What are you praying for in 2020?

If you’re into new year resolutions, you’ve probably made yours by now.  You’ve set your goals for a level of activity or a target for where you’ll tip the scale.  You’ve resolved to learn a new hobby or break an old habit. It’s great to have a goal that keeps us moving forward toward something positive.  At the same time, we need to recognize that 2020 isn’t ours to make happen. The most important things, the most life-changing things that happen this year are probably not the things you can generate or prevent.

This leads to another question: What are you praying for in 2020?  What are you asking God to do in your life, your family, your career?  In addition to my personal goals, there are things that only God can do.  So in addition to my resolutions, I will be asking God for some specific things this year.  Among them are two new LifeGroups, the parole of a prisoner I’ve visited and written, and that our church would grow in prayer.  What about you? What are you praying for in 2020? It may be that the things you pray for will end up being much more important than the resolutions you’ve made.

The Candle of Love

Yesterday we began our service by lighting the fourth candle of Advent - the candle of love.  Love is the most written about, sung about, talked about thing in the world. The word itself could refer to hundreds of different realities, feelings, or actions.  Even the Bible talks about love from several different perspectives. One biblical angle that has struck me recently is from 1 John 4: 18: “There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.”  

I think what John is saying is that when we live in God’s love, there is really nothing to be afraid of.  If you are fired from your job, you don’t have to be afraid of losing your job anymore. If you’ve died to yourself and Christ lives in you, you don’t have to be afraid of dying anymore.  When you’ve got all the love you need in Christ, you don’t have to fear losing it in your relationships with others. It’s hard for us to understand how perfectly and completely Jesus loves us.  It is not just a love that we hold. It is a love that holds us, body and soul, in life and in death. The more we understand that love, the less afraid we become.

The Candle of Joy

Yesterday we lit the third candle of Advent - the candle of joy.  Joy is a word that gets thrown around a lot. Yet I think we miss the great weight of this word.  We easily mistake joy for happiness. If we feel happy or are excited about something, we call it joy.  If there are some things happening that feel positive to us, we call our response joy. But what we are really talking about is happiness.  Happiness rests on the circumstances and situations in our lives. Joy is anchored in something much deeper and much more solid.

It might help to think of this as two tracks that our lives run on.  The first track runs according to what happens to us. It is made up of our health, the state of our marriage, the grades on our finals, and the speeding ticket we got.  But the second track is not so much what happens to us, but rather what is true of us. This track is about who we are and to whom we belong. Joy is based on this second track.  So while our circumstances will change, sometimes dramatically, our God and our identity do not. Happiness is fleeting. Joy is permanent. Happiness changes with the circumstances of our lives.  Joy runs straight and true right through those circumstances. Joy is based on a Son who was born to us, a Son who died for us, a Son to whom we belong.

The Candle of Peace

Sometimes a word gets watered down to the point of losing its meaning.  I think the word “peace” is a classic example of this. Maybe it got co-opted by the flower children in the 1960s.  Maybe Ryan Seacrest stripped it of meaning by ending American Idol with “Peace out.”  This word has come to mean something pretty ordinary.  It means, “I hope things go well for you.” It means, “Our countries aren’t shooting at each other right now.”  This is the peace that we’ve settled for: a decent set of personal circumstances or the absence of active combat.

But when the Bible talks about peace it means something totally different.  On a personal level, it is a rock solid assurance that nothing can ever change the most important things in our lives.  On a broader scale it refers to something greater than a cease-fire. It speaks of nations working together in trust and friendship and respect.  This kind of peace is very rare. This is a peace only Jesus can bring. As we light the candle of peace, consider what a precious commodity peace is.  Remember that it has a single source: the baby that was born on Christmas.

The Candle of Hope

It’s been a busy week!  We gave thanks Wednesday night in church and on Thursday with our families.  If you get into the Black Friday thing, you were up early on Friday for that.  After all of those festivities we began the Advent season on Sunday by lighting the candle of hope.  Hope is a powerful thing. Hope will drive people to cross oceans to unknown worlds. Hope will pick a person back up after being knocked down for the hundredth time.  Because of hope, people will put themselves and their bodies through excruciating pain. Hope sees past current struggles to a glorious day that lies in the future.

