online devotional

Living with Power

2009-12-03T17:44:00.000-08:00

Ephesians 4:30 says, "And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption."

The Christmas season is upon us, and what a beautiful reminder of how dependent we are on God. He gave us the only person who could save us from the penalty of our sins – Himself! Immanuel, God with us! Yet, in our society today it is SO easy to get distracted by all the festivities, lights, gifts and fun that we miss out on the reality that God through Jesus came to live, just as we live. He lived a perfect life, died an unjust death and paid a penalty He did not owe. All for us! Yet, that is not where it ended. Jesus then ascended into heaven after emphasizing to His disciples that He must leave so that the Comforter would come. God through the person of the Holy Spirit would come and multiply Jesus’ power exponentially by residing in God’s adopted children, you and I! The purpose of this was so that we could live as a people known for the power of God. But the question begs, do we, do you, live this way?

Now don’t get me wrong, we can’t will into existence the type of life God desires. We can’t “try” hard enough, check off our boxes, and it simply happens. No, it is the Spirit alone who transforms us and it is His power alone that flows through us. BUT walking in the Spirit requires action on our part. Our responsibility is to position ourselves under the flow of God’s transforming grace. How do we do that? We must increasingly stay connected to God through desperately pursuing Him in prayer, knowing His Word and taking risks by being others’ focused. This is our work, but when we take this action, God’s transforming grace flows to us and allows us to take part in things that are greater than we could ask or imagine! (Eph. 3:14-21).

A couple months ago, Pastor Jesse preached about how we can live our lives expecting great things from God (His part) while we attempt great things FOR God (our part). But to do so we can’t quench or grieve the Holy Spirit (Eph. 5:30; 1 Thess. 5:19). This means that we can extinguish the flame of the Spirit in our lives by following the patterns of this sinful world OR by not being aware and thereby missing the Spirit’s directive in our lives. This occurs by being so wrapped up in us, our busyness and schedules, that we miss Him prompting and nudging us beyond our comfort zones, our conveniences, and our laziness. Rather we are to risk!

As Francis Chan states in his book, Forgotten God, “If GOD truly lives in you, shouldn’t you expect to be different from everyone else in the world…But it is safer to avoid situations where we need God to come through for us than to risk greatly for Him…Are you living by your own strength, wits, abilities? Or are you needing God dependently in your life to come through? If you haven’t experienced God in ways you can’t deny, then I would suggest that you are not living in a needy and dependent way.”

Innately we know that this reality doesn’t sit well with us. We know that God calls us to far more than a surface-level, safe faith.

So this Christmas season, be stretched and risk beyond what you think you can do and watch the power of the Holy Spirit sustain and empower you to do the work of advancing God’s Kingdom! Risk by first connecting yourself to God, then listen to the Holy Spirit ask you to do things beyond your comfort zones. Maybe to share Jesus with someone you don’t know, to pray for someone who needs it, to move beyond a surface congeniality with your neighbors and invite them to dinner, or to commit yourself to the family of God by getting connected in a Growth Group. You will see as you move toward this upward trajectory of dependence upon the Spirit, the power displayed in you will stand out. Your life will truly reflect the power Jesus told us we could have (Acts 1:8) as we live knowing that this world is not our home, we are only pilgrims and aliens here (1 Peter 2:11-12). And this powerful life is the life of a disciple of Jesus!

posted by:

Matt Newton

Growth Groups Pastor

Thankful No Matter What

2009-11-19T08:43:00.000-08:00

1 Thessalonians 5:18 says, “No matter what happens, always be thankful, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ.”

Fanny Jane Crosby was born in 1820. Shortly after she was born, the family doctor made a tragic mistake. Instead of irrigating her infant eyes with prescribed drops, he inadvertently used a toxic substance. The result? Fanny was blind for life. Amazingly, she lived without resentment or bitterness. This gifted poet, who wrote several thousand poems that were later turned into hymns. Fanny was known , ironically, for her cheery outlook and her customary greeting: “God Bless you dear soul.” Her remarkable poems and songs are a chronicle of gratitude for God’s blessings she experienced in her 95 years on earth.

Although Christians still sing several of her well known songs-over a century after her death, one song in particular has wide appeal. The first stanza begins with these words: “To God be the glory, great things He has done.” Isn’t that something? Obviously she had reached the spiritual destination the apostle Paul held out as a worthy goal for all believers (including us). In spite of unpredictable circumstances, the apostle calls us to express our gratitude. He simply points out, “It is God’s will for you who belong to Christ.”

Respond to God with thanksgiving every hour on the hour-no matter what has gone on in the previous hour or what you think will go on in the next. Train yourself to be thankful for Jesus and what a difference that has made in your life. make an effort to model today what Paul encouraged believers to do centuries ago, "always be thankful."

Resist the temptation to close your eyes to God's goodness because of any hurt feelings you are nursing. On a sheet of paper, list the blessings of your life that you tend to overlook. Start with sight. Include the ability to breathe or walk. How about having enough to eat? You've got the idea. Now keep adding to the list.

posted by:
Dan Wade
Pastor of Congregational Care

Being a Contagious Christian

2009-11-05T09:56:00.000-08:00

Wow! It’s November already and with the leaves falling and cooler weather coming, we’ll be hearing a lot about the onslaught of flu season. You add to that the global awareness of the swine flu and you get a great deal of concern about children and adults that are contagious. This is a real threat and we certainly need to take precautions to battle these illnesses.

The Bible has much to say about us as followers of Jesus being contagious and infecting those around us with the love and “Good News” of Christ. Acts 1 says that we will be his witnesses in
Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. I Peter 3:15 says to always be prepared to give the reason for the hope that you have. Romans 10: 14 asks “how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them?" Christ has given us the responsibility and blessing of having an affect on those around us and intentionally making a difference.

Read Matthew 5: 13-16.

This passage uses the two analogies of salt and light to illustrate how we as believers can have a positive influence on all those we come in contact with. Salt has a tremendous ability to make everything it touches more tasty & enjoyable; light is incredibly useful for finding your way, taking the right path and seeing clearly. Verse 16 says, “let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.” How do you see yourself? Are you infecting those around you with goodness, encouragement, hope, and, ultimately, with the truth of God in love?

Bill Hybels puts it this way:

Deep in every true Christian, there is an awareness that we are on this planet for purposes greater than having a career, paying the bills, loving our families, and fulfilling our role as upstanding citizens. Even going to church and worshiping God – important as they are – sometimes leave us feeling that something is missing. What is it that’s absent in the lives of so many believers who are crying out for fulfillment? What on earth is God asking us to do? God wants us to become contagious Christians – His agents, who will first catch His love and then urgently and infectiously offer it to all who are willing to consider it. This is His primary plan, the one Jesus modeled so powerfully, to spread God’s grace and truth person to person until there’s an epidemic of changed lives around the world.

The interesting and amazing thing is that there are powerful benefits to those who are willing to take on this privilege. First of all life takes on a whole new spirit of adventure. This is followed by a strong sense of purpose that brings about real and lasting fulfillment as we join God in His work. The natural by-product is spiritual growth and spiritual confidence, and when we realize how much of an honor it is being God’s agent, and the enduring investments we are making in His eternal Kingdom, hopefully, we can see that the benefits far outweigh any barriers we may face.

