Fall Creek Christian Church

"'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

"So he said to me, "This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: 'Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,' says the Lord Almighty'"  Zechariah 4:6 Time and time again in my life, I have found myself in places and situations where my desired outcome and the likely outcome are on two different planets.  I truly desire to see character flaws weeded out, strained relationships restored, a victory won, etc.  Yet, for all my wishing and all my striving, I still seem to stand on this side of true breakthrough. Zechariah and the people of his day understood this experience fully.  God knew they needed a word of encouragement. They were looking around at their difficult circumstances and their meager resources to deal with it and it just didn't add up.  It was right there in their hopelessness that God told them some humbling but fantastic news - "It's not about you. It's about me." I don't know what challenges lie before you today, but G

"But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, are only a small village in Judah.  Yet a ruler of Israel will come from you, one whose origins are from the distant past. ... And he will stand to lead his flock with the Lord's strength, in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God. ... And he will be the source of our peace."  Micah 5:2-5 After an outstanding man versus rusted lug nut battle, the deflated tire was removed - a small victory.  The now inflated spare tire was then mounted - a small task.  The panicked phone calls we were overhearing alerted us to the need for some money to purchase a badly needed new tire.  We gladly gave them some money - a small gift.  After which, the young mom broke into tears of gratitude.  The van was quiet as we drove away, each person pondering deep thoughts.  Thoughts like, "Wow, small matters." It must have made Micah smile as he wrote down these words of prophecy.  This little out of the limelight village that barely made the local m

"I know all the things you do.  I have seen your hard work and your patience endurance.  I know you don't tolerate evil people. ... You have patiently suffered for me without quitting.  But I have this complaint against you.  You don't love me or each other as you did at first!  Look how far you have fallen from your first love!  Turn back to me again and work as you did at first.  If you don't, I will come and remove your lampstand from its place among the churches."  Revelation 2:2-5 It wasn't the fall that got me.  It was the sudden stop at the end.  Apparently, when jumping off a 90 foot cliff into a river, it's important to keep your arms and legs inside the ride at all times.  The jolt of my splat landing was simply unbearable.   In our verses for the day, Jesus spoke a few words about falling.  It wasn't a fall from a cliff, an airplane or a ladder that fired him up. It was a fall from a much greater height that was troubling him.  This height i

"How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!  And that is what we are!  The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him.  Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known.  But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is."  I John 3:1-2 "Passport!", barked the immigration officer.  Startled by his unconcealed disdain, I fumbled around for my critical piece of identification.   There have only been two occasions in my life where I have found myself in need of a passport.  It was quite obvious to me that failure to have one would have been bad, really bad.  Countries seem to be quite particular these days as to who they are willing to allow to traipse around their countryside.  Bottom line: they want to and need to know who you are. John, as he was contemplating his word of challenge and encouragement to his readers, found

"That night the secret was revealed to Daniel in a vision.  Then Daniel praised the God of heaven, saying, 'Praise the name of God forever and ever, for he alone has all wisdom and power.  He determines the course of world events; he removes kings and sets others on the throne.  He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the scholars.'"  Daniel  2:19-21 I like to keep tabs on current events.  It's no fun being the last to know.  However, I treat current events much the same way I treat my speedometer when I'm driving.   I glance at it every once in awhile, but I don't dwell on it.  The greater issue is the road in front of me, namely that I remain on it.  So, that's where I focus. Daniel had quite a ride with God during his turn on the earth.  He served in the circle of the powerful.  He walked with the great kings of Babylon, but never once did he lose sight of the Greater.  He knew those sitting on their thrones were there only because God allowed

"When tempted, no one should say, 'God is tempting me.'  For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each one is tempted when by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed.  Then, after desire has been conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin when it is full-grown, gives birth to death."     James 1:13-15 I really really enjoy fishing or more accurately - catching.  If I stop catching, I'm done fishing.  I know the fishing purist might find that attitude mildly offensive, but I'm just being honest.  If I find a fishing lure that works, meaning it successfully tempts fish to bite it, I'll use it all day.  I don't need to experiment.  When it comes to fishing and lures, I am an incurable pragmatist. In our verses for the day, James has some insights about temptation as well.  First, it's not from God.  Nope, it's an internal matter.  Within each of our hearts are desires that are incurably opposed to God a

"What is faith?  It is the confident assurance that what we hope for is going to happen.  It is the evidence of things we cannot yet see.  God gave his approval to people in days of old because of their faith.  By faith we understand that the entire universe was formed at God's command, that what we now see did not come from anything that can be seen."    Hebrews 11:1-3  Promises are a big deal.  I've made quite a few of them in my life.  My intentions were good and sincere when I made most of them.  I didn't want to let my wife down, my child down, my co-worker down, my friend down, my family down, my church down, but on occasion I have.  Unforeseen circumstances, human limitations, failure to think before speaking, and dissipating motivation have steam-rolled my best intentions.  The net result is I feel awful and their faith in me is shaken.  Promises are a big deal. God makes promises too.  To date, he's batting a 1000.  He's never had to ask for forgi

