We can be assured that God is using COVID in amazing ways.  One of the blessings is that great educational resources are being made available for FREE!  Check out these two gems that are at your fingertips...

1.  Ligonier Connect:  Ligonier ministries (i.e. RC Sproul & friends) is making a huge number of great video/audio resources available for free.  Their Ligonier Connect site is chock full of good stuff.  You can sign up to have an account to access these resources on your own or with a group (virtual if needed).

2.  Answers in Genesis:  AiG has a new virtual Sunday School resource.  It is being made available for free through the end of June.  It covers apologetics, bible books, and many more engaging lessons for kids and adults.

Are you interested in a group study? 
We can organize a virtual class with video conferencing if a few people are interested.  So let us know if you'd like to delve into the Word and connect with some other believers.

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Bring no more vain offerings.
Isaiah 1:13 (ESV)

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Two weeks ago I wrote about the 5 Awesome Excuses for Skipping Church.  I want to double back and touch on the topic of worship again.  This time I'd like us to look at it from the other side.

Just because you are in the pews on Sunday mornings doesn't necessarily mean that everything is peachy with the Lord.  You can sing with the greatest zeal and still not have the Lord's priorities in mind.

So consider these questions.  Evaluate your presence in worship in light of them.

1.  Is God really your priority?  Malachi laid into the Israelites of his day, despite their regular attendance in worship.  God was angry with them despite their pristine record.

The problem was that they were not offering their first and best.  The sacrifices they brought were sketchy, consisting of lambs that were blind, lame, and diseased.

It wasn't the sacrifice per se.  Something was wrong with their hearts.  They were holding back on God.  They essentially said He didn't deserve their best and their highest esteem.  Sure, they will worship (and do so with ardor), but not in a costly way or a way that reflects that He was their highest enjoyment.  

The Lord should never be given the leftovers.  When we come to worship, we must give Him the first and the best.  We must give from the heart and internally witness to the fact that He is the first and best.

2.  Are you worshipping God with your life or just your lips?  Amos gave the Israelites a royal ripping too.  His beef, however, was that their worship was so incredibly inconsistent with the rest of their lives. 

These Israelites offered the purest worship; every jot and tittle of the law was followed.  But their worship was a cover for the gross sins they were committing (negligence, oppression, and injustice). They may have been better off skipping church because God hated and despised their assemblies.

This tells us that what we do on Sunday must equalize with the rest of the week.  The bully and the bossy shouldn't waste their breath if they are not repentant.  One who steals and then gives an offering makes God's nostrils crinkle in anger.  The inconsistency of justice and worship is offensive to God.   

3.  Are you putting a priority on restoring relationships?  In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus tells people, of all things, not to go to worship.  Really, he told them to drop everything and high tail it out of the service.  If there was a broken relationship and they had not sought to rectify it, that was to take priority. (Matt. 5:24).

We might rank worship higher than relationships, but God does not.  Sometimes the most pleasing offering is an attempt at reconciliation.  When someone is estranged from us we must seek them out.  Otherwise our worship is profane. 

Granted, the other party may not want to reconcile, but that really doesn't negate our duty.  Jesus would like us to at least give reconciliation the old college try (preferably before Sunday comes rolling around).  That's because relationships are a priority to Him.

4.  Is worship your gateway to heaven?  No amount of good works will ever outweigh our bad or make God happy with us.  So, if you're depending on your presence in worship to get you merit with God, think again.  

The only thing that can make us right with God is the blood of Christ. Worship is a response to God's grace; not a means to it.  It flows out of our gratitude for His saving us and giving us eternal life.

5.  Are you rating the service?  Worship is not a performance.  It is a meeting with God and His people.  So if you are in the habit of evaluating the music team or the preacher, you've got the wrong attitude.

Sure, the message might not be quite up to snuff on occasion.  Other dynamics might not meet your preference level.  Nevertheless, God is there in the midst.  It's a 5 star service every time because He comes in power and, miraculously, does not strike us dead. 

​Contribute Special Music - Got a song you want to sing or an instrumental that you'd like to perform?  We are happy to schedule you for our communion time or other special.

Join the Worship Team - If you're a guy who likes to sing or are talented with an instrument, we always appreciate the contributions of our musicians. 

Join the Set up Crew - Would you like to make a "behind the scenes" commitment? Once a month you can be in charge of setting up for worship.  We'll be sure to show you the ropes on the equipment and make sure you are confident.

Take Photos -  If you have a knack for snapping pictures, feel free.  We love compiling material for our yearly slideshows, putting them out on our social media, and capturing our milestones & memories.  

Kiddo Care - We love it when moms and dads have a break and can enjoy a little more fellowship after worship.  Volunteer to play with or keep eyes on a little one so the parents can spend a few moments chatting with others.

Bible Bee Squad - Contribute a helping hand with the Bible Bee gatherings, preparations, and organization.  There's so many kids involved there's sure to be a place where you can fill in.

Do Something New - Don't see your niche listed?  Let us know what you'd like to do.  We'll happily consider supporting your service.

Notice on Worship Protocol
The governor of Kentucky has issued a request that churches not meet on Sunday as part of the state's COVID19 precautions.  It wouldn't surprise if other states soon follow suit.  Should Ohio's officials issue such a decree, please know that it will not affect Hopewell's regular Sunday morning meetings.

While we do encourage everyone to take the necessary precautions for their health and welfare, our doors will remain open for those who are inclined to attend.  In sum, unless the situation rises to a critical level, we will follow our normal "inclimate weather" policy: Come if you are able.

Should other churches refrain from meeting, we by no means resent their decision.  Many factors may go into their choosing to do so.  This is merely our way of seeking to balance the command to honor the Lord's Day and be faithful in our communion with one another. 

If you are showing symptoms, we do ask that you remain home.  We have appreciated the discretion our family members have always shown in this regard.

If you do see the need to remain at home, we would appreciate your letting us know.  It's always good to have a heads up, especially so that we can be in prayer for you.  Also, we have life streamed the services in the past.  This is an option we are certainly able to implement if we have enough advance notice.

I'm not a doctor; nor do I play one on TV.  But as a pastor and amatuer theologin, I want to bring some Scriptural guidance to the current germ infested world.

