Church Family,

This past Sunday, as we continued our series in Acts, we looked at yet another step in the extended legal drama that is Paul’s journey to Rome. This particular step in the process brought the contrast between Paul and his accusers into focus. His accusers, not believing in the resurrection of Christ, lacked assurance of God’s coming justice and so sought to satisfy their own sense of justice by whatever means they deemed necessary. This led them to use deception and flattery to try to get their way in the court of the governor Felix. Paul, on the other hand, had total confidence in the resurrection of Christ and, by extension, the perfect justice God would bring to bear in the coming resurrection of all people. Satisfied in God’s justice, Paul felt no need to manipulate his own justice into existence. He spoke plainly and truthfully about the charges brought against him and did not give in to regular opportunities to bribe his way out of imprisonment. Church, let us consider this week if we have the same heart as Paul in this regard, or if like his accusers we are inclined to play sneaky games to satisfy our own (often misguided) sense of justice. Whether it be filing our taxes, posting political messages to social media, or anything else we do, do our actions display our confidence in the justice of our God?

Prospective Members Class

We are having a prospective members class on the afternoon of Saturday, May 3rd from 1:00 to 4:00. Attending this class is not any sort of a commitment, it is just an opportunity to learn the core convictions of Light in the Desert Church, including a particular belief in the biblical model of church membership. If you are interested in participating in this class and learning more about LitD, please sign up in the foyer.

Easter Schedule

The upcoming Easter weekend brings a few small changes to our usual schedule. On Good Friday we will have an evening service at 6:00. On Easter Sunday we will have our 10:15 morning service as usual, but rather than being preceded by our usual Sunday Studies, we will have a fellowship hour starting at 9:00.

Grace be with you,

Logan Murphy

Pastoral Intern

Church Family,

This past Sunday, as we continued our series in Acts, we read through yet another of what will prove to be a long string of legal proceedings for Paul. While this passage speaks to many ideas, including the danger of hypocrisy and the importance of having well-defined beliefs, the weight of the passage seems to lie in one powerful statement from God. Take courage, for as you have testified to the facts about me in Jerusalem, so you must testify also in Rome.” Church, how could we read this and not take courage ourselves? God is clear that he will see to his purposes without fail. That doesn’t always mean Paul will be comfortable, nor does it mean that we will always be comfortable. But it does mean that our obedience to God will not, and indeed cannot, ever be in vain.

Easter Schedule

Easter is just around the corner, and with it comes a few small changes to our usual schedule. On Good Friday we will have an evening service at 6:00. On Easter Sunday we will have our 10:15 morning service as usual, but rather than being preceded by our usual Sunday Studies, we will have a fellowship hour starting at 9:00. If you want a helpful reminder to keep on your fridge or, even better, an easy way to invite someone to join us feel free to grab a card with our Easter schedule from the foyer.

Grace be with you,

Logan Murphy

Pastoral Intern

Church Family,

This past Sunday, as we continued our series in Acts, we read of Paul’s journey to and arrival in Jerusalem. The time leading up to his arrival was ominous to say the least. Not only had countless brothers and sisters discouraged Paul from continuing to Jerusalem, a prophet came before Paul with his hands and feet bound saying that Paul likewise would be bound by the Jews in Jerusalem. Paul, however, was not discouraged by all this, though not because he thought the foretold suffering was untrue or even exaggerated. In fact, Paul himself had told the Ephesians that the only thing he knew for sure about going to Jerusalem was that he was going to suffer. Yet he pressed onward in obedience, led by the Holy Spirit. His concern was not first for his comfort or even his safety, but rather for the name of Jesus and the spread of the Gospel. Church, let us be encouraged by Paul’s example to freely let go of our own comfort for the sake of serving God, however he may call us to do so.

Church Game Night

We will be having another church game night next Friday, April 4th. If you have not joined us for a game night before I genuinely cannot recommend it enough. These events are not simply enjoyable, they are downright joyful as we spend this time enjoying the good gift God has given us in our church family. Feel free to bring your own games and to invite friends. We hope to see you there.

Easter Schedule

Easter is just around the corner, and with it comes a few small changes to our usual schedule. On Good Friday we will have an evening service at 6:00. On Easter Sunday we will have our 10:15 morning service as usual, but rather than being preceded by our usual Sunday Studies, we will have a fellowship hour starting at 9:00.

Grace be with you,

Logan Murphy

Pastoral Intern

Church Family,

This past Sunday, as we continued our series in Acts, we examined Paul’s speech to the elders of the church in Ephesus. Much of what Paul had to say was dire and difficult. Paul’s ongoing work would involve imprisonment and affliction. He would not return to see the church in Ephesus again. After he left, the Ephesians would face an onslaught of false teachers seeking to destroy true belief. Yet the greater tone of Paul’s speech was joyful confidence, for he had seen the faithfulness of the Ephesians in their care for him and his traveling companions. What’s more, he knew that in the midst of the coming difficulty the Word of God would lead the Ephesians to grow all the more in their faithfulness. Church, this is the very Word we have today. Let us join with our brothers and sisters of that ancient church of Ephesus in taking up that Word with joyful confidence that it would grow us in our faithfulness in the face of every trial.

