Fall Creek Christian Church

"This suffering is all part of what God has called you to. Christ who suffered for you, is your example. Follow in his steps. He never sinned, and he never deceived anyone. He did not retaliate when he was insulted. When he suffered, he did not threaten to get even. He left his case in the hands of God, who always judges fairly."  I Peter 2:21-23 Being a directionally challenged person, I've learned the value of following. It doesn't matter if it's following a someone or a GPS. I just don't like being lost. It's unsettling. I've been lost in cities. I've been lost in the woods. I've been lost on lakes. I've even been lost in buildings. Having someone or something to follow that is reliable has saved me from a great deal of grief. In our verses for the day, Peter has a thing or two to say about following. First and foremost, follow Christ. There are many options to choose from, but at the end of the day, come hell or high water, you will...

"But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind. Such people should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Their loyalty is divided between God and the world, and they are unstable in everything they do."  James 1:6-8 There's a crucial moment in fishing when a person has one foot in the boat and one foot still on the dock. Any poorly calculated movements during that time can result in some fairly unpleasant outcomes. I've watched people perform the splits who really aren't able to perform the splits. Yikes! I've seen others tumble into the boat to avoid the inevitable splash. Others well ... just get wet. None of these are desirable outcomes. In our verses for the day, James speaks to this one-foot-in phenomenon as it relates to a relationship with God. To put it mildly, it's bad. He uses words like "blown...

"I looked for someone who might rebuild the wall of righteousness that guards the land. I searched for someone to stand in the gap in the wall so I wouldn't have to destroy the land, but I found no one."  Ezekiel 22:30 Many times in my life I've thought and even verbalized, "Someone needs to do something about that." I am in the process of being taught by God that when he allows me to see something it's because he intends for me to be that someone to do something about it. I wonder how much of God's power and glory I've missed pondering where that someone went to hide. Ezekiel records the words of God regarding the people of Israel at his time. God couldn't find anyone interested in righteousness. Not one! God prefers mercy over judgment. He told us that. He's looking for a reason to hold off judgment. More specifically, a someone to stand between him and the people, a purveyor of righteousness. Someone like Jesus. The search...

"   The word of God is alive and active, sharper than any double-edged sword. It cuts all the way through, to where soul and spirit meet, to where joints and marrow come together. It judges the desires and thoughts of the heart.  There is nothing that can be hid from God; everything in all creation is exposed and lies open before his eyes. And it is to him that we must all give an account of ourselves. "  Hebrews  4:12-13 The time had come. I was done being "friends." I was twenty years old and ready to head out into the future with a beautiful young woman on my arm. I was convinced that she was the one, but was  she  convinced? So, with my heart in my hands, completely exposed, I told her how I really felt about her. She responded with, "I think you should ask someone else out." ... Ouch! My poor little heart was broken! I put myself out there only to be crushed. Fortunately, however, in time she decided that I was the one for her too. After twenty six ye...