Wednesday, December 30, 2015

Shepastor: "Can You See the Forest...?"

But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear. Matthew 13:16, NIV

News commentator Rachel Maddow once said, Those of us caught up in the day-to-day coverage of current events find it easy to see trees, but forests are more elusive. Many of us find ourselves focused upon “trees…” that which is “in your face” from day to day.

It can be very easy to get caught up in the day to day struggle, negative comments, that person who is getting on your last nerve, wondering when or if this or that is going to happen. We do this, however, at the expense of “the forest.” Some of our greatest work is left undone because we allow trees to block us from seeing the forest.

In more serious matters, if we are not careful, our emotions will overtake us and we will miss opportunities to remedy major problems. The enemy of our soul is a master at distraction. But the Lord has given us, as His children, “eyes to see” and “ears to hear.” Through prayer, godly fellowship, embracing God’s Holy Word and applying it to our daily lives, we can see beyond that which is readily apparent.

As I personally wrestled with some issues that had me too focused upon “minors” instead of the major, I heard the Holy Spirit whisper, “Don’t let it take you there, remain focused and remember what you are trying to accomplish.”

In a couple of days we shall cross over the threshold of a new year. May you, by the grace of almighty God, develop what is necessary, spiritually to remain focused. May you add to your desire the discipline necessary to resist distractions. May you come closer to God’s desire for your life. May you walk in the victory God has given to us through His Son, Jesus Christ.

Post a comment or send me an email at Shepastor1@hotmail.com

Until next Wednesday,
In Faith, Hope and Perseverance,
Pastor Chris
www.shepastorchris.org


Wednesday, December 23, 2015

Shepastor: "Waiting on Jesus..."

"And the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there will be no end." Luke 1: 30-32

When the young impoverished woman Mary received the message that she had found “favor with God” and was chosen to give birth to the Savior of the world, one can imagine she had no idea what these things meant! She would have to wait to find out. “Waiting on Jesus…” What does it feel like?

Many are waiting to understand what “favor” looks like in their lives. Many are waiting for the Lord to make clear some vision, “calling” or path. Some are waiting for Jesus to make some crooked places straight.

As you wait for the Lord in your life, what are some spiritually healthy ways to live through the waiting process? Below are some practical suggestions…

-Submit to the process: Fretting, complaining and arguing with God will not “speed up” the process. Join with Mary and say, “Behold the handmaid of the Lord. Be it unto me according to thy word.” (Luke 1:38, KJV)

-Prayerfully identify an “Elizabeth” with whom you can share and pray: Mary went to share her new revelation with a trusted cousin and friend, Elizabeth, who her-self was pregnant with John. The Lord has some other “pregnant” persons who will leap with joy as you share the words you’ve “heard” from the Lord. Everyone cannot and will not rejoice and pray with you. During the waiting process, it is critical to have a prayer partner who can relate to your period of spiritual gestation.


-Continue to trust the Lord to work out that which you cannot control: Mary was engaged to a wonderful man named Joseph. The message from the angel presented a HUGE problem, potentially life threatening problem for Mary…to be found “with child” before marriage and not by her fiancĂ© culturally meant stoning! Mary had to trust the Lord to speak to Joseph and bring things into balance and peace. When the Lord is preparing to birth something new in our lives, it may disrupt even what seems beautiful. Loved ones may become angry, disillusioned and hurt. The Lord, however, will confirm His new direction and give peace to those called to become a part of the blessing being birthed.

Waiting is never easy. The Lord, however, will give you the grace, courage and strength as you submit daily through prayer, faith and hope.

May you and yours have a blessed, peace filled, and spirit yielded Christmas and New Year.

Post a comment or send me an email at Shepastor1@hotmail.com.

Until next Wednesday,
In Faith, Hope and Perseverance,
Pastor Chris
www.shepastorchris.org

Wednesday, December 16, 2015

Shepastor: "What Have You Rejected?"

