Thursday, August 30, 2012

Sunday Morning Preview - September 2, 2012


Please join us this Sunday morning for another combined PCC/DCC service featuring Ryan Rempel of LifeLight Ministries as our guest speaker. 

We will have live worship with singers and musicians from both congregations and everyone in attendance will receive a Bible and the challenge to share God's Word by giving it away in the coming week.

Hope to see you all for what is sure to be a wonderful time of growth and fellowship!

Monday, August 27, 2012

Feeling Guilty?

Christians are persons who no longer seek their salvation, their deliverance, their justification in themselves, but in Jesus Christ alone. They know that God's Word in Jesus Christ pronounces them guilty, even when they feel nothing of their own guilt, and that God's Word in Jesus Christ pronounces them free and righteous even when they feel nothing of their own righteousness… (Dietrich Bonhoeffer)

Grateful today for a salvation that is by faith, rather than by fickle and fleeting human emotional responses and reactions!

Now when a man works, his wages are not credited to him as a gift, but as an obligation. However, to the man who does not work but trusts God who justifies the wicked, his faith is credited as righteousness. (Romans 4:4-5)


Saturday, August 25, 2012

Sunday August 26, 2012


Welcome to Dakota Community Church
Grace, Freedom, Laughter

Good morning!
Enjoy the service - (Pastor Chris is our speaker today) - please follow along in the scriptures using the links below.

Scripture for today’s sermon:

 
 

Friday, August 24, 2012

August 26, 2012 at Dakota



I think everyone will agree that it has been far too long since we heard from Pastor Chris Cormie at Dakota Community Church. 

This terrible injustice will be righted this Sunday morning, so tell your friends and come on out for what is guaranteed to be a fantastic time in the Word.


Our Defeated Foes

Morning

The breaker is come up before them.

Micah 2:13

Inasmuch as Jesus has gone before us, things remain not as they would have been had he never passed that way. He has conquered every foe that obstructed the way. Cheer up now thou faint-hearted warrior. Not only has Christ travelled the road, but he has slain thine enemies. Dost thou dread sin? He has nailed it to his cross. Dost thou fear death? He has been the death of Death. Art thou afraid of hell? He has barred it against the advent of any of his children; they shall never see the gulf of perdition. Whatever foes may be before the Christian, they are all overcome. There are lions, but their teeth are broken; there are serpents, but their fangs are extracted; there are rivers, but they are bridged or fordable; there are flames, but we wear that matchless garment which renders us invulnerable to fire. The sword that has been forged against us is already blunted; the instruments of war which the enemy is preparing have already lost their point. God has taken away in the person of Christ all the power that anything can have to hurt us. Well then, the army may safely march on, and you may go joyously along your journey, for all your enemies are conquered beforehand. What shall you do but march on to take the prey? They are beaten, they are vanquished; all you have to do is to divide the spoil. You shall, it is true, often engage in combat; but your fight shall be with a vanquished foe. His head is broken; he may attempt to injure you, but his strength shall not be sufficient for his malicious design. Your victory shall be easy, and your treasure shall be beyond all count.

Proclaim aloud the Saviour's fame,

Who bears the Breaker's wond'rous name;

Sweet name; and it becomes him well,

Who breaks down earth, sin, death, and hell. Sent from the Morning and Evening Devotional, by Charles Spurgeon. For devotionals like this one for your iPhone, visit us at 43rdElement.com



Grace, Freedom, Laughter! 

Thursday, August 23, 2012

Heaven

They weep no more, for they are perfectly sanctified.
No evil heart of unbelief prompts them to depart from the living God.

I know that every bit of my joy, all of my peace, the totality of my value, worth, righteousness, and justification, is found in Christ alone.

The Holy Spirit bids me to come and receive that "daily bread" (Christ himself that is - not some devotional activity), which alone satisfies and equips for every other task the day holds; and yet, I find within myself a desire to go another way. To take all of that from the day itself instead. To find my joy and the justification for my existence in the tasks themselves, rather than in the one who prepares them for me.

I long for the end of that!

Grace, Freedom, Laughter!

Friday, August 17, 2012

Pat Robertson on Adoption & Dr. Moore's Response



John Piper (@JohnPiper)

2012-08-17 5:30 PM

Here's the You Tube of what Pat Robertson said. dsr.gd/NKvcMV Here's the fitting fury of Moore: dsr.gd/R7xIQa



Grace, Freedom, Laughter! 

Thursday, August 16, 2012

This Sunday - Aug. 19, 2012 at Dakota



You won’t want to miss Church this Sunday morning at DCC!

