Through the Influence of Coaches and Athletes

E3 Tools: Persons of Peace

Fri, 30 Jun 2023 16:51:32 GMT

Persons of Peace

The story of a great team often begins from a small spark of inspiration or momentum. The spark can represent a shared belief in a mission and a shared trust in one another. Along the way, the spark grows into a flame as others catch on to something special. Similarly, Jesus’ team of disciples are sent out on a mission. The peace of Christ was the spark that they carried with them. As they went, they found others who were ignited by that same spark. Jesus calls them Persons of Peace (Luke 10:6). Through them, the flame grew.

QUESTIONS

What is a Person of Peace?

What are some characteristics of a Person of Peace? Think about characters like Cornelius,

Lydia, or the Roman Jailer.

PERSONS OF PEACE PATTERNS

Persons of Peace receive the messenger.
Persons of Peace respond to the message.
Persons of Peace reach others with the message.

PERSONS OF PEACE CHARACTERISTICS

Persons of Peace are eager to interact with you.
Persons of Peace are eager to listen to you.
Persons of Peace are eager to introduce you to others.
Persons of Peace are eager to share truth with others.

E3 Tools: The FOUR

Fri, 30 Jun 2023 16:09:17 GMT

The FOUR

THE GOSPEL EXPLAINED IN FOUR SIMPLE TRUTHS

The FOUR is a simple repeatable way for FCA staff, volunteers, coaches, and athletes to clearly communicate the Gospel.

If you made a decision to follow Jesus for the first time today, let us know by clicking the button below. We want to celebrate with you!

To learn more, go to thefour.fca.org

E3 Tools: Personal Testimonies

Tue, 27 Jun 2023 20:04:15 GMT

Personal Testimonies

A testimony is a story or personal account of a time you encountered God. People who are in a growing relationship with Jesus will have multiple testimonies of what He’s done in their lives. Testimonies can include trusting Him for the first time for salvation or one of the many other ways He’s changed your life. Writing and sharing your own testimonies is easier than you think. Use this tool to help you share your own testimonies!

BEFORE

Describe your life before you surrendered to Christ:

What things were most important to me?
Where did I find happiness or security? List specific examples.

DURING

Here are some tips to describe your life as you were surrendering to Christ:

What was my first reaction to The Gospel message?
Why did I finally decide to stop living for myself and surrender to Christ?
What decision(s) did I make when I turned away from sin and began to live for Christ?

AFTER

Here are some tips to describe your life after you surrendered your life to Christ:

What are some of the specific changes in my life now? Give examples of those.
Is my life problem-free now? If not, what is different?
Reference or provide relevant Scripture examples in your personal testimonies.

TESTIMONY TOOL

E3 Tools: Jesus Stories

Tue, 27 Jun 2023 19:47:30 GMT

Jesus Stories

Memorize a few of the stories listed below. Then, use the tips and examples below to help you share those stories in conversation with others. These stories are a strategic way to Engage someone’s heart in deeper conversation. Use these to Engage someone today!

Guided Conversation Tips:

Create a lead-in sentence.
Share the story as best as you can and summarize or emphasize the main points.
Ask pointed, follow-up questions.

E3 Tools: Heart Questions

Fri, 23 Jun 2023 20:13:08 GMT

Heart Questions

Everywhere in the world, athletes know when the coach blows the whistle, athlete’s better pay attention. In the Bible, the word Shema has the same effect. It means “Listen!” or “Hear!” For example, Deuteronomy 6:4 says, “Listen, O Israel! The LORD is our God. The LORD alone.” Statements like this are used to grab our attention, to make us listen, and to make us recognize the importance of the message.

Statements like these can spark a spiritual conversation in an instant. Like a seed, these statements or words start small, but if sown in the right soil, they can grow into a large, fruitbearing tree. If you combine this kind of statement with a pointed question, you have a way to Engage someone’s heart. We believe that the intersection of sport and faith can be fertile soil for spiritual conversations. Below are some examples of what we call Heart Questions for coaches and athletes. They’re small statements packed with significance and coupled with a question to Engage the heart. Try one today or make up your own!

E3 Tools: Prayer Patterns

Thu, 22 Jun 2023 17:44:41 GMT

Prayer Patterns

Consider the following verse to help you learn how to pray:

“…praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication.” — Ephesians 6:18

1. PRAYING

Is a sacred term for conversation with God.
Is a two-way conversation, where you speak and listen to God.

2. AT ALL TIMES

Derives from Greek words meaning “in every season” or always.
Represents words that Jesus used consistently.
Luke 21:36 is another example: “But stay awake at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are going to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.”

3. IN THE SPIRIT

In literal terms this means “to be joined with.”
This represents that God (or the Holy Spirit) lives in us and enables us to pray.
Romans 8:15, 26 is another example: “For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, ‘Abba! Father!’ … Likewise, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groaning too deep for words.”

4. WITH ALL PRAYER

Use the Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, Supplication (ACTS) prayer pattern.
Try this by recording your prayers on the ACTS chart below.

5. AND SUPPLICATION

Has a root word of “supply.”
Represents us receiving blessings from God and averting evils or fears.

Empower by Launching

Thu, 22 Jun 2023 16:42:16 GMT

Empower by Launching

Scripture

In Matthew 28, Jesus gives His disciples what is known as the Great Commission. After having taught them everything they needed to know, Jesus launches them out into the world to fulfill the mission of the Kingdom through the multiplication of disciples.

We see a similar moment in Paul’s life in Acts 20. As he prepares to leave, he gives a confident charge to his friends to carry on the ministry that he has modeled and taught them.

The final step of mobilizing someone to carry on the disciple-making mission doesn’t mean that you abandon your relationship with them. Jesus launches His disciples on the discipleship mission but promises to be with them until the very end. In this final step in the E3 discipleship journey, we confidently launch someone to do discipleship multiplication on their own, but the strength of our relationship with them continues. The E3 process never ends. We will continue to Engage relationally, Equip one another with God’s truth, and Empower one another to reach others.

Imagine discipleship multiplication like a family tree extending into the third, fourth, and fifth generations. One person disciples another, who disciples another, who disciples another. The web of multiplying relationships has the capacity to reach the world, just like God designed. God desires each of us to be part of this disciple-making movement to reach all peoples and all places. To lead every coach and athlete in a growing relationship with Jesus Christ and His church. The call to make disciples, who make disciples, who make disciples is the greatest calling one could ever receive.

TAKE ACTION

Launch disciples to all peoples and all places until Jesus returns.
Start a new E3 Map to Engage new people and places.

TOOLS

E3 Map

Empower by Watching

Thu, 22 Jun 2023 16:42:15 GMT

Empower by Watching

Scripture

In John 4:1-2, we get a quick glimpse of the work Jesus did with His disciples to baptize people as they came to Him in repentance. It is initially stated that Jesus is the one baptizing, but it was actually His disciples. Jesus is mobilizing His disciples to do ministry with Him. We know that He was with them, watching and supporting, but the disciples were the ones doing the work.

On a similar note, we see Paul’s words in 2 Timothy 2:2. It sounds like a relay race. As a runner, the baton that I have carried, I now pass on to you, a teammate, so that you can go and pass it on to others, who will pass it on to others.

Pass the baton. Once you do, cheer your teammates on to the finish line.

As you continue the journey to Empower others, try to decrease the amount you’re doing and increase the amount you’re observing. This means you’re giving away responsibilities to others. Stay active in the relationship by providing meaningful feedback, encouragement, and coaching. Hold others accountable to the principles of discipleship, and don’t forget to celebrate the victories.

TAKE ACTION

Watch your disciples Empower others by holding them accountable to E3.
Empower your disciples through encouragement and positive feedback.

TOOLS

Empower by Assisting

Thu, 22 Jun 2023 16:42:14 GMT

Empower by Assisting

Scripture

To an upperclassman, the pre-game or pre-practice warm up can become so routine that it can practically be performed without consciously thinking about it. However, to a rookie, it might be a different story. Everything can be new to rookies, which can warrant some assistance. Oftentimes, a coach will have the upperclassmen teach the team’s routines to the rookies, which helps both groups improve.

In Mark 6, a large crowd gathered around Jesus. It becomes late in the day and people have had nothing to eat. The disciples want to send them away to get their own food, but Jesus says, “You give them something to eat.” The disciples have been given the task of feeding the crowd, but they clearly need assistance. And Jesus steps in.

As you seek to Empower others in their E3 discipleship journey, begin giving away responsibilities. Challenge that person to begin the E3 process with those on their E3 Map by engaging them, starting a prayer plan, or leading a Bible study. Provide assistance along the way so that they can learn and improve. The right combination of challenge and support will cause a person to flourish. People grow when they do ministry, not just when they are ministered to.

TAKE ACTION

Assist your disciples by answering questions as they Engage and Equip others.
Co-facilitate a Huddle with your disciples and use the Discovery Bible Study method.

TOOLS

E3 Map
Discovery Bible Study Training
Discovery Bible Study Method
Discovery Bible Study Sets

Empower by Modeling

Thu, 22 Jun 2023 16:42:13 GMT

Empower by Modeling

Scripture

Jesus’ ministry revolved around 12 very ordinary young men called disciples. He called each of them by name with a simple invitation: “Follow Me.” And they had the privilege of being with Him constantly (Mark 3:14). They observed His way of life and His teachings. Jesus was and still is the ultimate model.

Paul’s ministry was the same. Paul modeled what it looked like to live a life devoted to serving the Lord. His life reflected the ways of Jesus so much that he was able to say, “Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ” (1 Corinthians 11:1).

As you begin empowering others in their E3 discipleship journey, realize that much of their training has already been received as they’ve watched you do it with them. Begin with the intent to multiply and ensure everything you do is reproducible. You’ve been using E3 to lead them in a growing relationship with Jesus Christ and His church. It’s now time for them to take what they’ve heard and seen from you and pass it on to others (2 Timothy 2:2).

TAKE ACTION

Model multiplication by going with your disciples to Engage and Equip others.
Pray with your disciples for multiplication in and beyond their circle of influence.

TOOLS

Prayer Patterns
Heart Questions
Jesus Stories
Personal Testimonies
The FOUR
E3 Map
Persons of Peace
The CORE
Discovery Bible Study Training
Discovery Bible Study Method
Discovery Bible Study Sets
The Discipleship Filter

Equip with a Clear Plan

Tue, 20 Jun 2023 19:44:44 GMT

Equip with a Clear Plan

Scripture

Just like sports, discipleship has seasons. It is beneficial to define and assess the discipleship process in increments. Take a minute to consider the importance of defining healthy discipleship rhythms and routines. Use the following points to help you define expectations:

Duration: People want to know what they are committing to before starting something. Uncertainty can inhibit people from taking the next step forward. Invitations should define the duration of discipleship (for example, one semester) and the duration of each meeting (45 minutes). After faithfully fulfilling expectations, you can always invite someone into another season of discipleship. Defining duration in these ways can help with commitment and productivity.

Frequency: Consistency is key in developing relationships. Ensure that you define the frequency of meetings (once a week) and the frequency of assessment (once a month). Commit to meeting consistently and stay accountable to Gospel transformation and multiplication. Defining frequency in these ways shows your relationship has clear purpose.

Filter: It is so easy to get sidetracked from what is most important in the discipleship process. A filter keeps your energy going in the right direction. It removes obstacles in decision making, and it holds you accountable to what is most important. Defining what will filter your time, energy, relationships, and resources is crucial.

Huge benefits come from defining your expectations, but do not forget that flexibility is also important. Inevitably, conflicts will exist. How you respond can affect how quickly you get back on track. Finally, keep in mind that discipleship is hard work. Ensure that you build in time to have fun, laugh, and celebrate progress; it goes a long way in developing relationships.

TAKE ACTION

Define the duration of discipleship relationships.
Define the frequency of discipleship meetings.
Filter your time and energy using the principles in this playbook.

TOOLS

The Discipleship Filter

Equip in Community

Tue, 20 Jun 2023 19:40:30 GMT

Equip in Community

Scripture

When Jesus taught His disciples, He brought them together (Matthew 5:1-2). This is the primary

setting in which He equipped them. We also see the way the believers gathered together in Acts

2:42-44. Among other things, they devoted themselves together to the teaching of the apostles.

One misconception about disciple-making is that it only happens 1-on-1. While it can happen

1-on-1, when we Equip in Community we see the greatest potential for Gospel multiplication.

This is why we emphasize ‘Engage to Multiply’ and ‘Equip in Community.’

