Series Recap: The Weight of Waiting (Habakkuk)

Waiting on God is hard. We’ve all been there – and the book of Habakkuk give us hope and a way forward in these seasons. This is the prophet’s real-time wrestling with fear, doubt, and disappointment.

(1) Miss a week?  Catch-up here.
Week 1 – Habakkuk 1
Week 2 – Habakkuk 2
Week 3 – Habakkuk 3

(2) Study Aids!
>The crew at “The Bible Project” does a great job with book overviews. Here’s a snapshot of Habakkuk’s structure and themes!

(3) Books:
Walking with God through Pain and Suffering, by Tim Keller (Christian Living)
*Full of wisdom and clarity, Keller helps us see suffering from the perspective of the cross and God’s redemptive heart.

The Dangerous Act of Worship, by Mark Labberton (Christian Living)
*The Hebrew prophets connect our worship and our practice of justice. Labberton explores that connection in this challenging but accessible work.

Plowshares and Pruning Hooks, by D. Brent Sandy (Biblical Studies)
*Not for the light of heart, Sandy provides an in-depth guide to interpreting the works of the biblical prophets.

(4) Action Steps:
>In our pain, riddled with whys, ask God to move you from fear to faith. Are you calling out to God in faith? Maybe baptism is your next step. Baptism is an opportunity to go public with your faith – to identify with Jesus’ work on your behalf. Contact the office to talk with a pastor (217-277-7772; office@lifepointqcy.org).

>Waiting on God can make you bitter or better. Are you stuck in bitterness?  You weren’t meant to walk that path alone. Talk to a friend, a LifeGroup leader, or set-up a time to talk with a pastor (see contact info above).

>Because the Lord is my strength, I can worship even in my weeping. Need some inspiration?  Need to hear that song from Sunday again? You can check-out songs from our Sunday gatherings via Spotify here.

LifePoint, like the prophet, may we learn to worship even in our weeping: “Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vine… yet I will rejoice in the Lord. I will take joy in the God of my salvation.” (Hab. 3:17-18).

LifePoint, rejoice: We have a Savior!

– Brett

Series Recap: Transformed (Philemon)

Paul’s letter to Philemon gives us a powerful picture of gospel transformation. God changes us by the gospel, into the gospel, and for the gospel. As we wrap-up our “Transformed” series, I wanted to share some resources and possible next steps…

(1) Miss a week?  Catch-up here.
Week 1 – Philemon 1-3
Week 2 – Philemon 3-7
Week 3 – Philemon 8-16
Week 4 – Philemon 17-25

(2) Study Aids!
>The crew at “The Bible Project” does a great job with book overviews. Here’s a snapshot of Philemon’s structure and themes!

>Want to learn to study the Bible?  I’ll be teaching a 12-session class called “Biblical Interpretation for Ministry.” It will be intense, but “fun” (*definitions of fun may vary). Check out the syllabus here. We’ll meet Thursdays from 6-7am beginning on 2/15. If you’re interested, email me (bsanner@lifepointqcy.org) for more info!

(3) Books:
You Can Change: God’s Transforming Power for our Sinful Behavior and Negative Emotions, by Tim Chester (Christian Living) *Ready for change? Chester offers a practical approach to experiencing real change through the power of the gospel.

Dream with Me: Race, Love, and the Struggle We Must Win, by John Perkins (Christian Living) *The racial divisions of our society have no place in the church. Perkins reminds us that the gospel call to reconciliation means facing these issues head-on!

Going to Church in the First Century, by Robert Banks (Historical Fiction) *Want to know what a first century house church was like? PhD level historical research shapes this fictionalized account.

The Letter to Philemon, by Scot McKnight (Commentary) *McKnight’s verse-by-verse exploration of Philemon is filled with textual and contextual insight; a technical but accessible volume.

(4) Action Steps:
>We can never be all that God wants us to be on our own. If you’re not in a LifeGroup, contact Kourtney (kprice@lifepointqcy.org) to get plugged-in.

>We aren’t just saved from something; we’ve saved for something. The church has a mission. A great starting place for you might be to serve with our missions partners at Horizons. Join a team of LifePoint volunteers on the first Thursday of each month. Contact Danny for more details (dmcmanus@lifepointqcy.org).

>Because of Jesus, we go first with a love and forgiveness that defies category! Holding on to a grudge? Is God calling you to forgive someone? Call/text/email that someone today and set a date to connect. You can’t stay bitter and get better.

LifePoint, I love being part of such a Gospel-centered, Scripture-saturated, mission-living community!  Onward, ever at the heels of Jesus!
– Brett