25 Woods Lake Road, Building 8, Greenville, SC
Humans are forgetful by nature. We forget where we put our car keys, we forget birthdays, appointments, people’s names… but far too often we also forget God’s blessings to us. We either complain about what we don’t have or we become complacent with what we do have. The Bible instructs us to always remember God’s blessings and goodness to us, and to give Him thanks, regardless of our circumstances. How often do you remember?
How many blessings have you been given? Our first reaction to that question might be to think, “Compared to whom?” But regardless of our circumstances, we are the recipients of more blessings than we could possibly imagine. God’s goodness to us never ends. He continuously blesses us with countless physical and spiritual blessings in every area of our lives. If we would just open our eyes, we would see that we truly are blessed beyond belief!
It is far too easy for us as Christians to be so occupied with Christian activities and to surround ourselves with other Christians that we actually forget about the lost people all around us. But if we are living like Christ, we will not only be a friend of sinners like He was, but we will have a broken heart for the lost like He did. What is it that breaks our heart? Is it ever broken for the lost?
We all know about the Apostle Paul and the astounding ways God used his life, but do we know the man who stood up for Paul when no one else wanted him, and who actually put Paul in a position to be used by God? The truth is, God’s work is not sustained and enriched by the prominent people in the spotlight, but by the mostly unknown men and women serving faithfully behind the scenes. Are we willing to be that person?
“Don’t worry, I know where I’m going!” Have you ever said that to anyone in the car, and then you ended up getting lost? It’s one thing to be on the wrong road while driving, but it’s a far more serious thing to be on the wrong road in life. How do we find direction for daily decisions? Is there anything more reliable to go on than just our feelings or how things look, and if so, how do we discover it?
What is the greatest resource the church has? Is it gifted preachers? Entertaining programs? Abundant finances? Best-selling books? No, it is none of those things. When the early church was facing threats from the powerful Jewish leaders and the mighty Roman empire, they used the only resource they had — prayer, and that one resource alone was more powerful than every tool the church uses today!
Have you ever wondered why people use the name of Jesus as a curse word 2,000 years after He lived and died? Why do they never curse using anyone else’s name? It’s because all the powers of darkness are trying to stamp out the very name of Jesus! In fact, they are trying to rid the world of Him completely. In a time when the voices of evil are growing louder and stronger, we need to stand boldly for Jesus!
Ask people to describe their church and see how many different answers you get. “We have a beautiful building… we have awesome programs… it’s a lot of fun!” But when we look at the very first thing the Bible says about the church, we see a totally different description. They were people who were devoted to the right things. So the question is, are we also devoted to the right things?
We close this series by hearing testimonies from people in our church family who have encountered Jesus in various struggles and trials. It is encouraging to see how Jesus is still touching lives and setting people free!
Jesus told the most religious people in Jerusalem that even though they diligently studied the Scriptures, they still did not have the very life of which the Scriptures spoke. How is that possible? It’s possible because we can read the Bible, go to church and do all kinds of religious things, yet still completely miss Jesus! You may be religious, but have you ever come to Jesus to find the life, forgiveness and hope that only He provides?
Two criminals were crucified beside Jesus; one on His right and one on His left. One of them cursed Jesus and was plunged into hell, but the other one cried out for mercy and was given eternal life in heaven. All of mankind is pictured in those two criminals. We will all die on one side of Jesus or the other; either rejecting Him or receiving Him. Which one are you? Are you ready to face eternity?
Have you ever felt disappointed with Jesus? Have there been times when you cried out to Him for help, but He didn’t show up the way you prayed and hoped He would? We must learn that His delays always have a purpose, and in those times when we cannot see the power of Jesus, we must continue to trust in the person of Jesus. Although He may delay, He always knows what He is doing and He knows what is best!
