Tag: Bible

  • PATIENCE & PERSISTENCE

    And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.

    – Galatians 6:9

    We have all probably heard at least once in our lives that we need to pray for patience. We even know we should pray for patience. However, sometimes we are just too busy, in a rush or just plain don’t have time. Ironic isn’t it? On the other hand, how often are we encouraged to pray for perseverance? In our prayer time, is perseverance even a thought? And now the big question to ponder, have you ever looked at how patience and perseverance are linked together?

    At first glance it seems these two character traits might oppose each other. Patients is waiting for an opportunity to present itself. The textbook definition brings a bit more detail as to what makes having patience so difficult. Patience is the capacity to accept or tolerate delay, trouble, or suffering without getting angry or upset. We live in a very “anti-patience” culture if you think about it. We want what we want and we want it now. When we text someone we expect an immediate response. When we need answers, Google can get us thousands of websites, usually under a second. Food can be warmed up in one to two minutes in our microwaves. Not a lot of patience is required here. So when we are faced with situations that are not so quick and easy, we tend to get irritable, frustrated, angry and yes, impatience.   

    Perseverance is different. It is actively staying on task. Again, take a look at the textbook definition. Perseverance is a continued effort to do or achieve something despite difficulties, failure, or opposition. If you really stop and think about it, patience and perseverance complement each other quite nicely.

    Think about it like this. Patience without persistence can lead to apathy. Persistence without patience can cause us to chase our tail. Sometimes we are in a situation where we need to wait, but it is crucial to not lose focus. At other times, we are to be active and yet accommodating to the process.

    Each one of these character traits takes effort, focus and intentionality. However, when we prioritize one over the other or disregard either, both become difficult, ineffective and discouraging. 

    In Galatians 6:9, Paul encourages us to persist in doing good, doing right, engaging in God’s Truth. We are to keep focused on Christ so we will not get discouraged. We do this for the simple yet powerful reason to glorify our Lord. To persist in doing good unfortionatally does not guarantee an immediate result. Rather, we are to be patient. Sometimes our good works take time to grow. We can take confidence that in time, the good works we do for the Lord will reap a harvest that glorifies Christ.

    A farmer is a great example of someone who balances patience with perseverance. He works and readies the land and then he plants his seeds. There is a lot of planning and effort that goes into this. There has to be focus and intentionality. And then he must be patient. It takes time for the seed to germinate, to take root and to grow. Then, at just the right time, not too early and not too late, he harvests.

    Maybe in addition to praying for both patience and persistence, we should be praying in a manner consistent with patience and persistence. We persistently seek the Lord and pray and then we confidently and patiently wait. Sometimes day after day, even year after year, always understanding that God is never idle or hard of hearing. But maybe, just maybe God is accomplishing something in us and through us while we exercise patience and persistence.

    Jason Metz, lead Pastor

  • OOPS!

    For we all stumble in many ways. And if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle his whole body.

    – James 3:2

    Mistakes. We all make them, but then what? Mistakes as well as failures tend to be seen as a negative in our culture. We are taught to avoid, to hide, to do whatever it takes to not make mistakes or admit failure. But might there be value in our mistakes and in our failures? 

    There definitely can be, but only if we allow it. Only if we have confidence in God that He can make a positive out of any negative. We can only learn if we resolve to be teachable. Ah, there’s the key. To be teachable. To seek understanding. To gain the invaluable experience that seems to only come from making mistakes and failing.

    How we perceive things has the power to stifle us and hold us back or to propel us forward. If you were brought up in an environment where success was pushed at all costs and anything else was punished, an unrealistic and suffocating mentality most likely took root. And that root usually grows into a fear of making mistakes and failing. However, mistakes and failures are unavoidable. In fact, they are a part of life. How unfortunate so many are stuck in this rut of apprehension and anxiety when it comes to making mistakes and failing. On the other hand, if you were raised with the freedom to explore, to err, to make mistakes and yes outright fail, how liberating. What an opportunity to learn. Someone once said, if you are not failing, you are not trying hard enough. Rarely does anything new we try go without some mistakes and failures. The question we must ask ourselves is, will the possibility of mistakes and failure hold me back from the possibility of success?

