Good Father By Pastor David

Posted on February 11, 2016 by admin

A popular opinion today is that we are all God’s children. This couldn’t be further from the truth. We are all God’s creation but we are not all God’s children. This is a subtle yet profound difference.

You’ve often heard it said that, “We are all God’s children…” I want to clarify this misunderstanding. We are not all God’s children. This is a very important theological concept to embrace. It might sound nice and wonderful and it gives everyone a good feeling, but it’s simply not true.

All people are God’s creation but not all people are God’s children

Colossians 1:16 NLT

for through him God created everything

in the heavenly realms and on earth.

He made the things we can see

and the things we can’t see—

such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world.

Everything was created through him and for him.

Again, we are all God’s creation but not all of us are God’s children. The difference between creation and children is profound. God’s creation is placed under judgment, God’s children are given eternal life. God’s creation remains under God’s angry judgment, God’s children experience His grace and His covenantal kindness. God’s creation are filled with natural life that eventually dies, but His children are filled with the Spirit of God, and given life eternal.

Only through Adoption are we God’s children

Ephesians 1:5 NLT

5 God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure.

Now the question lingers in the air. Are you a child of God or merely God’s creation? Are your children God’s creation or have they become His children? What about those you know–your friends, work associates, etc? Are they His creation or are they His children?

Galatians 4:5-7 NLT

5 God sent him (Jesus) to buy freedom for us who were slaves to the law, so that he could adopt us as his very own children. 6 And because we are his children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, prompting us to call out, “Abba, Father.” 7 Now you are no longer a slave but God’s own child. And since you are his child, God has made you his heir.

God’s promise is wonderfully simple–those who believe in Jesus–those who look to Him, are saved from destruction and adopted into His family.

So the next time someone says, “We are all God’s children,” lovingly explain to them the difference between being a child of God and being the creation of God. It may just lead to a conversation about being Born Again!

Knowing and Known by Pastor Andy

Posted on February 11, 2016 by admin

You just know.

Every parent knows this situation. No temperature has been taken; no doctor has been consulted; no website has been visited. You simply know that your child is sick. Something isn’t right.

Sometimes you just know. As a parent you know your child isn’t feeling well. As a dad you know she isn’t being honest. As a mom you know he had a bad day.

You read facial expressions. You detect body language. You notice voice inflection. You just know.

Creation vs Child

Sunday, Pastor David shared an important truth. We’re all God’s creation, but not everyone is a child of God. To be a child, I must be adopted through belief in Jesus as the Christ. If you accept Jesus as Lord, you are a child of God.

Paul tells us this in Galatians –

But when the time arrived that was set by God the Father, God sent his Son, born among us of a woman, born under the conditions of the law so that he might redeem those of us who have been kidnapped by the law. Thus we have been set free to experience our rightful heritage. You can tell for sure that you are now fully adopted as his own children because God sent the Spirit of his Son into our lives crying out, “Papa! Father!” Doesn’t that privilege of intimate conversation with God make it plain that you are not a slave, but a child? And if you are a child, you’re also an heir, with complete access to the inheritance. -Galatians 4:4-7 (MSG)

I am known

Paul goes on to say that as Father, God knows us.

But now that you know the real God—or rather since God knows you… –Galatians 4:9 (MSG)

I love the way the English Standard Version translates this,

But now that you have come to know God, or rather be known by God…

We are known. God reads our facial expressions, body language and voice inflection. We are known. God looks past our exterior and interprets our inward person. We are known.

It’s a beautiful part of being God’s child.

Tuesday, Pastor Chris shared a quote from A.W. Tozer –

What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important aspect about us.

Being known by God means we understand He sees all the dark places of our heart, yet He still loves us. More over, God accepts us in spite of our short comings. It confirms our hope – we belong.

Be encouraged! You are known! You belong!

Start Over by Pastor Andy

Posted on February 5, 2016 by admin

Like a Child

1About that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who is greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven?”
2Jesus called a little child to him and put the child among them. 3Then he said, “I tell you the truth, unless you turn from your sins and become like little children, you will never get into the Kingdom of Heaven. 4So anyone who becomes as humble as this little child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven. -Matthew 18:1-4

I love verse three.

Unless you turn…

To become like a child in God’s eyes, we must turn. The Message version uses the phrase,

…unless you return to square one and start over…

To become like a child we must start over, begin anew, become a child again.

Born Again

I’m reminded of the conversation Nicodemus has with Jesus in John 3. Jesus says,

I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of Heaven. -John 3:3

Nicodemus is confused. What does it mean to become born again? Return to my mother’s womb? I like you Jesus, but that’s a little weird! To be honest, Jesus phrase, “become like little children,” is a little weird too. How do I become like a child? Do I really want to be a child?

In Nicodemus’ case, Jesus kindly explains “born again” means to be born of the Spirit. The same is true of becoming like a child.

