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Devotional Booklet

January 15th – February 4th 2018

(Matt 17:20) “Because of your little faith,” He told them. “For I assure you: If you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will tell this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move.

Nothing will be impossible for you. (21) However, this kind does not come out except by prayer and fasting.”

2018: The Call of a Disciple

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Monday, January 15th

Why Fast? To Humble Ourselves before God

(Psalm 35:13b) “I humbled my soul with fasting”

During times of difficulty and particularly when he was

surrounded by his enemy David, the writer of Psalm 35, fasted. As

he fasted, David showed God that he was bringing himself into

submission to Him and His will. Especially, since David was

actually fasting for his enemy to be blessed and healed. For

David, this proved to be a challenge. David even admitted,

through the word he used for the word humble in Psalm 35:13b,

that this time of fasting was hurtful for him. In fact, he admits that

fasting was an affliction or a cause of persistent pain and distress

to him.

Still he fasted and so should we. Like David, we should also

fast to bring ourselves in submission to God and His will. Even if

that fast causes us persistent pain and distress and even if the

reason for our fast is to ask God to bless and heal an enemy of

ours. That is definitely ultimate submission to God.

Submission to God, admittedly, is completely opposite to

what we want to do. That is why fasting as submission to God is

so important. We are not only showing God that we are serious

about submitting ourselves to Him we are also telling ourselves

that are we are serious about submitting ourselves and our will to

God, no matter how difficult it is to do so.

Pastor Craig Sands – Prayer and Counseling

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Tuesday, January 16th

The Place of Rest (Josh 1:13) “Remember the word that Moses the servant of the LORD commanded you, saying, ‘The LORD your God is providing

you a place of rest and will give you this land.’”

All throughout scripture we see the word rest. Phrases like “rest for the weary” and “he will give you rest” are mentioned. Even through many reminders we still seem to miss the concept. That being the case, somewhere there is a disconnect in our identity in Christ. We have missed one of the greatest attributes of a believer, rest.

When the Lord instructed Joshua about moments that were to come, he mentioned this “place of rest” away from the noise, confusion and fear of what was to come, that haven for the soul of God’s children. Do you often wonder why He instructed Joshua about this place? First, God knew what was coming. He knew the difficulties and the challenges. Secondly, He knew that even in the midst of this great opportunity they would need to know that they could find rest, solitude and comfort in His arms.

These challenges will come and catch us off guard. Be aware that we can run to the place of rest and find peace and comfort no matter the hardship or heartbreak. This place of rest is found in placing our complete trust in God no matter the circumstance.

Senior Pastor Gary E Miller

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Wednesday, January 17th

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year (John 3:16) “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that

whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”

We say this every year during the holidays, but do we really

understand the magnitude of what we are celebrating? Christmas is

celebrating the incredible act of love found in John 3:16-17. It says, “For

God so loved the world that He gave His only Son that whoever believes

in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send His

son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through

Him.”

The real Christmas story is of God becoming a human being in

the person of Jesus Christ. Why would God do such a thing? Because of

His love for us. Why do we celebrate Christmas each year? To express

gratitude for what God did and the birth of our Savior.

The true meaning of Christmas is love. God loved us and

provided the only way for us to spend eternity with Him. He gave His

only son to take the punishment for our sins. He literally paid the price

in full and we are free from condemnation when we accept the free gift

of His love. Romans 5:8 “But God demonstrated His own love for us in

this, while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

Happy New Year should be a time of “renewal” in many ways

leaving the old behind. 2 Corinthians 5:17, “Therefore if anyone is in

Christ, he is a new creature, the old things passed away; behold new

things have come.

The word “behold” means to observe; look at; see. Let this be

the year we allow God to give us clearer vision of what He has

purposed. Pray for God to show us how to let go of the past and to be

the person He has created us to be.

Pastor Terry Andrews -Youth Ministry

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Thursday, January 18th

When You Fast (Matt 6:16) “And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. (17) But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, (18) that your fasting may not be seen by others but by your Father who is in secret. And your

Father who sees in secret will reward you.”

