Weekend Message | I Struggled Reading the Bible Until I Learned These 5 Things | Maryl De Milo

Welcome to the Weekend Message! 

As always, it's our 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 week we present a video presentation by spiritual transformation coach Maryl De Milo who shares some insightful information on a topic that many can relate to: Reading the Bible.

Let's be honest, the Bible can be bewildering and unclear even to a mature believer; even more so for the new believer! And there certainly is no shortage of advice or methods as to how to read the Bible correctly, and/or gain the most benefit from it.

© Maryl De Milo

In this video, Maryl shares 5 ways of approaching reading Scripture that have helped her to understand and stay consistent reading it. 

If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed, confused, or disconnected during Bible reading, these workable solutions of coming to God's word will help you to understand Scripture and grow in the love and knowledge of God.

From a religious standpoint, God provided us with the Bible in order to reveal Himself, direct humanity, and offer a means to salvation, including history, poetry, philosophy, and personal letters. That, ultimately teach us about His plan for humanity. 

Make some time to watch and listen to this wonderfully enlightening presentation. I pray that it may enhance the enjoyment of reading and studying your Bible!

May God richly bless you,

~Eve

Remember God's Faithfulness in Your Life

"The glory of God's faithfulness is that no sin of ours has ever made Him unfaithful."  - Charles Spurgeon, English Particular Baptist preacher (1834-1892)

Most of us lead very busy lives. Practically, every minute of the day is consumed with work, family, and other activities. After that, there is precious little time to spare. No one would argue that!

Still, we may be missing something. Something that has practical implications for any believer in Jesus Christ. What I'm implying is that we need to devote time to remember God's faithfulness.

Remembering God's faithfulness means recognizing and thinking about past instances where God has revealed his love, grace, and provision, developing trust and hope for the future, despite hardships and obstacles.

In fact, the concept of remembering God's faithfulness is deeply embedded as an essential part of Scripture. It serves to reaffirm our faith in God's unchanging (immutable) nature, promises, and acts of deliverance and provision. 

This alone would probably be sufficient, but remembering His faithfulness is more than just food for talk. Recalling God's faithfulness is spiritual training that builds faith and instills discipline.

As this is a consistent theme throughout the Bible, we should examine a few examples of some practical uses there. For instance, in the OT, the Israelites are implored time and time again to remember God's faithfulness (Deuteronomy 7:9).

The Passover itself is another important event that stands as a tribute to God's faithfulness. It honors God's deliverance of the Israelites from Egyptian slavery, bringing to the forefront His faithfulness in delivering on His promises (Exodus 12:14).

Proceeding to the NT, we see God's faithfulness manifested in the person and work of Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 1:9 points out the faithfulness of God inviting believers together with Christ, thereby assuring their salvation and being made holy.

Remembering God's faithfulness can be extremely helpful, especially to us in this "always-on world" in which we live. For believers, many benefits can be derived from this, including: 

• providing the capability to confidently face trials head-on;
• the assurance that the same God who has been trustworthy in the past, will faithfully be available in any future events (Philippians 1:6).

Lastly, the biblical appeal to recall God's faithfulness is a key feature of the Christian faith. It provides believers with a solid foundation for trust, praise, and discipline. 

Scripturally, God continuously reminds us that His faithfulness is steadfast and true, inspiring us to live joyfully by His promises and previous actions of deliverance. I encourage you to pause and remember God's faithfulness in your life! 

Scripture: Psalm 33:4; Lamentations 3:23; Romans 3:3; 2 Thessalonians 3:3; Hebrews 10:23

Prayer: Dear God, thank you for your steady faithfulness. Help me always remember your love and goodness, even in difficult times, and to have faith in your promises. May I always remember your faithfulness. Amen.

Yours in Christ,

Ashleigh

We Must Acknowledge Our Need for God

"A truly humble man is sensible of his natural distance from God; of his dependence on Him; of the insufficiency of his own power and wisdom; and that it is by God’s power that he is upheld and provided for, and that he needs God’s wisdom to lead and guide..."  - Jonathan Edwards, American revivalist preacher and philosopher (1703-1758)

It is widely acknowledged that food, water, air, and shelter are needed in order to survive. The lack or removal of any of these critical "needs" greatly diminishes our chances of living on.  

However, there is another "need" which is equally as important, but doesn't attract as much attention. And it is the concept of this "need" that will be the topic of discussion here: the acknowledgment of our need for God. 

This concept of acknowledging one's "need", or dependence on God, is a recurring theme throughout the Bible. It underscores the significance of acknowledging our inherent need for His guidance, strength, and provision in all aspects of life.

Thus, we can subsequently understand that we are unable to solve everything on our own and require divine guidance and support. To get a better idea of how this looks, it might be beneficial to check out some examples. 

The acknowledgement of "need" in the OT is frequently connected to the Israelite's relationship with God. A prime example is the narrative of the Exodus where the enslaved Israelites cried out to God for liberation from the Egyptians (Exodus 2:23-25).

As noted in the passage above, God recognized their distress and recalled His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The acknowledgment of their desperate situation and plea for help was decisive in God's freeing them from bondage.

Prophetic insights were also important as they invoked the people of Israel to recognize their spiritual needs. Isaiah 55:1-3 highlights the need to acknowledge our spiritual hunger and thirst to acquire God's plentiful resources.

A quick look at Matthew 5:3 in the NT, demonstrates how Jesus personified the ultimate provision for fulfilling the spiritual longings and needs of humanity. This principle is further illustrated in Luke 18:9-14.

The Apostle Paul regularly dealt with the theme of human need and the adequacy and fullness of God (2 Corinthians 12:9). Unlikely strength can be found through acknowledging our weaknesses and relying on God's grace, as indicated in this passage.

Finally, real-world effects can be gained by the acknowledgment that our needs are not simply due to thoughtful and rational recognition, acknowledgment, and understanding. They also require us to seek God in prayer and faith (James 4:10).

The biblical impulse to acknowledge our "need" signifies a deep understanding of our limitations and the adequacy of God's grace. It is an inducement to experience the richness of life that comes from an interdependent relationship with Him.

Scripture: Psalm 14:2; Proverbs 3:5-6; Romans 10:10; Hebrews 2:10; 1 John 4:15

Prayer: Dear God, I stand before you today, acknowledging your presence and your greatness. Thank you for your unshakable love, your limitless grace, and the infinite blessings you have given me. I humbly seek your guidance and wisdom in every way. Help me live a life that honors you and reflects your love. Amen."

May God richly bless you always,

Leia