O-B-E-D-I-E-N-C-E

“Obedience is the very best way to show that you believe. 

Doing exactly as the Lord commands, doing it happily. 

Action is the key, do it immediately, joy you will receive. “

I loved to belt out this song as a child in church, and all the more when I was chosen to hold the poster boards with lyrics written in different colored markers!

“O-B-E-D-I-E-N-C-E. 

Obedience is the very best way to show that you believe.”

The Lord’s desire for his people is that they would be holy- set apart. When I was a kid, “set apart” meant no drinking, dancing, movie theaters or face cards. Christian liberty means we can have differing convictions about things such as these, but abstaining from them doesn’t make us holy. Positionally, if you are in Christ, you have already been made holy. In Matthew 4, we read about Jesus’ temptation in the wilderness. Here at the beginning of his ministry, if Jesus had given into the temptations of Satan, our story would be quite different. Yet, with each taunt from the enemy, Jesus refuted Satan with the word of God. In every way, Jesus was tempted just as we are, yet he remained without sin. He lived the life we couldn’t, died the death we deserved, took upon himself our sin, clothes us in His righteousness and lives to intercede for us. This is the gospel. We are saved by God’s grace!

Not saved by works, but saved to walk in the good works God has planned for us, we are now called to live lives of holiness in light of our holy standing before Him. What he calls us to, he empowers us to do. With the Holy Spirit in us we can put to death the deeds of the flesh: sexual immorality, impurity, indecent behavior, idolatry, witchcraft, hostilities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions, envy, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these. More and more our lives will be characterized by the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. “If we live by the Spirit, let’s follow the Spirit as well.”

Church, by the power of His Spirit, we can increasingly walk in O-B-E-D-I-E-N-C-E to all he has commanded us to. Have you been saved by his grace? If not, what stands in your way? If you have, what sin is he calling you to put to death? What fruit of the Spirit is he developing in your life?

Satan will continue to tempt us. It’s his way. But the enemy of our souls has nothing to offer us except stones. Jesus offers us a better way. It’s the way of the cross, and it will involve suffering but it leads to an inheritance imperishable, undefiled and unfading, kept in heaven for us until that glorious day.

Until then, rest in the knowledge that the One who began a good work in you is faithful to complete it. He holds you fast.

- Natalie

A Man on a Mission

Could you hang out with John the Baptist?  I think I could as long as it wasn’t dinner time.  Watching someone eat locusts, even if they are 60% protein would not work for me.  I’ve always been a bit envious of individuals like John the Baptist who knew exactly what they were born to do.  John was a goal-driven, laser-focused, self-controlled man whose mission was to prepare the way for Jesus.  Luke tells us his single mission was made clear from the moment of his birth: “And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High; for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways, to give knowledge of salvation to his people in the forgiveness of their sins” (Luke 1:76-77).  Our mission today is the same:  point people to Jesus.

Have you ever wondered why John was in the wilderness?  The bible doesn’t tell us how long John lived in the wilderness prior to the beginning of his ministry but based on his eating habits and his attire I’m going to guess he had been there for some time.  Did John need to lead a secluded life away from the temptations of the city in order to focus on his mission? GrowingDisciples.org suggests: “John was calling people away from the system, from their luxury, from their religious hypocrisy and their phony temple worship so they could focus on the qualities of their own sinful hearts.”1  Whatever the reason for John’s location, it’s a great reminder that God can use you right where you are.  God can use you to accomplish his purpose whether you’re in a tree stand in the middle of the woods or a board room in Manhattan.

What do you need to do today to focus on the Lord’s work?  Do you need to retreat to a place of solitude in order to examine your heart?  If we are to reflect the light of Jesus to a dark world we need to do as John instructed and walk in a new direction, away from our sins, away from the things that are keeping us from Jesus. I pray that as a church we can become like John:  goal-driven and laser-focused on the work for which we were created.

Brenda Wooff 

1 https://www.growingdisciples.org/Studies/Mt3QA.htm

You Don't Need My Opinion

You don’t need my opinion, but how about a testimony?

Nowadays it is suggested to use the phrase “in my personal opinion” before or after any extreme statement. In this season of life, I feel like I am asked often to share my opinion on many different issues. With young adults living in my house, I really struggle with how and when to share my personal opinions. As I read our text for this week, I’m reminded of the power of testimony from Jesus’ followers and how the charge of His words has had such powerful effects on my life today. This reminds me of the urgent need to also share my testimony about following Jesus and living by His word. There really is a big difference between spouting opinions versus actually testifying to Jesus’ work in my life.

