Truth Archives - Page 2 of 4 - Faith Assembly Grand Detour

Defensiveness and Denial – The Two Issues of Cain

Posted on 02/18/2019 in Devotions, Soul Care, Spiritual Growth | Tags: Grace, Humility, Spiritual Growth, Truth

You can find the story of Cain and Abel, the first two sons of Adam and Eve, in Genesis 4:1 – 24. This is the story of the first sacrificial offering given to God after their parents left the Garden of Eden. It’s made famous by Cain’s dodging question to God, “Am I my brother’s keeper?” Strangely, it seems Cain’s question makes its way into every generation, even among those who have no idea where it came from.

But, for those who are familiar with this story it tends to present two issues that most of us struggle with.

The most obvious issue is defensive denial.

“Am I my brother’s keeper?” (Genesis 4:9)

God asks Cain where his brother is, and this is his defensive answer. Cain had just killed his brother in a fit of rage and jealousy after God accepted Abel’s (his brother’s) offering of animal sacrifice but rejected Cain’s grain offering. It’s a classic case of denial – a skill he learned from his parents. They did the same thing when they were confronted by God after choosing to disobey Him, elevating their own desires above God’s or anyone else’s.

It’s interesting that when his parents shifted the blame, they made someone else responsible for their actions. Not Cain. Cain wanted no responsibility at all. If he had fully copied his parent’s logic, he should have at least behaved the same way they did by pointing to some other person nearby. Nope. He swatted away blame like an annoying fly, and didn’t even care if it found a landing place… but, the fly always come back to land.

God simply wasn’t buying it. Cain was justly called out, properly given consequences and graciously spared. The issue of Cain’s question wasn’t really identifying his responsibility for his brother as most sermons and teachings go with this story. It has a great deal more to do with his stark disregard – or callous indifference – toward anyone but himself, even someone that was family.

Most all of us have seen that before. Typically, we recognize the look of that in someone else and at the same time linger in denial of its presence in our own lives.

In January, our church takes time to focus on prayer while hearing what the Word says about Self-Control. We’re directing all messages for the month to our adults, children and teens onto the same theme to move our church families at the same pace toward the same conviction. We’re defining Self-Control as “Choosing to do what you should even when you don’t want to.” The memory verse for the month is 1 Peter 1:3a “God’s power has given us everything we need to lead a Godly life.”

Dealing with someone who turns away with Cain’s indifference can hurt beyond description. Be careful not to return the favor. It will only hurt you further. Cry out to God with your hurt. Call a trusted pastor, friend or counselor who will help you to find God’s healing.

On the other hand, dealing with lingering denial requires a blatant honesty, and that only comes by great effort to control self-protective tendencies. There’s really only one solution to this. Turn toward both the One who is confronting (ultimately) and the only One who is big enough to help you beyond yourself. Essentially, that’s choosing to do what you should even when you don’t want to.

If Cain would have turned to God rather than putting up a wall of denial, then the rest of his story would have been different. We can be confident in that because even in his denial, God didn’t take his punishment as far as He could have.

One thing I have learned about God… He’d far rather deal with us where we really are than where we pretend to be.

Take courage from these words in 1 Peter 1:3a “God’s power has given us everything we need to lead a Godly life.”

Feb '19

Embracing Humility

Posted on 02/11/2019 in Devotions, Spiritual Growth | Tags: fruit of the spirit, Humility, New Testament, Priorities, Truth

Feb '19

On Wednesday evenings, Pastor Jon has been taking us thru the book of Philippians. I would like to take a moment and concentrate on Philippians 2:1-11. In these verses, we are encouraged to imitate Christ’s humility.

Let’s first look at the definition of humility:

A modest or low view of one’s own importance, humbleness. Some synonyms for humility are lowliness, meekness, submissiveness.

In verses 2- 5, Paul gives us insight into how to take on some of these positive traits as we interact with one another.
– Be like minded
– Have the same love
– Being one in the spirit and of one mind
– Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit
– Not looking to your own interests but to others

End of verse 3: “…rather in humility value others above yourself.”

Verse 5: “In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus.” So if we have the mindset of Jesus, we serve with a humble attitude.

Verses 6-11: ”Jesus, even though He was the Son of God did not use that to his advantage.” He took on a servant attitude as a human.

As you read on, verse 8 talks about how Jesus humbled himself by becoming obedient to death, even the cross.

It becomes very clear in these verses that to imitate Christ, we must humble ourselves to our brothers and sisters in Christ and this world – just like Jesus did.

Finally in verse 9, God exalts Jesus to the highest place and gives him the name above all names. He states that every knee shall bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.

Living by Jesus example and imitating Him every day is what God is calling us to do as His children.

His call on our lives?
-To love our brothers and sisters in Christ,
-In unity, to cleave to the same mindset as Jesus
-To embrace being of one spirit,
-To put ourselves aside for the wellbeing of others

Sound familiar?