“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You build tombs for the prophets and decorate the graves of the righteous. 30 And you say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our ancestors, we would not have taken part with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.’ 31 So you testify against yourselves that you are the descendants of those who murdered the prophets. 32 Go ahead, then, and complete what your ancestors started!

33 “You snakes! You brood of vipers! How will you escape being condemned to hell? 34 Therefore I am sending you prophets and sages and teachers. Some of them you will kill and crucify; others you will flog in your synagogues and pursue from town to town. 35 And so upon you will come all the righteous blood that has been shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah son of Berekiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar. 36 Truly I tell you, all this will come on this generation.

37 “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing. 38 Look, your house is left to you desolate. 39 For I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.’”
Matthew 23: 29-39

A poet by the name of Carl Wendell Hines penned these words…

Now that he is safely dead
Let us praise him
build monuments to his glory
sing hosannas to his name.
Dead men make
such convenient heroes: They
cannot rise
to challenge the images
we would fashion from their lives.
And besides,
it is easier to build monuments
than to make a better world.

The “he” in the poem is referring to the late Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. How easy it is for us to build monuments, but not to build relationships. How easy it is for us to build monuments, but not to challenge unjust laws and systems that continue to perpetuate systemic racism, poor economic conditions for the masses, inadequate educational systems for the inner city.

How easy it is for us to build monuments instead of speaking truth to power. How easy it is for us to glorify the past, and praise those who have gone on, yet make a mockery of their legacy by the way in which we live.

This was the tragedy of the religious leaders in this text. They declared that if Moses and Elijah, Jeremiah and Amos, Micah and Hosea had been with them in their day and time, they would have listened…they would have followed…they would have obeyed…they would have changed. But Jesus, in so many words said, “No you wouldn’t have. You’d be doing the same thing you’re doing now – rejecting the warnings and the words of wisdom and the messages sent from God because of the hardness of your hearts.”

I was watching a popular minister on TV yesterday afternoon…someone who I enjoy and have received a word from. But yesterday, his message was disturbing. He said that people will know that we are the blessed of God, in so many words, because of the things that we have. Now those weren’t his exact words, but he was sharing how he lost everything in a major storm – his church building, his car, his home, etc.

He said he told God, “How are people to know that I am a Kingdom representative if I don’t have anything?” …but that is not the barometer that measures if we are the “blessed of God.”

Jesus said “They will know we are Christians by our love!”
Even the blessed of God will have hard times. Even the blessed of God may have to walk a path through difficult financial struggles, bad health, unfair and unjust situations. That is just the human condition and we hold this treasure in earthen vessels. The bible says that if we faint in the day of adversity our strength is small. The day of adversity happens to us all.

The message of the Gospel has to be bigger than that!

What about the poor widow that gave all she had? Wasn’t she the blessed of God? What about Mary and Joseph, they were poor, yet God chose them to be the earthly parents of Jesus – were not they the blessed of God? What about Lazarus who was covered in sores and in abject poverty until he was called home and was given rest in the “bosom of Abraham.” Wasn’t he “the blessed of God?”

What about the men and women, boys and girls living right here in America… the working poor, the children living in homes where they have to take turns to eat, the mother that catches three buses to get to her minimum wage job, but gets up every Sunday, makes her way to church, pays her tithes, teaches her children the ways of God, sings in the choir and helps those who are in a worse condition than she…isn’t she the blessed of God? What is this mentality that we have developed in the church today?

We have rejected the message of the Gospel in exchange for the message of the world.

The message of the Gospel declares,

Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. 25For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. 26For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? 27For 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.
Matthew 16: 24-27

The message of the Gospel is sometimes hard to hear, hard to understand. The message of the Gospel will drive some away. The message of the Gospel will cause some to get angry. The message of the Gospel will cause some to want to kill you. For the Gospel calls us to walk in humility and love. The message of the Gospel calls us to deny ourselves and follow the way of Jesus. The message of the Gospel calls us to serve, to sacrifice and at times to suffer.