"Son of man, you live among rebels, who could see the truth if they wanted to, but they don't want to.  They could hear me if they would listen, but they won't listen because they are rebellious."  Ezekiel 12:2  Every once in awhile, I'll hear this sound coming from somewhere way in the distance accompanied by a fuzzy image of someone's face.  After a few moments of intense investigation, I'll realize that the sound is the voice of the person sitting or standing nearby who is also the owner of the fuzzy face that I can now see clearly.  It's not that my senses are fading in and out, it's more a function of my will choosing to disengage.  It's amazing how often this phenomena occurs during a football game... God spoke to Ezekiel about the people's attention problem.  Their problem wasn't a simple distraction.  It was rebellion.  Truth was right in front of them, but they wouldn't look at it.  The words of life were ringing in their e

"He saved us, not because of the good things we did, but because of his mercy.  He washed away our sins and gave us a new life through the Holy Spirit.  He generously poured out the Spirit upon us because of what Jesus Christ our Savior did.  He declared us not guilty because of his great kindness.  And now we know that we will inherit eternal life."      Titus 3:5-7 As I leaned over to grab my ankles, a wide variety of thoughts raced through my 13 year old mind ... "Is this going to hurt?  I'd rather not be here.  Is this really happening?  What will my parents think when they find out?"  Whack!! Ouch!  My inquiry as to the painfulness of getting a swat from my burly history teacher was rather convincingly answered.  While reflecting on this particularly vivid memory, I notice that at no time then or since then did I ever think or say, "I'm innocent!  This punishment is an injustice!"  Nope.  Never.  I was guilty and I knew it. Guilt is a them

"King Zedekiah said to Jeremiah, 'I am afraid of the Jews who have gone over to the Babylonians, for the Babylonians may hand me over to them and they will mistreat me.'  'They will not hand you over,' Jeremiah replied.  'Obey the Lord by doing what I tell you.  Then it will go well with you, and your life will be spared.'"   Jeremiah 38:19-20 All I had time to do was to shout, "Stop!"  My son had pedaled his bike off the sidewalk near a busy intersection without noticing that he was just about to end up in oncoming traffic.  Fortunately, he stopped.  The raw emotion of my response left him indelibly marked with a healthy fear of traffic while biking near busy roads, but not an unhealthy fear of biking itself.  Fascinating isn't it?  Fear is neither always bad nor always good.  It really depends upon its object. King Zedekiah's circumstances placed him in a crisis of faith.  Would he fear God more than men?  God's prophet told him

"Develop your business before building your house."  Proverbs 24:27 On more occasions than I care to remember, I've made the mistake of "after". You know this mistake don't you? We speak to our spouse after we commit to an activity. We determine an item is beyond our budget after we purchase it. We're told the position is actually not a sure thing after we quit our job. We discover a course of action is unwise after we are unable to turn back. Yikes!  It upsets our stomach just thinking about it.   The writer of this proverb was no stranger to this same gut-wrenching error.  His counsel?  In a word - "before".  The principle of "before" will save us countless headaches and sleepless nights.  Before we act, wait.  Before we speak, think.  Before we commit, count the cost.  Before anything and everything, pray. There are at least two action steps that flow from this conversation.  First, it's time to quit trying to justify and

"Dearest friends, you were always so careful to follow my instructions when I was with you.  And now that I am away you must be even more careful to put into action God's saving work in your lives, obeying God with deep reference and fear.  For God is working in you, giving you the desire to obey him and the power to do what pleases him." Philippians 2:12-13 Several years ago, I had an old 4-wheel drive SUV.  I used to think that since I had 4-wheel drive that I was obligated to drive through snowdrifts in the winter.  That is until one early evening winter drive with my wife.  She didn't think it was fun or funny when I swerved into the snowbanks on the side of the road.  She had no sooner finished telling me to be more careful when I swerved one more time only to feel the car slide and get absolutely stuck in a ditch.  I felt two eyes boring holes in the side of my head followed quickly by this question, "How do you feel now Mr. Big Bad 4X4?!" Being c

"I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will give you mighty inner strength through his Holy Spirit.  And I pray that Christ will be more and more at home in your hearts as you trust in him.  May your roots go down deep into the soil of God's marvelous love.  And may you have the power to understand, as all God's people should, how wide, how long, how high and how deep his love really is."  Ephesians 3:16-18 I love going home.  It is easily my favorite place to be.  There is peace, love and joy.  I know this reality is not the experience for many, so I thank God all the time for mine.  Home is comfortable and safe.  It fits.  This positive perception is true to its fullest degree only when someone else is home.  An empty home is well ... empty. Paul spoke of a home in our verses for today as well.  Interestingly, he identified our heart as a home.  He was praying for these people that their hearts would be a place where Jesus felt at home.  There

