Digging Deeper

My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me   Matthew 26: 38

    Jesus is facing the most important, diabolical, and stressful evening of His life and He needed his friends around him. There is an important dynamic going on here, the son of God, Creator of the World, all power is his kind of thing, and He needs his friends with Him. Recently, I was admitted to the hospital and within minutes, my friends were all around me. They were praying, encouraging, and staying with me. I needed them to be there. I dont really care how self-sufficient you think you are, we need each other to live and grow and survive. We do that in life groups. I have made some of the best friends of my life in life groups. There is a special bond between us every time we see each other. Recently on a trip see my son, I stopped for gas in Muncie and low and behold who was in the store on a service run for his company, someone in my life group from 1983 and even though we hadn’t seen each other we embraced. Yeah, the bond is that strong. We exchanged cell phone numbers, caught up a bit and left with light hearts.

   The bottom line is that we need each other, and sure there are those that we connect with on a deeper level. Darrel and I connected the first time we met and have been fast and furious friends ever since.  You can make a connection with someone in church through a life group. You could connect with someone that can make the difference between you being a redeemed, changed, dynamic member of the Kingdom or just another face in the crowd. We dont allow just members here at the Ridge. There are plenty of other churches you can do that at in Brookville and I imagine wherever you live. Yes, you are expected to grow, function, relate and reach out if you are here at the Ridge. There are no spectators, only participants in the Gospel. Jesus needed his friends and we are no different. We need each other. I need you and you need me. Bottom line! I love you!

Prayer:  Father, I need you and my brothers and sisters in Christ. Help me always to make time for you and them. I have missed you and I am sorry I have not taken time to talk.

By: Rick Drake

Blessed are those whose strength is in you,(Lord) who have set their hearts on pilgrimage   Psalm 84: 5

   As believers, we are expected by God Himself to be on pilgrimage. As we read through the book of Psalms, we see that David, a man after Gods own heart, is always in some stage of his pilgrimage. We see praise, to trouble, to sin, to repentance, to restoration and back again that David is forever growing closer to God. There is hope for me and you but his persistence is legendary. I think that is what makes him a man after God’s own heart. He keeps his eyes fixed on the prize of pleasing his heavenly Father and even when he messes up, David knows exactly where to go, back to his God. Psalm 16 starts with Keep me safe O God, for I take refuge in you. We could use some safety in these uncertain times and we get that sense of peace and tranquility from the Word of God and our brothers and sisters in Christ. You are not alone! You dont have to be alone!

   I have had a bit of a tough year physically and emotionally, vocationally and fiscally, but I had my brothers and sisters in Christ around me, encouraging me, looking for gainful employment for me, calling me, e-mailing me, letting me know all the while, God is in control and we are here for you. Wow! Got God? I am glad I do. Maybe you are new to this whole thing, get involved, jump in, Git-r-done! You will never be all that God wants you to be sitting in worship, looking at the back of someone elses head in church for an hour. You can get some of it but not all of it.  It is like going to a ball game with a book, you are there but really not involved with the game.

Peace my friends!

Prayer: Father, give me the courage to get involved, make time, be all that you want me to be.

Read the book of Psalms

Come back tomorrow for a bonus blog!

By: Rick Drake

  being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion – Philippians 1:6 

Definition:  Life – the quality that distinguishes a vital, living, functional being from a dead body.

 When we accept the invitation of Christ to join His forever family, it is just a beginning.  Many people think that finally that is all there is, but according to Paul in our scripture, it is just the beginning, the starting place, the start line with the finish line in sight. The Greek word that Paul uses here is arcita (pronounced ar-kita) which literally means the beginnings, the starting places. It is the same word used in describing the time before creation when God spoke the world into existence. In the same way our creation is beginning a new life, a new creation, a brand new baby in the image of Christ ready to meet the world. Like most new babies, they are totally unaware of anything good or bad for themselves and need the help of spiritual parents to help them grow and learn for themselves. For the longest time in the church we have failed at doing this parenting thing.  What would you think if I told you that my son and daughter-in-law had a new little baby girl and that after a couple days in the hospital they tied little Evie in the back seat, started the drive home and when they came to the first stop sign, got out, put little Evie beside the sign with a copy of the Bible, Dr. Spocks book on raising children, and a couple of cookies with a kiss and a hug. Ridiculous! We do it to new Christians all the time. They deserve the warmth and nurturing of fellow Christians in a non-threatening atmosphere called life groups. Maybe you are new or old but we all need each other. Be a part of it today. Make time for it, make it a priority, get real, commit not to quit!