    Now don’t get me wrong here, we should not intentionally make mistakes or put effort into those things that are bound to fail. But we shouldn’t be afraid to dream, to try, to fail. When we accept the possibility of disappointment, we open ourselves up to the freedom to grow. So why fear something that has the ability to make us better.

    Anyone who has read just about any part of Scripture can’t help but notice all the mistakes and failures people of God have made throughout the centuries. From Abraham to Moses to King David to Peter to Paul and of course Adam and Eve. What we find out is that even when there is a heart to follow God, the greatest opportunity to learn comes from the ashes of where we crash and burn. Now we are back to being teachable. From a faith perspective, we must get to the point in our humility before God that allows us to accept what He has for us. We must also understand that mistakes and failures do in fact come with consequences. Because my mistakes and failures cost me something, they tend to have a much greater impact on my ability to learn and to grow. And in the presence of the Holy Spirit, that growth takes us in a direction that we would have most likely never gone if we always resolved ourselves to fear and avoidance. 

    This is not about intentionally falling into sin, however many have solidified their faith through repentance. The mistakes and failures we are talking about here are those overly ambitious things we do that just may be our own ideas and not God’s directions. Believe me, I have had many of those in my life. As the mistakes and failures become evident, God seems to simply say, I appreciate the effort, now let Me show you why it didn’t work. What a great place to be! Instead of contamination if I receive coaching. Instead of an, I told you so, He picks me up, dusts off the mistakes and failures and grows me through the process. Many times those are some hard, even heart wrenching lessons, but I for one wouldn’t trade them for anything. When I learn to listen to God’s guidance, success comes, even when I make a mistake or fail.

    Jason Metz, lead Pastor

  • ACCOUNTABILITY

    So then each of us will give an account of himself to God.

    – Romans 4:17

    Accountability. That’s not a popular topic these days. Unless of course it is used to lay blame on someone besides ourselves. The definition of accountability is simple and to the point: an obligation or willingness to accept responsibility or to account for one’s actions. This rational sure seems to imply that accountability is meant to be used to judge ourselves and take action in those areas needed. The opposite of accountability is immunity, as in being protected or exempt from something.

    We live in a culture that seems to fear accountability. Excuses are constantly made to seek to justify one’s behaviors or lack of responsibilities. Many react by pointing a finger at anything that can take the spotlight off of them. It wasn’t me, it wasn’t my fault, no one told me, no one helped me. Instead of accepting and learning from accountability, we are quick to shift blame. In essence, trying to convince others as well as ourselves that we are immune from our responsibilities. That’s a hard way to live because it’s based in mistrust and fear. Though accountability when not met usually carries some hard consequences, they are in no way near the consequences that trying to pass the blame on to others carry. Things like a breakdown of trust from others and increased conflict in even the simplest situations. And yet, our human nature, if not reined in, seems to default to self-justification and avoidance of personal accountability.

    Unfortunately, this is nothing new. It was there in the Garden, in the beginning. It wasn’t me, it was the serpent. It wasn’t me, it was the woman. Cascading down through history, we find ourselves in a precarious position living in a world who thrives on the blame game. 

    Grace is the unmerited favor of God. It is the Father’s gift to us through His Son Jesus Christ. That sounds pretty great. In fact, that sounds pretty wonderful. Who wouldn’t want the unmerited favor of God? Especially when it is wrapped up in the form of a gift. But there is a catch. In order to unwrap and accept this amazing gift from God, we have to come to a place of, you guest it, accountability. Grace is the gift of Jesus and His atonement for our sins. If we falsely believe or attempt to avoid our responsibility when it comes to sin, in other words, deny our accountability, then why would we ever need the gift of grace? However, the harsh reality is that no one is immune to sin, no one is protected or except from the consequence of a sinful nature, which is eternal death. No one except the born-again believer who, through their accountability or willingness to accept and account for their sinful actions has humbly surrendered before God as a wretched person beyond excuse. It is at that point of accountability, that point of admission, that point of confession that the gift of grace becomes available.

