Friday's Focus-Shelter from the Storm



This afternoon I was caught out in a summer storm with no umbrella, no raincoat, and no protection.  The winds were whipping, the thunder was booming and lightning was flashing across the sky. By the time I made it to my car, I was soaked to the bone. During my trek across the parking lot, I couldn’t see the way in front of me and all I could think of was that I had to get to the shelter of my car as quick as possible! After finally making it my vehicle, I sat and waited for the rain to let up.  While waiting, I was struck with the thought of how important it was to me to get to the car. How important it was to get out of the elements and get to safety. Isn’t that how it is with us in our Christian lives? When the troubles of this life are wearing on us and we can’t see our way out, how important is the shelter God provides? We need Him to protect us. We need Him to get us out of the storm.  We need Him to guide us as the thunderous voices of discouragement bombard us, as the lightning of mean-spirited people flash before us, and as the rain of sin falls down around us.

We get caught out of His protection though sometimes, don’t we? We get too caught up in the pleasures or trials of this life and before we know it, we are in the midst of a terrible spiritual storm of our own. The only thing to do in those instances is to run to the shelter God provides. He is safety and our refuge. In Isaiah, He says, “Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee…” (Is 41:10a) We don’t need to fear the spiritual storms. As long as we are in the shelter of our God, He will see us through them.

-C

Friday's Focus-Your Neighbor

A couple of week's ago, the Friday's Focus post was on real people.  I wanted you to see/understand the people of the Bible as real people and not just characters in a book.  This week I want to bring us closer to home. For many of you, a new school year has started. You have new kids in your classes, new teachers, or new kids on an extracurricular team. Our focus should always be to see these friends/coworkers/strangers as souls.  Each one of them is loved by our Creator. He wants them to see that they are lost without Him. But who can tell them about Him? About His love, His sacrifice, His grace and His mercy? YOU can! I can! In fact, we are commanded to bring the gospel to the lost. In Matthew 28:19-20, Jesus says, "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son and of the Holy Ghost: teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen." But sometimes I think we forget who the lost are but they are our friends/our coworkers/our neighbors. They are the nations that we can teach.

I need this post just as much as (or more than!) any of you. We go about our lives and interact with so many people but we don't share with them the most important aspect of our lives. Let's change that. The world needs the gospel. And God has left it with us to get it to them.

-C

Also, if any of you reading this want to learn more about the gospel or becoming a New Testament Christian, shoot us an email and we'd love to study more with you!!!

Thursday's Thoughts-The Power of One

*                One Good Samaritan rescued a wounded man on the Jericho Road (Luke 10).

*                One aged man was instrumental in saving mankind from extinction (Gen. 6; Heb. 11:7).

*                One man, who felt unqualified, confronted a Pharaoh and led the Exodus (Ex. 3).

*                One woman broke longstanding tradition, walked into the king’s throne room and saved an entire nation from genocide (Esther 4).

*                One boy faced a nine-foot giant and saved the Israelites from slavery (1 Sam. 17).

*                One boy’s lunch of five loaves and two fish fed thousands (John 6).

*                One slave girl was instrumental in healing a world military leader (2 Kings 5).

*                One vote gave Oliver Cromwell control of England in 1645.

*                One vote gave America the English language instead of the German language in 1776.

*                One vote saved Andrew Jackson from impeachment in 1868.

*                One vote gave Adolf Hitler control of the Nazi Party in 1941.

-unknown

                  You never know how your actions will affect others. The only thing you know for sure is that you WILL have an impact on the lives of others positively or negatively. It’s known as the ripple effect. When you toss a stone into a pond, ripples form around the place the stone entered the water. The ripples start out small but they grow as they move outward.

Bob Marley, a Jamaican singer-songwriter, believed racism and hate could be cured by injecting music and love into people’s lives. While I do not support or agree with his beliefs, he once made a statement that impressed me. When he was scheduled to perform at a peace rally, a gunman came to his house and shot him. Two days later he walked out on that stage and sang. When asked why he wasn’t resting after his injury, he said, “The people, who were trying to make this world worse are not taking a day off. How can I?” That quote can be applied to our lives as Christians. Satan doesn’t take days off and he is working especially hard on us. He already has the world where he wants it. He wants us to join it instead of make a difference in it. Satan knows the power of one.

Light up the darkness.

-M

Wednesday's Wisdom

Psalm 112:6-8

 

"Surely he shall not be moved forever: the righteous shall be in everlasting remembrance. 

He shall not be afraid of evil tidings: his heart is fixed, trusting in the Lord.

His heart is established and shall not be afraid, until he see his desire upon his enemies."

 

Let our hearts be fixed on the Lord; trusting Him and staying faithful to Him always. There are a lot of evil tidings in the world. We are surrounded by them constantly. However, let us always remind ourselves that God is control and He holds the future.

 

-C & J

Tuesday's Task-Be honest

Today, I'm going to be honest with you. Last week, I didn't post on the days I was scheduled to post. I apologize to you for that but the reason I didn't post was because I had no words. I had no words of wisdom or encouragement because I was in need of those words. I couldn't find a way to encourage anyone else because I was so discouraged myself. And I want you to know that when you feel that way, you are not alone. You are not the only one who has those days/weeks. Sometimes life just gets the best of us. We fall down and we can't see the way  to get back up.

But then the sun rises and you are reminded of God's love and His grace and His mercy and His care. He is the light. On my own, all I see is darkness. But in Him, the shadows disappear and His light guides me out.

So today, I want you to know that you aren't alone. One, you have God always with you. But also, you aren't the first person to feel discouraged or full of despair. Don't be afraid to share those days with others. Don't be afraid to tell a sister or brother in Christ that you are struggling. Part of the beauty of having a family in Christ is that we can help each other. We aren't walking this life alone.

May this week be filled with light instead of darkness. And may we never forget that He is always with us.

-C

Monday's Musings

"Oh give thanks to the LORD; call upon his name; make known his deeds among the peoples!
Sing to him, sing praises to him; tell of all his wondrous works!
Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice!
Seek the LORD and his strength; seek his presence continually!
Remember the wondrous works that he has done, his miracles, and the judgments he uttered,
O offspring of Abraham, his servant, children of Jacob, his chosen ones!"

-Psalm 105:1-6

The rest of this psalm lists many of the wondrous works God did for the nation of Israel. Today, let's try to focus on the great things God has done in our lives, and let's share our blessings and the gospel with others as we have opportunity.

-J

Sunday's Scripture

Psalm 121 (NKJV)

" I will lift up my eyes to the hills-from whence comes my help?  

My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.  

He will not allow your foot to be moved; He who keeps you will not slumber. 

Behold, He who keeps Isreal shall neither slumber nor sleep.  

The Lord is your keeper; the Lord is your shade at your right hand. 

 The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night.  

The Lord shall preserve your soul. 

The Lord shall preserve your going out and your coming in 

from this time forth, and even forevermore."