There's a LOT to be Thankful For

THANKFUL FOR 2020

We want to leave 2020 thankful.

Not thankful that it’s gone, per se. But keenly aware of the evidences of God’s grace this year.

To say that 2020 was surprising and challenging would be an understatement. Yet, we must admit that some of those surprises were wonderful, pleasing gifts from the Lord.

WALT’S PRAYER

This past Sunday, Pastor Walt gave thanks for some of these graces during his congregational prayer. Below are the notes from his prayer of thanksgiving.

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Father, I will bless the Lord at all times. His praise shall continually be in my mouth. 

• My soul makes its boast in the Lord. Let the humble hear & be glad.

• I sought the Lord & he answered me & delivered me from all my fears.

• Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all.

Father, 2020 has been a long year & we are thankful to put it to rest in just a few days. 

• Nevertheless, we want to give you thanks for how we have encounter you this year.

• You have sustained us. You have borne us & carried us. And we don’t want to leave this year unchanged.

Thank you for reminding us that we are not in control & are completely dependent upon you.

• So often we live each day without little regard for you. But, this year has been filled with interruptions that have reminded us of our frailty, our limitations, & our weakness.

• Man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps (Pro 16:9).

• A man’s steps are from the Lord, how then can we understand our way? (Pro 20:24).

• O Lord, make us to know our end & what is the measure of our days, let us know how fleeting we are (Psalm 39).

• For in you we live, move, & have our being (Acts 17).

• We refuse to arrogantly arrogantly grow cold, calloused, & angry in response to this year.

• We bow humbly before you. We confess that our thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are our ways yours.

• Make us truly wise. Make us to slow to speak. Make us slow to sound off on things we don’t know. Make us deeply grateful for the undeserved daily gifts of food, shelter, sleep, & work.

Thank you for reminding us that this world is not our home. Thank you for unsettling our work, plans, relationships, retirement savings, country, & more, if for no other reason than to help us desire a better country, our heavenly country. 

• If we have hoped in Christ in this life only, we are to be pitied more than anyone else (1 Cor 15:19).

• We thank you for the numerous blessings, relationships, & opportunities we have in this life, but we thank you for all you unsettled this year to remind us that this world is not our home. Our citizenship is in heaven & from heaven we await a Savior, Jesus Christ. He has gone before us to prepare a place for us, a place where we will be finally home & never fear tomorrow.

• O Lord, let us not lose hold of this precious reminder.

• Let us not labor for a political kingdom in this world, for your kingdom is not of this world.

• Let us not work for that which doesn’t satisfy—power, position, or prominence.

• Let us store up treasure in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys & where thieves do not break in & steal (Matt 6:19).

Thank you for reminding us that every person is made in the image of God & should be treated with dignity & respect. 

• Father, it has been a painful year along racial lines in America.

• We long for the church to be on the front lines—not standing in red or blue, not even playing the political game—but showing the world a place where people are not judged by the color of their skin or their net worth or their family background or anything else.

• Let us devote ourselves to the good work of the gospel & the reconciliation, peace, & justice only it can bring.

Thank you for reminding us of the priceless gift of friendships. 

• There is a friend who sticks closer than a brother, who chooses to love us & stand with us through anything.

• We thank you that we are surrounded with friends like these in our church & beyond our church. Thank you for all calls, texts, emails, meals, cookies, encouragements, & so on shared this year.

• Thank you for reminding us of the privilege of gathering in person among friends to worship you. This year has been one long reminder of something we often take for granted.

• It has been over 7 months since we are stood alongside certain members of this church to worship you. We grieve & mourn this reality & pray for a swift end to this virus & its painful effects on the life of our church.

• Nevertheless, we thank you for the new friends you have introduced to. Joel & Megan. Allison. Bill & Sherlynne. Tony & Connie. Paul & Rachel. Abe & Danna. David & Kathy. Josh & Mandi. Brian & Meghan. And others.

Thank you for reminding us that there are greater things to fear than the coronavirus, political unrest, or economic hardship. The greatest thing to fear is the living God, who is a consuming fire.

• So we will fear you & worship you.

