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."

Trust

Brad welcomed us and noted that his wife Brooke will be giving the message today.

Announcements
Next Sunday, our semi-annual meeting after the service will assemble after the service.
Shanda is going to Haiti and is seeking women's dresses to bring. See Brooke.
VBS will be here in less than 60 days. You can register online.
John said that the softball season is here. Sign up in the back of the church.

Darlene ushered us into worship with a piece based on the theme 'Tis So Sweet to Trust In Jesus. Brad and Darlene led us with three songs from the hymnbook, beginning with Trust and Obey.

After the offering Brooke invited all the youth and children to the front for an object lesson about trust. The youth group demonstrated a "trust fall" in which a volunteer stands up high on a chair and chooses to fall backward, trusting that the others will catch him or her. Trust can be scary, but our God is sure. The verse Brooke had us all learn was from Proverbs... "Trust in the Lord with all of your heart and lean not to your own understanding. Acknowledge him in all your ways and He will direct your path."

We then had a time of prayer. Brad and Darlene sang a duet to prepare us for the message.

Trust

Today's message was a well-crafted weaving together of three separate stories designed to illustrate the theme of trust. One strand of this message was about climbing a mountain in Colorado called Eagle Peak in the Sangre de los Cristo mountain range. The second strand was an object lesson involving rocks of various sizes and sand. The third strand included insights from her own life experiences. The whole of it formed a message that would have been much better experienced in person than you will get here.

Having grown up in Colorado Brooke always had a good sense of direction because you always knew where West is because it was always toward the Rockies. How different to be here in the Midwest where roads wind around lakes and you never know which way you're going. Even when you are on a Northbound road it is sometimes going south as it curls around our many lakes.

How well do you trust? Brooke pointed out that our current world teaches us to trust no one, to be self-reliant. Trust is "a firm belief in the reliability, truth, ability, or strength of someone or something."

When I think of trust, Brooke said, "I think of assurance, confidence, reliability."

Brooke showed some photos of Eagle Peak where she went to camp in her youth. When we're young we think of ourselves and try to make a go of it on our own. She then poured white sand into a clear glass vase to illustrate what she felt she could accomplish in her own strength. It filled nearly half the vase.

Her story of growing up begins with a story of when she was in seventh grade. Her parents got a divorce and she was told to make a decision who to go with. She was given an hour, and she had to make the decision by herself. At the end of that hour all she could bring with her had to fit into a large plastic bag.

Then she returned to the story of mountain, and the challenge of climbing this mountain by ourselves. Self-sufficiently can get you so far, but even when you reach the peak alone, it's not as rewarding as it might have been because you have no one to share your victory with.

Often we let people into our lives but not really letting them wholly in. We go through the motions of relationship, and people are part of our lives, but this could be more fulfilling. It's a shared experience that brings us together.

Brooke showed photos from the mountain climb she did later with a group of people when she was eighteen. The mountain climb begins with winding through a forest, obscuring the view of your destination, but essential. Then, we pass the tree line. Crossing the meadow is beautiful even if it takes energy. After we climb across the seemingly endless meadow we finally reach the boulder field. Then we reach the top only to find out it is the false peak. It's not the real peak, which is still ways up there.

A lot of times in life we reach false peaks, have our hopes dashed and sometimes even give up.  But when we're in a group we carry one another along. Everything is easier.

To illustrate the others in our lives Brooke pour in a bowl of small rocks the size of limestone gravel. The vase itself was on a pedestal surrounded by about eighteen large rocks. By the time the sand and small rocks were in the vase, she could only fit two large rocks into the vase.

To the amazement of all (or at least to my amazement) when she emptied the vase and put the large rocks in first, followed by the small rocks, the sand sifted into the cracks and the vase still wasn't even full (see illustration on the right above.)

"What if we reverse our thinking? If we start with God first," she said.

Psalm 18:2 states, "The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold."

I am confident that God is who He says He is, that we can rely on Him, trust Him.

When I climbed that mountain, it was a lot more fun to do it with our friends, to share the experience, to help one another when we stumbled or had blisters.

