Video - "Heavenly After After" - Sheri Rose Shepard

Sheri Rose Shepard, a wife and mother devastated by divorce, explains how God brought her through her tragedy. Awesome message!  ~Eve

Video - "Who Is Jesus?" - A Street Interview

People on the streets of Baltimore, Maryland were asked their opinions on Jesus. Their responses certainly give us all food for thought. Here is what was said...

Wishing Everyone a Blessed Thanksgiving Holiday!

Thursday, November 28th is Thanksgiving Day here in the U.S.A. In order to give our ministry team time to enjoy the holiday with family and friends, the Coffeehouse Bible Ministry blog will resume on Monday,  December 2, 2013. On behalf of everyone at CHBM, we wish to extend our blessings, and prayers of thanks to you and your families!   ~Eve

"Happy Thanksgiving from us, to you!"

Giving Thanks Is Clearly His Divine Will!

Too often our gratitude is dependent upon the circumstances of life. A beautiful hymn was written by Martin Rinkart during the Thirty-Year War to help us look beyond our circumstances, and see the hand of God. Rinkart was a pastor in Saxony, Germany as the turbulent years of the war dragged on.

For a time, he was the only pastor in his town. His pastoral duties caused him to preside at nearly 4500 burials in 1637 alone. In the context of this sad situation, and these unfavorable circumstances, he penned the words to Now Thank We All Our God. It is a hymn of unconditional gratitude to God.

Now thank we all our God;
With Heart, hands, and voices;
Who wondrous things has done;
In whom his world rejoices.

You see, thankful people don’t have to have everything going their way to rejoice.

Did you know that most blessings are taken for granted? Hard to believe, right? But, it's true! If you're finding this startling, consider the following examples:

• If you woke up this morning with more health than illness ...you are more blessed than the six million who will not survive this week.
• If you have never experienced the danger of battle, the loneliness of imprisonment, the agony of torture, or the pangs of starvation ...you are ahead of 500 million people in the world.
• If you can attend a church meeting without fear of harassment, arrest, torture or death ...you are more blessed than three billion people in the world.
• If you have food in the refrigerator, clothes on your back, a roof overhead, and a place to sleep ...you are richer than 75% of this world.
• If you have money in the bank, in your wallet, and spare change in a dish someplace...you are among the top 8% of the world’s wealthy.

Christians need to learn how to count their blessings rather than listing their misfortunes! You can be sure that the Bible encourages and commands the people of God to give thanks to our blessed, and glorious Lord. 

There's something about a grateful heart that brings pleasure, and satisfaction to the heart of a holy, and righteous God. I know that's so, because it's clearly the will of God that His chosen people habitually give Him thanks for the blessings of life. 

The Apostle Paul wrote to the Christians at Thessalonica: “give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” (1 Thessalonians 5:18). Too many of us want to grumble, groan, and gripe instead of thanking God for what He has already given to them. Rendering thanks to God is not to be an occasional act of God’s people, but it is to be a way of life.

Someone might ask, "Why are we to give thanks to the Lord?" That's not an unusual question. Let me see if I can help give an honest answer.  "Because it pleases the Lord." In fact, the practice of giving thanks to the Lord is clearly His divine will. You can rest assured that God is pleased when we do what He desires us to do, in regard to any matter (Psalm 107:1; 1 Thessalonians 5:18).  

If we back up a bit, to Psalm 103, we find a list of God's blessings (Psalm 103:1–5). You will see that there are 5 blessings we can Praise God for:

• He forgives our sins.
• He heals us from our diseases.
• He redeems our life.
• He crowns us with love and compassion.
• He satisfies our desires with good things.

I think a closer look at these 5 blessings is in order. According to the Psalm 103, God forgives our sin and then forgets about them—“I will forgive their iniquity and remember their sin no more.” God heals our diseases. It may be a physical healing, but that may not be God’s first priority. God is more concerned about our spiritual healing and our emotional healing. God redeems our lives. Redeem means to "obtain by paying a price; to buy back." God has paid the price to redeem us.

God crowns us with love and compassion. He has given us true honor by adopting us into His family. What greater blessing than to be brought into the love and favor of God? “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:” (John 1:12)

God satisfies our desires with good things. Have you tried listing the good things you have? God gave you those things for your pleasure. When we thank God, it is pleasing to Him!

Scripture: Psalm 116:12; 1 Chronicles 16:8; Colossians 2:7; Ephesians 1:11; Romans 10:4; Ecclesiastes 7:14

Prayer: Dear Father, thank you for this day. Please help me understand that loving someone not only gives hope, but it also helps one to strive for something better. Amen  

May God bless you, 

Yahvonne

Oh, To Develop a Grateful Heart!

A lawyer had successfully handled a difficult law case for a wealthy friend. Following the happy outcome of the case, the friend and client called on the lawyer, expressed his appreciation of his work and handed him a handsome Moroccan leather wallet.

The lawyer looked at the wallet in astonishment and handed it back with a sharp reminder that a wallet could not possibly compensate him for his services. "My fee for that work," acidly snapped the attorney, "is five hundred dollars."

The client opened the wallet, removed a one-thousand dollar bill, replaced it with a five-hundred dollar bill and handed it back to the lawyer with a smile.

Some people pray only when they are in trouble. Even fewer pray a prayer of thanksgiving. There's an interesting paradox in our culture: the more we have, the less thankful we are. The more we have, the more we want. The more we have, the more we are aware of what we do not have. And, if we should happen to forget, the advertising world is ready to remind us. A grateful heart brings about an expectant heart. You can't be hopeful about the future, without being thankful for the past, and grateful for the present.

How do we develop a grateful heart? Great question! I am convinced that this is the work of God that only happens through prayer. So, let's look at this a little more closely. We need to pray for three things. The first, is we need to pray that God would move our hearts: from complaints to praise. Can you imagine how different the world would be, if starting today, people would not complain about anything? The world would be a completely different place! A new joy would begin to take over the world just because of that one minor change.

But now, try to imagine how different you would be if you would stop complaining today? There would be a whole new you. A new joy would begin to take over your life, and you would have a whole new outlook on the world. Think about this carefully, now.  If you would just stop complaining your relationships would be different, your job would be different, your home would be different, and your church would be different (Philippians 2:14-16; 1 Chronicles 29:11-13).

Secondly, we need to pray that God would move our hearts: from criticism to encouragement. Haven’t we been beaten up enough out there in the world? Do we need to be beaten up by our friends, and at home as well? Shouldn't our Christian family be the place where we find understanding and encouragement? We really need to be careful in the things we say to each other.

The Bible says, “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you” (Ephesians 4:29-32). The command of God is that we build one another up, not tear each other down. It grieves the Holy Spirit when our words hurt instead of heal.

The third thing we need to pray for, is that God would move our hearts: from cynicism to faith. All of us have questions. We learn by questioning things. But there is a difference between questioning something and expecting that there is a reasonable answer and questioning for the sake of questioning — not expecting or wanting there to be an answer. You can question because you want to know, or you can question as an excuse for not wanting to know. A skeptic is a person who doubts something is true, but is willing to investigate the facts in order to know whether it is true or not. A cynic is one who assumes something is not true and is not willing to look at the evidence or take is seriously.

I have known many people who are stuck in life because they have allowed a cynical spirit to grow in their hearts. Any time you present the truth of Christ to them they always want to ask a question. And before you can complete the answer they move to another question, and another. Their conversations are full of “Yes, but. . .”, or “What about this. . .”, and “Other people believe. . . .” Some people question because they are on a journey to discover truth. The cynic isn't even interested in the journey. They assume that all roads lead nowhere and you can’t know anything for sure.

The problem with a cynical spirit is that you never get anywhere. It robs you of confidence in life. The cynic asks, “How can you know there is a God?” “How can you be sure there is a heaven?” “How do you know that you are a Christian?” The message of the Bible is that God wants us to have confidence and know some things for certain (1 John 5:13). Faith is not something that just comes over you — it is a decision. There are not some who are predisposed to believe and some who are predisposed to doubt. All of us have a choice. You must decide to have faith. But this is not just a blind faith with no evidence. There is evidence all around you (Romans 1:19-20).

In regards to developing a grateful heart, let me leave you with this...for those who move from complaints to praise, from criticism to encouragement, and from cynicism to faith; there is the reward of joy. For those who ask God to change the negative spirit within them; the Lord gives the gift of praise even in the worst of circumstances.

