Intentional Peacemakers

As I was thinking about Pastor Jon’s sermon last week- as part of his series on Peace- I was reminded of what Jesus tells us in His Sermon on the Mount (also known as the Beatitudes) in Matthew 5:9:

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons (children) of God.

 This thinking took me back to a time 25 years ago.

 When family was visiting us in New Mexico, I was taking six young kids up to the top of the Sandia Mountains for a day trip.  I chose the back way up on a single lane dirt road. Since it was shorter and more primitive, it ended up being more excitement than I had planned!

Picture this:

Single lane dirt road

Winding through deep mountain valleys

Limited road width for two vehicles

Must often back up or squeeze close to the rock walls or deep valleys edges
 

On this specific day, a pickup truck full of (shall I say) “excited young men” wanted to get around me. There was nowhere for me to go (and nothing to do about it) in my 1990 Ford Aerostar van with six young children. Based on their shouts and gestures, I didn’t want to stop and try talking! 

The more this happened, the more irritated I became and knew stopping wouldn’t be the wise thing to do. After about 10 minutes, a place finally came for me to squeeze off the road to let them pass… but it was clear they now wanted more than just to pass. As they started to drive around my van, I could see them getting ready to jump out and approach me. I could feel myself getting very tense!

Looking back at that day, I now know the Spirit of God came upon me. Instead of a fight, I simply gestured that I was sorry for blocking the way. Not a person jumped out of the truck, nothing more was thrown our way and they were completely disarmed.

Keep in mind, at this time I had only been a believer in Jesus a mere six months. I still marvel having reacted in a manner that wasn’t really like me (trust me). I believe the Lord knew that I, as His newly adopted son, wasn’t quite ready to take the high road (no pun intended). Instead, He took over for me in order to teach me and protect my family.

As children of God, He tells us in 2nd Peter 3:11:

We must turn from evil and do good, seek peace and pursue it.  

“Seek” and “pursue” are proactive words! They don’t mean to passively let our old nature kick in, but to let our new nature in Christ call us to action. This takes intention.

 

Since that time over 25 years ago, I still recall the important life lesson God taught me that day on the mountain pass. I am regretfully still a work in progress when it comes to peacemaking, but growing each day.

Let us be intentional peacemakers. God requires it of His children… and guess what, He gives us the power to live it out!
 
Author:
Husband, Father and Grandfather
Elder at Faith Assembly

 


Read more...

Why Old Testament Sacrifice?

Old Testament sacrifice. It’s neither pretty, nor appealing.

In the Old Testament, God asks for sacrifices and lays out meticulous demands. Why? Why were they part of God’s covenant relationship with the Israelites? In various ways; sacrifices are obnoxious, offensive and dreadful. To the modern world, sacrifices seem violent and brutal.

Why Sacrifices in the Old Testament?
Sacrifices were designed to teach impure and imperfect people how to live in a relationship with a totally perfect and absolutely Holy God. They helped people see the nature of their Creator God, and further illustrated the reverence, respect and honor due Him. Sacrifices provided atonement for the people’s sin, through substitution. It was a picture of what was to come- Jesus ultimate sacrifice (atonement) on the cross for all sin, past, present and future.

God Repetitively Decreed He Didn’t Need Sacrifices
God simply didn’t want them if they were not completed with sincerity and a contrite, repentant heart.

If God had to choose, he prefers a right heart:

Psalm 51:16-17
You do not desire a sacrifice, or I would offer one.
You do not want a burnt offering.
The sacrifice you desire is a broken spirit.
You will not reject a broken and repentant heart, O God.

God informs us that it is an insult and an offense to bring sacrifices to Him with any kind of wrong heart:
Isaiah 1:13-14
Stop bringing me your meaningless gifts;
the incense of your offerings disgusts me!
As for your celebrations of the new moon and the Sabbath
and your special days for fasting—
they are all sinful and false.
I want no more of your pious meetings.
I hate your new moon celebrations and your annual festivals.
They are a burden to me. I cannot stand them!

To do so is hypocrisy, a sin God thoroughly hates. Jesus pronounced His strongest indictments against hypocrisy in Matthew 23, when he criticized the religious leaders of the day.

The Significance and Application for Christians Today
1. Jesus taught that sincerity and authenticity were God’s principal need in worship.
John 4:23-24
But the time is coming—indeed it’s here now—when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. The Father is looking for those who will worship him that way. For God is Spirit, so those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth.
 
2. Sacrifices are a reminder that each of us contributes to the evil in our world. It demonstrates that something must be done… and we must do more than conveniently question why God allows sin. For if God were to remove all evil, none of us would continue existing!
 
