Sunday Services: 10:30 AM
505 South Sixth St. Burbank, CA
91501

FaithView, For Storm Riders:
“Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”—Philippians 2:9-11

A few weeks ago, I used this same Scripture in the body of another devotional. It’s surfaced again because of its clarity and simplicity.

I don’t believe we would bow in worship to the Pope, the President or a king…I know I wouldn’t. My faith—our faith—precludes me from taking any such action to a mere mortal. I won’t take a knee to honor someone who didn’t go to the cross for me and is incapable of saving me.

That doesn’t make me an outlier. I’m not the only one who thinks this way. Reading this, you’re probably thinking and believing the same thing about yourself.

But we do take a knee. We do.

We won’t bow to Bob, Susie, Donald or Barak…but we will bow to our careers. We will take a knee when it comes to our desires. We will submit to the authority of our habits. We will become subject to whatever cause has mastered us.

It’s an easy trap to fall into. We are always on the lookout for sex, drugs, rock & roll or some other obvious blasphemy to steer away from. For the most part we do, but we fail when it comes to things like our careers or the need to be loved and admired—the need to be respected by our peers. Maybe we’re blind to the bad habit that has come to dominate us.

“They promise them freedom, while they themselves are slaves of depravity–for ‘people are slaves to whatever has mastered them.’”—2 Peter: 2:19

Slaves, subjects…to a king that isn’t Christ.

What owns you? What owns your thoughts? What determines your actions?

If it is anything other than Christ…Then understand you are out of step with the Spirit.

It means you have another king.

There is a reason we’re called to holiness and why it is vital for our spiritual survival. Someone, some thing—Satan maybe?—is always trying to gain authority over us. But the holy life we’ve been called to live requires us to keep our attention, our thoughts and our actions focused on Christ. If these things remain tethered to him, we’ll be okay.

However, taking our eyes off Christ puts us in eminent danger of taking a knee for another…and becoming subject/slave to it.

Boom!
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Department Leaders: Be sure to get your year-end reports to Jackie K. for the church report coming out at the end of this month. Matt, Bill, Seana, Pastor Joe T., etc. etc…

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A VBS Unlike Any Other:
You can sign up your child and their friends here on our website. Look the button up top, click, and follow.

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Burbank Faith now has a Twitter account. You can follow us at; @BurbankFaithNaz

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Eric Canto has created a Burbank Faith channel on YouTube and has placed all of our recent services there. Go check it out.

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Note:

VBS Goes to Rome: The theme for Vacation Bible School this year is “Rome: Paul & The Underground Church”
The dates are June 26-30…Look at your calendar…share with your friends…Pray for Seana Zilbert, who is directing…Make plans to volunteer.

July is Camps Month: Remember July is camps month…Junior High, High School & Kids will all have separate camps at Granite Ridge.

District Assembly is July 12-14
(It is one month later this year due to General Assembly (Indianapolis) being held June 21-30.)

SrHi Camp: July 16-21
Kids Camp: July 23-28
JrHi Camp: July 30-August 4

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Did You Know?
On This Date…

…In 6 BC, this day is believed by some Biblical scholars to be the actual date of the historical birth of Jesus Christ.

…In 1952, American missionary and Auca Indian martyr Jim Elliot wrote in his journal: “Faith makes life so even, gives one such confidence, that the words of men are as wind.” …If you are familiar with the movie “End of The Spear” or the stage drama “Blood Beach” then you know that Elliot was one of five missionaries killed on January 8, 1956 by the Huaorani tribe in the rain forest of Ecuador.

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Church Calendar:

April 9: Sunday Service, 10:30 AM…Sunday evening “Prayer Hour” from 6-to-7:PM
April 10: “Riders On The Storm”—7:PM
April 11: Women’s Bible Study—7:PM
April 12:
All Church Prayer Time: 7—to—7:30 PM
Worship Team Practices: 7:30 PM
Adult Bible Study—Judges 13—7:30 PM
April 16: Easter Sunday
April 29: March For Autism
May 6: Men’s Breakfast at Harry’s, 8:00 AM
May 13: Ladies Tea
May 14: Mother’s Day
May 21: VBS planning meeting, following morning worship.
May 29: Memorial Day
June 26-30: VBS Week

As believers, we have to remain in continual prayer for all of our first responders…all our leaders…not a political party but for those carrying the heavy burden of leadership in our country and communities.