I give you six thoughts on dealing with plagues and pandemics in our day:

1.  Wash your hands.  Doesn't sound very spiritual does it?  The truth is, the single best way to prevent sickness and disease was discovered 200 years ago.  Using soap and water with a good lather helps prevent the spread of disease by over 50%. 

Being that is so, the Christian's responsibility of love for neighbor and self can be as simple as taking about 20 seconds at the kitchen sink.

2.  Don't live in fear.  If I can rephrase the words of Jesus:  Do not fear the germs that can kill the body, fear Him who can destroy the body and afterwards throw the soul in hell. 

God's word teaches us to fear the living God, not the bacteria that He creates.  With that attitude, we live boldly in a world filled with killer pathogens.  Christians are light in a germaphobe infested world.

That being the case, if God calls you to be sick or die of a plague, so let it be.  Glorify God in it; be bold and suffer well. 

But don't cower in corners and refuse to live a normal, God honoring life in community because you may possibly, by chance, come in contact with a random microbiome which may or may not infect your system.

3.  Don't Believe the Hype:  The news media may be considered a plague in and of itself (This is why I steer clear of them and wash my hands of them for the most part). 

Most news outlets love the sensational and the hype it can cause.  For that reason, it's hardly ever clear what on their broadcasts is true.  Exaggeration, bias, and the desire to get you to buy something from their sponsors often makes them less than a healthy source of information.

From what limited research I've done (and what limited information is available), the coronavirus is not anywhere as bad as the news has hyped it to be.  A little googling and you'll see that the Corona is not that much different than the common flu.  It may be slightly more contagious, but its symptoms and death rates are essentially equal.

So don't be quick to believe the latest headline promulgating the end of the world.  Let God be true and every man a liar.

Above all, remember what Spurgeon said:
 
"Faith by cheering the heart keeps it free from the fear which, in times of pestilence, kills more than the plague itself." 


4.  God Protects the Righteous:  God is sovereign over every single microorganism on the planet.  What's more, His sovereignty is always kindly expressed towards His people.  And ordinarily, God protects His people from plague and consumption.

That's what Psalm 91 teaches when it says, "For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the deadly pestilence." 

Of course, the Psalmist isn't teaching that God's people will never get sick or diseased or die.  He's expressing the normal way God operates in this world:  The Lord usually protects His people and the righteous will, by and large, be spared from the deadly woes.

It is noteworthy that those most highly affected by infectious disease are, ordinarily, those who are not living for God.  To put it in the words of one commentator, those who tend to be victims of contagious diseases are the intemperate, the sensual, the debased, and foolish (...possibly the ones most unwilling to wash their hands?). 

In sum, the wicked essentially bring God's destruction upon themselves as they have lifestyles that predispose them to these miseries.  The godly, however, seek to live more nearly to God in all holiness and are frequently spared such sorrows.

5.  God's people do get sick.  No one is hermetically sealed from God's will.  Job was one of the most righteous men on earth, but his health was not immune. 

So, if God does bring illness into your life, it is because He has a purpose for it.  Thus, it is a time to live for Him. 

The Westminster Larger Catechism summarizes the Scripture on this point by saying we must "patiently bear the hand of God."  That means, we must be patient in affliction, praise God for His mercies, and establish our hearts til the coming of the Lord.

Sickness is also a useful time of spiritual reflection.  It is a time to remember that:

• We are constantly dependent upon the Lord for our health/life.
• We may have sinned and we need to repent (James 5:14f).
• We have a future world, cleansed of sin & misery, which we anticipate.
• The terrors of hell are much worse, and we have been spared the horrors of it.
• Our brethren around the world suffer much greater tribulations, and we ought to pray for them.

6.  Live & Die boldly.  It's been mentioned before in these articles that so many in our world are afraid to die.  The topic can hardly even be spoken of by those whose lives are so wrapped up in this world.

Not so for us.  We who are in Christ can stare death in the eye and make him blink.  We do not need to avoid it or dance around the topic.  We may joyfully live because death is a welcome thing.  We anticipate the world to come with great longing and happily draw nearer to Jesus.

Thus, we are lights and cities on a hill in a world haunted by hell and contamination.  We will die boldy if God would will it and live heartily until His grace would bring it to an end.

A group of 9 families began meeting for evening services in March of 2016.  It was the infancy of Hopewell, to be sure.  But flip the calendar to 2020 and you'll find 16 families meeting together each week.  Add in the young people who have turned 18 and entered adulthood and we have quite a testimony to the growth our God has granted us.

So blow out the candles, pin the tail on the donkey, praise God for His faithfulness, and party like you're ready to start riding a big boy bike.

Last Day for the Used Bible Drive
Do you have old Bibles lying around collecting dust?  Let's put them to good use!  This month Hopewell will be collecting used Bibles to donate to Mission Cry.  This ministry supplies pastors in devastated places around the world with resources they could not otherwise afford.  

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In our last issue of the Hopewell weekly, we began to consider how a woman can reflect God's nature by being her husband's helper.  In this issue, we want to bring to light three more areas where women can exert their role as helper.  

1. Help him grow in godliness.
Your husband is a sinner and lacks the virtues that God desires him to have. He may even have certain areas of real bondage, such as anger, sloth, addiction, or poor communication.  
 
While the world says that you should ditch him and find someone you deserve, the Bible says otherwise.  God has, in His wisdom, placed you at this side so that he can become a more righteous person. 

You can increase his sanctification as you offer gentle admonishments, set before him a godly example, and react with grace and self-control to his failures.

Just as the Helper, the Holy Spirit, comes alongside us to help us overcome our sin and become more sanctified, you can encourage spiritual growth in your husband.  

2. Help him in the decision making process.
You are your husband's chief advisor.  Providing good counsel for the decisions he has to make is a glorious help. 

Some women view their role as an excuse to get out of the decision making process.  They say, "That's his job, not mine" with great relief.  But decision making is just as daunting to him as it is to you.  It's a huge help if you are engaged in this process.  

Like a president's cabinet member, your perspective and input are vital.  Even if he doesn't take your advice or chooses to go against it, your thoughts are still helpful.  You allow him a chance to consider options, weigh pros and cons, and appraise alternative strategies.