3. God gave instructions for whenever sin was “unintentional” or “in ignorance”. This was because even when done in ignorance; sin still pollutes, poisons, and brings judgment. This thought runs contrary to modern rational.. the thinking today that sin does no harm when it’s between “consenting adults”. God called for sacrifice because sin’s destructive effect still poisons, defiles and hurts though done in ignorance (or unintentionally). These sins poisoned, defiled, and hurt the person, his family, society; indeed they hurt the very environment and the community as a whole. Any cries of blamelessness due to ignorance did nothing to stop or cancel the destructive effect of sin or halt its judgement. While sympathetic to a person being in ignorance, God in His wisdom knew all of this and provided guidelines to address it to protect His people.
 
 
Biblical Sacrifices Taught These and Many More Lessons.
Today, because of Jesus death and resurrection, we are asked to sacrifice in different ways- not for atonement- but rather to give up our lives for the sake of Christ. This is the new covenant. We sacrifice daily because of our love for Jesus and gratefulness for the grace we’ve been given. We sacrifice by giving up our rights, serving others, working to build His kingdom, denying our old nature and choosing God’s will and way.
 

God’s nature has not changed and never will. He is holy, and we are still impure and imperfect people. Thank you Father for Jesus! He is our sacrificial Lamb, and now we live in a new covenant with God!

 
May the Lord continue to teach us how to live in relationship with a totally perfect and absolutely holy God. Let our prayer be that our lives continue to give Him all the reverence, respect and honor due Him.
 
Author:
Pastor Liandro Arellano
Christ-Follower, Husband, Father, Grandfather and Retired Pastor at large

Read more...

Soul Tattoo- What Defines You?

The Scripture is full of references that talk about the soul and the spirit.
It’s so important in fact, that the Old Testament mentions it over 785 times and the New Testament over 103 times.
 

It’s pretty clear that in God’s big story for mankind, our souls- the essence of our inner most beings- is important to Him- so important that He sent His son to die for our sin, our weaknesses, and our shame. Our soul is the thing that makes us unique. It’s how we relate to others and how we understand ourselves. It comprises who we are.

Often our souls feel like a roller coaster- sometimes weary or unsure- sometimes comfortable, content or even at peace. We all have invisible tattoos (so to speak) that make an imprint on our souls… earthly things that work to define us. They may have been in the past or are currently influencing our perspectives.
They can make a mark so deep that the imprint may feel like it will last forever.

So the question is this: what defines you?

Are you allowing your past, your education, your mistakes, your job, your talents, ministry, kids, marital status, successes… whatever- to define who you are? The world would project this onto you… especially your failures! This should not be! You see friend, when we allow these things to define who we are, we have embraced a false identity. We are then allowing everything but God to define our worth.
 
This is why God says we must examine our hearts.
 
He knows that if we embrace a false identity, we are vulnerable to the enemy’s schemes and lies. This leaves us vulnerable to the many traps the enemy of our souls delights putting right in our path. He loves to plant seeds of self doubt, confusion, relationship drama, unforgiveness, bad decisions, selfish pride or self-hatred… even disobedience to the God we say we love.

But with God’s Truth, He tells us that if we place our soul identity in Him, nothing can touch the essence of who we are! When we believe on His name and claim Christ as our Savior, we are a new creation found in Christ Jesus. No longer do we have to be defined by those old things. We are now sons and daughters of the King of Kings!

Hebrews 6:18-19 says
“Therefore, we who have fled to him for refuge can have great confidence as we hold to the hope that lies before us.
This hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls…”
 
This Truth of our identity isn’t always something that we “feel”… but rather God’s Truth that we must choose.
 
2 Corinthians 1:20-22 (MSG)
Whatever God has promised gets stamped with the Yes of Jesus. In him, this is what we preach and pray, the great Amen, God’s Yes and our Yes together, gloriously evident. God affirms us, making us a sure thing in Christ, putting his Yes within us. By his Spirit he has stamped us with his eternal pledge—a sure beginning of what he is destined to complete.

Because of God’s overwhelming love for us, it’s that same love that will transform our souls into something beautiful, confident, at peace and blazing with purpose. This is the ultimate miracle- the transformation of the very essence of our being!

Let us make our “soul tattoo” permanent once and for all, by…
1) knowing the Truth
2) embracing the Truth
3) practice the Truth daily
4) make the Truth known as a testimony for God’s glory
 
For if we can run with the Truth of who we really are in Jesus– nothing…and I mean nothing-
will stop us from fulfilling the destiny God has planned for us to fulfill!
 
Author: 
Michelle Marx
Wife, Mom and Lover of Jesus
You can read more of Michelle’s writing at Pianogirl Speaks.

 


Read more...

The Ultimate Do Over

People often use these phrases…

I wish I could do ________ again!
If I only had another chance to do _________.

Today, it’s… I want a Do Over!

I remember when I was on the 6th grade basketball team. I got to start the second half of the game. We all lined up for the tip off and I got the tip. I dribbled down the court for a layup… and missed! My teammate Tommy came to my rescue and got the rebound.

Then he told me I was shooting at the wrong basket! Boy, did I want a do over!

Remembering this experience caused me to think of God and His amazing love for all of us- no exceptions.

