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decisions

Thank God For The Tough Stuff

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Matthew 7:13-16

[13] Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:
[14] Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
[15] Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
[16] Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?

Have you ever been in a place where you have found it hard to sing at church? To worship? To preach? Or even to witness? I am sure at some point that we have all been there in a place where we found it to be a battle to get to a place where we were enjoying our walk with God. When we read about narrow, consider another way of referring to narrow as difficult. All the efforts of worth and excellence that we make are going to be difficult. The Christian life is going to be tough as we attempt to truly live it as well. The great thing about it is that though it may be hard at times that within its design we have the ability to trust God! We can stir ourselves to trust God by the salvation that lives inside! You will know the fruits that you and others are bearing are ones that are able to reach out and be of help to others!

Philippians 2:12-13

[12] Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.
[13] For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.

God saves people through salvation and His marvelous grace, and this is where we must learn to begin to stir ourselves regardless of where we are. You may have some praying and casting off of things to do, but it is of Gods good pleasure that is worked when you submit to His will. If we start at the redemption and simply do what He would call for us to, you will find amazing changes and new beginnings ahead of you.

Hebrews 2:9-11

[9] But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.
[10] For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.
[11] For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren,

Thank God for the difficult things to do! Jesus is bringing many to glory, and to be made perfect through sufferings we cannot be shielded. It will take effort, and bravery, and courage, and faith, and holiness, but God gave us all of things things to create within us a person that can love and lead others to the Kingdom of Heaven!

When It Starts To Get Bad Make It Better

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THE WORD

Matthew 5:23-25 –  Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee; Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift. Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him; lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

Plenty of people told me in my youth about how exciting life was going to be. I learned really quick as I started out that no person could have prepared me for the way life would surprise. There are all sorts of circumstances that occur that will challenge your walk with God. You can try to run as fast as you can from the trial but at some point you will have to face it head on. I wish I could say that it was going to be an easy experience that you endure, but often it ends up being tough. Conquering our life battles with victory is truly what defines you. What defines you and builds your character are the experiences you have and the decisions that you make (as well as the rewards and consequences of those).

I have discovered that no matter what kind of mess I am in that I can have redemption in a trial through prayer and repentance! We must yield our pride and ask God for forgiveness for our sins and transgressions! By God’s grace and mercy we have the ability to move forward and overcome. I would not be able to make it through life without the peace that comes by prayer! Do not live stuck in things that you think that you have live with to forever. Give God your issues and allow the spirit to dwell in your life in a greater way. Nothing is impossible to God, and is in fact but a small thing! I encourage you to remember who the God that you serve or and embrace that relationship. Do not let life get worse while you are still able to make it better!

PUT INTO PRACTICE

Battle through something that has hurt you and pray that God will forgive you for your feelings of bitterness and anger. And as you overcome, pray God show you how to improve something that is within your means to do (forgive someone, being benevolent).

Hear No Evil, See No Evil, Do No Evil

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THE WORD

James 1:23-24 – For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass:For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

I could not be more troubled about how much it seems that evil is ever present around the people of God. I want to ask some questions that will put us in the frame of mind of what I’m writing on today: How hard do we really try to walk away from something we know that we are seeing or hearing is wrong? In all reality we may find the answer is not too hard at all. If something (being the spirit of God) leads you to know that something wrong is going on, and you have the power to make a decision to change that behavior, then it is our responsibility hands down! If we learn to walk with God’s higher standard then they will know that there is something that drives us to be above the temptation of sin. Could we say a witness of the Lord?!? How much do we restrain ourselves from saying things that we should not in a situation where we are affected? Not too much at all. Keeping ourselves from saying irrational things is one of the hardest things to do simply because we feel enabled from our own self-right of justice. If they wronged us, they are going to hear about it, right? There is a difference in doing things in love versus out of spite or with an attitude! You have to always remember that everyone will answer for their actions and that self-control is only truly successful by the quickening of the anointing in you to help you prevent such decisions! How difficult is it to trust God when you feel like that you are surrounded in darkness? It is truly easy if you allow God to do it! We are the light of the world, but God is the fire that burns within! His spirit will keep you each day and never let you feel stale! If you learn to stir up the gifts and callings every day through worship, prayer, fasting, reading, and ultimately obedience then you will begin to unlock something that will (as the old song sings) shun the wrong and do what is right!

