Saturday, May 30, 2015

Be Humble

by: Jessica Finney

1 Peter 5:5-7 Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another and be clothed with humility, for "God resists the proud, But gives grace tot the humble." Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time. casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.

I think we have had all been to a church where there is one or two that want to control everything.  Maybe you are one that has trouble wanting to control everything and everybody around you. There are people who will try to manipulate you and everything else just to get their way.  You expect it from the world but you don't always expect it from people that call themselves Christians. But you know what, we are all human and there will be problems among each other as long as Satan is in the world.  There are some that don't even realize how controlling they are and there are some that know exactly what they are doing.

I know anytime I have tried to take control of my life it didn't go well. We need to stay humble and realize God will take care of us. When we put ourselves in the controlling position then we are taking God out of it.  We are saying God; we can take care of it. You know what happens when we do? We are destined for a fall.  God knows best for our lives. When we try to control other people, we just make people not want to be around us and we are hindering God from doing powerful things in our churches.  When non-Christians see us mad or aggravated at one another, it prevents them to come to Christ so then we become a stumbling block.  I have also seen new Christian's get hurt in a church and never want to step foot in church again.  That isn't the right thing to do but I sure can understand it. 

This week lets take a long look at ourselves and see if we are the controlling ones.  Lets humble ourselves and see how God wants us to handle the ones that are trying to control us.

Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you for taking care of us.  We pray that you show us your way and help us to be humble and let you lead.  Help us to be mindful of those around us and not be controlling over them so we can work together for Your good.  Help us to know how to handle the ones that are controlling around us so people can see You in us. We want to bring others to You and not be a hindrance to the world. In Jesus, precious name, Amen

Saturday, May 23, 2015

Ripe for Harvest

by: Jessica Finney

John 4:28-29 The woman then left her waterpot, went her way in the city, and said to the men, Come, see a Man who told me all things that I ever did. Could this be the Christ?

I have read this verses several times but you know how God will show you sometimes different things each time.

What I have heard she went to the well at a different time then everyone else, probably because she was living with someone that wasn't her husband. (Believe it or not, there was a time that not everything went in society, people had morals.) But when she came to believe in Jesus she didn't hesitate.

She went and told the people in the city. She didn't worry about her past and what people might think. She couldn't hold on to the exciting news that she just found in Jesus. What would have happened if she would have kept it to herself?

John 4:42 Then they said to the woman, "Now we believe not because of what you said, for we ourselves have heard Him and we know that this is indeed the Christ, the Savior of the world."

She wouldn't have brought others to the saving knowledge of our Lord, Jesus Christ.  Why don't we share the good news, more often?  We may not have had several husbands or maybe we haven't lived with someone before we were married to them but we have all sinned. We all have a story about how Jesus turned our life around so why don't we share it?  This week lets try to shine Jesus to those around us and not hold it back.

Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you for saving me.  Help me to remember what you have  done for me and help me to learn how to share Your love with others that they may come to know You. Give us the words to speak and the courage to speak up when we need to. In Jesus name, Amen

Saturday, May 9, 2015

A Growing Church

by: Jessica Finney

Acts 2:46-47 "So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart. praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.

As I sit and write this blog, I couldn't help but think about the part in these verses that says one accord.  Do you see how much could happen if we all went in one accord. We could be helping the kingdom bringing others to Christ. Too often people in the church are too busy arguing about what color they should paint a classroom, which makes them forget what church is really about.  With us arguing and bickering of the stupidest things, this makes people wonder why they even want to go to church.  This is the devils playground because it gets us off the focus of bringing others to Christ. Too often people get so caught up in their denomination, that they can't work together with other churches because they don't believe the same way. Don't get me wrong, you don't want to stray from the Bible but some of the different denominations beliefs are similar, as long as they believe in God you have to ask Jesus into your heart and to know that we have all sinned and come short of the glory of God, and know that Jesus died for those sins, then what does it matter.  I don't believe until we get to heaven we will know on some of the things who was right and who was wrong but all I need to know is that I am a born again believer going to heaven. It is time that we unite together to bring this country back to Him.

Life can get in the way and take away our gladness but if we keep our focus on God, then we can be glad in him.  God isn't wanting a big dramatic account from us, He wants us to have the simplicity to see His works. I never thought I would see the day that I would like to watch the birds. Everyone that knows me knows that I never have cared for them and what seems like they don't care for me. People at work keep their windows down, the couple times I did it a bird flew in and pooped in my car so you can see why I haven't been fond of them.  But this year, we have a nest of Cardinals and House Finches in our little trees. I have been fascinated with just sitting, watching and listening to them.  If we just stop and smell the roses it can really help put our life in prospective and see what God wants us to do. In everything I do, I need to keep remembering to praise God no matter what.

 I need others to see Christ in me or how else will they come to know Him? Too often people in churches are just wanting their way all of the time and you have those few that are backstabbers. I am sure we have all been hurt by people in the church. It is time we try to unite together to bring others to Christ, instead of trying to figure out how we can run the church. It is time God runs the church. As I say church, I am not talking about a building, I am talking about His people.

Dear Heavenly Father, please help us to unite as Christians to bring more people to you. Help us to forget our differences and be united. Help us to forgive the ones that have back-stabbed us.  Get us back to more simple life that we can focus more on You. Help us to remember to praise You no matter what is going on in our lives. Thank you so much for all You do for us. In Jesus name, Amen