Did You Know it was Paper?

By C. Sampson

Happy January 19^th everyone! What, you’re not excited? Actually, you’re probably wondering why I would be. Well, today is the one year anniversary, the “paper” anniversary according to tradition, of Golden Community Church (maybe this is why we’re so excited about our new stationary and business cards?).

Anyway, for those who don’t know, a year ago, the founding members of our church were all attending different churches. We had not been worshipping together for a couple years after our original church dissolved. Heading into the end of 2012, we began to hear God’s calling to develop a new ministry focused on college students and young adults. As a result, we started a Saturday night worship/Bible study time with some students from Colorado School of Mines.

Our first meeting was January 19, 2013 at Lochwood Christian Fellowship in Lakewood. We held them at other locations over the spring and summer and attendance ebbed and flowed. Then, during summer, we realized that this was to be more than just a Bible study, we were to start a church. Well, that’s exactly what we did later in the year, but that’s another story.

This short article is simply to remember where we came from and help maintain our focus. We thank God for His faithfulness to us and this ministry. It has been/is exciting to see Him move and grow us in new ways. Thanks to all of those who have been there from the beginning, as well as you who have joined us along the way. We look forward to what He has in store for us in the years to come and are honored to be part of His plan. “I know that You can do all things, and that no purpose of Yours can be thwarted” Job 42:2-3 (NASB). If you’d like to hear a little more detail about why we do what we do, check out our “conversation” about this on our website. You can find it at www.goldencommunity.org.  Go to the “media” tab to find it.

Happy anniversary!

Stop Sinning, In One Easy Step

By M. McCoubrey
A while back in a men's Bible study, our senior pastor Les Heath, said something that's been swishing around in my brain ever since. Now, several years later, I just had a conversation with my son where I got to be on the other side of the exact same conversation and I realized that I had to (re)share some of God's awesome truth.

My son, 7, in a conversation about sinning, says to me - 'but it's so hard. I just don't think I could not sin. It's impossible'. If this were a movie, it's where I would flash back in a slow dissolve to my previous discussion. In it we were talking about sexual purity and that turned into sinfulness in general. I had argued, or at least complained, that I couldn't possibly be perfect. I know it, God knows it (it's why Jesus came right?), so why pretend I could? Les, making an argument that was sure to fall on deaf ears, says to me that it's not impossible. I would only need to choose not to sin at each opportunity - something I could certainly do. Did I mention that the message would fall on deaf ears? Yeah, it did that.

But it struck me and stuck with me. I've spent 4 or 5 years mulling it over and thankfully so as when my son took the same stance as I did - I hopefully gave him a decent answer. And here it is (drumroll in your head) ..... ready ..... you sure? ..... ok ..... here's it is: Don't sin.

Ta-daa. Complicated isn't it? I mean, all this thought and that's the result. But it's all there. God says to be holy as God is holy. God's holiness means no sinning. And He says He won't ask us to do something more than we can do, so apparently we can do this. But .... wait ... seriously? Yep. Here's what I realized as I'm talking to Joey. We focus on the impossible. Forget the mountain you have to climb. Forget the desert you have to cross. I get so caught up in having to NEVER sin again that I get convinced that it's not possible and give up before I take a step and lose out on any benefit I might have gained. So forget the big picture and ask yourself this question:

The next sin I am challenged with - can I say no?

Forget the next sin and the next and the next. This one sin; whatever it is; can I say no and stick with God? Yes? Well there's your start. Ok, first step done. Next sin, can I say no to that one? Yep. Really? Ok, that's two down. Hey, look at that, I've stopped sinning. Oops, sin of pride, dang, ok start over. Urg. But while I begin again, look at the point. It's not about not sinning forever. That seems WAY too daunting to challenge even if that is the goal. Just resist the next sin. If you continue to do that consistently, you literally can end up never sinning again. I mean, that kinda actually sounds like something I could try to do, right? Forget what's down the road and just say no to the next temptation.

And here's the great setup that ensures our success if we go for it. Cause really, I'd love the idea that I could stick with it forever, but the reality is that I will nearly certainly fail again at some point:

1.  When I fall, I can get right back on the path and see if I can go further the next time (game theory - look it up :))

2.  No matter where I am, with this focus I can track my progress following the Spirit and

3.  When I fall, that's where Jesus' atonement steps in. He is the sacrifice for the temptations I couldn't resist. He takes all the hard ones, the ones I just couldn't resist...yet.
By ignoring the big, seemingly impossible task of eating the whale, I just focus on the first bite and then the second and then the third.

Just to be clear, none of this is salvation. We ALL fall short. God is clear on that and the idea of 'earning' salvation should be thrown out. We've already blown that big-time so don't be thinking this is a get-out-of-needing-Jesus card. But the cool part is that in a real and practical way, when Paul says that we are no longer slaves to sin, this is what he means. Whether we do it or not, we really could, at this very moment, really never sin again. Without God's provision and interjection into this world, that would never have been possible.

Go God!

Am I Judas?

By A. Schwarz

Who am I as Christian? Am I like John, preaching the coming of the King with a zealous heart? Perhaps like Paul, who traveled their known world to eagerly spread the news of Christ? Or maybe even Mary, who was found favored in the sight of God?...

Or, am I more like Thomas, who doubted the amazing news of Jesus’ resurrection and refused to believe until he could physically see Him? Maybe more along the lines of Judas, who, faced with the prospect to gain, was willing to betray Him who would so call him his beloved? But possibly even Peter who denied even knowing or associating himself with Jesus out of fear for his own safety?

