Ephesians 1:7

  “I will sing a NEW song.” I got this forever inked on my forearm a while back, and those that have seen it might think it is a nod to lyrics from my favorite band, U2. To an extent it is, I did exhaustively search through handwritten lyrics to have that line scribbled there in Bono font. The lyrics to U2’s song go: “I waited patiently for the Lord, He inclined and heard my cry, He brought me up out of the pit, out of the mire and clay, I will sing, sing a new song.” While those are great lyrics, to a great song, by a great band, they are really the words written by King David in Psalm 40. Last summer, our church was planning a series entitled, “A Summer of Psalms.” I was asked if I might give one of the messages in that series, and I was excited to oblige. Of course I would speak on Psalm 40, how could I not?  As I prepared to give that message, I could never have fathomed how important and deeply meaningful to me that Psalm 40 would become. A year ago, on July 4, 2023, a ...

Watch here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T7XCNYJ0JjQ  This is God’s word from Matthew 9:35-37:   35And Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction. 36When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. 37Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; 38therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.” Matthew 9:27-38   I am really excited about this Let’s Go series, and I like how Pastor David made the emphasis on “US” going, because I definitely need that community aspect of things that he highlighted.  I’ve got a little secret (those that really know me would probably say it’s more of an open secret), but most times, I’m more of a “let’s go, but first let me procrastinate a bit, an...

The following is the transcript of a message I have on Ezra back on July 31, 2022: Good morning Church! This is going to be interesting…How is this going to go? There’s probably more than a few you of you going…“Oh boy, where did they get this guy? It’s okay, I get it. I’m there with you. For those that don’t know me, I am Dan Benjamin, I have been covenant partner here at MVC for 12 years or so, and I am currently serving as an elder. As you might know… a few weeks this summer where we needed some guest speakers, and I thought. Hmm, I kind of have always wanted to do a sermon at least once in my life, so I figured, if there is ever going to be a time to give it a go, this is the time. Gave Pastor David the heads up that I would preach this week, and he said, “GREAT, so we will be in a series on Ezra and Nehemiah.” I hadn’t done much study in Ezra or Nehemiah, so I said “cool, so, do I have to stick with the series, or could I do a one-off on another topic?”   David -...