Not to long ago, I was speaking at an elementary school to kids in kindergarten all the way through the 8th grade. Not exactly an easy span of ages to communicate to.

There was this one young girl sitting on the front row that seemed to be listening to every word I said. She was blonde, perhaps no taller than three-and-a-half feet. She eagerly raised her hand when I asked for volunteers from the audience, so I chose her and asked her to come forward.

This girl must have been in the first or second grade. She smiled from ear to ear, proud to be chosen to stand in front of the audience full of her peers. Upon getting to the front I had her remove her shoes. Then I took a box of tacks and poured them all over the stage. She gasped as she looked down on them, knowing that I may ask her to do something that could really hurt. Her face expressed what her mind was thinking: Wait…I thought this was going be fun… why did I volunteer for this…

Standing on the other side of the tack-filled floor, I asked her to walk to me. She glanced up at me with a perplexed look that stated, are you kidding!?! I asked her, “What is the matter? Are the tacks scaring you?” She replied quickly with a vigorous head nod, yes! So I blindfolded her and said, “Okay, now you can’t see the tacks… so walk to me.” She froze.

I then walked around the tacks and put my hands on her shoulders and said, “I’ll help you get the other side, follow my instructions…take two steps to the right…one step over your shoes…one step to the left…phew… you made it!”

My point was that we must “Walk by faith and not by sight” as 2 Corinthians 5:7 says. There may be some real “tacky” situations we get ourselves into, but with God’s leading we can make it through. It requires trust. It requires dependence. It requires tender feet and a tender soul.

At times in my faith I have often hesitated: Wait…I thought this was going be fun… why did I volunteer for this… Right when I’m about to quit, God comes close. My point may not have been completely clear to the energetic, bustling room. But if anything, I got it… and the girl may have as well. We must live by faith to feel the weight of the hand of our Savior on our shoulders. Be comforted, weary soul. He is near.

In closing, it was so good to see so many of you at the pasta dinner on Sunday. I was so blessed by the donations of food you brought, the way you helped get the meal done (and cleaned up), and to watch you all enjoy some good fellowship! Thank you for what you did to make that a special evening. We will do it again … soon!

See you on Sunday as we continue our series on the “7 Cries from the Cross.” Invite someone to Church; the message of the cross is life-changing!
(Remember Daylight Savings Time begins this Sunday morning so be sure to set your clocks AHEAD one hour.)

You are Loved,

Josh.

Have you ever been betrayed by a friend?

When a friend chooses to break a promise, there is nothing you can do to remove the growing dull pain of hurt. They may swear to you that they would never treason your trust … but they do; and the residue remaining is made up of nothing more than confusion, broken confidence, and fragmented clarity.

The times I’ve been betrayed are painful. However, I shouldn’t sit here and just count my scars wallowing in my own self-pity. Instead I must stop and wonder how many people I’ve wounded (and go ask for forgiveness). I know there has been more than a few times when someone was counting on me either to fulfill a promise, keep a secret or to do something and in the end I only let him or her down. Sometimes I may disappoint a friend on accident, but other times I turn my back on the ones I love in order to get my own selfish way or protect myself instead of them.

All this makes me think about Christ’s friend and disciple, Judas. After 3 years of ministry day-in and day-out with Jesus, Judas decides to turn Christ in for his own gain of riches as it tells us in Matthew 23.

So I have to wonder, is there a Judas within us all? Why does our own pride and longing for recognition forfeit the friendships we’ve worked so hard to grow? Why do we throw away years of intimacy for momentary accolades? Are we so fickle to say a vow of loyalty with our mouths, yet with the same lips give a kiss of betrayal?

I challenge you… and me… to be people who can be trusted. Imagine the difference we could make in this world if our friends, and even our savior could call us “Loyal”.

Proverbs 28:20 says, “A faithful man will abound with blessings, but whoever hastens to be rich will not go unpunished.” If we remain faithful to God and to our friends, family, and fellow man, we will be blessed, for this type of faithfulness portrays God to others. If we are just out to seek our own riches and gain – in motives or money – we will not go unpunished.

Dear God,
Banish all the un-loyal in our hearts, for you are the King of Loyalty. Discard the seed of Judas and replant within us the Spirit of Christ. Break the pride of those whom use their lips to give deceitful kisses. Dispel the hypocrisy that has become the cancer of Your Church. May we learn to be a people as loyal and true as you.
AMEN.