Prayer:  Father, I make time for everything else in my life, help me make time for growing in You. I love you Lord.

By: Rick Drake

  Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil. Cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love (sisterly too) my insertion – Romans 12:9-10

   The Beatles song, “All You Need Is Love,” has stood the test of time but I think the reason it has is because it is a timeless truth. Jesus told us that we would be known by how we love each other. Apparently, the world does not love the way we are called to love so we are totally weird that way. Take a look around church sometime and you will see what I mean. We are just weird.  Old hugging the young, white hugging black folks, real men hugging other real men, the beautiful hugging the rest of us. It is just plain strange but thats right. God looks at the heart kind of the way we do. Some of us do it better than others and some have had much more practice at it and some of us are just plain crusty before Christ made us into better lovers of our brothers and sisters. If you look at many of our backgrounds, we shouldn’t even like each other but we do. This didn’t happen naturally or by coincidence but the intentional fellowship of brothers and sisters sharing in a dynamic forum. May be a mens groups, church dinner, fellowship time or getting together for an AOK, but the fact is, when the people of God gather, He is always there. It is a promise. You will never grow closer to God or His people by sitting in church looking at the back of someone elses head in the middle of worship. Worship is for God not for you. Getting together with the people of God in a dynamic relationship is for you. Feel a little distant? Not quite sure where you fit, get in a group and give it a chance. If anyone is unkind to you, embarrasses you, or singles you out let me know. We have ways of dealing with them. Our purpose is to love you to a place where you can love others. Period, end of story! I dare you!

Prayer: Father, give us the guts to step out, be more, learn more, become more than we ever dreamed we could be.

By: Rick Drake

  Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. -Romans 12:2

 The battle for our brain is incredible when you think about it. Lets just take a little inventory of the stuff that would steal our attention.

  Our jobs want us 24-7. The average American worker works about 49.5 hours a week and that doesn’t take into account all the folks that work a second and sometimes third job to make ends meet. When I was growing up, my dad went to work at 7am and came home at 3:30pm, Monday through Friday. Television steals a lot of our time. How much football can you actually watch on Saturday and Sunday? Ohio State only plays once. I digress. Every twelve minutes, sometimes less, we are bombarded with the marketing world of Wall Street Kids, soccer, baseball, parents and grandparents, fantasy leagues, shopping, social clubs. O yeah, there are the guys or girls we hang with take our time. With me it is the alumni meetings that take me out of state or the golf tournaments I just feel I would surely die if I dont play in and the list goes on and on. Part of living the life of Christ is a reorganization of our priorities and what we deem important. We get to explore some alternative opportunities in our LIFE Groups. We talk about questions we have in a non-threatening, well, I have been threatened about the last piece of dessert, but when it comes to questions about who I am and why I am here, you can just lay it out there and usually someone will say I had the same doubts or this is how I dealt with that and in an atmosphere of love and caring we work it out. Nothing flashy, no hocus pocus (are those really words?), just people loving people and fleshing out their salvation. Bottom line, it works. Better than any program or self help thing we could have ever come up with.  It is the nuts and bolts of living the life of a believer.

 Read:  Romans 12: 1-2

 Prayer:  Jesus, in the midst of all the stuff that pushes into our life,  Lord help us renew our mind so that we can see the world through your eyes.

