Love God, Love Others, Serve the World
Friends Women Retreat at Quaker Ridge Camp. Mark your calendars for September 20-22, 2019! This year’s theme is “Come to the Table”, and will be hosted by Colorado Springs Friends Women. Brochures are available in the foyer. If you have questions please talk to Esther Kinser or Kelly Stanfield.
Registration for FX Camps at Quaker Ridge is open. Camp takes place July 15th through 20th, and this year’s theme is “Gravity”. Please click here to access the online registration. We ask that families cover the $50 registration fee, and if you are sending a camper for the first time, the church will pay the remainder. If you are registering a returning camper, you will need to pay an additional $50 for a total of $100, and the church will pay the remainder. We love investing in this impactful ministry. Please note that registration is due by June 23rd to avoid a late fee, and all forms and signatures must be completed by June 30. We can’t wait to have your kids join us for this amazing, impacting week!
The next unit of study for the North Fork Women’s Bible study begins on March 11th. This study will run for 7 weeks, concluding at the end of April. Please contact Heather Angelovich if you would like to register. (970)985-8283.
Fourth Sunday in Advent
December 23, 2018
DARKNESS -TO- THE LIGHT OF HOPE
Written by Jonathan Sturgis
Have you ever heard the phrase, “the devil made me do it?” Although it doesn’t sound scriptural, it is exactly what Eve said to God when he confronted her with her disobedience. Satan, disguised as a serpent had seduced, tricked and lied to Eve in his efforts to destroy what he abhorred so much . . . humans made in the image of God. But God, rather than expressing disappointment, gave mankind the LIGHT of Hope. He turned to the Serpent and pronounced, “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.”
God had already made a plan for man’s rebellion and sin. It may seem a little vague and even backwards (although Hebrew IS written right to left), but God had just proclaimed prophesy about our Savior, the Messiah! He would be a human, male and born of a woman. And Satan would strike his heel, but He, the Savior, WILL crush Satan’s head. Hallelujah to the one who sets us free!
“For He was foreknown before the foundation of the world, but has appeared in these last times for the sake of you who through Him are believers in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.” I Peter 1:20-21
And in his introduction in the letter to Titus, Paul writes . . .
“Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ to further the faith of God’s elect and their knowledge of the truth that leads to godliness in the hope of eternal life, which God, who does not lie, promised before the beginning of time.”
In this fourth week of Advent, we remember that Jesus, our Messiah, Is the LIGHT of HOPE. God sent His “anointed one” to be our Savior, Redeemer and Deliverer.
“O Israel, hope in the LORD ; For with the LORD there is loving kindness, And with Him is abundant redemption.” Psalm 130:7
Jesus brought hope to the poor and oppressed.
“Be strong and let your heart take courage, All you who hope in the LORD.” Psalm 31:24
In his power, he defends the weak and persecuted.
“My soul, wait in silence for God only, For my hope is from Him.” Psalm 62:5
By His death, Jesus saves us from our sins and gives us hope in this life.
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11
Jesus’ resurrection from the dead gives us the promise and hope for eternal life in heaven.
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead” 1 Peter 1:3
And Jesus gives us the power of His Holy Spirit to help us in this life!
“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Romans 15:13
You see my friends, God, through His only begotten Son, Jesus the Messiah, has crushed Satan and the power he can have over your life. And Jesus has provided not only the hope of eternal life in heaven, but hope in this life as well. I assure you this Christmas, for those who believe & trust in the name of Jesus . . .
If you yearn for a spiritual revival and thirst for God’s righteousness;
THERE’S HOPE IN THE MESSIAH.
If you’re experiencing loneliness or longing for a true friend;
THERE’S HOPE IN THE MESSIAH.
If you are tired and weary from the heavy burdens of this world;
THERE’S HOPE IN THE MESSIAH.
Those of you who need God’s forgiveness;
THERE’S HOPE IN THE MESSIAH.
If there is anyone who is suffering due to physical infirmities that seem like they will never end;
THERE’S HOPE IN THE MESSIAH.
