From A Distance

Machelle McDowell

Luke 22:54-62

What happens to the Christian when we follow Christ from a distance? Peter would probably have much to say about this question as vs 59 points to Peter following from a distance.

Can you even begin to imagine the brokenness Peter felt when the screeching sound of a cock crowing pierced his ears and his heart simultaneously?

But, it was the sound of the rooster that changed the trajectory of his life. It prompted him to realize he had stepped away from Christ! So, what brought Peter from being a follower to leading the church after Jesus ascended to heaven?

Let’s go back in time for a moment. Place yourself standing around the fire warming yourself with the zealots that wanted Jesus dead. And then, it happened!

Peter’s denial began. Why? Because, at that moment he was following Jesus from a distance.

When we follow Jesus from a distance, it makes it difficult for us to stand firm on our faith and be bold in times of suffering. We question God when things are in disarray and sometimes we even get angry, drop out of church, turn away from Godly friends, why?

If we would only reflect on the here and now…most times we would realize, we are following God from a distance. It’s called a slow fade. We begin by slipping out of church gatherings, spending less time or sometimes no time in His word, and blame shifting for our situation we are in.

Ouch! Tough morsels of truth to chew on? We expect God to act on our behalf and are surprised when He does not. When we are the ones that have stepped into the distance; He has not moved.

Peter found himself so far from God that he was afraid to claim Jesus out loud. He wanted to be just one of the crowd and not a follower of Jesus at that moment.

Peter fell into the trap of hanging out with the ungodly and it felt comfortable to him. He found warmth and comfort from the very people who wanted Jesus dead, what??

How did this even happen? Peter even began to curse an swear to try to fit in with the ungodly. He went from faithful follower to a coward? Sound familiar?

How often do we go to the wrong source for comfort when our lives are topsy turvy? Not necessarily people…. sometimes old habits, addictions, etc. Sometimes, we look for answers in a bottle, on social media, drugs, and the list goes on. All could be avoided…..a simple fix.

God says, “Seek my face and I will hear and forgive and heal you!” “If you seek Him, he will be found by you,” (I Chronicles 28:9). We are never too far away that we are out of God’s reach.

We cannot hear from God if we are following Him from a distance. Peter realized this. A simple screech from a rooster brought conviction to his heart and suddenly his eyes were opened and he realized he had stepped away from the very hope that changed his life.

But, there is hope. Step toward him and not away from him. Peter did. From that day forward where do you find Peter in scripture? He is found leading the church. He is heard speaking boldly the gospel. He is seen being the hands and feet of Christ.

Have you wandered away from Christ and don’t know how you got there? Turn around! Go back! Meditate on the day you surrendered your life to Him. Follow Him!

One of my favorite hymns: I Will Follow Jesus.

Anywhere, everywhere, I will follow on!

Follow! Follow! I will follow Jesus!

Everywhere He leads me I will follow on!

OUR PRIORITIES AND LIFE'S FAILURES

By Brandon Walker

There are days in our lives that it may see like everything that can go wrong, does. At least that’s what Murphy’s law states, anyways. But, whether Murphy’s Law holds any validity or not isn’t something we’re going to talk about today. But seriously, there are days that everything we seem to touch, turns to disaster. Or maybe even those days seem to be very common, and occurring more often than not. You can’t get ahead at your job. You’re in a struggle to see eye to eye in your important relationships. Your finances seem to be vanishing before your eyes, and you really can’t figure out where they’re going. Maybe your just restless and nothing is really fulfilling and satisfying anymore. I’ve been there more times than i’m proud to admit.

Well, there’s actually this tiny little book near the end of the Old Testament that talks about these things. It’s a book called Haggai. Haggai is one of the “minor prophets” of the Old Testament. The book itself is only two chapters long. It’s also called a “post exile” book, meaning it was written after the people of Israel returned to Jerusalem after they were exiled (kicked out of their home country) to Babylon for many years. God had removed the people of Judah (north Israel) and allowed them to become captives to the Babylonian empire. God only did this after years of warning and rebuking the people of Judah through prophets about their ongoing sin of idolatry and disregard for God in their lives as a whole. They had also deeply sinned by trying to replace God with empty things, or as Jeremiah 2:13 says, they “dug for themselves broken cisterns that cannot hold any water.” After 70 years or so, the Babylonian empire fell to the the Persians, and under their leader, Cyrus, the Israelites were allowed to return the their homeland. That’s where the book of Haggai begins, or actually about 16 years after they had been back. We see Haggai bring forth a message from God to the remnant people that returned from the exile. in Haggai 1:4-6 we read the following:

4 “Is it a time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses, while thishouse lies in ruins? 5 Now, therefore, thus says the LORD of hosts: Consider your ways.6 You have sown much, and harvested little. You eat, but you never have enough; you drink, but you never have your fill. You clothe yourselves, but no one is warm. And he who earns wages does so to put them into a bag with holes.

