Bravely Onward!

 This weekend is Impact Weekend for our students! By Sunday they will have had a weekend full of fun, food, and looking into the Scriptures. As with all of our youth ministry events, it is important that the students have the support of the rest of the church. Certainly, the church family supports them through our giving which funds the youth ministry. We also support by volunteering in a variety of roles in the youth ministry. Today, however, I want to invite you to support them in one of the best ways, with prayer. Here are some things you can pray for as students participate in Impact Weekend 2022! Pray that some of the students attending to hear the gospel and trust their lives to Christ and be baptized. Pray for Pastor Tim and his family as this is his first big youth event here at FBC Harrah. Pray that our students will learn to love the Word of God.  Pray they will make the connection between the Word of God, how He wants them to believe, and how He wants them to live....

  One of the things that happens when we follow Christ is that our worldview becomes different from those around us. As we study His Word, our perspective aligns with the Lord's. Our affections and interests change. A lot of the time this creates distance between us and our families. It can cause our friends who do not follow Christ to reject or even mock us! Jesus taught us that people would reject us because of Him (John 15:18-25). Sometimes being a Christian can be a lonely road. This is one of the big reasons for the local church. Church members share a common view of Scripture and have a shared belief that Jesus Christ is Lord. We come to realize just how important it is to be with people who share our most treasured beliefs, who see the world with a similar world-view.  The Bible uses the term fellowship  to describe this affinity and friendship between fellow church members. Though Christians may not share the same DNA or background, there is a kindred spirit ...

 Last week my family read a fictional story about children who visited a palace in ancient Egypt. The children were stunned by the wealth and magnitude of the home. Seeing the luxury that the wealthy Egyptians enjoyed, they asked one another, "Would you wish that you could live here in such extravagance?" One of the children replied, "Not at all." The others were surprised at the response and asked, "Why not?" The child who answered spoke up and said, "Have you seen the sad faces of the Egyptian children? They have everything in the world, but it's still not enough. They never lift a finger. Only servants tend to their clothing and belongings. The servants cook all their meals. The children look bored and dissatisfied."  Christians today can suffer in the same way as these Egyptian children. Many Christians see their faith as a religion where God exists to give them what they want. They see the church as a place to go to receive goods and ser...

2021 was a fruitful year in the life of our church. So many in our congregation were bold for the gospel and took leaps in their obedience to Christ (e.g. 83 people in our church shared the gospel 918 times). Looking to 2022, there is another opportunity for dramatic growth as we serve the Lord together.  For the sake of Christ and for our spiritual growth, I want to give you a big ask. Would you commit to do the following list with me? For many, this list will be uncomfortable and probably unpopular. For others, it may be one of those lists that we will give a nod to, but then hope everyone forgets about it. Yet, those who commit to reach for it will likely experience profound growth in Him.  Living out the lifestyle outlined below will only be possible by the power of God in us through Christ. We will need each other and accountability for the items listed below to become habits and convictions. But will you try with me? Will you commit to live this out with me? I hope you w...

Just recently I heard the following song "All Glory Be To Christ" sung by a Branson blue grass group named The Petersens (written by Kings Kaleidoscope). You can hear it at  https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=ch-99N24fc4&feature=share . You can read the lyrics here (it goes to the tune of "Auld Lang Syne."):  Should nothing of our efforts stand No legacy survive Unless the Lord does raise the house In vain its builders strive To you who boast tomorrow's gain Tell me what is your life A mist that vanishes at dawn All glory be to Christ! All glory be to Christ our king! All glory be to Christ! His rule and reign will ever sing All glory be to Christ! His will be done His kingdom come On earth as is above Who is Himself our daily bread Praise Him the Lord of love Let living water satisfy The thirsty without price We'll take a cup of kindness yet All glory be to Christ! All glory be to Christ our king! All glory be to Christ! His rule and reign will ever sing...

This weekend we give gifts to one another in honor of the birth of Christ our Savior. This is one of the most exciting parts of Christmas, especially for the kids. Last week, a little girl told me that she hopes to get a pony for Christmas and I know a little boy who wants a fiddle. We all like to receive meaningful and special gifts, however we must realize that no material gift can compare to the gift of Christ.  The richness of Christmas comes with understanding what we receive through faith in Jesus Christ. We receive pardon of our crimes toward God. We become adopted into God's family and become heirs to the inheritance of heaven. We also receive eternal life and the promise that we will be with God forever, enveloped by His goodness and glory. There are many other rich and substantial blessings we receive through Christ, the greatness of which we cannot fathom. Really, there is nothing under that tree that comes close to what we receive in Christ. It is also rich to consider ...

As Christians mature they become less focused on themselves and more concerned with others. This is the Christian way. This is at the core of Christ's teaching and life.  Jesus taught this: " Do to others as you would have them do to you ."   (Luke 6:31) " Love your neighbor as yourself ."  (Mark 12:31) Jesus demonstrated this:  "By this we know love, that He laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers ."  (1 John 3:16) Paul taught this:  "Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor...Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality...Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another . " (Romans 12:10, 12, 13, 15, 16) It's a beautiful thing to watch believers grow in love and care for one another. God puts in our heart the desire to do this. He also provides the church as a context to practice caring for one anot...