Video - Lisa Bevere: Never Enough

Do you sometimes feel that you put too much pressure on yourself? I think we've all been there. Christian author/speaker Lisa Bevere talks about battling the nagging feeling she had never done enough right. Some good food for thought here. Enjoy!  ~Eve

God Has Vowed...

"An honest heart is open to the Word."  - A. W. Pink

We are the recipients of many vows. Some may be written or unwritten. And, if we stop and think about it for a moment, it becomes clear that the soundness of our society is really quite dependent on promises made and received with uprightness.

For example, the medical profession vows to treat us with the best of their skills, our police and fire department promise to do their best to protect us, even marriage vows are designed to enhance a couple's lives together, and offer security and strength to one another.

If vows were to suddenly become void and null, there would literally be chaos in every area of life. Vows help to establish who we are and demonstrate our integrity. By vows or promises we let others know where we stand, and where we are coming from. In turn, our vows are noted and accepted by them.

As with many things, there are risks involved in, both, receiving and making promises. Which is why we must practice caution whenever they are used. Of course, all of this pertains to vows made between you and I. It is quite a different thing altogether when we talk about the vows of God.

The life of faith is life of learning about the vows of God and having self-assurance in his faithfulness. He has promised to love us with an eternal love (Romans 8:35-39). We can depend on this. God has also vowed to forgive and cleanse our sins (Isaiah 1:18; 1 John 1:7).

Our Heavenly Father has vowed to save all who come to Jesus Christ (Matthew 11:28-30). He receives all comers no matter how forlorn, hopeless, educated, rich, poor, etc. We are all included in this invitation, as long as we come to Jesus Christ in faith.

Our Lord has promised rich blessings to those who trust him enough to be tithers (givers) (Malachi 3:10). Now, don't get me wrong. God isn't dependent on us for anything. But, some may ask, "If this is so, then why does He ask us to tithe?" Many people jump off the wagon and run when it comes to the subject of tithing.

It is just possible that God is trying to show us that the true way to enjoy what He has provided is to give it back to Him. After all, God does own everything, does He not? By keeping it all to ourselves, and using it in whatever way for our own purposes, we shortchange God.

If we can reach the point where we can trust God on a physical and economic level, then we can trust him more fully in the spiritual department. Or in simple terms, when we cooperate with God, he will pour out his blessings on us!

Moving along, our Father has vowed to reward those who pray (Matthew 6:6). This part of the Sermon on the Mount illustrates this truth beautifully (Matthew 6:5-13). We only rob ourselves of God's rich treasures when we fail to follow our Lord's instructions on how to pray properly.

And lastly, He has vowed to reward his faithful servants after we come into our eternal home (John 14:1-3; Revelation 22:12). Eternal life is the gift of God. Heaven isn't a reward; it is the gift of our Father to those who receive Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Once we enter heaven, our Lord will reward us for our faithful service here on earth.

It is important to see that the vows given by God are not anything like the weak, unpredictable promises we exchange with one another. God's promises are eternal and steadfast. His word is unbreakable and dependable. Best of all, we can trust in Him anytime and in any circumstance.

Scripture: Philippians 4:19; 2 Corinthians 1:20; Titus 1:2; 2 Peter 3:9; Romans 10:9

Prayer: Dear God our Father, open our eyes to see the vision that you have for each of us, amen.

God bless you,

Yvette

Jesus, Our Direct Link to God

"Jesus is not one of many ways to approach God, nor is He the best of several ways; He is the only way."  - A. W. Tozer

There are many obvious truths in Scripture. Yet, of all of these, none strike a louder or more resounding chord than Jesus Christ as Mediator between us and God. God, who is boundlessly holy, will not permit us to approach him as we are. But in the name of Jesus we may humbly and confidently do so, for he is our Mediator.

Being both divine and human, Jesus Christ is perfect as our Mediator. He is intimately familiar with our sinfulness, weakness, imperfections, and temptations; and with the best means of delivering us from all of these afflictions. We can safely count on him as a dependable guide to heavenly glory.

Our Mediator is perfectly holy (Hebrews 7:26). As such, sinners cannot join him until they are saved from sin. However, you and I are saved. I point you to Matthew 1:21 (KJV) where the angel of the Lord said to Joseph, "Thou shalt call his name JESUS; for he shall save his people from their sins."

Christ, our Mediator, is full of compassion for the human race. Even so, his respect for the honor of God is so great that he will not save those who stubbornly live and die in sin. Possessing both Divinity and humanity, he regards one as much as the other. In addition to this, it is as much his plan to secure the Divine glory as it is to save the world.