The people of Israel have been back in Judah for 16 years, and the once great temple of God that was built by Solomon, still lay in ruins. However, the people had found it more necessary to build for themselves some vert nice houses; paneled houses at that. These homes were very nice for the time. They took time and money to build. And lots of both. If we go back to verse 2, we see that the people even said “it’s not time to rebuild the temple yet.” Even after sixteen years it wasn’t time? But yet they seemed to find the time to make sure their homes were nice and well built. Yeah, that’s pretty much what God said to them through Haggai. He even goes on to tell the people that the reason all their other endeavors in life, from their harvesting to their eating and drinking, all the way to their paychecks, was failing, was because God himself had caused it. That’s right. God had withheld his blessings because the people had decided to follow their own priorities instead of taking up God’s. See, the temple was a big deal in the Old Testament. It was where God met with His people. It was His dwelling place. Sacrifice for sin was made at the temple. And beginning to rebuild the temple should have been the first thing that happened upon returning home from the exile. It should have been the people’s priority because it was God’s. In contrast, the people took up their own priorities: themselves.

Does this hit home for you at all?

So many times, we wander. We wander away from God’s purpose for our lives. We wander away from his priorities and take up our own. Our priorities direct our lives, our time, and our money. We even take the things God has blessed us with, such as work and family, and make them our sole purpose for living. In essence, we commit the very sin that sent the people of Israel into exile to begin with (Jeremiah 2:13): we build for ourselves broken cisterns that cannot hold water. In other words, when we pursue our priorities over God’s, we will be unsatisfied with our results. Guaranteed. Not only will we be unsatisfied, we may see that everything we are trying to accomplish on our own is failing miserably and falling short of the desired.

The good news is that once the people of Israel heard this message of rebuke from Haggai, they saw the error of their ways. They repented, which is a fancy way of saying they begin to obey where the were disobeying. God told them after they repented, “I am with you.” And God stirred up their spirit and gave them the desire to rebuild the temple of God.

So, maybe this is you. Maybe right now, you’re seeing the dissatisfaction in your life, and how everything just seems to be not coming to fruition the way you’d like. Maybe you see the areas that you’ve made life all about you and what’s important to you. And now, maybe your making the connection between those last two sentences. Are you building your own temple? Have you been taking life into your own hands as you see fit?

The wonderful news is that if we find ourselves building our own little temples and not pursuing the God given purpose and priorities He has in store for us, we can repent. We can obey where we were once disobeying. And building God’s temple isn’t the same as it was in the Old Testament. We don’t have the need for a physical temple to meet with God. We are his temple, and as a Christian, the Holy Spirit dwells inside of us. But, to direct our priorities to the building of God’s kingdom in this present world for the sake of eternity is our new priority. When we make this our priorities, God is with us in our efforts. He will stir up our spirits and give us the ability to accomplish the things that He has given us to do.

And those efforts will not fail, because God cannot fail. And that, Christian, is worth making a priority.

Brandon Walker

South Fork Church

What Does the Bible Say About “Online Church”? Is “Online Church” Really a Church?

by Jonathan Carl

True followers of Christ are always described as part of God’s "universal church” (all genuine believers across history).  But what about the "local church"?  Can we BE the church merely through our virtual attendance? Although the concept of “internet live streams” would be foreign to biblical times, across the Bible we see important descriptions, commands, and principles for the “local church” gathering together...

Why We Gather: 12 Biblical Reasons the Church Gathers In Person

1. We Gather because God Chose and Called Us Out of Isolation and Into Our Purpose Together

1 Corinthians 12:18 “But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose.” (ESV)

- Modern day “Christianity” has advocated for an individualism (“Lone Ranger Christianity”) that is far from the biblical descriptions of corporate responsibility and accountability.  The biblical church (Ekklesia) is BOTH the people who gather and the act of gathering.

