Fall Creek Christian Church

  "I have done the Lord's work humbly and with many tears. I have endured the many trials that came to me from the plots of the Jews. I never shrank back from telling you what you needed to hear, either publicly or in your homes." Acts 20:13-38   "Why are you happy all the time?" Sadly, it's not every day someone asks you that question, at least me anyway. I'd love to tell you that my answer was bold and unapologetic, a passion filled testimony of God's wonderful work in my life. However, to do so would be inaccurate. No, it would be a lie. I mumbled something about how staying positive helps the time pass ... blah, blah, blah. No Good News about Jesus. No follow-up questions for him. It was a total swing and a miss. The coach put me in, but I wasn't prepared.    The leaders of the church in Ephesus had been blessed to be with the apostle Paul up close and personal. They heard him preach. They watched him work. They saw him suffer. They heard his

"So Naaman went down to the Jordan River and dipped himself seven times, as the man of God had instructed him. And his skin became as healthy as the skin of a young child's, and he was healed!" II Kings 5:1-19   Falling out of bed, my little granddaughter managed to break her collar bone. With a colorful miniature sling in place, she came bouncing into our house announcing, "I broke my collar bone, Grandpa!" I carefully bent over and gave her a little hug and words of comfort. Satisfied, off she went to make sure everyone else knew what had happened. "Grandma, I broke my collar bone!" Within a few weeks tops, the novelty wore off along with the pain. She was healed, the sling disappeared and she resumed her full contact two-year-old life.   Naaman, the mighty Aramean army commander, found himself in a sling too. It wasn't a cloth strap over his shoulder. It was a slow terminal skin disease, leprosy. Given the testimony of a young girl of a healing

"You came back to this place and ate and drank where he told you not to eat and drink. Because of this, your body will not be buried in the grave of your ancestors." I Kings 13 My daughter was so proud of her baking efforts. However, after taking one bite of what appeared to be delicious homemade cookies, we knew something was terribly wrong. With faces shriveled and contorted, we attempted to chew and swallow them, but we just couldn't force ourselves to do it. Hurt, she took a bite and quickly removed it from her mouth as well. As it turns out, teaspoon and tablespoon are not the same things, particular when it comes to the ingredient of salt. Details are a big deal. The prophet in our story knew what God had told him. Deliver a message of judgment to the king. Go home a different way and do not stop at the drive thru on your way out of town. Simple. Clear. Go in and get out. Well on his way to a successful mission, a deceptive voice attracted his attention. The voice

 " That night the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream, and God said, 'What do you want? Ask, and I will give it to you!" I Kings 3:5 Birthdays, holidays, anniversaries, and other special occasions are particularly stressful in my little world. It doesn't matter how much time I spend thinking about what to do when these events are nearing, I always end up in the same place, a state of confusion. I don't ever get it right. Several years ago, I decided to start asking. What do you want? What would you like to do? Where would you like to go? Who do you want to see? Chirp, chirp, nothing but crickets. I beg. I plead, but still no help. O well, there's always next year. In the Bible, asking is an ongoing theme. God routinely asked people questions as well as asked them to do something. Amazingly, he invites people to ask him questions too. And, as in the story for today involving Solomon, to ask him for something and/or for him to do something. He appeared to Solomo

  "... Then, turning to Shimei, David vowed, 'Your life will be spared.' ... 'I've decided that you and Ziba will divide your land equally between you.' ... "Come across with me and live in Jerusalem,' the king said to Barzillai. 'I will take care of you there.' ... " II Samuel 19:18-39   I regularly reflect on people of influence in my life. Typically, we call them role models and heroes. Each of the ones in my life share(d) a passionate love for Jesus. They inspired me as I witnessed the Holy Spirit work in and through their life in unique and special ways. They encouraged me by their example to keep my eyes on Jesus, the one who empowers us to advance the Kingdom.   David was just such a leader. He inspired. He called people to a faith in God, a surrender to God that would enable them to experience great victories. He certainly was distracted from time to time, but as we see in this passage, the qualities of mercy, wisdom and generosity