Weekend Message: Natalie Grant: Renew Your Mind & Believe What God Says About You | FULL EPISODE | Better Together TV

Welcome to the Weekend Message! 

As always, it's my pleasure to bring you quality presentations from some of the best Christian teachers in the world! Each video presentation can vary, but whatever the topic, you can be certain that it will be informative and Bible-based.

This weekend, we have another full episode of Better Together for you!. We've all experienced negativity and self-doubt, both in and out of our relationships. Watch as Natalie Grant discusses why you need to be affirmed by the truth of God's love with the other members of the group. 

© Better Together on TBN

Find a comfortable place, and join the conversation as Laurie Crouch, Joyce Meyer, Nicole C, and Alex Seeley join Natalie Grant to discuss the power you have over your thoughts, and why Christ instructs you to take them captive. 

May God richly bless you,

~Eve

The Crushing Weight of Sin

"For my iniquities have gone over my head; like a heavy burden, they are too heavy for me."  - Psalm 38:4 (ESV)

The highly influential 19th century preacher, Charles Spurgeon, once quoted: "If there be a man before me who says that the wrath of God is too heavy a punishment for his little sin, I ask him, if the sin be little, why does he not give it up?"

The "weight of sin" affects all of humanity, no one is immune. We know that sin can be any action, thought, or belief that fails to satisfy God's holiness and commands. It can separate us from God and cause eternal death.

A true believer cannot commit sin without experiencing an awareness of their sin and God's rectification or remedy of it. Thus, the overwhelming feeling of low-worth and remorse that accompanies sinning (Psalm 38:18).

This "burden of sin" is demonstrated very clearly in the Old Testament by way of the Law and sacrificial system provided to Israel. It was mandatory that the Israelites offer sacrifices to make amends for their sins. 

This represented the significant price of sin and the call for purification (Leviticus 5:17). The verse given here emphasizes the certainty of sin and the obligation of facing its repercussions.

Moving over to the New Testament, we are enlightened about the weight of sin through the gospel of Jesus Christ. He came to provide freedom from the burden of sin, thereby, satisfying the Law and opening the door to appeasing God (Matthew 11:28-30).

Biblically speaking, the burden of sin is regarded as an an overarching infirmity, common to all men. Each of us carries the load of his/her own sin, however, the whole world together partakes in the original sin passed down from Adam (Romans 5:12).

The crushing weight of sin, therefore, demands a powerful countermeasure to do away with it. This calls for divine intervention (Ephesians 2:8-9). Salvation from our transgressions is an undeserved, unmerited gift from Jesus Christ, received only by faith in him.

We are called to recognize the serious burden of our sin, repent of it, and embrace the forgiveness that gracefully furnishes hope and comfort from sin's crippling load; apportioned to us through Christ (John 1:9). Hence, inspiring a life of devotion and obedience to God.

Scripture: Psalm 51:5; John 8:34; Romans 3:23; Galatians 5:19-21; James 1:15

Prayer: "Holy Father, send your Holy Spirit so that I may be strengthened against the temptations of the enemy, and enable me to resist sin, in Your Name I pray. Amen."

May God richly bless you,

~Eve

Whistle-Stop Scripture Study: 3 John (Conclusion)

"God hath but three things dear unto Him in this world, His saints, His worship, and His truth; and it is hard to say which of these is dearest to Him."  - Thomas Goodwin  (1600 -1680)

Welcome to the final study of The Epistles of John. We will now examine the third and last chapter or The Third Epistle of John (3 John). This particular book has the distinction of being the second-shortest book in the Bible!

Third John is a brief letter (only one chapter) from John to Gaius, a fellow believer. The main theme here is "truth." The believer, Gaius, is commended for his dedication to Christian service. In the meanwhile, John chastises Diotrephes, a member of the church who is causing problems therein.

After declaring the good reputation of someone named Demetrius, John ends his letter with high hopes of seeing Gaius in person. This impending meeting may be the reason for the shortness of this letter. 

During your reading, you may want to ask yourself, "What was the early church like?" There is considerable information about its early leaders (think: the apostles Paul and Peter), but not alot about the typical Christian (e.g., their religiousness, problems in the church, etc.)