Brooke applied this to our church building project, that by doing this together we have a stronger church body.

We all come in different shapes and sizes. And together, in Christ, we can do more than we could as individuals apart.

I trust God with my life, but also with my family, my church, our community and our world.

Brooke noted that mountaintop experiences can be exhilarating, but  we all live in the valley of reality. Nevertheless those mountaintops give us perspective. We trust God that He is bigger than we give Him credit for, and we let Him in.

She ended by noting that Eagle Peak, as she stated in the beginning was located in the Sangre de los Cristo mountain range, which translated means "The Blood of Christ." God is our rock, and as we trust in Him we will soar as eagles. It is by the blood of Christ that we have this assurance in Him.

Believe It Or Not

"Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.' ~ Psalm 51:12 

Today is the 22nd Sunday after Pentecost. A light snow is falling outside as Darlene warms the sanctuary with a medley of classic hymns including This Is My Story. The growing volume of chatter in the narthex adds additional warmth to the atmosphere inside the church as friends and church family share stories of the week behind and plans for the week ahead. Into the cacophony of sound Pastor Brad takes his place at the front and lifts his voice with boisterous cheer, "Good morning. Merry Christmas." Laughter. "I'm grateful you're here today..."

In Sunday School we had a good class as the sermon will continue on this theme of what it means to say "I believe." How do we grow in our relationship to Christ.

Announcements
1. The friendship dinner sign-up sheet is being passed around the sanctuary and we'll be connected to other couples with groups of six or eight who will have dinners together
2. Cheryl shared that there will be a number of opportunities to give  in the coming months. We're not trying to bombard you but it's our turn to give and we want you to be aware of opportunities. Operation Christmas Child will be next Wednesday.
3. Paula shared that we are having a jacket drive for needy people at the CHUM Walk-In Center.
4. Susie shared that Girls Art Club will be next Sunday.

After Darlene's introit she sang a duet with Brad, the first verse of "This Is My Father's World." The women of the church sang the second, and then all together on the third. Brad then committed the service to God.

Chuck brought Madison Johnson up to the front to sing for us... Beginning with the verses from the Sermon on the Mount, "You are the light of the world..."  The song, familiar to many of us from our own childhood, Let the Sunshine In.

A time of prayer followed, along with praise for God's work in our lives.

Believe It Or Not

Imagine two people standing, affirming the same statement. One is humble, truthful and everyone wants to be around that person. The other has the same beliefs. This second though is judgmental, angry, critical, and no one wants to be around this person.

Ephesian 2:8   "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God..."   If faith is so important, how can two people have the same faith but be so different?

Three kinds of convictions.  Public convictions that we state, but may not line up with what we really believe. The story of Herod stating he wanted to find the Christ child so he could worship him was an example of this.

A second kind is private convictions that we believe we believe but then when push comes to shove prove to be fickle.

The third type of convictions: those that our actions reveal about us. Example of gravity. We act consistently with what we believe here, because we act as if gravity were true.

What would our lives look like if an impartial entity watched everything we did for a year and drew up our personal creed based on our actual behavior?

The heart is deceitful and depravity is wrapped around it very deeply.

When Jesus came, was He concerned about what we say we believe? Or was He more concerned with the deeper core convictions we have. To be impacted by Jesus it will change the things that we do.

Jesus lived completely consistent in what he believed and spoke and how He behaved.

Disciples began with faith in Jesus, then had the faith of Jesus, and as they walked in His way developed their thinking to be Jesus in their way of thinking and behaving.

What people do with their lives will show what we believe in that innermost self.

What Jesus wants to change in us is not what we say. It's not what we say that Jesus is aiming for. He is aiming to change us in those deep places of the heart.

Here's the Path
Learn what Jesus taught. What are Jesus's ideas about how we should live our lives. In order for God to begin to change us, I will need trust Him.

In one of his books Henri Nouwen shared a story about watching trapeze artists. He went so far as to get to know them and became friends with them. He learned that what the flyers do is nothing other than trust. The flyer must trust with outstretched arms and wait. The catcher catches. And we, like the flyer, must trust that God will be there for us when we obey.