The words "When you fast,” in (Matt. 6:16-18) show Jesus's expectation that His followers would practice this discipline. There are many biblical examples of godly people who abstained from certain activities in order to draw closer to God. Fasting prepares us to hear from God by temporarily laying aside something that takes away attention such as food, TV, sleep, or anything that takes our eyes off of our Lord. We know that it is impossible to fast all the time but, at certain times, it gives us a chance to put all hindrances aside and seek God's face. When our flesh cries out for something, we can say that we want to remove anything that hinders our focus and fix our attention on our Creator and cry out to Him. The Bible gives us another example, the Temptation of Jesus. (Matt. 4:1-4). “It is written, man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.”

Denying ourselves by fasting makes us better able to focus on Christ and hear from Him more clearly. He sanctifies our thoughts to intensify our desire for Him, reveal His will, and grant understanding and peace binding us to Him in such oneness that we will never be the same. As we gain understanding about our Father and ourselves, we will grow closer to Him. Amen!

Pastor Frank Medley

Nursing Home and Prison Ministry

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Friday, January 19th

One More Time

(Judges16:28) “Then Samson called to the LORD and said, “O Lord GOD, please remember me and please strengthen me only this once, O God,

that I may be avenged on the Philistines for my two eyes.”

All through history we see mankind move toward sin and selfishness. Man wishing to be in charge even though often reminded that, left to his own way, he is lost. Samson was a man who fell into that very mindset; one more time like many others before, trying to do his own thing and paying the price for his disobedience.

When we look at Samson we think of someone who had everything; calling from God, strength to succeed and purpose for life and yet lost it all by being drawn into sin. That is true, however, I want you to look at another angle. Let us look into the way he finished.

At the end humiliated, eyes blinded, strength gone and tied between two large pillars he desperately called out to God. The essence of his cry was, “God could you do it just ONE MORE TIME? One more time could you give me strength? One more time would you move upon my life?” What was God’s response? He heard his plea and answered his prayer! It was a great move of God!

Today let your prayer be, “God would you move on my life just ONE MORE TIME?”

Senior Pastor Gary E Miller

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Saturday, January 20th

In the Waiting (Psalm 5:3) “In the morning, Lord, You hear my voice. In the

morning, I lay my requests before You and WAIT EXPECTANTLY.”

In this New Year are you in a time of waiting? What are you

waiting for? What sort of miracle or answer to prayer are you

anticipating? Are you waiting for physical healing? Do you need a new

job? Are you trusting God for a financial breakthrough? Are your knees

worn from interceding for an unsaved loved one, or the return of a

prodigal?

Waiting is hard. Sometimes the waiting takes much longer than

we expected. In many situations the answers to our prayers can take

weeks, months or even years to come. In my own life, it took thirteen

years for God to rescue and restore a broken marriage. During that

time, I went through phases of great faith, times of anguish and

desperation, bouts of hopelessness, and moments of anger with God.

Too often, the object of the waiting becomes bigger than the

God who answers. When we place more value and time on the things

we are waiting for than our relationship with God, we exchange the

Person of our faith for the object of our wait.

How do we learn to wait well? Just as David declared in today’s

verse, we must begin each morning laying our requests before our Lord.

Place the burden at HIS feet daily, sometimes we must do this moment

by moment.

One thing is certain, when we trust Him in the waiting, the

answers do come. They may not look like what we thought they would.

But, I can tell you this, they will be “immeasurably more than all we ask

or imagine.” (Ephesians 3:20)

Connie Sink- Celebrate Recovery

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Sunday, January 21st

Transformation (Col 3:1) “If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. (2) Set your

minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.”

As we mature in our relationship with Jesus, our love and

devotion to Him grows deeper. He begins to help us recognize areas in

our lives that need to change. He tells us in Romans 12:2, “Do not be

conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your

mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is

good and acceptable and perfect.”

Sometimes things seem impossible to change on our own.

Even Paul said, “ I do the very thing I do not want to do.” We may

sincerely attempt to change again and again, only to default back to our

own ways. We make excuses or say things like, “I was raised that way”

to justify the way we think or behave. We have to remember that, often

times, our thought patterns and behaviors are based more in tradition

and experiences than the truth of God’s word. They may even be

morally acceptable, but still not godly.

