Fall Creek

"Feed Your Faith" A Daily Devotional From Fall Creek
Acts
Chapter 2: 22-24
The Post-Resurrection Preaching of Peter
"Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know: Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain: Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it."
Have you ever noticed the difference in Peter after He witnessed the resurrection of Jesus. Peter was somewhat impulsive and quick to speak without having knowledge concerning the issue at hand. Peter did not always know His weaknesses. He bragged about never forsaking the Lord not realizing his need to trust in the strength of Christ. Christ knew Peter would deny Him three times the night Jesus was falsely accused and tried. The scripture states that Peter wept bitterly after he denied the Lord. Peter had some growing to do. The morning of the resurrection Peter is one of the first disciples to look into the empty tomb. As we read Luke's account in the book of Acts we discover Peter having more boldness to preach without fear. He stands up on the day of Pentecost and boldly declares the truth concerning the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus. Peter has changed from the denier of Christ to the deliverer of the gospel of Christ. The resurrection changes everything. Peter makes it known that the Jews were witnesses to the miracles and wonders and signs giving evidence as to the identity of Christ. Peter states that Jesus did not come by chance or accident, but by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God. Peter makes it clear that Christ came to save sinners by the divine plan of God the Father. He then boldly held those who crucified Jesus accountable because of the motives of their hearts. Peter proclaims without fear, "Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain." Peter points to the fact that God used wicked hands to implement His plan of redemption for sinners. The reality of the resurrection gave Peter the courage and boldness he needed to proclaim the truth of Christ to the world. The resurrection is real.
Have a grace day!
Pastor Tommy Haynes

"Feed Your Faith" A Daily Devotional From Fall Creek
Acts
Chapter 1: 6,7
Should We Focus on the Present or the Future?
"When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel? And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power."
Luke writes that Jesus, "shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God...". Christ had prepared His disciples for His ascension to heaven. He taught them to carry on the ministry of reconciliation. Christ commanded His followers to go into all the world and preach the gospel. We discover the fact that the disciples were not fully convinced that Christ would not set up His kingdom in their day. The question they asked Him, as Luke records, proves the disciples had not given up hope of the establishment of Christ's kingdom at the present time. The disciples asked, "Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?" The answer Christ gives His disciples may have shocked and surprised them. Jesus answered their question by saying, " It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power." The disciples may have been disappointed by the response Jesus gave to them. He plainly stated that it was not for them to know certain truths concerning God's schedule for the future. In a sense the disciples were asking Jesus to give them some specific details concerning the future. Christ simply teaches that God is to be trusted with our lives in the present and future. It is interesting that Jesus changes the subject and points to what the disciples should be giving their full attention. Christ declares, " But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth." Instead of answering the question asked by the disciples concerning Israel's future, Christ points them to the task of being witnesses for Him. One important lesson we learn from this is to trust God for the future and witness for Him each day you live.
Have a grace day!
Pastor Tommy Haynes

"Feed Your Faith" A Daily Devotional From Fall Creek
John
Chapter 21:5
An Encounter With the Risen Lord
"Then Jesus saith unto them, Children, have ye any meat? They answered him, No."
The question asked by Jesus was probably hard for the disciples to answer. They had been toiling all night trying to catch fish. No fisherman when asked, "Have you caught any fish?" wants to answer "no". Notice the brief answer given by the disciples. It is as though they just didn't want to talk about not catching any fish after toiling all night. Yet, they gave an honest answer. This question asked by Jesus was not to gain information. Jesus already knew that the disciples had been fishing all night. He knows all things. God never asks questions for the sake of gaining information. The questions asked by our Lord are designed to call us to a proper response before Him; to get us to think; to cause us to examine ourselves. For example, when God asked Adam, after he had sinned, "Where art thou?" did He not know where Adam was? Of course, God knew exactly where Adam was. God was asking a question to draw Adam into a proper response in confession to his sin.
Jesus asked this particular question in our text today for the same purpose of getting his disciples to respond. When they responded negatively, they were confessing their failure to accomplish what they had set out to do. Jesus may have intended to remind them of His words He shared with them before His crucifixion. He said to them, "Without me you can do nothing." We all need to be reminded of this truth from time to time. Peter was a fisherman by trade. He knew how to catch fish. The other disciples with Peter were fisherman also. We can be sure as they toiled all night they did all they knew to do to catch fish but all their efforts failed. When Jesus said to them, "Cast your nets on the other side.", the disciples did so without hesitation even though it did not seem logical. The result of heeding the instruction of Jesus resulted in an abundant catch of fish. Our resurrected Savior comes to our rescue in times when we do not recognize Him until we have received the blessing He brings to us. Obey Him!
Have a grace day!
Pastor Tommy Haynes

