Fall Creek Christian Church

"But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must become your slave. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many. Matthew 20:26-28 Serving is not natural. We are born crying and yelling for someone to serve us. Feed me. Change me. Bounce me. Hold me. Wash me. Eventually, as we get a little older, the me-centered life gets challenged. The idea that others also matter is one we have to be taught. I know a few people who really get it. Most of us however, don't. The consuming focus on me, myself, and I leave us very little margin to give of ourselves for others. Jesus was and is fully aware of our perpetual struggle with "me-ism". He pulled the disciples aside for some serious coaching. "Listen guys. All you've ever seen in this old world is people wanting to be served, to be first. You must walk a...

"'When you give blind animals as sacrifices, isn't that wrong? And isn't it wrong to offer animals that are crippled and diseased? Try giving gifts like that to your governor, and see how pleased he is!' says the Lord Almighty. 'Go ahead, beg God to be merciful to you.  But when you bring that kind of offering, why should he show you any favor at all?' asks the Lord Almighty."  Malachi 1:8-9 I'm too tired, too busy, too wounded, too afraid, too ashamed, too inexperienced, too distracted, too broke, too angry, too ...  At one point or another in my life, I've selected from this list of "toos" to explain why I wouldn't extend my best to God. Looking at them now, I see them for what they are - a thinly veiled attempt to make life and living about me. Malachi had the thankless job of breaking the bad news to the people.  He was brutally honest.  Their diseased sacrifices revealed their diseased hearts.  Ouch!  They had lost sight ...

"And they sang a new song: 'You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased men for God from every tribe and language and people and nation.  You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth.'"  Revelation 5:9-10   Worthiness   My teenage daughter asked me the other day, "Hey dad, when you first met mom were you like 'Wow, I'm so outta my league.'"  "Ouch!", I responded.  "C'mon I'm not that bad am I?"  We laughed a little bit as she truly wasn't trying to put me down.  It just came out a little awkwardly.  The truthful answer to that question however, is "Yes".  I do not think that I am worthy to be her husband.  As a matter of fact, if I understand the Bible correctly, there is only one thing that I am actually worthy of and that is hell.  Thankfully, because of Jesus, I do not h...