God sent His only son to be a sacrifice on our behalf. Through His sacrifice- and our acknowledgement and repentance of sin in our lives- we would have salvation thru the Lord Jesus Christ. This is our do over!

Acts 2:21 says
And it shall be that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord (talking of Jesus) will be saved!

This is the ultimate do over for us. But thank God the reality is this:

God extends do overs to us every day.

 

Knowing this, shouldn’t our goal be to be more like Jesus every day? I know we will fail at times, but our heart’s desire should be to live like Jesus every day.

Proverbs 21:2 says
Every man’s way is right in his own eyes but the Lord weighs the heart.

Psalm 63:8 says
My soul clings to You; Your right hand upholds me.
 

Every day our desire should be to…

Thank God for every breath we take
Thank Him for every blessing we receive
Thank Him for every obstacle we experience
Worship Him for every do over His love allows us.

I know this: our God is not a liar.
He has promised He would never forsake us, especially in those times when we have failed Him.
He is there lovingly and graciously forgiving us, promising to give us a do over. Thank you Jesus!
 

How many times has God graciously given you a do over?

Take a moment right now to thank Him for his mercies- new every morning- and His unfailing love that sustains you through each new day.
 
Author: 
Ken Drew
Loving husband, dad, granddad and Elder at Faith Assembly

Read more...

Fear & Anxiety… What Does God Say?

Webster’s definition of fear is…
“an unpleasant, often strong emotion caused by expectation or awareness of danger”
“the concern about what might happen”
 
Fear is something that can rule and control every aspect of our lives.
I can tell you, I have often let fear control my actions, thoughts and words. I don’t like to say I was a victim of fear, because it’s my own personal choice to either live in fear or live with no fear. Living with no fear in today’s day and age is something that seems nearly impossible. I fear something bad might happen to my kids or that I may not have enough money to pay the bills.
 

We all have things that we fear, but you can choose to overcome those fears and live in confidence through Jesus Christ. The Bible has numerous encouraging words about fear, the hope and great confidence we can have in Jesus.

 
Joshua 1:9
Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged,
for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go. 
 
2 Timothy 1:7
For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid; but gives us power, love and self-discipline.
 
Psalm 94:19
When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought me joy.
God gives us all the tools we need to overcome our fears and anxiety. We are His children and He tells us he will take care of our every need. When we look for comfort and hope in things like money, jobs, and personal security; our fear and anxiety will only be fueled in a negative way.
 
Psalm 115:11
You who fear him – trust in the Lord, he is their help and shield.
 

Having fear in the Lord is how we overcome the fears and anxiety of this life. This doesn’t mean to be scared of God, it means to trust in him, respect and have reverence towards him. When we develop a healthy fear of the Lord, he begins to put life into a perspective from his eyes.

 
One of my favorite verses is from Proverbs 9:10, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy one is understanding.”
Fear can sometimes be healthy, but when the fear and anxiety consumes our life,
it’s time to take a step back and remember what God says about it.
 
As always, I like to encourage you with a song that has helped me. Take a moment to listen to Kari Jobe’s song “I Am Not Alone.”
The song doesn’t specifically mention fear, but it does paint a picture of someone who may be struggling with life, fears and anxiety.
 
Thank God for His love and for his ability to overcome our fears and anxieties. We are truly never alone!
 
Christ Follower, Husband, Dad
Worship Leader, Faith Assembly
 

 


Read more...

Thoughts on Preparing For the Ultimate Marriage

Perhaps the most important part of God’s creation story is the institution of marriage and family in Genesis 1- 2. In this first book of the Bible, God creates man and woman, telling them to be fruitful and multiply. This final act of creation represents the very first marriage relationship and nuclear family. In this, we can see how God was beginning to create His Church.

The “Church” is referred to as the bride of Christ- the ultimate picture of relationship.

 
This includes all those who believe that Jesus is the Son of God- the essence of the gospel- and are committed, loving, and living for God. Revelation 19: 7 (the last book in the Bible) speaks to the ultimate marriage relationship when it states,
“Let us rejoice and be glad and give Him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and His bride has made herself ready.”
Jesus is the Lamb of God, who was identified in the gospel of John: “Look, the lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.”
 
So if the beginning of the Bible establishes the first marriage and the end of the Bible represents the last marriage, it’s the in-between marriages, families and relationships that are needed to prepare the Church to be the bride of Christ, our church family.
 

This is the hard part and little messy too… okay, a lot messy!

The Church and its people are not perfect, and won’t be until the ultimate redemption and reunion of the bride with Christ, the Bridegroom.

 
We should however desire to be more like Jesus, and take actions needed to move from the first marriage and our in-between relationships to the church family becoming the bride of Christ. This is done in part by progressing beyond solely our earthly family to the church family as adopted sons and daughters of God. Every marriage and family has challenges that threaten their existence, and the crisis of the family is sadly more common now than at any time in human history.
 