• We call on you to bring an end to so many of the uncertainties in our country but we refuse to give in to fear.

• The fear of man & the fear of worst scenarios is a snare, but the fear of God is life.

• So, we rest in you. We cast all our burdens upon you.

Father, thank you for reminding us that we are not alone as a church. 

• We thank you for our friends in Knoxville, Nashville, Louisville, & Fayetteville, Arkansas.

• We thank you for the churches we partner with throughout the world among Sovereign Grace Churches & particularly those who serve the Pastors College & our friends Taylor & Elizabeth.

• We thank you for the remarkable work you have done among Living Hope Church in Fayetteville, Arkansas. Thank you for preserving this church. Thank you for helping this church grow. Thank you for Matt, Tim, Zach, & others who are leading it.

We praise you & ask that you continue to attend these few minutes with your presence & your power.

Amen.

It's a Miracle That This Church is Thriving

One of our strong convictions is that churches are stronger together.

One of our church partners in Fayetteville, Arkansas (Living Hope Church) had every reason to close their doors this year. The lead pastor of this small church left at the beginning of 2020, leaving the church in the hands of three bi-vocational pastors.

We (and others) have prayed for this church and helped them financially. And God has sustained them.

The video above explains some of the remarkable work that the Lord has done in this small church plant. It is nothing short of a miracle that they are not only still going, but thriving. We praise the Lord for his wonderful kindness!

Sunday Service Changes for this Sunday, December 27.

OUR DECISION TO LIVESTREAM for another week

I am writing to let you know we have decided to livestream only for this coming Sunday, December 27 for two primary reasons.

First, I have been exposed to COVID-19—by someone in my own household! Thankfully, I have not gotten sick & those in my family who have gotten sick have had very mild symptoms. However, following the CDC’s guidelines, the McMinn County Health Department has advised me to continue to self-quarantine.

Second, the number of COVID-19 cases in McMinn County & the state of Tennessee continue to increase significantly, likely even more so over after Christmas, so we believe waiting another week to resume worshipping together in person is wise.

So, in an abundance of caution, we will livestream only again this coming Sunday.

I am bummed, as I am sure you are as well. But I believe taking caution this week is best!

how to access our livestream

You are probably a pro at livestream by now.

However, you can access our livestream service by going to the top of our church home page [link] or going to our YouTube channel [link].

May the Lord be with us this Sunday!

I CAN READ THE BIBLE... Winners

THE FIRST SHALL BE LAST, but who Won?

If you completed the Bible Reading Plan for 2020, we want to hear about it & send you a small gift. Fill out the information below!

We will have next year’s Bible Reading Plan ready on Sunday morning for you to pick up. If you want a sneak peak, you can download it here.

Sunday Recap: Will God Always Be Good To Me?

LIVESTREAM

This past Sunday, we gathered again. It was not our normal gathering, but as Chris Prichett said on Sunday, “The voices of Trinity Grace are scattered around McMinn County belting praises to the Lord.”

For the life of our church, a Sunday gathering is one of the most important times of the week.

We treasure the times we can meet together. But when we can’t, we make every effort to have a real service.

THE CHARACTER OF GOD

During the message, we again looked at the life of Moses and what he discovered about the Lord.

Many have said that the Old Testament shows God to be cruel, and the New Testament shows him to be loving. However, in Exodus 34:6, the Lord says about himself that He is, “merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness,”

As we finished the Long Story of the Coming of Jesus, Walt shares that it is in God’s character to show us love. He does not need to be provoked to love us!

Click here to listen to the full sermon, and we have shared Walt’s notes below.

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INTRODUCTION

“In one sense, of course, Jesus is the reason for the season. But in another fundamental sense, sin is the reason for the season.” Doug Wilson

Main point: Do not fear, the Lord is quick to forgive & gives more grace than you can imagine.

