I Resolve...

2013 will soon be of the past and 2014 will be upon us. This new-year let’s not heap on ourselves more then we can carry. Maybe instead of making a long lists of things for us to DO, we should trust even more in what has been DONE. After all, the hard work of the Christian faith is not behaving but rather believing. Believing that everything that needs to be done for salvation has been done on the cross of Christ. Let’s resolve to stop trying so hard to BE better, and try harder to BELIEVE better. 

Believe the promises of God which are a “yes” only in Christ. 

Believe that Gods love for us is not determined by our performance to him, but by Christ's performance on our behalf.

Believe that Christ's work not only saves us, but it trains us, and will one day get us to the end!

Believe that while we were at our very worst, God gave us his very best.

Believe that God's love for us is not determined by our past, present or future because God loved us before we had one.

Believe that when Jesus declared, "it is finished", it actually is finished. 

Believe that Christ will bring to completion what he began.

Believe that Christ is all powerful, Christ is all glorious, Christ is all delightful and Christ is all sufficient. 

As we soak and meditate upon this love, let it motivate us to be ferocious in our discipline and holiness, let it fuel us to be passionate in our worship, and let it to transform us to be gracious in all that we do.

“I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.” Ephesians 3.18-21 

For the fame of Christ’s name,

Chance Faulkner

The True Gift Of Christmas

It is the day before Christmas and I am sitting in the living room of my wife’s grandmother’s home enjoying a fresh cup of coffee and listening to Christmas music come forth from the piano. I love Christmas. I love getting together with the people that I love and enjoy the most and sharing a meal with them and giving them gifts that they enjoy. Beside me is a huge tree, decorated most beautifully; under the tree is full of gifts wrapped up nicely. I love Christmas.

As we open the many gifts, enjoy the beautiful decorations, eat to our heart’s content and spend time with those we love, let’s remember the true gift of Christmas:

Who is not found under the tree but nailed to it.

Who is not found wrapped up in pretty packaging but rather stripped naked and crucified.

Who is not opened up on Christmas day but rather on Easter morning.

Beloved, let our hearts be content and filled with joy and thanksgiving. For Jesus Christ, the King of Kings, the Lord of Lords, the Savior of the World, has lived, died and risen so that hopeless sinners could find hopeful rest, everlasting refuge and deep intimacy with the Triune God. Let us ponder and remember the deep riches of grace that are found in Christ this Christmas.

Merry Christmas,

With much love from the South and for the fame of Christ’s name,

Chance Faulkner