What are you being called to let go of? Anything that will get in the way of your relationship to God. Will you let it go?

Abraham is a great example of faith because he was told he will be father of a multitude, but he had to wait 24 years. Abraham didn't wait well, but in the end he gets caught by a God who does not and cannot fail. The flyer can do nothing, the catcher everything.

God is there saying, "Will you trust me? Will you do as I say?"

If you don't believe in Jesus, then what in the world are you waiting for? Let go... of your selfishness.... of your depravity... of your life. He will catch you.

Jesus believed that there was a catcher... and so do I.

It's Worth The Battle

A lot of people were surprised at how crispy cold it was this morning when they awoke. The cold only served to make our little country church feel especially warm as we gathered for worship today.

Pastor Brad welcomed us in with his heart "Good morning!" and went straight into announcements which included this afternoon's Christmas program at 4:00. There will be no board meeting Tuesday in order to free up time at this busy season. Next Sunday there will be no Sunday School.

Today is the third week of Advent. The Montgomerys -- Tracey, Ali and Morgan -- lit the Advent candles and read several passages from Scripture about the coming of the Messiah, of one would would be called "God with us."

An introit by Darlene preceded a heartfelt song of worship by Chuck, Ellie and Darlene which led us into worship.

After the offering and a time of prayer, Gwen sang Thou Didst Leave Thy Throne, a Christmas classic that never fails to move. Brad then brought us the message.

It's Worth The Battle

A placid, sweet Nativity scene was projected onto a screen for us as the starting point for today's sermon. We sometimes forget that the people we read about in Scripture are really people like us, people who have struggles and issues to overcome. The love we see in our images of the birth of Jesus is not something that just happened naturally. There were battles that had to be fought in order to achieve this moment of warmth and harmony.

1st Battle: The Battle for Righteousness

The first battle is a battle for personal integrity. Though we are all familiar with the story, Brad read to us again the account from the Gospel of Matthew.

18 This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. 19 Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.

In those days, engagements were a very public matter. For this reason it was even more challenging for Joseph when his bride-to-be notified him that she was inexplicably pregnant. The two had chosen to maintain a holy stance until the wedding, and now she was pregnant and he knew this was not a child of his loins.

Brad noted here that obviously Joseph and Mary had kept their relationship pure during the time of their engagement, otherwise he might not even have known this was not his child. Brad asked, "Do you think God would have chosen Joseph and Mary had they not fought that battle for personal righteousness? Would we even know who they were today had they not fought to have a clear conscience before God?

As the Psalmist stated in Psalm 1:

1 Blessed is the man
who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked
or stand in the way of sinners
or sit in the seat of mockers.
2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD,
and on his law he meditates day and night.

3 He is like a tree planted by streams of water,
which yields its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither.
Whatever he does prospers.

We were urged to be like David who wrote, "Lord, search me and know my heart so that if there is any wrong in me I can make it right." (paraphrase)

The fruit of a good conscience is freedom, joy, and peace that passes understanding.

2nd Battle: The Battle for Graciousness

When you put yourself in Joseph's shoes it is not hard to imagine what his reactions might have been when he learned that Mary was with child. You can be sure Joseph struggled over this. Rage, hurt, feelings of betrayal were undoubtedly stirred. After battling all these feelings, he chose in the end to be gracious. Rather than put her up to public ridicule, he "decided to divorce her quietly."

Joseph didn't act on whatever his first impulses might have been. Rather, he opened his heart to God and for God's help to gain a different perspective.

Brad brought this to out attention because today in many of our Christmas gatherings we will be with people who have hurt us. Yes, we may have been hurt, but how long do we make them pay for having hurt us? When does the cycle of meanness cease?

God responded to Joseph's heart anguish and prayers, and showed Joseph in a dream that Mary had indeed been pure and the child was from God.

