Fall Creek Christian Church

 "Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth ... And the one sitting on the throne said,'Look, I am making everything new!' And then he said to me,'Write this down, for what I tell you is trustworthy and true.'" Revelation 21:1-5 After giving our minivan a good cleaning, I noticed something just wasn't quite right. "What's missing?" I asked myself. Then it dawned on me that although it was clean, the smell was off - a few too many trips to the drive-thru. A quick inspection of the auto section of the store put me in front of any number of car air fresheners. The winner? "New Car Scent" There's nothing like new when the old has gotten really old. John was a blessed man. In Revelation, he was able to see the new before the new even was. It wasn't a new car, a new house, or a new pair of shoes. It was a new world! A new heaven. A new earth. A new everything! He reports to us that this new world is both like and completely unli

"O God, I beg two favors from you; let me have them before I die. First, help me to never tell a lie. Second, give me neither poverty nor riches! Give me just enough to satisfy my needs. For if I grow rich, I may deny you and say,'Who is the Lord?' And if I am too poor, I may steal and thus insult God's holy name." Proverbs 30:7-9 My plate was really full the first time around. It seemed a little bit gluttonous to be holding the second plate equally as full, but it's the holidays! About halfway through, it dawned on me, there was truly no need to get that second plate. Yet, there I sat fork in hand mouth dutifully going through motions. Finally, I couldn't take anymore and gave up trying to finish the seconds. Why is "more than enough" so hard for us to resist?  Agur, in his proverb, worked his way passed this inclination with a simple request from God. "God, please give me just enough." What a novel idea for us living in our

"'My people have forgotten what it means to do what is right,' says the Lord. 'Their fortresses are filled with wealth taken by theft and violence. Therefore,' says the Sovereign Lord, 'an enemy is coming! He will surround them and shatter their defenses. Then he will plunder all their fortresses.'" Amos 3:10-11  As my wife walked passed me with the trash bag in tow, a little voice went off in my head, "Hey! Didn't you tell her you would take the trash out? So ... why are you still sitting there?" The little voice was absolutely right. I messed up. I had simply forgotten. I understood the task. I said I would do it. I just forgot. It occurred to me, upon reflection, I now knew where my children had picked up this same malady of forgetfulness. As Amos the prophet was penning these words of God, I can't help but think all of his forgetful moments raced through his mind too. I believe it was a serious moment for him as it was for the

"And this is his commandment: We must believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as he commanded us. Those who obey God's commandments remain in fellowship with him, and he with them. And we know he lives in us because the Spirit he gave us lives in us."   I John 3:23-24 Recently, my son-in-law and I were taking on a home improvement project. A new vanity had been purchased and needed to be installed. On more than one occasion, we were tempted to complicate the task. Let's replace this and this and that. Wisely, we talked each other out of it each time. Keeping things simple, clear and concise enabled us to avoid a watery mess. John would have been right on board with our decisions that day. He wrote the same way. Simply. Clearly. Concisely. The last thing John wanted to do was to confuse his readers about what a relationship with God was all about. Believe in Jesus. Love each other. These two soul deep decisions put us into a g

"The distance around the entire city will be 6 miles. And from that day the name of the city will be, Jehovah-Shammah - 'The Lord Is There.'" Ezekiel 48:35 "Hey dad. Dad. Hey dad! Dad! Hello-o-o-o Dad!" These are the words of my sweet daughter trying valiantly to capture my attention. Sometimes numerous attempts are needed even if we're separated by only a few feet. Lost in a news article, a game, or my mind's often visited nothing square, it doesn't even register that she's wanting my attention. Sharing space and being present are not the same thing. In the very last words of his message to Israel through Ezekiel, God tells his people that the city in Ezekiel's prophecy will have the most significant distinguishing feature in the universe - The Lord Is There. It's not just a name, it's a statement of connection with his people. No longer will they worship from a distance. He will be up close, personal and fully engaged

