Wednesday, December 30, 2015

Today

Someday, I’ll find the perfect marriage.

Someday, I’ll get my finances in order.

Someday, I’ll get that promotion.

Someday, I’ll pursue what God has called me to do.

This Sunday, guest speaker Dave Barringer introduced our congregation to the concept of “Someday Syndrome.” Whether it be an unswerving anticipation of the future, or a relentless desire to escape from the present, someday syndrome is an infection of the mind that hinders us from fully perceiving or acting on the present. As we become so consumed with what lies ahead, we fail to see God’s presence in what is happening right in front of us.

As a college student, my mind naturally drifts to “someday.” I spend a significant amount of time planning, thinking about, and dreaming of what my future may hold. After all, the time I spend studying and the majority of my money is, in fact, going towards my future. However, it is not healthy to limit my perspective solely to what tomorrow holds. While God’s plans for the future may be great, I must not lose sight of the fact that today is just as important. Just as I believe God has designed me for a specific career and specific purpose in the future, He has placed me specifically where I am at today, whether or not that seems ideal. In other words, God deeply desires to use what seems like an unimportant transitional phase in my life as a platform for both personal and spiritual growth.

Perhaps your “someday” looks a little bit different. Maybe you’re desperately waiting for your child to get potty-trained. Maybe you’re waiting to get out of debt. Maybe you’re waiting to retire! Whatever the case may be, we all have the potential to become so future-focused that we glaze over God’s presence in the mundane. The truth is, God wants to use us, shape us, and challenge us right where we are NOW. Sure, he might have plans for tomorrow. Sure, things in the past may have changed what today looks like. Nevertheless, God is ready to fill us, change us, and use us TODAY. The question is, are we going to let opportunities pass us by, or are we willing to take action and listen for God’s voice today?

This is the day that the Lord has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it. Psalm 118:24

Written by: Tamara Sturdivant
Edited by: De Ann Sturdivant 

Wednesday, December 23, 2015

Always Winter, But Never Christmas



“I just need this week to be over.”
“I wish I could skip this part of life.”
“I don’t see this ever getting better.”

Sound familiar? Some seasons of life, it feels like this is my own personal mantra. While this particular season is meant for rejoicing with the Magi, the short, cold(ish) days and insanely busy crowds make it much easier to try and shut myself out of the holiday scene entirely and snuggle up like Herod did in a throne of self-deception.

Whether it be feeling the absence of a loved one, a battle with depression, tension between a family, or even simply the pressure to make the darkest, coldest, longest season of the year cheery and fun, it seems as though there are just as many reasons to be down as there are to celebrate. While the existence of our emotions is healthy and human, it is how we deal with them that affects us so deeply. When we choose to take our moments of hopelessness and weave them into a web we fool ourselves into thinking is impenetrable, we fall victim to the trap of self-deception. We allow seasons of frustration to fester in our hearts, and we become their slaves, unable or unwilling to break through the mold and try on a new perspective of hope.

See, though I identified earlier with Herod’s patterns of self-deception, the truth is that unlike Herod, I know a hope that cannot be counted out when I am emotionally disoriented. When I feel the world itself has stopped and I’m stuck at the bottom of a mountain, Matthew 2:20 reminds me of the promise and perseverance of God, even when I feel like I have nothing left in me.

“Get up, take the child and his mother to the land of Israel, for those who were trying to take the child’s life are dead.” Matthew 2:20


Though I may only see winter at times, though I may miss “Christmas” at any time of the year even when its right in front of me, it does not mean it isn’t there. By acknowledging the freedom God can give my mind and wholeheartedly receiving it to be true, I am reminded that even in the bleak and trying days, Christmas is still here in His promise. Like Herod’s attempts to end Jesus’ life before it really began, the emotionally-driven distortions of my own life situations cannot eradicate the promises of God. Even on the most difficult of days, I can find freedom in the fact that out of Egypt, Christmas is coming.

Written by: Brianna Vanderveen
Edited by: Tamara Sturdivant

Wednesday, December 16, 2015

Family Christmas

Christmas Traditions: some are better than others.
My children and I bake cookies together in the days leading up to Christmas. We bake the same types each year and it’s an all-day event. Chocolate Mint. Magic Cookie Bars. Cinn-a-Spin. Of course we have to make sure they taste good enough to serve to our Christmas guests. This is a tradition they love.

Last year, I attempted to begin a new tradition with our family. I purchased a beautifully written and illustrated book by a fairly popular Christian author. The idea is that one is supposed to dedicate a particular tree and add specific ornaments that coincide with a devotional reading on each day leading up to Christmas. Each devotional reading is no less than 45 pages long. Well, maybe not that long, but it feels like it. The first day of reading was met by blank stares and a smirk (from one particular family member to remain unnamed.) The next day, the reading was met with groans and sighs. On the third day, the complaints were more vocal.  Then the particular “smirking” family member decided to make up a stupid song to go along with the long, dry reading. This resulted in a slight overreaction:  the slamming of the book, angry tears and declarations of “I just wanted to create a nice family tradition!”  I won’t tell you who said and did any of those things. I’ll let you figure it out. And needless to say, we scrapped that particular tradition. The book looks lovely as part of our coffee table Holiday décor, but remains unopened this year.

