Honest to God

What Is Obedience?

James 4:17

How many times have you known you should have done something, but didn’t do it? Too many times to count?

Yeah, me too.

According to James, this means we’re sinning every time we do this. Does this have to feel like a crippling reality, or may I attempt to reframe the severity of James’ admonishment?

Before I do so, let me provide some context. I’ve been making my way through Unspoken Sermons by Scottish author George MacDonald, with a friend over coffee for the last few months. MacDonald was a 19th-century author and pastor who heavily inspired the work and theology of C.S. Lewis. We recently read his controversial sermon, “The Truth In Jesus,” and here’s the part in it that completely reframed the way I think about obedience:

“Tell me something you have done, are doing, or are trying to do because he told you. If you do nothing that he says, it is no wonder that you cannot trust him… Obedience is not perfection, but trying… He knows that you can try, and that in your trying and failing he will be able to help you, until at length you shall do the will of God even as he does it himself. He takes the will in the imperfect deed, and makes the deed at last perfect” (MacDonald, Unspoken Sermons, “The Truth In Jesus,” 195).

I love this because he reinforces what I’ve been seeing emphasized more clearly than ever before in God’s word the past year or so: as Christians, our business is in the trying.

God has no grand, elaborate formula or script for the Christian life that you must follow to be His. Obedience is not in the monumental, epic gestures of faith, but in the trying—the doing of the next right thing.

“But if we fail to do that, we sin.” What of it? Aren’t we told, again and again, that there is grace for our sin (past, present, and future)?

James’ words are a reminder, not a death sentence. He’s not asking us to tally up all the times we’ve failed to “do the right thing”; he’s simply reminding us that we’re being held back from the richness of a life found in the trying (and the failing).

There’s no script, friends. Simply do the next right thing, knowing God is with you.

Ashley Carr
Writing Team

by Ashley Carr

Why Not?

by Josh Rose

Doing vs. Hearing

by Greg Mizel

Trust and Obey

Romans 10:11

I grew up singing an old hymn in Sunday school called Trust and Obey. The chorus goes like this:
Trust and obey,
For there’s no other way
To be happy in Jesus,
But to trust and obey.

It’s a comforting song that embodies a life of simple, childlike faith. But how do we know if we have that kind of faith? As an adult with years of life experience, I’m discovering just how crucial it is to trust.

Adults know too much. We’ve studied how things work and gained so much human knowledge that simple, childlike faith can be difficult. In the text, Simon knew how to fish. It was his profession. If he couldn’t catch anything after an entire night of fishing, letting down the nets in the morning would surely be a waste of time. But Jesus told him to do just that, so he did. We know how the story ends. There were so many fish that the boat nearly sank. Simon trusted Jesus. He probably didn’t understand or expect much, but his obedience demonstrated trust.

Obedience requires trust. Sometimes the Lord calls us to do things that seem foolish or counterintuitive. But his understanding is complete, while ours is limited. Our interpretations often contain biases, false notions, and fears. Or, like Simon, we may even be correct in our understanding of how things work. The difference is that God is in charge of the outcome.

“Anyone who trusts in him will never be disgraced” (Romans 10:11).

I love that verse. It assures us that we can trust Him even when we don’t understand. Yet trusting the Lord in some areas can feel like standing at the edge of a cliff and jumping off. He understands this, which is why I believe He wants us to stay close to Him. He is always for us. He always has our back.

The call to obedience is really a call to greater trust. The older I get, the more I sense the Lord asking, “Do you trust Me?” He isn’t asking me to ignore what I know, but to surrender it to Him. The Christian walk is all about relationship. He leads, we follow. He provides, we receive. Never fear—only trust and obey.

Judy Linscheid
Writing Team

by Judy Linscheid

Run With Endurance

Hebrews 12:1-3

When the road is long and difficult, how can we have the endurance to keep going? Conventional wisdom—whether it’s climbing a mountain, running a marathon, or persevering through natural childbirth—is to only think of the immediate next step, not how much longer or how much further we have to go. But what if the journey is lifelong? What if the goal is never to stop climbing, never stop pushing in deeper? What could give us enough drive for this kind of life?

For me, it’s Jesus, and I think the author of Hebrews agrees. I don’t think “fixing our eyes on Jesus” is just metaphorical for having a goal and focusing on it. He IS the goal. Because He is alive, we can know Him and walk with Him. The more we pursue Jesus, the more we know Him, and the more filled and satisfied we are. The more we know His perfect love and amazing goodness, the more we want to know, the more we want others to know also. His glory and majesty exceed by far any bucket list experience we could have on this earth. His power lights up our lives, and we have everything we need to go further and do more than we ever dreamed possible.

However, sometimes we have problems connecting with Jesus. This is common, and there is help. It’s often easier to connect with Him while worshiping and praying with others, so join in community. Reading the writings of generations of saints who have gone before can also be a great encouragement. In my personal time, I ask the Holy Spirit to show me if anything is keeping me from Him. I invite Him to search my heart. He is always faithful! He wants to be with me even more than I want to be with Him. Whether it’s unrepentant sin, unforgiveness, or He’s asking for new trust and obedience, I’ll give what He asks. The discomfort of surrender is never as bad as the discomfort of feeling distant from Him.

Pursuing Jesus is not a life without pain or hardship, but it is a life of constant reward because He’s always eager to give of Himself.

