In life, we often face tough situations that push us to our limits. Whether it's financial struggles, health issues, or relationship problems, these challenges can leave us feeling overwhelmed and uncertain about the future. However, as Christians, we have a powerful source of strength and hope: our faith in God.
When we trust in God's promises, we can find comfort and courage even in the midst of adversity. Knowing that God is with us and will carry us through whatever comes our way can give us the strength to face any challenge with confidence. In the Bible, we find numerous examples of people who relied on God during difficult times and found the strength to persevere. One such example is found in Isaiah 41:10, where God says, "Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." This verse reminds us that God is always by our side, ready to strengthen and support us in our time of need. Another powerful verse that speaks to God's faithfulness in tough times is found in Psalm 46:1-3: "God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore, we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging." This passage reassures us that no matter how chaotic or uncertain our circumstances may seem, God is our constant refuge and source of strength. As Christians, we can take comfort in the knowledge that we are never alone in our struggles. God promises to walk beside us, carrying us through every trial and tribulation we face. So when life throws challenges our way, instead of giving in to fear or despair, let us hold fast to our faith and trust that God will always be there to guide us and sustain us. With His help, we can overcome any obstacle and emerge stronger on the other side. Let us remember the words of Jesus in John 16:33, "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world, you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." As followers of Christ, we can take comfort in knowing that no matter what struggles we may encounter, we have victory through Him who has overcome the world. So let us lift our heads high, knowing that God is with us every step of the way. With His strength and guidance, we can face whatever challenges come our way, confident that He will carry us through to victory.
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In a world filled with endless distractions and superficial pursuits, finding one's true purpose can be a daunting task. People often search for meaning and fulfillment in their careers, relationships, and material possessions, only to find themselves feeling empty and unfulfilled. However, there is a profound source of purpose that transcends these temporary fixations—a purpose found in Christ. In this blog, we will explore the journey of discovering your true purpose in Christ, unleashing your divine potential, and living a life of fulfillment and significance.
Surrendering to God's Plan: Finding your true purpose in Christ begins with surrendering your life to God's plan. The first step is acknowledging that there is a higher power who created you with a unique purpose in mind. As you surrender your desires, ambitions, and plans to God, you open yourself up to the divine guidance and direction that He provides. Trusting in His infinite wisdom and sovereignty allows you to align your life with His purpose, which is far greater than anything you could imagine. Seeking God's Will: Discovering your purpose in Christ involves seeking God's will for your life. This requires spending time in prayer, reading the Scriptures, and seeking His guidance. The more you cultivate a personal relationship with God, the clearer His voice becomes. Through prayerful reflection and seeking His wisdom, you will discern the gifts, talents, and passions He has placed within you. By aligning your pursuits with God's will, you will find fulfillment and purpose in serving His kingdom. Embracing Your Unique Design: God has created each individual with a unique set of gifts, talents, and passions. Embracing your unique design is crucial to understanding your purpose in Christ. Take time to reflect on your strengths, interests, and the things that bring you joy. Consider how you can use these abilities to bring glory to God and serve others. Whether it's through art, music, writing, leadership, or caregiving, your talents can be powerful tools for spreading God's love and making a positive impact on the world. Serving Others: True purpose in Christ is inseparable from the act of serving others. Jesus Himself set an example of selfless service throughout His ministry, and He calls us to do the same. When we serve others with love, compassion, and humility, we not only impact their lives but also discover a deep sense of fulfillment and purpose within ourselves. By using our God-given gifts to bless and uplift others, we become instruments of His grace and agents of transformation in the world. Overcoming Obstacles and Growing in Faith: The pursuit of purpose is not without its challenges. Along the journey, you may encounter obstacles, setbacks, and moments of doubt. However, it is in these moments that your faith is tested and strengthened. Remember that God works all things together for good, even the trials and difficulties you face. Trusting in His faithfulness and relying on His strength will empower you to overcome obstacles, grow in faith, and move closer to your true purpose in Christ. Finding your true purpose in Christ is a lifelong journey that requires surrender, seeking, embracing, and serving. It is a process of aligning your desires with God's will, discovering your unique design, and using your gifts to make a difference in the lives of others. As you embark on this journey, remember that your purpose is not defined by worldly standards but by your relationship with Christ. Through Him, you can unleash your divine potential and live a life of fulfillment, joy, and eternal significance. Embrace this journey, trust in His guidance, and allow Him to shape and mold you into the person He created you to be. The Bible is considered