Again, some traditions are better than others.

For example, this past Sunday, we participated in one of my favorite Christmas traditions! We celebrated some very special people during our annual Family Christmas service. Each year, several individuals, couples or families are “surprised” as the church honors them for living daily lives exemplary of the Christmas Story.

What I love about those honored in these services is the way I see each and every one of them leap off of the pages of Scripture as I read the Bible.

 “I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. “ Philippians 3:14

As we discuss the stories of individuals and begin making plans in the weeks and months leading up to Family Christmas each year, I am inspired by the way these people continually “press toward the goal.” In spite of often immeasurable odds, they are relentless in the pursuit of what God has called them to.

“Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of other to be seen by them…” Matthew 6:1a

When a name is called and the person sits momentarily frozen in his or her seat and then walks on stage in disbelief, it is never more obvious to me that their righteous acts were done all for the love of Jesus and not for their own glory.

“Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.” Romans 12:10-13

While I feel that the entire chapter of Romans 12 is a very succinct summary of what the Christian’s life should look like (or what we should be striving to look like), those three verses can be accurately used to describe the “spirit of those honored at Family Christmas.”

I continue to consider it a profound honor and privilege to serve and live my life among the most amazing people on Earth – the friends and family of Freedom Christian: “I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy…” Philippians 1:3-4a.

Written by: Jaime Hlavin
Edited by: Tamara Sturdivant

Thursday, December 3, 2015

Overcoming Fear


The last major recession probably created a lot of workaholics for those of us in the career world who survived it and also saw those around us who didn’t. Someone who walks away from a major car accident can still feel their muscles seize up at the sound of a car horn or squealing brakes for years after the fact. Bad relationships we thought we’d left behind can still make us avoid starting any new ones. Basically, fear is an easy takeaway from painful experiences -- and we can try to elevate our own chronic anxiety into wisdom, or even something spiritual, but it’s still just fear.

To call me a workaholic or an anxious person might be an understatement. There are many nights I don’t sleep, and I’ve had the kind of panic attacks that settle in your chest like a deep physical pain. When my wife worries for me and tells me I’m working myself into a heart attack or early death, I used to respond with “then it will be God’s will.” 

 That makes sense, right? I mean, the Lord holds death and life within His hands, and people have fatal heart attacks all the time (about 610,000 deaths per year are related to heart disease, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention). So it makes sense that some heart attacks are part of his plan, and if He wanted to prevent that he could defuse the anger of others around me, or help me get home on time and see more of my family, or keep a diet and exercise regimen that doesn’t get so often derailed by work. But of course, this is only the fear talking—not the truth. Ultimately, in these instances I am asking God to improve my circumstances, not my character. And having Him pull your feet from the fire here and there doesn’t mean you overcame your fear of flames. Sooner or later, you have to work on you.

Anxiety, as we heard this week, can have three key fuels: imminent danger, the diet of social and media inputs that you receive, and damage from your interpersonal relationships. And to combat these, you should change how you think, how you talk, and how you work. I could especially appreciate the suggestion Sunday that working too hard can stem from the fear of not having enough, and that what you think is diligence is really just letting fear and anxiety have the upper hand in your life.

Reading the word is also a healthy practice in cutting down anxiety (another helpful suggestion from my wife), so I’m also planning to meditate again on Philippians 4:6-7. “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” He is a God of peace, and I’ve been learning that again in prayer and Bible study time. It also wouldn’t hurt to put an emphasis on “every situation,” because just like arterial blockage, the worries you neglect to take to him will build up over time. And sometimes, bringing those situations to Him isn’t about changing them. It’s about changing us.

Written by: Chad Halcom
Edited by: Jenelle Kelly

Wednesday, November 25, 2015

Proverbs- Part 7



The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit. Proverbs 18:21

Have you ever been on the brink of breaking down, then suddenly someone said something that gave you just the hope you needed to persevere? When I was in high school, I distinctly remember receiving a timely word that brought life to my uncertain spirit. As I was going through a phase of trying to figure out what my purpose was or what my future held, a friend reminded me of the value I possessed, the purpose I already had, and the belief that God was going to use me to do great things. While this was just a part of a regular conversation and the person who said it may never remember it, it left a lasting impression that strengthened my spirit.

 On Sunday, we learned that words can rescue people. Whether it be something as simple as a coach telling a player, “Hey, you did a great job,” after a rough game, or a friend sending a letter with just the right words of encouragement after a difficult loss, it is clear that words have power.