3.  Help him by giving him the respect he needs.
What if he doesn't take your advice?  Worse yet, what if he makes the wrong decision?  What do you do now?  You help him by showing him the highest degree of respect.  (Eph. 5:33). 

You may be tempted to gloat or give the air of “I told you so,” but a godly helper seek to build her husband up and take it all in stride.  She knows God is good and will glorify Himself in everything.

Keep in mind that when a man is honored, it will likely have a radical affect on him.  He will want to present himself as honorable.  Many women have found that putting on a respectful tone, dialogue, and body language transformed their husbands and their marriages. 

It just goes to show that showing respect, even when your husband is not all that deserving, is the true help that he needs in his life.

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YES!  FOOD! 
It's always a treat to eat at Hopewell!  This Sunday is our traditional 2nd Sunday fellowship meal.  Bring a dish and/or a side to share if you are able.  There’s always an abundance, so please plan to stay and enjoy even if you can’t pull something together.  Table settings will be provided. 

We cannot express how blessed we are as a congregation.  This Year in Review will testify to how the Lord has poured out his kindness upon us yet again.  Thanks be to Him for His everlasting love and we look forward to what He has in store in 2020.

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"I will make him a helper fit for him."
Gen. 2:18

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Solid Help When You Need It 
Life can be hard.  If you are facing difficulties, avail yourself to great resources you have at Hopewell.  Our church's leadership is always willing to help you through difficult times and give you biblical guidance on the problems you face.

Worship, Grow, & Gain Friends
We'd love for you to connect with the Hopewell crew.  Join us this Sunday and taste a little of the great things that the Lord is doing in our midst.  

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"For unto you is born this day in the city of David
a Savior,
who is Christ the Lord."
Luke 2:11

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​In recent years flash mobs have become a thing.  In an unlikely place, such as a mall or random street corner, someone starts to sing or dance.  In a matter of minutes, mobs of people join in and thrill the onlookers with the random acts of fine arts.

The Bible tells us of a similar experience that occured in the meadows outlining Bethlehem 200 years ago.  A flash mob of angels sprung up out of nowhere to give a bunch of measly shepherds a rich taste of heaven's aesthetics.

The first notes to ring out were simple and pointed, "For unto you is born this day...a Savior." 

Just as stunning are the designated recipients of this great message.  The angelic announcement did not come to the religious elite or the political movers and shakers.  To the contrary, the profound declaration was given to the lowest and meanest of society.

We romanticize the ancient shepherds today.  Christmas cards and nativity scenes depict them as noble gents.  But this couldn't be further from the truth. 

Shepherds were a despicable bunch.  They were renown liars and cheats.  So notorious were they for their schemes that their testimony would not be accepted in a court of law.

Add to their crooked ways the fact that they were always considered "unclean."  In the fields it was virtually impossible to keep ceremonially clean (but one wonders if such a shady bunch really cared about the law or its cleanliness anyway).

Thus we must grasp the significance of this heaven sent revelation: to you a Savior is born.

Oddly enough, these double dealing scoundrels were the ones God chose to be the first to attest to the Messiah's coming.  

Is that not God's thing though:   He offers salvation to the chief of sinners; then He turns these untrustworthy crooks into His witnesses.

Let it be remembered this Christmas season that God's grace is downright scandalous.  He invites the unworthy and the incorrigible into His kingdom.  He freely forgives the liar and the hypocrite.  He pardons the sin and gladly transforms the useless into His sacred tools of good.

A Greater Treasure

A medical doctor recently said that socialistic healthcare is inevitable.  His rationale was a simple deduction,
 
"People are too scared to die; they will therefore spend every cent of other people's money in order to stay alive."
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This quote is not only insightful for our present political direction, it is also expressive of what characterizes an earthly minded person.  

Christians are supposed to be heavenly minded people.  Their treasure is in heaven and their hearts are knit to that place where God resides. 

As such, the Christian's mind should generally turn towards heaven.  He will regularly reminisce upon its nature, excellence, glory, and blessedness. 

His mind will naturally flit there.  It is a subject that fills him with wonder, sparks his curiosity, and inflames his heart's desires.

Thus, the idea of death is radically different for us than it is for our current culture.  We do not scrape and claw with every ounce of our energy (and every penny of our neighbor) to to maintain our mortal existence.  We are well prepared to die and let nature take its course. 

Unlike the unbeliever, we happily leave an inheritance to our children's children.  Doctors and hospitals do not need to eat up our life savings, for we have a greater treasure to inherit in the world to come.

While a Christian will not ever think to speed death along, he does have a healthy anticipation of it.  For to live is Christ, and to die is gain.  Or, in the words of the 19th c. English preacher, John Angell James,
 
He would instantly dissolve his ties with earth and, leaving his family and connections, fly the next moment to his eternal home. He is willing to wait as long as it is His heavenly Father's will to detain him upon earth, but he is willing to leave all and go to God whenever it is judged proper by Him to decide that he should go up to the mount and die.

In the advent season, our minds may all the more be raptured and caught up into the skies.  We will likely think of his second coming and how our lives will be radically changed when he parts the clouds:  

• How will our bodies be transformed and how will our existence be different? 
• What will it be like to ceaselessly smile and be glad? 
• How glorious it will be to love and be loved perfectly and permanently?
• What will my occupation be in the world to come?  How shall I benefit my neighbor and with what will I fill my free time?

There will always be those who see death as a curse to be avoided.  However, we as Christians have a different attitude.  For those of us in Christ, death truly comes a blessing.  When this mortal life is done, we shall die to sin and revel in the riches of heaven.

Baptism & New Member Reception
This Lord's Day we will have the blessed opportunity to receive the Keener family into membership.  Josiah Ott will also be making his formal profession of faith and will be baptized during the service.

A company in town recently had a "grand opening," complete with ribbon cutting ceremony with all the big wigs in town present: the mayor, city counsel members, chamber of commerce heads, etc.  Speeches were given, sales were had, smiles were flashed, and hope for a wonderful addition to the community was created.

Another company has prospects for opening.  The big wigs were all present again for the ceremonial first shovel of dirt as they broke ground for their new building project.  Speeches were made, smiles were given, and anticipation for the completed building (and its ongoing merchandising) was created.

Imagine if everything stopped there.  Imagine if after the ribbon cutting, everyone went immediately home and the store closed its doors.  