to be the foundation of our Christian faith. It is divided into two main parts: the Old Testament, which comprises the books of the Hebrew Bible, and the New Testament, which contains the teachings and life of Jesus Christ. Within these two parts, there are many chapters that are considered to be essential to understanding the Christian faith. Here are the chapters that I feel are essential reading and quite possibly the most important in the entire Bible. Genesis 1 – The Creation AccountGenesis 1 is the first chapter in the Bible and it tells of how God created the heavens and earth. As you read this chapter you are introduced to the historical record of an Almighty Creator. The very words “In the beginning” sets the stage of how God created something from nothing and as you read on you begin to understand that there is One who is in control and who set all things in motion Listen or watch our podcast on this chapter: Luke 1 & 2: Jesus Christ Is Born In Luke 1, we learn about the birth of John the Baptist and the events leading up to the birth of Jesus. In chapter 2, Luke summarizes Jesus' birth and the arrival of shepherds directed by angels. These two chapters describe the pregnancy of Mary and the circumstances surrounding the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ, here on earth. Listen or watch our podcast on these chapters: John 1: Who Is Jesus And Why Was He Here As a new Christian, this might be the best book to start at when you want to read the Bible. It is written by the Apostle John and it speaks of the person of Jesus and how you can know Him. The very first chapter begins with the exact same words as Genesis 1 “In the beginning”. We are told that Jesus (the Word) was present in the beginning just as was the “Spirit” that moved upon the face of the waters. We see here that Jesus is God and left his throne in heaven to live as a man on earth. Listen or watch our podcast on this chapter: Exodus 20 – The Ten CommandmentsI think this is the second most popular chapter in the Bible. Exodus 20 tells of how Moses stood before the Lord on the mountain and received the 10 most important commands from God. He then took it to the people that he was leading to the Promised Land. In this episode, we will discuss each and how they still impact our lives today. Listen or watch our podcast on this chapter: Genesis 2-3: The Reason Why Life Is HardGenesis 2 concludes the description of God's week of creation and then zooms in on the creation of man, his work, his perfect environment, and the creation of woman as his helper and wife. It is our last glimpse of the world before it is ravaged by human sin and death. Genesis 3 tells us about how sin entered the world. It also shows you how sin enters your life. Adam and Eve chose to do what they knew was wrong. They chose themselves over God, and by doing that, they damaged themselves. Listen or watch our podcast on these chapters: Romans 3: Judgment, Justice and FaithPaul's message in Romans 3 is that no one (Jew or Gentile) lives a perfect life, all are sinners, and no one will be justified or declared righteous simply by observing the law. Instead, under the new covenant, Christ died to pay the penalty for our sins, and those who put their faith and trust in Him will be declared righteous. Listen or watch our podcast on this chapter: Isaiah 53: The Atonement Of Jesus Chris Isaiah 53 is a prophetic commentary on how Jesus engineers His own death on the cross to pay the death penalty due for our sins. No where in all the Old Testament is it so plainly and fully prophesied, that Christ ought to suffer and then to enter into his glory, as in this chapter. Listen or watch our podcast on this chapter: Hebrews 11: Examples Of Faith And Obedienc We all love reading inspirational stories. Hebrews 11 is a chapter that summarizes many great stories from the past. Some stories are given with great detail while others are briefly mentioned. It is a wonderful Bible study to go back into the previous books of the Bible to read about the different people mentioned in Hebrews 11. Listen or watch our podcast on this chapter: Matthew 5 – 7: The Sermon On The MountIn Matthew 5, Jesus began His Sermon on the Mount by teaching the Beatitudes. He declared that the law of Moses was fulfilled and taught the righteous way of life that leads to becoming perfect like Heavenly Father. There are three major biblical themes in Matthew chapter 6, which are the kingdom of God, God's providential care and spiritual acts/acts of righteousness. The three are seen throughout the chapter and other times in the teaching of Jesus, especially kingdom of God, which is a common theme throughout the Gospels. Matthew 7 continues and concludes Jesus' Sermon on the Mount. Here, Jesus promises radical attentiveness, from God, to the prayers of His children. Every one of God's children who asks will receive. Those who seek from God will find. To those who knock, God will open the door. This applies to concepts like prayer, from a believer Listen or watch our podcast on these chapters: Daniel 6: No One Can Match The Power Of GodDaniel 6, discusses the famous Bible story of Daniel and the lions’ den. It is more than a simple account of God’s deliverance. It also shows that no one is a match for the one true God. Listen or watch our podcast on this chapter: Romans 8: The Greatest Chapter Of The BibleRomans 8 is one of the most powerful and popular chapters in all the Bible. In it, Paul describes with great detail what it means to live as Christian, both now and for eternity. The chapter begins, as well, with one of the most comforting statements in all the Bible. Listen or watch our podcast on this chapter:
The importance of keeping Jesus in your decisions cannot be overstated. Making decisions can be difficult and stressful, especially when it comes to important matters like relationships, finances, and career choices. However, when we keep Jesus at the center of our decision-making process, we can trust that He will guide us towards the path that is best for us.