Inspired by my newly formed growth group and our desire to affect our neighborhood, my wife and I held a “neighborhood watch” BBQ this past weekend in our front yard. We invited families from about 50 homes in the area and – to our surprise – around 27 families showed up to hang out, eat burgers, get some info on our neighborhood watch, and simply enjoy meeting each other. I feel like a whole new world has been opened up to me.

This season, I encourage you to try being a little more contagious!

posted by:
Jeff Koons
Pastor of Family Ministry & Men's Ministry

When the Storms Hit

2009-10-22T08:01:00.000-07:00

Wow, that was some storm that hit Sacramento last week! It was amazing how quickly the weather changed from beautiful fall weather to a powerful storm off the Pacific Ocean. I must admit, I’ve lived in this area for many years and don’t remember anything like it. The electricity went out at the church and we sent the staff home. Olson Drive down from the church was a mass of downed trees on the roadway. A crepe Myrtle tree that I planted in my backyard over 30 years ago snapped in half and huge limbs were down all over the yard. I even had a big branch fall on my neighbors brand new shed. Oh, well, sorry about that! It was a mess.

Kind of like real life! We are moving along minding our own business and everything is going well, then things suddenly fall apart. We know storms will come, but we’re just not ready when they hit. Jesus warned us in John 16:33, “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." Godly people do lose jobs and homes. They struggle in their marriages and with their kids or parents. Christians lose loved ones. Health problems come. We know there are storms in life, but we are so quickly caught off guard when they happen to us. Jesus clearly warned us that storms will come, but He gave us hope, He has overcome the world! He is still in charge. He has already won the victory. It may seem like everything is in chaos, but He is still sovereign, so children of God, take heart!

Later in the day, as I was sitting in the backyard under my patio cover watching the storm, I must admit I was nervous. What if one of those trees fell on the patio? I’m from Kansas and I know bad weather! Believe me, Kansans don’t sit outside and watch storms! They head for the basement. At the same time, I knew this was California and tornadoes aren’t supposed to happen here. So, like a fool, I calmly sat and watched the storm rage.

Kind of like being a child of God! We know that we are God’s kids and he takes care of us. We are never alone. God walks with us through the storms. That’s what Jesus promised in Matthew 28:19, “Surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." No matter how bad the storms are, He is always right there sitting with us, walking with us, holding us and protecting us. That is a promise from Jesus Himself!

Several friends from the church shared pictures of two rainbows they saw during the storm. What a reminder from God in the midst of the storm, “Don’t worry, I’m still here!” So children of God, when the storms hit, reach out and take His hand. You are not alone. Remember, God is good all the time! Amen??

posted by:
Ted Smith
Senior Pastor

No Furloughs With God

2009-10-15T08:15:00.000-07:00

Aren’t you glad that God doesn’t take furlough days? Can you imagine what it would be like if on a day that you really, really needed the touch of the Master, you got a recorded message stating that because of budget issues God couldn’t take your call and that you should call back the next day, but know that “because of an increased volume of calls, you may have to wait up to (insert creepy computer voice) ‘three hours and thirty-nine minutes’” !!!! Fortunately for all of us, the God of the universe, the creator of all time and life, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, is on His throne right now. He’s not on a break, He’s not in the restroom, He’s not taking a furlough day. He is there and He promises to “never leave you nor forsake you.” That’s good news! He’s on the job. So whatever it is that is on your mind or heart at this very instant, you can take it to Him. He wants to hear from you and He wants to help you get through whatever challenge life is throwing at you. As I said, He’s on the job.

If you’ve been around First Cov for any length of time, you’ve heard Pastor Ted say, “Don’t worry about anything, but pray about everything.” I believe that, but I must admit that I am a worrier. I pray about everything, but then I worry about it as well. I guess this is my way of giving God a hand with whatever it is that I’m going through. Ridiculous, yes, but unfortunately true, and I’m certain I’m not the only one who lie awake at night worrying about things that are out of my control. Go ahead, admit it – you worry, too.

I recently read a good book that has helped me with this issue, and I recommend it to you. It is Finding Peace by Charles Stanley. In it, Pastor Stanley deals with many of the things that keep us from experiencing the perfect peace Christ intends for us. It says, “Our loving heavenly Father holds on to us. He hears our cries. He embraces us with His everlasting arms. He holds us tightly in His comfort of us. The closer we cling to Him, the quieter our spirits become.”

This has been tremendously true for me. For years I had been hit and miss when it came to being consistent with my quiet times with Christ. Over the past few years, I’ve been able to develop the discipline to regularly read His word and spend time with Him in prayer. A great tool for me has been my journal, which actually serves as written prayers. As the statement from Stanley says, the closer I’ve clung to Him, the quieter my spirit has become, though I don’t succeed all the time. I still lie awake at night, but not as much.

So, the next time you hear of someone taking a furlough day, remember that God doesn’t, and He wants you to spend time with Him. When you do, you’ll experience His peace. I have, and you can, too. See you in worship.

posted by:
John Plastow
Executive Pastor of Worship Arts

Play Nice

2009-10-08T12:35:00.000-07:00

This past week I came across an interesting part of scripture that I never really paid much attention to in the past. But for whatever reason, it really caught my attention.

In Matthew chapter 11, Jesus is talking about how great John the Baptist is and begins addressing the crowd and their skepticism about him. In verse 16 Jesus then asks this question:

“How shall I describe this generation? These people are like a group of children playing a game in the public square. They complain to their friends, we played wedding songs, and you weren’t happy, so we played funeral songs, but you weren’t sad.”

Being a children’s pastor I instantly thought about what it is like when a group of children play together. Have you been to a school yard lately or stopped and watched a group of children playing together? It’s funny, but some things never really change. I have been volunteering at my children’s school once a week since they were in Kindergarten and the play habits of kids is almost the same as it was when I was in school. First let me say that the play ground is not a quiet place! Now I always find myself watching the kids play “wall ball,” you know the game where two of you take turns hitting the ball against the wall trying to get the other person out. The “Wall Ball” court brings lots of competition, yelling, arguing, pushing and complaining. The aggressive more authoritative kids are always the easiest to find. They are the ones who seem to change the rules and do the most complaining and in most situations bully themselves so they are always right and in control. The quiet, peacekeeping kids are the ones who just want to play and have fun. They have positive attitudes, for the most part, and usually just get back in line and wait for their next turn. In most cases the quiet kids are the minorities and usually just continue playing the unfair game. But sometimes, this minority will speak up through their actions and will leave and go start their own game or join another activity.

My challenge to you today is to not be the “complainer” on the playground. Don’t change the rules of how you should be living or acting so you can be in control. Humble yourself and put God first. Let your actions demonstrate that you are God’s child. Speak up and show this generation that you are going to play the game the right way. Who knows, maybe it’s time you started a new game of your own.

posted by:
Fred Hammer
Children's Ministries Pastor

When God Says “Go”

2009-10-01T07:46:00.000-07:00

Read Matthew 14:13-21.

This is somewhat strange for me. Today is October 1, and signifies to me that I am no longer working at First Cov. As my parting devotional, if you will, I thought it fitting to reference Mark Shetler’s message from a couple of weeks ago regarding following God’s leading (Matthew 14:13-21). He mentioned in his message that when God tells us to do something, it does not always have to make sense in the moment. This exact concept is where my wife and I have been living in the past eight weeks.