Unfortunately, on the opposite end of the spectrum, words can bring great pain. I think we have all encountered someone who has made a distasteful or sarcastic comment about our character that has left a bruise. The reality is, “just kidding” never seems to negate the pain caused by a quick remark. Words have power. Just as quickly as they can build a spirit up, they can tear a spirit down.

So how, then, may we become encouragers? How may we bring life to the hopeless? How can we avoid quick slips of the tongue that have the potential to cause great harm?

Out of the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks. Luke 6:45

While words have great power, they are rooted in something much deeper. The way one speaks is merely a reflection of the contents of their heart. Likewise, we may become more encouraging when we allow God to transform our hearts into his likeness. When we choose to love people unconditionally as God has, we will be able to speak in a way that is uplifting. In the same sense, we will be able to avoid stumbling over distasteful dialogue. No longer will our hearts possess ammunition for relational ruin. Rather, when we let go of our feelings and allow God’s unconditional love to invade our hearts, we may become people who give life.


I challenge you, this week, to analyze your heart. Are you filled with unconditional love, grace, and kindness, or are you being held back? Are you hanging on to grudges, personal scars, or envy that is causing you to say hurtful things? As Pastor Aaron highlighted on Sunday, “The first step to transforming our speech is allowing God to transform our hearts.” I encourage you to surrender your troubles to God, and allow Him to invade your heart. Let our words not be the stones that break bones, but powerful voices that bring life. 

Written by: Tamara Sturdivant

Wednesday, November 18, 2015

Proverbs- Part 6



On Killing Them With Kindness: Thou Shalt Not Murder

I dont understand grace. I really, really dont. I could read every book Max Lucado has ever written and I still dont think Id ever fully comprehend it. This is in part because I am a naturally vindictive person, if you hurt me or the ones I love, or even a stranger badly enough, my natural desire is to see you get what (I feel) you deserve. Because I am on this journey, however, to try and be a supernaturally renewed servant of Christ, grace is something I am constantly trying to practice. Even though I dont understand it all the time. Though I am of course oh so humble in Christ JesusI honestly believed that I must be a great person, being understanding and not shouting in situations where Ive seen the rest of the world lose their minds. And sure, showing grace is a good thing. But what I lacked, and still lack some days, is a gracious heart.

When grace has been difficult to give in my life, I instead give guilt dressed up as kindness. When I practice being kind and humble to those who wrong me, I try and drown them in it, all the while thinking,I hope you feel awful. I hope it makes you sick to have done so much wrong to someone who is still so good to you.”  So this past Sunday, when Pastor Aaron mentioned "heaping hot coals onto their heads," I couldnt help but feel justified. But as Pastor Aaron continued to speak to the congregation, and God continued to speak to me, I was reminded of every time I have ever needed grace and received it—without hesitation or spite—from God and others. How every wrong I have committed that was met with mercy and kindness moved me to my core, and almost always inspired a very real transformation within my own spirit. Because I was not made a victim of someone elses vindictiveness, God was able to be the one to deal with me, reshape my attitude and actions, and set me free. Why then, should I seek in my own heart to make someone else captive to my own bitterness under the guise of "grace," instead of allowing them to experience that same freedom that could impact them much more than my guilt trips or passiveness ever could?

Before God ever asked for our actions, or our "help", He asked for our hearts. We cannot truly practice forgiveness, love, patience, grace, or any of these fruitful things if the tree they come from is rotten (Luke 6:43-45). Therefore, we must be careful of our intentions and our hearts as much as we are our actions.

This week, I challenge you (and myself) to be observant of our own attitudes as we try and extend grace to those who we dont feel deserve it, and allow God to use it for their growth, instead of trying to kill” them with our kindness.

Written by: Brianna Vanderveen
Edited by: Brigit Edwards

Tuesday, November 10, 2015

Proverbs-Part 5


Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise! Proverbs 6:6

Our challenge from the book of Proverbs for Sunday, November 9 was to be diligent in our discipline as demonstrated in the example of the ant.

I did a search on “ant facts” and discovered some fascinating tidbits. Of course we all know that ants are capable of carrying objects 50 times their own body weight. But did you know that ants sometimes herd or tend to other insect species – like shepherds with sheep? (I visualized that and it was very cute – a little cartoon ant with a shepherd’s crook, rounding up little groups of big-eyed cartoon aphids…anyway…)

Also, ants follow scent trails laid by scout ants to gather food.  I remember learning this firsthand as a very young child sitting on the front stoop of my home with my dad. We watched a trail of ants carrying pieces of food into a nearby anthill.

“Watch this,” my dad said. He crouched down toward the trail and vigorously rubbed his finger on the ground in front of one of the ants marching single file.  The ant stopped and began to wander back and forth frantically for about 30 seconds. The other ants stopped dead in their tracks as well. Finally, the first ant picked up the scent again and forged a new path for his followers. And they all went marching down…to the ground…to get out of the rain…BOOM…BOOM….BOOM! (Sorry. I couldn’t resist).