Besides the usual great time of worship and the sweet fellowship we always enjoy, this week the scriptures will be opened to us and we will be fed from the Word of God through the preaching ministry of Mr. Tyson Keffer.

I look forward to seeing you when the saints gather!

Wednesday, August 15, 2012

Walking Humbly Before God

Walk Humbly with Your God
He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.Micah 6:8

Even the most spiritually minded people have a difficult time escaping the temptation to love themselves. As soon as they see that they are better than others in some way, they begin to love themselves and look down on others. The Scripture provides us with a frightening example of this in the story of Saul. He was well thought of and had no equal in Israel (1 Samuel 9:2). He was filled with the Spirit of the Lord. But he didn't do what Micah demanded in this passage. Therefore, he fell into terrible disgrace and was rejected by God.

The church fathers spoke about the temptation to love ourselves in the following way: "No matter where you throw the head of a thistle, it will stand straight up." Similar to a thistle, this wicked attitude easily takes root in the hearts of believers. It's difficult for believers to avoid self-love. As Augustine stated, this is the only evil that sticks to good works. That's why God allows his people to slip into sin, just as he allowed Peter and David to fall. Shocked by their fall into sin, believers humble themselves. They're fearful of thinking of themselves too highly, and they want to keep in mind how weak they still are. This is why David cried out, "My sin is always before me" (Psalm 51:3).

Believers humble themselves by recognizing and looking at their weaknesses and sin. They try to avoid feeling proud of their works or of the gifts of the Spirit they have received from God. This is what it means "to walk humbly with your God." We should be genuinely modest and humble, wanting to remain in the background. We should never look for honor and praise for the good works we do.

From Faith Alone: A Daily Devotional by Martin Luther, James C. Galvin. ©2005 by Zondervan. All rights reserved. No part may be reproduced without written permission from Zondervan, 5300 Patterson Avenue SE, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 49530. Sent from the Martin Luther's Faith Alone Devotional. For devotionals like this one for your iPhone, visit us at 43rdElement.com


Grace, Freedom, Laughter! 

Tuesday, August 14, 2012

The Joy in Being Forgiven

Morning

Thou, Lord, hast made me glad through thy work.

Psalms 92:4

Do you believe that your sins are forgiven, and that Christ has made a full atonement for them? Then what a joyful Christian you ought to be! How you should live above the common trials and troubles of the world! Since sin is forgiven, can it matter what happens to you now? Luther said, Smite, Lord, smite, for my sin is forgiven; if thou hast but forgiven me, smite as hard as thou wilt; and in a similar spirit you may say, Send sickness, poverty, losses, crosses, persecution, what thou wilt, thou hast forgiven me, and my soul is glad. Christian, if thou art thus saved, whilst thou art glad, be grateful and loving. Cling to that cross which took thy sin away; serve thou him who served thee. I beseech you therefore, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. Let not your zeal evaporate in some little ebullition of song. Show your love in expressive tokens. Love the brethren of him who loved you. If there be a Mephibosheth anywhere who is lame or halt, help him for Jonathan's sake. If there be a poor tried believer, weep with him, and bear his cross for the sake of him who wept for thee and carried thy sins. Since thou art thus forgiven freely for Christ's sake, go and tell to others the joyful news of pardoning mercy. Be not contented with this unspeakable blessing for thyself alone, but publish abroad the story of the cross. Holy gladness and holy boldness will make you a good preacher, and all the world will be a pulpit for you to preach in. Cheerful holiness is the most forcible of sermons, but the Lord must give it you. Seek it this morning before you go into the world. When it is the Lord's work in which we rejoice, we need not be afraid of being too glad. Sent from the Morning and Evening Devotional, by Charles Spurgeon. For devotionals like this one for your iPhone, visit us at 43rdElement.com



Grace, Freedom, Laughter! 

Saturday, August 11, 2012

To Him Who Is Able!


Commanded to Love

The entire law is summed up in a single command: "Love your neighbor as yourself."Galatians 5:14

People who think they have a good understanding of the command to love are badly mistaken. To be sure, they have this command written on their hearts. By nature, they know that they should do to others what they want done to them (Matthew 7:12). That doesn't mean they truly understand it; otherwise they would also show it in their actions and prefer love above other works. They wouldn't make such a big deal about their antics and superstitions, which amount to nothing. Some examples of such behavior include walking around with a sad face and hanging head, being celibate, eating only bread and water, living in the desert, dressing shabbily, and so on. These are strange and superstitious works, which they choose for themselves and which God neither commands nor accepts. They consider these works so glorious and holy that they cast a dark shadow over love, which is the sun that shines over all works. The blindness of human reason is so limitless and incomprehensible that reason cannot come to a correct understanding of faith, much less make correct judgments about life and works.

