25 Woods Lake Road, Building 8, Greenville, SC
If you’ve ever been caught in a blinding rain storm while driving, the first thing you want to do is find shelter. Mountain climbers trapped by blizzards stand very little chance of surviving in sub-zero temperatures unless they can locate a place of safety and warmth. But where do you go when the storms of life overtake you? Do you have a place of refuge you can run to where you will always find strength and hope?
As a follower of Christ, there will be times in your life when evil forces will be plotting against you, but you will be completely unaware of it. Even now, Satan could be quietly planning attacks on you. But you do not need to be afraid, because the great news is that God is fully aware of Satan’s schemes, and He is already working behind the scenes to protect you and defeat the enemy. The plans of God cannot be destroyed by the evil one, and neither can you!
Fear takes a devastating toll on our lives. It paralyzes us from following God and keeps us trapped in the wilderness of doubt. Fear arises when we magnify the problems and minimize God’s promises; but faith grows when we minimize the problems by magnifying God’s promises. Which one are you doing today?
Hard times and trials are inevitable, but how can we know for sure that our commitment to follow Christ will continue to stand firm through those hard times? What is it that we can count on to hold us steady when the storms begin to blow? The Bible gives us the answer in three simple words. Every believer should make these words the foundation of their life and faith. Without them, we will surely fall.
What a month this has been! The entire world has turned its attention to the outbreak of the Coronavirus, panic is widespread, cities look like ghost towns, and national economies are facing collapse. Times like these reveal what people have been trusting in for their sense of security and hope. Good health, a steady job and financial stability can all be gone in the blink of an eye, so make sure you are depending on the one thing that will never let you down.
So, there you are, faithfully following God, when all of a sudden you find yourself right in the middle of another trial! Have you ever wondered why God leads you into so many tests of faith? Today we find the Israelites trapped between an approaching Egyptian army on one side and the Red Sea on the other. Why did God lead them there? Does He not care about them at all? Even though there was an easier route, God brought them to this crisis in order to show His power. Could it be that the situation you are wishing would disappear right now is the very thing God wants to use to show His power and strengthen your faith?
Are there situations in your life right now that have brought you so much pain or fear or discouragement that you are beginning to doubt God’s love and faithfulness? Do your prayers sometimes feel like they are falling on deaf ears? No matter how long you may have to wait for an answer, you can be absolutely certain of this: God’s providence is at work behind the scenes, orchestrating all things for His ultimate glory, and you can trust Him through it all.
It sometimes seems easier to trust God with the big issues in life than it does to trust Him with our daily needs. When trials and fears build up, they often loom so large that they blind us from seeing the truth of God’s promises. In those moments, our faith crumbles and we rush to find immediate solutions rather than resting in God’s timing. Are there any areas right now where you are allowing fear to hide your faith and overshadow God’s truth?
Anxiety and fear are relentless. These are two of the enemy’s most popular weapons that he uses against us. Unchecked fear can keep you in bed for hours past what is healthy or wise. Anxiety can keep us up at night and also show us a fiery anger in unkind speech and hurtful attitudes. Today’s message touches on how we as believers in Christ are not to worry. We are to to remember that if God takes care of the ravens of the air, as well as the lilies in the field, how much more than those are we to Him that He will take care of us.
Does the birth of Jesus actually make any difference in our lives today, right here and now in our present circumstances? Yes, it does! When Jesus came into the world, He was “God with us”, and because God is with us, every moment of our lives is radically different. Because of His abiding presence, we can face the confusing, troubling situations of life without fear, knowing that He will never leave us or forsake us.
The stress of our daily lives and the uncertainties of the world in which we live can leave us filled with fear and despair, and even the best counselors will admit they don’t have all the answers. But Jesus, whose birth we celebrate at Christmas, was called the Wonderful Counselor. He not only cares about all our troubles, but He knows exactly what to do about them because He is the very embodiment of wisdom and knowledge. Have you talked with this Wonderful Counselor lately?
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!