As we heard the message Sunday on how diligence is a remarkable trait obtained by doing unremarkable things, I remembered this scene from my childhood. The long trail of ants was unremarkable.  But what struck me as remarkable was how diligently that ant searched to get back onto the right path again. Even more remarkable than that was the way his momentary wanderings affected those who were traveling the path with him.

Marching along in the difficulty and sometimes mundaneness of our Christian walk can be hard. Sometimes it’s not super fun. And sometimes, we wander off the path. It feels unremarkable and lonely. We forget that there are people who love, support and look to us along the journey as well. 

My diligence has an effect on those around me. I hope I never forget that.  So does yours. If you’ve struggled with that, or wandered off the path, just know today that there’s a trail of believers in front of and behind you cheering you on to your destination.

So, remember that ant! Consider its ways and be wise!

Written by: Jaime Hlavin
Edited by: Jenelle Kelly

Wednesday, November 4, 2015

Proverbs- Part 4



For the longest time, I wished I’d had a personal testimony filled with more drama and action. After all, those stories are ones you tend to remember most in church: the lost soul who was instantly delivered from addiction, or healed from a long illness, or found God after a near-death experience. Those are uplifting stories, and we all need to hear them, but I’m one of those countless Christians whose walk with God is more like a series of incremental gains.

There’s nothing wrong with this, but I’ve had to remind myself that God uses people with my story just as often and effectively as he uses people with striking testimonies. The personal growth that takes a long time also testifies to God’s enduring faithfulness, and the writer of Proverbs seems to want us all to know the Lord in this way.

The “slow and steady” message this Sunday resonates with me for that reason, and a lot of verses tread over this ground.  For example, in Proverbs 21:20 it states that “A wise man builds up treasures, while a fool devours his gains at once.” Furthermore, Proverbs 13:11 asserts that “dishonest money dissipates but he who stores up wealth little by little sees it grow.” Whether it’s building up treasures on Earth or in Heaven, growing your character, or removing sin and falsehood from your life, there is nothing prosaic or faithless about winning small, gradual victories.

Early in my marriage I used to get in trouble often with my wife for not noticing when I could help or when she needed me. I’d carry bags from the car to our apartment, and not notice she had more than she could carry and needed a hand. Or, I’d track dirt on a floor she had just cleaned, or forget an errand she needed me to run.  Most newlyweds have adjustments like that to make, but it occurred to me that I’ve always operated under a flawed paradigm: I’ll take care of me, I don’t expect anyone to help me, and I don’t understand why anyone else has the gall to expect my help or be angry when they don’t get it. Self-reliance is a virtue, but imperceptiveness only deprives you of the chance to show Christ’s character. 

I don’t think Paula ever found it easy to believe I would change until one day we were having an argument in the grocery store, and I noticed a short and stooped woman behind her, trying desperately to reach a medication on the top aisle shelf with her walking cane.  It looked like her efforts were going to get messy, and one of my very few useful traits is being tall, so I asked Paula to hold that thought while I went and helped her. The lady smiled and thanked me, but Paula was nearly overcome at the sight. Here at least was evidence that I was growing, just by looking around.

I haven’t beaten this old way of thinking completely, but in the years since I know I’ve stopped to help motorists with trouble, given people rides, fetched food or water for a colleague suffering over-exertion at work, and more.  These aren’t monumental feats of goodness, no one is going to remember them much beyond the next day, and they certainly won’t fill stadiums on evangelism crusades. But little by little I become a better person than I used to be, because God is faithful to honor the years-ago prayers that Paula made for me, or I made for myself, to ask His help to change.


Maybe bigger feats are in store, I’d like to think so, but at any rate God’s faithfulness has suffered with me and built me over a long time. And it seems to me He likes to do that with all of us ordinary Christians – or he wouldn't have turned a whole book of the Bible into the little guy's training manual.

Written by: Chad Halcom
Edited by: Tamara Sturdivant

Wednesday, October 28, 2015

Proverbs- Part 3



On Sunday, Pastor Aaron began his sermon with the question, “If you were going to start out a prayer asking for two things, what would they be?” As I have let this question sink in throughout the week, it has caused me to re-evaluate my perspective. Would my request be selfish? Would I ask for something fleeting? Would my request bring glory to God, or to myself? Whatever my, or anyone else’s response to this question may be, the answer is very telling of where one’s priorities fall.

In Proverbs 30:7-9, Agur (the writer of this chapter) offers a great example of what our prayer should look like in regard to this question. Instead of asking for blessings, protection, or favor, Agur does something surprising. Agur asks the Lord to “keep falsehood far from him” and to “give him neither poverty nor riches.” Initially reading this one may wonder, “Why would Agur ask God to prevent him from becoming rich? That’s crazy!” One may also question, “Of all things, why did Agur first ask the Lord to keep him away from falsehood?” It is clear that Agur had a specific intention behind these requests. While he may have liked to have had a different request granted by God, he saw something of greater importance at stake. Agur recognized the fact that he had shortcomings interwoven throughout his character, and he wanted to eliminate the temptations that would cause him to stumble.

