First Cumberland Presbyterian of Oak Ridge, 127 Lafayette Drive, Oak Ridge, TN (2026)

09/06/2026

𝗕𝗶𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗩𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗦𝗲𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟲, 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲
𝐸𝑎𝑐ℎ 𝑜𝑓 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑠ℎ𝑜𝑢𝑙𝑑 𝑢𝑠𝑒 𝑤ℎ𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑟 𝑔𝑖𝑓𝑡 𝑦𝑜𝑢 ℎ𝑎𝑣𝑒 𝑟𝑒𝑐𝑒𝑖𝑣𝑒𝑑 𝑡𝑜 𝑠𝑒𝑟𝑣𝑒 𝑜𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑠, 𝑎𝑠 𝑓𝑎𝑖𝑡ℎ𝑓𝑢𝑙 𝑠𝑡𝑒𝑤𝑎𝑟𝑑𝑠 𝑜𝑓 𝐺𝑜𝑑’𝑠 𝑔𝑟𝑎𝑐𝑒 𝑖𝑛 𝑖𝑡𝑠 𝑣𝑎𝑟𝑖𝑜𝑢𝑠 𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑚𝑠.
1 Peter 4:10

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗪𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗠𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗧𝗮𝗹𝗲𝗻𝘁? (by Joe Pettrgrew)

We often think of talents in terms of public performance or professional skill. When asked about our most prominent talent, our minds might jump to things like singing, public speaking, athletic ability, or business acumen. If we don’t possess these obvious, high-visibility gifts, it is easy to feel like we have little to offer. We might look at the people on stage or in leadership and think, "I wish I had a talent like that." However, God’s definition of talent is far broader and more beautiful than the world’s limited view.

Your most prominent talent might be the gift of hospitality, making strangers feel like family the moment they walk through your door. It could be the gift of encouragement, knowing exactly what to say to lift a heavy heart. Perhaps you have a talent for administration, creating order out of chaos, or a gift for listening that allows others to feel truly heard and understood. These are not just personality traits; they are divine deposits placed within you by the Creator to reflect His grace to the world. Every believer has been given a unique measure of gifts, not for their own glory, but to serve the body of Christ.

God did not make a mistake when He created you. He designed you on purpose, with a purpose. When we compare our talents to others, we devalue the specific workmanship of God in our own lives. Instead of wishing for someone else’s gift, ask God to reveal the beauty and power of the one you already have. Embrace your unique role in His kingdom. Whether your talent is seen by thousands or known only to a few, it is significant.

𝗣𝗿𝗮𝘆𝗲𝗿: Gracious God, may I use my talent generously and joyfully today, knowing that when I do, I am being a faithful steward of your amazing grace. In Jesus’ name, amen.

09/05/2026

𝗕𝗶𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗩𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗦𝗲𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟱, 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲
But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.
Isaiah 40:31

𝗪𝗮𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗡𝗲𝘅𝘁 𝗠𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝗧𝗼𝗽 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 (Joe Pettigrew)

We all love the mountaintop experiences of faith—those moments when God feels undeniably close, prayers are answered instantly, and our path seems crystal clear. These spiritual highs are invigorating; they provide us with a panoramic view of God's goodness and fill our lungs with the fresh air of hope. Naturally, we want to stay there. We want to set up camp and live in that state of elevation forever. However, the reality of our spiritual journey is that we cannot always live on the peak. Between every mountain range lies a valley, and often, that is where we find ourselves waiting.

It is easy to become discouraged when the excitement fades and the routine of daily life sets in. We might feel like we are just biding our time, anxiously scanning the horizon for the next big spiritual breakthrough. But God does not intend for the time between mountains to be wasted time. The valley is not just a path to get through; it is fertile ground for growth. In the quiet lulls, when the adrenaline of the mountaintop has worn off, our roots are forced to go deeper. We learn to trust God not because of what we feel, but because of who He is.

Waiting is an active stance of the heart, not a passive idling of the soul. As Isaiah reminds us, those who wait upon the Lord are actually renewing their strength. It is in day-to-day faithfulness—the reading of the Word when we don't feel like it, the prayers whispered in the mundane moments—that spiritual muscle is built. God is just as present in the lowlands as He is on the summits. If you are currently in a season of waiting, do not despise it. Embrace the quiet work God is doing in your character.

