French Protestant (Huguenot) Church Sermons

Sermons from the French Protestant (Huguenot) Church is now online. 

http://www.huguenot-church.org/sermons.html

LOCATION

Church: 136 Church Street

Office: Huguenot Heritage Hall 44 Queen Street

Charleston, SC 29401

Phone: (843) 722 - 4385

Fax: (843) 722 - 4388

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Catherine of Siena

Today the church remembers Catherine of Siena, 1380.

One tends to think of medieval women as silent and passive dwellers in homes and convents. This was far from the case with Catherine of Siena. She exercised great influence in matters of church and state, and hers was one of the keenest minds of her day.

Her father was a merchant in the flourishing Italian town of Siena. In her youth she had some extraordinary religious experiences which caused concern among her family and friends. At sixteen she joined the Third Order of St. Dominic and gave herself entirely to contemplation and the service of the sick and poor. Her reputation as a counselor and mystic soon spread far and wide. In 1376 she made a journey to Avignon and boldly confronted Pope Gregory XI , who heeded her advice and thus averted schism and bloodshed.

Catherine's famous book, the Dialogue, is most unusual and highly symbolic. We have four hundred letters written by her, addressed to bishops, kings, scholars, merchants, and obscure peasants. They are excellent literature and reflect a wide range of interests.

Catherine spent countless months caring for the victims of plague. Again and again she was to be found in the courts of state, interceding for justice, mercy, and peace.

Deliver us, we pray, from an inordinate love of this world, that, following the example of your servant Catherine, we may serve you with singleness of heart. Amen.

Read the Wikipedia article here. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catherine_of_Siena

Everlasting God, you so kindled the flame of holy love in the heart of blessed Catherine of Siena, as she meditated on the passion of your Son our Savior, that she devoted her life to the poor and the sick, and to the peace and unity of the Church: Grant that we also may share in the mystery of Christ's death, and rejoice in the revelation of his glory; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen

The Daily Readings for April 29, 2016

Leviticus 23:1-22
The LORD spoke to Moses, saying: Speak to the people of Israel and say to them: These are the appointed festivals of the LORD that you shall proclaim as holy convocations, my appointed festivals. Six days shall work be done; but the seventh day is a sabbath of complete rest, a holy convocation; you shall do no work: it is a sabbath to the LORD throughout your settlements. These are the appointed festivals of the LORD, the holy convocations, which you shall celebrate at the time appointed for them. In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month, at twilight, there shall be a passover offering to the LORD, and on the fifteenth day of the same month is the festival of unleavened bread to the LORD; seven days you shall eat unleavened bread. On the first day you shall have a holy convocation; you shall not work at your occupations. For seven days you shall present the LORD's offerings by fire; on the seventh day there shall be a holy convocation: you shall not work at your occupations. The LORD spoke to Moses: Speak to the people of Israel and say to them: When you enter the land that I am giving you and you reap its harvest, you shall bring the sheaf of the first fruits of your harvest to the priest. He shall raise the sheaf before the LORD, that you may find acceptance; on the day after the sabbath the priest shall raise it. On the day when you raise the sheaf, you shall offer a lamb a year old, without blemish, as a burnt offering to the LORD. And the grain offering with it shall be two-tenths of an ephah of choice flour mixed with oil, an offering by fire of pleasing odor to the LORD; and the drink offering with it shall be of wine, one-fourth of a hin. You shall eat no bread or parched grain or fresh ears until that very day, until you have brought the offering of your God: it is a statute forever throughout your generations in all your settlements. And from the day after the sabbath, from the day on which you bring the sheaf of the elevation offering, you shall count off seven weeks; they shall be complete. You shall count until the day after the seventh sabbath, fifty days; then you shall present an offering of new grain to the LORD. You shall bring from your settlements two loaves of bread as an elevation offering, each made of two-tenths of an ephah; they shall be of choice flour, baked with leaven, as first fruits to the LORD. You shall present with the bread seven lambs a year old without blemish, one young bull, and two rams; they shall be a burnt offering to the LORD, along with their grain offering and their drink offerings, an offering by fire of pleasing odor to the LORD. You shall also offer one male goat for a sin offering, and two male lambs a year old as a sacrifice of well-being. The priest shall raise them with the bread of the first fruits as an elevation offering before the LORD, together with the two lambs; they shall be holy to the LORD for the priest. On that same day you shall make proclamation; you shall hold a holy convocation; you shall not work at your occupations. This is a statute forever in all your settlements throughout your generations. When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap to the very edges of your field, or gather the gleanings of your harvest; you shall leave them for the poor and for the alien: I am the LORD your God.

