July 24, 2024

Good morning, Advent Family,
 

Colossians 3:1-4 reads: “Since then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.”

As we continue our walk through these powerful verses in Colossians, the next truth this passage teaches us is that we are hidden with Christ in God. Paul reminds us that our old selves have died. The life we now live is hidden with Christ in God. This hidden life speaks of security and intimacy. Our true identity and value are found in our relationship with Christ, not in what the world sees or judges. Galatians 2:20 affirms this truth: “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”

Living the hidden life means trusting in God’s protection and provision. It means knowing that, regardless of our circumstances, we are secure in His love. It also means embracing humility, knowing our worth comes from God, not from human accolades or achievements. 

Early church father Augustine of Hippo wrote, “You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our heart is restless until it rests in you.” He understood that it’s when we rest in Christ and when Christ rests in us that we can experience the Resurrected life, the security and intimacy that comes from being One with Christ. 

Moses understood this, when he wrote in Psalm 91:1 “Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.” May you experience the resurrected life more and more every day as you live the hidden life in Christ!

Remember Jesus loves you and so do I,

Pastor Will



July 23, 2024

Good morning, Advent Family,
 
Colossians 3:1-4 reads:
“Since then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.”

As we continue our venture in this powerful passage from the book of Colossians, let us consider the next verse: “Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.”

To live the resurrected life, we must also renew our minds. Paul specifically encourages us to keep our minds on the things above; to be heavenly minded. This involves a conscious effort to focus on spiritual realities rather than being consumed by earthly concerns. Romans 12:2 encourages us, “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”

Our thoughts shape our actions, so a heavenly mindset will lead to godly living. Philippians 4:8 tells us this: “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”  This does not mean we ignore our earthly responsibilities. Rather, it means we approach them with a heavenly perspective. Our work, relationships, and daily activities should reflect our commitment to Christ. We live in this world, but our minds are not confined to it. We see everything through the lens of eternity. 

Are you living your life through the lens of eternity? C.S. Lewis wisely said, “Aim at heaven and you will get earth thrown in. Aim at earth and you get neither.” Be Heavenly Minded!

Remember Jesus loves you and so do I,
Pastor Will


July 22, 2024

Hey Advent Family this week we are going to delve into a powerful passage from Paul’s letter to the Colossians. 

Colossians 3:1-4 reads:“Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.”

We are going to focus on specific principals from each of these verses as Paul instructs us to live by a higher standard.  As Christians we are called to a deeper walk with Christ, something we can call the resurrected life – no longer living according to the pattern of this world.  These verses call us to a higher standard of living—a life that reflects our identity in Christ. Let’s explore what it means to live the resurrected life.

Our New Identity in Christ “Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.”

Paul begins with a reminder of our new identity. We have been raised with Christ. This is not a future promise but a present reality. Our baptism symbolizes this transformation—dying to our old selves and rising anew with Christ. Romans 6:4 states, “We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.”

Because of this new identity, Paul urges us to set our hearts on things above. This means our desires, ambitions, and priorities should align with the heavenly reality where Christ reigns. The pursuits of this world—wealth, power, and prestige—should no longer captivate us. Instead, our hearts should yearn for the things of God: love, justice, mercy, and truth. As Jesus taught in Matthew 6:33, “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”

We are new creations and now have been given a new identity, let us set our hearts on the things above. Remember, the past no longer has a hold on us and we don’t have to live according to the identity we once had. Instead, we are free in Christ and have been set free from the things that once entangled us – what an amazing truth to meditate on today.  May you be refreshed at the start of your week and walk in this new identity. 

Remember – Jesus loves you and so do I,Pastor Will



July 19, 2024

Today was my cardio day at 6:00 a.m. and it was not a welcomed event. So I dragged myself out of my bed fifteen minutes later and began the work. Towards the end of the workout the instructor made this statement, “Remember the rent is due everyday.” My thought was “Gosh, everyday now means paying this rent in sweat. I wonder if this is my penance that was established back during creation when Adam sinned.” 

17 And to Adam he said, 

      “Because you have listened to the voice of your wife 

      and have eaten of the tree 

      of which I commanded you, 

      ‘You shall not eat of it,’ 

      cursed is the ground because of you; 

      in pain you shall eat of it all the days of your life; 

      18 thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you; 

      and you shall eat the plants of the field. 

      19 By the sweat of your face 

      you shall eat bread, 

      till you return to the ground, 

      for out of it you were taken; 

      for you are dust, 

      and to dust you shall return.” Genesis 3:17-19

I am not a farmer who has to contend with the hard dry ground or thorns or the heat of the sun but I do have to contend everyday with a body that is not always anxious to check the boxes of perfection. It will groan at me for hard work that requires sweat. It is repulsed by vegetables and fruits that will bring it needed vitamins and minerals. It is lazy to concentrate on reading when scrolling through images and videos on media sites is more entertaining. Perfection is nearly impossible and paying the rent everyday is a challenge everyday.