James 4:10 says: “Humble yourself before the Lord and he will lift you up.”

Author: Ken Drew

Click for video

Jan '19

New Year, New You

Posted on 01/20/2019 in Devotions, Real Life, Spiritual Growth | Tags: commitment, fear, New year, Priorities, Real Life, Time, Truth

Jan '19

Do you ever feel like you are not enough?

Like you may be in a position at work (or church) and you just don’t feel you are “Christian” enough. Maybe you find yourself at the crossroads of life and have a life changing decision to make. Your first thought may be “What if I make the wrong choice?” The next thought might be, “God, I’m not good enough, strong enough or wise enough to do what is before me.”

Let me start out by saying that you aren’t alone in feeling this way. I personally have this feeling often, and it’s been a recurring theme throughout my Christian walk. I also know that other Christians – yes, even pastors, elders, deacons, board members and worship team members – also struggle with this feeling as well. No one is immune to self-doubt.

Let’s be honest about this feeling of inadequacy. It stinks and can make us feel worthless.

Here’s the truth about this feeling: it’s a lie the devil wants us to buy into. Decide and make this declaration right now with God: “God, it’s a new year and I want to be a new me.”

No matter how much the world around you tries to beat you down or tell you that you are not good enough, it’s never enough to overshadow this fact – you are a new creation and a child of the One True God.

When God sent his son Jesus to live among us and then die on the cross, we were given the ultimate gift. Through this gift, we have a personal relationship with a God who will give us the power to rise above the lies of the world and find strength and confidence to accomplish what he lays before us each day.

As we are now into the New Year, be encouraged! This is a new year and you are a new you.

Fortunately for us, the grace, love and mercy of God allows us to be a new person each and every day. Just like the following song says: Your grace so free, washes over me. You have made me new now life begins with you.

This couldn’t be any truer about our lives when we put our faith and trust in Jesus Christ.

Author: Ryan Bivins

Sep '18

Character Over Control And Comfort

Posted on 09/19/2018 in Real Life, Spiritual Growth | Tags: anxiety, character, fear, Patience, Perseverance, Soul care, Spiritual Discipline, Spiritual Growth, Truth, Worldview

Sep '18

Control.

We all want it. We don’t always get it. Sometimes we get it, then decide we don’t want it.

Sigh.

In my life I’ve come to recognize control as an old familiar acquaintance, continually proving that my sense of having it is simply an illusion.

Just when I think I have it, it’s often yanked from my groping hands and there’s not much I can do about it.

When we feel like we are in control, we often feel pretty comfortable with it.

You may tell yourself you’ve earned it. You may snatch it away from someone else and justify it. You may hoard it, thinking no one can hurt you. You may sacrifice pieces of your character to have it. You may hide behind it.

You may tell yourself you don’t need help.

You may think if you’re in control, you’re safe.

When we feel out of control, we often feel frantic.

Why are we afraid to let go of it?

We feel weak. We feel uncomfortable. We feel ineffective. We feel frustrated and helpless. We feel exposed.

We wonder if someone else will do it better. We feel like we are floundering, grasping. We wonder what will happen and how we’ll deal with it.

Could it be that God is more interested in your character development than your comfort?

Could it be that growth requires being uncomfortable?

It seems sometimes Christians get this notion of the “abundant life” (found in John 10) fleshing out as the perfect life, being in control of all circumstances, a comfortable existence, all our dreams coming true, instant answers to prayer and 100% happiness.

All. Day. Every. Day.

But here’s the hard truth: life is not easy. It wasn’t meant to be. This is not Heaven.

When we pray with control in mind, we treat God like a vending machine.

He is not a vending machine, a genie in a bottle or a drive through.

He is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, Maker of Heaven and Earth. And He wants to see you grow in character, know and trust Him infinitely more than He wants you to feel comfortable.

Consider these wise words…

Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. So don’t try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way. -James 1:2-3

Take on an entirely new way of life — a God-fashioned life, a life renewed from the inside and working itself into your conduct as God accurately reproduces his character in you. -Ephesians 4:22-24

Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us. – Romans 5: 1-5

We grow when we experience discomfort.

That means letting go of our need to control – and our need to be comfortable all the time.

Want to grow in character? Take some steps of faith.

Embrace the uncomfortable, the uncertainty.

Let go of your need to control everything.

Hold things loosely and trust that God has a plan.

Let the pressure and discomfort of growth do good work in you, so you will grow in wisdom, Godly character and tenderness.

Author:

Michelle Marx

You can read more of Michelle’s writing here.

Jul '18

To My Children – A Mis Hijos

Posted on 07/10/2018 in Devotions, Soul Care, Spiritual Growth | Tags: Kids, Legacy, Priorities, Truth, Worldview

Jul '18

God gave my wife Marguerite, and I six wonderful sons. Now we also have 4 wonderful daughters-in-law. I’ve worked to be a good and godly father, so in that light I’ve endeavored to leave my sons a legacy of instruction in truth. I want to pass on a world view of truth- one that will help them live life as magnificent and abundant as the Creator intended.

