Set Your Mind

"For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit.” (Romans 8:5) 

Have you ever met someone who “has their mind made up?”  It’s typically hard if not impossible to change someone’s mind. 

If you are a parent, you probably have your mind made up regarding your kids.  In your mind, your kids are incredible.  Nothing can stop you from loving them.  Your mind is set.  It is fixed. 

When God is at work in us through the Spirit, He does something miraculous.  We see Him and His beauty and our mind is set on how great He is.  We realize that everything we set our mind on before leads to death and setting our mind on the Spirit leads to “life and peace.” 

And as we set our minds on the Spirit all of God’s promises become more concrete.  He whispers to us and sometimes shouts to us – “you are mine!  I love you!  I am for you!  I am with you!  I am in you!  I will never let you go!” 

So Christian, remember today, “you, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you.  Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him.” (Romans 8:9).  God dwells in you and this changes everything in this life and the life to come.  Set your minds on this.  If you have seen the light of Jesus you have been transferred from the realm of the flesh to the realm of the Spirit.  Live in that place.  Set your mind on it. 

See you Sunday, 

Steven          

God With Us

Dear Church Family, 

My prayer for all of us this Thanksgiving is that “the God of hope may fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”  (Romans 15:13).  Overflowing with hope – how do we get there?  God – help us experience the reality of these truths this Advent Season. 

God really is for us. 

God really is with us. 

God really is in us. 

There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.  (Romans 8:1) 

Come these next six Sundays and let’s learn together how to live out these truths in our day to day lives. 

See you Sunday, 
Steven       

Deliverance

“There is something in us, as storytellers and as listeners to stories, that demands the redemptive act, that demands that what falls at least be offered the chance to be restored.” -Flannery O’Connor

The tale is legendary in my family. After a few times on country roads with my Dad, I felt confident in my ability to drive. I borrowed my Grandparent’s car to “cruise the strip” (which was a thing you did in small towns in the 90’s) and to grab some Taco Bell with a friend.

Except I was only 14.

And for obvious reasons, I didn’t ask to use the car.

I found the keys while everyone was gone, and headed out for a chili cheese burrito. All was well! On my way home I stopped to top off the gas. I turned my head, and pulling up at the pump beside me were my parents.

I had a horrible feeling in the pit of my stomach, and it wasn’t because of the burrito. Everything had gone terribly wrong and there was no one to blame but myself.

In Daniel 6, it seems Daniel is the lead actor. That’s how the story is generally told. Despite the king’s orders, he refused to stop praying to Yahweh, and even dared to do so three times a day! In front of an open window where he was sure to be seen! Thrown into the lions’ den, the Lord miraculously delivered him and saved him from harm! Surely we should all “dare to be a Daniel”!

Daniel was certainly delivered, and while it is an amazing story of God’s supernatural protection, it’s easy to miss the equally miraculous deliverance of Darius from the consequence of his sin.

The decree Darius issued when his pride was stoked by evil men, meant that Daniel, someone he cared a great deal for, would have to die. After the stone was placed over the mouth of the lions’ den, Darius himself would have to seal it with his own signet ring. Darius couldn’t eat. He couldn’t sleep. Everything had gone terribly wrong and there was no one to blame by himself.

And yet, the God of Daniel gives salvation both to the one in the pit, and to the one whose sin put him there. He’s the God of redemption and He writes a new, and better story, for all those who call upon Him.

“May your God, whom you serve continually, rescue you!” Darius said to Daniel as he was thrown into the lion’s den. It was a prayer of desperation that God was faithful to answer.

Today, if you’re desperate, cry out to Jesus. His body was broken to give you the chance to be restored. Will you let him write a new ending to your story?

Natalie

Faithful to All Generations

In the book of Daniel, there are dreams that need interpretation but sometimes the writing is on the wall. Daniel chapter 5 opens at a great banquet given by King Belshazzar, the son of former King Nebuchadnezzar. The apple doesn’t fall too far from the tree as King Belshazzar displays behavior full of arrogance, just as his Dad did in the years before God caused him to be humbled and live as a wild beast.

