25 Woods Lake Road, Building 8, Greenville, SC
At some point in life, every believer will go through seasons when they feel bruised and beaten down by trials. During those times, discouragement can cause our spiritual fire to dwindle and almost burn out. How wonderful to know that Christ has promised He will never break a bruised reed or snuff out a smoldering wick! He comes to the weakest of us with mercy and grace, gently lifts us up, and lovingly restores us to himself again.
We spend our entire lives trying to keep death at a distance, but still, death is coming for all of us. And death isn’t even the worst news, because after death comes the judgment! So what hope do we have in the face of such frightening events? When Jesus died on the cross and rose to life again, He conquered sin and death, and everyone who trusts in Him will be forgiven of their sins and given eternal life. They will then be able to face death and judgment without fear! Have you trusted in Christ to save you?
Matthew begins his gospel by listing the genealogy of Jesus, and he includes people in that list who did some very evil things. Why would Matthew want to highlight the dirt instead of sweeping it under the rug? Because he wanted us to know that the forgiveness Christ came to bring is available to everyone, regardless of their past. Have you ever brought your past to Jesus, or are you still carrying it all by yourself?
We use the word “good” to describe all kinds of things from food, to events, even the weather. It has become such an overused and common word that when the Bible describes God as being good, it doesn’t really impact us. Yet if we stop to truly consider all the ways God’s goodness has transformed our lives, we will be overwhelmed with thankfulness for who He is and for all He has done for us!
When you’re faithfully living for God but still facing hardships, it can be disheartening to see evil people prospering all around you, seemingly untouched by adversity. In those moments, it’s easy to feel forgotten by God. But take heart—God has not abandoned you. Even when it seems like evil is winning, remember that God is always at work behind the scenes. One day, He will bring justice and make all things right. Hold on to that hope, knowing that your faithfulness will not go unrewarded.
It is amazing to see how a skilled artist can take broken pieces of glass and carefully assemble them into a stained glass window to create a beautiful work of art. This reminds us how we were once broken and shattered by sin, but Jesus restored us into something beautiful by His grace, and now our lives can reflect His glory!
It is human nature to strike back when someone hurts us, but Christ calls us as His followers to respond with love and blessing instead. This kind of love startles people; it pierces them and affects them deeply because it allows them to experience a first-hand encounter with Christ. But responding this way not only blesses others, it also brings promised blessings to us! Is your life showing this kind of love?
Why did God save us and then leave us here? Is it just to sit through boring church services every Sunday; give part of our hard-earned paycheck away; obey a long list of religious rules, and be forced to serve in the children’s ministry? Well, if that’s your view of the Christian life, we’ve got good news for you! God has a much more noble purpose for your life than that, and you’ll discover it in today’s message.
Look at the news headlines any day of the week and you’ll see a world filled with terrorism, war, hatred, violence and fear. Yet sometimes the worst kind of turmoil and unrest can be found in our own lives! We say we’re saved, but we have no peace in our heart. Isaiah promised that Christ would be our Prince of Peace. Do you truly have His peace today?
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!
As we face the struggles and uncertainties of life that often come our way, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed, alone and afraid. In those times, we can find great encouragement by remembering the things that are already true of us in Christ. If you are facing difficult times, let these truths from God’s Word be the encouragement you need to find renewed hope and strength for the future.