1. THE REQUEST.

So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy. Romans 9:16

“The very center and core of the whole Bible is the doctrine of the grace of God—the grace of God which depends not one whit upon anything that is in man, but is absolutely undeserved, resistless, and sovereign.” J. Gresham Machen

2. THE REVELATION.

For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to give strong support to those whose heart is blameless toward him. 2 Chronicles 16:9

“Think how he has borne with you, and still bears with you, when so much in your life is unworthy of him and you have so richly deserved his rejection.” J.I. Packer

“When you come to Christ for mercy and love and help in your anguish and perplexity and sinfulness, you are going with the flow of his own deepest wishes, not against them." Dane Ortlund

The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. Psalm 103:8

All the paths of the Lord are steadfast love and faithfulness, for those who keep his covenant and his testimonies. Psalm 25:6

They refused to obey . . . they stiffened their neck . . . But you are a God ready to forgive, gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and did not forsake them. Nehemiah 9:17

And he prayed to the Lord and said, “O Lord, is not this what I said when I was yet in my country? That is why I made haste to flee to Tarshish; for I knew that you are a gracious God and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and relenting from disaster. Jonah 4:2

3. THE IMAGE.

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. . . . For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known. John 1:14,17-18

“The crucial significance of the cradle at Bethlehem lies in its place in the sequence of steps down that led the Son of God to the cross of Calvary, and we do not understand [the cradle at Bethlehem] till we see it in this context.” J.I. Packer

Is There Help in the Sovereignty of God?

Last Sunday, we studied one of the most powerful passages in our Bible—Exodus 3:1-15.

In the burning bush & the commission to Moses, the Lord unveiled his name & the meaning of his name. The Lord said, “I am who I am” or “I will be who I will be.”

The Lord said, I will be with you & I will be completely for you.

It was a promise of the presence of God to go with him, but it was more than that. It was also a promise of the power of God to work & accomplish all that the Lord promised.

And it happened!

The Lord was with Moses & the people of Israel. And the Lord delivered them powerfully through the plagues, the passover, the pillar of fire & pillar of cloud, the Rea Sea, the heavenly manna, the bronze snake, the water-spewing rock, & much more.

The Lord is the sovereign ruler over all & uses his sovereign power to help Moses & the people of Israel overcome anything that stands in the way of his promise.

THE SOVEREIGNTY OF GOD IS NOT A BAD THING.

Sovereign is not a word we use often. It means supreme ruler or authority. It is used interchangeably with king or lord, as it still is in England & other countries with a monarchy.

So, the sovereignty of God is used to refer to the supreme & unrivaled rule of God over all things. The Scriptures teach this doctrine by stating again & again that the LORD rules over all & works all things to according to his will & purpose.

The prophet Daniel puts it powerfully:

. . . for his dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom endures from generation to generation; all the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, and he does according to his will among the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay his hand or say to him, “What have you done?” Daniel 4:34-35

All the elements are there. The Lord is the king & his kingdom is everlasting. No one can stay his hand. No one can stop him. He works all things according to the will, regardless of who props themself up (e.g., Nebuchadnezzar) or tries to thwart his plans.

But the sovereignty of God is not a bad thing.

Let’s look back to Moses.

The name of the Lord was a comfort to him, because (1) the Lord declared himself to be the sovereign ruler over all; & (2) the Lord promised to use his sovereign rule & authority to uphold his promise to Moses. That is some of what is encapsulated in the name of the Lord.

The sovereignty of God means the Lord works all things according to his will & supplies power to his people to glorify him in it.

HIS POWER = OUR STRENGTH.

Therefore, the sovereignty of God is not just for God. It is for us, too.

The sovereignty of God promises that God will transfer his power to strengthen & support us, so that we can glorify him in every circumstance.

Let’s look at a few Scriptures to see how this comes together.

The Lord comforts his people with an astounding prophecy in Isaiah 40:

The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary. . . He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength. Isaiah 40:28-29

It’s clear. The Lord is the sovereign ruler over all. He is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of earth &, by implication, the ruler over every square inch of creation. As the all-powerful ruler over all, the Lord does not get tired or weary. He never needs a nap. His strength never fades. 


But, that’s not all. He shares his power with those who need. He “gives power to the faint.” He gives strength to those who have none.

That’s incredible. Can you imagine how comforting that would be to the people of Israel as they were returning to Jerusalem from exile?