    As born-again believes, we now have the realization of grace and the justification that it brings before the Father. We rejoice in this. It literally changes our life and the deep appreciation to our Lord can never be compared to anything else. 

    But how much does this transition to other aspects of our life? If we understand and embrace God’s grace and acknowledge that we are accountable, not just to ourselves, but before Him, how should that change how we live our lives? The born-again believes separates themselves from the world in the sense that they are no longer confined to the world’s standards. The born-again believer chooses to live by God’s standards, not simply compartmentalized within their faith, because their faith cannot be compartmentalized. Jesus isn’t for a time or place, rather Jesus is glorified at all times and in every place. That means that personal accountability from the biggest things, like our sin to the littlest thing, like minor responsibilities must be exercised. If we blame and point fingers in the small stuff, we are at risk for trying to justify within ourselves the big things. 

    Jason Metz, lead Pastor

  • RESPECT

    Let all the earth fear the Lord;

        let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him!

    – Psalm 33:8

    Sometimes I wonder if the church is too accommodating. You’re just fine the you are. Late, no problem, go right in. Busy this Sunday with (you fill in the blank), no problem, we understand, we’re all busy. We don’t use words that offend like Hell or sin or accountability. Make yourself… comfortable.

    Have we lowered our expectations so much that we are in danger of offending God?

    After all, a seeker sensitive mentality means the customer is always right. Ahhhhh, I think we are on to something here. We have mistakenly interchanged church ministry with a business model. Instead of desiring people to engage with Christ we look to fill seats. Instead of discipleship being a measure of growth we look at the financial health to gauge how the church is doing. To what are these standards compared and to whom are we seeking adoration from? Hard questions in a society that uses competition to push a worldly sense of success.

    All this has to come down to the basic realization of the essence of the Church. The Church exists for three fundamental reasons. To exalt the Lord, to edify the body and to evangelize the world. If a church trades or substitutes any of these assignments is it really a church? 

    Notice that the responsibilities of the local church are also not dependent on human rational or worldly principles. For a church to be a church, factors like building space or location, finances, audio and visual technologies, free coffee or an established budget are not a requirement. Might these things help and be beneficial in ministry? Only if they are used to complement those imperative things that are held to the highest degree. Things like the proclamation that Jesus is Lord, the Son of God. Things like solid Bible teachings and a strict stance on the authority and importance of Scripture. Things like welcoming everyone in, but not freely accepting their sinful behavior or lifestyle. Things like discipleship and creating a culture that operates within the Truth and Love of Christ. 

    Let us also remember that the Body of Christ is made up of individual believers. That means these hard questions cannot only be asked about the church, but also about ourselves. Questions like, do I actually have a respect, a reverence and an awe of the Lord? Do we even know how that should look? That’s a hard one and ultimately, if we are honest, heartwrenching. Here’s another one, do I treat my faith like I can pick and choose how I live it out? This includes who I believe Jesus to be, the authority of the Father, the severity of my sin and what worship is. Also a hard and convincing question. But without the questions how can we ever come to the answers? 

    When Jesus walked this earth, though He was 100% human, but He remained 100% divine. That means He possessed all knowledge and wisdom from eternity past to eternity future. And yet, He was always asking those around Him questions. From those that He was closest to like Peter, James and John, to those He had a more brief interaction with, to the religious leaders that opposed Him, Jesus asked questions. Why? It wasn’t because He didn’t know the answer, but so those He was interacting with could be guided to the Truth. 

    In our churches and in our personal lives how willing are we to forego the worldly standard, the busyness, the distractions and the acceptable justifications to simply move to a place of respect, reverence and awe of the Lord? What are we willing to sacrifice and what are we needing to embrace to build our faith in a Christ consuming way?

