Monday, March 17, 2014

Have You Ever Wondered?



   We all wonder of course about many things in life.But have you ever wondered where a chef likes to dine out?
Have you ever wondered what doctor a doctor visits when he/she is not feeling well? How about a minister? Where
does a minister go to be spiritually nourished? Well, let me tell you where I go!
   Once a year I love to attend the Ligonier National Conference held in Orlando Florida. The conference is
sponsored by Ligonier Ministries a ministry founded by Dr. RC Sproull. Dr. Sproull is a Reformed minister within the
Presbyterian tradition.He began Ligonier Ministries 40 years ago in a place called Ligonier Pennsylvania.
The ministry was founded to help educate the laity in the field of Christian Education. The National
Conferences are open to the clergy as well as the laity. Delegates from several denominations attend
from across the States, Canada and yours truly from Bermuda!
   The speakers at the conference come from the Presbyterian Church, Baptist Church, United Reformed Church along
with a few others as well. One thing the speakers and delegates hold in common is their adherence to the Reformed
Faith.
   Every session is started with glorious hymns of praise and what you hear must be similar to the sounds of heaven's
choir! The singing is great, the messages are all inspiring and the fellowship is something that I have always
looked forward to and treasured.The three days go by so quickly and before you know it is time to return home
and share with others what you have dined on. Let me give you a taste of what was offered this past week where
the theme was OVERCOMING the WORLD.
To The World, Folly & a Stumbling Block - by Dr. Steve Lawson
1 Cor. 1:18-25 Text is V:23

THIS IS MY FATHER'S WORLD - by Dr Sinclair Ferguson
Genesis 1:1-4, 26-28
GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD - Dr. Sinclair Ferguson Phil. 2:5-11
Saving the World by Dr. Derek Thomas
Gen. 18:16-33
2Peter
How Then Shall We Live In This World by Dr. Derek Thomas
Romans 12

Do Not Love The World -Dr. Robert Godfrey
1 John 2:15-17
The End & Purpose of the World by Dr. RC Sproull
   Once again this year I was well fed and encouraged to continue in my ministry until I have the opportunity to dine again
at what for me is the spiritual highligh of the year. Check out a few pictures of the conference that I have posted on our
church web site and check out this weeks message which is by Dr. Sproull.
Blessings from John

Saturday, March 1, 2014

The Sabbath Day

KEEPING WHICH DAY HOLY?
Genesis 2:3 reads; “So God blessed the seventh day and hallowed it, because on it God rested from all the work that He had done in creation.” What does this verse have to say to us today? Most people are aware that the seventh day the Sabbath refers to Saturday. Sunday, known in the New Testament as the Lord’s Day is the first day of the week. Whereas the Sabbath commemorates God’s rest after having created the world, Sunday commemorates the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. When the Bible commands us to; “Remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy” is it referring to the seventh day of the week or the first day of the week? In short, the fourth of the Ten Commandments refers to the Sabbath our Saturday. That being so are Christians then free to do what they want on the first day of the week? Have we been neglectful in our observance of Saturday as prescribed in the Old Testament? Some denominations like Seventh Day Adventists would say yes while many others would say no. Always keep in mind that Christ is continually being foreshadowed in the Old Testament. The Messiah was always viewed as the one to come. Once the messiah had come the shadows disappeared and all things would be new. Even the Sabbath would take on new meaning with the advent of Christ. Now, we observe the Sabbath not so much because on it God rested after having created the world but rather we celebrate the completion the culmination of our redemption in Jesus Christ. We don’t sweep away the Sabbath in fact we incorporate within our observance of Sunday much of what we find in the Sabbath. We rest from our labors on Sunday while remembering that on the first day of the week (Sunday) Christ rose from the dead.
John Fraser