Scripture: 2 Timothy 1:7; Galatians 3:26; 1 John 4:2; Ephesians 1:13; Ephesians 1:11; John 5:15-17

Prayer: Dear Lord, thank you for the love you give me. Your love gives me strength and courage to love others in return. Please help me to show love to those who are in need of it most. Amen

Have a blessed day!

Elizabeth

We Can Be Thankful In All Circumstances

Matthew Henry (pastor in the early 1700's) was robbed one day and wrote in his diary the next: “Let me be thankful. First, because I was never robbed before. Second, because although they took my wallet, they did not take my life. Third, because although they took my all, it was not much. Fourth, because it was I who was robbed, not I who robbed.”

For the most part, we are thankful in all things. However, most people are only thankful when they have to be. This goes for Christians as well. That is a terrible thing to have to say, but it is the truth. Why else would we have to have a special day to offer thanksgiving like we do here in the U.S? If we gave thanks all the time like we should, there would be no need to have a specific holiday like this.

Now, I don’t believe that we are ungrateful and unthankful on purpose. I think we are, because it is our nature as humans to take things for granted; and it's nothing new. In all honesty, people were not thankful in Jesus’ day either. In Luke 17, we are told about an event that warranted thanks. If you have your Bible handy, turn to Luke 17:11.

On his way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met him. They stood at a distance and called out in a loud voice, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!” When he saw them, he said, “Go show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went they were cleansed. One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him – and he was a Samaritan. Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?” Then he said to him, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well.

The reason that I chose this particular passage, is that I want to take a look at three aspects of thankfulness that we should learn from this Scripture. First, there are no good excuses for being unthankful. Shocking as this might seem, it is true! We love to make excuses. After all, nothing is ever our fault. No one in jail has ever committed a crime. It was always someone else’s fault. When a little child gets in trouble, they will always blame it on another person. When a politician gets in a bind, they will always find something else to pin the blame on.

Making excuses is nothing new. Think about the first humans on the planet. They are told not to eat of the fruit of a certain tree. Then, they both do and have to face God for the consequences. In our story of the ten lepers, the nine that were not thankful probably had excuses that they thought were good for not coming back to thank Jesus. When the one truly thankful leper came back to Jesus, Jesus honored him; however, Jesus did ask, “Where are the other nine?” Jesus expected every one of them to be thankful, and he expects that of Christians today.

Second, everyone has something to be thankful for. God wants us to be thankful in all circumstances because we all have something to be thankful for. If we call ourselves Christians, we have even more yet to be thankful for. Jesus Christ came to earth and took our place on the cross. We should have gone there to pay the penalty for our sins, but he was blameless and took our place so that we might live.

Now, all we have to do is believe and trust in Him as our Savior, and our slate will be wiped clean. We don’t have to pay the price of death. He already did that. That act alone should be enough to make us thankful for all the days of our lives. But, God doesn't stop there. He continues to bless us every day; and yet many take it for granted.

Third, we as Christians need to set the bar for thankfulness. Here in the U.S., George Gallop reports that 84% of Americans claim to be Christians. Of those 84%, less than 10 % of Americans are deeply committed Christians. These committed Christians are far, far happier than the rest of the population.

Committed Christians are more accepting of others than the average American, more involved in charitable activities, and are absolutely committed to prayer. While many more Americans than this 10 % profess to be Christians, most actually know little or nothing of Christian beliefs, and act no differently than non-Christians.

What is the problem with this picture? Christians are called to be set apart from the world, yet only 10% of the population are acting that way. This leaves an astounding 74% of Americans that claim to be Christians and yet act no differently than those not claiming to be Christians. Is it any wonder why the church is not growing?

Getting back to our passage, as Jesus healed these ten lepers, most of them were Jews. They were God-fearing, church going people. They belonged to the moral majority and were known as the people of God. However, when they were healed, only one leper returned to give thanks, and this leper was a Samaritan. Samaritans did not go to church in this day because they were looked upon as outcasts and lowlifes.

The church people of the day wanted nothing to do with any of them because they were not worth the time of one of God’s chosen ones. Yet, he is the only one who showed thanks. When the church should have been setting the bar of thankfulness, the world was actually leading the way.

The same is true today. Think of some of the Christians you know. They are bitter and mean. They never think of anyone but themselves. They are proud, arrogant and rude. The problem is that people outside of the church are often more pleasant than those in it when it should be the other way around. Christians are meant to set the bar in things like love, kindness, gentleness, and thankfulness. We are meant to live in such a way that non-believers will want what we have.

But, according to statistics, 74% of those who claim Christianity are living either no differently, or worse that non-Christians. You can do the math, but I say that this means that 3 out of 4 of us are not any more thankful than those of the world. We must seek to do better.

I want to leave you with this, God desires us to be thankful and not make excuses. He desires us to be thankful because everyone has something to be thankful for. He desires us to be thankful because we are to be the example, to the rest of the world, of what it truly means to be thankful. How do we do this? It's only through the strength of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. With His power and His leading, we can be thankful in all circumstances.

I encourage you to make a list of everything you can think of that you can thank God for – and then do it. Thank God for all He has done for you because a thankful spirit opens the door to a closer relationship with God. After all, to enter His gates, we must do it with thanksgiving. It’s time we start doing it more!

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 5:18; Psalm 107:1; Ephesians 5:20; Colossians 3:15-17; Philippians 4:6; James 1:17

Prayer: Dear Lord, I thank you for this day. Thank you for my family and friends. Please help me in showing them just how important they are to me. Amen

May God be with you!

CarrieAnne

Saturday Scripture Gold with Bibi: Is Your Passion for God Sizzling, or Fizzling?

"Heart is used in Scripture as the most comprehensive term for the authentic person. It is the part of our being where we desire, deliberate, and decide. It has been described as ‘the place of conscious and decisive spiritual activity,’ ‘the comprehensive term for a person as a whole; his feelings, desires, passions, thought, understanding and will,’ and ‘the center of a person. The place to which God turns.’"    -(Fan the Flame, J. Stowell, Moody, 1986, p.13)

Have you ever noticed that many times, when people first come to the Lord (i.e., when they are a new Christian), they have a burning passion for God. But, after a while the fire kind of fizzles out? Or, maybe they simply lose their desire to serve God; and aren't as dedicated to God as they used to be? Does this sound a little familiar?

For us to love God  means that our love for God should be full of passion. After all, we are all people of passion. Right? Some people are passionate about sports, or passionate about their work. Some people are passionate about hobbies, like art, or music. Certainly, people are passionate about all sorts of things. But, how many of us have the same passion for God that we have for these other things?

We simply cannot afford to be apathetic about our love for God. We must be excited about our relationship with Jesus. We must be passionate! Our love for the Lord should be real and passionate. In other other words, we must be involved with all our emotions in our relationship to Him.

Look at it this way. When you love someone with all of your heart, you think about them almost all of the time. You long to be with them. They’re the priority in your life. To love God with all your heart is the same thing. It means that your heart is devoted to Him. It means that you are faithful to Him. He becomes the most important thing in your life. Plain and simple.

Loving God is not an emotional expression that bypasses the mind. It's true that when people rely on their own intellectual capacity to figure out God, they always come up short. Why? Because God is too big to be totally figured out by human minds. Fortunately, we can learn and know what God has revealed to us. It's clear from Scripture that God fully intends for our minds to be involved in our love for Him.

Additionally, Christianity is not just a heart dedicated to God. It's so much more. It's also a soul full of passionate love for Jesus, and a mind committed to studying the Word of God. To love God with all our strength means to love God in all that we do. You see, Christianity that's just in the heart, or in the head, may be either emotionalism, or intellectualism. For Christianity to be alive, it must be lived out. This is what makes the Christian faith the most powerful force in the world.

God’s Word is the cure to all of our faults, and flaws, but when we don’t apply it, we will just continue in them. If you’re a Christian and you have a passion for God, then you need to keep that fire burning. You have to abide in Christ and walk with Him daily. You have to make sure that your love affair with the Lord doesn’t grow cold. And if you’re a Christian and you don’t have a passion for God, then there’s something wrong. That’s not the norm, and you shouldn’t accept it as such. If you don’t have that passion for God then you need to examine yourself, find out what’s wrong, and then make it right.

Because we are sinners, we have to look at ourselves and examine who we are. Our own sinful nature will deceive us if we aren't vigilant. 2 Corinthians 13:5 says, “Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves…” What is it that’s keeping you from loving God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength? Are you focusing on Christ, or the things of this world? Are you holding on to the things that are temporal, while letting the things that are eternal slip by you?