𝗣𝗿𝗮𝘆𝗲𝗿: Almighty God, remind me in my times of waiting that you are preparing me, strengthening my wings, so that when the time comes to soar again, I will be ready for the heights you have in store for me. In Jesus’ name, amen.

09/04/2026

𝗕𝗶𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗩𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗦𝗲𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟰, 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲𝗕𝗶𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗩𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗦𝗲𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟰, 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲
“𝐼𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑏𝑒𝑔𝑖𝑛𝑛𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝐺𝑜𝑑 𝑐𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑑 𝑡ℎ𝑒 ℎ𝑒𝑎𝑣𝑒𝑛𝑠 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑒𝑎𝑟𝑡ℎ… 𝐺𝑜𝑑 𝑠𝑎𝑤 𝑎𝑙𝑙 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑡 ℎ𝑒 ℎ𝑎𝑑 𝑚𝑎𝑑𝑒, 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑖𝑡 𝑤𝑎𝑠 𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑦 𝑔𝑜𝑜𝑑.”
(Genesis 1:1 & 31, NIV)

𝗔𝗻 𝗘𝘅𝗲𝗿𝗰𝗶𝘀𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘀𝘁 (by John Ortberg).

I want you to imagine for a few moments what the opening sentences of the Bible might have been like if God were not a supremely joyful Being. What might Genesis look like if God approached His work the way that we human beings often approach ours? This is an exercise in contrast:

In the beginning, it was nine o’clock, so God had to go to work. He filled out a requisition to separate light from darkness. He considered making stars to beautify the night and planets to fill the skies, but thought it sounded like too much work, and “Besides,” thought God, “That’s not my job.” So He decided to knock off early and call it a day. And He looked at all He had done and said:

𝑰𝒕’𝒍𝒍 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒅𝒐.

On the second day, God separated the waters from the dry land, and He made all the dry land flat, plain and functional so that behold the whole earth looked like Chicago. He thought about making mountains and valleys and glaciers and jungles and forests, but decided it wouldn’t be worth the effort. And God looked at what he had done that day and God said:

𝑰𝒕’𝒍𝒍 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒅𝒐.

And God made a pigeon to fly in the air and a carp to swim in the waters, and a cat to creep upon the dry ground. And God thought about making millions of other species of all sizes and shapes and colors, but he couldn’t drum up enough enthusiasm for any other animals. In fact, He wasn’t too crazy about the cat! So, God looked at all that he had done, and God said:

𝑰𝒕’𝒍𝒍 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒅𝒐.

And at the end of the week, God was seriously burnt out, so He breathed a sigh of relief and said:

𝑻𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒌 𝒎𝒆, 𝒊𝒕’𝒔 𝑭𝒓𝒊𝒅𝒂𝒚.

09/03/2026

𝗕𝗶𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗩𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗦𝗲𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟯, 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲
“𝑆𝑡𝑒𝑝 𝑜𝑢𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑓𝑓𝑖𝑐! 𝑇𝑎𝑘𝑒 𝑎 𝑙𝑜𝑛𝑔, 𝑙𝑜𝑣𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑙𝑜𝑜𝑘 𝑎𝑡 𝑚𝑒, 𝑦𝑜𝑢𝑟 𝐻𝑖𝑔ℎ 𝐺𝑜𝑑, 𝑎𝑏𝑜𝑣𝑒 𝑝𝑜𝑙𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑐𝑠, 𝑎𝑏𝑜𝑣𝑒 𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑦𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑔.” (Psalm 46:10, MSG)

𝗪𝗲 𝗡𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝗠𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗦𝗮𝗯𝗯𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹𝘀. Time is life’s fundamental necessity but has become the ultimate luxury – the most expensive and extravagant thing we have. We’re in a time famine; we don’t need more free time as much as we need more time that is free from desires and demands. No matter what we may think, technology doesn’t so much give us more time as enable us to do many more things in the time that we have. In addition, technology makes us more enslaved to work, not less.