Oh, how easy it is to follow in our parents’ footsteps, whether missteps or direct steps. That really puts a lot of pressure on parents, doesn’t it? While sometimes I am grieved and have wrestled with God as to why I do not have children of my own, I am an aunt to my sister's two boys Reed and Miles and my brother’s daughter Shelby. Being at The Bridge and extending my hand at baby dedications, going to Mountain Top, helping with youth Alpha and now the fun I’ve had with Drama Club, has helped heal the sometimes-gaping hole in my heart from not having my own child. I have all of you as a family! So, I may not write as a parent, but I hope I have the Cool Aunt perspective. Like you, wondering if the kids we love may make the same mistakes that we did. Will we be around to guide them or teach them a lesson we learned before we die? That kind of worry can knock the breath right out of you.

Yet even here in Chapter 5, we read how good God is! We have a Father in heaven that speaks to us and our children. Even if it means sending a hand to write it on a wall, in plaster, in front of a room of people at a banquet. Even if it means we eat grass and live as a beast. God gave Belshazzar a mother who remembered Daniel, one who was able to interpret messages from the Lord.

We read on and find out King Belshazzar’s days are numbered; he has been judged and he is told he will lose his kingdom. That very night, all that was written happened. All that was written in Daniel was fulfilled, and all of God’s Word will one day be forever fully fulfilled! Jesus was judged, hung on a cross and bore our sins so that we can be saved from eternal death- his faithfulness endures to all generations! God will continue to pursue us and our children so that we will know love that surpasses all understanding. Have faith parents, and know Jesus loves our children and will pursue them as a Mighty Warrior who saves.

Nikki 

The True Hero King

I celebrated another birthday not long ago.  One of the things I made sure to do on that day was call my mom and thank her for all she’s done to bring me into this world and nurture me as her son.  It’s humbling to think how dependent on her care I was as an infant and child.  As an adult, I still count on her in so many ways.  But it’s also easy to forget my humble origins as I’ve become more independent from her.  The reality is that she has been a hero for me then and now.  It’s a humbling reality that I’m inclined to forget from time to time.

In the text from Daniel 4 this week, we see King Nebuchadnezzar brought low in order that he and the world will know that Yahweh God is the true Hero King whose Kingdom has no end.  Some amazing words were proclaimed about Yahweh by King Neb and are worth our time to read and reflect on.  King Neb could not genuinely proclaim these truths about His Hero King without him suffering through extreme humiliation in his life.  In that humiliation, King Neb became aware of his complete dependance on Yahweh for all things he had done and accomplished.

As followers of Christ, we need to remember our humble beginnings in Christ Jesus.  It’s easy to lose sight of our Hero King because of self-righteous arrogance.  Just a few months ago, we were studying Ephesians and we were reminded how we were once dead in our sin BUT GOD who is rich in mercy made us alive in Christ.  We are served well when we remember that we are completely dependent on the all-powerful and merciful King Jesus to guide us in His way, His truth and life in His Kingdom.  We are inclined to forget that just as we needed our Hero King to save us from our sin then, we still need Him to save us now.  The reality is that God loves us too much to leave us in our pride and sin and so He moves in ways to get our attention back on Him as our true Hero King and the Giver of all good gifts.  The proof of His Heroic love toward us and the world is shown ultimately through the Son that He sent to dwell on the earth, die on a cross, rise from the dead and ascend into Heaven in order that we might live forever with Him.

May we know the amazing grace of God in our lives today.  May we be humbled as we reflect on all God has done for us in Christ Jesus.  And may our lives glorify His name as He inclines us to live by His Spirit in genuine ways with the heart and mind of Jesus.

Grateful and hopeful in Christ, 

Jon

With Us Always

In this day and age it can be easy to have idols. It might not always be your favorite musician or actress. It can be an extra hour of sleep instead of going to church, or a shiny present you got for Christmas. King Nebuchadnezzar had created a beautiful golden idol that he thought everyone should worship. Because why would you worship something or someone you can’t see instead of something brilliant and bejeweled? And that’s where I think we can relate. It’s easier to worship things our eyes can see, and our hands can hold because they seem more real.

I’m sure everyone’s had doubts. Something bad might have happened that caused you to lose sight of your faith. And you’re questioning if God really loves you and cares for you why would he be doing this? That can lead to constant doubts. But that’s okay. At some point everyone is going to have doubts about their faith and the one who created them. God’s existence doesn’t depend on how strong your faith is. He does exist and He does love you. He will be there for you whether your faith is a lot or a little, because that’s just who He is. And idolizing a new watch you got isn’t going to do anything for you. It’s cool for a minute but eventually it will break as all things on this earth do. But God, He will always be there for you. And I think that’s something we should never lose sight of. Yes, we have struggles and days where it’s hard to believe but we can persevere and be like Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego because we worship the same God they did. He was good then, He’s good now, and he has reasons for the things He is doing, even if it means we find ourselves in a fiery furnace. No matter what the outcome, God will be there for us. He is with us always.