The message of the Gospel causes us to have to get up from our places of lethargy, causes us to get out of our comfort zones, causes us to stand up for truth and righteousness, causes us to sometimes say and do things that are not popular but are indeed righteousness. The message of the Gospel tells us to love when everyone else says hate. The message of the Gospel tells us to forgive when everyone else is saying take vengeance. The message of the Gospel says give, when everyone else says you better keep all you can for yourself.

The message of the Gospel says the wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life. The message of the Gospel says there is a way that seems right unto a man but the end thereof is death. The message of the Gospel says if your enemy is hungry, give him some food, if he is thirsty, give him something to drink… the message of the Gospel is foolishness to the natural man but to the one who is filled with the spirit, it is the words of eternal life!

God is tired of our meaningless religious rituals. The Lord is weary of our festivals and empty songs of praise. "He has shown thee oh man, oh woman what is good and what does the Lord require of us…to do justly, to love mercy and to walk humbly with God." God wants us to feed the hungry, God wants us to help the widows, God wants us to challenge unjust systems that continue to perpetuate ignorance and poverty. God wants us to get up and tell somebody that Jesus is the way, the truth and the life!

That is the true meaning of the Gospel – that is the “Good News!”
Start seeking God about how you can really serve Him, really advance the Kingdom here on earth…really become a laborer in God’s harvest. Stop sitting with your arms folded and your mind closed declaring, “I can’t do that…I’m too old…I can’t do that, I got to keep this for myself…I can’t do that I’m too tired…I can’t do that it doesn’t make sense to me…”

Stop rejecting what God is saying. If you don’t understand, ask the Lord for clarity. If you are afraid, ask the Lord for courage. If you are weak, ask the Lord for strength.

Jesus encourages us to “Occupy" until he comes. May we embrace the true meaning of the Gospel message and not succumb to the worldly messages of what it means to "represent" the Kingdom of God.

Post a comment or send me an email at Shepastor1@hotmail.com

Until next Wednesday,
In Faith, Hope and Perseverance,
Pastor Chris
www.shepastorchris.org




Wednesday, December 9, 2015

Shepastor: "When God Throws You a Curve Ball..."

Job 1: 1-12; 20-22
1 There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil.2 And there were born unto him seven sons and three daughters.
3 His substance also was seven thousand sheep, and three thousand camels, and five hundred yoke of oxen, and five hundred she asses, and a very great household; so that this man was the greatest of all the men of the east.4 And his sons went and feasted in their houses, every one his day; and sent and called for their three sisters to eat and to drink with them.5 And it was so, when the days of their feasting were gone about, that Job sent and sanctified them, and rose up early in the morning, and offered burnt offerings according to the number of them all: for Job said, It may be that my sons have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts. Thus did Job continually.6 Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them.7 And the LORD said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.8 And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? 9 Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, Doth Job fear God for nought? 10 Hast not thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land.
11 But put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face.
12 And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, all that he hath is in thy power; only upon himself put not forth thine hand. So Satan went forth from the presence of the LORD…

20 Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped,
21 And said, Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.
22 In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly.

Shepastor: “When God Throws You a Curve Ball…”

A “curve ball” is a pitch thrown with a strong downward spin, causing the ball to drop suddenly and veer to the side as it approaches home plate. The curveball outside the context of baseball, “essentially translates to introducing a significant deviation to a preceding concept.” (Wikipedia)

In other words, it is a break in a pattern…something totally unexpected…something that does not fit the pattern, if you will of things currently happening or at least what one thought would have, could have, should have happened.

You thought that you would be healthy and strong because you eat right and exercise, only to go to the doctor and find out you have cancer – a curve ball… you thought that because you loved, encouraged and raised your children to love and serve the Lord they would love, honor and respect you, but instead they rush towards the proverbial “hog pens” of life – a curve ball…you thought that because you came to work early, stayed late, gave your all, followed instructions and showed kindness that you would get a raise, a promotion or at least some respect, but instead you get disrespect and threats of being let go – a curve ball!