So how do we begin to transform our minds to be more like

Christ? First, PRAY. Ask God to align your mind, thoughts and behaviors

with His truth. As the Holy Spirit reveals, choose to cooperate and

implement what he speaks to you day by day. Remember, it takes more

than human determination to make Godly transformation. It takes faith

in the One who opens our eyes to the need for change. We were never

intended to make Godly transformations without Him and His strength.

Read Colossians 3

Tammy Andrews – Missions Ministry

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Monday, January 22nd

Why Fast? To Have Victory over the Devil

(Matthew 17:21) “However, this kind does not go out except by

prayer and fasting.”

Matthew 17:15-21 tells the brief story of a man who came

to Jesus to ask for healing for his son. This man had brought his

son to the disciples of Jesus; however, His disciples could not heal

him. Jesus did not turn this man or his son away. Jesus, also, did

not say that He could not heal the man’s son. What Jesus did do is

recognize that a demon or evil spirit was causing the issues that

the man’s son was experiencing and then Jesus rebuked the evil

spirit and immediately cast it out.

Afterwards, the disciples came to Jesus and asked Him

why they could not cast the evil spirit out. Jesus first response, in

verse 20 of Matthew 17, was concerning the disciples’ unbelief or

faithlessness. That is, the disciples really did not believe or have

any faith at all that they had authority, even though Jesus had

given them authority, to heal this man’s son.

Jesus then went a step further. He explained to His

disciples that the kind of evil spirit that was affecting the man’s

son could only be cast out through prayer and fasting. Jesus was

showing His disciples and us that prayer and fasting, done in faith,

becomes like a one two punch that delivers a forceful and

effective blow that makes the difference and brings victory over

devil.

Pastor Craig Sands – Prayer and Counseling

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With DR Harold Hunter

Invite a friend or family member who needs to hear the truth

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Tuesday, January 23rd

The Legacy of Hope Restored

(Isa 61:4) “They shall build up the ancient ruins; they shall raise up the former devastations; they shall repair the ruined cities, the

devastations of many generations.”

I am often amazed at how we Christians limit the power of God. We look at circumstances and believe that these define us. That every bad choice and wrong turn somehow is just beyond the reach of God’s grace and forgiveness.

It is true that all of us have sinned (Romans 3:23) and come short of what God has for us and yet there is still hope. I love the definition of hope in scripture. If you put together the words that describe HOPE it would be defined as … “joyful, confident, expectation of good.” In our culture we see hope as a hit or miss moment with God but biblically, this word is an active placement of our trust in God’s plan and purpose for our lives. We place our hope and trust in Him completely.

No matter where we have come from and what decisions we have made that have been incorrect, we can still place all our hopes in Christ for now and eternity. We can know that the legacy of our family is not determined by our missed steps but by our faith in the one that can replace the devastation with hope.

Senior Pastor Gary E Miller

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Wednesday, January 24th

A Clean House

(Matt. 6:19-21 NIV) “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not

destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

As we ushered 2017 into 2018, the media bombarded us into organizing, decluttering and even downsizing our "stuff.” Americans, living in the land of plenty, are obsessed with material things; whether needed, useful or just plain collectable. One look into the closet will confirm this. We need to look at 2018 as a chance to clean house. Recycle by giving to those in need the items that clutter our dwelling. This is true for the spiritual as well as the physical. Our spiritual room or mind needs organizing and decluttering as well as any room we dwell in. Stuff not needed should be removed and only Christ-like thoughts be allowed to remain. We often occupy our spare time with unnecessary things. Turn off the phone, TV, radio and internet. Distractions, like clutter, will eventually consume your mind and body. Let God be able to speak to your mind in a fresh, clean environment. What possessions remain should reflect the desires of your heart. Let 2018 be a time for renewal of the mind, body and heart. Marsha Midgett – Women’s Ministry

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Thursday, January 25th

Why Fast? To Obey God

(Matt. 6:16a) “Moreover, when you fast”

Jesus did not mince words in His Sermon on the Mount, as

recorded in Matthew 5-7. He was very specific and easy to understand

in this major teaching that outlines what He expects of His disciples. The

last two verses of Matthew 7 make it plain that this teaching includes

not mere suggestions or interpretations of the law by just another

Jewish rabbi or scribe. These verses in Matthew 7 tell us that the people

were astonished at Jesus’ teaching because He taught as one having

authority; the authority of the Son of God. That is why we must not only

read the Sermon on the Mount we must also do what Jesus said for us

to do in it.

