October 23, 2026, 12:00 PM
Greetings again, and I hope and pray you're enjoying a good week so far.
I also hope and pray you will have a fantastic Fall Friday and a wonderful weekend!
Allow me to ask a couple of questions:
First one: Do you ever suffer from too much WORRY?
Second: Where do you go, or who do you turn to in difficult times?
These two questions are connected, but let's look at the first one about "WORRY" first.
BTW: Have you ever noticed that we often worry about things that NEVER happen? Let's remember that some worries are real, but most are just an illusion!
Excessive worry will bring on ANXIETY. This is not good for our minds, bodies, and overall health.
There's GOOD NEWS in the Gospel: God's word gives a CURE and a way to win over worry.
Here's where we delve into question number two: Where do you go or who do you turn to in difficult times?
The Apostle Paul speaks of it in his letter to his friends in Philippi.
And Paul had plenty of things he could be anxious about: he was often in jail, on the move, in great danger, etc.
Yet, through it all, Paul found PEACE through staying in close contact with God.
Listen to Philippians 4:6-7: "Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."
Growing up, my mother was normally the one I would "run to" in times of trouble.
In the middle of the night, however, the roles were reversed with my mom and dad. Let me explain:
Mom was a very DEEP SLEEPER and almost always woke up grumpy. On the other hand, Dad was a lot easier to wake up and was generally in a pretty good mood when awakened in the middle of the night. Therefore, when I saw those nocturnal "monsters," Dad was my "go-to" guy.
And I felt safe with him. I had seen him lose his temper on a few occasions, so I deduced that he could "fight pretty well."
We may not see "monsters" in the night like when we were young children, but there is a very REAL enemy out there in the world. His name is Satan (or Lucifer).
But praise God, we have a Heavenly Father who is AVAILABLE and who can "fight pretty well." And He will FIGHT for us!
Listen to Zephaniah 3:17: "Don’t be afraid. Don’t despair. The Lord your God is in your midst, A victorious warrior. He’ll calm you with his love and delight you with his songs."
Looking for more peace and less worry? Stay close to God, walk with Jesus daily, and keep in step through the Holy Spirit!
This coming Sunday (10.25.26) at FCC, we will continue our sermon series looking at the Apostle Paul's letter to the Colossians.
The message, "Christ is Making Dead Things Come Alive," will come from Colossians 3:1-17. Christ has the power to give life to things that were previously dead. It's called "Regeneration." By the infusion of the Holy Spirit at the time of Baptism, we receive a NEW HEART!
I pray you have a great weekend and that we may see you at FCC this coming Sunday. If not, then, Lord willing, we'll see you again soon. Until then, may God bless!
Your friend,
Greg Herriford