By: Rick Drake

 Everyday they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread together in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere heartsand the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved. – Acts 2:46

  One of the great things I love about the Family of God is that we dont phone it in.  When we become a believer, we are not joining a church, an organization, or club but conversely Christ is joining us to each other and to the body of Christ as a whole. We didn’t choose Him, He chose us. The purpose of life groups is two fold, first, to create a safe and nurturing environment for you to explore your new faith. If you have been a believer for a while but have come to a stagnant place in you spiritual life this is a great place to reconnect and find your first love again. Living in faithful exchange is the mindset of our groups. We want to help you connect at another, deeper level of spiritual intimacy.

  Secondly, the church is called to fellowship and hospitality within the body of Christ. Sure there is food and stories and laughter but a closeness that grows with sharing a journey with others on a lifetime journey is the ultimate goal. As our church grows, we may not be able to know everyone but we can know someone or several persons that we can connect with on a deeper level than Wow the coffee is great this morning. The coffee is awesome by the way.

  God is beginning a great movement among us at the Ridge and we want you to share in it. Get all you can get. I can’t seem to get enough. Food, fellowship, sharing each others burdens is what we do. Even the method may change from time to time.  LIFE Groups are a great way to make some friends, listen to God’s voice, and share in this journey we call Christ following.

  Prayer: Father, I know I am busy and there are so many clamoring for my attention but make time for me..

By: Rick Drake

And the tempter came… But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.” -Matthew 4:3-4 (NAS) 

    Jesus Himself set the bar for our lives. He showed us the only way to overcome temptation is with the word of God.

    Facing off against Satan when He had fasted for forty days and nights meant that He was weak and hungry. Yet He fought His enemy not by man made wisdom but by the Word.

    How often do we face temptation or see our loved ones facing it? It happens a lot doesn’t it? Our only weapon is the word of God.

    But do we know it? Can we call it to mind so we can speak it?

    Does it have such an impact on our lives that we run to it for help?

    We cannot face our enemy on our own. We are too weak. We must be properly attired for spiritual warfare; therefore memorizing the word of God is an important and life saving preparation.

   We cannot allow our Bibles to lie on the bookshelf gathering dust. It does us no good there.

    The greatest legacy we can leave behind is a worn and cracked Bible. And the memory of often quoted scripture.

    If I heard my mother say it once she said a thousand times “We are fearfully and wonderfully made; wonderful are Your works and my soul knows it very well.”  What an impact that had on me, watching her suffer poor health all my life yet still praising God often with this verse.

    I realize now it was her way of fighting Satan as he tempted her to give up, or become depressed. Now I use that same verse as I walk a physically challenging path. For truly, “I am fearfully and wonderfully made!”

  I challenge you today to follow Jesus’ footsteps and make His words your words.

Scripture Reading :  Matt. 4:1-11

Father God, help me follow in Jesus’ footsteps and make your words the bread of my life. 

By: Becky Hutzel

  May the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, Oh Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer. -Psalm 19:14 (NIV) 

   They say we are what we eat, so foods high in vitamins and good nutrients will keep you healthy and vibrant, while junk foods with poor nutritional value make you sluggish and weak.

   I believe the same works in our spiritual life. Feast on God’s words. Take in the living bread and you grow strong and healthy. Neglect it and weakness steals in and robs you of true life.

    Life is messy. Tough times are a very real part of it. We are under the enemies attack every day. There is only one way to win, one way to victory. That is through Jesus Christ. He is the way the truth and the life. Anything else is a fraud and offers no spiritual nutrition. God left us with His word. He has protected it down through the ages keeping it safe and undefiled though man has tried to eradicate it by burning it, banning it, persecuting, even killing those who owned it. But God brought it safely through and will continue to until He comes again.

    Now wouldn’t you think as Christ followers we would realize the treasures we hold in our hands? Shouldn’t it be our first priority each day?

    When we are married and place that wedding band on each other’s fingers we care for it because it represents a very precious relationship. We wear it openly; even admire it.

