The Patience of the Lord
Church Family,
This past Sunday was a tremendous encouragement to us all. God’s Word is always relevant to our day no matter the number of years between us and the time of the event. We saw in the Genesis account of Ishmael and Isaac a patient Lord. Abraham and Sarah take matters into their own hands to bring about the fulfillment of God’s promise (Gen 16). In doing so, they caused tremendous problems for themselves and future difficulty for God’s people. Despite all this, the Lord in his patience reestablished covenant with Abraham and brings about his promises in Isaac (Gen 17). In his appointed time (Gen 18:14), He provides Sarah with a child who will carry on the everlasting covenant of the Lord. His delay was not a display of weakness, but rather a moment to bring about His power; “Is anything too hard for the Lord?” (Gen 18:14). The Lord’s patience is a display of His tender power. Brothers and Sisters, be patient, pursue intimacy with the Lord, and let the waiting breed greater trust.
The Doctrine of Humanity
This week’s topic in our lecture series on a biblical doctrine of us will be original sin. Here’s the zoom link https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82256318650. We will take next week off due to Spring Break.
Members Meeting
If you are a member of Light in the Desert Church, we are having our quarterly Members Meeting this Sunday at 6 pm on zoom. We will be sending out a link through email in the next few days to all the members. Do make some time to join us as we discuss the effects of 2020 and look ahead to 2021.
Grace and Peace,
Pastor Bryan
Counted Righteous
Church Family,
I hope you all are well and enjoying your week so far. This past Sunday, we discussed how important it is to have God as our faith’s object. There is no shortage of ideologies or “ism” to believe, but only one object of our faith counts us as righteous. As we have been following Abram the last few weeks, we have seen his faith tested, but in Genesis 15:6, his faith is counted as righteous. This is a moment that he is fully convinced (as Romans 4:21 says) that God will do what he says. Moses recounts for us that “Abram believed the Lord,” emphasis on Lord! Abram believes in the Lord and trusts that He will do what he says. This fully convinced trust in God and his promises carry over in the New Testament as a shining example. Paul tells us, “But the words “it was counted to him” were not written for his sake alone, but for ours also. It will be counted to us who believe in him who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord, who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification” (Romans 4:23-25). You see, what you believe and the object of your faith is crucial. Our faith rests solely upon the person and work of God the Son, and like Abram, through faith alone in Christ alone, we are counted righteous.
The Doctrine of Humanity
This series of lectures explores what the bible tells us about humanity and the cultural misunderstanding that permeates society. We will continue this week looking at gender. This is a zoom-only event, so click here (https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87210086840) and join us at 6:30 pm this Wednesday.
Members Meeting
Please mark your calendars for March 7th at 6 pm for our next Members Meeting. We will discuss how 2020 impacted us and share a few exciting things coming. This will be a zoom-only gathering. We will share the link in next week’s News Blog.
Grace and Peace,
Pastor Bryan
Melchizedek?
Church Family,
What a wonderful time this past Sunday worshiping with you all. I’m constantly encouraged when we gather and reminded of God’s grace when I see you all!
Can we all agree, the Bible is a phenomenal work of literature? For some, the first thing they think when they read that last sentence is, “Thank you, Captain Obvious,” while for others, not so much. Reading our Bibles is a discipline not only to incorporate into our daily activities but also to learn how to do well. It’s not uncommon for the bible to introduce a theme, a person, or a theological point early on to unpack later. Genesis does this a fair bit. It has shown us its relevance for understanding the entirety of scripture, and this past Sunday was one of those moments. We cannot understand Genesis 14:17-24 without Psalms 110 and Hebrews 5-7. Melchizedek, who looms large throughout the history of God’s people, shows up in Genesis 14 without any explanation and disappears without any explanation. He is not mentioned again until King David sees something in him pointing forward to a Priestly King who would be of an eternal priesthood. Then the great expository preacher of Hebrews unpacks all the details of Genesis 14 and places all of them squarely upon Jesus. Come to find out, Melchizedek is in our Bibles to point us towards Christ, the real King of Righteousness who brings peace! Brothers and Sisters, read your Bibles, trust your Bibles, and marvel at the greatest of Christ!
Woohoo!
I want to celebrate and express my thankfulness to all of you who gave to our international missions offering Lottie Moon. Many of you gave on behalf of Sandy Talbot at the request of her family, and they have been encouraged by your generosity. We received $3,075! One hundred percent of that will go to support foreign missions!
