CHURCH@HOME
THIS WEEK’s Bible Message -&- Bible Study Guide
— Sunday Sept 24 — Gospel, God & Government – The anti-gospel movement seeks to distort and divide and disrupt all of God’s truth…it’s part of our daily spiritual warfare… and today we consider the twisting of the essentials of the gospel as it relates to God and government… specifically, the challenge of “Christian Nationalism” which is a pejorative label applied to Christian involvement in government… What does the Bible say about the citizenship of believers? Whose values should be in control of your life, your family, your church, your community, and your nation? How are believers to be God’s representatives in every aspect of our world and culture? How can we be His salt and light as the Lord grows His kingdom today…
What will you learn from the ascended Lord Jesus Christ today?
— For audio messages (usually posted by 12:30 pm Sunday) and Bible Study Guide and Bible reading schedule PDF printout, please see www.riversidechurchiowa.com/audio-video/. “Church should be your excuse for missing everything else!”
— PRAYER OF REPENTANCE & FAITH – In Jesus’ name, I confess, most holy Lord God, that I have sinned against You, in thought, word and deed, in things I have done, and have left undone. I hereby repent, renouncing and forsaking my sins, renouncing Satan’s works & ways, turning to You for forgiveness, by the blood of Jesus Christ, my Lord and Savior, in the power of the Holy Spirit, to obediently walk in Your ways, according to Your holy Word, in the newness of eternal spiritual life in Christ, in Whom I humbly pray. Amen!
THIS WEEK
Daily Bible Reading Engage~Word~Church~Community~World
9-24 – Dan.4:34-37 – sovereign Lord
9-25 – Jer.29:4-24 – seeking wellbeing
9-26 – Matt.5:13-16 – be salt & light
9-27 – Rom.13:1-7 – the authorities
9-28 – 1Tim.2:1-8 – and intercessions
9-29 – 2Pet.2:9-17 – honor everyone
9-30 – Isa.33:2-6,22 – fear of the Lord
The Spirit of God works the Word of God so the people of God become like the Son of God
How will I be transformed, by God’s truth, in the Spirit’s power, as I trust & obey?
“So let’s strive together for the things that bring peace and the things that build each other up” – Romans 14:19
More spiritual resources HERE !
Doing Church@Home? – we can help! Riverside gathers for on-site services, and we continue to provide audio & Bible study handout resources for those worshiping @ home. (Audio usually available near noon on Sunday (due to 10:45am Adult Bible Fellowship Q-&-A-&-Pray).
– go here for sermon AUDIO, Bible study guide PDF, video, pastor’s column & more. Invite a friend to use these resources too! Also, we are looking forward to seeing YOU at our on-site worship services!
— In Your Mailboxes – January is Sanctity of Human Life Month, and please consider ten things you can say and do and pray about pro-life values. Today is also ReligiousFreedomDay.com, when we thank God for our essential and natural right of religious liberty, and consider how we must preserve and promote that right against all unnatural activities of those who would limit or remove our God-given liberties, especially the tyranny of those who seek to coerce and control others in the name of freedom. More info here and www.GoGateways.org
ALSO resources: weekly column exploring the Gospel of Luke as it relates to our lives today / Would it be OK for me to be angry with God? / Will America Turn? / Now What? / Sanctity of Life / Beyond Pro-Life / Prayer for Our Nation / Religious Freedom Day / America’s Choice / Biblical Resolves / Psalm 121 for 2021 / and more!
Resources for Church@Home
Thank you for “gathering-together-apart” with your church family! Spread the word to others who may appreciate these resources and your interest in them! – for the transforming great good news about Jesus! First we turn to the LORD in repentance and faith, then we turn to help our neighbors, to shine the light of Christ into every situation, because HE is our Lord & Savior, the light of the world and the deliverer from all darkness. See below for great free resources for kids & families & everyone & more!
- Click the links aboved to go to the resources. Print the handout to follow along with the Bible message, and as a Bible study guide for daily Bible readings.
