How do we protect our church, our families, and our work ethic from the erosion brought about by the tongue? If we aren’t careful, the tongue will get you into trouble. As a Pastor, I am well aware of this truth. I used Tim Ebert as an illustration about prayer requests turning into gossip in last Sunday’s sermon. I was just trying to make an illustration of how we twist prayer requests into gossip. In my attempt to prove a point I used Tim as an example. There was nothing negative that I was trying to convey about Tim. I must not have made myself clear that it was just an illustration and nothing more.
Sometimes, we aren’t clear or maybe we are misunderstood. James tells us that the tongue is an untamable beast. The King James version calls the tongue an “unruly evil.” The tongue in itself is not evil, but is an overflow of what is inside the person. The bible says that out of the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks. If you hang out with someone long enough, you see what is on the inside of that person.
Alan Redpath, who once pastored the large Moody Church in Chicago wrote how he once encouraged the members of his church, during a particularly  stressful time in their church history, to subscribe to a simple formula before speaking.
He wanted them to think before speaking.  It was an acrostic - T.H.I.N.K. (and you know I love acrostics)
 
T – for, Is it true?
H – for, Is it helpful?
I – for, Is it inspirational?
N – for, Is it Necessary?
K – for, Is it Kind?
 
If it didn’t pass the T.H.I.N.K. test, it wasn’t spoken to another person.
That’s good advice for the church, but it’s good advice for life.  If you’re running down your coworkers or your boss (with your words) – you're wrong.  As a believer, you have no business working with that attitude.  The THINK test will revolutionize your work environment, and it just may revolutionize your home and your church environment as well.
 
This Sunday (Palm Sunday), we are having the Lord’s Supper. It is a time where we will reflect on the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross (the body and the blood). As we move toward Sunday worship, let me encourage you to examine yourself (1 Corinthians 11:27-29). When we examine ourselves, we look deep into our hearts. Examine your motives. Examine your attitude. Examine your relationships. Examine your life to see if there is any wicked way in you (Psalms 139:23-24). Ask God for His cleansing and purification. God is faithful and just to forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9). I look forward to our worship together this coming Sunday. I can’t wait to tell you about my Jesus.
See you Sunday!

Pastor Todd

In his First Inaugural Address, on March 4, 1933, President Franklin D. Roosevelt said to a nation in the grip of economic depression, “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.” Nothing is so much to be feared as fear. Why? Because fear paralyzes you, and fear is contagious, paralyzing others as well.

In Nehemiah 4:12, we are told that the Jews told them over 10 times, “wherever you turn, they will attack us.” That language invokes fear. This fear would spread through the hearts and minds of the workers. The workers on the wall were inundated with threats, ridicule, and mockery. They were prone to discouragement. Discouragement and fear go hand in hand. Both are contagious and both paralyze our faith in God.

Satan will do whatever he can to discourage you to stop working for Jesus. Discouragement leads to fear and fear paralyzes us spiritually. The opposite of discouragement comes through our faith in Christ. We pray more effectively in faith, than when in discouragement. We behave more righteous in faith, than when in discouragement. We hear and heed the words of scripture more securely in faith, than when we are discouraged. So the devil will do anything he can do, to discourage us in our faith. Discouragement is a lethal weapon of our enemy.

An interesting thing happens in Nehemiah,  chapter 4 once Nehemiah gets the workers armed and ready for a fight around the clock. Once the enemy saw that the soldiers were armed and ready to fight, they backed off. If we want the devil to back off with his discouragement and ridicule, then we must be armed and ready for the fight. That’s what James means when he says, “Submit to God, resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” When we submit ourselves to God, we fall in line with His Word and His Will. We prepare ourselves to wage war against the enemy by internalizing the Word of God.

Will you listen to the words of truth or will you listen to the lies from the enemy? Each day we choose who to listen to. Allow me to encourage you to keep your heart open to the TRUTH of God’s Word. Immerse yourselves in His Word and you will be armed and ready for the attacks of the enemy. Strengthen the shield of faith in your life. It extinguishes the fiery darts from Satan. So you can say, “When I am discouraged and when I am fearful, I WILL TRUST IN YOUR WORD. I WILL PLACE MY FAITH IN YOU OH LORD. Preparation through the Word and through our Faith in Jesus Christ, will prepare us for anything Satan throws our way.

Praying we are Battle Ready!

Pastor Todd

Do you ever feel like your prayers are not “getting through” to God? Do you ever feel like you don’t have God’s full attention? When it comes to prayer, we often believe that God is at our beckon call to carry out our requests. Many Christians treat prayer like it is a cosmic vending machine, where we put in a prayer and out pops an answer/blessing. Prayer is actually something bigger and greater than a way to meet our needs. Let’s consider prayer as one of the chief ways God carries out His purpose and His plan in our lives. God uses prayer and fasting as a way to align us with His Kingdom agenda. In other words, if we want to get on the same page with God, we must find the P.A.T.H. of prayer that gets God’s Full Attention. I believe God gives us a P.A.T.H. way of prayer in Nehemiah chapter 1 that aligns us with His purpose and His plans.

