The Daily + Midweek Updates + Retreat Sign Ups!
Good morning, Immanuel. Stay in the loop on all things Immanuel with our midweek update!
“And we also thank God constantly for this, that when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men but as what it really is, the word of God, which is at work in you believers” (1 Thessalonians 2:13).
It is so easy to take our Bibles for granted–to think of them as something mundane. We know the words of the Bible are God’s words, but the significance of that often gets lost. We approach scripture as a habit or obligation. We hear it preached as mere inspiration or moral instruction.
We often lose sight of the wonder of what it truly is–God’s living word that works. So we ask God to humble us under His mighty word so that we receive it rather than critique it, obey it rather than rebel against it, and are filled with its truth rather than cherry-picking our preferred parts.
We pray the words of Psalm 119:18: “Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law.” To behold and receive these wondrous things, we need humble and softened hearts, so we ask God for those, too, because we can’t turn our hearts that way on our own. In the Bible, God tells us of His character, His love, His power, His plans, and most importantly, of His Son. Our small, distracted, sinful minds and hearts can’t receive all this goodness without the help of the Holy Spirit, but He is with us and in us, enabling and teaching us.
As the Holy Spirit opens and instructs our hearts, we are able to see the work of the word–the way it is growing and changing us, the way it brings dead hearts to life, and the way it is the means and promise we need to walk faithfully with Jesus. Yes, we are still tempted to think of it as static, mundane, or boring, but when we attend to the Bible’s depths and marvels, we will never cease to be satisfied and amazed by this living word.
CELEBRATING SUNDAY…
Sunday Worship: This past Sunday, Pastor Barnabas preached an excellent message from Psalm 88. You can check it out here!
New Will Duvall Project: What a joy it was to worship together with our very own (and now Naperville Presbyterian Church’s very own) Will Duvall this past Sunday! Will is a songwriter and worship leader passionate about writing songs for the church that are steeped in Scripture and celebrate the beauty and glory of Jesus, the friend of sinners. His latest EP, Delight, was released on August 2nd. This six-song collection for the Church celebrates God’s delight in His people and our joyful response to Psalm 18:19b. You can check it out here!
MEN & WOMEN’S RETREAT!
We’re excited to announce that registration is now open for our upcoming men’s and women’s retreats! This is a fantastic opportunity to build deeper relationships at Immanuel, whether you have been at the church for a week or a decade. We also have the wonderful privilege of hearing from Ray and Jani Ortlund as our respective speakers. Register for the women’s retreat here and the men’s retreat here.
ON THE HORIZON…
No Wed. Night Gathering Tonight: We are taking a summer break and will meet again in mid-August! Be on the lookout for updates!
Yard Sale: Immanuel member Kendall Clayton is happy to invite you to a summer yard sale on Saturday, August 10th, from 9 am to 1 pm in the Immanuel gym! All proceeds will go towards our Tenth Generation fund. If you have items to donate or want to volunteer for setup, please contact Kendall Clayton at kendallwolk3@yahoo.com. Please spread the word to help, and also come out to shop on Saturday!
Next Steps: If you missed our recent Next Steps on August 3rd, but would like to learn more about Immanuel membership, our Next Steps Seminar is coming up on Saturday, September 14, 2024, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Immanuel Cafe. RSVP here!
Amen!