Jesus spoke to many topics in the Sermon on the Mount and

fasting is one of them. The passage in the Sermon on the Mount that

speaks to fasting is found in Matthew 6:16-18. Though this passage only

contains three verses, it shows that Jesus, the Son of God, expects His

disciples to fast. This passage of the Sermon on the Mount does not

begin with “If you fast” but “When you fast.”

Jesus, then, is expecting His disciples, which includes us, to fast

as a part of obeying Him. As we obey Him through fasting, we can also

have the benefit of building a close, personal relationship with God. A

relationship that shows God can count on us and that, in return, we can

count on Him.

Pastor Craig Sands - Prayer and Counseling

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Friday, January 26th

I want, I want, I want

(Psalm 23:1) “The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want.”

I shall not want… do I want? Many days I do. I want for this

or I want for that. They aren’t necessarily bad things or even

expensive things. There are just times when I see something and I

think, “I want that.” But this Psalm tells me that I will never want

for anything that is necessary for my life as long as the Lord is my

Shepherd. And yes, He is my Shepherd.

He is all I need. As long as I live my life trusting in His care,

He wants even more for me than I realize. David goes on to say,

“He makes me lie down in green pastures.” That’s where it is cool

and refreshing. “He leads me beside still waters.” Still waters are

peaceful and quiet. This is what my God wants for me rather than

chaos and drama. Oh yes, life will undoubtedly bring the

unsettledness that must be faced but afterward, He “restores my

soul” and continues to “lead me in the path of righteousness.”

Aaah my Shepherd does His best work when He restores!

Only He can bring beauty from ashes. So, will I continue to want in

this life? I’m sure I will as long as I deal with this flesh that gives

me fleshly desires. But my Shepherd will always be there drawing

me back to green pastures and still waters which is what He

desires for me and I long for my desire to be one with His.

Read Psalm 23

Kathy Miller – Connection Group Ministry

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Saturday, January 27th

I See Men as Trees

(Proverbs 3:7) “Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD, and turn away from evil.”

How is your eye sight? Is your vision good or do things not

look clear? It sure appears that we have a dilemma today. Many

do not see things as clearly. The view of family has changed, our

passion for our fellow man and his eternity has dimmed and our

view of sin has become watered down. It looks as though we just

don’t see as clearly as in past times. What is the problem?

Proverbs reminds us to not be wise in our eyes. This

caution shows us the cloudiness of our vision and the clear look of

the Lord. We should be keenly aware that we see through a glass

dimly. We can’t trust our hearts and even when confronted with

truth, we sometimes want to look the other way.

In Mark 8, Jesus met a man who was blind. When Jesus

touched him he said, “I see men as trees.” His vision was not yet

clear. Then Jesus touched him the second time and he saw men

clearly. We, as followers of Christ, sometimes need a renewing of

our vision, a cleansing of our souls. Today may your prayer be,

“Lord may I see you more clearly.”

Senior Pastor Gary E Miller

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Sunday, January 28th

We Need Each Other (Phil 2:1) “So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from

love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, (2) complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love,

being in full accord and of one mind.”

God wants believers to live in community, having the same

mind that we see in Jesus. Philippians 2:1-2 says, “Therefore if there is

any encouragement in Christ, if there is any consolation of love, if there

is any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and compassion, make my

joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love,

united in spirit, intent on one purpose.”

The more time we spend in the Word and in fellowship with

other believers, the stronger our faith becomes. Hebrews 10:24-25,

“And let us consider how to encourage (or stir up) one another to love

and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the

habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you

see the day drawing near.”