In our text, the women find Jesus is no longer in the tomb. An angel proclaims to them the amazing message that JESUS HAS RISEN! They are invited to see for themselves the truth of that proclamation. Then these same women are told to go and share the message with others. As they go, Jesus meets them on the way and also tells them to go and share the same message. These women had a powerful testimony to share – one that would transform their world then and now. When the disciples responded to their testimony, they also met Jesus just as He had promised and received His great commission as the Risen Savior and Eternal King.

On the other hand, there were some in our text this week that could not accept the testimony of Jesus’ followers and instead they weighed in heavily with another opinion on what might have happened to Jesus’ body. Over the 2000 years since Jesus’ resurrection and ascension, there have been too many choosing to reject the gospel truth about Jesus and the testimony of His followers in favor of some other opinion about Him and His work. But God who is rich in mercy, has transformed my life through His Spirit’s continuing presence to save me from my sin and work in me to bear good spiritual fruit that leads me to eternal security in His Son. That is my testimony of what God has done for me in Christ Jesus!

The testimony of Jesus’ followers then and the testimony of His followers now can still have a life-changing eternal impact on people like me and you. May we be a people that rejoice in the gospel truth about the Risen Christ! And may we be intentional to share sincere testimony about all that we have experienced in Him and because Jesus lives!

Happy Easter,
Jon

The Giving and Loving Jesus. Hesed.

These past few weeks I have seen people coming together in extraordinary ways. From assisting a man who can no longer speak as dementia takes hold, to caring for a young woman and her children whose husband and father passed away weeks before they broke ground on their dream home. I've watched groups provide for our community’s foster children, support a young woman as she battles breast cancer, and help a woman who was paralyzed in a horrible fire.

Above are just glimpses of ways this Riverbend Community has come together to care for one another. 

Last Sunday we read in Proverbs 3:27 “do not withhold good from those who deserve it, when it is in your power to act. Do not say to your neighbor 'come back later; I’ll give it to you tomorrow'- when you now have it with you.”

In the New Testament, Matthew chapter 21 we see Solomon's advice lived out by a man who gives his donkey and its colt to disciples of Jesus. The man did not ask for them to come back later. For Jesus, there was no later, for at the end of the week he would be crucified on a cross.

We are called by God to freely give what He has blessed us with to those in need, in order to glorify Him who is the giver of all things. Jesus came gentle and loving as he gave his life so that we would be deserving of all that God has for us in Heaven and Earth. May we be givers and receivers of mercy and grace that surpasses all understanding. May we receive Jesus!

-Nikki Fiedler

Great Things in the Past

On March 31, 2013 about 100 people gathered at 504 East 12th Street, Alton, IL to make MAKE MUCH OF JESUS.  It was said that day, “we are here for one reason -- to brag and boast – not about us – but about Jesus Christ who came and rescued us when we were far from God.”  Because HE is FAITHFUL we have been blessed to witness JESUS connect people to God’s indelible grace these last 10 years.

So this coming Sunday we will gather at the same location to do the same thing – brag and boast about Jesus and worship Him in Spirit and Truth and we will experience His indelible grace together.  He can be trusted – He created the earth with wisdom (Proverbs 3:19-20), seeking Him gives life to our souls (Proverbs 3:21-22), walking with Him keeps us from stumbling (Proverbs 3:23), and trusting Him makes our sleep sweet (Proverbs 3:24).

I am in awe when I think about how God has worked in us and through us the past 10 years.  As we look forward to Sunday I want to encourage you to ask the Lord to fill you with His Spirit.  When I pray this way I “lean in” a little more.  I actively look for and listen for the Lord.  I move from being a spectator to a participant.  I pray a little more fervently.  I sing a little louder.   

We believe God planted The Bridge to point to Jesus and that through The Bridge our city would be blessed with the hope that comes from knowing and experiencing God.  And I am convinced of a truth we will sing Sunday in the song The God of this City:

“There is no one like our God.  There is no one like our God. 

Greater things have yet to come and greater things are still to be done in this city.”

So we will look back at God’s faithfulness over the past decade, but we will also look forward to the “greater things” in the future.  And did I mention – we will also EAT lunch together?  We will enjoy good food and conversation as a church family.

And one of the greatest gifts the Lord has given to me is to be a part of The Bridge.  It is an honor and privilege to know you and to experience the Lord together with all of you.  I love you family!

