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When your faith puts on a full court press. It's a basketball term, "full court press."  It's a defensive tactic in which members of a team cover their opponents the full length of the court and not just near their basket. I read this story about a girl's junior basketball team that went on to win the California state championship.  The coach was from Mumbai, and his name was Vivek Ranadivé.  When Vivek agreed to coach his daughter's basketball team he openly admitted that he had never played basketball and that he thought it was a mindless game. He chose to coach on two principles.  #1 Do not raise his voice.  He was coaching a group of 12 and 13-year-old girls.  He knew that shouting wasn't going to work.  #2 He choose to use the whole basketball court.  He couldn't understand why a team wouldn't use all of their regulation court, which was ninety-four feet long. Oddly enough, this frustrated the other teams.  They called it cheating, b

  What a great day at FFWC!  The kids had a great time during our Fall Festival Party.  Allowing our children to dress up in an encouraging and positive environment is always a better choice than embracing the dark side or celebrating Halloween.     This Saturday a team from FFWC cleaned Cornell Ave. Through the Adopt a Road Project.  Thanks to everyone who participated.   (FYI - Soup Kitchen is this Sunday.  If you would like to help, please email Donna Shurr at dshurr.ds@gmail.com) WHAT A GREAT DAY AT CHURCH!  We celebrated communion together - worshipped God with all our heart - concluded our series The Joy Of . . .  - Gideon was a good leader; he just didn't know it. . . . A Sword for the Lord and for Gideon  When Gideon went back to the camp and told his army what they were going to do, one of the things he said was to shout, "A sword for the Lord and for Gideon’”  (Judges 7: 20) This phrase intrigues me.  Not so much as to what was being said, I get th

Gideon had an army of 300.  Let's be honest here.  That's not much of an army or is it? Recently I read,  “In a study of some 30 conflicts comprising more than 280 campaigns from ancient to modern history, the brilliant strategist and historian B. H. Liddell Hart came to a stunning conclusion: In only 6 of the 280 campaigns was the decisive victory a result of a direct attack on the enemy’s main army. Only six. That’s 2 percent. If not from pitched battles, where do we find victory?” Excerpt From: Ryan Holiday. “The Obstacle Is the Way.” iBooks. https://itun.es/us/Ev1KR.l Great question!  If you don't have all the money, knowledge, strength or faith that you need?  What do you do?  Follow Gideons lead. #1 Gideon knew that he didn't have enough, it didn't matter if he had 32,300 or 300.   Reality is a beautiful thing.  But rarely is it all good news.  However, this is a big one; there is good news in our reality.   Remember this.  You will find real hop

Ok, Gideon has faced his fears by literally facing his fears.  He went to the enemies camp and listened in on a conversation about a dream.  The dream was an enemy soldier that said the God of Israel and Gideon would defeat them.  This dream changed everything for Gideon.  He worshiped God because he realized that God was working on his behalf the whole time.  He returned to his camp of 300 men and announced to them that they were going to defeat an army of 120,000+.  (That's next week) So the timid, fearful Gideon who left the camp returns full of faith and fire for victory.  What happened?  His faith became a reality. Gideon trusted God, but he was having a hard time believing Him. If Gideon didn't trust God, he would have never climbed out of his winepress.  But he was having a hard time believing what he heard.  The angel called him a great man of God, might warrior and all around awesome guy.  Gideon was the proverbial termite in a yo-yo, confused. There are times

Gideon is at the edge of his enemies camp facing his fears.  What those fears were we don't exactly know.  But here are a few truths that can give you comfort. - It doesn't matter what the fear is about - it can be defeated. - God didn't rebuke Gideon for having fear - but rewarded him for facing it. - God is working in places you have never been to get you to places where you need to go. At the edge of the camp, Gideon overhears a couple of soldiers from the Midianite army.  One shares a dream about their army being destroyed.  The other solider interpreted the dream to mean that the God of Israel and Gideon would defeat them.  Gideon gets the message and worships God for it. I compare this event with other great people of faith in the Bible who had a "God moment."  Joseph had a dream.  Moses had a burning bush.  Davids visit from a prophet.  Pauls vision on the road to Damascus. So where was your "God moment"?  That moment when God showed u

Last Sunday I shared with you how you have to face your fears. Gideon was such a person, who before he could BE the Judge of Isreal and General of its army had to face his fears. There is a difference between BEING and OCCUPYING.  People with posts and titles do what they can to occupy their position.  Individuals who firmly believe that what they do is a God-given calling  feel empowered to BEcome something more than a title. You've seen them.  The position types who are willing to give orders, but their actions never really say, "I care" or "I believe in . . .".  Then there is the person who not only leads but exemplify's what they believe through their actions.  Big difference - YES? So God tells Gideon, "Hey!  If you're still afraid, go down to the edge of the camp and listen to what is going on.  Oh, take your servant with you too."   Gideon needed to make this trip to the edge of danger.  You need to make the trip too!  It was i