2 Thessalonians 2:1-17
As to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together to him, we beg you, brothers and sisters, not to be quickly shaken in mind or alarmed, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as though from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord is already here. Let no one deceive you in any way; for that day will not come unless the rebellion comes first and the lawless one is revealed, the one destined for destruction. He opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, declaring himself to be God. Do you not remember that I told you these things when I was still with you? And you know what is now restraining him, so that he may be revealed when his time comes. For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work, but only until the one who now restrains it is removed. And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will destroy with the breath of his mouth, annihilating him by the manifestation of his coming. The coming of the lawless one is apparent in the working of Satan, who uses all power, signs, lying wonders, and every kind of wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion, leading them to believe what is false, so that all who have not believed the truth but took pleasure in unrighteousness will be condemned. But we must always give thanks to God for you, brothers and sisters beloved by the Lord, because God chose you as the first fruits for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and through belief in the truth. For this purpose he called you through our proclamation of the good news, so that you may obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. So then, brothers and sisters, stand firm and hold fast to the traditions that you were taught by us, either by word of mouth or by our letter. Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and through grace gave us eternal comfort and good hope, comfort your hearts and strengthen them in every good work and word.

Matthew 7:1-12
"Do not judge, so that you may not be judged. For with the judgment you make you will be judged, and the measure you give will be the measure you get. Why do you see the speck in your neighbor's eye, but do not notice the log in your own eye? Or how can you say to your neighbor, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' while the log is in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your neighbor's eye. "Do not give what is holy to dogs; and do not throw your pearls before swine, or they will trample them under foot and turn and maul you. "Ask, and it will be given you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you. For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who searches finds, and for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. Is there anyone among you who, if your child asks for bread, will give a stone? Or if the child asks for a fish, will give a snake? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask him! "In everything do to others as you would have them do to you; for this is the law and the prophets.

Morning Psalms

Psalm 106: Part I
1   Hallelujah! Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his mercy endures for ever.
2   Who can declare the mighty acts of the LORD or show forth all his praise?
3   Happy are those who act with justice and always do what is right!
4   Remember me, O LORD, with the favor you have for your people, and visit me with your saving help;
5   That I may see the prosperity of your elect and be glad with the gladness of your people, that I may glory with your inheritance.
6   We have sinned as our forebears did; we have done wrong and dealt wickedly.
7   In Egypt they did not consider your marvelous works, nor remember the abundance of your love; they defied the Most High at the Red Sea.
8   But he saved them for his Name's sake, to make his power known.
9   He rebuked the Red Sea, and it dried up, and he led them through the deep as through a desert.
10   He saved them from the hand of those who hated them and redeemed them from the hand of the enemy.
11   The waters covered their oppressors; not one of them was left.
12   Then they believed his words and sang him songs of praise.
13   But they soon forgot his deeds and did not wait for his counsel.
14   A craving seized them in the wilderness, and they put God to the test in the desert.
15   He gave them what they asked, but sent leanness into their soul.
16   They envied Moses in the camp, and Aaron, the holy one of the LORD.
17   The earth opened and swallowed Dathan and covered the company of Abiram.
18   Fire blazed up against their company, and flames devoured the wicked.