That would be a real bust.

Yet this is how our baptisms are often regarded.  They are usually seen as a "one and out" type ritual.  Now it is something long ago and far away.

Though our baptisms may only happen once in our lives, this blessed ritual is to continue to have significance for us all through our lives. 

Theologians call baptism an "initiatory rite."  It's God's ribbon cutting that portrays the fact that we've just entered the kingdom of God through our union with Christ and His pardon of sin.

But we can also think of baptism as an "anticipatory rite."  It anticipates a long walk with Christ, growth in faith, and a full salvation that is yet to come.

That's why we are to always remember our baptism, reflect upon it, and be challenged by it.  Whether we remember the actual day of our baptism or how wet we got does not matter.  What matters is that it happened.  And we must bring that reality to bear on our lives. 

We need to understand its reality and apply its significance regularly for our ongoing life.  From time to time it is even good to say to yourself, "I've been baptized!  I've been marked out as belonging to God.  He's branded me as His own and washed me of my sin."

You wear your wedding ring each day, just like you "wear" your baptism.  The water may have long dried up, but you've still been marked by the rite.  And like the wedding ring, your baptism is to preach to you on a daily basis. 

Your wedding ring reminds you of important truths: I'm loved; I'm united to my spouse; I have vows to keep.  

Similarly, your baptism is to be a constant reminder of how you are loved by God, set apart to him, and have vows to keep towards him.

Paul wrote to the Galatians about baptism.  These were not new converts getting ready to be baptized.  They were already baptized members of the church.  But he set their baptism before them and reminded them of its significance for their present lives:
 
"All of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ."

Paul was telling the Galatians: You've been baptized! You need to remember that.  You need to remember that you have a new identity.  You have new opinions, new desires, and should be demonstrating new actions keeping with that identity!

Though the water may have dampened your clothes long ago, it should not ever evaporate, spiritually speaking.  You need to continue to work out the implications of your baptism and draw strength from the realities which it signifies.

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Church Membership
The leadership will be conducting interviews for membership, professions of faith, and baptism after morning services on December 8th.  Anyone who would like to meet with the leadership is invited to contact us to schedule an interview. 
 
LEARN MORE:  Membership at Hopewell  |  Is your child ready to profess faith?


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There is only one Lawgiver and Judge.
James 4:12

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Today we remember Luther's nailing of the 95 Thesis, the spark that ignited the Reformation.  And it is here we remember that our consciences are bound by no other authority than the Word of God.

We live in a day of many laws, pontifications, and advisements.  From the Dear Abby column to the halls of Congress, from religious leaders to health guru's, we are bombarded with the mantra:  "This is what you must do."

Yet the Reformational principle that resonates through history is this:  our conscience as Christians is to be held captive by the Word of God.  No other authority has primacy over us, for "we must obey God rather than men." (Acts 5:29)

In this respect Christians can be rigid and inflexible.  They may be known to be annoying, roadblockers, and dissident.  They have practiced civil disobedience and are willing to be fed to the lions because they know that Christ (and He alone) is to be obeyed.  They have objected, opposed, and even started wars because the Word of God was regarded as the only supreme rule over their life and conduct.

Luther's firm standing at the Diet of Worms (1522) was just as (if not more) important than his 95 Thesis (1517).  Luther was called before Charles V, the Holy Roman Emperor, and various high officials in the Roman Catholic church.  In that assembly he was expected to recant his writings, wherein he expounded on the doctrines of justification by faith alone, the authority of Scripture, and the folly of indulgences.

"Here I stand; I can do no other," was his reply.  In those words Luther gave vivid expression to his conviction that the Scripture was the inspired Word of God, who's authority outweighed that of the pope.  He would not back down, even though his life could have easily been taken at that very moment, being executed as a heretic of the church.

Christ himself demonstrated this spirit when he walked the earth.  He did not tolerate the extra biblical commands that the religious leaders touted.  When standing before Pilate and Herod, he remained a silent protester against the absurdity of their courtroom demands.

Jesus had come to do the will of His Father and no one could enslave his soul.  

It is true, there have been some men who have died for their convictions despite their beliefs not being founded upon the Word of God.  But they have been few and far between.

Modern man, in particular, tends to be quite pliable.  He often goes with the flow and bends to every whim that comes down the pike.  That's because there isn't much spine in someone who puts man and man's thought up as his authority. 

He will likely bow down and cow-tow to any law that is passed, any decree that is made, and any advice that is given.  He may make a stink about it, but he'll eventually conform because he has no firm standard by which to live.  He is governed by men and standards of men and is blown here and there by them, especially if it means having comforts or their very life taken away.

Yet Christians have been known as protesters (Protestants), Non-conformists, and dissenters throughout their history.  They have been fed to lions, sent to the stocks, imprisoned, buffeted, burned, and beheaded, because their faith has been built upon the solid rock of God's infallible truth.

Even at Hopewell our leadership says, "Look to the Scripture."  We do not want anyone to blindly follow what we say or do.  No pope, pastor, prince, priest, or politician should have ultimate governance over you. 

Rather, it should be as the old Presbyterians used to say,

"God alone is Lord of the conscience and has left it free from the doctrines and commandments of men which are in any respect contrary to the Word of God."​

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Date with a Mission!
Let's help the Ott's raise funds for their adoption and deepen relationships at the same time.  Invite a friend or two to go out for a date on Wednesday Nov. 6th.  Go to BW3's in Ashland and show the ticket.  The Ott's will receive 20% of the dinner's proceeds.

Mentors Needed
Ashland City School officials are developing a new program.  The goal is to provide mentors for parents whose children are in the city schools.  These mentors are to occasionally meet to provide practical guidance on parenting and decision making.  Several families have already requested assistance.  Request more information on becoming a mentor.

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The plans of the diligent lead to profit.
Proverbs 21:5

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​The Scriptures speak about money more than any other topic.  Approximately 2000 passages deal with the topic in some way or other.  In the gospels alone, one out of every four verses deals with money. 

Many other passages draw from the economic world.  Redemption, ransom, forgiveness, sin-debt, are all terms that have financial undertones.

This only highlights how much of our lives should be dedicated to developing faithfulness in stewardship.  But how do we do keep from feeding the urge to get and acquire?  How do we honor God and keep from falling into the trap of materialism?  Scripture is clear in its guidance.

