Let Not Your Heart Be Troubled

Jesus  spoke these words in the Upper Room at a final meal with His disciples in John 14:27 “My peace I give unto you…not as the world gives,” What is the peace that Jesus promises? Some believe that peace is the absence of warfare or conflict, but true peace occurs when Jesus’ presence is on you and within you in the face of the war raging around you.

Let not your heart be troubled. The storms in your life may be bad, but the peace of God can silence the storms. It can handle every storm you face in life. When you get dressed each day, check to see whether you are wearing the peace of God.

The peace of GOD can keep you calm when spiritual battle is raging all around you. GOD’s power is not limited by the impossibility of your situation.  He knows how to allow your pain to work out the purpose for which he planned.  That is why you should never give up and never surrender.  Your struggles won’t endure, but through Christ, your eternal future will!

Show Me The Ring

GOD loves us.  That’s an amazing truth, isn’t it?  GOD loved us so much that He sent His Son to do for us what we could not do for ourselves. Jesus came to pay the penalty for our sin on the cross.  This is how great the love of GOD is.

When we accept the free gift of grace, of GOD’s saving grace/love, we are then redeemed, in good standing with GOD, begin our relationship with Him, as His friend, His child.  That’s exciting.

GOD loves us because we are His.  You are his joy.  Let Jesus come into your heart and change you.  Make a decision to broadcast a clear and passionate testimony through your worship. 

Silence – A Heart Like His

 

He inquired of the LORD, but the LORD did not answer him 1 Samuel 28:6

Has GOD been silent in your life lately?  Is He not appearing to answer your prayers?  What do you think He may be meaning by this?

There is a difference between being convinced that God is not listening and God actually not listening.  God answers the prayer of the believer but sometimes we don't see the results for weeks or even years.  If you are alert to His presence I will find Him all around you.

 GOD is very much there and is always listening and acting on my behalf even when I think that he has turned his back on me. GOD promises that all things will work together for the good of those who love Him.   

What does His silence make you want to do?

When God is silent, we go through a myriad of emotions. We ask questions like, "What am I doing wrong? What do I need to fix in my life? Where are you, God? Do you even care?"

Even though it may be hard to do, I keep holding on to His hand.  Even when I don't understand, I know I WILL find Him and I WILL hear Him again.  He really is there and closer than I could have ever imagined, hoped for, or thought.

Ananias: The Hidden Hero

This week's service was about a hidden hero, Ananais. According to Acts 9:10, Ananias lived in the city of Damascus. In Paul's speech in Acts 22, he describes Ananias as "a devout man according to the law, having a good report of all the Jews" that dwelt in Damascus (Acts 22:12).

During his conversion experience, Jesus had told Paul, (who was then called Saul,) to go into the city and wait. Jesus later spoke to Ananias in a vision, and told him to go to the “street which is called Straight”  and ask "in the house of Judas for one called Saul, of Tarsus". (Acts 9:11) Ananias objected that Saul had been persecuting "thy saints", but the Lord told him that Saul was "a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel". (Acts 9:15). When Ananias went in to Saul and laid his hands on him, the "scales" of dead tissue on the surface of his eyes fell off, and he looked up at Ananias. After additional instruction, Saul was baptized. (Acts 9:18;22:16)

This story teaches us a very important lesson.  If we seek God and yield to him, as Ananias did, we can do great things for the Lord. We may never find out in this life what they are. Our part is to serve God faithfully, not to wonder where the spotlight is focused.