What we need is more sabbaticals – time to learn, and explore the secrets of the soul. I am not talking about the “year-off-for-research-and-study” type of sabbatical. I am talking about mini-sabbaticals. Time for stillness, silence, and saying no. We need lots of time with nothing to do. Souls are drawn to stillness the way objects are drawn to the ground, the way sounds are drawn to silence. The faster life goes, the slower you need to get. We need time to download, boot, and reboot. (from 𝑆𝑢𝑚𝑚𝑜𝑛𝑒𝑑 𝑡𝑜 𝐿𝑒𝑎𝑑 by Leonard Sweet, page 150)

09/02/2026

𝗕𝗶𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗩𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗦𝗲𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟮, 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲
𝐶𝑜𝑚𝑒 𝑡𝑜 𝑚𝑒, 𝑎𝑙𝑙 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑤ℎ𝑜 𝑎𝑟𝑒 𝑤𝑒𝑎𝑟𝑦 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑏𝑢𝑟𝑑𝑒𝑛𝑒𝑑, 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝐼 𝑤𝑖𝑙𝑙 𝑔𝑖𝑣𝑒 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑡.
Matthew 11:28

𝗦𝗢 𝗠𝗨𝗖𝗛 𝗧𝗢 𝗗𝗢 𝗔𝗡𝗗 𝗦𝗢 𝗟𝗜𝗧𝗧𝗟𝗘 𝗧𝗜𝗠𝗘 𝗧𝗢 𝗗𝗢 𝗜𝗧 (Joe Pettigrew)

We stare at our daily schedules and feel a heavy weight pressing down on our shoulders. The list of tasks seems endless, while the hours in the day slip away far too quickly. We rush from one obligation to the next, trying to meet everyone's expectations and keep every plate spinning. This constant sprint leaves our bodies exhausted and our spirits completely depleted. When the urgent demands of life loudly compete for our attention, it feels impossible to simply catch our breath.

Jesus intimately understands the intense pressure you feel. He invites us to step away from the frantic pace of the world and find true rest in His presence. When we feel stretched too thin, our natural instinct is to work harder and skip our quiet moments of prayer. Yet, prioritizing time with God is the exact antidote to our overwhelmed hearts. Sitting quietly with our Creator provides the clarity we desperately need. As we bring our chaotic schedules to Him, the Holy Spirit gently helps us sort the truly important tasks from the temporary distractions. We quickly discover that God never asks us to carry more than He equips us to handle.

Take a deep breath and hand your heavy to-do list over to the Lord today. As we walk this beautiful journey of faith together, let us remember that our worth is not measured by our daily productivity. You can fully trust God to guide your steps and provide exactly enough energy for the work He has actually assigned to you. Choose to pause, seek His presence, and soak in His sustaining grace. When we anchor our rushed days in His perfect peace, we find the steady strength to navigate our responsibilities with a calm and joyful heart.

09/01/2026

𝗕𝗶𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗩𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗦𝗲𝗽𝘁. 𝟭, 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲
“𝐵𝑒 𝑠𝑡𝑖𝑙𝑙 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑘𝑛𝑜𝑤 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝐼 𝑎𝑚 𝐺𝑜𝑑…”
(Psalm 46:10, NIV)

𝗚𝗼 𝗦𝗹𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿 (by Jim Anderson)

We are hooked on speed. We want fast cars and double-quick technological devices. We expect instant responses to our texts, phone messages, and emails. We become irritated when circumstances require us to wait. So, we push ourselves and others to go faster and faster.

Yet in moments of truth we realize that we can’t hold the pace. We wonder, “How can I slow down? My ‘to do’ list gets longer every day. It is less and less possible to get everything done. Yet I can’t shirk my responsibilities.”

Most of us need to find a way to do these things:
* notice what is going on in the people and things around us;
* develop realistic expectations of ourselves and others;
* evaluate what’s working, not working, and why;
* dream about future possibilities;
* reflect on the next right thing to do;
* make more wise and thoughtful decisions.

What could you remove from your schedule which would give you sufficient time and space to do these things?

