Faith

Friday Jan. 14th-Laying down anxiety and picking up God's peace

6:00 PM

 

             


Father as we draw closer to You, let us ever be present of coming before You with a clean and pure heart.  Guide us in Your truth and teach us for You are the God of our salvation.  It is for You and You alone that we wait.  We give thanks to You Lord, for You are good and Your loving kindness lasts forever.  Increase our faith in You!  In Jesus name, Amen!

2 Corinthians 10

Quit Fighting Like a Girl {2 Corinthians 10}

12:15 PM


How are you doing these days? How have you managed during this time of self-distancing? Have you learned things about yourself? Have you learned more about our Savior during these past few months?

Did you know that there is a war of the mind going on in this world and in our lives? It is not waged by military force or nations over geographical territory but in the mind and heart of every human being. Peter knew:



The enemy’s mission is to attack and degrade all the knowledge of God and His Truths, for if He can get you to believe his lies as truth, he wins! If he can fill us with discouragement and hopelessness, he succeeds in keeping us from reaching our full potential. Now multiply this by the multitudes! This is why Paul writes:


“For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ.”— 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 ESV

Spiritual warfare is something that every Christian will face, but fortunately Jesus has already won every battle.  “Though we walk in the flesh, we do not wage war according to the flesh.”  Instead, God decided to equip us with “weapons of  warfare” to fight against the schemes of the enemy.

1.)   By filling us with the Holy Spirit,
2.)   Giving us prayer so we can be in communion with Him,
3.)   Giving us the truth of His word.

I believe F. B. Meyer put it best:
Christ counts evil thoughts as traitors not only to us, but also to Him. Like the psalmist, you may say, “I hate vain thought, not only because of the curse they bring to my heart, but for the grief they give to my King.” Their intrusion is forbidden by the double barrier of our own choice and the keeping power of Jesus. 
Let the peace of God keep the door of your heart and mind, scrutinizing each intruder and turning back the unfit. Let the Holy Spirit bring every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.
Let the faithful Savior have the keeping of the soul entrusted to Him. He is well able to keep what is committed to Him. He will not fail the suppliant whose lips are familiar with the prayer:  “Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of Your Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love You and worthily magnify Your holy name.”–F. B. Meyer
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You can fight back against lies and temptation from the enemy in your own life by relying on the truth of what God has spoken to us through His word, through prayer, and through the people He has placed around you.

AND next time you see the enemy at work in the lives of those around you, you can fight against that by speaking truth, life, prayer and encouragement to them. Anything that is against what God has spoken to be true can be demolished through the power of the Holy Spirit that is at work in your life. 

We have the power to win! To be all God has ordained for us to be! And to help those around us be all they can be as well!

Blessings!

Sue


1 John 2;24

Walking in Truth and Watchfulness (2 John 1:13)

9:00 PM





John addressed this letter to a particular congregation and he expressed how much he rejoiced to find God's people walking in truth, which means they also abide in God. The same idea was expressed in 1 John 2:24 “Therefore let that abide in you which you heard from the beginning. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, you also will abide in the Son and in the Father.” 

 “When we receive Jesus as our Savior, His truth lives in us through the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is described in many ways including a “Spirit of help”, (John 14:16), and a “Spirit of truth”. (John 16:13) The Spirit helps us to walk in God’s truth and to obey His commands. Especially God’s greatest commandments; to love Him and to love others as we love ourselves.” If you’d like to learn more about Walking in His Truth click here.

