What makes Jesus smile?

Lent began this week. A 40 day period where we slow down and draw near to the Lord who loves us. We remember why it is Jesus went to the Cross and what it means to follow Him. To ask what is it that would bring a smile to the face of God? 

Micah 6:8 tells us. The Lord says, "He has shown you O man what is good. And what the Lord requires of you.  To Act Justly. To Love Mercy. To Walk in Humility with your God."

This is what makes Jesus smile. 

Act Justly.
Do what is fair and right in your relationships. Refuse gossip. Release grudges. Forgive as you've been forgiven. Give thought to your words with others.  Treat people better than they deserve for they are image-bearers of God. It’s not complicated. But it isn’t easy.

Love Mercy.
The word is hesed — loyal love. Stubborn kindness. Compassion that doesn’t give up. Jesus said Kingdom people are merciful. They look for ways to make peace helping people find peace with God and peace with each other.

Walk Humbly with Your God.
Kingdom people know they need grace. They admit their brokenness and are concerned over the hurts they see around them. They think of others before themselves (Phil. 2:4). Pride has no place here. Humility walks hand-in-hand with God.

Weekly look for ways to serve someone quietly in secret? Live generously. Give as a way of saying thank you. Use your time and your money to help others experience the Grace of God. 

Live for an audience of One! Spend time with Jesus.  Pray. Read Scripture. Remember the God who loves you, walks with you and guides you as you humbly depend on Him.  

I’m praying this Sunday will help reset our hearts and refocus our lives on what matters most. Don’t miss the chance to gather, worship, and hear from the Lord together. He meets His people when they come — and I would truly love for you to be there.

Grace & Peace,
Pastor Mike 

​This Saturday is Valentine’s Day. There will be plenty of chocolate, cards, flowers, and dinners as people celebrate being “in love.” But for others Valentine’s Day brings a time of sadness as people ponder about what was, or what never came to be.

That tension reminds us of something important: love, for all its beauty, is also challenging. We all want it. We need it. We’ll spend time, money, and energy chasing it and sometimes, as the song says, we end up “looking for love in all the wrong places.”

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus spoke directly into this struggle. Love, He said, is meant to be one of the defining marks of Kingdom people.  In Jesus’ day, it was common to love those who loved you back—and to mistreat those who didn’t. Honestly, not much has changed in 2,000 years.

Jesus acknowledged that reality and then raised the bar: “Love your enemies. Do good to those who hate you. Pray for those who mistreat you.”

That kind of love sounds impossible—until we remember who is ultimately in charge.

Bishop Desmond Tutu was once asked how he managed to live out Jesus’ teaching. He replied,
“I hold on, and often only by the skin of my teeth, to believe that God is in charge of His world, in spite of all appearances to the contrary.”

This Sunday, we’ll talk about how you and I can practically live out Jesus’ radical call to love:

• Doing more than expected. Refusing to retaliate in anger. Go the extra mile.
• Speaking words of grace rather than curses. Or gossip. Or stabbing in the back.
• Choosing each day to live large by trusting that God sees, God knows, and God will make things right in His time. 

​
Love is hard.  But hate, bitterness, and revenge are harder. Hate ruins your relationships, damages you emotionally. Leaves you empty spiritually. Hurts you physically.

Jesus knew exactly what He was saying when He taught that His people would be known by their love.

I hope you’ll join us this Sunday as we explore what it means to live, and love, like Kingdom people.

Grace & Peace,
Pastor Mike 

If You Guessed Potato Chips you would be correct!

With the big game just days away, plenty of people are stocking up on snacks, and according to my very unofficial research, the undisputed champion is… potato chips.

Do you have a favorite? Classic Lay’s? Wavy? Barbecue? Sour cream and onion? I learned there are more than 380 varieties of Lay’s. That’s a lot of chips.... and salt.

When Jesus wanted to show us the kind of influence our faith is meant to have in the world, He chose two simple images: salt and light.

Let’s talk about salt. In Matthew 5:13, Jesus doesn’t say you might be salt or you could be salt. He says, “You ARE the salt of the earth.” As followers of Jesus, this is our identity — not a suggestion, but a calling. Our community needs that kind of saltiness right now.

Why salt? Think about what salt does:

1) Salt brings out flavor
Salt makes sweet things sweeter and bland things better. It adds zest.    In the same way, Jesus calls us to bring joy, hope, and encouragement into the places we go. Our words and our faith remind people that God sees them, loves them, and hasn’t lost control of their story.

2) Salt preserves what’s good
In Jesus’ day, salt kept meat from decaying. Without refrigeration, it slowed the rot.  Our influence is meant to do the same — to push back against the moral and spiritual decay around us. Sometimes that looks like speaking life instead of criticism, choosing mercy instead of judgment, or standing for what’s right even when it’s unpopular.

But here’s the key: for salt to work, it has to be different from what it touches.  
That’s why Jesus’ teaching in the Beatitudes matters so much. Christ-followers are marked by humility, mercy, purity, peace, and perseverance. We grieve over brokenness instead of celebrating it. We extend grace because we’ve received grace. We pursue peace in our homes, workplaces, and communities. And yes — sometimes we face push back for doing what’s right.

So here’s the question:  Where is Jesus calling you to be salty this week?  
What conversations need your hope-filled influence?     What situations need your steady, preserving presence?

Jesus said YOU ARE the salt of the earth.   So be like those potato chips — bring flavor, joy, and life everywhere He sends you.

See you Sunday!
Pastor Mike