See you Sunday, 

Steven 

Disciplined by the Word

Solomon explains to his son in Proverbs 3 the kind of life he can anticipate as he embraces the wisdom of God and lets his heart keep his father’s commands. It’s a good life! In verses 1-10, Solomon says “keep my commands in your heart, for they will prolong your life many years and bring you peace and prosperity. Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. Then you will win favor and a good name in the sight of God and man. Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and shun evil. This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones. Honor the LORD with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops; then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine.”

Unlike Solomon, the Apostle Paul didn’t have a biological son, yet he had a son in the faith. Like Solomon, Paul was eager to impart wisdom and guidance to Timothy. In 2 Timothy 3, Paul explains to Timothy what he can expect to see in the last days as people reject the wisdom of God and their hearts rebel against their Father’s commands. In verses 1-7 he says “But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people. They are the kind who worm their way into homes and gain control over gullible women, who are loaded down with sins and are swayed by all kinds of evil desires, always learning but never able to come to a knowledge of the truth.”

The “last days” that Paul warned of are in many ways the antithesis to the good life Solomon described. What both these men implored their sons to take to heart is this- human flourishing happens when we live our lives disciplined by the wisdom and Word of God. And when we don’t- woe to us. As God’s people, we have been made new in Christ, our hearts and minds renewed by his Holy Spirit to more and more reflect Jesus in our thoughts, conduct and the way we love.

Solomon reminded his son “do not despise the LORD’s discipline, and do not resent his rebuke, because the LORD disciplines those he loves, as a father the son he delights in.”

Paul’s final charge to Timothy was this- “but as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, and how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

One way, perhaps even the primary way, God disciplines us, is through the renewing of our mind that happens as we study His Word. Paul says it’s how we are trained in righteousness. It’s the Word that makes us wise for salvation. It’s the Word that equips us for every good work. Do we want to live lives led by wisdom? Then we must live lives rooted in God’s Word.

God make us a people who treasure Your Word!

Natalie

Need some help learning how to better understand and study the Bible? There’s still space left in our Bible Study Basics workshop on 4/1. Register at https://thebridgealton.churchcenter.com/registrations/events/1651211

The E Word

All through high school Chemistry I wanted to believe that sleeping with my Chemistry book under my pillow would allow the material to seep into my brain.  Not only did I want the facts, I wanted to understand and apply it.  We’ve learned in earlier verses of Proverbs that wisdom comes from the Lord but Proverbs 2:1-5 tells us it’s not a passive transfer, there is action required on our end.

Reading Proverbs 2 reminded me of the discussions I had with my children as they were growing up about one of my favorite words, the E-word:  E-F-F-O-R-T.   Verses 1-5 of Proverbs 2 is filled with words of action: receive, incline, apply, cry out, seek and search.  What does action require?  The E-word.  We don’t put our Bibles under our pillows and wake-up with wisdom.  We must be diligent about searching His Word, asking or pleading with Him in prayer for His help in understanding and storing those truths in our hearts.

Is seeking God still exciting to you?  Proverbs 2:4b says: “… search for it as for hidden treasures”.  If someone told you that there was a treasure buried in your backyard would you spend your time and resources to find it?  Wouldn’t it be exciting?  Would you have a sense of urgency, almost a desperation to find the treasure?  God wants us to seek him with that same urgency, that same desire, devoting our time and resources to find our greatest treasure.

“With my whole heart I seek you; let me not wander from your commandments! I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.” (Psalm 119:10-11 ESV) This Psalm is my prayer for all of us.  Let us be willing to make the effort to continue to grow in our knowledge of our Lord and Savior.

Brenda Wooff

What Jesus Knew

As a kid and still as an adult, I enjoy the type of story where some sage character imparts wisdom and guidance to help another younger character achieve heroic outcomes.  It’s an awesome phenomenon when wisdom is shared and applied to life in a way that leads to good stuff.  I have been very fortunate to have some great mentors that have offered me sage advice along my journey.   At times when I applied that wisdom to my life, I have been able to watch God do many amazing things through it.  The more that I embrace such wisdom the more that I trust it.  On the flipside, the more I’ve rejected such wisdom the harder it is to understand it let alone trust in it.  So much good spiritual fruit in my life is the result of knowing that I can be my own worst enemy and admitting daily that I am in constant need of a better Hero. 

In our text this week, wisdom is described as crying aloud in public spaces to garner our attention in order to correct our errant ways and lead us to the life that God desires.  For those that heed the call of wisdom and turn at her reproof will find enduring security.  While those who despise her call to repent will be tossed about and destroyed by their foolish desires.  The Heavenly Father has done so much time after time to show us the Way to good spiritual fruit.  God loved us so much that He gave His only Son, Jesus Christ, in order that we would know His heart and live by the fruit of His Spirit. 