"Feed Your Faith" A Daily Devotional From Fall Creek
John
Chapter 20:31
Witnesses to the Resurrection
"But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name."
John gives three accounts of various eye witnesses to the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The authenticity of the resurrection is proven by those who gave first hand reports concerning what they saw and heard. John includes himself as one of the witnesses to the resurrection of Christ and states that he wrote his account, " that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name." John proves the creditability of the witnesses and gives concrete evidence for the reality that Christ raised from the dead just as He had said He would. The importance of the resurrection is stated by Paul in 1 Corinthians 15:17, "if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins." We could say that if Christ did not raise from the dead then Christianity is just another dead, man-made religion that is worthless. The foundation of Christianity is the death and resurrection of Christ. Furthermore, the salvation of sinners depends on the reality of the resurrection of the Son of God. The first witness mentioned by John was Mary Magdalene. Christ had cast seven demons out of her (Luke 8:2). John points out that Mary, in her confusion and disappointment, jumped to conclusions and thought someone had stolen the body of Jesus. She ran and told Peter and John that there was no body in the tomb. Later Jesus appears to Mary and reveals Himself to her and she spreads the word of His resurrection. Also Peter and John ran to the tomb to witness what Mary told them. They saw the burial wrappings lying in the shape of the body of Christ, but the body was gone! The grave clothes lay like an empty cocoon. Later all the disciples met Christ personally and came to understand and believe the Scriptures concerning the prophesy of the resurrection. The last person mentioned to witness the resurrected Savior was Thomas. Thomas did not believe the report of the resurrection at first because he wanted absolute proof. Jesus met with Thomas and destroyed his doubts. The resurrection is real!
Have a grace day!
Pastor Tommy Haynes

"Feed Your Faith" A Daily Devotional From Fall Creek
John
Chapter 19:16
The Crucifixion: The Pivot Point of History
"Then delivered he him therefore unto them to be crucified. And they took Jesus, and led him away."
No other event in human history has affected humanity like that of the crucifixion. As a matter of fact, it is the most crucial event in all of history. We number our years, write out all of our history, and reckon our relationship with God by the crucifixion. The cross of Christ truly is the pivot point of history. All other events, past, present, and future revolve around the cross of Christ.
Sadly, there are so many in our world who do not recognize the crucifixion as a reality of history or its significance. Some view the crucifixion as one would view a fairy tale. Others casually, without conviction, vaguely notice the crucifixion as historical fact. Yet, those who accept and know the crucifixion for what it really is experience its life changing effect.
From a personal standpoint, when I realized the reality of the cross, and its importance in God's redemptive purpose, my life was completely transformed. I became a new creature in Christ. The crucifixion was God's divine intervention into human history for the purpose of securing salvation for all who will call upon His name in faith and repentance. The purpose of the death of Christ on the cross was to bring about propitiation for the believer. Propitiation deals with the removal of God's wrath and displeasure. The Scripture states that God sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins (1 John 4:10). This simply means that Christ's death on the cross removed God's wrath from us because Christ experienced the wrath of God on our behalf on the cross. Another purpose of the cross was to bring about reconciliation for sinners. We were all alienated from God because of our sinful natures. Paul declares in Romans 5:10 that, "we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son." Also, Christ, in His death on the cross, paid the ransom for us. We are bought with a price. Believers have been redeemed!
Have a grace day!
Pastor Tommy Haynes

"Feed Your Faith" A Daily Devotional From Fall Creek
John
Chapter 18: 37,38
Can You Handle the Truth?
"Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice. Pilate saith unto him, What is truth?"
In our text today Jesus brings the subject of truth to the attention of Pilate when He states that, "Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice (v.37). Christ is referring to those who belong to His kingdom. All of the called of God are those who are of the truth. They delight in the truth of God and His Son. Jesus says, "the truth will set you free." The truth may not always be easy to accept, but it is always right to accept it and commit to it. We may not always fully understand the why of God's truth, but if we know God we know He is true and trustworthy. This is why Paul can say, "Let God be true and every man a liar" (Romans 3:4). When it comes to accepting what men say or what God says, let us know that God is always true even when men contradict Him.
Pilate asked the question men have been asking and trying to answer since the fall of Adam into sin: "What is truth?" As we view human history, we clearly see human beings redefining truth to meet their own desires or convincing themselves that truth does not exist. People believe what is convenient and try to justify their own brand of truth. For example, some seek for truth in what is called existentialism. The Danish philosopher, Soren Kierkegaard, who helped lay the foundation of existentialism believed that, "Truth is an internalized concept, influenced by outside factors but not dictated by them." Existentialism basically teaches that man has been dumped on this planet whether he likes it or not and must work out His own values and morals. Existentialism also teaches that man determines his own existence as he grows from one stage to another. Kierkegaard believes in a creator, but not one who has communicated to man His will or His truth. The philosophy of existentialism differs from what Jesus taught concerning truth. Christ states that He is truth and we can know His truth and be set free from the chains of doubt. We discover that truth is always that which agrees with the mind and word of God.
Have a grace day!
Pastor Tommy Haynes