Today’s local church must be the bridge- the connection between the first original marriage and the last and final marriage relationship. As Jesus is our hope, the local church (the bride) is the hope of the world as it plants, cultivates, harvests and nurtures people to full Christian maturity.
 

Our earthly relationships are meant to be a (albeit imperfect) picture of the ultimate (perfect) relationship with Christ, with the glory of God flowing out of our marriages, singleness and family relationships.

 
Let us make the decision today to know God… really know God… through the redeeming power of Jesus Christ. It is He who strengthens relationships and builds His Church through imperfect people who are deeply loved by an amazing God.
 
Author: 

Read more...

Fasting and Prayer

It is January, which for our church is the month we set aside as a time to pray and fast.
I have to admit something. Last year when Pastor Jon asked us to join in with him as a church, I was a little reluctant.
 
With the fasting part- not the prayer part.
 
However, now I can say during that period of time…
 
I personally was drawn closer to the Lord
I was able to join my church family in seeking God’s direction for our church
I was able to seek God’s direction for my life in the months to come
This year I feel better prepared spiritually, mentally, and emotionally to move into a period of fasting.
 
Consider these questions as we pray and fast this month:
 
Is fasting necessary for today?
Jesus Himself encouraged his followers to fast.
Matthew 9:15 says, “The time will come when the Bridegroom will be taken away from them; then they will fast.”
 
What kind of attitude should we have when we fast and pray?
I believe we need to have a humble heart and open hands when we fast.
The fast is directed to God (not man), bringing humility and openness to His guidance.
 
What is the benefit of fasting?
The spiritual discipline of fasting can be a tool God uses to…
Draw us closer to God, causing a deeper in relationship with Jesus
Convicts us of areas in our lives that perhaps have too large of a hold on us
Makes us aware of unhealthy life patterns that need addressing
Brings about humble confession
Shows us what He has for us as a church, renews personal and congregational vision
And so much more…
II Corinthians 4:16 says, “though outwardly I am wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.
Now grant you, I do not think that I am wasting away, but I can say I am being renewed day by day!”
Amen!
 
As we enter into fasting and praying together,
let’s seek God’s face for direction, encouragement, and a desire for a deeper love for Him during this time.
 
Let’s come together and support each other.
May God bless you all greatly as we seek and serve Him together.
 
Author: 
Ken Drew, Elder at Faith Assembly

Read more...

Why I Believe in Christian Education

I believe children come from God, as a blessing.. a reward… a profound responsibility.

Children too, are a gift from Adonai; the fruit of the womb is a reward. The children born when one is young are like arrows in the hand of a warrior. How blessed is the man who has filled his quiver with them; he will not have to be embarrassed.
Psalm 127
 

A dominant and repeated theme of the scriptures is this: responsibility and authority for the children is given by God to their parents.

 
Scripture also clearly shows parents that it is their responsibility to see their children trained in the knowledge, love, fear and admonition of God and His Word. Hebrew/Jewish tradition dictates that God gave his people two assignments that can be seen in Psalms 78 and Deuteronomy 6:
 

To know, love and obey God

To pass it on to the next generation

I also believe it takes a family and the local church, in this fallen world and culture we live in, to raise Godly children.

Everyone has a world view, but the difference is where it comes from.

 
Are we adopting the world’s philosophy and actions, or are we determining that God and His Word
must define our philosophy and actions in this life?
 
 My viewpoints are not to point the finger and say everyone belongs in a Christian school or home school. This is a decision that needs to be made by parents and the Lord. No education is perfection! However, I would like to share my personal reasons for why I believe in and support Christian education.
 
 
Some of the goals and purposes of Christian education simply make them different, even spiritually healthier.
In I Corinthians 11, Paul says “Imitate me, just as I imitate Christ.”
 
They typically:
 

Partner with parents

Communicate and impart the Gospel of Christ

Teach and develop a Christian worldview

Convey, model, affirm and develop character based on Jesus character

Teach right from wrong; per Jesus example of a love for righteousness and a hatred for evil

Work to proclaim, present and live out the Gospel in every day life

Hire staff that love God and His Word, love children and feel called to teach

Honor the principle of revelation: God must be embraced as God… God first, foremost and throughout

Practice the principle of integration, educating from a Biblical and Christ-like worldview in all subjects

 

We live in a fallen world; unfriendly and even hostile to Jesus, Biblical Truth and the church.

 
Sometimes, we have earned that cynicism and dismissal through our imperfect actions. Still, our world fights against God and His Truth! We can see the evidence of this in all of our major institutions. Sadly, as a culture we are failing and falling apart. We need Jesus in every area of our lives!
 
 Christian education cannot guarantee our children will become perfect, or even great Christians. They can only endeavor to present Jesus Christ and teach from a Christian perspective. My prayer is for each parent to earnestly seek God for what is best for their individual child and family.
 
