October 29th 2020
David_Orr • October 28, 2020
THE DARKNESS OF RELIGION
14' “And to the angel of the church in Laodicea write: ‘The words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God’s creation. 15 “‘I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! 16 So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. 17 For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked.
18 I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see. 19 Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent. 20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me. ' Revelation 3:14-20 ESV True and False Fasting (Isaiah 58:1-7)
Apparently the Children of Israel were making an awesome public show of “The Joy of the LORD is my STRENGTH”. But in reality they were putting on a show of fasting to be seen and walking by people starving. We see how messed up that was but do we see how messed up we are? When Jerusalem actually came under siege there were people in her that noticed no change. The point was to make the ones oppressing them to know what they had put upon their own brethren. This chapter is God pleading with them to change from religion to faith before that happened. “If you change your ways I will change your outcome.”
6 '“Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the straps of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke? 7 Is it not to share your bread with the hungry and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, to cover him, and not to hide yourself from your own flesh? 8 Then shall your light break forth like the dawn, and your healing shall spring up speedily; your righteousness shall go before you; the glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard. 9 Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer; you shall cry, and he will say, ‘Here I am.’ If you take away the yoke from your midst, the pointing of the finger, and speaking wickedness.
10 if you pour yourself out for the hungry and satisfy the desire of the afflicted, then shall your light rise in the darkness and your gloom be as the noonday.
11 And the Lord will guide you continually and satisfy your desire in scorched places and make your bones strong; and you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail. 12 And your ancient ruins shall be rebuilt; you shall raise up the foundations of many generations; you shall be called the repairer of the breach, the restorer of streets to dwell in. ' Isaiah 58:6-12 The Light
Ridgecrest Blog
There’s a difference between walking near someone and walking with them. It's a difference you can feel. I don’t just want to walk beside my wife—I want to hold her hand, to wrap my arm around her, to stay close. And in the same way, God doesn't just want us to stroll behind Him at a safe distance. He wants us right next to Him. Closer than close. The Bible makes that clear—again and again. In fact, one of the most beautiful things is when the same truth is spoken in both the Old and New Testaments. That’s when we know God is driving a point home. Take James in the New Testament. He gives us four practical, life-changing steps that can draw us closer to God: Depend on the Savior Deny the devil Desire to sin less Delight in selflessness These aren’t just catchy phrases—they’re daily actions. They’re reminders that we’re not strong enough to live this life on our own. We need help. We need a Savior. And when we lean on Him, He promises to draw near to us. That message isn’t new. It echoes through Proverbs 3:5-7: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart; and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths. Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the Lord, and depart from evil.” This ancient wisdom from Solomon aligns perfectly with James. Why? Because truth doesn’t change. God's Word is living, consistent, and always calling us to take that next step closer to Him. Maybe you’re reading this and you feel distant from God. Maybe you’ve been walking on autopilot—doing the right things, going to church, saying the prayers—but deep down, you know there’s a gap. Here's the good news: If you’re not close to God right now, it’s not because He moved. He’s still there. Still waiting. Still inviting. “Draw near to me,” God says, “and I will draw near to you.” That word “draw” isn’t passive. It’s personal. In the original language, it carries the idea of reaching out and hugging someone. That’s the kind of closeness God wants. Not cold religion, but a warm relationship. An embrace. An arm around your shoulder. And if you’ve never experienced that before—if you’ve never known what it’s like to walk hand-in-hand with Jesus—it’s not too late. All you have to do is ask. Ask Him to forgive your sins. Admit you can’t save yourself. Believe that only Jesus can. He will meet you there. Every time. And if you’re already a believer? There’s still room to grow. Every single one of us could walk a little closer to Jesus than we did yesterday. None of us have arrived. And the beautiful part is—He’s not asking for perfection. He’s just asking for your heart. So today, let’s take those steps. Let’s depend. Deny. Desire. Delight. Let’s walk a little closer. Let’s hold His hand. And let’s never let go. Closing Thought: Wouldn’t it feel good to be hugged tight by Jesus? That’s not just poetic. That’s possible. Because He’s reaching out right now—waiting for you to reach back.
We are proud to share that Ridgecrest Baptist Church has been a part of the efforts supporting Together We Foster, an organization dedicated to serving the foster care community of Northeast Arkansas.
Welcome to Ridgecrest Baptist Church! We're thrilled to have you join us today for a time of worship, fellowship, and spiritual growth. Whether you're a long-time member or visiting for the first time, your presence enriches our community. Let's open our hearts to receive God's word and blessings together. Thank you for joining us at our VBS closing celebration! Today, our kids will receive certificates, perform a special song for parents, and enjoy a slideshow/video highlighting this week's exciting activities. Stick around after the service for a celebration meal with all families. Blessings,
Happy Father's Day! Welcome to Ridgecrest Baptist Church as we celebrate and honor all fathers today. Whether you're a father, a father figure, or celebrating with a father, we're delighted to have you join us for worship and fellowship. Let's take this opportunity to reflect on the blessings of fatherhood and the love of our Heavenly Father. May today's service uplift and inspire you! "Blessed is the man who fears the Lord, who greatly delights in his commandments! His offspring will be mighty in the land; the generation of the upright will be blessed." - Psalm 112:1-2 (ESV) Blessings,