Week of 12/14/25
Dear Church Family,
At the same time we were meeting Sunday morning to worship Jesus, the attack at Bondi Beach in Sydney Australia was happening. It is very sobering, along with other troubling news from the weekend. In the midst of that, I want to remind you to 'take your thoughts captive' to be obedient to Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5). What does that mean? Any thought that would forget that Jesus entered into suffering in this world, that He is enough to deal with our suffering and sin (and that of all of us), or that He is going to completely and righteously judge all mankind, is false. When we forget Christ and his tremendous work for us and for all mankind we lose sight of the hope he brings and the words and actions that follow end up being self-reliant or half-hearted rather than Christ glorifying.
So even before your mind starts to run on these things - recount the goodness He has shown you and others in specific ways (salvation, healing, the testimony of creation, a need being met, etc.) and let it lead you to speak and act in ways that show that He is 'the light of the world', which 'shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it.'
Testify to His goodness and in his strength surrender your life in following Him and making Him known! As you look to Jesus and obey Him the fruit of the Spirit will come out in your life.
Galatians 5:22 “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. 24 And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit.”
Home Enjoyment
Do you feel like a joyful person? Can you become more joyful simply by willing yourself to be so? How can seeing yourself as part of God’s story increase your joy?
Consider these two examples of Jesus’ teaching. 1) Luke 9:23 Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. 2) Matthew 16:25 For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for Me will find it. How might trying to “save my life” actually diminish my joy?
If you are interested in hearing more about how Jesus meets and offers us joy in the midst of suffering I would encourage you to go and listen to this John Piper message entitled, “Is Joy in Jesus a Christian Obligation?"
Potlunch Christmas Brunch this coming Sunday 9am followed by 10:15 service!
Looking forward to worshipping Jesus together!
In His Love,
Pastor Phillip
At the same time we were meeting Sunday morning to worship Jesus, the attack at Bondi Beach in Sydney Australia was happening. It is very sobering, along with other troubling news from the weekend. In the midst of that, I want to remind you to 'take your thoughts captive' to be obedient to Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5). What does that mean? Any thought that would forget that Jesus entered into suffering in this world, that He is enough to deal with our suffering and sin (and that of all of us), or that He is going to completely and righteously judge all mankind, is false. When we forget Christ and his tremendous work for us and for all mankind we lose sight of the hope he brings and the words and actions that follow end up being self-reliant or half-hearted rather than Christ glorifying.
So even before your mind starts to run on these things - recount the goodness He has shown you and others in specific ways (salvation, healing, the testimony of creation, a need being met, etc.) and let it lead you to speak and act in ways that show that He is 'the light of the world', which 'shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it.'
Testify to His goodness and in his strength surrender your life in following Him and making Him known! As you look to Jesus and obey Him the fruit of the Spirit will come out in your life.
Galatians 5:22 “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. 24 And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit.”
Home Enjoyment
Do you feel like a joyful person? Can you become more joyful simply by willing yourself to be so? How can seeing yourself as part of God’s story increase your joy?
Consider these two examples of Jesus’ teaching. 1) Luke 9:23 Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. 2) Matthew 16:25 For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for Me will find it. How might trying to “save my life” actually diminish my joy?
If you are interested in hearing more about how Jesus meets and offers us joy in the midst of suffering I would encourage you to go and listen to this John Piper message entitled, “Is Joy in Jesus a Christian Obligation?"
Potlunch Christmas Brunch this coming Sunday 9am followed by 10:15 service!
Looking forward to worshipping Jesus together!
In His Love,
Pastor Phillip
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