"People can tame all kinds of animals, birds, reptiles, and fish, but no one can tame the tongue. It is restless and evil, full of deadly poison." James 3:7-8 "Don't say it! Don't say it! Don't say it! ... Oops, I said it." There are too many moments in my life where all the self talk in the world could not keep my mouth shut. Inevitably, this failure to keep quiet necessitates a sheepish apology. Unfortunately, my family is most often the unwanted beneficiary of my discouraging words. I didn't want to be negative and hurtful, but I was. Maybe you are familiar with this struggle..?? In our verses for the day, James lays it out clearly and concisely. It's just his style. "You ... cannot ... tame ... your ... tongue." It's restless. What a great descriptor! Left unchecked, the evil tongue will spew a destructive poison. Isn't that the truth!? Now what? Jesus, James brother, weighs in at this point in the conversation, &q

"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

 "Son of man, these leaders have set up idols in their hearts. They have embraced things that lead them into sin. Why should I let them ask me anything? ... Therefore, give the people this message from the Sovereign Lord: Repent and turn from your idols, and stop all your loathsome practices." Ezekiel 14:3-6 While doing some serious yard work, my wife and I came across an extensive patch of poison ivy. We had gloves, but were not properly covered to protect from the oil that causes all the itching and burning. Unfortunately, my wife is extremely sensitive to it. In short order, her skin was red, blistered and itchy leaving her absolutely miserable. Some things simply need to be militantly avoided. God, through the prophet Ezekiel, laid out some of those, "Danger! Stay away!" items. Idols. The context here was not little statues. Specifically, he was speaking to the unseen idols they had set up in their hearts. God will not be one of many gods we worship. He made

"Fire goes out without wood, and quarrels disappear when gossip stops." Proverbs 26:20 I've sat around what seems like a thousand campfires in my lifetime. Ever since I was a kid, the mesmerizing orange glow has held my complete attention. Singing, praying, laughing, telling stories, and making s'mores have been a regular feature around those fires. As time goes by, the fire dwindles and the air gets colder which leads to the inevitable request for another log.    The author of the Proverb for the day makes a significant observation for all of us to consider carefully. A campfire isn't the only thing that goes out when there's no more fuel. Fights need fuel too. Gossip, slander, harsh words and the like keep fights going. He uses a short but decisively clear word to embrace when it comes to battling each other -- STOP. Stop fueling the fight. Too many people, too many families face each other as if on battle lines. The ensuing estrangement and vi

"Later Johanan had a private conference with Gedaliah and volunteered to kill Ishmael secretly. 'Why should we let him come and murder you?' Johanan asked. 'What will happen then to the Judeans who have returned? Why should the few of us who are still left be scattered and lost?' But Gedaliah said to Johanan. 'I forbid you to do any such thing, for you are lying about Ishmael.' ... But in midautumn, Ishmael ...and his ten men suddenly drew their swords and killed Gedaliah ..." Jeremiah 40:15-41:3 On more occasions than I can count, I've searched in vain for any number of items around the house that I just knew "had to be here somewhere." I've emptied drawers, emptied closets, climbed into attics, and rummaged through the garage and shed with vigorous intensity only to unearth frustration. It's at this point where my wife asks, "What are you looking for?" I tell her. She says, "O, it's right here." Ask

  "The purpose of my instruction is that all believers would be filled with love that comes from a pure heart, a clear conscience, and genuine faith. But some people have missed this whole point. They have turned away from these things and spend their time in meaningless discussions." I Timothy 1:5-6 As a teenager in the 80's, I watched puzzled as Mr. Miyagi kept having Daniel LaRusso put wax on his cars in the movie Karate Kid. "Wax on. Wax off." He then told him, "Paint the fence. Up. Down." It wasn't until after days of this that Daniel ran out of patience and demanded to know why he was doing all this work. It was then Mr. Miyagi revealed that he had actually been teaching him karate defense moves. Purpose. It's a big deal. We want to know the answer to the why question. Paul wanted to be sure he had clearly communicated that all important answer to Timothy. Specifically, "Why keep giving me all these instructions Paul?"