08/31/2026

𝗕𝗶𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗩𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗔𝘂𝗴𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝟯𝟭, 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲
“𝐼 𝑤𝑖𝑙𝑙 𝑟𝑒𝑓𝑟𝑒𝑠ℎ 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑤𝑒𝑎𝑟𝑦 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑠𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑠𝑓𝑦 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑓𝑎𝑖𝑛𝑡.”
(Jeremiah 31:25, NIV)

𝗥𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘄𝗮𝗹 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 are not luxuries; they are essentials. Resting is not carnal; it’s Christlike. Taking a day off is not selfish; it’s spiritual. I am reminded of the ancient Greek motto, “You will break the bow if you keep it always bent.” Well, how’s it going in your life? Let’s take a brief appraisal:

· Am I enjoying most of my activities or just enduring them?
· Are my meals choked down or do I take time to taste and enjoy my food?
· Do I give myself permission to relax, to have leisure, to be quiet?
· Am I preoccupied most of the time?
· Am I staying physically fit?
· Do I get enough sleep?
· How is my sense of humor?
· Am I getting dangerously close to “burnout”?
· Is God being glorified by my schedule or is God getting the leftovers?

How are you doing? Do you need to restructure your life? We need to remain “in.” In balance. In our right minds. In good health. In the will of God. Are you? (from 𝑇ℎ𝑒 𝑄𝑢𝑒𝑠𝑡 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝐶ℎ𝑎𝑟𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑒𝑟 by Charles R. Swindoll, p. 49-50)

𝗣𝗿𝗮𝘆𝗲𝗿:
Lord Jesus, help us to learn the spiritual art of balance. Help us to balance all our activity with moments of inactivity; to balance all our talking with moments of listening; to balance all our serving with moments of being served; to balance all our moments of loving with moments of being loved. Help us to know when to turn off the cell phone, shut down the computer, forget to wear a watch, and to discover that we are not God. Help us to lie down in green pastures and sit beside still waters so you may restore our souls. Help us to remember that this is a day that you have made and then enable us to rejoice and be glad in it! Amen.

08/30/2026

𝗕𝗶𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗩𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗔𝘂𝗴𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝟯𝟬, 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲
“𝐵𝑦 𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑠 𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑦𝑜𝑛𝑒 𝑤𝑖𝑙𝑙 𝑘𝑛𝑜𝑤 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑎𝑟𝑒 𝑚𝑦 𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑐𝑖𝑝𝑙𝑒𝑠, 𝑖𝑓 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑙𝑜𝑣𝑒 𝑜𝑛𝑒 𝑎𝑛𝑜𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟.” (John 13:35, NIV)

𝗔𝗰𝗰𝗲𝗽𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗮𝗹. I made a comment in a sermon that we welcome everyone into our worship services and our church. We do not exclude anyone. We accept absolutely everybody. Why? Scripture instructs us to do this. Paul writes: “𝐴𝑐𝑐𝑒𝑝𝑡 𝑜𝑛𝑒 𝑎𝑛𝑜𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟, 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑛, 𝑗𝑢𝑠𝑡 𝑎𝑠 𝐶ℎ𝑟𝑖𝑠𝑡 𝑎𝑐𝑐𝑒𝑝𝑡𝑒𝑑 𝑦𝑜𝑢, 𝑖𝑛 𝑜𝑟𝑑𝑒𝑟 𝑡𝑜 𝑏𝑟𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑝𝑟𝑎𝑖𝑠𝑒 𝑡𝑜 𝐺𝑜𝑑” (Romans 15:7). Every time we show love, compassion and acceptance we bring praise to God. It gives glory to God.