Just as God has arranged for his children through His Word and Abraham passed on instruction to Israel in Deuteronomy, so should we pass on God’s instruction to our children- God’s truth- as opposed to the world’s view of how to live.

I like to use the K.I.S.S. method—Keep it Short and Simple. The following are two main instructions in truth that I feel are important for my boys to know, embrace and live out.

1. KNOW GOD
The first indispensable instruction I can give is to truly know God. The original languages of the Bible are mainly Hebrew and Greek. In both, the word translated “know” means far more than information and facts. The Word includes the ideas of intimacy and authentic experience. The Hebrew word “know”, or “yada” means far more than intellectual information. It involves intimate experience and relationship.

It was sometimes compared to the intimate relations experienced by a husband and wife. For example, Genesis 4 speaks of Adam and Eve, our first parents and says…

GENESIS 4:1 And Adam knew Eve his wife and she conceived and bore Cain, and said, “I have gotten a man from the Lord.” KJV

Another example of this definition is Mary’s response to the angel who tells she will be having a baby.

Luke 1:34 Then said Mary unto the angel, “How shall this be, seeing I KNOW not a man?” KJV

I say to you- and my sons- the most essential and important thing in life is that you know God. That means you have encountered him by way of intimate experience and continue to have an intimate relationship with Him.

2. LOVE GOD

The second indispensable instruction I can give is to truly love God. The simple and absolute truth is this: Scriptures teach that knowing God and loving God is really a matter of obeying Him.

John 8:31 So Jesus said to the Jews who believed in him, “If you continue to obey my teaching, you are truly my followers.” NCV

Col 1:23 But you must continue to believe this truth and stand firmly in it. Don’t drift away from the assurance you received when you heard the Good News. The Good News has been preached all over the world and I, Paul, have been appointed as God’s servant to proclaim it. NLT

Passionate pursuit. Encountering God. Intentional and intimately knowing and loving Him. All of this fleshes out by obedience to His will and way for you. Nothing is more important in this life. Pass these truths on to your children and your children’s children. Write it on your hearts and discuss it in your homes. Leave a Godly legacy.

Author:

Pastor Liandro Arellano

Jun '18

Stand for the Truth

Posted on 06/05/2018 in Devotions, Real Life, Soul Care, Spiritual Growth | Tags: honesty, Humility, Identity, Real Life, Soul care, Spiritual Growth, Truth

Jun '18

Pastor Jon’s sermon last week on honesty really convicted me, as well as the many people kneeling before the Lord at the altar.

Every day, it seems we have opportunities to make big and not-so-big choices. But are there really “not so big” choices?

Sure, in our way of thinking a choice to not be truthful (more appropriately called a lie) is much worse and more condemning when compared to exaggerating how many or how big the fish really were… or embellishing a real achievement to make ourselves look just a little bit better.

But according to God’s way of thinking, a lie is a lie- pretty cut and dried.

As we learned, every time we exaggerate or embellish the facts, it gets a little easier to do it the next time. We stretch it just a little further each time we embellish. Eventually, this is who we become and reflects our way of interacting on everything- from what we say and how we act to what we get in the habit of doing.

Some of my friends and I- way back from high school- still talk about a person we knew who always “climbed a little higher” or “ran a little faster” than we all knew to be true. It is sad to see how these seemingly insignificant embellishments (over several decades) now have affected his employment, marriage(s), reputation and walk with the Lord.

As for me, I can easily be tempted to wear the Admiral’s star or the sheriff’s badge. Meaning this: when I use inappropriate leverage to get more help, drum up additional resources or win additional funding for a new project. This can often include an embellishment (a.k.a. an outright lie) regardless of whether or not it’s a “not so big” exaggeration.

Consider this example. Do you recall growing up and saying to your siblings, “mom said you are supposed to go do this” when really she told you to do it. This is where it starts, little by little. Before you know it, it turns into exaggerating a project requirement at work to be competitive since you know others are doing it. Yikes! It’s an all-too-easy, slippery slope that so often we don’t even realize is happening.

The Bible has a lot to say about truth-tellers (those that don’t exaggerate, embellish, pretend, tell outright lies), as well as how God feels about those that practice deceit.

One of my favorites though, is what Jesus says in the gospel of John verses 31-32: “To the Jews that believed Him, Jesus said, ‘If you hold to my teaching you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth and the truth will set you free’.”

Bottom line? Run from falsehood whenever temptation strikes.

Run towards Jesus and His revelation of Truth in every part of your life.

Be a truth-teller and be set free.

Author:

Randy Ortgeisen, Elder at Faith Assembly