- Email your prayer requests & praises to share with your church family e-letter.
- Fill out the neighbor-to-neighbor flyer to help our servant-leadership teams seek to assist personal needs of our congregation and community. Your Elders will also be calling to pray with you!
- Prayer & Fasting – we invite you to join a time of prayer & fasting during these days before the election, asking that the Lord would heal our lives and heal our land. More info here and here.
Develop a “together-apart-ner” to CONNECT with this week: share prayer requests, insights from the sermon or Bible study guide, our daily devotionals, or your neighbor-to-neighbor outreach. ENCOURAGE one another in their family worship time, activities for kids, helpful resources etc. READ Scripture together, remotely, together-apart, by phone, etc. PRAY for and with one another by phone, text, email or other technology. Go on a prayer walk in your neighborhood. SHARE requests and praises with your church family! – we all need to be encouraged by one another, and by what God is doing in our lives!
Daily devotional here will follow the daily Bible readings and complement the sermon – use the sermon handout as a Bible study guide with this week’s daily readings. Another devotional at the same link takes you through the entire Bible in one year, in about 15 minutes per day.
“Be strong in the LORD and in the strength of His might” – Ephesians 6:10
More spiritual resources HERE !
– EFCA covid-19 Response – Evangelical Free Church of America
**FOR KIDS & FAMILIES**
– Free Resources for Parents – from Lifetree – My Lifetree Free
– FullyFreeMovies.com – from Living Waters
11 keys to starting family devotions – Michael Kelley
Maintaining Positive Morale during Quarantine – from Lifeway
$= Implementing A Crisis Budget – Crown Financial
More Financial Help for Time of Crisis – Crown.org
#HOME isn’t cancelled! from FamilyLife.com
– Help for Quarantined Marriages– from TGC
– Great Homeschool Conventions – free registration
– Clubhouse Jr – April – free from FOF
– Clubhouse magazine – April – free from FOF
– Brio magazine -April-May – free from FOF
– Family Worship guidebook – excellent by Don Whitney
– Family Devotions – Faith of our Founding Fathers – from GoGateways
– mylifetree.com/free/ – hub updated often
– 4 Creative Ways to Connect with Grandchildren – from Crown of Glory
Free Sunday School lessons for Easter/ – from Answers in Genesis
Easter & Good Friday Questions & Answers – from Creation.com
Good Friday & Easter – Jewish connections – from American Minute
Church at Home – Good Friday – from The Bible Project
Church at Home – Easter Sunday – from The Bible Project
Easter & the Book of Genesis – from IsGenesisHistory.com
Free Quarantine Prayer Checklist – from ChildrensMinistryDeals
– How to & how not to homeschool during Covid-19 – from Breakpoint.org
– 22 ways You can be Generous in Tough Times – from Generous Church
– Family Worship 101 – from Ligonier Ministries
Eyewitness Bible – Holy Week Series – family video each day this week
Help! I’m an Angry Parent – The Gospel Coalition
Help! My Kids Won’t Stop Fighting – the Gospel Coalition
Free Family-Friendly Streaming – Focus On The Family
The Bible Project at home Week 3 – The Gospel of the Kingdom
Ask A Christian Counselor from CCEF – ask any question & free resources for: anxiety, parenting, loneliness, illness, etc.