 
 
Author:
Pastor Liandro Arellano
Loving husband, father and grandfather
Retired Pastor & Superintendent of Faith Christian School
 
 
 
 

Read more...

Commitment of Steel: How About Those New Year Resolutions?

Every January it seems like everyone turns to thinking about commitment. New resolutions are considered and pledged.
Lots of folks consider making a new commitment, but never do because they assume they’ll fail anyway.
So why try?
 

This January, we will most likely see a glut of opinion pieces written on how to make and keep new resolutions… and even what to do if we fail. They’re intended to encourage us to not give up- press on- be patient- and imagine the reward at the finish.

Today, I’d like to offer a perspective on one way those commitments begin to break down in the first place.
These thoughts came when I was pondering Jesus’ temptations in the wilderness,
and pondering nearly 3 decades of ministry experiences with people.
 

We find our story in Matthew 4. Right after Jesus was baptized by John, the Holy Spirit descended upon Him, and His Father speaks some of the most reassuring words a son could hope to hear. Matthew also says that Jesus successfully completed the 40 days and nights of fasting before the tempter came to distract Him (Matt. 4:2).

After so much spiritual accomplishment, one could think that Jesus would be immune to temptation,
and indeed Jesus was able to resist the evil one and give us His example to follow.
 

And still, I’m intrigued by the timing of the tempter.

So, here are a few of the nuances that got my attention.

First, the enemy of our souls loves to attack when we’re tired and vulnerable.
This seems obvious since the attack came after Jesus’ 40 days and nights of fasting.
 
Second, the enemy of our souls also loves to attack when we least expect it…usually when we’re fresh and excited.
It’s as if he uses a quick jab to the face to surprise us and knock us just a bit off balance. I’ve heard boxers say they all have a game plan that seems solid until they get hit in the face.
 

So here’s a couple encouraging tips to remember:

Keep in mind that’s the enemy’s job.

Don’t allow him the satisfaction of making you feel weak or victimized.

God will use the opportunity to continue growing you in wisdom,

further grow you up in His ways, and even toughen you up in the process.

 
Remember through your relationship with Him in Jesus Christ, God has instilled Himself in you. His wisdom is in you (Psalm 119:98 & 99).
And, “greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world” (1 John 4:4).
 
In January we are discussing the theme of commitment with our adults and children.
 
We define it as this:

Making a Plan and Putting it into Practice

Based on I Tim. 4:8

For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things,

holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.

As you work through setting new resolutions and taking on good advice of how others keep them,

remember these bits of encouragement to help you keep your focus on Jesus.

With His help and in His power, you can turn your resolutions into commitments of steel.

 
 
 
 
Author:
Pastor Jon is lead pastor of Faith Assembly Grand Detour
 

 


Read more...

Jesus at the Center

As Christmas is upon us it’s hard not to notice the lights, decorations and all of the hard work we put into making everything look just perfect for the holidays. One thing that always stands out to me is the nativity scene. It seems that there just aren’t quite as many set up as there used to be. The thing I love about the nativity scene is that Jesus is always in the center…and all eyes are on Him.
 
 
 
This is a great reminder to me. Through all of the hustle and bustle of the holidays, the most important thing now (and always) is placing Jesus at the center of all we are and all we do.

I want Jesus to be the center of everything…
the center of my life
the center of my family’s life
the center of the Church
the center of my work

We live in a world with so many distractions… and let’s not forget our adversary,

who loves to use those distractions to try and pull us a way from Jesus.

 

One distraction I have found to be a hindrance- a roadblock- in my Christ-centered life is getting involved with too much. Being too busy can be a tool the enemy uses, and one that is a common struggle for most people. Personally, I’m active in a lot of different groups, meetings at work and at church. All the things I’m a part of are great causes and have great meaning, but the tasks and time that each one of those things takes can take over my true purpose very quickly.

I have found, when I try and put an order of importance on my priorities and stick to that order, I sometimes fail miserably.

I tend to allow all these good, meaningful things to become the center of what I am doing instead of Christ being the center of all I do.
There is a difference.

 
Through God’s grace in my life, I’ve also discovered this: when I place Jesus at the very center,
my priorities are set by God as he shapes me into who He wants me to be.
 
I encourage all of us to take a step back this Christmas and holiday season. Take a step back and allow Jesus to be the center of it all.
Only we can do this for ourselves, and when we do, we can truly thank God for His amazing generosity by sending us His one and only Son.
 
Make this your prayer while you listen to Israel Houghton’s song “Jesus at the Center.”
 
Author:
Christ Follower, Husband, Dad
Worship Leader, Faith Assembly
 

Click for video

 
 

 


Read more...

Intentional Spirituality | Focused Meditation

On my hour or so drive to work, I often recite a medley of various scripture verses that begins with Psalm 1.

Blessed is the man who does not walk in the council of the wicked, or stand in the way of sinners, or sit in the seat of mockers, but his delight is in the law of the Lord and on it he meditates daily…

I try to avoid recitation of the scripture becoming just part of my driving routine.

