“And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell will not overcome it” (Matthew 16:18).

(Picture of Caesarea Phillipi where Jesus asked his disciples, “Who do you say I am?” to which Peter responded, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” This is the location where Jesus spoke today’s verse of the day)

The only thing that Jesus explicitly declared that he is in the business of building is the church. Let that sink in.

The Little Church sure has had its share of facility issues! Goodness, the aging building itself is telling us we’ve got to do something to address the major facilities issues. Because of the facilities issues we’ve all learned to be flexible.

• Prairie Hall is no longer available for fellowship hour.
• The Elgin Room is no longer available because we’ve had to move the PreSchool into it.
• The choir has had to move into the sanctuary
• The Revelation Bible Study has had to move into the conference room
• Prayer with the Pastor and the Acts Bible Study group has been bouncing around from room to room based on space availability

All this shifting things around got me thinking: what would happen if the entire facility was no longer available? What would happen to the ministry of Jesus Christ through the Little Church if the facility were to close? Would that mean that God was done working through the Little Church? If the building closed would the Little Church cease being God’s church?

OF COURSE NOT!!!

The church is not the building. The mission of the Little Church to Make Disciples and Grow Disciples who share the Love of Christ with all people doesn’t change. The only thing that would changed is the context, but the mission remains the same.

I love that about you – your ability to keep the main thing the main thing. Sure it’s inconvenient to be shifting and pivoting all the time. Sure having coffee in the library is not the same as having fellowship hour in Prairie Hall. We will keep keeping the main thing the main thing.

It’s all about the ministry of Jesus Christ to reach lost people. And the Little Church is all about that business regardless of what is happening with the building, the presbytery, PCUSA, or anything else.

God is at work through the Little Church and Lakewood Grace. Nothing changes that.

Pastor John Ortberg wrote:

He had Abraham take a walk, Elijah take a nap, Joshua take a lap, and Adam take the rap.
He gave Moses a forty-year time out, he gave David a harp and a dance, and he gave Paul a pen and a scroll.
He wrestled with Jacob, argued with Job, whispered to Elijah, warned Cain, and comforted Hagar.
He gave Aaron an altar, Miriam a song, Gideon a fleece, Peter a name, and Elisha a mantle.
Jesus was stern with the rich young ruler, tender with the woman caught in adultery, patient with the disciples, blistering with the scribes, gentle with the children, and gracious with the thief on the cross.

God never grows two people the same way.

Whatever God uses to grow you, growing occurs as God chips away what is present now so that God can shape you into who and what God wants you to be. What are some things God’s chipping away in your life? Where are some areas where God is adding into your life.

What is God doing in your life to grow you?

“Do not give the devil a foothold…” (Ephesians 4:27).

The Greek word for foothold is topon. It comes from the Greek word meaning “place” or “space”. The Greek word topos literally means a location, a plot of space.

It is interesting that the Bible translators have been translating this word as “foothold.” The imagery is someone wanting to close the door but another person places their foot on the ground jamming the door. Even if the person who puts their foot on the ground jamming the door is a much smaller person, the door is effectively closed.

The question is, then, how do Christians give the devil a foothold? It begins with our thoughts. When we entertain thoughts that are ungodly, thoughts contrary to the truths of scripture, those very thoughts begin to shape our view of reality. And, soon, we begin believing lies so that we are no longer able to differentiate between truths and lies.

Elisabeth Elliot writes, “Spiritual strongholds begin with a thought. One thought becomes a consideration. A consideration develops into an attitude which leads to action. Action repeated becomes a habit, and a habit establishes a power base for the enemy. That is a stronghold.”

She’s right. Sinful strongholds all begin with sinful thoughts.

Do not give the devil a foothold. Snip it in the bud. You, and only you, are the only person who can control what your mind thinks about and dwells on. Start shaping your mind with the truths of scripture so that you can identify the lies of the devil.

Finally, when the FBI trains their agents to identify counterfeit bills, they don’t study counterfeit bills. They spend thousands of hours with the real bills. When they come to know the original well, they can see a counterfeit from a mile away.

Get to know the real thing. Get in God’s word.