– Resources While You’re Home – children’s author Sally Lloyd Jones
– Pilgrim’s Progress – the Movie – watch FREE epic movie
– The Biggest Story -animated-video – free to stream thru April 12
– Final Days Of Jesus – free video family devotional from Crossway
– Triumph Of Easter – 6-day online devotional for families
– 8-day Easter family Devotional – free from Lifeway Kids Ministry
– My Lifetree – FREE – lots for kids & families – especially for HOLY WEEK @ HOME
– Easter At Home Made Easy – free from Family Life
– The Lightbringers Family Edition – family
– Creation.com – help for children at home
– Answers In Genesis – kids/ – resources
– Institute For Creation Research – kids
– Christianbook.com – kids resources
– CVBBS.com – children & parenting
– Ligonier.org – children & parents
– CCEF.org – parenting resources &tc
– New Growth Press – children & parents
– Shepherd Press – children & parents etc
– NSresources.com – childrens ministry
– WTSbooks.com – for children &tc
– Concordia Supply – KidMin – several FREE resources
– Gateways to Better Education – FREE Easter lesson plan
– Free Streaming Illustra & LaMirada films – from GO2RPI.com
– Free Shipping & Easter Sale – from Vision Video
— Home Worship Resources
– 14 Hymns of Hope to Sing During Covid-19 – Facts & Trends
– Empowered Homes / Parenting – parenting resources
– Living Room Liturgy – help for home worship
Family Worship 101 – from Ligonier Ministries (where all Bible study guides are now free)
Stay-at-home-Story-Time – with Christian children’s author Sally Lloyd-Jones
Free Faith-Based Content for Kids & Parents Stuck at Home – various vendors
Never A Better Time for Family Prayer – Gospel Coalition
The Best Make-Your-Own Kid Recipes – from “Busy Kids Happy Mom”
100 Free Bible Coloring Pages – from Childrens Ministry Deals
Free Stuff for KIDS – from “Sermon4kids”
Family Life Today – “Home Isn’t Canceled” – resources for families
Focus On The Family – “talking with kids about coronavirus”
Kids at Home – free online resources from Lifeway
— MORE FOR SENIOR SAINTS
4 Creative Ways to Connect with Grandchildren – from Crown of Glory
8 ways Seniors Increase Spiritual Growth – from Crown of Glory
Leaning on Christ amidst Loneliness – from Crown of Glory
— FOR EVERYONE
– Seven Ways to Love Thy Neighbor in a Pandemic – from Catapault
– 575 free ebooks listed be author – from Monergism.com
– History Propels the Church Forward in a Pandemic/ – TGC
You’re Getting a Stimulus Check – now what? – from CIF
Great Commission – 5 ways to go when we have to stay – F&T
Prayer – days of slowing and thankfulness – from NDOP
The Providence of God – free streaming teaching series
Providence of God – digital-study-guide – from Ligonier
Imprimis – Hillsdale – Thoughts on Current Crisis/ – well worth the read
Danger of Trying to Explain Covid-19 – Michael Kelley
– Sanctification in Quarantine – Glenna Marshall
– What Does the Holy Spirit Do? – Gospel Relevance
– FAQ Religious Liberty & Covid-19 – Facts & Trends
Thinking Deeply About Difficult Days?
– faithful & fundamental & uplifting answers to major questions today!
– Coronavirus and Christ by John Piper – free book & audiobook – “why? & Hope!”
– Where is God in a Coronavirus World? – RZIM & John Lennox – “why? & Hope!”
— PRAYER Resources
– Presidential Prayer Team.org – Daily prayer briefing
– Join Thousands Worldwide Praying for Revival – “If 7:14” prayer app
– Prayer Guide – “Praying the Word over the coronavirus crisis”–
– Free Prayer Guides – from PrayerLeader.com (NDOP.org)
Guide to Prayer & Fasting – National Day of Prayer
A Day to Fast and Pray – Prayer Booklet – the Gospel Coalition
Bless Every Home / Light – pray-care-share
Family Worship 101 – from Ligonier Ministries
MORE = www.if714.org .. www.pray1tim2.org .. www.ifapray.org .. www.nationaldayofprayer.org .. www.call2fall.com .. presidentialprayerteam.org .. www.icommittopray.com ..
— MORE Resources – What’s God doing in your life?