Before Nehemiah acted, he prayed, he fasted, he waited on the Lord. We know that between the prayer of chapter one and first verse of chapter 2, there was a time period of around 4 months (Chislev to Nisan). Nehemiah teaches us a lesson of waiting upon the Lord for the right timing. God’s timing is always better than man’s timing. Can I get a witness? I can testify to regrets of jumping ahead of God on issues because I relied on MY timing instead of GOD’S timing. Nehemiah approached God with a certain P.A.T.H. in prayer (in Nehemiah chapter 1). Let’s take a brief look at this God-centered approach to prayer. “P” in P.A.T.H. stands for Prioritizing God’s Greatness. Nehemiah begins the prayer in verse 5, by rehearsing the greatness and Sovereignty of God. Sovereignty means that God is “large and in charge.” Do you begin your prayers by rehearsing God’s greatness or by emphasizing your need? When we celebrate God’s “bigness” it reduces the “bigness” of our problems. The “A” in P.A.T.H. stands for Admitting one’s own sin. Nehemiah uses verse 6 and 7 to express his sorrow over his sin and the sin of his people (the Jews). He could have blamed others for the brokenness of the people and the city of Jerusalem, but he quickly “owned” his sin and acknowledged his corrupt heart. If we are to be apart of the solution (and not just the problem), we must see God’s Greatness and then see our sin as an affront to our Awesome, Holy God. The “T” in P.A.T.H. is about Trusting Scripture. In verses 8-10, Nehemiah quoted from the Old Testament promises of God. Do you depend on the Word of God to hear from God? God has provided his Bible (his Word) to reveal His will and His ways. The more we know about His promises (in his Word), the more we grow in our faith relationship with God. God is not silent, He speaks to us through the Word and His Spirit. The “H” in P.A.T.H is Humility. Humility before our great and awesome God must be consistent and constant for believers. God takes care of the exaltation, we, however, must stay in a constant state of surrender to Him. We are prone to pride and selfishness. Jesus said, “Whoever wants to be my disciple, must deny himself, take up his cross daily and follow me.” Daily, self-denial is a big part of being a humble follower of Jesus Christ. Nehemiah gives us a pattern to come into God’s presence in prayer. Will you take the P.A.T.H to get God’s full attention? May we all be quick to Prioritize the Greatness of God, Admit our own sin before a Holy God, Trust the Scriptures (as we hear from God), and keep ourselves Humble before our Creator, Redeemer, and Lord.

See you Sunday as we practice this together,

Pastor Todd

This past Sunday we spoke of Nehemiah’s God-sized burden for the returned exiles to Jerusalem. The walls were broken, and the gates were devastated with fire. After the last fire here in Ruidoso, I remember walking with an Assessor from our disaster relief team. He took me through the rubble of a homeowner that had given us permission to clean her lot. The walls were broken and destroyed. The articles of life were burned beyond recognition. The homeowner joined us and picked up a half-burned picture frame. She sat down on the edge of a broken wall and started to cry. We kneeled next to her, and I asked her if we could pray with her. She agreed. At these moments, we have so many more questions than we have answers. We had the blessing and privilege to be the hands and feet of Christ to this woman. A few minutes later, we shared the good news of the gospel of Jesus with her. Jesus can help us pick up the pieces of life and give us a fresh start. I’m thankful for that memory and that opportunity to witness.

Getting a fresh start rebuilding our lives begins with making an honest evaluation. Nehemiah started by getting an honest evaluation of the broken down walls and gates and how it was affecting the people. As you look at your life, are you making honest evaluations and getting to the root of the issues of life? The second step to rebuilding involves identifying with the need. Nehemiah sat down and mourned, calling upon God for help. He felt the needs and had compassion upon his fellow Jews. How do you connect with the needs of those around you? The next step to rebuilding involves taking personal responsibility. Nehemiah was quick to own his own sin and brokenness. He recognized he was a part of the sin problem. Are you willing to admit your own sin? Are you willing to be a a part of the solution, and not just a part of the problem? The final step of a rebuilder is stepping out of one’s comfort zone. Nehemiah was in the comfort of the king’s palace. He had it made because the King trusted him as the cupbearer. Perhaps today God is calling you to do something that will stretch your comfort levels. Will you be obedient and step out of your comfort zone?

The best thing that comes with rebuilding is that God is glorified through our obedience. God wants to “make all things new” in our life. His power and His healing are available for the rebuilding process. Will you trust Him to help you rebuild? God never leaves us nor forsakes us. Our God is Big and He is Faithful. When God gives you a burden to be involved in His work of redemption, will you follow the steps of a rebuilder?

Praying for my Church Family!

Pastor Todd

New Year’s Prayer—"LORD, keep me holy in 2026”

We had a great celebration of worship yesterday, kicking off the New Year 2026. I want to encourage you to read through Psalm 19 sometime today or this week. As we evaluated our motives yesterday, I did not get a chance to share this great Psalm with you. The psalmist spends the first six verses talking about how God shows himself to us in creation. This is called general revelation. What do you see when you see the majestic mountains? What do you think about when you look out at beauty of creation (the sun, moon, and stars)? All of the heavens declare the glory of God. Romans tells us that all creation speaks to us of God’s eternal power (so man is without excuse). General revelation points us to God, but specific revelation is what offers us salvation. The psalmist (here in Psalm 19) turns from general revelation to specific revelation through the Word of God (verses 7-11). We know that faith comes from hearing and hearing from the Word of God (Romans 10:17). There are a lot of connections with Psalm 19 and the book of Romans, right? Specific revelation is salvific. What does that mean? The Word of God leads us to salvation through Christ, and Christ alone. Through the Word of God, we see our sin and our need for a Savior. Not only does the Word of God lead us to Christ and faith in Christ, the word of God (along with the Spirit of God, as we spoke about on Sunday), keeps us holy and set apart for God. In Jesus’ high priestly prayer of John 17, Jesus prays for believers saying, “Sanctify (set apart as holy) them in the truth; your word is truth. In the closing verses of Psalm 19 (verses 12-14), the psalmist asks for protection against sin (even willful sin) and closes with the following prayer:

“May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.”

The LORD sees the motives of our hearts. He knows our thoughts and is greater than our thoughts (1 John 3:20). He has the ability to clean us up and set us free from sin’s control over us. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, and the sanctifying power of the Word, we can be pure and holy vessels for Jesus in 2026. Let’s adopt this prayer together and pray it often, in the name of Jesus (who is our Rock and our Redeemer).

P.S.—Psalm 139:23-24 is another great prayer for asking God to evaluate your heart.

Walking side by side, together in the Faith,

Pastor Todd

The people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, and upon those who sat in the region and shadow of death Light has dawned.
Matthew 4:16 (quoted from Isaiah 9:2)

Christmas lights are one of my favorite parts of Christmas. I love the way the bright lights of Christmas dispel darkness and illuminate the surrounding areas. Could you imagine living in darkness all the time? I read this past week that if you travel to Tromso, Norway between November to January, you will be living in complete darkness. It is the second most populated place north of the Arctic Circle. Every fall, its 70,000 residents face the prospect of spending the winter in perpetual darkness.