This is an incredible time in the life of our church with the launching of Growth Groups, Equipping Classes, and rejuvenating our worship service styles. In fact, I led the team in revamping these services! And right in the middle of this process, God opened a door to a ministry opportunity in Dallas, Texas and told us to “go”. We were not looking to make a move at this time, and we were excited about all of the changes here. Nevertheless, the more we sought God through this, the clearer His voice was telling us to “go”. And not only Him speaking to our hearts, but also using other people! Several weeks ago, my wife was approached by a stranger at a local Quizno’s who felt she needed to pray for my wife by telling her, “God impressed upon me to pray for you as you are going through some sort of big transition”. Wow. There was no way she could have known what was going on in our lives! All of these instances cemented to us that we needed to obey God’s leading, even though it did not make complete sense to us. I mean, Dallas?? We are west coast people! We’ve always lived minutes away from I-5’s path...Dallas??

We know that God is leading us into an exciting ministry season, and we are confident that He will take care of us like He has so many times before. Likewise, I know that God is leading First Cov into an exciting ministry season, and I am confident that He will take care of His church like He has throughout history!

So what is God leading you to do? What is God speaking to your heart right now? Will you be participating in an Equipping Class? Be involved in a Growth Group? Help teach a children’s Sunday School class? Participate in A.C.T.S. day this Saturday? Support the Global Pipeline missions ministry? Are you listening to His leading? I promise you, if you make yourself available to be used by God, He will lead you into the greatest adventure of your life.

It has been a tremendous blessing to lead this church in worship of Him week after week for almost five years at First Cov. The worship team, tech team, choir, staff, and congregation have all made an incredible impact upon our lives. You are family to me and my family. We look forward to future visits and seeing the incredible journey that God is taking First Cov on in this next ministry season, and I would love to share with you what God is doing in our lives.

Remember, make yourself available to be used by God, and listen for Him; He will lead you. Just be ready when He tells you to “go”, wherever that may lead.

You can keep in contact with Kevin at www.facebook.com/kevmusic

posted by:
Kevin Goldstein
Director of Worship

You Just Can’t Keep a Secret

2009-09-24T08:13:00.000-07:00

Sometimes I read a passage of the Bible that I’ve read a hundred times before, and a verse will jump out at me, grab me by the throat, punch me in the gut, make me sweat in fear and then terrorize me for weeks! (God tends to be rather dramatic with me; it must be the only way He can get my attention!)

I recently had such an encounter with God’s word. I was preparing for one of our summer Equipping Classes when Luke 12:2-3 mercilessly assaulted me. Jesus is speaking to His disciples and says,

“There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known. What you have said in the dark will be heard in the daylight, and what you have whispered in the ear in the inner rooms will be proclaimed from the roofs.”

I don’t know about you, but when I really stop and consider Jesus’ words here, it scares the heck out of me! I feel like I’ve done a pretty good job learning my lesson that gossip is bad (Proverbs 16:28, 2 Corinthians 12:20). I don’t share “secrets” with people I think might spread the choice little morsels along to someone else. We’ve all experienced the painful consequences of gossip, and I genuinely (at least most of the time) don’t want my careless words to get around and harm someone else.

But that’s really not what Jesus is talking about in Luke 12. He seems to be saying that even if you have a confidante, someone you can really trust not to spread a story, you still need to realize that someday what you said is going to be brought out into the open. That suggests that I’m going to be held responsible for the stuff I tell my wife or my best friend in confidence. Even if I’m just “venting” and want to rag on what so-and-so said or did, I need to be careful; what I say in my frustration or in my self-righteous attitude is going to be revealed publicly. I won’t be able to keep what I said a secret forever! People are going to hear what I said in secret about them. Awkward!

The bigger issue for me in all of this is attitude. My attitude affects others, whether I share a nasty little secret with a tattle-tale or with a closed-mouth confidante, I have still infected that person with a negative attitude. Even if it doesn’t spread around to the general population, I have made pursuing a godly life difficult for a brother or sister in Christ by sharing a petty complaint that I could have just surrendered to Jesus in my personal prayer life. And I’ve also discovered that my own negative attitude is reinforced when I share my opinions with another person. If I moan and groan to someone else about how stupid or careless or selfish this other person is, I just give more fuel for the fire and I find myself getting more angry or judgmental.

So for the last couple of weeks, when I’m tempted to say something bad about someone in secret, I’m having to think twice. I admit that sometimes I’ve given in and not used the filter ability God has given me. But a couple of times, I actually stopped myself from saying something that was simply a selfish complaint, something that wasn’t going to help anybody by being said, and just talked to Jesus about it. You know, it’s funny, when you go to the Savior, the One who has had compassion on my sorry soul, I find it hard to complain for too long! Instead, I usually find myself realizing that it wasn’t such a big deal after all and I can actually choose to let it go. I know that there are times when we all need to confide our frustrations and struggles with someone close to us, but I want to be guard myself from whispering careless “secrets” that someday are going to be announced on a loudspeaker for all to hear.

posted by:
Mark Shetler
Pastor of Student Ministries & Missions

God and Milkshakes

2009-09-17T07:31:00.000-07:00

Whenever our two year old granddaughter, Simone, is visiting and Papa fires up the blender, she runs from wherever she is in the house straight to the kitchen as fast as her little legs can carry her. She goes immediately to the cabinet, selects a plastic kid’s cup and hands it up to Papa because she knows when she hears the blender, of Papa’s deliciously, famous milkshakes is at hand and she wants in on it.

I’m like that with God. When I hear Him doing something wonderful, I want to be the first in line. When I hear testimonies of His goodness I feel all warm and fuzzy inside. When I hear of a victory for the Kingdom, I want to line up and cheer. I’ve always been partial to Revelation 3:20 which says, “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.” Can you imagine hearing a knock at your door and opening it up and there stands Jesus and He says, “Let’s eat!”? I’d probably make Him a milkshake.

But what about the times when God’s voice is nowhere to be heard? In those times I lament with the Psalmist David who asked, “How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever? Ho long will you hide your face from me?” (Psalm 13:1). Psalm 10 begins with, “Why, O Lord, do you stand far off? Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?”

I get uneasy when God is silent. I start questioning my faith, my actions, and my beliefs. Did I do something to offend God? Has He removed His favor from me? Has my heart hardened against Him? Did I fail to do something He asked of me? Am I too weak or unworthy to hear Him? Then, after I let Satan have a field day with my thought life, I remember the Psalmist’s words, “But you, O God, do see trouble and grief; you consider it to take it in hand.” And I know, help is on the way.

So what is going on when all the ingredients are in the blender, but it’s not ready for a taste? Well, I believe that’s when GOD IS AT WORK! He has a goal for us, but we may need to suffer a bit before it can be accomplished. You see, God is into “the GREATER GOOD.” 2 Corinthians 4:17 tells us that “Our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.”

Now how does that work? Pastor Ted Smith preached a sermon years ago on why Christians suffer. I wrote it down on the back cover of my Bible because I knew I would need to be reminded again and again.