2. We Gather because We Need Each Other; the Body Assembled, Not Disassembled

1 Corinthians 12:21 “The eye cannot say to the hand, 'I have no need of you,' nor again the head to the feet, ‘I have no need of you.’”

- If a piece of your body were physically severed, its disconnection would both evidence & lead towards the severed-member's damage & death.  Likewise the “believer” who severs themself from the local body of Christ will both evidence & lead themselves on a path towards spiritual damage & death.

- “What Does the Bible Say About Church Membership” - www.trustworthyword.com/what-does-the-bible-say-about-church-membership 

- 1 John 2:19 “They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us. But they went out, that it might become plain that they all are not of us.”

3. We Gather to Suffer & Celebrate Together

1 Corinthians 12:26–27 “If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together. Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it.”

- God created us for relationships where we lovingly share the ups and downs of life together.

- Genesis 2:18 “Then the LORD God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone”

4. We Gather to Serve God

1 Corinthians 12:27 “Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it.”

- We were created and gifted with purpose to love God and one another, in and through our local church.  Don’t waste the life and gifting God has given to you.  You are not called to be a consumer, you are called and created to be a contributor.

- 1 Peter 4:10 “As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace”

5. We Gather, because Outside the Church is Dangerously Described as Satan’s Realm

1 John 5:19 “We know that we are from God, and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one. 

(see also… 1 Corinthians 5:5, Luke 4:5–6, & Ephesians 2:2)

- We live in dangerous times and the local church is a place where our presence together brings  wisdom, encouragement, safety, and strengthening as we engage in real spiritual battle with our eternal enemies.

6. We Gather In Person, In Spite of Risk, Because God Commands Us

Hebrews 10:24-25 “And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near”

- The early church faced great risk of persecution when they gathered.  Many “underground” churches today gather together in spite of the very real possibility of financial consequences, arrests, beatings, and death.

- “What Does the Bible Say about Risk” - www.trustworthyword.com/risk 

7. We Gather Together As a Foretaste of our Heavenly Gathering

1 Thessalonians 4:17 “Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord.”

- The act of gathering together in a biblical church service is a picture, shadow, and foretaste of the delightful activities of worshipping and enjoying God’s presence together in Heaven.

8. We Gather for Lasting Joy in God and One Another

2 John 12 “Though I have much to write to you, I would rather not use paper and ink. Instead I hope to come to you and talk face to face, so that our joy may be complete.”

- The early church had a safe alternative to physically gathering together - letter writing - but they never saw such a connection as being a sufficient replacement to physical presence in gathering.  Gathering together in worship through a local church brings unique joy that can’t be fully experienced by other means of connection.

9. We Gather, Because Separation Leads to Grief

Acts 20:37–38 “And there was much weeping on the part of all; they embraced Paul and kissed him, being sorrowful most of all because of the word he had spoken, that they would not see his face again. And they accompanied him to the ship.”

- When physical separation occurred between Paul and his church family, it brought sorrow and grief.  Likewise, true believers should discover a sincere and pressing desire to be together in person consistently whenever possible.

10. We Gather, As a Local Flock of Sheep Waiting, Preparing, and Uniting for the Chief Shepherd

1 Peter 5:2–4 “shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly; being examples to the flock. And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.”

- One of the most common descriptions of both the universal and local churches is that of a flock of sheep with a chief Shepherd (Jesus) and under-shepherds (pastors).  When a sheep wanders from the flock, the distance and separation results in a lack of nutrition, protection, and guidance.  Our local gatherings help us to grow, heal, strengthen, and prepare for the return of Christ.

11. We Gather, because “Online Church” Is Not A Real Church - Don’t Settle for Less than what God Commands

3 John 14 “I hope to see you soon, and we will talk face to face.”

- Although connecting to your church family via online live streams may be an occasional and temporary necessity, “online church” does not meet the Biblical purposes, functions, and commands of gathering in person.

12. We Gather because We Have Been Purchased for Purpose

Acts 20:28 “Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood.”

- The practice of going to church, is the practice being the church - loving God and loving others.  We have great purpose when we come together.  Our coming together prepares us to go out and live lives that radiate God’s love and truth.  Let’s not miss out on our purpose in life and as a church.

