Did you ever think about the battle that is being fought every day for your soul? There is actually a war going on every day that you and I must fight – for the core of who we are. There are SO many choices in our lives we have to make.
So, Jesus teaches his disciples to pray, as we read in Matthew 6:13, “And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.” As you pray this prayer, didn’t you ever wonder: “Why would Jesus teach us to pray something that God would never do anyway? After all, temptation comes from the evil one. For example, we read in James 1:13, “Let no one say when he is tempted, ‘I am being tempted by God,’ for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one.’”
Temptation is from the evil one. It is designed to lead us astray. Tests, on the other hand, are to make us stronger. Here is the problem: both words (temptations and tests) come from the same root word. Any event can become either a temptation or a test – depending on how we respond. In every decision, every relationship, every opportunity we come to forks in the road. And, how will we decide which road to take? As J.I. Packer suggests, “In God’s program for the spiritual education and growth of Christians, God must and does test us regularly in order to prove what is in us. For example, God tested Abraham by telling him to sacrifice Isaac.
Here is the problem: by our nature, our leanings, our bent, we tend to lean toward darkness; we tend to go toward the evil side – toward destruction. If that were not true, if people were basically good (and always getting better and better), wouldn’t the world be really great now? But our natural tendency as fallen human beings is to drift off. We don’t have to look far to see the evidence of evil all around us. There is such a tendency in each one of us to go in the way of darkness. And, the devil likes to take advantage of our propensity to lean toward evil.
So, when we come to those forks in the road, may we choose to take the road which leads to life!
Sunday Worship
This Sunday, we will be hosting a sister EPC congregation – the Lebanon Evangelical Presbyterian Church, which meets in Greenwood, Virginia. They will be our guests this Sunday for a combined worship service! Pastor Glen will continue the sermon series, Ephesians: Our Identity and Purpose! His sermon this Sunday is “Dead or Alive,” based upon Ephesians 2:1-3. Please read this text in preparation for worship!
We will also celebrate the Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper. We encourage you to examine yourself before receiving the Sacrament per 1 Corinthians 11:27-32.
Adult Sunday school
Our Adult Sunday school class will meet this Sunday immediately after worship in the large Sunday school room. Please join Deborah Kleinschuster and others for a wonderful time around God’s Word!! Pease bring your Bible!!
Tithes and Offerings
An offering box is available when you enter or exit the sanctuary. Additionally, online giving opportunities are available on the website.
Amazon Smile
Support Hope Community Church by choosing us as your Amazon Smile charity. Simply login to Amazon. In the upper left corner, Click Amazon Smile. If you are supporting a charity already, you will see that name. Click the dropdown arrow. Click “Change Charity”. Search for “Hope Community Church Waynesboro”. Click and select.
Mission Corner
“Based upon our HCC congregation’s suggestions and feedback, the Mission Ministries Team selected to financially support 6 local ministries and 3 international ministries for 2022. The ministries selected by the Missions Team and approved by Session are: Comfort Care Women’s Heatlh, Weekday Religious Education – East Augusta, Young Life, Brad Huddleston Ministries, Gospel Hill Ministries (Mike Adams), Love, Inc., Dr. Stephanie Black, Jonathan and Jennie Justine, and Chris Haynes. Thank you for your generous support and faithfulness to spread the Great Commission.” You can visit our website and go to the Outreach Page.
Prayer Meeting
Our Weekly Prayer meeting is held at our church facility each Tuesday at 7:00 p.m. We invite you to join with us in prayer as, together, seek the Lord’s face!
Contagious Disease Preparedness Plan
The Session adopted a Contagious Disease Preparedness Plan to support our church family, as well as our visitors. We want to be supportive of our entire church family, as well as our community in this season of increased cases of COVID-19, including the new omicron variant. The plan has been sent to our members for reflection and feedback and is available at the church.
February Birthdays
Blake Porter (2/3); Albert Danraj (2/5); Richard Jessee (2/10); Matt Lucas (2/14)