This reminds me of the scripture from Proverbs 22:6 “Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it.  God has given me an important job as their mother to love them and lead them to their Creator.  Children are so important and loved by Jesus that in Matthew 18 He evens compared us to them and said that we must be like children to enter His Kingdom.  I often wonder and question myself  “Did I get right or what did I miss” but I did get it right because our children know their Heavenly Father loves them no matter what and He has their life already planned out. 

I can’t wait to hear about her adventures and stories but most excited to hear how God presented Himself to her and her classmates.  

I don’t want to miss the opportunity to thank all of the families that entrust me with their children as Advent’s Family Minister.  I do have the best gig here!

In His Service,
Jessica Ballas

Exodus 20:8-11

^8-11 Observe the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Work six days and do everything you need to do. But the seventh day is a Sabbath to God, your God. Don’t do any work—not you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your servant, nor your maid, nor your animals, not even the foreign guest visiting in your town. For in six days God made Heaven, Earth, and sea, and everything in them; he rested on the seventh day. Therefore, God blessed the Sabbath day; he set it apart as a holy day. – The Message

“Sabbath is not about time off or a break in routine. It is not a mini-vacation to give us a respite so we are better prepared to go back to work. The Sabbath is far more than a diversion; it is meant to be an encounter with God’s delight.” – Allender – “Sabbath: The Ancient Practices”

One of the hard things to manage as a Pastor, heck as a human being, is finding the time to truly sabbath. Everything and everyone try to infringe on this sacred practice. We can feel, or be made to feel guilty for taking time off because there is so much to do. Even when we take time off, we do so, to work on all things that “we want to do”. We know we need it, God commanded it, but we try to rationalize all the reasons why we don’t practice it consistently. 

So why is it so hard to sabbath.

As Yahweh gives Moses the fourth commandment, He reminds Israel and us to “remember it”. Sabbath was already instituted, in Exodus 16:22-30. He basically tells us to follow his example. We know God didn’t need to take a day off, He’s God! He was showing us that this would be for our own good. He knew our tendencies to try to do things in our own strength. To try to accomplish and attain everything on our own, a self-sufficiency that would lead us astray from being dependent on Him, as the good father, who would provide for us.

It reminds me of a story of a Dad who asked his three year old son to move a cinder block from one side of the yard to the other (can you feel a life lesson coming here). The Dad told the capricious toddler to move the cinder block, and if he did, he would get a new water gun to play with. The toddler tried with all his strength, pulling, pushing, kicking, grabbing a stick trying to wedge it, but the block wouldn’t budge. The toddler sat down frustrated, leaning against the block, after trying to move it for 15 minutes. All the while the Dad was watching everything going on. He asked his son “have you tried everything my boy?” He answered, “yes daddy, I tried pushing, pulling kicking even took a stick and tried to wedge it, and it wouldn’t move, I can’t move it daddy.” Dad asked again, “Are you sure you tried everything?” The boy sat there and placed his finger to his chin, “yes sir”. His Dad laughed, and scuffled his hair and said, “did you ask me for help?” By the way the Dad still gave his son the new water gun, and took him to get some Ice Cream! 

When we don’t practice sabbath, we become like this child in the story trying to do it all in our own strength, but to no avail, we will end up frustrated and burnt out. Like the Father in the story, God wants us to come to him and ask him for help, to trust him. This is what we do through our actions when we sabbath. Through our actions we tell God, ok dad, we are going to trust you, and know that you will accomplish more through us in 6 days, than we could accomplish in 7 by ourselves. We are going to delight in you, knowing that you will do for us what we couldn’t do for ourselves. What a beautiful picture of the Gospel. 

The takeaway from this is as we remember the sabbath and practice it, we should prepare to encounter God’s delight as He lavishes His grace, love and mercy on us, as obedient sons and daughters who trust in him more than we trust in our own strength and understanding (Proverbs 3:5,6).