You, who feel like your life is meaningless;
THERE’S HOPE IN THE MESSIAH.
If you are sinking in the mire of depression or dreadful thoughts that this life isn’t worth living;
THERE IS HOPE IN THE MESSIAH.
My prayer for you this Christmas season is that you desire MORE of Christ. God’s invitation to you is to experience the abundant fullness of the LIGHT of Life, Peace, Love and the Hope of Christ Jesus, our Messiah. Hallelujah!
Third Sunday of Advent
December 16, 2018
DARKNESS -TO- THE LIGHT OF LOVE
Written by Jonathan Sturgis
God created Adam & Eve and fellowshipped with them daily in the Garden of Eden. There was trust and communion between God and his creation. There was Peace. God & man shared the Light of Love. But when Eve & Adam sinned, they hid themselves from the eyes of God and fell into spiritual darkness. Their desire for the knowledge of good and evil led to their disobedience and this sin caused separation, guilt and shame. In their nakedness they couldn’t face God; but hid themselves from Him behind some trees. They were afraid of the God who gave them life. But after God disciplined them for their sin, he performed a surprising and terrible act of LOVE. The Bible does not mention what mammal it was, but God sacrificed one of His created animals to form the “garments of skin” to clothe Adam & Eve and ease their shame. Can you imagine the heartache of the LORD God as He performed this first sacrifice for sin? I believe this animal may have been a ram; a perfect male lamb. The same animal that God provided His obedient servant, Abraham. The animal chosen by God for the Passover sacrifice and meal. The same animal that was sacrificed for the sins of God’s people for centuries. It is what John the Baptist called Jesus when he saw him coming to be baptized, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.” And God so loved the world that He gave his one and only son.
You see, this love did not only come in the Advent of Jesus on this earth. It was conceived at the beginning of time and in the garden as it was demonstrated in God’s sacrifice. God loves you so much. He did not wait to make a plan; or switch to strategy “B”. God’s LIGHT of Love was intentional and foreknown from the beginning.
I Peter 1:19-20a “You have been redeemed with precious blood, as of a lamb, unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ (our Messiah). For He was foreknown before the foundation of the world”
But let us not forget the many times written about in the New Testament of Jesus displaying God’s love.
These are but a few examples of the love of God through Jesus the Christ; our Messiah.
This Christmas season you may be mourning the loss of a loved one. Or agonizing over a lost child or spouse. We may feel depression or sadness due to our heavy, pressing circumstances. But be of good cheer! You can experience joy in this . . . God loves you. Repeat it if you believe it, “Jesus Love me.” And his love is unfailing, sufficient and everlasting.
Deuteronomy 7:9 “Know therefore that the LORD your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commandments.”
Romans 8:39 “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present or the future, or any powers, neither height nor depth, or anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Merry Christmas!
Second Sunday in Advent
December 9, 2018
DARKNESS -TO- THE LIGHT OF PEACE
Written by Jonathan Sturgis
As I mentioned last week, we can find the reason and plan for the Advent of Jesus in the wondrous story of creation. Today, the second Sunday of Advent, we celebrate the LIGHT of peace. In the creation story, God created and formed the earth in the first 3 days. Now, stay with me here. In the next 3 days (days 4, 5, & 6) God filled what He had created in the first 3 days. This amazing design of forming & filling is an example of God’s purpose which can bring peace. You see, peace is not only the absence of war, or the avoidance of confrontation. It is not just the absence of worry, turmoil or strife. It is the state mind and spirit of existing as God intended and fulfilling what your creator purposed. And it is enjoyed to its fullest when God fills what He has created in you. Peace also comes from being in the presence of God. We are not sure how many years transpired while Adam & Eve walked each day with God by their side in the garden. We do, however, know what happened when they were alone with the serpent. God’s presence, which brings with it NO guilt and casts out fear, is another example of the light of Peace.
