At-Home Service Guide - January 19th, 2025

Hey Faith Family!

In light of the impending storm, we have decided to cancel service for today. We generally want to err on the side of caution and it seemed best to myself and the deacons to cancel service for today (January 19th, 2025).

Although we are canceling today, it gives us (as families) an excellent opportunity for your family to partake in family worship together at home. This providential gift from the hand of our Heavenly Father provides an opportunity for husbands and fathers to lead their families in worship this morning. It's a great opportunity to engage our families with the Word and prayer.

I've laid out several items to consider reading with your families today as well as some questions to consider. If you prefer to do your own thing, feel free. It's a simple outline (Pray, Read, Remember, Sing, Pray).

Use the following guide as you wish in preparation for next week.

• Pray together.
• Read Revelation 4-5.
  • From Chapter 4 – "Behind the symbols of chapter 4 stands a God of unparalleled glory. That He revealed Himself through the image of a "throne" shows that despite our modern emphasis on choice, equality, and freedom, God wants to be known as the King. Imagine yourself standing before His throne. How would His glory affect you? Why?" (Family Worship Bible Guide)
  • From Chapter 5 – "Without Christ, we have cause for nothing but weeping, but with Christ we have reason for nothing but worship. If the angels sing of His worthiness, how much more should sinful men, women, and children bought by His blood give Him their submission, praise, and prayer? How does your life show adoration for Christ? How could you adore him even more?" (Family Worship Bible Guide)
  • Further questions to consider (the questions will depend on the age of children):
    • What does this passage reveal about God's character?
    • What does the passage show us about God's action?
    • What does it show us about who people are?
    • What does this text call us to do/think/or believe?
• Remember Together – This is a newer element for us, but it is helpful and it is called catechism.  Catechism rehearses the truths of the faith in a memorable way. Catechism isn't just for children. It for young and old. It allows us to remember "the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints" (Jude 3). Consider asking these questions and learning to sing them together below with the Catechism songs. The Catechism can be found here. 
  • Q23. Did God leave all mankind to perish in the estate of sin and misery?
    • A. God having out of his mere good pleasure, from all eternity, elected some to everlasting life (Eph. 1:4, 5), did enter into a covenant of grace, to deliver them out of the estate of sin and misery, and to bring them into an estate of salvation by a Redeemer (Rom. 3:20-22; Gal. 3:21, 22).
  • Q24. Who is the Redeemer of God’s elect?
    • A. The only Redeemer of God’s elect is the Lord Jesus Christ (1 Tim. 2:5, 6); who, being the eternal Son of God, became man (John 1:14; Gal. 4:4), and so was and continueth to be God and man in two distinct natures, and one person for ever (Rom. 9:5; Lk. 1:35; Col. 2:9; Heb. 7:24, 25).
  • Q25. How did Christ, being the Son of God become man?
    • A. Christ the Son of God became man by taking to himself a true body (Heb. 2:14, 17; 10:5), and a reasonable soul (Mt. 26:38); being conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit in the womb of the Virgin Mary, and born of her (Luke 1:27, 31, 34, 35, 42; Gal. 4:4), yet without sin (Heb. 4:15; 7:26).
  • Q26. What offices doth Christ execute as our Redeemer?
    • A. Christ as our Redeemer executeth the offices of a prophet, of a priest, and of king, both in his estate of humiliation and exaltation (Acts 3:22; Heb. 12:25; 2 Cor. 13:3; Heb. 5:5, 6, 7; 7:25; Ps. 2:6; Is. 9:6, 7; Mt. 21:5; Ps. 2:8-11).

• Pray together.
  • Here are the needs for our church from this past week. Prayer Requests from Last Week
• Local Church – Grace Fellowship of Mineral Baptist, Fort Ashby WV
  • Pastor Kris Lengel
    1. Pray for their church body as they continue to grow in priority of membership. 
    2. Pray for one of their members, Craig Lease, as his mother is on her death bed. 
• Missionary – Romaine Family – Missionaries to Spain
  • Here is their full newsletter. 
  • "We are happy to report that the church did make the purchase without any issues! All glory to His great name! Jehovah-Jireh!"
  • We are still waiting for permits to do the work on the new church building but this sometimes takes months to process. "Some even from the church had advised that the “local way” is to do work illegally and when you get fined by the government in the end it is “cheaper” to pay the fine after counting the costs of renting another place and waiting. The church is experiencing growth pains, in their spiritual maturity, and growing in their understanding how the Lord desires for the church to be pure and holy and that we must walk together in unity, with integrity and in obedience to local government (as long as it doesn’t violate God’s commands).
    Please pray for the growth and maturity of the church body. Pray as we as a team gives counsel and continue to be faithful in teaching God’s Word and being doers of His Word faithfully. We are human and we still wrestle with our old sinful nature but thanks be to God for the Comforter whom we have dwelling inside us leading us through the sufficiency of His Word"
  • "Pray for the residents around the new location that the church will be faithful to live and declare the gospel which has the power to save their souls!"
  • "Pray for J_____ and his wife."
  • "Pray for our architect who hasn’t been professional in handling his communication with us. Pray for the salvation of him and his family."
• Nation – Turkey 
  • (Learn more about Turkey) 
  • 10 Million People | <0.2% Evangelical Witness. 59% Unevangelized.
    Only 40 known Azeri believers lived in the country in 1991. Now there may possibly be as many as 10,000! It's amazing but this still stands as a small minority within the country. (1) Pray for evangelism and church planting.

Although we cannot be together today, I pray that your time with your families or personally will be joy-filled and Christ-exalting as you seek to delight yourself in the Lord (Psalm 37:4).

Daniel