Group structure provides the opportunity for increased learning, encouragement, accountability,

and diversity. Equipping happens most effectively within a group and the momentum of

discipleship multiplication continues to build. Your time and energy multiplies when you Equip in

Community.

FCA refers to this as the Huddle: a consistent small group of coaches or athletes designed to

Engage, Equip, and Empower them to make disciples who make disciples.

Together, we spur one another on towards love and good deeds (Hebrews 10:24-25). There is

great power in being in a relationship with Jesus and a community of believers. Let’s commit to

being equipped and equipping others in community.

TAKE ACTION

Facilitate a Huddle using the Discovery Bible Study tools within your E3 Map.

TOOLS

Discovery Bible Study Training
Discovery Bible Study Method
Discovery Bible Study Sets

Equip with Scripture

Tue, 20 Jun 2023 19:11:07 GMT

Equip with Scripture

Scripture

Are you a disciple of Jesus? The term was traditionally used to describe someone who followed

another for the purpose of learning. Think of discipleship in two parts: the source and the

subject or the teacher and the teaching. Not only will a disciple learn the teaching, but they will

become like their teacher (Luke 6:40). To be equipped is to conform to the words and ways of

Jesus. To do this, God gives us His Word.

The Source: Jesus says, “I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except

through Me” (John 14:6). Following Christ as a disciple is about learning a way of life laid out

in the commands of God, but it is rooted in a relationship with our Savior who loves us. God’s

Word points us to a person, Jesus Christ.

The Subject: “All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true… God uses

it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16-17). In other words,

the Bible has authority, is without error, and is necessary and sufficient for disciples to learn and

grow in their relationship with Jesus.

Disciples of Jesus are people of the Word! We are to be immersed in it. To do so is to be like a

tree planted by streams of water that bears fruit in every season (Psalm 1). However, sometimes

studying God’s Word can feel intimidating. Therefore, disciples should be equipped with a

simple pattern for studying the Bible. FCA recommends using the Discovery Bible Study (DBS)

method because it helps people to discover truths of God and apply them to their life.

The Word of God transforms lives. Knowing this, the most important question you can ask

someone is, “Will you read the Bible with me?”

TAKE ACTION

Invite people from your E3 Map to read the Bible with you.

TOOLS

The CORE
Discovery Bible Study Training
Discovery Bible Study Method
Discovery Bible Study Sets

Equip with Prayer

Tue, 20 Jun 2023 19:06:45 GMT

Equip with Prayer

Scripture

At no point in the E3 journey do we depart from our dependence upon God in prayer. The Holy

Spirit is the One who engages. The Holy Spirit is the One who equips. He is the One who began

the work, and He is the One who will carry it to completion.

Consider the example of Nehemiah. When he heard that the walls of Jerusalem were in ruins, he

prayed. As he stood before the king requesting to go to war and rebuild, he prayed. As he faced

opposition during the reconstruction of the wall, he prayed. When the repair of the walls was

complete, it was clear to all that “this work had been accomplished with the help of our God”

(Nehemiah 6:16).

Prayer makes us ready. The imagery of the soldier putting on armor is used in Ephesians 6

to portray how the believer takes up the Armor of God by “praying at all times in the Spirit”

(Ephesians 6:18). Through prayer, God gives us strength and discernment to Equip others.

We must pray for others as we seek to Equip them. While we have an important part to play, it is

God who causes the growth (1 Corinthians 3:6). Disciples, like Paul, pray continuously that their

friends will grow spiritually. Pray that they “...may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all

spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to

Him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God” (Colossians 1:9-10).

TAKE ACTION

Discern through prayer how to Equip people on your E3 Map.

TOOLS

Prayer Patterns
E3 Map

Engage to Multiply

Tue, 06 Jun 2023 16:50:09 GMT

Engage to Multiply

Scripture

Take a minute and remember the person or people who first shared the good news of Jesus Christ with you. Had they not shared the truth with you, your life might look very different Where do you think that individual heard the Gospel? Behind every believer is another faithful believer who engaged others to multiply the Kingdom.

In Scripture, we see this process demonstrated repeatedly. Jesus engages individuals, but His invitation to follow Him is also extended into that person’s circle of influence. He engages both the individual and the people they are in relationship with.

Consider how Jesus engaged both Zacchaeus and his circle of influence. He said, “I’m coming to your house today.” In Greek, the word house is interpreted as household or circle of influence. Jesus wasn’t just going to a location but to a community of people who resided and interacted there. The result: salvation came to Zacchaeus’ entire household (Luke 19:1-10).

When you Engage to Multiply, you don’t just see individuals, you see networks of people that can be transformed by the Gospel. One tool that illustrates this principle is the E3 Map. The E3 Map gives clarity and direction so that you can Engage to Multiply.

Once you have created an E3 Map, start engaging using the principles previously outlined. However, as you go, remember what Jesus instructed. If the peace of the Gospel rests on someone, stay with them and invest in them (Luke 10:1-12). You are now ready to move from Engage to Equip!

TAKE ACTION

Create your E3 Map.
Engage individuals and their circle of influence on your E3 Map.
Identify if anyone on your E3 Map is a person of peace.

TOOLS

E3 Map
Persons of Peace

Engage with the Gospel

Tue, 06 Jun 2023 16:49:52 GMT

Engage the Heart

Scripture

We Engage the hearts of others ultimately so that we can Engage them with the Gospel. It’s an amazing reality that God works through us to fulfill His Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20). The most vital step in becoming a disciple of Jesus Christ is the decision to respond to the Gospel and trust Jesus as Lord and Savior.

Philip is a great example of someone who engages others with the Gospel. In Acts 8, we see specifically that Philip opens his mouth, leads with Scripture, and tells about the good news of Jesus. The Gospel is clearly communicated from one person to another. We see in Scripture that faith in Jesus Christ comes by hearing the Gospel.

“But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them” (Romans 10:14). A disciple-maker is an ambassador for Christ. God speaks through us. “We speak for Christ when we plead, ‘Come back to God!’” (2 Corinthians 5:20). God is the one who changes a person’s heart by the power of His Holy Spirit (Ezekiel 11:19-20), but He uses you as you Engage others with the Gospel.

To help you Engage others with the Gospel, FCA created a tool called The FOUR. It’s a simple, repeatable way to clearly communicate the Gospel using Scripture and visual icons.

TAKE ACTION

Use The FOUR to Engage others with the Gospel.

TOOLS

The FOUR

Engage the Heart

Tue, 06 Jun 2023 16:49:26 GMT

Engage the Heart

Scripture

The discipleship journey is deeply relational. Paul says in his first letter to the Thessalonians that he not only shared the good news of the Gospel with them, but he also shared his life (1 Thessalonians 2:8). Life-on-life relationships like these go below the surface. They Engage our hearts. The Bible describes the heart as the very core of who we are and reveals the things we treasure most (Matthew 6:21). What can we learn from Jesus about how to Engage the heart?

Ask Pointed Questions: The greatest conversation starter is a good question. Jesus was the master at asking pointed questions to Engage the heart. A good question invites someone to open up about the important things in their life. It creates space to discuss deeper truths that point to Jesus. Pointed questions reveal a person’s receptivity to the Gospel.

Share Powerful Stories: Nothing sticks with us like a powerful story. Jesus was constantly telling stories and using illustrations that Engage others. Stories convey truth and are easy to relate to. They stir our emotions and our thoughts. Consider sharing a short personal testimony or one of Jesus’ stories to open the door for deeper relationships.

Sow Seeds Broadly: Jesus describes the Word of God like a seed, and the hearts of people like soil. We share God’s Word like a farmer planting that seed in people’s hearts (Luke 8:4-15). We don’t have control over what type of soil the seed will land on, but we do have control over the amount of seeds we plant. God calls us to share His Word often and everywhere. Like a seed, it starts small, but God promises that His Word will take root and bear fruit (Isaiah 55:10-11).

TAKE ACTION

Engage the heart by asking pointed questions.
Engage the heart by sharing powerful stories.
Engage the heart by sharing God’s Word.

TOOLS

Engage God First

Tue, 06 Jun 2023 16:49:23 GMT

Engage God First

Scripture

Like the feeling we get on game day, engaging others with the hope of Jesus Christ is thrilling. We can’t wait to get started. However, we can get ahead of ourselves and Engage people before engaging God. Jesus says that apart from Him we can do nothing (John 15:5). Therefore, engaging God first is the essential primary step in the discipleship process.

Jesus both modeled and instructed His disciples to step back from people and pray to their Father in Heaven. He told them to “seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need” (Matthew 6:33). While we can be tempted to pursue people first, God says start with Me!

Therefore, we Engage God first in prayer, acknowledging that all Gospel transformation and multiplication comes from Him. Before we Engage others, Scripture says, “I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people…” (1 Timothy 2:1).

TAKE ACTION

Engage God first through prayer.
Engage others by inviting them to pray.

TOOLS

Prayer Patterns

E3 Overview

Tue, 06 Jun 2023 16:48:52 GMT

E3 Overview

Every good coach has a clear game plan. Without it, they don’t stand a chance against their opponents. Jesus gave the Church a clear game plan to make disciples (see Matthew 28:19- 20). But practically, how do we do that? What’s the first step in making disciples?

FCA uses a method called E3 (Engage, Equip, Empower) that provides a clear strategy to help you execute God’s game plan. It’s designed to point you to the words and ways of Jesus to help you make disciples. E3 is founded on the disciple-making principles and patterns of Jesus, and we’re here nearly 2,000 years later because of these principles and patterns.

E3 is comprised of three main sections: Engage, Equip, and Empower. Each section includes four biblical principles of discipleship multiplication, equaling 12 total. Each principle contains training and tools. The training is composed of key Scriptures for you to read, an explanation of the principle, and action steps that you can apply in your life. The tools are a collection of specific resources to help you live out and implement each principle. Now, before moving forward, take a moment to think about the following question:

“Can you be a disciple without making disciples?”

Discipleship Methods

FCA has a big vision to see the world transformed by Jesus Christ and a clear and compelling mission to lead every coach and athlete into a growing relationship with Jesus Christ and His church. FCA’s approach to pursue that mission is through our Methods to help Coaches and Athletes become disciples of Jesus Christ who make disciples. Engage, Equip, and Empower is our discipleship process.

The Bible is clear that all disciples are called to make disciples. As we follow Christ, we should strive to be like Him in every way, and that includes making disciples. If we trust Jesus for salvation and all of life, then our hearts must be aligned to follow His teachings and examples. Our prayer is that this method points you to the words and ways of the One who will guide you on the disciple-making journey!

Luke 10:25-37

Mon, 22 May 2023 22:32:57 GMT

The Parable of the Good Samaritan

25 Then an expert in the law stood up to test him, saying, “Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

26 “What is written in the law?” he asked him. “How do you read it?”

27 He answered, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind,” and “your neighbor as yourself.”

28 “You’ve answered correctly,” he told him. “Do this and you will live.”

29 But wanting to justify himself, he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”

30 Jesus took up the question and said, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho and fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him, beat him up, and fled, leaving him half dead. 31 A priest happened to be going down that road. When he saw him, he passed by on the other side. 32 In the same way, a Levite, when he arrived at the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33 But a Samaritan on his journey came up to him, and when he saw the man, he had compassion. 34 He went over to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on olive oil and wine. Then he put him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. 35 The next day he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said, ‘Take care of him. When I come back I’ll reimburse you for whatever extra you spend.’

36 “Which of these three do you think proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers?”

37 “The one who showed mercy to him,” he said.

Then Jesus told him, “Go and do the same.”

Luke 10:25-37 CSB

Prayer: Heavenly Father, you know our hearts. Lord you know when we appeal to you if we desire to learn from you, or when we, like the lawyer in this story, desire to justify ourselves. We pray, Lord, that we would not appeal to you as a means of justifying our way of life, but, God, that we would know the way of life, the good life, that you have for us. We pray that when we hear your words and your teachings that the Holy Spirit would help us understand and that we would "go, and do likewise." We invite you, Lord, to interrupt and inconvenience us for the sake of loving our neighbors. Amen.

OVERTIME

Jesus loved telling stories, or, as they are often referred to in the Bible, parables. A parable is a simple story used to illustrate a moral or spiritual lesson. It is rumored that during his earthly ministry Jesus delivered over 250 parables, but we have somewhere in the neighborhood of 40 recorded for us in the synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke).

The story above is referred to as the Parable of the Good Samaritan as recorded in the Gospel of Luke. This parable is probably very familiar to many people whether they have spent a lot or a little time in church. On the surface it appears to be a relatively simple story where Jesus is giving an illustration to what is meant by the words "love your neighbor as yourself" (Leviticus 19:18), but there is so much more to unpack.