-  Acts 2:42–47 “And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. [43] And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. [44] And all who believed were together and had all things in common. [45] And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. [46] And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, [47] praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.”

5 Purposes of Live Streaming a Church Service

If “online church” is not a real church, should we still stream our services? Yes!

Online Live Streaming of Our Church Services Serves As…

1. Outreach to believers disconnected from a local church…to reconnect them to presence in a local fellowship.

2. Evangelism to unbelievers needing to hear the Gospel…to connect them to Jesus in salvation.

3. Encouragement to those temporarily disconnected from our local church due to travel, sickness, or disability…to overwhelm them with God’s love and strength.

4. A blessing to our homebound church members who are unable to leave their home…to help them remain faithful to Christ until they meet Him face to face.

5. A supplemental discipleship tool to compliment your belonging in a local church…to help one another mature and grow as followers of Christ.

6 Things that Happen When We Don’t Gather Together…

1. We disobey God.

2. We miss our purpose.

3. We endanger ourselves to Satan, the world, and our flesh.

4. We grieve our local body of Christ.

5. We disable and weaken our local body of Christ.

6. We isolate ourselves relationally, emotionally, physically, mentally, and spiritually.

How have you handled gathering with your local  church in the past?  How can you grow and improve?

1 Thessalonians 2:17  “But since we were torn away from you, brothers, for a short time, in person not in heart, we endeavored the more eagerly and with great desire to see you face to face”

8 of Satan’s Best Temptations to Keep You Out of Church

Here are some of the most common thoughts that Satan tempts us with to try to disconnect us from our local church family.   While there are often times that God calls His people to a new church, Jesus will never call His people away from gathering with a local church altogether.

1. “I don’t need to go to church to be a Christian”

God describes true Christians as desiring corporate worship, instruction, fellowship, & being obedient to His commands. The biblical church (Ekklesia) is BOTH the people who gather and the act of gathering.

2. “The church is not a building, the people are the church.”

God calls the people of the church out of their homes to gather together in worship. The church is not passive, it is active.

3. “I’m safer at home”

God calls us to gather, even in the midst of risky situations.

4. “_____ Church is a bunch of cliques”

God calls us into small groups and fellowship, even if it is hard.

5. “_____ Church is a bunch of hypocrites”

God calls uses the church gatherings to heal & grow the sinful.

6. “_____ Church doesn’t meet my needs…I’m not getting fed”

God calls us to serve, not to be served.  Church is about God, not us.

7. “There are better sermons/worship online”

God calls us into local fellowships, not just online resources.  Watching at a distance can never replace participating in person.

8. “It’s too early….I’m too busy…I’m too tired”

God calls us to give Him one full day a week & to prepare for His return.   

Your Presence Reveals Your Priorities: 5 Steps Forward Together To Gather

1. Admit Your Need to Gather with Your Local Church.

2. Confess Your Past Sinful Failures in Attitude and Action Towards God and His Church.

3. Ask God for Help to Resist Satan’s Temptations.

4. Protect Your Lord’s Day - One Day a Week.

5. Make Your “Church Ethic” Exceed Your “Work Ethic” & Practice Mutual Accountability.

Let’s learn and grow together as we await the return of our Lord and Savior!  

He died for us, let’s live & gather for Him!

Christian, We Are Not Our Own

Let me ask you a quick question. What comes to mind when you think of the word “stewardship?” Ok, while you’re mulling that over in your mind, I’ll tell you what used to come to my mind up until very recently. Why recently you ask? Well, because usually, when I am writing or teaching, sometimes even preaching, the subject and/or topic I pursue is something that God has recently revealed to me, or at the very least, reminded me of in my own life. I’m just being transparent, because it’s difficult to have wisdom without experience or application in your own life. Let me correct myself. It’s impossible. So, any time we’re together on this blog, I’d like to think that I’m sharing something with you that I’ve recently been shown and have begun applying to my own life. I’m on this journey of faith with you!

Now, lets start all over. What comes to mind when you think of the word “stewardship?” Responsibility with finances? Budgeting of resources? Handling your money in a way that honors God? Yes, yes, and yes. These are the more common things that used to come to my mind. And, they’re all great examples of stewardship.

Have you ever read certain parts of scripture and, even though you’ve read it before, this particular time it really punched you right in the mouth, but in a good way? I sure have. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 comes to mind.