1. Suffering strengthens our faith. James 1:2-4
2. Suffering exposes wrong in our lives. Psalm 119:67; 1 Corinthians 11:30
3. Suffering teaches us obedience. Psalm 119:71; Hebrews 5:8; Hebrews 12
4. Suffering develops humility. 2 Corinthians 12:7
5. Suffering equips us to minister to others. 2 Corinthians 1:3-4

Next time you hear the “blender,” remember that something deliciously wonderful is just around the corner - “Taste and see that the Lord is good.” (Psalm 34:8) And if you have to wait a little longer for the good stuff to come, know that He is never late and that what lies ahead is worth the wait.

posted by:
Katie Nielsen
Director of Church Ministries

Fight?

2009-09-03T12:02:00.000-07:00

Few things anger me. I am annoyed intensely by a lot of things; things such as the Lakers, bad coffee, Terrel Owens, Mary Murphy, use of the NON-word "irregardless", and USC; just to name a few from my very long list of intensely annoying things.

I am not an angry person as there really are only a few things which anger me. I can only think of a few right now. Poverty, oppression, unloving Christians and their 'evangelism', and maybe the Lakers!

Poverty and oppression are growing more and more rampant in our world and country, especially in a world with things like dying economies, human trafficking, and a cultural battle between the church and LGBT communities in which each side sees the other as sub-human, or at least treats each other as such.

I see these very few things becoming more and more prevalent in our world and our country, and I wonder what I am to do.

Psalm 82:3-4 says:

Defend the cause of the weak and fatherless; maintain the rights of the poor
and oppressed. Rescue the weak and needy; deliver them from the hand of the
wicked.

I read those things and I prayed this morning, (in a fashion I do most mornings, afternoons, and evenings), "God, show me how to love you and love people." I am learning to trust that God will show me how to love more if I desire it from him.

To serve the poor, I am trying to sacrifice all I have. I am beginning the 7th month of a commitment not to purchase any of my clothes first hand unless I KNOW where and how those clothes were made. I make those sorts of decisions and then read 1 Cor. 13:3.

"If I give all I possess to the poor...but have not love, I gain nothing."

I make as many decisions as I can to be one who serves and fights for what is right, but then I read that and wonder if all is for not if I have not truly done it with great love. Do I do these things for the fight or for the love?

An old grandmother once said, "No one ever wins a fight." I think that is what Jesus meant when he said in Matthew 5, "Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute." This is not pacifism! Just before he said that, Jesus said, "Do not resist an evil person."

When we are angered by things, we want to fight. Jesus tells us to love and pray and be moved with compassion to act, but he never told us to fight.

We fight for things like "honor", but sometimes I wonder if our "honor" is sometimes really pride, fear, or hate that we have called honor.

No one ever wins a fight; but love conquers all.

posted by:
PC Walker
Pastor of College & Young Adult Ministries

The Mystery of Jesus

2009-08-27T16:51:00.000-07:00

1 Timothy 3:16:

"Without question, this is the great mystery of our faith: Christ was revealed in a human body and vindicated by the Spirit. He was seen by angels and announced to the nations. He was believed in throughout the world and taken to heaven in glory."

First, I want to encourage you to take this verse and commit it to memory this week. The mind is a powerful tool given to us by God. When we use it to memorize His word, we are equipped with His truth and able to call upon it when the opportunity arises.

This is a great verse because it encapsulates our faith. Christ came to earth, became flesh, and dwelled among people. He lived life as a human being. He experienced love, joy, and hope as well as pain, sorrow, disappointment, and loss. Though guilty of nothing, He was crucified on a cross and He suffered excruciating pain and humiliation at the very hands of those He had come to save. Then He conquered death, rose from the grave and ascended into heaven where He is preparing a place for those who believe. He did this all so that we may live eternally with Him.

Even as I write this, it is scary how easily I can summarize it, but how very little I actually understand it.

Truly a Mystery!

How often do we take time to actually thank God for the gift of Jesus? Do we really allow the mystery of Jesus to seep into the very depths of our soul? How truly humbled are we by His action on the cross? Is it too easily forgotten and very seldom contemplated? I know for me, this often true.

So let’s take action.

For the next week, let’s be intentional about thanking God specifically for the gift of Jesus. Each morning, as soon as we wake, let’s take time to express our deep gratitude for the Savior. I know this will be difficult for many because you may already have a morning routine, or for others the morning has very little routine, but let’s be disciplined in our action. Let’s set aside the necessary time to thank God for the wonderful gift of His Son and allow this mystery to deepen our love for our Savior.

posted by:
Dan Demuri
Worship Leader

Give Love Away

2009-08-20T09:40:00.000-07:00

It never ceases to amaze me how many times I find myself looking back on my day and asking God how could I have been so blind. Yesterday was one of those days.

For the past month I have been trying to instill in the high school students, here at First Covenant Church, to “Give Love Away”. But let me back up about a year and a half when I met a local church pastor. We chatted over lunch and I listen to him share this concept of “Giving Love Away”. He told me story after story about people in his church who were setting aside there agendas, schedules and personal needs to meet the needs of others. I was captivated by what I heard. I was inspired. Not because it was a new concept, but because it was so easy to “Give Love Away”. He referred me to the Acts 2 church. Acts chapter two is the account of the beginning of “The Church”. Most of us are familiar with the chapter and how the apostle Peter preached and thousands but their faith in Jesus. But what happens next in the story has had a huge effect on my life. The story continues in verses 42-47 of chapter 2:

"They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved."

During the time of Pentecost people from all over the known world would gather in Jerusalem. Many had traveled much distance to get there. So when they heard Peter preach and put their faith in Jesus they stayed in Jerusalem and devoted themselves to the teachings of the apostles and met daily in the temple courts. They didn’t go back home after Pentecost they stayed and in staying they had many needs (a place to stay, food, water, clothing, etc). What happens next is the point to all of this.

⁴⁵"Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need."

As needs came up, others stepped up and stepped in. Into the needs of others. They put aside their agendas. They put aside their comfort. They put aside their own desires. They put aside their schedules and stepped into meeting a need. They were “Giving Love Away”. By the very act of a self sacrificing service they modeled the love of or God and Savior. They demonstrated that the needs of others out way our own. That like Jesus, we are here to serve others. And that we are more like Jesus when we are stepping into peoples needs and meeting them where they are. If God is Love (1John 4:8) In essence we are giving Jesus away; we are “Giving Love Away”. So let’s not be afraid or too selfish to stop and listen as God steers us to step up and into a situation to “Give Love Away”.

So yesterday (Wednesday), I was asked to do a home visit for someone in our congregation. I have to admit that Wednesdays are my craziest days. With youth group on Wednesdays and all the prep that goes into it my day is packed full of things “I have to do”. I willingly accepted the task but in my heart I was dealing with frustration because of my long Wednesday task list. I felt I really didn’t have time for this visit and wanted to make this as quickly as possible so I could get back to my task list. To make a long story short (I know, to late), The visit was the high light of my day. I fully enjoyed visiting with this person and learned a lot. I could see that this time we spent together was a blessing to them and me. I had the honor and privilege to be there ministering and encouraging someone who either needed it or just wanted it. No matter, it was great to be “Giving Love Away”. After about an hour it was time for me to leave. I walked to my car and hung my head and said to God, “How could I be so blind. Forgive me for not seeing the needs of others and stepping into them willingly. Help me to put aside my agenda, schedules and desires so I can better serve others”.