John also warns the church to stand firm against false teachers:

 “Watch yourselves, so that you do not lose what we have accomplished together, but that you may receive a full and perfect reward [when He grants rewards to faithful believers].” (8)
Many people today are so “open minded” and they think that the Truth can change from age to age and from generation to generation. I have sadly seen family and friends wander away from the truth because they are being attracted to deceptive “modern” doctrines. I have also seen many of my fellow Christians running to these preachers which combine the truths of the Gospel with “Life Coaching” -diluting the Gospel- and they find this so amusing! 
Peter encourages to be sober, alert and cautious:

8 Be sober [well balanced and self-disciplined], be alert and cautious at all times. That enemy of yours, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion [fiercely hungry], seeking someone to devour. 9 But resist him, be firm in your faith [against his attack—rooted, established, immovable], (1 Peter 5:8-9a)

“The more deceivers and deceits abound, the more watchful the disciples must be. Sad it is, that splendid attainments in the school of Christ, should ever be lost. The way to gain the full reward is, to abide true to Christ, and constant in religion to the end. Firm cleaving to Christian truth unites us to Christ, and thereby to the Father also; for they are one”. M. Henry

Paul also gave this warning: “But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to that which we [originally] preached to you, let him be condemned to destruction! 9 As we have said before, so I now say again, if anyone is preaching to you a gospel different from that which you received [from us], let him be condemned to destruction!” (Galatians1:8-9)
The truth is not always well received by some people, because it can confront them and convict them:
“10 Am I now [a]trying to win the favor and approval of men, or of God? Or am I seeking to please someone? If I were still trying to be popular with men, I would not be a bond-servant of Christ.” (Galatians 1:10)

This conviction should bring us to repentance and as James exhorts us:

 “So get rid of all uncleanness and [a]all that remains of wickedness, and with a humble spirit receive the word [of God] which is implanted [actually rooted in your heart], which is able to save your souls.” (1:21)

When we walk in truth this shows we are walking with the Lord. So if we abide in the truth, we will be able to stand up for our Lord.

As I close, I would like to invite you to pray with me:

“Lord God, remind me today (and every day) that I have an enemy who wants to steal my affection from you by deceiving me. Make me watchful. Give me a diligent heart so that I might enjoy the great reward of knowing and serving you. (iWorship Bible)

Blessings,

Mari

character

SoulSearching Sunday~All Is Well

12:00 AM

Sunday, December 16, 2018


Week Fifty...

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 Hebrews 7 - 1 Peter 5...

 1. When have you struggled with perfectionism? Allow the power of Christ’s perfect and sufficient sacrifice to release you from the tyranny of “perfection.” List up a praise of thanksgiving for His holiness.

 Just think how much more the blood of Christ will purify our hearts from deeds that lead to death so that we can worship the living God. For by the power of the eternal Spirit, Christ offered Himself to God as a perfect sacrifice for our sins. (Hebrews 9:14)

 2. Besides Jesus, what biblical character do you must admire? What about that person’s faith walk encourages you? How can you use that person as a model for your own journey?

 Do not throw away this confident trust in the LORD, no matter what happens. Remember the great reward it brings you! Patient endurance is what you need now, so you will continue to do God’s will. Then you will receive all that He has promised. (Hebrews 10:35-36)

 3. How does you approach to life reflect the truth that Christ is with you, within you, behind you, before you, beside you, beneath you, and above you? Ask Him for courage and protection as you serve wherever He leads you.

 And take courage, for the coming of the LORD is near. (James 5:8)





iWorship Bible

SoulSearching Sunday~Looking From The Outside In

12:00 AM

Sunday, November 11, 2018


Week Forty-five...

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 Romans 3:21 - 1 Corinthians 6...

 1. In what significant ways has God changed your life? What specific sins have you conquered in the last year or two? Thank God for delivering you from your old way of life and clothing you in His righteousness. Ask Him to show you how you can change today.

 Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin? Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our LORD. So you see how it is: In my mind I really want to obey God’s law, but because of my sinful nature I am a slave to sin. (Romans 7:24-25)

 2. Someone has wryly observed that the problem with living sacrifices is that we tend to keep crawling off the altar. Which areas of your life do you have the hardest time submitting to the LORD ship of Christ? Take each one openly and honestly to the LORD in prayer.

 And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice-the kind He will accept. When you think of what He has done for you, is this too much to ask? (Romans 12:1)

 3. What does it mean to you that Christ was killed, sacrificed, in your place? How do you respond to such a profound truth?