So let's unpack.

The three things we will look at here are:

The professional hierarchy of the Jews who worked in the synagogues.
The social, political, and spiritual relationship between the Jews and the Samaritans.
The not-so-subtle, by often overlooked, command Jesus gives.

The Synagogue Staff

In the early first century any given synagogue generally consisted of a Priest, a Levite, and Jewish layperson. Here's a quick descriptor of each:

The Priest - The highest tier. Modern day this would be like the head pastor at a church. Generally the most senior and most authoritative of the crew. Also, more often than not, had the largest paycheck (aka the richest) of the three.
The Levite - The middle tier. Similar to an associate pastor. Had a good chunk of responsibility, but fell under the authority of the Priest. Took home a modest paycheck (aka the middle class).
The Layperson - The lowest tier. Like a church volunteer, but a notch or two above that. Did all the things you would imagine an assistant to do. Least authority and lowest paycheck (aka the poorest one).

As Jesus is telling and presents the first two passersby as the Priest and the Levite, you can imagine the lawyer halfway listening assuming that (of course!) the Jewish Layperson is coming next. Jesus had been known to preach about justice for the poor, so who else would be the hero in this story than the good ol' average Joe!

Except, in an shocking turn of events, it's not a Jewish Layperson that saves the day, but a *GASP* Samaritan! In the 21st century it's difficult to fully grasp why this is a shocking thing to say, but let's do our best.

The Samaritan Situation

At the time that Jesus delivered this parable the Jews and the Samaritans hated each other. To understand why they hated each other we have to look back about 550 years. Here's the quick rundown:

In 930 BC the Kingdom of Israel split in the Northern Kingdom (Israel) and the Southern Kingdom (Judah).
The Northern Kingdom established a new capital at Shechem which was later called Samaria.
The Southern Kingdom maintained their capital city at Jerusalem.
In 722 BC the Assyrians conquered Israel, but Judah remained independent.
In 600 BC the Babylonians conquered everyone and destroyed Jerusalem in the process.
In 530 BC the Babylonians permitted the Jews to rebuild Jerusalem.
The Samarians wanted to help, but the Jews refused their help.
The Samarians, being ethnically Jewish, counted themselves as children of Abraham and believed they had a claim to Jerusalem.
The Jews believed that, because the Northern Kingdom reestablished a new capital away from Jerusalem (and the temple of God) that they were effectively rejecting God.
The refusal of the Samaritans help by the Jews led to hostility, oppression, and attempts by the Samaritans to undermine the Jews efforts.
This hostility continued to brew between the two for the next 550 years even after the Persians conquered Babylon and the Romans conquered Persia.

Imagine a Razorback fan is laying half-dead on the side of the road. First the Arkansas Athletic Director passes by on the other side of the road. Then the head football coach avoids the situation. Just when you're hoping the volunteer assistant baseball coach saves the day, an LSU Tiger steps in and plays the hero!

The story is shocking for a couple reasons. First, you know the Arkansas Athletic Director and Head Football Coach and you can't imagine they'd actually leave someone in that situation. Second, the last person you'd expect (or even want!) to play the hero is a Bayou Bengal! When Jesus asks you which of these three proved to be a neighbor of dying man you, through your gritted teeth, cannot bring yourself to say "The LSU Tiger" so you simply say, "the one who showed mercy to him."

Jesus looks to you and say, "Go and do the same."

Go and do. Sounds like there's a command in there, but what exactly is it?

The Clear Command

Oftentimes when we read this parable (and many of Jesus' parables at that) we have a tendency to get overly figurative. While it does take some level of creative interpretation to apply what we learn in the Bible to our lives today, not everything Jesus said is a simile or a metaphor.

The Parable of the Good Samaritan is a brilliant story it many ways, but one in particular was that it was not giving the man who attempted to justify his way of life the satisfaction he sought. The assumption here is that this man, who was clearly well versed in the Scriptures, was (most likely) adhering to the laws he quoted based on his interpretation. He asks Jesus, "who is my neighbor?" hoping to hear Jesus say, "well the one who lives next door to you, of course!"

That, however, is not what Jesus said, but it's also not NOT what Jesus said. Do you follow?

This man was seeking justification that he was following the law the right way, but Jesus pushes him further. He challenges the notion that his "neighbor" isn't just his geographical neighbor, but anyone that he crosses paths with! Jesus is not redefining who your neighbor is, he's supplementing the definition.

The point of this story is not to decip her who your neighbor is or isn't, but to Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind, and love your neighbor as yourself. Do this and you will live!

Psalm 16:1-11

Wed, 12 Apr 2023 22:24:34 GMT

Confidence in the Lord

A Miktam of David.

1 Protect me, God, for I take refuge in you.

2 I said to the Lord, “You are my Lord;
I have nothing good besides you.”

3 As for the holy people who are in the land,
they are the noble ones.
All my delight is in them.

4 The sorrows of those who take another god
for themselves will multiply;
I will not pour out their drink offerings of blood,
and I will not speak their names with my lips.

5 Lord, you are my portion
and my cup of blessing;
you hold my future.

6 The boundary lines have fallen for me
in pleasant places;
indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance.

7 I will bless the Lord who counsels me—
even at night when my thoughts trouble me.

8 I always let the Lord guide me.
Because he is at my right hand,
I will not be shaken.

9 Therefore my heart is glad
and my whole being rejoices;
my body also rests securely.

10 For you will not abandon me to Sheol;
you will not allow your faithful one to see decay.

11 You reveal the path of life to me;
in your presence is abundant joy;
at your right hand are eternal pleasures.

Psalm 16:1-11 CSB

Prayer: Heavenly Father, we thank you for being our provider, our protector, our sustainer, our source of joy, and our hope for life eternal. We thank you for seeing us in our struggles. In the past we have chosen things other than you to sustain us through trying times. We ask that you forgive us for choosing things other than you meet our needs, things that have failed us time and time again. Forgive us for choosing to live outside of the pleasant boundaries you have set up for us. We acknowledge that you are good. We acknowledge that you know what is best for us. We pray that by Your Spirit You would enable us to walk in the ways you have revealed to us through your word. We pray that we would always seek you first. In Jesus name, Amen.

Hebrews 11:1-6

Wed, 12 Apr 2023 21:24:01 GMT

Entering the Kingdom

1 Now faith is the reality of what is hoped for, the proof of what is not seen. 2 For by this our ancestors were approved.

3 By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was made from things that are not visible.

4 By faith Abel offered to God a better sacrifice than Cain did. By faith he was approved as a righteous man, because God approved his gifts, and even though he is dead, he still speaks through his faith.

5 By faith Enoch was taken away, and so he did not experience death. He was not to be found because God took him away. For before he was taken away, he was approved as one who pleased God. 6 Now without faith it is impossible to please God, since the one who draws near to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.

Hebrews 11:1-6 CSB

Additional Notes:

The section title for Hebrews 11 is “Hall of Faith” like Hall of Fame – these are the GOATs of Faith. This chapter is filled with examples of faith by ordinary people like you and I who chose to believe God.
EVERYONE has faith in something! Many times we put our faith in ourselves instead of God “I know what’s best for me” “I want to do what makes me happy”
Faith is more than just believing – it’s believing and doing! (Fruit)
Faith = the reality (TRUTH) of what is hoped for (longing).
Faith = the proof (EVIDENCE) of what is not seen.
Faith is not fleeting; it is substantial enough to produce confidence!
The opposite of faith is UNBELIEF – a lack of trust in God.
Sometimes our emotions may make us feel like we don’t have faith (examples: Worry, Anxiety, Fear, etc.) – emotions are normal and don’t always reflect a lack of faith, but our actions immediately when those emotions come up do reflect our faith. (Stressing out vs. Praying, numbing yourself vs. Being with Jesus) –Our emotions SHOULD draw us near to God.
All of these examples of faith DID NOT have JESUS (he wasn’t born yet) nor did they have BIBLEs and yet these men are in heaven simply because the had faith and were therefore APPROVED!

Matthew 7:13-14

Wed, 12 Apr 2023 21:23:59 GMT

Entering the Kingdom

13 “Enter through the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the road broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who go through it. 14 How narrow is the gate and difficult the road that leads to life, and few find it.

Matthew 7:13-14 CSB

Prayer: Father, by your spirit do what only you can do which is draw men and women to yourself. Help us in our unbelief. Guide us to chose the narrow way through your son Jesus Christ. In Jesus name we Pray! Amen!

2 Timothy 3:10-17

Wed, 12 Apr 2023 21:23:58 GMT

Struggles in the Christian Life

10 But you have followed my teaching, conduct, purpose, faith, patience, love, and endurance, 11 along with the persecutions and sufferings that came to me in Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra. What persecutions I endured—and yet the Lord rescued me from them all. 12 In fact, all who want to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. 13 Evil people and impostors will become worse, deceiving and being deceived. 14 But as for you, continue in what you have learned and firmly believed. You know those who taught you, 15 and you know that from infancy you have known the sacred Scriptures, which are able to give you wisdom for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 16 All Scripture is inspired by God and is profitable for teaching, for rebuking, for correcting, for training in righteousness, 17 so that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

2 Timothy 3:10-17 CSB

Prayer: Heavenly Father, we thank you Lord for your word, your word which is breathed out by you by your Holy Spirit that is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness. Lord you invite us to learn more about you, to commune with you in the study of your word. Lord, you speak to us in your word, for it is a lamp unto our feet and a light onto our path. Lord may we hunger and thirst for your word, may we desire to hear from you and learn of your promises, may we seek your will for our lives and not our own. Lord may we seek fellowship with others in reading, and studying your word, for your word is the only truth. May we reflect on your word to remind us daily that you are good, holy, and everlasting. Lord we thank you that you have provided your word to equip us for every good work. In Jesus name-AMEN

John 15:1-8

Wed, 12 Apr 2023 21:23:56 GMT

The Vine and the Branches

1 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 Every branch in me that does not produce fruit he removes, and he prunes every branch that produces fruit so that it will produce more fruit. 3 You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. 4 Remain in me, and I in you. Just as a branch is unable to produce fruit by itself unless it remains on the vine, neither can you unless you remain in me. 5 I am the vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in me and I in him produces much fruit, because you can do nothing without me. 6 If anyone does not remain in me, he is thrown aside like a branch and he withers. They gather them, throw them into the fire, and they are burned. 7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you want and it will be done for you. 8 My Father is glorified by this: that you produce much fruit and prove to be[ a ] my disciples.

John 15:1-8 CSB

Prayer: Father, Help us to live dependent upon you our true nourishment and satisfaction; living water and bread of life. Amen.

Revelation 21:1-7

Thu, 02 Mar 2023 22:28:29 GMT

1 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. 2 I also saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared like a bride adorned for her husband.

3 Then I heard a loud voice from the throne: Look, God’s dwelling is with humanity, and he will live with them. They will be his peoples, and God himself will be with them and will be their God. 4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; grief, crying, and pain will be no more, because the previous things have passed away.

5 Then the one seated on the throne said, “Look, I am making everything new.” He also said, “Write, because these words are faithful and true.” 6 Then he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. I will freely give to the thirsty from the spring of the water of life. 7 The one who conquers will inherit these things, and I will be his God, and he will be my son.

Revelation 21:1-7 CSB

Prayer: Father, we praise you for what you've done, we praise you for what you do, and we praise you for what you are going to do. We know your words do not return empty. We know that you are a promise keeper and your word will come to pass. We thank you for loving us so much that you would step out of Heaven and sacrifice yourself for our sins. We recognize that this life is temporary, but that there is an eternal one waiting for those who have called upon the name of the Lord as their savior. We ask that you would help us live every day under the comfort of this truth. Give us the confidence to walk in the assurance of our salvation, knowing that the struggles, pain, trials, and tribulations of today will be washed away once we enter your presence for good. Your Kingdom come, your will be done. Amen.

OVERTIME

We are the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, so, as you would imagine, we're pretty fond of sports. Our vision -- to see the world transformed by Jesus Christ through the influence of coaches and athletes -- is not always, but often is accomplished through the sports that they coach and play.

Sport comes in many different shapes and sizes (literally). We see everything from youth leagues, to clubs, to school teams that span from grade school to the collegiate level. Not to mention we've got a handful of billion-dollar professional leagues here in the United States!

For today I want us to consider some of these higher levels of sport: specifically college and professional sports.