The Doctrine of Humanity
This week’s link to our next lecture in the series The Doctrine of Humanity is https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86400028226. We will continue discussing gender.
Abram the Hebrew
Church Family,
I hope you all are well and enjoying God’s Word daily. If you have been tracking along with a bible reading plan this year, you have more than likely got a double dose of Genesis, Abram, the formation of Israel, and God’s faithfulness to his covenant. This has hopefully helped you to appreciate the cohesion of Scripture and to clarify the storyline of Scripture. Genesis is a crucial and foundational book to the entirety of Scripture. You cannot read any scripture without seeing the importance of Genesis to understanding that text. We have been watching and looking at Abram wrestle with faithfulness and trust for the last several weeks. He, like us, has moments of weakness and moments of great strength. Last Sunday, we looked at a courageous and gritty moment in Abram’s life. His faith is on display, and God’s power is seen in Abram’s pursuit of four major superpowers of the day and his subsequent victory over them (Gen 14:1-16). His courageous and gritty faith is not in himself or his trained men but in the God who is Lord. Abram the Hebrew, the one where God’s blessing rest, is the one who pursues and conquers the leading powers of the day. He does what five kings could not do, all due to the Lord.
The Doctrine of Humanity
Last week we began our lecture series on the doctrine of humanity. We looked at the first major understanding the Bible teaches about us; that we are made in the image of God. Join us this Wednesday at 6:30 pm as we explore another major part of what it means to be human, gender. Here is the zoom link (https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83547854310). If you missed last week’s lecture, you can find it here.
Grace and Peace,
Pastor Bryan
The Story of Abram and Lot
Church Family,
Every time we gather each Sunday, I’m reminded of how much the Lord has used every one of you to encourage me, spur me on, and deepen my faith. Thank you for being a church that values God’s Word above all other thinking. It’s a joy to sit under God’s Word each week and grow together. Genesis continues to teach us about faith. This past Sunday, we explored a contrasting picture of faith. One, Abram, who had the Lord as the aim of his faith, and the other, Lot, had temporal goods as the aim of his faith. It’s tempting to view the temporal of here and now as more sure than the spiritual not yet seen. We will continue to watch Abram and God’s people struggle, as we do, with trust and obedience. With each new story, we will learn the things that hinder our devotion, but we will most clearly see, and rejoice over, the faithful Lord who works despite ourselves!
This Wednesday at 6:30 pm, we will begin our lecture series on The Doctrine of Humanity. We will start the series with zoom only, all the while hoping to move to an in-person option as soon as possible. If there was one doctrine, one theologically belief, that has come under more scrutiny over the past several years, it’s humanity. Who we are, gender, sexuality, race, and what makes us human have been redefined and stretched beyond biblical allowance. Our historical moment needs the Church to stand firm on what we know to be true about us as humans. Please join us each Wednesday as we unpack a different aspect of humanity. Here is the zoom link for this week https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83956479394.
God’s Providence
Church Family,
I do hope your week has been full of joy as you reflect upon the grace and mercy of God. This past Sunday, we considered God’s providence. One cannot read Genesis without seeing God’s hand involved at every turn. Despite the difficulties caused by humans, he remained faithful to his promises by being intimately involved providentially. It’s precisely God’s providential care that moves redemptive history down the corridors of time. Let us not think that He only did that then; He continues and will always continue to move. God was, is, and will be sovereign, so therefore He did, does, and will act providentially in the world to do what is best! Take some time to consider His providential care over you throughout the years (Psalms 44).
Let Us Pray!
This week’s link for our prayer gathering is https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89633986422. We will start at 6:30 pm. Our time together will not only consist of prayer but scripture reading as well. Do try to carve out some time to join us!
Grace and Peace,
Pastor Bryan
Father Abraham
Church Family,
I hope you all are doing well and find yourself overwhelmed with God’s faithfulness. The faithfulness of the Lord has permeated the first 12 chapters of Genesis and will continue to be a theme throughout. Despite humanity’s open rebellion and their disunity, the Lord shows up, again and again, to remain faithful to His promises. We saw this past Sunday the Lord doing just that, moving his blessing down throughout history. Abram becomes the recipient of God’s blessing that will eventually be a blessing for all families of the earth (Gen 12:3). This blessing finds its greatest fulfillment in Christ (Gal 3:8-9). We become a part of that blessing, of being an offspring of Abraham (Gal 3:29), when we, in faith like Abram, trust Christ for our salvation. Rejoice, Brothers and Sisters, God is faithful!