Agur demonstrated an important lesson in this Proverb that I find to be incredibly useful today. Not only was Agur aware of his areas of weakness, but he was willing to take sacrificial action to prevent him from experiencing temptation. 

What are some areas that you find yourself being tempted? Have you asked God to help you set healthy boundaries in these areas? Maybe you need to end some friendships that are toxic and degrading to your character. Maybe you need to let go of some of your work hours to shift your focus away from financial gain, and towards God. Maybe you need to let go of a habit that is trapping you from moving forward in your relationship with God. Whatever the case may be, I challenge you to analyze your heart this week. What are the holes in your character? Where do your priorities fall?


This week, let’s begin the journey of addressing the holes in our character. Let’s be proactive rather than reactive to our temptations. Rather than claiming ourselves victim, let us pray and ask God to give us separation from the things that tempt us. 

Written by: Tamara Sturdivant

Wednesday, October 21, 2015

Proverbs- Part 2



As a whole, my generation hates correction. Now, I'm sure this has been the case at one point for nearly every generation, since it has likely been the case for every person at one point or another. However, my generation has practically rebuilt our lives on this idea. We hate correction so much so that we've abolished truth altogether and figured out how to claim that it simply does not exist. Instead, we prefer to free fall in this deconstructed idealism of ambiguous morality and therefore strip any right of one person to question another, much less suggest something different than what we are doing.

Anyone who is not a millennial and currently reading this is likely having a small party right now. A millennial admitted one of the many stereotypes that exist against them to be true! They really are terrible!  

Yes, it is true that my generation has rejected the idea of truth, and refuses anyone to be "right" or "wrong"-but we are not the only victims of this philosophy. Across cultures, gender, and yes, even age, everyone around us has bought into it. 

The generations before us are now echoing back the post a modernistic concept of no truth and no reality that we adopted and embraced into mainstream culture for the sake of sparing the world of discipline and correction. It is in our classrooms, in our media, everywhere.


Sure, this might sound like a perfect world, where nothing can be wrong. However, when we rebuke correction and discipline, we devalue the power of the gospel itself. 
If we, as Christians, choose to endorse the notion that we cannot be corrected because what is "true for me" may not be "true for you" we discredit Scripture for being an alive, breathing Word of God that truly has the power to change lives.

Not only does the refusal of correction devalue Gods Word, but it ultimately prevents our growth as Christians, and as people. To try and build our character on a constantly shifting, ambiguous moral ground that is forever effected by the tide of culture is the equivalent of building one’s house on shifting sand. Where there is little to stand on, there is little to uphold us and our conviction. But when we receive and embrace correction in a loving, constructive context, we build our houses upon the Rock. The rock that is truth, the rock that is love, the rock that is Christ.

This week, I challenge you (myself certainly included) to examine your attitudes on correction. Are you willing to sacrifice a moment's pride to enrich your life and build your identity in Christ, or are you tempted by the illusive, indefinable ideals that the world sells you?

Written by: Bri Vanderveen
Edited by: Tamara Sturdivant


Wednesday, October 14, 2015

Proverbs-Part 1

On Sunday, we kicked off a series on the book of Proverbs. We talked about how it can be easy to brush this book off as a bunch of antiquated quips from an ancient agrarian society. But the truth of the matter is that the book of Proverbs is full of wisdom for us today. Sometimes we just need to take a few extra moments to meditate on the words, ideas and the hard-hitting, life-changing truth found therein.
Our challenge is to read one chapter of Proverbs each day corresponding with the day of the month. For example, we began on Monday, October 12 so the assignment was to read Proverbs 12. After you’ve read the chapter, pull out one verse that speaks to you and really analyze it and apply it to your life.
Aaron and I are doing this individually in our personal devotional time.  Proverbs 12 really convicted and challenged me in a few areas.  (Ahem…Proverbs 12:16. As one who is easily annoyed and impatient, that one hurt.)
We’ve also decided to, together as a family, read the corresponding chapter in the evenings. It’s been a time of reflection, honesty and encouragement for all of us. Aaron and I have been impressed with the insight and teachability of our children. We’ve been humble and contrite with them in the areas that we are being challenged as well. (Don’t get me wrong – I am not claiming that my kids are theological prodigies. You may have seen my social media post regarding the Proverb that my 7 year old “wrote”: If you don’t do what’s right, you’ll be eaten by the Kraken. But weird sea creature folklore aside, this is a great opportunity for my girls to begin to read and interpret scripture alongside of us.)
As you take this Proverbs Challenge over the next weeks, I would encourage you to customize it for yourself so that you can allow the scripture to impact you deeply. That may look different for each person. Many are posting their verse on social media. Maybe journaling about your verse will be most beneficial for you. Or perhaps writing it on a notecard or sticky note and placing it somewhere you’ll see it throughout the day works for you.
For those with artistic hearts, maybe putting the words to music will deepen the meaning of the words. I’ve seen people superimposing the words over a nature photo. Paint or draw the words in a way that speaks to you (I’ve seen my daughter do this with scripture).
Or talk about it around the dinner table or with a group of friends.

