selected passages (NASB)
October 25, 2020
preached by Pastor Doug Cooper
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Time of Reflection Quotations

“The gospel is this: We are more sinful and flawed in ourselves than we ever dared believe, yet at the very same time we are more loved and accepted in Jesus Christ than we ever dared hope.” 

“To be loved but not known is comforting but superficial. To be known and not loved is our greatest fear. But to be fully known and truly loved is, well, a lot like being loved by God. It is what we need more than anything.”

~ Tim Keller (1950-present), American pastor, theologian, and Christian apologist. 

“I’ve spent most of my life and most of my friendships holding my breath and hoping that when people get close enough they won’t leave, and fearing that it’s a matter of time before they figure me out and go.” 

~ Shauna Niequist, an excerpt from her book, Bittersweet: Thoughts on Change, Grace, and Learning the Hard Way

“It is not that we need more power, but that we need more brokenness. When we are properly broken we will find the indwelling Christ is more than sufficient.” 

~ Chip Brogden, contemporary author and teacher

“Repentance is the tear of love, dropping from the eye of faith, when it fixes on Christ crucified.”

~ Gorham Abbott (1807-1874), American clergyman, educator, and author

“There is no peace like the peace of those whose minds are possessed with full assurance that they have known God, and God has known them, and that this relationship guarantees God’s favor to them in life, through death and on forever.” 

“There is…great incentive to worship and love God in the thought that, for some unfathomable reason, he wants me as his friend, and desires to be my friend, and has given his Son to die for me in order to realize this purpose.”

~ J.I. Packer (1929-2020), a British-born Canadian Christian theologian and professor

Sermon Passage

selected passages (NASB)

Jeremiah 9

²³ Thus says the LORD, “Let not a wise man boast of his wisdom, and let not the mighty man boast of his might, let not a rich man boast of his riches; ²⁴ but let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the LORD who exercises lovingkindness, justice and righteousness on earth; for I delight in these things,” declares the LORD.

James 4

⁸ Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. ⁹ Be miserable and mourn and weep; let your laughter be turned into mourning and your joy to gloom. ¹⁰ Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you.

Psalm 139

^{1 O LORD, You have searched me and known me.}

²³ Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me and know my anxious thoughts; ²⁴ and see if there be any hurtful way in me, and lead me in the everlasting way.

John 17

³ This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.