In order to avoid satisfying ourselves in things that are hateful in his sight, while beholding his infinite love, we should always keep these thoughts in mind. Taking all we have discussed into consideration, we must conclude that Jesus Christ is more than qualified to mediate between men and God.

Scripture: 1 Timothy 2:5; 2 Corinthians 5:21; John 4:6; John 1:18; John 7:29

Prayer: I thank you, Lord, for the wonder of myself, and for the wonders of all your creation, amen.

May your day be blessed!

Edie

Don't Lose Heart!

"He will never ever fail us."  - Crystal McDowell

As we all well know, the holiday season can definitely be stressful. What with all the excessive commercialism, its focus on spending money and gift-giving, along with having that "perfect" social activity, it's no wonder. These factors, and others, can and do lead to stress, anger, and even depression in some.

Of course, we can feel overwhelmed any time of the year. We all go through taxing ordeals during the course of our daily lives, such as: sitting in traffic, caring for elderly parents, etc. I get my electric bill and it stresses me out! Maybe we just need that little hug, or comforting word to let us know that everything is going to be alright.

Did you know that there are some really good helps in the Bible? God does care about us. Here's just one example of what I'm talking about. Psalm 34:18 (KJV) says, "The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit." There's a lot of reassuring information in this one verse. You just have to dig a little to get at it.

Interestingly, "them that are of a broken heart" occurs frequently in scripture. It refers to a circumstance or circumstances when a burden, or heavy load seems to be on the heart. This can include when the heart seems to be squashed by sin or sorrow; and outlined to describe an awareness of deep guilt, misery, and trouble.

The key part, I feel, is in the opening of the verse, "The Lord is nigh." This tells us that God is prepared to listen and help us out. We are never alone. He is close-by each and every one of us. Man cannot say this of other men. Only God can offer this type of comfort to us.

A "contrite spirit" is one that is crushed or trampled on. Stressful situations can play some pretty mean tricks on our mental, emotion, and physical well-being. Just living day to day can be trying enough. The added pressure of the holidays can easily throw gasoline on this fire.

While others may turn away from us during times of our greatest need, God never will. Another comforting thought is that God is well aware of what we are going through. He knows the history of our hearts. Who better to turn to? The resources of God are there anytime we need them, 24/7.

Please, if you are undergoing or encountering feelings of serious depression, I strongly encourage you to seek professional help. This, however, does not change anything with God. His love for you and I is boundless and unconditional. Nothing makes Him happier than helping us when we need it (Ephesians 2:4-5).

Scripture: Proverbs 3:5-6; Psalm 9:9; Isaiah 26:3; Philippians 4:13; Matthew 11:28-30

Prayer: Dear Lord, inspire us to live as you would have us live; and to walk in your presence, amen.

Have a blessed Monday!

Hailey

Thanksgiving Holiday 2017 (U.S.)

***Notice*** To all of our devoted friends and followers of the Coffeehouse Bible Ministry blog, in observance of the Thanksgiving (U.S.) holiday we will return on Monday, November 27th.

Over this holiday, our ministry traditionally takes part in various church and community activities. We have much to be thankful for, and feel it is our responsibility to share these abundant blessings with others. Many of us will travel to be with our families and loved ones. And as we gather together, let us remember those less fortunate in our petitions to God.  

It is by the loving graciousness of God, our Father that we have been able to help send His Word around the world. We thank Him first and foremost. We are also very much thankful for all of you, and keep you in our prayers always! So, on behalf of our amazing ministry blog writers and staff, I wish each and every one of you a safe, healthy, and blessed weekend!  ~Eve

Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands.

Serve the LORD with gladness:
come before his presence with singing.

Know ye that the LORD he is God:
it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves;
we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.

Enter into his gates with thanksgiving,
and into his courts with praise:
be thankful unto him, and bless his name.

For the LORD is good;
his mercy is everlasting;
and his truth endureth to all generations.

– Psalm 100

Be Thankful in Every Circumstance

"No matter what our circumstance, we can find a reason to be thankful."  - David Jeremiah

A person was once stranded on a deserted island. He spent a day fasting and praying for his rescue, but no help came. Then it occurred to him to set aside a day of thanksgiving and praise. No sooner had he done this than help arrived at last.

You see, from the moment he began to acknowledge his gratitude to God, mercy was graciously restored to him. The Lord heard the voice of his praise.This illustration clearly demonstrates the importance of, and our obligation to acknowledge and express our thankfulness to God in all things.