    Jason Metz, lead Pastor

  • INFORMATION OVERLOAD

    My son, beware of anything beyond these. Of making many books there is no end, and much study is a weariness of the flesh.

    – Ecclesiastes 12:12

    Is too much information a problem? Can too much study actually bring weariness? There is an important distinction to establish here. It is the one between God and His living Word and the world and its destruction. We know the value of Bible study and pondering upon the words and principles of our Lord. But do we understand the dangers of information overload when it’s based in corruptible mankind?  

    Information can, should and many times bring knowledge. Unlike ever before on this earth, we are bombarded with an unprecedented amount of information and because of technology, it is readily available at our fingertips. However, a dilemma has also evolved alongside our age of information. Somewhere along the way, the line between factual information and opinion has been blurred almost to the point of obscurity. The problem with so much information at our fingertips is the subjective nature of that information. Anyone with the smallest amount of tech savvy can quite easily disseminate information. Within seconds, through social media and other platforms, it is available throughout the globe. To an even greater degree, A.I. will now efficiently package all this information into a nice little pill that’s definitely too easy to swallow. We would have to be naive to think every piece of information we are exposed to on a daily basis is factual and therefore trustworthy, but I fear that is exactly the case. 

    We know that knowledge is different from wisdom. But where does false knowledge fit into the process? If we understand knowledge as being the accumulation of facts, truths and information, then wisdom is the effect that comes through the application of this knowledge. For example, I can be taught that a hot stove is dangerous to touch. That knowledge is factual, true and informative. However, it is when I actually touch the stove that wisdom comes through a painful yet memorable experience. Knowledge is easily debated or forgotten, but because wisdom is tied to a personal experience, the effect is much deeper. The biggest difference is seen in someone who has a knowledge of Christ versus someone who has a relationship, an experience with Christ. 

    The danger we live in with all our technologically advanced information options is the lack of moving from knowledge to wisdom. Bad or false knowledge is exposed for what it is when we go through the application process. Because there is so much information out there, much of which can contradict itself, we are able to accept what fits our desires way too easily. We have lost the initiative to test the information overload we are bombarded with. Rather, we simply scroll to the next tidbit. In doing so, we lose the opportunity to gain wisdom, either by confirming or denying that information. This is especially dangerous when it comes to the myriad of Bible experts out there purveying their opinions and disguising it as knowledge. Our cyber-overloaded world inundates us with so much information and when we simply accept it all, we are unable to properly process it.

    1 Thessalonians 5:21 instructs us to test everything, to hold fast to what is good. Proverbs 9:10 says, The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight. 

    It’s time to slow down, to take time to process all the information, to personally seek the Lord and experience His wisdom and yes, touch the stove if necessary.

    Jason Metz, lead Pastor

  • SEASONS

    From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts out its leaves, you know that summer is near. So also, when you see all these things, you know that He is near, at the very gates.

    -Matthew 24:32-33

    There’s one thing for sure Montanans understand and that’s seasons. There are a lot of wonderful and challenging aspects when living somewhere that can swing to such extremes. We can hit one-hundred plus degrees in the summer only to swing to negative forty in the winter. The seasons here are unmistakable making them very recognisable. These distinctions also play out in the amount of daylight. In the summer it can still be light way past 10 P.M., while in the dead of winter darkness approaches in the afternoon.  

    There is an understanding that no one knows the day or time of our Lord’s return, but when we look around us, we can see things that point to the drawing near of His coming. It is similar to not needing to know the specific date to know that we are in the middle of winter. I recognise the season without being bogged down to a specific date.

    But is there an equally important principle we can draw for here?

    What about seasons in our personal lives? Is every day, every week, even every year the same in a physical, emotional or spiritual sense? Or are we in a constant state of transition? And if we are, do we recognize those seasons? Which should lead us to self-examination and the question, what can we learn from these divisions?

    The Book of Ecclesiastes speaks of seasons. It is wrapped around the three key words, a time to… a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; a time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; a time to tear, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; a time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace.