For those who are in Christ Jesus, we have the Perfect One as our Sage and Master.  The final words to His followers as He ascended into Heaven were “And surely I am with you always even until the end of the age.” How could it be that as Jesus was seen physically leaving this world, He would make such a promise.  What Jesus knew was that His Spirit would be poured out and indwell every one of His followers in order to lead them in His Way.  His is the eternally Heroic Way that offers good spiritual fruit as we are re-formed to His desire and purpose for this world.  As we spend time in this passage, may we acknowledge God’s ongoing efforts to love us by His truth and grace.  And may we rejoice that He leads us to pursue His righteousness and His kingdom by the power of His Holy Spirit.

Grateful and hopeful in Christ, 

Jon

For Imperfect Children

“Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction, and don’t reject your mother’s teaching, for they will be a garland of favor on your head and pendants around your neck.”

Throughout the first nine chapters of Proverbs, Solomon beseeches his children to pay attention to him and heed his words. In the strongest of terms, he contrasts the reward of following wisdom with the peril of being enticed by sinners. Solomon wants the best for the children God has given him.

Like every parent who has ever lived, Solomon sometimes missed the mark. Like you and me, he was unable to obey God’s law. His children, like every child who has ever lived, did not inherently desire to follow wisdom- either their parents, or the Lord’s. So how does an imperfect parent impart wisdom to imperfect children?

Solomon, while full of wisdom, lived before the cross. There was much he knew! He knew the fear of the Lord. He knew it was the beginning of knowledge. But what he didn’t know was the kindness of God, lavished on foolish sinners, through the substitutionary death of His own Son: Jesus, our Savior, Wisdom personified.

If you have been blessed enough to have parents who love the Lord and love you, their deepest desire is for you to know Jesus and to love Him with all of your heart, soul, mind and strength, and to follow Him all the days of your life. If you are a parent, who loves the Lord and your children, this is likely also your heartfelt desire. As a Mom, this has been my prayer over my children for more than two decades. Prone to wander, our children may for a time, turn a deaf ear as Wisdom cries out to them, but we pray all the more fervently.

Merciful God, loving Father, the source of life and all wisdom, incline our children’s ears to your voice, and draw their hearts to yours. We have all been enticed by sin, rejected our Father’s instruction, and given in to our wicked desires, but in your loving kindness you sent Jesus to bear our penalty and wear our shame. You give us a garland of favor on our heads, pendants around our neck, and cover us with a robe of righteousness, when we rightly deserve death. You are so kind, Lord. Open the eyes of our children to see your goodness, Fill us all with your Spirit, we pray, and may we be generations of your Church that commend your works to another, and declare your mighty acts.

Our own children- and the children of The Bridge- need Who we all need: Jesus. May our lives and words display His grace so that they too will desire Wisdom.

Natalie

Walking with the Wise One

If you could ask God for just ONE thing, what would you ask for?

Solomon asked for WISDOM.  Solomon knew that he did "not know how to go out or come in" (1 Kgs. 3:7b) and he was about to become the King of Israel.  Solomon knew he did not "have what it takes" so he asked the King for help.  Do we?

We live in an age of information and if we do not know the answer to something Google knows.  But Google does not know the answers to our deepest questions.  Google is limited.  God is not.  There will be times in life when we do "not know how to go out or come in."  We, like Solomon, need God to give us wisdom.  The good news is that God gives it to us generously when we ask Him (James 1:5).

So, Bridge Family let's ask God for wisdom.  Wisdom begins with worshipping the Wise One and walking with the Wise One.  What a gift that God gives us not just wisdom, but a relationship with the Wise One.   

My heart is full with faith "that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give [us] a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of [our] hearts enlightened, that [we] may know what is the hope to which he has called [us]" (Eph. 1:17-18).  May we walk with the Wise One and may He fill us with His wisdom so we may live wisely and glorify Him.

Love in Christ,

Steven

Nuggets of Truth

I want be honest with you:  I was not jumping for joy when I heard we were going to study Daniel.  Yes, I know Timothy tells us “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness …” (2 Timothy 3:16 ESV) but deciphering the symbolism, understanding the relationship to ancient history, and trying to understand Daniel’s visions all seemed a bit overwhelming.  Fast forward 12 chapters, several months and my feelings have changed.  Do I understand it all?  No!  But, now I see the nuggets of truth woven throughout the book that have indeed been good for training in righteousness and profitable for teaching.