1.  The Power of "No." 
This one word can kill off the materialism germ significantly.  The disciplined power of delaying gratification and resisting the urge to impulsively buy shows that your heart is governed more by God than by things. 

Esau's unbelief was expressed in how he rashly bought that fateful pot of stew.  He was governed by passion and the moment, not reason and self control.

While a "hope deferred may make the heart sick" (Prov. 13:12), it is a fruit of the Spirit to be able to say, "No, I don't really need that right now."

2.  Contentment vs. the Splurge
From whence does that "power of no" come?  It flows from a heart that rejoices in God and His supply.  We don't need to splurge and spend when we recognize the immense generosity of God in all that we already have.

Of course, the key to contentment is the upward focus.  It's being immensely satisfied with God, and not so much the stuff He's bestowed upon us.  Someone who can be content with the older model, the second hand buy, or with not having in the first place is someone who has made the Lord his greatest yearning above all else.

3.  Keeping up with the Jesus
One doesn't feel the need to keep up with the Joneses if he's keeping up with Jesus.  If you are not nurturing your relationship with Christ through regular worship, personal devotions, and prayer, let's admit it: you will be more susceptible to a spirit of materialism.

The Lord uses the means of grace to squelch our raging fleshly passions.  We gain new desires and are conformed more to the image of Christ as we fellowship with God.

To put it another way, when you are worshipping God, you will be less apt to worship your wallet.

4.  Plan a Budget & Diligently keep it
Growth takes diligence, accountability, and self control.  A budget is just that for our finances. 

Developing a detailed budget helps to set parameters on what we can and cannot have.  It tells us "You can't have that," and makes us cut certain things out.

On the positive side, a budget will tell us what we really value.  We're forced to say, "I'm putting this amount towards the Lord."  Or it reminds us that diapers are more important than yet another trip to Macy's.

5.  Spend, Save, Give Principle
That is biblical stewardship in a nutshell.  We buy what we need, save what we can, and give with intentionality and liberality as much as we can. 

Let's not forget about saving too.  Too often teaching on stewardship focuses on spending and giving.  But there's a great deal in Scripture about investing, saving, and building wealth for the future (and future generations). 

Use Jars with Your Kids to Teach the Give, Spend, Share Principle.

6.  All the Cool Kids Do It
Being cool is expensive.  It is also vanity.  When we value prestige and admiration, it's going to cost us.  On the other hand, if we have our minds set on being esteemed by God, there will be less incentive to bust the bank on the latest fashions, phones, and trends.

7.  What do you Value?
Do you value what the Bible values?  If you do, you'll have a completely different financial focus.

For instance, what are your thoughts on kids?  The world today prefers big vacations and exotic trips; that means fewer kids.  But Scripture says that having children is a heritage (note the financial language again) from the Lord.  In sum, kids have much more value in the eyes of God.

Take another example:  Scripture commends the accumulation of wisdom over and above the accumulation of wealth.  Wisdom is greater than gold (Pr. 16:16) and more precious than rubies (8:11).  If you believe this, it will likely make a difference in what (and how much) you accumulate in life.

All this is to say, if you value what what the Lord values, there's going to be different spending priorities.  ​

More on Money
​​Want to delve further into some of those 2000 verses on money?  Here is a nifty Bible study and devotional that you can use to further understand what God says about this important topic!

Local Apologetics Conference
Our friends at Covenant OPC are holding their annual conference this Saturday (Oct. 26).  This all day conference will take a practical look at how to defend and commend the faith to unbelievers.  (Registration is requested)

Do you pray?  Okay, good.  Now let me ask you this:  How do you pray?  Do you pray with the firm confidence that the Lord will certainly hear and answer your prayers?

I want you to pray, and I want you to pray OUTRAGEOUS prayers.  When I say outrageous, I mean prayers that would seem to be completely absurd and virtually impossible.  World impacting, life changing, kingdom exploding type prayers.

Because you will be heard and God will answer!

How do I know?  Because God challenges us to pray.  In Psalm 27:8 he says, "Seek my face." This is what I call a 'promissory command.'  God commands you to seek his face.  It is an obligation that put us under a mandate.  But the command implies a promise:  God will answer.  

God commands us to seek him because he is ready to be found.  He will answer our prayer and bring his power and grace to bear on our situation.

The New Testament provides the echo and extended commentary on this verse: Ask, seek, knock.  For whoever asks will receive, whoever seeks will find, and whoever knocks, to him the door will be opened.

This command (and implied promise) gives warrant to our prayers.  We can be encoruaged to pray.  And we can be encouraged to pray for spectacular things.

So be absurd. Ask for the outrageous. 

• Ask that Hopewell will swell to 300 godly saints. 
• Pray that abortion will be ended.
• Beseech Him for revival
• Make a request that persecution will stop in North Korea and China
• Pray that missionaries would be funded and whole nations be transformed.

Don't be bashful.  God tells us to seek his face.

John Knox was known to pray, "Lord, Give me Scotland or I'll die."  He wanted the whole nation to be taken over by the Reformational ideas he was preaching.  Was that ludicrous?  Absolutely!  And God was happy to answer in asounding ways.

Bloody Mary (i.e. Mary, Queen of Scots) said, "I fear the prayers of Knox more than all the armies of England."  She feared that protestantism would roll through England and that she'd be unseated by the finger of God simply because a man was passionately pleading with God for the transformation of the nation.

The Heidelberg Catechism cites Psalm 27:8 in its 116th Q&A.  It says that we should"

"be firmly assured that, notwithstanding how unworthy we are of it, God will, for the sake of Christ our Lord, certainly hear our prayer, as he has promised us in His Word."

I pray that you may pray with the confidence that no prayer bounces off the ceiling.  May this also increase and enrich your prayer life.

​

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​
"During supper, when the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray him..."
John 13:2 ESV

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​This Lord's Day we will begin a new study in the gospel of John.  We'll be looking at the upper room narative, in particular (chapters 13-17).  

As I began my studies, I was struck by how much of chapter 13 is devoted to (of all people) Judas, the Betrayer.  Almost a third of the verses center around this fiend of a man.  