Acceptance and approval are two different things. We can accept someone without approving of everything that person does. God loves and accepts us, but that doesn’t mean that God approves of everything we do. “𝑇ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒 𝑖𝑠 𝑛𝑜 𝑑𝑖𝑓𝑓𝑒𝑟𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑒, 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑎𝑙𝑙 ℎ𝑎𝑣𝑒 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝑛𝑒𝑑 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑓𝑎𝑙𝑙 𝑠ℎ𝑜𝑟𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑔𝑙𝑜𝑟𝑦 𝑜𝑓 𝐺𝑜𝑑, 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑎𝑟𝑒 𝑗𝑢𝑠𝑡𝑖𝑓𝑖𝑒𝑑 𝑓𝑟𝑒𝑒𝑙𝑦 𝑏𝑦 ℎ𝑖𝑠 𝑔𝑟𝑎𝑐𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑟𝑜𝑢𝑔ℎ 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑟𝑒𝑑𝑒𝑚𝑝𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑐𝑎𝑚𝑒 𝑏𝑦 𝐶ℎ𝑟𝑖𝑠𝑡 𝐽𝑒𝑠𝑢𝑠” (Romans 3:22-24).

“𝐷𝑜 𝑛𝑜𝑡 𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑘 𝑜𝑓 𝑦𝑜𝑢𝑟𝑠𝑒𝑙𝑓 𝑚𝑜𝑟𝑒 ℎ𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑙𝑦 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑛 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑜𝑢𝑔ℎ𝑡…” (Romans 12:3). Pride is a sin. Humility is a spiritual virtue. “𝐼 𝑡𝑒𝑙𝑙 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑡𝑟𝑢𝑡ℎ, 𝑤ℎ𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑟 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑑𝑖𝑑 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑜𝑛𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑙𝑒𝑎𝑠𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑠𝑒…𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑑𝑖𝑑 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑚𝑒” (Matthew 25:40). Whenever we accept someone, we accept Christ. Whenever we show love and compassion, we are being loving and compassionate to Christ.

Everybody is broken. We have all sinned. There are no exceptions. Someone said, “Everybody is broken, but some are more broken than others.” Those who seem to be “more broken” require extra grace and love. They are usually the lepers Jesus embraces. We are called to be like Jesus.

Jesus said, “𝐴 𝑛𝑒𝑤 𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑚𝑎𝑛𝑑𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝐼 𝑔𝑖𝑣𝑒 𝑦𝑜𝑢: 𝐿𝑜𝑣𝑒 𝑜𝑛𝑒 𝑎𝑛𝑜𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟. 𝐴𝑠 𝐼 ℎ𝑎𝑣𝑒 𝑙𝑜𝑣𝑒𝑑 𝑦𝑜𝑢, 𝑠𝑜 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑚𝑢𝑠𝑡 𝑙𝑜𝑣𝑒 𝑜𝑛𝑒 𝑎𝑛𝑜𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟. 𝐵𝑦 𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑠 𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑦𝑜𝑛𝑒 𝑤𝑖𝑙𝑙 𝑘𝑛𝑜𝑤 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑎𝑟𝑒 𝑚𝑦 𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑐𝑖𝑝𝑙𝑒𝑠, 𝑖𝑓 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑙𝑜𝑣𝑒 𝑜𝑛𝑒 𝑎𝑛𝑜𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟” (John 13:34-35). Love is not saying we approve of everything people do. Love is saying that we accept people who are broken and try to bring peace and healing.

𝗣𝗿𝗮𝘆𝗲𝗿: Almighty God, thank you for loving me just as I am. Help me to love and accept others just as they are. In Jesus’ name, amen.

08/29/2026

The kids had a grand time at the GAME/MOVIE NIGHT on August 22nd.

08/29/2026

𝗕𝗶𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗩𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗔𝘂𝗴𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝟮𝟵, 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲
“𝐹𝑜𝑟 𝑎𝑙𝑙 ℎ𝑎𝑣𝑒 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝑛𝑒𝑑 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑓𝑎𝑙𝑙 𝑠ℎ𝑜𝑟𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑔𝑙𝑜𝑟𝑦 𝑜𝑓 𝐺𝑜𝑑.”
(Romans 3:23, NIV)

𝗗𝗮𝗺𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗱 𝗚𝗼𝗼𝗱𝘀 (by John Ortberg). In certain stores you will find a section of merchandise available at greatly reduced prices. The tip-off is a particular tag you will see on all the items in that area. Each tag carries the same words: 𝑎𝑠 𝑖𝑠.