Hebrews 12:1-2  tells us not to focus on the things of this world; but focus on Jesus. The things of this world are temporary. The gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus. Focus on Jesus because He’s the author and finisher of your faith. No matter what, He’s going to see you through it.

Always remember that Jesus endured the cross, knowing that by doing so, you would come to receive Him as Lord and Savior. Jesus went to the cross with joy, knowing that when He died on that cross, it would satisfy God’s justice; that He would be paying the penalty that man owed. Jesus knew that by the shedding of His blood there would be forgiveness, redemption, and salvation, for all who would come to believe, and that gave Him great joy.

So what about you? Do you have a passion for God? Is that fire burning within you today? If so, will it be there tomorrow? The choice is yours.

Scripture: Colossians 3:23; 1 Corinthians 10:31; Galatians 2:20; Ezekiel 36:26; Jeremiah 17:10; Proverbs 4:23; Proverbs 21:2; 1 Timothy 1:5 

Now, let's pray...

O Father, give us the humility which realizes its ignorance, admits its mistakes, recognizes its need, welcomes advice, accepts rebuke. Help us always to praise rather than to criticize, to sympathize rather than to discourage, to build rather than to destroy, and to think of people at their best rather than at their worst. This we ask for in thy name's sake. Amen

Until next time...

Have a blessed week!

Bibi

Bible Study Snacks, Acts 27:1-12

Hi, everyone!

Happy Friday, and welcome back to Bible Study Snacks! I hope everyone had a nice week. It's great to be here with you again! As always, I thank you so much for joining me as we walk together through the richness of God's spoken word, and wisdom. I pray that today finds you in good health and strong in faith!

This week, I would like to continue our study of the Book of Acts, with Chapter Twenty-seven, Verses 1-12.

I have designed these studies to be brief, yet packed full of good information for everyone regardless of your level of biblical knowledge. I might add that these quick studies make perfect small group discussion starters, as well!

As always, I whole-heartedly believe in the importance that any Bible study should begin with prayer. If you have your Bible ready, let's pray together...

"Heavenly father, please guide us as we study your Word today; I pray that our hearts and our minds will be open so that we will not only receive your Gospel, but learn from it as well; you are the Light of the world, Lord, and your Spirit will illuminate our path as we journey through your teachings. In the name of Jesus Christ, Our Lord and Savior. Amen"

If you are taking notes for yourself, or using this for a bible study with others, here are the objectives for this week's lesson...

OBJECTIVES: This week, the reader will...

1) Observe how Paul's trip to Rome began.
2) Observe notice how Paul warned of a disaster and was ignored.

For your convenience, here is a summary of Acts 27:1-12...  

When it was decided that the prisoners should sail to Italy, Julius, a centurion of the Augustan Regiment, took custody. They boarded a ship of Adramyttium to sail along the Asian coast.  Aristarchus, a Macedonian of Thessalonica, accompanied Paul. When the ship arrived at Sidon, Julius treated Paul kindly. He was allowed to go to his friends and receive care. They then sailed near Cyprus, Cilicia, Pamphylia, and
arrived at Myra. There, the centurion found an Alexandrian ship headed to Italy. They boarded this ship and departed. They sailed slowly for many days, as the wind made it difficult to sail. They continued to sail with difficulty near Cnidus and Crete off Salmone. Next, they arrived at Fair Havens, near the city of Lasea. (1-8)

A great amount of time had passed, and sailing became dangerous. Paul advised, "I perceive that this voyage will end with disaster and much loss..." The centurion ignored Paul, and rather listened to the helmsman and ship-owner, who considered the harbor "not suitable to winter in." The majority wanted to sail on to Phoenix, a harbor of Crete. (9-12)

REVIEW QUESTIONS:

1) Where were they to sail? (Acts 27:1)
2) To whom were the prisoners, including Paul, delivered? (Acts 27:1)
3) Who was also sailing with Paul? (Acts 27:2)
4) How did the centurion treat Paul at Sidon? (Acts 27:3)
5) Why did they sail under the shelter of Cyprus? (Acts 27:4)
6) Where did the centurion find the Alexandrian ship? (Acts 27:5-6)
7) What caused the ship to sail slowly for many days? (Acts 27:7)
8) What was the name of the port near the city of Lasea? (Acts 27:8)
9) Now that the Fast was over, what was the condition for sailing? (Acts 27:9)
10) Did the centurion heed Paul's warning? Who did he listen to? (Acts 27:11)
11) What did the majority advise to do? (Acts 27:12)
 
After completing this week's study, I encourage you to go back and read through the material again. Take your time and read each topic and scripture reference as many times as you feel necessary. Keep in mind that by doing this, you just might see something new that you overlooked the first time around!

As we journey through the Bible together, I will continue to pray that God’s message will come through to you loud and crystal clear. Until next time, I wish everyone a blessed week!

God bless you!  

Sheri

Is Your Conscience Feeling Guilty?

"Conscience tells us that we ought to do right, but it does not tell us what right is--that we are taught by God's word."   -H.C. Trumbull

The human conscience is a strange thing. Considering how evil men and women are, it’s surprising that we have a conscience at all…but we do. Here’s the problem. While it’s true we have something called a conscience, which sometimes makes us feel guilty for past wrongdoing, the conscience is far from overwhelming in its effects. It’s sadly possible for us to neutralize it, or kill it.

So, what is a "conscience?" Think of the conscience like a sundial. It’s able to give fairly accurate time when the sun is shining on it, but is totally unable to give any kind of time at night. We also know that our consciences can be seared. There’s only one way that our conscience can be a sure guide to right behavior. That’s when the light of God’s Word is shining on it.

When the light of God shines on the sundial of your conscience, you get the right time every time. But, apart from that, the conscience is a bit like a trained circus dog. You whistle once, and it will stand up. You whistle twice, and it will roll over. The third time you whistle, it will play dead.

Listen, we all want to be happy, right? However, not everyone looks for happiness in the same place. Many try to find happiness in sinful pleasures, such as sexual relationships. Sin, however, never leads to happiness. Sin ends in messed up lives, with the sinner feeling guilty, depressed, restless, and irritable--anything but happy. Maybe you're burdened with a "guilty" conscience, which is why you are reading this message today.

If so, you undoubtedly are not happy, but wish that you were. Your guilty conscience, however, makes happiness impossible. No person with a guilty conscience feels happy. To find happiness, a cure must first be found for the guilty conscience. As far as I know, secular doctors, medicine, counselors, etc., have no cure for a guilty conscience.

We need look no further than Psalm 32:1-6 to see an example of someone who was burdened with a "guilty" conscience. This particular piece of scripture teaches us about a guilty conscience, repentance, confession of sin, and the blessedness of forgiveness. In fact, the blessedness of forgiveness is its theme.

David wrote Psalm 32. Its contents lead us to believe it is a parallel psalm to Psalm 51, which David wrote after his sins of adultery, murder, and impenitence. He had brought Bathsheba, the wife of a soldier named Uriah, to his palace, where he had made love to her. He impregnated her. To cover up his adultery before it became known, he brought Uriah home from the front lines. He intended Uriah to go home and make love to his wife, Bathsheba. Everyone would then think the baby was Uriah’s.

Uriah, however, being a noble soldier, refused to go home while his comrades were on the front lines fighting and could not be home with their wives. David even got him drunk to entice him to go home to Bathsheba. When that scheme failed to work also, David sent him back to the front lines with sealed orders for Joab, the general. Uriah was to be put in the midst of the heaviest fighting. The rest of the army was to retreat, leaving Uriah where the enemy would surely kill him. Joab did this. After Uriah was killed, David married Bathsheba to cover up his sin. She then bore him his son nine months after their adultery.

For about a year David remained impenitent, deceitfully hiding his sins of adultery and murder. Then the Lord sent his prophet Nathan to convict David of his sins. It was only then that David finally confessed: “I have sinned against the Lord.”

Throughout the year of his impenitence David was anything but happy. He was miserable. He described his physical and emotional state: “When I kept silent about my sin, my body wasted away with my roaring all the daylong. For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my vitality ebbed away as in the heat of summer.”

While David had been covering up his sin, his conscience was eating him alive. His guilty conscience was damaging his health. He felt himself wasting away. Down to his very bones he felt tired, exhausted, worn out. His life juices evaporated like moisture in a summer’s dry heat. His life’s vitality and his vitality for life had ebbed away. Emotionally he was irritable, literally going about roaring like a lion. We would say he was biting people’s heads off and snapping at them. He no doubt was groaning within himself at the same time. The reason being, the Lord’s hand was heavy upon him day and night.