When the child of God receives “curve balls,” it can feel like a “sucker punch” in the gut. Just this weekend, friends of ours – faithful, godly, praying people of God received a curve ball…on Friday evening, the husband experienced something akin to an aneurysm…a blood clot on the brain. Collapsed in a bathroom and was not found for two hours. Had to be rushed to emergency – had to have a shunt placed in his brain to drain off the fluid and the blood.

The good news is that he is still alive and with much prayer, faith and hope… physical therapy and good medical care, we believe, God willing, he will recover. A praying couple…a loving couple…a faithful couple, yet they have been confronted with a “curve ball.” What do you do when life throws you a curve ball?

The book of Job gives us some insights into how to face life’s curve balls.

One of the first things we learn from this passage is that we must realize things are happening in heavenly realms that are not readily apparent here on earth. In other words, there are principalities and powers at work that our eyes cannot see. Look at Satan. He appears before God along with the other heavenly beings – the “sons of God.” The Lord asks Satan where has he been and he declares that he has been walking up and down, “to and fro” throughout the earth. The New Testament declares that he is a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.

But Satan cannot touch the child of God unless he first gets permission from God. God has a hedge of protection around His children. The Lord looks upon us with favor and even with a level of fatherly pride. He asks the devil, “Have you considered my servant Job?” It’s as if God taunts the devil with the faithfulness of Job. Job has no idea about the power and glory brought to God through his faithfulness.
One might say, “it looks like Job’s faithfulness got him into trouble!!!” But the opposite is true. The devil seeks to devour every and anybody! He just tries extra hard to attack those who are faithful to God because he hates God and all who belong to God. God, however, “has” Job, sustaining Job, keeping Job and limiting the extent to which the devil could harm Job.

Yes, God allows somethings to happen…sometimes horrible things…but the Lord has a curve ball for the devil. Jesus says that whom the Father has in His hands no man can pluck him out. Nothing can separate us from God’s love. God’s grace. God’s mercy and even God’s peace.

The next extremely important lesson we learn from this text is that righteousness does not exempt us from the curve balls of life. Abel offered a sacrifice that was more acceptable than Cain, but Cain killed Abel… David was a man after God’s own heart, but he was still pursued and had his life threatened by his mentor, Saul…Daniel prayed three times a day and an excellent spirit was found in him, yet he was still falsely accused and thrown into the lions dens…Zechariah and Elizabeth were faithful and upright before God but were still barren (without children)…the man born blind had not sinned, nor had his parents sinned, but he was still born blind…Jesus was the lamb of God, sent into the world to save us from our sins, but he was still despised and rejected and ultimately crucified.

Righteousness does not exempt us…but righteousness will keep us! No matter what Job lost, no matter how much pain and anguish and disappointment Job faced, Job would not curse God. Job declared, “naked came I into the world and naked shall I return, the Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away – blessed be the name of the Lord!”

Pain and loss reveals who we truly are at the core – are you a “fair weather Christian?” When curveballs are thrown your way will you continue to stand on your most holy faith? Will you continue to declare, “Whatever my lot, thou hast taught me to say it is well with my soul?” Will you continue to bless the Lord at all times? Will His praise continually be in your mouth? Oh people of God there is coming a day, when those who have stayed the course, those who have been faithful to the end, those who have endured the curve balls of life, those who have suffered, and toiled, and struggled and served, and gave, and loved, and sought to please the living God will be counted among that great number of saints and shall be rewarded for their labors…

Revelation 7: 9-17 declares:
The Great Multitude in White Robes

9After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. 10And they cried out in a loud voice:
“Salvation belongs to our God,
who sits on the throne,
and to the Lamb.”
11All the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures. They fell down on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, 12saying:
“Amen!
Praise and glory
and wisdom and thanks and honor
and power and strength
be to our God for ever and ever.
Amen!”
13Then one of the elders asked me, “These in white robes—who are they, and where did they come from?”
14I answered, “Sir, you know.”
And he said, “These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. 15Therefore,
“they are before the throne of God
and serve him day and night in his temple;
and he who sits on the throne
will shelter them with his presence.
16‘Never again will they hunger;
never again will they thirst.
The sun will not beat down on them,’a
nor any scorching heat.
17For the Lamb at the center of the throne
will be their shepherd;
‘he will lead them to springs of living water.’b
‘And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.’c ”