 Christ, our Passover Lamb, has been sacrificed for us. (1 Corinthians 5:7)



free

True Freedom {John 7:10 - 8}

12:00 AM



I’m writing this post just as a woman has come out accusing Judge Kavanaugh of sexual misconduct while in high school in order to derail or delay the vote to add him to the highest court in the nation. Everyone seems to be scrambling to discover the truth, and by the time you’re reading this I hope we’ll have discovered it! What is happening today is reminiscent of what was happening in these chapters we read this morning- everyone, well not everyone exactly, certainly not the religious leaders of that day, but there were others scrambling to determine whether Jesus was who He claimed to be. So, Jesus assures them that there is a way of discovering the truth for themselves, and not only that, the truth they are seeking will bring freedom:
So Jesus said to those Jews who had believed in Him, If you abide in My word [hold fast to My teachings and live in accordance with them], you are truly My disciples. And you will know the Truth, and the Truth will set you free.-John 8:31-32

Jesus had just finished a speech at the temple where He has described the differences between Himself and His listeners. “You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world. I told you that you would die in your sins; if you do not believe that I am he, you will indeed die in your sins” (John 8:23–24). Could you imagine being there to hear such words? And we learn a few verses later that the result of His message was that, “as he spoke, many believed in him” (v.30).

Jesus then goes onto assure those who chose to believe His message, ‘If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples’” (John 8:31). This tells us that true discipleship has to be more than mere head knowledge; a true disciple will “hold fast to [His] teachings and live in accordance with them”. Which means they will not only accept His teachings as truth, but they will also follow (or obey) them. James would later assure us that our actions would be proof of our faith (cf. James 2:17). And then John would later go onto assure us that true disciples will not only know the truth, but their eyes would be open to an even greater understanding of it (cf. 1 John 5:20).

BUT even greater than that, Jesus went onto add, “And the truth will set you free” (v.32). 

At this time in history, the Jews were under the rule of the Roman government. Even though Rome gave them some freedoms, the people were always aware of the Roman presence around them in the form of soldiers and governors and wanted nothing more than freedom from their rule over them!

When Jesus said the truth would set them free, however, He was not talking about political freedom (though the following verses indicate that’s how they received the news at that time). Jesus had something far better for them and goes onto explain in verse 34, “Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin.” Being a slave to sin is our ultimate bondage, and the freedom Jesus was offering was a spiritual freedom.

Which for us means freedom or a release from the lifestyle of habitual sin! Addictions to food, alcohol, prescription drugs! Freedom from fear, anxiety, anger, doubts. Knowing the truth and following it enables us to break free from the bondage's sin has had over us! (Some we may not even be aware of at this time.) And this freedom enables us to stand firm on the Rock that is Jesus Christ when the enemy comes at us with more doubts, temptation, etc.  

BUT it gets better, for Jesus didn’t stop there, but continued with an analogy: “Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever” (verse 35).

What was He saying? Simply, if they were to become disciples of Jesus, they would know the truth of their condition and the truth about Him, and that Truth, which is Jesus, Himself (John 14:6) would set them free, and bring them into the family of God.

Just how cool is that?


2 Chronicles

Scripture Saturday ~ Humble Ourselves

12:00 AM

Saturday, March 31, 2018


Welcome to Scripture Saturday!

This coming week's memory verse is 2 Chronicles 7:14...

 "Then if my people who are called by My name will humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and heal their land." (NLT)

Happy Easter!  Have a blessed and precious day and week everyone!

2 Kings

Scripture Saturday ~ God's Army

12:00 AM

Saturday, March 24, 2018


Welcome to Scripture Saturday!

This coming week's memory verse is 2 Kings 6:16...

 “Don’t be afraid!” Elisha told him. “For there are more on our side than on theirs!” (NLT)

 Have a blessed and precious day and week everyone!

2 Samuel

Scripture Saturday ~ Our Lamp

12:00 AM

Saturday, March 17, 2018


Welcome to Scripture Saturday!

This coming week's memory verse is 2 Samuel 22:29...

 You, Lord, are my lamp;
    the Lord turns my darkness into light. (NIV)

 Have a blessed and precious day and week everyone!