Let’s strive to not be blind to those around us and their needs. May we be challenged to put aside the “my ______” (fill in the blank) and step up and into divine appointments. Give Love Away! And like my experience yesterday… You just might have the time of you life!

posted by:
Tim Layfield
High School Pastor

Grasping the Attitude of Gratitude

2009-08-13T08:49:00.001-07:00

Read Luke 7:36-50.

Jesus is gaining a reputation in Galilee as a major teaching figure. Consequently, a Pharisee named Simon holds a meal for Jesus to see if Jesus truly is a “Rabbi.” But an unexpected visitor arrives: the “sinful” woman of the town!. Everyone already knows about her reputation! It was shameful to even speak about what she does. And what nerve, as she shockingly stands at Jesus’ feet while he reclines on his side to eat.

Suddenly a hush floods the room. The woman begins to sob, uncontrollably, as tears stream down her face. Unashamedly, she pulls down her hair! Everyone there understands this as a publicly taboo expression of great intimacy. But the woman is under great emotional stress and doesn’t care one bit what others are thinking. All she wants is Jesus. So as the tears flood Jesus’ dirty, dusty feet that were never hospitably washed by the host, the woman wipes His soiled feet with her hair. The guests gasp and mutter as she then begins to kiss his feet, over and over again, while she pours expensive perfume on them. How can Jesus let this woman act in such a culturally shocking way…

Meanwhile, Simon thinks to himself that this so-called prophet is a joke. This “Rabbi” doesn’t even have enough discernment to tell who this woman is, this despicable sinner! Then Jesus turns to Simon, knowing his thoughts, and teaches everyone a parable. “Two men were in debt to a lender. One had a debt of several months wages, the other had a debt 10 times that, almost 2 years of wages. The lender cancels both debts.” Jesus asks Simon, “Now which of them will love the lender more?” Simon says that the one forgiven more will obviously show more gratitude. And with that Jesus tells the repentant and grateful woman that her sins are forgiven and her faith has saved her.

He who is forgiven little, loves little. Through this account in Luke, Jesus teaches that those who grasp the magnitude of their sin, the wickedness in their hearts, and their rebellion against God are the ones who have truly been forgiven. Simon was a learned and religious man who knew much about God. But he didn’t think he needed Jesus. His proud, haughty and self-righteous superiority complex was evidence that he didn’t love God. In contrast, the woman was the model of worship because she recognized that she had nothing to offer God except to cry out in broken repentance for forgiveness. Yet the evidence of her forgiveness through repentance and faith brought a joyous display of gratitude because Jesus was her Treasure, her Savior, her Rescuer, God Himself come to redeem her!

So how can you display this attitude of gratitude?

About 6 months ago, I took time to journal, pray and reflect on my sin. Wow! Did my attitude of gratitude ever grow! I was so thankful that Jesus is my treasure for He alone has saved me from being the arrogant, self-righteous, religious, prideful, people-pleasing, worry wart I would be without Him! Take some time to reflect on the depths of your depravity. Humbly recognize how sinful and rebellious you really are and what Jesus has truly saved you from. And if any self-righteous comparison to others and how bad they are comes up, repent of that sin and show even more gratitude to Jesus of what He has saved you from! In doing so, you will surely grow in living an attitude of gratitude!

posted by:
Matt Newton
Growth Groups Pastor

Grasping the Attitude of Gratitude

2009-08-13T08:49:00.000-07:00

Read Luke 7:36-50

Jesus is gaining a reputation in Galilee as a major teaching figure. Consequently, a Pharisee named Simon holds a meal for Jesus to see if Jesus truly is a “Rabbi.” But an unexpected visitor arrives: the “sinful” woman of the town!. Everyone already knows about her reputation! It was shameful to even speak about what she does. And what nerve, as she shockingly stands at Jesus’ feet while he reclines on his side to eat.

Suddenly a hush floods the room. The woman begins to sob, uncontrollably, as tears stream down her face. Unashamedly, she pulls down her hair! Everyone there understands this as a publicly taboo expression of great intimacy. But the woman is under great emotional stress and doesn’t care one bit what others are thinking. All she wants is Jesus. So as the tears flood Jesus’ dirty, dusty feet that were never hospitably washed by the host, the woman wipes His soiled feet with her hair. The guests gasp and mutter as she then begins to kiss his feet, over and over again, while she pours expensive perfume on them. How can Jesus let this woman act in such a culturally shocking way…

Meanwhile, Simon thinks to himself that this so-called prophet is a joke. This “Rabbi” doesn’t even have enough discernment to tell who this woman is, this despicable sinner! Then Jesus turns to Simon, knowing his thoughts, and teaches everyone a parable. “Two men were in debt to a lender. One had a debt of several months wages, the other had a debt 10 times that, almost 2 years of wages. The lender cancels both debts.” Jesus asks Simon, “Now which of them will love the lender more?” Simon says that the one forgiven more will obviously show more gratitude. And with that Jesus tells the repentant and grateful woman that her sins are forgiven and her faith has saved her.

He who is forgiven little, loves little. Through this account in Luke, Jesus teaches that those who grasp the magnitude of their sin, the wickedness in their hearts, and their rebellion against God are the ones who have truly been forgiven. Simon was a learned and religious man who knew much about God. But he didn’t think he needed Jesus. His proud, haughty and self-righteous superiority complex was evidence that he didn’t love God. In contrast, the woman was the model of worship because she recognized that she had nothing to offer God except to cry out in broken repentance for forgiveness. Yet the evidence of her forgiveness through repentance and faith brought a joyous display of gratitude because Jesus was her Treasure, her Savior, her Rescuer, God Himself come to redeem her!

So how can you display this attitude of gratitude?

About 6 months ago, I took time to journal, pray and reflect on my sin. Wow! Did my attitude of gratitude ever grow! I was so thankful that Jesus is my treasure for He alone has saved me from being the arrogant, self-righteous, religious, prideful, people-pleasing, worry wart I would be without Him! Take some time to reflect on the depths of your depravity. Humbly recognize how sinful and rebellious you really are and what Jesus has truly saved you from. And if any self-righteous comparison to others and how bad they are comes up, repent of that sin and show even more gratitude to Jesus of what He has saved you from! In doing so, you will surely grow in living an attitude of gratitude!

Keep an Open Hand

2009-07-30T10:04:00.000-07:00

1 Samuel 13:14:

“But now your kingdom will not endure; the LORD has sought out a man after his own heart and appointed him leader of his people, because you have not kept the LORD's command."

The middle chapters of First Samuel tell the story of Israel’s first anointed King, Saul, and his replacement, David. The stories of these two kings are in stark contrast of each other, and the main difference between these two is obedience to God. Saul became more disobedient over time, and grew more fearful of man’s perception than God’s wrath. By contrast, David is described as a man after God’s own heart, which despite his own failings cared more about being right with God than what people thought of him. David was patient, Saul was impatient; David was obedient, Saul was disobedient; David confessed his sins, Saul made excuses for his sins.

The picture that comes to mind for me when I think of Kings Saul and David is that of a simple open hand before the Lord. David lived with an open hand, and let the Lord fill it. David waited for the Lord’s direction, timing, and provision even when it didn’t seem to make sense to do so. David gave the Lord everything in his life, because he trusted God to mold him into what He wanted him to be.

