July 16, 2026

Dear Church Family With all of the coverage for the FIFA games, it is, as with most sports, easy to see who is routing for whom.  What a beautiful array of colors representing all of the teams!  Hats, tees, face paint, banners, signs, flags, cheers – all routing for your team to do their best, and to win.  You often hear the team members thanking the fans for their support, because the cheering does help boost morale.  But boy – when they mess up, the crowd can turn on them.  The truth is, you can support a team in every way, shape, and form, even sticking with them when they are losing – but do they know you?  Do you have a personal relationship with them?

Take movie stars, or rock stars – you can have their poster on your wall, a copy of every movie/show they have done, write them letters and research all kinds of details about their lives, but do you have a personal relationship with them?

God on the other hand, He created us – formed us in His image (Genesis 1:26), and we are fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14).  We were created for God’s pleasure; because God delights in His creation.  (Revelation 4:11).  Clearly He knows us.  

In turn, we know a lot about God.  We hear messages, we read the Bible, we go to church; we praise Him – but do we have a real  relationship with Him?  We can quote chapter and verse and finish the Bible stories, but do we KNOW Him?  We sing songs about Him and to Him, but is it a sing-a-long, or heartfelt worship of the One Who loves us more than we can imagine?  We cheer for our teams – our cheers for God is when we thank Him for the marvelous things He has done, for His amazing love for us, and the lengths He went to so we could spend eternity with Him.  But…. we have to have a relationship with Him.  Wearing a Christian tee shirt won’t get you into heaven.  Knowing the Bible stories won’t get you into heaven.  Going to church won’t get you into heaven.  Having a relationship with God – where you invite Him into your heart to be Lord and Master of your life – that will get you into heaven.  A relationship where you speak to Him (prayer is simply talking to God), and He speaks to you (through a sermon, the Bible, in worship, etc.).  A relationship where you include Him in all the areas of your life, and where you learn to trust Him in all circumstances, building trust – like David with first a lion, then a bear, and then Goliath.  Knowing that God will never give you more than you can handle – though the idea is that you don’t handle it on your own, but with Him and His help.  Do you know the One true God intimately?  He knows you.  He wants to spend time with you daily.  Your turn….