His conscience knew that the Lord was very displeased with his adultery and murder. The commands of God, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” plagued him. The synonyms David used for his sin in this psalm reveal that his conscience saw what he had done as a rebellion against the Lord, a terrible missing of the mark of the Lord’s commandments, and depraved acts of iniquity that were all twisted and wrong. Being guilty, the Lord’s threat of punishment that hung over him burdened and tormented him continually. He had no peace of mind or rest for his soul.

Only after Nathan confronted him with his sins did David repent and confess them. After such a long time of being miserable and unhappy, he finally broke down to admit his wrongdoing. He wrote, “I acknowledged my sin to you, and the guilt of my sin I did not cover up; I said, ‘I will confess my transgressions to the Lord.’ ”

Being brought to the point of finally confessing our sin is the first step toward curing the guilty conscience. Whatever our sins have been, guilt can weigh heavily on our conscience, tormenting us day after day, making us miserable, restless, and unhappy.

Friends, there's only one cure for our guilty conscience. It 's not trying to convince ourselves that our sin is acceptable, and we should stop feeling guilty about it. The cure is to repent of our sin and confess it. David learned this lesson. He wrote this psalm to teach us the same lesson. He wrote, “Therefore, let everyone who is pious pray to you at this time when you may be found; surely in a flood of great waters they will not reach him.”

The time to repent of the sin that is plaguing our conscience and confess it in prayer to the Lord is now. David said the pious, godly persons will confess their sins while they still have the time to do so, before the mighty waters of the Lord’s judgment begin to roll over them when it is then too late. Whatever our sins, now is the time for us to repent and confess them to the Lord.  We can't hide our sins from the Lord any more than David, or Adam and Eve could. He knows all about our sins. He knows everything about us... and everything we have ever done.

When the sinner’s conscience has been tormented by guilt so that he grieves over what he has done and fears the wrath of God, he is close to being saved and finding the only cure for his guilty conscience. For as soon as he repents and confesses his sin, he receives the Lord’s forgiveness of his sin. David is an outstanding example of this.

The Lord is willing to forgive our sins because of the perfect life and innocent death of Jesus Christ. The Lord has literally lifted our sins from us and laid them on the innocent Jesus. The Lord has covered our sins with the blood of Jesus, so they are removed from his sight. Because Jesus paid for our sins with his death on the cross, the Lord does not count our sins against us. Because of Jesus, we are fully pardoned.

This forgiveness of sins in Jesus Christ is the only cure for our guilty conscience. The Lord’s forgiveness makes us blessed and happy, for we know we are reconciled to God. The threat of his eternal punishment is lifted from us. We enjoy the comfort of his peace. We have his promise and the hope of everlasting salvation and life.

Scripture: 1 John 1:9; Romans 5:1; Romans 10:13; James 1:14; Romans 6:23; 1 Timothy 2:4; Acts 10:34

Prayer: Dear Father, thank you for all you have done for me. Please help me be strong as I face a day full of uncertainty and worry. Help me accept things as they are and understand there is a reason for everything. Amen

God loves you!

Holly

God Wants Us to Build Better Relationships with Others

Two men who lived in a small village got into a terrible dispute that they could not resolve. So they decided to talk to the town sage. The first man went to the sage's home and told his version of what happened. When he finished, the sage said, "You're absolutely right."

The next night, the second man called on the sage and told his side of the story. The sage responded, "You're absolutely right." Afterward, the sage's wife scolded her husband. "Those men told you two different stories and you told them they were absolutely right. That's impossible -- they can't both be absolutely right!" The sage turned to his wife and said, "You're absolutely right."   -David Moore in Vital Speeches of the Day

Seriously though, as Christians we will have times of conflict; sometimes with a neighbor who seems unbearable, sometimes with an employer, customer, or government official who seems overly demanding or unfair, sometimes with a relative, fellow Christian or even another church. The answer to handling these type problems is not revenge, hostility or avoidance of the problem, which is not a real possibility anyways. What does the Bible (our perfect instruction book) tell us about relationships?

The Bible tells us that we are to "Do everything possible on your part to live in peace with everybody." (Romans 12:18) So our need and goal should be to know how to build better relationships. How can we do this? Maybe the following principles might help...

#1: Be proactive in avoiding future conflicts: Most people are reactive that is they wait for conflict to manifest itself and intensify before they do anything to try and resolve it. This is better than ignoring the problem, or resorting to worldly solutions (hostility, revenge, etc.). But, in many cases we can avoid conflict altogether by being proactive. We need to use godly wisdom to see potential conflicts and respond accordingly. This is also true when dealing with neighbors, employers, or anyone else. It is much easier to avoid problems than it is to solve them later.

# 2: Deal honestly with others: It is amazing how many conflicts are caused or magnified by simple dishonesty. For example, this is a common theme in Genesis, especially in the story of how Jacob’s dishonesty led to conflict Esau; and how Laban’s dishonesty led to conflict with Jacob. In Ephesians 4:25, we are told to “put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor...” The context of this Scripture passage deals with unity; so it again is showing us how dishonesty spoils positive relationships. In practice, this means being honest but kind about our feelings, situations, likes and dislikes, etc. Remember, your acts of kindness in the past can be very rewarding in the future.

#3: Be open about problems: Sometimes problems and conflicts are made much worse by not being open about the problems with the person who has offended us. We may talk to everyone else, but not to them. Often in our efforts to keep the peace we make things worse by not speaking up. This can be true at work, where we may not be up front about issues that are bugging us.

This may be the case with a neighbor when we’re not open about a serious divisive issue, or it maybe in the church when we are not sharing our real concerns in an appropriate manner. It is easy for people to deceive themselves into thinking that if they ignore a problem long enough it will go away. Unfortunately, problems rarely--if ever--disappear. The longer we ignore them, the worse they become.

# 4: Do not make assumptions about another’s knowledge of a problem: Sometimes we never get problems or conflicts solved, or come to a mutual understanding, because the offended person assumes that the offender knows of the problem. We act as if people have a sixth sense about these things, or we assume that our subtle remarks and innuendos are clear, when they are not!

Many people do not even know that they have offended you, or if they do sense a hostility, they are bewildered as to what the problem is. It may be obvious to you but not to the offender. We must be very careful not to take for granted that people are aware of a problem, unless we have directly and clearly articulated the problem, and its seriousness for us.

The take-away lesson today is this: there is no true spirituality without right relationships with others. It is not God’s desire that we escape the world, but that we put our efforts toward building better relationships. We can do that by applying the principles we learn in God’s Word.

Scripture: Proverbs 15:1; Matthew 18:15; Colossians 3:13; Luke 17:3; Luke 6:27; Philippians 2:4; 1 John 4:7-8;  

Prayer: Dear Father, please hear my prayer. I am facing uncertainty and worry about the future. Please grant me wisdom so I may make the right choices in the journey that lies ahead. Amen

May God be with you always,

Elayne

Video - Kara Petroske - If I Am Truly Saved, Why Do I Feel So Empty Inside?

"To be true salvation, there had to be repentance and faith together. I could not say in confidence that I had that. All I remember was that I wanted to change." Kara Petroske shares her testimony about how truly getting to know God changed her life. Enjoy!  ~Eve

-special thanks to Lehigh Valley Baptist Church- 

Are You Ready... to Forgive?

A husband and wife didn't really love each other. The man was very demanding, so much so that he prepared a list of rules and regulations for his wife to follow. He insisted that she read them over every day and obey them to the letter. Among other things, his "do's and don'ts" indicated such details as what time she had to get up in the morning, when his breakfast should be served, and how the housework should be done. After several long years, the husband died.

As time passed, the woman fell in love with another man, one who dearly loved her. Soon they were married. This husband did everything he could to make his new wife happy, continually showering her with tokens of his appreciation. One day as he was cleaning house, she found tucked away in a drawer the list of commands her first husband had drawn up for her. As she looked it over, it dawned on her that even though her present husband hadn't given her any kind of list, she was doing everything her first husband's list required anyway. She realized she was so devoted to this man that her deepest desire was to please him out of love, not obligation.   -Unknown

Since we’re imperfect people, we’re bound to have trouble with forgiveness. I’m convinced that relationships are built not on a standard of perfection, but on our ability to ask for forgiveness, and upon our willingness to extend forgiveness. In other words, grace must impact both our friendships and our forgiveness.

