My daughter Abby and I took the dog on a short hike the other day. As we walked the Andora Trail, we came to a big boulder. Abby and I wanted to get a better look at our surroundings, so we attached Hazel’s leash to a big shrub and scaled the rock. Up top was a pretty view of the surrounding area with rocks, trees, and meadows, and off to the east was the busy San Fernando Valley. Abby commented it would be a good place to stop for a snack or picnic.

Apparently others had snacked here before. As I looked down, I noticed an orange scrap of food – like a Cheeze-It or Cheeto – moving along the rock. Underneath were about a dozen ants working together, carrying that scrap toward a crack in the rock which was apparently their home. The ants looked like firemen carrying a trampoline, all working in sync to navigate the terrain. It was both entertaining and impressive to watch.

Many times, the Bible encourages us to stop, look, listen, and ponder all nature can teach us about life. Jesus says to look at the birds and lilies, which testify to God’s provision (Matt. 6:25-34). James points out how stallions can be tamed with a bridle, as we must learn to tame our tongues (James 3:2-3). Solomon says to consider the ant. “Go to the ant, O sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise” (Prov. 6:6).

A couple weeks ago, I preached on Nehemiah 4, where the people of Israel worked together to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. Like those ants on the rock, all the people were busy, united together for a common cause. Verse 6 says “the people had a mind to work.” What they had been unable to accomplish for 150 years due to a lack of resources and lack of desire, they were able to do in just 52 days, under the right leadership and the Lord’s blessing (Neh. 6:15).

We considered this scene as we think about God’s will for Calvary Church. Imagine the things God could do through us if he would give us a heart and a mind for work! Imagine if every believer fully used their spiritual gift to build up others in the body. Imagine if we all practiced the “one anothers” of Scripture. Imagine if we all gave and served sacrificially, with an instense focus on the glory of God. God has done it before, and he can do it again. He can give his people a mind to work. Our prayer is that he will give us a desire to put our hands to the plow, so to speak, and get our hands dirty. To spend and be spent for the cause of Christ.

If you missed the message, you can watch it above or listen through our church sermon audio page. I’ve also included the handout below. Lastly, here is a link to the Ministry Interest Form in case you are learning how you can be part of the work God is doing here in the San Fernando Valley. Thank you for your faithful service!

Years ago, Natalie and I attended a children’s ministry conference in Pasadena and heard an illustration that has always stuck with us.

Steve Alley, a children’s ministry specialist, said that our children’s ministry should be like Cinnabon. Their stores are often strategically located near the entrance to the mall, sending out a delicious aroma that draws you in and makes you want to order a snack and stay a while. In a similar way, Alley said we should aim in our children’s ministry to create a pleasing atmosphere full of sights, sounds, and even smells that make children and their parents comfortable and want to come back.

To take the analogy one step further, the same could be said for a local church. Imagine a church so full of love, kindness, friendship, forgiveness, and grace, that people feel immediately at home and want to stay. Is such a thing possible? As much as it depends on us, we should work to provide an atmosphere of grace. That was the topic in one of my recent messages. If you missed it, you can go back and watch the video above, or if you want just audio, you can visit the sermon page on our Calvary Hills website. I have also included a link to the handout below.

If you live in the San Fernando Valley and don’t already have a church home, please consider visiting us at Calvary Church West Hills. We aim to be a church with a culture of grace!

“The B-I-B-L-E, yes that’s the book for me. I stand alone on the word of God, the B-I-B-L-E… Bible!” I sang those words countless times in my youth, and am so thankful my family and church instilled within me a love for God’s Word.

At Calvary Church, we’re charting a course for the future, and last week I shared that we must develop a healthy hunger for God’s Word. We looked together at 1 Peter 2:1-5, where Peter says to “long for the pure spiritual milk.” If you missed the message, you can watch the video link above, or if you want just the audio, you can visit the sermon page on our church website.

(Side note, I noticed this week that the Apple podcast app includes a full auto-generated transcript of the message. Amazing! I tried copying and pasting it here, but it wouldn’t let me. It might be copyrighted through iTunes or something. )

At any rate, here’s a copy of the handout so you can follow along. If you don’t already have a church home, please consider joining us next Sunday at Calvary Church West Hills.