Most collegiate or professional sports teams have been around longer than we've been supporters of those teams. Although some teams may have won a championship in their history, when a new season comes around everyone (the players, the coaches, and fans) starts 0-0 and is ready to chase that title once again. We've prescribed to a cycle that implies that yesterdays accomplishments don't guarantee future success. The Great Bambino even said it himself: "Yesterday's home runs don't win today's games."

For those of us who have been deeply invested in sports throughout our lives, it would make sense why this mentality may bleed over into other areas of our life. In some cases it holds up. For example, studying hard in the fall semester doesn't guarantee good grades in the spring, or last quarters sales don't guarantee a commission check this quarter. When you decide to associate yourself with any given team, it seems that this "what happened yesterday" cycle is what we sign up for.

Though many things of this world affirm this cycle, God operates differently. FCA has a resource designed to help us strengthen our faith called THE CORE . The first step is to join God's team. However, joining God's team is not like joining any other team. Joining God's team can be done by recognizing these four simple truths.

If you just walked through those steps and prayed that prayer for the first time, congratulations and welcome to God's team! Just like any other team, you aren't meant to walk alone. Please reach out to us and we will follow up with you!

Whether you're brand new to God's team or you joined God's team a long time ago, hear this truth from Paul's letter to the Romans.

"What should we say then? Should we continue in sin so that grace may multiply? Absolutely not! How can we who died to sin still live in it? Or are you unaware that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? Therefore we were buried with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too may walk in newness of life. For if we have been united with him in the likeness of his death, we will certainly also be in the likeness of his resurrection. For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be rendered powerless so that we may no longer be enslaved to sin, since a person who has died is freed from sin. Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him, because we know that Christ, having been raised from the dead, will not die again. Death no longer rules over him. For the death he died, he died to sin once for all time; but the life he lives, he lives to God. So, you too consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus."

Romans 6:1-11

Notice a few things in the passage.

"Christ... will not die again."
"Death no longer rules over him."
"He died to sin once for all time."

This is cycle-breaking language. When we join God's team we are not entering into a cycle of occasionally having to start from scratch over and over and over again. When we join God's team we are not joining a team that hope's to win, we are joining a team who already won the battle through the work of Jesus Christ on the cross. A team that can never and will never lose again!

What comes with winning a championship? A celebration, of course! When a professional team wins a title, a few weeks later their home city will almost completely shut down all for the sake of celebrating the accomplishment of their team in the form of a championship parade. Similarly, God, through Christ on the cross, has won the ultimate championship over sin and death and a day is coming where the whole earth will shut down, in fact, it will be made new to celebrate the coming of God's kingdom!

So, if the battle is already won, and the "championship parade" is coming in the future, what do we do in the meantime? The task at hand is a simple one: Invite people to the "parade" to join the celebration!

2 Timothy 3:14-17

Thu, 02 Mar 2023 22:28:27 GMT

14 But as for you, continue in what you have learned and firmly believed. You know those who taught you, 15 and you know that from infancy you have known the sacred Scriptures, which are able to give you wisdom for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 16 All Scripture is inspired by God [ a ] and is profitable for teaching, for rebuking, for correcting, for training in righteousness, 17 so that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

2 Timothy 3:14-17 CSB

Prayer: God thank you for your Word. Transform us from the inside out. May you be glorified. In Jesus name we Pray. Amen!

John 15:12-15

Thu, 02 Mar 2023 22:28:26 GMT

John 15:12-15 CSB

Prayer: Heavenly Father, we thank you for your infinite love, we thank you for sending your son to die on the cross for our sins, your word says that yet while we were still sinners you came and died for us, in order to restore us back to you. Greater love has no one than this to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. God we thank you that you call us friend, we thank you for your word, the examples and teachings of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ to follow. Lord help us to love others as ourselves. Lord help us by your Holy Spirit to obey, trust, and have growing faith in you that grows everyday.

Lord we praise you because you are good, we praise you because you love us like no one can or ever can. Your love is eternal and everlasting, help us God to be your ambassadors to show love to everyone that we come in contact with, In Jesus name, -AMEN

Psalm 1:1-3

Thu, 02 Mar 2023 22:28:22 GMT

The Two Ways

1 How happy is the one who does not

walk in the advice of the wicked

or stand in the pathway with sinners

or sit in the company of mockers!

2 Instead, his delight is in the Lord’s instruction,

and he meditates on it day and night.

3 He is like a tree planted beside flowing streams

that bears its fruit in its season,

and its leaf does not wither.

Whatever he does prospers.

Psalm 1:1-3 CSB

Prayer: Dear God, You are so good. Your love for me is unconditional and everlasting. Create in me a clean heart and a renewed spirit that walks in your ways. Ignite a fire in me for Your Word and help me to see myself and my life through your eyes. Holy Spirit speak to me and reveal yourself to me through the scriptures. Help me to mediate and chew on your word, soaking up all that you have for me. Help me to be obedient to Your word. Help me to delight in you and your word, that I may be blessed in all that I do. In Jesus name, Amen.

Genesis 1:26-28

Thu, 02 Mar 2023 22:28:11 GMT

26 Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, according to our likeness. They will rule the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, the livestock, the whole earth, and the creatures that crawl on the earth.”

27 So God created man
in his own image;
he created him in the image of God;
he created them male and female.

28 God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth, and subdue it. Rule the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, and every creature that crawls on the earth.”

Genesis 1:26-28 CSB

Prayer: Father, we are weak when it comes to loving and living like Jesus. Strengthen us by your Spirit to reflect your image and extend your Kingdom on earth as it is in Heaven. Amen.

Acts 1:6-11

Tue, 31 Jan 2023 21:28:04 GMT

The Ascension
6 So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, are you restoring the kingdom to Israel at this time?”

7 He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or periods that the Father has set by his own authority. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come on you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

9 After he had said this, he was taken up as they were watching, and a cloud took him out of their sight. 10 While he was going, they were gazing into heaven, and suddenly two men in white clothes stood by them. 11 They said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up into heaven? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come in the same way that you have seen him going into heaven.”

Acts 1:6-11 CSB

Prayer: Heavenly Father, authority of all things on Heaven and on earth, on who’s authority all things are fixed, we recognize your son, Jesus, as king and who’s kingdom will be established again. We confess that we have not given ourselves wholly to your plans. We confess that we have both actively and passively been disobedient. You knew all this, yet you still sent Jesus to die on our behalf. We are honored that you have given us the power of the Holy Spirit. We are honored that you have chosen us to be your witnesses on earth. We believe that you will return and we recognize that there is work to be done until that day comes. We pray that we can see the world as you see it. We pray that we will witness with a sense of urgency and eagerness. We pray that the message of the Gospel will be so impactful in our lives that we can’t help but to share it with everyone. We pray that we will faithfully go where you send us and be useful while we are there. We submit ourselves to your authority and your perfect plans. In Jesus name, amen.

1 Corinthians 6:19-20

Tue, 31 Jan 2023 19:06:58 GMT

19 Don’t you know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, 20 for you were bought at a price. So glorify God with your body.

1 Corinthians 6:19-20 CSB

For reference and reflection consider what Paul writes in Romans 12:1-2.

"Therefore, brothers and sisters, in view of the mercies of God, I urge you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God; this is your true worship. Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God."

Prayer: Heavenly Father, you are so good. We owe you everything. Lord we magnify you, we glorify you, and we give you praise. May we never forget that we are yours. You have the rights to us and we ask that you do with us what you please. Lord prepare our minds, bodies and souls to be a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to you, that you may dwell inside of us. Lead us down the path of righteousness, constantly challenging us in our faith. Help us to remain in your word, using it to cut through the things that separate us from you. Jesus, we are yours. We thank you and we praise you. In Jesus name, amen.

Philippians 4:6-7

Tue, 31 Jan 2023 18:59:29 GMT

6 Don’t worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:6-7 CSB

Prayer: Heavenly Father, you have reminded me in your word not to worry or to be anxious but that in every situation, no matter how big or small to present my requests to you. Lord, I thank you that you care for me, so much that you don’t want me to live in a place of worry or anxiety, but that you give me freedom from worry. Lord that I can rest in you that your will be done in my life. As a result of your infinite love for me you have provided me with my Savior Jesus Christ, whom you sent to die on the cross for my sins that I would have a right to the tree of life, that I would have a restored relationship with you. Lord you tell me in your word that your yoke is easy, and your burden is light, may I trust in you Lord with every struggle, with every trial, having hope that your will is far greater than my own. Lord bless me to desire your will for my life, not my own. Lord I thank you that you are faithful to your word, that no trial of mine has taken you by surprise. May your peace which surpasses all understanding continue to guard my heart and my mind in my Savior Jesus Christ. AMEN.

Romans 5:6-8

Tue, 31 Jan 2023 18:59:07 GMT

The Justified Are Reconciled

6 For while we were still helpless, at the right time, Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For rarely will someone die for a just person—though for a good person perhaps someone might even dare to die. 8 But God proves his own love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Romans 5:6-8 CSB

Prayer: God thank you for sending your only son Jesus to die on the cross for our sins. While we were still sinners you died for us. May your grace compel us to live for something Greater than ourselves. In Jesus name we pray. All God’s people say Amen!

John 3:22-30

Mon, 30 Jan 2023 19:47:27 GMT

Jesus and John the Baptist

22 After this, Jesus and his disciples went to the Judean countryside, where he spent time with them and baptized.

23 John also was baptizing in Aenon near Salim, because there was plenty of water there. People were coming and being baptized, 24 since John had not yet been thrown into prison.

25 Then a dispute arose between John’s disciples and a Jew about purification. 26 So they came to John and told him, “Rabbi, the one you testified about, and who was with you across the Jordan, is baptizing—and everyone is going to him.”

27 John responded, “No one can receive anything unless it has been given to him from heaven. 28 You yourselves can testify that I said, ‘I am not the Messiah, but I’ve been sent ahead of him.’ 29 He who has the bride is the groom. But the groom’s friend, who stands by and listens for him, rejoices greatly at the groom’s voice. So this joy of mine is complete. 30 He must increase, but I must decrease.”

John 3:22-30 CSB

Prayer: Thank you God for John’s faithfulness to point others to Jesus. Lord, help us to witness to others of your beauty and grace. And keep our hearts and eyes fixed on the one who is greater!

John 10:1-18

Mon, 25 Jul 2022 21:54:45 GMT

The Good Shepherd

1 “Truly I tell you, anyone who doesn’t enter the sheep pen by the gate but climbs in some other way is a thief and a robber. 2 The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 The gatekeeper opens it for him, and the sheep hear his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he has brought all his own outside, he goes ahead of them. The sheep follow him because they know his voice. 5 They will never follow a stranger; instead they will run away from him, because they don’t know the voice of strangers.” 6 Jesus gave them this figure of speech, but they did not understand what he was telling them.

7 Jesus said again, “Truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. 8 All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep didn’t listen to them. 9 I am the gate. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will come in and go out and find pasture. 10 A thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I have come so that they may have life and have it in abundance.

11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12 The hired hand, since he is not the shepherd and doesn’t own the sheep, leaves them and runs away when he sees a wolf coming. The wolf then snatches and scatters them. 13 This happens because he is a hired hand and doesn’t care about the sheep.

14 “I am the good shepherd. I know my own, and my own know me, 15 just as the Father knows me, and I know the Father. I lay down my life for the sheep. 16 But I have other sheep that are not from this sheep pen; I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. Then there will be one flock, one shepherd. 17 This is why the Father loves me, because I lay down my life so that I may take it up again. 18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down on my own. I have the right to lay it down, and I have the right to take it up again. I have received this command from my Father.”

John 10:1-18 CSB

Prayer: Dear God, who made the Heavens and the earth and all the good things on the earth. Who created the sheep, the pen, and the pasture. Who intimately knows each and every one of us down o the number of hairs on our head. We confess to you, Father, that we have been deceived by the thieves and robbers of this world. We have been led astray by the promises of life offered by those who's only aim is to steal, kill, and destroy. We have indulged in things that we thought might fulfill us, but, in the end, left us emptier than before. We thank you, Father, for giving Jesus authority over his life. A life that he would lay down and take up again so that, for those who believe, for those who know and follow his voice, can be brought up with him. We thank you for being the gate, the true and only pathway to salvation. We thank you for being the good shepherd who did not abandon us, but laid down his life for us. We pray that we would continue to follow your voice, that we would not be led astray by thieves and robbers, and that we would share the good news of the Gospel so that others may join this flock. Amen.

OVERTIME

What is "the good life?"