Let Us Pray
This Wednesday, at 6:30 pm, we will gather on zoom to spend time in prayer. Click this link https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89104732757. See you then, and like I said last week, come with an expectant heart that the Lord indeed will hear and respond.
Statements
Many of you, despite the uncertainty of 2020, faithfully gave to Light in the Desert Church this past year. The Leadership Team and I want to say thank you for your generosity. It was a tough year and your faithful giving brought encouragement as we sought the Lord’s wisdom. Our bookkeeper is finalizing all the statements and you should receive an email in the coming weeks with a link to your statement. In the meantime, please ensure we have your correct email. Feel free to email financial@litdbaptist.org with any questions.
Grace and Peace,
Pastor Bryan
The Nations Babel
Church Family,
I’m often surprised, encouraged, grateful, and a host of other things at how the Lord prepares us for tough times. We pray and prep months ahead of time for each Sunday Gathering. Without fail, the Lord provides us with timely scriptures that give us sound guidance as we face hard times. This past Sunday was a perfect text for us to consider in our series on Genesis. It had so much to offer us in this season of such divide and disunity. It called us back to where true unity is found. It reminded us of the devastating result of sin in alienating humanity. It confronted our tendency to believe theories and lies more than God’s Word. Though earthly kingdoms come and go, the Kingdom of God remains! Let us not find our identity in earthly kingdoms, “But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it, we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself” (Phil 3:20-21).
Let Us Pray!
This Wednesday at 6:30 pm, we will gather in Zoom to spend time in prayer. Here is the link (https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85808896678). See you this Wednesday and come with an expectant heart that the Lord does hear and will respond!
Noah and His Sons
Church Family,
What a great first Sunday of 2021 as we dove back into Genesis! I cannot think of a better way to begin our year together than singing God’s Word, praying God’s Word, reading God’s Word, and preaching God’s Word. These are the things that will sustain us in the coming months as the long-term effects of 2020 become more obvious. Genesis has provided us with so much to consider in terms of who we are, how the world works, the devastating effects of sin, and, more importantly, the Grace of God in His faithfulness. This book has served us well and will continue to encourage us in the coming months. Hang in there, Church Family, because God is more than faithful!
Lottie Moon
This is just a reminder that we will continue to receive giving towards Lottie Moon until the end of January. Click here to give.
Desert Kids
The Leadership Team and I want to thank all the parents for your patience and support as we try to navigate what is best to ensure everyone’s safety. With the surge of COVID numbers, we will wait two more weeks before starting Desert Kids. Our tentative start date will be January 24 for 0-5-year-olds.
Bible Reading
One of our convictions here at Light in the Desert Church is that we are a people who are Bible-Believing. Scripture is our authoritative guide for all we believe and do. It is the centerpiece of all our gatherings and drives our life together. Because of this core value, we make it a regular habit to teach through books of the Bible during our Sunday gathering and heavily encourage 1-1 Bible reading. With the new year upon us, let me encourage you to pick a Bible reading plan (click here), then grab a faithful brother or sister, and read through the Bible during 2021.
Grace and Peace,
Pastor Bryan
Our Blessed Hope
Church Family,
During this Advent season, we reflected on the first coming of Christ when He took flesh, but let us not soon forget that His first appearing creates a longing for His second appearing (Titus 2:11-15). This past Sunday, we were encouraged from Scripture to rest not only in the finished work of Christ accomplished in His first appearing but also in His second appearing when He comes in glory! Holiness and hope are intrinsically linked to Christ’s return. In 2021, we must be a people who rest in Christ for our holiness and our unshakable hope. Join with me in praying that God would take the next 12 months and form us into a people who pursue Him with passion and who have a joyous hope rooted in Christ.
“Let us not grow weary in doing good” (Gal 6:9).
Desert Kids
This is just a reminder that we will not have Desert Kids this coming Sunday. We feel it is best to let the holidays settle down, and it gives us some time to finalize plans for the upcoming year. Parents, thanks for your patience and continued support during this time.
Bible Reading
The beginning of a new year is always a perfect opportunity to set a goal of reading through the entire bible in the coming year. This is a worthy endeavor and has a way of helping you understand the Bible’s grand story with better clarity. There are many options for different plans to tackle this goal. Here is a list for you to look through to find one that fits your personality and reading habits. Bible reading is the primary means for God’s people to grow, so let’s dive in during 2021 and see what the Lord can do through His Word (Psalms 19:7-11).
Grace and Peace,
Pastor Bryan