If you and I want to have relationships that last for the long haul, then we must be willing to extend forgiveness to others. Here’s another way to say it:  In every relationship you have, you will constantly be called on to forgive and to ask for forgiveness. Forgiveness is costly -- it’s not easy to ask for forgiveness; and it’s certainly not easy to extend forgiveness to those who've  wronged us. Proverbs 18:19 says that, “An offended brother is more unyielding than a fortified city, and disputes are like the barred gates of a citadel.”

Forgiveness is the virtue we most enjoy and least employ. There are at least two reasons why we struggle with forgiveness:  Forgiveness is not natural. That’s why it’s so hard to do. Forgiveness is not fair. Our sense of justice wants to be vindicated.

Of all the people in the Bible, Peter stands out as the most mathematical of the disciples. He was a stickler for detail, always trying to pin down the precise meaning of everything Jesus said. Do you remember when Jesus engineered a miraculous catch of fish? It was Peter who sat down and counted each squirming one to find out that they caught 153. If you were to take your Bible and count the number of times that Peter messed up, you’d discover that he needed forgiveness on at least 7 different occasions.

Being a numbers-guy, one day Peter came up to Jesus and asked him a question in Matthew 18:21, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times? I find his question a bit amusing. Here’s Peter, the one who needed personal forgiveness on at least 7 different occasions himself, being concerned with how many times he had to forgive someone else. He was trying to discover a mathematical formula for grace.

To be honest, forgiving someone seven times is commendable. Most of us get frustrated if we have to forgive someone twice. By human standards, what Peter said was admirable and perhaps even extravagant. But Peter wanted a number, a limit, a place where he could finally say, “That’s it -- you’re not getting away with this any longer. Our friendship is now over.”

As Jesus often does, his answer to Peter was unexpected and disarming. Take a look at verse 22: “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy times seven times.” The crash you hear is Peter hitting the ground in a dead faint. He couldn't believe his ears! Seventy times seven? 

Jesus isn't suggesting that we count the number of times we forgive someone. Seventy times seven means there is no limit to the number of times we are to forgive someone. He is talking about continual and unlimited forgiveness. The point Jesus is making here is this -- you don’t keep score when it comes to forgiveness. Like grace, forgiveness has about it a maddening quality because it is undeserved, unmerited, and unfair.

Where are you today? Do you need to ask someone for forgiveness? Have you wronged a friend or family member? If so, determine to face your friend, own the wrong, and ask for release.

Do you need to give someone the gift of forgiveness? Are you tired of living with the venom of an unforgiving spirit? Are your grudges structuring your total outlook on life? If so, cancel that debt today. Restore that friendship by being a grace-giver.

Do you need Divine forgiveness? Have you ever come face to face with God, owned your sin, and then asked Him for release? You need to do it if you haven't already done so -- forgiveness is our deepest need and God’s highest achievement. Once you experience God’s forgiveness, you’ll be better equipped to forgive others.

C.S. Lewis once said, “To be a Christian means to forgive the inexcusable, because God has forgiven the inexcusable in you.” How about you? Are you ready to forgive, or ask for forgiveness?

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 12:9: Ephesians 2:8-9; Romans 6:14; James 4:6;  Romans 5:8; John 1:16; Romans 3:24

Prayer: Dear Father, Please forgive me for all I have done not only to others but to myself. Please grant me the wisdom to understand what I have done wrong and how I can make it right. Amen

Have a blessed day!

Courtney

Classic Sermon - Billy Graham: Three Things You Cannot Do Without!

From time to time, we like to present classic sermons that carry a powerful message. This classic sermon by Billy Graham about "3 Things That You Cannot Do Without" is one such sermon. I hope you enjoy it!   -Bibi

Saturday Scripture Gold with Bibi: His Nearness and Comforting Powers Help Us When Feeling Depressed

One of England's finest preachers was C.H. Spurgeon (1834-1892). Frequently during his ministry he was plunged into severe depression, due in part to gout but also for other reasons. In a biography of the "prince of preachers", Arnold Dallimore wrote, "What he suffered in those times of darkness we may not know...even his desperate calling on God brought no relief. 'There are dungeons', he said, 'beneath the castles of despair.'"   -Arnold Dallimore

Depression (Feelings of dejection, sadness, apathy, inertia, difficulty in gaining energy or excitement, fatigue, pessimism, hopelessness, fear, attitudes of worthlessness, hopelessness, loss of interest, inability to experience pleasure, a loss of self-esteem or potential) is experienced by everyone. N. Kline wrote in the Journal of the American Medical Association (190:732-40), "More suffering has resulted from depression than from any other single disease affecting mankind."

Think that depression is exclusive only to us living in the modern world? Think again! Even people in the Bible were no strangers to depression. Here are some examples of well-known figures who wrestled with depression: David wrote in Psalm 43 feelings of depression and discouragement, "Why are you in despair, O my soul? And why are you disturbed within me? Hope in God, for I shall again praise Him, The help of my countenance, and my God."

When Elijah fled to the wilderness to escape Jezebel he plunged into despondency. He wanted to die, and very well could have except for the treatment sent to him from God. Elijah complained to God, I have been zealous for Lord God Almighty, yet the Israelites have rejected your covenant, broken down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too."

Even Jesus experienced discouragement in the garden of Gethsemane (Matthew 26:37-42), where He said to His disciples, "My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with Me. Going a little farther he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, "My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will."

Job experienced such awful troubles that he nearly despaired of life. His wife said, "Curse God and die" (Implying that then his human sufferings would end, as well as her own). Jeremiah was known as the weeping prophet who constantly struggled with depression, discouragement and feelings of hopelessness. He was a man given to lots of introspective self-analysis and negative questioning about the reasons for all the suffering he saw.

He never married, nor had children when most people around him did; and who thought he was strange. Jeremiah's primary ministry was to speak as a prophet to people who were rebellious, indifferent, and disobedient to God. Being a timid man he experienced numerous bouts with rejection, depression, and ridicule. All of this added to the fact that he lived at a time when their enemies continually oppressed the Israelites.

Paul, the apostle often struggled with discouragement. He said, "Through glory and dishonor, bad report and good report; genuine, yet regarded as impostors, known yet regarded as unknown; dying and yet we live on; beaten, and yet not killed; sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything." (2 Corinthians 6:8-10).

I suppose that I could go on, and on with various examples. But, I think you get the picture. Everyone goes through depression at one time, or another. So, how did these folks deal with it? What did they do to help ease the feelings that accompany being depressed? Well, David knew that by taking his focus away from his own troubles, and shifting them to the purposes of God,  He would soon praise God for His overcoming deliverance.

In Elijah's case, let's remember that God personally speaks to us quietly through our times of prayer and Bible study; through His Spirit encouraging, directing, enabling, empowering, inspiring, instructing, chastening, maturing, and blessing us (1 Kings 19). Jesus knew that trials, troubles, and temptations would come to test His faith, yet He never wavered with unbelief. He was fully persuaded that God's will would allow Him to triumph over any problem, person, or power!

Job refused to give into the mis-belief that bad things can't happen to good people. He finally realized that his self-righteous attitudes were wrong. The Lord helped him grow in faith, love, maturity, wisdom, and influence through his trials. Jeremiah saw God as the all-powerful one for whom nothing is too difficult. (Jeremiah 32:17-25) We can't measure our success in human terms, but love the Lord with all our heart, and leave the results to God!

And, Paul's hardships showed how God's strength was made perfect in Paul's weakness. Paul learned to see the good in every hardship because He knew that the Lord was using each circumstance to transform him into the image of Jesus Christ.

Okay. So we know that many are suffering from emotional stress that often times leads to depression. How can we deal with it? Allow me to offer some spiritual guidelines that may be helpful for overcoming and dealing with depression: It is good to know that the Holy Spirit amplifies His nearness and comforting powers to us, when we are feeling depressed. Ask the Lord to help you feel His uplifting power as He rescues you from all kinds of depressed feelings, discouragement or burdens (Psalm 34:18).

The Holy Spirit shields us from taking set backs too personally. Ask the Lord to help you look to Him when you are tempted to take insults, opposition or criticisms personally. The Holy Spirit gives us relief from our feelings of distress. Ask the Lord to alleviate and deliver you from all kinds of emotional, mental and physical pain (Psalm 4:1). The Holy Spirit gives us an increased sense of hope when we are feeling sad. Ask the Lord to help you pray and speak in a positive way that affirms your faith and hope in His deliverance.

The Holy Spirit helps us shift our focus away from our troubles and on to God’s power, promises and purposes.  Ask the Lord to help you become so involved with ministering in Jesus name that you are not tempted to focus on your troubles (John 15:26,27). The Holy Spirit knows how to help every person adapt and experience victory in their circumstances. Ask the Lord to help you adapt and overcome any sadness, hardship or opposition with a willingness to do all of God’s will.