"Conduct yourselves with wisdom towards those who are not believers, making the most of every opportunity. Let your speech always be with grace, as though seasoned with salt, so you will know how you should respond to each person." Colossians 4:5-6 Upon realizing that the process was not going to be as efficient as I originally thought, two paths were laid out in front of me. I could whine, fuss and complain or I could patiently wait with a smile on my face and communicate kindly to everyone involved. To God's glory, the latter option was most prominent. Remaining respectful and calm helped everyone and made it easy to be gracious to each other.        Paul, in his letter to this church, didn't want to sign off before telling them in no uncertain about how to behave when with people who don't share your beliefs. Wisely - so you don't miss any chance to let them know how awesome Jesus is. Graciously - so that when you speak you both preserve their dig

"O Jerusalem, I have posted watchman on your walls; they will pray day and night, continually. Take no rest, all you who pray to the Lord. Give the Lord no rest until he completes his work, until he makes Jerusalem the pride of the earth." Isaiah 62:6-7 Having taken countless road trips with my family as well as in the course of ministry, one of the most welcome signs we saw while driving read "Rest Area." The mad dash to the restrooms, the opportunity to stretch our legs, or even share a picnic lunch were a welcome break from the endless asphalt paths. We've all experienced the refueling nature of rest firsthand.       It's very surprising and truthfully a little startling to hear Isaiah say, "Take no rest" and "give the Lord no rest." However, he wasn't telling us to drive passed all the rest areas. He was calling all who believe in the Lord to pray, as Paul would say centuries later, "without ceasing." Absolutel

"Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit--just as you were called to one hope when you were called--one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all." Ephesians 4:3-6 As my girls were making their way through the soccer ranks growing up, I noticed that many of the soccer clubs included the word, "United". It's a name that casts a vision for the members of that team. Teams experiencing unity are often times experiencing success. Teams where disunity is the culture rarely experience success.  It's no surprise that Paul would so emphatically press the charge of unity to this church. After all, Jesus himself said that a kingdom divided against itself cannot stand. Paul lays out many of the key foundation stones upon which the unity of all Jesus followers is based. That's quite a list! If we focus our time and energy there,

"You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you! Trust in the Lord always, for the Lord God is the eternal rock." Isaiah 26:3-4 As my yet to know how to swim granddaughter tip toes to the edge of the pool, her mom says, "Jump sweetheart, I've got you!" She gleefully complies completely confident that mom does indeed "got her." It's a simple childlike trust in one who has proven to be faithful again and again. We do get concerned however, that her fearlessness may embolden her to jump when no one is present to catch her.  Isaiah, in our passage for the day, had a few passionate comments to make about trust. Trust and peace go together. Specifically, placing trust in the Lord will produce the wonderful fruit of peace. He is quick to add that this trust is produced in the life of a person who has their minds fixed on the Lord. He occupies their thoughts. He is continuously in view. He is ever stable.

"In the year King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord seated on a throne, high and exalted, and the train of his robe filled the temple ... 'My destruction is sealed, for I am a sinful man and I live among a sinful people and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty.' Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar. With it he touched my mouth and said, 'See, this coal has touched your lips. Now your guilt is removed and your sins are forgiven.'" Isaiah 6:1-7  As I pulled over to the side of the road having lost track of how fast I was going, my mind began to go through the catalog of possible things I could say in my defense. "I was headed to an important appointment." "I was just about to slow down to turn." "It's my 50th birthday. Can you show me a little mercy?" Of all the things I could have said, "I'm not guilty", was not one of them. Isa

