Christ Fellowship of Wise County

Ephesians 6 says, “Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” 

Make no mistake. What happened in Uvalde yesterday was committed by a flesh and blood person but was the scheme of Satan and his demons. I don’t know if that person was demon-possessed necessarily but he was definitely influenced by him. He was also not a sane person. Sane people don’t kill innocent children.

Like you, I am mad. I am heartbroken. I can’t comprehend what those parents are going through and neither I nor does anybody else have all the answers to why God would allow such a thing. Add it to the list of things in this world that don’t make sense. But I will go to my grave knowing that God sees, cares and cries with us.

The question that everyone is now asking is, “How do we keep it from happening again?” And, again, I don’t have all the answers. Some people want more guns. Some want fewer. Some want better mental health resources or more police or fewer police. Some people will put a “Pray for Uvalde” post on their social media and go about their day. But somehow none of those “answers” seems to feel very satisfying.

Most of you know I like dogs. I like dogs a lot! If I had the resources, I’d have a bunch of ‘em. And I see dogs in the shelter and I see neighborhood dogs chained up and I see people who don’t take care of their dogs and my heart goes out to those and I want to help every single one of them. But I can’t. But, do you know what I can do? I can take care of mine.

It’s the same with your kids and your grandkids. I don’t know where the Uvalde shooter’s parents were but it’s too late for him now. It’s not too late for your loved ones. We can’t help him not be evil but we can tell our kids and our grandkids and the neighbor boys and girls about Jesus because, do you know what all mass shooters have in common? None of them have a personal relationship with God through His Son Jesus.

Your job, your hobbies, your friends, your comfort – none of that is worth seeing your loved one being led into a horrible scheme of the evil one. You can’t help all the kids. But you can make sure yours knows they are loved and cherished by you and by God. Hug them a little tighter today and pray for those in Uvalde who can’t. — Todd

Don’t forget, Christ Fellowship is having a picnic right after the service Sunday. Bring whatever you want to eat plus a little more for those who might not bring anything. I can’t wait! I love you all! — Todd

I don’t know about you, but I can’t wait to be in Christ Fellowship this Sunday just to see what God is going to do next!
I love you all! — Todd

Well, I wasn’t going to say anything but I can’t help it. I thought maybe it was just me. Maybe I was the only one who was just amazed at the worship time we had last Sunday at Christ Fellowship. But after talking to some friends who were also there, I realize it wasn’t just me who was blessed. What an amazing time of worship and praise and testimony and singing and praying…a nice crowd…a family coming forward to join the church…several visitors…a bunch of kids…great fellowship and unity. Good grief! Sunday morning and Sunday night both! I’m still just excited and I wanted to tell all of you how much fun it was and how much I love and appreciate you all! I can’t wait for next Sunday to get here! See ya then! — Todd

Psalm 9 starts out by saying:

I will give thanks to you, Lord, with all my heart;
    I will tell of all your wonderful deeds.
2 I will be glad and rejoice in you;
    I will sing the praises of your name, O Most High.

We all have so much to thank the Lord for today and I would love to hear what you have to be thankful for. Leave a comment on this web page, and just say thank you, Lord, for what He has done for you lately.
I love you all and I am thankful for YOU! Thank you, Lord, for Christ Fellowship! I’ll see y’all Sunday at 10 and 6. — Todd

Well, I don’t know about you, but I’m pooped. I had such a good time today worshiping with my church family at Christ Fellowship. I wouldn’t trade that for anything. Good worship, music, discussion and fellowship. A great morning. Then we went to the RV Park down the road and had another great time with lots of games and prizes and hot dogs but we also had some great testimonies as well. I made several new friends and was able to have some meaningful conversations. The only bad part was not winning the egg race! I even cheated too!
Thank you to all who had a part! So many donated in one way or another and all of it was for God’s glory and to make Him look good. And I think we were able to do that. (Except for my cheating maybe.) But anyway, I just wanted to say thank you and to let you all know that I so appreciate you and love you all. Y’all rock! Todd

 

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In a world confused by which bathroom to use and who wear masks walking down the beach, it only makes sense that today is called “Good Friday” and the day when everybody goes shopping is called “Black Friday.” It doesn’t make a lot of sense, does it? Should we “celebrate” Good Friday at all?

As you know, Good Friday is the day that we recognize (maybe not celebrate) that Jesus died on the cross. Think about it for a minute. If Jesus had not willingly given up His perfect life to pay the price the Father said was due, we would still have to offer sacrifices for our sins to be right with God.

John the Baptist announced, “Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world” (John 1:29). More than 2,000 years before, as a foreshadowing of Jesus’ death to take away the sins of the world, Abraham had told his son Isaac, “God will provide Himself a lamb, my son.” And sure enough, when Abraham and Isaac got to the top of Mt Moriah, a ram was waiting for them there. 

Jesus, the Lamb of God, died on the same day, at the same time, as the Passover lambs were being slain on Mount Moriah. No wonder then that Jesus said, “Abraham saw My day, and was glad.” (John 8:56) And we, too, can be glad today for the sacrifice of Jesus. Yes, it’s hard to celebrate this but the result of the sacrifice was very, very good. Thank you, Lord!

