AM - A Commitment to Serve - Mark 10:35-45
PM - Wicked Rejection - Luke 20:9-18
Monday, June 25, 2012
Monday, June 18, 2012
Sunday Sermons
Here are the sermons from yesterday:
AM - A Commitment to Care for One Another - Hebrews 3:12-14
PM - Jesus in the Temple - Luke 19:45-20:8
AM - A Commitment to Care for One Another - Hebrews 3:12-14
PM - Jesus in the Temple - Luke 19:45-20:8
Thursday, June 14, 2012
Is Church Membership Biblical?
That was one of the main questions I sought to answer in my sermon this past Sunday morning. You can listen here:
Members of One Body
Members of One Body
Wednesday, June 13, 2012
Judson Elijah Alston
It's been a while since I blogged, but for a good reason. On May 27, 2012 at 10:10 AM my third child, Judson Elijah Alston, was born. It was a glorious time in our lives! It was also a difficult time, so I thought I'd do a blog overview of the last couple weeks.
On Saturday evening, May 26, I looked at my wife and knew she was miserable with the pregnancy. We were very grateful to have been at this place, especially since we had miscarried the last child, and thought we lost this one. God proved gracious and faithful! So on that evening I looked to my wife and said, "I know you're miserable. I know you're ready to have this baby, but could you at least not go into labor on Sunday morning. That is the worst possible time for me." Yeah. Sure. Right.
Around 4:45 AM on Sunday morning my wife woke me up and said it was time. As a pastor, I had to find someone to preach for me (wasn't too hard thankfully). As a father I needed someone to watch our other two kids. Again, my secretary who lives close by came immediately and then one of our members came and relieved her. This was quick and easy. So off to the hospital we go!
He's born!
After arriving and getting checked into the hospital they got ready for the c-section. Everything went great. Judson was born. He looked good. Mommy looked good as well. At least, mommy and Judson appeared to be good. My wife came back to the room having a major reaction to one of the medicines she had been given. She was bright red, swollen, and had difficulty swallowing. They gave her a major dose of meds and she was quickly feeling better. Praise the Lord!
On the other side of the room was our precious little boy, who looked fantastic, but was breathing very rapid, shallow breathes. The nurses felt it would pass soon, but after about 4 hours it was still happening. This led them to do a blood test on our little boy, which showed a possible infection. That night we received word that he was heading to the NICU for antibiotics. This is not what any new parent wants to hear. We were exhausted, and obviously quite emotional.
In that moment I began asking myself whether I truly believed God was sovereign over all things. Do I truly believe He's in control here? Do I really believe He works for His glory and our joy? In that moment the Spirit of God reassured me that He is sovereign. That didn't mean I knew the outcome, but I did have faith that God was able.
To make a really long story short, Judson spent 7 days in the NICU. It was heart breaking and difficult. My wife and I came home on Wednesday of that week without him. We drove back and forth trying to take care of him while having two other children at home. By the way, we were blown away with the love and care we received from our church family through this. They took care of the two older kids for us.
In the NICU
As of Sunday, June 3, Judson was home with us. He was doing very well. The infection was gone. We were finally home as a family. God has been very kind to us.
Judson is doing very well!
And since there is never a dull moment in the Alston household, my two year old son, Owen, decided to run through the living room, trip and fall, hit his head on the fire place, and thus have us back at the hospital for him to receive one staple in his head. At least he was able to act like a pirate while they gave time for the medicine to kick in!
My pirate:
On Saturday evening, May 26, I looked at my wife and knew she was miserable with the pregnancy. We were very grateful to have been at this place, especially since we had miscarried the last child, and thought we lost this one. God proved gracious and faithful! So on that evening I looked to my wife and said, "I know you're miserable. I know you're ready to have this baby, but could you at least not go into labor on Sunday morning. That is the worst possible time for me." Yeah. Sure. Right.
Around 4:45 AM on Sunday morning my wife woke me up and said it was time. As a pastor, I had to find someone to preach for me (wasn't too hard thankfully). As a father I needed someone to watch our other two kids. Again, my secretary who lives close by came immediately and then one of our members came and relieved her. This was quick and easy. So off to the hospital we go!
He's born!
After arriving and getting checked into the hospital they got ready for the c-section. Everything went great. Judson was born. He looked good. Mommy looked good as well. At least, mommy and Judson appeared to be good. My wife came back to the room having a major reaction to one of the medicines she had been given. She was bright red, swollen, and had difficulty swallowing. They gave her a major dose of meds and she was quickly feeling better. Praise the Lord!
