Family Life Center Church of God

06/13/2026

Just a reminder ➡️ NO Second Sunday tomorrow night!
Enjoy the beautiful sunshine!

06/12/2026

Join us THIS Sunday at Boynton Park, after the morning service for a fun-filled picnic!!
We’ll be celebrating our Pastors appreciation day 🙌🏻

Bring your lawn chairs & picnic food, and get ready to enjoy the sunshine!

06/08/2026

Keeping a Fresh First Love for God Devotional

Scripture Reading:
“I know all the things you do. I have seen your hard work and your patient endurance. I know you don’t tolerate evil people. You have examined the claims of those who say they are apostles but are not. You have discovered they are liars. You have patiently suffered for me without quitting. But I have this complaint against you. You don’t love me or each other as you did at first! Look how far you have fallen! Turn back to me and do the works you did at first. If you don’t repent, I will come and remove your lampstand from its place among the churches.”
Revelation 2:2-5 NLT

The Danger of Losing Your First Love
It’s easy to start strong in our walk with God. In the beginning, our hearts burn with passion. Prayer feels alive. Worship is joyful. We eagerly share our faith and serve without hesitation. Is this the “honeymoon phase”—the fresh, exhilarating first love for Jesus? Often over time, without intention, zeal can fade. What once flowed from overwhelming gratitude and joy becomes mechanical routine. We call this backsliding—not necessarily gross sin, but a subtle drifting from intimate fellowship with God.
The church in Ephesus knew this danger. They were doctrinally sound, hardworking, and enduring. They hated evil and tested false apostles. Yet Jesus, walking among the lampstands, saw the heart issue: “You don’t love me… as you did at first.” Their outward service continued, but the fire of first love had grown dim.
Jesus’ words are both warning and invitation. He doesn’t discard them—He calls them back.

Jesus’ Practical Remedy:
Remember, Repent, Return

1. Remember
Jesus says, “Look how far you have fallen!” (Revelation 2:5).
Pause and recall the height from which you’ve come. Remember the eagerness of your early days—the way you prayed desperately for His presence, how you ran to Him, how His love consumed you.
Think back to the “devotion of your youth,” as God tenderly reminded Israel:
“I remember how eager you were to please me as a young bride long ago, how you loved me and followed me even through the barren wilderness.”
Jeremiah 2:2 NLT

Where did that love come from? It came from encountering His grace. For the Ephesians, it was marked by the Holy Spirit’s powerful arrival, miracles, and bold proclamation of the gospel (Acts 19). What marked your first love?

2. Repent
Repentance is a change of direction. It means acknowledging the drift and turning fully back to God. It’s not about shame-filled striving but a honest return to the One who first loved us.
“Return, O Israel, to the Lord your God… Bring your confessions, and return to the Lord. Say to him, ‘Forgive all our sins and graciously receive us, so that we may offer you our praises.’”
Hosea 14:1-2 NLT

3. Return to the “First Works”
Jesus doesn’t ask for brand-new religious activities. He calls us back to the same kinds of efforts we did at first—but done from love, not duty. The “first works” are fueled by fresh passion, gratitude, and dependence on the Holy Spirit. They include:
Wholehearted love for God (Deuteronomy 6:4-5)

Prayer, worship, and meditation on His Word

Presenting ourselves daily as living sacrifices (Romans 12:1-2)

Faith expressing itself through love (Galatians 5:6)

Paul modeled this zeal even after years of ministry: “My life is worth nothing to me unless I use it for finishing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus—the work of telling others the Good News about the wonderful grace of God” (Acts 20:24 NLT).

You don’t have to invent something new or “clean up” your life through willpower alone. Simply seek Him again. Let God transform you by renewing your mind (Romans 12:2). Stay free from the slavery of performance and ritual—return to relationship.

Guarding the Flame of First Love
Maintaining a fresh relationship with God is daily, not occasional. Guard your heart. Feed on His Word. Worship. Pray. Stay connected to His people. Like Paul urged the Ephesian elders, guard yourself and God’s flock (Acts 20:28).

The promise for those who overcome is beautiful:
“Anyone with ears to hear must listen to the Spirit and understand what he is saying to the churches. To everyone who is victorious I will give fruit from the tree of life in the paradise of God.”
Revelation 2:7 NLT

Reflection & Application
Remember: Take a few minutes today to journal or pray through your “first love” moments with God. What stirred your heart then?

Repent: Honestly confess any drift, routine, or cooled affection.

Return: Choose one “first work”—perhaps extended worship, fervent prayer, or sharing the gospel—and do it today out of love, not obligation.

The longer we serve Him, the more intentional we must be to keep that first love burning brightly. Jesus is worthy. He is near. He is calling you back into deeper intimacy.

06/07/2026

06/06/2026

Reminder!
☀️ Ladies Brunch is today at 11am!

• potluck style
• Location: FLC, 1067 Newmark St

See you there!

06/01/2026

One-Day Devotional: What Inspires You?

Scripture Reading
Luke 5:1-11 (NLT) – Jesus calls His first disciples
2 Timothy 3:16 (NLT)
“All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right.”

Genesis 2:7 (NLT)
“Then the Lord God formed the man from the dust of the ground. He breathed the breath of life into the man’s nostrils, and the man became a living person.”

