“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good report.” Hebrews 11:1-2 Hebrews Eleven is often described as “God’s Hall of Faith.” The writer takes us through the Old Testament describing men and women who lived a life of faith, making decisions that often took them through hardship to accomplish God’s perfect will in their lives. Imagine you are walking down a hallway lined with pictures. We see a wide variety of people from every lifestyle. There are shepherds, poets, prophets, statesmen, women, martyrs, and many others.…
Seasons do not last forever. The season that we are in right now will come to an end. I know for me, I am awaiting the day of change, a day of answers, a day of harvest. To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven. Ecclesiastes 3:1. Winter is my least favorite season—I relish all things sunshine. Yesterday, I walked outside without a coat on and was rudely introduced to a cold, north wind. I ran inside as fast as I could to shield myself from the frigid air. This is not my season. With that said, if I could categorize the circumstance you’re facing as a season, then I want to encourage you that it will not last forever. If we are not carful we can miss opportunities waiting for a new season to come. Waiting on God is a virtue—however—waiting around for something to happen is redundant; it produces nothing. So I ask… Are you preparing, or are you just waiting around? What kind of harvest will you produce with the seeds that you are planting now? If you desire to see souls birthed into the Kingdom of God, then you need…
I was visiting a nearby church, a congregation I knew well. I was familiar with many of its members, and knew some of their personal struggles. As the service began, the congregation entered into singing and worship. The youth were energetic, and the elders participated faithfully. Their praise continued for several minutes. Then, God spoke to my spirit, saying, “Watch this!” I sensed He was proud of what was about to unfold. Curious, I scanned the sanctuary to see what was about to happen. My attention settled on a young girl who faced severe health challenges—challenges that visibly affected her life and would remain unless God performed a miracle. Yet, she worshiped with abandon. She was so animated that those around her seemed motionless by comparison. Next, I noticed a man battling a life-threatening illness. Against his doctor’s orders, he began to dance and shout in worship. What he was doing carried risks—it could have led to a trip to the emergency room or worse. Finally, my gaze fell upon a man raising his young daughter alone. A wounded soul struggling to overcome the scars of betrayal began worshiping without reservation. These three, each burdened with their unique trials, worshiped…
And Abraham said unto his young men, Abide ye here with the donkey; and I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again to you. Genesis 22:5 The first time worship is mentioned in scripture was when Abraham was obediently following God’s command to offer his son, Isaac, on the altar. Worship, in this instance, was the most difficult thing Abraham ever did. But, it proved that his trust and devotion to God surpassed everything this world had to offer, good or bad. The Bible gives us other examples where people fell and worshipped God after tragedy…
“Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.” Luke 15:4-7, KJV. Jesus Is The Good Shepherd Do you remember being a lost sheep? Do you remember what you felt when you encountered the pureness of the love of God for the first time? For me, it was transcendent—I truly experienced a piece of heaven on earth. There is nothing like the love of God! If you have breath in your lungs today that means there is hope for you—and hope for someone else. God will never leave you or forsake you and He desire to demonstrate His love toward someone who is lost. Jesus states in John 10:11, “I am the…
There have been times in my life when I think my best days have already happened. Have you ever felt like that? I felt a little lost when I turned thirty; I still wasn’t married, I didn’t have any children, and I was renting. God opened some pretty remarkable doors of opportunity in my twenties, but now, I felt like my life officially halted. Now, I’m in my forties and I feel more hopeful than ever. I’ve learned that our emotions can have a lot influence on our perception and can create a blurred sense-of-self through the different seasons of life. I’ve also learned that my words, even to myself, have so much power. This is why Proverbs 18:21 is so profound, “Death and life are in the power of the tongue.” It’s important to remember that there is no future in your past. Your past, good or bad, is subordinate to the future God has for you. We need to continue to press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus, Philippians 3:14. It is important to take a personal assessment from time to time to see how we react to stress…