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It’s Not About Looks, It’s About Heart

Posted on September 6, 2011 by Jared Meredith

Some of the hardest struggles of a ministry is not acquiring the resources that you need to do what you need to, but actually doing it. There can be a vast abundance of things available to a person to perform what you need to be done. I have learned in recent months that without the willingness to step out and do it regardless you will find yourself in just as tough of a spot as you would be without the things you think you need.

You could have one, ten, or a hundred people supporting you and that is wonderful as long as you are following the will of God. I say that because there will be times when you follow the will of God that all the support grows silent. I have been there before and stood wondering “what’s going on” and “what did I do wrong”, leaving me at a crossroads. Luckily I came to a great realization through prayer and the word of God! What finally came to me (as led by God’s encouragement) is that it is not about the looks on their faces (their countenance) that we should base the progress or fruition of our ministry, but the condition of the heart that you aim for.

I am reminded today but have forgot so often that I have ministered to smiling faces but inside were broken. I have seen people that looked completely unhappy but needed a word of confirmation or direction from God. Sometimes it’s not easy to deliver to tougher things, ESPECIALLY things that involve the direct changing of our lifestyle! Trust me, it’s hard but when you obey God you will not be forsaken! There has not been a time in the silence that God has not fought the battle (of the condition of the hearts and souls) with me! It’s not yours to fight! If we are trying to fight for approval, we missed it already. It’s not about approval, but faith and belief. It’s about agreement in Him (God)!

So always remember, obedience is greater than sacrifice (both are needed)! You’ve got to sacrifice facing some persecution putting yourself out there to obey God, but people need you to do it! People need need a strong witness of God today. Are we that people? Let’s strive to be! Let’s strive to make a difference!

When Scared Of The Unknown, Faith Is Your Weapon

Posted on June 8, 2011 by Jared Meredith

If there is anything that I could relate with anyone on, it is the uncertainty that tomorrow holds. We cannot always predict the outcomes of any event, nor can we ever be sure of anything that we might consider “stable”. There are going to be many people and objects that we have held our trust in for a long time that will prove to fail: jobs, money, relationships, churches, people, friends, this list goes on and on. I wish that I could paint the picture of a perfect reality, but that simply is not the case for anyone that lives in the world that we do. Life is going to prove itself to be hard at times, and there will come a point where you will be tested on just how much you believe in the God that you serve. So what do we do?

Faith is your weapon!

As we begin to endure through the trials of life, we build the faith that we have inside by encouraging ourselves in the things we hope for and things we cannot see. We have to continually remind ourselves of God almighty, the creator of Heaven and earth, who is the keeper of our lives! As we step out and be the light of the world and be faithful and diligently seek God, He will not withhold any thing to meet your every need! Notice I didn’t say wants! Remember that when push comes to shove our needs are far more important than our wants. Be a user of your faith and see how it comes to fruition in your own life today!

God Provides What Is Promised

Posted on April 13, 2011 by Jared Meredith

Proverbs 25:22 – For thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head, and the Lord shall reward thee.

Matthew 16:27 – For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works.

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One of the key scriptures that we read in the Bible is that the “promises of God are yea and Amen”. In other words the combination signals a great big yes! When you begin to petition your needs and wants before God, you are backing it up by actually going before him through the works of obedience and living it. All the while you are continually asking and putting your faith into action by the experiences you have and the ones you believe is ahead. You see, the spirit of God in its own magnificent way will bear witness and start to speak to your heart according to the will of God. It may not always be what we want to hear, but sometimes that when God’s ways exceed our ways!

Sometimes I am sure that we could wish that God dropped in our laps millions dollars so that we could have lots of “stuff”, but that may not be in Gods will right? God’s promises to us are that we would not go without and as long as we are obedient that everything will be taken care of for us, even in the midst of uncertainty. There are many who choose to stick with what they can read, and that is fine. I want to encourage us to step out of the boat and try to be more faithful and start to believe in the spirit that bears witness in the depths of our hearts! I know it is a simple thought, but I just want to remind you that if God has spoken to you in your heart or through the ministry of others, heed to it! Be led by the spirit of God, stay close to the Lord and pray in faith for the good things to come. Water those promises until they grow to full fruition! I know they are on their way!

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Put Into Practice:

This is not an actual physical activity today, but I would like for you to consider an activity of the same. Imagine that someone was standing on top of a building and was about to jump. Bear in mind they are being faithful to the inflatable safety device that when they reach the bottom they are safe. What if there was just enough of a hole in the safety balloon to cause it not to function? The person has to know and consider all of these risks before they ever lift from the ground to jump, right? The faith that it takes to get a person to leap is just the amount that it takes to be enough. The amount of faith that it takes for us to be willing to be out of our comfort zone and be in risk sometimes may be the very thing that God is looking for from you. It may be one thing that you have been afraid of to do your entire life. Trust me, I would have never thought that I would be writing, singing, playing, or preaching! Trust God and take a leap of faith! And by leap I do not mean off of a building! Get out there and make a difference in this lost world!