Joy is not a word that we have heard uttered much over the past year. And yet in the midst of difficulties and struggles those who follow Jesus can have a sense of joy. In our passages today we meet two very familiar women. Each with much to be concerned about, but each aware that […]

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We see it all around. The word peace appears on cards, in Christmas displays, and even in store displays during this season. We all want peace. We desire peace. The angels declared God’s peace to those who were favored by God. But what does that mean? How can one have peace with God? We will […]

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Hope. It is often a word we use as a synonym for “wish.” But hope in the Bible is not used as a wish, it is a certainty that is yet to be fully realized. Hope in the Bible is based on God’s promises. We will see two individuals today who lived in hope day […]

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A cave is typically dark, damp, and lonely. For most people caves are intriguing from a distance. People also face “caves” in life. We at times find ourselves in dark, lonely places in our soul. David did. We find a poignant cry to God in Psalm 142 that apparently was uttered when David was in […]

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God is a God of justice. God expects his people to be people of justice. In this community lament the psalmist cries out to God for the way the rich and powerful are treating the powerless in the community. What is most disturbing is that the tone of the psalm points to the fact that […]

The post Psalm 94 – A Community Lament over Injustice appeared first on PLEASANT HILL COMMUNITY CHURCH.

Sometimes we exercise the prayer language of lament when we have suffered a personal loss. But what about when we have caused the pain and the loss due to our own sin. Psalm 51 is David’s prayer of lament due to his own sinful acts. When sin empties us, God in his grace still hears […]

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No matter who you are, or how strong you believe your faith to be, you have no doubt asked God questions like: “Where are you?” “How can you not see what I am going through?” “Why do you not act more quickly?” These are the questions of Lament. God has given us Lament as a […]

The post Lament – Crying out to God: Psalm 13 appeared first on PLEASANT HILL COMMUNITY CHURCH.

Often times we emphasize the content of one’s teaching and we will warn against false teaching or a false narrative. The book of Jude is also a warning to folks to beware of false teachers. But his approach does not delve into the specific nature of the teaching. Instead he focuses on the character and […]

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God expects us to not just claim to follow him, but that we actually do so. Our actions should support our claims. Another word for it is to be authentic. In this brief letter we are introduced to three men. Two are authentic, they walk the walk and the description of them is refreshing. The […]

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How do you know? How can you tell if what someone believes “squares” with what you understand the Bible to teach? In this brief letter, we discover a core reality of our faith that will help us make wise decisions regarding what others teach. One thing that we see in all of John’s writings in […]

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