I would like to boldly declare myself with the faith of John, or Paul, or Mary, but the truth is that I am much more like that of Thomas, Judas, and Peter. Too often, (and by that, meaning almost constantly) I am rather in a state of self-satisfaction; my thoughts, actions, words all seem to reflect a selfish ambition, unwilling to give over any minute speck of control. Oh you can commune with Christ but still deny and betray Him; it doesn’t make you immune! These three men walked with Jesus for three years, and yet stumbled due to their own flesh! How much more then, do I fail every day to live unhindered in my faith and relationship with Him?

I don’t know about you, but don’t you want to be living in that state of constant communion with Christ?! To be filled with passion through the Holy Spirit and His love? I don’t want to be a Christian who backs away from their faith due to pride, earthly desires, or fears. I want to be as David says; “You have said, “Seek my face.” My heart says to you, “Your face, Lord, do I seek.” (Psalm 27:8)

The exciting thing to think about is the fact that we can constantly draw closer to Christ. It never reaches a peak, but continues to grow brighter and brighter. It is a thing that we are constantly striving after, to press onward toward Christ Jesus;

"Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you. Only let us hold true to what we have attained. Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us. For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself." Philippians 3:12-21.

For we know that Jesus is coming again soon, and such a glorious day it is going to be! I want to walk with my eyes fixed on Him, throwing off all hindrances, and following His call daily. I want to have that zeal and passion of Paul and John as they let the Holy Spirit guide them in their lives, and not a conditional passion, but an overflowing, and overwhelmingly driven intensity.

So He Could Relate

Do you ever ask yourself why He did it?  Why did Jesus come to this earth, to pay for our sins.  Oh, I know the standard answer.  “He did it because He loved us.”  Clearly true, but it doesn’t help me to understand.  He could have done a number of things, including beaming down from Heaven at a better time, when there were recordable media, as a 40 foot tall perfect human specimen, and hung Himself on that cross for me. 

It is humiliating enough for the Creator of all things to take the form of a human, but why the cute, pathetic scene we see all over the place at this time of year?  Why a fragile little baby, born into brutal circumstances?  Why only lowly shepherds to view the greatest miracle ever seen?  Why the hard life of a first century carpenter?  Why all of the strange, difficult events and situations that defined the life of Christ?

He did it so He could relate to us.  God came to earth and was born, a fragile baby in a hostile world, in the humblest, dirtiest, most difficult circumstances (how many people would choose a barn as a birthplace.  He grew up into a difficult life.  His family had to move around during His early years, because His life was in danger.  His occupation would be a hard one, and would not create a lot of admiration.  Once His ministry began, He would be questioned and rejected by the very (lowly) ones He came to save.  Ultimately, he would have to face up to, and suffer one of the more brutal deaths this world has devised.  He understands. 

Do you ever feel alone, and like no one understands?  Jesus has been alone.  Have you been rejected by people, perhaps even people you love?  So has He.  Have you had hard things in your past?  Do you have a scary looking future?  He knows, and He understands.  He could have chosen a thousand different ways to save us from death.  However, He chose a way that would make Him understand, not only in His mind, but by His experience.  He did that for you.  If you were the only sheep that would be lost, He’d have come to find you – just you.

Hebrews 4:14-16 tells us that we have a High Priest who can sympathize with us, because He has been here.  In whatever situation you might struggle with, He knows, He understands.  You can draw near to Him with confidence.  You can go to Him, and you can trust Him.  He is the God of the universe.  But still, He can relate.

Deconstructed Christmas Carols-Final

By M. McCoubrey
Our Final Christmas Carol of the year.

O Come Emmanuel

O come, o come Emmanuel.
And ransom captive Israel
that mourns in lonely exile here.
Until the Son of God appear.

Please come, come to us Lord
Come and free your people
Who are suffering; being kept from our home and from You
We are waiting for our Savior

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel,
shall come to thee o Israel!

Yes! Yes! God is with us!
He has come for His people!

O come thou dayspring come and cheer
our spirits by Thine advent here.
Disperse the gloomy clouds of night
and death's dark shadow put to flight

We pray for the morning to come
and bring us the joy of your presence
Take away the darkness we have been living in
And chase away the fear of death

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel,
shall come to thee o Israel!

Hooray! Hooray! God is with us!
He has come for His people!

O come thou wisdom from on high
and order all things far and nigh.
To us the path of knowledge show
and cause us in her ways to go

God of wisdom, come to us from your throne in Heaven
And put all things right
Help us to understand real truth
And show us the right things to do

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel,
shall come to thee o Israel!

Yes! Yes! God is with us!
He has come for His people!

O come desire of nations bind
in one the hearts of all mankind.
Bid thou our sad divisions cease
and be thyself our king of peace

Lord, the One that all nations and people truly long for,
Come and bring us together
Help us end our pathetic arguments and quarrels
And be the one king overall, a king of peace

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel,
shall come to thee o Israel!

Yes! Yes! God is with us!
He is has come for His people!

O come thou branch of Jesse's stem
unto Thine own and rescue them.
From depths of hell thy people save
and give them victory over the grave.

Jesus, descendent of Jesse
Come and save your family
Save us from hell where we are heading
And instead give us everlasting life with you in Heaven

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel,
shall come to thee o Israel!

Yes! Yes! God is with us!
He has come for His people!