Here's a non-exhaustive list of things the world might tell you means you're living the "good life":

Being rich/wealthy
Eating good
Nice home/car/boat
Owning a lot of things
Your political party is in power
Good relationships
Ability to travel
Being famous/popular
No stress or anxiety
Quiet
No rush or hurry
No restrictions/obligations
More freedom
“Live, laugh, love”
No sickness/disease
Everyone being like you

Any of those hit close to home? Maybe there's something on this list that you've deemed to be your life goal. Maybe there's MULTIPLE things on this list that you're chasing after.

John D. Rockefeller, founder of the Standard Oil Company, amassed a personal fortune of $1.4 BILLION in 1937. That would be equal to about $190 BILLION IN 2022, making him the 2nd richest person in the world today. When he was asked “How much money is enough?” he said “Just a little bit more.”

Do you ever feel that way? "If I just had a little bit more _______, then I’ll be happy."

Just a little bit more money .
Just a few more Likes .
Just one more drink .

Why do we think one more of this or that will make us happy?

Canadian-American philosopher James K.A. Smith said this:

“We are the sorts of animals whose love is aimed at different ends or goals. Love always has a target, something that it intends or aims at. What we love is a specific vision of the good life, an implicit picture of what we think human flourishing looks like. Our ultimate love is oriented by and to a picture of what we think it looks like for us to live well, and that picture governs, shapes, and motivates our decisions and actions.”

To paraphrase - We're always going to chase or attach ourselves to the thing that we think will get us where we want to go.

So what does all this have to do with Jesus? Looking back at the passage, in v.1-5 Jesus is using an object metaphor which is simply a metaphor that should be relevant to the audience. It would be no different than using sports or a movie to get a point across. The Pharisees (who are supposed to be shepherding the people of Israel) confess in v.6 that this metaphor doesn't resonate with them so Jesus, in v.7-10, clears things up. Here is v.7-10 again:

Jesus makes it very clear that:

He is "the gate" for the sheep.
He is the only gate.
Anyone who suggests/offers anything different are "thieves and robbers".

Since we live in the 21st century and not the 1st century, there may be one other thing that needs to be cleared up. Jesus as the good shepherd (as stated in v.11) makes sense. Jesus is a person. A shepherd is a person. That adds up. Jesus as the gate, however, that one is a little harder to comprehend. How can Jesus be the gate AND the good shepherd?

Take a look at this sheepfold. Notice anything odd?

If you thought, "Where's the gate?" Congratulations! You've got a keen eye. Ready for a bombshell? The shepherd IS the gate! Pretty cool right? Let's press on.

Jesus calls himself "the gate". What is the role of a gate?

A gate will separate the inside (protection) from outside (pasture).
A gate is typically a narrow and specific threshold on a structure designed to be passed through.
A gate not only keeps things in, but also keeps things out.

Jesus is like a gate because when we live THROUGH him he provides protection and provision.

What makes Jesus different than other "gates"? What are the other "gates"?

Other gates are any alternative to the life that Jesus offers. They're usually a means to an end aimed at getting you closer to where you want to go. In this story, the alternatives to the "gate" and the "good shepherd are thieves and robbers (v8), hired hands (v12-13), and the wolf (v12)

Thieves/Robbers – anything that steals/robs you of contentment
comparison
"what ifs"
Hired hand – anything that pretends to care/false sense of security
politicians
validation in relationships
job security
Wolf – anything that causes actual harm
drug abuse
alcohol abuse
pornography
addiction

Every one of these "gates", whether positive or negative, are trying to sell you their version of "the good life".

“Vote for THIS candidate and society will flourish!”
"Buy THIS thing and life will be easier!”
"As soon as you make THIS much money, then you'll be truly happy."
"This week was tough, you deserve to blow off some steam, THIS will help you relax."
"Feeling lonely? Just watch some of THIS . You're just a few clicks away!"

OK, so maybe the voices in your head aren't so obvious, but you get it, right?

Jesus wants us to “have life and have it in abundance.” All other gates may promise some semblance of life, but they will ultimately come up short/leave you wanting more. Living a life of faithful obedience to Jesus is the ONLY thing that truly provides fulfilling pasture and complete protection. Jesus is offering an abundance that is completely untethered from circumstance.

What's the secret to following Jesus? It can be found right there in v.4.

"The sheep follow him because they know his voice."

How do we know someone's voice? (This is not a trick question) We spend time with them!

How do we spend time with Jesus? We practice spiritual disciplines which include (but are not limited to):

Prayer - Talking directly to God
In Scripture - hear, read, study, memorize, meditate
Worship - praising God for his greatness and goodness
Service - loving God by loving others
Solitude - taking time to truly be alone with God
Fasting - Not eating food for a set amount of time
Sabbath - Doing no work for a day and resting in God's provision

Do you know the voice of the shepherd?

Matthew 25:14-30

Mon, 18 Jul 2022 18:54:43 GMT

WARM-UP

What do you dream about...

Doing?
Being?
Accomplishing?
Where do you dream of going?
Who do you dream of influencing?
Do you dream of what your life is meant to be?
Have you given yourself permission to pray and dream God sized things?
Or are you stuck and dreaming isn't possible?

Through this passage, I would like to talk about the two kinds of people. But first let me tell you quickly about Benaiah in 2 Samuel 23:20-21. When faced with a lion he chose to pursue it. He followed it into a pit, covered with snow and killed the lion. He was so equipped and prepared for the challenge it seems he didn’t know to do anything but what he did. Now let’s look at the servants in the parable.

Two of the servants were LION CHASERS. They had the courage to step out for God’s glory. With something that most would run from, they pressed in and charged ahead making the most of what the master gave them.
One servant was paralyzed by fear and doubt. He didn’t understand the master he served. He decided it was better to give back the gift he was given rather than risk messing it up.

God has placed in you an amount of capital to invest. For each of us it looks a little different. Your capital investment comes through

the talent you have in your sport
the degree you are pursuing
your family legacy
your socioeconomic status
hobbies you enjoy
talents and special interests you have

Which servant do you want to be?

The lion chaser who has prepared mentally, physically, and spiritually – ready to do what looks impossible and a little bit crazy.
The fearful servant who hides or hoards their gifts waiting for God to ask for them back.

Preparation + Execution = Domination

Every day we get to chose whether to give the microphone to hope or fear. The choice we make is the life we will lead. – Bob Goff, author, lawyer, school planter, world traveler, family man

The Parable of the Talents

14 “For it is just like a man about to go on a journey. He called his own servants and entrusted his possessions to them. 15 To one he gave five talents, to another two talents, and to another one talent, depending on each one’s ability. Then he went on a journey. Immediately 16 the man who had received five talents went, put them to work, and earned five more. 17 In the same way the man with two earned two more. 18 But the man who had received one talent went off, dug a hole in the ground, and hid his master’s money.

19 “After a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them. 20 The man who had received five talents approached, presented five more talents, and said, ‘Master, you gave me five talents. See, I’ve earned five more talents.’

21 “His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You were faithful over a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Share your master’s joy.’

22 “The man with two talents also approached. He said, ‘Master, you gave me two talents. See, I’ve earned two more talents.’

23 “His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You were faithful over a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Share your master’s joy.’

24 “The man who had received one talent also approached and said, ‘Master, I know you. You’re a harsh man, reaping where you haven’t sown and gathering where you haven’t scattered seed. 25 So I was afraid and went off and hid your talent in the ground. See, you have what is yours.’

26 “His master replied to him, ‘You evil, lazy servant! If you knew that I reap where I haven’t sown and gather where I haven’t scattered, 27 then you should have deposited my money with the bankers, and I would have received my money back with interest when I returned.

28 “‘So take the talent from him and give it to the one who has ten talents. 29 For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have more than enough. But from the one who does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him. 30 And throw this good-for-nothing servant into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

Matthew 25:14-30 CSB

Prayer: Thank you for your faithfulness to us. Thank you for entrusting every person with gifts and talents to enjoy and use to glorify you. Please guide each of us in the process of taking risks and living a bold life that draws other people into relationship with you. Remind us that you want us to enjoy what you have given us as well and let that enjoyment radiate from us so others will be drawn to you. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Lyndsay Moncrief

uark@fca.org (Ryan Folkes) — Fri, 15 Jul 2022 22:51:49 GMT

Matthew 13:44-46

Mon, 11 Jul 2022 14:51:46 GMT

WARM-UP

Take a couple minutes to listen to Priceless by Cass & V. Rose and check out the lyrics here .

Think of something in your life that you can put a price on. Name something in your life that is priceless.

What makes a national championship priceless?

Only 1 team gets to experience it, all the hard work put into it, it’s an exclusive club. Many will play for a national championship but only one team will win. No amount of money could buy you this experience.

Main Idea: The Kingdom of God is the most valuable treasure ever to all who believe and receive it. It is a priceless pearl. Those who discover and recognize the worth of living life under the rule of God will sacrifice anything of earthly value for participation in his kingdom.

Background Information:

Written in the mid-50s AD
Book of Matthew written by Matthew, known as Levi, a tax collector – tax collectors were not liked during these times; often would over charge the people and get rich.
Having heard the words of Jesus and seen his works, Matthew left his job to follow Jesus and become one of his disciples.
Matthew is introducing the Kingdom and the Messiah.
It is the culmination of the Old Testament.
Gives convincing evidence that Jesus Christ is the Messiah, the long-waited King, who would come to save the world.
The Kingdom has come – go and make disciples.

Jesus spoke in parables to help us understand. His mind is above ours and so by presenting the gospel in parables, we can comprehend the meaning because we understand stories.

There are two parables – Jesus pairs two illustrations, each with their individual emphases, to reinforce the point and introduce new meaning.

First Parable - TREASURE (Matt. 13:44)
The hidden treasure is found “by chance,” it seems, without the man looking intentionally for it.
In finding this treasure, “in his joy”, the (merchant) goes and sells everything he has and buys that field.
Second Parable – PEARL (Matt. 13:45-46)
Why did Jesus use a merchant – merchants were people who bought and sold goods “merchandise” – they are very well versed in the worth or value of possessions.
In the ancient world pearls were very precious, more valuable than gold – and this merchant is seeking FINE pearls. (his palette is refined)
The merchant is intentional in his search and is overjoyed in what he has found – this pearl is exceedingly precious and more valuable than anything he owns.
The Cost
The Kingdom of God is the most valuable treasure to those who believe AND receive.
Those who believe AND receive are most valuable to the Kingdom.
There are two people: Those who are pursuing Christ and those who are opposed to Him (enemies of Christ)
We are to constantly examine our faith!
We have a tendency to hoard things, people, experiences that take up so much space in our lives that there is no room for God. (Numbers 11:4-6)
Is God enough? Often, we want God + ______________.
God will never be enough if you don’t want Him.
Following Jesus WILL cost us something. What are YOU giving up or sacrificing to get closer to Him?

The Parables of the Hidden Treasure and of the Priceless Pearl

44 “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure, buried in a field, that a man found and reburied. Then in his joy he goes and sells everything he has and buys that field.

45 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls. 46 When he found one priceless pearl, he went and sold everything he had and bought it.

Matthew 13:44-46 CSB

Prayer: Father God, we thank you for this day. We thank you for those that are gathered here to hear your word. God, we know that your word is true and we ask that you penetrate our hearts and minds today as we learn more about you. God, I pray that you would speak through me so that your voice is elevated and that you might get the honor and glory. Thank you for every person gathered here and for those that could not make it. May be take what is said today and apply it in our daily lives so that we may grow in our faith. God you are good, God you are holy, and God you are priceless.

John 15:1-17

Tue, 14 Jun 2022 15:42:13 GMT

The Vine and the Branches

Christlike Love

9 “As the Father has loved me, I have also loved you. Remain in my love. 10 If you keep my commands you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love.

11 “I have told you these things so that my joy may be in you and your joy may be complete.

12 “This is my command: Love one another as I have loved you. 13 No one has greater love than this: to lay down his life for his friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command you. 15 I do not call you servants anymore, because a servant doesn’t know what his master is doing. I have called you friends, because I have made known to you everything I have heard from my Father. 16 You did not choose me, but I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce fruit and that your fruit should remain, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he will give you.

17 “This is what I command you: Love one another.

John 15:1-17 CSB

Prayer: Heavenly Father God, creator of all things, we thank you for giving your Son, the true vine, to us so that we can bear fruit. We recognize that we can do nothing apart from you, God. We confess that whatever fruit we think we can produce without you is worthless. We confess that we have sought life and joy in other things. We pray that you would give us the patience and endurance to remain in you. We pray that you would still our hearts and minds so that we can find rest in you. We pray that we would truly receive the joy you offer us. We pray that we would, in loving obedience, do the things you have commanded us so that we might prove to be your disciples. We pray that we would draw near to you. We pray that we would lock arms with fellow believers - uplifting, encouraging, and loving one another. We pray that we would love others enough to invite them to draw near to you as well. We are honored to be called your friend. Empower us, Lord, to bear fruit for your glory. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.

