The Altar Fellowship

2025 - This Year We Untangle

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart."
Hebrews 12:1-3

Last year, we took off our masks. We stood unabashedly before God ready to grow. But how do we reach freedom when our tangled emotions can stand between God and us? Our hearts (emotions), say the Word, can be deceitful.

This year, we look at ourselves and every emotion and heart posture that entangles us and slow us down. We uncover them. We study them in the light of God's Word and ask Him to help us separate lies from truths.

We feel our emotions. We process those emotions. But we no longer surrender the control of our lives to them. We've done that long enough. In 2025, We put on the mind of Christ and allow Him and His Word to heal us. We also surrender to His control. In so doing, we refuse to continue being slaves of our emotions. They follow us. They serve us. With God's help, we stand over them and take away the wheel from them and grant complete control to God.

He has given us freedom of choice and thought. We exercise this freedom to choose Him as our Lord and Savior. We use this freedom to pursue Him with abandon. We use the intellectual and emotional gifts God has given us to rise up as Christians, citizens, and members of our community.

In 2025, we continue to stand honestly next to our brother and sister. We cry together. We laugh together. We believe that we have been called to live in community. We will stick to each other, forgive each other, and under God's direction, we UNTANGLE. Enough is enough! This world says "follow your heart!" but we refuse! Instead, we choose to follow God. Intelligently. Willfully. Gladly.

In 2025, we stand honestly, next to our fellow person. We recognize that we are not perfect. That we are in process. We have been blessed by becoming children of God, but we cannot take credit as God Himself paid the price for our redemption. We stand next to our friends and do not act with an air of superiority. Rather, we embrace them and encourage them to try and test a relationship with Yahweh, the King of all the universe, in whom we've put our trust. We respect our friends' choices. Just as God respects theirs. Just as God respects ours.

In 2025, we Untangle. We love God. We love people. Period. Our love for God and people is the foundation of our community, and it is this love that binds us together and guides our actions and the practice of our faith.