However, Saul was paranoid and narcissistic. Saul lived life with a closed hand before the Lord, fearing that he would lose his position, authority, and wealth. The irony is that God is the one who gave all of these to Saul in the first place. By refusing to obey the Lord, and instead seek man’s approval, God ultimately removed His blessing from Saul, and stripped him of the authority and position that Saul so desperately tried to cling to in his own power.

Ouch. Comparing the lives of these two men challenges me to make sure that I approach my life with humility and obedience to His Word; to live life with an open hand allowing God to fill it with what He knows is best for me. I don’t always hit the bull’s-eye, but I’m always aiming for it. Present your life openly to God and let Him make you into what He designed you to be. Wait on Him; trust Him; obey Him.

posted by:
Kevin Goldstein
Director of Worship

Towering Above the Trash

2009-07-23T08:48:00.000-07:00

Philippians 3:8-9:

"Yes, everything else is worthless when compared to the priceless gain of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. I have discarded everything else, counting it all garbage, so that I may have Christ and become one with Him."

Thousands who travel by cruise ships through the inside passage of Alaska annually journey inland to visit the old gold rush town of Nome. But few visitors would label it an attractive tourist spot. Garbage lines the streets. Due to the harsh winters, permafrost, and limited landfill area, litter is left in front of many houses. Wrecked cars and broken down snowmobiles sit and rust on grassless front yards. Abandoned appliances, outgrown toys, and assorted refuse contribute to the unsightly landscape until the winter snow blankets them.

Amid the trash and litter that has come to define Nomes landscape is the community’s Christian radio station that broadcasts biblical teaching, praise and worship songs, as well as Russian programs (that are heard 150 miles to the west in Siberia). KICY’s transmitter tower stands 250 feet above the towns refuse and debris. The contrast between the garbage on the ground and the purposeful tower in the air is striking!

According to what Paul is saying in these verses, our firsthand knowledge of Jesus elevates us to a level of living that is to tower above everything else in this world. We have a choice each day to preoccupy ourselves with the “garbage” of this world- career advancement, material possessions, and wealth, pleasure- or we can reach upward to what truly counts: a life as a Fully Devoted Follower of Christ.

All our other pursuits (including job, education, hobbies, personal ambitions and future plans) are like the litter in Nome, Alaska. They may represent valid experiences and meaningful accomplishments, but they are an eyesore in contrast to the beautiful relationship the Lord has invited us to experience as Fully Devoted Followers of Christ.

Charles Wesley wrote, “Thou, O Christ, art all I want, more than all in Thee I find.” Take out the garbage today - remove all the litter that prevents you from living the fully devoted life for Jesus today.

Prayer of the Fully Devoted Follower
"Lord, I’m ashamed to admit, but you already know it’s true. I am more apt to focus on the routines and relationships that characterize my life than to look up in your direction to remember what’s really important. Forgive me, Father. Cause me to remember where my worth really lies. Amen."

posted by:
Dan Wade
Congregational Care Pastor

Stand Strong & Stay Close

2009-07-09T10:29:00.000-07:00

Read John 15:1-6.

Everyday, we seem to hear more news about the financial crisis; banks closing, businesses going bankrupt and homeowners struggling with their mortgage. Then there is the state of California, let’s not even go there.

We also hear of cultural challenges in government, education, taxes, business, morality, sexuality and media, with change happening so fast it seems impossible to keep up with it all.

Then there are our personal challenges and family trials and blessing thrown in the mix as well.

God’s word has much to say about our need to stay closely tied to the strong foundation.

I Corinthians 16:13 says, “Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong.”

Our faith must be placed not on the things of this world, but on our Lord Jesus Christ and His promises and ways.

I asked you to read John 15. This is a powerful passage because it teaches us that we MUST stay closely connected (tied to or grafted into) Jesus who is in turn our direct access to God. Verse 5 tells us we can do nothing without abiding in Christ; in fact we will wither and bear no fruit.

God is communicating to us that:

I know you: I created you, knitted you together before you were born, I am intimately aware of what you are going through. Psalm 139
God cares: John 11:35 – Jesus was deeply moved and troubled by the needs, hurts and fears of His children.
God is willing: Philippians 4:19 – God WILL meet all your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus.
God is able: Ephesians 3:20 – He is ABLE to do something about what He knows and cares about.

The theme for the men’s conference in September is “The Perfect Storm: Stand and Deliver,” and we will be talking about the winds and waves of life and how we can stand strong and then deliver light and encouragement to others. I hope today that you will be encouraged all the more to stay in close connection with Christ and stand firm in your faith and trust of Him during these turbulent times.

posted by:
Jeff Koons
Pastor of Adult and Men’s Ministries

Facing Your Giants

2009-07-02T07:00:00.000-07:00

A little while back I read a good book by Max Lucado called “Facing Your Giants” in which he deals with a number of things that will strengthen us in Christ, if we will only be willing to face them. He uses many of the life experiences of King David as examples of how to do this and to give us encouragement to do the same. In one section he deals with an issue that many, if not all people must address in their lives. It is that of dashed hopes, or the fact that often what we set out to accomplish changes due to circumstances, mistakes, or God just having a different plan for us. King David speaks of this when he says “I had intended to build a permanent home for the ark of the covenant of the Lord and for the footstool of our God.” (I Chron. 28:2) We know from the scriptures that David made all the preparations for building the temple, but was prevented from actually building it. God had a different plan than David. David may’ve intended to build, but God chose Solomon to finish the project instead.

Lucado points out that David stated “I had intended. I had made the preparations, BUT GOD had a different plan.” This had to be extremely difficult for David and incredibly disappointing. Lucado asks “What do you do with the 'but God' moments in life? When God interrupts your good plans, how do you respond?” That‘s a huge question. Personally, sometimes I roll right along with God changing my plans or fiddling with my well-ordered little kingdom, but, I must confess, most of the time I prefer to do things the way I want to do things and I don’t appreciate it at all when God makes changes to my world without giving me the courtesy of asking me first!

David responded in a manner that we can all learn from. He followed the “I had intended, but God…” moments with a “yet God.” After acknowledging that he really had intended to build the temple, David stated “Yet, the Lord, the God of Israel, chose me from all the house of my father to be king over Israel forever. (I Chron 28:4). Lucado concludes “David faced the behemouth of disappointment with yet God..” David decided that instead of whining and complaining, although he may have done some of that off line, he would trust in his God to do the right thing with his life. This is a great lesson for me and for all of us who desire to be a fully devoted follower of Christ. There are going to be plenty of times when we plan, prepare, and work hard to accomplish things which we have “intended” to accomplish, then, for whatever reason, God switches things up, makes changes, and sets us on a totally different road. It’s true of us as individuals, and as a church. We can choose to despair in the loss of what we wanted, or we can choose to trust God’s sovereignty in our lives.

It’s not easy, and sometimes it’s down right painful to let go of our plans, but if we can learn to relinquish control in our lives to our Lord, I believe we will find that His road leads to a much better destination than ours would have. Recently I heard a speaker quote Oswald Chambers. He said, “Beware of spending too much time looking back at what you once were, when God wants you to become something you have never been!” This is a great challenge to me and I share it with you. Let’s all look forward to see the possibilities and potentialities the God of the universe has waiting for us, if we will only trust Him.

