Fall Creek Christian Church

"And now, Israel, listen carefully to these decrees and regulations that I am about to teach you. Obey them so that you may live, so you may enter and occupy the land that the Lord, the God of your ancestors, is giving you. Do not add to or subtract from these commands I am giving you. Just obey the commands of the Lord your God that I am giving giving." Deuteronomy 4:1-2 We tend to chaff at instruction. Rules and regulations are not things we typically get excited about. As parents, we've given many instructions to our children over the years. For the most part they understood the "why" and were even willing to trust us, albeit begrudgingly, when they didn't. There were times, however, where minor things like "Wear a coat" or "Put on sunscreen" were ignored and they experienced the subsequent consequences. Other times, like all of us, they ignored some seriously significant instruction and tasted the bitterness of regret.  In M...

"Then Moses spoke again to Korah: 'Now listen, you Levites! Does it seem a small thing to you that the God of Israel has chosen you from among all the people of Israel to be near him as you serve in the Lord's Tabernacle and to stand before the people to minister to them? He has given this special ministry only to you and your fellow Levites, but now you are demanding the priesthood as well!" Numbers 16:8-10 "...the ambition of treacherous people traps them." Proverbs 11:6 Growing up, our kids had what we called the "Whiner's Timeout Chair." It was located in the room next to the kitchen and faced the wall. All day long, the chair would be filled and emptied several times. When one of the four girls began the screeching, high pitched whiny voice, off to the chair they'd go. We'd say, "We can't understand you when you're whining. Sit in the chair until you're done and then you can come back and join everyone else...

 "Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. ... But anyone who hears my teaching and doesn't obey it is foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand. ..." Matthew 7:24-29 "When the storms of life come, the wicked are whirled away, but the godly have a lasting foundation." Proverbs 10:25 Our missions team had a clear target for the week: Assemble as many large and stable storage sheds as possible for the families whose homes were destroyed or seriously damaged by a series of tornadoes. The group worked tirelessly inspired by the gratitude of the families and the sense of being used by God to truly make a difference. Each shed came in prefabricated sections. Once the foundation sections were set, squared, secured and level, the rest of the shed went up like clockwork equipped to serve its purpose.  Jesus taught all the time about living a life that was stable, strong, and prepared for impac...

"As the deer longs for streams of water, so I long for you, O God. I thirst for God, the living God. When can I go and stand before him?"  Psalm 42:1-2 As the sun continued to bear down on us, the bales of hay began to feel heavier and heavier. The end of the field seemed to drift further out of view with the stacking of each row on the wagon. Sweat poured out of us as if an internal pipe had broke. We were all way beyond thirsty. Once the last few bales landed in place, we all turned our attention to the red spigot near the barn. Connected to a deep well, this spigot brought forth what to us seemed like the purest, coldest, and most refreshing water in the world. It was healing to both body and soul.  The author of our psalm for the day was desperately thirsty as well. Not for water. He was thirsty for God. Circumstances within and without had left him in a place of longing. It wasn't the way it was before. His people were not only tragically turning from G...

"One time Jesus entered a house, and the crowds began to gather again. Soon he and his disciples couldn't even find time to eat. When his family heard what was happening, they tried to take him away. 'He's out of his mind,' they said. But the teachers of religious law who had arrived from Jerusalem said,'He's possessed by satan, the prince of demons.' Jesus called them over and responded with an illustration. 'How can satan cast out satan?' he asked. 'A kingdom divided by civil war will collapse. Similarly, a family splintered by feuding  will fall apart.'" Mark 3:20-25 By all measurements, this pro football team was poised to be a force few could match in its march to the championship. A two-time world champion quarterback and coach. A tough as nails defense with an equally spirited fan base behind them. Preseason expectations skyrocketed as their running back and one of their receivers rose to the league's best convers...

  "And the Lord replied to Moses,'I will indeed do what you have asked, for you have found favor with me, and you are my friend.' Then Moses had one more request. 'Please let me see your glorious presence,' he said. The Lord replied,'I will make all my goodness pass before you, and I will call out my own name, 'the Lord' to you..." Exodus 33:17-19 After nearly thirty one years of marriage, I like to think I know my sweetheart pretty well by now and vice-versa. We've traveled some rough terrain as well as smooth waters seeing each other at our best and our worst. And yet, I find myself marveling on a regular basis at something new I discover about her that causes me to pause in wonder. It may be a depth of thought, an emotional nuance, a strength of will, a physical capability or a spiritual awareness that provides me with a more complete picture of, as well as appreciation for, who she is. Incredibly, Moses and God were friends. That...

"...Will there be any sign ahead of time to signal your return and the end of the world? ... Many will turn away from me and betray and hate each other. Many false prophets will appear and will lead many people astray. Sin will be rampant everywhere and the love of many will grow cold. But those who endure to the end will be saved." Matthew 24:3-13 Every year in our house around September/October, our family gathers around for the annual launch of the gas burning fireplace. With just a few clicks of the starter, the pilot light ignites followed by a quick turning of the knob. The orange flames spring into action. For the next six months, that fireplace provides a magnetic warmth and glow that almost always has someone nearby held fast in its grip.    As Jesus was painting a rather grim picture of life as it nears the apocalypse, he spoke of a dissipating warmth. It wasn't a decrease in the temperature as the sun went down. It was a description of people's he...