January 16, 2022

Job - Probably the oldest book in the Bible...the book of Job gives us insight to suffering.  I'm not really sure it says WHY  there has to be suffering in the world.  It just confirms that suffering exists.  Christianity does not deny evil and suffering, unlike other worldviews that discard such a notion or flat out deny it.

No Christianity, that is, walking with Christ ASSURES that all humans will suffer at some point...BUT and this is a big BUT...It also promises that we can get strength through our Lord, Jesus Christ.  Again, Jesus never claimed that we would avoid pain and suffering, but He DID promise us that He will always be with us and never forsake us.  

Let's examine Job and his time of suffering to learn what we can about suffering, patience and of course future hope during our own time of suffering. 

We pray that you will invite Jesus into your life and make Him Lord of your life, if you haven't already.  
And if you need to take care of this please call Pastor Harvey at 323-316-7131 and he will be glad to pray with you.

Here is a reminder of our church building Sunday schedule..

9 am - Highland Park Christian Church adult and children's Sunday School
10 am - Highland Park Christian Church main worship service
12 noon - Iglesia Evangélica Génesis main worship service
2:30 pm -  Iglesia De Dios Pentecostal M.I. main worship service

Let us pray for you.  Just send an email to us and we will add you to our online prayer list.

We will continue to prepare these online worship pages for you. 

We will continue to keep uploading the sermon and providing the YouTube versions of the songs that we sang during worship. Even if you cannot join us, we'd still like to pray for you.

Again, We'd Love to Pray with and for You!

Give us a call or email Pastor Harvey at harvey.hpcc@gmail.com to request prayer or just chat/connect.  

Please comment down below and we will respond.  Let us know how we can help and if we have blessed you with this on-line worship.  Thanks!

This weekend we have prepared a worship page for you that includes...

Great YouTube versions of the Christian Hymns and contemporary songs that we sang today...

Pastor Harvey continued our sermon series Portraits of Bible Characters with a message about Job - A Patient Sufferer - Part 1.

We hope this continues to bless YOU and draws you closer to God.

Remember, Denise and Harvey are a phone call away if you want to pray together or just chat.  
(Also remember that God is NOT far away, He has promised that He would never leave us - can I get an "Amen"!)

And don't forget you can comment below about anything that we can help you with or send us a Facebook message on the Facebook message app.

You can also use the "comments below to start any conversation with us.

Thanks for all of your support!
For Him and His Kingdom,
Pastors Harvey & Denise

Pastor Denise is still meeting LIVE with the children - come join her in Sunday school every Sunday at 9:00 am.  Sing, Pray and learn about God.

Also we are meeting LIVE for Adult Sunday School every Sunday at 9:00 am
right now we are studying the writings of John.  Please join us!

          And Now It's Time to Worship Christ

Prayer Requests from Sunday, January 9, 2021

Dorothy - Pray for a special unspoken request
Pray for Francisca's family.

Harvey/Denise - 
Pray for Joan, who has health issues.
Pray for an unspoken request.
Pray for Harvey's parents, Harvey Sr. and Barbara and their caretaker, Ron. 
Pray for his friends Jason and Jim who have cancer.
Pray for his friend Eric, who has been in the hospital with COVID for the last 2 weeks.
Pray for Marcos and his son, Noah.  
Pray for Michelle.

Albert - Pray for an unspoken request.

Erika - Pray for her father, Kent, he is traveling for his new job.

Kelly - Pray for Mr. Thomas.

Marlene - Pray for Tammy for health issue.
Pray for Debbie for health issues.
Pray  of praise for Pam who is recovery and doing better after her stroke. Continue to pray for more healing.

Abel - Pray for an unspoken request.
Pray for his sister Lupe, who is getting married.

Bryan - Pray for and unspoken request.
Pray for strength for him in his moving process.

Dino - Pray for him for medical issues

Al - Pray for Marcos and Noah and Michelle for recovery to speed up.
Pray for our brother, Ray.

          And Now It's Time to Worship Christ

Majesty
artist: Maranatha! Music

The Lily of the Valley
Artist: The Joslin Grove Choral Society

After singing a few songs, then as a congregation we read together aloud the following scripture...

James 1:2-7, 5:7-11
Be Patient...

James 1:2-7
2 Consider it all joy, my brothers and sisters, when you encounter various trials,

3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.

4 And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be [g]perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

5 But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him.

6 But he must ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind.

7 For that person ought not to expect that he will receive anything from the Lord, 8 being a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

James 5:7-11
7 Therefore be patient, brothers and sisters, until the coming of the Lord. The farmer waits for the precious produce of the soil, being patient about it, until it gets the early and late rains.

