Newsletter September 16, 2009

From the Senior Pastor. . .

 

 

 

Most weeks, the people of CPC are involved in many different Bible studies, prayer huddles, accountability groups, and service projects. In addition, there are several things going on at church on Wednesday and Sunday evenings. And now, I’m offering one more. It’s a Bible study for the ladies of CPC. It meets in the Visitors’ Classroom at 9:45 a.m., beginning this Thursday, September 17.

 

Attendance of this class is not a mark of your spirituality. I offer this class to those who are interested, can meet at this time and believe this would be the best use of their time on a Thursday morning. A nursery is provided for those with young children.
 

As you read this newsletter, the first class has already met. Don’t worry. You can catch up easily. I assign no homework. There are no tests to take. But I do expect you to read and re-read the book of Daniel, which will be the focus of our study. And I would strongly suggest that you purchase two study Bibles.

One, the NIV “Spirit of the Reformation Study Bible” (published by Zondervan), and two, “The ESV Study Bible” (published by Crossway). I am persuaded that these two books go a long way in providing for you a library of information that will serve you well for many years to come.

You have introductory material to Scripture as a whole, to the testaments, and to individual books. “The Spirit of the Reformation Study Bible” (SRSB) offers many good articles addressing various theological issues. And in the back of the SRSB you’ll find many of the most significant confessions of faith and catechisms used by millions of believers for the past five hundred years.

 

“The ESV Study Bible” (ESVSB) offers many articles concerned with issues of systematic and biblical theology. It also offers many good maps, charts, diagrams, and drawings. One special feature of the ESVSB is that it comes with a DVD so you can download all these articles, maps, charts and drawings.

 

Both books are expensive. But they’re both well worth the price. In most cases, the bookstore at Westminster Theological Seminary offers the best price on both books and shipping.

 

A study in Daniel will involve consideration of eschatological issues. Eschatology is the study of last things. Daniel’s prophecy is primarily focused upon events that have already occurred. But there are a few prophecies that still await fulfillment.

 

I will offer few charts or maps. And whatever charts or maps I do offer will be quite simple in detail, and be worth nothing more that an insight into what I believe the book of Daniel is teaching us.

 

There is much to be learned from this brief book. Most of what we learn does not have to do with unfulfilled prophecies, but instead with the example of four young men forcibly removed from family and friends, transported into a foreign culture, educated in a strange language and taught stranger ideas. And yet these young men are used by God to glorify Himself and to impact for good the lives of those with whom they lived, worked, grew old and died.

 

Some have suggested that their circumstances most closely parallel our own experience. We are strangers living in a strange land, waiting for the Lord to return us to the Land of Promise. The question we must answer is the question they had to answer: How can we sing songs of Zion while living as strangers in a strange land?                             

The book of Daniel provides us with the example of four young men singing as loudly as they could. And therefore, it encourages us to realize that no matter what our circumstances are, God can still accomplish in and through us great and wonderful things for His glory and for the good of others.

 

Thursday morning. 9:45 a.m. We’d love to have you.

 

                                                                                                     Pastor Caines