We are beginning a brand new curriculum called “The Gospel Project” from LifeWay Christian Resources. It will bring us a three-year survey of the entire Bible, which will give us time to cover more Bible stories and spend more time on each one.

As you might guess, we will begin this survey next Sunday with the first book of the Bible, Genesis. It makes a lot of sense to start here, since our story will be God’s Creation of the heavens and the earth. We will look af the first chapter of Genesis and marvel at all the different things that God has created.

Each week we will have a “Big Question” to help us focus in on the most important part of the story. Our first “Big Question” is: Who created everything? We go to the Bible to answer our questions each week. We will find that the answer is: God created the world and people to bring Him glory.

You won’t want to miss this very first lesson from The Gospel Project…and it would be a great Sunday to invite a friend to come with you!

Tom and Sydney Cook
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Paul faced many difficullties in his travels, including being stoned, shipwrecked, beaten, and put in prison (several times). But he always trusted in God to take care of him, and he was never disappointed. Paul was always ready to tell about how he met Jesus on the Road to Damascus.

Next Sunday we will learn about Paul’s trip to Philippi, where he met Lydia, a wealthy woman who had become a Jew and was happy to hear that the Messiah had come. She believed in Jesus and was baptized.

Paul was traveling with Silas on this journey, and was beaten and thrown into prison after a disturbance caused by Jews who did not like Paul’s telling about Jesus. An earthquake shook the jail, freeing Paul and Silas from their chains. The Philippian jailer, seeing that the cell doors had opened, was about to kill himself rather than face the penalty for letting his prisoners escape.

Paul called out to the jailer not to harm himself, since the prisoners were all still there. At this, the jailer asked Paul, “What must I do to be saved?” Paul’s answer was “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved.”

This is a great story to share with others! Why jnot invite a friend this week?

Tom and Sydney Cook
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Although Peter knew he was to be killed the next day, he slept soundly. Suddenly an angel appeared, woke Peter, and told him to put on his sandals and robe. The angel led Peter through the locked cell door, past the sleeping guards, and through the locked outer gate to the street. There the angel left Peter, and he realized this was not a dream…he ws really free!

Peter went to the house where he knew the believers were gathered to pray and knocked on the door. What happened next is the fun part of the story…join us Sunday to find out what happened when Peter knocked. Bring along a friend as well!

Tom and Sydney Cook
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God was also preparing Cornelius, a Roman Centurion, who was told by an angel to send for Peter. Cornelius did so, and invited many friends and family to hear what Peter had to say. Peter came into Cornelius’ house (which a Jew was not supposed to do) and preached about Jesus. Cornelius and his guests believed in Jesus, received the Holy Spirit, and were baptized by Peter. They did not first become Jewish converts.

God showed Peter that He did not have favorites, but that anyone of any race, nation, or background who believed in Jesus would be saved. This is good news for us, many of whom are Gentiles.

Come join us Sunday for a special study of this important story. It would be a great time to bring a friend!

Tom and Sydney Cook
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The Sanhedrin asked Stephen if this was true. He began with Abraham and reminded them how the Israelites had never completely obeyed God, although some were always faithful. He told them how God had always been faithful to His promises, including sending Jesus as the Messiah. When Stephen said that he had a vision of Jesus standing at the right hand of God, the reliegious leaders became very angry, shouting and dragging Stephen out of the Temple. There they threw stones at him until he died. Just before he died, Stephen asked God to forgive the people who were stoning him.

When we tell others about Jesus today, we might be laughed at or ignored. In this country we would not expect to be killed, but in some places in the world Christians are killed even today for being faithful to Jesus. God wants us to tell others about Jesus, and He will give us strength and courage to do so. Who can you tell about Jesus this week?

One great way to tell others about Jesus is to invite them to come with you to Sunday School. This would be a perfect week to do that!

Tom and Sydney Cook
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The first parable was about a shepherd who lost one of his 100 sheep. He left the 99 and searched for the lost one, then brought that one back and cared for him. The shepherd told his friends about finding the sheep and rejoiced with them,

The second parable was about a woman who lost one of her ten coins. She carefully swept and searched her house until she found it. Then she called her friends to celebrate with her.