Members’ Meeting

We will have our quarterly members’ meeting at 2:00 p.m. this upcoming Sunday, March 23. These meetings are an important part of church membership. They are an opportunity to stay informed on what is happening in the church, to pray for the church, and even to welcome new members into the church, so be sure to set aside time that afternoon to be part of that meeting. Also, consider using that window between the end of service and the start of the meeting to have lunch with a fellow church member, or even several fellow church members. Even if it is just a matter of grabbing leftovers from home and meeting at a park, the time we get to spend in each other’s lives is invaluable and we should be eager to jump on the opportunities that arise.

Grace be with you,

Logan Murphy

Pastoral Intern

Church Family,

This past Sunday, as we continued our series in Acts, we tackled the first half of Acts 19. While there are several matters of note in these twenty verses, I want to take a second here to reflect on the last three verses we covered. Here we encounter the response of early believers to their newfound faith. There was an outpouring of confession and repentance, such repentance that led the new believers to burn the objects of their idolatry (50,000 silver pieces worth of sorcery books in this case) so that such items would no longer hold sway over their lives. Church, it is worth considering whether or not we have burned the idols that have influence in our lives. They may not be literal idols (and may not need literal burning by extension) but we all have influences from our unbelief that must not be allowed to control our lives as believers. It may be an idol of social influence, greater income, leisure, or any number of other things. Whatever it is, if it draws us away from God rather than closer to Him, it is an idol and deserves only to be burned.

Members’ Meeting

We will have our quarterly members’ meeting at 2:00 p.m. on Sunday, March 23. These meetings are an important part of church membership. They are an opportunity to stay informed on what is happening in the church, to pray for the church, and even to welcome new members into the church, so be sure to set aside time that afternoon to be part of that meeting. Also, consider using that window between the end of service and the start of the meeting to have lunch with a fellow church member, or even several fellow church members. Even if it is just a matter of grabbing leftovers from home and meeting at a park, the time we get to spend in each other’s lives is invaluable and we should be eager to jump on the opportunities that arise.

New Sunday Studies

This past Sunday we began a new series on the Holy Spirit in our 9:00 a.m. Sunday Studies class. If you have not joined us for Sunday Studies before, it is a class where we pick a topic and work our way through it over several weeks in a way that centers around a lot of group discussion. Topics can include somewhat abstract theological concepts, like this upcoming series on the Holy Spirit, as well as highly practical concepts like the series we just finished on evangelism. Even if you aren’t able to be there every week, these classes are easy to jump into at any time so we highly encourage you to join us at 9:00 any Sunday morning you are able.

Grace be with you,

Logan Murphy

Pastoral Intern

Church Family,

This past Sunday, as we continued our series in Acts, we encountered a moment in the early church that was notably lacking our usual main characters. The story centered around a man named Apollos who was especially capable and eager to demonstrate that Jesus is the very messiah described in the Old Testament. His efforts were bolstered by Priscilla and Aquila who were able to identify shortcomings in Apollos’ teaching and provide him helpful correction, which he humbly received. What’s more, Priscilla and Aquila encouraged Apollos to continue on to minister in another city and wrote ahead so that the church would receive him gladly when he arrived. Church, these are the regular efforts of regular Christians engaging in evangelism, discipleship, and care. These are God’s people seeing to the responsibilities God has given us. Let us never believe that we have no role to play in God’s plan because we consider ourselves insignificant or ill-equipped. Rather, let us equip and encourage one another through faithful application of Scripture, and stir one another up to the good works to which God has called each and every one of us.

New Sunday Studies

This upcoming Sunday we will begin a new series on the Holy Spirit in our 9:00 a.m. Sunday Studies class. If you have not joined us for Sunday Studies before, it is a class where we pick a topic and work our way through it over several weeks in a way that centers around a lot of group discussion. Topics can include somewhat abstract theological concepts, like this upcoming series on the Holy Spirit, as well as highly practical concepts like the series we just finished on evangelism. Even if you aren’t able to be there every week, these classes are easy to jump into at any time so we highly encourage you to join us at 9:00 any Sunday morning you are able.

Parenting Conference

Just a reminder that the parenting conference we have been promoting is coming up soon and the end of early bird pricing is coming up even sooner. As I am writing this there are two more days to register at a discounted price. If you are interested in attending this conference and would like more information click the link here, and please let Brooke Murphy know if you are planning to attend so we can make sure to save seats for everyone and potential organize some carpool options.

Grace be with you,

Logan Murphy

Pastoral Intern

Church Family,

This past Sunday, as we continued our series in Acts, we examined Paul’s rather extensive stay in Corinth. While the year-and-a-half he spent there seems to have been riddled with rejection by the locals the whole time, the conflict escalated greatly as a proconsul named Gallio came to power. Many of the Jews of Corinth dragged Paul before Gallio and accused Paul of promoting forms of worship that were contrary to the law. However, Gallio seems to have seen through the claims that were made and recognized that this was not an issue of Roman law but rather of Jewish custom. The conflict comes down to right understanding of the Old Testament, which Gallio rightly recognizes is well outside his own or any other government authority. The responsibility for matters of the faith, brothers and sisters, falls entirely on us. As those who have heard and received the Gospel, it is our responsibility alone to ensure that the good news goes out to all people. Let us bear that responsibility well.