Evening Psalms

Psalm 106: Part II
19   Israel made a bull-calf at Horeb and worshiped a molten image;
20   And so they exchanged their Glory for the image of an ox that feeds on grass.
21   They forgot God their Savior, who had done great things in Egypt,
22   Wonderful deeds in the land of Ham, and fearful things at the Red Sea.
23   So he would have destroyed them, had not Moses his chosen stood before him in the breach, to turn away his wrath from consuming them.
24   They refused the pleasant land and would not believe his promise.
25   They grumbled in their tents and would not listen to the voice of the LORD.
26   So he lifted his hand against them, to overthrow them in the wilderness,
27   To cast out their seed among the nations, and to scatter them throughout the lands.
28   They joined themselves to Baal-Peor and ate sacrifices offered to the dead.
29   They provoked him to anger with their actions, and a plague broke out among them.
30   Then Phinehas stood up and interceded, and the plague came to an end.
31   This was reckoned to him as righteousness throughout all generations for ever.
32   Again they provoked his anger at the waters of Meribah, so that he punished Moses because of them;
33   For they so embittered his spirit that he spoke rash words with his lips.
34   They did not destroy the peoples as the LORD had commanded them.
35   They intermingled with the heathen and learned their pagan ways,
36   So that they worshiped their idols, which became a snare to them.
37   They sacrificed their sons and their daughters to evil spirits.
38   They shed innocent blood, the blood of their sons and daughters, which they offered to the idols of Canaan, and the land was defiled with blood.
39   Thus they were polluted by their actions and went whoring in their evil deeds.
40   Therefore the wrath of the LORD was kindled against his people and he abhorred his inheritance.
41   He gave them over to the hand of the heathen, and those who hated them ruled over them.
42   Their enemies oppressed them, and they were humbled under their hand.
43   Many a time did he deliver them, but they rebelled through their own devices, and were brought down in their iniquity.
44   Nevertheless, he saw their distress, when he heard their lamentation.
45   He remembered his covenant with them and relented in accordance with his great mercy.
46   He caused them to be pitied by those who held them captive.
47   Save us, O LORD our God, and gather us from among the nations, that we may give thanks to your holy Name and glory in your praise.
48   Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting; and let all the people say, "Amen!" Hallelujah!

The Daily Meditation for April 29, 2016

From Forward Day by Day

Leviticus 23:3b But the seventh day is a sabbath of complete rest.

Sometimes words creep into conversations that seem to come from somewhere else. Once, after a lot of travel, I told a friend, “I need to go let my soul catch up with my body.” That moment of insight comes back again and again when I am doing too much.

I am grateful that our tradition commands us to take solemn rest. It may be the most countercultural commandment. God set the model. I need the reminder and commandment to rest; otherwise I could be used up. Instead I remember, from time to time, to metaphorically let my soul catch up with my body.

 

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Men of the Bible - Saul

His name means: "The One Asked For, Requested" 

His work: As Israel's first king, his role was to unite the tribes of Israel against their enemies and to begin the process of establishing Israel as a monarchy.
His character: Though his reign began well, Saul failed to live up to his calling, trusting himself more than he trusted God. Mentally unstable, he became so jealous of David that he tried to murder him. His last battle with the Philistines ended in his suicide and in the death of his eldest son, Jonathan.
His sorrow: To become so alienated from God that he could no longer hear the Lord's voice or receive his help; to have the kingdom torn from him and his heirs because of his unfaithfulness.
His triumph: His impressive military conquests, including victories over the surrounding Moabites, Ammonites, Philistines, and Amalekites.
Key Scriptures: 1 Samuel 13:5-14; 16:14-23; 18:5-9 

A Look at the Man

A well-known adage indicates how hard it can be to get things right the first time around, reminding us that "the first pickle is always the hardest to get out of the jar." That bit of folk wisdom could certainly apply to Israel's first attempt at transforming itself into a monarchy.

A head taller than other men, Saul must have seemed an excellent choice as a ruler. God, after all, had selected him, the prophet had anointed him, and the people had all shouted, "Long live the king!" But even divine affirmation and popular support were not enough to insure Saul's success. Only Saul could guarantee it by responding faithfully to what God was asking.

But time after time, Saul prevaricated. Told to wait, he took matters into his own hands. Commanded to kill the Amalekites and destroy everything they owned, he spared their king and preserved the best of their livestock. Though fortune-telling was forbidden, he consulted a medium. Whenever he was confronted with his disobedience, he made excuses:

"You didn't come."

"The Philistines were about to destroy us."

"I felt compelled to offer the sacrifice."

"We saved the best of the sheep and cattle to sacrifice to the LORD, but we totally destroyed the rest."

"God won't talk to me, and I need to know what to do."

The excuses kept coming, like one bad penny after another. Centuries later they seem so plausible, so familiar, so understandable—at least to us. But not to the God who reads our hearts by how we act or fail to act.

So Saul's life and his rule as king gradually disintegrated. His mind became poisoned by jealousy and fear. A son and a daughter were estranged from him because of their love for David. Paranoia finally drove him to attempt an impossible task—to kill a man God himself was determined to protect. In the end, he lost more than a kingdom, forfeiting everything that matters in life—his family, his future, his own integrity. 