Even more interesting were the comments by John Gill in reference to verse 2.  Gill picks apart what happened to Judas and shows us how his fall into perdition was begotten. Gill gives us an anatomy of Judas' seduction and shows us how each of us should take care to not follow the same route into oblivion.

"Let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall."  We do good to heed this instruction and consider how Judas, a man chosen by Christ and designated to the high office of apostle, was seduced into becoming a Satanic force.

Therefore, remember...

1.  Your status means nothing:  Judas may have held the most significant ecclesiastical office, but that did not provide any security to his heart.  Jesus had chosen him to be an apostle (a leader, a teacher, a miracle worker, etc) and invested him with profound authority.  Nevertheless, he was but a man filled with evil appetites.  Thus he was not immune from the vilest of temptations.

We do well to remember that no matter our standing, we are constantly dependent upon divine grace to remain faithful.  We may climb the corporate ladder or attain a place of prominence within the church, but we are still sons of Adam.  We must therefore seek God's favor constantly, asking for Him to guard our hearts and deliver us from the evil.

2.  It can happen anytime / anywhere:  The verse says that it was "during supper" (or possibly soon before the meal) that Judas' determined to betray our Lord.  

There he was, in the presence of Christ himself, enjoying the Passover holiday.  He was involved in a rite of worship.  It was a religious festival where almost every dinner movement had some sort of spiritual lesson.  

Despite the holiness of the occasion, the devilish thought darted into his mind.  While hymns were sung, Satanic suggestions echoed in his ears and calcified his heart.

"No place and company can preserve persons from the evil suggestions of the devil," says Gill.  So we must remember that though we enter a church building or participate in a worship service, we  are still susceptible to untold folly. 

The only protection we have is the gracious assistance of the Spirit upholding and preserving us at all times.  

3.  Your festering sin can open the door to greater misdeeds.  Gill points out that in the previous chapter Judas was in a huff over the fact that Jesus was anointed with precious oil.  Satan took this opportunity and used it to his diabolical advantage.

"Do not let the sun go down on your anger, lest you give the devil a foothold."  Judas illustrates the words of Eph. 4:27. 

We must remember that Satan loves warm coals of sin.  He will not let them smolder and die out.  He takes advantage of it and stokes the irksome attitude to achieve greater villany.  

If you can do anything to resist the devil, it is this: Repent quickly and subdue anger.  Kill the beast of sin before the Beast of Sin kills you.
  
As we consider how Judas was seduced, we may learn from his mistakes.  We are not ignorant of the wiles of the devil and we can steer clear of them.  And, as we seek the Lord's favor and strive to maintain a godly comportment, we can have hope of remaining true to God.


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​Have you ever had the feeling that you missed worship, despite having sat through the entire service?  You sang the songs and were there, but it was like driving in open country: you look back and don't remember the last several miles.

It may be that you leave with a blank sheet because you were not properly prepared to engage in it.  Worship is much like anything else in that regard.  If you just run into a grocery store without a lot of forethought, you're likely going to miss a few things you should have gotten.

How much more true is this in regards to worship, that sacred time of meeting with God?

When the Israelites were to meet with God, they didn't just waltz up to the foot of Mt. Siani.  They took two days to consecrate themselves.  Washings, meditation, reflection, prayer, repentance, not to mention tidying up any items pertaining to the household and work.  

In the NT we read about the "Day of Preparation." (Luke 23:54)  Jesus' body was hurriedly stowed away in the tomb because the Sabbath was about to start.  The Israelites recognized they needed to get ready for the Sabbath.  It was so important that they denominated the Friday before as the "Day of Preparation."  

The same holds true for us.  Scripture encourages us to maximize worship through intentional acts of preparation.  How do we do that?  Here are some suggestions:

1.  Plan your work and work your plan:  Don't let the household chores flow over to Sunday.  Make a point to get all your work (occupational and household chores) done prior to Sunday.  That way it's not hanging over your head and consuming your mind while you are supposed to be concentrating on things of a more divine nature. 

Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Ex. 20:8

2.  Get a good sleep:  Everybody knows that "Saturday night live" makes for "Sunday morning dead."  By all means, have a great time on Saturdays and enjoy an evening out, but make a habit of getting to bed in good time.  A good 7-8 hours of sleep will help keep your eyelids from drooping and your brain from dragging.

3.  Devote to Devotions:  Just because you're going to church doesn't mean you should skimp on Bible time.  Athletes are encouraged to visualize their performance prior to games; to mentally go through their footwork and "get stoked" for the game.  In a similar way, taking time to read, reflect, pray, and sing Saturday night or Sunday morning will prime your heart for the main event.

4.  Monitor the Mouth:  As with any day, a healthy breakfast is vital for one's attention.  Binging on donuts or sweets the night before will likely reduce your ability to participate in worship in an engaging fashion.

5.  Concentrate on Contrition:   Humility breeds worship and repentance paves the way for it.  For God can't dwell with sin.  Being that this is so, it's always good at the end of a week to look back and take an inventory of the ways you've fallen short.  You then can confess these things and fulfill James' admonition to "draw near to God, and he will draw near to you.".

6.  Reconcile:  You're going to have spats and quarrels, but you shouldn't bring that baggage into worship with you.  Scripture behooves you to settle matters quickly and prior to bringing your sacrifice of praise.  When you do this, not only will you be honoring God's command, but your mind will be free from replaying the argument in a million ways.

7.  Rise & Shine:  Sunday is for sleeping in because it is a day of relaxation, right?  Sure, but don't get too carried away.  You want to leave enough time for your morning routine and for getting out the door in good time.  Nothing ruins worship like driving like a wild hyena and shuffling in late to the pews. 

8.  Pray for the Service:  Your time in worship depends quite a bit on the faulty vessels up front.  If you really want them to perform well, pray for them.  The music and ministry of the Word come with greater beauty and meaning when they are padded with your supplications.

"Finally, brothers, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may speed ahead and be honored."  2 Thess. 3:1

9.  Come Eagerly & Expectantly:   Let's not forget that we must tune our attitudes.  God's probably going to descend in thick clouds and fire, but you can still find Him if you're looking for Him.  Even the worst service can be beneficial if we seek the Lord and the things He would have for us there.  

