Fiduciam

"Good morning, everyone!" Pastor Terry While welcomed us and then dove right into announcements.

1) The Salvation Army is seeking socks, shoes and underwear for the needy. There's a barrel in the Fireside Room to collect items for giving.
2) We will be doing Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes this Wednesday.
3) Saturday is a Covenant Park fund raiser dinner and auction Saturday at Salem Covenant Church from 5:30 - 7:30 p.m.
4) There will be a Thanksgiving Dinner here at the church for

An offering was taken, and then we spent time in prayer.

Fiduciam

This week was a good week to have discussions. We don't see eye-to-eye on some things, and it raises the question of how to walk hand-in-hand when we don't see eye-to-eye?
Also, how do we see a bigger picture than the one directly in front of us?
Political season brings some interesting moments. The thing that caught me by surprise was my pastoral friends that expressed things that demonstrated more fear than faith.

Do I believe God will take care of us, regardless of what goes on around us?
Is my faith in God or a political system?

If you want to have an impact, live your life out the way God has designed us to live our lives out.

It's worth remembering that very few Christians throughout history have had the privilege of living in a nation which is in accord with their beliefs and faith.

Terry asked us to take a few minutes for prayer for healing for our nation.

* * * *

Pastor White asked several youth to come forward to do a "trust fall." Then he called for a bunch of strong men to volunteer to become catchers. Four girls climbed the ladder to fall back into the arms of eight men.

This was to illustrate Ruthless Trust, which is the title of a book by Brennan Manning.

In Hebrews 11:6 it is written, "Without faith it is impossible to please God." Do I really believe? Do I really trust? It is in those moments of falling that we find out if we have trust.

Falling is scary. The outcome is uncertain. We're vulnerable.

The starting point for the message was Luke 17:11-19, the story of a healing of ten men with leprosy. Leprosy is a scary disease. Terry explains the consequences of leprosy. Once the priest has pronounced that you have leprosy you must live outside town, must never be a participant in the affairs of life, must never be close to others.

The lepers called to Jesus from a distance because they were forbidden to draw near. Nevertheless, Jesus said to these men, "Go, show yourself to the priest," implying,"and on the way you will be healed." Which they were.

Only one returned to the Lord and thanked him.

We were then asked, "What goes on when fear overwhelms us and we don't trust God?"

Anxiety. Miss out on things. Lost. Get short with others. We try to control things. Lash out. Emotions override clear thought. Blame God.

When overwhelmed with fear, we say things we shouldn't.

What are some of the seemingly crazy things God asked people to do in Scripture?
Build an ark.
Sacrifice your son.
Walk around this fortified city seven times, then blow a horn.
Throw your nets on the other side of the boat.
etc.

We turned to Hebrews 11, the Hall of Faith. (Read it!)

Faith is actually difficult. Do I trust God? Can I really trust Him?

Therefore... (Chapter 12)
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.

Bottom line: Just do what God asks you to do. Do what these people did, and walk in a life of faith. Ask God, "Lord, what do you want from me?"

Terry closed with prayer and led us in the classic hymn, "My Hope Is Built On Nothing Less."