Parenting Conference

With the Phoenix area being such a major population center, we get a lot of great conferences near by and we like to highlight some that may be especially worth your attention. This April, The Gospel Coalition’s Arizona chapter will be hosting a parenting conference at Trinity Bible Church in Phoenix. This conference aims to give parents a biblical approach to cutting through competing world-views and distractions to effectively reach the hearts of their children. If you are interested in attending this conference and would like more information click the link here. There is a discounted early bird rate for the conference but only until February 28th, so sign up soon if you plan on attending.

Grace be with you,

Logan Murphy

Pastoral Intern

Church Family,

This past Sunday, as we continued our series in Acts, we came to Paul’s famous apologetic speech before the Areopagus in Acts 17. While this passage surely has much to teach us about engaging with a culture that, much like the Athenians of Paul’s day, thinks it can reason its way through the most essential questions of life, it seems worth spending just a short while in this blog considering how we ourselves ought to be convicted by Paul’s words. How often do we get caught up in worldly wisdom and neglect the teachings of Scripture? How often do we try to shape God into something convenient for our sinful priorities or even just something we find easy to understand, rather than seeing Him as He has revealed Himself to us in His Word? How often do we lose ourselves in the pursuit of pleasure, forgetting the clear command to seek God? God has made himself known to us so we have no excuse to do anything besides pursue Him wholeheartedly.

Parenting Conference

With the Phoenix area being such a major population center, we get a lot of great conferences near by and we like to highlight some that may be especially worth your attention. This April, The Gospel Coalition’s Arizona chapter will be hosting a parenting conference at Trinity Bible Church in Phoenix. This conference aims to give parents a biblical approach to cutting through competing world-views and distractions to effectively reach the hearts of their children. If you are interested in attending this conference and would like more information click the link here. There is a discounted early bird rate for the conference but only until February 28th, so sign up soon if you plan on attending.

Grace be with you,

Logan Murphy

Pastoral Intern

Church Family,

This past Sunday, as we continued our series in Acts, we witnessed the missionary efforts of Paul and Silas in two cities – Thessalonica and Berea. While Paul and Silas shared the Gospel by the same means in both cities, namely reasoning, explaining, and proving from Scripture, their reception in the two cities could not have been more different. They were ran out of Thessalonica and one of their associates was arrested, but the Bereans received them, and more importantly their teaching, with all eagerness. The difference was the willingness of the Bereans to submit themselves to the authority of Scripture. They did not respond out of a jealous impulse as the Thessalonians had but spent days pouring over Scripture to verify what Paul and Silas were teaching them. Church, let us never be so arrogant to think that our human impulses are always correct. The simple reality is that our judgement is often clouded by misconceptions and prejudices, but God’s word is sure and true and we will always be much better served by leaning on it for understanding.

Parenting Conference

With the Phoenix area being such a major population center, we get a lot of great conferences near by and we like to highlight some that may be especially worth your attention. This April, The Gospel Coalition’s Arizona chapter will be hosting a parenting conference at Trinity Bible Church in Phoenix. This conference aims to give parents a biblical approach to cutting through competing world-views and distractions to effectively reach the hearts of their children. If you are interested in attending this conference and would like more information click the link here.

Grace be with you,

Logan Murphy

Pastoral Intern

Church Family,

This past Sunday, as we continued in Acts, we walked through three little vignettes regarding the mission work of Paul and Silas. As we reflect on these passages I want to take a second to draw attention to an interesting detail in the story of Paul and Silas’s imprisonment. The earthquake is reported to have opened all the doors of the prison such that any prisoner could have escaped. But when Paul and Silas cried out to the jailer it was not merely to report that the two of them had remained, or even that some number of the prisoners had remained; Paul’s report to the jailer was that “we are all here” (Acts 16:28). This surprising detail may well be explained back in verse 25 where we are told that as Paul and Silas are praying and singing hymns, the other prisoners are listening to them. The transformative work of the Holy Spirit bringing the Gospel to bear on our lives is so powerful that it not only shows up as a clear focus in the stories of Acts 16, it saturates the little background details. Church, this is the very Spirit that is doing a good work in us and will see that work to its completion. May we be encouraged and respond in resounding praise.

Church Game Night

We are having a church game night on the evening of Friday, January 31st, from 6:00 to 8:00. Feel free to bring your favorite board games or just show up to play everyone else brings. We have done a few of these game nights now and they are always a fantastic time. Thanks to these game nights, I have personally had the opportunity to throw a plush burrito at Pastor Bryan, and I think that’s an opportunity that everyone at Light in the Desert ought to have. Even if you don’t normally think of yourself as a board game kind of person, you may be surprised to learn a new game you really like and at the very least it’s an invaluable opportunity to spend time together as a church family.

Grace be with you,

Logan Murphy

Pastoral Intern