Would you find it difficult to live where the sun never rises? In a spiritual sense, that’s where we’re living now. This world is spiritually dark, and its inhabitants are blinded to the truth. Every morning they awaken to darkness, failing to recognize Him who said: “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life” (John 8:12).

We have what the world needs—the light of the world, Jesus Christ. We are also called “the light of the world.” That means we are to reflect the One who is the TRUE light---Jesus. The Bible says, “Do all things without complaining and disputing, that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world” (Philippians 2:14-15).

May we all reflect the light of Christ this Christmas! You are loved by the Sullens Family. We are praying each of you have a Christ-centered, Spirit-saturated Christmas celebration!

Pastor Todd

“Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, making melody to the Lord with your heart, giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ…” Ephesians 5:17-20

A heart controlled by the Holy Spirit is grateful. When you are filled up with the Holy Spirit, you are controlled by the Spirit of God. Once the Spirit of God vaccinates the soul with gratitude, it prevents the virus of discontentment. We tend to complain and grumble when we don’t have control of life. When the Holy Spirit is in control, gone is murmuring, and it is replaced with an appreciative attitude. This grateful attitude is helpful and hopeful.

Another result of being controlled/filled with the Spirit of God, is a heart of worship. Worship of God bursts forth from a heart captured by Christ. A melody of grateful praise brings joy to our Lord. This causes us to sing with a smile on our face and a song in our heart.

This Sunday we are planning to celebrate the Lord’s Supper with Thanksgiving in our heart. We are going to the cross and remembering the sacrifice of Christ—His body sacrificed for us and His blood shed for our atonement. Prepare your hearts so we come to the Lord’s table in a worthy manner.

Also remember that Sunday is the last day to bring in your Operation Christmas Child boxes. We will have a commissioning time for our boxes as they go to children around the world! God is good!

See you Sunday!

Pastor Todd

I sensed a fresh movement of faith as I watched Charlie Kirk’s Memorial Service after church on Sunday. As key members of our President’s administration stepped up to give testimony, I was encouraged by how many of them spoke firmly about their faith in Christ. I watched Charlie’s widow publicly forgive Charlie’s assassin (which she based on the forgiveness of Christ). I watched with hope and expectation. Political figures are expressing faith in Christ and sharing the points of the gospel. Is this really a Turning Point for our country? Could this be the beginning of the fresh winds of spiritual revival? I found myself asking (maybe with bit of skepticism), “Is this real, Lord?” God is certainly able to bring a message out of a mess. In fact, God specializes in bringing good out of bad. Remember the words of Joseph to his brothers (who sold him into slavery). Joseph said in Genesis 50:20, “What you meant for evil, God meant for good.”

Yes, God is able to produce faith movements out of heart-breaking tragedies. We worship a Sovereign, Providential God. Nothing is too difficult for Him. Thousands of people are coming to faith in Christ from this tragedy. People are going to church for the first time. People are picking up Bibles and reading them for the first time. In his remarks yesterday, Dr. Ben Carson noted that Charlie Kirk died at 12:24 pm. Then he read John 12:24, “Unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.” We are beginning to see some of this fruit. Even in our own community. A young lady who has been attending worship with us at FBC Ruidoso, was prompted to come because of the ministry of Turning Point USA and Charlie Kirk. God is good!

So, what is the Christian’s response to all of this? I’d like to suggest the following steps:

1.        Brush up on the gospel message. Internalize the truth that, “Christ died for your sins, according to the scriptures, that he was buried, and that he rose again on the third day, according to the scriptures.” (1 Corinthians 15:3-4). Your knowledge of the truth is what sets you free. Your knowledge of the gospel of Christ changes everything. Soak up the truth of the gospel. If you have questions about the gospel message. We are here to help. As a church, we want to disciple believers and help believers grow/continue in their faith (abide in Christ).
2.        Don’t be “ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ.” (Romans 1:16) Let your boldness for Christ be known. Some people are opening their mouths for the first time for Jesus. People are saying, “Charlie, we’ve got this.” There are attempts to carry on the legacy of compassion and courage, for the sake of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The apostle Paul says in Ephesians 6:19, “pray also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak.”
3.        Build Intentional Relationships. Find people in your circles of influence with whom you can start spiritual conversations. We have tools at church to help you with all these points. God is working. Let’s join Him where He is already working.
4.        Practice the Love of God to everyone. As the people of God, living in a world of hate, we will experience persecution. As I’ve said before, “hate doesn’t bring people to Christ, love brings people to Christ.” We have to approach conversations with compassion and balance them with boldness. We are in spiritual warfare (as we are talking about on Sunday mornings) and we need to be prayed up, and armored up with the full armor of God (Ephesians 6:10-18).

Blessed to be your Pastor!

Pastor Todd

Psalm 30:20-22 says, “Our soul waits for the Lord; he is our help and our shield. For our heart is glad in him, because we trust in his holy name. Let your steadfast love, O Lord, be upon us, as we hope in you.”

This past Sunday we examined Ruth as she waits on God’s plan to unfold. Waiting is a practice that seems counterproductive to most of us. In a world where those who act sooner and faster seem to be more successful, the ideas of patience and waiting don’t seem to make sense. But the wisdom of the world is not the wisdom of God. David was a man who was wise in the ways of experiencing God’s promises. In Psalm 30 (above), David shows us insight to his heart of waiting.

God longs to shield you from the attacks of your enemy. He longs to protect you from what would tear you down. But like a shield, he can only protect you if you stay behind him. He can only help you if you are willing to be helped. You must allow him, as your shepherd, to go before you and guide you.