"Feed Your Faith" A Daily Devotional From Fall Creek
John
Chapter 17:1
Jesus Prays
"These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee..."
This is one of the most precious passages of Scripture in the Bible. Jesus is praying an intercessory prayer before He enters the Garden of Gethsemane and is betrayed by Judas. Even though Christ knows what is before Him He still finds time to pray for Himself and others.
This prayer never grows old because it is as though one can hear His own name mentioned by Christ as He prays to His Father. Christians can always find encouragement in this prayer of our Savior. Also, there is much that can be learned concerning Christ as this prayer is read. It is obvious that Jesus was not selfish in His communication with His Father. He did not pray in general but made His requests specific. The desire of Christ was to please His Father in all things. Christ submitted to His Father's will for Him concerning the sacrificial death He must die for the salvation of sinners. In this chapter of John's gospel we enter a holy of holies in the personal prayer life of Jesus. There is a great deal we learn about the heart of Christ as He prays. As a matter of fact, we can discover a lot about a fellow believer when we hear them pray. It is in prayer that we disclose our inner most thoughts and desires before our loving Father. We find that Jesus prays for Himself. He asks for the Father to, "glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee...". Christ was not selfish when He asked for the Father to glorify Him. He was asking so that He may also glorify the Father. Our attitude in prayer should be the same. When we ask for our particular needs or have specific requests it should always be that we may bring glory to our Father in heaven. In verses 20-26 Jesus prays for those who would believe in Him through the word of the apostles. This means that Jesus prayed for those of us who have come to know Him as our Savior. Christ asked the Father that we may be one as He and the Father are one. May we pray as Christ prayed for us.
Have a grace day!
Pastor Tommy Haynes

"Feed Your Faith" A Daily Devotional From Fall Creek
John
Chapter 16:13
The Spirit of Truth
"Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come."
Many people talk about the Holy Spirit or the Spirit of truth today. Yet, it is obvious that there is a great misunderstanding of what the Bible teaches about him. For example, if you listen to a religious program on the radio or watch one on television chances are you will hear mention of the Holy Spirit, but unfortunately, much of what you will hear about the Spirit of God is false.
Who is the Holy Spirit? What does he do? What does the Bible teach about him? Why is he so misunderstood? What does it mean to be filled with the Spirit? The Bible answers all of these questions and more. Jesus refers to the third person of the trinity as the Spirit of truth indicating to us the fact that the Holy Spirit is to aid and guide us into all truth.
In the Old Testament the Spirit is referred to as the Spirit of the Lord. He empowered the prophets in preaching. He gave Sampson great strength. David the king knew of his presence when he said in Psalm 51: 11, “…take not thy holy spirit from me.” The Spirit of God has always been active in performing the work of God in history from the time before creation and will continue on into eternity future. He is active in the world and the church today ministering in oneness with the Father and the Son. There are three areas of Bible teaching that will give insight into the person and work of the Spirit of God in the world and church today. The Bible teaches that the Holy Spirit possesses personality, deity, and performs a particular ministry to the believer. His personality is proven by His intellect. He teaches us. Jesus made this clear in John 14: 26, “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things…”. Also, the Holy Spirit possesses equality with the Father and the Son (Matthew 28:19). The Spirit of truth is working in us daily guiding us into the word of God.
Have a grace day!
Pastor Tommy Haynes

"Feed Your Faith" A Daily Devotional From Fall Creek
John
Chapter 15:5
Bearing Fruit for Christ
”I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing."
Christ uses the analogy of a vine and its branches to describe the way Christians are to bear fruit for Him as citizens of His kingdom. This is the instruction Jesus gave to His disciples as He was nearing the appointed time of fulfilling His Fathers plan of redemption.
There are valuable lessons for us to learn from our Savior as we listen to the words He spoke to His disciples at this important time in their lives. We are to understand that before we can bear fruit for our Savior, we too, must take heed to the instruction given to His disciples two thousand years ago.
From this instruction we learn that Christ is our source of life. Christ states that no one can bear fruit unless they are united with Him. Also, we learn that there must be a cleansing of our lives. Jesus declares to His disciples. "Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you." Also, the believer is called upon to obey the commandments of Christ before we can be fruit bearers for Him. What Christ is saying here is that true believers will practice sanctification and be obedient to Him and the outcome will be manifest in bearing the fruit of faith. A grape vine cannot bear grapes unless it is connected to the vine, which supplies the nourishment necessary for producing grapes. Likewise, true Christians will be fruit producers as they are connected to and abiding in Christ who is the source of life and spiritual nourishment for all abiding in Him. What is the fruit believers are to bear as we abide in Christ? Paul writes concerning the fruit of the Spirit produced in our lives in Galatians 5:22 where he states, "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. May we submit to the Spirit daily and bear the fruit of Christ in our lives. The fruit we bear gives forth the evidence of our genuine connection with Christ.
Have a grace day!
Pastor Tommy Haynes

Fall Creek Message for Today 6/7/26.

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