    There is an immeasurable value when we decide to live within the season God has placed us in. The value is realized by allowing the Holy Spirit to teach and guide us through all these times, especially the contrasting ones of good and bad, growth and hardship, the mountaintop and the valley floor. Sometimes we are in a season where it feels like God barely speaks to us. At other times, He is speaking so much we can barely keep up. Sometimes we are celebrating new births, not just children, but also new opportunities the Lord is granting us. Other times, we are in mourning because we have lost a loved one, a relationship, an unrealized dream or a time to move on.

    We must understand the efficiency of God. He orchestrates the seasons in our life and never misses an opportunity to draw us closer to Himself in order to make us more like Christ. 

    The changing of the seasons is something we tend to look forward to. As much as we like the summer months, we are ready for the cooler temperatures and colorful expression of fall. When winter starts to take its toll, spring is right around the corner. No matter what season you are going through right now, expect a change. A change that will grow your faith and your relationship with Christ, if you allow it and embrace it.

    Jason Metz, lead Pastor

  • ROUTINE

    So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom.

    – Psalm 90:12

    It’s nature to settle into a routine. It helps us to make plans, to be organized, to limit surprises while making our day or week more efficient. Our bodies naturally like a routine. From going to bed at the same time, to getting up, to when we have our meals, physically we operate better on a routine. We can also see the value of a routine when it comes to the spiritual aspect of our lives. Our faith becomes strong when we involve a routine of prayer, Bible study, discipleship and church. A routine even benefits us in an emotional aspect. Regularly scheduled quiet times and times when you can get away are important in keeping our mental health healthy.

    But what happens when we become a slave to our routines? The Israelites faced a similar issue in how they treated the Sabbath. What was given by God to be a time of rest, a time to focus on God devolved into a mandatory observance. To violate the Sabbath resulted in being cut off from their people or even worse, death. What God meant for their benefit, the Israelites perverted into a system of punishable requirements. As a result, they became slaves to this requirement, fearing retribution if they happened to violate it. 

    It would seem there are some relevant similarities between what happened with the Israelis and the Sabbath and what potentially can happen with our routines. If we do not approach our routines with the understanding that, though they can help us have organization and efficiency, they can and should be set aside for numerous reasons. It is quite easy to become enslaved to a routine, prioritizing it above everything else. Another danger occurs when we allow a routine to become a distraction. 

    On the other hand, not having any kind of routine or structure in one’s life creates an atmosphere where nothing seems to ever get done or in many cases, started. We must approach routines in our life following the words of Jesus pertaining to the Sabbath. In Mark chapter 2, Jesus lays it out quite simply and to the point. Verses 27 and 28 says, The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath. 

    Have routines in your life, even the positive one become an idol? Are they placed in a position of unyielding importance? Do they keep you from the spontaneous moments or divine opportunities that seem to always sneak up on us? Bottom line, is Jesus the Lord even over your routines?

    The enemy never sleeps. He is predictable in his tactics if we pay attention and rely on discernment from the Holy Spirit. He will use anything at any time to distract us and try to separate us from God. His strategy is not limited to the obvious things like temptation, pride, malice, lust and the multitude of overt sins. He is cunning enough to understand we trap ourselves in those things that are there to actually help us. These are the sneaky things we allow in, pursue and even embrace. 

    It takes a conscious awareness on our part while the Holy Spirit is imparting wisdom into our lives to guard against becoming enslaved to our routines.

    Lord teach us to number our days, to gain an appreciation of the importance and beauty of each new day, so that we don’t miss any opportunities to draw closer to you and as a result gain a heart of wisdom.   

    Jason Metz, lead Pastor

  • INDECISIVENESS

    But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

    – James 1:6-8

    Like the saying goes, indecision may or may not be my problem.

    The world in general has a problem making up their mind. They have an even bigger issue with actually moving from decision to action. That’s why businesses spend so much on marketing. Advertisements are used to make a decision for us. That may be okay when you need a vehicle, can’t decide where to eat or don’t want to dig deep to know which candidate best aligns with your ideals and values. But it doesn’t fly with the Father. 