"What's more, the scriptures looked forward to this time when God would accept the Gentiles, too, on the basis of their faith.  God promised this good news to Abraham long ago when he said, 'All nations will be blessed through you.'  And so it is: All who put their faith in Christ share the same blessing Abraham received because of his faith."  Galatians 3:8-9 After dousing the fire out with cups of water, we all stood there looking at the van with the same question racing through our minds, "So ... now what?"  The options didn't feel like good ones as we stood on the side of the road with ten hours of driving ahead of us and our fully loaded vehicle still smoking.  After two phone calls, we found ourselves towed to a wonderfully kind family's garage with a highly trained mechanic friend of my family giving us the green light to head on home.  What an amazing blessing they all were to us! In our scripture today, Paul is extremely excited abou

"We are human, but we don't wage war with human plans and methods. We use God's mighty weapons, not mere worldly weapons, to knock down the devil's strongholds. With these weapons we break down every proud argument that keeps people from knowing God. With these weapons we conquer their rebellious ideas, and we teach them to obey Christ."  II Corinthians 10:3-5 As the last few seconds ticked off the clock, the ball rolled to a stop and the teams gathered to shake hands in the spirit of sportsmanship. With an ear to ear beaming grin on their face, my child made their way across the field to share their excitement with us. We were genuinely proud of and excited for them.  For most people, victory is fun and losing is hard. We don't put in the time for practice and preparation to lose. The goal is victory. In our verses for the day, Paul talks about one particular battle that we simply must win and that's the battle against the devil.  Unfortunately, many

"Enjoy what you have rather than desiring what you don't have.  Just dreaming about nice things is meaningless; it is like chasing the wind."  Ecclesiastes 6:9 There is a conversation that is often repeated in our house.  It begins at some store or web-site with this comment, "That's perfect!"  It continues later on at home where the once perfect item has now become well ... let's just say, not-so-perfect anymore.  The reasons given for this transformation from perfect to less than perfect are many.  However, it ultimately boils down to one word - contentment. Here, in our verse for the day, Solomon weighs in with one of the cleanest definitions of contentment that you're ever going to find:  "Enjoy what you have."  He then follows up with an equally powerful definition of discontentment: "Desiring what you don't have."  He adds this commentary to discontentment ... It is an absolute and total waste of time, energy and res

"Without wavering, let us hold tightly to the hope we say we have, for God can be trusted to keep his promise. Think of ways to encourage one another to outbursts of love and good deeds. And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage and warn each other, especially now that the day of his coming back again is drawing near."  Hebrews 10:23-25 After a few dozen unsuccessful attempts to access our WiFi internet at home, I finally conceded defeat. Prior to launching the computer out the window, I used my phone-a-friend lifeline which paid off.  He let me know that the signal boxes have a reset button on the back that need to be pushed from time to time ensure connectivity. Sure enough, I pushed the little button and connection was reestablished and I, once again, had the world at my fingertips. Our verses for the day speak of connections far more significant in the overall construct of life.  The truth is life is hard. It pushes us towards isola

"If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.  If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.  If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing."   I Corinthians 13:1-3 After reading these verses as a family, one family member said, "It's kind of like the number 0.  No matter what you multiply it with, it's still zero."  Hmm...  What a wonderful insight.  A life, no matter how impressive, that is void of love is a nothing life, a big zero. I don't know if Paul was a math guy, but he certainly presented this truth about love in a way that resembles the zero times anything is zero math axiom.  He chose some impressive multipliers to be sure -- special tongues, prophetic wisdom, mountain moving faith, and even giving up

"They (Nehemiah and the Jewish people's enemies) all made plans to come and fight against Jerusalem and to bring about confusion there.  But we prayed to our God and guarded the city day and night to protect ourselves."  Nehemiah 4:8-9 On a regular basis, I find myself faced with the question, "Would you rather ________________ or would you __________________?"  Immediately, my mind begins to race to find a way to change the "or" into an "and".  For example, "I'd like the apple pie AND the ice cream.  Just put them on the same plate."  I understand that there are definitely either/or decisions in life.  Many times however, there are powerful, not to mention absolutely critical, "ands" that need to be pursued as well. Nehemiah thought so.  His first and most passionate response to life was prayer.  He cried out to God all the time.  Yet, time and time again we see the wonderful and necessary "and" in his j