 

To help with this, I meditate on the words to understand better what God intended in giving them to us.

Pastor Jon would say, “Let them marinate.”

 
No matter how many times I recite the first two verses of Psalm 1, I always find it fascinating (and incredibly helpful) to be reminded how the subtle progression of sin can take over our lives. Of course this includes my own life, to the point of even becoming comfortable with it.
 
Take a look at this progression as shown in this Psalm, using physical activity and the laws of physics:
 
Psalm 1 speaks to a person first walking, then standing, then sitting.
When we walk we can decide to move left or right, or even turn around with our momentum requiring less energy to change direction.
But then we stand, requiring a bit more energy to get moving again.
Finally, when we sit down, it takes even more energy to get up and get moving.
 

So too is the progression of sin. It can look like this:

 
  1. We look to the crowd- the world- and start listening to their advice (…council of the wicked)
  2. We justify wrong behaviors, instead of evaluating the advice of God’s absolute Truth
  3. We begin to slow down, stop to accept the advice, believe all the lies and do what the ungodly do (…stand in the same way as sinners)
  4. After sinning repeatedly and ignoring the conviction of the Holy Spirit, we begin to sit comfortably in the sin, justifying behavior we know is wrong and often even begin to defend the behavior to others or in secret (…sit in the seat of mockers)

 

But then Psalm 1:2 goes on to say …but his delight is in the law of the Lord and on it he meditates daily. So while the Psalm warns about the propensity for sin to creep in to our daily lives, verse 2 tells us that by being in the Word (the Bible) we delight in the law of the Lord.

This means that by being in the Word consistently, we are directly connected to the Source of Life itself.

We are not just understanding absolute Truth, but actually delighting in it!

 
The other critical aspect of this verse is meditating on it every day.
Making the time- and being consistently intentional- is crucial, and is also hard because it takes discipline.
 

Eighteen years ago I didn’t look forward to my long drive to work, but I can now say that this drive continues to be a real blessing. It has provided the time I may not have otherwise carved out for my daily spiritual feeding and meditation. My time in the car encourages my intentional and focused discipline and draws me closer to my Savior.

We eat physical food each day to stay physically nourished. How much more important is our spiritual nourishment!
How do you carve out time from your busy schedules for your spiritual feeding?
 
Author:
Randy Ortgiesen is a Husband, Father and Grandfather
who loves Jesus and serves as an Elder at Faith Assembly.

 

 


Read more...

Living in the Light

Recently I was leading our congregation in the old hymn “Great is Thy Faithfulness.”
I’ve always been intrigued by a particular phrase in verse 1.
 
Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father
There is no shadow of turning with Thee
Thou changes not, Thy compassions, they fail not
As Thou hast been, Thou forever will be
 
There is no shadow of turning with God.
Think about that for a minute.
 
 
A shadow is formed when an object blocks another light source.
This means there has to be an external light source in order for a shadow to be created.

 

There is no light source other than God. He is the source.
There is no shadow when He turns.
There is no other source of Light and Truth.
He is constant, everlasting, and never-changing.
Without Him, there is only darkness… not even a shadow!

Mind. Blown.
 

Consider James 1: 17

Whatever is good and perfect is a gift coming down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow.
 

…or I John 1: 5-6

This is the message we heard from Jesus and now declare to you: God is light, and there is no darkness in him at all. So we are lying if we say we have fellowship with God but go on living in spiritual darkness; we are not practicing the truth.
 

So what does it mean then; to live, to worship, to embrace His light?

 

When we live and worship in the shadows, it may look a little something like this:

Living in fear, shame or regret
Faking it, in fear of being fully and honestly known
Denial of our own character flaws & how they impact others
Sweeping issues under the rug, hoping they’ll go away
Judging others, while ignoring our own secret stuff
Creating unnecessary drama or conflict
 

When we live and worship in the Light, it may look a little something like this:

Choosing to live in honesty, tempered with love & compassion
Embracing God’s grace and forgiveness, and extending that to others
Allowing for vulnerability & relationship, with ourselves and others
Realizing none of us are perfect, only humans saved by an incredible, merciful God
Exposing the lies we believe & replacing them with the light of Truth
Extending love, grace and peace to others

When we truly believe the concept that we are not the Source of Light and Truth- only God is-

we can then understand that we are mere reflections of His light.

 

We don’t have to perform. We don’t have to be harsh with ourselves or others.
We simply reflect Him.

It sure takes the pressure off doesn’t it?
 

But here’s the other thing: it also takes effort on our part… the practicing the Truth part.

Uh oh.
 
It takes digging into His Word, meditating on His Truth and intentional abiding in Christ.
It takes a whole lot of honesty and humble introspection.
It takes letting the Spirit reveal the Truth to us and embracing it deep in our souls.
It takes practice to flesh it out in our real lives, not just in our heads.
 
So I ask you dear friend, what are you reflecting?
 