As we light this first candle of hope, we are connecting with God’s Old Testament people who longed for the coming of the Messiah.  We connect with those who were in exile, away from their homeland. We connect with those longing for redemption, for a change of fortunes.  As we light this candle, let’s call to mind all that we deeply long for. Let’s remember that we now have what so many hoped for. A day is coming for us when every longing will be met, a day when we will finally be home.

Advent Fasting

It’s a longstanding Christian tradition to give up something during the season of Lent.  It might be meat on Fridays. It could be TV or other forms of entertainment. The options are endless.  Christians who choose to fast during Lent are making an effort to prepare themselves for a celebration of the resurrection.  For most of Christian history Advent was to Christmas what Lent is to Easter. Advent has traditionally also been a season of preparation.  People would fast in order to focus on the wonder of the incarnation. In recent years this Advent emphasis has been lost in a festive season that begins on November 1.

I’ve decided that this year I am going to fast during Advent.  I would encourage you to consider this as well. With all the things that tug at our attention during this season, with all the distractions of the holidays, an intentional fast can help us refocus on what’s really important.  I have decided that I am going to fast from the news. I’m not making that a recommendation, but rather an example of one way to fast. What can you remove from (or add to) your life this Advent that will help you stay focused on The Reason?

An Unlikely Choice

Acts 9:1-19

Saul of Tarsus. This highly educated man thought that Christianity was both wrong and deceptive. He was still waiting for the expected Messiah. So, in persecuting Christians, Saul thought he was serving God. While Saul was in the throes of his persecution, Jesus appeared to Saul and told him to stop persecuting Him. 

It’s here that Saul asks the right questions. He asks, “Who are You, Lord?” and “Lord, what do You want me to do?” Saul responded with two of the most important questions anyone can (and must) ask. 

“Who are You, Lord?” We must ask this question with a humble heart and ask it to God. Jesus showed us exactly who God is, and He can answer this question. 

“What do You want me to do?” Few dare to really ask God this question, but when we ask it, we must ask it with submission and determined obedience. 

When Saul is confronted by Jesus, he is obedient. He believes. He changes. He chose to leave his life of persecution and follow Jesus. 

Saul is an unlikely choice. If God were to choose anyone to share His message of love and hope, no one would expect that it would be Saul - the man who persecuted Christians. The man who wanted nothing to do with Jesus. 

This should give us hope for people who are far from God. Saul was as far away from following Jesus as anyone could be. Yet, God chose him. In our limited view, we sometimes dismiss people from being used by God. We think that they are so far from Him that there’s no way God could use them. The conversion of Saul reminds us of God’s ways being higher than ours. 

Saul’s transformation is remarkable and radical. Why should we not expect God to do big things in lives today?

Lessons from Israel: People

As you think about the most exciting and significant moments in your life, you will no doubt remember the places they happened.  You will picture the scenes, the landscape, and the things you learned and enjoyed. This was so true of our time in Israel. I will never forget looking out over the Sea of Galilee from the top of Mt. Arbel.  I will always remember the view from Masada and standing on the mountainside where Jesus delivered the Sermon on the Mount. To walk where Jesus walked will shape me for the rest of my life.

But this amazing experience was steeply augmented by the people who accompanied me on this trip.  My family, first and foremost, will stand out as I share these memories with them. Our leaders, Dan and Evan, will continue to impact me through their powerful and insightful teaching.  But all the people on this pilgrimage - the Kuyper College students and other adults - have made this amazing journey all the sweeter. Jesus’ life and ministry was always about people. He came to redeem all of creation, but especially people.  I will hold my fellow travelers in my heart as firmly as the sights and sounds. And to all my friends at FCC, thank you for making this possible. You were there as well - in my heart!

Lessons from Israel: Bethlehem

This photo was taken deep inside the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem.  It is traditionally the exact spot where Jesus came into this world. At the time, there was no ornate candle holders, expensive cloth, or marble floor.  On the day we visited this site there were long lines and crowds of people. People from all over the world had come to see the place where Jesus was born.  