"Listen to my pleading, O Lord.  Be merciful and answer me!  My heart has heard you say, 'Come and talk with me.'  And my heart responds, 'Lord, I am coming."  Psalm 27:7-8 On a regular basis, I'll say to one of my kids, "Sit down for a second.  Let's chat."  After convincing them that they are not in trouble, I let them know that I just want to catch up.  I want to know what they're thinking about and what's been going on in their world.  It's too easy to dwell in the same house and yet live disconnected lives.  Touch points are necessary for understanding, care, and genuine love.   David, who wrote our verses for the day, apparently felt the same way.  He was crying out to God for connection.  How awesome was that to hear God respond to him with an invitation, "Come here David and let's have a chat."  The invitation had barely been issued and David says, "I'm coming Lord, I'm coming!" Be encoura

"... Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honorable."  Romans 12:17 There are very few words left these days that universally generate positive emotions and thoughts.  The word "honorable" is one of those. Recently, I had to have some body work done on one of our vehicles after a little fender bender initiated by a family member, who will remain unnamed.  We were very pleased with the work and that the cost was less than the estimate.  In addition, they sent the car to be detailed inside and out after the repair was completed!  The car was returned to us in far better condition than we had dropped it off. I'm thinking that the manager had read our verse for the day.  Conducting oneself in an honorable way leaves a lasting impression.  I won't ever feel the need to seek out a different body shop.  Living honorably is such a big deal that God saw fit to address it in his word so that we would address it with him in our daily living. The

"Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit.  If your sinful nature controls your mind, there is death.  But if the Holy Spirit controls your mind, there is life and peace."  Romans 8:5-6 On too many occasions, I've regretfully said to myself, "That wasn't a very good idea at all."  I get even more agonizingly puzzled when I realize that at one point in time I thought it was!  It's terribly discouraging to be the poster boy for the slogan, "A mind is a terrible thing to waste."  Maybe you can relate..?? Thankfully, Paul, who wrote the verses for today, gives us some insight into our mind problems.  He tells us that the quality of our thoughts hinges on who is sitting behind the wheel.  If that part of us which is oriented against God is driving, look out!  However, if God the Holy Spirit is driving, buckle up, sit back and

"A man's wisdom gives him patience, it is to his glory to overlook an offense."  Proverbs 19:11 "Ouch!", I said to myself.  The words that were being spoken were not only disrespectful, they were false, insulting and demeaning.  I just kept reminding myself of the truth that God is my Defender.  Any attempt on my part to fight for me would have expressed that I thought I was the big deal.  The Lord reminded me very clearly in that moment that it was not about me.  So, I kept still and watched God do what only he could do. We humans tend to operate from a fundamentally self-centered perspective.  The writer of the verse for the day nailed squarely on the head two symptoms of the self-focused life: impatience and defensiveness.  From a Biblical perspective, there are two things that are true of those who move away from these normal reactions. They are wise. They are esteemed in the eyes of others. Today, you will be tested. Opportunities to be impatient and

"Examine yourselves to see if your faith is really genuine.  Test yourselves.  If you cannot tell that Jesus Christ is among you, it means you have failed the test."  II Corinthians 13:5 I could hear the aggressive writing on the clipboard belonging to the man taking me on my driver's license test drive.  He was the last barrier between me and the coveted driver's license.  His note taking made me a little nervous, but I was sure I had nailed my drive.  Unfortunately for me, my self-examination was incorrect.  Something about a school zone...  Paul was pretty emphatic about this idea of self assessment.  Take inventory.  Test yourself.  Examine intently.  What do you see?  Is there anyone resembling Jesus looking back at you when you look into the mirror?  His challenge was also corporate in nature.  Looking at your family or at your church ... Is Jesus there?  Would he recognize any of us who are claiming his name as his own? Few of us are huge fans of tests.  It'

"As one of them was cutting down a tree, the iron ax head fell into the water.  'O my Lord,' he cried out, 'it was borrowed!'  The man of God asked, 'Where did it fall?'  When he showed him the place, Elisha cut a stick and threw it there, and made the iron float.  'Lift it out', he said.  Then the man reached out his hand and took it."  II Kings 6:5-7 Everyone needs a friend who has a truck.  Inevitably something needs to be hauled that neither car nor minivan can handle.  I borrowed my friend's truck recently and it saved the day without question.  We hauled and hauled without a single hiccup.  I was thankful to return the truck and keys without any dramatic story to tell.  I would have felt terrible if anything would have happened to that truck not to mention responsible to fix it.   Apparently, I'm not the first person with those feelings.  Our verses for the day record a man so upset over losing a borrowed ax head that he ran t

Inspired by the hymn: In the Garden... No one’s life is without trial, or without hard decisions.  God asked that the greatest sacrifice be made by His own son.  As we approach the storms of our life, it is crucial that we approach the throne of God and seek His wisdom and His will, not simply ask that our trials be removed. Jesus himself, as he prayed in Gethsemane, asked that His cup – this ultimate burden -be passed from Him. But He didn’t stop there. He immediately says “Not my will, but thine be done.” We are human. We don’t seek out hardships. But our focus must be on seeking God’s perfect will for our lives, more than asking for their removal. As Jesus spoke with God in the garden, He prepared His heart for the task asked of Him. It is not our perfection, but our pliable, willing hearts that He is asking for. - Erin Fulton