OVERTIME

The Bible is an incredible book.

On page one it literally starts "In the beginning" and concludes with a Revelation from John the Elder written just shy of 100 AD.

It's includes books of law, history, poetry, the writings of the prophets, four Gospel accounts, early church history, a bunch of letters (called the epistles) written by obedient Jesus followers to churches around the ancient world, and the aforementioned book of Revelation.

There are about 35 known authors plus a few more unknown authors that God divinely inspired to pen His words to His people. Though the words, messages, and commands were all divinely inspired, each other still had their own unique writing style.

One of the most meticulous writers of the new testament was Luke, a physician, and author of the Gospel of Luke and the Book of Acts. For example, Luke's Gospel is the only account that highlights the birth of Jesus and events from his early childhood up until Jesus is 12 years old. Oddly enough, Luke gives us one sentence that captures Jesus' entire young adult life.

"And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and with people." - Luke 2:52

The most wordy author in the new testament sums up approximately 18 years of the life of Jesus Christ in one sentence, and yet, the sentence speaks volumes.

In their book, Exponential, Dave and Jon Ferguson challenge their readers to check their RPMS. No, they aren't talking about the revolutions per minute you see on the dashboard of the vehicle. They are referring to the four ways Jesus grew between the 12-year he was in Luke 2:51 and the 30-year old he became two verses later in Luke 3:1.

R elationally - "in favor... with people"

P hysically - "increased in... stature"

M entally - "increased in wisdom"

S piritually - "in favor with God"

In what ways are you growing right now?

Are you more focused on growing in one of those areas than the others?

Is there one of those that you've neglected (whether accidentally or intentionally)?

Take a moment to ask God to reveal to you an area of your life where you have room to improve.

Here are just a few examples of ways where we can grow in each of our RPMS.

Some of you may be naturally inclined towards some of the things on this non-exhaustive list. It's important to celebrate and praise God when He enable us to find joy in growth! We should also be open to God pruning us (John 15:2) so that we might experience even further blessings!

If you're like me, when you scan this list there's a couple things you would confess are very difficult for you. Fortunately, God has placed people in our lives that can help us grow. Do you struggle to exercise? Seek out a personal trainer! Barely making it in the classroom? Request the aid of a tutor! Coaches, counselors, peers, pastors - the Lord has gifted different people in your life to help you grow!

Perhaps the greatest coach on spiritual growth is Jesus himself. In John 15:4 Jesus tells us to "remain" in Him. A little further down in John 15:9 he says again to "remain" in His love. He tells us to stay close to Him. Don't wander to this thing or that thing. There is nothing in this world outside of Jesus that will make your joy complete.

John 4:1-42

Mon, 13 Jun 2022 15:00:00 GMT

Jesus and the Samaritan Woman

1 When Jesus learned that the Pharisees had heard he was making and baptizing more disciples than John 2 (though Jesus himself was not baptizing, but his disciples were), 3 he left Judea and went again to Galilee. 4 He had to travel through Samaria; 5 so he came to a town of Samaria called Sychar near the property that Jacob had given his son Joseph. 6 Jacob’s well was there, and Jesus, worn out from his journey, sat down at the well. It was about noon.

7 A woman of Samaria came to draw water.

“Give me a drink,” Jesus said to her, 8 because his disciples had gone into town to buy food.

9 “How is it that you, a Jew, ask for a drink from me, a Samaritan woman?” she asked him. For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.

10 Jesus answered, “If you knew the gift of God, and who is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would ask him, and he would give you living water.”

11 “Sir,” said the woman, “you don’t even have a bucket, and the well is deep. So where do you get this ‘living water’? 12 You aren’t greater than our father Jacob, are you? He gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did his sons and livestock.”

13 Jesus said, “Everyone who drinks from this water will get thirsty again. 14 But whoever drinks from the water that I will give him will never get thirsty again. In fact, the water I will give him will become a well of water springing up in him for eternal life.”

15 “Sir,” the woman said to him, “give me this water so that I won’t get thirsty and come here to draw water.”

16 “Go call your husband,” he told her, “and come back here.”

17 “I don’t have a husband,” she answered.

“You have correctly said, ‘I don’t have a husband,’” Jesus said. 18 “For you’ve had five husbands, and the man you now have is not your husband. What you have said is true.”

19 “Sir,” the woman replied, “I see that you are a prophet. 20 Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews say that the place to worship is in Jerusalem.”

21 Jesus told her, “Believe me, woman, an hour is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. 22 You Samaritans worship what you do not know. We worship what we do know, because salvation is from the Jews. 23 But an hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in Spirit and in truth. Yes, the Father wants such people to worship him. 24 God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in Spirit and in truth.”

25 The woman said to him, “I know that the Messiah is coming” (who is called Christ). “When he comes, he will explain everything to us.”

26 Jesus told her, “I, the one speaking to you, am he.”

The Ripened Harvest

27 Just then his disciples arrived, and they were amazed that he was talking with a woman. Yet no one said, “What do you want?” or “Why are you talking with her?”

28 Then the woman left her water jar, went into town, and told the people, 29 “Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could this be the Messiah?” 30 They left the town and made their way to him.

31 In the meantime the disciples kept urging him, “Rabbi, eat something.”

32 But he said, “I have food to eat that you don’t know about.”

33 The disciples said to one another, “Could someone have brought him something to eat?”

34 “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work,” Jesus told them. 35 “Don’t you say, ‘There are still four more months, and then comes the harvest’? Listen to what I’m telling you: Open your eyes and look at the fields, because they are ready for harvest. 36 The reaper is already receiving pay and gathering fruit for eternal life, so that the sower and reaper can rejoice together. 37 For in this case the saying is true: ‘One sows and another reaps.’ 38 I sent you to reap what you didn’t labor for; others have labored, and you have benefited from their labor.”

The Savior of the World

39 Now many Samaritans from that town believed in him because of what the woman said when she testified, “He told me everything I ever did.” 40 So when the Samaritans came to him, they asked him to stay with them, and he stayed there two days. 41 Many more believed because of what he said. 42 And they told the woman, “We no longer believe because of what you said, since we have heard for ourselves and know that this really is the Savior of the world.”

John 4:1-42 CSB

Prayer: Father, thank you for drawing near to us by sending your Son to initiate our salvation. Thank you for His body that was broken for us, His blood that cleanses us of all our sin, and that He is our living water that fully satisfies our deepest need for all eternity. I pray we would live in light of this reality. In Jesus name I pray, Amen.

Matt Goodheart

uark@fca.org (Ryan Folkes) — Thu, 09 Jun 2022 20:56:47 GMT

As Matt reflects on his story he is grateful to have been surrounded by such amazing influences through his life and career. God placed people in Matt's life every step of the way -- starting with dad, and J.R., and the rest of his family -- to his teammates at Arkansas -- such as Trevor Ezell, Zack Plunkett, and Kevin Kopps -- and even now with his teammates in Lincoln -- like Justin Byrd and Josh Altmann.

Matt does not take for granted the relationships, the brotherhood of faith, that God has provided for him throughout his faith journey.

Matt's testimony comes full circle with this familiar story from Matthew 8.

Jesus Calms the Storm

Then Jesus got into the boat and started across the lake with his disciples. Suddenly, a fierce storm struck the lake, with waves breaking into the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. The disciples went and woke him up, shouting, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!” Jesus responded, “Why are you afraid? You have so little faith!” Then he got up and rebuked the wind and waves, and suddenly there was a great calm. The disciples were amazed. “Who is this man?” they asked. “Even the winds and waves obey him!”

Matt says, "I am the storm." Jesus is Lord of the storm.

Bobby Wernes

uark@fca.org (Ryan Folkes) — Mon, 16 May 2022 15:46:55 GMT

One week after Southern Utah reached out to him the university shut down their baseball program. The D1 journey seemed to be over before it started, but Bobby wasn’t ready to give up yet. The only offer he received was from Neosho County Community College, just two hours south of his hometown. That first fall semester away from home was tough on Bobby. At one point he called his dad, in tears, and said, “I’m done.”

FRIDAY, AUGUST 2 ^nd , 2013 – Bobby’s first JuCo season is behind him and he’s playing summer baseball. Near the end of the summer season, two weeks before he had to be back at Neosho County, Kristina asked Bobby to drive with them to Kanakuk to pick up Kristina’s younger sister from camp. Bobby felt like this was a giant waste of time, but he reluctantly agreed to make the trip and even put on his nicest shirt, that Arkansas baseball t-shirt Kristina bought him back in February.

But it wasn’t.

Kristina knew two things: 1) Bobby is a baseball player, and 2) Dave Van Horn is a baseball coach. In her mind the thing she suggested next was obvious. Go tell Coach Van Horn you want to play for him. Bobby was blown away by the absurdity of this idea. After all, that’s not how this works! Right? By the time Kristina convinced Bobby to talk to him again Van Horn was about 70 yards away. Bobby turned on the jets, sprinted 70 yards, and formally introduced himself to Coach Van Horn. By the end of that conversation Van Horn agreed to come see Bobby play at Neosho in the fall. Bobby walked away thinking that conversation and outcome was literally the best thing that could have happened.

But it wasn’t.

SUNDAY, AUGUST 4 ^th , 2013 – Coach Van Horn’s name pops up on the caller ID which Bobby answers on the first ring. Van Horn offers Bobby a scholarship. Bobby had been to Fayetteville numerous times already to visit Kristina, but two days later he was there on an “official” visit.

Bobby started his Arkansas career on fire. He had a 12 game on-base streak, batting average over .300, and was playing great defense. During game 1 of a midweek series against Nebraska, at the peak of his hot streak, he decided that he was ready to truly give his life to Jesus. Deep down Bobby thought that God would REALLY elevate his game after that.

But He didn’t.

Bobby’s hot streak didn’t just fizzle but ended abruptly. He describes it as a “historically bad offensive year for an Arkansas guy”. The rest of that season he experienced some of the lowest lows in his baseball career. Despite his unsatisfactory performance on the field, he continued to grow in his faith. God got Bobby and wasn’t going to let him go.

Consider it a great joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you experience various trials, because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance.

James 1:2-3

On October 21st, 2017, Bobby married his high school sweetheart.

While with the Hartford Yard Goats, Bobby broke his hamate bone. He already had a feeling that this would be his last year of baseball, but this affirmed it. He finished the season with Hartford as an unofficial “player coach”.

One thing God has been teaching Bobby lately comes from Jesus Calling by Sarah Young. "Any hardship in life is a hand-tailored blessing."

Hudson Henry

uark@fca.org (Ryan Folkes) — Mon, 18 Apr 2022 21:11:31 GMT

Fast forward 7 years to a 14-year-old Hudson continued to grow in his faith. He grew so much in his faith that he realized he had not taken ownership of his faith. Between church, family, friendship, and fellowship with other believers he felt as if he had simply hitched his faith-wagon to everyone around him.

But God had bigger plans for Hudson. God revealed to Hudson that Jesus isn’t merely a distant savior who came and went a long time ago, but that Jesus is a savior who desires to have a personal relationship with each and every one of us today, including Hudson! It was then that Hudson decided to rededicate himself to Christ, not because it was something he though his parents would be proud of him for, but because he truly believed. The next three years proved to be a season of exponential spiritual growth for Hudson.

I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

- Galatians 2:20 -

Hudson’s poor performance led to shame. Shame gave way to anxiety. Anxiety made it difficult to focus. The lack of focus led to poor performance. The cycle was real and it was weighing on him.

Hudson needed grace. God provided.

Toward the back end of his freshman year God provided Hudson with a new community of believers. Hudson felt called to invite some people over to read the Bible. Those people accepted the invitation, and a Bible study was born.

God started transforming Hudson’s heart. Hudson once thought that God expects a certain level of performance – reading the Bible, praying, playing – and if he didn’t perform well that God would give up on him. Now Hudson knows that God will never give up on him.

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

He makes me lie down in green pastures.

He leads me beside still waters.

He restores my soul.

He leads me in paths of righteousness

for his name's sake.