Psalm 121 underlines this same truth. It opens memorably:

I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. Psalm 121:1-2

The Lord “made heaven & earth” &, by implication, continues to rule over everything he has made.

But, God’s sovereignty is good news for his people. The Lord will not “let [their] foot be moved,” meaning he will guide their steps. The Lord is their “keeper,” meaning he will be with you to watch over you. “The Lord will keep your life.”

Those promises mean absolutely nothing if the Lord does not rule over all as the sovereign God. But since the Lord is the sovereign God, Psalm 121 fills our hearts with peace & security, especially in these uncertain days.

“GOD’S PROPERTIES ARE OUR BENEFITS.”

The sovereignty of God is one of the attributes or “properties” of God, but, as we have been saying, it is also a rich blessing of power, peace, & security to the people of God.

The English puritan John Flavel helps us to see what is going on in these passages:

“Though they be God’s properties, yet they are his people’s privileges and benefits; for when God makes over himself to them in covenant to be their God, he doth, as it were, deliver to them the keys of all his attributes for their benefit and security; and is as if he should say, my wisdom is yours, to contrive for your good; my power is yours, to protect your persons; my mercy yours, to forgive your sins; my all-sufficiency is yours to supply your wants; all that I am, and all that I have, is for your benefit and comfort.”

If that sinks in, it’ll change the way you face financial hardship or a rebellious child or another disappoint. It’ll change your life.

All that God is & all that he has is for our benefit & comfort. His power is ours. His wisdom is ours. His mercy is ours. His all sufficiency is ours.

THE SOVEREIGNTY OF GOD SHOULD give confidence & courage.

The sovereignty of God means the Lord works all things according to his will & supplies power to his people to glorify him in it.

This truth should enable to face every circumstance with conviction & courage.

Confidence, because every circumstance we face—even very difficult ones—are not the result of chance or chaos, but the purposeful unfolding of our sovereign God’s plan.

“We’re not adrift in chaos. We’re held in the everlasting arms. And therefore, and this makes the difference, we can be at peace and we can accept. We can say yes, Lord, I’ll take it. . . . Faith enables me to say, ‘Yes, Lord. I don’t like what You’re doing. I don’t understand it. . . . But God, You’re in charge.’ I know the One who is in charge of the universe. He’s got the whole world where? In His hands. And that’s where I am.” Elisabeth Elliot

Courage, because every circumstance will bring us fresh supplies of grace & strength. Don’t fear tomorrow, there is grace ready for you that you cannot anticipate right now.

The Lord is with us & is completely for us.

Even right now with the Coronavirus. Whether it is the very real challenge of watching loved ones struggle or the annoying burden of quarantining with a quiver of kids, our courage is fueled by the sovereignty of God.

May God be with you & supply all that we need to glorify him!

Ladies Christmas Party—CANCELED!

We were so excited about having all the ladies of TGC getting together & sharing a recipe swap. In a year that has had so many surprises, you think we’d be used to having our plans rearranged.

Nonetheless, with COVID cases arise in our area (& in our church) we thought it best to cancel the party this year.

One thing is for sure, when we do get to have these get-togethers, we will enjoy them that much more. And Lord willing, we never take for granted opportunities to gather.

Feeding Athens Police Department next week!

Being a police officer is one of the hardest jobs out there. It’s dangerous, & often thankless.

This Christmas is a great opportunity to do what we love to do as a church—serve food!

SATISFYING THE SWEET TOOTH

On Tuesday December 22, we want to serve all of the Athens Police force lunch & surprise them with sweet treats!

We have the lunch provisions mostly covered, but we would love to surprise them and delight in an extra way.

This is where you come in.

Break out your favorite recipe for cookies, brownies, homemade fudge, etc. & make a couple dozen of them!

We will be providing treats for approximately 30 or so officers & support staff. We will gather these items & make a variety bag for each officer. And as you’re making these treats, pray for our police department!

DETAILS

• Deliver your treats to Southern Provision Insurance on Monday December 21

• Drop-off from 9-11am or 1-4pm

• Signup below to make your sweet treats!