See you in worship.

posted by:
John Plastow
Executive Pastor of Worship Arts

Really? Anything We Ask?

2009-06-25T10:34:00.000-07:00

1 John 5:14-15 says:

This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything
according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us—whatever we
ask—we know that we have what we asked of him.

What does this mean?

If we were to dissect the verse, we would have more questions than the obvious one of why do we not get everything we ask for. Why? Well, for one reason we often ask with selfish, impure motives. We want a blessed life without pain and/or little adjustments. However, God listens and hears with such a greater knowledge of us than we know how to pray.

A few years ago, I prayed for something that was fully in line with God’s will…the restoration of my family. I prayed consistently for many years, fully knowing that God was on my side and that He heard my prayer. Then one day, He answered in a way that simply did not make sense. Certainly, it was not His will that my family be broken apart. Certainly, it wasn’t His plan or “according to His will” that we were not brought back together. Of course not. He did want that, but He knew the future. He knew what life had in store for me. He knew how He wanted to use my life. He knew where He wanted me to be broken and become more dependent on Him.

What is the purpose of prayer? To bring us more fully and more deeply into relationship and alignment with our Creator, Maker, Friend, Savior. When we can get to the place that prayer is not about what we want, but that we want what God wants for us we begin to see a new kind of transformation taking place in us.

Prayer is not about changing God or changing God’s mind, but for us to be changed and perhaps even have our mind changed to desire more for ourselves than what we could possibly desire on our own. Imagine praying “according to God’s will” and His best for us, having the kind of faith that believes our God is willing, capable, and ready to bring us “exceedingly and abundantly more than what we could ask or think?”

As much as I have resisted that kind of faith, I am forever grateful that God knew best. As I prayed for what I wanted (and it was good), God heard so much more from the cry of my heart. I can say with confidence that when I bring my requests before Him, He hears, listens and responds and gives me more than I could imagine. I want to want what God wants.

posted by:
Glenda Harr
Director of Women's Ministries & Assimilation

What Kind of Branch Are You?

2009-06-18T13:39:00.000-07:00

Read John 15:1-8.

“Mere growth is never enough; productivity is the thing, and every organism has to be cut back to be fruitful.” David Roper, A Burden Shared.

I am not much of a green thumb, and far from being a gardener. In fact, fake plants have a hard time surviving in my care. But we do have six beautiful rose bushes that encompass our backyard. In fact, this past month they have come alive sprouting straight up the wall of our house in full bloom.

Most of the year they are tall, thick, full of color and filled with beautiful roses. Occasionally I find myself cutting off a few branches that are either dried up, dead or injured from our dog and children. How much beautiful they look after I prune them back. And then winter approaches and while they are still in their beauty, we must prune all the branches so that the vine is all that’s left. Their beauty is gone and I always regret taking their beauty away. The yard becomes plain and the warm beauty is gone. And then spring arrives and the beauty returns, thicker, brighter and fresher than before. How quickly I forget the dark, cold and plain vine. The pruning was worth it!

In John 15 we see God as our Gardener, Jesus our vine and each of us his branches. We see God cutting off those who do not know Him and who do not obey His commands. And then we see Him prune those who remain close to Him and who are bearing fruit, showing beauty and growing. Why does he prune us back when things are going so well? Our Gardener loves us so much He wants only the absolute best for us. He doesn’t want us to settle for bearing a little fruit, He wants us to bear much fruit, so he does some careful pruning in our lives so that we will become more fruitful.

I want to bear much fruit. I want our church, community and children to bear much fruit; and this means we must let God prune us. Pray today and ask God what branches you need to have pruned or cut-off. Ask him to reveal to you those areas that may need refocused. Are you spending too much time at work, in front of the TV, surfing the internet or on the golf course? Is your family receiving the attention they need from you? Are you giving God enough of your time? Are you in regular worship and prayer with God? Are you serving Him on a regular basis? Have you told anyone how Jesus has changed your life? Are you going to fast to even stop and let God prune you back?

Jesus makes a promise to those who are abiding in Him. He says that “if you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you: (John 15:7). When we remain in Christ, and when his Word is living in us, we begin to want the same things God wants and we are able to receive whatever we ask. Will you abide in Him today and accept the fruit he has for your life?

“Prayer that does not bear fruit in self-giving service is not a Christian prayer but only soliloquy.” Fonald G. Bloesch, The Struggle of Prayer.

posted by:
Fred Hammer
Pastor of Children's Ministries

How to Get Out of Debt

2009-06-11T08:42:00.000-07:00

There are ten steps for getting out of debt. The steps are easy, but following them requires hard work. The goal is to reach a day when you become absolutely free of debt.

1. Pray

In 2 Kings 4:1-7 we read about a widow who was threatened with losing her children to her creditor, and she asked Elisha for help. Elisha instructed the widow to borrow many empty jars from her neighbors. The Lord multiplied her only possession—a small amount of oil—and all the jars were filled. She sold the oil and paid her debts to free her children.The same God who provided supernaturally for the widow is interested in you becoming free from debt. The first step is to pray. Seek the Lord’s help and guidance in your journey toward becoming debt free. He may act immediately, as in the case of the widow, or slowly over time. In either case, prayer is essential.A trend is emerging. As people begin to eliminate debt, the Lord has blessed their faithfulness. Even if you can afford only a small monthly prepayment of your debt, please do it. The Lord will multiply your efforts.

The nine additional steps for getting out of debt are:

2. Establish a Budget

3. List Everything you Own

4. List Everything you Owe

5. Establish a Debt Repayment Plan

6. Consider Earning Additional Income

7. Control the Use of Credit Cards

8. Be Content with What You Have

9. Consider a Radical Change in Lifestyle

10. Do Not Give Up!

If you would like further information, contact me at mwood@firstcov.org or 916-861-2240.

posted by:
Monty Wood
Executive Director of Church Administration

I Believe; Help My Unbelief

2009-06-04T08:05:00.000-07:00

Mark 9:24 says "I believe; help my unbelief." It is one of my favorite verses in all of scripture, because it is so often the cry of my heart. My mind and my heart resonate with this verse more than any other verses in all of scripture. I am always in a state of belief, and yet I am frequently in need of help for my unbelief.

Like the disciples in this story, I struggle to pray with enough fervency. I struggle to pray for myself or others because a large part me wonders, "What if God does not do those things for this person?" Would it be because I had not prayed with enough faith? Would it be because it was not in God's plan for those things to happen, and I should chalk it up to "Questions I was never intended to know the answers to?”

I know full well my faith is weak in moments, because there are other moments when prayer comes naturally. There are moments when I have such a clear glimpse of God that I hold on to it and squeeze every bit of life I can out of the moment. I need it to last as long as possible because I may drown in my own thoughts and wonder again at some point.

So to hear this man's plea with Jesus in Mark 9, "I believe; help my unbelief" is refreshing and affirming. It is affirming that his plea is granted and answered. It is affirming that even his admitting a level of unbelief is more important and honorable to Jesus than when he simply did not get it but pretended he did. Those are the ones who are 'this faithless generation' (vs. 19). Those are the ones who irritate Jesus for their lack of faith.