In our encouragement to GROW Young, we talked about,

Be Carefree
Belong
Be Joyful
Anticipate
Discipline
Dependence

All are great encouragements, but we can’t do it on our own. We are helpless to have enough child-like faith to enter the Kingdom of Heaven in our own strength. We need the Spirit.

To GROW Young, we need to be filled with the Holy Spirit. It’s how we become carefree, belong, full of joy, anticipatory, disciplined and dependent. We need to start over, and be filled with the Spirit.

Here’s a simple prayer to start your day,

Jesus fill me with your Spirit. Help me to turn – turn toward You and away from sin. Fill me with your Spirit so I can be like a child in my faith. Thank you for giving me a good thing. Thank you for your Spirit. Amen.

Child-like Anticipation by Pastor Chris Horsley

Posted on February 3, 2016 by admin

In Pastor Andy's sermon on Sunday, he gave the picture of kids excitedly running to their parents after being away. It stuck with me.

I began to think about a time I had gone on a missions trip to Mexico. Our girls were only 1 and 2. They were too young to fully understand what was happening. They just knew that their daddy was gone. When I returned home, the girls were as happy and joyful as I had ever seen them. My oldest ran in circles for about 5 minutes. She was estatic.

Childlike joy. Childlike happiness. Childlike anticipation. Kind of like Christmas Eve. The anticipation of what Christmas day will hold is almost too much.

Do we forget that? In our adult, mature selves, do we forget to have that Joy? The anticipation of who God is and what He can do?

Anticipate means to regard as probable; expect or predict.

Just like your children know you will return home after a day of work, and anticipate your arrival, do you anticipate God answering your prayers, and moving on your behalf? Do you react with joy like my daughter did when that anticipation is met with results?

Expect and anticipate that God will answer your prayers!!

Psalm 5:1-3–O Lord, hear me as I pray; pay attention to my groaning.
Listen to my cry for help, my King and my God, for I pray to no one but You.
Listen to my voice in the morning, Lord.
Each morning I bring my requests to you and wait expectantly.

“One characteristic that marks the average church today is lack of anticipation. Christians, when they meet, do not expect anything unusual to happen; consequently only the usual happens, and that usual is as predictable as the setting of the sun…
We need today a fresh spirit of anticipation that springs out of the promises of God. We must declare war on the mood of nonexpectation, and come together with childlike faith. Only then can we know again the beauty and wonder of the Lord’s presence among us.” A.W. Tozer

What are you anticipating God to do in your life? In your family? Expect that God will answer your prayers!

James 5:17-18–Elijah was as human as we are, and yet when he prayed earnestly that no rain would fall, none fell for three and a half years! Then, when he prayed again, the sky sent down rain and the earth began to yield its crops.

Let us joyfully anticipate that God WILL show up! That God WILL answer our prayers!!

Grow Young – Pastor David

Posted on February 3, 2016 by admin

Worship: Closer by Bethel Worship

A story is told by the author Sean Grover: When the late-great Grandma Grover turned 85 years old, she received an upsetting notice in the mail; she was ordered to surrender her driver’s license. She was regretfully informed that, due to her age, she was no longer eligible to drive.

Exasperated, she wrote a letter the motor vehicle department director. He flatly rejected her. So she called the mayor of her small town; he was sympathetic but unmoved. Finally, she sent a fiery letter to the governor of her state. Two weeks later, the governor fired back with a challenge: pass a driver’s ed course and a road test, and she could keep her license.

In record time, Grandma Grover completed a driver’s ed course, aced her road test, and in less than two months, was back behind the wheel of her 1972 Chevy Nova.

The whole experience, however, left her a bit perturbed. When I asked why, she appeared exasperated:

“My goodness, it was so embarrassing.’

“You got your license back.”

“Yes, but they put me in a class full of old people!”

Five years later, at 90 years old, Grandma Grover could still be seen cruising her neighborhood, waving to friends, white driving gloves and all.

I love this story because Grandma Grover refused to allow her age get in the way. It’s a fact–all of us are getting older. Every single minute, every single hour and every day our bodies grow older. It’s just a matter of time before you find yourself in Grandma Grover’s situation. You may not be 85 but sometime, somewhere, someone is going to call you old and pressure you to “act your age.” Don’t you do it!

Pastor Andy shared a few great lessons with us this past Sunday. He asked us to GROW YOUNG not OLD!

Even though we can’t stop the hands of time, we can stop the mentality of growing old. Jesus said this, “Unless you accept God’s kingdom in the simplicity of a child, you’ll never get in.” (Mark 10:14 MSG)

Pastor Andy’s keypoints were:

Kids are carefree – They enjoy every moment of life!
Kids know who they belong to – They run and hug their parents excitedly yelling, “mommy and daddy!”
Kids are full of joy – They are not weighed down by the burdens of the world.

Take a few moments today and evaluate your child-likeness.

In what areas do you need to relax?

In what situations do you need to become more joyful?

Do you fully understand to whom you belong?

Your Thoughts:

Category Archives: Devotions