A practical example can be found at your next cookout. If you

move one of the coals from the fire over to the side, it will eventually

cool off and die out. Likewise, we need other believers to “stir up one

another to love and good works”. If we are alone, we also tend to “cool

off” pretty quickly. If we are living the Christian life as a solo act, who

can we stir up to love and good works? Who would there be to do the

same for us? When we put that dying coal back and stir them up, it will

begin to get hot again and glow.

Pastor Terry Andrews – Youth Ministry

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Monday, January 29th

Temptation (Matthew 4:1-4) “Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be

tempted by the devil. After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry.

The tempter (Satan) came to him and said, ‘If you are the Son of God, tell these

stones to become bread.’” Jesus answered, “It is written: Man shall not live on

bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.”

From this point in scripture, while Jesus was still in the wilderness, Satan continued to tempt Jesus two more times- once by promising Jesus that he would receive “all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor” if Jesus bowed to him, and also by using God’s own words against him. Spoiler alert: Jesus did not give into the temptations. Instead, Jesus responded to these temptations, each time, with words that ‘’came from the mouth of God.” God’s words back to Satan completely derailed Satan’s attempt of interfering with God’s plan for Jesus.

It is also in Jesus’ responses that we learn of the great power of our Father. This power is given to us through The Holy Spirit (Acts 1:8), and through His word. The power is one of the greatest blessings because there will be times when temptation comes. It may be while fasting, while upon the mountain top, or during times of difficulty. What’s great about being tempted is not the temptation itself, but more the beauty of the power of God and His diminishment of Satan. This power seals God’s word in our hearts, destroys weapons from forming against us, makes the devil powerless, challenges our flesh to its death, empowers us to continue being with God as He is continuing His good work in us, saves the unsaved, and so much more.

The encouragement to you, this day, is to conquer temptation with God’s Word, allowing God the opportunity to be known in you first, and then from you to the world. This is His design. This is where He will receive glory and you will gain freedom.

Kate Miller- Worship and Media Ministry

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Tuesday, January 30th

Live Like It, Praise Like It (Eph 5:8) “for at one time you were darkness, but now you are

light in the Lord. Walk as children of light.”

Fasting draws attention to the body’s need for food, but as a

wise person once told me, “If you’re just eating less and not spending

extra time in prayer and the word, you’re just starving yourself.” Those

are wise words indeed. If you haven’t already, you need to acknowledge

the fact that this time you have set aside to fast is not at all about food.

It’s about recognizing that YOU are a spiritual being living to honor God

in a natural world that is trying to disprove God. You do not need to

“prove” yourself. You must simply live as God has called you to live.

Today, as you deny your flesh, (the hunger, the weariness, the cravings

etc.) meditate on this scripture: Ephesians 5:8-20.

The Lord has not only brought you out of what may have been a

difficult past, but he also brought light to your past. He has exposed it.

Recognizing what God has brought you through will help you realize the

magnitude of His grace and mercy and further help you glorify Him. You

are a living testimony of His grace and love, so live like it. Live carefully.

Ask for wisdom. Make the most of every opportunity. Most importantly,

give thanks to God the Father for everything in the name of our Lord

Jesus Christ.

Caroline Osier- Youth Ministry

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Wednesday, January 31st

It’s Time to Take Action

(Col 3:2) “Set your minds on things that are above, not on things

that are on earth.”

In this passage to the Colossians Paul is reminding them to

take action. He is saying that now is the time to make your

righteous walk with God one of an active relationship, not a

passive religion. For many in churches across our country the

prevailing thought is that salvation is the end rather than the

beginning. So once one comes to Christ in repentance and faith,

they rest in that decision with no thought of the future

relationship with Christ and their walk of holiness before Him.

Our relationship with Christ takes daily attention. Each day

as we take on its challenges and struggles, we must attend to our

active spiritual maintenance. As a gardener tends to his garden by

pulling weeds or spreading fertilizer, we must take action by

setting our minds and hearts toward the gaze of Christ Jesus. This

means to take everything that clouds our thoughts and every

weight that pulls at our heart and place them in the view of Christ.