-Eva Runyon

Memory Lane

When I heard Pastor Steven say that Daniel and his friends were probably teenagers it made me pause and take a fresh look at Daniel’s story.  I went back and re-read Daniel and realized the only thing he had left of his prior life was his memories.  He had been stripped of his entire heritage.

It’s a fairly common tradition when families or friends gather to “walk down memory lane”.  Maybe it’s sharing funny stories or maybe it’s just talking about how life used to be.  My husband’s family is big on telling the same stories every holiday about all the crazy things that he and his three siblings did while growing up.  I wonder what stories Daniel’s family told?  Maybe they shared their childhood blunders like my husband’s family. But, I think Daniel also heard stories about what God had done.  Perhaps the stories of his relatives being held as slaves in Egypt helped him understand how to serve God faithfully in an ungodly world or maybe the stories of the desert years provided Daniel with a real example of how God can meet all our needs. Did the stories of Joseph teach Daniel how to treat his captors or the importance of avoiding sin?

What stories are you telling your family and friends?  Are you telling them about a time when God met you in the middle of your trials and provided the rest and comfort you needed?  Are you sharing your prayers and telling them when God grants your request?  We don’t know much about Daniel’s early life but clearly it had equipped him with the confidence and faith in God to survive and flourish in a godless environment. The fact that Daniel was only a teenager tells me he probably had limited life experiences yet he possessed the wisdom and faith of a man who had walked through the desert and remained faithful to God for decades.  If we are seeking to be salt and light, if we desire to be a godly witness, if we really want to make God known to others we must include our faith stories when walking down memory lane.

-Brenda Wooff

Before the Lion's Den

If we were playing Head’s Up, and the card said “Daniel”, I would loudly yell “IN THE LION’S DEN!” You would immediately know who I was referring to. If I were to say “wouldn’t eat meat, but asked for vegetables”, it’s possible you would get the more obscure reference…or you might think the card said “vegetarian”. Either way, most of us know Daniel as the guy in the lion’s den. And yet Daniel’s obedience began long before he found himself in a pit of hungry wild beasts.

In Daniel 1:8 we read “Daniel resolved not to defile himself…” Daniel made a conscious decision to obey God, and he asked the one put in authority over him “to allow him not to defile himself”. He asked (a pagan eunuch placed over him in the nation where his people were held in captivity) for permission to obey the Lord. That request was granted, and God honored Daniel’s obedience.

Obedience isn’t really trending in 2022. Yet our Savior said “Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me.” Why obey? Because we love Jesus. It’s also true our actions can speak louder than our words. Eugene Peterson wrote “Each act of obedience by the Christian is a modest proof, unequivocal for all its imperfection, of the reality of what he attests."

Daniel resolved to obey in a seemingly small matter. Those small acts of obedience, over time, gave him the courage to choose to follow God when it may have been unto death. Obedience trains and prepares us. Daniel and his friends knew their God. They knew what His will was for them. And they obeyed His voice.

What small act of obedience is the Lord calling you to today? Do you hear His voice? I pray more and more we will be a church who knows God, understands His will for us, and chooses to obey, whatever the cost. 

-Natalie Runyon

How did we get here?

Have you ever wondered – how did I get here?

I am good at getting lost.  So, I often ask myself, “how did I get here?” 

Sometimes I get lost because I am not paying attention.  Sometimes I am so busy talking to whoever is with me I get distracted and miss a turn.  Sometimes I overestimate my knowledge of an area and don’t study the map or even look at it.

All those scenarios have one thing in common – I am in the “driver’s seat” either literally or figuratively – I am calling the shots and charting the course.  I am responsible for getting lost.

But what if it wasn’t my fault?  What if someone else was not paying attention or someone else got distracted or didn’t read the map and I am the one who suffers the consequences for someone else’s carelessness?  It is one thing if I get lost and it is my fault, but it is different if I get lost and it is someone else’s fault.

We are beginning a new sermon series on the book of Daniel and in this book we see Daniel in a foreign land under the authority of people who worship different gods and they encourage him to abandon his faith and his roots.  He experiences cultural and political pressure.  He is threatened and slandered and persecuted.  And through it all he trusts in God and looks to Him for wisdom and help.