Nugget #1 – Daniel shows us what Paul tells us in Romans 12:2: “… do not be conformed to this world.”  One of the first things we learn about Daniel is his willingness to remain faithful to the Lord and not give in to the temptations (the king’s food and drink) of his environment.  In chapter 3 he was asked to worship a false god or face a fiery furnace and again he chose to remain faithful to the Lord.  It would be much easier to adopt the “When in Rome, do as the Romans” mindset especially when the alternative is a fiery furnace or a lion’s den but, Daniel shows us that a faithful man of God wants no part of moral or spiritual compromises.  Our experiences may not be as dramatic as Daniel’s but each day we must consciously decide to honor God in all we do and say.

Nugget #2 –  Daniel’s life was full of turmoil:  he was taken hostage, stripped of everything he knew, thrown in a fiery furnace, had to spend the night in a lion’s den and if that wasn’t enough turmoil he was given disturbing visions that made him sick for days.  But what did Daniel do throughout his life?  He turned to God for all his needs and the people around him took note.  Do the people around you see you turning to God in the midst of chaos?  Are you worrying about the next election cycle or remembering God’s word that there’s no authority except that which God has set? (Romans 13:1)

There are so many more nuggets I could write about:  Power of a faithful prayer life, hope that only our Lord can provide and in the end resurrection and the delights of spending eternity with God.  The book of Daniel is complex, challenging and at times violent but through it all we see God’s hand working all things together for those who love the Lord (Romans 8:28).

Brenda Wooff

That's NOT Jesus

There’s only one King Jesus and the Bible says the fruit of His Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.  As a follower of Christ Jesus, there have been many times in my life that I have acted contrary to His Spirit and it can get ugly.  One thing I’m still learning is to rapidly repent and acknowledge the difference between my sinful idolatrous behavior and the way directed by His Spirit in me.  I deeply desire for no one to confuse the broken things in me and this world for the perfect wholeness and majesty of Jesus.  In my repentance I am continually transformed by His grace to abide more fully in Him.  I have that same hope for those who bear witness to the redeeming power of Christ in me.

Forty-five verses this week show the spirit of many earthly kings throughout history and onward.  None of these compares to King Jesus.  These are all kings seeking their own interest at the peril of everyone else.  Like Satan, they steal, kill and destroy while making great claims for their constituents.  One thing stands abundantly clear to me in this passage – none of these kings is like Jesus in any way.  King Jesus is perfectly faithful, loving, good, merciful, and so much greater than anyone who has ever walked this earth. His reign is over all and eternally secure.  His triumph is ultimate!  No earthly kingdom can compare to the glory of King Jesus. 

As God’s people suffer, we need to know deep down in our souls who has the ultimate triumph in the spiritual war of good vs evil.  Only one stands in complete victory.  That one is Jesus Christ – our eternally gracious King who gets the final word.  His word makes every bit of the rest of the story concerning His people worthwhile.  While I can’t understand that fully now, it will be revealed to all when the Son of Man comes again on the clouds.  May our hearts yearn for His coming and may our actions today reflect the True King over ALL that is Jesus.

Grateful and hopeful in Christ, 

Jon

From the First Day

On October 12, 2018, I was visiting the crèche where my three Haitian born children had lived prior to their adoption. I took a selfie with a young boy. Dressed in a neon green shirt, he had a smile that would melt your heart. I sent that picture, along with a few others, to my friend Jennifer. She and her family were planning to host him in their home for the holidays, but also strongly felt the Lord calling them to adopt him. Even before October 12, they had prayed, asking the Father of the fatherless to set this particular child into their home, their family, and their waiting arms.

When I sent the pictures, Jennifer was at soccer practice but she quickly responded. “He's just so perfect. Girl, how can you love someone so much and never have met them? I'm so overwhelmed with joy!!!!” Their love for him only grew as he spent weeks in their home, and when the time came for him to leave, his little boy heart was overcome with grief. For the first time in a long time, he knew the comfort and joy of being in a family. Jennifer knew she would move mountains to bring him home, and as soon as he headed back to Haiti, she began to do all she could to bring his adoption to fruition.

Today is January 25, 2023. That sweet little boy is now 15 years old. While we all thought he’d be home years ago, he is still in Haiti, living in that same crèche, waiting for the day his adoption will be complete.

The past four years have held multiple set backs. And at times, Jennifer and her family have wondered if God has heard any of their prayers. The prayers once uttered in faith and assurance eventually turned to pleas and groans of “how long, o Lord?!”