Proclaiming Him,

Pastor Will

Wouldn’t it be nice to know you had a guarantee on life. I know as a shopper I always appreciate the 100% Guarantee on a product. Unfortunately, I do not always receive a 100% Guarantee. About five years ago, I received a birthday gift for an electronic water bottle purification unit. It had a lifetime guarantee of working. The problem came one day about a year ago when I tried charging the batteries on the unit and it would not accept a charge. I called the company asking for a replacement. They were no longer producing the unit so their replacement was a straw! It basically was a filtered straw that you had to suck on to get the water out of the bottle. Needless to say I was very disappointed in the guarantee. Today’s scripture is from Hebrews 7:23-25.

23 Now there have been many of those priests, since death prevented them from continuing in office; 24 but because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood. 25 Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.

Jesus is always there for you. His promises are not 80% true nor a substitute of the original. We may not always understand the twists or turns of life but his promise is true to save completely. The work done at the cross two thousand years ago does not need to be repeated. It was the final act of obedience to bridge the gap so that now we have the righteousness of Christ. There is nothing extra that needs to be done. Even better than a 100% Guarantee is the 100% Call Line, too. Jesus is always interceding for us to the Father. When you don’t know what to do or what to pray Jesus is speaking to the Father on your behalf. You are now a child of God and that means your life counts in a bigger plan of the work God is doing in this world. Guarantees come and go on earth but there is one guarantee written in blood and backed by heaven. This guarantee states; If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 100% Guaranteed!

Pastor Aaron

This week I will be in the mountains of North Carolina at Luther Rock with our Advent 8th graders.  It is a good trip and a great way for them to conclude their time at Advent School.  One of the highlights of the trip for me is getting kids to spend time where cell phones don’t work and they can appreciate the beauty and majesty of God’s creation.  It reminds me of the words of Psalm 19.  Let’s look at them together today.

The heavens declare the glory of God;
    the skies proclaim the work of his hands.

Day after day they pour forth speech;
    night after night they reveal knowledge.

They have no speech, they use no words;
    no sound is heard from them.

Yet their voice goes out into all the earth,
    their words to the ends of the world.
In the heavens God has pitched a tent for the sun. 

    It is like a bridegroom coming out of his chamber,
    like a champion rejoicing to run his course.

It rises at one end of the heavens
    and makes its circuit to the other;
    nothing is deprived of its warmth.

This week while I am with the 8th graders you will get a break from me and get to hear from several others in our daily devotions.  I encourage you to engage with those and also participate in our Advent Church week of prayer plan.  If you need a prayer guide respond to this email and we will get one to you.  I am enjoying the beauty of God’s amazing creation and I hope you will this week as well!

In His Grip,

Pastor Dave

Have any of you experienced having a child that was a bit willful?  Given the choice to do what you told them to and what they wanted you probably were in for some times of parental correction.  I sometimes wonder if that is how God feels at times toward us, His children.  I know He certainly felt like that at times toward the Israelites.  In Exodus 34 He gives His children the law for the second time, here we go again.  The first tablets were destroyed after the people created and worshiped a golden calf.  Let’s look at God’s opening statement to Moses and the people of Israel as He gives the law a second time.  

So Moses chiseled out two stone tablets like the first ones and went up Mount Sinai early in the morning, as the Lord had commanded him; and he carried the two stone tablets in his hands. 5 Then the Lord came down in the cloud and stood there with him and proclaimed his name, the Lord. 6 And he passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, “The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, 7 maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children and their children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation.” 8 Moses bowed to the ground at once and worshiped. 9 “Lord,” he said, “if I have found favor in your eyes, then let the Lord go with us. Although this is a stiff-necked people, forgive our wickedness and our sin, and take us as your inheritance.” 10 Then the Lord said: “I am making a covenant with you. Before all your people I will do wonders never before done in any nation in all the world. The people you live among will see how awesome is the work that I, the Lord, will do for you. 11 Obey what I command you today. I will drive out before you the Amorites, Canaanites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites. 12 Be careful not to make a treaty with those who live in the land where you are going, or they will be a snare among you. 13 Break down their altars, smash their sacred stones and cut down their Asherah poles. 14 Do not worship any other god, for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God.

