Pastor's Perspective - Who Are You Wearing?

Dear FCC Family & Friends,

So, what are you wearing tonight?

If your young ones are anything like mine, they woke up this morning excited about donning their costumes and knocking on doors as soon as possible. Emma, 9, is going as Princess Lea. Sam, 7, is a policeman. Abi, 7, is a hippy. And, Lily, 6, is Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz this year. Adorable!

Some of you are in businesses that require that you dress up today. While I was in the banking biz I dreaded this day. One year I came to work as a cowboy and felt crunchy all day long. It’s hard to talk to Mr. Smith about his investments when he keeps glancing up at your Stetson!

Did you hear about the drunk Halloween reveler in Germany who got mistaken for a corpse? Apparently a 24-year-old dressed very realistically as a zombie passed out on a train trying to get home and was unresponsive. Fellow passengers thought he had been murdered! The police were called in and quickly put two and two together. He was ordered to wipe off his make-up and continue his journey.

So, what are you wearing tonight? Paul told the Roman believers in 13:14 to “Clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ.”

The apostle was not challenging his ancient and modern readers to put on a Jesus costume, or just act like Jesus. Instead, he was challenging them to let the authentic life-changes that Jesus makes on the inside outside!

So, more importantly than ‘WHAT are you wearing’ is the question – WHO are you wearing tonight? Let’s humbly remove all doubt of who we belong to and what He is doing in our lives. Despite changing fads and trends – wearing Jesus is always fashionable. He’s the Designer of designers!

In the Fight,

Steve

Pastor's Perspective - Walking By Faith

Dear FCC Family & Friends,

Today the Lord showed me through a child the simplicity of what life and responding to challenges is all about. I couldn’t wait to share it with you.

Each Monday morning I take our six-year-old Lily to an appointment in Fairfield, while Michelle stays home to teach the other three. It’s always a kick just to spend that daddy and Lily time together. Sometimes we sing silly songs. Sometimes we talk about life and friends. Sometimes she pretends she’s asleep, knowing I’ll wake her with a good tickle at the next stop light. One thing is quite predictable. She always turns her seat warmer up to the maximum resulting in a playful phenomenon we affectionately call “hot bootie”! Guess you gotta be there.

Another thing is predictable. As we walk through the parking lot Lily always reaches up and holds my hand. This morning as were walking I looked down to see that Lily had her eyes closed as we walked, something she had never done before.

“Lily, your eyes are closed. Are they really shut?”
“Uh-hum”
“Why are they closed?”
“I trust you.”
“Aren’t you afraid of the moving cars around us?”
“No.”
“What if I walked you right into a curb?”
“You wouldn’t.”
“Why Lil?”
“Because Daddy, you’ve never done that before.”
“Okay then. Do you trust me to lead you through the door up ahead?”
“Uh-hum”
“Sure your eyes are shut?”
“Uh-hum”

When we walked into the building I looked down at her sweet blonde head and said, “Lily, open your eyes!” As she did an angelic smile swept across her face as she jumped up and down . “See Daddy, I knew I could trust you! You never let go.”

Friends, as we walk through the short breadth of this thing called life, many challenges abound. Sometimes unexpectedly like a car quickly backing up across our path comes the report of loss, diagnosis, devastation. Sometimes like hard jagged curbs come hardships, challenge, disillusionment, memories, heartache and personal pain. Yet through it all, our Father never releases our hand, but instead encourages us to walk by faith, to trust Him in the darkness. Although His track record of hand-holding is impeccable, we sometimes stumble in our assessment of His ability to lead us through. Yet, He continues to prove His unconditional father’s love for us daily.

Someday in every future of every person reading this who has put their trust in Jesus Christ, a time will come when suddenly the things of earth will fade away. All of its toils and snares will be a fast-fading memory. Ripped away forever will be our blindness in a place brilliant with the illumination of a Savior’s face. You’ll realize in a second that He not only made this place available to you, He personally held your hand and led you every step of the way until you were safely inside. Can’t you just hear His voice now? – “Open your eyes.” And throughout all eternity, you and I will celebrate an everlasting and unfading song of truth with the Redeemed – “Daddy, we knew we could trust you! You never let go.”

In the Fight,

Steve