Highspire First Church Of God

Advent is the period of preparation for the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ. It is also a reminder that we should be preparing for the second coming of Christ. How are you preparing? Photo credit: Diane Anderson

We are meeting virtually for our service on Sunday. Let us know if you need the Zoom link.

Just a reminder that our Sunday service on November 29th will be virtual. If you need the link, please let us know.

We are worshiping through Zoom today. Please let Pastor Dave know If you did not receive the link so he may add you to his distribution list.

Soup sale/bake sale out side church tomorrow 11/7 from 10am til 1. Please come out and join us

In Highspire, National Night Out traditionally occurs on the first Tuesday in August, which this year fell on August 4, 2020. However, due to health concerns th...e National Night Out organization is strongly recommending that all National Night Out 2020 areas celebrate on October 6th, the first Tuesday in October. It will be held from 6pm-9pm. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there will be some necessary changes to this year’s National Night Out. There will be no block parties or large public gatherings. However, residents can still participate by decorating their front yards, displaying anti-crime signs and posters, having a family-style picnic and turning their porch light on or replacing it with a blue light bulb. This year, officers will be driving through neighborhoods to greet residents as they come out on their front porches and front lawns. They will also be judging a face mask decorating contest. Awards will be given to the most creative designs. Costumed characters McGruff the crime prevention dog and Daren the lion will be out as well making their rounds and greeting residents. There will also be a food drive to support the local food bank, which has faced a spike in requests for assistance since the pandemic began.

Are you feeling worried or anxious? Remember to trust in God’s promises and love. Do you have a prayer request? Comment below or send us a message so we can lift you in prayer.

Good morning. Have a blessed day.

Please share this news. #happyreading #highspirereads #summer2020

Psalm 103:13 - As a father shows compassion to his children, so the LORD shows compassion to those who fear him. This Sunday is Father’s Day, the day we honor and remember our dads. It’s been 37 years since my Dad passed, but I still have those very special memories of him from when I was growing up. And most people do have good memories of their fathers. However, over the years I’ve come to realize that not everyone has an appreciation for Father’s Day because some have had ...a very negative relationship with their dads. There are those whose fathers abused them and others whose dads chose to leave and abandon them. Those pictures of fathers may be quite for foreign to many of us but all too real to others. That’s why it’s often hard for those who have had negative experiences with their own dads to view God as a loving benevolent Heavenly Father. One who is always there for His children and who always has His children’s best interest at heart. Our verse this morning compares the Lord, our Heavenly Father to a compassionate and caring earthly father. Our Lord knows, far more than our earthly dads what each one of us is going through in our lives. Hebrews 4:15, tells us that we have a high priest (Jesus Christ) who has gone through the sufferings and temptations of life but never sinned. He understands what you’re struggling with and what I’m wrestling through, because He’s dealt with similar things. So, because of that our Heavenly Father can show us love and grace - compassion, that earthly dads can’t begin to comprehend. The Psalmist also adds a puzzling statement at the end of vs. 13, where he writes that the Lord has compassion on those who fear Him. What does the Psalmist mean by fear? At first glance that might bring back fearful memories some may have of their own dads. However, fear, in this instance, means a healthy reverence and realization for who God is and what He has done for us. Comparing our Heavenly Fathers to our human dads is so unfair, because our human dads are limited in how much they can care for us compared to our Heavenly Dad. Our Heavenly Father cared so much for you and me that He sent His Son the Lord Jesus to die as our substitute paying the price for our sins. That’s how much compassion He has for us, and why we are to fear Him. Not because we are afraid, but because He loves us beyond a measure we can understand. And the reality is, everyday should be our Heavenly Father’s Day. See more