As we stated Sunday, you will only be able to wait on God to the level that you trust God. Look at your life today. Where do you struggle to jump ahead of God instead of waiting upon Him? Where do you lack patience? Trust isn’t simply a matter of the head, but of the heart. Do you love God and trust that He has your best interests in mind? Do you believe that He is “Large and in Charge” (Sovereign)? Our God doesn’t just make us wait in order to stress us out. God has something better for you in store. Are you willing to wait on His best? His guidance and timing are perfect. He knows how to lead you, protect you, and empower you. Rest in His Shepherding care as you wait on His best.

See you this Sunday (and we will take the Lord’s Supper together—prepare your hearts). Also be in prayer for Dusty Wold (In Albuquerque hospital with West Nile Virus), Todd Dentler (from his motorcycle wreck), and The Fraley’s (on a medical mission trip to the Dominican Republic).

Pastor Todd

Church Family,

You are a Praying Church! You are a Praising Church! Let us stop for a minute today and give God all the Praise.

Praise God for the VBS week! For the salvations and re-dedications, we praise you Lord! For the families that are connecting to the church because of the intentionality of our church family during VBS, we praise you Lord! For the servant hearts of teachers, and workers during VBS, we praise you Lord! For giving spiritual gifts to the people of God, so that they can do the work of God, we praise you Lord!

As we move into July, we thank you Lord, for the Freedom we have in Christ Jesus. We thank you Lord, for the freedom we have in our country. We thank you Lord, for those who protect our freedoms.  We pray for our service men and women, and their families. We praise you Lord for your provision of freedom.

Many times, we are long on petition and short on praise. Praise and Thanksgiving should flow from our hearts and our mouths TO the ONE who is worthy! God comes and “inhabits” or “camps out” in our praise. He is blessed by our praise and thanksgiving. As you spend time with Him this week, it is my prayer that your prayers are filled with Thanksgiving and Praise---For His glory!

See You on Sunday for Worship!

Pastor Todd

Hello Church Family,

Can you believe it is the beginning of June? I am thankful for the blessings of cool days and recent moisture here in the mountains. As we begin the month of June, I am starting a sermon series on the book of Ruth. The series is entitled: The Plain Truth about Ruth. Here are a few questions/facts to prepare you for Sunday’s study:

·       Ruth is one of only two books in the Bible named after a woman. Can you name the other?
·       Ruth is not a Jew from Israel, but she married into a Jewish family. Do you know the country of her birth?
·       Ruth shows us a picture of loyalty, kindness, and hope. Ruth serves as a bright light against the darkness of the time of the judges.
·       Ruth begins with death and ends with a birth.
·       Ruth is a love story.
·       Ruth is the great grandmother of a great king in the Bible…who is he?

We will do an overview and a quick study of the first six verses on Sunday. Come prayed up and prepared for how God can shape us using these four chapters in the Old Testament.

Remember our Operation Christmas Child (OCC) fundraiser this Sunday, after church. We raise money in June to prepare us for a greater gospel impact in the fall. You can participate by doing the following: bringing items, bidding on items, and donating funds for the lunch (prepared by the OCC team). The team will be available on Saturday (from 2-4 pm) to collect auction items (desserts, etc…). Also be in prayer for Evie and Paige Fraley, who are currently on their mission trip to Latvia.

Praying you have a Jesus-filled week!

Pastor Todd

Matthew 27:50-51 says, “And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and yielded up his spirit.    And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. And the earth shook, and the rocks were split.”

After the final moments of Jesus giving up his life for the sins of humanity, there was a miracle that took place in the temple. Specifically, this miracle took place at the entrance of the Holy of Holies. This was the place in the temple that nobody was permitted to enter, except the High Priest, and only once a year. To do so, would mean death. The curtain represented a barrier. Why couldn’t anybody enter the Holy of Holies? Because the shekinah glory—the glory of God—was present there. In Exodus 33:20, God told Moses, “You cannot see my face, because no one can see me and live.” God is holy, and we are sinners. There is a distance between us and a holy God. What did fifteen hundred years of curtain-draped Holy of Holies represent? It represented the UNAPPROACHABLE HOLINESS of God.

But here is the good news—on Good Friday, we will remember the sacrificial death of the Lord Jesus Christ. We celebrated this same thing this past Sunday with the Lord’s Supper. On the cross, Jesus was our “go between.” Jesus was our mediator. 1 Timothy 2:5 says, “there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.” Jesus gave his life for us, so that the curtain could be torn into. A torn curtain represents access to God. Through the finished work of Jesus on the cross, believers have constant access to a Holy God. Jesus made God approachable. We are welcome into God’s presence—any day, any time. Through Jesus, God removed the barrier of sin and shame. No more curtain. No more separation. On this Friday, celebrate the torn curtain and the access we have into the Holy presence of God. As believers in Christ, confess your sin and celebrate the unhindered access into God’s presence. Is our God approachable? Only through the finished work of Christ. We give Him thanks!

Resurrection Sunday is coming…Invite your friends and family to Worship with us!

Pastor Todd

Church Family

Joshua 1:8 says, “This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.”

As I read this scripture, I see a general principle: A life lived centered on God’s Word leads to blessing. Obedience to God always points to God’s blessings. Blessings may come in spiritual form (like peace, joy, spiritual understanding, etc…) but you can count on them when you are obedient to the Word of God. Obedience to the commands of these verse yield the fruit of blessing. Read/Speak the Word, Internalize the Word, and Obey the Word are all commands in this verse. The blessing comes after the commands are fulfilled. We sometimes think we can circumvent the commands and just experience the blessing. We have to be willing to do the hard work of faith, in order to be rewarded by God.

2 Chronicles 16:9 says, “For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him.” God is looking for faithful followers and rewards them with His strength.

Hebrews 11:6 says, “And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.” Faith/Trust in God, Seek after Him, and He will reward you.