Therefore, we must strongly resist our own opinions. In matters of salvation, we by nature would rather base our opinions on our hearts than on the Word of God. We also should strongly object to the mask and halo of self-chosen works. Instead, we must learn to value our calling and the responsibilities that go with it. Although these works may appear puny and contemptible, they are commanded by God. In contrast, we should despise the works that reason chooses to do apart from God's command no matter how glorious, meaningful, great, or holy they appear.

From Faith Alone: A Daily Devotional by Martin Luther, James C. Galvin. ©2005 by Zondervan. All rights reserved. No part may be reproduced without written permission from Zondervan, 5300 Patterson Avenue SE, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 49530. Sent from the Martin Luther's Faith Alone Devotional. For devotionals like this one for your iPhone, visit us at 43rdElement.com


Grace, Freedom, Laughter! 

Thursday, August 09, 2012

Sunday August 12, 2012 at DCC



This Sunday morning we will share communion and then continue to look at the necessary ingredients for establishing and maintaining unity in the church as laid out by the Apostle Paul in Ephesians 4:2 

In this first segment of the passage Paul is explaining that unity amoung the believers has much to do with how we treat one another. Although fallen people have a tendency to be very aware of their own rights and sensitive to any violation of those rights; Paul is saying that this is not to be the case amoung the followers of Jesus. Using words like humility, gentleness, and patience; he insists upon a very high standard for Christian interaction.

I wonder if you would say that the Christians you have encountered, for the most part, line up with what Paul is describing here? What about you, is this how you treat brothers and sisters in Christ, and if not, why not? 

I hope to see you Sunday for more along these lines in: “Grace at Work 3” 

Saturday, August 04, 2012

Charles Spurgeon - Morning and Evening

Evening

I smote you with blasting and with mildew and with hail in all the labours of your hands.

Haggai 2:17

How destructive is the hail to the standing crops, beating out the precious grain upon the ground! How grateful ought we to be when the corn is spared so terrible a ruin! Let us offer unto the Lord thanksgiving. Even more to be dreaded are those mysterious destroyers-smut, bunt, rust, and mildew. These turn the ear into a mass of soot, or render it putrid, or dry up the grain, and all in a manner so beyond all human control that the farmer is compelled to cry, This is the finger of God. Innumerable minute fungi cause the mischief, and were it not for the goodness of God, the rider on the black horse would soon scatter famine over the land. Infinite mercy spares the food of men, but in view of the active agents which are ready to destroy the harvest, right wisely are we taught to pray, Give us this day our daily bread. The curse is abroad; we have constant need of the blessing. When blight and mildew come they are chastisements from heaven, and men must learn to hear the rod, and him that hath appointed it.

Spiritually, mildew is no uncommon evil. When our work is most promising this blight appears. We hoped for many conversions, and lo! a general apathy, an abounding worldliness, or a cruel hardness of heart! There may be no open sin in those for whom we are labouring, but there is a deficiency of sincerity and decision sadly disappointing our desires. We learn from this our dependence upon the Lord, and the need of prayer that no blight may fall upon our work. Spiritual pride or sloth will soon bring upon us the dreadful evil, and only the Lord of the harvest can remove it. Mildew may even attack our own hearts, and shrivel our prayers and religious exercises. May it please the great Husbandman to avert so serious a calamity. Shine, blessed Sun of Righteousness, and drive the blights away.

Sent from the Morning and Evening Devotional, by Charles Spurgeon. For devotionals like this one for your iPhone, visit us at 43rdElement.com



Grace, Freedom, Laughter! 

Friday, August 03, 2012

PCC/DCC Combined Service This Sunday



Another holiday weekend is upon us and with it comes another PCC/DCC combined service. Please join us in the UPSTAIRS Sanctuary for a wonderful time of worship and sweet fellowship as we glorify God together and celebrate unity in the Body of Christ!

We are going to break out the lawn chairs on Sunday after church for lunch. If its raining we will use the basement. 
All are welcome - We want to have a simple lunch and would ask you to bring whatever you want and more.  There will be people from both congregations and The PCC folks also have friends visiting from Finland - about eight of them.  So please be generous and bring extra. 


Look forward to seeing everyone this Sunday!