19 Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, 20 for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body.

Now this passage comes at the end of Paul teaching about the dangers of sexual immorality. But, what really stood out to me was this: “You do not belong to yourself, for God has bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body.”

Do you realize that as Christians, we don’t belong to ourselves? That should be really freeing to us, because if we realize that we are not our own, that means that our life’s simplest path to contentment, joy, and peace should come from figuring out what God wants from us (since we belong to Him and are in His ultimate care) and giving back to Him what is rightfully His: ourselves. Oh, but even in that simplicity, we come face to face with the one thing that keeps us from that contentment, joy, and peace: ourselves.

Now, we could apply this to a hundred different areas of our life, but today let’s look at our body. Or, as verse 19 says, the temple of the Holy Spirit. And through the power of the Holy Spirit in us, God works in the world through us. That can be hindered if we’re not good stewards of our physical bodies, however. See where we’re going with this?

Being God’s hands and feet on this earth takes work. It takes physical effort and energy. It takes a sharp mind that can think clearly: a mind that can focus and be alert. But, to have these things, we must be good stewards of this physical body that we are temporarily residing in on this planet. It’s one of the most basic forms of stewardship we can exercise, but it’s important. Here are some things we can do to be better stewards of our bodies:

SLEEP: Now, I know this one seems like a no brainer. We need sleep. We need quality sleep. When we sleep, lots of things are taking place in our bodies and minds. We are recharged, so to speak. Vital balancing of hormones related to stress and other areas are taken care of during sleep. Our “flight or fight” part of the nervous system gets a chance to relax. Toxins are literally flushed out of your brain. So very much of our basic well being, mood, motivation, and ability to conquer the day hinges on our sleep. Sleep deprivation (and by that, I’m not talking about NO sleep at all, but simply not getting all we require) has been linked to many health issues, from high blood pressure to heart and kidney diseases, to mood disorders. We will definitely experience sleepless nights due to life at times. But we must make sure we are being responsible stewards by making sleep a priority. When we are careless about our sleep, it can come back to bite us in major ways. It can hinder our efforts in ministry and the very things that God have us do on a daily basis.

DIET: Hear me out. I don’t mean “diet” in the sense of one of those calorie restrictive fads. What we’re talking about is the types of things we eat, or don’t eat. Our body needs certain vitamins and minerals to function properly. It also doesn’t like a ton of other things that we put in it every day. Our food fuels us, or it can hinder us. By being mindful of what we are putting in out bodies and making the connection with how it’s making us feel, whether good or bad, we can learn to be better stewards of our bodies by watching our diets.

EXERCISE: Now this one can be intimidating. But hear me out. Did you know that one of the best ways to have more energy, is to exercise in some capacity? That sounds counterintuitive, I know. Because when we’re tired, the last thing we want to do is move our bodies. But, by doing so, we actually find our energy stores will increase over time. And not just our physical energy, but our mental energy as well. When we exercise in a way that raises our heart rates for an extended period of time, wonderful things happen. Exercise is one of the absolute best things we can do for stress. Stress has a way of disconnecting us from ourselves. Exercise has a “centering” effect on us. Our minds are cleared from the fog. Our self confidence is raised, as well as our mood. This doesn’t have to be in triathlon proportions. Start with a brisk walk. Hit the treadmill. Lift some wights. Just get your heart rate elevated for about 20-30 minutes. Shoot for about 3-4 times a week and go from there. You. Will. Feel. Better.

REST: I know you may be thinking, “We’ve already talked about sleep.” But I’m talking rest. Taking a break from your work is so important. Without proper rest, we risk falling into the dangerous cycle of burnout. Burnout can happen even when you truly love the things that you work hard at, whether it’s your job or ministry areas of serving the local church. Exhaustion and burnout can be very difficult to overcome. By making a conscious effort to rest from our work in all areas of life, we can prevent the crash. Shut off your phone. Hang out with the family. Do something you enjoy. You see, rest isn’t just laying back on the couch. It’s a God honoring way of connecting to the interests and hobbies that God Himself has given each of us. These things have a way of recharging our souls.

I know that these things listed seem pretty basic and practical. And, they could be taken as good general advice to even the non Christian. But, we are called. We are called to be good stewards of the bodies we are living in. Because, in all truth, they don’t belong to us. Taking care of our bodies is bigger than ourselves. The healthier we are, the more effective we can be at serving and loving our families, the church body, and the world around us.

