Quote of the Week

There is no promise in the Bible to those who partially trust in Christ. If you’re not trusting 100%, you’re not trusting at all! — Pastor Dan Tidd

CHANGE

"To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted; A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace."

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

Our Christian lives are a series of changing seasons.

Throughout history, people have resisted changes to their everyday lives. For instance, when the railroad system was developed in America, many people vehemently opposed it. Here's a letter written to President Andrew Jackson on January 31, 1829:

As you may know, Mr. President, 'railroad' carriages are pulled at the enormous speed of 15 miles per hour by 'engines' which, in addition to endangering life and limb of passengers, roar and snort their way through the countryside, setting fire to crops, scaring the livestock and frightening women and children. The Almighty certainly never intended that people should travel at such breakneck speed.
Signed,
Martin Van Buren
Governor of New York

Even Governor Van Buren, a future President of the United States, opposed what now we can say was a very important step in our nation's transportation development. It seems that with every major change in history came some resistance. While not all change is good, good change is beneficial.
In our lives as Christians, there needs to be a "changing process" every so often. As our verses show, we live through different seasons in our lives. There will be times of growing, sowing, reaping, repenting, building, and repairing. Our Christian lives are a series of different seasons.

Take a moment to think of the season you've been in recently. Perhaps you've endured a trial and have since come through closer to God. Maybe you've experienced blessings and have had much for which to thank God. Or perhaps you've encountered a time of backsliding, a falling away from God's will.

What season are you in right now? If you are facing a difficult season, know that God doesn't bring seasons of difficulty or stretching and growing into your life for no purpose. There's always a reason! And as Ecclesiastes explains, your season of difficulty will not last forever. There will be seasons of blessings coming as you remain faithful to Him.

If you've experienced a season of blessing recently, take time to thank God! He has blessed you and deserves to be thanked because of it. Just as a season of difficulty will not last forever, so a time of blessing will end. Rather than spending the time of blessing away from God, make sure to stay close to Him so that when difficulties come, you can thank Him just as you did during the blessing season.
Or have you strayed from God recently? God never desires that you would turn away from Him, but He offers you forgiveness and restoration if you turn back to Him. You are never too far gone that God will not forgive you.

Which season of life are you in today? Thank God for His guidance and love no matter the season you face, and remain faithful to Him no matter what's going on in your life right now.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

Faith is a living, daring confidence in God’s grace, so sure and certain that a man could stake his life on it a thousand times. — Martin Luther

His Ways are Perfect

 

"Give ear, O ye heavens, and I will speak; and hear, O earth, the words of my mouth. My doctrine shall drop as the rain, my speech shall distil as the dew, as the small rain upon the tender herb, and as the showers upon the grass: Because I will publish the name of the LORD: ascribe ye greatness unto our God. He is the Rock, his work is perfect: for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he. They have corrupted themselves, their spot is not the spot of his children: they are a perverse and crooked generation. Do ye thus requite the LORD, O foolish people and unwise? is not he thy father that hath bought thee? hath he not made thee, and established thee? Remember the days of old, consider the years of many generations: ask thy father, and he will shew thee; thy elders, and they will tell thee. When the Most High divided to the nations their inheritance, when he separated the sons of Adam, he set the bounds of the people according to the number of the children of Israel. For the LORD's portion is his people; Jacob is the lot of his inheritance."

Deuteronomy 32:1-9

Things may not go perfectly according to our plans, but we can trust that things always go perfectly according to God's plan.

If you've ever played the game of bowling, you understand the difficulty of bowling a perfect game with a score of three hundred points. Only the best of bowlers are able to accomplish such a feat. It's said when one bowler bowled three hundred, he collapsed after the final pin fell. Another bowler was so nervous about messing up his final roll that he refused to bowl his last turn. He never again set foot in a bowling alley and spent the rest of his life wondering what might have been.

