The Blog

School Shooting in Highlands Ranch, Colorado

Praying for the Community of Highlands Ranch, Colorado:

Capitol Hill Baptist, I am once again saddened by the violence found in a school in our country.  This is the horror of any parent, grandparent or guardian that is trying to raise children in our world.  We want nothing more than to assure our children that they are loved and safe, yet when they arrive at school, we have been forced to wonder if they in deed will be safe.

Of course, safety itself is a bit of a masquerade.  Jesus told us in John 16:33, “These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.”  Scenes like we were forced to see again this week make some wonder if indeed He has overcome the world.  But we must remember, and we must proclaim that His patience to bring justice is His grace for repentance to fall upon the heart of the lost.  So, while He is patient in His mercies the world continues in brokenness.  He is not short-armed in His abilities.  He is withholding His justice for people to hear the good news.

Safety is having a relationship with God through Christ.  Peter was more safe standing on top of waves holding to his faith in the Maker of water, than he was in the boat with the other disciples fearing if they would drown.  So, while the world wants to know how to make our world safe, we want to remind people that safety is knowing Christ and trusting Christ.  We cannot make this world safe, but we can know the Father of Peace.

But most disturbing to me from the commentary coming out of this most recent shooting has been a repeated statement that goes something like this, “We know that our thoughts and prayers are not enough…”  It is indeed true that my thinking about someone else’s tragedy is not enough to bring comfort or answers or relief.  This sentiment troubles my spirit though because it is bleeding into the American collective conscience that prayer is not enough.

As believers in Jesus Christ, who wrote the Old Testament, which is full of prayers, and who came to earth and Himself spent much time in prayer, and who taught His disciples to pray, and who commands us to pray, we have to recoil against a statement like, “We know our prayers are not enough.”

Without going into a theology on prayer, can we just agree that the Scripture tell us in James 5:16, “The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.”  The evidence from Scripture shows prayers that not only change lives, but seemingly change the course of history.  Men and women moved of God who pray are used to accomplish the plan and will of God.  Historically, no revival in our country has occurred apart from a movement of prayer.

Christian, pray for the families of this latest school shooting.  Pray for the over 248,000 children in our public High Schools who have been present during an active shooting event.  Pray for the hearts of men to be turned away from violence and turned toward the Lord.  And, pray knowing that it is more than enough.

By His Grace and For His Glory,

Pastor Mark

 

Posted by Pastor Mark DeMoss with

Pastor Mark's Weekly Update May 3, 2019

 Month of May
We want you to be aware of a few things that happen differently as we move toward Summer.
May 5 – Graduate Recognition during AM Worship
May 5 – Last 5 PM Equip Classes for the Spring Semester
May 9-11 – South Metro Fine Arts Academy Recitals
May 12 – Mother’s Day Recognition during AM Worship & No Evening Activities
May 19 – 5 PM Evening Worship highlighting Power 4 Kids Children Choirs
May 22 – AWANA Awards Night (All church celebration of our AWANA Program)
May 26 – 6 PM Church Picnic and Mock Drive-in Movie Night
May 29 – No Mid-week Activities
June 2 – Evening Joint Worship begins for the Summer (Sermon on the Mount Continued)
June 5 – Summer Wednesday Series – “We Believe” for adults and “Into the Wild” for children


Help CHBC Love Your Neighbor
This Summer we are taking our desire to reach and minister to the greater South OKC Metro from our parking lot to our neighborhoods. Jesus gave us a great command, “to love your neighbor as yourself” (Matt. 22:36-40). We have been asking the question, “What would it look like to do this literally?”. Instead of the Back to School Bash this summer we are asking you to be part of a gospel strategy called Love Your Neighbor. You can find out more by following this link to our website: Love Your Neighbor. Host and Co-hosts have been assigned. They will be asking for others to provide food, canvas neighborhoods, and be on the prayer team. As with all mission efforts it takes the members of the church to go, support, and pray. Every one of us should be doing one or more of these as we attempt the bold move of saturating OKC with the gospel.
We need people to join the Neighborhood Canvasing Teams and Food Teams. You can sign up this Sunday, or see Susan DeMoss, Jennifer Crosby, or one of our pastors to find out how to get involved.

 

Resolved
“Resolved, always to do what I can towards making, maintaining, establishing and preserving peace, when it can be without over-balancing detriment in other respects.”
Romans 12:18, “If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men.”

 

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Pastor Mark D. DeMoss

Capitol Hill Baptist Church

Equipping... Exalting... Extending

For the Glory of God

 

 

 

Posted by Pastor Mark DeMoss with

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