First Congregational Church of Riga

05/14/2023

Thank you to everyone that supported our turkey dinner. See you in September .

05/10/2023

TURKEY DINNER...Saturday May 13
7057 Chili Ruga Center Road

Serving starts at 3 PM to 5pm or sold out

Price is $15.00

Meal includes: Real Turkey, hand mashed potatoes, homemade dressings, vegetable and mostly home made pies

thank you for your support.

03/23/2023

02/01/2023

DOING NOTHING

Make a commitment to be under-committed. (If you don’t hear anything else this morning, hear this... Make a commitment to be under-committed.) Look at your calendar and make sure there are lots of blank spaces. Stop saying "It will slow down when..." Because it won’t. "Downtime is where we become ourselves, looking into the middle distance, lying on the grass or sitting on the stoop and staring into the tedious blue of a summer sky. Doing Nothing is Something!"

SOURCE: Phil Hohulin. Citation: Newsweek May 13, 2002 p. 76.

01/23/2023

FAITH ISN’T NATURAL FOR US

Faith isn’t natural for us. Doubt is, fear is, and pride is, but faith in the words and the works of another isn’t, and for that there’s grace.

God hasn’t just forgiven -you praise him that he has-but he has also called you to a brand new way of living. He has called you to live by faith. Now, here’s the rub. Faith is not normal for us. Faith is frankly a counterintuitive way for us to live. Doubt is quite natural for us. Wondering what God is doing is natural. It’s normal to think your life is harder than that of others. And envying the life of someone else is natural. Wishing life was easier and that you had more control is natural. It’s typical for you and me to try to figure out the future. Worry is natural. Fear is natural. Wishing life were easier and you had more control is natural. It’s natural to wonder if all of your good habits make a difference in the end. It’s normal to be occasionally haunted by the question of whether what you have staked your life on is really true. But faith isn’t natural.

This means that faith isn’t something you can work up inside yourself. Faith comes to you as God’s gift of grace: “for by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God. “ Eph.2:8 Not only is your salvation a gift of God, but the faith to embrace it is his gift as well. But here is what you need to understand: God not only gives you the grace to believe for your salvation, but he also works to enable you to live by faith. If you are living by faith, you know that you have been visited by powerful transforming Grace, because that way of living just isn’t normal for you and me. If your way of living is no longer based on what your eyes can see and your mind can understand, but on God‘s presence, promises, principles, and provision, it is because God has crafted faith in you.

Could it be that all of those things that come your way and they confuse you and that you never would’ve chosen for yourself are God’s tools to build your faith? By progressively transforming Grace, he is enabling you to live a brand-new life He calls all of his children to live - a Godward life for which you were created. You don’t have to hide in guilt when weak faith gets you off the path, because your hope in life isn’t your faithfulness, but his. You can run in weakness and once again seek his strength. And you can know that in zealous grace he will not leave his craftwork until faith fully rules your heart and unchallenged. He always gives freely what we need in order to do what he has called us to do.

01/20/2023

EXPECTATIONS
Part 3

In the United States right now, the average life expectancy is 76 years old. So write down 76, and subtract your age. How many years do you have left?

Oh, Oh! I’m year beyond my expected years to live! I’m on borrowed time! Truth of the matter is; we all are on borrowed time!

Now, here's the question: what are your expectations for your remaining years?

Why is that important?

You reap your expectations. (Think about that!) “As a man thinks in his heart, so is he!”

So in your remaining years, are you going to claim the purpose and life God created you for?”

People with a great life purpose reach forward with great expectations. Here’s the good news:

God is able to abundantly exceed all that we ask or think. Said another way: your expectations will never be so great that God is not able to more than meet them.”

I dreamed death came the other night and heaven’s gate swung wide.

With kindly grace an angel fair ushered me inside.

And there, to my astonishment stood folks I’d known on earth.

Some I’d judged and labeled as “Unfit”, “Of little worth”.

