New to PCC? OR maybe you just want to connect?
Text “CONNECT” to: 650-332-4438 to access more information

Damascus Steel

God's love rescues, and it gives hope in the waiting.

Read, and notice what is repeated

Psalm 119: 81-96
81 My soul faints with longing for your salvation,
but I have put my hope in your word.
82 My eyes fail, looking for your promise;
I say, “When will you comfort me?”
83 Though I am like a wineskin in the smoke,
I do not forget your decrees.
84 How long must your servant wait?
When will you punish my persecutors?
85 The arrogant dig pits to trap me,
contrary to your law.
86 All your commands are trustworthy;
help me, for I am being persecuted without cause.
87 They almost wiped me from the earth,
but I have not forsaken your precepts.
88 In your unfailing love preserve my life,
that I may obey the statutes of your mouth.
89 Your word, Lord, is eternal;
it stands firm in the heavens.
90 Your faithfulness continues through all generations;
you established the earth, and it endures.
91 Your laws endure to this day,
for all things serve you.
92 If your law had not been my delight,
I would have perished in my affliction.
93 I will never forget your precepts,
for by them you have preserved my life.
94 Save me, for I am yours;
I have sought out your precepts.
95 The wicked are waiting to destroy me,
but I will ponder your statutes.
96 To all perfection I see a limit,
but your commands are boundless.

Response

"I like to point out that when the Israelites came into the promised land, the first city they took on, the walls fell down. Do you remember how many more cities the wall fell down? None. It's the development of human beings in goodness that this life is about." --Dallas Willard

"In a world torn by rage and anxiety, one of the greatest gifts followers of Jesus are called to offer is simple, non-anxious presence. Not a presence removed from this reality, but a presence that refuses to be shaped by it." --Rich Villodas

Romans 5:2-4 ...we boast in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.

PCC Benediction
May you jump into the arms of Jesus.
And may He push you out into the world.
May you be healed as you participate in the healing of others.
Not because you must, but because you may.
This is why we were born!

Beyond Sunday
There may not be a better tribute to the Holy Scriptures than the one that is provided in Psalm 119. Every verse in Psalm 119 exalts the Word of God and the God of the Word. During this 10-week summer series, Finding The Way, we get back to the basics of allowing Scripture to help us grow in gratitude, awe, and dependence on God and His Word. In doing so, we believe it will guide us in the best way we should go in whatever comes our way. This week in Psalm 119:81-96, we focus on how to find the way by trusting in God, our living hope.

1. Read Psalm 119:81-96. What words or phrases are repeated or stand out to you?

2. Read vs 81-84 again. What emotions is the psalmist feeling and why? Which of these emotions are you wrestling with or have you wrestled with in the past?

3. The psalmist uses figurative language to compare himself to a “wineskin in the smoke” in verse 83. Why do you think he chooses this simile to describe himself?

4. Dallas Willard points out that the first city the Israelites came up against, Jericho, the walls miraculously fell down. The Israelites had to face many more cities where they didn’t experience the same miracle but instead had to fight it out. What does this tell us about God? What can we apply to our own experience as we face difficulty?

5. The psalmist points to his dependence on God’s precepts (His law or His word) for carrying him through trials? In what ways can we depend on God’s word to carry us through challenges and not lose hope?

6. Reflect: Write a prayer to God based on this line…I will never forget your precepts, for by them you have preserved my life.
------------------------------------------
Resource: (see link below)
RightNow Media : Psalm 119 - Matt Chandler Video/Study Question

For PCC's budgeted giving year
(June 1, 2022 through May 31, 2023)

Giving Update (as of 7/19/22)
Budgeted Giving: $3,000,000
Giving to Date: $ 341,548
Shortfall: $2,658,452