Fall Creek Christian Church

"All these people died still believing what God had promised them. They did not receive what was promised, but they saw it all from a distance and welcomed it. They agreed that they were foreigners and nomads here on earth. Obviously people who say such things are looking forward to a country they can call their own. If they had longed for the country they had come from, they could have gone back. But they were looking for a better place, a heavenly homeland. That is why God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them." Hebrews 11:13-16 Dropping kids off at camp can be a challenging experience, particular the first time. Spending a week separated from mom and dad can be a scary proposition. One of our daughters cried herself to sleep every night holding onto the little notes we wrote for her for each day. There is something very special about a healthy home. Belonging and security to be sure. However, the biggest part of home is WHO is the...

"Don't store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them, and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be." Matthew 6:19-21  Kids have a special way of getting to the heart of the matter. Many years ago, while driving through an extremely affluent neighborhood, my daughter asked her mom, "Is that somebody's house?" "Yes it is," her mother replied. She then followed up very quickly with another question, "Mom, are we poor?" "No honey," her mom answered. "We're rich in everything that really matters." I imagine Jesus smiling when he heard that conversation taking place. Jesus taught repeatedly to keep our eyes and attention on those things that are eternal - him, people, his word and his kingdom. Any God inspire...

“And just as each person is destined to die once and after that comes judgment, so also Christ was offered once for all time as a sacrifice to take away the sins of many people. He will come again, not to deal with our sins, but to bring salvation to all who are eagerly waiting for him."  Hebrew 9:27-28 Many great stories begin with the word, "Once." Yours did. Mine did. We were physically born once. My birthplace was South Dakota. You have yours. We are glad that some moments are "once" moments. We wish other "once" moments were more than once. Either way, they are significant and unavoidable as we see in our verses for the day.   The writer of Hebrews gives us a solid dose of reality in the whole "once" conversation. Each of us will die ... once. Judgment is to follow. We will stand before God. How that goes depends on how we have responded to another "once" moment - one in Jesus' life. He died for our sins once. By doing so,...

“The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, 'We have found the Messiah' (that is, the Christ). And he brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, 'You are Simon son of John. You will be called Cephas' (which, when translated, is Peter).  John 1:41-42 I've had a few nicknames over the years. When I was young, my friends tagged me with the name "Weeser". I have no idea why I was given that name nor do I have any idea what it means. Honestly, I'm not even sure if that's the correct spelling. In my late high school and early college years, I was "T-ster" or simply "T" for short. Those were simply taken from my first initial. Apparently, this practice of giving nicknames wasn't new with my friends or yours. Jesus did it too. "Hey Simon, I'm calling you Cephas." The Greek version of this name, Peter, may be more familiar to us. Both of them mean the same thing ... Rock. That's ...

"I knew you before I formed you in your mother's womb. Before you were born I set you apart and appointed you as my spokesman to the world. ... for you must go wherever I send you and say whatever I tell you."  Jeremiah 1:5,7b  I've never said to myself, "Wouldn't it be great to be a press secretary or spokesman for a major political figure?" Honestly, what a terrible job! Everytime you stand up to speak, at least half of the people already hate you. Everyone is waiting to pounce on any poorly worded statement. Each word is dissected, twisted, misinterpreted, or taken out of context to fit the agenda of a particular reporter or editor. In addition to all the negativity, how would one even know if they were successful? It's just plain depressing. No wonder there's such a turnover in that job. Welcome to Jeremiah's world. He was God's spokesman to a people who had no interest in what God had to say. Most of his preaching and prophesies were...

None enter heaven who are only half-inclined to go there. Cold prayers ask God to refuse them. - CH Spurgeon What are your immediate thoughts on this quote? Are you half-inclined to go to heaven? Or can you hardly wait? Check out this verse: But if from there you seek the Lord your God, you will find him if you seek him with all your heart and with all your soul. (Deuteronomy 4:29 NIV) How have you been seeking after the Lord lately? Have your prayers been cold? Run to the One who can help you obtain a pure passion for His name and kingdom. Each day finds so much more meaning when we attack it with this mindset.

Therefore, since we have such a hope, we are very bold. - 2 Corinthians 3:12 People cannot shut up about things that they are looking forward to. When was the last time you had a co-worker or family member that was headed to a tropical island, and didn't taunt you with it each day before they left? We love talking about that which we are looking forward to, and we don't care who hears it. When was the last time you were like that when it came to your faith in Jesus? When was the last time you were unafraid to talk about what God was teaching you and what he was doing in your life? Most of us are a little bored with our faith, and to be sure, it doesn't have anything to do with God being lackluster. Maybe we are bored because we have ceased to engage God like we did before. Challenge for today? Recapture that passion for reading, studying, and applying what you find in the Bible. Hit your knees in prayer at the end of the day. Interact with the God who loves you mo...

"So, you see, it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that there is a God and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him." Heb. 11:6 Generally speaking, being rewarded is a wonderful experience. "Great job! Here is your bonus." "Thanks mom. Thanks dad. I know it hasn't been easy, but you were and are great parents." "Kids, you did it! We're off to Disney World!!" "Honey, I'd marry you all over again. You are simply the best." Rewards motivate. Rewards encourage. They remind us that all the sacrifice was worth it. God thinks about rewards too. Here in our verse for the day, he tells us that he has a reward for those who seek him. Wow! Imagine that. What reward could God give that in any way, shape, or form speaks to his grandeur, his majesty, and to his glory? The prophet Jeremiah provides us with some insights regarding the answer to that question....