Sunday Service Changes for this week & next week.

OUR DECISION TO LIVESTREAM

I (Walt) hope you are resting in God’s complete acceptance of you because of Jesus this evening.

I am writing to let you know we have decided to livestream only for the next two weeks—December 13 & 20—for several reasons.

First, there has been a significant increase in positive COVID-19 cases among our congregation this week. There will likely be more in the next 5-7 days. We hope refraining from gathering together for these next two weeks will limit the spread.

While COVID-19 is not dangerous for the vast majority of our congregation, we still feel it would not be wise to unnecessarily increase the spread right now.

This has been a hard decision for me & for the folks I have received counsel from today, especially our COVID-19 Task Force.

Sunday is our favorite day of the week. We take the Lord’s command to meet together very seriously (Heb. 10:24–25). Gathering together embodies the very nature of the church, as God meets with his people & gives his blessing through prayer, singing, fellowship, & the ministry of the Word.

Nevertheless, we must trust the Lord together right now & anticipate gathering together very soon.

Now I know that the Lord saves his anointed; he will answer him from his holy heaven with the saving might of his right hand. Some trust in chariots & some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God. They collapse & fall, but we rise & stand upright. Psalm 20:6-8

how to access our livestream

You are probably a pro at livestream by now.

However, you can access our livestream service by going to the top of our church home page [link] or going to our YouTube channel [link].

May the Lord be with us tomorrow!

Helping Stranded Students

As we anticipate the Christmas season one of the things that comes to mind is great food shared around a table with family. That’s a great picture, and we sure are thankful good food and family.

However, many in our community won’t be celebrating Christmas with their families.

NOT GOING HOME

At Tennessee Wesleyan University, there are around 40 students that remain on campus because it’s just too far for them to make the trek home. And we want to serve them!

The TWU cafeterias are closed, and many of the students don’t have access to a kitchen.

On Monday, December 14th, we want to bless these students by providing a meal for them. This is a small way we can be family to them and share good food for one evening.

• Monday, December 14th–5pm

• Connect with Sandra for details–2(five)4-644-(eight)447

• Signup below to bring food or help serve (Please view this email in your browser for the form to function properly.)

Help! The band is teaching TWO new Christmas songs this week!

Help! The band is teaching TWO new Christmas songs this week!

Have no fear, we’re here to help you. And to rescue you from taking an unplanned solo—by singing out in the wrong place!

O COME, ALL YOU UNFAITHFUL

In our opening time of singing, the band is going to teach “O Come, All You Unfaithful.” Sing along to the video below.

+ Click Here to read the Lyrics

O come, all you unfaithful
Come, weak and unstable
Come, know you are not alone
O come, barren and waiting ones
Weary of praying, come
See what your God has done
Christ is born, Christ is born
Christ is born for you
O come, bitter and broken
Come with fears unspoken
Come, taste of His perfect love
O come, guilty and hiding ones
There is no need to run
See what your God has done
Christ is born, Christ is born
Christ is born for you
He's the Lamb who was given
Slain for our pardon
His promise is peace
For those who believe
He's the Lamb who was given
Slain for our pardon
His promise is peace
For those who believe
So come, though you have nothing
Come, He is the offering
Come, see what your God has done
Christ is born, Christ is born
Christ is born for you

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DO NOT FEAR

After the message, the band plans to introduce “Do Not Fear.” Listen & sing along to the video below. Both of these songs will be wonderful additions to our Christmas singing.

+ DO Not Fear Lyrics

Humble virgin, arise and take heart
You've been chosen to carry a son
Give no heed to the trembling inside
For the wonder has only begun
Do not fear, do not fear
The child you will hold is the Savior foretold drawing near
Do not fear
Lowly shepherds, look up and take heart
See the glory of heaven burn bright
Hear the anthem of joy and good news
Hope has dawned in a stable tonight
Do not fear, do not fear
The child in the hay is the Ancient of Days drawing near
Do not fear
Oh do not fear
Weary children, be still and take heart
Every longing you feel is a cry
For the rest He has offered to all
Come to Him, for His burden is light
Do not fear, do not fear
The God who redeems you and ever will keep you is near
Do not fear

"Open House" for the Finch Community Group!