- Psalm 23:1-2 -

As Hudson’s faith was reignited, he felt the Spirit moving him to share the Gospel with more people. One morning he prayed that God would put someone in his path that he could share the Gospel with THAT day. It turns out THAT day it was pouring rain and Hudson’s only way to get to class was on his moped. He arrived to class soaking wet and the auditorium was empty with the exception of one other student who also didn’t get the memo that class was cancelled that day. Now, in addition to being soaking wet, Hudson felt frustrated, annoyed, and a little bit defeated. But God had him right where he wanted him.

Hudson felt the Spirit pushing him to talk to this other student. He asked him his name, his life, and where he went to church. Bryant introduced himself and told Hudson he wasn’t really interested in church. He told Hudson that he believed there is a God, but wasn’t convinced that Jesus is God. Hudson and Bryant exchanged numbers and planned to meet again another day. Over the course of a couple weeks Hudson and Bryant grabbed lunch where Hudson opened himself up to answer any questions (or as many as he could!) about the Bible. A week later Hudson and Bryant met for dinner and Bryant confessed that he was ready to give his life to Jesus!

"God is always teaching and showing me what it means to be a follower. What it means to live for him and be loved by him."

Romans 10:5-15

Mon, 18 Apr 2022 19:08:15 GMT

5 since Moses writes about the righteousness that is from the law: The one who does these things will live by them. 6 But the righteousness that comes from faith speaks like this: Do not say in your heart, “Who will go up to heaven?” that is, to bring Christ down 7 or, “Who will go down into the abyss?” that is, to bring Christ up from the dead. 8 On the contrary, what does it say? The message is near you, in your mouth and in your heart. This is the message of faith that we proclaim: 9 If you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 One believes with the heart, resulting in righteousness, and one confesses with the mouth, resulting in salvation. 11 For the Scripture says, Everyone who believes on him will not be put to shame, 12 since there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, because the same Lord of all richly blesses all who call on him. 13 For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.

14 How, then, can they call on him they have not believed in? And how can they believe without hearing about him? And how can they hear without a preacher? 15 And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news.

Romans 10:5-15 CSB

Prayer: Lord God, the one who created me and everything around me, thank you for sending your only son, Jesus, to pay a debt that we could never afford. You did not make us ascend to Heaven to find you, nor did you ask us to rescue you from death, for we know you have authority over life and death. You have only asked us to confess and believe. Lord we confess that we carry burdens, we confess that there are things we are holding onto too tightly for comfort and security, we confess that we have sought satisfaction in other things, we confess that we are not, nor have ever been, perfect. Lord we ask that our daily confession would be that You are Lord. We pray that you would increase our faith so that we can, with all confidence, believe that you lived a perfect life we could not live, died the death we deserved, and raised to life defeating the power of sin and death. We pray that this truth would be so real to us that it not only changes our hearts, but changes our lives. We pray that you would send us into this world with this message so that others might also hear and believe. Amen.

OVERTIME

Sometime between the 3rd and 2nd centuries BC a Roman playwright named Titus Maccius Plautus coined the phrase, "You must spend money to make money." Fast forward to the 21st century and you have the battle cry of marketing departments all over the world.

Here's a snapshot of U.S. Marketing in 2020:

US companies spent $240 billion on marketing
Wal-Mart invested $2.42 billion in marketing and generated $559 billion in revenue
Apple spent $1.8B, P&G spent $4.7B, AT&T spent $4.8B, Comcast spent $5.2B, and Amazon spent $6.8B on marketing

It’s widely accepted that marketing is not only a valuable endeavor, but a critical one for growth. This concept, however, is not something that manifested itself during the advertising boom in the 1950's. Approximately 250 years after Plautus uttered that paradoxical phrase, Paul penned a letter to the Romans outlining his own marketing plan for the purpose of Gospel advancement.

The Four P's of marketing (Product, Place, Price, and Promotion) is a modern-day concept that companies use to assure they are being as effective as possible with their marketing efforts. As we put the Four P's next to Paul's plan (Romans 10:14-15) ask yourself if you're being as effective as you can be at sharing the Gospel.

Paul tells us that if you confess and believe you will be saved. Which side of "confess and believe" are you on? If all this is still a mystery to you, if you have not confessed and believed, or if you have more questions about all this don’t feel like you have to figure all this out on your own. Email me (Ryan Folkes) at rfolkes@fca.org . I’d be more than happy to answer any questions (that I can!) or if you have want to get together I’d be happy to find a time to meet!

Acts 16:25-40

Tue, 12 Apr 2022 20:35:01 GMT

A Midnight Deliverance

25 About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. 26 Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the jail were shaken, and immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone’s chains came loose. 27 When the jailer woke up and saw the doors of the prison standing open, he drew his sword and was going to kill himself, since he thought the prisoners had escaped.

28 But Paul called out in a loud voice, “Don’t harm yourself, because we’re all here!”

29 The jailer called for lights, rushed in, and fell down trembling before Paul and Silas. 30 He escorted them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”

31 They said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.” 32 And they spoke the word of the Lord to him along with everyone in his house. 33 He took them the same hour of the night and washed their wounds. Right away he and all his family were baptized. 34 He brought them into his house, set a meal before them, and rejoiced because he had come to believe in God with his entire household.

An Official Apology

35 When daylight came, the chief magistrates sent the police to say, “Release those men.”

36 The jailer reported these words to Paul: “The magistrates have sent orders for you to be released. So come out now and go in peace.”

37 But Paul said to them, “They beat us in public without a trial, although we are Roman citizens, and threw us in jail. And now are they going to send us away secretly? Certainly not! On the contrary, let them come themselves and escort us out.”

38 The police reported these words to the magistrates. They were afraid when they heard that Paul and Silas were Roman citizens. 39 So they came to appease them, and escorting them from prison, they urged them to leave town. 40 After leaving the jail, they came to Lydia’s house, where they saw and encouraged the brothers and sisters, and departed.

Acts 16:25-40 CSB

Prayer: Father God, who created us and loves us, who sent His only son to earth so that we can be saved, we thank you for these Scriptures that you breathed life into so that we may continue to learn from them even today. We confess, Lord, that we have not always answered the call. We confess that we have prioritized comfort and convenience over seeking and sharing Jesus with the lost so that they might be saved. We thank you for calling faithful men like Paul and Silas to share the Gospel of Jesus with everyone they encountered regardless of their circumstances. We thank you for showing us how the obedience of worship of a few faithful men can lead to life change. We thank you for working in the day and in the night. We thank you for being the God who brings down walls and breaks chains. We pray that you would be the center of our lives, the object of our worship, and the reason that we fearlessly share our faith with others. Amen.

Luke 7:36-50

Mon, 04 Apr 2022 21:49:51 GMT

Much Forgiveness, Much Love

36 Then one of the Pharisees invited him to eat with him. He entered the Pharisee’s house and reclined at the table. 37 And a woman in the town who was a sinner found out that Jesus was reclining at the table in the Pharisee’s house. She brought an alabaster jar of perfume 38 and stood behind him at his feet, weeping, and began to wash his feet with her tears. She wiped his feet with her hair, kissing them and anointing them with the perfume.

39 When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “This man, if he were a prophet, would know who and what kind of woman this is who is touching him—she’s a sinner!”

40 Jesus replied to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.”

He said, “Say it, teacher.”

41 “A creditor had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. 42 Since they could not pay it back, he graciously forgave them both. So, which of them will love him more?”

43 Simon answered, “I suppose the one he forgave more.”

“You have judged correctly,” he told him. 44 Turning to the woman, he said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave me no water for my feet, but she, with her tears, has washed my feet and wiped them with her hair. 45 You gave me no kiss, but she hasn’t stopped kissing my feet since I came in. 46 You didn’t anoint my head with olive oil, but she has anointed my feet with perfume. 47 Therefore I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven; that’s why she loved much. But the one who is forgiven little, loves little.” 48 Then he said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”

49 Those who were at the table with him began to say among themselves, “Who is this man who even forgives sins?”

50 And he said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you. Go in peace.”

Luke 7:36-50 CSB

Prayer: Jesus we thank you for what you have done and what you are still doing in our lives, interceding on our behalf even as we pray today. We thank you for humbling yourself by stepping down from Heaven into this sinful, broken world. Some of us may come to you like Simon the Pharisee and some come to you like the unnamed woman. We first and foremost thank you for receiving us both. If, in our hearts, we are more like the Pharisee we pray that you would break down the walls of our pride and place in our hearts a desperate need for you. If we approach you today like that of the woman we pray that you would see us, shower us grace and mercy, and forgive us. We pray that you would increase our faith so that as we go, we go in peace. Amen.

Maggie O'Hara

uark@fca.org (Ryan Folkes) — Tue, 22 Mar 2022 15:00:03 GMT

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.

- James 1:2-3 -

As a junior Maggie started attending AIA events at Michigan where they would have one large monthly meeting followed by weekly small groups. Maggie was leading girls on the water polo team, golf team, and other gymnasts in Bible study. As a senior Maggie finally felt like her faith had a place at the University of Michigan. Another teammate, Lauren Ibsen, had come alongside her and continue to push and support her as she grew and together the two of them started to change the culture around faith around Michigan athletics.

The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.

- Exodus 14:14 -

John 3:16-21

Wed, 16 Mar 2022 16:05:54 GMT

16 “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. 17 God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him.

18 “There is no judgment against anyone who believes in him. But anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God’s one and only Son. 19 And the judgment is based on this fact: God’s light came into the world, but people loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil. 20 All who do evil hate the light and refuse to go near it for fear their sins will be exposed. 21 But those who do what is right come to the light so others can see that they are doing what God wants.”

John 3:16-21 NLT

Prayer: Heavenly Father God, you are all-powerful, all-knowing, all-loving, and you showed us this through the plan you instituted from the very beginning. You knew even before you laid the foundations of the earth that mankind would be in need of a savior. A savior that was with you in the beginning, that the world was made through and for. A savior that we need because we have chosen darkness over the light. We are all sinners who have all strayed away from you in one way or another and are all in need of your light. We thank you for shining your light into the darkness. We thank you for sending your only Son, Jesus, into this world, not to judge the world, but to save the world. We thank you for fulfilling your plans and promises that you set in motion from the very beginning. We ask that you would give us the faith to step into the light. We ask that you would receive us with a warm embrace so that we might faithfully walk in obedience, laying the bricks of your kingdom so that you might be glorified on all the earth. Amen.

OVERTIME

Let's talk about the plan. God's plan. A plan that was set in motion from the very beginning. A plan that reverberated throughout history to God's chosen people. A plan that was echoed by the prophets. A plan that was fulfilled in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. A plan that is still in effect today.

Romans 8:31-39

Tue, 08 Mar 2022 04:43:00 GMT

Nothing Can Separate Us from God’s Love

31 What shall we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us? 32 Since he did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won’t he also give us everything else? 33 Who dares accuse us whom God has chosen for his own? No one—for God himself has given us right standing with himself. 34 Who then will condemn us? No one—for Christ Jesus died for us and was raised to life for us, and he is sitting in the place of honor at God’s right hand, pleading for us.

35 Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death? 36 (As the Scriptures say, “For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep.”) 37 No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.

38 And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. 39 No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 8:31-39 NLT

Prayer: Heavenly Father God, ultimate authority over all creation, thank you for being FOR us. Thank you for never giving up on us. Thank you for letting nothing stand in the way of bringing us back to you. Thank you for sending your son, Jesus, who died and rose again declaring an overwhelming victory over sin and death. Thank you for conquering that which we could not conquer and inviting us into the victory party. We pray that when the trials of life feel overbearing that you would strengthen us by your Spirit and remind us of the great, unstoppable, unshakable love you have for us. We ask that you would empower us to confidently, freely, and graciously share the gift of the Gospel in the same way you freely and graciously gave your son for us. We pray that we would faithfully follow wherever your Spirit leads. Amen.

OVERTIME

Has your favorite team ever won a championship? It's a great feeling, not only for the players who physically took up the gauntlet, but also for the fans who have associated themselves with that team. Typically when a team wins a championship there is a celebration back home where the team gets honored and all the fans are invited.

In a similar way, there's a victory party in Heaven! While there will be plenty of voices celebrating the won who won (Revelation 5:8-14), they also celebrate those who have simply accepted the invitation to attend the party! Take a look at these three parables Jesus told that give us a glimpse of the victory party that occurs in Heaven when one who is lost returns home.

Mark 12:28-34

Wed, 02 Mar 2022 21:46:01 GMT

The Most Important Commandment

28 One of the teachers of religious law was standing there listening to the debate. He realized that Jesus had answered well, so he asked, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?”

29 Jesus replied, “The most important commandment is this: ‘Listen, O Israel! The Lord our God is the one and only Lord. 30 And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.’ 31 The second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ No other commandment is greater than these.”

