Dear SFN Church Family,

It is with great joy that I say, “We are experiencing the presence of God at SFN Church!” I remember times and moments when I was growing up and as a young adult when I would walk away from church services thinking to myself, “Wow! You could really sense God’s presence today.” But I believe we are being blessed with more than just occasional moments of the anointing of His presence; I believe that we are coming hungry for it and expectant of it.

Why is the sense of His presence “occasional” in some churches and “expected” in others? I think it has everything to do with how we worship. Do we worship occasionally or do we show up with the expectation that we are going to worship God today, no matter what? This is the difference.

I’m sure you have heard us say at some point a paraphrase of Psalm 22:3, “God inhabits the praises of His people.” Others would say, “God dwells in the atmosphere of His praise.” What this basically means is that when God’s people come together in genuine worship and praise to the God of the universe, and don’t hold back or approach him without awe, it blesses God and God in return blesses us with an overwhelming sense of His presence.

Let’s continue to praise Him for He has done great things! Let me share with you just a couple of great things God has done recently.

Three years ago we planted a seed of hope in the life of a young mother at our Free Garage Sale by giving her and her daughter a Christmas tree. That was what they desired most, and through some amazing circumstances we were able to provide them with one even though all of the Christmas stuff had been gobbled up quickly. This past Sunday that young mother came to church at SFN for the first time!

You see, we planted a seed three years ago but God has continued to nurture it and cause it to grow until just the right time when it is ready to be harvested. Think of all of the seeds we have planted over the past three years and may have forgotten about. God has not forgotten about those seeds. He is nurturing every seed that has been planted and we trust that one day each and every one will be harvested in due season. Praise God!

We can also praise God for reminding us about how urgent our mission is. We have been walking through a series titled “Hell and the Mission of the Church” over the past several weeks and I have been broken by what God’s word says and I have watched God break all of you as well. Praise God for breaking our hearts over the reality of Hell and the eternal destiny of so many. We praise God for that because it is only after we have been broken that God can give us away to the world. And the world needs us.

This past Sunday I shared with you the reality of what God’s word says about the fate of those who have never heard the name of Jesus and our responsibility to reach them. We shared with you about the Joshua Project and the 30 unreached people groups around the world. I would encourage you to go to their website and begin to pray for the unreached people groups that need to hear about Jesus.

We can also praise God for how you all responded so generously to the message by giving of your financial resources. You gave over $2,300 to missions on Sunday in addition to the 10% of every dollar that is given in the general offering! Thank you for your generosity and please continue to pray about how God would have us to GO and GIVE so that others might hear about Jesus.

Our God is good! I hope to see you this Sunday as we gather together once again expecting to meet in the powerful presence of an almighty God!

In Christ,

Pastor Brandin