burden

SoulSearching Sunday~Adopted by God

12:00 AM

Sunday, November 25, 2018


Week Forty-seven...

Welcome!  We pray that you have all had a precious time worshipping the Lord this morning!  Below you will find some thought provoking questions that will provide you a starting point to your journal writing to complete this week.  We hope that you will find this time soul satisfying!

Our reading this week was Galatians 1 - Philippians 2...

 1. Reflect on the following statement: Shared joy is doubled joy; shared sorrow is halved-sorrow. When have you found this to be true? Thank God for the strength He provides, and ask Him to show you where you can help carry someone’s burden today.

 Share each other’s troubles and problems, and in this way obey the law of Christ. (Galatians 6:2)

 2. Read Ephesians 1 - 2 again. List all the privileges you have as a child of God that you find in these two passages. How does that make you feel? Thank your Father for what He has given to you.

 (no verses this time)

 3. When do you usually pray? What would it mean to live your whole life as a prayer to God? Ask Him to teach you to be spiritually alert and awakened to His will at all times.

 Pray at all times and on every occasion in the power of the Holy Spirit. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all Christians everywhere. (Ephesians 6:18)




Becky Austin

One Day At A Time (Psalm 64-68)

1:53 AM




Ever feel like you are in survival mode where you simply try to get through just one day at a time?  Sometimes, that is a good place to be because it reminds us that each 24 hour period is a new challenge that we need to confront and conquer with the help of God.  From sunrise to sunset and through the dark nights, God is there to partner with us and sustain us.  God created us, breathed life into us and wants us to seek Him as we realize that we can’t really “live” this life without Him. 

 “The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man, nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed any thing, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything. And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place, that they should seek God, and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him. Yet he is actually not far from each one of us, for “‘In him we live and move and have our being’; as even some of your own poets have said, “‘For we are indeed his offspring.’”
Acts 17:24-28 

One of the most valuable lessons to be learned from the Psalms is to daily seek God.  David was a man who exemplified this. He turned to God for help and guidance during the “good” days and the “ bad” days. He knew the source of His strength and He had a heart full of reverence and praise for God in every season of his life. Most importantly, He realized that success in this life meant seeking God daily.
“Blessed be the Lord, who daily bears us up; God is our salvation. Selah”
Psalms 68:19 


Every day we have battles to face as we deal with evil in this world that works against us.  The enemy plots against us and tries to spiritually defeat us, but God knows those plans and He can protect us.  Daily, we should ask for His protection from evil and those who mean us harm. “Hear my voice, O God, in my complaint; preserve my life from dread of the enemy. Hide me from the secret plots of the wicked, from the throng of evildoers,”. Psalms 64:1-2 

It may seem at times that evil and the chaos created by evil is going to overcome us but God is ultimately in control.  Joseph, who also sought God daily, comforted himself by knowing that even what others meant for evil, God meant for good. God can, at any time, turn the tables on those who are against us: “But God shoots his arrow at them; they are wounded suddenly. They are brought to ruin, with their own tongues turned against them; all who see them will wag their heads.” Psalms 64:7-8

God purposes for us to spiritually grow through the trials and circumstances of life.  He wants us to daily trust Him to be with us even when life gets tough.  He wants to bless us as we depend on Him to see us through our struggles.  “For you, O God, have tested us; you have tried us as silver is tried. You brought us into the net; you laid a crushing burden on our backs; you let men ride over our heads; we went through fire and through water; yet you have brought us out to a place of abundance.” Psalms 66:10-12 

As we read through the Psalms, we are reading through songs of worship and praise to God.  Daily, we need to have a relationship with God. Prayer and praise should be two important pillars in our daily existence. How blessed we are that we have a God we can talk to and know that He hears.  “Blessed be God, because he has not rejected my prayer or removed his steadfast love from me!” Psalms 66:20 

May I challenge you to daily Pray and Praise. The Psalms are full of praises we can learn to exalt God with.  Praise keeps us mindful of just how majestic and wonderful our Savior is!
“Awesome is God from his sanctuary; the God of Israel—he is the one who gives power and strength to his people. Blessed be God!”
Psalms 68:35 

May you know the rich and abundant blessings of God all the days of your life!