On the other side of the room was our precious little boy, who looked fantastic, but was breathing very rapid, shallow breathes. The nurses felt it would pass soon, but after about 4 hours it was still happening. This led them to do a blood test on our little boy, which showed a possible infection. That night we received word that he was heading to the NICU for antibiotics. This is not what any new parent wants to hear. We were exhausted, and obviously quite emotional.
In that moment I began asking myself whether I truly believed God was sovereign over all things. Do I truly believe He's in control here? Do I really believe He works for His glory and our joy? In that moment the Spirit of God reassured me that He is sovereign. That didn't mean I knew the outcome, but I did have faith that God was able.
To make a really long story short, Judson spent 7 days in the NICU. It was heart breaking and difficult. My wife and I came home on Wednesday of that week without him. We drove back and forth trying to take care of him while having two other children at home. By the way, we were blown away with the love and care we received from our church family through this. They took care of the two older kids for us.
In the NICU
As of Sunday, June 3, Judson was home with us. He was doing very well. The infection was gone. We were finally home as a family. God has been very kind to us.
Judson is doing very well!
And since there is never a dull moment in the Alston household, my two year old son, Owen, decided to run through the living room, trip and fall, hit his head on the fire place, and thus have us back at the hospital for him to receive one staple in his head. At least he was able to act like a pirate while they gave time for the medicine to kick in!
My pirate:
Monday, May 21, 2012
Sunday Sermons
Yesterday morning we picked back up in our series on the local church, A Display of God's Glory, by focusing on Psalm 67 - The Mission of God.
Last night we continued our exposition of Luke's Gospel by focusing on Luke 19:11-27 - Obeying the King.
Last night we continued our exposition of Luke's Gospel by focusing on Luke 19:11-27 - Obeying the King.
Thursday, May 17, 2012
Sunday Sermons
This past Sunday morning I took a break from our series on the local church (which you can access here) in order to preach a message on the gospel and how Jesus cared for His mother until the end. You can listen to it here:
Jesus, the Cross, and Honoring His Mother
On Sunday evening we continued our study through Luke's gospel by looking at the reality that Jesus came to seek and to save the lost. You can listen to that sermon here:
Jesus Came to Seek and to Save the Lost
Jesus, the Cross, and Honoring His Mother
On Sunday evening we continued our study through Luke's gospel by looking at the reality that Jesus came to seek and to save the lost. You can listen to that sermon here:
Jesus Came to Seek and to Save the Lost
Friday, May 11, 2012
Sunday Sermons
This past Sunday morning we continued through our series on the church, which I've called "A Display of God's Glory." My text was Ephesians 5:25-27. The charge is for husbands to love their wives, but Paul shows how this should happen by showing how Jesus loved the church. That was my focus in this sermon. You can listen to it here:
Jesus Loves the Church
On Sunday evening we continued our study through Luke's gospel. In this text we see Jesus tell his disciples, again, that He is going to die. Following this we see Jesus heal a blind beggar, which causes an eruption in praise of God. You can listen to it here:
Death, Power, and Praise
Jesus Loves the Church
On Sunday evening we continued our study through Luke's gospel. In this text we see Jesus tell his disciples, again, that He is going to die. Following this we see Jesus heal a blind beggar, which causes an eruption in praise of God. You can listen to it here:
Death, Power, and Praise
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
Sunday Sermon
This past Sunday I continued our series on the local church by preaching Romans 12:4-5. I titled the sermon "Our Union with Christ and One Another." My hope in this sermon was to show that when we are united with Christ through faith we are also united with others who are in Christ. We indeed become one body. When it comes to the local church this is to be clearly seen so that the glory of God might shine forth.
You can listen to the sermon here.
You can listen to the sermon here.
Monday, April 23, 2012
Sunday Sermons
Sunday morning we continued our new series on the church. I wanted to bring out the importance of the centrality of God's Word. I preached from Psalm 119:1-16. You can hear the sermon here.
Sunday evening we continued our exposition of Luke's Gospel by focusing on Luke 18:18-30. In this passage Jesus lets the disciples know that salvation is impossible by man, but it's quite possible with God. You can hear it here.
Sunday evening we continued our exposition of Luke's Gospel by focusing on Luke 18:18-30. In this passage Jesus lets the disciples know that salvation is impossible by man, but it's quite possible with God. You can hear it here.
Monday, April 16, 2012
Being One for the Glory of God
Yesterday morning I started a new preaching series on the local church. I started this series for a couple of reasons, but one of the primary reasons is that I hope we, Cypress Lake Baptist Church, will be united as one in Christ as we continue to move forward as a faith family. You can listen to the sermon here.
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