I look forward to seeing you on Sunday as we start our new series, “7 Cries from the Cross: Finding new life in Jesus’ last words.” Invite your family and friends to come this series.

And don’t forget the all-church Spaghetti Dinner is this Sunday night from 5:30 – 8 PM. Over 90 people have already RSVP’d! This is going to be a fantastic time of food and fellowship. If you still want to come and have not RSVP’d, email info@creeksidechurch.org.

Remember… you are loved,

Josh.

Sometimes God calls us to take steps we’d rather not. Sometimes He moves our stiff legs to bend in the exact way He desires, and we would otherwise despise.

The bending hurts. The new foot placement is uncomfortable. The straining position between where He wants me to go and where I want to be causes an anxiousness that at moments is overwhelming.

Last week I was with Molly in a store we visit often. I saw a piece of merchandise that was out of place in the middle of the aisle that was continually getting in everyone’s way. No one moved it, they just all walked around it.

As Molly and I walked down the aisle, I let go of her hand and she walked ahead. I then grabbed the item and found it’s rightful place in the store and then scurried to catch up with Molly. She turned and asked curiously, "What are you doing?"

I simply, and some-what jokingly, replied with the verse, "He who know the good he ought to do and doesn’t do it sins, James 4:17." She chuckled and with a big grin she said, "You are such a pastor."

Though it caused a good little laugh for us, it did make me think about how many times we don’t do something – because it is an inconvenience or "not our problem." This is wrong, and our God is not fond of excuses.

Christ did not prefer to take the "cup" of God’s wrath by death on the cross, but willingly did it anyway. You and I may not always prefer to act out the will of God, but we must strive to do it no matter the personal cost.

Take James 4:17 seriously; if you know you are to do something that is right but then avoid it for apathy or comfort you are in sin. I will pray for you in this, and please do the same for me!

Sunday will be a great service at Creekside. We have a wonderful set of songs planned as well as a good time back in Daniel chapter 5 as we continue our series, "You’re Not a Kid Anymore."

Oh, and before I let you go, please mark your calendar for March 7th. We are going to be having a Spaghetti dinner at Kingdome Building Ministries building on Iliff and I-225. More details to come on Sunday, see you then!

You are loved,

Josh.

Are you still fighting? Are you staying focused? Are you keeping the faith?

It was great to look at 2 Timothy 4:7-8 with you last Sunday as a reminder to not give up, and to finish stronger than we started. This week as I was thinking more about the path of pursuit to Christ, this story came to mind:

In the allegory "Hinds Feet for High Places," the main character is taken on a journey to the High Places, where she will one day dwell with the Chief Shepherd.

At the beginning of the tale, she has a lame leg and a grotesquely disfigured face, both of which seemingly disqualify her from making the strenuous trip and living in a land of untainted beauty. Along the way, she’s given two companions, and she must go through a desert wilderness, a steep incline, and along a lonely seashore, often walking in the direction quite opposite of the High Places as she follows the Chief Shepherd.

Near the end of the book, her face begins to radiate a beauty she never imagined possible. Even her leg is feeling stronger, allowing her to depend less and less upon her companions.

However, as she continues traveling, she is led into a dark forest. The ground beneath her is muddy and she begins slipping, sometimes even falling flat on her face into the filth. The narrator states, "All along she had hoped that the higher she went and the nearer she got to the High Places, the stronger she would become and the less she would stumble, but it was quite otherwise" (Hurnand, 205).

We too are on a journey, and we often assume that as we travel we will become better, stronger, eventually achieving a Christ-like perfection in this life. Do not be fooled, my friend. We are going to battle with some sins and trials for the rest of our lives. This is—in part—why I think the writer of Hebrews reminds his readers not to be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin (Heb. 3:13). In the midst of our ongoing struggle with this life, we must rely on the grace of God more and more with each day.

The goal is not that we will one day be able to walk on our own. The goal is that one day you and I will realize how desperately we need to be carried to our Chief Shepherd.

I pray your reliance on God will increase greatly this week, and you will know you are not fighting the battle of this life alone.

I look forward to seeing you on Sunday. We will be starting a new series called, "You’re Not A Kid Anymore: Lessons for Spiritual Growth from the Life of Daniel." We will also have a Creekside Family Chat after the service on Sunday.

Don’t forget your Bible! See you there.

You are loved,

Josh.