"My soul longs, yes faints, for the courts of the Lord." Ps. 84:2

10.  Invite others:  No, this is not a cheap way to get you to help grow the church.  It is a true means of preparation.  When you invite someone, you are planning ahead.  You are getting in the "church groove."  And besides, there's nothing better than knowing a buddy is going to be there with you in worship.

"I was glad when they said to me, 'Let us go to the house of the Lord.'" Ps. 122:1

​Now that you know how to get ready for worship, come and fill your soul!  Join us this Sunday at 10:30 am for a blended worship.  We're located in the conference room at Hedstrom Plastics.  

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No good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.
Psalm 84:11
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​This past week we saw crazy amounts of rain.  It's likely that some of it ended up in your basement.  For others, much of it ended up in your basement. 

If that latter, it likely had some devastating effects: it ruined carpet, equipment, and leaves the lingering possibility of mildew build up.  

Then there's the clean up, the bills, and the ever so tight fisted insurance guy with whom you have to deal.

This is just one example of the various providences that come our way on a daily basis.  If this wasn't your experience, you can no doubt fill in the blank with your own horror story.

Let's pause here and get some perspective.  Put on your Biblical lenses and consider what has happened.  Weigh these events from God's point of view:
 
"The Lord withholds no good thing from them that walk uprightly."
 
If you translate the double negative, it means that God is astoundingly liberal in his goodness.  When it comes to His children, He is a fountain that gushes with radical generosity.  

You may need to read it again and again to convince yourself.  Most do not see the Lord in this light.  Typically our theology of God and His goodness is quite impoverished.  We see Him as gaunt and comparable to Pharoah's skinny cows.

This ought not to be so.  Scripture is clear: God withholds no good thing from his people.  The blessings of His covenant are secured in Christ and "the Lord has promised good to me."

Do you think something bad has happened?  Do you feel that heaven is against you?  Think again. 

It is not possible for God to hold back any good from you.  The gate of His eternal benevolence is open wide to you and it ever flows in your direction.  

You will say, "Why then do I not have riches and health and honor?  Why are these good things withheld from me?  All I have is a basement full of water!"

If God has given you such things, it was for your good.  He is to be praised for it.  If He withholds them, it is for your blessed welfare.  They would not serve your betterment and advancement in life.

God would rather have you stoop under the pains and difficulties of trials.  He would rather cultivate in you humility, dependence, and faith.  These are His gems and treasures; they have greater profit than those things which your carnally crave.

Even as you stand in the ankle deep waters of your basement, remember that before you are overflowing buckets of his generosity.  So too is the peace of mind that you may have in the midst of it.


​

We have our own version of this proverb.  It goes like this: It's my way or the highway.  

Yet, when it comes to stubborn persistence in sin, we must recognize that God is not tolerant.  He demands holiness in the inward parts.

If someone tries to cover their sin, and does not confess and forsake it, the Lord, you may be sure, will withhold his favorable kindness.

"No sin is too great for him to forgive, but no sin is too small for him to overlook either," said the great commentator, Charles Bridges.

You can easily see how it is excused.  It is only a small sin, it is not flagrant or scandalous.  It will not do any harm!

Tell that to Adam.  A mere bite of an apple plunged all mankind into a world of sin and misery.  Ananias and Sapphira know that their concealment had significant penalties attached to it.

When sin is not adequately repented of, the Lord will not allow one to prosper.  Death is the wages of sin, and God will allow it to wreak its cursed havoc among those who coddle it. 

It's miserable regressions can come in different ways:

• The conscience may be stricken (Gen 52.21),
• Health may be afflicted (Ps 32.3),
• Plans may be thwarted (1 Sam 15:21),
• Life may be cut short (Prov. 7.),
• Prayers may be hindered (1 Pet. 3.7)
• Money may be lost (Prov. 5.10)
• Reputations may be shamed (Matt 23.25f)
• Jobs/promotions may be kept at bay (Lk 15.15)
• Happiness may be frustrated (Ps. 31.10)
• Social calamity may befall (Deut 28)
• And many, many, more!

Any one or a combination of these pains are the just deserts of sin. The Lord will save the sinner, but the sinner must apply the means God has appointed.  He must confess and forsake his sin.

So do yourself a favor.  When your sin is brought to your attention, take it to the Lord.  Flee from it and find reprieve from its devastating effects.  Enjoy the fruit that comes by means of confessing and forsaking it.

​

The Lord is to be praised for His great blessing upon our weekend of camping.  We enjoyed the graces of wonderful weather, blessed times of worship, and dear comradery.  What a grand testimony to His goodness to us.

Don't let those whippersnappers in the Bible Bee show you up.  Let them be your stimulus; may the lisping of babes ordain praise from us.

This last Sunday evening I had the great joy of attending our Bible Bee Kickoff. Our meeting space was crammed with kids who were intent on being in God's word for the next 10 weeks.

It's a joy to know that these kids (and their parents) will be plowing through memory cards, study sessions, and the dynamics of the Hebrew language. 

But I'd like us to do more than simply say, "Good for them!"  I'd like us to be prodded on by their example.  I want to challenge you to memorize some Scripture this summer.  

Scripture memorization is not just a good discipline, it is biblical. 

• We are to hide God's word in our hearts .  Psalm 119:11
• We are to let it dwell in us richly.  Col. 3:16
• We are to bind it on our foreheads. Deut. 6:8

Memorizing Scripture also benefits us in so many ways.  We become more apt to share it, live it, teach it, and be conformed unto it.

Do you want to be filled with the Spirit (Eph 5:18)?  Do you know how that happens?  It isn't by a mystical lightning bolt that is thrown from heaven or through some trippy seance.  It is through Scripture memorization.  If you compare Eph. 5: and Col. 3:16, you'll find that being filled with the Spirit and letting the word dwell in you richly is synonymous.

For this reason, I invite you to create your own Bible Bee.  Take the next two months to cauterize a few Scripture verses into your mind.  

Break out those note cards and write it down.  There's one of the first proactive ways to latch it to your brain.  That hand-mind coordination does miracles in terms of learning.

Say it loud; say it proud.  When you do, it reinforces the muscle reflex in your noggin and helps to anchor it down.