The Holy Spirit reminds us of the way He delivered Jeremiah, the weeping prophet, from depression. Ask the Lord to help you follow the example of Jeremiah when he listened to God say to Him, "I am the Lord, the God of all mankind. Is anything too hard for me? The Holy Spirit helps us imitate Godly people who triumphed over their times of despair. Ask the Lord to help you look at life’s difficulties more from the eyes of former Godly heroes of the faith.

The Holy Spirit uses discouraging situations to produce in us greater Godliness that is profitable for all things. Ask the Lord to give you more of a teachable heart allowing God to create greater Godly maturity in all areas of your relationships, your personal lifestyle and your ministries (1 Peter 5:10).

And finally, The Holy Spirit energizes us when we are feeling down, dispirited or disillusioned. Ask the Lord to give you greater energy, motivation and certainty; that He will supply whatever you need to accomplish all of His will through your life and ministry (Philippians 2:12-14).

In life, pain is inevitable, but misery is optional. We cannot avoid pain, but we can avoid joy. Remember, the Holy Spirit amplifies His nearness and comforting powers to us, when we are feeling depressed. And that, my dear friends, is definitely something to feel happy about. Amen!

Scripture: Psalm 34:17-18; Isaiah 41:10; Proverbs 3:5-6; 2 Timothy 1:7; Proverbs 12:25; Romans 15:13

Now, let's pray...

O Father, give us the humility which realizes its ignorance, admits its mistakes, recognizes its need, welcomes advice, accepts rebuke. Help us always to praise rather than to criticize, to sympathize rather than to discourage, to build rather than to destroy, and to think of people at their best rather than at their worst. This we ask for in thy name's sake. Amen

Until next time...

Have a blessed week!

Bibi

Bible Study Snacks, Acts 26:27-32

Hi, everyone!

Happy Friday, and welcome back to Bible Study Snacks! I hope everyone had a nice week. It's great to be here with you again! As always, I thank you so much for joining me as we walk together through the richness of God's spoken word, and wisdom. I pray that today finds you in good health and strong in faith!

This week, I would like to continue our study of the Book of Acts, with Chapter Twenty-six, Verses 27-32.

I have designed these studies to be brief, yet packed full of good information for everyone regardless of your level of biblical knowledge. I might add that these quick studies make perfect small group discussion starters, as well!

As always, I whole-heartedly believe in the importance that any Bible study should begin with prayer. If you have your Bible ready, let's pray together...

"Heavenly father, please guide us as we study your Word today; I pray that our hearts and our minds will be open so that we will not only receive your Gospel, but learn from it as well; you are the Light of the world, Lord, and your Spirit will illuminate our path as we journey through your teachings. In the name of Jesus Christ, Our Lord and Savior. Amen"

If you are taking notes for yourself, or using this for a bible study with others, here are the objectives for this week's lesson...

OBJECTIVES: This week, the reader will...

1) Review Paul's question on belief of the prophets to Agrippa.
2) Observe King Agrippa, Festus, and others in deliberation on Paul.

For your convenience, here is a summary of Acts 26:27-32...  

Paul asked King Agrippa if he believed the prophets. He had a brief dialogue with Agrippa about his belief. He addressed King Agrippa, "do you believe the prophets? I know that you do believe." Agrippa replied, "You almost persuade me to become a Christian." Paul responded that he would, for not only Agrippa, but for all who heard him to become Christians. Of course, Paul did not desire for any to be in bonds, as he was.  (27-29)

King Agrippa, Festus, and the others then deliberated about Paul. No charges were found against him. They said, "This man is doing nothing deserving of death or chains." Agrippa pointed out that Paul might have been set free if he had not appealed to Caesar. (30-32)

REVIEW QUESTIONS:

1) What did Paul ask King Agrippa? (Acts 26:27)
2) What did King Agrippa say in response to Paul? (Acts 26:28)
3) What did Agrippa, Festus and the others say among themselves? (Acts 26:31)
4) What did Agrippa then say to Festus? (Acts 26:32)
 
After completing this week's study, I encourage you to go back and read through the material again. Take your time and read each topic and scripture reference as many times as you feel necessary. Keep in mind that by doing this, you just might see something new that you overlooked the first time around!

As we journey through the Bible together, I will continue to pray that God’s message will come through to you loud and crystal clear. Until next time, I wish everyone a blessed week!

God bless you!  

Sheri

Video - Beth Moore: Redemption is Good News

In this message, Beth Moore urges us to listen to the Good News of the Gospel instead of our own inner voice. Enjoy!  ~Eve

A Faith That Can't Be Tested...Is a Faith That Can't Be Trusted!

I ran across an amusing story about the first Duke of Wellington. An inventor was trying to interest him in a bulletproof waistcoat he had made. It was absolutely marvelous; and could save the great man’s life if somebody tried to assassinate him. The Iron Duke asked the man to put it on, and he examined it carefully, and then, to give it a test, he sent for a rifleman - but the inventor bolted out of the other door!

Faith. This is definitely "where the rubber meets the road," as the saying goes. In Genesis, chapter 22, and in Hebrews 11:17, we find the top three tests of faith in the life of Abraham. Satan tempts to bring out the bad, but God tests to bring out the good. Although personally, I would rather be exempt from tests, a faith that cannot be tested is a faith that cannot be trusted.

Genesis 21, tells us that Abraham was asked to send away his son Ishmael. Galatians 4 tells us that Ishmael represented the world and the works of the flesh. “Just as the flesh was mocking the Spirit then, so it is today.” We will never give God our Isaac's until we have sent away our Ishmael's. I like the way that sounds!

We all can agree that God has the right to ask us to give up the bad, but we never expect him to require of us the good. It is a test between two loves. Abraham loved Isaac and God. Please note there are three big tests of our faith. They are as follows:

1) Can You Trust God with the Possessions He Has Given You? Abraham was a hundred years old when Isaac was born. Can you trust God with your possessions? Sometimes we say we are willing to give up everything for the Lord, but are we willing to give it up to the Lord?

There’s a big difference between giving up something for the Lord and giving it to the Lord. God had given Abraham a priceless possession and then asked for it back. It was the test of Abraham’s faith because he loved both Isaac and God. It is not enough to give God a place in our life, or prominence, or priority. God wants to have preeminence.

Is there anyone, anything, or any blessing that we love more than God? Is it possible that Abraham was beginning to love the blessing more than the Blesser, the gift more than the Giver? Was his world now getting more wrapped up in Isaac than the One who gave Isaac in the first place? The test is somewhere along life’s journey when God will ask us to give some blessings back to Him. Can we trust Him with our possessions?

2) Can You Trust God with His Purposes for You? Not only did God give Abraham a possession, but He gave him a purpose. “With Isaac there is a purpose, and through him the nations will be blessed.” Understanding and doing the will of God requires three simple steps—finding, following and finishing the will of God.

The opposite of obedience is disobedience. Faith is not simply obeying in spite of the evidence; it is obeying in spite of the consequences. It is obeying whether or not we understand the purpose. This was the first time God had ever asked for human sacrifice. It was no doubt perplexing to Abraham, because only the heathens and pagans made human sacrifices. 

Sometimes we offer sacrifices for which God is not asking. We need to have an informed and intentional obedience. A lot of people who plan to obey only procrastinate. As soon as we move into procrastination, however, we are automatically in disobedience. Abraham was beginning to walk in the direction that God had planned for him. His was informed, intentional, immediate obedience. 

You don’t see Abraham whining all the way to the top of the mountain. In fact, when Isaac said, “We have the wood, the fire and the knife, but where is the sacrifice,” Abraham said, “God will provide for the sacrifice.” He was speaking faith into the heart of his son. Can we trust God with the possessions He has given, and can we trust Him with the purpose He has for us? 

3) Can You Trust God with the Promises He has Spoken to You? God said to Abraham years earlier, “You are going to have a son. It’s going to happen.” Did it happen the next day, or during the next ten years? No, but one day Isaac was born in fulfillment of God’s promise. 

Further God said, “Not only are you going to have a son; all the world will be blessed through your son Isaac and his descendants.” That was the promise God had given Abraham. Jesus said about Abraham, “He saw My day, and he rejoiced.” Abraham saw it on Mount Moriah. That’s where God gave him a vision of the Messiah Who one day would take away the sins of the world.  