Throughout life we will all experience the challenge of “getting lost.”  Sometimes it will be our fault.  Sometimes it is not our fault but inevitably we will often feel like we are in the wrong place.  It will be uncomfortable and difficult, but we will learn through the book of Daniel that God is in control and He is Sovereign over any and every place we go or find ourselves in.

May we be those who trust in the goodness of God when we are lost and when we are found.  May we look to Him when things are good and when things are bad.  May His light shine brightly through us as He gives us wisdom and favor to walk in this world.

See you Sunday,

Steven

A Life Well Lived

How would you define “a life well lived?”  Every commercial, every hobby, every sports game, every movie, every concert, every meal whispers to us, “buy this, pursue this, attend this, eat this and you will have a life well lived.”  It is a natural human instinct for us to pursue pleasure and fulfillment and to avoid pain.

This coming Sunday we will look at some of Paul’s last words in the last letter he wrote before he was beheaded in Rome.  He shares with his beloved son in the faith (Timothy) that he has fought the good fight, kept the faith and finished the race” (2 Timothy 4:7).  That sounds like a life well lived, but it isn’t absent from disappointments and difficulties.  Paul shares that his life is being “poured out like a drink offering” and that many of his friends have left him.  Paul is freezing cold and needs Timothy to bring him his coat.  Paul is not in a comfortable room but in a dark, cold prison cell.  But Paul knows that what he sees is not all there is.

Earlier Paul penned the words “we live by faith and not by sight” (2 Corinthians 5:7) and God is giving Paul the ability to see things that are unseen.  As Paul ends his earthly life he remembers the One who promises that “he will never leave or forsake us” (Matthew 28:20).  So Paul is able to testify to Timothy that although “everyone deserted him”  the Lord stood at my side and gave me strength (2 Timothy 4:17).

Have you felt the Lord standing at your side and giving you strength?  At what times have you felt Him beside you?  How has that changed your life?  How has that given you hope?

A well lived life is not determined by the number of things you accumulate or experiences you have.  It is not dodging all disappointments and difficulties.  It is not by avoiding all problems and pain.  A well lived life is knowing that through all of life (the good and the bad) we have a Faithful Friend who stands with us and strengthens us and when we breathe our final breath our Faithful Friend “will rescue [us] from every evil attack and will bring [us] safely to his heavenly kingdom. To him be glory for ever and ever. Amen.” (2 Timothy 4:18).

-Steven

Don't Miss the Details

Have you ever started reading a book and then been tempted to skip to the last few pages?  It’s a practice I would not recommend.  It’s so frustrating because you don’t know the details of the story.  You don’t know why the heroine moved to Scotland and took up knitting or how the hero wound up in jail for a crime he didn’t commit.  Likewise, if the readers of Ephesians skipped the first 5 chapters and went straight to the last page where Paul commands us to: “Put on the whole armor of God, …” (Ephesians 6:11 ESV) they would have missed the details.

For the longest time I would get hung up on the individual pieces of the armor, trying to understand the purpose of a breastplate or understand how the breastplate hooked on to the belt.  I was missing the main idea behind the armor.  When I went back and read Chapters 1-5 again, chapter 3 verse 19b jumped off the page. Paul writes: “that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.” (Ephesians 3:19b ESV).  The fullness of Christ means to take on His attributes, His character, His Holiness, His Righteousness, His Peace. In other words, put on Christ, take on His nature and live it out in your daily life.   

Don’t miss the details: Applying all of the Gospel (Chapters 1-3) to all of your life (Chapter 4-5) is putting on the armor of God. 

-Brenda Wooff

Don't Play With Snakes

As we continue in Ephesians’ instructions for a Christian household, this week’s scripture brings us to how children should act. Whether you have children or not, we are all children. Physically here on earth but also to our heavenly father. Thankfully, Paul’s instructions are simple.

Obey.

That’s it. Too bad simple and easy do not always correlate. Whether it’s to your parents (earthly or heavenly), a teacher, coach, manager, or an elected official, it’s easy to push against instruction. The reasons are plentiful, but the root lies in our pride of thinking we know what is right or best.

Looking back on my adolescence, these verses sting a bit as I certainly thought I had life figured out. I’m grateful my parents continued to give me fish instead of snakes (Matthew 7 9:12), as I was wrong way more often than right and their steady guidance has greatly shaped me to this day. Sometimes you just have to smile at God’s sense of humor as I see some of my unwelcomed tendencies in my young kids, but thankfully Paul also provides a simple message on parenting.

