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SEPTEMBER 2022 | VOLUME 48 | ISSUE NO.9

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EVANGEL

OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER OF FIRST FREE CHURCH

CHANGED LIVES To see more people know God’s life changing power and love, grow in community and live out his truth daily, we need YOU! Speci cally, we’re asking every member and friend of First Free Church to:

Grace, sufficient. by Kevin Labby

• Pray

We all stumble in many ways. Anyone who is never at fault in what they say is perfect, able to keep their whole body in check. James 3:2 (NIV)

• Listen • Respond

Many of us tend to think in absolutes regarding our performance. We're doing well, or we're not. There's no middle ground.

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That can be true in any area of life - in our performance as spouses, parents, bosses, employees, students, athletes, and so on. When we measure up to our self-imposed standards or the standards imposed on us by others, we feel justi ed, su cient, and therefore satis ed. However, it's all too easy to invalidate any shade of accompanying success when we fall short. We're crushed much more quickly by our failures than consoled by our accomplishments. It's easy to reduce life to polarity - black or white, all or nothing, pass or fail.

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Predictably, this way of thinking can maintain or even deepen patterns of depression. It places our minds on a pendulum, swinging between delight (when our e orts seem su cient) and disillusionment (when our e orts seem less so). Sadly, the latter eventually becomes a much more common extreme for all-or-

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nothing thinking places tremendous pressure on us, others, and our relationships. Perfection is a beautiful ideal but a cruel taskmaster. One of the surest ways to identify this dangerous thought pattern is to listen more carefully to our internal and external dialogues. For example, consider some of these all-or-nothing statements: I'm a terrible person. She is a perfect mom, unlike me. I'm the worst. That was an unmitigated disaster.

Penn State Picnic 2022!

He is always patient with his kids. I'm never like that. They are so intelligent. I'm not smart at all. Do you nd yourself thinking and speaking along these lines? Are your internal dialogues full of indictments? Do you feel like your inner prosecutor is a fully ca einated graduate of Harvard Law while your defense attorney is backlogged and can't work fast enough? Why is this? I don't claim to know all of the reasons and heartily recommend anyone struggling with these things enjoy the ministry of a licensed Christian counselor. However, let me pass along a few ideas to consider. We expect too much. One of the reasons we often feel so bad is that we expect far too much of ourselves. We shouldn't. For one, human beings are nite creatures. We can't do it all. We can't be it all. There is simply no way to know all the right things, say all the right things, and do all the right things. Our lives have a "load capacity" of sorts. Beyond a certain point, we can't do more. Successes are attainable; complete success in every area of life is not.

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Admitting limitations is exponentially more di cult in our technological world. Technological advancements promise to help us transcend our limitations by multiplying our capabilities. Cell phones, laptops, power tools, appliances, and more promise increased productivity and e ciency. And they deliver, along with an avalanche of new responsibilities.

Beyond this, human beings are also fallen, prideful creatures. Our pride makes it di cult for us to admit and accept our limitations. We don't want to acknowledge that we're nite. We want to believe that we have limitless potential. We also want to think we can get things right and perfect everything we do. We're surprised and frustrated by our weaknesses and do everything to overcome them. We want to believe that we can overcome any limitations with enough knowledge and the right tools. We expect too much of ourselves because we think it's up to us. We rest too little. However, the deepest reason we expect too much of ourselves might be that we rest too little in God. We need to be perfect because we don't trust that Jesus was and is perfect for us. We don't trust that his grace is su cient for our struggles and failures. Attempting to be one's savior is frustrating, futile, and exhausting. But most of all, it's completely unnecessary. We have a perfect Savior, so we don't need to worry about perfection. We have an all-su cient Savior, so we don't need to worry about doing it all. He's perfect for us and has

done all that's ultimately and truly necessary for us. According to him, "It is nished!" We can rest. Don't be so hard on yourself. So, don't be so hard on yourself. Do what you can, the very best that you can. You'll be blessed and be a blessing. When success comes your way, in whole or part, enjoy it. Don't negate your wins - big, small, or partial. Praise and thank God for them. Your Father rejoices over them; rejoice with Him! Remember that God isn't keeping score anymore when you fall short or can't get to it all. God's grace covers your sin and satis es your shortcomings - perfectly. If you try to do it all yourself, you'll end up with nothing. But, on the other hand, if you trust that Jesus did it all for you, you already have everything you need. You're loved. Don't forget it. Kevin Labby, Lead Pastor

The Tongue By Kirk Albrecht God gives us a compelling vision in the Scriptures of how – and how not – to speak. Woe to us if we do not apply it well every day! So many hurts, arguments, and disagreements could be cut short if we only listened to and applied God’s counsel to us. In light of our need to have our words transformed by God’s love, power, and grace – I present a 10-point Christian Manifesto on what we say and how we say it. 1. Few words When words are many, transgression is not lacking, but whoever restrains his lips is prudent. (Proverbs 10:19) 2. Listen rst Let every person be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger. (James 1:19) 3. Nothing unwholesome Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. (Ephesians 4:29) 4. Give grace to those who hear Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. (Ephesians 4:29) 5. Not rash or without thought There is one whose rash words are like sword thrusts, but the tongue of the wise brings healing. (Proverbs 12:18) 6. Seek to build up Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing (1 Thessalonians 5:11) 7. No gossip For lack of wood the fire goes out, and where there is no whisperer, quarreling ceases. (Proverbs 26:20)

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(The Tongue, continued) 8. Kind A gentle tongue is a tree of life, but perverseness in it breaks the spirit (Proverbs 15:4) 9. Understanding the power of evil in our words No human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. (James 3:8) 10. Truth in love Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ. (Ephesians 4:15)

CALENDARS!

UPCOMING SENIOR ACHIEVER SCHEDULE September 13th Luncheon October 11th Gathering

Labor Day - o ce closed September 5

Co n gr at u l at i o n s t o p a r e n t s An d r e w a n d Hannah Kuzma and gr an d p ar e n t s F e l i x an d Nan cy Jo De m o lin at t h e birt h o f Natalie Mae Kuzma!

Connect re-start September 7 at 6:30 pm

MEMORIAL GIFTS

Women’s Conference September 10 at 9:00 am Church Picnic September 18 at 12:30 pm

Matt Bell Anonymous Jaycox-Jaworski Funeral Home Tom Learn Dorothy Dubyak

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Bill & Ellen Kearns 42 years Frank & Linda Bezak 36 years Dan & Terry Ruccio 43 years Eric & Linda Rothey 29 years

BIRTHS

Next Gen Prayer Mtg. September 4 at 12:30 pm

Patrick & Barbara Winwood 48 years Jason & Kim Bortz 18 years

Kirk Albrecht, Pastor of Discipleship

MARK YOUR

ANNIVERSARIES

Gary & Kay Gibson 30 years Wayne & Gerry Nelson 64 years Dan & Cyndie Corey 37 years