But you see Jesus meet this person, this father, when he simply admits he does have faith; help me in my lack of faith. Jesus meets you in the honesty.

Sometimes we only need to pray and continue to pray, and He will meet us tenderly in return...OR...we could remain a faithless generation that pretends we have all the faith in the world but see no fruit of it.

posted by:
PC Walker
College and Young Adult Pastor

Walmart God

2009-05-28T00:01:00.000-07:00

I read the other day that the down economy is not fazing the businesses where people’s dollars go further, such as McDonalds and Walmart. Folks who seldom shopped at the discount stores before are now seeking deals at the lowest prices. It dawned on me that we can be like that in our spiritual lives. Here’s what I mean. Walmart offers good service, convenience, lots of stuff, easy and cheap. Isn’t that the way we sometimes want our God?

Think about it. We worship Him when it is convenient. Oops, stayed up too late last night, think I’ll sleep in instead of going to church. Wow, it’s raining; don’t want to get out in that. A breakfast in front of the fireplace sounds much better. God will appreciate that. Look, it’s a beautiful sunny day; don’t want to waste that sitting in church all morning. I’ll make up for it next week.

We want God to bless us with lots of stuff and we want it when we want it. After all, isn’t God able to do all things? Nothing is impossible for Him and He wants us to be happy, right? Somehow we’ve come to believe that we deserve everything we desire. Didn’t God say that if we ask for it, we’ll receive it? (Matthew 7:7-8). We get really good at taking the verses we like out of context to prove our point and forgetting those that don’t quite go along with our wishes (prayers of the righteous).

Which brings me to “cheap,” we want grace to be cheap. We want it to be free or at least not cost us much. I can’t find anyone in the Bible who didn’t pay a price for following God – many with their very lives. Not once did Jesus say it would be easy or cheap. To the contrary, so as not to mislead folks, He told them things like, “What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul?” (Matt. 16:26). Or, “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come follow me.” (Mark 10:21). And, “You will indeed drink from my cup…” (Matt. 20:22-23).

The lifestyle of a devoted follower of Christ is not easy, cheap, and seldom, is it convenient. God calls us to something higher than a life that is all about us. We are not the center of the story, He is. It takes going out of our way to help others. It takes using our God given gifts and talents to make this world a better place for the Kingdom’s sake. It takes forgiving people who hurt us and asking their forgiveness when we hurt them. It takes self-discipline in our speech and scrutiny in our actions. It means forgoing the pleasures of the world for what pleases God. Our existence should draw people to the Creator, not make them want to run the other way.

It’s a full time job that can only be accomplished when we have a deep love for God and a belief that nothing else is as important. It takes prayer and a willingness to be led. It takes time. You have to “hang out” with God if you want His ways and His strength to rub off on you. That’s what Jesus is saying in Matthew 7:7-8. If we seek Him out, He will be faithful to meet us and teach us things that we can only know from Him. The blessings come from encounters with God. All the other “stuff” loses its luster and appeal and we just want more of Him; can’t find that at a discount store. It’s hard work, but it’s worth the price.

posted by:
Katie Nielsen
Director of Church Ministries

Idol-hood

2009-05-21T10:29:00.000-07:00

My wife Melissa and I don’t watch a lot of TV, but I do admit that we are hooked on American Idol. We’re usually not home when it airs, so we often have to record it and play it back later (skipping some of the fluff and filler of bad performances by good artists and definitely fast-forwarding through the mundane commercials). But we do watch most of the episodes, especially the top 12 (or 13 when the judges simply can’t make up their minds!) Even when my favorite gets voted off (like Danny this year or Lakisha from season 6 or Daughtry from season 5) I still want to watch the final to see who gets the title.

So am I obsessed with this glamorized talent show? Maybe a little. The truth is if American Idol had been invented before I hit mid-life, I probably would have auditioned at some point. I admit that the thought of stardom (or idol-hood) has a certain appeal to my personal humanity. Of course had I auditioned I would have had my dreams crushed by Simon taking some harsh jab at me about not being original, selecting the wrong song, or judging my poor choice of attire for my body type!

When I’m honest with myself, I realize I often secretly and subtly try to be an “idol” when it comes to my faith. I admit that there’s a part of me that likes to be noticed, so even when I’m sincerely trying to follow the footsteps of Jesus, my ego can get in the way. When I preach or teach a class, I really do want people to walk away with something spiritually significant. But I also hope they like ME. When I go out of my way to be a servant and do something nice for somebody, I pray that they will be blessed. But I also hope that they’ll have a warm fuzzy feeling about ME.

Jesus said, "Be especially careful when you are trying to be good so that you don't make a performance out of it. It might be good theater, but the God who made you won't be applauding.” (Matthew 6:1, The Message)

It’s a constant battle: wanting to do good, desiring to do things that Jesus did; but at the same time hoping that a little bit of the praise might rub off on ME.

Maybe it was in God’s great wisdom and grace that American Idol wasn’t around when I was of the age to audition! The last thing I need is a spotlight on ME seeking more applause. Instead, I want to want nothing more than to be faithful in serving Him. Life really is about HIM and not ME.

God, help me throw away all my idols, including the idol of ME.

posted by:
Mark Shetler
Pastor of Student Ministries & Missions

No Worries

2009-05-14T08:01:00.000-07:00

When I think of Gideon, I think of this brave man who was mighty in victory over the Midianites. All he had was just 300 men, some trumpets and jars...and the Lord. They were out numbered, under powered, and were no match for the mighty enemies of Israel. All they did was sound the trumpets, break the jars and watch the frightened enemy turn their swords on themselves. It was a mighty victory!

But that’s not where the story began. It began in Judges 6. Israel is defeated and under a long siege by her enemies. Gideon enters the picture as he threshes wheat in an abandoned winepress, trying to find some food for his hungry family. He is hiding from the enemy and he is hungry and afraid.

Suddenly, the Lord appears to him and says, “The Lord is with you, oh mighty warrior.” What? Here is a man hiding from the enemy, scared to death, and the Lord calls him a “mighty warrior?” Gideon responds, “If the Lord is with us, then why has he allowed this?” When God brought the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt, he had promised to protect them and give them a land, but here they are, defeated, hungry and afraid. Where is God? God responds (in the Ted Smith version), “I’m right here with you. I want you to lead Israel against the enemy and defeat them.”

What did Gideon do? He got up, built an altar and called it, Yahweh Shalom, which means, The Lord of Peace. How could he do that? It was the darkest period of his life, he had nothing left, he is about to go into battle...and he builds an altar to the Lord of Peace?

I suggest he understood the peace that God offers to his children. It is an inner security and well being in the midst of turmoil and problems. It is a peace based on the sovereignty, power and love of God. Gideon believed God controls the events of history and he believed God takes care of his kids.

You are either in the middle of problems, just coming out of problems or going into more problems. Life is full of problems. The question, how will you face those problems? Will you wring your hands and worry OR place those problems in the hands of God? Philippians 4:6-7 (The Living Bible translation) says, “Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything; tell God your needs, and don't forget to thank him for his answers. If you do this, you will experience God's peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand. His peace will keep your thoughts and your hearts quiet and at rest as you trust in Christ Jesus.” Yahweh Shalom to you!

posted by:
Ted Smith
Senior Pastor