P.S. I love this version of the hymn. Check it out!

 
 
Author: Michelle Marx
You can read more of Michelle’s writing on her personal blog PianoGirlSpeaks,
or for Seedbed.com.

 

 

 

 


Read more...

Everyone Needs Compassion

“Everyone needs compassion” are the first lyrics in Chris Tomlin’s
song “Mighty to Save.”
This word “Compassion” has really become a focal point for
me over the past 10 years.
I think about our compassion for others and Christ’s compassion for us.
 

How many times a day do we receive grace?

How many times a day does God look at us with compassion and mercy?

The answer is an emphatic…Unending!

 

We can look throughout the Bible and see God’s compassion in the Old Testament and Christ’s compassion in the New Testament. Through Christ, we can see a living example of what compassion is supposed to look like.

God has worked on my heart to be more compassionate. What better way to show the love Christ to others then to be compassionate towards everyone? Not just the people that are easy to get along with, but those we don’t always see eye to eye with.

Ephesians 4:32 says

Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.
 

We have a tendency to be quick to judge and condemn just because someone isn’t living the way we are living or doing the things we are doing. Through all of the negativity, political differences and racial tensions that seem to divide our country; is it possible we can let compassion and the love of Christ shine through what we say and do? Let’s put those things aside and be compassionate to all.

1 Peter 3:8 tells us to

…be like minded, be sympathetic, love one another, compassionate and humble.
 

One of God’s challenges for us today- and every day- is to love one another and show compassion to those hurting and in need.

Take a listen to this Hillsong version of the song, and join me in this compassion journey.
 
Author:
Ryan Bivins
Worship Leader, Faith Assembly

 

 

Click for video


Read more...

Thankful In All Things

Well, it’s that time of year again!
 
We gather with family, eat more than we should, laugh and talk around the table sharing memories…
what a wonderful effect celebrating Thanksgiving can have on us.
 
 
 Many people, including myself, will reflect on the things in their life that they are thankful for:
Our spouse
Our children
Our parents
Our siblings
Our jobs
All the necessities of life
and the list
goes
on…
 
I know as Christians we want to be thankful, but at times people or circumstances can make it difficult to accomplish.
Lord help us!
 

Colossians 3:15 says,

…and let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you are called in one body, and be thankful.
 

Psalms 100: 4-5 says,

…enter His gates with thanksgiving and to enter His courts with praise, be thankful unto Him and bless His holy name.
 

God calls us to be thankful in all things, at all times, because of His great provision and love for us.

His care covers us, sustains us, and carries us through challenges in life that call us to thankfulness.

When we look at how He provides for us, we see His hand of provision through

every circumstance that faces us daily.

 
I want to encourage us to look at the things we encounter every day and give thanks for all the things the Lord is doing in our lives.
Let’s try every day to think of things to honor the Lord, allowing us to give Him thanks for all things.
 

It is amazing how the Lord works!

I started this blog last week just to find myself challenged to be thankful every day. This week has been a real test for me, but with God’s grace I am bound and determined to practice thankfulness continually.

 

With God’s help, you can too.
 
Author:
Ken Drew
Jesus Follower, Husband, Father, Grandfather and Elder at Faith Assembly

Read more...

Discovering Jesus, the Real Deal

I often have conversations with people seeking to understand my story in discovering Jesus.
 
Frequently, I get this specific question: 
How do you know your religion is real?
 
My answer always gets me excited because it reminds me of my own search.
 
The answer without hesitation is this:

Christianity isn’t a religion as much as it is a relationship with Jesus Christ.

 
Jesus is the only person in any religion that is still alive and was raised from the dead by God, proving everything he said when on this earth. He was seen by over 500 people after the resurrection. This happened only a little over 2000 years ago. This miracle- and many others God did through Jesus in his 3 years of ministry- is not only documented in the Bible, but also confirmed by secular historians of that day.
 
1 Corinthians 15 speaks to this.
 

The evidence of the Bible being true, from an archaeological standpoint, is another way one can know Christianity is real. Even as recent as the last decade, locations (and types of destruction of Biblical cities/Biblical events) have been discovered and unearthed.

A few of many examples:

The walls of Jericho falling in- instead of out- when God’s people marched on the city and the walls tumbled down. Based on the type of wall construction, it was a miracle for them to fall in (not out) at that very moment in history.

Prophecy fulfilled as God used the prophets of the Old Testament to predict hundreds of events that would take place in the future… and some of them thousands of years later. The most notable prophecies are about Jesus. It was foretold where he would be born, what family line, how he would die, and how he would be raised from the dead in three days. Powerful stuff!

Lastly, and maybe most convincing to others that know us, are changed lives.

 

When the Holy Spirit draws us, repentance takes place and we submit to God’s Lordship over our lives. We accept Jesus as our personal savior; this is our new birth and call to action to work out the salvation that God, through Jesus, has worked into us.