"Enjoy what you have rather than desiring what you don't have. Just dreaming about nice things is meaningless; it is chasing the wind."  Ecclesiastes 6:9  Many of us suffer from the "almost" malady. It normally flares up when we're exposed to "more." When we see people who have more money, nicer cars, bigger homes, better vacations, and styling clothes we think to ourselves, "Hmm ... I'm almost there, but not quite." Of course, "there" is a moving target which leaves us continuously stuck in "almost." Solomon was the guy who everyone else looked at concluded, "I'm not there yet." He did have everything. In the midst of having it all, he discovered that peace wasn't found in having it all, it was found in enjoying whatever you do have. Comparing ourselves inevitably leaves us envious. Enjoying ourselves and being thankful for that which God has provided us leaves us at peace, positioned

"God surely knows where it (wisdom) can be found, for he looks throughout the whole earth, under all the heavens. He made the winds blow and determined how much rain should fall. He made the laws of the rain and prepared a path for the lightning. Then, when he had done all this, he saw wisdom and measured it. He established it and examined it thoroughly. And this is what he says to all humanity: 'The fear of the Lord is true wisdom; to forsake evil is real understanding'"  Job 27:23-28 I had an "incident" with the one cup at a time coffee maker the other day. Apparently, the lid that screws on to the mini coffee filter holder is an important part of the process. Who knew? I thought I could make a stronger cup of coffee without it. All I ended up doing was making a real mess that I cleaned up with giggling coworkers nearby. I believe, however, I am now armed with a little more knowledge and wisdom.  Job was a righteous dude. He was wise and well-res

"Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart." Psalm 37:4 There are moments in life I would love to bottle up and pop open to enjoy again and again particularly on those days when a smile is pretty hard to find. I treasure many memories from my childhood and youth that even at the time, I didn't want them to stop. The pivotal moments of life -- marriage and birth of children. Adventures and challenges overcome. Awesome moments of wonder in God's magnificent creation. All bring sweet delight.  David wrote of desires and delight. He coupled them together in such a way to recognize the primacy of delight. There is a promise to those who choose the Lord as their greatest delight. It's a promise that only he can make and only he can keep: to give you your heart's deepest desires. When the Lord is our delight, our hearts will want what he wants to give us. There will be a beautiful harmony on the inside. What are you deligh

"...'Don't weep on such a day as this! For today is a sacred day before the Lord your God.' All the people had been weeping as they listened to the words of the law. ... 'Go and celebrate ... This is a sacred day before our Lord. Don't be dejected and sad, for the joy of the Lord is your strength!' ... so the people went away ... to celebrate with great joy because they had heard God's words and understood them." Nehemiah 8:9-12 Words are great. They allow us to transfer the thoughts in our minds into the minds of another person. How amazing is that!? Some may argue this next comment, but here it is anyway. I consider myself a person of few words. I've made the terrible mistake on more than one occasion to ask my wife in mid sentence to, "Please land the plane." Bad idea. I'm learning to enjoy more words as time goes by.   Nehemiah liked words too. He wrote a whole bunch of them down in a book that is appropriately title

"The ones who do the planting or watering aren't important, but God is important because he is the one who makes the seed grow. The one who plants and the one who waters work as a team with the same purpose. Yet they will be rewarded individually, according to their own hard work. We work together as partners who belong to God. You are God's field, God's building -- not ours." I Corinthians 3:7-9 One of my worst dad moments came when the kids were little. They had decided, with mom's blessing, to uproot a corner of the yard and plant a garden. I, embarrassingly, proved the saying "people get down on what they're not up on." Caught unprepared, I said, "I work hard to mow, trim, and fertilize this grass and I don't want it torn up." It didn't matter that this a great idea -- harmless, fun, and positive. "No garden!", I declared. In so doing, I missed out on an amazing opportunity to feed and water their natural cur