The intent of John's letter is directed toward the three men who were mentioned earlier: Gaius, Diotrephes, and Demetrius. The purpose being:

• To confirm that Gaius was correct in supporting those teachers who came his way, encouraging him to continue this hospitality - 3 John 5-8
• To convey his criticism of Diotrephes for rejecting John and others whom he should have received - 3 John 9-10
• To encourage Gaius to emulate what is good, praising Demetrius' good example - 3 John 11-12

As usual, let's briefly revisit the questions given at the end of 2 John. The answers provided are not meant to be regarded as exact, nor as the final word. They have been provided as a comparison and self-evaluation tool only!

Compare your answers below*:

Reading Questions:

1. What are the main points of 2 John? 

• Greetings. 
• Walking in truth and love.
• Beware of deceivers and false teachers.
• Farewell

2. What four phrases related to truth does John use in his greeting? 

• Love in truth, know the truth, truth which lives in us, in truth and love

3. What caused John to rejoice? What did he ask? 

• The children of the "lady" were walking in the truth.
• That they love one another.

4. How is love defined by John? 

•  We are to walk according to His commandments.

5. Who does John describe as "a deceiver and an antichrist?" 

• Those who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. 

6. Why did John advise we self-examine ourselves? 

• That we do not lose what we have worked for, but that we may be fully rewarded.

7. What happens if one sins and does not keep to the doctrine of Christ? 

• They do not have God.

8. What phrase challenges the Oneness doctrine of the Godhead?

• "...both the Father and the Son"

9. How should you respond to someone who does not follow the teaching of Christ? 

• Do not take them into your house or welcome them.

(Erratum: question # 8; corrections have been completed in 2 John)

*see verses for the questions in the previous lesson.

Here is a short synopsis of 3 John to help you with your reading and study:

John greets Gaius, praying for his prosperity and health, rejoicing to hear that he is walking in truth (vv. 1-4). John approves his hospitality toward brethren and strangers, especially those serving the Lord (vv. 5-8). John rebukes the actions of Diotrephes (vv. 9-10), praises the testimony of Demetrius (vv. 11-12), and finishes with a hope to see Gaius soon (vv. 13-14).

Objectives of this lesson: 

After completing this lesson (including reading the selection), you should be familiar with:

• The joy of seeing one's converts growing in Christ
• The importance of hospitality in the spread of the gospel
• The contrast between spirituality and carnality among Christians

Before beginning our study, let us pray: "Dear Lord, send the grace of your Holy Spirit to strengthen me that I may learn well the subject I am about to study. Amen."

The questions provided below are to help you get the most out of the chapter study. The numbers enclosed in parentheses are the verse numbers relating to that particular question. 

I encourage you to read the chapter thoroughly as many times as needed. Afterward, take your time answering the questions, making sure you understand each one before moving on. 

Reading Questions:

1. What are the main points of this chapter?

2. To whom is this epistle addressed to? - (v. 1)

3. What does John pray for on Gaius' behalf? - (v. 2)

4. What provided John his greatest joy? - (v. 4)

5. What does John praise Gaius for?- (vv. 5-7)

6. How do we profit by supporting those who serve the Lord? - (v. 8)

7. What was Diotrephes guilty of? - (vv. 9-10)

8. What encouragement does John give to Gaius? Who does he praise? - (vv. 11-12)

This now concludes our study of 1, 2 and 3 John. These studies were intentionally created to be concise in order to accommodate most busy daily schedules. Even so, they contain enough content to promote actual learning.

I invite you to join me again for another future study. Until then, I hope this "whistle-stop" for Scripture study will become an established point of departure as you set out on your journey with Jesus Christ!

Thank you so much for joining me, and I look forward to seeing you soon!

Scripture: Job 34:12; Psalm 15:1-2; Proverbs 12:17; John 8:46; Ephesians 4:21

 

Prayer: "All the ways of the Lord are loving and faithful toward those who keep the demands of his covenant." Amen.  - Psalm 25:10

May God richly bless you always,

Leia

Walking By Faith | We Only Have Access to What God Chooses to Reveal

"Our God is in heaven; he does whatever pleases him.."  - Psalm 115:3

As you read the Bible, you might notice some words that keep appearing when the subject of God is mentioned, such as: Infinite, Immutable, Self-Sufficient, Omnipotent, Omniscient, and Omnipresent, for example. 

These identifiers or adjectives describe "attributes of God." An attribute of God is a belief or idea that is factual about him; distinguishing and setting God apart from all else. These characteristics or qualities reveal who God is.