When we meditate on the Word of God (day and night), we prepare our lives for God’s blessing. Internalizing the Word allows the Holy Spirit to have ammunition to help us live holy lives, pleasing to God. How do you get the Word of God into your lives daily? Some people have a hard time just picking up the Bible and reading. If reading the Word of God is more like drudgery and duty, then you need a starting point. I suggest two things to you. First, pray and ask God to give you a hunger and thirst for righteousness. The more you pray this, the more the desire for the Word will swell up in your life. Second, find a devotion (online devotions like My Utmost for His Highest, First 15 devotions, Youversion app, or pick up a devotion book from the story or church library). Look for devotions that will get you into the Word again. Spiritual blessing follows a life that is centered upon the Word of God.

Dear Lord, Please help me to hunger and thirst for righteousness. Help me to feast upon your Word. Give me the grace to read it, internalize it, and obey it. Thank you for the promise of blessing that comes from a life saturated with your Word. In Jesus name. Amen.

See you Sunday as we continue with our Luke 15 series, Lost and Found,

Pastor Todd

Over the next few weeks, I’m excited to share with you the story of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15). Let me give you a synopsis. The story is about a young son who took his inheritance and fled to far land. He squandered his money and fulfilled his pleasures. When he came to his senses, he humbly came back home and was received by a gracious father, who welcomed him with a party. There was also an older brother who did not appreciate his brother’s actions and was disgusted by the gracious reception of the father. The older brother was invited to the Lost and Found party, but he refused to celebrate his brother’s return.
I believe we will all find ourselves within the story of the prodigal son. It has become so familiar, we are tempted to skip right past the divine truths that have the potential to change our lives. So, get prayed up and ready to approach this text with new eyes and fresh hearts. Read the whole context of Luke 15, and we will dive in together this Sunday morning at 10:45 am. Come early and get plugged into one of our Life Groups. They start at 9:30—our Life Groups are life blood to our church family. They offer community and accountability in living Christ-centered lives.
This past Sunday, Evans Okeyo quoted the verse from Habakkuk 2:14. Since we just finished the book of Habakkuk, it should be fresh on our minds.
“For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.”
In the middle of a passage announcing judgments (woes) upon the nation of Babylon, God’s purpose comes shouting to us, like a megaphone. To display God’s power is the display of His purpose. His purpose is to fill the earth with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord. We have the opportunity to spread the love of God and the Word of God to the nations. It starts with us being faithful, right here at home. As C.T. Studd once said, “The light that shines farthest, shines the brightest at home.” Keep your light for Jesus shining bright! Let your church family help you stay encouraged, as you shine for His glory!
See you on Sunday for LOST & FOUND,

Pastor Todd

I was in Alamogordo yesterday, and I saw a man wearing a shirt that said, “I Choose Faith over Fear.” I commented on his shirt and testified that my faith in Christ is what sustains me each day. As we finish up the Old Testament book of Habakkuk, I am reminded that the prophet did the same. In chapter one, he had a response of fear and a fleshly response, but when we arrived in chapter three, Habakkuk responded in faith. We begin most crisis events with the fear/flesh type response. It is a response that is focused on outside circumstances and how it will affect me, myself, and I. This is a natural response when we come against life-changing news that is beyond our control. The faith response is different. Faith has a different focus. Instead of consequences, faith chooses to focus on God---the ONE who is Holy, Merciful, and Sovereign (large and in charge). Faith deals with the trust of the heart to the ONE who made our hearts. On the other hand, fear deals with the external consequences instead of the inward peace, that only God can give. 
2 Corinthians 5:7 says, “We walk by faith, and not by sight.”
1 John 5:4 says, “For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.”
God’s plan for us is to trust in Him (faith in Him). When we cling to and embrace Him, even when we don’t understand our circumstances, WE WILL OVERCOME. Being an overcomer and conqueror through Christ, begins with a spiritual birth in Christ. When we first believe in Jesus, we are on the road of faith. We will have ups and downs, but God is faithful. God sees the full picture. We must trust Him and walk in His strength and peace each day. What happens TO us, is not as important as what God does IN us and THROUGH us. 
Prayer---“Oh Sovereign God, I trust you to take care of me in the ups and downs of life. Life is cruel and unforgiving at times, but I believe nothing happens to me without your knowledge and without your permission. Keep me close to you and give me the grace to trust you more. In Jesus name---Amen!
Looking forward to seeing you on Super Sunday as we grow in our faith together. This Sunday Evans Okeyo and James Parker will be with us. It will be like a family reunion. Come and join us as we Worship the God of Wonders together!
Praying for my Church Family!

Pastor Todd

Hello Church Family!

Praying you all stay warm this week with the dropping temperatures. Praying that God will shine IN you and THROUGH you, for His glory. Yesterday, in our worship time, we looked at “Saving Faith and Living Faith.” Saving Faith was defined at when you turn from sin and turn to Christ “in faith” for the first time. Saving Faith happens at the point of regeneration and conversion. At the point of Saving Faith, you are placed in the body of Christ and given the person of the Holy Spirit to live within you. Living Faith is living out this trust relationship day by day, moment by moment with the help of the Holy Spirit and the Promises from God’s Word. Living faith is continuous faith.
Listen to the words of the apostle Paul in Romans 1:17 (ESV)…
“For in it (the gospel) the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.”
Once we place our faith in Christ through the gospel (which is the power of God unto salvation for all that believe…see Romans 1:16), then we continue to live in faith (from faith to faith…first to last). A foundational concept for the Christian life is found in the statement, “The just/righteous shall live by faith.” This is a quote from Habakkuk 2:4, which we will study this coming Sunday. The trademark of a Christ follower is this continual trust and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ…from the first day you trust Him to save you, until the day you see Him face to face in Glory!
I read the story of a lady named Louisa Stead. During a family picnic by the ocean, they heard the cry of a young boy who needed rescue in the water. Her husband, George, dove in to rescue him but the results were tragic, they both drowned. Louisa and her young daughter, in the loss of her husband, were introduced to a live of meager living and poverty. With God’s help and by His grace, they pushed through. Later on, she and her daughter (Emily) both served in missionary efforts across the globe. After Louisa’s loss and in her struggle to trust God, she wrote:
“Tis so Sweet to Trust in Jesus, just to take Him at His Word; Just to rest upon His promise, Just to know, “Thus said the Lord.”
This has become such a treasured hymn for millions of believers. I am particularly moved by the end stanza that says,
“I’m so glad I learned to trust Thee, Precious Jesus, Savior, Friend; And to know that Thou art with me, Wilt be with me to the end.”
It is almost like this is a woman, reflecting on how Jesus met her in her loss, and filled her with His peace and promise. This song reminds us of unwavering, continuous faith in Christ. This is the type of faith that sustains us in the ups and downs of life. May the Spirit of God swell up in you today, reminding you that our Savior is Trustworthy, no matter the situation.
Don’t forget our Wednesday Supper and Bible Studies. Also, don’t forget we have Potluck after church this Sunday (and Member’s Meeting to follow). We will provide the meat for lunch. Bring you favorite side dish and/or dessert.

