Happy Wednesday, everyone! No matter who you are, what you have done, what has been done to you, or what you are going through today, you matter to God! Today, God’s grace is sufficient to help you walk through whatever circumstances you face.
by Pastor Tim Prince
“For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to give strong support to those whose heart is blameless[b] toward him.” (1 Chronicles 16:9)
This is one of my favorite promises in the Bible. It comes from a conversation between the prophet, Hanani, and King Asa. The king is being attacked and is struggling to trust the LORD. Instead of turning to God, Asa decides to take matters into his own hands.
This is exactly what it can feel like sometimes when we’re facing a difficult relationship. Rather than listening to the word of God and following his way, we take matters into our own hands and do what seems best at the moment.
For example, being honest in our relationships (Ephesians 4:25) puts us in a vulnerable position. It can be frightening to let people know what we’re really thinking and feeling, so instead we try to manipulate or control situations by being passive aggressive, or just outright aggressive, rather than just stating the truth in love with gentleness.
Yet the promise is: “…the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to give strong support to those whose heart is blameless toward him.” What an incredible promise. When we step outside of God’s commands for our relationships, then we step outside of his blessing. When we are seeking to obey, then we experience his support. I want God’s support. I want to know that his power is at work on my behalf.
In this series on relationships, we have to be continually asking ourselves, “Am I going to trust the world’s wisdom, or am I going to listen to what God has to say and trust him, even if it feels like I’m being asked to do something that will make my position weaker?”
Jesus is a great example of this for us. He trusted his Father, even when he knew that it would crush him. Even in his death, Jesus trusted that his Father would powerfully redeem the whole situation, if he would just trust in him. We need to do the same in our relationships today.
Relationship matters, because God made us for relationship. He made us for relationship with him and with one another. We are made to love God and love our neighbors. This Sunday, we'll be talking about the question: what is sex for? With sex, the relationship really matters, because God designed sex for a specific relationship. He designed it for pleasure and for intimacy. It is one of God’s most powerful gifts to us. This Sunday will be PG-13, not because I will be crude, but because I want to be frank and clear. If you have children that you don’t yet want to know about where they came from, we have a team of teachers and leaders who would love to host your children in LifeShaping, while you attend worship. If you haven’t checked out LifeShaping yet, this would be a great time to do so.
But this sermon isn’t just about sex. It will be about Jesus, who is able and powerful to restore us in our brokenness. We are all broken, especially in our sexuality, and Jesus loves to restore the broken!
This Sunday, we will also have the great opportunity of participating in child dedication together. FCC, thank you for seeking to notice, welcome and care for others on Sunday morning, because every Sunday we have guests with us. Your hospitality is massively significant to guests experiencing belonging on Sunday morning. With child dedication Sundays, we usually have even more visitors, so please be extra special welcoming on Sunday morning! One kind word can change the trajectory of one person’s life.
Watch or listen to sermons in the “Relationship Matters” series at fcchudson.com or the FaithBase app.
Want to listen to this week’s worship music playlist? FCC is now on Spotify! Check it out here. (You’ll need to sign up for a free Spotify account to listen, if you don’t already have one.)
SUNDAY, JAN. 26 | Doors open at 5:00pm. Dinner served at 5:30pm.
We look forward to gathering together on Sunday, January 26, to celebrate God’s abundant faithfulness in 2019 and look forward to what’s ahead in 2020!
SATURDAY, JAN. 18, 9:00-11:00am
If you are a younger woman seeking biblical training and fellowship under the care and guidance of older women, we invite you to the Titus 2 Mentee breakfast to be held January 18, from 9 to 11 a.m. at FCC to learn more.
SATURDAY, FEB 1, 8:00am - 2:00pm | All women are welcome!
How does one move from an unbeliever to a co-heir in Christ? What are some practical conversations, tools and Scripture we can use as we share the gospel of Christ with others? Join the LATTE team and the Women’s Ministry team of Faith Community Church as we host a one-day conference based upon the 5 Thresholds of Christianity.
Psalm 32:8 (Wisdom)
I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you.
Join with other adults across the spectrum of life at FCC to gather for a great meal and receive some of our best training. Come for dinner at 5:45pm. Classes take place from 6:30 to 8:30pm. Not all courses begin or end on the same days, so please check dates in “Faith Hudson” magazine, at fcchudson.com or on the FaithBase app. All courses are dependent on enrollment.
We invite you to come to FCC Community Night to our Christianity Explored class. | Starts Jan. 23
Come for a meal starting at 5:45pm. Class starts at 6:30pm.
Christianity Explored is an informal and relaxed seven-week course for anyone who has pondered what life’s all about. It gives you time and space to consider the life and person at the heart of the Christian faith—Jesus Christ. Each session includes discussion, a short DVD segment and a time for questions. Over the seven interactive classes, we will explore the Book of Mark in the Bible to find out who Jesus is, why he came and what it means to follow him.
Register for the class and childcare at fcchudson.com or on the FaithBase app.
Part of the vision of Faith Community Church to see Christ renewing the neighborhoods. One way we live that out is through serving in the community. Each year, FCC provides volunteers to serve at the Hudson Food Shelf during the month of February. If you are interested in serving, please contact Shirley Root at 715.410.2976 or shirleyaroot@gmail.com.
Thank you, Faith Community, for your generosity! FCC contribution statements will be issued by January 31, 2020, for contributions received or postmarked on or before 12/31/2019. If you’d like to view your giving statement before this time, please visit fcchudson.com, and click on FaithBase from the top right menu or view your statement through the FaithBase app. Thank you!
LEARN ABOUT FCC events and registrations at fcchudson.com or the app. Search for “Faith Community Church Hudson” on the App Store or Google play to download the app.
PRAYER REQUESTS + CARE NEEDS are posted on the Prayer + Care wall on the FaithBase app. You can also sign up on the app under “Emails + Registrations,” if you would like to receive an email when new prayer requests and care needs are posted.
Wondering if something at FCC is canceled? Check fcchudson.com or the FaithBase app.