"The disciples, each according to his ability, decided to provide help for the brothers living in Judea."  Acts 11:29 I've noticed throughout my life that there always seems to be someone who is "more than", "better than", "faster than", "taller than", "smarter than", "better looking than" (you get the picture) me.  As adults this highly developed art of comparative observation is just as intense as when we were teenagers, but most of the time we try to hide it a little better.  The sad truth is though that we compare ourselves constantly with others.  It's sad because comparing almost always leaves us feeling pretty crummy or arrogant, neither of which is particular praiseworthy. Luke noted a liberating principle in his record of those who were financially supporting others.  They gave according to their ability.  Joe had ten bucks to give.  Lou had five hundred.  Both were great givers.  Neither needed

"He erected the pillars at the portico of the temple.  The pillar to the south he named Jakin and the one to the north Boaz."  I Kings 7:21 What's in a name?  Sometimes a lot.  For example, all five of our children's middle names have significant meaning to us.  Four of them come from family and one from a Biblical character.  A name identifies.  It can tell a story and/or make a statement as in our verse for the day. Solomon gave a name to two of the pillars of the temple he built for God.  Jakin - "he shall uphold" and Boaz - "may strength be in him"  It is believed that they were carved into the stone to bear witness that this temple belongs to God.  Those who seek and worship him will be held secure and made strong.  Pretty cool, huh? In I John 3:1, John breaks into praise about the name given to all who put their faith and trust in Jesus, "How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should called children of God! ..

"I look up to the mountains--does my help come from there?  My help comes from the Lord, who made the heavens and the earth!  He will not let you stumble and fall; the one who watches over you will not sleep."  Psalm 121:1-3 "Help!", I cried.  "Send help now!"  Thankfully 911 operators are trained to stay calm, because I sure wasn't.  Before I knew it, she had me in the middle of the crash site, that I had just witnessed, reporting on the condition of the people that were involved in the accident.  She forwarded all that information to the police and fire department and thankfully they arrived within minutes.  I was reminded in no uncertain terms that help is a big deal. The writer of this Psalm thought so too.  He was looking high and low for help.  Maybe he'd fallen on some tough times, been wronged by a friend, or was experiencing the consequences of some bad decisions.  I don't know.  We just know that help was needed.  He then proclaim

"I used to wander off until you disciplined me; but now I closely follow your word ... You made me; you created me.  Now give me the sense to follow your commands ... I know, O Lord, that your decisions are fair; you disciplined me because I needed it."   Psalm 119:67, 73, 75 Apparently, moms and dads get smarter as children get older.  Our three oldest children, since heading off to college, have each had a similar conversation with us.  They told us how they now appreciate the rules and the subsequent discipline they received when they violated those rules growing up in our home.  The two still at home are not quite convinced yet that mom and dad have a clue, but someday... The Psalmist here reflects this same type of journey in his relationship with God.  One all those who wish to follow Jesus must walk.  Out of his deep love, God provides instruction and commands.  He also provides discipline when we "wander off."  The Psalmist conceded at some point in his jour

And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him. - 1 John 5:14-15 What is it that you want more than anything else? Money? Fame? Healthy family? New car? John tells us in this passage that the thing we could want more than anything else is God's will (what God wants). It is the first key to experiencing answers to all of the prayers that we have been praying. I wonder how much differently we would pray if we were seeking God's will 100% of the time. In the Lord's prayer that is quoted in Luke 11, Jesus shows us what is completely in line with God's will: Declaring that no one is like God. Asking God to bring heaven to earth. Together is the best way to pray. Ask for what you need, nothing more. Ask for God to forgive you of all that you've done, and don't forget to forgive

"Jesus said to her, 'I am the resurrection and the life.  He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die.  Do you believe this? ... When he had said this, Jesus called out in a loud voice, 'Lazarus come out!'  The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face.  Jesus said to them, 'Take off the grave clothes and let him go.'"  John 11:25-26; 43-44 I've attended and officiated several funerals at this point in my life.  Naturally, the story of Lazarus' resurrection is a regular feature at such moments.  It is a powerful foreshadowing of what is going to happen when Jesus returns. Jesus makes it clear in this story that HE is the Author of life.  Death, tombs, stones, and grave clothes are no match for the one who is "the resurrection and the life."  Life is important to him.  We are important to him.  He desires for the two to