“Do not exasperate your children, instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.” Also simple but as we lead our children, or a friend, co-worker, relative, if they can see us obeying Jesus’ teachings, how much more likely will they obey the instruction provided to them?

-Alex Pfister

A Profound Mystery

Every once in awhile, I enjoy reading a good mystery.  The trouble is that not all books I’ve read under this genre have turned out to be worth the time I invested.  It can be quite satisfying when I find a good author I can count on to produce a puzzling mystery time and again.  Once I trust an author, I will look for other books written by them.  Even with all that, I don’t think any of these kinds of mysteries have had any lasting impact on my way of life.

In the text this week, Paul continues to discuss the ministry of the Gospel revealed through the marriage relationship.  He describes the phenomenon of unity in marriage as a profound mystery that depicts the connection between Christ Jesus and His church.  Think about those two words “profound” and “mystery” and how they pertain to Jesus and His relationship with us.  The words of this passage challenge me as a husband and also amaze me as I ponder the love that Jesus has demonstrated for us as His church.      

I must say that the marriage journey has been the greatest test of my faith.  I’m ever indebted for what Jesus has done to lead me in how to cherish and nurture the relationship God has blessed me to have with my dear wife.  I can love her well because Jesus loves me well.  Our marriage has impressed on me so much about the Gospel and the love of God for both of us.  If we didn’t stick with the investment we had originally made together in this marriage, we both would’ve missed out on much more that’s been unveiled over time through our marriage about the riches of God’s love.  I trust in the continuing work of Jesus in my life because I’ve experienced so much about His love in the context of marriage.  God is still using this powerful illustration of the Gospel shown through marriage to sanctify me.

The profound mystery that Paul speaks of in this text is so worth our attention!  It’s worth the investment of time to reflect on the love story between Jesus and His church because the Author of our faith never disappoints!  Even more, the profound mystery Paul describes here will leave an everlasting impact on our lives!  May we know the love of Jesus as it’s revealed in the love of a husband and wife unified together and on mission for Christ.  May we walk in step with the Spirit seeking to glorify God in all things.  And may we continue to trust our Heavenly Father as the Perfector of our faith who leads us to and through all things.  Let us discover more about this deep personal connection we really have with Jesus as the Lover of our souls.

Grateful and hopeful in Christ,   

Jon 

Do You See My Heart?

I’ve studied and wrestled with this week’s passage of scripture for months, and in a way I don’t often with other passages. I kept asking the Lord questions like “What does this mean for me?” “How do I obey this?” “Am I doing this right? Are you happy with me, God?” After I’d exhausted myself contemplating participles and historical context, the Lord said to me “Do you see my heart?”

I didn’t. I couldn’t. I was asking the wrong question. And finally, instead of looking to the text and asking about the command I was supposed to follow, I looked at the text and asked God to show me his heart.

It’s easy to yield to your husband when he’s right, you’re safe and you know you are loved. When any one of these is uncertain, submitting is much harder. I can submit to Jesus because all of these things are always true. It’s difficult to submit to a husband (or government or elders or even other believers) because they aren’t Jesus. Yet, the Bible calls us to do this very thing. Why?

In Jesus’ high priestly prayer before his betrayal and arrest, He asked this of His Father: “I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me.” Jesus prayed for unity for all those who already believed in him, and all those who ever would. Why would this be on Jesus’ mind even as the crucifixion loomed ahead?

So that the world would believe.

When a human body functions as it should, we don’t think about what it’s doing or why it’s doing it. All the parts work in unison. It’s when a problem arises and some part isn’t working correctly, that we ask questions. When a marriage functions as it should, no one is thinking too much about submission, but when something is off, we start pointing fingers.

What is God’s heart for marriage? That a husband and wife would be one. Why? Because the words of Genesis 2:24- “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh”, reveal a profound mystery about Christ and the Church- our unity with Him.

In v. 21 Paul tells us we “submit to one another out of love for Christ”. This directive isn’t only for wives, or even women. It’s for all who believe in Christ. A wife understands what this call to yield to another looks like in a unique way because it happens in a marriage. But a wife isn’t only, always yielding, because a Christian husband is called to this as well. It’s a mutual submission. When a marriage works as God designed, at times, both will yield to one another.