Devotional Thought
What inspires you?

Think back to when you were a child. What did you want to be? The dreams were big—there were no limits. Nothing felt too crazy. But somewhere along the way, limits crept in: fear, failure, exhaustion, or the pressure of everyday life.
In Luke 5, Peter was in that place. He had fished all night and caught nothing. He was tired, discouraged, and ready to give up. Yet when Jesus told him to push out into deeper water, Peter obeyed. The result? Nets so full they nearly sank the boats.
Peter’s response wasn’t pride—it was awe. He fell to his knees and said, “Oh, Lord, please leave me—I’m such a sinful man.” Jesus replied, “Don’t be afraid! From now on you’ll be fishing for people!”

This is the power of inspiration—theopneustos—“God-breathed.”

Just as God breathed physical and spiritual life into Adam (Genesis 2:7), and just as Jesus breathed the Holy Spirit onto His fearful disciples (John 20:22), the Holy Spirit still breathes on us today. Scripture itself is God-breathed. It doesn’t ask for your opinion—it speaks truth, corrects, and gives life (Job 33:4; Hebrews 1:1; 2 Samuel 23:2).

The same God who inspired Moses to write down victories as permanent reminders (Exodus 17) wants to inspire you. The same Spirit that turned hiding disciples into bold witnesses on Pentecost (Acts 2) wants to remove the limits from your life.

What catches your attention?
What stirs your heart?
Those things are often where God is calling you to “push out into deeper water.”

Reflection Questions
What did you dream of becoming as a child? What excited you then?

What currently inspires you—positively or negatively? What catches your attention most days?

In what area of your life are you tired like Peter (“We worked all night and caught nothing”)? Where is Jesus inviting you to go deeper?

How does knowing Scripture is “God-breathed” change the way you read it?

Application / Challenge
Today, do one thing that steps beyond your self-imposed limits:
Spend extra time in the Word, asking the Holy Spirit to breathe fresh inspiration into you.

Remember: The same breath that created the universe and raised Jesus from the dead is available to inspire and empower you.
Take this with you today:

“The breath of the Almighty gives me life.” (Job 33:4)

What will inspire you today? Let it be God Himself.

05/29/2026

Men! Join us tomorrow for some good breakfast, fellowship, and a time in the Word!
All ages welcome 🙌🏻

05/25/2026

Y’all-Mind: One Mind in Christ
A Devotional Study on Philippians

Scripture Reading
Philippians 2:1–5 (NLT)
“Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? Any comfort from his love? Any fellowship together in the Spirit? Any affection or sympathy? Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose. Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too. You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.”

Additional Verses
Philippians 1:27: “Stand together with one spirit and one purpose, fighting together for the faith.”

1 Corinthians 3:16 (NLT): “Don’t you realize that all of you together are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God lives in you?”

1 Corinthians 12:13 (NKJV): “For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body… and have all been made to drink into one Spirit.”

2 Corinthians 5:17 (NKJV): “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.”

Devotional Reflection
In the letter to the Philippians, the apostle Paul uses the plural “you” (you, your, ye) more than 50 times. He is almost always addressing the entire church community together. Only once does he shift to a singular “you” (Philippians 4:3), speaking to an individual helper. This pattern is striking.
Paul writes as if he is speaking to a group that functions as one.
This is the heart of the “Y’all-Mind.” Paul calls the believers to be “of one mind,” “like-minded,” and to let “this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 2:2, 5).
The Greek word phroneō (mindset or attitude) appears repeatedly in this short letter, emphasizing humility, unity, and a shared focus on Christ.
This collective mindset is rooted in the Holy Spirit. “By one Spirit we were all baptized into one body” (1 Corinthians 12:13). The same Spirit who raised Christ makes every believer a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17) and unites us into God’s temple—not as isolated individuals, but together: “all of you together are the temple of God” (1 Corinthians 3:16).

This is not a hive-mind mentality. A hive mind erases individuality and forces conformity. Biblical “one mind” is the opposite: it is voluntary, Spirit-led harmony among distinct people. It retains your unique personality, gifts, and conscience (see 1 Corinthians 12). It calls for shared values—humility, love, putting others first, and advancing the gospel—while allowing healthy discussion on non-essential matters.
Think of a sports team or an orchestra. Each player or musician is different, with unique roles and strengths. Yet they move as one when aligned on strategy, values, and goal. Paul wanted the Philippians to “strive together… with one mind” (Philippians 1:27) for the faith—empowered by the Spirit, not controlled like drones.

Your individualism is not taken away; it is redeemed and given deeper identity in Christ. You are no longer defined by your past, your background, or your achievements. In Christ, the old has gone, and the new has come. Together, diverse believers reflect the beauty of one Lord, one faith, one baptism, “one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all” (Ephesians 4:5–6).

Application Questions
Where in my life do I tend to live with an individual-only mindset instead of a “Y’all-Mind”?

What would it look like this week to adopt Christ’s humble mindset toward others in my church, family, or workplace?

How can I celebrate both my unique gifts and my connection to the larger body of Christ?

Is there a past identity or struggle I need to release, trusting that in Christ I am a new creation?

05/23/2026

God loves a cheerful giver! Maybe with a little friendly competition added in too 🤭

Another great fundraising event for this year’s youth camp! 🙌🏻