And if this is Good Friday then that means that this Sunday is Easter or Resurrection Sunday! And we can definitely celebrate that! Now, if you are looking for the Easter Bunny or helicopter egg drops or the pastor doing an inspirational dance…Christ Fellowship is not the place. But if you want to celebrate the risen Savior and worship in spirit and in truth; if you are in awe of the sacrifice of Jesus and amazed at the grace and forgiveness God has shown you…I’ll see you here at 10!

And I can’t wait! I love you all! — Todd

PS I have some homework for you. Look up what the word “providence” means and then be able to give me an example of it in your life and in scripture this Sunday. 

We live in a crazy, mixed-up world today and there is not much hope that it straightens itself out any time soon. People are confused about which political candidates to support, what causes they should get behind, who to boycott and when to complain and when to leave it alone. Some people are really confused and don’t even know which bathroom to use or how to define the word “woman.”

Satan loves it when people are confused but God is the God of peace, not confusion (1 Co. 14:33) and while He could possibly call you to go deeper into the mud and mire of politics and social justice at some point in time, He wants you to know that you know that you know some things. And before you go any further in this world or deeper into what is right and what is wrong, know this for sure: God loves you and will forgive you of everything every time. All you have to do is ask and repent.

Karl Menninger said, “If I could convince patients in psychiatric hospitals that they were forgiven, 75% would walk out the next day.” What is your forgiveness worth? To God, your forgiveness was worth sending His Son to die so you wouldn’t have to pay that price. For you, your forgiveness should be worth your worship to the God who loves you. 1 John 1:9 says, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” There are a lot of things I don’t know. I don’t know how prayer works or how God is three-in-one or why God puts up with me or what happened to the dinosaurs or what bait to use to catch bass. I don’t know. But I know that God loves me and forgives me and that brings me such peace! Thank you, Lord! And I can’t wait to worship Him with you, my church family, this Sunday – Palm Sunday – at 10 am. I love you all! — Todd

The world seems a little colder, darker and harsher today than it did. Some things just don’t matter like they used to. Almost everything is different or at least quieter and while my house maybe cleaner, it is sadder. Sara’s last vet visit was last week because of heart problems and Bo had his last visit this week to stop his physical pain. And, yes, they were just dogs and I completely understand that this does not compare to you losing your spouse or your child. I hate that for you. I don’t know that pain and my loss does not equal yours. And if you are not a “dog person” then you won’t understand my pain and that’s okay.

My dogs were my constant companions for over fifteen years and all they ever wanted was to be where I was whether that was in the car, in the church or in the bathroom. 🙂  They went more places, met more people and saw more sights than most dogs and attended more church services than most people. I’ve had dogs all my life but Bo and Sara were special and were gifts from God that helped get me through many other losses in my life and so I am most grateful to have had them but it makes losing them especially painful.

But in this pain, I have the peace of God that passes all my understanding. I am forever grateful for my friends and family that have prayed for that peace for me and I don’t understand how people go through grief without it. I can’t comprehend how people get through life without a relationship with God through His Son Jesus nor do I understand how you get through without a church family to help you. I’m so grateful for mine. Thank you, Lord, and thank you, Christ Fellowship.

I’ll close by hijacking the words of Habakkuk in chapter 3 where he says, “Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls,

And no dogs in the church! 18 yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior!

19 The Sovereign Lord is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer. He enables me to tread on the heights.”

I love you all and can’t wait to see you Sunday morning at 10.

-Todd

If you do an online search for Bible verses that bring peace, there are probably thousands that will show up. The Bible is full of encouragement when we are having a rough time. You have your favorites. I have mine and nobody is more right or more wrong at all. Thank you, Lord, for your wonderful book of encouragement and conviction!

This morning I was reminded of a passage that brought me peace in Acts chapter 12. It’s probably not one that any of us go to regularly for peace in and of itself but the story brings me great peace because it reminds me of Christ Fellowship. In Acts 12, Peter has been put in prison but we don’t see him pacing the floor or crying or cussing. What’s he doing? He’s sound asleep.

How could Peter possibly be asleep at a time like this? He was chained between two guards and was probably scheduled to be executed the next morning and ol’ Pete was working on his beauty rest! How could he do that, you ask? Because in verse 5 it says that the church was earnestly praying for him. That was the secret to Peter’s peace.

I honestly do not know how people get through this life without a church family to pray for them and encourage them and lift them up to the throne room of God when they are in time of need. What a blessing that is. And I want to say thank you to all of you who have prayed for me this week.

Most of you know I lost my sweet Princess Sara this week and, honestly, it has been awful. And I know that loss doesn’t compare to when you lost your spouse or your child. I get that. I do. That is real pain that really hurts and leaves permanent scars. But Jesus said in John 16, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

God wants you, as a true believer in Him, to have peace and we can have that peace through prayer that comes with a relationship with God through Jesus and is lived out and blessed in a church family. Thank you for praying for me, my dear family! Now, how can I pray for you today? — Todd