The Beatitudes, Part 4

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.”

— Matthew 5:6

Click here to read the introduction to this series on the Beatitudes.

I don’t know about you, but for about the last eight weeks I have been eating more than usual. I have used some of the extra time at home to bake, try new recipes and eat meals with my family. I do not believe I have really been overly hungry or thirsty during this time of quarantine because my needs (and wants) have been met. The fourth beatitude in Matthew says that those who hunger and thirst for righteousness are blessed. There seems to be a passion, a sense of urgency that is described in pursuing this righteousness. Unlike me knowing that my next meal is in just a few hours away, there is a sense to strive, hunger and thirst, for this virtue.

The righteousness here is not self-righteousness, but Godly righteousness. As followers of Christ there must be a passionate pursuit for justice. Ultimately only pure righteousness is found in salvation through Christ Jesus. Our quest for righteousness should mirror Christ. Isaiah describes this justice found in God’s Son.

Isaiah 42:1-4 (NLT):

“Look at my servant, whom I strengthen.
    He is my chosen one, who pleases me.
I have put my Spirit upon him.
    He will bring justice to the nations.
He will not shout
    or raise his voice in public.
He will not crush the weakest reed
    or put out a flickering candle.
    He will bring justice to all who have been wronged.
He will not falter or lose heart
    until justice prevails throughout the earth.
    Even distant lands beyond the sea will wait for his instruction.”

As we pray for a heart that yearns for justice, as we pursue righteousness for the weak, and as we love the one who has been wronged, God promises that we will be filled. We will be full! Not like being full after a good meal, but a fullness that lasts for eternity. A filling of God himself in us. I pray that you have such a deep longing for righteousness that your body aches as if you are extremely hungry and thirsty and in return be full.

-Pastor Darcy Webster
Associate Pastor of Operations and Pastoral Care

Loving Others

This post first appeared in September of 2012 as a devotional from Barclay Press. To read the post on loving God, click here.

““Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.””

— Matthew 22:36-40

In today’s Scripture, Jesus responds to the Pharisee’s question by quoting the Shema with the addition of the Golden Rule (found in Leviticus 19:18). Many times the Golden Rule is spoken in the negative: “Don’t do evil unless you want evil.” In this passage, I hear Jesus speaking in the positive: be kind, give, assist, help, welcome, and love your neighbor.

Recently my wife Monica saw this lived out. A cashier at a grocery store was ringing up a customer who appeared to live on a very limited budget. The customer bought only the basic essentials in the generic store brands to save as much money as possible. She reached her budgeted total, but there were still some other items left to be rung up. The customer informed the checker she could not afford those extras. The checker finished the transaction, but then she proceeded to ring up and pay for the remaining items for the customer.

Helping others is costly, in this case for the checker as she gave up some of her own money. Sometimes it is dangerous—someone’s pride could get in the way or the act could be misinterpreted. As kingdom builders, we have decided it is worth the risk to love our neighbors because we love God and they bear the image of God. And if we truly love God, we cannot help but love our neighbor.

I pray that your heart was changed this week as you got a glimpse into my community

Prayer Suggestion: May we all join in prayer for those churches that are working to build multigenerational communities, loving others, and living their lives for Jesus.

-Pastor Rick Ellis
Pastor at Friends Community Church

Love God

This post first appeared in August of 2012 as a devotional from Barclay Press.

“Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.”

— Deuteronomy 6:4-9

This passage of Scripture is called the Shema and is part of a prayer said by Jews twice a day. “Shema” is Hebrew and means “to hear, listen, and obey.” It is the first word of this passage. The Shema is precious to the Jews much as John 3:16 is to Christians.

And there is a commandment that comes out of this prayer: love God and help others discover his love! This commandment is spoken to the community, Israel, and to the individual.

It reminds me of the phrase “It takes a village to raise a child.” We all have a role to play in our community, and it should encompass every part of our life—as we walk and as we sit, as we are awake and as we are asleep, even as we dream. The commandment determines how we think and how we talk. Our lives reflect and revolve around our love for God.

Brother Lawrence was a man who fulfilled his mundane daily duty of washing dishes in a monastery kitchen while reflecting on God’s love. In our lives there should not be a separation of spiritual life and work life—or school life, sports life, or home life. It is all connected. Spiritual life should be connected with every aspect of our daily coming and goings. Our spiritual life should dictate how we conduct business as well as how we raise our families.