An important part of that call to action is being prepared to tell your story.

 
Since God is in it, it is the best story you could ever tell.
 

God will use your story powerfully as you share how Jesus is the real deal in your life.

 
So friends, tell it boldly and confidently.
 
Author:  
Randy Ortgiesen is a Husband, Father and Grandfather
who loves Jesus and serves as an Elder at Faith Assembly.

 


Read more...

Prayers for Our Children (With a Little Help From Paul)

Parents tend to pray for their children,
no matter what religion they may or may not profess.
I’ve met parents of dozens of different nationalities,
religions and philosophical backgrounds.
One thing we all have in common is deep concern for our children.
 
It’s interesting that somewhere along the way, it seems to be innate that our concern for them often turns to prayer for them.
It often seems it’s the God of the Bible and Christianity that parents turn to even if they haven’t had a personal history believing in Him.
 
In Ephesians 1: 15-23, Paul is praying for the Ephesian believers.
The following points warm my heart when thinking in terms of praying for our children:
That God would give them a spirit of wisdom and revelation in their knowledge of Him.
(vs. 17)
That the eyes of their hearts would be opened so that they’d know the hope of His calling of them.
(vs. 18)
That they’d know the surpassing greatness of His power toward those who believe in Him.
(vs. 19)
 
That these things are done in their lives by the same power and strength that God used to raise Jesus from the dead. (vs. 19 – 20)
 
It would seem to be a parent’s job to lay awake at night with concern for our kids.
Let me encourage you to turn those moments into praying moments.
Borrowing Paul’s prayer when we pray for our children elevates what we’re praying for them;
from the circumstances of their lives, to the condition of their lives.
 
And, perhaps God’s involvement in their lives is not a matter of mere religion,
but an actual relationship as we pray they’d come to really know Him.
 
What’s more, you may be surprised how praying this prayer will change your life as well.
After all, God knows that change starts with us. 
 
Pastor Jon is Lead Pastor at Faith Assembly

Read more...

I’m So Busy!

How many times have we used these statements?

I’m so busy!
My life is so hectic!
I have NO time!
 
I am as guilty as anyone else.

The Lord has been speaking to me lately about how to use my time more wisely. It seems our time is consumed by many things in our everyday life; running kids to soccer practice or games, working on things around the house, personal appointments… oh, and let’s not forget about work.

We obviously have many things vying for our time. I know we should, and even need, to do these things.

How about the times our busy lives affect our Bible reading or we don’t spend enough time in prayer? Then there are the times we can’t help in a church ministry because our time is so stretched, or we can’t help someone in need in our church or our neighbors.
I’m sure there are many more on this “can’t do” list.
 
Psalm 28:7 says

The Lord is my strength and shield… my heart trusts in him and he helps me.

In the Bible, we read many stories where Jesus made time for those in need-

whatever and whenever the need might have been.

 

Jesus took time to…

Teach (Matt 21:23)
Heal (Mark 5:21 – 40)
Feed (Mark 6:30)
Witness (John 8:14-18)
 
I came across this quote on the internet I haven’t forgotten:
(author unknown)

God does not call people as a favor, but because He has something for them to do.

 

What is God calling me to do today? What is God calling you to do today?

Let us all be open to the moving of the Holy Spirit in our lives.
Let us all start today to make the Lord the focal point in our lives and allow Him to work through us… then walk in His leading.
 
Let’s not wait.

When the Lord speaks to us about something he wants us to do, let’s take time to say:

Lord, use me in whatever way you want.

 
Author:
Ken Drew
Jesus Follower, Husband, Father, Grandfather and Elder at Faith Assembly

Read more...

In the Eye of the Storm

As a worship leader, I can’t help but take the old or new songs and apply them to my life. It’s something God has used to not only draw me closer, but also to reflect on and help me through difficult times.
 

In my life currently, God has used Ryan Stevenson’s song “In the Eye of the Storm” to help me through a very difficult situation. Not only am I experiencing some trying times, but our country too, along with those severely impacted by hurricanes and natural disasters.

 
In recent days, I have been pointed to Psalm 27:1

The LORD is my light and my salvation – whom shall I fear?

The LORD is the stronghold of my life of – whom shall I be afraid?

 
We all have real struggles in life, things that are tragic and hard to deal with.
God tells us in His Word that his promise still stands and He is the stronghold in our lives.
God is with us in the dark moments…the moments we feel alone.

 

The chorus of “In the Eye of the Storm” goes like this:
In the eye of the storm, You remain in control
In the middle of the war, You guard my soul
You alone are the anchor, when my sails are torn
Your love surrounds me in the eye of the storm
 

Are you experiencing troubled times or difficult situations today?

Be encouraged by this song and know that God is in control of every storm in life we face.

He is our light and salvation…our stronghold in the storm.

 
You can check out the song via YouTube below.
 

Click for video

 
Author:
Ryan Bivins
Worship Leader, Faith Assembly

 


Read more...