In conclusion today, can you trust the promises of God even when the circumstances of life do not add up? Can you believe that God has a way to keep His Word? On life’s journey, you may face many problems, sicknesses, and disappointments – but God will still keep His promises. He spoke to Abraham for the third time; Abraham recognized the voice of God, and said, “Here I am.” It is important that we know the voice of God.

Scripture: Romans 10:17; Hebrews 11:6; Matthew 21:22; Ephesians 2:8-9; Luke 1:37; Ephesians 2:8; Hebrews 11:1; 1 Corinthians 2:5

Prayer: Dear Lord, grant me the strength to get through today. Grant me your wisdom to handle situations I cannot control. Amen

God loves you!

Olivia

Use Your Gifts to Share God with Others

"We have nothing to do with how much ability we've got, or how little, but with what we do with what we have. The man with great talent is apt to be puffed up, and the man with little (talent) to belittle the little. Poor fools! God gives it, much or little. Our part is to be faithful, doing the level best with every bit and scrap. And we will be if Jesus' spirit controls."    -S.D. Gordon, The Bent-knee Time

What if I told you that it is well within the abilities of every person reading this today to do something truly outstanding for Christ’s kingdom. Some of you would probably say, "Yeah, right!" But, I am here to tell you that it is true! In fact, I’d like to present to you the life of one man in the Bible who seems not to have had many talents. In fact, I doubt he thought he had any talents, and, to be truthful, I can only see one talent. But oh what a talent! It is a talent that you too possess, whether you realize it or not!

Very little is known of this man from the scriptures although he was one of the original 12 disciples. At every turn he seems to have been over-shadowed by his more outgoing and multi-talented brother. Who is this person? It’s Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother!

Andrew, like his more famous brother, Peter, was a fisherman from Capernaum in Galilee. But he must have taken some time off from the fishing business from time to time to pursue his interest in spiritual matters. For, when we first meet Andrew in the Bible, he is already a disciple of John the Baptist. Andrew is in the crowd one day when John points to Jesus passing by and says, “Look, the Lamb of God!” And so, interested and intrigued, Andrew follows Jesus to find out more about him (John 1:35-40).

Now, I don’t know what all took place that evening in the home where Jesus was staying, but it must have been some discussion, because later on those two disciples even remembered the very hour that it took place. “It was about the tenth hour,” (or about 4:00 P.M. by our method of counting time).

It was a very significant hour for Andrew—an hour of decision, an hour of opportunity, and an hour that was to change his life forever. Whatever it was that was said, Andrew came away with the conviction that he had found the Messiah he had been looking for!

I want you to notice that, because of that conviction on the part of Andrew, every time we meet him in the Scripture he is bringing someone to meet his Messiah. That's Andrew’s one talent, and that's the talent within the ability of everyone reading this message today—the ability to introduce people to Jesus!

Certainly, others were brought to Jesus by someone else. Nathanael was sitting under a fig tree one day when Phillip came to him and said, “We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph. … Come and see.” (John 1:45-46). But all John the Baptist had to do was point Jesus out; Andrew had to find out for himself.

Now, there may be some where you live, and some even in your church who need to do some personal investigating of the claims of Christ, and some searching of their own hearts and minds. It may not be as easy for some to come to the same point of acceptance and obedience as Andrew, but it is equally necessary for all.

It’s easier for some to become a Christian, than for others. Those who were raised in a Christian home for instance. But what about a Jewish man or woman, what about someone who is a Mormon, or Islamic, or Muslim? It’s very hard for them to become a Christian.

Family members who are still of their giving religion will deter them with all their heart, and many of those who come to Christ anyway feel like they are betraying their family. But, praise God that many go ahead and make that decision for Christ even though it is tremendously hard for them.

Andrew evidently considered the privilege of being a follower of Jesus as a gift from God to be shared with others. He is a good example of a basic principle of Christianity—that everyone who comes to Christ should bring others.

Maybe you can't preach, or sing, or teach, or play a musical instrument; but you can speak a word about Jesus to a friend or neighbor. Perhaps you can write a letter of comfort, or encouragement to one who is in need. You may not be able to do everything, but (like any one of us) you can do something.

Scripture: 1 Peter 4:10; Romans 12:6; 1 Peter 4:10-11; Colossians 3:23-25; Matthew 25:29; 2 Timothy 1:6; John 3:16-17

Prayer: Dear Father, please let what I do make a difference in the world. Amen

May God bless you always,

Amy Lynn

What Is God's Answer to Evil, Suffering, and Death?

"If you could kick the person responsible for most of your troubles in the backside, you wouldn't be able to sit down for two weeks!"   -Bits and Pieces, December 1990

Jesus said in John 16:33 that in this life, there will be trouble. But why? Why these side effects? Why is there suffering and evil and pain? That “why” question goes back thousands of years. It was asked in the Old Testament by Job and the writers of the Psalms, and it was especially relevant during the 20th century, where we witnessed two World Wars, the Holocaust, devastating famines in Africa, the killing fields of Cambodia, the emergence of AIDS, the genocide in Rwanda, the ethnic cleansing of Kosovo, and so on up to the present. Why all of this if there’s a loving and powerful God? Why do bad things happen to good people?

In a USA survey,  people were asked what question they’d ask if they could only ask God one thing. The Number One response was: “Why is there suffering in the world?” If you've never asked why our world is infected with pain, suffering and evil, you will when they strike you with full force, or come to a loved one. And I really wish I could stand in the shoes of God and completely answer the question, but obviously I can’t.

First Corinthians 13:12 says that on this side of heaven, we only see things dimly, because we can’t understand everything from our finite perspective. However, one thing is very clear: God is not the creator of evil and suffering. This answers the question you hear so often: “Why didn't God merely create a world where suffering and evil didn't exist?” The answer is: He did. Genesis 1:31 says: “God saw all that he had made, and it was very good.”

But if God is not the author of pain or evil or death, where did they come from? Well, God decided to give human beings free will, which is necessary if we are to be able to express love to God and to each other. Real love must involve a choice. Unfortunately, we humans have abused our free will by rejecting God and walking away from Him. And that has resulted in the introduction of two kinds of evil into the world: “moral evil” and “natural evil.” 

Moral evil is the immorality and pain and suffering that comes because we choose to be selfish, arrogant, uncaring, hateful, and abusive. And Romans 3:23 says “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Some have estimated that 95 percent of the world’s suffering results from the sin of ourselves or others. For example, people look at a famine and wonder where God is, but the world produces enough food for each person to have 3,000 calories a day. It’s our own irresponsibility and self-centeredness that prevents people from getting fed.

In other words: look at your hand. You can choose to use that hand to hold a gun and shoot someone, or you can use it to feed hungry people. It’s your choice. But it’s unfair to shoot someone and then blame God for the existence of evil and suffering. Like that old cartoon said: “We have seen the enemy, and he is us.”

The second kind of evil is called “natural evil” — these are things like earthquakes, tornadoes, and hurricanes that cause suffering. But these, too, are the result of sin being allowed into the world. As one author explained: “When we humans told God to shove off, He partially honored our request. Nature began to revolt. The earth was cursed. Genetic breakdown and disease began. Pain and death became part of the human experience.”

Genesis 3:18 says it’s because of sin that nature was corrupted and “thorns and thistles” entered the world. Romans 8:22 says, “For we know that up to the present time all of creation groans with pain like the pain of childbirth.” Nature longs for redemption to come and for things to be set right. That’s the source of disorder and chaos.

Let me clarify this: God did not create evil, suffering and death! Now, it’s true that He did create the potential for evil to enter the world, because that was the only way to create the potential for genuine goodness and love. But it was human beings, in our free will, who brought that potential evil into reality.

Some people ask, “Couldn't God have foreseen all of this?” And no doubt He did. But look at it this way: many of you are parents. Even before you had children, couldn't you foresee that there was the very real possibility they may suffer disappointment or pain or heartache in life, or that they might even hurt you and walk away from you? Of course — but you still had kids. Why? Because you knew there was also the potential for tremendous joy and deep love and great meaning.

And it’s the same with God. He knew we’d rebel against Him, but He also knew many people would choose to follow Him and spend eternity in heaven with Him — and that it was all worth it for that, even though it would cost His own Son great pain to achieve their redemption.

When the storms of life hit us hard, He offers us the two very things we need when we’re hurting: peace to deal with our present, and courage to deal with our future. You see, God’s ultimate answer to suffering isn't an explanation; it’s the incarnation.

Suffering is a personal problem; it demands a personal response. And God isn't some distant, detached, and disinterested deity; He entered into our world and into our pain. We are not alone in our suffering. As one philosopher said, "Jesus is there, sitting beside us in the lowest places of our lives."

