Sky Beyond the Couds

If the world seems to be closing in,

Weighed down by a load of sin;

When all seems dark and grim

And the rain seems to never end,

If all is irritating, chaotic and loud,  

Remember, there is sky beyond the clouds,

Vast and clear, bright and pure –

Look up, there is more there to be sure.

When all hope seems gone and lost,

And you’re beaten down, tempest tossed

When grace and love are behind a shroud,

There is sky beyond the clouds.

Majestic, peaceful, sparkling and serene,

It is there, behind the veil, above the screen.

When His providence seems out of reach

And you can’t sense him across the breach,

When the rain of sorrow has you bowed,

He is the Sky beyond the clouds.

Open Letter to Heritage Christian Fellowship

Brothers and sisters,

I know that this is very late and long overdue, since we have lived in Florida almost three months.  It has been so long in coming because I didn’t think I could have proper perspective on everything until now.  Who knows, maybe I still don’t.  For someone who doesn’t cry easily, it has been difficult for me to not tear up, even now writing this.

Anyway, I could never fully articulate my personal thankfulness to God for the body of Heritage Christian Fellowship and the deep friendships I and my family have developed there over the past 9 years – and beyond.  I cannot contain my gratitude that God would grant Danielle and me salvation and all that goes with it under the preaching ministry of Pastor Tim, as he taught through the book of James, all those years ago!

My heart overflows and is humbled that God would use Pastor Shaan and Carrol James to the degree that he has in Danielle and my spiritual formation early on and throughout the last 9 years. 

I also praise God for the love, guidance, and godliness and friendship of pastors Brandon, Richard, Harry and Terry over the years. 

We were overwhelmed (and still am) by the love of Christ through so many at the memorial service for Danielle’s  grandmother, Polly a few years ago…Blown away by so many who were so quick to jump in and help, and sing and  encourage and cook.

I am blown away by the love and ministry of so many in the body of Christ at Heritage who have ministered selflessly and joyfully to my entire family.  I am encouraged and edified by the godly examples we had surrounding us day in and day out.  I cannot name every name of all who have blessed our family and even now continue to do so.

Danielle and I have also been privileged to minister to and alongside everyone there.  I am so thankful and greatly humbled to have had the many opportunities to teach, serve, learn and grow alongside you all.  We have been extremely blessed to have shared in trials, afflictions, good times and bad times with many saints at Heritage.  The laughter and the tears, as well as great discussion about things of the Lord, the many bible studies, and being part each other’s lives have been tremendous blessings to us as well.  The fellowship has been sweeter than we could even imagine.  God has been so gracious to us in so many ways I can’t even begin to count them all!  The many friendships that God has brought into our lives will carry through, even though location has changed.

I praise God for the elders’ desire to hold firmly to the Truth that God has revealed in Scripture and the determination to teach and preach it boldly and unashamedly, yet patiently and lovingly.  Thank you for instilling this in the Ferreri family!

I also want to thank Rich and Suzy for their great hospitality and love and friendship in hosting our going-away party and the many other fellowships we attended at their home.  I’ll even miss Suzy giving me a hard time every I said “yep!” or amen to a particularly profound point during Tim’s sermons!  I could go on and on, but will stop for now.  Again, there is no way I could ever express our love, joy and gratitude for all that the Lord has done through HCF in our lives over the years.

The deep and profound love of Christ through Heritage in our lives has been truly life-changing.  HCF has always been and will continue to be “home” for us.  We pray for God’s continued blessing and favor upon the body of Heritage in your ministering to each other and to the community around you.  May God continue to be glorified in the love, fellowship and ministry of Heritage Christian Fellowship!  

We love you all dearly and miss you immensely!

In Christ’s love,

Greg, Danielle, Matt, Jake and Joey Ferreri

RELENTLESS

The relentless march of long slow hours -

What do we have? What is this fate of ours?

We drown in an ever-flowing sea of fun.

Is that all there is - frolicking in the sun?

With endless toys and games we are smitten.

Underneath, Death is always hidden.

We avert our gaze from the grand and ugly fact.

Hours and days seem slow, no need to act.

But the truth cannot be so easily hid-

Paint, drugs and blind hope will not rid.

