The Laurelbrook Seventh-day Adventist Church service on September 22, 2018 began with Rodney Herra welcoming everyone and making a few announcements. There will be a church board meeting this coming Wednesday night after prayer meeting. Leilani (junior) played a few hymns while awaiting the arrival of the pianist who was to play for the service.
Samantha (junior) played an introit. The congregation had a silent invocation and then sang “We Gather Together”. Rodney Herra had the main prayer; the congregation responded with “Hear Our Prayer, O Lord”.
Itzel (senior) then called for the offering. Jesse (junior) and Pedro Arce then collected the morning offerings; the loose offering went to the world budget. Lisha Westcott played a clarinet solo during the offering collection, accompanied by her husband on the piano. The congregation sang the doxology, and Maria (junior) prayed in Spanish, Itzel translating, for the offering.
Jissel (senior) told the children a story. Ashley (senior) then read Revelation 1:3 “Blessed [is] he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time [is] at hand.” Samantha (junior) then sang a vocal solo, accompanied on the piano by Jeremy Westcott.
Pastor Richar discussed the topic “A Powerful Generation” and had a call to serve Jesus at the end. The congregation sang “Oh When Shall I See Jesus?” Pastor Richar had the closing prayer.
Personnel Other Than Students:
Jeremy Westcott – one of the academy English teachers
Lisha Westcott – Laurelbrook Elementary School teacher / wife of Jeremy Westcott
Pastor Richar (Richar Perez) – academy boys’ dean / campus chaplain
Pedro Arce – heads up Laurelbrook’s music program
Rodney Herra – local head church elder
Following are some notes on the sermon by Pastor Richar:
- “Powerful” deals with position, money, the things money will buy.
- In the Bible, “powerful” means humility and caring and a connection with the Lord.
- Psalm 24:3-6 “3 ¶ Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? or who shall stand in his holy place? 4 He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully. 5 He shall receive the blessing from the LORD, and righteousness from the God of his salvation. 6 This [is] the generation of them that seek him, that seek thy face, O Jacob. Selah.”
- Clean hands and a pure heart are what is required for God’s powerful generation.
- Only 20% of Americans are happy due to school debts, nice cars, etc. Most people live to pay, pay, pay.
- Happiness is about Jesus. Humans were created to worship God.
- Even people in a crowd can be alone and miserable.
- With Jesus, whatever we have will make us happy.
- Jesus loves, forgives, and changes us.
- Revelation 1:3 “Blessed [is] he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time [is] at hand.”
- Blessed are those who reads, hears, and keeps what God says. This brings happiness and fulfilment of our goals like a soccer team making its goals. You are following in love with Jesus.
- Proverbs 3:1-4 “1 ¶ My son, forget not my law; but let thine heart keep my commandments: 2 For length of days, and long life, and peace, shall they add to thee. 3 Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart: 4 So shalt thou find favour and good understanding in the sight of God and man.”
- The Lord will provide everything we need.
- Psalm 1 “1 ¶ Blessed [is] the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. 2 But his delight [is] in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. 3 And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper. 4 ¶ The ungodly [are] not so: but [are] like the chaff which the wind driveth away. 5 Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous. 6 For the LORD knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish.”
- God’s people ask advice of people who love the Lord, not advice of those who are against God.
- Today’s comedies make fun of God and His way – this is not the thing to watch for the person who wants to follow God.
- If you are faithful to the Lord, God will provide all you need and shield you from the great deception coming on the world.
- Revelation 22:7 “Behold, I come quickly: blessed [is] he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book.”
- If you read, hear, and keep in your mind what God is giving you, you will be blessed. God has a plan for each person’s life.