It’s refreshing to read what God is revealing about Himself during these uncertain times. I wanted to share with you something that Sean Heady, our Worship/Missions Pastor, wrote…enjoy.

I think if there was a chance to magically reset the year 2020, we’d be falling over each other in a mad rush to smash that beautiful, big red button! I remember playing video games as a kid. It was so easy to simply hit restart when the game was going terribly. I’d get a fresh, clean start and hope to do better next time. Nobody wants a bad start in a video game or anything else, for that matter. Even more, none of us wants hard times to come at all, especially when they pound in, one after the other, like waves endlessly crashing on the shoreline.

Unfortunately, in life we don’t have that wonderful reset luxury. Sure, there are some things we can start over, like a song we may have missed an entrance on, a quiz we might have an opportunity to retake, or even a second chance at a broken relationship between two extremely gracious people. But as far as life itself and the majority of events it throws at us, we’ve only got one shot.

There are all kinds of examples in Scripture of people who had the chance to start over.  Moses, Jonah, and Peter come to mind, each having the opportunity for a fresh start, but it wasn’t easy. Each one made terrible decisions and/or endured immense trials that would have rendered many of us basket cases. And their failed attempt didn’t vanish in light of the reboot. Rather, their past experience is what shaped a successful new one. Surviving yesterday’s trials made them stronger for today. Learning from their failures produced wisdom for their futures. 

The Apostle Paul wrote to the people in Rome that, “We know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope” (Romans 4:3-4). Hope. Isn’t that exactly what we need right now? It starts will perseverance.

It would be easy for us to waste our current trials. What do I mean by that? As I sit here in my easy-chair – with nowhere to go and not much to do – sulking and longing for this trial to just be over, what am I accomplishing? Will that make me stronger? Will that make me wiser? When this trial is over (and it will be over!) will my fretting and pining produce character or hope? Nope. But what if, instead, I determined to learn from this? What if I sought out what God was trying to do in my life through this?

If God has allowed, or even orchestrated these hard times, what if we did our best to learn from them and use them as an opportunity to be better people, closer communities, and stronger believers than we were before this?

Praying we all respond well to and persevere through this trial – one like most of us have never seen. Will you determine to use this first part of 2020 to catapult you to a whole ‘notha level?

Sean Heady – Worship/Missions Pastor

Matthew 9:27-29 

And as Jesus passed on from there, two blind men followed him, crying aloud, “Have mercy on us, Son of David.” When he entered the house, the blind men came to him, and Jesus said to them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?” They said to him, “Yes, Lord.” Then he touched their eyes, saying, “According to your faith be it done to you.” 

I love the interaction Jesus had with these blind men. Can you imagine how desperate and hopeful they must have been? They were blind and desperate to see and yet, they were hopeful because Jesus was near. I’m sure the reputation of Jesus was well known in this region of Galilee since He had established his ministry headquarters there. So, when these desperate, blind men heard that Jesus was nearby, they jumped at the opportunity to receive healing and deliverance from their blindness.

The question that Jesus asked is one that I believe is very relevant to the times in which we live today. We are facing uncertain times. Things are changing hour by hour. There are many who are worried about their health, but there are many more who are worried about their finances, and I completely understand. More importantly, Jesus understands!

I also believe there are many Christians praying for this pandemic to end and for life to get back to normal. I guess the question is similar to the one Jesus asked the blind men, “Do you believe that Jesus is able to do…whatever it is that you need Him to do in your desperation?” I mean do we really believe that He is able. The typical church answer is, “Yes,” and then to go on about worrying and fretting.

So deep down in our spirits do we really believe He is able, and that He will deliver us from the health and financial impact of this pandemic? I hope we can have the same response these blind men did when they answered with an emphatic, “Yes, Lord.” When they acknowledged their belief and Jesus recognized their faith, He rewarded that faith with a deliverance form a condition that had created a desperation.

