Fontana SDA Church

Pr. Steve McHan's Message: Malachi: Laundry Day "But who can endure the day of His coming? And who can stand when He appears? For He is like a refiner’s fire and like launderers’ soap. Malachi 3:2... Have you ever said the familiar phrase, Let go and let God? I found deeper meaning to those five words this past weekend, I spent a good part of Sunday going through things I am not using anymore. I was alarmed to discover how hard it was to get rid of items that have been completely out of my sight and mind for the past 6 years. Malachi shares a message that God desires to leave us with only what is best, but our human nature doesn’t want to let go. We hang on to what holds us back, to what keeps us from being whole, to what misrepresents our Creator. We find in this last book of the Old Testament a message that calls us to let go of all values which oppose God’s will and character. Malachi reminds us we each have tendencies to wander. We can choose today to come back, to let go of anything that is less that what God desires and cling to the ideal He has prepared for us. https://fontanaca.adventistchurch.org//-malachi-laundry-day

Pr. Steve McHan's Message Haggai - Fill the Temple With Glory "And I will shake all nations, and they shall come to the Desire of All Nations, and I will fill this temple with glory, says the LORD of hosts." Haggai 2:7... I understand God is speaking through Haggai about the effective work of Jesus and that Jesus’ work brings glory. If I extend the thought presented in this verse by word association, I end at another great truth. Since our bodies are also referred to as ‘God’s temple’, then His work in us also is glory. What an encouragement it can be to face your day knowing you are filled with God’s glory. That is His work in you. We can’t make that glory or add to it ourselves, but we can dim or extinguish that glory. Let’s choose to live in such a way this week that God’s brightness clearly shines through. https://fontanaca.adventistchurch.org//haggai---fill-the-t

Pr. Steve McHan's message Zephaniah is a hopeful book about what will never exist again. We many times picture our hopeful future in terms of good that will never end. Our future also can be described by what will never be again. Imagine what it would be like to be told by your teacher, "You will never fail. Hear your doctor say, That cancer will never return. The landscaper pronounce, You will never see another weed,... The politician, No more taxes. I realize that some of those scenarios really stretch your imagination. However, the Bible proclaims over and over an end to evil. And this end isn’t just seasonal. It remains after the next election, after the physician retires, after the teacher relocates, and after you move to a new house. God’s remedy for our world sticks. It works. It is effective. Anything that is bad - is no more - forever. https://fontanaca.adventistchurch.org//zephaniah---no-more

The Blood Will Never Loose Its Power | Music by Mrs. Kerri McCombs | Cover Rianna & Kaitlyn Bathini https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J88TU--M0GY

Pr. Steve McHan's Message: Habakkuk - When long turns into late "Look among the nations and watchBe utterly astounded! For I will work a work in your days Which you would not believe, though it were told you." Habakkuk 1:5... This illustration of how we experience time differently between ourselves happened on a recent trip to Utah. My grandson wanted something to eat and his mother was busy, so it was my turn. I told him, I’ll fix you something as so as I have this drawer fixed. My grandson heard that food is the very next thing on my agenda, so he went and sat down at the table. I knew I wanted to get this repair checked off my list of things to do to help my daughter, and the job took longer than expected, That food was the very next thing didn’t address how long it would take. Dado - I heard shouted loudly from the kitchen. I’m hungry. I’m almost done, I called back in reassurance. I discovered that without food on the plate, my grandson remained unsatisfied, Words did little to calm him - he wanted action. And so it is when we want deliverance from God. We understand Habakkuk. That God's promise is coming isn’t near as satisfying as having His promise in hand, But are we willing to sit down at the table, knowing His supper is coming? https://fontanaca.adventistchurch.org//habakkuk---when-lon

Pr. Steve McHan's Message Justice Required YHWH God has told us what is right and what he demands: See that justice is done, let mercy be your first concern, and humbly obey your God. Micah 6:8 CEV... Does your heart yearn for right to prevail? Micah hopes it does. He also shares God’s plan: Each of us are His instrument for justice. We are not to wait for someone more qualified, more educated, more gifted, more financially capable, with more time or interest. The joyous empowerment of the Gospel is that each of us have a commission from our Father to be like Jesus in love and compassion. We are a picture of Him to our family, our boss, our church, our neighbors. What a privilege. What responsibility. And when He has given us His heart, it doesn’t need to be required. https://fontanaca.adventistchurch.org/Refl/justice-required

