) of our God.
Updates:
This Sunday: This Sunday we’ll start our New Year from the identity of God’s grace as we ponder a few annual resolutions. The message title is: “I’m Gorgeous Inside!” We’ll celebrate the Lord’s Supper together.
Starting Sunday, January 14th, children will go directly to their classrooms at 10:30 . FROM JEANNIE: Parents, beginning 1/14/07 , please check in your children at 10:30 , then proceed directly to their classrooms. We’ve worked hard to put together our children’s praise teams—and we are ready! The younger children will enjoy songs with motions that speak to their life-experience as they praise the God who made them. Our older students will enjoy a new hip-hop praise time, teaching them to use their entire being to praise God. Please make it a family priority to be on time so your child won’t miss one minute of these exciting programs.
Final December Tally: God promises that He is able to do more than we ask or even imagine. This December He did exactly that. We launched into our three-year “ring-bearers” season of building a new facility as we sustain our ministries. This congregation has always been faithful in its finances, but this December your treasure and hearts were really in sync. We finished the month with almost $150,000 in regular ministry giving, about $18,000 in special missions/ministry giving and $385,000 in ‘first fruits” toward building our new facility—a Light on a Hill. The total December giving was $553,770! That means all lights are green for go and we will move ahead prayerfully and carefully, but aggressively, to build our new congregational home. Once again, thank you so much for your faithful and even radical giving.
Honduras Pre-Trip: January 12-19 Pastor Roger Record will lead a team to Honduras to plan for our two summer missions. I will join him, to teach a series to Pastor Motiño’s leaders on the Book of Revelation in anticipation of beginning our ten week series when we return. Pray for the wisdom, anointing and safety of this whole Honduras team.
Love ya,
Richard
|
 |