God has formed humans with a spiritual need for Himself. Without God, there would be Tohuw (confusion and chaos) and Bohuw (an empty waste or void) in our lives. God has given us the light of peace in that He also provided a way to fill this condition of confusion & void. This is the peace that comes from the Light of Jesus Christ our Messiah. In Christ alone, we find the light of peace which casts out all darkness. Sin and disobedience are often the result of a life not lived in the presence of God.
We see the word peace throughout the Old Testament. From Genesis to Malachi, God desires that His people live in ‘Shalom’, or peace.
Numbers 6:24-26 “The LORD bless you, and keep you; The LORD make His face shine on you, and be gracious to you; The LORD lift up His countenance on you, And give you peace.”
Isaiah 26:3 “You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you.
Isaiah 54:10 “Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed,” says the LORD, who has compassion on you.
And who is it that brings this peace to our lives? Our Messiah, Yahuwah, Savior, Jesus . . . the “Prince of Peace”
Isaiah 9:6 “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end.
The advent of Jesus the Messiah brings peace to all who believe & trust in him. Jesus IS that peace that casts out confusion and fills our lives with meaning and joy. This peace, or ‘Shalom’ in Hebrew, is a word full of meaning. In its definition we find: safety, rest, wholeness, welfare, completeness, fullness, & well-being. So, in this Christmas season, don’t search in vain for a hollow, temporary peace from the hustle & bustle and the stress of time commitments. Open God’s gift to you; the light of peace. Let Him rid your spirit of any darkness and fill you as you safely walk in the presence of Jesus the Christ. Look into the face of your creator and provider of peace. Then give back to God the Glory and honor due Him. For as the Heavenly Host of Angels proclaimed to the shepherds, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth PEACE to men on whom His favor rests.”
First Sunday in Advent
December 2, 2018
DARKNESS -TO- THE LIGHT OF LIFE
Written by Jonathan Sturgis
Genesis 1:1-3 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.
We can find the reason and plan for the Advent of Jesus in the creation story. In the original language of the Old Testament, Hebrew, Tohuw, which is translated Formless, also means confusion and sometimes chaos. Bohuw, translated empty, also means void and waste. So, when God brought LIGHT into existence with a word, He vanquished confusion and waste in the creation story. He then separated the darkness from the light. It was God’s desire and design that darkness and light not co-mingle. His Spirit would not suffer the gray of confusion, which can bring chaos and waste. In the beginning God intended there would be darkness and there would be LIGHT. And in and by that light, life would exist and grow. For darkness nourishes nothing. Its existence is to provide light a purpose. God sent the LIGHT to overcome the darkness. “And there was evening and there was morning on the First day.
The first Miracle of Christmas and the Advent of Jesus, God’s son, is that he gives us the Light of Life. In Jesus we HAVE
RESCUE FROM DARKNESS
Job 33:28 “God has delivered me from going down to the pit, and I shall live to enjoy the light of life”
RESURRECTION
Isaiah 53:11 “After he has suffered, the Messiah will see the light of life and be satisfied”
ILLUMINATION
John 8:12 “When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
VICTORY
John 1:4-5 “In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”
It is the Light of Life that pierces the dark, confused, empty voids of our lives. The darkness of sin is exposed and vanquish by God’s Light. The dull complacency of the gray must be overcome with His purifying light. So, if the Christmas season brings with it dark memories or depression; thoughts of envy or greed; loneliness or confusion… Allow the Light of Jesus Christ, our Messiah • Savior • Redeemer • Deliverer to shine His light into your very soul. “Turn your eyes upon Jesus; and the things of this world will grow strangely dim, in the light of His Glory and Grace.”
This non-denominational bible study brings together women from across our valley and churches. Join us this fall as we participate together in the study of “Seamless: Understanding the Bible as One Complete Story” by Angie Smith.
Study meets every Monday September 10-October 29 from 9-11 a.m. at Memorial Hall in Hotchkiss. Cost is $20.
Please contact Heather Angelovich (970-985-8283) or Cindy Felix (cfelix@live.com) from PFC for more information.