Submission looks different in every marriage, but when we trust in Christ, His Holy Spirit comes to live within us. It’s the Spirit that shows us how this best works out in our own marriage. When we make rules about who should do the finances or lead family devotions or a million other things, we miss God’s heart- that we would be in one accord, and the unity in our marriage would show the world something about our Savior.

I couldn’t write on these verses without also adding this; God’s heart is that wives in marriages would be loved, cherished and nourished just as Christ continually does those things for His church. His heart is never for a wife to be abused. Jesus was continually restoring dignity to the women he encountered. If you and/or your children are being harmed by your husband, please do not keep it a secret in the name of submission.

Church, may God be glorified in our marriages, and may we experience true unity that brings us comfort and joy.

-Natalie

The Will of The Lord

I love how the Bible always points to Jesus! Like a map with a key! I give praise because I have several Bibles displayed all over my home! One is the ancient one passed down from family member to family member with each name and birth date written in it. Safely stored in a cedar box, with a cross carved on the outside and a picture of Jesus on the inside. It is rarely opened as the pages have become brittle, and the binding is falling apart. The next is a Bible I received when I graduated from High School, not quite as ancient as the first but getting there. This one is a small study Bible, the pages are highlighted, underlined with notes written in the margin, it’s the one I write in. Recently, I was able to purchase what I call my all grown up big ole study Bible. It has all the answers, and holding it makes me look like I know what I am talking about. Instant street cred. Feeling like a grown up as I researched what Bible would be best for me, how to use it, is it true to translation. I even got to pick out the color - my favorite shade of green - and had it personally engraved with little gold lettering on the front “Pray to open.” A reminder to myself. I can’t take credit for coming up with that engraving on my own as I heard someone else has it on their Bible and I thought it was clever. Then there is the handy Bible-to-go, any Bible App for your phone or any internet search engine.  Praise God I have all these Bibles! Hallelujah that I can still talk about them and display them out for all to see! For right now, many of our brothers and sisters in Christ must hide their Bibles, being killed or imprisoned if caught with even a one. Oh, how precious is the word of God.

With the blessing of having so many Bibles all with slightly different translations from thee to thou, to you and your, it is easy to get lost in translation. Looking at this week’s reading of Eph 5:15-21, I became stuck on verse 17. So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. Humm. Do I know what the will of the Lord is? In times of troubles and crises, it is always said “If it’s God’s will” as if we aren’t sure what God’s will for us is. Sometimes, it’s almost as if we are giving God a pass or justification if it doesn’t seem to pan out in our favor. Yet do we know how it should have turned out if we don’t know God’s will for us. Here Paul says, “understand what the will of the Lord is.” I’ll be honest, when I read this, I was thrown to a halt. Paul writes as if he knows God’s will and tells us that we should understand it. I thought God’s will was kind of a mystery only God knows, and yes, there are many things God knows that I sure do not. Yet this is not the case with what Paul is saying.

So… I turned to my big ole adult Bible and looked at the notes, I go to Romans:12-2 and do not be conformed to this world, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect. There it is again and this time I am to prove it, what is the will of God and will I prove it to others? What does He will me to do? On to Ephesians 5:10, learn what is pleasing to God. Colossians 1:9, praying to be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding. Matt 13:22, 1st Peter 1:14, Gal 1:4 and Thessalonians 4:3 For this the will of God, your sanctification. God’s will for us is to be Holy, freed from sin, purified. Jesus. That is God’s will for us! It all points to Jesus. What peace, what relief I am given by God when I finally see that Jesus is the will of the Father. Jesus, dying on the cross, taking on the curse of sin so that we may be holy with God, for eternity. That is God’s will.

As I walk through this fallen world, with sin and the enemy surrounding me, I am not sure I will view the phrase “if it’s God’s will the same.” "IF" implies that we aren’t sure of what God’s will is. Yet we know God’s will is for us to be sanctified. How can we be holy in our trials, in our workdays, in every moment. We can only be holy by Jesus. So not if but may it be to God’s will when we go through darkness. May it be to God’s will when we watch our loved one suffering in illness. May it be to Jesus, as we hold each other’s hands in times of suffering and joy, singing hymns, praising God for Jesus. Oh how sweet, it all points to our King!

-Nikki Fiedler

Wake Up Sleeper

But everything exposed by the light becomes visible—and everything that is illuminated becomes a light. This is why it is said: “Wake up, sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.” — Ephesians 5:13-14

Cindy and I spent a weekend with wonderful friends in Southern Illinois in the Shawnee National Forest. I was sitting on the porch at dawn, watching the sun rise slowly, its golden rays burning the morning mist away and brightening the surrounding country fields. The above scripture, "Wake up, sleeper,” came to mind watching the morning unfold in the summer heat.

