Fall Creek Christian Church

"Fire goes out without wood, and quarrels disappear when gossip stops." Proverbs 26:20 Our family loves campfires. As the sun sets and the air cools, the fire pit quickly becomes the place of focus. A few sticks. A few pieces kindling. A click of the lighter and we're off to the races. Stories get told. Laughter breaks out from faces glowing orange from the warm dancing flames. We'll sit there for hours on end, until the wood runs out. When that happens, the fire quickly fades and the cool air chases us to the fireplace inside.  Solomon, who authored the book of Proverbs, undoubtedly had experienced his share of campfires as well. He observed that quarrels fade out just like a fire will without wood. Quarrels require fuel to continue. He mentions the primary one by name -- gossip. Passing negative information around about others is sure to stir the pot. Remove it and peace has a chance. The ability to keep information about others in confidence or to sim...

"For God saved us and called us to live a holy life. He did this, not because we deserved it, but because it was his plan from before the beginning of time -- to show us his grace through Christ Jesus. And now he has made all of this plain to us by the appearing of Christ Jesus, our Savior. He broke the power of death and illuminated the way to life and immortality through the Good News." II Timothy 1:9-10 Pick up football games have been a part of my life since my childhood. All that was needed was a handful of kids, a piece of grass, and a football. Most plays were, "You, go long. You, go short." Then we'd call "Shotgun!" then "Hike!" and then the "Mississippi(s)" would start. I noticed that when the games were close, the play planning took a little longer. With bragging rights on the line, it was no time to be caught without a good game plan. Paul spent tremendous amounts of time and energy sharing, reflecting upon, and...

"'Am I a God who is only close at hand?' says the Lord. 'No, I am far away at the same time. Can anyone hide from me in a secret place? Am I not everywhere in all the heavens and earth?' says the Lord." Jeremiah 23:23-24 Several years ago, while on a river hike, we found a rock formation that looked just like a deep hot tub in the middle of the river. While in it, I took a deep breath and went down looking at the river forged walls. In the quietness of that moment, it hit me. God is here. He knows every crack and crevice. As a matter of fact, he knows what's going on under the water in every river on the planet! I came up for air...mind blown.  David reflected on this same reality in Psalm 139. The everywhere-present God. Jeremiah recorded God saying it himself. I'm everywhere. In the heavens? Yes. ALL the heavens? Yes. Everywhere in ALL the earth? Yes. The center of the sun? The unseen spiritual world? The deepest dark of space? Yes. Yes. An...

"O Jerusalem, I have posted watchmen 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 Whenever our family goes on vacation, I look forward to what I call the "sweet middle." At the beginning of the week, my emotional, mental, physical RPMs are still pretty high. They begin to dial down in the change of scenery and schedule. Eventually, I enter this moment where unconsciously the switch is actually turned off - the sweet middle. Rest. This moment lasts a few days until I think of our return and what's waiting for me when we do.  God is a huge fan of rest. It actually made his Top 10, "Remember the Sabbath and keep it holy." No work. No planning. Just rest. It's fascinating to consider Isaiah's call to "take no rest". He then put an exclamation point on it, ...

"For you have been given not only the privilege of trusting in Christ, but also the privilege of suffering for him." Philippians 1:29 Several years ago, I was invited by a friend to a very exclusive luncheon. It was put on by one of the big universities as a "Thank you" to individuals and businesses that had made significant donations to the school. The guests of honor and speakers were the varsity basketball coaches of both the women's and men's teams. It wasn't until the coach came in and sat down next to me that I realized we were at the head table! What a privilege.    Privilege was also on Paul's mind when he wrote his friends who made up the church at a city called Philippi. Paul was nearly martyred there as he boldly laid his life on the line so they could hear how to be saved. "Believe in the name of the Lord Jesus and you will be saved," he told them. And they did. Privilege, he told them, is both receiving salvation from...