    Biblical Christianity is in a league of its own when it comes to the necessity of making a decision. You cannot simply follow the crowd as they follow Jesus. Grandma, though she may try, cannot will you to a spiritual rebirth. Being a good person and doing good things is not the same as believing in your heart and confessing with your mouth that Jesus is Lord.

    Indecisiveness is one of the greatest enemies we face. It is to a lukewarm pseudo-Christians as a nice warm bed is to the lazy. 

    It is a battle so many Christians face on a daily basis without even realizing it. Church attendance can give them a false sense of commitment. The lax theology of American Christianity, as in the production instead of the power, the social instead of the Spirit allows for a false Christian identity. And identity that can just go with the flow, never really taking a stand. On anything! Indecisiveness is at constant war with conviction and each individual is the only one that can determine the winner.

    The prime example of indecision we find in Scripture is Nicodemus. On one hand he was so interested in Jesus and His message that he arranged a secret meeting. On the other hand, Nicodemus could not overcome his religious habits and indoctrination that can so easily keep any of us from the Father’s most glorious gift. The result? Nicodemus walked away in a perpetual state of indecision. 

    To follow Christ is based on a necessary choice, one we have to make. That’s also the beauty of the Father’s plan. We have the opportunity to choose grace, to choose redemption, to choose life. But until we actually make that choice, it only remains a possibility, bogged down and drowning in indecision. It can be a hard choice for many because our very nature fights against it. It is also a costly choice. It’s a choice that requires commitment and is sealed with death, our death.

    The harshest of realities is that when it comes to the Father and where you will spend eternity, indecision does not exist. Choosing to accept and follow Christ means life. Not choosing Christ a.k.a. indecision is in fact a denial of the Father’s invitation. And that can only result in separation and death, now and for eternity.

    Jason Metz, lead Pastor

  • COMMUNITY

    Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up!

    – Ecclesiastes 4:9-10

    There is a question that has been rolling around in my head lately. Like that song that gets stuck and without even realizing it, you keep singing or in my case attempting to sing the words. Maybe this question isn’t even one that I need a definitive answer on. Maybe it’s one of those questions that I need to ponder upon, leading me to observe those around me, allowing myself to come to my own conclusions. When I get there, I can now choose how I apply those conclusions to draw closer to Christ as well as others in my life.

    So what’s the question?   

    Is technology the enemy of community?

    I recently heard a story about an old Irish community and a thermos. The story goes like this… Once a year during the fall, the families of this Irish community would come together and all go out turf cutting. Turf cutting was an important process to prepare for the upcoming winter providing fuel to heat their houses. Families of fathers, mothers and kids would all participate collectively so no one would go with this necessary commodity. Days and days would be spent away from their houses working together. Each family had a specific day where they would maintain the community fire and keep a pot of boiling water going for tea breaks. The cutting was done by hand and the work was tedious, but it was a time to socialize with friends and neighbors. 

    Then one year a man showed up with a brand new thermos, something that no one had ever seen before. It was all the rage and everyone rushed out to buy one. With everyone having their own thermos, there was no need for a community fire. Without the community around the fire, people quickly figured out that it was more convenient to go out by themselves and only cut what they needed. It wasn’t long after that the social event of turf cutting was exchanged for a solitary task.

    Was it quicker to just cut your own turf? Yes. Was it more convenient to bring a thermos full of tea? Absolutely. But in the end, what saved them in time cost them in community.

    We are really no different. Instead of a thermos, we have the convenience of a smart phone. 

    There is no doubt that smart phones are a technological marvel. It is a gateway to convenience and efficiency, a labor saving device that opens the entire world up to us and it fits in the palm of our hand. Communication has gone from the antiquated times of face to face interaction or at the least talking on a telephone that was physically attached to a wall. Now the only distance we have to go is the distance between our pocket and our hand. Even less if we have a smart watch. No longer is a two way conversation even necessary when we can simply send a text on the same device that is interconnected to the world wide web. Information galore in the blink of an eye without any human interaction to slow things down.

