Pastor Joe Hite

12/15/2024

Isaiah 9:2-7 New Living Translation

2 The people who walk in darkness
    will see a great light.
For those who live in a land of deep darkness 
    a light will shine.
3 You will enlarge the nation of Israel,
    and its people will rejoice.
They will rejoice before you
    as people rejoice at the harvest
    and like warriors dividing the plunder.

4 For you will break the yoke of their slavery
    and lift the heavy burden from their shoulders.
You will break the oppressor’s rod,
    just as you did when you destroyed the army of Midian.
5 The boots of the warrior
    and the uniforms bloodstained by war
will all be burned.
    They will be fuel for the fire.

6 For a child is born to us,
    a son is given to us.
The government will rest on his shoulders.
    And he will be called:
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
    Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
7 His government and its peace
    will never end.
He will rule with fairness and justice from the throne of his ancestor David
    for all eternity.
The passionate commitment of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies
    will make this happen!

Pastor Jon Verwey

Maybe it’s not about presents but about presence—God’s presence.

The true wonder of Christmas is hope realized through God’s presence with us, transforming how we love and live.

“The days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and with the people of Judah. 32 It will not be like the covenant I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt, because they broke my covenant, though I was a husband to them,” declares the Lord. 33 “This is the covenant I will make with the people of Israel after that time,” declares the Lord. “I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people.” — Jeremiah 31:31–34 (NIV) 

10 For all who rely on the works of the law are under a curse, as it is written: “Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law.” 11 Clearly no one who relies on the law is justified before God…— Galatians 3:10–11 (NIV) 

…I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people — Jeremiah 31:33b (NIV)1

Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus… 3 For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in the flesh, 4 in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. — Romans 8:1, 3-4 (NIV) 

“Clearly no one who relies on the law is justified before God, because ‘the righteous will live by faith.’” — Galatians 3:11 (NIV)

And this is what makes the wonder of Christmas so profound: hope is truly realized through God’s presence with us, transforming how we love and live.

This Christmas season…

… let your peaceful moments come from being in the presence of Jesus.

This Christmas season…

… let your joy and celebration be about Jesus, who is Emmanuel- God with us.

This Christmas season…

… let your gift giving be about reflecting the generous nature of God the Father, who gave the greatest gift every given, His son, Jesus Christ, that we may be with Him and have eternal life.

This Christmas season…

… let your time with family and friends be about showing the great, inexhaustible love of God to them as people created in His image.

This Christmas season…

… let your wonder, excitement and anticipation be about the final day—that glorious day—when Jesus will come back, and we will see Him face to face.

This is the wonder of Christmas: hope realized through God’s presence with us, and a love so great it transforms how we love and live—now and forever. Amen!

9 “I have loved you even as the Father has loved me. Remain in my love. 10 When you obey my commandments, you remain in my love, just as I obey my Father’s commandments and remain in his love. 11 I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow! 12 This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you. 13 There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command. 15 I no longer call you slaves, because a master doesn’t confide in his slaves. Now you are my friends, since I have told you everything the Father told me. 16 You didn’t choose me. I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce lasting fruit, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask for, using my name. 17 This is my command: Love each other. — John 15:9-17

Pastor Jon Verwey

Loving our friends deeply means forgiving them freely—just as Jesus forgives us.

25 And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins. — Mark 11:25 (NIV)

3 So watch yourselves. “If your brother or sister sins against you, rebuke them; and if they repent, forgive them. 4 Even if they sin against you seven times in a day and seven times come back to you saying ‘I repent,’ you must forgive them.” 5 The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!” — Luke 17:3–5 (NIV) 

In Mark, Jesus tells us, “if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them” (Mark 11:25 NIV), and in Luke, He says, “you must forgive them” (Luke 17:4 NIV).

“Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you” — Ephesians 4:32 NIV

Loving our friends deeply means forgiving them freely—just as Jesus forgives us.

Give your pain to Jesus.

Forgive by faith, not feelings.

Pray for your friend.