Reflect On: 1 Samuel 28:5–20 
Praise God: For his word in Scripture. 
Offer Thanks: For all the ways God has spoken during your lifetime. 
Confess: Any tendency to disregard God’s Word and its authority in your life.
Ask God: To increase your desire to read and pray the Scriptures.

Today's reading is a brief excerpt from Men of the Bible: A One-Year Devotional Study of Men in Scripture by Ann Spangler and Robert Wolgemuth (Zondervan). © 2010 by Ann Spangler. Used with permission. All rights reserved. Enjoy the complete book by purchasing your own copy at the Bible Gateway Store. The book's title must be included when sharing the above content on social media.

His Princess Every Day - Friday, April 29, 2016

Devotionals for Women - Inspirational author and speaker Sheri Rose Shepherd imagines what a letter written from God to you would look like.

His Roadblocks

My Child,

I have asked you to lose your life so you can find your life in Me. However, many times you lose sight of why you’re on earth because you get lost in trivial things. The stuff that concerns you will not matter once you are finally home. Many times I allow disappointment as a divine intervention to get you to reflect on what really matters most to you and Me. Don’t allow disappointment to direct your path; instead, let it redirect you to reflect on and connect to Me again. You wouldn’t question the roadblocks if you really trusted Me to pave the way I want you to walk. Now, My beloved, be still and reflect on who I really am in your life. Ask yourself if you dwell in My presence or in pursuit of happiness. In our quiet times of reflection, you will find renewed strength. I promise not a moment spent with Me will be ever wasted.

Love,
Your heavenly Daddy

Now we see things imperfectly, like puzzling reflections in a mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God now knows me completely. - 1 Corinthians 13:12 

Treasure of Truth

Disappointment is God’s divine intervention intended for redirection.

This devotional is written by Sheri Rose Shepherd. All content copyright Sheri Rose Shepherd 2015. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. Visit HisPrincess.com for devotionals, books, videos, and more from Sheri Rose Shepherd.

Girlfriends in God - April 29, 2016

My First Miracle
Mary Southerland

Today’s Truth

Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see (Hebrews 11:1, NIV). 

Friend to Friend

My husband has had heart problems for years. So I know a lot about irregular heartbeats, cardio versions, heart ablations and defibrillators. We assumed his symptoms were heart related – shortness of breath, extreme fatigue, lightheadedness and inability to climb even a few stairs without wheezing. But when all of the usual tests his cardiologist ordered came back normal, a sliver of fear took root in my heart.

We went to our primary care doctor who ordered a whole new battery of tests. The results of those tests said that Dan had ILD. We were stunned.

Lung disease was a game changer. I had never heard of Interstitial Lung Disease … but it did not sound good. And the more research I did, the worse it sounded.

I put on my spiritual, physical, emotional and mental boots and went to war. But first I had to gather the troops. Our children were the first recruits.

Our son and his family live in North Carolina. Jered was strong, encouraging and everything I knew he would be. He began to pray.

Our daughter and her family live near us in Kansas City. Danna has two sons, Justus who is six and Hudson who is three. When she told them that they needed to pray for Papa because he was sick, they bombarded her with questions. Danna answered their questions honestly, and the boys soon realized that Papa was very sick.

Justus and Hudson began to pray for Papa’s disease to be gone. Thinking they had misunderstood her, Danna said, “Guys, there is no cure for what Papa has. We just need to pray for Papa to feel better.”
Justus and Hudson were not buying it.

“No! God is going to make Papa’s disease go away!” they declared.

And just to make sure everyone understood what they were asking God to do, both boys carefully selected two rocks. Justus wrote his name on one rock and Hudson’s name on the other. They told their mom that they needed to see Papa – immediately. So they came.

The boys burst through our front door - pure joy on their precious little faces - and gave the rocks to Papa so he would remember that God was going to heal him.

I called family members, close friends, and my prayer team and asked them to pray.

I prayed and cried … a lot … alone.

I called pulmonary specialists.

I got Dan an appointment at the Mayo clinic.

I talked with a nutrition specialist for people with lung diseases and did everything she told me to do.

I questioned God. He just told me to trust Him.

I put the rocks where we could see them … and remember.

Weeks went by. I was so tired and so afraid.