Battle 3: The Battle for Trust

20 But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins."

There comes a time when we have be willing to live by faith and not sight. Joseph was asked to trust a lot. That the baby was from God and not a secret lover was a big one. He had to trust that taking Mary as his wife was not going to backfire on him later. And here he is asked to name the baby Jesus, which means "God with us," the one who is going to save us from our sins. In his conservative rural town there were probably some people who might have gone ballistic upon hearing this. But Joseph trusted God in this, too.

We ourselves have trust battles. We trust that the Christmas story is true. We believe in the miraculous birth, and that He died on a cross for our sins. And that He rose again from the dead and has continued to reach out to our fallen world ever since. Do you believe all this?

If the Bible's account of the birth of Jesus teaches us anything, it's that our Christian faith is work. They fought battles that were not easy. Yet in the heat of battle, they felt the Spirit of God helping them along the way.

So it is with us today.

The Best Way To Live

Blue skies and warm temperatures ushered us into week two of our summer schedule with services beginning at nine-thirty a.m. The sanctuary was abuzz with energy from the beautiful morning here.

Pastor Brad welcomed everyone and noted that his sermon today was going to be more of a journal entry than a sermon. If we were to take nothing else away from this service, he underscored James 1:22 as a lynch pin in this morning’s message.

Announcements included two especially big events taking place in June. First, on June 29 we will be celebrating our 50th Anniversary. Stayed tuned for more information about this big event. And finally, Vacation Bible School will begin in two weeks, always an exciting time in the life of the church.

Today’s Scripture readings:
Genesis 6:9-22
Matthew 6:24-34

The Best Way To Live
Why would you ever want to place your life under God’s authority? Because it is the best way to live. He’s bigger than you, knows more than you, sees how things are for you, and more. God loves you, knows what's best for you and wants to lead you.

At the beginning of His ministry, when Jesus was tempted in the wilderness by Satan even He never considered going His own way. God’s way was the only way for Jesus.

Temptation comes to all of us. The enemy of our souls is relentless. But we can overcome temptation. We win by hiding the Word of God in our hearts. Preceding even this, we win when we become convinced that God’s way is best for us.

James 1:13-15 says that God does not tempt us.
13When tempted, no one should say, "God is tempting me." For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; 14but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. 15Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.

To illustrate how temptation works Pastor Brad told a story about fishing with a friend who had a fish finder. The bait was dropped into the water and he watched as the fish came over to it, enticed. It was interesting watching as the fish looked at it from this angle and that, and after examining from all sides, he nibbles. Then after another nibble he grabs the whole thing and runs with it. Next things you know he’s hooked, cleaned, filleted and fried.

The congregation laughed out loud because of the vividness of this apt illustration.

Don’t be deceived, James write. God has good things for us, perfect gifts. These gifts are ours through the word of truth.

Pastor then underscored verses 19 and 20.
19My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, 20for man's anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires.

Quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry. Anger screws up your relationships, he said, calling it a “weapon of mass destruction.” Referencing Job 5:2, he said that anger hurts the angry person, so you need to let it. go.

Our culture encourages revenge and the nurturing of anger, resentments and bitterness. But God’s word says, “Justice is mine, says the Lord.” This is true freedom.

Verse 21 states, “Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.” Humble acceptance of the word of life is an attitude for life.

The key verse that Pastor Brad emphasized was verse 22. “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.” The word “listen” in this passage is the root word we use for our word audit. In other words, don’t just audit, don’t be passive about it. Rather, apply it to your life. If you listen and do not act, you are simply deceiving yourselves.

The last verses in this section flow out of this thought. 26If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless. 27Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

If your heart isn’t growing toward the people God loves, then you’re missing something. Words without practice is one of the great self-deceptions. If you’re just talking about it, and not living it, you’re just kidding yourselves.

God’s word is a mirror. And it is life to us. Drink it in, live it out. God’s word can change your life. And God’s ways are absolutely the best ways to live. He’s not out to wreck your fun.

Read and re-read these passages. Truth leads to confession and action. Resolve now to apply it to your life.

25But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it—he will be blessed in what he does.

Why obey? Because we’re grateful for what He’s done for us. And it’s the right way to live.

After a closing hymn we shared in the sacrament of communion.