This is a euphemistic way of saying, “These are damaged goods.” Sometimes they’re called 𝑠𝑙𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡𝑙𝑦 𝑖𝑟𝑟𝑒𝑔𝑢𝑙𝑎𝑟. The store is issuing you fair warning: “This is the department of Something’s-Gone-Wrong. You’re going to find a flaw here: a stain that won’t come out; a zipper that won’t zip; a button that won’t button – there will be a problem. These items are 𝑛𝑜𝑡 𝑛𝑜𝑟𝑚𝑎𝑙. We’re not going to tell you where the flaw is. You’ll have to look for it. But we know it’s there. So when you find it – and you will find it – don’t come whining and sniveling to us. Because there is a fundamental rule when dealing with merchandise in this corner of the store: No returns. No refunds. No exchanges. If you were looking for perfection, you walked down the wrong aisle. You have received fair warning. If you want this item, there is only one way to obtain it. You must take it 𝑎𝑠 𝑖𝑠.”

When you deal with human beings, you have come to the “as is” corner of the universe. Think for a moment about someone in your life. That person is 𝑠𝑙𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡𝑙𝑦 𝑖𝑟𝑟𝑒𝑔𝑢𝑙𝑎𝑟. That person comes with a little tag: “There’s a flaw here. A streak of deception, a cruel tongue, a passive spirit, an out-of-control temper. I’m not going to tell you where it is, but it’s there. So when you find it – and you will find it – don’t be surprised. If you want to enter a relationship with this model, there is only one way. 𝐴𝑠 𝑖𝑠. If you’re looking for perfection, you’ve walked down the wrong aisle.”

We are tempted to live under the illusion that somewhere out there are people who are normal. In the movie 𝐴𝑠 𝐺𝑜𝑜𝑑 𝐴𝑠 𝐼𝑡 𝐺𝑒𝑡𝑠, Helen Hunt is wracked by ambivalence toward Jack Nicholson. He is kind and generous, but he is also obsessive-compulsive, and terminally offensive. In desperation, Helen finally cries to her mother: 𝐼 𝑗𝑢𝑠𝑡 𝑤𝑎𝑛𝑡 𝑎 𝑛𝑜𝑟𝑚𝑎𝑙 𝑏𝑜𝑦𝑓𝑟𝑖𝑒𝑛𝑑. Her mother responds in empathy, 𝑂ℎ, 𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑦𝑏𝑜𝑑𝑦 𝑤𝑎𝑛𝑡𝑠 𝑜𝑛𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑜𝑠𝑒. 𝑇ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒’𝑠 𝑛𝑜 𝑠𝑢𝑐ℎ 𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑔, 𝑑𝑒𝑎𝑟.

Of course, the most painful part of this is realizing that I am in the “as-is” department as well. Throughout history we have resisted owning up to that little tag. We try to separate the world into normal, healthy people (like us) and difficult people… We all want to look normal, to think of ourselves as normal, but writers of Scripture insist that no one is “totally normal.”

“𝑇ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒 𝑖𝑠 𝑛𝑜 𝑑𝑖𝑓𝑓𝑒𝑟𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑒 … 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑎𝑙𝑙 ℎ𝑎𝑣𝑒 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝑛𝑒𝑑 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑓𝑎𝑙𝑙 𝑠ℎ𝑜𝑟𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑔𝑙𝑜𝑟𝑦 𝑜𝑓 𝐺𝑜𝑑” (Romans 3:22-23). That’s why we need a savior.

(John Ortberg in 𝐸𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑦𝑏𝑜𝑑𝑦’𝑠 𝑁𝑜𝑟𝑚𝑎𝑙 𝑇𝑖𝑙𝑙 𝑌𝑜𝑢 𝐺𝑒𝑡 𝑡𝑜 𝐾𝑛𝑜𝑤 𝑇ℎ𝑒𝑚, pages 13-15)

First Cumberland Presbyterian of Oak Ridge

09/06/2026

09/05/2026

09/04/2026

09/03/2026

09/02/2026

09/01/2026

08/31/2026

08/30/2026

08/29/2026

08/29/2026

Address

Telephone

Website

Alerts

Shortcuts

Share

Category

Listing takedown request