"Help me, O Lord my God; save me in accordance with your love.  Let them know that it is your hand, that you, O Lord, have done it."  Psalm 109:26-27 After recounting an amazing story of healing my friend was asked, "How did that happen?"  The answer was short and oh so sweet, "God."  The doctor who had told him that he only had months to live died years ago, while he continues to live an active life.  Truly remarkable. The writer of these verses would have smiled if he would have heard that story.  That's what he wanted.  He didn't just want to be saved.  He wanted to be saved in accordance to God's love and in such a way that it could only be explained by the hand of God.     Each of us in one way or another are seeking to be saved today.  Very few of us, however, are asking or looking for a God-sized moment.  We'll try to save ourselves or try to find someone else to bail us out and in so doing, we leave no room for God's love or God

"Ruth fell at his feet and thanked him warmly. 'Why are you being so kind to me?' she asked. 'I am only a foreigner.' 'Yes, I know,' Boaz replied. 'But I also know about the love and kindness you have shown your mother-in-law since the death of your husband. I have heard how you left your father and mother and your own land to live here among complete strangers. May the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge, reward you fully.'" Ruth 2:10-12   If your world is anything like mine, there are no shortages of options as to what to do and where to go.  Choices have to be made.  After all, we cannot do everything.  My wife and I have a "go to" question that helps us sort through the options.  Very simply, "What is the right thing to do?"  We try to set aside our wants, preferences and assumed limitations and seek God for the answer to the question.  We don't always get it right by any stretch o

In doing some research on one of the songs we sing often in our Traditional service, I came across the following story behind the song, I Will Sing of My Redeemer. This is per­haps the last hymn Bliss wrote be­fore he died in a train wreck. He sur­vived the in­i­tial crash, but was killed try­ing (un­suc­cess­ful­ly) to res­cue his wife. The lyr­ics were found in his be­long­ings af­ter the ac­ci­dent. (taken from www.cyberhymnal.org ) Can you imagine surviving a train wreck, only to turn and see your love in danger? What choice would you have put to throw yourself in harms way to try and save them? It makes it even more meaningful when you take the time to read the lyrics that they found in his belongings after the crash. It is enough for all of us to cling to the cross a little tighter today. Praise God for sending Jesus to defeat death, once for all time. Here are the lyrics to the song: I will sing of my Redeemer, And His wondrous love to me. On the cruel cross He suff

"He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, 'He is refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.'" Psalm 91:1-2 Once the snowball fight was fully engaged, we were all reminded why we had spent a great deal of time building our snow fort ahead of time. The snow balls were sailing by at an alarming rate not to mention speed. Catching one of those frosty missiles in the face would not have been good. Our forts provided some necessary cover from the barrage. In our verses for the day, the Psalmist reminds us that shelters and fortresses are not only for snowball fights. They are also needed in this crazy battlefield called life. It defies comprehension that God himself is willing to be our fortress, our shelter and our refuge. The Creator of all beckons us to himself, "Come to me all of you who are weary and burdened and you will find rest for your souls." My guess is that most

How can you believe, when you receive glory from one another and do not seek the glory that comes from the only God? (John 5:44 ESV) How many of us have been having a bad day, and someone says something that completely lifts our entire countenance? We instantly feel better, which isn't a bad thing. We are supposed to encourage and support one another. The danger comes when we start collecting the complements as a way to tell ourselves how great we are. We are, at this point, craving the glory from others. The Greek word for receive in the verse above is λαμβάνω lambanō, and one of its meanings is "to collect." We aren't supposed to be like the Pharisees and collect the glory that people give us. We are supposed to reflect that glory as a way if praise to God, admitting that He is the only one that is worthy of that kind of glory. We as Christians cannot allow ourselves to be collectors of glory, but need to become reflectors of glory. We seek the glory that

"He who walks with the wise grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm." Proverbs 13:20 When our fearless leader showed up with full body white cover ups, I should have known things were about to get really really interesting. The owners of the house, who had no means to pay anyone, had a kitchen drain that had come apart under their crawl space. We were there to fix it in Jesus' name. Water, etc. had been pouring out onto to the ground for who knows how long. We had to lay down some plastic tarp, crawl over the muck and through the cobwebs to get to the drain pipe to repair it. The men I was with that day reminded me that sometimes loving others is a tough and dirty job. The writer of the Proverbs here lets us know in no uncertain terms that we will come under the influence of those with whom we spend our time. Guilty by association if you will. We get to choose ... Do we want to be guilty of being wise or being foolish? Granted, we are told to love

