Hello Everyone,

Romans as a possibility …
Months ago as I looked to my preaching calendar for this year, I thought of The Letter to the Romans as a possibility. As we have now begun that study, God has dramatically confirmed that decision in my heart and mind. He has also confirmed it as I see the excitement in which you have received the study.

Not an easy decision …
But I didn’t make this decision easily. Much thought and much prayer. Part of my hesitation was the difficulty of some parts of Romans – election, foreknowledge, vessels prepared for destruction, etc. Honestly, it was a little intimidating.

Until …
Until I realized that God only calls me to be faithful to the task. Most of Romans – such as this Sunday’s study in Romans 1:16-17 – is very clear and amazingly powerful. As for the difficult texts, well, God took the pressure off when I realized that I don’t have to have all the answers. No one else does. In fact, I thought of how prideful I would be to think that I could tie together all the theological loose ends that godly men, dedicated scholars, have not been able to do for generations.

Explosions …
Getting to my point, I do not believe I have ever had a time as inspired and called as I am now in my preparation and eagerness for presentation as I have since taking this step of faith toward Romans. If you hear any explosions coming from the western prairies of Illinois, it may be me sitting before God learning these truths “all over again for the first time.”

Amazement …
God continually amazes me. I know part of this is because of my recent trial with the bike wreck, and I believe God is going to do deep things in my life because of that. But this began early on as I humbled myself before God and received this stewardship to preach through Romans. God is great and greatly to be praise.

So here are this week’s study sheets. Lord willing I will have the message MP3 posted no later than Tuesday next week.

Dave

Message Title: Not Ashamed of the Gospel!

Message Text: Romans 1:16-17

• PDF 3 Not Ashamed of the Gospel : Romans 1-16-17 : FFC : dave scott : 072714 : STUDY SHEET ONE
• PDF 3 Not Ashamed of the Gospel : Romans 1-16-17 : FFC : dave scott : 072714 : STUDY SHEET TWO

*A note on my numbering system for the study sheets. I plan to put all the study sheets and probably message notes also together in book form when I am finished. So everything will be number as such 1, 2, 3 … or PDF 1, PDF 2, PDF 3, etc.

Hello All,

God willing I will now be posting my messages on Romans on the blog in MP3 format every week. Here is the first. This is actually the second in the series but the first recorded.

Dave

Message Title: The Obedience of Faith: The Blessing of Believing & Obeying God!

Message Text: Romans 1:5-15 & Selected Passages

• Sunday July 20 2014 The Obedience of Faith Romans 1-5-15

Hello to All,

Some of you know, and some of you do not. I have been “missing in action” for the last several weeks as I crashed my bicycle on June 8 and have since undergone two surgeries on my hip. Not a pleasant thing. In fact, possibly the most trying time of my life.

I am now (finally) in recovery mode. Lord willing I will begin walking again in September and will regain full use of my right leg. Currently I am on a “toe-touch” restriction. No weight on my right leg until about the second week of September. The doctor says that I will even be able to ride my super cool Trek Domane road bike again. That is, once I get it into the bike shop for minor repairs from the crash.

I have been gone from church since June 1. I attended last Sunday morning and will resume our Romans study this Sunday July 20. God is God is what I learn over and over. And … people are people.

The Letter to the Romans is amazing. You possibly are like me and already knew that, but I am learning it “for the first time all over again” as the expression goes. This week I will preach the message that I had scheduled for June 8 with God’s revisions. 🙂

Message Title: The Obedience of Faith: The Blessing of Believing & Obeying God!

Message Text: Romans 1:5-15 & Selected Passages

Here are our study sheets.

• PDF 2 The Blessing of Believing God : Romans 1-5-15 : FFC : dave scott : 060814 : STUDY SHEET ONE
• PDF 2 The Blessing of Believing God : Romans 1-5-15 : FFC : dave scott : 060814 : STUDY SHEET TWO

Praise be to our God who is high and holy and offers to share his righteousness with sinners through salvation in Jesus Christ!

Praise be to this same God who makes weaklings like me and you his ambassadors to share this amazing message of God’s love and righteousness!

Praise Him! Praise Him! Tell of his excellent greatness!

Dave

Hello All,

Oops! Really busy last week and forgot to post the study sheets for our introduction to Romans. I received a very good response to the beginning of the study and believe the journey through Romans will be amazing. And, yes, I thought before I used the word amazing as I believe it to be so.

I have also posted some introductory study sheets listing all the occurrences of “faith” (40 times in 35 verses) and “righteousness” (32 times in 29 verses) per the English Standard Version of the Bible. These are excerpts from the verses. If you can read through even these snippets concerning faith and righteousness in Romans and not be stirred by the Spirit of God, then please check your pulse. 🙂

Message Title: Bringing about the Obedience of Faith

Message Text: Romans 1:1-7

• PDF 1 To Bring About the Obedience of Faith : Romans 1-1-7 : FFC : dave scott : 060114 : STUDY SHEET ONE
• PDF 1 To Bring About the Obedience of Faith : Romans 1-1-7 : FFC : dave scott : 060114 : STUDY SHEET TWO
• PDF faith verses illustrate
• PDF righteousness verses illustrate

Congratulations to Jonathan McSperritt on his military graduation from boot camp.

Hurray for Jon!

Good Friday Morning to All,

Here is this week’s bulletin. Almost the middle of the year. Time flies … 🙂

We begin our Romans study this week. Next Sunday is the Global Day of Prayer.

• (1 Timothy 2:1–8 ESV) ¹ First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, ² for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. ³ This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, ⁴ who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. ⁵ For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, ⁶ who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time. ⁷ For this I was appointed a preacher and an apostle (I am telling the truth, I am not lying), a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth. ⁸ I desire then that in every place the men should pray, lifting holy hands without anger or quarreling.

• PDF Bulletin FFC June 1 2014

Hello Everyone,

When am I the best patriot? When do I truly have my country’s best interests at heart? When I have first things first and am seeking first God’s righteousness. And when I am living a life of honor in every respect before God and man.

Message Title: Serving with Honor!

Message Text: 1 Timothy 6:11-16, Deuteronomy 20:1-9

• PDF Serving with Honor Deuteronomy 20-1-9 FFC dave scott Memorial Day 052514 HANDOUT ONE AM
• PDF Serving with Honor Deuteronomy 20-1-9 FFC dave scott Memorial Day 052514 HANDOUT TWO AM

Hello All,

A time to remember and to honor those who have served. Citizens of heaven first but also thankful citizens of the good ol’ US of A. Our country is very imperfect and flawed but still the best place in the world to live.

Here is this week’s bulletin. This week’s bulletin is in color. I just couldn’t bring myself to do red, white and blue in grayscale. 🙂

• PDF Bulletin FFC May 25 2014 Memorial Day service

Good Evening!

I don’t have to spend time this Sunday proving a lot, building a case for my interpretation. The point is very clear. No love means nothing – I say nothing, I am nothing, I gain nothing.

Our question this week is – “Do we believe what God says in 1 Corinthians 13”?

I wonder how this might transform how we relate to one another, board meetings, committee sessions … ?

Message Title: Do We Believe What God Says in 1 Corinthians 13?

Message Text: 1 Corinthians 13:1-13

• PDF Do we believe what God says in 1 Corinthians 13 FFC dave scott 051814 HANDOUT ONE AM
• PDF Do we believe what God says in 1 Corinthians 13 FFC dave scott 051814 HANDOUT TWO AM

Hello All,

Here is our bulletin for this week.

• PDF Bulletin FFC May 18 2014