Then last night, Jennifer sent a message to our Bible study group. Finally, progress. Forward movement. As we all rejoiced with her, I thought of the words the angel told Daniel in chapter 10. “Do not fear, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand, and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard; and I have come because of your words.”

Daniel mourned and prayed for 21 days with no word from the Lord, yet his humble prayer was heard the first day. Why, then, the delay? In the heavenly realm, battles were being fought that Daniel could not see. The angel whom had been dispatched by God, was detained by an encounter with an evil force of darkness.

In our world of materialism, we have to see it to believe it. An invisible war waged around us seems unbelievable, and yet, in Ephesians 6, Paul tells us events like these are happening all of the time, and that is why we are to put on the armor of God.

Christian, be reassured, just as God has heard Daniel’s prayer from the first, so has he heard yours. Your adoption was finalized at the cross, and while you were once an enemy, now you are the beloved child of the King.

While there is one who wars against you and me and all of heaven, “There is none like God, who rides through the heavens to your help, through the skies in his majesty. The eternal God is your dwelling place, and underneath are the everlasting arms.” You are “greatly loved, so fear not, peace be with you; be strong and of good courage.” God has heard our prayer and he will bring us all the way home.

And Jennifer, may the day be soon when He brings your son home to you. Your cries have been heard.

-Natalie Runyon

Petitions, Fasting, Sackcloth & Ashes… Repent.

Daniel is in full conversation with the Lord in chapter 9. He has read God’s words and recalls what was said to the prophet Jeremiah. He has remembered God’s warning about the desolation of Jerusalem. Overcome, he prays a prayer of confession and petition with fasting, sackcloth and ashes. He repents, not just for himself but for all the people of Israel and Judah.

This was not a quick prayer. Daniel is tormented. I am not sure how long religious fasting lasted in those days, but likely over an extended period of time. He is also wearing sackcloth, probably made from goat hair. It’s not comfortable nor is it chic. He is humbling himself before the Lord. With ashes on his head, he prays. He repents of his sins and the sins of all Israel and begs the Lord to remember him and His people. Daniel sees God and His righteousness and in comparison, he and his people all fall short. Daniel knows shame and banishment are what belong to him, his kings, leaders and ancestors for they all have sinned and turned away from God.

My heart is racing as I read this, and I have a lump in my throat. I remember I have felt this heavy burden. I didn’t have ashes on my head, but my heart felt like ashes. I wasn’t wearing a sackcloth, but I wore my sin outwardly and in front of God. Full of shame and guilt, I prayed for forgiveness, repented and committed my life to Jesus, repeatedly. Jesus. I prayed to Jesus but Daniel, didn’t yet know of Jesus. Until… Gabriel showed up!

Gabriel reaches out to Daniel in his extreme weariness and tells him that God, who treasures him, has an explanation for him.  Gabriel speaks of an Anointed One, who will make a covenant and put a stop to sacrifice and offering. The Anointed One will finish transgression, make an end of sins, give reconciliation for iniquity and bring everlasting righteousness! God would come to man and dwell with him. Moses had a mercy seat, Daniel had a word from an angel, but God would one day send Jesus to us all and even give us the Holy Spirit to dwell within us. It’s all right here in Daniel, 500-600 years before Jesus is born!

Nikki Fiedler

The King is Coming

The king is coming. He’s not a good king, but bad doesn’t even begin to describe him. This king is ruthless and skilled in intrigue. He will successfully cause outrageous destruction in everything he does. He will destroy the powerful, along with the holy people. Under his reign, deceit will prosper. He’s cunning, influential, not a man of humility, but one who exalts himself, even above God.

In chapter 8, Daniel records a vision that he can not completely understand, even after the angel Gabriel explains it to him. It involves a ram, a goat, and a horn that throws truth to the ground. What Daniel gathers is this: his people, already exiled to a land not their own, living under one godless king after another, now have an exceedingly wicked king on the horizon. Daniel is overcome by his vision and lays sick for days. And while this prophetic vision found fulfillment in the distant past*, in the future it will be fully fulfilled by Antichrist. That awful king? He’s still yet to come.

If you think about all of this for very long, you may start to despair. When is he coming? How bad will things be? And how bad will they get for ME? There are many rabbit holes we can go down when we contemplate a coming Antichrist. While there is a terrible king coming, we don’t have to be terrified because we are people of the true King. He’s different in every regard.

He’s not cunning and influential.  In fact, He had no form or majesty that we should look at him and no beauty that we should desire Him (Isaiah 53:2)

He’s not ruthless but has compassion on all he has made (Psalm 145:9).