Deceptive and evil are the minutes and seconds

Before we know it, the end inevitably beckons.

Twenty years, a blink of an eye, decades history.

Caught off guard, we marvel at the mystery.

But what do we do to redeem the days?

What can last, when all else fades away?

The days and weeks and months and years

Gone.  We are left with our own weakness and fears.

We look back, where did it all go?

We thought we had forever, what did we know.

Walking dead men, our days we fritter away. 

But there is no doubt, we all return to clay.

Fractured, cracked and broken, we live our lives.

Fighting against where time ultimately drives.

Only through One can we triumph over Death.

Only through Him can we live past our final breath.

He alone has conquered the cold lonely grave.

It is only in Him can our dreary lives be saved.

His life covers our weak and pale attempt.

His death instead of ours, we are exempt.

Rising from the grave removes death's sting.

What love untold, what eternal blessing brings.

GOSPEL

God's glorious grace

Overcomes satan, sin and self

Sovereign over death and life

Propelling sinners over strife

Ending the reign of death and loss

Lord Jesus reigns supreme

Wandering

Wandering, lost but not knowing.

34 years all on my own strength.

Proud, puffed up--wind blowing.

Not a thought for my next breath.

Then came sweet grace and mercy

The likes of which I'd never seen.

Light shining in a darkened place.

Now great praises, I've seen his face.

Yet, often struggles and fights,

Heart tending to wander away from truth.

Wallowing in muck, away from the light.

Tending toward the folly of my youth.

The great ease of sin is shocking.

My actions and thoughts mocking.

Such a stiff neck; a stubborn fool.

Without trying, rebelling your rule.

Wandering, feeding on dust.

Entertaining and serving lust.

Starving without even a thought.

Faith ignoring what you bought.

Satisfied to wallow in the mire.

All the while, about to expire.

Oh - who will help me to see,

that this can't last, it cannot be?

But grace is greater and vast!

Pulling me out of dense fog at last!

The purchase much more stable,

For he who is far more able!

The darkness once again swallowed by light.

Behold, not by innate strength or might.

In my shallow weakness and frail frame, 

Another's strength has wrought, never to be the same.

Oh-keep my fickle heart under your wings.

May you be that for which my mouth sings!

Your love and strength are beyond my days,

You shall keep me shouting your praise!

ABOVE the FLAMES

Darkness this world tends to.

Corruption, the order of the day.

Oldness, everything descends to.

Death, no one escapes its sway.

All men are touched by sin and death,

Even the best, till their final breath.

What is there that isn’t vain?

What is there that causes no pain?

Hearts and minds filled with fear;

Souls full of self, pushing love away.

Children of men live only for today;

Utter destruction is always near.

The times are designed to insulate

From the gnawing sense of dust.

Surely there is something doesn’t turn to rust?

Can there be something that escapes the hate?

The most evil event by men ever devised

Was perpetrated against the One despised.

He who was nailed to a splintery cross

Has been provided to remove our dross.

Why should we be surprised by this wonder?

Our hearts are hard as diamond rocks;

When all the time our lives tic-tock.

Who can remove this awful spell we’re under?

Lives filled with things that do not last;

Lungs, hearts and bodies fading fast.

Toys and things that shine all around

While we slowly sink and drown.

O, wrap me in That which does not perish!

The things of rot and dust let not consume

O Affections, soul and mind do groom

for th’  eternal I alone aim to cherish.

Let me long for that Above the flames

And set my sight on the Name above all names.

The Light that is never dark and is always Bright

Is the only escape from the decay of this night.

(words by greg ferreri)

What did Jesus Say?

I have had a couple conversations recently and have seen many postings on the internet lately, probably in relation to the upcoming holiday called Easter or Resurrection Day, in which Christians celebrate the resurrection of our Lord, Jesus the Christ. These posts have compelled me to write this, and I write it with no disrespect for anyone, only a deep love and respect and desire for my Lord to be represented accurately as he really is.