I knew God had trusted me with this trial, but for the life of me I did not know why. I had never felt so weak and so helpless.

Faith? I write about faith – speak about faith – and mentor women in their faith. Now it was time for my faith to be strengthened. Honestly, I was tired of the faith exercises.

But I grew weak enough to really trust Him … and rest in Him … and wait.

For some reason, Dan’s cardiologist and primary doctor just did not buy the diagnosis that had been handed down to my husband. They met for lunch in the hospital cafeteria and went back over his records … and ordered another scan of Dan’s lungs.

It was a Friday afternoon. When the test results came back, they called Dan. Both of them – so excited they hardly made sense. But what they did manage to say was that Dan’s lungs were clear.

Clear!

I called Danna. She was driving home with the boys and had to pull over because she was crying so hard. When the boys asked why she was crying, she said, “Guys, God healed Papa. His disease is gone!”
Hudson closed his eyes, flashed an enormous smile, and put his hands straight up in the air.

Justus pumped his fists toward heaven, looked up and said, “Yes! Thank You! Papa is my first miracle!"

Scripture tells us that without faith, it is impossible to please God. In Matthew 17:20 Jesus says that even a tiny amount of faith pleases Him. “I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you."

A mustard seed is tiny, but once planted, grows into a large tree. We don't need a lot of faith - just as much as a mustard seed to produce great results. Why? Because our God is an awesome God and our faith depends on Him!

Step out in childlike faith … put your trust in God ... and wait for your first miracle. 

Let’s Pray

Father, I come to You today. My faith is small, but I am placing it in You, Lord. Help me grow into a fully devoted follower that pleases and honors You.
In Jesus’ Name,
Amen. 

Now It’s Your Turn

What is the greatest problem in your life today?
What step do you need to take to face that problem with faith instead of fear?
What is keeping you from trusting God and stepping out in faith? 

More from the Girlfriends

An unshakable faith is the foundation for the abundant life Jesus came to provide for each one of us. In Mary’s message, Unshakable Faith, she shares the four steps we can take to experience true faith in God.

Be sure to check out the FREEBIES on Mary’s website and connect with her through Skype, email or on Facebook.

Seeking God? Click here to find out more about
how to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

Girlfriends in God
P.O. Box 1311
Huntersville, NC 28070

info@girlfriendsingod.com
http://www.girlfriendsingod.com

GOD USES PROBLEMS AND PERSECUTION TO PROTECT YOU

"You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.” Genesis 50:20 

Here is another of five ways God uses problems and persecution in your life: God uses problems and persecution to PROTECT you.

A problem can be a blessing in disguise if it prevents you from being harmed by something more serious. Last year a friend was fired for refusing to do something unethical that his boss had asked him to do. His unemployment was a problem—but it saved him from being convicted and sent to prison a year later when management’s actions were eventually discovered.

Eritrean Christian singer, Helen Berhane, testifies that God helped her at every turn during her almost three years of imprisonment in the infamous shipping containers. She saw God repeatedly turn evil plans into good:
One day they [the guards] brought two girls to my container. Their names were Rahel and Elsa. They were both in the army before they were arrested. They were supposed to spy on me and report back, because the authorities could not understand how, despite their treatment of me, I was still defiant. However, things backfired because the girls really liked me. Very soon we had become good friends and they even told me, “We were supposed to spy on you. But we like you, and so we won’t!”

…Since the girls were not spying as they had been told to, Rahel was released, but they left Elsa in the container with me for a while. Rahel left all her spare clothes for me. This was a blessing, as for a long time I had not been allowed any more clothes, even when the old ones were worn out. I felt that this was God’s provision for me, like the ravens he sent to Elijah. It was my experience that no matter what hardship I was in, God always sent someone to help me. So, although these girls were sent to spy on me, God used them to bless me.[1] (emphasis mine) 

RESPONSE: God is at work in my life—even when I do not recognize it or understand it. It is much easier and more profitable when I cooperate with Him. This is the way to victory!

PRAYER: God help me to trust You to bring good from the challenges, difficulties and persecutions I might be subjected to today. 

1. Helen Berhane, The Song of the Nightingale (Colorado Springs: Authentic Media, 2009), pp. 57-58.

Verse of the Day - April 29, 2016

Job 19:25 (NIV) I know that my redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand on the earth.

Read all of Job 19