"Uzziah sought God during the days of Zechariah, who instructed him in the fear of God. And as long as the king sought the Lord, God gave him success. ... But when he had become powerful, he also became proud, which led to his downfall. He sinned against the Lord his God by entering the sanctuary of the Lord's Temple and personally burning incense on the altar. ... as he was standing there with the priests before the incense altar in the Lord's Temple, leprosy suddenly broke out on his forehead." II Chronicles 26:5,16,19 One bad play. That's all it takes. Coming from a card playing family, I know too well the agony of the misplay. The wrong card at the wrong time and "Ugh!" it's over. It doesn't matter that every other play was perfect. As soon as that mistake is made, the other players jump on it and down you go. Thankfully, with cards, each hand marks a reset. Life, however, is a bit more complicated. Uzziah was a righteous king for a

"So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God's Spirit when he adopted you as your own children. Now we call him, "Abba, Father." For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God's children. And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God's glory. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering." Romans 8:15-17 "Congratulations! You have a son!" The words of the Ukrainian translator reverberated in my ears as I tried to process the numerous emotions of the moment. One less child without a family. My new son, although 10 years old, was an orphan no more. He carries our name. He is no less our child or a sibling to our other kids. His mother and I remind them regularly, "Remember who you are." Paul's use of adoption to express what happens when we accept Jesus as our Savior has taken on a more t

"When people work, their wages are not a gift. Workers earn what they receive. But people are declared righteous because of their faith, not because of their work." Romans 4:4-5 For my first paying job, I worked at a pizza place. I made pizzas, took orders on the phone, cleaned the dining area, mopped the floors, etc. I tried to keep a positive attitude and did for the most part, but it finally became a greater burden than the wage I was earning could overcome. We feel good when our wages match what we feel we deserve for our labor.  In his letter to those living in Rome, Paul had some things to say about wages too. In our verses for the day, he tells us there is a wage we simply cannot earn and that is to be declared "righteous" by God. It is a faith issue not a works issue. Our preoccupation with wages steers us off course when we speak of spiritual matters. Later in his letter, Paul tells us that our wage (what we deserve) for our work (sin) is death. 

"The next day, as gale force winds continued to batter the ship, the crew began throwing the cargo overboard. The following day they even took some of the ship's gear and threw it overboard. The terrible storm raged for many days, blotting out the sun and the stars, until at last all hope was gone." Acts 27:18-20 As the hour quickly dissipated, my frustration level had peaked and I was done. The escape room had beat us. We had no clue giver to help us get unstuck and we had twisted ourselves up in all the circles in which we had been running. Simply put, all hope was gone. No amount of positive thinking or picking ourselves up by the bootstraps was going to move us forward.  All the people on this boat with Paul had reached a similar place where they felt completely and utterly without hope. None of their seaman skills could save them from the teeth of this storm that had absolutely crushed their spirits. It was there at the end of their ropes where they were fi

"The jailer called for lights and ran to the dungeon and fell down trembling before Paul and Silas. Then he brought them out and asked,'Sirs, what must I do to be saved?' They replied,'Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved, along with everyone in your household.' And they shared the word of the Lord with him and with all who lived in his household. Even at that hour of the night, the jailer cared for them and washed their wounds. Then he and everyone in his household were immediately baptized. He brought them into his house and set a meal before them, and he and his entire household rejoiced because they all believed in God."  Acts 16:29-34 Our household is quickly moving back to where it started some 30 years ago. The young starry eyed couple carrying now the evidence in soul and body of having traveled a few miles. In and now out of the doors of this family have traveled a next generation each one as unique as a sunset. The prayer then, now a

"'Go out and stand before me on the mountain,' the Lord told him. And as Elijah stood there, the Lord passed by, and a mighty windstorm hit the mountain. It was such a terrible blast that rocks were torn loose, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. And after the earthquake there was a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire there was the sound of a gentle whisper. When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. And a voice said, ... " I Kings 19:11-13 There are a few members of our family who tend towards the more dramatic. It keeps life interesting. There's a largeness to the big emotion and there is certainly a place for it. The more subdued among us enjoy the smiles inspired by their flair. It is, however, due to their willingness to enter into our more low key worlds that allows room for our relationshi