You may have no concerns whatsoever about the impact of this coronavirus scare, but I’m certain there is something that you need Jesus to deliver you from. My question for all of us is, “What do you believe Jesus can do?” We read the story of the blind men and nod with believe that He healed them, but then turn and fret over our present circumstances. If you believe He healed them why do you continue to worry about your circumstances? He loves and cares for you just as much as He loved and cared for them.

Matthew records for us the rest of the story. He writes, “But they went away and spread his fame through all that district.” 

I strongly believe that the the followers of Jesus have a great opportunity to share our faith and experiences during these gloomy days. Will those who don’t have faith see you as one who believes?

Keep the FAITH,

Pastor Marty

Matthew records an interesting conversation that took place between Christ and His disciple. In Matthew 16:21-26 Jesus begins laying out more details about His mission to become the sacrifice for our sins. He says that He must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the religious leaders. He goes on to let them know that He must die. Then He reveals that He will be resurrected.

Peter has his normal extreme response to things and takes it upon himself to rebuke Jesus. (As a side note: Peter was bold but often overreacted or responded without thinking. This was not one of his greater moments). Peter rebuked Jesus just as He was revealing the final stage of His mission for the redemption of mankind.

Jesus responded to Peter in a very extreme rebuke. He tells him to get behind Him and then Jesus calls Peter, Satan! Why would Jesus call His very own disciple, Satan? Well, if Peter had his way,  he would have been a stumbling block or hinderance to the mission Jesus had come to fulfill. Peter was thinking in terms of human concerns and not in eternal things. Peter was more concerned with comfort than he was with fulfilling the mission of redeeming the world.

We are often guilty of the same mission-hindering thinking as Peter. If Jesus were to examine our lives in light of the mission He came to accomplish, would He refer to us as Satan? Do we put our own comforts and conveniences ahead of the mission of preaching the Gospel and making disciples? I would venture to say that we are just as guilty as Peter was. We can become a hinderance to the mission by our lack of willingness to lay down our own comforts and conveniences in order to be more effective in living out the Great Commission. Christian comforts often trump Christ’s commission in our lives.

As followers of Jesus, we are instructed to deny ourselves and take up our cross and follow Jesus. What do we need to deny in ourselves so that Jesus has full reign over our lives today? Who is He calling you to share your faith with, yet your comfort has been getting in the way of that conversation?

Look for the opportunity to deny yourself today and stop being a hinderance to the mission of making disciples.

Does it ever feel like you are on an elementary school playground where kids are name calling and whispering about one another and you’re the kid standing there by yourself wondering if they are talking about you? You wonder if what they are saying is true. Were you ever that kid? If you were, you can probably still sense the emotion you felt. At some point we were all that kid and at times, we are that adult participating in playground shenanigans.

It is so easy to be distracted by negative politics, people, and personal problems but we are instructed by Paul in Colossians 3:1-2 to set our minds on things above, not on earthly things. By doing this, we can keep our focus on the right things and not be distracted by the snares of the evil one who would love to discourage and distract.

Paul continues by instructing us to “put to death” some earthly distractions. He writes, “Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived.”

If Paul stopped right there, many would certainly agree with a hearty, “Amen!” We know those things are sin and they are earthly things that shouldn’t have any part in the Christian’s life. I can imagine as this letter was being read to the congregation that lots of good Christians would shout, “Amen!” They might even stand in agreement with thunderous applause…even those who were participating in these secret sins.

These sins that Paul lists are easily hidden from others and kept under wraps. After all, who knows what desires we have in our hearts unless they manifest themselves publicly. No one really knows my desires. No one knows if I struggle with lust, greed, or evil desires. Those are private. They are secret and no one knows except me, God, and anyone I’ve confessed those to.

But Paul didn’t stop with those private, undetectable, and unidentifiable sins. He continued to list some other things we must rid ourselves of. He wrote, “But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices.”

Uh oh. Everyone be seated and stop shouting, “Amen!” Why? Because we are all guilty.