Scholars can't agree on what Paul used as a source for verse 14. Some think it is fragments from Old Testament scripture, perhaps in Isaiah, and others believe it's from an early Christian Easter hymn. Regardless, two points Paul makes in Ephesians 8-14 are believers need to awaken from their moral slumbers, and unbelievers need to awaken to repentance and quit denying a spiritual reality.

In these verses, Paul used the tension between light and dark to remind Christians our lives, deeds, and positions need to align with the very spiritual light we profess in our walk of faith. And in conducting ourselves as "children of light" [v.9], we expose the darkness (acts of sin) in the world. It is moral character and grit in both words and deeds where the body of believers (the church) is the complete embodiment of Christ in the world. Paul encourages the church to awaken its moral consciousness in the darkened sludge of an immoral, sinful world. We are to have nothing to do with evil and the ways of sin in the world. A moral awakening leads to the progressive redemption of the world through the growth of Christianity.

In David Lowery's film A Ghost Story, Casey Affleck's character dies in a car crash. After choosing not to move forward to eternity when the afterlife portal opens with brilliant, divine, and heavenly light beckoning Affleck's character's soul, he ends up as a ghost lingering on his property. His presence was constant but not forbearing. He could stay but not affect the world beyond a thrown dish here or shorting a light bulb there. In denying the divine light, Affleck's ghostly character lived an undistinguished and bound life of hopelessness and despair. The ghost's lingering and purposeless imagery reminds us to live our lives with purpose and progressively mature our spiritual life by following Christ and walking in His light.

Lowery's point about wayward lingering is Paul's point, too, regarding lingering in sin or aligning ourselves with lives living in the realm of darkness. Our moral character aligned in Christ is to have an impact and not stay in the shadows of a wayward culture or the world's ways. As one walks in moral excellence and the truth and light of Christ, it is these very acts from which salvation in Christ delivers sinners. Paul's quotation in verse 14 appeals for one to arise from the morally and soulless dead. It is an invitation to salvation for the unsaved — a life's resurrection, transformation, and awakening away from darkness and the languishing of one's soul and spiritual life.

-Dan Nickel

Walk in Love

In the next few weeks, I’ll be coming up on the eight year anniversary of my dad’s eternal homecoming.  I still miss him deeply and look forward to our heavenly reunion.  My dad left such a lasting impression on me because he loved me as a dear son.  As our relationship matured over time, I noticed some things.  Typically, when I was around him, I wanted to walk in ways that were pleasing and honorable to him.  But when we were apart there were plenty of times when I lived foolishly - especially when he was out of sight and out of mind.  Sometimes my foolish choices would create a wedge in our relationship whether it was due to my shame or selfish ambition or his greater expectations of a father for his son.  Either way, his presence was an accountability and means of grace that God used to add to my life.

In the text this week, Paul starts with a focus on love between the Heavenly Father and His children.  I believe we each need to enter into this text with that same focus on the Father’s love for us.  We need to remember He loves us too much to leave us in our sin, so he continuously calls us out of it.  Even more, He calls us to walk with Him and in His love because He knows that we are at our best when we are aware of His enduring presence and steadfast love for us as His children. 

It's the love of God shown through Christ Jesus that sets us free from our idols so we can truly live with Him and by His Spirit.  May we feel the amazing love of our Heavenly Father for us today.  Let us pray continually for the Spirit of God to expose our idols and call us into the light of Christ.  May the Word of God be the mirror by which we see ourselves from now on.  And may we as a church be transformed by the gracious presence and love demonstrated to us through Jesus!

The lyrics of the song “Who I Am” by Ben Fuller deeply encouraged me as I studied this week’s text and I suggest you give it a listen too. 

Grateful and hopeful in Christ,   

Jon 

Words That Give Life

How are you using your words today?  Did you shout vehemently at the driver of the car who cut you off on your way to the store?  Or did you cross the aisle at church last week and give a kind word to the unknown person who sat alone? Did you race out of the house this morning, angry and shouting at your spouse because they didn’t take out the trash? Perhaps you were reading social media when you came across a differing opinion and you had to stop and respond, without a speck of grace, in an attempt to “set them straight”.  Do you have trouble “taming the tongue”, as I often do?  Does your heart reflect the tenderness of Gods’ love?  Ephesians 4:25-32 reminds us that words should be void of anger, wrath and bitterness and replaced with words of kindness, grace and forgiveness.

