As Christians we should work every day to be more like Christ.  I know that this is easier said than done; after all, we are only human. We are sinful by nature, and many of us lack self-control, especially when we get angry.    A good example of this is being quick with the tongue and saying things we shouldn’t out of frustration or anger.  I am guilty of this because I let anger get the best of me.  Now, I have gotten better over the years, but it still happens on occasion. 

Now add a two-year-old.  They’re like little sponges soaking up everything they see and hear- listening and repeating what you say.  Often times I don’t think we realize how bad the things we say or do are, when in the presence of other adults, but it hits you pretty hard when an innocent child repeats your words or actions. It becomes very clear just how far from Christ-like you’re acting and how poor of an example you’re setting for them.  In Proverbs 22 vs 6 it says, “teach a youth about the way he should go; even when he is old, he will not depart from it.”  That’s a good reminder that as parents it’s even more important to be more Christ-like as the little ones are always watching.  We should also exemplify the fruits of the spirit- love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. 

So, my prayer, for myself and anyone else who needs it, is that we remember that the little ones are watching and listening and we must make a great effort every day to be more like Christ. 

Andrew Hervey

Spiritual Ministry Team Member

Again, here we are – it is the end of the year and the beginning of another, and WOW has the last 365 days passed by like a morning mist…. I have been noticing the busyness of life and have mentioned it before, it seems as the very hours of each day are being cut short. Have you found that it seems like there are not enough minutes in the moments? Have you felt the sense of time running down by speeding up? Have you been sensing the seconds ticking by at a slipping pace? I am convinced and convicted it is time to assess the time and our own lifetime before our time fades away and eternity dawns. Here are a few passages of Scripture that come to mind to assist us in being circumspect regarding our days, our time, and the expedient fleeting nature thereof:

Genesis 6:3  Then the LORD said, “My Spirit shall not abide in man forever, for he is flesh: his days shall be 120 years.”

 Psalm 90:10-12  The years of our life are seventy, or even by reason of strength eighty; yet their span is but toil and trouble; they are soon gone, and we fly away. Who considers the power of your anger, and your wrath according to the fear of you? So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom.

 First – the Bible tells us that God limits our days and life spans. Give or take some years, we don’t have all the time in the world – we have a terminal condition that God has ordained for each one of us. Now, as recorded in Genesis, God saw the evils of mankind due to sin and the fall, he literally gave Noah 120 years to get the ark ready before the flood; yet, God also limited man to only living individually about 120 years after the flood. And if you check the genealogical records found in the Bible, one finds that the years decreased incrementally as the generations went by until it even fell below the 120-year mark. This means each of us, you and I have a very short time on earth. I find it important to keep this in mind as we age so we do not make the mistake of thinking we still have tomorrow or that we somehow will never die.

Ecclesiastes 7:15-17  In my vain life I have seen everything. There is a righteous man who perishes in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man who prolongs his life in his evildoing. Be not overly righteous, and do not make yourself too wise. Why should you destroy yourself? Be not overly wicked, neither be a fool. Why should you die before your time?

 Second – how we live impacts the allotted time God has given each of us. And, depending on what we do, on our attitudes, on our worldview, and on our perspective on life. In the above passage, the idea of moderation is apparent. That extremes of evil and trying to be righteous on our own will wear us out and shorten our lives. Wickedness kills us early and trying to be perfectly self-righteous destroys us. Jesus is the only righteousness we can gain through grace, and He said His yoke is light…. We make ourselves heavy laden when we try to do it right on our own. And wickedness – well, it comes natural and we need delivered from it or we will wear ourselves out early and die young.

  Third – it is prophetic that time seems to be going so fast. It is not just to speed things along, but God does it to help His people. No flesh and nor human would be saved otherwise it says. Time is to go quicker and quicker and days shorter and shorter for our sake.

 Romans 13:11  Besides this you know the time, that the hour has come for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed.

Ephesians 5:15-16  See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.

Fourth –  We each are called to think about time and to walk with its nature in mind. Clocks tick away not tick in addition. We are called to make the most of each opportunity…. The days we live in are evil, ill and sin sick. Each minute and second is another chance to know Christ better and share Christ more, each day is another day to serve God and others and grow in wisdom with our walk with Jesus at the center… are you circumspect about time and opportunity?

James 4:14  yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes.

Fifth and finally – at least for the time being…. Each of our lives is but a fleeting vapor that dissipates as soon as it appears. Oh, sure some live in a fog and others bring the haze, but you and I dissolve more and more each day. Or at least we should in the warmth and heat of the Son of God. As he dawns in the heart and enlightens the mind – He should increase, and we should decrease. I often think about this verse in these contexts but also in the reality that one day we will be gone. Sooner rather than later, and what will we leave behind? A good and godly memory or will we vanish with the time that others have remaining….

Either way, take time seriously – if not, time will seriously take you.

