Our words

by Jessica Finney

Psalms 19:14 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart Be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer.

Have you ever been around a person, that you know they are lying because their mouth is moving? Then there are those who lie to protect themselves so you never know whats real and what isn't. It doesn't just effect the non-Christians. I know several people who are suppose to be Christians that I don't feel like I can trust at all. How are we suppose to shine God's light, if people don't trust us?

This week, month, and year lets focus on what we say and think about so it will be pleasing to the Lord.

Dear heavenly Father, thank you for being my strength and my Redeemer. Help me to always be able to discern the truth and to keep my words clean of lies and my focus be always on you so people see You in me. In Jesus name, amen.

Positive Attitudes

by Jessica Finney

I don't know how many of you know Jason and Jollee Reichart.  They are always up beat and anytime you are around them, you can't help see their excitement about their ministry. They are starting a college ministry and they are already starting Bible studies at Lakeland College   It makes you excited for them and helps you to stay upbeat about what God has in store for you.

Now on the other hand, there are those people that are always negative.  They are always dragging you down and you avoid them as much as possible.  There are probably times (like me) that we are the ones that people avoid.  Is that the way we want to be? No, but the cares of this world can get in our way and it is easy to become negative.  

Philipians 1:3-6  I thank my God upon every remembrance of you always in every prayer of mine making request for you all with joy for you fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.

We should shine God's light all around us and let everyone see the good work that God is working in us.  Let us as we go through this week be the ones that people are drawn to and not the ones that are avoided.  For if we are avoided then how are others to come to know the Lord?

Thank you, Lord for giving me people in my life that are upbeat and so excited about their ministry. Please help me be the one that people gravitate to and not avoid.  Help me to remember people are sometimes watching me to see how I react to this world and help me to show them You in my actions.  In Jesus, name, Amen.

Stepping out in faith

by Jessica Finney

Has God ever had you step out in faith before He would tell you what He wanted you to do?  I believe that sometimes He is testing us to see if we really mean it when we sing Where ever you lead I'll go. Have you ever thought about that some of the songs we sing in church?  I have decided to follow Jesus, Though none go with me I still will follow.  We sing those kind of songs every Sunday but do we really mean it?  God wants us to worship with our whole heart and truly mean the words we sing or say.

We have felt for awhile now that God has a different path for us but we were waiting for Him to tell us what direction, He wanted us to go.  We kept praying for God to show us and He showed us that He wanted us to leave our current position at church and follow Him.  Is it scary to not know where He is guiding us? You bet it is but we have to take that first step of faith so He knows we are willing to go where ever He wants us to go.  

Hebrews 11: 6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a re warder of those who diligently seek Him.

Sometimes when God tells us to do something we can grumble and say we aren't equipped for that.  I must be crazy to think He would be calling me to do that.  But you know what?  Moses stuttered when he talked and God used Him greatly.  He doesn't call the equipped but He equips the called.  He wants us to show people His glory and show that anything is possible.  It isn't about us and it is all about Him.

So the next time that you feel God is calling you to do something, please remember that sometimes He is just waiting for you to step out in faith. What are you waiting for?

Dear Heavenly Father, please guide us and direct us in the path that you want us to go.  We thank you for always being there for us.  I know the blessing that you have for us for stepping out in faith will be  worth it.  Where ever you lead we will go, Lord.  We completely surrender our lives to you. In Jesus, precious name I pray, Amen

Life can be short, share Jesus!

by: Jessica Finney

I hope you don't mind but this one will be a little different.  I want to remind everyone how things can change in just a moment.  We found that out last Monday evening.

As some of you know my parents got into a wreck last Monday evening on their way to Willis Chapel Revival.  They were heading on new 40 getting ready to turn left on snake trail road.  As they turned they were hit by a vehicle that didn't have her lights on and was trying to pass.  For those of you that don't know that road it is on a little bit of a hill and is a no passing zone.  They didn't even know there was another vehicle around until they got hit.  It pushed them so hard that it pushed them towards some trees several feet away from the road.  My mom hit her head and was woozy.  She was trying to brake but the van wouldn't stop.  Thankfully my dad was able to grab the wheel and turn it before it hit the trees and shut the vehicle off.  After a few seconds or minutes, just long enough for the other driver to get her airbag out of her face she drives off.  A guy saw her drive off and checked on my mom and dad first then went after her to get a license plate number.  Thankfully, she was caught farther down the road.  My mom has whip lash, bruises, and received a bump on the head and my dad's neck is a little sore but praise the Lord that it wasn't any worse then it was.

When something like this happens, it really comes to light how short life could really be and we need to appreciate what we have and we need to do all we can to bring others to Christ before it is to late for them.

My parents and I have already forgiven the lady and pray for her salvation.  Though I am sure at least with me, I will need to keep praying for God to take away any anger that even tries to start.

I am going to try to find ways to bring alcohol awareness to more people because this is a good reason why it isn't good to drive.  She was 4 times over the legal limit.  So PLEASE don't drink and drive!

Dear heavenly father, I can't thank you enough for allowing my parents to live.  I realize that just a few more inches, Lord, and it would have been a lot worse then it was.  I praise you for showing your glory and protecting them.  I also pray that you be with the one that hit them that she may come to know you and that others may realize how short life really is and come to know you.  Let this be an eye opener that we need to let more people know about you!  In Jesus name, Amen

Depression's Ugly Face

By: Jessica Finney

I am sure all of us have either went through depression or know someone who has.  A deep depression is when the world keeps getting darker and you don't see anyway out.  You can't even see a glimpse of the light at the end of the tunnel.

A lot of the time, you can see how it hurts the ones that love you but you feel helpless to know what to do and it just makes it worse.

The devil uses this as his playground, when we go through it because he doesn't want us to ever get the joy back that God wants to give us.  I think it is a taste of what hell will be like. Have you ever thought about that? If heaven is full of joy, happiness, and praising God. Then I feel like hell isn't just the lake of fire (although that will be bad) but also all the negative emotions we face down here but multiplied.

Of course one of the things you think about as you are going through depression is suicide.  Some feel that is the only way out and they feel they aren't strong enough to deal with it anymore.  When I went through it the devil kept telling me my family would be better off.  Sure they would grieve but eventually they wouldn't see me like that anymore and be able to go on with their lives. Thank God that He had a hold of me and I never even attempted it.

Even when we think we have made it through it sometimes it isn't completely lifted until years later, when all of a sudden we feel a huge weight lift off of our shoulders that we had carried so long that we didn't even know we were carrying it.  This happened to me when I was singing Above All and I felt the Holy Spirit cover me and let me feel an overpowering feeling of how much God really loved me that He thought of me above everything else.

Now sometimes when things are just not going right in my life, it is easy to see depression's ugly face coming again but this is when it is so important to pray to God for Him to take it away from you and tell the devil that he isn't taking your joy away from you again.  That no matter what I am going through that God wants me to have the joy that only He can give.

Psalms 30:5 For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for life, weeping may endure for a night but JOY comes in the morning.

Dear heavenly father, thank you for getting me out of the deep depression that I was in and reminding me that all I really need is you. Thank you for the ones that stood by my side and I pray that you give the ones that are going through it now strength.  I also pray that you will help us bring more people to you so that they don't have to go through the lake of fire.  Please give everyone that is reading this a touch of your hand that we may all feel your love and share your joy.  It is in Jesus, name. Amen.