Carol Hill
Lay Counselor & Inner Healing Prayer Team

by Carol Hill

When Faith Is Hard—Honesty

Habakkuk 3:17-19

“Even though the fig trees have no blossoms, And there are no grapes on the vines;
Even though the olive crop fails, And the fields lie empty and barren;
Even though the flocks die in the fields, And the cattle barns are empty,
Yet I will rejoice in the Lord! I will be joyful in the God of my salvation!” (Habakkuk 3:17-19)

I love celebrations! Birthdays, anniversaries, holidays—any chance to gather with friends and family and enjoy God’s blessings. For me, these moments have always been about remembering His goodness. But honestly, I struggle to celebrate when uncertainty hangs over my head. Last year, my health was in question for months. I celebrated three of my children’s birthdays, two of my grandchildren’s birthdays, Easter, and our 35th wedding anniversary, all without knowing what the future held. Even heading into Christmas, uncertainty lingered. To be honest, I felt a little angry at God.

Yet I’m reminded of Abraham. Melchizedek, the king of righteousness and peace, brought him a celebratory meal after God promised him a son. Sarah had been barren, and now both were well past childbearing years. God told Abraham to count the stars—his descendants would be more numerous. Through this son, all nations would be blessed. They celebrated not what had already happened, but what God promised would come. They celebrated in faith.

God is teaching me that enjoying celebrations amid uncertainty is an act of faith. It’s hard for me, and He knows it. I suspect it’s hard for most of us if we’re honest. But He wants this for us because He already holds our future. We can rejoice in Him even when we don’t see the full outcome. Unlike Abraham, we may not receive a specific promise. Like the prophet Habakkuk, we may not know how things will turn out. Yet Habakkuk ended his lament in chapter 3 by affirming his trust in the Lord no matter what. Things looked bleak—no figs, no grapes, empty fields and barns. Still, he rejoiced because he knew his God.

I’m learning to do the same. In seasons of uncertainty, I can choose joy and celebration as an offering of faith, trusting that God is good and my future is secure in Him.

Judy Linscheid
Writing Team

by Judy Linscheid

God Is Still Writing Your Story

When I read the story of the prodigal son, I used to think it wasn’t about me. After all, I had grown up in church and had always known Jesus. Then I realized I had more in common with him than I expected.

I grew up at Emmanuel Faith. My earliest memories are from the Children’s Ministries Caterpillar Room, where my faith began to take root. Yet somewhere along the way, I treated Jesus like a passenger in the back seat, someone I knew was there but rarely invited to lead. Looking back, I realize He wasn’t just riding along. He was patiently guiding me home.

After my parents divorced, our family stopped attending church regularly. My dad stopped going, and my mom spent years searching for a church that felt like home. But God never stopped pursuing me. A friend invited me back to Wednesday nights at Emmanuel Faith, where leaders still remembered my name. Somehow, both of my parents ended up living within walking distance of my childhood church, making it possible to keep coming back. Even then, God was making a way.

As I got older, I drifted again. I convinced myself I was too busy and didn’t need God the way I once had. Then my husband and I experienced the heartbreaking loss of our first baby. In my grief, I questioned God and stepped away even further. Months later, on our baby’s original due date, we learned we were expecting Tommy. God didn’t erase our grief, but He met us in it and reminded me He was still writing my story.

When Tommy was nine months old, I began looking for a job. Everywhere I turned, someone mentioned my church was hiring. I ignored it until one day I prayed, “God, if You really want me here, give me a sign.” At that moment, I drove past the church and saw the sign: “EFCC Is Hiring.” I laughed, applied that night, and was hired.

I worried I had been gone too long and had turned away from God too many times to be worthy of serving in His church. But the father in Luke 15 never asked his son where he’d been or made him earn his way back. He simply ran to meet him with open arms.

I spent years thinking Jesus was just a passenger in the back seat of my life. Looking back, I realize He was gently guiding me home the whole time. My story is about discovering that every time I wandered, He was faithfully there. And maybe He’s doing the same for you.

Madison Kamman
Early Childhood Coordinator

by Madison Kamman

Keep Growing!

Romans 5:1-5

Following Jesus is hard. Whether sharing the gospel in an unfamiliar culture, loving a difficult co-worker, teaching a Kids Sunday School class, or even working on a church staff… serving God can be hard.

Do any of these resonate with you?

As a school teacher, I’ve stood for truth when students cheated, and parents wanted me to bend the rules.
I’ve stood for truth when a co-worker was acting against Scripture—even when I wasn’t fully believed.
I’ve seen money that was given to the Lord used for personal gain.
I’ve watched well-intentioned people be misunderstood and undervalued. I’ve felt the same.
I’ve known the truth, but had to keep it close for the sake of the whole.
I’ve poured my energy into an event only to receive complaints about insignificant details.
I’ve watched friends leave.
I’ve cried with people grieving a loved one or a broken relationship.
I’ve received hurtful words when all I could do was listen, knowing that it came from a place of “stuckness.” Hurt people hurt people.
I’ve received criticism, then had my eyes opened to see it as an opportunity to grow.
I didn't get the job I thought I wanted… then realized God was preparing me for something better.
I’ve asked for answers, and instead grown in patience.

I’ve watched dreams fade… then saw God start to reveal a new dream… and new hope. Paul talks about this hope in Romans 5:3-5: “There’s more to come: We continue to shout our praise even when we’re hemmed in with troubles, because we know how troubles can develop passionate patience in us, and how that patience in turn forges the tempered steel of virtue, keeping us alert for whatever God will do next. In alert expectancy such as this, we’re never left feeling shortchanged. Quite the contrary—we can’t round up enough containers to hold everything God generously pours into our lives through the Holy Spirit!”

Following Jesus is not easy, but if we are willing, growth will happen. Author Tod Bolsinger, in his book Tempered Resilience, says, “A teachable learning mindset leads to a greater capacity for staying in a difficult position,... because there is an inherent assurance that if all else fails this trial will—if nothing else—lead to further growth.”

What trials have you faced in serving Jesus? Ask God to give you eyes to see how He has or will use those difficulties to produce growth. He will!

Lynette Fuson
Care & Counseling Director

by Lynette Fuson