Video - Sheila Walsh: Breaking The Darkness

For many people life becomes to much to handle; that it just not worth the fight to go on. Christian speaker and author, Sheila Walsh, confesses her suicidal thoughts and the truth that drove them away. Another encouraging and inspirational message that we all need to hear.  ~Eve

God, the Confidence Builder!

"We must dig deep and encourage ourselves in the Lord."  - Crystal McDowell

We are seeing something happening more often these days that hasn't been seen in a while. It's people passionately, speaking out, whether in objection or support of something that moves them.

In fact, you might be hard pressed not to find some cause or movement to join. Indeed, there appears to be something for almost anyone; but due diligence is suggested beforehand. But, maybe you've been thinking about it, but are a little hesitant; or lacking in confidence.

I realize not all of us are the type who run towards a fire at full-speed without a second thought, or can inspire the masses with an awesomely, inspiring speech. I know I'm certainly not. Yet, God, in His infinite and loving grace, has a purpose for each one of us (Psalm 138:8).

The great Old Testament prophet, Moses, never thought of himself as a motivator, or the inspirational leader of anybody. He was perfectly content just tending to his father-in-law's sheep (Exodus 3:1). And though it wasn't the most exciting work, at least it was safe and familiar.

We never really know where God will lead us in life. Moses' life took a complete turn on the day the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a burning bush (Exodus 3:2). What's more, imagine his surprise when God commissioned him to take Israel out of Egypt (Exodus 3:10)!

Moses, after listening to what God was asking of Him, began to get cold feet. The thought of approaching the Pharaoh and submitting God's demands in order to free Israel was too overwhelming. He lacked the courage to do this and told God so (Exodus 3:11). God could have told him to forget it, but He didn't.

Instead, God, knowing his self-doubt, reassured Moses that he be with him every step of the way (Exodus 3:12). He would provide Moses with the strength and confidence he needed to complete the task. This is what God can do for us, too.

He will provide, when we lack, and offer support, when we are unsure. As I said before, not all of us are brimming over with courage, confidence, or the incentive to take action. As with Moses, none of this matters to God. He will give us all we need and more. We only need to ask Him (Matthew 7:7).

Scripture: Deuteronomy 31:6; Psalm 27:14; Proverbs 3:5-6; Philippians 4:13; Isaiah 41:10

Prayer: God is my salvation; I will trust, and will not be afraid; for the Lord God is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation, amen.  - Isaiah 12:2

May your day be blessed!

Blake

The Enemy Within Us All

"I felt I did trust in Christ, Christ alone for salvation, and an assurance was given me that he had taken away my sins, even mine, and saved me from the law of sin and death."  - John Wesley

There's a battle being waged inside us, and we fight it every day of our lives. The foe is cunning, manipulative, opportunistic, and destructive. Although, we can't touch it, taste it, or even see it; we know it's there.

It's a difficult enemy to fight against. It is relentless and shows no mercy. It can cause extreme damage and even loss of life. This enemy has the wherewithal to pound away until we finally give in; exacting a heavy price from those who are weak and/or indifferent.

What is this adversary I am talking about? It is sin. Sin, without the use of any man-made weaponry, has the ability to cleave a man, both, within and against himself. Sin cannot be contained by fences or walls. Nor is it more prevalent in one area of the world than another.

Sin has a major advantage over any other type of foe in that it is pervasive and can be found inside every man, woman, and child (Job 15:14). Ever since sin first made its way into our world, we have been struggling with it (Romans 5:12). And there's really no getting around it, we are all sinners.

Thus, in order to engage with such a powerful and cunning opponent we need help. The assistance I am talking about can only be acquired from one source. Our salvation from sin can only be attained through God. Only He can remove sin and deliver us from its penalty, which is eternal death (2 Timothy 1:9; Titus 3:5).

You see, because God loves you and I so much, He paid a heavy price for our freedom from sin. He sacrificed his only Son, Jesus, for us (John 3:16). Jesus died for our sins. Does this mean that we don't have to ever worry about sin again? Unfortunately, no. But, now we have a fighting chance against it.

God has saved us from sin through Christ (John 3:17). It was by his death on the cross and resurrection that we were granted salvation, or saved, from sin (Romans 5:10; Ephesians 1:7). And though it is offered to all, there are a few things that are asked of us.

We must believe in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior (Ephesians 1:13); that He died on the cross for our sins and was resurrected; and ask Him for forgiveness of our sins, calling on His name (Romans 10:9-10, 13), and placing your full trust in Him.

Let me tell you. Sin is ugly and very resilient. If you think you can overcome it by your own doing, you will not. To defeat sin requires a power greater than it is. Even with the gift of salvation we are not totally free of sin. We were born sinners and carry it with us throughout our lives (Romans 3:23).

Only by salvation has the certainty of eternal death from sin been removed (Titus 1:2). By way of Jesus' death on the cross we can approach the throne of God in heaven. This is the only path we can take, there's no other way. We have been given a way to beat down sin, don't walk away from it.

Scripture: John 11:25-26; 1 Peter 2:24; Romans 6:23; Galatians 2:20-21; Acts 8:22

Prayer: Dear God, lead me in your truth and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation, amen

Have a blessed Monday!

Hailey

What About the Gospel? (Conclusion)

"The Gospel is not good advice to be obeyed, it is good news to be believed."  - Harry Ironside

For these last several weeks we've had a lot of information laid out before us pertaining to the gospel. Our focus has been trained specifically on: "What is it?" and "Whose is it?"

Keeping in mind that we have only lightly touched this topic, what we will attempt to accomplish here today is  provide a proper closure to our previous discussions. Given the breadth of the gospel, it is only natural that certain questions should arise.