By taking this action, we can release these distractions and keep a

clearer view of Him and His desire for our day. TODAY, place all

your cares in the gaze of Jesus Christ!

Senior Pastor Gary E Miller

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Thursday, February 1st

Broken Headphones

(1 Peter 5:5-8 NLT) v.6 “So Humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time he will life you up in honor…”

I doubt that there has ever been a person alive who likes to get in trouble. We humans struggle to admit when we are wrong. We struggle with pride. The scripture is filled with references as to how pride corrupts. We see this reminder in 1 Peter 5:5, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” Peter was led by God to remind his readers about the power of humility. He says to “dress yourselves in humility as you relate to one another.” This is no easy task. “Wearing” humility requires a focused effort. In the same way that we don’t wake up with clothes on, we don’t wake up with humility. It is a choice-a practice that we must continue daily. I am sure that there were some that did not love being called out by Peter; being reminded, once again, to listen to their elders. To be told again to practice humility. The beauty of God’s word is that these instructions come with a promise. It says that God gives grace to the humble. Because God knows us so well, He knew that we could accept these instructions much better knowing that He will pour out his grace on us as a result.

I was reminded of our human condition recently while disciplining one of my children. “Where are your headphones?” As if a mystery, my child seemed unable to answer. As I asked repeatedly, I could tell there was something not being said. It reminded me of the Father asking Adam in the garden “where are you?” This is the God of the Universe. I’m pretty sure he knew exactly where Adam was. In the same way, I knew that my child knew where the infamous headphones had gone. Through much discipline and questioning, my child finally admitted that they had been broken in anger and hidden under the couch. This was a major teaching moment, not just for my child, but also for me. I was reminded of our struggle with pride. We don’t want to suffer consequences. Our flesh, our pride, always wants to be right. But in verse 7, God gives us His great promise, “Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.” And in our final verse, we are

21 given a warning, “Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith…” Apparently, it is our pride that leaves us vulnerable, but our humility that brings rescue. My hope for us today is that we are reminded of God’s grace to us. Even when we’ve broken the headphones, hidden the headphones, and lied about the headphones, our God is always waiting to teach us, to draw us in, and to lead us as we dress ourselves in the humility that only He provides.

C. Ryan Miller – Worship Ministry

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Friday, February 2nd

The Great Evidence of Salvation

(1 John 4:13) “By this we know that we abide in him and he in us,

because he has given us of his Spirit.”

How do you know if you are a Christian? Are you are going to heaven someday? Is there any assurance of eternal life beyond just working hard? If these are questions that you have pondered then you are not alone. Many have asked these same questions.

We know that hard work will not gain eternal life because of Ephesians 2:8-9, “by grace you are saved … not of works lest anyone should boast.” So what is the great evidence of salvation? First, John tells us that it is the presence of the Holy Spirit in your life. You see the truth of the Word of God and the presence of the Holy Spirit of God in your life tells the story of Christ in you. Eternal life comes when we repent of our sins and place our complete trust in His finished work. At that moment the Holy Spirit comes to take residence in you. Ephesians 1:13-14 tells us that His Holy Spirit is the down payment to eternal life; His seal in us.

You can know that you have eternal life by His Holy Spirit’s presence in you and the truth of His Word to you. (1 John 5:13)

Senior Pastor Gary E Miller

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Saturday, February 3rd

Buried Treasure

(Job 23:12) “I have treasured the words of His mouth more

than my daily food.”

Did you ever long to find hidden treasure? My grandchildren

always think they’ll find hidden nuggets somewhere in our old house or

buried on the land where we live. It causes and creates an atmosphere

of excitement!

This verse in Job points us to the truth that the words of our

Lord can be and should be treasure to our lives. They are golden

nuggets to hold onto and live by. Does that create an atmosphere of

excitement for you? During these days of fasting, long for Him and a

word from Him just like your body longs for the food you are

withholding from it.