Yet in all of this I recognize the grace of God that I am more than what I am. I am a child of God who is a conqueror through Christ who has saved me. In His strength I can do more than I can imagine. I do not have to be bound by the desires of this flesh and this world. Through prayer, faith, and hope I can overcome through the one who is my overcomer.

Pastor Aaron Kruse



July 18, 2024

The podcast, “The Agent,” tells the story of Jack Barsky, a Soviet-era KGB secret agent embedded in the US, beginning in the 1970s. Gradually, his loyalties shifted and in a remarkable turn of events, the FBI actually eventually helped him to secure US citizenship. Near the end of the podcast he says, “I had a home again, an official home. … I’d put East Germany out of my mind. I stopped thinking about the folks back there … I put it away and put it in a part of my brain that I didn’t want to access anymore. You always want to belong to something. This is one of the basic things that make us human. … Now I had a country again. That felt really good.”

50 Now there was a man named Joseph, from the Jewish town of Arimathea. He was a member of the council, a good and righteous man, 51 who had not consented to their decision and action; and he was looking for the kingdom of God. 52 This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. 53 Then he took it down and wrapped it in a linen shroud and laid him in a tomb cut in stone, where no one had ever yet been laid. Luke 23:50–53 (ESV)

I think Jack Barsky was correct when he said, “You always want to belong to something.” Too many times as a follower of Christ we become more interested in belonging to the kingdom of this earth rather than the kingdom of God. We forget that the kingdoms of this earth are passing away and the kingdom of God is eternal. 

Joseph of Arimathea had a choice to make on the fateful night Jesus was on trial. Which kingdom would he choose? He kept his righteousness and did not consent with his peers in the crucifixion of Christ. In fact he put his life in his hands by approaching Pilate to request the body of Jesus to have a proper burial. At times we need to remember our citizenship is in heaven and have courage to brave against the kingdoms of earth to do what is right. This may mean being the only one standing. What in your life right now may mean standing alone? Do you consider being a part of the kingdom of God or are more of your thoughts about building your own kingdom here on earth?

Pastor Aaron Kruse



July 17, 2024

I have been watching season two of the show called Alone on the History Channel. This reality show has contestants dropped off on the shores of Vancouver Island with only ten items for survival. Some drop out the first day and others survive for over a month. Typically those that last twenty days have a period of deep reflection in which they record their thoughts. One contestant who is consistently angry with his situation makes a profound statement in which he says, “Maybe the world does not have to change. Maybe I need to change.”

 

In our text today, the Prophet Ezekiel is called by the Lord to give a prophetic calling to the nation, Israel. The Lord even tells him that “you must speak my words to them, whether they listen or fail to listen.” Let’s take a moment to read the vision that Ezekiel receives from the Lord.

 

9 And when I looked, behold, a hand was stretched out to me, and behold, a scroll of a book was in it. 10 And he spread it before me. And it had writing on the front and on the back, and there were written on it words of lamentation and mourning and woe. 3 And he said to me, “Son of man, eat whatever you find here. Eat this scroll, and go, speak to the house of Israel.” 2 So I opened my mouth, and he gave me this scroll to eat. 3 And he said to me, “Son of man, feed your belly with this scroll that I give you and fill your stomach with it.” Then I ate it, and it was in my mouth as sweet as honey. Ezekiel 2:9–3:3 (ESV)

 

I have wondered about the last verse. Why is this scroll sweet as honey to Ezekiel? I assumed it would be bitter to him since it is a scroll containing laments, mournings, and woes. In thinking about this verse I recalled how my wife loves eating dark chocolate with 80 to 90 percent cocoa solids. When I first tried it, I spit it out of my mouth thinking it was too bitter. The problem was that I expected it to taste sweet rather than tasting it for the rich cocoa flavor. Once I realized what should be tasting I found that the bitterness did not bother me anymore.

 

I think the same is true about God’s Word. When we read the Bible we are offended at the language in some of the passages because it does not line up with our preconceived notions. We read it to verify our own thinking or understanding of the world instead of reading it with an open mind and a teachable spirit. I think many times we think God is the one who needs to change to fit with the current times but maybe we need to change. What if we were to read a passage with the idea of what needs to change in my life today? Instead of being angry with God or the world maybe there is one thing that you can change. Instead of waiting for someone to make a difference, you could be the difference in someone’s life.

 

Pastor Aaron Kruse



July 16, 2024

The story is told about a lady who called American Airlines and asked the reservation clerk, “How long does it take to get from Dallas-Fort Worth to Frankfort, Germany?” The clerk had to wait a moment for the information to come up on her computer screen, so she said, “Just a minute.” The caller responded, “Thanks very much,” and hung up! Most of the things that really matter in life do not happen in “just a minute.”

Peter reminds us in 2 Peter 3:1-9 that we are to remain patient with the Lord. His time table is very different from our own, especially in this fast paced world. Peter writes the following to us.

2 Peter 3:1–9 (NKJV): 3 Beloved, I now write to you this second epistle (in both of which I stir up your pure minds by way of reminder), 2 that you may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us, the apostles of the Lord and Savior, 3 knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, 4 and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation.” 5 For this they willfully forget: that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of water and in the water, 6 by which the world that then existed perished, being flooded with water. 7 But the heavens and the earth which are now preserved by the same word, are reserved for fire until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men. 8 But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 9 The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.