Scripture: Romans 5:3-5; James 1:2-4; 1 Peter 5:10; Revelation 21:4; John 16:33;  Isaiah 43:2; Psalm 34:19; Jeremiah 29:11

Prayer: Dear Father, please give me the wisdom to know that the best success comes after being disappointed. Amen

Have a blessed day,

Patti

Don't Despair, There Is Still Time To Change Your Life!

"We master our minutes, or we become slaves to them; we use time, or time uses us."    -Source Unknown

Langston Hughes, poet of the Harlem Renaissance, spoke out of the frustration of a people who had been waiting for the dream of freedom to come true. He suggested that when you do not get what you earnestly want and desperately need, either that frustration dries you up, shrivels you; or it creates a boiling rage.

What happens to a dream deferred? Does it dry up like a raisin in the sun? Or does it just explode? Where are you are in your life? What is to be done about good intentions, never fulfilled? Those ambitions, never completed? What about all those dreams of what you could become and what you might make of your life? 

Somewhere around the year 600 B.C., the people of Judah woke up to a day of enormous frustration. They had planned so many wonderful things. They had thought they were on the edge of tremendous national prosperity. They had a fine king, Josiah, who had rebuilt the Temple, had refocused the people, and had energized the nation. 

But one horrible day, at Megiddo, Josiah and Judah’s army marched out to intercept Necho, the Egyptian pharaoh, on his way to do battle with Babylon. On that day, that terrible day, the dreams of the people of Judah were dashed, as on the plain of Megiddo King Josiah lay dying, his army crushed. 

Bad as that was, only a short time later, at Carchemish, another battle, this time with Egypt defeated, but the Babylonians stepping in to take over. Judah, with its bright hopes and its worthy ambitions, was now a vassal of Babylon. Defeated. Dried up like the raisin in the sun.

The prophet Jeremiah reports their plaintive cry: “The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved.” Jeremiah, they said, it’s late! We had such high hopes, such fantastic dreams for ourselves! But it’s late! “The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved.”

Can you feel that in your own life? You've done part of your education, but you didn't do all that well – and if you don’t get into gear right now you will never have the grades for college. “The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved.”

Maybe you’re a parent, and suddenly you see that that child of yours is not a child anymore. Others influence him; there are other sources for her mind to draw on. If you are going to shape that character and guide that heart, it may be too late. “The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved.”

Perhaps you’re a man or a woman of a good many years, and you recognize that you have come to a stage in life where there just isn't plenty of time anymore. What is the word of the Lord for those of us who feel as though our dreams have petered out and our visions clouded over, for we are near the end of the summer’s warmth and feel the first chill winds of decline just ahead?

If you and I are living with dried-up dreams and flattened visions, let's not expect God to do for us what we have not been willing to do for ourselves. If we have not been willing to pay the price of disciplined loyalty to our God, He does not reward faithlessness.

We  know what Jeremiah could only dimly perceive – for you and I are on this side of Calvary. We know that even God has His hopes dashed, time and again; even the Creator of heaven and earth cannot see His work completed, but must watch His dreams dry up like raisins in the sun. But, we also know that in Jesus Christ, and at His cross, that same God has paid the price for our deliverance and is doing whatever it takes to bring us back to Himself.

If the harvest be past, the summer ended, and we are not saved – if there are so many things we wanted to do for the Kingdom but did not do – then take heart. Pay the price of discipline and faithfulness and take heart, for “the great physician now is here, the sympathizing Jesus. He speaks the wounded heart to cheer, Oh praise the name of Jesus!” 

There is still time to respond; there is new life; there is something more we can be, even at this late date. For because of the empty tomb, I tell you, there is a balm in Gilead, to make the wounded whole; there is a physician there, to heal the sin-sick soul.

Scripture: Psalm 90:12; Proverbs 16:9; Mark 13:32; James 4:13-15; Jeremiah 29:11; Psalm 39:5-6; Matthew 24:32-33

Prayer: Dear Father, please help me today. I have much to do and very little time. I fear that I may make the wrong decisions and complicate things. Please give me the wisdom to make the right decisions and the strength to follow them through. Amen  

God bless you, 

Darla

Saturday Scripture Gold with Bibi: Does God Fit Into Your Plans?

Hudson Taylor had definite convictions about how God's work should be done. We can make our best plans and try to carry them out in our own strength. Or we can make careful plans and ask God to bless them. "Yet another way of working is to begin with God; to ask His plans, and to offer ourselves to Him to carry out His purposes."     -W. Wiersbe, Wycliffe Handbook of Preaching and Preachers, p. 243

It's too easy for Christians to make plans and set goals, expecting God to fall in line behind them. It's also easy to plan our lives as if we controlled the future and had unlimited authority over the factors that affect our life. And so, in reality we do plan our lives as if God does not exist. Holding on to that thought, this week, I thought that I'd like to speak against the danger of self-centered planning.

Worldly living is not displayed only by a disbelief in God, sometimes it’s apparent in the disregarding of God as we plan our life and our daily activities. We so want things our way that we harshly criticize and strike out at any one or thing that seems to be standing in our way. This leads to a life of self-will instead of God’s will. But, life should be lived in seeking and submitting to God’s will.

Look at it this way, if we don’t humble ourselves and repent toward God, as is commanded in James 4:7-10, we grow in stubborn pride which is revealed in the denouncing of others. Correct? And, is not judging and criticizing others always easier than to judge oneself and repent? The unrepentant Christians James addressed, calling them brethren (James 4:11), spent far too much time criticizing others than critiquing themselves.

To speak against (evil to) one another reflects fault finding, harsh criticism and attacking behind backs that too often has characterized some Christian people. Slander is critical speech intended to inflame others against the person being criticized. For Christians to malign other believers is a living contradiction of the close family ties which should bind us together. Peter taught Christians that when the truth about a brother is harmful, one should cover it in love rather than repeat it in criticism (1 Peter 4:8).

James gave two compelling reasons to refrain from harshness toward other believers. First, to disparage a brother finds fault with God’s law. The royal law insists that believers love one another (James 2:8). To slander a brother is to attack the king of all laws which insists that we are to love our brother as we love ourselves. This person says they know more than God and places his judgment above the law, judging it instead of following it.

The second argument for refraining fault finding speech is given in verse 12. There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the One who is able to save and to destroy; but who are you who judge your neighbor? Only God has the sovereign right to make His laws and carry out His judgments. He allows no human being to share this role.

A slanderous judging Christian attempts to supplant God’s place. God is the only one who knows the heart, perfectly understands the situation, and stands equipped to correctly decide. How can finite, sinful individuals attempt to play the role of God?

Dear friends, the point that I am try to make here is this: God wants us to avoid acts of disobedience to His Will. He also wants us to do His revealed Will (Matthew 25: 14-30). As Christians we must plan our lives in full commitment to the will and plans of God. We must not avoid such important practices as Bible reading, helping the needy, and sharing our faith. God wants His people to live with a conscious commitment to follow His will.

We are to seek and obey the Will of God in all our plans. Doing the Will of God demands an active listening and sensitivity to God’s Word for God’s goals and plans. We must plan for the future, but we must plan with a deliberate seeking of the Will of God. We do not ask God to submit His plans for our approval but we obey His will unconditionally.

James reminds us that life’s unpredictability is one reason not to put too much stock in our plans. Instead, he pointed to a course of action that follows God’s master plan, not business trends. James said we must submit our goals to God , value people more than money, and patiently wait for spiritual investments to be rewarded.

Remember this, It is wrong to presumptuously ignore God’s will by living as though God and His will do not exist. James 4:16 addresses those who, while acknowledging that God exists and has a will, nevertheless arrogantly reject God’s will. But as it is, you boast in your arrogance; all such boasting is evil.

Therefore, what are you planning to do today? Tomorrow? Where does God fit into your plans? What can you do that will have eternal impact? The best plans begin and end with God.

Scripture: Proverbs 3:5-6; Psalm 119:105; Romans 8:28; Luke 18:27; Colossians 3:16;  Luke 13:24; Romans 3:10

Now, let's pray...

O Father, give us the humility which realizes its ignorance, admits its mistakes, recognizes its need, welcomes advice, accepts rebuke. Help us always to praise rather than to criticize, to sympathize rather than to discourage, to build rather than to destroy, and to think of people at their best rather than at their worst. This we ask for in thy name's sake. Amen

Until next time...

Have a blessed week!

Bibi