He’s not here to destroy humanity but to seek and save the lost (Luke 19:10).

Our King is not self-exalting but humble. He came to serve and to give His life as a ransom for many (Mark 10:45)

Salvation, glory and power belong to this King because His judgements are true and righteous (Revelation 19:1).

Jesus is the King who will break the Antichrist. He holds the keys to death and hell and He is coming again! On that day, He will be with us to wipe every tear from our eyes, and the death and destruction from every evil king- every antichrist- in history will be no more. No more death. No more grief, or crying or pain.

Church, let us comfort and encourage ourselves with the truth, no matter how dark the days get. And like Daniel, may we rise and be about the King’s business.

-Natalie

*For an overview of the past fulfillment of Daniel 8, see https://enduringword.com/bible-commentary/daniel-8/

Don't Judge a Book by Its Cover

A story that includes characters like a lion with wings, a tusked bear, a four-headed leopard or a beast with ten horns is not what I prefer reading.  If Daniel chapter 7 was a novel I’m sure they would have illustrated the cover with these disturbing creatures and I would have never picked the book up.  But as my mom always said, “Don’t judge a book by its cover”.  

Pastor Chuck Swindoll writes that while Daniel chapter 7 “appears to be a confusing collection of animals, persons, nations and events, it is actually a harmonious collage of the Lord's sovereign activity in human history." [Bible Study Guide: Daniel - God's Pattern for the Future, page 62, 1986].

The prophecies given to us in the book of Daniel reminds us that God is in control, He has anticipated every event and He has a plan for the future.  The never ending news cycle filled with stories of war, acts of violence, political and social unrest does not have to overwhelm us. “Because of God’s sovereignty in the past we can remain confident that the present is not falling apart but coming together for the capstone event: the Second Coming of Christ.”  [https://www.preceptaustin.org/daniel_7_commentary1https://www.preceptaustin.org/daniel_7_commentary1]

It was the sixth game of the 2011 World Series and the Cardinals were down 7-4 in the eighth inning and guess what I did?  I went to bed.  I thought it was easier to bury my head in a pillow and let slumber take me rather than watch my beloved Birds on the Bat lose game 6.  I didn’t know what was to come.  But today, thanks to the Bible and the prophecies in Daniel and Revelations, we know what is to come.  God has shared his plans, he will overcome evil and we will spend eternity singing His praises!

Brenda Wooff

A New Year

A new year is on our doorstep. With it comes many considerations. One of the most common acts to consider, what will be your resolution, or will you even make one? We have knowledge from the previous verses that the Spirit helps our weakness and that it groans for us too deep for words. That He who searches the heart will know the mind of the Spirit because He intercedes for us according to the will of God. We know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, called according to His purpose.

So what do we say to these things at the start of a new year knowing God is deeply for us? As you prepare for your New Year’s Eve celebration, will you set a place for Yahweh? Will you greet your friends and family with a holy kiss? Will you go to be alone with God, have him search your heart so that your decisions for the year will be the mind of the spirit? Will you invite Jesus into your life and accept him as your Lord and Savior? For how can one make plans without the one who made the world?

Even still, if you fear the coming year and what it may or may not bring for you - know that there is nothing, not one thing that can separate you from the love of God. No things present, no things to come can separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. With those words so greatly given we can face a new year knowing, no matter what, the greatest love, God’s love, is given to us forever!

Happy New Year Bridge Family!

Nikki Fiedler

The Spirit of God is our Helper

The opening questions posed for a group Bible study this week were -  What is your favorite holiday movie?  Which character stands out most to you?  Why?  

These might be fun questions to discuss with your families as you gather around rooms and tables this Christmas.  I pose the same questions to you as you reflect on the text this week. 

Many favorite holiday movies have some magical character or angelic persona that must arrive and intervene for a miracle to happen.  Why do you think we as humans resonate with that so much?  Why will we watch these movies again and again?  I think there might be something in these stories that renews our hope of an outside help on the way even when it looks like the world is crumbling around us. 

Our text this week reminds us of an ongoing phenomenon greater than any holiday movie.  The actual reality of our lives as Christians is that we have a supernatural Helper that leads us to hope in Christ Jesus amidst the broken dreams and empty promises of this world.  Through the power of God’s Spirit, Christian life is restored to reveal the glory of God’s Son as Christian life is shaped by His image to reflect Christ Jesus to our world. 

May the Helper continually announce and affirm to us the good news of great joy that God is with us and in us!

May we delight in the wonder of the Son of God and point others to His amazing truth and grace! 