Pray it.  If you are memorizing Psalm 84: "How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord of Hosts.  My heart longs, yes, faints for the courts of the Lord."  Make that your prayer.  Pray that you'd have that longing for worship.  Ask the Lord to fill our church with people who are fainting for communion with hm.  

[Did I make a mistake?  Don't laugh.  I sought to write that verse from memory.]

Want to be hip and cutting edge?  Then try the Bible Memory App.  This program is pretty neat.  You'll learn Scripture by typing it out several times and in different ways.   

No matter what method you chose, it comes down to the age old act of repetition, repetition, repetition.  Each time you repeat a verse, it is hammered more securely into your soul.

Again, the challenge is to dedicate yourself to this one discipline for just two months.  In the next 8 weeks, you could easily learn 8 verses.  You may even begin with the words of Jesus...
 
If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.  John 15:7

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Oh What a Fellowship!
We want to invite you and your family to join us at the Lillo Pad for our annual campout June 7-9.  There will be swimming, games, fellowship, food, and much, much more.  Invite your friends, pitch your tents, and have a great time.  

​Many of us have had that universal, public embarrassment.  If it didn't hurt and if the laughs/snickers didn't shame us to no end, we'd think it was funny too.

For me, it always seems to be lawn chairs (yes, it's happened repeatedly).  Over the course of a summer the metal frame  becomes more and more malleable.  Plopping down in the seat eventually takes its toll and the aluminum bends just a touch more with each sitting.  

At some point it can take no more.  Usually, at the most inconvenient time, it breaks... and down I go, sprawling to ground.

The whole fiasco is due to one thing: the unreliability of the lawn chair.  Because the chair is flimsy and suffers mutation, it will let you down (literally!).

Herein lies the great comfort that the God of Scripture affords.  Scripture repeatedly mentions the fact that our God does not change.  Unlike lawn chairs, we can fully trust in him because he will always be the same.

James tells us that we can trust God to fill our needs.  He says, "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change." Ja 1:17

The Book of Hebrews tells us that we can persevere through adversity because, "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever." Heb. 13.8  That is to say, Jesus has helped his people in the past and will continue to be their aid in the present.  All in all, it is a promise that he will never leave us nor forsake us.

The prophet Malachi reminds us that, because of God's unchanging nature, we can trust that the Lord will save us in the day of judgment.  "For I the LORD do not change; therefore you, O children of Jacob, are not consumed." Mal. 3.6

It may be rightly said that God is the only true being, everything else in this world (including ourselves) is a "becoming."  We are constantly seeing change, in our environment, our relationships, in our attitudes, and in our very physic.  

We have a right to be wary of all these things.  But not so with God.  God is the constant.  He cannot improve or be diminished in any way.  For, "from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God." Ps. 90:2.

We can truly say that he is worthy of praise because there is none like our God.  There is no god like our God.  Jehovah proves himself worthy of our worship and trust as the only one who is faithful and true.

​

Grow in the Faith!
Feeling spiritually stagnant?  Looking for a fresh challenge or way to grow in your faith?  Talk to us about being part of a Bible study!  We're always happy to get into the Scriptures or organize a discipleship group.

Prince Charming and Snow White may have looked like they had a perfect marriage ahead of them, but let's be real.  The next day Snow found that the toothpaste tube had been squeezed wrong and the toilet seat had been left up.  Prince found nylon stockings hanging on his towel and...well, let's just say that the Dwarf's had exaggerated Snow's ability to cook.

Does this put "happily ever after" in jeopardy?  Not at all.  All couples have problems. Many couples have LOTS of problems.  But they can still have a wonderful life together if they commit to dealing with their problems God's way.

Some of the best marriage advice comes from Paul's admonition to not let the sun go down on your anger.  Husbands and wives will find that their joy increases when they commit to resolving their problems and not carrying them to bed each night.

Imagine the scenario again: Prince finds the stockings dangling over his towel yet again!  He's irked by how inconsiderate his wife is.  But instead of calmly talking to her about it, he huffs off to put his PJ's on.  He throws a pillow over his head and makes his best attempt to sleep on it.  In the morning he "hi-ho's" off to work, being happy to be away.

What Prince has done is allow the sin of resentment to build a small, invisible wall between himself and the new Mrs. Charming.  Each night this happens, more bricks are added to the wall and more damage is done to the relationship.  

[Let's remember Mrs. Charming could be reacting to his resentment in a not-so-good manner too.  She may get huffy with his grumpy attitude and becoming embittered herself!  Needless to say, happily ever after could be in serious danger as the relationship spirals further downward!]

Is the marriage doomed?  Are the Dwarfs going to have to have Snow move back in with them?  Not if the couple begins to look to the Lord's way. 

Remember that no wall ever has to be built in the first place.  Instead of internalizing his anger and letting the sun go down on it, Prince can focus that anger on the problem at hand.  He can go to his wife and tenderly speak with her about his annoyance.  Perhaps he can even build a special rack for her stockings, so she can hang them in the laundry room.

Even if a wall has been built up over many years and multiple layers of angst exist, the marriage can be restored.  Scripture says, "Repent therefore, that times of refreshing may come."  God is able to bring times of refreshing to the marriage and restore happily ever after.

God's refreshing grace will only come through repentance though, and each of the bricks that have been laid has to be removed.  

Key to this demolition process is personal responsibility.  That is to say, each person take care of his own bricks first.  Prince may want the "inconsiderate stocking bricks" to be removed, but he must first deal with his own contributions to the wall.  Prince needs to humble himself and acknowledge that his lack of godly communication has contributed significantly to the family's troubles.  

Thus, the first step to happily ever after would be to do something like this:

"Snow, Things have been difficult as of late, and I recognize a lot of it is my fault.  I haven't been open with you or forthright about things on my mind.  I want to to ask your forgiveness for that.  I think our relationship would be better if I were better at communicating. Being that I have a hard time expressing my feelings, can you be in prayer for me? I really need God's help in this regard."

It may be good to leave it at that for the time being.  That's because it's not about them at this moment.  It is about you and your sin.  Maybe the next day, you can come back with, "I am going to try the communication thing.  This is hard for me, you'll recognize.  But one of the things I have trouble with is..."

Just like that two bricks have just been removed.  The wall is beginning to crumble and the lovely couple is back on track to experiencing their happily ever after.