The pursuit of perfection reaches beyond bowling and sporting events. Many people pursue perfection in their daily lives. They want the perfect job, the perfect spouse, the perfect children, the perfect home, the perfect salary, and so on. Yet while many people pursue perfection, as Christians we realize nothing in this sin-infested world is perfect. Things may not go perfectly according to our plans, but we can trust that things always go perfectly according to God's plan.

Psalm 18:30-32 tells us of God's perfect plan, "As for God, his way is perfect: the word of the LORD is tried: he is a buckler to all those that trust in him. For who is God save the LORD? or who is a rock save our God? It is God that girdeth me with strength, and maketh my way perfect." Things don't always go as planned. Our schedules can change, our plans can be stopped, and what we once thought was important can fall away. A bad medical report, a loss of a job, a wayward child, or a loss of a home can throw us into a downward spiral, yet God proves that no matter what enters our lives, His plan is perfect.

Realize that any situation you face is in God's hands. Any trial you come across has already been approved by God. God does not allow trials to hurt you, but to perfect your faith. Author Warren Wiersbe put it this way, "Christ has already run this race of faith and conquered for us! He is the Author (Pioneer, Trailblazer) and Finisher of our faith; He is Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End. What He starts, He finishes; He can see us through to victory."

God is not finished with you yet. He has not finished perfecting, maturing, shaping, and molding your life. Honestly, God will never be done until you reach full perfection in Heaven. Accept the fact that trials and difficulties will enter your life. Do not view them as inconveniences, but accept them as God's work. Ask God what His purpose in each trial is, and allow Him to mold you into a more Christ-like being.

Remind yourself of Deuteronomy 32:4 today as you go about your not-so-perfect day, "He is the Rock, his work is perfect: for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he." God's ways area always perfect. Rest in the fact that He's working through even the trials today.

Pressing on the Upward Way

 

“Between an airplane and every other form of locomotion and transportation there is one great contrast. The horse and wagon, the automobile, the bicycle, the locomotive, the speedboat, and the great battleship—all can come to a standstill without danger, and they can all reverse their engines, or their power, and go back.

But there is no reverse about the engine of an airplane. It cannot back up. It dare not stand still. If it loses its momentum and forward-drives, then it crashes. The only safety for the airplane is in its forward and upward motion. The only safe direction for the Christian to take is forward and upward. If he stops, or if he begins to slip and go backward, that moment he is in danger.”—

Quote of the Week

Success is never final, and failure is rarely fatal. It’s the courage to continue that counts.

THERE IS A GOD

The Bible does not present any argument for the existence of God; it takes the FACT of God for granted. God is the infinite and perfect Spirit in whom all things have their source, support and end.

The word of God reveals God to us. Because God is infinitely beyond our human comprehension, the Bible often “couches’ God in human language.

The number of reasons is given in the Bible to show how we can know there is a God.

A.    The Fact Of Universal Belief Proves There Is A God.

Man has a “religious nature” which is unique to man. All men in all ages and in all civilizations have manifested a belief in some higher Being. Most times this belief is perverted- but it demonstrates that there is some higher being .

Romans 2:14 For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves: 15. Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;

This teaches that even those who have never heard of the Lord have His law written in their hearts

B.     The Fact That Everything Must Have A Cause Proves There Is A God

Man is an intelligent being; therefore his Cause must also be intelligent. Man has personality; thus his Cause could not be impersonal.

C.     The Fact Of Intricate Design In The Universe Proves There Is A God

A watch not only requires a watchmaker, must also a designer and a purpose.

 Psalm 139:14 I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.

How does the human body prove there is a God?

D.    The Whole Of Creation Proves There Is A God

Psalm 19:1 The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork.

E.     The Events Of History Proves There Is A God

Many times God has intervened in human history, and His Hand is often seen in the rise and fall of nations

 Psalm 75:6 For promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south.

 7.  But God is the judge: he putteth down one, and setteth up another

F.     The Bible Says There Is A God

If there is a God , it is most reasonable to expect Him to reveal Himself to man. This He has done- first through creation, but in detail through His Word.

 Genesis 1:1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.

The Bible begins with God – not philosophical arguments for His existence.