There’s no debate that the incarnation was among the most powerful event in history.  The union of divinity and humanity is of greatest importance for us and our salvation.  But I fear it is far too easy to celebrate this event, and far too difficult to embrace its power.  A person can make a pilgrimage to this site and imagine that holy moment. A person can trim a Christmas tree and buy gifts for loved ones.  But a life that embraces the power of the incarnation is a deeper level of commitment. Jesus is looking for followers, not just celebrants. He requests a commitment to his kingdom, not just to the event that announced its coming.

Lessons from Israel: Herodian

Herod the Great was an extremely paranoid man.  He is famous for the elaborate and extensive building projects that he initiated.  But most of those building programs were born out of his paranoia. Masada, the great fortress near the Dead Sea, was created as a buttress against the threat of revolt.  Another place of escape was called Herodian. This was a mountain that Herod created. Yes, he built a mountain! Inside were all the luxuries of a four-star hotel. Herod would be protected in style.  From this lofty perch, Herod could see any enemies advancing against him. Yet under his nose, in plain view from Herodian, the King of the universe was born a few miles away in Bethlehem.

Governments and leaders and earthly regimes cannot interfere with God’s plans.  In fact, more often than not, they unwittingly cooperate with God’s purposes. As I look out at our nation and see the current political turmoil, I find great consolation here: the Messiah was born into a world whose rulers wanted him dead.  As I look out at our world and see wars, threats, and unrest, I am filled with hope by this: every effort to kill Jesus and his movement resulted in the spread of salvation and the Gospel. Therefore, I will choose hope and faith in the midst of frightening current events.  God’s plan has yet to be thwarted by human will or ambition.

Lessons from Israel: Bethesda

There was a pool on the outskirts of Jerusalem that was said to have healing powers.  A sick or disabled person could find healing if they were able to slip into the pool when there was a disturbance in the water.  One man had been sitting beside this pool for years, hoping to get into the waters at just the right time and cure his inability to walk.  It was like buying a lottery ticket every day and hoping eventually your numbers would come up. After years without success, Jesus happens by and asks this man, “Do you want to get well?”  It seemed like a silly question. Of course he did. He just needed someone to help him into the pool at the right time. Rather than wait for that right time, Jesus simply heals him on the spot.

Healing comes from God.  Whether it happens through prayer and the laying on of hands or a doctor’s skill or a pool on the outskirts of town, God is the one who heals.  This story also reminds us that healing is on God’s timetable, not ours. I can’t tell you why God let this man wait years before giving him the use of his legs.  But I can tell you that it was perfect. I can tell you that God achieved everything he wanted to achieve through the manner and timing of this healing. You may be waiting for healing in your life.  In the face of that wait, it is easy to grow discouraged. Let faith remind you of this: your healing will be perfect. It will come at a time and in a way that will accomplish more in your life and in the world than you can even imagine.

Lessons from Israel: The Western Wall

One of the most famous sites in Jerusalem is the Western Wall.  It is the last remnant of Herod’s temple that Jewish people have access to.  The rest of the temple mount is under Muslim control and is off limits to Jews.  So Jewish people from around the world gather at the Western Wall to pray. It is the most sacred place in the world for adherents to Judaism.

Israel and Palestine is often called “The Holy Land.”  I get that. It is remarkable and sometimes overwhelming to realize that Jesus and Paul and the patriarchs walked in these very places.  But the truth is that the place you are sitting right now is no less holy that any site in Israel. Jesus had a conversation about this with a Samaritan woman.  In John 4, he says, “true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks.” As followers of Jesus, God lives in us.  He is not confined to a region or a place. He is just as powerfully in your home, school, or workplace as he is in Jerusalem or by the Sea of Galilee. It is an amazing experience to walk where Jesus walked.  It’s just as amazing to realize that Jesus is walking with you today right where you are.

Lessons from Israel: Mt. Carmel

Mt. Carmel is a lush, green mountain in central Israel.  Bumper crops grow on its banks. Trees cover it all the way to the summit.  During the time of Elijah, when there had been no rain for three years, it was probably one of the last green places in all of Israel.  Baal was the god of rain and fertility. Baal made crops grow and watered vegetation. The classic showdown in 1 Kings 18 between God and Baal takes place in Baal’s last stronghold.  This was home field advantage for Baal. If you know the story, then you know that God whips Baal in his own house with a decisive victory on Mt. Carmel.