One of the main benefits of keeping Jesus in your decisions is that it allows you to align your will with His. When we seek God's will for our lives, we can trust that His plans for us are good and that He will work everything out for our ultimate benefit. By staying close to Jesus and listening to His voice, we can be sure that we are making decisions that are in line with His will. Another advantage of keeping Jesus in your decisions is that it gives you a sense of peace and assurance, knowing that no matter what the outcome of a particular decision may be, God is in control. When we put our trust in Him, we can release our worries and fears about the future, and instead, focus on living each day to the fullest, knowing that He will take care of us. Additionally, keeping Jesus in your decisions also allows us to practice humility. By recognizing that we are not in control, and that our understanding is limited and we are fallible, it reminds us to seek His guidance in all things. It allows us to rely on Him as the ultimate guide and authority, and it reminds us that we are not the ultimate decision makers in our lives. In conclusion, keeping Jesus in your decisions is crucial for living a fulfilling, peaceful, and authentic life. When we align our will with His, we can trust that He will guide us towards the path that is best for us and that we can find a sense of peace and assurance knowing that He is always in control. Making decision with Jesus in mind helps us to understand that we are not the ultimate decision makers but He is the ultimate authority, we just follow His will. 2020 well was, you know kinda terrible. 2021 came and left in a flash with no improvement. 2022 (2020 too) seems to be off to a rough start, of course. How are we supposed to stay positive in times like these?
Well, the short answer is Jesus. The long answer is also Jesus. Time and time again, the Bible instructs us to not be of this world. What does it mean by that you may ask? Well, the answer is more complicated that you might think. Yes, of course, it means to not get too wrapped up in sin and the pleasures of this world. But it also means we need to change our perspective of this world and our lives in it. Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride in possessions—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever. - 1 John 2:15-17 What we need to do is focus on the big and I mean BIG picture. If you think about the totality of your life, I truly hope you aren’t focusing solely on your time on Earth. This is just a blink of an eye, a brief moment in time in the eternity of your life. If you can somehow wrap your head around eternity, that will help you understand that this pandemic is temporary and your life is so much grander and longer than what you we are dealing with right now. I truly believe that one day I will look back on these days as just a fleeting memory of time. A “remember that one time when we had to live through the turmoil of our worldly lives and we thought it was sooo important” kind of thing. I plan to one day sit at the feet of Jesus praising Him for getting me through this tough time of my live and understanding that there was a purpose. A purpose to this stress, a purpose to this pain and purpose to this pandemic. But we already know the purpose don’t we? At least we can come up with some theories if we try hard enough. This is a time to get closer to Christ. This is a time to trust Him with our lives. This is a time to reflect back on our worldly lives thus far and change our perspectives moving forward. This is a time to focus on eternity and not this temporary life on this floating rock. So, whatever you are dealing with today.... COVID, work, school, family problems, stress, anxiety etc., keep this perspective in mind. When you focus on eternity and your part in it, these things will seem more manageable. I remember reading a book in college called "Don't Sweat The Small Stuff". Well my friend, compared to eternity, all of these things are the "small stuff". That is why I am not afraid of what’s going on. Because I know there is a bigger story at play and I trust the author with the ending. |