This Sunday . . . we have a new Community Group starting with Ben & Joy Finch!

WHY COMMUNITY GROUP?

The New Testament includes over thirty “one another” commands. Love one another, show hospitality to one another, outdo one another in showing honor, pray for one another, & so on.

While gathering together to worship on Sunday mornings is a unique blessing, it is hard to accomplish all these “one another” commands at that time!

That’s where Community Groups come in. At Trinity Grace, they are the primary context for building friendships & serving one another.

IF YOU AREN’T yet COMMITTED to a group, CONSIDER ATTENDING THE FINCH COMMUNITY GROUP OPEN HOUSE!

This Sunday, if you aren’t committed somewhere already or looking for another time of the week, you should consider attending this Sunday’s “Open House” for the Finch Community Group!

• WHEN: Sunday, December 6 @ 12:30pm.

• WHERE: 1514 County Rd 700, Athens, TN.

• WHAT: a time to eat, gather, & get to know one another.

As with anything, feel free to contact us if you have any questions or want more information about Community Groups.

Ladies Christmas Party next Friday night!

TGC wants to invite you to our Ladies Christmas Party!

This shared time together over a meal has all the markings of a wonderful celebration:

• WHO: All ladies!

• WHEN: Friday, December 18th at 6pm

• WHERE: Joy Finch’s home (1514 County Rd 700, Athens, TN)

And…a RECIPE SWAP!

Dig out your grandmother’s best pumpkin pie recipe (or whatever she made best), & share with the other ladies!

Each community group is assigned a category to bring.

Bring a dish to share along with a copy of the recipe.

• Alexander—desserts

• Ball—plates, cutlery, napkins, cups and drinks

• Olsen—appetizers

• Pritchett—salty

Slow Down During Advent with this Booklet.

Trinity Grace families,

We join you in eager anticipation of the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ!

We would like to share this booklet (PDF below) as a way your family can learn, sing, & serve together for the season of Advent—which is just a fancy way of referring to looking forward to the arrival of Jesus.

It includes:

• Bible readings that go along with the lessons that the Learners Class will be taught each Sunday.

• Christmas Carols that we will likely sing together & songs you can access on the Sovereign Grace Music website from the album Prepare Him Room.

• Love-in-action ideas of ways your family can serve one another or your neighbors with the love of Christ during this season.

We hope you will enjoy spending time growing closer to Jesus together!

With JOY,

Lauren & Scott Trew

Help! I'm a sluggard!

Consider the ant.

Proverbs 15:23 says, To make an apt answer is a joy to a man, & a word in season, how good it is!

Yesterday’s message on the sluggard & the ant, on laziness & diligence, was a word in season for me & I would bet for many of you as well!

TAKE TIME TO APPLY THIS WORD.

The Scriptures teach that we do not change by hearing truth. We can listen & agree with what is preached. We can even rejoice in what is being preached & feel a sense of relief. But we not change by merely hearing truth.

We change by applying truth. James 1:22 says, Be doers of the word, & not hearers only, deceiving yourself.

So . . . How should you specifically apply yesterday’s message on laziness & diligence?

Ben asked some searching questions for application:

• Are there things you need to begin?

• Are there things you need to complete?

• Are there things you need to face?

• What areas of my life do I not care about that I know I should?

• How can I make my time count?

Sometimes we allow ourselves to delay obedience with excuses. At one point yesterday, Ben said: “Laziness is the perfect soil for excuses to grow.”

In fact, this pandemic is a “good” excuse. Has the pandemic “permitted” you to put off important decisions, neglect key priorities, or be noncommittal in relationships?

If so, that would be a great place to begin turning back to the Lord.

As you consider application, choose one way you want to respond in repentance & obedience to God’s Word in response.

TAKE TIME TO REVIEW THIS WORD.

If you are anything like me, you had a hard time taking down all the points & quotes from the message.

For your reference, we have included Ben’s outline below.

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Central Point: Beware of the sluggard & work with diligence as unto the Lord.