Pr. Steve McHan's Message Out with the old For I will look on you favorably and make you fruitful, multiply you and confirm My covenant with you. You shall eat the old harvest, and clear out the old because of the new. I will set My tabernacle among you, and My soul shall not abhor you. I will walk among you and be your God, and you shall be My people. Leviticus 26:9-12... It is possible that we each approach this new year with our own unique perspective. But regardless of the different perspectives we will each go through the year together. Time gives us opportunity. Opportunity can bring growth, development and the chance to share love and forgiveness. We get to choose what we let go of what what we hang on to. God can shape our values and priorities so that our contributions build His kingdom. I’m excited for 2021 https://fontanaca.adventistchurch.org/Refl/out-with-the-old

Pr. Steve McHan's Message. Burst Song Shout joyfully to the LORD, all the earth; Break forth and sing for joy and sing praises. Psalm 98:4... In Bible stories, great victories are a followed by great music. God does something amazing and people can’t help but sing. This must be why so much beautiful music was inspired for this season. What is more awe inspiring than God becoming a baby? God did some amazing things this week. Did you miss them? If not, you haver something to sing about. Let His praise break forth. https://fontanaca.adventistchurch.org/Reflections/burst-song

Reflections by Pr. Steve McHan Ask What's Most Important If you ask anything in My name, I will do it. John 14:14... I don’t like to feel disappointment. Probably none of us do. The challenge comes when our efforts to protect ourselves from disappointment make our prayers small. When Jesus met Bartimaeus the man was given the opportunity to ask Jesus for anything. And Bartimaeus asked the impossible, Let me see. Putting what he really wanted on the line, opened the door of opportunity to life-changing possibilities. He put his sight in God’s hands. I’ve practiced putting what is most precious to me in God’s hands. It reduces stress and anxiety. It allows freedom for God’s Providence to work in ways He couldn’t do otherwise. Jesus is pleased when we ask. Let’s not squander His love and power and grace. He does forgive. He continues to heal. He restores. He makes all things new. 1. Since God wants what is best for you, what hopes and dreams have you given Him this week 2. What has your fear of hearing ’no’ kept you from asking God? 3. I love praying God’s promises. Connect with https://fontanaca.adventistchurch.org//ask-whats-most-impo

Reflections by Pr. Steve McHan Giving Children a Voice And whoever welcomes a child like this in my name welcomes me. Matthew 18:5... prayed with a group of Christians this week who remembered children to God. Not that He needs any reminder. Jesus’ words of welcome for children clearly reveal God’s heart for those young in years. In our prayers we asked for special protection on those children who lived in poverty and faced nutritional and health crises beyond their control. Who will act for them? Who will speak for them? Over the years, Kelly and I have supported several organizations who have proven records of successful ministry with children. We have supported orphanages, educational and medical assistance. I regularly speak with parents in the hospital setting who tell me, My child cannot speak for himself/herself. You need to listen to me. Do we see them? Do we affirm them? Do we act to value and grow them? 1. What tangible action will you take within the next 7 days to demonstrate support for a child? 2. What resources would better equip you to be an effective mentor/advocate for children? 3. Who are you praying for who is under the age of 12? https://fontanaca.adventistchurch.org//giving-children-a-v

Reflections by Pr. Steve McHan I am overwhelmed with joy in the YHWH my God! For he has dressed me with the clothing of salvation and draped me in a robe of righteousness. I am like a bridegroom dressed for his wedding or a bride with her jewels. Isaiah 41:10# When Jesus sat down at Jacob’s well and asked for a drink, He was looking for more than just a thirst quencher. And as the story in John 4 unfolds, we discover Jesus was looking for more than just the woman with who...m He spoke. The story ends with the whole town at Jesus’ side. Jesus is still looking and His greatest joy is that the story end with you by His side. We can be on His side. We can be at His side. Both sentences describe a mindset and priorities. They are personal responses to yours and my acceptance that Jesus has chosen us. When I think about companionship, I am quickly aware of how empty my life would be without my wife, Kelly. Because of Jesus’ love for you and me, He wants us with Him. And His desire for us is so complete that one way the Bible describes our relationship with Him is as a bride to her bridegroom. That’s how much longing is in Jesus’ eyes when He looks at you, 1. If you have been in love, do you remember when you were first aware of that fact? What qualities attracted you to that other person? 2. When you describe Jesus to someone who doesn’t know Him, which description of Jesus’ love is most attractive? Which illustration is most compelling? 3. Jesus always has room for one more brother or sister in His family. Who can you be praying for to respond to Jesus’ love? https://fontanaca.adventistchurch.org/Reflec/always-looking