-Brandon Walker

South Fork Church

A Choice of Life or Death

I must share something before we start our post today. I began reading a different kind of book this week. And I’ll be honest, reading is something I don’t particularly do a lot of. Don’t get me wrong, I do actually read. Menus, social media, Amazon reviews… well, you get what I’m saying. In all seriousness, my circle of subject matter is pretty small for my reading. The Bible takes up a very major part of my reading material. And I don’t say that to be boastful. I simply mean that’s about the majority of what I read. That, and commentaries and sermons by some of my favorite preachers and Bible teachers. And I promise, I only say that to say this: I’m a man of routine. That can be good and sometimes, that can be bad. My wife will tell you that. She knows me well. So, when I was talking to her the other day about some heavy struggles in life, she recommended a book she was reading. It wasn’t a book I would particularly read by choice. And that’s only because of that thing about me being a routine person. This book she recommended didn’t fit into what I usually read. It’s called “Get Out of Your Head,” by Jennie Allen. My wife is currently in a women’s bible study that is using this particular book. So, I did what you usually do before deciding to begin reading a book. I flipped it over and read the back cover. You know, the same thing you used to do to decide which DVDs to rent at Blockbuster (Not familiar with Blockbuster? Just ask your parents.). I immediately realized this book was about things that I had taught and led in bible studies and small groups before. It’s about the battle that all of us in the Christian faith face on a daily occurrence: the battle in our minds.

Jennie Allen is also the founder of a ministry called IF:The Gathering. But trust me when I say, this isn’t a “chick book.” Yes, Jennie’s ministry may be focused on equipping women in their daily discipleship, but the truths in this book are for men and women alike. The truth that our emotions and actions all are dictated by our thoughts is something that we all need to hear. Jennie Allen states early in the book, that all our negative thoughts can be interrupted by one single phrase:

“I have a choice.”

This is stated early in the book, so I promise, I haven’t ruined it for you. This is simply expounded on further as the reader moves forward. But this is so profound in its simplicity. Let’s take a look at what I mean.

Last week we talked about shame, and our instinct to run and hide from God and others when we are tempted with it. (Check it out here.) We took a step back and looked at Romans 7 and at Pauls inspired pen about a struggle we all know too well. In verse 15, Paul writes: “I don’t really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I don’t do it. Instead, I do what I hate.” Sounds encouraging, right? We can’t stop there, however.

Remember when I suggested reading Romans 8 in our last post? Paul doesn’t end his despair and leave it where it lies in chapter 7. On the contrary, he continues to explain the best news we could hear concerning our struggle with ourselves and the struggle in our minds. Paul begins chapter 8 by telling us exactly why God sent Jesus to die. In verse 4, he writes, “He did this so that the requirement of the law would be fully satisfied for us, who no longer follow our sinful nature but instead follow the spirit.”

Did you catch that? We, who are Christians, are filled with the Holy Spirit. Verse 1 tells us that the Spirit is “life-giving” and has “freed us from the power of sin.” In verse 9, we read “But you are not controlled by your sinful nature. You are controlled by the Spirit if you have the Spirit of God living in you.” The Spirit that raised Jesus from the grave has come to live inside us who belong to Him, and because of this wonderful truth, we are no longer controlled by our sinful nature.

“Then,” you ask, ”why in the world am I still doing what Paul talks about in Romans 7? Why am I watching myself do and say things that aren’t lining up with my desires to obey God? If I’m controlled by the Spirit, why am I still caught up in sin?” Verse 12 and 13 answers this for us.

“Therefore, dear brothers and sisters, you have no obligation to do what your sinful nature urges you to do. For if you live by its dictates, you will die. But if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of your sinful nature, you will live.”

There it is.