God makes it clear that while He is a loving, forgiving God there are consequences for sin.  I’m sure we have all experienced this in our own lives.  The thing about sin is that it breaks relationships.  You lie and someone can’t trust you.  You get angry and others are hurt from your words or actions.  Sin destroys.  God’s law was not meant to be restrictive but rather protective.  Protecting our relationships with God and each other.  That’s the beauty of God when it was clear that we are all rebellious children He sent Jesus to do for us what we could not do for ourselves, restore our broken relationship with God.  By grace through faith, we are made right with God forever.  When we extend grace to others we restore relationships with each other that are broken as well.  We learn in this passage that God is a God of second chances. May we be a people who are willing to give others second chances as well.

In His Grip,

Pastor Dave

Does it ever feel like life is a continuing journey of ups and downs?  That certainly is the story of the people of Israel.  It is also the story of those God has chosen to lead them.  Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, and now Moses all have times when they follow God well and others where well … Let’s just say it makes the rest of us feel a little better.  To me one of Moses’ high points comes in Exodus 33.  Let’s look at it together today. 

Moses said to the Lord, “You have been telling me, ‘Lead these people,’ but you have not let me know whom you will send with me. You have said, ‘I know you by name and you have found favor with me.’ 13 If you are pleased with me, teach me your ways so I may know you and continue to find favor with you. Remember that this nation is your people.” 14 The Lord replied, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” 15 Then Moses said to him, “If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here. 16 How will anyone know that you are pleased with me and with your people unless you go with us? What else will distinguish me and your people from all the other people on the face of the earth?” 17 And the Lord said to Moses, “I will do the very thing you have asked, because I am pleased with you and I know you by name.”

The people of Israel have just hit a low point and God is frustrated with them.  Moses knows that without God’s presence there is no point in them going on.  He pleads with God that His presence would go forth with them into the promised land.  This is significant because God has said that they will receive the blessings of the promised land even without His presence.  Moses is wise enough to know that the true blessings of God are not the things He gives us.  The true blessing of God is Himself, His very presence with us.  This is an important thing for all of us to hold to as well.  Like Moses we should long for the presence of God.  That is our true treasure.  

In His Grip,

Pastor Dave

In the 40 days that Moses is on the mountain receiving the law from God a lot changes.  The people go from being in complete awe and fear of God to forgetting about Him.  They decide they need a new god to lead them forward.  They also give up on Moses.  Let’s look at the account together today from Exodus 32.

When the people saw that Moses was so long in coming down from the mountain, they gathered around Aaron and said, “Come, make us gods who will go before us. As for this fellow Moses who brought us up out of Egypt, we don’t know what has happened to him.” 2 Aaron answered them, “Take off the gold earrings that your wives, your sons and your daughters are wearing, and bring them to me.” 3 So all the people took off their earrings and brought them to Aaron. 4 He took what they handed him and made it into an idol cast in the shape of a calf, fashioning it with a tool. Then they said, “These are your gods, Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt.” 5 When Aaron saw this, he built an altar in front of the calf and announced, “Tomorrow there will be a festival to the Lord.” 6 So the next day the people rose early and sacrificed burnt offerings and presented fellowship offerings. Afterward they sat down to eat and drink and got up to indulge in revelry. 7 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Go down, because your people, whom you brought up out of Egypt, have become corrupt. 8 They have been quick to turn away from what I commanded them and have made themselves an idol cast in the shape of a calf. They have bowed down to it and sacrificed to it and have said, ‘These are your gods, Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt.’ 9 “I have seen these people,” the Lord said to Moses, “and they are a stiff-necked people. 10 Now leave me alone so that my anger may burn against them and that I may destroy them. Then I will make you into a great nation.” 11 But Moses sought the favor of the Lord his God. “Lord,” he said, “why should your anger burn against your people, whom you brought out of Egypt with great power and a mighty hand? 12 Why should the Egyptians say, ‘It was with evil intent that he brought them out, to kill them in the mountains and to wipe them off the face of the earth’? Turn from your fierce anger; relent and do not bring disaster on your people. 13 Remember your servants Abraham, Isaac and Israel, to whom you swore by your own self: ‘I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and I will give your descendants all this land I promised them, and it will be their inheritance forever.’” 14 Then the Lord relented and did not bring on his people the disaster he had threatened.