Pray that all aspects of your life will be given to God and that you will be able to listen, hear, and obey when you hear his voice

-Pastor Rick Ellis
Pastor at Friends Community Church

Routine Shakeup Follow-Up

Routines are easy to come by. Sometimes they happen without us even noticing it. For example, do you brush your teeth then eat breakfast or do you first eat breakfast then brush your teeth? Or your bed: do you have to make it in the morning or do you just leave it a mess? Many times we’ve been doing something the same way since we were a kid because that’s the way we saw our parents or others do it. It takes a very intentional effort to change a set routine.

Last week I challenged you to shake up your routine by trying the “21 Day Bible Challenge.” This is something that the 4th and 5th graders do every month. They are encouraged to read their Bible and journal their thoughts 21 days out of the month. If you haven’t started, it’s not too late to try this new routine. If you have started, how is it going? We would love to hear about what you are doing individually or as a family and how it is transforming your routine and faith! Email us your thoughts and experiences at Tyler@fccbrea.org. In the video below, you can hear from the Winberg family and how the 21 Day Bible Challenge has helped them grow in their faith. You can also hear some tips of how they’ve incorporated it into their new routine.

In case you missed it last week, here are some tips of how this challenge can look for different ages and for those that already have a routine of daily Bible reading:

Adults: Try reading a chapter each of the 21 days. If you already have a routine of personal daily bible reading, try reading and discussing a portion of scripture with your significant other. Maybe add journaling your observations on the passage to your routine for this month. If you have grandkids, consider video conferencing them routinely this month and reading them one verse and then explaining what it means, how it has looked lived out in your life, and asking them how it can look lived out in theirs.

Youth: Try reading a chapter each of the 21 days. See if you can read through one of the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, or John) in the month of May. Set a reminder on your phone to go off at a certain part of the day to help you get into the routine. Maybe do this challenge with a friend that can text you and keep you accountable. You can even text each other questions you might have on what you read.

Older Elementary: There is a worksheet on the Children’s Ministry page of the FCC website that gives you all the info you need for this challenge. You can access it by clicking here: 21 Day Bible Reading Challenge. It gives you a suggested reading plan, space to write the verse that stood out to you each of the 21 days, and space to write your prayers. It also gives you helpful tips to keep in mind while you read.

Younger Elementary: Have them practice their reading by letting them read the story for the day. Contact the Children’s Ministry staff for suggested age-appropriate bible translations. After reading, discuss what happened in the story. Going over the details of the story will help with their reading comprehension and help them to retain it longer. Discuss ways that you’ve seen it apply to your own life and then ask them how they might see it lived out in their own lives. Pray together afterwards.

Toddlers: Read a verse to them and explain what it means. Then pray that verse over them and ask that it would define them and their life. Try writing out that verse and your prayer in a journal. Put the date for each day so that you can have it as a keepsake and look back on all the prayers that you prayed over them when they were young.

The form is unimportant. What is important is getting into a routine of spending time with God and his word!

-Pastor Tyler Lemen
Associate Pastor of Family Ministries at Friends Community Church

The Beatitudes, Part 3

“Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.”

— Matthew 5:5

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Photo by Lindley Webster

Click here to read the introduction to this series on the Beatitudes.

Blessed are the meek, or the humble. The definition of “humble,” according to Webster’s Dictionary, “is having or showing a modest or low estimate of one’s own importance.” Not devaluing oneself, but putting others’ needs before your own. In Matthew 11, Jesus gives us a glimpse in how we are to live this out. Christ calls us to himself and there we are to learn from him.

Matthew 11:28-30  (NLT):

Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.”

We are to be teachable and we are to imitate Christ in all we say and do. Jesus describes himself here as humble and gentle at heart. If we take his yoke and follow his teachings, we can be humble and gentle, too. Jesus’ ministry on earth was built to serve others. He always cared for and loved his people, even to death. We must humble ourselves and show our love for his people. Jesus does not leave us alone to figure life out...no, he provides a way in which he carries the burden and provides rest. If we are truly able to be meek during this life, we will inherit the earth and eternity with him.

Are you willing to follow Christ’s lead in humility? Are you able to put other’s needs before your own? Are you willing to inherit the earth at the cost of an easy yoke, light burdens, and life lived in meekness?

-Pastor Darcy Webster
Associate Pastor of Operations and Pastoral Care