Have a Jesus-filled Week!

Pastor Todd

Church Family,

Merry Christmas to you! I echo the words of Paul to believers in Philippi, “I thank my God every time I remember you.” The Apostle Paul was thankful for the gospel partnership he had with that group of believers. I too am thankful for our gospel partnership that we share in Ruidoso and beyond.
Sunday, I shared about the drone show from Saturday night on the White Mountain Recreation fields. Each drone (over 100 drones) had a bright light and these lights were visible from far off. The lights changed based upon the shape and effect of the image they were creating (like a Christmas Tree, Snowman, and Snow Globe). Each drone had to do its part in creating a unified picture for others to see. As Christians, we each have a light to shine. We shine our lights for the glory of God. On a larger scale, when we combine our lights together, as the church, we create a beautiful picture of Christ. When Jesus called us, Lights to the World, we are really reflectors of His light inside of us, the light of Christ. One of my favorite parts of Christmas is the lights. It is appropriate for us to put up lights at Christmas, because this season reminds us of how God sent His light in a world of darkness. Isaiah 9:2 gives a prophetic reference to Christ by saying,
“For a world walking in darkness, a great light has come.”
The light of Jesus, the Messiah, penetrates the darkness of a sinful world. In Ephesians 5:8, the apostle Paul tells believers, “You were once darkness, now you are light in the Lord.” Surely, it was a great day when Jesus moved us from darkness into light. Jesus puts his light inside of us. How are you reflecting the light of Christ to others? Like the drones, we each have a light to shine. Like the drones, we are coming together as the body of Christ to present a picture of unity and a picture of Christ, to the world around us. Let’s keep shining for Jesus individually! Let’s keep shining for Jesus together as His body!
Letting our Lights Shine,

Pastor Todd

P.S. See you Sunday as we wrap up our series on the Holy Spirit. Don’t forget about Christmas Eve Candlelight Worship @ 4 pm

This past Sunday we studied the topic of Regeneration. The Holy Spirit ushers into our lives a “new birth” and continued renewal. Jesus says in John 3:5, “unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of heaven.” In verse 7, Jesus says, “You must be born again.” The phrase literally means born from above or born from God above. I remember hearing about “being born again,” when I was young. I remember preachers and evangelists like Billy Graham, preach about being “born again.” Regeneration is a gift of grace from God. He accomplishes it through the person of the Holy Spirit. When a person places their faith in the finished, redemptive work of the Lord Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit “rebirths” that person on the inside spiritually. We understand what it means to be born physically, but regeneration is spiritual birth (a second birth). That is why followers of the Lord Jesus Christ have two birthdays. 
If you are born once, you will die twice. If you are born twice, you will die once. By "born once," I mean the physical birth. By "born twice," I mean a physical birth as well as a spiritual birth in which you are born again, spiritually putting your faith in Christ.
Just as there are two births, the Bible teaches there are two deaths: one is physical, and the other is spiritual. Jesus warned that we are to fear the second death more than the first one.
Revelation 20:14 tells us, "Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death." The second death is mentioned again in Revelation 21:8, which says, "But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death." The second death is Hell.
One commentator wrote, "The second death is the continuance of spiritual death in another and timeless existence."
Another wrote, "Eternity to the godly is a day that has no sunset. Eternity to the wicked is a night that has no sunrise."
Jesus spoke of Hell in a very specific way. He warned of the fire of Hell (see Matthew 5:22). He warned about our bodies being thrown into Hell (see Matthew 5:29). And He spoke of the soul and the body being destroyed in Hell (see Matthew 10:28).
The Bible teaches that all Christians—defined as sinners who have been converted by putting their faith in Jesus Christ—will be in Heaven. And that offer of forgiveness is for everyone.
Your eternal destination is really your choice. Not everyone will be saved in the end—only those who put their faith in Jesus Christ.
Our Church mission is to Make, Mature, and Multiply disciples of Jesus Christ. We have to be intentional about throwing the lifeline of the gospel to people who are lost and perishing (without a relationship with Christ).
Let me end with a couple of questions. Have you been “born again? If you’d like to have further conversation about this biblical teaching, please don’t hesitate to talk to us. If you have been “born again,” are you boldly sharing the lifeline of the gospel with others? When I think about the second death, there is an urgency in my spirit to chase after those who are perishing without Christ. We have an unfinished mission, may God give us grace and courage to carry it out.
For the sake of the Gospel,
Pastor Todd

Hello Church Family! This past Sunday, we opened up our sermon series on the Holy Spirit. I’m indebted to authors/Pastors like Charles Stanley, Bill Bright, Jeff Shreve, Billy Graham, Wayne Grudem, David Jeremiah, and more, as I study the person and power of the Holy Spirit. Billy Graham once said that man has two great needs. The first is for forgiveness of sins, and the other is for goodness. The inner man longs for both. I heard a man say, “I need Jesus Christ for my eternal life, and the Holy Spirit for my internal life.” God hears our cries for forgiveness and goodness. God answered the need for forgiveness, on the cross of Calvary through the sacrifice of Christ. God answered the need for goodness through the gift and promise of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. God doesn’t want us to come to faith in Christ and then struggle to live the Christian life. Graham says, “The Holy Spirit is the source of power who meets our need to escape the miserable weakness that grips us. He gives us the power to be truly good.” Our God works FOR us in salvation and then He works IN us, through the Holy Spirit.

