Gateway Family,

We completed our journey through Ephesians in the weekly worship service!  I so enjoyed our 50 weeks working through this amazing letter about our identity in Christ and how it changes our lives.   Over the past two years we now have journeyed through the Gospel of John and Ephesians, with a short break in between looking at Biblical community. 

Where are we going next? 

I am excited to let you know we are headed to the Old Testament and the book of Psalms!  Our plan is to spend the rest of 2019 (27 weeks) looking at some of the Psalms.  No, we are not going to do every Psalm during these 27 weeks, but look at some key ones on a variety of themes.  I am so excited!  

Why the Psalms? 

The Psalms show the attributes (characteristics) of God.  They show us His love for His people.  And they show us how His people respond to Him both in good times and bad.  They deal with issues of trials and suffering.  They teach us about hope and eternity.  And they focus us on praising Him in all situations.

Which Psalms will we study?

There are 150 total Psalms, and during this study we will focus on 29 of them.  We are going to approach them in groups to help us get the big picture of what God is showing us....

INTRODUCTION TO VARIETY OF PSALM TYPES
June 30           Psalm 1        Wisdom psalms
July 7              Psalm 3        Lament psalms
July 14            Psalm 8        Praise psalms

THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORD OF GOD
July 21            Psalm 19
July 28            Psalm 119

CONFIDENCE IN GOD'S CARE OF US
August 4          Psalm 16      The Lord is my portion
August 11        Psalm 23      The Lord is my shepherd
August 18        Psalm 27      The Lord is my light & salvation

LAMENT / LOOKING TO GOD IN OUR SUFFERINGS
August 25          Psalm 42
September 1     Psalm 73
September 8     Psalm 90

PRAISING GOD (Part 1)
September 15   Psalm 33

REPENTANCE
September 22    Psalm 32
September 29    Psalm 51
October 6           Psalm 130

MISSIONS / GOD'S GLORY AMONG THE NATIONS
October 13        Psalm 46
October 20        Psalm 53
October 27        Psalm 139
November 3      Psalm 67

PRAISE (Part 2)
November 10    Psalm 145
November 17    Psalm 133

THANKFULNESS
November 24      Psalm 66
December 1        Psalm 136

THE MESSIAH  (For advent)
December 8       Psalm 2
December 15     Psalm 132
December 22     Psalm 110

CONCLUSION
December 29      Psalm 150

I hope you will use that list to read ahead each week and be thinking about the Psalm we will study together in the worship service.

Prayer for this study

I also hope you will join us in praying that God graciously will use this study of His Word to deepen our faith, broaden our understanding of His character, increase our confidence in His care for us, grow us in repentance, grow us in worship, and grow us in our heart for His glory among the nations.

~ Pastor Grady

PS:  Here's a quick glance at some of the fun resources I am studying for this series...