A while back I was in the habit of praying a variation of Psalm 139:23-24 which says: “Search me, O God, and know my heart!  Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!”.  It was a good prayer but I executed it as if I was in line at a fast food drive through.  I’d pull up to the order box, make my request and expect that I would get some answer when I arrived at the checkout window.   It wasn’t until I was given these seven verses in Ephesians to write and reflect upon that I realized God was answering a prayer.  He really had searched my heart and regrettably found my heart wasn’t always tender and my words were not always filled with kindness and grace.  I needed to spend time with these verses, pray about them and consider how far I’d gotten off course. 

I hope you’ll spend some time reflecting upon these verses.  If our hearts, as Christians, have been changed by the wonderful work of Christ then our words must reflect that change.  The next time you’re tempted to unleash words of anger or discouragement, think about The Message version of Proverbs 18:21 “Words kill, words give life; they’re either poison or fruit – you choose.” 

-Brenda Wooff

Calloused

My daughter, Eva loves to swing. She spends hours a day swinging and listening to music. Earlier this summer she developed a blister on her hand from the chains. She continued to swing, and the blister turned into a callus- a hard, thickened area on her skin. The callus has made it easier for her to swing without pain, but it also reduces her sensitivity, which can be dangerous.

A callus can form not only on our skin, but also on our hearts. I have found in an effort to avoid facing the pain our family has experienced this year, I've allowed this very thing to happen to me. My heart has become hard toward the Lord because I am disturbed by his providence, and I’ve become callous. My immediate reaction (once I realized this) was “I need to change my behavior!” Yes, I do, but behavior modification on it’s own won’t last. I need to have my mind renewed. I need Jesus to redirect my gaze and strengthen my affection for him. As my affections change, my thoughts, desires, and ultimately my behavior will follow.

Paul’s directive in Ephesians 7:14-24 isn’t a “one and done” thing. Daily, sometimes moment by moment, we must put off our old self which doesn’t desire the Lord and renew our minds- gaze at Jesus and seek him in his Word- and as we do, more and more we will desire to put on our new self, “created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness”.

A callus on our hearts may protect us from pain, but it also numbs us, and reduces sensitivity to our Savior and his people. If, like me, your affections for Jesus have waned, I pray that he would give us eyes to see the condition of our hearts, the kindness of his mercy, and that his Spirit would stir our love for him.

By his wounds, our calloused hearts are healed.

Natalie

Spiritual Guides

Do you know Jesus has given you gifts to help you navigate this world?  My most precious gifts are my children.  I do not want them to be “tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness and deceitful schemes” (Ephesians 4:14).  Jesus didn’t just die for our sins and rise from the dead and ascend into Heaven and sit on a throne to watch us flip and flop and struggle.  Jesus sent the Helper – the Holy Spirit and He also sent gifts He bestows on His people to serve as guides, coaches, mentors, teachers along the way.  Every parent hopes his or her children have good guides in life.  God as our Good Father has gifted us with guides.  Are you looking for people like this?  Are you asking the Lord to make you a person like this? 

Paul says Jesus gifted the church with apostles and prophets and evangelists and shepherds and teachers to “equip the saints for the work of the ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God” (Ephesians 4:12-13). 

My overactive imagination begins to picture people like Gandalf from Lord of the Rings or Yoda from Star Wars.  Yoda trained Luke and then Luke became a Jedi.  Gandalf took Frodo and Sam and Merry and Pippin – four Hobbits with little to no talent and guided them to save Middle Earth.  Jesus is the Hero all the time, but Jesus has gifted the church with helpers, guides, mentors to help us reach unity, help us know Jesus better, protect us from false teaching, so the body will grow in love. 

A very sad thing is a gift that remains unopened.  Are you taking advantage of the gifts Jesus has made available to you?  Do you have spiritual “Gandalfs” and “Yodas?”  These people “equip us to do the work of the ministry.”  I can think of many “Gandalfs” and “Yodas” in my life, and I have no idea where I would be without them.   

So, as we gather to worship this coming Sunday may our praises be solely focused on Jesus – the Giver of gifts, but may we also look around and thank Jesus for the gifts of apostles, prophets, evangelists, shepherds and teachers who equip us and guide us to unity of purpose in knowing Jesus better. 

See you Sunday, 

Steven