Demonstrating Our Faith In His Presence: Psalm 100:4-5 “Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1-2). Biblical faith is not amorphous. We don’t believe in Santa Clause or the Tooth Fairy—they have no substance or reality to them. Faith believes in the character and the promises of a very real God. We demonstrate our faith by acting on His Word. Have you ever turned on your radio to listen to the traffic reports? We believe these reports because someone is up in a helicopter and can see much more from the air than we can from the ground. They have a different perspective than we have. We demonstrate our trust in their word by taking a different route to our destination. Doppler radar makes weather patterns visible, enabling scientists to see something that is invisible to the eye. Doppler radar provides a measure of safety, especially at airports where wind shears could make the ride pretty rough for planes about to take off or land. Occasionally, a burst of invisible wind could drive a commercial airliner to the ground like a toy. In the spiritual realm, we are limited in our perspective. We cannot see what is happening in that realm unless we believe God, who gives us the details. Fire is hot; the sky is blue; water is wet; and God tells the truth. “If some did not believe, their unbelief will not nullify the faithfulness of God, will it? ... read more

A Short Time “Therefore rejoice, O heavens, and you who dwell in them! Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea! For the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, because he knows that he has a short time.” - (Revelation 12:12) During the Korean War, Marines in the Baker Company found themselves cut off while enemy forces advanced. For several hours, no word was heard from them. Finally a faint signal came through. Straining to hear each word, the radio operator asked, “Do you read me?” “This is Baker Company,” came the reply. “What is your situation?” “The enemy is to the east of us. The enemy is to the west of us. The enemy is to the south of us and to the north of us...” The soldier then paused briefly and continued, “And we are not going to let them escape this time!” That is the attitude we should have when the devil seems to be hitting us from every side. As Bible commentator John Phillips wrote, “Satan is now like a caged lion, enraged beyond words by the limitations now placed upon his freedom. He picks himself up from the dust of the earth, shakes his fist at the sky, and glares around, choking with fury for ways to vent his hatred and spite upon humankind.” The devil does not want you to know that he is doomed. Revelation 12:12 tells us, “The devil has come down to you, having ... read more

No Regrets - Monday, May 20th 2013 Acts 27:3 "And the next day we landed at Sidon. And Julius treated Paul kindly and gave him liberty to go to his friends and receive care." NKJV Notice in the verse above, that Paul did not retreat to a quiet corner somewhere by himself to rest or 'get away from it all'. Instead, he went to his friends and they cared for him. When we are going through difficult problems, we often retreat to our house or our own room 'just to be alone for a while'. Do not get me wrong guys; it's great to find a quiet place to talk to God. You should do that every day. Nevertheless, there are times when you need to have friends who will come alongside of you, lift you up, and pray for you. The reality is... if you do not place yourself in a position where you develop relationships with others, you will never have that encouragement in times of trouble. Where do you find these friends? Chances are you see them every Sunday. They are soldiers of Christ at church serving God and others. You will find them in the media booth, parking cars, or greeting newcomers. They are sweeping, mopping floors and cleaning toilets. They are teaching and caring for the children. However, if you are not in the trenches with them, you may never know them. When you serve in church, you develop relationships with people that you never ... read more