Sometimes I feel like this world isn’t set up for God to be victorious.  It plays by a different set of rules. Our economy is largely based on greed and consumption, which feed each other in an endless cycle.  Power is the greatest acquisition a person can make. Wealth is a close second. The values of God’s kingdom just don’t play in this environment.  But remember Mt. Carmel. This world never stopped belonging to God. Whatever game is played, God controls the board. He can win on the world’s home field.  As the hymn says, “Though the wrong seems oft’ so strong, God is the ruler yet.”

Jesus Is King

Famous rapper and musician Kanye West is releasing a new project called “Jesus Is King.”  I’m not sure what to make of this. Kanye has claimed to be a Christian for several years, this claim being disputed by his lyrics and lifestyle.  His famous wife, Kim Kardashian, claims that he’s really rounding into Christian form and will only write and perform Gospel music going forward. So maybe?  And then I think about the way my life disputes my commitment to Christ. The way I struggle with the same sins, deal with ongoing pride and selfishness. My own brokenness belies my faith.  Perhaps I shouldn’t be so skeptical of Kanye’s faith when my own can be less than ideal.

Then I had another thought: If anyone can change Kanye’s heart (or mine), it’s Jesus.  He did it for Levi, Zaccheus, and Saul. There is no heart too hard for Jesus to change.  Not even Kanye’s. Not even mine. Jesus truly is the King. Therefore, when we give up on someone like Kanye, we’re really giving up on Jesus.  No one is unredeemable. Not when Jesus is King.

Zeal

Samantha Francart

While reading through 1 and 2 Kings this summer, and I noticed a recurring theme: as followers of God grow older, they grow apart from God. We’re not given specific details as to why. It probably wasn’t something that happened overnight. It was most likely a slow decay: a slow fade away from the faithfulness and zeal of their youth. They just seemed to forget God’s goodness and grace. They became complacent.

I love that we at FCC are an intergenerational church. The young members of our church can gain wisdom and insight from the more seasoned members. And those who have attended here for 20+ years can be reminded of the youthful passion of following Jesus by kids and students who are just learning about who He is. Please, take advantage of the gift we have been given. We need each other.

Have you lost your zeal? Are you just going through the motions? Do you feel like you’ve already tasted and seen that God is good and have become complacent in your walk with Him? Maybe you’re here every Sunday, but you don’t feel any closer to God than you did five years ago. That’s not how this walk is supposed to look. I want to challenge you to take an in-depth look at your life. Are you still growing?

After reading through 1 and 2 Kings, the prayer for myself, which I now extend to you, is that God would guard our hearts. That he would remind us of who He is and keep us close to Himself.

Looking for Shalom

Yesterday we began a series called Shalom.  Shalom is more than a Jewish greeting or  cease-fire. It is a state of wholeness and completeness where everything is as it’s supposed to be.  It is every part of God’s creation living in harmony and mutual benefit. Sin vandalized and shattered the full shalom that was originally present in this world.  But it has not destroyed it. Remnants of shalom are all around us. We see them in natural beauty, in reconciliation between two people, in unconditional love, and in art or music that transports us to a place of Yes! - a place where things are how they’re supposed to be.

One of the best ways to embrace hope and joy is to look for the shalom that remains in this world.  The fragments of shalom are all around us. So I challenge you this week to keep your eyes peeled for glimpses of shalom.  Keep your ear to the ground for the sounds of shalom. It may come on the radio or on the drive home. Shalom might happen as you walk around your neighborhood, read a book, or catch up with a friend.  Look for examples of shalom and be sure to share them with someone. Tell a family member or friend. Share it with a co-worker. You don’t have to call it shalom. You can refer to it as “this cool thing that happened.”  Because that’s what shalom is and more. It is a powerful reminder that God is still present and his creation is still good.

Lessons from Israel: Nazareth

One of the more well-known sayings of the Bible is that “a prophet is without honor only in his hometown.”  Jesus actually said this when he visited his hometown of Nazareth after being away for several years. At first he was welcomed back to Nazareth.  Luke 4 tells us that people spoke well of him. But then something happened. Jesus broke their mold. He stopped being Joseph’s nice boy and started being the Messiah.  It was more than they could handle. The picture below is the cliff at the edge of town. Tradition has it that this is the precipice that they tried to throw Jesus off of.