    But it gets even better. The days of having to take all that time to develop relationships can now be exchanged for social media. And I don’t even have to leave the house.

    Speaking about leaving the house, Sunday mornings have been freed up through online church. Why go through the arduous process of waking up on Sunday, getting ready and driving to church when I don’t have to? And if I don’t like what the pastor is saying, there is no awkwardness, I simply scroll to another online church that is telling me what I want to hear. 

    The convenience of a smart phone is truly incredible. But what is the cost?

    We were created in the image of God, who exists within the eternal community of the Trinity.          

    Technically is great, but without proper restraint it can cost us our community. Community in our neighborhoods, at our work, in our churches, even within our families. 

    But after all, it’s just a thermos.

    Jason Metz, lead Pastor

  • ATROPHY

    But have nothing to do with irreverent folklore and silly myths. On the other hand, discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness [keeping yourself spiritually fit].

    1 Timothy 4:7

    Atrophy is generally one of those terms that we don’t hear or use unless there is an issue or a problem. Atrophy is what I think of as a negative word, meaning it’s only used in an unfavorable situation. And for good reason. The definition of atrophy is a gradual decline in effectiveness or energy due to disregard or neglect.

    There are a few sayings that have stuck with me from my childhood. They had an impact on me way back then and they are still a constant reminder in my daily activities to keep the important things of life in focus. Two of those principles are simple, yet effective in application. 

    “Move it or lose it” and “You are what you eat” may have been coined from the fitness and nutrition movements, but I would argue that these adages transcend to all areas of our life. By keeping these in mind and putting them into practice, we can guard ourselves from not only atrophy, but also apathy.

    The practicality of these sayings from a physical aspect is quite straightforward. Our body was created for action, to work, to be exercised. The more we work our muscles, our heart and our lungs the more efficient and effective our physical bodies become. Conversely, when we don’t exercise our muscles, our heart and our lungs atrophy occurs. We either move it or lose it. 

    In addition to exercise, what we put into our body will affect our overall physical health and ability. Good nutrition gives us the building blocks to become strong while poor nutrition leads us to depletion, disease and illness. You are what you choose to eat.

    But we would be fools to think that these same principles do not apply to our mental status. When we rely upon others to do our thinking for us, we begin to decrease in our ability to problem solve, to be creative, to rationally think things through. When it comes to our mental fitness, we either use it or lose it. 

    Multiple recent studies are finding the potential decline in cognitive abilities due a new found reliance on artificial intelligence. These studies suggest that as we increasingly depend on AI for tasks that previously required mental effort, our cognitive skills, particularly critical thinking and memory, decrease or atrophy. It’s important to use as well as feed your brain what it needs to stay strong and get stronger every day.

    And that brings us to what really matters most. The spiritual component of our life. In the Gospels, Jesus was constantly challenging those around Him to move from a temporal mindset to an eternal spiritual mindset. When we surrender to Christ and enter into a new life with Him, we are spiritually born, becoming eternally alive. We are now on a journey to everlasting glory with Him. 

    When we set out on any journey the goal is moving from where we are to where we need to get to. Any journey involves movement, effort and endurance. Every day we do not make up ground, we inadvertently lose ground. Our faith is no different. Daily we either use it or in missed opportunities we lose the chance to grow. To exercise our faith is to strengthen our faith. Going to church on Sunday is like going to the gym. If I don’t actually engage and exercise, the location does nothing for me. 

    In a spiritual sense, we are what we eat. What we put into our mind, what we engage in, who we surround ourselves with will always affect us in our spiritual life. Positive or negative, what we choose to spiritually eat will determine who we are and what we become. Plain and simple, Jesus builds while the world brings atrophy.

    Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to Me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in Me shall never thirst.

    John 6:35

    Jason Metz, lead Pastor