The choice that Jennie Allen talks about in her book. We have a choice. We have a choice to either give in to the urges of our sinful nature that still lives inside of our mortal bodies, or by the Spirit, put those urges to death. That choice is one we must make on a constant daily basis. It will take diligent discipline and work. But, the good news is that this work isn’t accomplished by our will power. It’s taken care of by Christ Himself, though the work of the Holy Spirit within us. When we make the willful choice to rely on the Spirit’s promised work to make us more like Christ and resist the urges of our unredeemed flesh, we begin to see the tide start turning in our favor. Our choices determine our emotions and actions. There lies our joy and peace. Or our misery and despair, or even death, depending on our choice. You see, the fascinating thing is that this is a very predictable formula we’re talking about here. Biblically speaking, of course. Look at verse 13 again. If you make choices based on your flesh and sinful nature, bad things happen. Guaranteed. Every single time. Like clockwork. They may be immediate, or they may be cumulative. But the Word of God states that bad things will happen. In your relationships, your emotions, your parenting, your effectiveness as an employee or employer, and everywhere in between. On the other side of the coin, we can make the right choice. The choice to be led by the Spirit of God that has taken up residence inside of us. I’m pretty sure He knows best for us. We simply make the choice to allow Him to lead us, speak for us, and even guide our thinking. Good things happen then. Guaranteed. Every time. Like clockwork.

Making that choice on a consistent basis will take time. But just like anything else worth doing, the effort put into taking your thoughts captive and making them obey your choice to follow the Spirit’s work, will take persistence and work. But, it’s well worth our time. Our joy and peace is at stake. Even our life. During this process of being sanctified, remember to focus on Christ and His accomplished work on the cross. Rely on His grace and promise of forgiveness of every single sin. And above all else, trust in Him to do what He has said He will faithfully do: keep you in His love.

Christian, you have a choice. Choose well.

-Brandon Walker

South Fork Church

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Shame And A Call To Stop Hiding

I’m going to give you an honest, inside look at some of my thought life that is more recurring than I’m proud to admit:

“I know these things are wrong that I’m being tempted with. It’s obvious. But why in the world is the desire so strong to do something I know is SO not right in God’s eyes?”

Would it be too much to say that some days, it seems like there’s two versions of ourselves: the man (or woman) that desires to follow and obey the words of our Lord, and then another “version” of ourselves that almost burns with desire to sin. Too extreme? Probably not, if we’re honest.

Paul describes this very struggle in the book of Romans. In Romans 7:15, he states, '“For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate.” Later in verse 24, Paul calls himself “wretched” as a result of this struggle. And a lot of the time, that’s where we find ourselves. And that’s where we stop, as if we’ve ran into an immoveable wall of shame. Stuck. And we can easily stay in this vicious cycle of feeling defeated, making us feel isolated from our families, our fellow Christians, and even God Himself.

That’s what shame does. It makes us feel alone and distant. It’s not the same as guilt. Healthy guilt, or conviction, is a gut check that tells us we’ve sinned. Shame, however tells us that because we’ve sinned, something is wrong with us that isn’t wrong with anybody else. It tells us that we’re unlovable.

It tempts us to hide.

In Genesis 3, we see this play out for the first time in history. Eve was deceived into believing she misunderstood God’s commands concerning the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. She was convinced that something she understood to be forbidden was actually good for her. Sound familiar? That’s how temptation works. When she and Adam ate that forbidden fruit, we are told in Genesis 3:7, “… their eyes were opened and they knew they were naked.” Then they hid from God. Or we should say, they tried to hide.

In verse 9, God called out to Adam, “Where are you?” Such powerful words from our father God! Since we know our God is all knowing and all powerful, with nothing in thought or deed able to be hidden from Him, we see Him offering this invitation to Adam and Eve. His asking, “Where are you?” was just that. An invitation to come to Him in honesty. To confess our sin. To be free from guilt. To destroy shame.

Is this you today? It has definitely been me. To prevent shame from taking its hold on us, we must accept the invitation given to us by God today. “Where are you?” Go to him, Christian. Stop hiding. He is waiting.

In Romans 7 where we started today, Paul doesn’t leave us hanging. He knows the solution to his struggle. “Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord!” From there, Paul gives us one of the most powerful chapters in the New Testament, which begins with “So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Jesus Christ.” Amen and Amen!

Now, go read the rest of Romans 8.

And stop hiding.

-Brandon Walker,

South Fork Church

Tips for Marriage Endurance!

Marriage is amazing.  Marriage is hard.   Many of us have experienced both joys and challenges in marriage.  A couple from our church, Ray and Yvonne McDowell, just celebrated 65 years of marriage.  SIXTY-FIVE YEARS!?!?!  Wow.  What an example!  