Reflections by Pr. Steve McHan Are you in or are you out? "Sovereign YHWH, who has brought his people Israel home from exile, has promised that he will bring still other people to join them. Isaiah 56:8... Have the Covid-19 restrictions made you hungry for connections? A few weeks ago I witnessed this hunger. Given the chance to get together with friends long separated by had a challenging time maintaining safe distancing. God made us for intimacy. So when Jesus found people who had been separated, He loved removing barriers. We recognize the dramatic actions when death was reversed. The more subtle times, Jesus sent lepers home rejoicing, bleeding women returned to their families, crazy, demon-possessed people found freedom from their chains, and sinners found freedom from their guilt. 1. What has Jesus released you from in bringing you to community? 2. How can you utilize your journey to help someone else who is trapped and separated from healthy connection?# 3. Can you identify someone whom God has placed in your life that needs connections? Find a way to be a bridge this week for them. Related Information https://fontanaca.adventistchurch.org/Ref/are-you-in-or-out

Reflections by Pr. Steve McHan You study the scriptures thoroughly because you think in them you possess eternal life, and it is these same scriptures that testify about me. John 5:39 I can remember my grandfather saying about a friend of mine who’d getting into trouble, he’s just too smart for his britches. The irony was that my friend had actually done something pretty foolish. He hadn’t been smart at all. He hadn’t been teachable either.... Jesus faced challenges from those who believed they knew better than him. They were scholars, educators, influencers and enforcers of God’s law. Yet the very God whom they claimed to be protecting was the one they put on the cross. Actually, the God they referred was quite the opposite from the one Jesus revealed. It’s hard to be teachable. Our pride, our fear of looking ignorant or of losing control, our stubbornness; all these can put us at risk of losing out on a teachable moment. Put yourself in a place to learn something more about Jesus this week. Know Him more. 1. How do you balance between being teachable and being too easily swayed from conviction? 2. What is a recent insight you’ve experienced into God’s character? What led up to this insight? 3. Who do you have in your life to learn from? Who is there for you to mentor?

Reflections by Pr. Steve McHan How would you feel if God came to you to raise His son? What an amazing privilege and responsibility was given Mary. To benefit from Mary’s example, we would take seriously the influence we have on children. What an honor it is to help a child to know and love God. May didn’t just train Jesus. She modeled for him love and trust and devotion to her God and Maker. Jesus said some tough things in the presence of his mother. When his family ca...me to visit him after he began his public ministry, he seems to have snubbed them. He questioned her request to help the wedding. On the other hand, he held those children accountable who tried to get out of their obligations to their parents by making spiritual pledges. Jesus showed honor, respect, devotion to the woman who was his mother. With the weight of the world on his shoulders - breaking his heart - he thought of his mother and took steps to secure her care and future. How can we be more like Him? 1. What is your best memory involving a mother? 2. How have you recently honored the role mothers in your household? 3. Find a way to affirm a mother this week - to make like a little happier for her. https://fontanaca.adventistchurch.org/Refle/where-it-counts

Reflections by Pr. Steve McHan Today or Tomorrow? For as the new heavens and the new earth which I will make shall remain before Me, says YHWH, so shall your descendants and your name remain. Isaiah 66:22... I asked a friend last week what he thought life on the new earth would be like. He thought a moment and answered that he had taken a course in permaculture a few years back and that class had shaped his pictures of what the new earth could be like. He went on to say that he wondered why more Christians don’t live in closer cooperation with God’s creation. Eco-friendly might be another way to summarize his thoughts. When was the last time you thought about what life on the new earth will be like? After I’ve ridden the rhino and petted the tiger and talked with Adam and sang with David, what will my days in eternity be filled with? Will there be commerce, technology, construction, government, education, exploration, and science? How much cooking, planning, cleaning, organizing will a sinless life require? The Bible is quite silent on this topic and so I admit that this topic will contain a lot of speculation, but imagination is a God-given ability. Whatever you or I picture of the New Earth should be consistent with the revelations of God and His kingdom that have already been provided us. If we are going to take our characters with us into eternity, perhaps there are other practical ways of living that we would also begin to practice now. I don’t know when all things are going to be made new. But I would like to live in such a way today, that what is asked of me in that eternal tomorrow comes naturally. Consider: 1. What talent do you look forward to cultivating in the New Earth that you could work on in this life? 2. How could you adjust your relationship to ’stuff’ to better reflect the values of a New Earth? 3. What effect of sin do you most look forward to being rid of when all things are made new? 4. Consider how conversations will go with your 3 favorite Bible characters. What might they ask you? https://fontanaca.adventistchurch.org/Ref/today-or-tomorrow