PUT INTO PRACTICE

Make every active attempt each day to avoid the evils that you can and pray for God to lead you out of every temptation that would prove difficult for you to walk away from.

God Is Able

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Greetings and God Bless. Today, I want to take a few minutes with the opportunity that I have been given and talk about what God has put on my heart recently.

In the world that we live in today, I am learning and observing new things as I continue to get older. I have learned that as you move from the transition in your life from a child to an adult, that there are many changes that take place through that time, and many decisions that have to be made during that course. And in most of the cases that I have found, we feel like we have no one to really help us answer the questions of what to do in the toughest situations and what direction to go when life throws you hard turns.

I wish that I could sit here and begin to tell everyone under the sound of my voice that life is going to be perfect for you from this day forward, and that you are never going to face anything that is going to be of any hardship, but that is something I cannot do. I wish that I could say that you are never going to have to face hard times financially, or face issues at home, or even at your work place. I wish that I could say that everything in your life was going to be easy street, and all you had to do was enjoy it.

One of the tougher lessons that I have learned about the life that we live is that you cannot change the trials ahead, nor can we predict what tomorrow holds. If we could, life would be a much easier thing to manage.

There are many of you out there today, who need God to move in a big way for your loved ones, whether it be to save them for the first time, or to save them from deaths door, to deliver them from the chains of bondage, or to free them from the perils of sin. Whatever the case may be, I’m here to tell you that you are not alone. I want you to know today that there are people that are still out there in this world, that are still praying for God to save, to heal, to set free, to do all the things that we need God to do in their lives.

My message to all of you out there today is that God is able to move for you, regardless of what you are going through, if you are willing to step up and put all that it takes behind it.

Matthew 21:18-22 Speaks of Jesus in Bethany

[18] Now in the morning as he returned into the city, he hungered.
[19] And when he saw a fig tree in the way, he came to it, and found nothing thereon, but leaves only, and said unto it, Let no fruit grow on thee henceforward forever. And presently the fig tree withered away.
[20] And when the disciples saw it, they marvelled, saying, How soon is the fig tree withered away!
[21] Jesus answered and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done.
[22] And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.

If I could say anything to you that could be of some encouragement, it would be to get yourself out of the mind of the popular opinion; the belief that would make you say that there is no hope for them, the belief that would make you say that they are never going to change, the belief that would make you say that things will never be any different.

Things changed for you, right? God moved in your life to get you where you are today, right?

God delivered you from a great measure of things, things that you are aware of, and countless things that haven’t even crossed your mind.

I know what God has brought me through, and every time I count the cost that my Savior sacrificed for me, it’s enough to remind me to continue to believe that there is hope for anyone out there who needs it, who needs that great miracle. It CAN happen. It IS POSSIBLE.

Don’t give up on your cause to see these things through. If anything, get even stronger in the fight. Take even more time to call out their names in prayer. Make the extra effort to invite them to church face-to-face, and not just through a phone call. Go above and beyond the call of duty, and truly show them how bad you want them there, and show God how bad that you want this mountain moved out of their way.

We at Heart of Grace are praying for all of you to go forward and not backward in your walk with God that all churches in this community, regardless of your denomination or your belief, start realizing the true need that is surrounding us. It doesn’t matter what sign you have on your door; get out there and show people the love of God in your heart, and lead them to Christ. Help them to find the strength and refuge that they truly need. It’s not about what we think is best anymore, it’s about what the people need, they are out there empty handed and empty hearted, and they need a Savior.

And we have a Savior that is more than able. We serve a God that is more than able to move in these things. We have a God that is all-powerful, and can move in their situations, and start changing their lives, and saving them once and for all. Join us in getting out there, and truly becoming fishers of men. God is able!