Move toward reconciliation, if possible.

Walk the path of forgiveness.

Being a balm instead of salt to a friend’s wound

Nov 17, 2024 – Austyn Hutton

Singing light songs to the heavyhearted is like pouring salt in their wounds.
Proverbs 25:20 MSG

Whoever blesses his neighbor with a loud voice, rising early in the morning, will be counted as cursing.
Proverbs 27:14 ESV

Healthy friendships seek to connect, understand and approach the needs of each other. 

Choosing Connection Over Offense

11/10/24

Whoever would foster love covers over an offense, but whoever repeats the matter separates close friends. — Proverbs 17:9 (NIV)

A person’s wisdom yields patience; it is to one’s glory to overlook an offense. — Proverbs 19:11 (NIV)

Do not pay attention to every word people say, or you may hear your servant cursing you— for you know in your heart that many times you yourself have cursed others. — Ecclesiastes 7:21–22 (NIV)

There’s a difference between an offense and a heartbreak: 
An offense is having your feelings hurt; 
a heartbreak is having your soul crushed.

Healthy friendships promote love by covering offenses and then choosing to let them go.

9 Whoever would foster love covers over an offense, but whoever repeats the matter separates close friends. — Proverbs 17:9 (NIV)

11 A person’s wisdom yields patience; it is to one’s glory to overlook an offense. — Proverbs 19:11 (NIV)

21 Do not pay attention to every word people say, or you may hear your servant cursing you— 22 for you know in your heart that many times you yourself have cursed others. — Ecclesiastes 7:21–22 (NIV)

…[love] keeps no record of wrongs. — 1 Corinthians 13:5 (NIV)

Healthy friendships promote love by covering offenses and then choosing to let them go.

Pastor Jon Verwey

Better is open rebuke than hidden love. Wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses. — Proverbs 27:5-6 (NIV)

Rebuking or wounding our friends is to challenge their sin, critique their attitudes, correct their inappropriate behavior, and point out their foolishness.

…an enemy multiplies kisses. — Proverbs 27:5-6 (NIV)

You cannot separate fools from their foolishness, even though you grind them like grain with mortar and pestle. — Proverbs 27:22 (NLT)

If you grind a stupid person in a mortar… his stupidity will not depart from him.

Correction and critique from our friends are better than compliments and kisses from our enemies.

1 “Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. — Matthew 7:1 (NLT)

1 “Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. 2 For you will be treated as you treat others. The standard you use in judging is the standard by which you will be judged. — Matthew 7:1-2 (NLT)

3 “And why worry about a speck in your friend’s eye when you have a log in your own? 4 How can you think of saying to your friend, ‘Let me help you get rid of that speck in your eye,’ when you can’t see past the log in your own eye? — Matthew 7:2-5 (NLT)

5 Hypocrite! First get rid of the log in your own eye; then you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend’s eye. — Matthew 7:5 (NLT)

Correction and critique from our friends are better than compliments and kisses from our enemies.

Pastor Jon Verwey

Healthy, growing friendships move us IN toward each other to motivate us to move UP toward Jesus and OUT toward the lost.

…since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus… — Hebrews 10:19 (NIV)

…let us draw near to God… — vs 22

…let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess… — vs 23

And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds… — Hebrews 10:24 (NIV)

Healthy, growing friendships move us IN toward each other to motivate us to move UP toward Jesus…

20 When Jesus saw their faith, he said, “Friend, your sins are forgiven.” — Luke 5:20 (NIV)

…“I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.” 25 Immediately he stood up in front of them, took what he had been lying on and went home praising God. 26 Everyone was amazed and gave praise to God. They were filled with awe and said, “We have seen remarkable things today.” — Luke 5:25–26 (NIV)

Healthy, growing friendships move us IN toward each other to motivate us to move UP toward Jesus…

…[his son] was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found. — Luke 15:32 (NIV)

…“Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” — Luke 19:9–10 (NIV)

Amazing grace, how sweet the sound that saved a retch like me.
I once was lost, but now I’m found
Was blind but now I see

And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds…

— Hebrews 10:24 (NIV)

Healthy, growing friendships move us IN toward each other to motivate us to move UP toward Jesus and OUT toward the lost.