God is so upset that He is ready to start over.  Moses speaks to God on behalf of the people and God relents and Moses goes down to confront the people. Moses sees the people and throws the tablets of the Ten Commandments down breaking them.  He burns up the golden calf throws the ashes in the water and forces the people to drink it.  He then offers the people a choice.  Who will follow the God of Israel?  There is a sense in which this is a turning point.  The reality is this is a question for us all each day.  Will we follow God or take our own path?  I pray that we would not be a stiff-necked people stubborn to go our own way.  My prayer is that we would be a people striving to follow the leading of our God wherever He may take us.  

In His Grip,

Pastor Dave

Hello Advent Family,

The people of Israel are about to receive the law from God and are waiting at the base of the mountain.  The scene is so amazing that they are terrified.  As we will soon find out this fear is temporary.  Let’s look at the Ten Commandments God gives to the people together today.  

And God spoke all these words: 2 “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. 3 “You shall have no other gods before me. 4 “You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. 5 You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, 6 but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments. 7 “You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name. 8 “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. 9 Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns. 11 For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy. 12 “Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you. 13 “You shall not murder. 14 “You shall not commit adultery. 15 “You shall not steal. 16 “You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor. 17 “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his male or female servant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.” 18 When the people saw the thunder and lightning and heard the trumpet and saw the mountain in smoke, they trembled with fear. They stayed at a distance 19 and said to Moses, “Speak to us yourself and we will listen. But do not have God speak to us or we will die.”

The people are afraid of God because of His holiness and power.  They want Moses to be the bringer of the law to them.  We all remember that God gave Moses the Ten Commandments but in reality Moses was on the mountain for 40 days and nights receiving the law.  He was covered in a cloud but the glory of God still burned through the cloud like a fire.  The next 11 chapters of the book of Exodus are dedicated to God’s law for His people.  What a scene!  I wonder what the people thought.  We know they were afraid and many thought they would never see Moses again.  They heard the first Ten Commandments audibly as God gave them to Moses, but Moses was lifted up in a cloud to the top of the mountain for the rest of the law.  To me this should have been a scene that insured the people’s faithfulness to God.  We also have seen and heard of God’s amazing works.  The lives He has changed, the people He has healed, the relationships He has restored.  Like Israel we forget too quickly.  Today and everyday may we remember the amazing works of God and follow Him. 

In His Grip,

Pastor Dave

How do you feel about rules?  There are some people who love rules and laws.  They help them to feel safe and secure and give them rails by which to go through life.  There are others who are not necessarily rule followers.  God leads His people out of Egypt and toward the Promised Land.  They stop at Mt. Sinai where God wants to give the people laws and rules to guide their life.  Ultimately these laws will show us all our need for God.  They keep the people safe, illustrate God’s holiness, and are rules to live by.  God wants the people to be clear who the rules are from so He intends for them to hear His voice as He speaks to Moses.  Let’s look at the passage together today.