Somebody might be saying, “I don’t want to have to wait until I die and stand before the throne of grace before I experience healing, experience peace, experience restoration.” Well there is some good news right here in the book of Job. This is not how the story ends. Yes Job experienced great loss of material goods, loss of his beautiful children, loss of the trust of his so-called friends, loss of the support of his wife…but God is not unjust, God is not unrighteous…God is not cruel. God in the end threw the devil a curve ball. After all of this…all of the pain, all of the loss…all of the disappointment…all of the false accusations…all of the self-doubts and fears…God threw the devil a curve ball…Job remained faithful…Job did not curse God…Job did not turn his back on God.

And because Job was faithful…because Job was steadfast…because Job was unmovable, God restored Job…

Job declared, “before my ears heard about you, but now my eyes see you!” Job thought he knew who God was but after all that he’d been through, he began to truly see who God is! After you go through some things, after you lose some things, after you have to face somethings and so called friends walk off and leave you or begin to falsely accuse you…after family begin to doubt you, after you begin to even wrestle within yourself, after all of these things, when the Lord begins to rebuild you, and you realize that you are still standing…when the Lord begins to restore you and you realize that after all of that you are still standing…when the Lord shows you all that He has carried you over, under, around and through…you will say like Job – “God I thought I knew you, I thought I saw you, I thought I’d heard about you, but now I see you for myself, now I know you for myself…now I can sho nuff testify about you because you have blessed me, you have lifted me, you have carried me, you have delivered me, you have restored me and I will bless your name!!!

God blessed Job. Listen to what God did for Job…
Job 42: 10-17

10After Job had prayed for his friends, the Lord restored his fortunes and gave him twice as much as he had before. 11All his brothers and sisters and everyone who had known him before came and ate with him in his house. They comforted and consoled him over all the trouble the Lord had brought on him, and each one gave him a piece of silvera and a gold ring.
12The Lord blessed the latter part of Job’s life more than the former part…
16After this, Job lived a hundred and forty years; he saw his children and their children to the fourth generation. 17And so Job died, an old man and full of years.
Oh saints of God, many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers them out of them all!
God is a healer, God is a deliverer, God is a restorer! Don’t allow the curve balls of life to make you let go of God’s hand – stand on your most holy faith – trust in the Lord – continue to bless His name – God will see you through!

Post a comment or send me an email at Shepastor1@hotmail.com

Until next Wednesday,
In Faith, Hope and Perseverance,
Pastor Chris
www.shepastorchris.org

Wednesday, December 2, 2015

Shepastor: "If the Lord is With Us, Why...?"

11-12 One day the angel of GOD came and sat down under the oak in Ophrah that belonged to Joash the Abiezrite, whose son Gideon was threshing wheat in the winepress, out of sight of the Midianites. The angel of GOD appeared to him and said, “GOD is with you, O mighty warrior!” 13 Gideon replied, “With me, my master? If GOD is with us, why has all this happened to us? Where are all the miracle-wonders our parents and grandparents told us about, telling us, ‘Didn’t GOD deliver us from Egypt?’ The fact is, GOD has nothing to do with us—he has turned us over to Midian.” 14 But GOD faced him directly: “Go in this strength that is yours. Save Israel from Midian. Haven’t I just sent you?” 15 Gideon said to him, “Me, my master? How and with what could I ever save Israel? Look at me. My clan’s the weakest in Manasseh and I’m the runt of the litter.”
16 GOD said to him, “I’ll be with you. Believe me, you’ll defeat Midian as one man.”
Judges 6: 11-15, The Message Translation of the Bible

The Old Testament Judge, Gideon is most notably remembered for his obedience to God to reduce his army from thousands to a mere 300 men. With that small number of warriors, God used Gideon to defeat the Midianites, Amalakites and other formidable pagan nations to restore Israel’s land and place of prominence (Judges 7).