Indignant words rose to my lips, but never were set free

For every face showed stunned surprise

No one expected me!

01/19/2023

EXPECTATIONS
Part 2

I wonder how many believers understand the authority they have from the Lord?

John 14:12 - “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father.

Our problem is, we really don’t believe we have that authority!
Whatever happened to “I can do all things through Christ”? Philippians 4:13

Anytime you declare “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” the devil says, “No, you can’t!”

Lines from a song from the 50’s: “Anything You Can Do”

[You to the devil:] Anything you can do I can do better, I can do anything better than you
[Devil:] No, you can't
[You:] Yes, I can
[Devil:] No, you can't
[You:] Yes, I can
[Devil:] No, you can't
[You:] Yes, I can! Yes, I can!

That’s to be our response to the devil whispering in your ear, and to your own negativity as to your expectations!

Michael Jordan said, “You have to expect things of yourselves before you can do them.”

“As a man thinks in his heart, so is he!” Proverbs 23:7

God is able to abundantly exceed all that we ask or think. Said another way: your expectations will never be so great that God is not able to more than meet them.”

Not only do we not acknowledge the authority that we have in Christ, but we also lack the confidence that we have a settled, right standing with God.

You need to have the greatest of all expectations, which is knowing that your standing with God, as a true believer is a settled issue!
He sacrificed Himself for us, EXPECTING of us certain things: Obedience, Faith, Trust

1st Peter 1:3-5 3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, 5 who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

Now when you pray, pray with great expectation, and settled knowledge that you are a son or daughter of God, that you have the authority to not only pray, but expect God will answer your prayers!

What are your expectations for your church?

And what about your personal expectations?
1. You will see many new people who are hungry for God!
2. You will experience a refreshing among your own people at your church.
3. God will raise up people in your church to be leaders in many different areas.

It’s all about: Expectations, Anticipation, Obedience. Faith and Trust!

01/18/2023

EXPECTATION

Definition of “Expectation”: “The act or state of expecting; anticipation; in expectation of what would, can, or will happen!”

You will receive in exact proportion to what your expectations are!

Acts 3:1-8
One day Peter and John were going up to the temple at the time of prayer—at three in the afternoon. 2 Now a man who was lame from birth was being carried to the temple gate called Beautiful, where he was put every day to beg from those going into the temple courts. 3 When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for money. 4 Peter looked straight at him, as did John. Then Peter said, “Look at us!” 5 So the man gave them his attention, expecting to get something from them.
6 Then Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.” 7 Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man’s feet and ankles became strong. 8 He jumped to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping, and praising God.

He expected one thing, and received something else!

Sometimes I’ve found that people do have expectations, but they are low, or negative, expectations!

My life is a series of unexpecteds! What about yours?

The congregation of a church expects their pastor to act a certain way, as does the pastor the congregation!
(more tomorrow)

01/17/2023

“ Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside in a cloud of smoke, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming WOW! What A RIDE!! ” Dr. Hunter S. Thompson

01/16/2023

If I were the Devil

From ABC Radio commentator Paul Harvey on April 3, 1965

If I were the Devil . . . I mean, if I were the Prince of Darkness, I would, of course, want to engulf the whole earth in darkness.

-I would have a third of its real estate and four-fifths of its population, but I would not be happy until I had seized the ripest apple on the tree, so I should set about however necessary to take over the United States.

-I would begin with a campaign of whispers. With the wisdom of a serpent, I would whisper to you as I whispered to Eve: “Do as you please.” “Do as you please.”

- To the young, I would whisper, “The Bible is a myth.” I would convince them that man created God instead of the other way around. I would confide that what is bad is good, and what is good is “square”.

- In the ears of the young marrieds, I would whisper that work is debasing, that cocktail parties are good for you. I would caution them not to be extreme in religion, in patriotism, in moral conduct.

- And the old, I would teach to pray. I would teach them to say after me: “Our Father, which art in Washington” . . .