Praise offers the believer assistance in his trials, as we see here. But, it is also his ally afterward. There are some excellent examples in scripture of individuals who understood the significance and impact of imparting thanks to God. See: Psalm 59; Daniel 6:10; John 11:41; Matthew 26:30 and Mark 14:26.

Contrary to what some think, giving praise and thanksgiving is not limited to special occasions, times of emotional extremes, or the most saintly. Nothing could be further from the truth. And while we're on the subject of thankfulness, we mustn't forget the object of it all: God. He should always be our No. 1 priority.

We must hold fast that God is the Father of the universe. He is the Giver of all the blessings which we receive, and all that we perceive around us. To Him we must certainly present our thanks because all things are His. Of which, He has generously provided for our enjoyment, being freely distributed to us through His unbiased goodness.

We should be always in a habit of thankfulness, and prepared for actual thanksgiving whenever providence requires it. We all know how easy it is to take things for granted, to let them slip further and further back into our thoughts. Soon, all we have left is just a whisper of what was once a loud proclamation.

Thanksgiving should always find a place in all our petitions to God. We need to distinctly recognize His special gifts to us. We should be thankful in every situation; never stopping to give our praise and gratitude. An important point to add is that our thanksgiving must be honest. If you do not feel grateful, don't force it or fake it.

There is no bad time for being thankful. We receive favors all the time, therefore we owe God thanks every minute. God is Our Father, and our Creator. He is the Great Provider; omnipotent and omnipresent.

And whether you choose to do it in a large group, or alone in your room, praising God takes very little time out of our day. Yet, the benefits we receive from God are immeasurable and priceless.

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 5:18; Psalm 107:1; Hebrews 13:15; Psalm 116:12; Psalm 31:19

Prayer: Dear God, help me to grow in trust, that I can more readily put myself into your hands, being confident that everything will be okay, amen.

May your day be blessed!

Marcie

Yes, God Is!

"One of the main ways we move from abstract knowledge about God to a personal encounter with him as a living reality is through the furnace of affliction." - Tim Keller

There are some things in life that are quite discernible or obvious. For example, it is evident that there is water in the ocean, a variety of life exists here on earth, and that we undeniably grow older with each passing year. Very few would debate these points.

On the other hand, it isn't that easy when the topic of discussion pertains to the existence of God. Needless to say, it can get very lively, very quickly. I suppose it's because we humans are not satisfied with anything less than the clear, incontestable, indisputable truth. We want to see it to believe it.

Fair enough. But, here's another bump in the road; and depending on who you are, it might be a real big one. No one can either prove or disprove the existence of God. I am just being honest. As a matter of fact, the Bible tells us that God's existence depends on our definite acceptance by faith that He does (Hebrews 11:6).

Of course this topic has been discussed innumerable times in the past. There is no quick and easy way to a unanimous agreement, and there won't be one here, either. However, we can bring attention to some things for consideration regarding the existence of God, our Creator and our Father.

We all have an innate or natural awareness of God. It is only later on that opinions and feelings change. Things may happen over the course of our lives that affect the way we feel or see things. For example, the pleasures of life and/or sinfulness may screen out God from it.

Sickness, disease, or the approach of death might compel us to remember Him. No matter, God created us, body and soul. That is, he created our amazing bodies with its senses and abilities. He also created the soul, immortal and destined for happiness and glory in the presence of God.

As Creator, God has a special interest in His work; and that is us. But, He is so much more than our Creator. This can be confirmed in the opening line of the Lord's Prayer where we find that He is "Our Father." And as such, He obtains our love and confidence.

This comforting thought motivates us to "walk in His sight," trusting in His attentiveness, providence, and help. Like any other father, it is His parental responsibility and joy to look after us, His children. We may rest assured that we won't be neglected or forgotten (Isaiah 49:15).

As was previously mentioned, the existence of God can't be proved or disproved. We must accept by faith that He is (Exodus 3:14). Sure, God could appear before all of us right now, proving his existence to everyone if he wanted to. But by doing so, there wouldn't be any need for faith (John 20:29). And isn't that the whole point?

Scripture: John 4:24; Titus 1:2; Genesis 1:1; Jeremiah 10:10; Isaiah 44:6

Prayer: Dear Lord, inspire me to live in your presence every day, in order that I may share your outlook and do the ordinary things of life in an extraordinary way, amen

May God richly bless you!

Claudette