"Do not be misled: 'Bad company corrupts good character.' Come back to your senses as you ought, and stop sinning; for there are some who are ignorant of God -- I say this to your shame." I Corinthians 15:33-34 After a head to head collision in a pick up basketball game, the lights went out. Darkness. Ringing. Confusion. I don't know how long I was out, but I was quite relieved when I was able to see, think and move again. It was scary. Even though I had a headache, I sure appreciated the privilege of regaining my senses. I find Paul's definition of character here fresh and telling. A person of good character is one who has come to their senses. Specifically, they have walked away from those attitudes, actions and words that are contrary to God's will. They are living for God and they refuse to be led down the proverbial yellow brick road. The reality of the situation is that some of us reading this devotion today have lost our senses. D

As you do not know the path of the wind, or how the body is formed in a mother’s womb, so you cannot understand the work of God, the Maker of all things. (Ecclesiastes 11:5 NIV) The miracle of life being formed. It is enough to make our heads hurt. There are so many things that happen in our world that are hard to comprehend. It is hard to theorize everything that God has created and everything that God does. It is beyond our limited intellects. It interesting to note that God can be so complex and so rich in thought, yet at the same time he can be so accessible, simple, and close. This is the work of God. The work that exceeds our wildest imaginations, and the work that even a child can begin to understand. This is the Maker of all things, our God.

“'My thoughts are completely different from yours,' says the Lord. 'And my ways are beyond anything you could imagine. For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts." Is. 55:8-9 I once was standing in a circle of college professors. Each had earned their doctorates in their particular area of expertise. My immediate sense of intellectual smallness grew through the course of the introductions. "Hello Dr." ... "Dr." ... "Nice to meet you Dr." And then there was me. The Sesame Street tune starting running through my mind ... "One of these things is not like the other." Thankfully, the conversation remained at a level, within which, I could engage. However, I was keenly aware that if they had chosen to do so, they could have easily discoursed over my head. In our verses for the day, God in his mercy lets us in on a little secret. The m

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.

But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8 NIV) In our traditional worship service on Sunday mornings, we like to joke about the song: Jesus Love Even Me. Jesus loves even me. Not: "Jesus loves me because I am so great, attractive and kind..." Jesus loves us in spite of failures, AND he chooses to wipe out our sin on top of that. Jesus didn't just say that he loved us in our darkest, most sinful moments. He showed his love for us, when he went to the cross and died for us. Who is it in your life that you need to stop merely talking about how much you love them, and step up and show them? If we really want to be like Jesus, this is what it will look like. All because he loves EVEN you and EVEN me.

“These two things cannot change: God cannot lie when he makes a promise, and he cannot lie when he makes an oath. These things encourage us who came to God for safety. They give us strength to hold on to the hope we have been given. We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, sure and strong." Hebrews 6:18-19 As a kid, my friends and I use to love what we called "skitching". After a quality snowfall, we'd grab our snow gear and wait for my dad to come home. He'd stop and let us grab a hold of the back bumper and then pull us over the snow-covered road. We loved it! In order to maximize the ride, it was critical to hold on and hold on tight. In our verses for the day, the writer of the book of Hebrews makes a big deal about holding on as well. The stakes couldn't be any higher - our very souls. What is it that we can hold on to that leaves our souls sure, strong, and steady in life's storms? God's word. When he makes a promise, it'

“But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” (Matthew 16:15, 16 NIV) What are your thoughts about Jesus? Every major religion on earth has an opinion on who he was. Mostly they say that he was a good man, a powerful teacher, and a peacemaker. All of that is true. But what about him being the Son of God? Peter, after being with Jesus non-stop for 4 years was confident of his identity. He was assured that Jesus was God in the flesh, the Messiah that was to come. You essentially have three options when it comes to what you believe about Jesus: 1) He was a Liar 2) He was a Lunatic (out of his mind) 3) Or that He was Lord If he was, and is, Lord, then he deserves our worship and our entire lives. If Jesus is Lord, it is true that we have access to God by His sacrifice on the cross. Join us Friday night at 7, as we reflect on Jesus going to the cross for the sins of the entire world (Good Frida

“Now the highly valued slave of a Roman officer was sick and near death. When the officer heard about Jesus, he sent some respected Jewish leaders to ask him to come and heal his slave. ... So Jesus went with them. But just before they arrived at the house, the officer sent some friends to say, 'Lord, don't trouble yourself by coming to my home, for I am not worthy of such an honor. ... Just say the word from where you are, and my servant will be healed. ... When Jesus heard this, he was amazed. Turning to the crowd, he said, 'I tell you, I haven't seen faith like this in all the land of Israel!' And when the captain's friends returned to his house, they found the slave completely healed." Luke 7:1-10 When was the last time you were absolutely and utterly amazed? I've recently witnessed entire households receive Jesus as their Savior and be baptized. I've looked into the eyes of a dying friend and seen not only peace that passes understanding,