But Gideon did not start out as a towering giant of the faith. Gideon walked amidst a people whose hearts had waxed cold against God. They rebelled and forgot all that the Lord had done to deliver them from Egypt, taken them across the Red Sea, fed them with manna in the desert, gave them the “promised land” of Canaan etc. As a result, God allowed pagan nations to overtake them, oppress them, strip them, cause them to be defeated and impoverished. After all of that, they cried out to God for mercy and deliverance.

In an answer to the people’s prayer, God chose to show up and present Himself to the young man named Gideon…a fearful, disillusioned, “nobody…” or at least that is what Gideon thought of himself! God, however, saw something different, something mighty, something greater in Gideon. Verse number 12 states,

The angel of GOD appeared to him and said, “GOD is with you, O mighty warrior!”

Gideon was so distraught that he didn’t even appeared shocked or startled! He simply responded…

13 … “With me, my master? If GOD is with us, why has all this happened to us? Where are all the miracle-wonders our parents and grandparents told us about, telling us, ‘Didn’t GOD deliver us from Egypt?’ The fact is, GOD has nothing to do with us—he has turned us over to Midian.”

Gideon had had it!!! He’d heard all about God’s miracles and wonders from the past, but right now as he faced “this present darkness,” he felt abandoned and like anything but a “mighty warrior.” Maybe he was so overwhelmed that he did not think about the behaviors of his people that placed them in their current predicament. Maybe he felt like he had nothing to do with their waywardness and was being afflicted unjustly.

Can you relate to Gideon? “If God is with us, why has all this happened to us?” As you read the newspaper, Facebook, Twitter, listen to the news, ponder the conditions of our schools, neighborhoods, communities, nation and world…If God is with us, why has all this happened to us?” Maybe your own personal plight is such a struggle that you are not looking beyond your front door… “If God is WITH ME, why has all this happened to me?”

God’s response to Gideon and to us…

14 But GOD faced him directly: “Go in this strength that is yours. Save Israel from Midian. Haven’t I just sent you?”

“But Lord, who am I? I can’t fight against…I don’t have the strength…I don’t have the means…I don’t have the wherewithal…”

15 Gideon said to him, “Me, my master? How and with what could I ever save Israel? Look at me. My clan’s the weakest in Manasseh and I’m the runt of the litter.”

16 GOD said to him, “I’ll be with you. Believe me, you’ll defeat Midian as one man.”

What is your “Midian?” What are you facing that feels impossible to beat? What enemy has stripped you of heart, health, and hope? The Lords says, “Go in this strength that is yours…I will be with you…believe me, you will defeat Midian.”

What is your strength? What is in your hand? “Nothing” is not an acceptable answer!!! God has given each of us something that is ours and ours alone – maybe it’s your voice…God has given you a word to speak life where things appear dead…maybe it’s your vision…God has shown you how things could be if you move by faith…maybe it’s your calm, prayerful demeanor…God wants to use you to provide a listening presence to help heal someone who needs to talk… maybe it’s your voice of reason in an unreasonable situation…God has given each of us something! Maybe it’s you as a resource God wants to use you to mentor or to provide a meal, or to start a block club or to develop a prayer group…By faith, if we use “this strength” and go, God will be with us and will help us to defeat “Midian.”

When we are weak, God shows Himself mighty on our behalf. Avoid comparing yourself to others and what others have. God can and will use the small things to do GREAT THINGS if we would but trust Him, obey Him and use “this strength” that we have.

May you go in your strength, believe that God is with you and know that through Him, you WILL defeat the Midians in your life!

Post a comment or send me an email at Shepastor1@hotmail.com

Until next Wednesday,
In Faith, Hope and Perseverance,
Pastor Chris
www.shepastorchris.org