CPC THIS WEEK
MAY 5, 2010
THE E-NEWSLETTER OF CHRIST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
AN ANATOMY OF ALL THE PARTS OF THE SOUL
By Tom Stein
This is how John Calvin described the Psalms. He went on to write, “...there is not an emotion of which anyone can be conscious that is not here represented as in a mirror.
“...the Holy Spirit has brought to life all the grief, sorrows, fears, doubts, hopes, cares, perplexities, in short, all the distracting emotions with which our minds are agitated.”
The Bible is real - the real story of God’s real grace in the lives of real people like you and me. That reality is well-reflected in the Psalms.
Why marinate in the Psalms?
1. For your good. If the Psalms indeed represent all sorts of human emotions, you can prayerfully process those emotions through those Psalms.
For example, this month’s “Verses to Memorize” are the three verses of Psalm 131. Here David resists the temptation to pursue a perfect understanding of all of God’s ways. He simply rests in his hope in the Lord. As you make this prayer your prayer, you find peace in the midst of the storms of life.
2. For the good of others. If we are loving people as Jesus loved them, we are hearing their tales of trouble. The Psalms mirror those trials, and they give us a tool to minister God’s truth - to believers and unbelievers alike.
For example, Psalm 13 speaks to the deafening silence of God. David wonders if God has forgotten him. But he eventually returns to trust and joy.
I encourage you to find a way to consistently journey through the Psalms. Read three a week - maybe one at a time, or maybe all at once.
As the words speak into your story, pray them as your own. May God speak to us, and through us, with the Psalms.
UPCOMING EVENTS
SATURDAY, MAY 8, 2-5 PM - MOLLY HARRINGTON OPEN HOUSE (PLEASE RSVP!)
SUNDAY EVENING, MAY 16, 5:30 - MORTGAGE BURNING CELEBRATION
We will roast hot dogs, sing, and celebrate God’s provision!
Singles - bring chips
Letters A-L - bring side dishes
Letters M-Z - bring desserts
The church will provide meat and drinks.
JUNE 6 - OUTDOOR SERVICE AND KIDS’ MUSICAL
JUNE 21-25 - VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL
PRAYING FOR THE PERSECUTED CHURCH: BANGLADESH
Voice of the Martyrs reports, “Three tribal Christians are being held captive at a pagoda in Lemuchari village, Khagrachari district, Bangladesh by Buddhist members of an armed rebel group and their sympathizers.”
THIS WEEK’S FRIENDLY REMINDER
If you are able, please sit toward the front, especially if you arrive early. This will enable later arrivers to fill it at the back with less disruption.
A WORD OF ENCOURAGEMENT
God is blessing us with lots of visitors these days. During the greeting time and after the service, how about seeking out a new face, so they may feel welcome?
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO:
May 6 - Brenda Miller
May 8 - Julie Baker, Kurt Steinfort
May 10 - Steve Uphaus
May 12 - Roy Brown, Seth Bumbalough, Judy Watt
THIS SUNDAY’S SERMON TEXT: LUKE 7:11-17
MAY VERSES TO MEMORIZE: PSALM 131