32 The teacher of religious law replied, “Well said, Teacher. You have spoken the truth by saying that there is only one God and no other. 33 And I know it is important to love him with all my heart and all my understanding and all my strength, and to love my neighbor as myself. This is more important than to offer all of the burnt offerings and sacrifices required in the law.”

34 Realizing how much the man understood, Jesus said to him, “You are not far from the Kingdom of God.” And after that, no one dared to ask him any more questions.

Mark 12:28-34

Prayer: Dear Lord, we thank you for loving us enough to send your one and only Son to earth to live the life we could not, to die a death we deserve, and to resurrect so that we could be reconciled to you. We thank you for the simplicity in his commandment for us: To love You, and to love our neighbor. We pray that we would respond to the Spirit, who is already at work within us, to love the way that you commanded us to love. We pray that we would love internally and externally. We know that we are able to love because You loved us first and we pray that our love would be the overflow of the love that you already have and continue to show us.

OVERTIME

Let's take a moment to look specifically at verse 30. "And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength." That feels like a pretty hefty ask from Jesus (because it is), so let's break it down and see what it really means to love with our heart, soul, mind, and strength.

Ephesians 3:14-21

Wed, 23 Feb 2022 21:21:04 GMT

Paul’s Prayer for Spiritual Growth

14 When I think of all this, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, 15 the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth. 16 I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. 17 Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. 18 And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. 19 May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.

20 Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. 21 Glory to him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever! Amen.

Ephesians 3:14-21 NLT

Prayer: Heavenly Father God, creator of everything in Heaven and on Earth, we thank you for being a firm foundation in which our lives can take root. We thank you for your love which nourishes us. We thank you for sacrificing your only Son for the forgiveness of our sins who makes his home in our hearts, not because we did anything to earn it, but because we trusted in him. We thank you for sending us a Spirit that dwells within us, complete us, empower us, and gives us strength. We pray that we would be sensitive to the Spirit that is already at work in our hearts so that we will obediently chase the wonderful things that you have planned for us. We pray that you would increase our wisdom and faith for the sake of your kingdom and your glory forever and ever! Amen.

OVERTIME

Congratulations, today you get to be a tree! Your two functions as a tree are to 1) grow strong and 2) bear fruit so that more trees can grow. First and foremost we need to make sure we are a seed that fell in good soil (see Matthew 13:23). From there we can take root in a nourishing foundation and ultimately produce good fruit.

Before you continue take a moment to review the Parable of the Farmer Scattering Seed in Matthew 13:1-23.

Wil Gibson

uark@fca.org (Ryan Folkes) — Mon, 21 Feb 2022 16:00:07 GMT

This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.

- Joshua 1:9 -

Genesis 1:26-31

Tue, 15 Feb 2022 20:24:57 GMT

26 Then God said, “Let us make human beings in our image, to be like us. They will reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, the livestock, all the wild animals on the earth, and the small animals that scurry along the ground.”

27 So God created human beings in his own image.
In the image of God he created them;
male and female he created them.

28 Then God blessed them and said, “Be fruitful and multiply. Fill the earth and govern it. Reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, and all the animals that scurry along the ground.”

29 Then God said, “Look! I have given you every seed-bearing plant throughout the earth and all the fruit trees for your food. 30 And I have given every green plant as food for all the wild animals, the birds in the sky, and the small animals that scurry along the ground—everything that has life.” And that is what happened.

31 Then God looked over all he had made, and he saw that it was very good!

And evening passed and morning came, marking the sixth day.

Genesis 1:26-31 NLT

Prayer: Dear God, creator of heaven and earth and all things on the earth, we submit ourselves to you. We believe that we are unique in creation, we believe that you have given us purpose, we believe that you love us and that you make no mistakes. We also recognize that we are not living on that side of Eden anymore. We recognize that the sin of Adam and Eve separated us from you, but because you love us you made a way for us to get back to you through Jesus. We are not autonomous. We are not self-sustaining. We are in need of saving and we believe that Jesus, who died and resurrected, is that savior. We pray that we would be obedient disciples who are fruitful and multiply according to the great commission. We pray that we would fixate our eyes on things unseen, our heavenly dwelling, our inheritance as co-heirs with Christ. We pray that we would see ourselves and others as you see us, as your image-bearer's on earth. We pray that through all these things you would grow us in wisdom and faith so that your light might shine through us so that everyone would know you are the Lord God who created and loves each and every one of us. Amen.

OVERTIME

All throughout the old testament we see an emphasis on three things to the Israelites, God's chosen people. We find that all three of these things have made themselves apparent in the creation story in Genesis.

Colossians 1:15-23

Wed, 09 Feb 2022 18:18:32 GMT

15 Christ is the visible image of the invisible God.
He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation,
16 for through him God created everything
in the heavenly realms and on earth.
He made the things we can see
and the things we can’t see—
such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world.
Everything was created through him and for him.
17 He existed before anything else,
and he holds all creation together.
18 Christ is also the head of the church,
which is his body.
He is the beginning,
supreme over all who rise from the dead.
So he is first in everything.
19 For God in all his fullness
was pleased to live in Christ,
20 and through him God reconciled
everything to himself.
He made peace with everything in heaven and on earth
by means of Christ’s blood on the cross.

21 This includes you who were once far away from God. You were his enemies, separated from him by your evil thoughts and actions. 22 Yet now he has reconciled you to himself through the death of Christ in his physical body. As a result, he has brought you into his own presence, and you are holy and blameless as you stand before him without a single fault.

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.

Colossians 1:15-23 NLT

Prayer: Father, Creator, you formed the earth, the stars, the universe. You created everything we see, and everything we can’t see. You created everything, yet you were mindful of us. We don’t deserve this gift of life, yet you so graciously poured it upon us. Thank you. Help us to rightfully see you as first in everything. When we begin to try and put things into our own hands, steer and reorient our minds back to you. We all are sinners, guilty of evil thoughts and actions, deserving of your wrath. We were your enemies. Yet, in your kindness, you provided a way for us to be rescued from eternal punishment, and instead see us as blameless. Thank you for sending your son, Jesus Christ, to reconcile us back to you through his saving work on the cross. Let us not drift away from this assurance we have in Christ but remain steadfast in it. It’s in His name we pray, Amen.

Psalm 139:13-18

Mon, 31 Jan 2022 19:28:47 GMT

13 You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body
and knit me together in my mother’s womb.
14 Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex!
Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it.
15 You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion,
as I was woven together in the dark of the womb.
16 You saw me before I was born.
Every day of my life was recorded in your book.
Every moment was laid out
before a single day had passed.

17 How precious are your thoughts about me, [ a ] O God.
They cannot be numbered!
18 I can’t even count them;
they outnumber the grains of sand!
And when I wake up,
you are still with me!

Psalm 139:13-18 NLT

Prayer: Thank you, God, for not only creating us, but intentionally knitting and weaving every fabric of our being to be a reflection of your great love for us. Thank you for thinking of us before we were even thought of by our own mother and father. We know that we have been created in your image and we know that you have given us a purpose. We ask, through the Spirit that you have given us, that our thoughts would be more like your thoughts and that our ways would be more like your ways. We ask that you would reveal to us the purpose that you designed for us and that we would faithfully follow wherever you would ask us to go.

Ephesians 2:1-10

Tue, 25 Jan 2022 17:25:34 GMT

1 Once you were dead because of your disobedience and your many sins. 2 You used to live in sin, just like the rest of the world, obeying the devil—the commander of the powers in the unseen world. He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God. 3 All of us used to live that way, following the passionate desires and inclinations of our sinful nature. By our very nature we were subject to God’s anger, just like everyone else.

4 But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, 5 that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!) 6 For he raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus. 7 So God can point to us in all future ages as examples of the incredible wealth of his grace and kindness toward us, as shown in all he has done for us who are united with Christ Jesus.

8 God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. 9 Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. 10 For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.

Ephesians 2:1-10 NLT

Prayer: Thank you, God, for creating us, loving us, and giving us purpose. Thank you for sending your only son, Jesus, to die a death that we deserved because of our sinful nature. Thank you for showing the immeasurable riches of your grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. We accept your grace that has been freely offered to us, not because of what we have done or can ever do, but because of what you have done for us because you love us. We submit to you our bodies and our minds, that they would be refined for the purposes that you planned for us long ago. We request that the Spirit would give us the power to love unconditionally, show mercy, and forgive much in the same way you have shown these things to us. All these things we ask in Jesus' name. Amen.

OVERTIME

In this passage we see two of the most incredible words that reoccur throughout the Bible: "But God..."

"But God" is such a powerful phrase because it takes the circumstances of the world and turns the tables. Below are a few "But God" passages. As you read through these take stock of what we see before God, the "But God" moment, and how things change.

This is not an exhaustive list. There are several more "But God" moments all throughout the Bible. In fact, God is still creating "But God" moments each and every day!

Take a moment to reflect on your life. Who were you before you were introduced to Jesus, what did God rescue you from, and who are you now?

"I was lost, but God found me."

"I was broken, but God restored me."

"I was dead to sin, but God made me alive with Christ!"

Nate Thompson

uark@fca.org (Ryan Folkes) — Mon, 17 Jan 2022 22:18:34 GMT

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

- Romans 8:28 -

Lawson Blake

Mon, 22 Nov 2021 22:45:55 GMT

For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes—the Jew first and also the Gentile.

- Romans 1:16 -

Brad Estrada

uark@fca.org (Ryan Folkes) — Tue, 19 Oct 2021 00:38:00 GMT

"He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end."

- Ecclesiastes 3:11 -

At 15 years old, Brad had an opportunity to play youth hockey with a team in Omaha, Nebraska. He packed up and left home to pursue the dream. He experienced somewhat of a culture shock going from the west coast to the breadbasket. He didn’t have the greatest experience in Omaha with struggles on the ice that contributed to feeling homesick. However, it was the first time Brad really had to lean into his faith on his own and started to learn what it took to be responsible for pursuing a relationship with Jesus when mom and dad weren’t there to yank you out of bed every Sunday morning.

"For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

- Jeremiah 29:11 -

After one year at Northland College, Brad transferred to the University of Arkansas two years before his sister, Kiana “Kiki” Estrada, would be coming to the U of A to play softball. From a career perspective Brad sometimes wishes things could have played out differently, but he values all the life experience he’s gained. The friends he’s made, the things he’s seen, the places he’s been he wouldn’t trade for anything. He’s currently in his 2 ^nd year at the University of Arkansas. In his first season the Razorback Hockey Club played for and lost in the national championship game, an outcome Brad hopes to undo in year two.

He’s currently studying marketing with hopes of breaking into the sports marketing world. In the future Brad aspires to one day coach softball alongside his dad and sister to help develop the next generation of athletes. He’s been meeting with FCA Intern Ethan Westerman weekly to study the FCA CORE. Brad likes the CORE because it brings things back to the basics. “It has served as a great reminder to remember why we do what we do and believe what we believe.”

Cameron Little

Tue, 24 Aug 2021 00:27:30 GMT

Things weren't always perfect upon arriving in Fayetteville. Leaving home meant there was a lot of "new" to absorb. New city, new friends, new classes, new schedule, new teammates, new everything! The "new" isn't all bad, but all the newness early on distracted Cam from what he valued most: his relationship with Jesus Christ. Over the summer Cam got a chance to slow down, take a step back, and recalibrate. He was a regular attendee of the FCA Summer huddles which, along with consistently staying in the Word, helped him re-center his life around his relationship with God.

"Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing."

- James 1:2-4 -

As a new semester and new season begins Cam hopes to keep his mind focused on God's Word, football, and school. He knows if he has a healthy relationship with the first then there's no doubt he'll have a healthy relationship with the other two. He also looks forward to inviting more of his teammates into the Christian community he's found with FCA.

Kiara Gianfagna

uark@fca.org (Ryan Folkes) — Tue, 20 Jul 2021 00:19:46 GMT

Emma Kelley

uark@fca.org (Ryan Folkes) — Tue, 20 Jul 2021 00:15:52 GMT

Jensen Scalzo

Tue, 20 Jul 2021 00:11:50 GMT

Jenna Bloom

Tue, 22 Jun 2021 00:06:04 GMT

Audrie LaValley

Tue, 22 Jun 2021 00:01:29 GMT

Jada Baylark

uark@fca.org (Ryan Folkes) — Mon, 17 May 2021 23:56:26 GMT

Shaka Bogan

uark@fca.org (Ryan Folkes) — Mon, 17 May 2021 23:48:10 GMT