Everyone Has Barriers We all, at times, experience circumstances that create obstacles which block our ability to believe what God has promised in His word. Without belief, we are unable to experience all of what He has for us to do in this life (Mark 11:24), and consequently, we will not be very effective in building the Kingdom.“But when you ask,

Ask for His guidance.Pray before making any decisions.Be ready to act according to the plan God has for your life.Give thanks in every circumstance.Share the love of God with others.Help guide others to a relationship with God.Be strong and courageous.God is always with you.When trials come, go to God first.Follow His commandments.Remember Ezra and

“I just want to share a couple of thoughts and I will let you go.”You might be wondering why these lines, which seem so innocent, can work against pastors. These lines all set expectations and they are subjective expectations. If I were to ask you and maybe ten other people what is a few minutes, or how long is not long, I am going to get a wide va

When People Speak of God’s Will, What Do They Mean?“He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God” (Micah 6:8).We often speak of a desire for God’s will to be done in many of the big decisions in our lives: asking His guidance in who we marry, where

The reason churches face these issues is because people are sinful and broken, but God has given wisdom on how to navigate difficult situations within the church family.“Bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive” (Colossians 3:13).When issues ar

And let us not forget that Jesus Himself was killed on a tree (Acts 5:30, Galatians 3:13, 1 Peter 2:24).Olive trees are mentioned throughout Scripture. A particular example is those grafted into the family of faith that Gentiles (Romans 11).The Tree of Life in Heaven stands in the middle of the city streets and bears 12 fruits. (Revelation 22:2).Wh

Lastly, to Benjamin (Benjamin means son of the right hand), Jacob had these words: “Benjamin is a ravenous wolf, in the morning devouring the prey and at evening dividing the spoil.” (Benjamin’s small tribe was war-like, and they made a shameless defense of their evil in Gibeah (Judg. 19; 20). Israel’s first king (Saul, 1 Samuel 9:1-2) was of the

For some of us, these things have taken deep roots in our lives so the separation from these things can cause pain. However, if you are going to be fruitful, this is a necessary process. When you allow God the gardener to do the work he desires, it may hurt a little, but you will come out better for it. How Can We Be Branches of the True Vine?If yo

The Scriptures confirm that we are designed for a different world, and they urge us to focus on the world which is yet to come. As Paul told the Colossians, "Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth" (Colossians 3:2).Sadly, our inner longing for the good guys to win, for true peace and justice, has often led to tragic efforts to ob

Heavenly Father, Your will be done. Amen.God, thank You for loving us. Remind me that Your love and grace will help me find the right words to share with the dying. Amen.Prayers for the Families of the DyingFather, I lift up the families of the dying. Be with them as they begin the grieving process. Remind them of Your love. Thank You, Amen.God, te

God, thank You for the wisdom, discernment, and revelation You give to emergency responders. Amen.Heavenly Father, please provide the emergency responders time for rest and renewal. Thank You for Your comfort. Amen.Lord, help us to know that emergency responders have their own lives, too. They help us even when they are struggling in their own live

For Grace and Gratitude"Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful." - Colossians 3:15Dear heavenly Father, please help me to accept both life’s little challenges and Your restoring help with grace and gratitude. Help me remember that no problem is too large or too small for m

Perhaps most astounding of all, Jesus prayed for others as He hung on the cross and bore the weight of mankind’s sin and sorrow. Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34). What a beautiful, selfless example of praying for those who hurt us.How Can We Get Started Praying if We Haven't Prayed in a While

Why Did God Create Us - Purpose behind Creation Genesis, the first book of the Bible, describes God’s decision to create people. And He already had work in mind for them to do in their new home, the Garden of Eden, and the rest of the world.“Then God said, ‘Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in th

As Jesus arrived at the home of Jairus, there was wailing and sadness from the people. Jesus was told that the girl had died. Jesus explained that she was only sleeping. He healed the girl. Love in action.How Can We Make Our Love Be Full of Action Today?We have the opportunity to share the love and glory of Christ in every moment. Whether we are ph

In Lamentations 3:15, the writer says the Lord’s anger has stricken him, “made me drunken with wormwood,” and in 3:19 the writer considers his “affliction and misery, the wormwood and the gall.”Amos 6:12 talks about the fruit of righteousness turning into hemlock, a similar usage. Some articles list this verse as another usage of “wormwood,” althou

“Jesus declared, “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”Love the Lord your God1. You shall have no other gods before Me.2. You shall

Run Like Joseph It looks fun... but it’s a fraud!It promises pleasure...but it produces pain!It says, "just this once"... but it will addict and enslave!Run from sin, because the stakes are higher than you know.But it's an unpopular message in the Church today, one that you're unlikely to find being preached on Sunday morning television. Sin is ult

Daniel Fast in the Bible The book of Daniel tells the story of the Israelites carried off into exile after many years of straying from God’s ways, but mostly from the perspective of a handful of individuals. It also contains prophecy.Daniel was one of the youths selected to be educated in the ways of the Babylonian court, the center of the Chaldean

“Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: Cursed is everyone who is hung on a pole. He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit” (Galatians 3:13,14).4 Interesting Facts Surrou