Reflections by Pr. Steve McHan Choose to Grow "All of us, then, reflect the glory of the Lord with uncovered faces; and that same glory, coming from the Lord, who is the Spirit, transforms us into his likeness in an ever greater degree of glory. 2 Corinthians 3:18. Today’s English Version... One definition for cultivate is to promote or improve the growth of _______ by labor and attention. I left a blank in the definition because we can cultivate plants, character, talent, and relationship. All of them take labor and attention - time and intention, plans and follow-up. Last week I shared about protective actions we can take to protect growth. This week it is more about the initiative we take - what we fill our life with that promotes growth. Because of a doctor’s recommendation, I’ve started a vitamin supplement for my immune system. The nagging presence of this crazy virus is a pretty strong motivator. I’m cultivating a stronger immune system every time I open the vitamin bottle. As I learn more about my spiritual health and what strengthens that part of me, I can make similar decisions about what I will fill my life with that will benefit the goals I believe God has set for me. Three of the most basic are Bible Study, Prayer, Witness; in principle I Read, Talk, Share; more specifically I Learn more (about God and His kingdom, I deepen my Relationship with God and His children, I Help another person learn and grow in Jesus.. There are so many ways you can effectively pursue spiritual life. Great resources are everywhere. A few questions that may stimulate your thoughts on this topic include: 1. Which Bible character do you admire for his/her relationship with God? Why? 2. What could you develop to be more like the Bible character you admire? 3. What is your greatest spiritual strength? How can you leverage it to be a blessing for you and those you influence? 4. How much time each day can you protect for spiritual development? When works best? https://fontanaca.adventistchurch.org/Reflec/choose-to-grow

Pr. Steve McHan's Message: All I have to do for a smile is to remember photos I’ve seen that highlight the similarity between dogs and their owners. You’ve seen them - I know you’re smiling now. On a more serious note, can people see the similarity between you and your Master? ... Of the many encouraging promises in the Bible I especially value those that describe God’s intention for us to be like Jesus. Paul encouraged the church in Corinth by urging, Be imitators of me, just as I am of Christ. We will model our lives after those we admire. If I were to unpack the big theological word sanctification, I would say it is what happens to a person who is daily spending quality time with Jesus. It is the process by which God’s Spirit makes us more and more like Jesus. Going back to what Paul said; we tend to think of imitation as somewhat fake - not the real thing. The miracle of God’s kingdom is that we are transformed - by the renewing of our minds. This is a big deal. Like a butterfly coming from a long green larva. This is an amazing purpose to get out of bed in the morning. Here are a few thought questions along this theme. Identify 3 turning points that have shaped who you are today. Write a mission statement for yourself. How do you see yourself being written into God’s plan? What is one thing you can do this week to live more intentionally for God? https://fontanaca.adventistchurch.org/pastors-c/transformed

Pr. Steve McHan's Message: Isaiah 10:20 "A time is coming when the survivors from Israel and Judah will completely depend on the holy LORD of Israel, instead of the nation that defeated them. Do you feel like a survivor? A survivor is one who has made it. Can you feel the hope and confidence that accompanies being a survivor? The Bible has high hopes for survivors. You may be more familiar with the word remnant. This word can embody who we are - the purpose and drive wit...h which we approach each day. To be remnant takes more than showing up in time and space. It means living with intentional direction. God gave us a trajectory for our witness and testimony that is wasted when we forget the precious opportunity each day brings. What have we survived? We have come through - continue to live through - the onslaught that threatens God’s character in us. Today we have the opportunity to live His grace, love, compassion, integrity, forgiveness, kindness, resolve as seen in Jesus. It’s pretty exciting to be a survivor. The world is hungry for survivors. Let’s live like one. https://fontanaca.adventistchurch.org/pastors-co/a-survivor

VBS Theme: Growing in Jesus’s Garden July 26, 28 & 30 at 5:30 pm Sunday, Tuesday & Thursday... Please email [email protected] to register for VBS. Please provide: 1. Parent name 2. Contact information 3. Each child’s name and age After you register, you will receive the menu, kit pick up info, and zoom info

A message from Pr. Steve McHan: https://fontanaca.adventistchurch.org//sabbath-was-made-fo When I was growing up I was taught that Sabbath was holy time. I was conscious of that time from sundown to sundown,. I had friends who dreaded Sabbath because they had nothing to do and they were bored with Sabbath. My parents made sure my Sabbath time was full. They did this by focusing on place rather than time. I’ll explain. There was always a place in the schedule and a place at ...the table for others. Sabbath was for serving and connecting with others. It was full of adventures in nature, in Bible discussion and in serving those who had extra challenges in life. As I have now grown my own family I recognize that my most memorable Sabbaths are sill those where I make a place - where I create space for what God values. I already have the time. Let’s continue to discover more of what Jesus intended when he stated that Sabbath was made for us (and not vise versa). I look forward to sharing more of the blessings of Sabbath with you during our Zoom Worship this Saturday at 11 AM. Join us. See more

Rianna and Kaitlyn sang for the Fontana SDA Church via Zoom. Piano instrumental by Kaleb Brasee