Counting the Days Until Jesus’ Return,

The Truth may bind you to a tree

The Truth will always set you free

The Truth found wrapped in swaddling clothes

Having come to a world full of trouble, filled with sorrow and woes

A heart that is willing will follow: regardless the cost

A heart wounded and broken will wander; it’s lost

The power, the strength, all healing – comes from above

The cost of salvation: a price, paid out of love

Today as you ponder the stable scene that night

“Fear not” says the child; “I am with you, fight the good fight”

Light has come into the world, for all men to see

From it darkness must scurry, it must in the presence of righteousness – flee

The dark has not understood it

And has cleverly tried to use wit

Disguising, deceiving – being driven by blind grit

Alas, those who embrace it; will with it enter the pit

The truth – Christ the Savior, the Redeemer was given a call

He would cause some to stumble and others to fall

Their cause, they will not loosen: don’t good people always win

But stubbornness, lust – pride – greed covers them in the remnants of sin

Stature will pass as this world withers away

There is a judge who is coming; – very soon, any day

And the world will take notice of what he will say

The truth can bind you to a tree

The truth when spoken can set men free

The truth in the light will help blind men to see

The Truth born in a stable – He came for you, and for me

As darkness sets and the light rises and shines

An opportunity arises for a renewing of your heart and mind

Be reminded all peoples bedazzled by things of the night

That when morning comes, with it comes first light

Look upon the face that came to be near

To lead you, to guide you to free you from fear

To Him you are priceless; by His heart it is clear

You are a treasure, one He holds dear

I cannot fully proclaim who he is or of his love

But I will gladly tell you: grace and mercy come from above

There is none other like him, He himself: is Love

The Truth – He will bind you to heaven above

Turn your eyes towards the tree, to the flight of God’s dove

To Him and by Him power given to rule

Oh, you may to yourself, but to Him never fool

Is your eye on the starling or does it rest on the dove

He is the Way, He is the Truth, and the Life: His only!  Is True Love!

It is the time of year to pause and consider thankfulness and encouragement. And it seems good to me, and I believe the Holy Spirit also, that a study of a short passage of Paul’s letter to the Romans regarding how to be this way towards one another is in order.

Romans 15

1  We who are strong have an obligation to bear (through the idea of removal – lift, endure, carry, take up) with the failings (a scruple of conscience, infirmity, be feeble in any sense, be diseased) of the weak (unable, impossible, impotent, not strong), and not to please (through the idea of exciting emotion, be agreeable or by implication seek to be so) ourselves.

Many times we forget how weak one another we all can be. God calls us to humbly help lift burdens of those bogged down by scruples’ pressure and the painstaking struggle to obey in Christ, not just our own working power. And honestly, it takes a lot of help from one another to learn to rest in Jesus for sure!

2  Let each of us please his neighbor (near man, close – fellow, countryman, Christian, friend) for his good (benefit, wellness), to build up (architecture, structure, confirmation, edification). 3  For Christ did not please himself, but as it is written, “The reproaches of those who reproached you fell on me.”

Oh, what a world of difference it would make if we looked to be benefits and builders of others and not just our selves…. I am convinced that if we did assist one another to edify, confirm and structure our selves towards one another towards Christ in light of His Word and Way – church and family, community and vocation would be far more blessed. All could be enjoyed not just endured.

4  For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction (learning, doctrine, teaching), that through endurance (patience, cheerful – hopeful constancy, waiting, in continuance) and through the encouragement (comfort, imploration, exhortation, solace, consolation, invitation, calling near) of the Scriptures we might have hope (anticipation, expectation, confidence, faith).

Everyone can learn something from anyone! And if we took this approach in our thinking of and relating with one another endurance would rise and encouragement would carry us into great expectations of God and each other. Challenge yourself to take the Scriptures and apply them for not only instruction, but to build endurance, gain encouragement and excite hope’s faith of the future. And share it with one another in that exact same manner.

5  May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony (like-mindedness, same sentiment – opinion, exercise the mind,  mentally disposed interest oneself, set affection, regard, savour) with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, 6  that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. 7  Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God.

I take this portion as more than a simple call for unity – but a direct reality that comes from all of the above! Our minds should move from our own set of principles and rules, opinions and sentiments to Christ’s way of seeing and thinking. In fact, if the Holy Spirit is heeded , and we all drink from the same fountain, their should be a lot more likeminded interaction than differences. I have often thought, that many of the differences come between us when we do the thinking for ourselves rather than listening to the Holy Spirit…. What a wonderful thing it would be to see this in our day! To see the abandonment of self and the embrace of Spirit. All those things of men would melt away and God would truly be glorified!