Matthew 4:17 - From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. At the beginning of His ministry Jesus preaches two things that will become the foundational truth of His ministry. Repentance and the kingdom of heaven (also called the Kingdom of God). Jesus taught that the need for repentance and the Kingdom of God be taught together, because without repentance one will never be part of the God’s Kingdom. Repentance is not something... that is easily taught or easily understood. Repentance is more than apology or saying I’m sorry. When a child is caught doing something wrong and they say, I’m sorry I didn’t mean it. That may or not be an apology, but it isn’t repentance. When a political figure or celebrity has done something wrong and issues a statement saying, I’m truly sorry if my actions may have offended anyone. That again, may or may not be an apology but it isn’t repentance. Yes, repentance is far deeper than giving or issuing a my bad. Repentance involves change a complete lifestyle change. Repentance means to turn, and not just a slight adjustment in how we live, but a complete 180 degree turn from the sinful, self-centered life we are living, to a life centered on Christ and His atoning work on our behalf at the cross. Jesus was adamant at the beginning of His ministry to proclaim that if one wanted to have a part in His Kingdom, then one needed to repent turn from their sin and live for Him. Preaching or teaching repentance in Jesus day, or any day, including our own, is very unpopular. Everyone wants to be part of the kingdom of heaven, but few want to make the necessary changes in their lives to make Jesus first. People’s first and often only inclination is - give me Jesus but don’t make me conform to His teaching or a kingdom of heaven life. The essence of repentance is to believe in Jesus Christ and be convicted to turn from self-focused life - to life willing to allow the Holy Spirit to conform one to be like Jesus. Paul wrote in Romans 8:29, that we are saved to be conformed to the image of His Son. Repentance is the necessary first step in convicting us to be conformed to Christ. One will never enter the kingdom of heaven without it. See more

Matthew 3:1-12 - John the Baptist prepaares the way for the arrival of Jesus by calling Israel and all sinners to repentance.

Colossians 4:5-6 - Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time. Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person. One of the unfortunate results of the emergence of the phenomena known as social media is the unbelievable rudeness and even crudeness some people seem eager to share. People use things like Twitter to tweet out whatever is on there mind, whether it’s true or not. And often th...ese tweets are hurtful and mean-spirited. It is hard to imagine that one would talk to another person in such a way face to face. Twitter and it’s like have become a vehicle for people to share their views and opinions in a very cowardly way. The right to free speech is important but it doesn’t give one the right to lie, slander, or speak of someone in an undignified way. The Apostle Paul, writing under house arrest, to the Colossian Church, reminds us that we should be wise in our speech. When speaking of others, particularly those we don’t really know, our speech should be gracious, and he writes seasoned with salt. Sometimes, coarse crude talk is referred to as salty language. Paul is not referring to salty talk, but speech seasoned with salt. When we add salt to our food, we want to add just enough to enhance the taste and flavor of what we are eating. Adding to much salt or dumping salt on our food would make it at best unsatisfying or at worst inedible. We also know that too much salt is not beneficial to us health wise. But Paul says just to flavor our speech with a little salt seasoning so we can be gracious, kind, and thoughtful to those we meet. We are to be wise and thoughtful when we speak in any and all situations. How we answer someone would say a lot about our witness for Christ. Paul also wrote to the Ephesians 4:29-30, that our talk should never be filthy but be an encouragement, supportive, and meeting the need for the moment. As followers of Christ our goals in our speech and tweets shouldn’t be about our own opinions, but to build up others and bring glory to our Lord. And Jesus gives us this stern and sobering warning in Matthew 12:36, I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak. Ouch! Jesus words should give us pause, to think before we open our mouths, what we will say so as to not condemn ourselves. And Jesus isn’t just referring to our speech but also to our use of tweets and other social media. So, as you go about your day, please let your words be seasoned with salt toward others. See more

Acts 4:18-20: So they called them and charged them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. 19 But Peter and John answered them, Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge, 20 for we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard. Recently there has been protests to the stay at home orders by state governments due to the corona virus situation. And those push backs are understandable, because people want to go bac...Continue reading

"What Are You Doing Here" - God brings Elijah back from the edge and restores His prophet to a new ministry challenge.

Tomorrow we will be back in 1 Kings 19 as God asks Elijah "What Are You Doing Here Elijah?" - And perhaps that's a question God might have for each of us. Will also bring back this oldie but goody that we used to read with our kids.