1. The Sluggard: His Character & His Activity

A. The lazy do not begin things.

"When asked how long or when... he doesn't know. Those types of questions are too definite for him. All he knows is his delicious drowsiness... a little respite... a little, a little, a little... he deceives himself by the smallness of his surrenders. So, by inches & minutes his opportunity slips away." Derek Kidner

B. The lazy do not finish things.

"Once he gets to work & bumps up against some difficulty or resistance, all motivation vanishes, and the sluggard retreats back into ease... this is someone who has a growing stack of half-read books on his desk, a host of home projects still awaiting completion, multiple promises to friends & family left unfulfilled, a collection of almost written articles in the queue, & a gym membership that hasn't been used since January 2018." -Derek Brown

C. The lazy do not face things.

"The sluggard's life is beset by constant trouble (Proverbs 15:19). Since he fails to complete his work in the allotted hours, he's in constant hurry to fulfill his responsibilities & is often annoyed at those around him for taking up all his time... he may not be able to keep a job for any length of time because of his inability to discipline his time, shun distraction, and hard work... paying bills and maintaining his vehicle will be neglected & cause unnecessary friction." Derek Brown

D. The lazy is left with nothing but craving.

"The wise man will learn while there is time. He knows that the sluggard is not freak, but, as often as not, an ordinary man who has made too many excuses, too many refusals & too many postponements. It has all been as imperceptible, & as pleasant, as falling asleep." Derek Kidner

2. The Diligent: His Initiative & His Future

A. The diligent works by his own initiative.

B. The diligent plans & works ahead of time.

"Foolishness only labors when the stomach growls. Wisdom labors because it knows the stomach will growl." -John Kitchen

C. The diligent prospers.

Application:

1. Rebel against Low Expectations

2. Plan with Diligence

A. Plan According to our Roles

B. Plan According to our Goals

"It's not enough to be diligent unless we are righteous; for though the curse is to the idle, the blessing is not to the active, but to the righteous... diligence in service to God... which wins the reward of God." - Charles Spurgeon

"An easy life isn't an option; an easy yoke is." -John Mark Comer

Benediction:

May the energizing Spirit of Christ compel us to sharpen our God-given skills so we might be useful to our King & to our fellow man, to courageously face & complete difficult tasks, & to avoid the unnecessary trouble of laziness. Amen.

How Not To Be A Fool concludes this week.

The book of Proverbs is one of those books of the Bible that gets right down to business. It doesn’t pull any punches. And it has been so good to give attention to major themes in the book the past several months.

THE SERIES SO FAR…

We have studied Proverbs in general by taking up a theme & seeking to unpack all that the book says about that these.

So far, we have studied the following themes. (If you missed one of the sermons, you can click the link below to listen.)

The Fear of the Lord—Proverbs 1:1-7

The Invitation—Proverbs 1:20-33

Pride & Humility—Proverbs 29:23

The Heart—Proverbs 4:20-27

The Friend—Proverbs 18:24

The Tongue—Proverbs 12:13-19

The Family—Proverbs 14:26

The (Truly) Beautiful—Proverbs 31:10-31

The Sluggard—Proverbs 6:6-11

Now THAT the series is almost OVER, why the graphic?

Several have asked, what’s up with the graphic?

Here’s the idea.

The book of Proverbs calls us walk in wisdom & in the fear of the Lord. Finding this wisdom begins with looking into the mirror of God’s Word & the mirror on the wall to see how our life lines up. If we can hear & listen, we will see.

Then, all that we see in the mirror of God’s Word—by listening to & seeking wisdom—unfolds the path to life for us. It puts us in the way of wisdom. It puts us on the railroad tracks of wisdom.

Proverbs 3:5-6 puts it vividly: Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.

So, that’s the idea behind the graphic. The balloon is just a bonus!

CONCLUDING WITH OUR VERY OWN BEN FINCH!

This Sunday, we will conclude our series by studying the sluggard with the help of our very own Ben Finch!

We can’t wait.

Pray for Ben as finalizes preparation, especially doing so in his free time. And read Proverbs 6:6-11 in preparation!

