Argentina meeting Sunday, June 29th at 5p.m.

Attention Holland First family. This Sunday at 5p.m. before our ACCESS night we are having an informational meeting for our 2015 Argentina missions trip. If you are thinking about going do not miss this important meeting. It will last 1 hour and will be held in the prayer room right off the sanctuary. God bless you!!!!!

The Holiness Gap

 A great read in light of my sermon on Sunday entitled, "Family Values" (Part A)

Lord bless you,

Pastor Mike Houser (Senior Pastor)

By Michael Youssef, Ph.D.



With God’s help, we can join Paul and combat the god of the age that he warns us about in 2 Corinthians 4:4.

The god of this age conceals itself with various disguises, but there are two common worldviews that present themselves in our culture. Self-improvement movements like Unitarianism teach that Christ is the ideal, perfect man—which we can also be if we obtain a higher self. Knowledge-seeking movements like Scientology teach that if we know enough, we can survive forever. Both philosophies promote the same lie about salvation: that there is something we can do to bring us closer to God.

Like most lies, these philosophies are based on twisted Truth. The Truth is that there is a large gulf between man and God that only Christ can bridge. But we stand in need of absolute and total rescue—not better thinking.

Read Ephesians 1:3-8. God chose to bridge the gap between our sinfulness and His holiness by spilling Jesus’ blood in payment for our sins. Because Christ paid the price for our forgiveness, God can declare us “holy and blameless in his sight” if we choose to turn from our sin and run to Him (Ephesians 1:4). Jesus mended the holiness gap. No higher learning or knowledge is needed.

Holiness can only be given by One who is holy. It has to be imparted—it cannot be earned. Since we are not holy, the only way we can ever become holy is for a holy God to reach down and bring us up to His level, imparting His holiness to us. This is exactly what God did in Jesus. This gap-mending offering of forgiveness is a free, undeserved gift, but it must be accepted. And there is no other way to accept it than through Jesus.

We cannot rid ourselves of sin by knowing enough or by trying to be the best we can be. Those are the chains of the spirit of the age. When you encounter people who practice these philosophies, listen for the way they are attempting to bridge the gap they feel between themselves and God. Then, as the Holy Spirit guides you and gives you words, explain God’s heart to them. Share that the gulf has already been mended. Christ did it all—and all they must do is turn to Him.



Prayer: Lord, thank You for mending the holiness gap so that I can have fellowship with You. Thank you for setting me free with Your Truth, and show me how to share this Truth with others. Amen.

“
God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Corinthians 5:21).

3 Things to Teach Teens at Graduation (and Before)

Posted by: admin in Church Leadership, Home Page, Ministry Life 0 34 Views

High school graduation is a rite of passage unlike any other. You move from being treated like a child (legally) to being counted an adult, both in society and in any academic setting you might enter. Colleges aren’t even allowed to discuss your grades with your parents apart from your consent. Childhood is over. Adulthood beckons. How should you respond to the blessing and challenge of graduation?

1. Own Your Faith.

If you come from a Christian home, you have benefited tremendously from a host of supportive circumstances (household rules, numerous protections, church life). Testing awaits as you enter the world. It won’t be enough to ride the coat tails of your parents’ faith. If you’re not sure about Christianity, now is the time to settle the matter (Ecclesiastes 12:1). Christianity is a faith unlike any other because it’s based on historical events that were verifiable to thousands of people in Christ’s day (1 Corinthians 15:3–6, 12–14) — some of whom died for what they would have known to be false, had it been false. If you have doubts, ask away. The existence of God, the reliability of the Bible, the resurrection of Jesus, Jesus being the only way to God — there is a wealth of material which addresses these and other questions.

But do you want to base your life on Jesus Christ? You’ll soon encounter new opportunities to misuse God’s good gifts in ways that seem alluring — that seem to offer immediate pleasure. Will you believe the lie that God is a cosmic killjoy, out to rob you from experiencing the good things of life (Genesis 3:6)? Or will you trust that the One who made you knows best, that his rules are an expression of his love, and that his ways lead to your greatest happiness (Psalm 16:11)?

2. Own Your Relationships.

The Christian faith is lived out in community. So you’ll need to find a good church. Somewhere you can worship, learn, grow, and serve. Somewhere you can form friendships and where you can be a friend. Look at a few church websites before you leave home. Check out their beliefs, listen to their sermons, and be aware of their ministries. Make church attendance a priority early. It’s a harder habit to form later.

At college, the easiest friendships aren’t always the best. To become wise, you need to walk (or do life) with the wise (Proverbs 13:20). Look for others who share your commitment to the things of God and faithfully invest in them. Relational evangelism is worth pursuing, especially at college, but make sure you also nurture friendships that strengthen your faith (Proverbs 27:17). We’re commanded to be salt and light (Matthew 5:13–16) — which presupposes we are salt and light. To make a difference in the world we must be different than the world. Holiness in lifestyle, combined with a gracious demeanor, provide a winsome alternative to the wasteland of hedonism and materialism that are rampant on college campuses and youth culture in general.

 

3. Own Your Decisions.

Assessing situations, weighing alternatives, and thinking critically are like using muscles. Flabbiness comes from disuse; strength comes through practice. The next few years are full of choices — which college (or trade) to pursue, what to study, how to pay for it, and more. It might be nice if God spoke with an audible voice at each crossroads, but that’s not been my experience. We should pray (James 1:5). We should seek counsel from trustworthy people who know us (Proverbs 15:22). We should consider where we’ve been successful and what activities we enjoy, as these point to where, over time, we might be most useful in this world for the good of others and the glory of God.

Panicked that you’ll miss God’s will? God wants us to follow him more than we do. His moral will is revealed in the Bible. His sovereign will is revealed as we live it. So make the best decisions you can based on sound judgment, accept the consequences, learn from any missteps, and trust God to shower you with mercy and goodness (Psalm 23:6). With God no path is without difficulty and no path is without blessing.

Congratulations on your graduation. Godspeed in the days ahead. Grace be with you to the end.
Alex Chediak (@chediak) is a professor of engineering and physics at California Baptist University and the author of Preparing Your Teens For College (Tyndale House, 2014) and Thriving at College (Tyndale House, 2011). Learn more about Alex’s work at his site.

This article was first published at the Desiring God blog under the title “The Blessing and Challenge of Graduation.”  Republished with permission.

Making a Difference

By Michael Youssef, Ph.D.

Only the Holy Spirit can change someone’s heart, but God is calling us to be a part of the process. We can make a difference in the eternal lives of others. We can tell our neighbors how Christ changed our lives. We can share with our friends why we have peace in the middle of difficult times.


We can train our children in the ways of the Lord. And we can unite together in prayer for the souls of nonbelievers.



We can pray that we will continue to have the freedom to openly speak Jesus’ name in public. We can pray that we remain free to share the full Gospel message, without being confined to a politically correct version. We can pray that God will continue to use His people to spread His Gospel to the ends of the world.



Spend time in prayer today examining your priorities. Where does the Great Commission fall on that list? Pray daily that God will renew your passion for the souls of nonbelievers. Pray that God prepares the hearts of those around you to receive the Gospel message. Pray for the Holy Spirit to provide you with opportunities for sharing about Christ. Pray that our country’s freedoms will continue so that we may freely speak the uncompromising Truth of the Gospel.



Prayer: Father, I pray that You would use me to make a difference in the lives of those around me. Renew my passion to see the lost come to know You. Open up doors of opportunity for me to talk about You and give me the courage to boldly proclaim Your Truth. Thank You for the freedom we have to speak about You. Amen.


“The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and he who wins souls is wise” (Proverbs 11:30).