A Peaceful Heart

Friendship Community Church

A Peaceful Heart

December 4, 2022 • Pastor Logan Ames

You may have heard of the following saying: "Know Jesus, know peace; but no Jesus, no peace". Well, it's more than just a clever saying. It represents a monumental truth that we find throughout Scripture, that the only way to have peace in our lives is to get to know Jesus and remain in Him. This was even true before Christ came and lived among us. Think about it. When Adam and Eve sinned, it was bad. They ruined it for all of their future descendants. But what was even more detrimental was their response to their sin, which was an attempt to cover it up themselves rather than trust in the Lord to provide the covering (a foreshadowing of what He did for the whole world in Jesus). When they relied on their own abilities rather than the Lord, they experienced fear for the very first time, then began to blame one another and even God Himself for how He designed things. The same can be said for us today. When we try to rely on our own righteousness instead of what Jesus did for us, we have no peace, but only fear, anxiety, anger, and blame. This week at Friendship, we'll continue in our Advent season and talk about how we demonstrate the "Peaceful Heart" that we receive because of Christ's arrival in our lives. Join us and begin to live out what He has for you - a life centered in His peace over fear and anxiety!

A Heart Transplant

January 1, 2023 • Associate Pastor Ben Sorbello

Well, how was your Christmas? Are you happy? Disappointed? Blessed? Did you get what you wanted, or was it more about drawing closer to Jesus and what He did for us by leaving heaven and coming to earth? Has your heart changed? What does love have to do with it? It turns out, love has EVERYTHING to do with it! If you have been with us as a family at Friendship, we have been going through a spiritual heart transplant over the last several weeks, having our heart changed from the outside in, listening to the Holy Spirit of God give us wisdom on how to have a new heart. This weekend we will wrap up our series on our heart and God's heart with what our new heart should sound and look like.

The Heart of God

December 24, 2022 • Pastor Logan Ames

How do you decide what you are going to get your loved ones for Christmas? Chances are it's based on some list they've created or something they've been dropping hints about for weeks and months. For me, ever since I was a child, I've always looked for the perfect gift that best communicates my heart toward the individual. This meant that I often ignored "the finer things" in favor of something that took time and effort to create. It's great when the person receives it, gets your heart, and reacts with a smile or even tears of joy, but painful when they can't see what you were trying to communicate with your gift. This week at Friendship, we're going to talk about "The Heart of God", especially towards the lost, backslidden, and confused. God gave us all the best Christmas gift we could ever imagine - the gift of His one and only Son. Yet, so often due to our own sinfulness or the words and actions of others, we misunderstand our Father and miss the point of His gift. Join us this Christmas weekend, and bring a friend who maybe has walked away from the Father, so that we can all understand His heart for us and His open arms in welcoming us back.

A Joyful Heart

December 18, 2022 • Pastor Logan Ames

It's been said that "the best predictor of future behavior is past behavior". Of course, people can change and we love them no matter what, but if you're wondering if you can trust someone as a spouse, employee, caregiver, financial adviser or other important partner, you're going to want to evaluate their record. It's wise not to yoke yourself with them until the changes they claim are proven. As you consider this, consider God our Creator, "who does not change like shifting shadows" (James 1:17). If He does not change, then certainly the best way to evaluate His trustworthiness for the future is to honestly look at what He's done in the past. This week at Friendship, we'll talk about how to have and demonstrate "A Joyful Heart" even during difficult times. When you aren't sure of the road ahead, be intentional about looking back at what God has done. When you see His favor in your life, you'll have "joy because of grace". We'll discuss this and much more, so join us for this much-needed message from the Lord!