May the peace of God rule in our hearts right now and forevermore as we know our Heavenly Father is for us! 

Merry Christmas to all!

Grateful and hopeful in Christ, 

Jon

Emmanuel - With Us in Our Sufferings

“For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now.  And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.” Romans 8:22-23

Throughout my career as a nurse, I have been invited into the sufferings of patients. This is a very intimate place to be, as people feel vulnerable, frightened, and confused as to why this suffering is happening, why they are experiencing such circumstances. This is a sacred space for many times I have seen the work of the Holy Spirit firsthand. We as believers will all endure trials in our lifetime. This is not something that should be considered strange, as we are told in the scriptures that we will suffer. It is often here that the Spirit teaches us things we wouldn’t be able to grasp any other way.

Many years ago, I had a conversation with a friend whose daughter was seriously injured in an accident. She required months in the hospital and was left with permanent debilitating injuries.  One night, my friend went to the hospital chapel to pray. He asked God how anything good could possibly come out of this circumstance and the suffering of his daughter. In his Spirit he received his answer. God replied, “Nobody thought the suffering of my Son would bring about anything good - but look what it has done.” There in the hospital chapel, he was able to understand the deep love of his Heavenly Father in a profoundly different way than he had before. Throughout the weeks his daughter was hospitalized, he and his wife were able to share the hope and comfort of the gospel with others.

When we are at the end of ourselves, when we are completely empty, we are able to listen and hear God’s voice more clearly. As my patients did with me, we invite Christ into our intimate space of suffering. These are precious, sacred times. We learn in these times that we can rely completely on Him, and we begin to lean into all of His promises. We grow more and more dependent on God for all our needs, and realize that His grace is sufficient, and His power is made perfect in weakness. He is faithful- and as we look back on our times of suffering, we can rejoice in what God has done in our lives. We see that God was always with us, and that he is with us still. Because of these God appointed experiences, we can share in the sufferings within community, offering words of hope, and the reassurance of all that we have in Christ.

As we long for those things unseen that will one day be revealed, let us be reminded of what we as believers have waiting for us-eternal joy and glory with Jesus, our Emmanuel.

-Eileen Cheatham

Ready to Run

I’ve sat for hours reading our passage this week (Romans 8:12-17), looking at commentaries, typing sentences that did not turn into cohesive paragraphs and questioning why I agree to write these reflections! Then the evil one enters the drama and starts telling me: “You can’t write. You don’t have anything to say. You’re not worthy to write about God, inheritance or the Holy Spirit.” So I go to bed with the chorus to Kenny Rogers’ song “The Gambler”:  “You got to know when to hold ‘em.  Know when to fold ‘em. Know when to walk away. And know when to run.”

I was prepared to run, ready to throw in the towel and let the devil have a win. But morning brought a new perspective, just as it says in Lamentations 3:22-23:

"The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness."

As I sat with my coffee and the fog of a restless nights’ sleep began to fade, the voice in my head said, “you have everything you need”.  I immediately pulled out my laptop and started an Internet search for poems about the Holy Spirit.  My thought was I’d find a poem and that would be my reflection.  I found a poem, began to type but it wasn’t the poem I was typing, it was my experience.  I didn’t think I had anything of my own to share.  Isn’t that just like God, the Father who provides all our needs?  Isn’t that just like the Holy Spirit to guide us and remind us that with Christ “I can do all things” (Philippians 4:13)?  

When I was ready to run, the Holy Spirit said; “Not so fast”.  I doubt, I suffer and in time The Spirit reminds me I am a child of God. When the reality of that hits me, my eyes fill with tears and my heart overflows with love and gratitude for our Heavenly Father. 

-Brenda Wooff

P.S. - Now I know you’d all be wondering, “What was the poem?”

Holy Spirit

by Deborah Ann Belka

[https://poetrybydeborahann.wordpress.com]

Holy Spirit, come to me,
rest right here, inside of me
guard my heart, keep my mind
let it be Your peace, that I find.

Holy Spirit, come be with me,
continually support, all of me
lead my soul, direct my ways
hear the words, my heart prays.

Holy Spirit, come anoint me,
place your seal, right here in me
Spirit of Life, Spirit of Grace
may Your wisdom, I embrace

Holy Spirit, come comfort me,
release and deliver, unto me
all Your might, all Your power
counsel me, every waking hour.

Holy Spirit, my Father’s gift to me,
Spirit of Christ, living inside me
Spirit of God, Spirit of holy Fear
Come whisper truth, in my ear!