But whatever you do, please, take this challenge to heart. I pray that each of us would allow the wisdom of the Proverbs to drive deep into our hearts and change us.   
Written by: Jaime Hlavin
Edited by: Jenelle Kelly

Wednesday, October 7, 2015

Spiritual Warfare- Part 5

A few months ago at work, I was unexpectedly overcome after spotting a newswire story that the actor Dick Van Patten had died. I don’t just mean a sentimental twinge – I lost my composure in the newsroom, which is one of those open and collaborative spaces that management consultants rave about and workers often don’t. So I had to duck into a bathroom stall for several minutes until I could dry my eyes and get it together. It was disconcerting, to feel so stung by the loss of a man I’d never met and hadn’t even seen on TV for close to 30 years. But Van Patten and the whole fictional Bradford clan of “Eight Is Enough” were part of my childhood after my own father was gone, and are part of a larger dysfunction I hadn’t addressed as an adult.


I had no friends as a small child. My mother, adrift after a divorce that wasn’t amicable, changed jobs and towns frequently. So I was one of the first kids dropped off at day care in the morning, bused to school and back, and usually the last picked up to go home after dark. For the evening hours, while my mother divided her attention between my toddler brother and scraping dinner from a can, I was relegated to prime time TV. And I had crowdsourced my parenting, without realizing it, to several fictional TV dads. The first was probably Bradford, since the divorce came early in that series run. Others followed, as I discovered Howard Cunningham, Mike Brady, John Walton, and later Tony Micelli or Heathcliff Huxtable (by then my mother had remarried, but the pattern was ingrained). I absorbed every helpful talk those men gave their fictional kids in Brooklyn, Sacramento, or wherever, because I was convinced they were the same lessons other boys and girls on my block were getting from real human fathers, and I didn’t want to fall behind on growing up.

In the “Wild at Heart” series at men’s ministry we discussed “The Wound” men carry that affects their personalities and relationships with God; in most instances for me, this was the absence of an earthly father. It still manifests unexpectedly, like the Van Patten obituary incident, and we need a strategy to deal with our wound. In the message we studied the Good Samaritan, of Luke 10:25-37, as a model in coping with wounds. I’m used to thinking of that parable in terms of godly compassion, but it never occurred to me the robbery victim might be modeling something as well.  Sometimes you have to take yourself out of the game, or battle, and go on a disabled player list a while. Own that you are wounded, and allow yourself a chance to heal. It’s also important to make that only temporary, and to resolve to return to the fight.

In my prayer life I’ve become a warrior against loneliness. God often births ministry out of our own pain, and I try to spot isolation of others in the church and the world. I say “warrior” because I’m convinced chronic loneliness is an enemy, even a handicap, that causes people to be underdeveloped and dissociative and ineffective at coping with others’ needs. So I do what I can, just to try and get back in that battle. The end note of the message resonated for me, where after our wounds are tended we must get up and go and, maybe more importantly, to tell others we’re on our way back. Good rallying cry.

I doubt I’ve been derailed for the last time. There are other land mines that we stumble upon here and there, or leftover shrapnel from our wound that aches when we bend a certain way. After all, there are still a few more TV dads out there (really, I don’t know what children of divorce do today without so many nuclear families on TV – they must go deep into basic cable networks for their therapy). But I resolve to heal, and make that determination to cope and to minister with God’s help. We’ll see how it goes – after all, this isn’t over.

I’m on my way back, people.

Written by: Chad Halcom
Edited by: De Ann Sturdivant

Wednesday, September 23, 2015

Spiritual Warfare-Part 3

14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Ephesians 6:14-18

The “Spiritual Armor” of God is something I have been familiar with for many years. I learned about the “Belt of Truth, Breastplate of Righteousness, Shoes of Peace, Helmet of Salvation, Shield of Faith, and Sword of the Spirit” in Sunday school years ago watching the infamous Bible Man. If youre not familiar…please enjoy this picture of Bible Man dressed in the “full armor of God.”


While this Christian video series was incredibly cheesy, it actually had a pretty important point. “Bible Man” never went to battle without his suit of armor, and we should not do so either. In Ephesians, Paul encourages the Church to be protected and prepared for any challenge that could potentially tear them down. He wanted the people of Ephesus to realize that being ready to fight temptation and turmoil, and avoiding situations that are potentially harmful, could make the difference between sinking and staying afloat.