Who is adequate enough for these things? Better yet, who is up to the task foreshadowed by these signs and titles? If the deepest earthly wisdom is clearly expressed in the division of legal and judicial functions; in dividing among many what would be beyond the energy and ability of one, what mere human could combine all that has been conveyed by these names?

It is without a doubt impossible. Just their application alone rules out any possible idea of mere humanity. The necessity of a divine person to undertake this trust would be apparent from the nature of the trust itself, even if it wasn't specifically included, that this gospel is the gospel of the Son of God.

That is, the Son of God, not merely as a creation, object of affection, or a subject of adoption, but as a partaker of his nature, one with him in spirit and substance, equal in power and glory. This is the last detail included in the description of the gospel.

Not in the weakened, diluted sense in which it might be called heresy, but rather that in which the unbelieving Jews themselves attached to the expressions when they charged our Lord with blasphemy, for calling God his father, therefore making himself equal with God (John 10:25-33).

It is good news, from God to man, of deliverance from suffering and sin. The good news of a Savior, a prophet, a priest, and of a king. Not human, but divine, the Gospel of Jesus Christ the Son of God.

In closing, we have seen in our study of the gospel that it is good news, from God to man, of deliverance from suffering and sin. The good news of a Savior, a prophet, a priest, and of a king. Not human, but divine, the Gospel of Jesus Christ the Son of God. Amen.

Scripture: 1 John 5:20; 1 Timothy 2:5; John 14:10; John 1:1; Colossians 1:17

Prayer: May the life of the Lord Jesus, and the love of God the Father, and the companionship of the Holy Spirit be with us all, amen.

May the Lord bless!

Shawna

The Diverging Road of Life

"I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God that you may know that you have eternal life."  -1 John 5:13

"Two roads diverged in a yellow wood, and sorry I could not travel both..." This is an excerpt from The Road Not Taken by Robert Frost. The same applies to our relationship with God. Everyone, at some point in their life, runs into this particular diverging road.

One way leads to an eternal reward in heaven, the other, leading to perdition (Proverbs 4:14). Both, require careful consideration on your part. The path to destruction is an easy path to take. There are no requirements or restrictions, and there are plenty of amusing diversions along the way.

On the other hand, the path to salvation and eternal life is not so sleek. To follow it requires diligence, dedication, and a willingness to self-sacrifice. Your heart must also be strong, and your spirit resilient. In other words, it will take hard work on your part.

There will  be times when you feel your faith draining away, and the feeling of isolation and despair is gnawing away at your spirit. Friends, and even loved ones may scoff or chastise you for your choice. But, you must pull it together and slog on through.

However, there is one major difference between this path and the other. While, the path to eternal damnation and ruin is enticing, it is one that you will definitely travel alone; though you will find plenty of company at your final destination.

The road to heaven will not be a lonely one. God's light will safely guide you. His mighty hand will lift you up when you fall, and His comforting voice will refresh your spirit when you need it most. And at the end of your journey, you will finally be home.

Scripture: 2 Thessalonians 3:3; Proverbs 5:2; Matthew 7:13; Proverbs 4:26; Ezekiel 18:28

Prayer: There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved, amen.  - Acts 4:12

God bless you always,

Macy

Video - Sheila Walsh: No Devil, Not Today!

Sheila Walsh talks about her personal battle with depression and the attitude the helps her overcome. We all need to hear this!  ~Eve

What If Faith is Lost?

"After a storm comes a calm."  - Matthew Henry

We live in a very tumultuous world. There is much anger, confusion, and fear of the unknown, and why not? We already have a lot on our plates, and more is added on with each passing day. It would appear that nothing makes sense anymore, and that answers seem harder to come by than ever.

For some, it may increase dissent, eventually evolving into rage, and then violence. Others, feeling that no matter what they do won't make any difference anyway, slip into dangerous complacency. Either way, faith is lost in the system, and more importantly in one another.

Following the feeding of the five thousand (Matthew 14:15-21), the rest of the disciples board their boat to head for the other side of the Sea of Galilee; leaving Jesus to finish his business with the crowd there. What occurs next is the miracle of Jesus walking on the water (Matthew 14: 22-33).

That night, the disciples' boat is caught in a violent storm. While fighting the rising wind and heavy seas, they saw what they first thought was an apparition making its way toward them (Matthew 14: 25). At  first frightened by this, but then Jesus reassuringly called out to them (Matthew 14:27).

Peter feeling relieved and spiritually confident by the sight of Jesus felt compelled to join him out on the tossing water. Jesus invites him to come to him (Matthew 14:28-29). But, it's what happens next where the case for a strong, resilient faith is made.

The disciple climbs out of the boat and actually begins to walk on the water toward Jesus. Then suddenly, for a split second, he takes his eyes off of Jesus. With his focus gone, he realizes his situation, becomes frightened and begins to sink; crying out, "Save me Lord!" (Matthew 14:30)

At that moment, Jesus reaches out and saves him, reprimanding Peter for his self-doubt and lack of faith (Matthew 14:31). Is this where you are today? Are you, like Peter, floundering in the roiling waters of the world? Are you finding out that what you thought was a strong faith, is not?

Certainly there's no shortage of temporary fixes or remedies for what transpires in the world. But what about something strong, dependable; something you can count on to see you through the worst storms in life? If someone who actually walked with Jesus had a lapse in faith, what about you and I?

We can follow Peter's example and cry out for help. If he  did it, so can we. Jesus is reaching out to you right now in mercy and grace. Faith, as Peter found out, can be lost if we lose our focus. However, it can also be found, but only by the love that Jesus freely provides to all.

Scripture: Romans 10:17; Hebrews 11:6; Luke 1:37; Proverbs 3:5-6; Mark 9:23 

Prayer: "I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me, amen.  - Galatians 2:20

May your day be blessed!

Blake