For you and I, as finite beings, to fully understand God is inconceivable. Graciously, God reveals himself by various means. In this way, what he makes known about Himself both, in his Word and creation, we slowly begin to accept and embrace.

Briefly, His attributes can be separated into two classifications. These are: incommunicable attributes, or traits that God doesn’t “disclose” to others; and communicable attributes or traits that God “shares” with us.

To help make this a little easier to understand, listed below are a few instances of both. God's incommunicable attributes can include his:

• Eternal nature (he is infinite, but we are finite)
• Unchangeableness (he never changes, but we do)
• Omnipresence (God is everywhere at once, but we can only be in one place at a time)

Some of God’s communicable attributes may include his:

• Love (God is love, and we’re capable of love)
• Knowledge (God has knowledge, and we can have it, too)
• Mercy (God is merciful, and we’re also capable of mercy)
• Justice (God is just, and we’re capable of justice)

-from Systematic Theology, by Wayne A. Grudem

Obviously, this is not a comprehensive examination of the attributes of God by any means. Even so, I might add that God's attributes do not follow an exact pattern. Neither attribute mentioned above is completely one or the other.

As an illustration, no matter how much wisdom we acquire, we can never surpass God's wisdom. Another is that regardless of much we might experience and express love, we could never surpass God's infinite love.

In this sense, perhaps it would be more appropriate to say that God's communicable attributes are "shared to a degree" with us.  My intent here in this message is to propose that an in-depth study of this topic is worth your time.

We've only examined a smidgen of this topic with so much more left to discover and/or understand. There is no higher calling, greater importance, and practical value to the Christian than the study of God's nature and calling; namely, his attributes.

Scripture: 1 Samuel 2:2; Malachi 3:6; Ephesians 4:7; Hebrews 13:8; James 1:17 

Prayer: "There is no one holy like the Lord; there is no one besides you; there is no Rock like our God."  - 1 Samuel 2:2

Sincerely with the Grace of God,

Sloane

Weekend Message: Joyce Meyer, Lisa Harper: How To Overcome Hardship with God | FULL EPISODE | Better Together on TBN

Welcome to the Weekend Message! 

As always, it's my pleasure to bring you quality presentations from some of the best Christian teachers in the world! Each video presentation can vary, but whatever the topic, you can be certain that it will be informative and Bible-based.

This weekend, we have a full episode of Better Together for you!. Watch as Lisa Harper and Joyce Meyer share how God will strengthen our faith as we walk through challenges. No doubt, we can certainly use all the advice we can get for living in these troublesome times!

© Better Together on TBN

Join the conversation as Laurie Crouch, Chrystal Evans Hurst, and Holly Wagner join Lisa Harper and Joyce Meyer for a conversation about God's faithfulness, overcoming challenges and growing in our faith journey

So, go ahead, make yourself comfortable, and enjoy hearing what these wonderful ladies have to share. I guarantee that you will not walk away empty-handed from this engaging presentation!

May God richly bless you,

~Eve

Find Calm Amidst The Chaos

"Whatever [the] fears, encourage [yourself] to face them—and then turn them over to God. God loves [you], and when we know Christ and have put our faith and trust in Him, we know He’ll never abandon us."  - Billy Graham (1918-2018)

It's no secret that we are currently experiencing some unnerving and perplexing times. What was once considered nearly certain has been upended. An "all bets are off" attitude has now permeated the thoughts and minds of many.

A pervasive anxiety or worry about what the future holds hangs heavy over the heads of people the world over. The search for comfort and reassurance is clearly more evident than it has been in the recent past. 

We scan the horizon for something, anything by which we can find help, support, assistance, even encouragement for each day. Truth be told, the answer is directly in front of our eyes; but only if we choose to see it.

For Christians, seeking God in moments of anxiety and worry has always been a trustworthy and reliable resource. And while this isn't anything new or trendy, it still resonates today as much as it always has. 

This subject draws attention to the believer's faith in divine strength and direction. And what better place to see where others found comfort by seeking God, than turning to the Bible. The illustrations provided there are invaluable.

As an example, King Jehoshaphat was confronted by an impressive union of enemies in 2 Chronicles 20. Being in a dreadful situation, he sought the Lord through fasting and prayer (2 Chronicles 20:3-4, 27). By actively seeking God he triumphed through divine intervention.

Turning to the New Testament, Jesus himself provides solace to His disciples, by inspiring them to seek God and not to be troubled or afraid of anything (John 14:27). This promise emphasizes the peace one can receive by trusting in God.

