Hungering Thirsting for God’s Word – Test the spirits

Sunday School

9 Core Quaker Beliefs (6 minute video)
Discussion follows: An Exercise in testing the spirits.

Sunday Service

Pastoral Reading

Psalm 119:49-56

Remember your word to your servant,
    in which you have made me hope.
⁵⁰ This is my comfort in my affliction,
    that your promise gives me life.
⁵¹ The insolent utterly deride me,
    but I do not turn away from your law.
⁵² When I think of your rules from of old,
    I take comfort, O Lord.
⁵³ Hot indignation seizes me because of the wicked,
    who forsake your law.
⁵⁴ Your statutes have been my songs
    in the house of my sojourning.
⁵⁵ I remember your name in the night, O Lord,
    and keep your law.
⁵⁶ This blessing has fallen to me,
    that I have kept your precepts.

Opening Song

How Firm a Foundation (TH#94)

1 How firm a foundation, you saints of the Lord,
is laid for your faith in his excellent Word!
What more can he say than to you he has said,
to you who for refuge to Jesus have fled?

2 “Fear not, I am with you, O be not dismayed;
for I am your God, and will still give you aid;
I’ll strengthen you, help you, and cause you to stand,
upheld by my righteous, omnipotent hand.

3 “When through the deep waters I call you to go,
the rivers of sorrow shall not overflow;
for I will be with you, your troubles to bless,
and sanctify to you your deepest distress.

4 “When through fiery trials your pathway shall lie,
my grace, all-sufficient, shall be your supply;
the flame shall not hurt you; I only design
your dross to consume and your gold to refine.

5 “E’en down to old age all my people shall prove
my sovereign, eternal, unchangeable love;
and when hoary hairs shall their temples adorn,
like lambs they shall still in my bosom be borne.

6 “The soul that on Jesus has leaned for repose,
I will not, I will not desert to his foes;
that soul, though all hell should endeavor to shake,
I’ll never, no never, no never forsake.”

Prayer

Focus this week:  Ramona

Song

Only a Holy God (CRC #35)

1)Who else commands all the hosts of heaven
Who else could make every king bow down
Who else can whisper and darkness trembles
Only a Holy God

2)What other beauty demands such praises
What other splendor outshines the sun
What other majesty rules with justice
Only a Holy God

Chorus
Come and behold Him
The One and the Only
Cry out, sing holy
Forever a Holy God
Come and worship the Holy God

3)What other glory consumes like fire
What other power can raise the dead
What other name remains undefeated
Only a Holy God

4)Who else could rescue me from my failing
Who else would offer His only Son
Who else invites me to call Him Father
Only a Holy God
Only my Holy God!

Song

Where Thou Leadest Me (CRC #75)

Verse 1
Where Thou leadest me, I dare not find complain
For Thou has never left nor will for all my days
Thy presence is my good and it shall ever be
I will go where Thou leadest me
That′s the verse two together

Verse 2
Sovereign is Thy hand to guide me when I’m worn
Thy good and perfect will, holds fast through every storm
What time I am afraid, my faith looks up to Thee
I will trust where Thou leadest me

Chorus
On the mountain high through the valley deep
I will go where Thou leadest me

Verse 3
O Shepherd, keep me near for I am prone to stray
The frailty of my flesh seeks refuge in Thy grace
This promise is my peace, my soul is safe in Thee
I will rest as Thou leadest me

Chorus
On the mountain high through the valley deep
I will go where Thou leadest me
On the mountain high through the valley deep
I will go where Thou leadest me
Ooh-oh-oh

Verse 4
Savior, light my path until that final day
If Thou art Lord of life, why should I fear the grave?
Proud death has lost its sting for all eternity
I will rise where Thou leadest me
Home with Christ where Thou leadest me

Chorus
On the mountain high through the valley deep
I will go where Thou leadest me, oh
On the mountain high through the valley deep
I will go where Thou leadest me

I will go where Thou leadest me

Writer(s): Kristyn Getty, Ben Shive, Bryan Fowler

Scripture Reading

2 John

The elder to the elect lady and her children, whom I love in truth, and not only I, but also all who know the truth, ² because of the truth that abides in us and will be with us forever:

³ Grace, mercy, and peace will be with us, from God the Father and from Jesus Christ the Father’s Son, in truth and love.

⁴ I rejoiced greatly to find some of your children walking in the truth, just as we were commanded by the Father. ⁵ And now I ask you, dear lady—not as though I were writing you a new commandment, but the one we have had from the beginning—that we love one another. ⁶ And this is love, that we walk according to his commandments; this is the commandment, just as you have heard from the beginning, so that you should walk in it. ⁷ For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not confess the coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh. Such a one is the deceiver and the antichrist. ⁸ Watch yourselves, so that you may not lose what we^[a]have worked for, but may win a full reward.⁹ Everyone who goes on ahead and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God. Whoever abides in the teaching has both the Father and the Son. ¹⁰ If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house or give him any greeting, ¹¹ for whoever greets him takes part in his wicked works.

¹² Though I have much to write to you, I would rather not use paper and ink. Instead I hope to come to you and talk face to face, so that our joy may be complete.

¹³ The children of your elect sister greet you.

Preaching the Word

Hungering and Thirst for God’s Word – Test the spirits

1 John 4:1

 Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world.

Closing Song

That Man is Blest Who, Fearing God (Psalm 1) TH #558

1 That man is blest who, fearing God,
from sin restrains his feet,
who will not stand with wicked men,
who shuns the scorners’ seat.

2 Yea, blest is he who makes God’s law
his portion and delight,
and meditates upon that law
with gladness day and night.

3 That man is nourished like a tree
set by the rivers’ side;
its leaf is green, its fruit is sure,
and thus his works abide.

4 The wicked like the driven chaff
are swept from off the land;
they shall not gather with the just,
nor in the judgment stand.

5 The Lord will guard the righteous well,
their way to him is known;
the way of sinners, far from God,
shall surely be o’erthrown.