Fellowship Church

10/30/2026

Praying Honestly

Are you honest with God when you pray?

Lots of people struggle with being completely honest with God. Instead, they pick and choose the things they pray about—the things they bring before Him. They hide certain sins and confess others that aren’t as embarrassing.

But Scripture says that we don’t need to clean up our lives before coming to God. God is the one who created us, and He already knows everything about us. So there is nothing that we can hide from Him. He knows the innermost parts of our thoughts and desires.

The writer of Psalm 139 prays for God to search his heart and mind, and to bring up anything that he might be unaware of that is hiding beneath the surface. This is a prayer that we’re all invited to pray.

We cannot be healed from the things we try to hide. In order to experience the grace and mercy of God, we must bring everything to Him. When He searches us and brings things to mind, He’s inviting us to humbly confess them to Him.

The prayer in Psalm 139 is an open and honest plea for God to continue to purify and sanctify our hearts. God can handle the heaviest parts of us, and He is not surprised by what happens in our thoughts.

Honesty before God is the only way we can grow into the people He wants us to be. We cannot grow in our spiritual lives by hiding secrets or guarding our thoughts from God.

So take a moment today to make Psalm 139 your prayer. Ask God to search your heart and see if there is anything hiding that you’re unaware of. When He brings something up, take it to Him and ask for forgiveness. Ask for the power of His Spirit to lead and guide you through this time.

God is faithful and merciful to continue to love us in spite of our shortcomings. He will continue to walk with you and lead you into eternal life with Him.

10/29/2026

Reminder that there is one service this Sunday at 11am (and no Bible study hour) due to church camp. Also it's time change weekend!

10/29/2026

10/29/2026

Between Two Kingdoms

Since the beginning of time, there's been a war between two kingdoms—the kingdom of darkness and the kingdom of light.

The kingdom of God, or the kingdom of light, is anywhere God has rule and reign over His people. Prior to having a relationship with Jesus, all of us were trapped in darkness, or as Colossians 1:13 says, “the dominion of darkness.” We all were captive to our previous way of life—a life marked by sin, pain, and destruction.

But when Jesus came to earth, He brought with Him a new kingdom, which included a new way of life. This means that rather than being held captive to darkness, we can walk in the light—His Light. We are made new by the power of Jesus. Paul says that this new reality comes through believing in Jesus and the forgiveness of sins.

Through Jesus’ death and resurrection, He has opened up a way for us to have a relationship with Him, and to experience this new life. Having been forgiven, we are now part of the kingdom of God—and this is something Colossians 1:13 confirms. But even though we are part of Jesus’ kingdom, we are still awaiting Jesus’ return when He will make all things new. This means we are living between two kingdoms. We are made new in the kingdom of God, and yet we are still living in an imperfect world.

In the meantime, our job is to expand the kingdom of God by telling others about Jesus. This is the mission that Jesus gave to His disciples in Matthew 28:18-20. As we tell others about the love of Jesus and point others toward a relationship with Him, we bring more people into the kingdom of Jesus and away from the kingdom of this world.

As members of God’s kingdom, we should always be thinking about the ways God wants to work in us and through us. Have you considered your own role within God’s plan to bring the message of hope to those around you? You play an important role in God’s kingdom. Think about how you can be bold in sharing His message with others this week.

10/28/2026

Cultivating Honest Conversations with God

Prayer is one of the most important habits we can develop. Not only does Scripture command us to pray often, but there are tremendous benefits to building a life of prayer.

Prayer connects us relationally to God. We can thank God for who He is and what He has done for us during our prayer time. We can ask Him for things that we need.

Even though we know we should pray, we often do not take the time to do it. Unless we set aside time to talk to God, it doesn’t always find a way into our daily schedules. But Paul, the writer of the letter to the Ephesians, urges Christians to build a life of prayer. He says that every occasion is a chance to talk to God.

All of our requests and needs should be given to God. However, our time praying should not only be asking God for things. We should also spend part of our time in worship—thanking God for who He is and all He has done.

Paul also encourages us to pray for other people. In fact, part of our responsibility towards others is to advocate for them through prayer. We typically remember to pray for others when something negative is happening to them. But God’s Word says we should always be praying for the people in our life.

As we pray, we should not be discouraged when we don’t see immediate change. God is always working in our lives, even if it doesn’t match our desired timeline. We may not receive the answers we want, but we can rest assured that God is always listening and working on our behalf.

Take some time today to pray to God. Thank Him for all He has done for you. Tell Him your needs. Think of a few people in your life that you can pray for. Throughout your week, use every opportunity to pray to God.

10/27/2026

Walking Through Trials

Let's start by debunking a myth: Nowhere in Scripture does God promise us a perfect life, free from troubles. In fact, many times in the Bible, Christ-followers find themselves persecuted, under attack, or facing trouble of all kinds.

In a letter from James to first-century believers, James informs them about the various trials that they will experience in life:

"Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him."
James 1:12 NIV

When we see trials as a means of becoming more like Jesus, we can be blessed by them.

Think back to a difficult season of life. Looking back, you might be able to see how God used that trial to refine you, or teach you something. God is often at work behind the scenes—deepening our character and enlarging our capacity, even when we don't see it.

Maybe you're going through one of those difficult seasons right now. Take this passage to heart! You can persevere knowing there is a promised reward for us in heaven. While rewards on this side of heaven are not promised, looking towards our final destination with Jesus gives us hope to endure the trials in the present.

If you’re walking through a difficult season of life, spend some time meditating on the promises of God. He promises to never abandon you or leave you, but to walk alongside you through trials. And at the end of the trial, you’ll be more like Christ.

Take a moment to thank God for His faithfulness in your life.

10/26/2026

God Is With You

Have you ever asked God, “Where are you?”

Some days it can feel like you’re walking alone through life. It can seem like God is not present or with you. Or maybe it feels like He has deserted you in a difficult time.

The nation of Israel experienced many moments like this. They cried out to God in the midst of pain and exile. They were honest in their prayers to God—they told Him exactly how they felt in the midst of hardship.

In turn, God spoke to them through the prophets. He spoke words of comfort and hope. He reminded them of His promises, and that His character never changes.

While it can sometimes seem like God deserts us, we know from His promises that He is always with us. Through life’s loneliest times or most difficult seasons, God is right next to us. He walks through every season of life by our side.

Not only is He with us, but He also promises to strengthen us and help us in times of difficulty. When we feel like we’ve run out of strength to continue, God will provide His strength for us.

God will provide the help we need to keep living in His will. He doesn’t promise to give us strength to do whatever we want, but rather—He gives us courage and empowerment to continue walking according to His plans for our life.

So, in seasons of hardship when we feel like we’ve run empty, we should lean into God’s promises and trust Him. We should trust that He will empower us and strengthen us for whatever we’re facing.

Take some time today to pray to God. If He feels distant, ask Him to be close to you. If you feel weak, ask Him to strengthen you. He promises to uphold you, so trust in His promises. Continue to build a relationship with God and seek His presence. As you do, you’ll find a renewed strength as you walk through life with Him.