Neither must we forget the power of prayer. Prayer is essential for seeking God and finding tranquility. Philippians 4:6-7 teaches the believer how to manage his or her anxiety and fear.

Scripture also informs us that, "God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble" (Psalm 46:1). We see this description used frequently, as it stresses the image of God as a mighty fortress of comfort and protection when anxious and worried.

There are a some things "we" can incorporate into our lives to help cope with fear, uncertainty and danger, which you may find helpful. These include:

• Devote oneself to regular prayer and meditation. God's Word can strengthen believers against fear. Internalizing Scripture helps the Christian remember God's promises and find comfort therein.
• Involving the support of the community. When seeking God in times of fear, having fellow believers to offer prayer, encouragement, wisdom, and to aid in sharing the load is directly instructed in Galatians 6:2.
• Recognizing God's Sovereignty. There's nothing like trusting God's sovereignty and control over every circumstance to help ease our fear (Psalm 3:5-6).

In closing, it's no secret that there is lots to be frightened and uncertain about. But we don't have to let it rule our lives. Scripture gives us a diverse mix of doctrine and examples to encourage the believer in fearful times, such as these. May God always be with you!

Scripture: Joshua 1:9; Isaiah 41:10; Psalm 56:3; Matthew 6:34; 1 Peter 5:7

Prayer: "Dear God, in these fearful and uncertain times, I turn to you for comfort and strength. May You fill my heart with your peace and remind me that you are always there. Help me to trust what I cannot see; knowing that You will guide me safely through any situation. In Your Name, Amen"

In grace and peace always, 

Kenzie

The Unmoved, Ineffective Prayer

“And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.”  - Hebrews 11:6

Weak and/or unengaged prayers give the idea that we are apathetic and indifferent toward it. An ineffective or useless prayer, for example, might be precipitated by a lack of passion or inspiration; making us powerless to present ourselves before God. 

Other reasons leading to emotionless prayer could be: uncertainty, disbelief, wrong reasons or motives, unacknowledged sin, insincerity, or demanding things that go against God’s will. They are not fully engaged or aligned with the spiritual practice of prayer.

Consequently, what does potent and productive prayer look like? It would be advantageous to see proper prayer in action. The Bible blessedly furnishes multiple examples and teachings on prayer, highlighting its importance in the believer's life. 

Early in the Scriptures, prayer is introduced by individuals such as Abraham, Moses, and David who personified a life of prayer (Genesis 4:26). Thus signals the start of a design for entreating God through prayer.

The Psalms are brimming over with various kinds of prayers, demonstrating the full spectrum of human emotions and experiences. A case in point here is David, a devoted follower of God, who time and again turned to prayer (Psalm 5:3).

The perfect model for prayer was Jesus Christ. He would often depart to secluded or isolated places and pray (Luke 5:16). He also instructed the disciples on how to pray, supplying the Lord's Prayer as a pattern to be used (Matthew 6:9-13).

This timeless prayer illustrates what effective and sincere prayer should look like (Matthew 6:5-6). It underscores the holiness of God, the establishment of His reign, His provision, forgiveness, and redemption.

The Holy Spirit also plays an important role in prayer by connecting the believer with Christ, symbolically joining him in the body of Christ, the church. He merges the believer and Christ together in His death, allowing him to live triumphantly over sin, guiding the believer, and submitting them to God's plan and authority (John 14:15-17).

What conditions are beneficial for effective prayer? I have listed some below:

• Faith is essential, as written in James 1:6-7. 
• Righteousness is also important, as shown in James 5:16. 
• Furthermore, prayers should conform to God's plan, as seen in1 John 5:14-15.

Prayer is an essential aspect of the Christian faith, and a vital practice for believers facilitating a path of communication between believers and God. Always remember that prayer is a sacred trust; cultivating a closer connection with God, and conforming to His desires.

Through prayer, Christians find fortitude, direction, and peace, express reverence, admit sin, give thanks, and submit our requests; thereby relying on God's unchanging nature to listen and respond according to His perfect will. 

Scripture: Psalm 145:18; Proverbs 15:29; Mark 11:25; John 9:31; Acts 4:31

Prayer: "I call on you, my God, for you will answer me; turn your ear to me and hear my prayer. Amen."  - Psalm 17:6

Blessings always,

Breanna