Most of us have been around Jesus for many years.  In some ways, he’s become familiar to us. We know the stories.  We’re used to being with him at church. He’s familiar to us. And sometimes this prevents us from accepting the new things he wants to do in our lives.  We resist the new work that Jesus wants to do within us. But Jesus continues to break molds. If we will receive him as he is, he will live and move among us.  If we embrace him as he comes to us, we will see miracles.

Lessons from Israel: Tel Dan

In the Old Testament, when God led his people into the promised land, each tribe of Israel was given a section of land in which to live.  The tribe of Dan was originally given a section of land that extended from the Mediterranean Sea toward Jerusalem. However, they discovered a better area in the north and moved there instead.  It was a fertile land with plenty of water - everything they needed to thrive. Along the way they also discovered some idols. They appointed a priest to serve them as they worshipped these idols.  The disobedience in this sad story is off the charts. They said “no, thanks” to the land God graciously gave them. Then they said “no, thanks” to the God who offered to bless and protect them.

In our world today discontent drives us.  The entire marketing industry is based on discontent.  We are encouraged to trade up any chance we get. And sometimes God is blessing us through these opportunities.  But other times we are trading away the very thing God wants to bless us with and through. For the tribe of Dan, they gained prosperity in the immediate future.  They found only destruction farther down the road. In a world that pushes us to trade up, sometimes the best deal is the one we currently have. Sometimes, that’s the one that God has given to us, and the place where, in the end, his richest blessings are found.

Lessons from Israel: Caesarea Philippi

One of the most lush and fertile places in all of Palestine is the village of Caesarea Philippi.  Located north of the Sea of Galilee, it is part of the watershed that feeds the Jordan Valley. Water pours out from underground rivers and aquifers.  In a land where water is the most sought after commodity, Caesarea Philippi is a place of abundance. In a society where Ba’al was the god of water and fertility, it was also a capitol for Ba’al worship.  Worshipping this deity involved unmentionable acts of debauchery and sexual immorality. It is interesting and curious that Jesus would take his disciples to this immoral place. Yet in Matthew 16:13-20, in the midst of idolatry and evil, Jesus asks his disciples, “Who do you say that I am?”  Peter famously confesses that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God.

It can be easy enough to make our confession in a church service, a LifeGroup meeting, or with other Christians.  Sometimes God calls us to places where evil and brokenness abound. Sometimes God leads us to places of pain and despair where it seems impossible to see his work or activity.  It is in those places that we can most powerfully confess the lordship of Jesus. He came to be the Lord of everything, not just of church services and Christians. Jesus is Lord in Vegas.  He is Lord in taverns and strip clubs. He is Lord on the streets where junkies and prostitutes live and work. Jesus isn’t afraid of those places. And sometimes he takes us there, shows us the brokenness, and asks us the same question he asked Peter: “Who do you say that I am?”  The next time you encounter despair or immorality or hurt, you can stand with Peter and answer confidently. Jesus is Lord in Caesarea Philippi. He is Lord of all.

Lessons from Israel: Gamla

Our family trip to Israel was a powerful spiritual experience for many reasons.  We walked where Jesus walked. We saw the very places where the events of the Bible took place.  Those events came alive to us in fresh ways. We gained insight into the world to which Jesus announced the kingdom of God.  These are all the ways that I anticipated growing and learning. But one way that I experienced God that surprised me: I was moved by the beautiful scenery in this part of the world.  Israel is an amazingly beautiful part of God’s creation! Just prior to going to Israel, I spent several days on the Appalachian Trail. I thought that trip would be the scenic highlight of my sabbatical.  Sorry, but even Grayson Highlands on the AT can’t hold a candle to the rugged beauty of Israel.

This is a picture of an ancient town called Gamla.  “Gamla” comes from the Hebrew word for camel. You can see the ridge of this town looks like a camel’s hump.  The view from this town in the Golan Heights is breathtaking. It sits between two plateaus with the Sea of Galilee in the distance.  There was a synagogue in Gamla during Jesus’ time. It’s quite likely that Jesus visited this place. However, it is undeniable that God blessed this place with an amazing beauty.  I experienced him here in the beauty of his creation as much as anywhere on our trip.