2 Samuel

Scripture Saturday~Our Reward

12:00 AM

Saturday, March 10, 2018



Welcome to Scripture Saturday!

This coming week's memory verse is 2 Samuel 2:6a...

 Now may the Lord show lovingkindness and truth and faithfulness to you.
(Amplified version)

 Have a blessed and precious day and week everyone!

Gideon

Questions of Love {Judges 6:1 - 8:35}

12:30 AM


Image result for Judges 6:15




I couldn’t help but wonder what makes a person leave their first love?   I searched reasons why we step off the path God sets before us.   I discovered this from Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth.  We face the same challenges that the Israelites had.  Jesus calls us to speak the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15).  Our first love is the love Christ gives us for God and each other.   

Take time as you read this list; you may discover just how easily you slip.  After spending time reading this list, ask God to help you remove these distractions (idols) and make you strong (like Gideon) to take the next step of faith.  After all, God is sending us out and He is with us!

40 Evidences That You May
Have Left Your First Love
By Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth
 PDF
  1. You can go hours or days without having more than a passing thought of Him.
  2. You don’t have a strong desire to spend time with Him.
  3. You don’t have a strong hunger for the Word; Bible reading is a “chore”—something to mark off your “to do” list.
  4. Spending time in prayer is a burden/duty rather than a delight.
  5. Your worship is formal, dry, lifeless, merely going through the motions.
  6. Private prayer and worship are almost non-existent . . . cold and dry.
  7. You are more concerned about physical health, well-being, and comfort than about the well-being and condition of your soul.
  8. You crave physical food, while having little appetite for spiritual food.
  9. You crave human companionship more than a relationship with Christ.
  10. You spend more time and effort on your physical appearance than on cultivating  inner spiritual beauty to please Christ.
  11. Your heart toward Christ is cold and indifferent; not tender as it once was, not easily moved by the Word, talk of spiritual things, etc.
  12. Christianity is more of a checklist than a relationship with Christ.
  13. You measure spirituality (yours/others’) by performance rather than the condition of the heart.
  14. Christianity is defined more what by what you “do” than who you “are” (“doing”  vs. “being”).
  15. Your obedience and service are motivated and fueled by expectations of others or a desire to impress others, more than by passion for Christ.
  16. You are more concerned about what others think and pleasing them, than about what God knows and pleasing Christ.
  17. Your service for Christ and others is motivated by a sense of duty or obligation.
  18. You find yourself becoming resentful over the hardships and demands of serving Christ and others.
  19. You can talk with others about kids, marriage, weather, and the news, but struggle to talk about the Lord and spiritual matters.
  20. You have a hard time coming up with something fresh to share in a testimony service at church or when someone asks, “What’s God been doing in your life?”
  21. You are formal, rigid, and uptight about spiritual things, rather than joyful and winsome.
  22. You are critical or harsh toward those who are doctrinally off-base or living in sin.
  23. You enjoy secular songs, movies, and books more than songs or reading material that point you to Christ.
  24. You prefer the company of people who don’t love Christ, to the company and fellowship of those who do.
  25. You are more interested in recreation, entertainment, and having “fun” than in cultivating intimacy with Christ through worship, prayer, the Word, and Christian fellowship.
  26. You display attitudes or are involved in activities that you know are contrary to Scripture, but you continue in them anyway.
  27. You justify “small” areas of disobedience or compromise.
  28. You have been drawn back into sin habits that you put off when you were a young believer.
  29. “Little” things that used to disturb your conscience, no longer do.
  30. You are slow to respond to conviction over sin—or you ignore it altogether.
  31. You enjoy certain sins and want to hang onto them. You are unwilling to give them up for Christ.
  32. You are not grieved by sin—it’s no big deal to you.
  33. You are consistently allured by certain sins.
  34. You are self-righteous—more concerned about sin in others’ lives than in your own.
  35. You are more concerned about having the right position than the right disposition.
  36. You tend to hold tightly to money and things, rather than being quick to give to meet the needs of others.
  37. You rarely give sacrificially to the Lord’s work.
  38. You rarely have a desire or burden to give, when you hear of legitimate financial needs within the Body, your church, or a ministry.
  39. Accumulating and maintaining material “things” consumes more time and effort on your part than seeking after and cultivating spiritual riches.
  40. You have broken relationships with other believers that you are unwilling or have not attempted to reconcile.
To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: "The words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand, who walks among the seven golden lampstands."

