You didn't miss it, did you?

Hey friends… There are two things I hope you didn’t miss. If you did, both can be recovered. One will bless, inspire, and guide you in your personal growth. The other will—if you get it—revolutionize absolutely everything about your life. Am I overselling it? Nope. Curious? I’ll tell you more in Deeper Thoughts below…
 
But first, just a few reminders:
 
·      Join us for our Annual Christmas Pageant and Christmas Party, Sunday, December 7, 5:00 – 7:30 p.m. This extremely fun Christmas event has become a Mt. Hope favorite, with our Kids Connect and teens leading us through the story of Christmas followed by a great potluck Christmas fellowship dinner. Click here for more info and to sign up for the potluck and bring some yummy treats!
 
o   Parents: TOMORROW, Saturday, November 22 is our first full rehearsal for the pageant, 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
 
·      Teens: Youth Group Sunday, 11:30 – 1:00 p.m. Snacks, connection and deep dive discussion. Ping Jess Sauder for anything youth related… [email protected].
 
·      Ladies: Join us for our December Tea and Cookie celebration, Saturday, December 13 from 1:00 – 3:00 p.m. at the church. Join us for food, fellowship, games and fun as we celebrate the Christmas season. Click here for more info and to RSVP!
 
·      THIS week’s “The Daily Six” continues our super-special six minutes each morning in the Word of God, Monday through Wednesday, on our YouTube channel. We’ll skip Thursday (Thanksgiving), and then Friday have some fun taking you behind the scenes as we produce The Daily Six. If you’d like to receive daily email reminders and you’re not already getting them, click here to sign up!
 
OK…that’s it today for you email skimmers and you who actually enjoy missing things. BUT…
 
 
Some Deeper Thoughts:
 
We all miss stuff. Some of it matters; some doesn’t.
 
When it’s a big deal we missed--an important meeting at work, an assignment, a major bill that was due—realizing we missed it can bring a good deal of embarrassment. When it’s something we would prefer to miss--a car accident, a dental appointment, a large hairy spider walking past—skipping it can be a real relief.
 
Sometimes we don’t realize what we missed was indeed something of great value.
 
The first of two things I hope you didn’t miss: On Thursday and Friday this week, two of my dear friends shared vulnerably and powerfully their personal stories of how God’s Word met them during tremendous hardships. Through perseverance and faith in God’s Word, they discovered strength, transformation, healing, hope, and victory. If you missed Thursday or Friday’s Daily Six episodes, PLEASE jump in with us… you will be blessed. Click here to see Melissa Wiggins’ testimony from Thursday and click here to see Mason Duckworth’s from Friday. It will be well worth it. I promise!
 
The second thing you might have missed is far more powerful. And important.
 
Here it is: It is a choice. Did you make it? Or did you miss it?
 
One of the beautiful aspects of being created in God’s image is our ability to choose. Theologically, this is called “sovereignty.” In the common vernacular, we call it “free will.” You have been given the irrevocable privilege to set your own direction by choice. The outcome and results of that choice are often beyond your ability to control. But the decision to start down a particular course of action, thought, belief, or idea is entirely yours.
 
Since some choices lead to better outcomes than others, God often has a strong opinion of what we should choose. He recommends those choices with firm instruction in His Word. But we still have the choice.
 
I wonder if you might have missed the most important choice of them all. I know I miss it sometimes (often?).
 
The choice is faith.
 
·      Joshua 24:15: “Choose this day whom you will serve…”
·      Proverbs 3:5: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding…”
·      Mark 11:22: “Jesus answered them, “Have faith in God…”
·      James 1:6: “But when you ask, you must believe…”
 
All these instructions are stated in the imperative. By telling us to do it, it means it is our choice to believe. By telling us to do it, God is recommending this choice as the path to life and abundance. It is our choice, but He really, really wants us to make it.
 
But here’s the twist: The choice to believe God is not to muscle up a mindset modification. It is not so much a choice to change your thinking. It is a choice to change your source.
 
The Bible tells us that faith is a gift that comes from God (see Ephesians 2:8-10). But we are instructed to choose faith. The gift is in the source—where faith comes from. Our decision is to choose the source. Where does faith come from? Romans 10:17—“Faith comes from hearing, hearing the Word of God.”
 
Faith comes from God’s Word. As we hear it—hear it deeply in our soul, listening to its wisdom, owning its truth—faith is formed. But that formation doesn’t happen by osmosis. It happens by choice.
 
When we choose to receive the Word of God as a distinct and final revelation of truth, bold and power-filled faith in God occurs. When we choose to let our faith be guided by our emotions, experiences, expectations, culture, or anything in this world, we’ll have faith—but it will be faith in the things of this life, not in God.
 
This Sunday, let’s meet and dig into this choice. Last Sunday, we talked about choosing the source of our confidence as the Lord and not our own strength. This week let’s open the next layer—choosing the source of our faith instead of being blown here and there by whatever worldly idea is circulating around us. Do a little advance reading if you can… Check out Hebrews 12:1-3, 2 Timothy 3:14-17, and James 1:19-25.
 
Then… let’s meet! 10:00 a.m. Sunday… bring your Bibles and a pen! God’s Word to us will be good. So good.
 
Much love to you all…
 
Chris Eads
Mt. Hope Pastor
Friend
[email protected] (*note the new email address!!)