Songs to Sing at Christmas!

Believe it or not, Christmas is just around the corner!

Even though 2020 has been a long year, it will not be like Narnia, where it is always winter but never Christmas. In fact, it may be the perfect year to celebrate the wonder of how God came to save us from our sins.

heaven has cOme!

Christmas is a time for singing & rejoicing!

Our friends at Sovereign Grace Music have released a brand new Christmas album entitled, Heaven Has Come. Take a moment & save it on Spotify or Apple Music or YouTube to listen. (Obviously, only to begin listening after Thanksgiving next week!)

These songs will prepare your heart to rejoice in Christ this Christmas!

We plan to sing several of the songs from the album during the Advent season.

The first song, “O Come, All You Unfaithful,” wonderfully captures the invitation Christmas gives to all of us—regardless of how unfaithful, sinful, weak, & broken we are.

Below is a video:

OTHER CHRISTMAS ALBUMS.

Here are some other great Christmas albums that we also recommend:

Fire & Fellowship

Yesterday Elizabeth & Jonathan Hill had a short “skit” during the service.

Some quick, on-the-spot planning for a fire party for the youth this weekend! How about that?

IS THERE A BETTER TIME FOR A BONFIRE THAN NOW?

We are taking this fire party to the lake. The Hill’s lake house to be exact (299 Culvahouse Lane, 37880). Here are some important details:

• WHO: Only the coolest among us—middle & high schoolers with their parents (excluding Tim Wilson).

• WHEN: Saturday, November 21 @ 4pm.

• WHERE: 299 Culvahouse Lane, Ten Mile, TN 37880

• WHAT: We will supply the fire, hot dogs, & smores, but bring your own lawn chair.

Google can be a little bit wonky getting out to the Hills’ lake house, so below are some old-school directions:

• Follow Ingleside Ave out of town & continue on TN-305N for 12.7 miles

• Turn Left onto TN-68N & follow for 4.6 miles

• Turn Right onto TN-304N & follow for 6.4 miles

• Turn Left onto Culvahouse Lane

• Bear Right after a few hundred yards & the house is about .5 miles on your Left

Brinner Time Again!

High-schoolers, mark your calendars for Brinner this Sunday night, November 15!

Here’s a few details:

• WHEN: Sunday, November 15 at 6:00pm

• WHERE: The Wilson’s home

• WHY: Because . . . Mr. Tim’s pancakes!

• WHAT ELSE: Read Chapters 5-6 of Confronting Christianity

Sunday Morning this Week & Each Week Through the Winter.

One friend told me this week, “2020 was been a perfect storm.”

A global pandemic, social unrest, political upheaval, to name a few. . . . Indeed, it has been a perfect storm!

This week has seen a rise in Coronavirus cases in our area & in our church community.

LAST SUNDAY’S SERVICE

Since last Sunday, two men in our church have tested positive for Coronavirus. One attended the last Sunday’s service, one did not. Both families have been tested & no other family members have tested positive.

This morning, I spoke with the McMinn County Health Department to get counsel about any steps we should take as a church.

Because the individual who attended last Sunday’s service did not begin to experience symptoms until Tuesday evening, the Health Department did not encourage us to cancel this Sunday’s in-person service or take any other steps.

THIS SUNDAY’S SERVICE

Therefore, we will continue with our plans to gather to worship God at the Athens Movie Palace this Sunday morning!

Nevertheless, this scenario is a good reminder for us to continue taking steps to keep one another healthy—as you have done well throughout this season.

We will continue to take precautionary steps of cleaning ahead of time & communicate with you about any concerns along the way.

We also ask you to:

• Stay home if you (or your children) are feeling sick.

• Contact us if you become sick during the service or test positive for Coronavirus after the service. We would like an opportunity to care for you & to follow up with the congregation. You can email us (contact@trinitygraceathens.com) or contact Gil Balch directly.

• Consider wearing a face covering while indoors, especially if you are considered “vulnerable” to be adversely affected by Coronavirus.

We want to continue gathering in person through the rest of fall & winter & we believe these steps will help us do so.

May God be with us!