    Isn’t God’s word more precious? It is His promise, His sacred written love letter to us. It represents the greatest relationship we’ll ever have. Don’t you think His word should be our food for thought? Shouldn’t we be putting more time into memorizing His love letter to us, than the latest stock market numbers, or the greatest batting average? I challenge you to meditate on His teachings so the words of your mouth and the meditation of your heart would be pleasing to Him.

 Scripture Reading : Psalm 4:4

Father, forgive us for putting more importance in useless trivia than in meditating and memorizing the words of Your heart.

by: Becky Hutzel

  This is my comfort in my affliction. That your word has revived me. -Psalm 119:50 (NAS)

   We get vaccines when we are babies. They protect us against many deadly illnesses. So it is with God’s word. The more we read and take into our hearts the more protected we are against worldly illnesses like gluttony, lust, and greed, just to name a few.

   The more we remember His word, the more it can comfort, protect, correct and guide us in our daily lives. His words apply to all situations.

   When I’m facing one more doctor, one more procedure, one more uninsured bill, I remember that I do not face this alone and it gives me strength to get through. For He promises, “to never leave me nor forsake me.”

   When I take Zach to get a shot I remind him, “He can do all things through Christ who gives him strength”.

    When my sister took her first solo flight to Washington I reminded her,  “Underneath are His everlasting arms.”

    When my daughter lost her job I comforted her with, “God works all things together for good, for those who love the Lord and are called according to His purposes.”

    Memorizing God’s word is a vaccine we don’t want to ignore.  Not only does His word revive us but it revives our loved ones, coworkers, friends, and even Wal-Mart cashiers.

  Just as vaccines inoculate us against communicable diseases, hiding God’s word in our heart does the same for our spiritual health. Reading and memorizing God’s word inoculates against communicable spiritual illnesses that come in the form of fear, unforgiving hearts, anxiety or jealousy. The only medicine strong enough to fight these diseases is the mighty word of God.

  I challenge you today to begin memorizing God’s word. I promise you’ll find it the perfect medicine for anything that ails you.

Scripture Reading : Romans 15:4 (AB)

  Lord God Your word protects me against the world’s hopelessness. You offer me hope not to just  keep, but to give away. Help me memorize them so I can pass them on.

by: Becky Hutzel

  I ponder every morsel of wisdom from you, I attentively watch how you’ve done it. I relish everything you’ve told me of life. I won’t forget a word of it. -Psalm 119:15-16 (The Message)

  Ponder- to weigh in the mind- to consider carefully;

(Synonym) Meditate- to muse over: contemplate, ponder.

  When I eat I love to savor every bite. To let the flavors slide slowly over my tongue. To intently dwell on each individual taste as it dances across my taste buds. I haven’t always paid this close attention to my eating. But since my throat doesn’t work right and everything must be liquefied I blend a lot of different foods together. I have found a lot of my enjoyment with eating is the chewing of food. To replace this I’ve had to slow down and really concentrate on the flavors in my food.

    This reminds me of how hurried we are when we read God’s word. We rush through it experiencing a little of its glories but not enough.

We must train ourselves to slow down. Approach His word with reverence and savor it’s glory. To truly ponder His words, and relish His wonders we must take time.

    Reading then writing the verses out helps me remember them better. Looking them up in other translations also helps it sink in. Having a dictionary on hand to look up words gives me an even clearer picture. The more I actively engage myself in studying, pondering God’s words the more I remember them. There is nothing so exciting to me as reading His word and a memory is triggered from something in the Old Testament that agrees with what I am reading in the New. 

  God unlocks His mysteries and wonders for us the more we spend time with Him. I love seeing for myself how He weaves His story together down through the centuries. Then to experience the Truth for myself as my own story unfolds. It takes effort on my part, the careful consideration of His work, and the attentiveness to His details, the relishing of His teachings, and the daily meditation on His words.

  I challenge each of you to approach His word with relish, to slowly, carefully meditate or (chew) on it as a virtual feast for your soul.

  Sripture Reading: Psalm 119: 103 

  Lord God may we slow down and ponder your words. Let them sink deep into our souls so we will never forget them.

 by: Becky Hutzel