"...A great wave of persecution began that day, sweeping over the church in Jerusalem; and all the believers except the apostles were scattered through the regions of Judea and Samaria. ... But the believers who were scattered preached the Good News about Jesus wherever they went." Acts 8:1-4 When our family gets together these days, numbered among us is one dog, one puppy, and one fully mobile 1 year old granddaughter. The three of them are quite the friend group/partners in crime, full of energy and into everything. It doesn't take long for them to take all that's within reach and scatter it all throughout the house -- shoes, clothes, toys, water bottles and the like. They serve as a tangible reminder of life.  It didn't take long for the same group of violent religious leaders who killed Jesus to continue their attacks against Jesus' followers. They murdered a Spirit-filled man named Stephen and began to actively pursue more. As a result, this ini

"Those who believed what Peter said were baptized and added to the church -- about three thousand in all. They joined with the other believers and devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching, and fellowship, sharing in the Lord's supper, and in prayer." Acts 2:41-42 I was determined. The fishing was amazing and I couldn't let a second time guy catch more than me. The sun was beginning to set and time was running out. 60, 61, 62 ... No matter how focused and devoted I was, he was just as much. I couldn't pass him up. The daily final tally was 63 trout for me and 68 trout for him. My sole comfort was knowing that the previous year I was the one who showed him how to catch them. In recording the beginnings of Jesus' church, Luke chronicled the incredible devotion of these new Christ followers. They were at their launching pad. At that time, no one else on planet earth shared their faith in Jesus. How could they possibly survive the attacks that wer

"Your word is a lamp for my feet and a light for my path. I've promised it once, and I'll promise again: I will obey your wonderful laws." Psalm 119:105-106 As the light began to fade on my flashlight, I realized just how much I desperately needed it. The crawl through the cave was intense enough with a flashlight, but without one, it was just dangerous. Thankfully, I was with a group of guys whose flashlights were still shining bright and we were near the final stretch before the exit. Even still, I acquired a few unnecessary bruises due to what was lurking in the shadows.  The author of this Psalm was passionate about the word of God. He knew that all of life was critically shaped by God's instructions. He knew that truth had been revealed through God's word and to neglect it would mean to surrender the freedom that it produced. He pointed out in these verses that taking even one step untrained by God's word was a step into darkness.  If

"But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples -- the one who would betray him -- said, 'That perfume was worth a small fortune. It should have been sold and the money given to the poor.' Not that he cared for the poor -- he was a thief who was in charge of the disciples' funds, and he often took some for his own use." John 12:4-6 Her words hit my chest like a sledgehammer -- "So and so told me that you started talking to some other girl." It took me a second to compose myself. That so and so was my friend, so I thought. I don't remember ever feeling before what I felt in that moment. Betrayal. I might have had a few conversations with someone, but I really liked the other girl. Ouch! My teenage drama took a dark and painful turn that day. Jesus was on his way to the cross. Pain, suffering and the wrath of God for sin was awaiting him. He was anointed with oil as a sign of love and respect and all old Judas could think of was getting more money

"When they arrived, Samuel saw Eliab and thought, 'Surely the Lord's anointed stands here before the Lord.' But the Lord said to Samuel, 'Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart." I Samuel 16:6-7 My athletic prowess peaked in elementary school. Once 7th grade hit, my glory days were over. As a skinny little kid, I would get picked near the end of the team selection process and I loved it. Why? Because it wouldn't take me long to prove that I should have been picked first. During a 3rd grade kickball game, my first at bat was a home run to the surprise of everyone. Ah ... those were the days.   Physical appearance, social status, and socioeconomic position are the things our culture tends to look at for significance and potential to accomplish great things. As we read our story from thousands of yea