In John 16, Jesus is giving some final words of encouragement to his disciples before he is arrested, tried, and then crucified. In verse 17, he says, “It is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go away, I will send Him to you.”

The disciples had a hard time accepting that Jesus was leaving them. Back in chapter 14, Jesus said he would not leave them orphaned. The plan of Jesus was to send the Holy Spirit, another (of the same kind), to live in them forever. Jesus was physically with the disciples, and it is hard to imagine that someone, just like Jesus, would live inside of us forever. Is it correct to say that Christ lives in us, and the Holy Spirit lives in us? Is it correct to say that God lives within each believer? All of these are true. The triune God lives within each believer through the person of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit then transforms us to look more and more like the Father and the Son. This is why the ministry of the Holy Spirit is so important. Our marriages will look more like Christ. Our friendships and other relationships will look more like Jesus. As we yield to the Person and Power of God living in us through the Spirit, even our thought processes begin to change.

Let’s not miss out on the powerful, life-giving ministry of the Holy Spirit in our lives. I’m looking forward to re-discovering together the Person and Work of the Holy Spirit.

See you Sunday (don’t forget the potluck and member’s meeting afterwards),

Pastor Todd

James 4:13-15

13 Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit”—
14 yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes.
15 Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.” [1]
 

Do we daily lay our plans before the Lord? What matters most--- What we WILL or what God WILLS?

The week we came back from the evacuation, we sat down with the staff. I have a whiteboard in the conference room of the office. It contained a large list of items that we had planned to do for the summer. The list included camps, VBS, Sports Camp, etc… I looked at that list and then thought of the scripture from James and the following verse from Proverbs 16:9. It says, “In his heart, man plans his way, but the Lord directs/establishes his steps.”

After erasing the list and starting again from scratch, I pondered the words of James 4 and Proverbs 16. The Bible does not teach that we should avoid planning. In fact, Proverbs 21:5 says, “The plans of the diligent lead surely to abundance, but everyone who is hasty comes only to poverty.” It is important for us to plan well. My father always taught me the importance of planning. He was trying to help me see that planning can be preventive and save you problems/heartache down the road. I believe James 4 and Proverbs 16 are about trusting God. Do you trust God, even when things change? Do you boast about tomorrow or do you say I trust God, who holds tomorrow in His hands? Through the fires and the floods, God wants us to trust Him. We don’t know what tomorrow will bring, but God does. Our plans fall short, but His Will is perfect. Even when things are hurtful and painful, God's ways are not our ways and His thoughts are not our thoughts. God is always working from a greater perspective. Let us trust His unseen hand to comfort us, guide us and establish our steps.

Together, Trusting God,

Pastor Todd

For about 11 years, our family lived in Harris County, GA.  During our time in Harris County, we experienced an F2 Tornado that made its path across Hamilton (the county seat) into Pine Mountain Valley.  It did a lot of damage to homes and cut through a path of trees. The tornado almost hit the high school, full of students.

I rode through the area of destruction and saw a single tree snapped in half.  Just a few feet past the snapped tree, I saw a small patch of trees, all leaning on each other.  All of them were still standing.  What was the difference?  It all comes down to support.  What’s holding you up?  During the storms of life, we need to build a support base around ourselves so we will continue to survive and thrive.

The support base begins with a firm foundation.  In 1 Corinthians 3, Christ followers are called “God’s building.” In verse 11 of that chapter it says, “For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.”  Jesus speaks of the importance of a firm foundation in Matthew 7:24-27, when He teaches about building on the rock versus building on the sand.

The support base continues with each other.  Ecclesiastes 4 says, “two are better than one…if one falls, another will lift him up.”  That is our job as believers, right?  We are in the “lifting up business.”  When we lean on each other in the storm, we stay intact and live to face another day.

Church family, we are called to be the help, hope and healing of Christ to others.  We will pull through this disaster--Together, In Christ.

Jesus Christ---Our Foundation and Our Rock!

See you on Sunday! We are re-starting our Life Groups at 9:30 am. We need each other! And we will continue our healing process at 10:45 in worship!

Pastor Todd

What gets you excited spiritually? Do you anticipate the day that God calls you by name into your eternal rest. One of the most rewarding and encouraging scripture passages for faithful believers is:

His master said to him, “Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.” Matthew 25:21, 23

In the parable of the talents (Matthew 25:14-30), a man entrusts different amounts (talents) to his workers. He went away on a trip, but the workers left behind were expected to use the talents that they were given in a responsible way. When the man came back, he inspected what he expected from each of them. He rewarded the faithfulness of those who faithfully managed what they were entrusted. He punished the one who did not faithfully handle what he was given. In the same way, Jesus has entrusted believers with gifts, talents, and resources to use for His Kingdom purposes. When He comes back again (and He is coming), will He find that you’ve been faithful in managing what He has entrusted to us?

This past weekend, I witnessed a graduation ceremony for my future daughter in law in El Paso. She graduated with 2100 other students. Every student marched across the platform with applause from their families across the arena. As the graduates approached the platform, they would hear their name announced, shake hands with the president of the college, have a picture with him, and then shake hands with some other college representatives while exiting the platform. The anticipation of hearing her name announced and seeing her walk across the stage was almost unbearable. We waited and waited, until finally her name was announced, and we released the praise that was trapped inside of us from the last hour and a half.

In the moments following her trek across the stage, I sat contemplating the day that we will hear our name from our heavenly Father. What a day that will be, when my Jesus I will see! As the graduates expected to be handed their diploma, from years of school work, so we too will have an expectation of reward for our labors. Be assured, we don’t enter heaven by our works (it is by grace through faith that we are saved), but we will be rewarded for our works. Will we be found faithful to the Lord’s work? Are we anticipating hearing, “Well done, good and faithful servant?” Let me encourage you today to finish strong in running your race for the King. Allow Christ to use your gifts, talents, and resources to impact others for eternity. The day is coming when we will walk across the stage of heaven (so to speak). What will Jesus say to you?