All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness. (Hebrews 12:11 NASB) Ever wanted to become more disciplined? I think we all have. We do well for 3 or 4 days, then we completely fall off on our commitments--and our last state is worse than the first. The key to being disciplined in your relationship with God, and your war against sin, is found in this verse. You have to let discipline break you down. It makes you sorrowful. You have to give up your old life and its negativity in exchange for something brand new. When you come out on the other side, you realize why you've put yourself through all the discipline and sorrow. Out of the discipline comes this peaceful fruit of righteousness. This is something that money can't buy. We sleep better. We are happier. We feel less pressure. We become more like Jesus, because he was the epitome of discipline. S

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

“When all the people were being baptized, Jesus was baptized too. And as he was praying, heaven was opened and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: 'You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.'" - Luke 3:21-22 I've got a great dad, for whom, I am very thankful. I am reminded on a regular basis that not everyone has a great dad, but I do. My children are very gracious to me and assure me time and again that I'm a great dad too. I often times feel I fall woefully below the "great dad" threshold, but at the very least their comments give me something to live up to. In our verses today, we are privileged to hear the greatest Father of them all speaking to his child. It is so personal that we're tempted to leave to give them privacy. However, God the Father wanted us to hear and learn from him what a great dad gives their child. "You are my Son" - Belonging, Identity

And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. (2 Corinthians 9:8 NIV) It is one thing to say that God will take care of all your financial needs, it is quite another to live like it. Paul gives us an excellent view of what it looks like to live the generous life. All things. At all times. Having all that you need. So that we will abound in every good work. Is this how you view generosity? Many of us begrudgingly give. We give with a tight fist wrapped around the money that we have. The generous life not only acknowledges that God is able to provide, but it also lives in day in and day out. Every transaction is planned to honor and glorify God.

Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against anyone among your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord. (Leviticus 19:18 NIV) Who in your life do you need to go to God, in prayer, and forgive? Does it make what they've done ok? No. Does it say that you will all of the sudden feel differently about them the next time you see them? Probably not. So what does forgiving, letting go of your grudge, actually do? It sets you free. It kicks those people out of your head. It allows you to fully relate and embody Jesus through your life. How would you want them to treat you? Do that. Be like Jesus. What follows this will change your life.

“And the Lord said to Moses, 'Say to the people of Israel: 'Throughout the generations to come you must make tassels for the hems of your clothing and attach the tassels at each corner with a blue cord. The tassels will remind you of the commands of the Lord, and that you are to obey his commands instead of following your own desires and going your own ways, as you are prone to do. The tassels will help you remember that you must obey all my commands and be holy to your God." Numbers 15:37-40 It's a bit embarrassing to admit, but there has been more than one occasion where my wife has not let me leave the house without first pinning a note to my shirt or putting a post-it on my steering wheel. One strategically pinned note even said, "Ask me about this note" just in case I forgot the note was there. You see, I forget stuff. Big stuff, little stuff, pretty much any sized stuff. This tendency has proven to be a source of frustration for my sweetheart.

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? (Romans 8:35 NIV) How much do you think God really loves us? It is really difficult to wrap our minds around the question. He, first, created us. He sent Jesus to die for us. He, then, has invited us into his family, if we'll only come to him in faith. He loves us more than we deserve. The Apostle Paul, who wrote the verse above, endured so much persecution for the gospel. He was beaten, shipwrecked, abandoned, snake-bitten, mocked, put in prison, and ultimately decapitated. So if he can know that God still loved him, even in all his hardships, so should we. Nothing can separate us from God's love for us. It goes beyond circumstance.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. (Galatians 5:22, 23 NIV) Notice Paul doesn't say in this verse: fruits, he says: fruit. All of these words mentioned are actually all or nothing for the Christian. Do you see loving others in your life? Do you have joy? Are you at peace? Are you patient with difficult people? Are you kind and considerate of others? Does your life mirror what is good? Are you reliable? Are you careful not to fly off the handle at others? Can you control your emotions? If the answer is no to any of these questions, we might need to ask ourselves another question: "How much time do I send interacting with this fruit-producing God?" Are we in the Bible daily? Are we praying throughout the day? Do we spend intentional time with other Christians? Then the fruit will come.

“The Lord said to Moses and Aaron: The Israelites are to camp around the Tent of Meeting some distance from it, each man under his standard with the banners of his family." Numbers 2:1-2 On many occasions, I have enjoyed the wonder of a canoe ride down a beautiful river. The sights, the smells and the sounds of God's creation provide a soul refreshing moment of connection and contemplation. To maximize the moments in a canoe, one must remember one simple rule: Keep your weight in the center. A sudden shift to the side can quickly turn a canoe trip into a scuba dive. It's very telling to me that God would have Moses organize the people around the Tent of Meeting. The place where God revealed himself was the bulls-eye for the nation. If the peoples' hearts were in keeping with their campsite, all was good. They were centered. They would enjoy a great adventure of exploration and discovery. However, if they moved off center, shipwreck awaited. As a hus