How can we imitate that example in our marriages and both survive and thrive in marriage? Here are some tips for marriage endurance from the one who designed marriage as a gift for us!

1) Go the Distance - Until Death Do You Part

No-one enters a race wanting to quit part way.  Throughout the race there will be temptations that will oppose the goal of finishing.  Marriage is the same way; Satan, the world, and our flesh will constantly come against our marriage and tempt us towards quitting.

Some have suffered unwanted divorces out of necessity and protection.  Others are in such a dark period in their marriage that they don’t currently see a way forward.  The Bible doesn’t condone abandonment, abuse, or adultery and does give specific guidance regarding divorce and remarriage (if this is your situation you will want to read 1 Corinthians 7:10-16).

Contracts allow conditional ways out of an agreement.  The covenant of marriage places God as the author and uniter in marriage and reminds us that “what therefore God has joined together, let not man separate” (Matthew 19:6 ESV).  Finishing the race of marriage “until death do  us part” is not easy, but it is worth it!

“the LORD was witness between you and the wife of your youth…she is your companion and your wife by covenant.” (Malachi 2:14) 

2) Love & Respect

Our attitude matters.  The job description of a husband can be summed up with one word: love.  The job description of a wife can likewise be summarized in one word: respect.  When we interact with our spouses, whether in word or deed, we should ask ourselves whether we are showing love and respect?

“However, let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.” (Ephesians 5:33)

3) Humility & Help

Our default in life is to think of ourselves before and more often than others.  When we change our minds to put our spouse’s needs in front of our own we will be amazed at how such a mindset helps us too!

“Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.” (Philippians 2:3-4)

4) Forgive Your Spouse

You spouse is going to sin against you, a lot.  You are going to sin against your spouse, a lot.  We all have sinned against Jesus, a lot.  We find freedom and joy in our marriages when we forgive our spouse as Jesus forgives us, a lot (completely and continually).

“bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.” (Colossians 3:13)

If God has called you into marriage, may we endure and find joy in how God has designed our spouse to be a help to us in the hardships of life.

“Nevertheless, in the Lord woman is not independent of man nor man of woman” (1 Corinthians 11:11)

How To Be A Noah

Obedience is the key!

Are you familiar with Noah? 

Scripture tells us that evil had grown to such an extent on the earth that God was sorry he ever made humanity! What?! (I wonder if He has those thoughts of us today, sometimes?)

BUT, in the midst of this catastrophe….he saw Noah! 

Noah found favor with God. Noah was the epitome of morality and goodness! Of all the thousands of people on the earth, there was ONE! 

It makes you wonder just how narrow this path is we walk that Matthew 7:13-14 speaks of: “Enter through the narrow gate.  For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. (Vs14 ), “But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.”

The result of Noah’s obedience was that he and his entire family were saved from the flood that destroyed every other living thing on earth!

God notices an obedient person:

-One who loves Him and models his love, compassion, empathy on this earth.

-One who is self-controlled, faithful, kind, patient, full of love, joy, & peace.

-One who puts others needs before their own. 

Obedience to God produces these actions/emotions!

When you love God, you want to obey him. The longer you walk with the Lord the more you realize all he has done for you, His ways are better than our ways. Noah knew this!

God says in John 14:15- “If you love me, keep my commands.”  Faithfulness comes from being obedient to God. As we learn to obey we learn to be wise.  Our ultimate responsibility is to love an obey God above all else. 

I John 5:3- Loving God means doing what he tells us to do. The Bible is our manual. It instructs us in the ways of Christ. 

The direction we seek is found in His word. Psalm 100:2 instructs us to obey God gladly. Noah did this without hesitation.  He followed through with the building of the ark even with the criticism and skepticism he endured!

Just like in Noah’s day, God is looking for obedient servants-he rewards obedience!  Just like we reward our children for their obedience, God recognizes an obedient child.

When we are obedient, we experience far fewer problems in our life journey. Ephesians 6:1 says it best, “Obey your parents and it will go well for you!” If we strive to obey our heavenly Father, it too will go well for us!  Noah and his family were saved from the flood for heaven’s sake!

Do you want to be a “Noah?”

A little girl sitting in time out looks at her dog and says, “It’s easy for you! You’ve been to obedience school!” LOL

We may not go to obedience school but we do have a manual to follow. The Bible. God lays out specific directions on how to follow his will! Let it be your guide!