See you Sunday (as we celebrate graduates and support our youth going to camp),

Pastor Todd

Hello Church family! Thank you for your prayers and encouragement as Nicole and I went to Georgia for my cousin Clint’s celebration of life service. He was just 43 years old. He leaves behind his bride Lauren and 5 children. Please pray for them as they pick up the pieces of this loss. Clint surrendered to preach the gospel when he was 13 years of age. He left behind a legacy of spiritual fishing and farming. Something that I share with him as his older cousin. We had many talks and phone calls over the years about our responsibilities as spiritual fisherman and spiritual farmers. That becomes our legacy to our children, families, friends and churches we serve. I heard some ladies this morning (in a Bible study) talking about “storing up treasures in heaven.” The things we leave behind are important. We often focus on the material things, but these ladies reminded me of the importance of the spiritual legacy we leave to those we love.

Believe it or not, we don’t come out of the womb with a willingness or readiness to fish or farm for Jesus. We are all born “crooked sticks.” We all come into this world sinners and are bent and twisted as natural sinners (Romans 3:23). First, we must come to saving faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. When we are saved from our sins, God does an internal work in our life of straightening us out. Thank you, Jesus for your saving grace! Where would we be without the saving work of Jesus? We would still be naturally crooked and on the broad road of destruction. BUT GOD, scriptures says, being rich in mercy and great with love, even when were dead in our sins, He made us alive in Christ---that is Amazing grace! That grace is made alive through faith, and makes us a new creation in Christ. In other words, God has the power to straighten any crooked stick! But God is just getting started at the conversion stage of salvation. We are “works in progress” (Philippians 1:6), and God’s sanctifying work in our lives is done primarily through the Word of God, and through the Holy Spirit of God, but also through circumstances, and through other people. I’m grateful for these “shapers” in my life that God continues to use to straighten out my crookedness. All of these are precious gifts from God. The more we straighten out, the more focus we become on leaving a legacy of fishing and farming for Jesus. How is God “straightening you out” today? What is God using to remove your spiritually crooked bent? The Holy Spirit and the Word? Circumstances? People speaking spiritual “truth” into your life? My prayer is that we all set aside our stubbornness and pride and allow God’s truth to be planted into our lives, for His Glory! Let’s gather as many crooked sticks together that we can, this coming Sunday, and witness God’s straightening process!

Thanking God for You! Praying for You!

Pastor Todd

Thank you for allowing us to take a few days off. We are grateful for a praying church family. I received many texts and emails that stated how you were praying while we were traveling. Let me share a story of how God answers prayers (yours and ours).

While traveling home in our RV, we had a tire that began to come apart. We were in a slow-moving traffic jam between New Orleans and Baton Rouge. A man in a truck blew his horn and we rolled down a window. He said that one of our tires looked low. I told him thanks and we got off on the following exit. Sure thing, the tire was low and it was coming apart. I immediately gave God praise for rescuing us from something that could have been worse. It was Friday afternoon close to 5 pm and tire shops were about to close. I got ahold of one of the shops and they ordered a tire for us to install the next morning. We prayed over the RV and asked God to get us a few miles to the tire place. He delivered us once again. We stayed the night in our RV, out in their parking lot. The next day was filled with God-sized opportunities. We got to share the gospel with several employees and even some customers. The tire that was “peeling apart” was removed and the tire behind it was in bad shape as well. The manager of the tire shop “accidently” ordered two tires instead of one tire. I don’t believe in accidents, do you? God showed out once again. Memories were made and God was glorified…thank you Lord!

God answers the prayers of His people! Thank you for covering us in prayer. God also answers the prayers of his people for salvation (spiritually speaking). Do you remember the day that you called out to Jesus for His saving power to be unleashed in your life? Do your remember being washed by the blood of Jesus? This Sunday is Palm Sunday and we are going to “fast forward” to the cross of Jesus Christ. We are going to celebrate the Lord’s Supper together. Prepare your hearts as we consider the Cross and the sacrifice of Jesus on our behalf.

See you Sunday (Lord Willing),

Pastor Todd

It’s Not About Me

This past Sunday we finished our “It’s Not About Me,” sermon series. I attempted to give you some points of encouragement for your unfinished task of Evangelism. WE, the church, are called to proclaim the excellencies of HIM who called us out of darkness into His wonderful light (1 Peter 2:9). Will you take this call seriously? Will you walk in obedience to your calling this week? I encouraged you to go up to someone and say, “Has anyone told you today that Jesus loves you?” or “Have you had any good news today?” These are great “ice breaker” statements to open the door in sharing the love of Christ. Think about it, plan for it, and implement it. If you need church cards and tracts to leave with your people, come see us at the church office. We can help you.
I read a story about a European village priest in medieval times that gathered his church for a special service. “Come tonight, for a special service on Jesus.” And they came---they all came. To their surprise no candles were lit in the sanctuary (it was a Roman Catholic church). It was completely dark. They stumbled their way to their seats. The priest was nowhere to be seen. Soon they heard him walking through the church toward the front. When he reached the crucifix that hung on the wall, he lit a candle. Saying nothing, he illuminated the pierced feet of Christ, then his side, then the hand, and then the other. Raising his candle, the priest highlighted the crown of thorns and the blood that mingled down on the face of Christ. With a puff, he blew out the candle and dismissed the church.
What do you think the people remembered that night? Jesus? Nothing but Jesus? Yes, that was the point and the only point. There was nothing more and nothing less---It was all about Jesus. We are in the month of Easter. We will celebrate the cross on Palm Sunday, we will remember his sacrifice through the Lord’s Supper. We will celebrate the empty cross and the empty tomb on Resurrection Sunday! Prepare your hearts, church family. Share Jesus with others and invite them to worship! Remember, you catch ‘em and God will clean ‘em.
Have a Jesus-filled week,

Pastor Todd