As these believers looked around the room they could possibly recall the conversations they had with other people in the room, or, if this were a model day setting, their latest Facebook post where they were hateful enough to slander someone publicly but “spiritual” enough not to use their name. I can imagine the hush that came over the congregation as this letter was being read aloud. I picture Christians looking around the auditorium and looking into the eyes of the other Christians they had just been gossiping about in the hallway before church started.  Or, in the modern setting, I picture these Christians pulling out their phones and deleting the tweets and Facebook posts where they slandered others publicly but privately by not calling any names.

When it comes to spiritual maturity and setting our minds on things above we must deal with secret matters of the heart and outward matters of the tongue. The immaturity in us loves to burst out in rage like a child, express anger in ungodly and unhealthy ways, post our ill will toward others even if we don’t call them by name, twist the truth in a way that slanders someone else and harms their reputation, and sometimes just outright lie to make ourselves look better. It is time to get away from the playground shenanigans and start thinking and acting like a mature Christian.

I don’t know how it is for you, but for me, this journey of faith is hard. There are plenty of days I want to quit and most of those days are directly related to the things Paul listed above.  When we bring others down by acting out in immature ways, we are not setting our minds on things above. As a matter of fact, we are usually making ourselves the center of our thoughts. We are setting our minds on earthly things, things that are in the realm of the temporary. So before you and I take an opportunity to say or post something that might discourage another believer, we should set our mind on the eternal and use that same energy to bless and encourage. I’ll bet it would be more healthy for all involved.

Christmas is my favorite time of the year. Although I miss many loved ones who are no longer alive to celebrate with, I still find Chrismas the most wonderful time of the year for several reasons.

1. We celebrate the hope we have through the birth of Jesus…God in the flesh. My savior was born and Christmas is a time to celebrate that birth. Without Jesus there would be no hope of ever reuniting with friends and loved ones who have passed, nor would we have the hope of eternal life with God.
2. Many people will trust Jesus as their savior during the Christmas season. Lots of unchurched people will visit a church service and will hear the Gospel and will have their lives changed forever. I get excited about the opportunity to share the Gospel with people like that.
3. I love spending time with my family. Although most of my family lives hundreds of miles away, we usually get together at some point and celebrate together. That never gets old nor do I ever dread it.
4. I like presents. I like to give and I like to get presents. It’s the kid in me. Don’t judge. 🙂 The anticipation of Chrismas morning still excites me for both of these reasons.
5. I love the food that comes with Christmas. People get so creative with their sweets and other food and I love being the recipient of many of those specialties. I haven’t met many Christmas treats I didn’t enjoy.
6. I also love Christmas lights and decorations. From the Christmas tree to the nativity scene, I love the way the community gets lit up with decorations. It’s a reminder that we celebrate Jesus as the light of the world.
   Why do you love Christmas?

“No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

‭‭Romans‬ ‭8:37-39‬ ‭ESV‬‬

What a powerful message for us. If you’ve ever felt defeated this is your hope. Jesus defeated death, which may be the most feared enemy of life and since He lives in those of us who are his children, there is nothing in this world we should fear. We are more than conquerors over depression, anxiety, fear of failure, unfavorable circumstances, uncertain futures, those who come against us, our own insecurities, and anything else than comes to mind that leaves us feeling defeated. Nothing you or I face today or tomorrow stands a chance of defeating us. We have victory because of the love that Christ has for us. He is our victory. He is our hope. He is our provider. He is our shield. He is our refuge. He has made us more than conquerors. 

What does it mean to be more than a conqueror? It means that we not only have a win over one battle but that we are victorious over all that we will ever face. It means the battle is not even a close match. We are heavyweights fighting against featherweight problems and enemies. We are the major league team defeating a t-ball opponent. There is no match in this world for the power of Jesus living in us and through us. 

So let’s move forward with victory already assured and with fear in the rear view mirror. Let’s stop letting the enemy have his way with our lives and walk with confidence as a conqueror through Jesus.