Growing Deep Friendships through a Jesus-Connected Life

10/20/24

With a few strokes Frodo brought the boat back to the bank, and Sam was able to scramble out, wet as a water-rat. Frodo took off the Ring and stepped ashore again. ‘Of all the confounded nuisances you are the worst, Sam!’ he said. 

‘Oh, Mr. Frodo, that’s hard!’ said Sam shivering. ‘That’s hard, trying to go without me and all. If I hadn’t a guessed right, where would you be now?’ 

‘Safely on my way.’ 

‘Safely!’ said Sam. ‘All alone and without me to help you? I couldn’t have a borne it, it’d have been the death of me.’ 

‘It would be the death of you to come with me, Sam,’ said Frodo, ‘and I could not have borne that.’ 

‘Not as certain as being left behind,’ said Sam.

‘But I am going to Mordor.’ 

‘I know that well enough, Mr. Frodo. Of course you are. And I’m coming with you.’ 

‘Now, Sam,’ said Frodo, ‘don’t hinder me! The others will be coming back at any minute. If they catch me here, I shall have to argue and explain, and I shall never have the heart or the chance to get off. But I must go at once. It’s the only way.’ 

‘Of course it is,’ answered Sam. ‘But not alone. I’m coming too, or neither of us isn’t going. I’ll knock holes in all the boats first.’ 

Frodo actually laughed. A sudden warmth and gladness touched his heart. ‘Leave one!’ he said. ‘We’ll need it. But you can’t come like this without your gear or food or anything.’ 

‘Just hold on a moment, and I’ll get my stuff!’ cried Sam eagerly. ‘It’s all ready. I thought we should be off today.’ 

He rushed to the camping place, fished out his pack… a spare blanket, and some extra packages of food, and ran back.

‘So all my plan is spoilt!’ said Frodo. ‘It is no good trying to escape you. But I’m glad, Sam. I cannot tell you how glad. Come along! It is plain that we were meant to go together.

19 We love because he first loved us. 20 Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. 21 And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister. — 1 John 4:19-21 (NIV)

19 We love because he first loved us. — vs19

20 Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. — vs 20

21 And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister. — vs 21

24 One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother. — Proverbs 18:24 (NIV)

How well do I pursue my friends? 

Do I initiate calls or texts to stay in contact?

Do I make time for them by planning ways to hang out?

How present am I when I am with them?

When I am with my friends do they get all of my attention?

Am I trying to know them and letting myself be known by them?

Jesus is our source of love and example of friendship.

Do I regularly respond to His open invitation to be with Him?

Do I regularly invite Him to be with me?

Am I allowing His love to shape me?

Do I regularly thank Him for pursuing me?

Pastor Jon Verwey

18 The Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.” — Genesis 2:18 (NIV) 

The Bible has a great deal to say about the longings of the human heart. …there is much about love, friendship and fellowship. It is very striking, however, that almost never are these longings and their satisfaction placed in the context of a sexual relationship. — Christopher Ash, Marriage: Sex in the Service of God.

9 Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: 10 If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up. 11 Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? 12 Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken. — Ecclesiastes 4:9–12 (NIV) 

[Friendship] is the instrument by which God reveals to each the beauties of all the others. They are no greater than the beauties of a thousand other men; by Friendship God opens our eyes to them. They are, like all beauties, derived from Him, and then, in a good Friendship, increased by Him through the Friendship itself, so that it is His instrument for creating as well as for revealing. — C.S. Lewis, The Four Loves

12 My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command. 15 I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. …17 This is my command: Love each other. — John 15:12–15, 17 (NIV) 

12 My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. — John 15:12 (NIV)

13 Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. — vs 13

14 You are my friends if you do what I command. — vs 14

15 I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. — vs 15

17 This is my command: Love each other. — vs 17