8 You too be patient; strengthen your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is near.

9 Do not complain, brothers and sisters, against one another, so that you may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing [h]right at the door.

10 As an example, brothers and sisters, of suffering and patience, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord.

11 We count those blessed who endured. You have heard of the endurance of Job and have seen the outcome of the Lord’s dealings, that the Lord is full of compassion and is merciful.

It Is Well with My Soul
Artist: Audrey Assad

Here is the text from the sermon...
Job 1:1-7 - Job’s Character and Wealth
1 There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job; and that man was blameless, upright, fearing God and turning away from evil.

2 Seven sons and three daughters were born to him.

3 His possessions were seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen, five hundred female donkeys, and very many servants; and that man was the greatest of all the men of the east.

4 His sons used to go and hold a feast in the house of each one on his day, and they would send word and invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them.

5 When the days of feasting had completed their cycle, Job would send word to them and consecrate them, getting up early in the morning and offering burnt offerings according to the number of them all; for Job said, “Perhaps my sons have sinned and cursed God in their hearts.” Job did so continually.

Job 1:6-19 - Meanwhile somewhere in the spiritual realm...

6 Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came among them.

7 The Lord said to Satan, “From where do you come?” Satan answered the Lord and said, “From roaming about on the earth and walking around on it.”

8 The Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered My servant Job? For there is no one like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, fearing God and turning away from evil.”

9 Then Satan answered the Lord, “Does Job fear God for nothing?

10 Have You not made a fence around him and his house and all that he has, on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land.

11 But reach out with Your hand now and touch all that he has; he will certainly curse You to Your face.”

12 Then the Lord said to Satan, “Behold, all that he has is in your power; only do not reach out and put your hand on him.” So Satan departed from the presence of the Lord.

Satan Allowed to Test Job
13 Now on the day when his sons and his daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house,

14 a messenger came to Job and said, “The oxen were plowing and the female donkeys feeding beside them,

15 and the Sabeans attacked and took them. They also killed the servants with the edge of the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you.”

16 While he was still speaking, another came and said, “The fire of God fell from heaven and burned up the sheep and the servants and consumed them, and I alone have escaped to tell you.”

17 While he was still speaking, another came and said, “The Chaldeans formed three units and made a raid on the camels and took them, and killed the servants with the edge of the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you.”

18 While he was still speaking, another also came and said, “Your sons and your daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house,

19 and behold, a great wind came from across the wilderness and struck the four corners of the house, and it fell on the young people and they died, and I alone have escaped to tell you.”

20 Then Job got up, tore his robe, and shaved his head; then he fell to the ground and worshiped.

21 He said,

“Naked I came from my mother’s womb,
And naked I shall return there.
The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away.
Blessed be the name of the Lord.”

22 Despite all this, Job did not sin, nor did he blame God.

Job 2- Job Loses His Health
1 Again, there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came among them to present himself before the Lord.

2 The Lord said to Satan, “Where have you come from?” Then Satan answered the Lord and said, “From roaming about on the earth and walking around on it.”

3 The Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered My servant Job? For there is no one like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man fearing God and turning away from evil. And he still holds firm to his integrity, although you incited Me against him to ruin him without cause.”

4 Satan answered the Lord and said, “Skin for skin! Yes, all that a man has, he will give for his life.

5 However, reach out with Your hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh; he will curse You to Your face!”

6 So the Lord said to Satan, “Behold, he is in your power, only spare his life.”

7 Then Satan went out from the presence of the Lord and struck Job with severe boils from the sole of his foot to the top of his head.

8 And Job took a piece of pottery to scrape himself while he was sitting in the ashes.

9 Then his wife said to him, “Do you still hold firm your integrity? Curse God and die!”

10 But he said to her, “You are speaking as one of the foolish women speaks. Shall we actually accept good from God but not accept adversity?” Despite all this, Job did not sin with his lips.

11 Now when Job’s three friends heard about all this adversity that had come upon him, they came, each one from his own place—Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite; and they made an appointment together to come to sympathize with him and comfort him.

12 When they looked from a distance and did not recognize him, they raised their voices and wept. And each of them tore his robe, and they threw dust over their heads toward the sky.

13 Then they sat down on the ground with him for seven days and seven nights, with no one speaking a word to him, for they saw that his pain was very great.

Everlasting God
Artist: Chris Tomlin

Again, Denise and I are available for prayer.

In Christ,

Pastor Harvey