– 22 ways You can be Generous in Tough Times – from Generous Church
– Is America approaching a Lazarus-moment – American Renewal
– Losing Everything & Finding Joy in Crisis – from Crown Financial Ministries
Eyewitness Bible – Holy Week Series – family video each day this week
10 Simple Ways to Evangelize in a Pandemic – the Gospel Coalition
How Christians Show Christ During Coronavirus – Breakpoint.org
9 Ways to Love Your Neighbor in this Pandemic – The Gospel Coalition
What the Early Church Teaches about Coronavirus – The Gospel Coalition
Covid 19 Lessons from Martin Luther – from Delivered By Grace
Christian Love Without Foolhardiness – World magazine
– Gentle & Lowly – 14-day podcast devotional/ – for sinners & sufferers
– 5 ways Covid-19 points us to the gospel/ – Paul David Tripp (best-selling pastor with a very compromised immune system)
– Hillsdale College – FREE worldclass online courses
– Free Online Study Groups – Ligonier Ministries
– New Growth Press – FREE resources all ages
– Blog Newgrowthpress – excellent articles
– Crown.org on Coronavirus/ – Crown Ministries
– Clark on Coronavirus/ – Clark Howard blog
– Dave’s blog/ – Dave Ramsey blog
– Freedom in Christ – children, home, family
– e3resources.org = evangelistic resources
– Evangelical Bible = Easter Sale
– Jesus Changed My Life – share good news!
– Bless Every Home / Light – pray-care-share
– Neighborhood Ambassadors – what YOU can do!
Probabilities or Providence? – from Christian Counseling Education Foundation
Anxiety, Waiting & Coronavirus – from Christian Counseling Education Foundation
Encouragement – from Kevin Kompelien at www.EFCA.org office
Church at Home – Generosity – from The Bible Project
Living in Lockdown – tips from Italy via pastor Tim Challies
Ideas & Resources – for churches from Family Research Council
Working Remotely to the Glory of God – Tabletalk devotional magazine
We May Be Confused But God Isn’t – at Crossway, by pastor Paul David Tripp
Covid-19 & 14-Day Bible Reading Plan on Assurance – from BibleGateway
– Presidential Prayer Briefings – The Presidential Prayer Team
– Push Back the Disease, Fear & Anxiety – from National Day of Prayer Task Force
– Ten Key Bible Verses on Endurance – Bible Study by Crossway authors
– Seven Ways Christians Can Help Covid-19 Crisis – The Family Leader – Iowa
– Podcast & article – 14-Day Devotional “Gently & Lowly” – Crossway, Dane Ortlund
– “Sickness” – exposition of John 11:3 “the one you love is sick” – by JC Ryle
–”Nine lessons God teaches us concerning Sickness” – JC Ryle “sickness is meant…”
Pastors & President Trump – recording from FRC and several leaders
Free Digital Resources – from Crossway, including ESV Study Bibles, etc
RC Sproul & etc – Ligonier Ministries – all teaching now FREE online
Freedom in Christ – several free online resources from Neil Anderson
Open Doors – “Seven lessons on FEAR from persecuted believers”
Bible Project Church at Home – Week 2 – Sabbath – From the Bible Project
Church at Home – Generosity – from The Bible Project
Free & Discounted Stuff for these Difficult Times – from pastor blogger Tim Challies
How to Keep learning & Growing in Challenging Times – from pastor blogger Tim Challies
Practice Christian Hospitality – especially during a virus crisis – Butterfield on crossway.org
INFORMATION FROM EXPERTS
Christian Experts on Coronovirus – from the Center for Bioethics & Human Dignity
Candid Conversation about Coronavirus – and what YOU can do
Coronavirus – scientific & theological perspective from www.Creation.com
Crossway.org – “Christian Doctor’s Guide to the coronavirus – and more
Plagues in History – from Bill Federer & American Minute perspective
Is There Financial Hope? – from Crown Financial Ministries
Reaching the Most Unchurched Generation during Covid-19 – from Lifeway
9 Steps to Prepare for the Aftermath of Coronavirus – from Lifeway
More Resources – on Riverside’s “resource” page on our website