Thankful for You and the Grace of God,

In Christ Jesus, Love –

Pastor Daren

The world continues to change, and with each day it seems the cost of living goes higher. We rarely leave Walmart for under $300 anymore, and to fill the pickup with fuel costs well over $100. We know everyone around us is also feeling this pinch, and it is something we have discussed often amongst each other. Money is not the first thing any of us want to address though, and we definitely don’t like to discuss what is the “right” way to use it with fear of being seen as a hypocrite. But a question I am sure we are all trying to answer is, “How do we keep giving to the church & those in need when we have less and less ‘extra’?” We can find several references to money throughout the Bible, and we can also find that the hearts of men have not changed since the very beginning. In reading about Cain & Abel this week, the Lord makes it very clear how seriously he takes our offerings.

Genesis 4:2b-7

Now Abel kept flocks, and Cain worked the soil. ³ In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the Lord. ⁴ And Abel also brought an offering—fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The Lord looked with favor on Abel and his offering, ⁵ but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor. So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast.

⁶ Then the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? ⁷ If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it.”

‘The Lord looked with favor on Abel and his offering’; so, what was so different from Cain and Abel’s offerings? Abel gave his FIRSTborn while Cain only gave SOME. This can be applied to several areas of our life, but in particular what of our goods (today that would be mainly our money) are we giving to the Lord. Are we giving first and taking for ourselves second? Or are we only giving when we have “extra.” This could also be a lesson in how we spend our time and our energy. If we are not diligent, we will put our time, energy, and resources (money) towards other things first, and not even realize we are dishonoring God.

2 Corinthians 9:6-8

⁶Remember this:  The one who plants few seeds will have a small harvest.  But the one who plants a lot will have a big harvest.  ⁷Each one of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give.  You should not give if it makes you unhappy or if you feel forced to give.  God loves those who are happy to give.  ⁸And God can give more blessings than you need, and you will always have plenty of everything.  You will have enough to give to every good work.

As I write this, it is a lesson we have to learn in our own home, too. We are not always giving first, although it is very clear throughout the bible that we should. We live in a society where selfishness is glorified and we need to practice being more selfless. As uncomfortable as money conversations can be, it is clear we are all living in the same world where decisions have to be made; and as we talked about during CED last week, God takes all of our actions and thoughts very seriously. Ananias and Sapphira (Acts chp 5) were struck dead for being dishonest with the Lord about their money (the price of the land). We must to be honest with our money, as the Lord knows all. He gave His life for us; what are we willing to give for Him?

By Andrew Hervey, Spiritual Ministry Team Member

In recent days, I have had extraordinary opportunities to hear several sermons, conference messages and other believers share some profound yet simple things that really caused me to consider much needed ideas and truths that I want to share.

Let’s start with the following – “What offends me, reveals me”.

I started with considering my own offenses and what bus me. God’s Word tell us “it is to a man’s glory to overlook an offense”. (Proverbs 19:11b) Well, Jesus said “The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks. (Luke 6:45) So, note the truth about what is held in our hearts will come out in what we say and what offends us…. That means likewise whatever we keep, store, consider – they all point out exactly who we really are, therefore what offends us also tells us a lot about what idols we have, what things we care about and what is important truly to us. Do these things that offend us line up with what bothers God? Do the offenses line up with what Scripture tells us should offend us? Either we are a pile of grudges and grumbles about pet peeves and fickle feelings or we are rightly bothered by the things of God and of His Word.

Next is this – “in God’s plan, small is the new big”.

After pondering this I found that most folks dream of doing big, great things for the LORD…. That is good and admirable, but isn’t it the little things done consistently over time what advents the biggest lifelong changes. The Word tells us “who despises the day of small things”. (Zecheriah 4:10a) and “He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are” (1 Corinthians 1:28), not to mention “He told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. Though it is the smallest of all your seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and perch in its branches.” He told them still another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into a large amount of flour until it worked all through the dough.” (Matthew 13:31-33) Each of this indicate a small thing or a person considers as such making big impact. Yeast is a miniscule fungus that impacts food and drink. A mustard seed is tiny, but when planted and germinates grows to bring a tree that gives shade, home and rest. And people who seem unimportant bring many small things into larger than life reality. God takes small things – that over time produce lasting fruit, relationships and changes to lives.

Now – I would like to now share what God gave me – “prepare for prophetic reality looking forward to the future without neglecting the duty of today”.

Think about it…. Looking at Scripture as a whole – many prophecies have been, are and will continue to come to fruition. It tells us to look ahead to Jesus’ return as the seasons of the end times are at hand and in great convergence; all the while not forgetting to “be about the master’s business” while we look forward to “His glorious appearing”. All three in conjunction are necessary to live a full life of service in proper perspective as the Gospel is fleshed out in our lives from faith.

Which one of these hits you right where you live today, in this moment, at this juncture? I confess – all three deeply have affected and have brought about great effect in my life…. Will you let what “the Holy Spirit is saying to the church” move you beyond where you have settled comfortably and into a place of small miracles that certainly have eternal impact?

By Jesus’ Grace, Truth and Love,

Pastor Daren Lee Barnett