I know your works, your toil and your patient endurance, and how you cannot bear with those who are evil, but have tested those who call themselves apostles and are not, and found them to be false.

I know you are enduring patiently and bearing up for my name’s sake, and you have not grown weary. But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first.

Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent . . . .

He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God." (Rev. 2:1–7)


1 Timothy

God's Word Is True {1 Timothy 1}

12:00 AM


God's Word Is True  { 1 Timothy 1 }
Timothy, a Galatian born in Lystra, was a young man who after receiving Christ as his Savior, became the Apostle Paul's protégé and part of his missionary team. He was eventually sent out by Paul to advise churches on how to run the body of Christ, how to deal with false teachings, and what the conduct of the minister should be. Knowing the great responsibility he carried, Paul wrote this letter to Timothy to share his love, encouragement, and guidance.

Paul begins by urging Timothy to stay in Ephesus to, "instruct certain men not to teach strange doctrines, nor to pay attention to myths and endless genealogies, which give further rise to mere speculation rather than furthering the administration of God which is by faith." (vs. 3-4) Ephesus was a wealthy and influential port city where the temple of the Greek god Artemis was located. It was full of false doctrines, immorality, and cult worship. Outside influences were trying to mislead members of the church away from sound biblical doctrine. Paul instructed Timothy to pay no mind to these false teachings, but instead focus on leading people to Jesus by teaching godly truth.  

Sadly these same influences are still alive in today's culture. Our society is filled with immorality, cults, and false religions. Too many churches claiming to teach the Word of God do anything but. Scripture is taken out of context and twisted to fit the narrative needed to convince people of its truth, or disregarded all together. Throughout the Bible God gives us very strong warnings about adding to or taking away from His Word. In Deut. 4:2 God says, "You shall not add to the word which I am commanding you, nor take away from it, that you may keep the commandments of the Lord your God which I have commanded." And Proverbs 30:6, "Do not add to His words, or He will reprove you, and you will be proved a liar." We must be very careful that our own opinions and interpretations of Scripture, and those of our Christian teachers line up with what God actually says in His Word. Paul warned Timothy against men who "straying from these things have turned aside to fruitless discussion, wanting to be teachers of the Law, even though they do not understand either what they are saying or the matters about which they make confident assertions." (v. 7)

We can protect ourselves from falling prey to false teachings by having an intimate personal relationship with God, and studying His Word. For as Psalm 119:160 tells us, "The sum of Your Word is truth, and every one of Your righteous ordinances is everlasting." In this chapter of 1 Timothy the truth Paul wants us to know is this, "That Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners among whom I am foremost of all"(v. 15) Paul sure knows of which he speaks. When it came to Christians, Paul was public enemy number one. No one persecuted God's people more fanatically than him. Yet even though Paul was intent on destroying God's church, when he accepted Jesus as his Savior he received God's forgiveness and unmerited grace. "I found mercy, so that in me as the foremost, Jesus Christ might demonstrate His perfect patience as an example for those who would believe in Him for eternal life." (v. 16) Paul is saying, "Look at me. If God is willing to save someone as wretched as myself, He's willing to save all of those who believe in Him."

Could there be a more amazing truth? No matter who we are or what we've done, God wants us!  He wants to be our Father and cover us with His loving grace. "See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we would be called children of God..." (1 John 3:1)  And as children of God, we should take our responsibility of sharing the truth of the Good News as seriously as Paul and Timothy did. We live in a world that fiercely opposes God's truth. Even so that shouldn't deter us from sharing the gospel, never giving up, and always fighting the good fight. For God's Word is true, and "to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen." (v. 17)