Then Moses went up to God, and the Lord called to him from the mountain and said, “This is what you are to say to the descendants of Jacob and what you are to tell the people of Israel: 4 ‘You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt, and how I carried you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself. 5 Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine, 6 you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words you are to speak to the Israelites.” 7 So Moses went back and summoned the elders of the people and set before them all the words the Lord had commanded him to speak. 8 The people all responded together, “We will do everything the Lord has said.” So Moses brought their answer back to the Lord. 9 The Lord said to Moses, “I am going to come to you in a dense cloud, so that the people will hear me speaking with you and will always put their trust in you.” Then Moses told the Lord what the people had said. 10 And the Lord said to Moses, “Go to the people and consecrate them today and tomorrow. Have them wash their clothes 11 and be ready by the third day, because on that day the Lord will come down on Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people. 12 Put limits for the people around the mountain and tell them, ‘Be careful that you do not approach the mountain or touch the foot of it. Whoever touches the mountain is to be put to death. 13 They are to be stoned or shot with arrows; not a hand is to be laid on them. No person or animal shall be permitted to live.’ Only when the ram’s horn sounds a long blast may they approach the mountain.”

There are even rules about how to wait to receive the rules.  God promises that Israel will be His people, His treasured possession if they simply follows His rules for them and keep His covenant.  They have seen God do such amazing things and agree to do what Moses has asked of them while they wait on the law from God.  I wonder what the people thought.  They were probably excited, in awe, and I’m sure a little fearful.  What is amazing to me is how quickly things can change.  At this moment the people are all ion on following God and obeying His rules.  We know that it doesn’t stay this way very long.  We can experience the same in our relationship with God.  We feel close to Him and want to obey Him and honor Him.  Until we don’t.  Until we get distracted, forget, and do our own thing.  I pray that we might be a people who keep ourselves in a consistent state of being in awe of God.  When we have a sense of awe and amazement at the goodness of God it is much easier to follow his rules.  So remain amazed at the awesomeness of our God.

In His Grip,
Pastor Dave

As God continues to lead the people of Israel out of slavery and to the Promised Land they begin grumbling again.  It’s as if they expect 5 star traveling and have quickly forgotten that they were slaves treated harshly back in Egypt.  Once again, Moses cries out to God and God provides for His people.  Let’s look at the account together today.

The whole Israelite community set out from the Desert of Sin, traveling from place to place as the Lord commanded. They camped at Rephidim, but there was no water for the people to drink. 2 So they quarreled with Moses and said, “Give us water to drink.” Moses replied, “Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you put the Lord to the test?” 3 But the people were thirsty for water there, and they grumbled against Moses. They said, “Why did you bring us up out of Egypt to make us and our children and livestock die of thirst?” 4 Then Moses cried out to the Lord, “What am I to do with these people? They are almost ready to stone me.” 5 The Lord answered Moses, “Go out in front of the people. Take with you some of the elders of Israel and take in your hand the staff with which you struck the Nile, and go. 6 I will stand there before you by the rock at Horeb. Strike the rock, and water will come out of it for the people to drink.” So Moses did this in the sight of the elders of Israel. 7 And he called the place Massah and Meribah because the Israelites quarreled and because they tested the Lord saying, “Is the Lord among us or not?”

It is interesting the repeated pattern of behavior by the people of Israel.  In the last several chapters of Exodus God has brought down 10 plagues on Egypt.  Passed over the people of Israel with the Angel of Death.  Led Israel with a pilar of fire and a cloud.  Parted the Red Sea.  Closed the Red Sea on the Egyptians.  Fed the people miraculously every day with quail and manna.  Had a bitter salt lake produce fresh water simply by throwing some wood in it.  Finally now hitting a rock and having fresh water flow from it.  Somehow the people still are wondering if God is actually with them.  Perhaps we aren’t quite as bad as the Israelites in this case but sometimes we can develop a what have you done for me lately attitude with God.  We just do things on our own strength and go in our own direction instead of relying on God’s direction and leading in our lives.  Then when things go bad we cry out to God and say that we need His help and His leading.  We aren’t that different from the Israelites.  We need to remember to seek God’s leading always not just when we feel like we need Him.  This will keep our paths straight and help us to avoid those times when we have a tendency to wander off. 

In His Grip,
Pastor Dave