So here goes. Jesus did not come so we can all have our "best life now". Jesus did not come so that I can have a million dollars, or a nicer car, or a huge house. Jesus is not merely a teacher or a wise man. Jesus isn't some 1960's hippy. He didn't come to preach against global warming. He wasn't all about tolerance and looking the other way at sin. He didn't come so we could post his sayings out of context on Facebook, or attribute things to him that he didn't say. He didn't come to support our agenda, whatever that may be. He isn't a republican; he isn't a democrat. Jesus didn't come so we can all sit around and sing "Cumbaya" together. This list could go on an on...

Here is why Jesus came, to save sinners who are destined for hell -eternity separated from God and his good presence to bless. Jesus is God in the flesh. The first public words out of his mouth were, "From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." (Matthew 4:17).

Jesus came to live a sinless life and to die in the place of those who would believe upon him. You see, God is holy, set apart from sin. His wrath and anger at sin are being stored up against all ungodliness and unrighteousness (Romans 1:18). But the free gift of God for those who repent believe is salvation from sin and His eternal love. The Apostle Paul puts it this way:

"for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. "(Romans 3:23-25) You see, we are all, by our very nature separated from God and His enemies. The only way to be reconciled is through faith in the Son of God. The One who propitiates, or satisfies the wrath of God.

Here are some other things that Jesus DID say:

"Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. And a person's enemies will be those of his own household. Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it." -- (Jesus in Matthew 10:34-39).

True faith in Christ separates people from one another: those who believe will necessarily think differently from those who don't. Also, to be noticed in this passage, Jesus is calling his followers to deny their own sinful desires, to put the old sinful self to death (take up his cross, the instrument of Jesus' death, and metaphorically his followers' death to sin).

Jesus said this:

"You have heard that it was said, 'You shall not commit adultery.' But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

(Matthew 5:27-28)

And again, the Apostle Paul could not be clearer, "Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. (1Corinthians 6:9-11). The point here is not that Christians are to single out some group of people and vilify or persecute them, whether homosexuals, or otherwise. The point is that if you are a Christian, you have been washed of sin. But make no mistake, Jesus and his Apostles were not unclear on what sin is. In fact, sin is such an offense to God that Jesus had to die for it...The just payment for sin is death (Romans 6:23)

Here is another thing Jesus did, he made the astounding claim that he is God!

Jesus said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am." So they picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple. (John 8:58-59) Two things here, obviously Jesus is claiming that he was around before Abraham, who lived some 1000 years before Jesus birth. But he is also claiming for himself the divine Name "I Am". This is a reference to the account of Moses and the burning bush in Exodus 3 when Moses asks God who he is. God's reply to him was, "I AM WHO I AM." And he said, "Say this to the people of Israel, 'I AM has sent me to you.'" (Exodus 3:14) Jesus is claiming to be God! And furthermore he claims that he is the only way to have access to God:

Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him." (John 14:6-7)

Jesus does indeed also tell Christians to love one another in many places. He and his Apostles also tell his followers to love each other and live at peace with all men, as much as is possible with them.

These things I command you, so that you will love one another. "If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. (John 15:17-19). Notice here, that Jesus says that the Christian will be hated by the world. This is because the world hates Jesus and the claims he makes. The world doesn't want to hear that it needs a savior from its sin. In fact, the world wants to keep reveling and glorying in its sin. This is the reason, the Romans and the Pharisees killed Jesus: they didn't want to hear his message! He wasn't telling them to all just get along. He claimed to be God. He claimed to be the only way to God, the Father. His life, death and resurrection stand alone in history as God's own way of dealing with the sinfulness of fallen humanity and its effects. This is an extremely exclusive message and is a far cry from, " Jesus loves you and has a plan for your life". One must come in faith and repentance to Jesus, turning away from their sin and trusting him as their righteousness before God. This is the only way. This is why Christians celebrate the resurrection; because apart from it, we are lost and still in our sin.  Christians are not better than others...In fact, a Christian should have an ever increasing awareness of his or her own sinfulness, and an increasing love and gratitude for his Savior- the wonder of the Grace of God!  This does play out in real life as a concern for others.

This is just a brief sampling of who Jesus is in his proper context. I mean no disrespect by writing it and encourage you read more in the Scriptures.  The fact is, the Gospel is an offensive message to those who do not want to hear it, but it is life and joy and peace to the Christian.