Job had lost everything that meant anything to him; his family,

possessions, livelihood…everything gone! But He knew God was still

with him and God’s words became a treasure to him. Greater than

anything he had lost. He was clinging hard to each one.

Jesus spoke to his followers, “For where your treasure is, there

your heart will be also.” (Matthew 6:21) Where is your treasure right

now? What do you hold dear? Spend a few moments asking God to help

you long for His sweet words as much as you would long for anything

else in this life. His word will last forever. Everything else is fleeting and

meaningless.

“Speak to us Lord Jesus!!!!”

Kathy Miller – Connection Group

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Sunday, February 4th

Order

(1 Corinthians 14:40) “But all things must be done properly

and in an orderly manner.”

Human nature is to allow our feelings to get out of Godly order;

to allow them to determine our faith and then assume what we feel is

fact. However, God’s word says the order of our belief system must be

based on FACT first. He then instructs us to put our FAITH in Him and

then consider our FEELINGS.

A fact is something that is true. For example, one plus one

equals two, this is a mathematical fact. It is true no matter where you

go in the world. Whether you believe it or not does not make it true. It

is true even if no one in the world believes it. A fact is true, in and of

itself, regardless of faith or feelings.

Faith is belief, complete trust or confidence in SOMETHING.

Hebrews 11:6 tells us that “without faith it is impossible to please God.”

Notice that faith must have an object. True value depends upon its

object, not upon itself. It is not the amount of faith that is important,

but the worthiness of the object.

Suppose you are walking through the woods and you come to a

stream. A single plank spans the stream. As you look at the plank, you

must decide if you will risk walking across it. You notice that,

apparently, others have crossed safely, so you decide to trust it. The

moment you step on the plank, you are exercising faith. This is fine, but

whether you get across safely or not, now depends upon the plank. You

may have a lot of faith but if the plank is rotten, you will land in the

water! On the other hand, your faith may not be so great but if you

25 have a good plank under you, you will get across safely. From this, we

see that real value of faith depends upon the worthiness of the object.

Feelings are emotions inside us. Unlike facts, feelings constantly

change. We may feel good one day and be downcast the next. Feelings

do not change facts. Feelings have an important place in the Christian

life, however, we cannot base our faith on feelings or the result will be

confusion.

“Feelings come and feelings go, but feelings are deceiving. My faith

rests on the Word of God, nothing else is worth believing.” Martin

Luther.

Pastor Terry Andrews – Youth Ministry

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CROSSROADS FELLOWSHIP CORE VALUES

Core Value 1: To love God with all our hearts; to have a passionate personal relationship with Jesus Christ. (Relationship) We believe that to love God with all your heart (Matthew 22:37-38) is our number one priority. The only way that this can be accomplished is through a personal relationship with His Son Jesus Christ! Core Value 2: People matter to God! (Caring)Loving people, all people, as Jesus loved them is the second of the greatest commands of our Father. (Matthew 22:39-40) Core Value 3: We invest in people NOT things! (Ministry) The heart of who we are as children of God is to be real; real people in need of a powerful Savior who meets all our needs. Our time, talents and money are focused on helping, instructing and ministering the love of Jesus to people. (Matthew 25:40) Core Value 4: God’s grace extends to everyone! (Redemption) Expressing the love of Jesus Christ is best seen when we meet people right where they are. We understand at our church that we are those very people in need of the grace of Jesus Christ. Where God’s grace has been extended to our sin we MUST extend grace to those who God would place in our paths. (Ephesians 2:4-10) Core Value 5: We share the absolute truth of God’s Word through the heart of His Son. (The Word) We stand firm on the Word of God. God’s Word is true, powerful, unchanging and absolute. Jesus said that He came full of “grace and truth.” (John 1:17) God’s Word tells us that everyone needs forgiveness of sin. Jesus’ heart says that He died on the cross to forgive all our sin and to give us eternal life. Jesus is the only way to eternal life. (John 14:6) PURPOSE STATEMENT: “Getting people to a life changing encounter with Jesus Christ”

For more info check out … xroadsfellowshiptn.com

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7860 Linwood Road

Lebanon, TN 37090

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