The third parable was about one of two sons who asked for his inheritance and left home, only to waste it all and wind up with no money and no friends. He wound up feeding pigs in a far country, until he realized that even his father’s servants had better lives than he did. He returned home planning to ask for a job as a servant. But his father was waiting for him, ran to meet him, and threw a homecoming party , rejoicing that his son had come home.

God cares for each of us in the same way. He rejoices, with all of heaven, when anyone turns to Him in faith. We can always trust God’s caring love.

Join us this week, and invite a friend!

Tom and Sydney Cook
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The people Jesus taught would have been very familiar with the sowing of seeds. As Jesus described the different kinds of ground the seed might have fallen on, they would remember seeing that very thing happen in their own gardens or in their neighbors’. Some seed feel into hard ground, where birds would come and eat the seed before it could grow. Some fell into rocky ground, where the seed might sprout but could not send its roots into the soil. Some fell near the edge of the field, where it could grow but would then be crowded out by weeds. Some would fall into the carefully prepared soil of the field, where it could take root and grow into a fine crop.

Jesus explained to his disciples what each type of seed really meant. The seed represents God’s Word, which can grow into saving faith in Jesus when it is planted in our hearts. But other things can keep it from growing, and then it cannot grow into faith in the person’s heart. Some refuse to hear God’s Word at all; others hear it but pay no attention; others let other things crowd out the message of God’s love.

Our prayer for you is that you will prepare your heart to gladly receive God’s Word and let it grow to saving faith in your heart, so that you may reap the harvest of everlasting, abundant life that Jesus brings.

Join us this Sunday, and bring a friend!

Tom and Sydney Cook
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This week we will look at the only miracle that is recorded in all four Gospels, as Jesus used five loaves and two fish from a little boy’s lunch to feed 5000 men and their families.

The people had been listening to Jesus preach all day, and they had followed Him across the Sea of Galilee and were far from their homes. Jesus knew they were hungry, and asked His disciples if anyone had any food to feed them. Andrew found a little boy who was willing to share the lunch his mother had packed. Jesus took the lunch, blessed it, and told the disciples to divide it up among the 5000 people in the crowd. The miracle was not only that all the people had plenty to eat, but also that there were twelve baskets of food left over.

We can trust Jesus to provide the things we need, and even some of the things we want. God loves us and is able to provide anything we need, and He wants to give us good gifts if only we ask in faith.

Join us Sunday as we look more closely at this miracle. It would be a great week to invite a friend!

Tom and Sydney Cook
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The terrified disciples called to Jesus, saying “Master! Don’t you care that we are dying?” Jesus got up and simply said to the storm and wind, “Peace! Be still.”

The wind and waves immediately stopped and the sea became calm. The disciples were still afraid, but now they were afraid of Jesus—“What kind of man is this, that even the wind and the waves obey Him?”

We serve that kind of Savior—with all power over His creation. We can trust Him to take care of us just as He took care of the disciples. God loves us, and is certainly able to do what we need.

Join us Sunday as we celebrate F.R.O.G. Day (“Fully Rely On God” ) as we learn about this important story in the Bible. Don’t forget to invite a friend!

Tom and Sydney Cook
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Jesus’ call to the disciples was simply “Follow Me.” He asked them to come with Him and see what God was doing. After three years of walking up and down Israel, from Galilee to Judea and back, they came to understand—as Peter was able to confess—“You are the Messiah, the Son of the Living God.”

Being a disciple of Jesus today is much the same. The main thing we have to do is to follow Jesus…do the things He did, follow His commands, try our best with God’s help to live like Jesus. Often it may not be easy, but it will always result in our living the best lives, lives pleasing to God.

Join us this Sunday as we learn more about what it means to follow Jesus and to be one of His disciples. This would be an especially good Sunday to invite a friend!

Tom and Sydney Cook
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Top
In The Beginning

• Crossing the Red Sea
• The Passover
• Wise Men from the East
• Happy Birthday, Jesus!
• Angels Everywhere!
• Let My People Go!
• Moses Birth and Calling
• Joseph Part 2
• Joseph, Part 1
• Jacob's Name Changed

• 2013 (1)
• 2012 (47)
• 2011 (45)
• 2010 (42)
• 2009 (51)
• 2008 (45)
• 2007 (41)
• 2006 (24)