In the same sense, we should go through life with these principles. So often, we like to claim ourselves as victims of fear, lies, temptation, stress, or immorality. However, we need to remember that we are in complete control of how we respond to situations. Often times, we even control the situations we encounter based on the decisions we make and the people in which we surround ourselves.

Instead of being reactive, we need to be prepared for spiritual battle. To recap, there are seven main elements to our “spiritual armor” that can protect us in these testing times:

The Belt of Truth:
To be spiritually equipped, we need to constantly study The Word. Doing so, we will be more capable to define truth and hold on to it when lies and deception try to slither their way into our lives.

Breastplate of Righteousness:
Living a life that is upright and in line with Gods Word will help us to avoid situations that could be detrimental. Furthermore, having pre-determined standards will improve our ability to resist temptation.

Shoes of Peace:
Shoes are the protective covering that provide us with stability and balance. In the same sense, declaring Gods peace over our livesprotect us from falling “victim” to insecurity, self-pity, and fear. While the struggles we face may still be difficult, Gods peace that passes all understanding (Philippians 4:7) can prevent us from falling apart in these troublesome times.

Shield of Faith:
Hebrews 11:1 tells us that faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of the things we do not see. In other words, to have faith in God is to trust that He will take care of us even when we dont know what may come our way. When our faith is strongly rooted in the Lord, the Bible tells us that the “flaming arrows,” or attacks of the enemy, are extinguished.

Helmet of Salvation:
What if we were to go through life constantly remembering all that God did to save us from eternal turmoil? When we keep our minds set on God and who He is, we are less problem-focused and more in tune with Gods power and presence in every situation.

Sword of Spirit:
This is the Word of God. When we study the Bible, we are able to use it as a strong and powerful weapon. It can shut down lies of the enemy, and it can encourage and direct us through the battles we face.

Prayer:
Prayer is the powerful force that should be interwoven throughout our spiritual armor. When we are constantly in prayer, we are continuously aware and on guard for all that is going on in the spiritual realm.


Freedom Christian, I encourage you to put on your spiritual armor. Lets stop claiming ourselves as victims of the enemy, and believe that our God is greater than our struggles. Lets fight against temptation, fear, stress, self-pity, lies, and other attacks of the enemy. Let us remember that OUR GOD has already won the battle! 

Written by: Tamara Sturdivant 
Edited by: Brigit Edwards

Wednesday, September 16, 2015

Spiritual Warfare-Part 2

Sometimes the concept of Spiritual Warfare is big, scary and weird – especially if you were immersed in Christian culture in the 80’s.

When I was a very young teenager I discovered Frank Peretti and his books This Present Darkness and Piercing the Darkness.

These creatively woven tales involved the battle that waged behind the veil. Angels and demons warred for the souls of the unseeing humans in the story.

And those angels and demons were totally gnarly. Yeah. I said "totally gnarly." Because they were. Totally. Gnarly.

If guardian angels existed, I wanted mine to be like Krioni. Or Scion. Or Signa. Or Triskal. Any one of those angels from the books would have been good as far as protecting me from unseen oncoming cars and unbearable temptation.

As Christians, we know that “our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms,” (Ephesians 6:12 NIV). And that can sometimes feel weird and a little bit like a crazy Sci-Fi movie.

What I love about this sermon series is that it demystifies Spiritual Warfare and we walk away with very practical ways to engage in the battle.

This past Sunday, we talked about two more enemies: Our Flesh and The World. We talked about how we can overcome these things. If you were unable to be at church on Sunday, be sure to catch the podcast because I won’t be able to recap the entire message here.

My favorite point regarding dealing with Our Flesh was, “Refuse to Give In.” It was so simple yet so profound. Often we find ourselves at the point of temptation and the draw is so strong that we feel that we must give in.

The reason for this is that we haven’t predetermined how we will respond in those moments. We haven’t safeguarded our lives to know what our response is going to be before the temptation comes. For example, we may think to ourselves regarding the “big things”, “Well, of course I’ve predetermined that I won’t be unfaithful to my spouse.”

But we forget about the “little” temptations along the way that erode that path. Predetermine that you won’t watch or read things that allow your imagination to be stirred in unhealthy ways. Predetermine that you won’t be involved in conversations with the opposite sex that allow a level of intimacy that should only be shared with your spouse (i.e. don’t talk about your spouse negatively or share marriage struggles.) Even be careful about saying things like, “My husband thinks we should handle our kids in this particular way. I think he’s being too harsh. I just wanted to get a man’s outside perspective on this. What do you think?” As innocent as that may sound, that’s subtle erosion.

While I realize that adultery is a pretty “big” example, this common sense approach can be applied to all of the areas of Our Flesh that we battle against.

Lies. Gossip. Profane talk. Lashing out in anger.

Will this conversation or action that I’m participating in cause me to be tempted to lie about it later? (yikes!)

