Devotional: Not Missing Out By Not Sinning

First Covenant Church of Willmar

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Devotional: Not Missing Out By Not Sinning

September 11, 2022 • Pastor Chris Pappenfus • Psalm 37

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First Covenant Church is a people who are committed to growing in our core values. We are Biblical, Devotional, Connectional, and Missional. The Holy Spirit is alive and active, inviting all of us to mature in these values as together we join God in God’s purposes in our world. In short, we desire to know Jesus and make Jesus known.

Over the past two weeks, we have been exploring what it means to be maturing as Biblical Christians. A Biblically mature Christian:

Recognizes the difference between right and wrong then does what is right. (James 2:14-19).
Is not easily swayed by false teaching. (Ephesians 4:11-16).
Now, we turn our attention to what it looks like to mature devotionally. Devotional is more than a habitual quiet time with the LORD or a short guided reflection by a Christian author. Being devotional means we are devoted to Christ and Christ’s call upon our life to do the will of God, which is to advance the Kingdom of God all for the glory of God. Yet, as with our other stated values, we must ask ourselves, “What does a mature “Devotional” follower of Jesus look like? Scripture provides us with three marks of spiritual maturity which can help focus us on devotional maturity. A devotionally mature Christian:

Doesn’t feel they are missing something by not sinning. (Psalm 37:16)
Reflects God’s character to the world around them. (Matthew 5:48)
Lives with an eternal perspective. (Philippians 3:13-15).
Join us this week as we explore the first of these marks. Mature Christians do not love sin. This doesn’t mean that they are no longer subject to temptation or that they are perfect. It means they aren’t attracted to the temporary and soul-destroying deceptions of sin. They do not feel deprived, as if God is withholding something from them by not sinning. They do not look upon evildoers (or even casual “Cultural-Christians”) with envy as they indulge in sinful pleasures of the flesh, relentless pursuit of wealth, or self-indulgent recreation. The affections of the mature have changed, and their heart is attuned to a better sort of joy. They have developed a taste for holiness. They genuinely prefer God’s will over sinful behaviors. In preparation for this Sunday, read Psalm 37.

In preparation for this Sunday, read Psalm 37.

Sunday Service with Guest Speaker, Kara Stromberg

November 6, 2022 • Superintendent Kara Stromberg

Missional: Find it more natural to do God's will than to ignore it.

October 30, 2022 • Pastor Chris Pappenfus • Luke 19:10, Matthew 11:29–30

This Sunday we discuss our tenth mark of Christian Maturity associated with or Core Values. Over the past ten weeks we have discussed what maturity looks like in regard to being Biblical, Devotional, Connectional, and now Missional. Last week we explored the Great Commission found in Matthew 28:19-20 realizing that Missionally mature disciples of Jesus are committed to making disciples who make disciples. Jesus’ instruction to the Church is to multiply. The second mark of missional maturity is that Jesus followers find it more natural to do God’s will than to avoid it. So often we live our lives so preoccupied with the worries and demands of the world that we forget that we are called to do God’s will. Even when we realize this is what we are called to do, we have no shortage of excuses for finding ways to avoid doing God’s will. Additionally, it seems that the confidence of knowing God’s will has become increasingly difficult to discern. However, there is a consistent and noticeable quality among mature disciples of Jesus; they find it more natural to do God’s will then to not do it. They have surrendered to cooperating with the Holy Spirit in ways that seem almost effortless - easy. In fact, they feel burdened when they fall into temptation and sin, not by righteousness. Jesus explains this plainly in Matthew 11:29-30, “My yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Have you ever looked at a fellow sister or brother and thought, “They make following Jesus look easy.” Their secret is not that they are more “religious” than most, it’s because they have a deep and abiding “RELATIONSHIP” with a loving God. This relationship is open to all who would put their faith in Jesus Christ and experience what it means to love the LORD with all their heart, mind, soul, and strength; enabling them to love their neighbor out of the overflow of God’s love in their own life. As we conclude our Marks of Maturity series, read Matthew 11:25-30.

Missional: Committed to making disciples who make disciples.

October 23, 2022 • Pastor Chris Pappenfus • Matthew 28:19–20

This week we move into exploring Christian Maturity in our final core vale; we are Missional. On the surface this may seem obvious. Afterall, we have a Mission Commission, which oversees our missions budget. We financially support local and international missionaries and read about their mission work in our newsletter. Of course we are Missional! But what if maturing in our missional value is more personal and intrusive than that? What does it look like to be missionally mature? One mark of maturity is that missionally mature followers of Jesus are committed to making disciples who make disciples. This is the mission Jesus himself gave the Church in Matthew 28:19-20. Disciples are commanded by Jesus to make more disciples. Thus a missionally mature Christian is committed to making more disciples among more people groups in a more caring and just world. This includes the world right outside your front door. Join us this Sunday as we explore the Great Commission found in Matthew 28.