People are quick to dismiss those things that do not happen immediately. In fact this will be proof positive that those things do not exist. In our illustration Germany is a real place you can fly to but it will definitely take more than a minute to arrive. The fact that God has not answered your prayer or changed things does not discount your prayer or prove that God does not care. It only means that His plans are different from your plans. God does not need to bend to us. We need to bend to Him and His plans for they are the best. Maybe we need to repent of our plans and begin seeking God’s plans. Today, what do you need to give to the Lord for a better plan?

Pastor Aaron Kruse



July 15, 2024

In the movie with Robert Duvall called the Apostle, there is a scene where Duvall as a Texas preacher is on the run from the law. The scene is late at night and Duvall’s character is yelling at God in the attic of his mother’s house about the unfairness of life. He was on the run for someone else’s mistake that caused him to get mixed up and in a moment of heated emotion make a bad choice. 

As we look at Lamentations today we see a city in ruin and the prize lost to another civilization. Those who remain are either enslaved or sit in the ashes of poverty. This is the same group of people who were looking to the promised land and the future of being a privileged nation. Now they are on the list of just another conquered civilization.

Lamentations 1:1–3 (ESV): 

1 How lonely sits the city 

      that was full of people! 

      How like a widow has she become, 

      she who was great among the nations! 

      She who was a princess among the provinces 

      has become a slave. 

      2 She weeps bitterly in the night, 

      with tears on her cheeks; 

      among all her lovers 

      she has none to comfort her; 

      all her friends have dealt treacherously with her; 

      they have become her enemies. 

      3 Judah has gone into exile because of affliction 

      and hard servitude; 

      she dwells now among the nations, 

      but finds no resting place; 

      her pursuers have all overtaken her 

      in the midst of her distress.

Sometimes we sit in the unfairness of life believing that we are the only ones who are receiving unjust treatment. In these times we believe we are alone and defenseless. We can be mad at God, others, and maybe even ourselves. Yet Lamentations remind us that it is healthy to lament over our circumstances. The definition of lamenting is a passionate expression of grief or sorrow. In this moment of lament we are reminded of the brokenness of the world we live in. If we sit in lament it should move us to remember our desperate need for a Savior. This is the beginning of the road of repentance to forgiveness. Forgiveness is hard to discover if we do not have a need for repentance and repentance only really comes from the grief of a broken situation in our life and not from a disappointment in being caught in something. 

I am always amazed in our flower garden when I see life blooming from a dead plant or from the ashes of some forgotten piece of soil. This is forgiveness. When we receive it from a place of lament, it brings life and it renews our souls. 

Pastor Aaron



July 12, 2024

For those who have had a red-letter bible it can be quite startling to notice that so much of the book of Revelation is red. The Church has accepted that this book is a revelation from the ascended Jesus and therefore it has his authority. We can take encouragement from his promises and should take heed to his warnings:

3:1 “To the angel of the church in Sardis write:…I know your deeds; you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead. 2 Wake up! Strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have found your deeds unfinished in the sight of my God.

5 The one who is victorious will, like them, be dressed in white. I will never blot out the name of that person from the book of life, but will acknowledge that name before my Father and his angels. 6 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.

3: 14 “To the angel of the church in Laodicea write:…15 I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! 16 So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth.

20 Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.

There are wonderful books filled with the “Promises of God.” There are fewer that are filled with the “Warnings of God.” Probably that is because they don’t sell as well. For new Christians shaking off their chains, the more promises they can get of new life, the better. But if we are mature and devoted followers, we need to read and learn and dig in on those warnings. As Jesus says, “Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”

Pastor Andy



July 11, 2024

If the last two devotions seemed challenging, they reflect the intensity of Jesus’ words to the churches accurately. As we read the rest of the book of Revelation, we are reminded that this time will come to an end. Although we are reassured that Jesus will be victorious in the trials to come, we are still urged to repent and be faithful through it all. Over the centuries, that sense of immediacy has ebbed and flowed. Some even joke, “Come, Lord Jesus, but take your time.” The question, “How would you live if today was your last day?” Is not just interesting, it is necessary for a life of faith.

Rev 3:7 “To the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: …10 Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come on the whole world to test the inhabitants of the earth. 11 I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown.

In the song, “Live Like You Were Dying” a terminal cancer victim shares what he did about his impending end; “”I went skydiving. I went Rocky Mountain climbing. I went 2.7 seconds on a bull named Fumanchu. And I loved deeper. And I spoke sweeter. And I gave forgiveness I’d been denying. Someday I hope you get the chance To live like you were dying.” I’ll admit I love the song and some of the sentiments. But in reality, this is not the answer of a faithful person. The absolute and only thing we can answer to the question “How do you live like you were dying?” is “By doing God’s Will.” And if that is what we would say with 24 hours to go, how can it become our answer for the way we are to live everyday until he comes?

Pastor Andy