Is the story I’m about to tell one that I could comfortably tell in the presence of the person it’s about? (ouch!)

The list and examples could go on and on, but I think you see the point:

Refuse to give in by setting up safeguards against the “little” areas before the “big” temptations come. Because, make no mistake, they will. It’s our job to do everything we can to stand against temptation.



“Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.” Ephesians 6:13

Written by: Jaime Hlavin
Edited by: Tamara Sturdivant

Wednesday, September 9, 2015

Spiritual Warfare-Part 1




The truth is not a democracy. It has never been a numbers game, and it makes little difference if most people in your community stand for it or against it, whether they proclaim it openly or passionately resist it, or whether it carries in the next election cycle. For that matter, the fact you made the choice to believe in the truth is a wonderful thing, but that never made it any more or less true.

It’s easy for us as Americans to lose sight of this principle. Most of the wars we fight, the products we make, and the divisive political issues of our day are decided at a level of scale, and we tend to tackle evil the same way.  But the fact is, lost souls have outnumbered found ones every single day since Jesus was here (“narrow is the road that leads to life and only a few ever find it,” Matthew 7:14). That didn’t stop Jesus from finding you, and it won’t stop him from finding the next lost soul either.

Pastor Aaron pointed out that we aren’t fighting people, and we shouldn’t spend time attacking people – our spiritual warfare is against Satan. Deceived people are, at best, cannon fodder in his war campaign, and he has made himself the adversary of God and deceiver of his people. But God gives us the tools as Christians to turn back his attacks, if we use them properly.

Pastor Aaron also reminded us of the warning in Ephesians 6-13 that we are not to wrestle with flesh and blood, but dark rulers of the present age. We must be prepared to fight, and we must fight to win, not only to survive. And the stakes have never been higher. We aren’t to be strong in our own might, but in his.

 Finally, Pastor Aaron notes that the devil’s primary plan is to blind us to the gospel truth. Paul touches on this theme and reveals that the easiest remedy is found in turning our attention to God’s word. “By setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience in the sight of God. And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel… .” (2 Corinthians 4:2-3 NIV).


I find that a comforting idea, to think you can unwind so much deception and blindness in yourself, and in the world, by studying and sharing Biblical truth. It’s an easy task, and more importantly, it is often a solitary one. This truth is never a function of the size of the body of its believers, or its resources, or its opposition. Those things can be obstacles, because they divert your attention. You only need to give truth a little alone time, with an open heart.

Written by: Chad Halcom
Edited by: Jenelle Kelly 

Wednesday, September 2, 2015

Lessons from the Storm




Have you ever felt as though you are sinking in a whirlwind of troubles that surround you? Or perhaps you have had times when you were being obedient to God, yet your world somehow seemed to be falling apart. The story of Matthew 14:22-33 offers great insight into facing these storms, even when it seems impossible.

Although many of us are familiar with this story, Peter’s action provides a visualization that we cannot dismiss.  As it is told, the disciples headed out to sea as Jesus told them to do, and they were faced with a terrifying storm. After much struggle, Jesus came to them by walking on water. While the others thought Jesus may have been a ghost, Peter found himself challenging Jesus to call him out on the water! The story goes on to say that Peter too, walked on water. When he diverted his eyes back to the waves of the storm, however, he began to sink.

This story creates a direct parallel to a relationship with Christ. The truth is, we all have storms in life. The thing that makes the difference in the storm is that when our eyes, our thoughts, and our trust are fixated on the Lord, He will carry us through it.

Pastor John Opalewski provided us with 3 helpful takeaways from this story:     
      
1.       Life can change quickly.

The disciples didn’t know that the storm was coming, but they needed to be prepared to fight through it. Likewise, we need to be ready to face difficult times. Hardships are inevitable. However, building a solid foundation of trust in Christ can keep us firmly rooted on solid ground.

2.       Fear is understandable.

The disciples’ lives were likely at stake as they battled through the waves. Dealing with hard times can be scary. When we remember just who God is, however, our struggles can begin to seem less scary. Consider the passage shared on Sunday:

The Lord is my light and my salvation—
    whom shall I fear?The Lord is the stronghold of my life—    of whom shall I be afraid?
    to devour me,
it is my enemies and my foes
    who will stumble and fall.
Though an army besiege me,
    my heart will not fear;
though war break out against me,
    even then I will be confident.

When the wicked advance against me
Psalm 27:1-3

3.       Decisions in the storm can be life-saving (or not).

For Peter, choosing to keep his eyes on Christ was the answer to surviving the storm. However, there may be times where we don’t have a clue about what to do with our struggles. In such times, we must pray for clarity. If necessary, seek counsel. Sometimes, we may just have to ride the storm until the answer or breakthrough comes.

Above all else, we must trust in God, as He will direct us through the storms of life. 

Written by: Tamara Sturdivant
Edited by: De Ann Sturdivant