- If I were the devil, I’d educate authors in how to make lurid literature exciting so that anything else would appear dull and uninteresting.

- I’d threaten T.V. with dirtier movies and vice versa.

- And then, if I were the devil, I’d get organized. I’d infiltrate unions and urge more loafing and less work, because idle hands usually work for me.

- I’d peddle narcotics to whom I could.

- I’d sell alcohol to ladies and gentlemen of distinction.

- And I’d tranquilize the rest with pills.

- If I were the devil, I would encourage schools to refine young intellects but neglect to discipline emotions . . . let those run wild.

- I would designate an atheist to front for me before the highest courts in the land and I would get preachers to say “she’s right.”

- With flattery and promises of power, I could get the courts to rule what I construe as against God and in favor of po*******hy, and thus, I would evict God from the courthouse, and then from the school house, and then from the houses of Congress and then, in His own churches I would substitute psychology for religion, and I would deify science because that way men would become smart enough to create super weapons but not wise enough to control them.

- If I were Satan, I’d make the symbol of Easter an egg, and the symbol of Christmas, a bottle.

- If I were the devil, I would take from those who have and I would give to those who wanted, until I had killed the incentive of the ambitious.

- And then, my police state would force everybody back to work. Then, I could separate families, putting children in uniform, women in coal mines, and objectors in slave camps.

- In other words, if I were Satan, I’d just keep on doing what he’s doing.

01/13/2023

USING YOUR KEY
Conclusion

Levels of Keys:
Still our goal should be to become a Master Key for where we fit
Mark 16:15-18(NIV) He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well.”

Keys in the Pocket (unlock Nothing)
However the worst kind of key is one that never gets taken out of the pocket and put in a lock to see what it will unlock

I’m afraid we may be saddened on that day to see what we could have unlocked and let loose here on Earth if we had only used our key!

What will your key unlock? What authority have you been given?
“I don’t have anything to bring to the table”

Matthew 25:14-15(NIV)
14“Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his property to them. 15To one he gave five talents of money, to another two talents, and to another one talent, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey.

Each according to their ability…
• We have been entrusted with the greatest property of all time (Salvation and the Kingdom)
• Bought at the highest price ever paid
• To be used to carry on the Master’s business until He returns
• Make no mistake, one day you will be asked what you did with your key!

What will your response be?
With Joy, God look what I was able to do even though I thought it wasn’t even possible!

Oh, that old thing? Where did I put it? Just a second, it was here somewhere!

I’m sorry, you see all my time was taken up with “my” hobbies, “my” this and “my” that…

Matthew 25:25-26(NIV)
25So I was afraid and went out and hid your talent in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.’ 26“His master replied, ‘You wicked, lazy servant!
Matthew 25:30(NIV)
30And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

Remember Jesus himself told this parable.

What are you doing with your key? What could it unlock?
Will you hear “Well done” or “You wicked lazy servant”?

01/12/2023

USING YOUR KEY
Part 4

• Some keys make us great Street Witnesses and get great results with a direct approach
• Others excel at compassion ministry and have a knack for loving the unlovable
• Still others enjoy building projects that require hard work and sweating
• Or a room full of kids
• Changing diapers all day with a smile on their face
• Attention to details/Super friendly

It takes us all to fulfill our mission so why is it we get caught up in judging other people’s keys?

Back to the blanks and your key…
The grinding wheel (opens more doors)
Now this doesn’t mean we don’t work on our weak areas
• If you want that blank to open more doors you have to put it on the grinding wheel
Without grinding it just looks like a key
And we wonder why we are powerless
• The more it’s ground properly the more it will unlock
Grinding can be unpleasant
We have to let him grind in that touchy area of our lives
• However there are some keys that no matter how much grinding we will never fit because we were simply not made for that lock
o Some people recognize it

Ephesians 4:11-13(NIV)
It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.
(more tomorrow)