"I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye." ~ Psalm 32:8 REFERENCE: Psalm 32:8-9 I recently had to drive in a country I visited. I was a stranger there but desired to visit places of interest for sightseeing, eating, and shopping. These were places I had never been to, but I went without asking anyone on the road for directions. Why? I had internet connectivity on my phone, and a voice whose face I do not know (on Google Maps) guided me to my destinations. It told...
"There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two small fish, but what are they among so many?" ~ John 6:9 REFERENCE: John 6:1-14 Not many people have sufficient to respond to the needs that confront them. Quite often, our needs are more than our supply, and our responsibility weighs heavier than our capacity to respond to them. There are desires and aspirations we have that we lack the means to execute; this can make us feel inadequate and cheated by life, but give your not-enough to God. There are certain areas of our lives where...
"Then Jesus lifted up His eyes, and seeing a great multitude coming toward Him, He said to Philip, "Where shall we buy bread, that these may eat?" But this He said to test him, for He Himself knew what He would do." ~ John 6:5-6 REFERENCE: John 6:1-14 A seemingly impossible situation confronted Jesus: a great multitude needed food, but only five barley loaves and two fish were available. Jesus asked Philip, "Where shall we buy bread for them to eat?" not because He needed an answer, but to test Philip's faith. We often see the problems before us...
For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith.” - Romans 1:17 REFERENCE Romans 1:16-17 As a Christian, God designed you to walk and live by faith (look at the limitations of our make-up – we are not omniscient, not omnipotent and not omnipresent). He is a faith God who fashioned you in His image; therefore, you can only function optimally when you are operating by faith, not by circumstances. Faith then is our compensation for our human limitation – it can now make us do what...
For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. - I John 5:4 REFERENCE I John 5:4 In concluding this series, we will learn from the lives of some bible characters (everyday people with real life issues just like you and I) who had frustrating situations but overcame them. Firstly, in II Kings 7:3-8 we see the account of four lepers who faced a famine in their land, brought on from a siege by their enemy. The famine was so severe that their only other option was...
When He had stopped speaking, He said to Simon, “Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” – Luke 5:4 REFERENCE Luke 5:1-10 God’s instructions can sometimes ignore the facts of your situation. It doesn’t matter how long you’ve been in that situation, a Word from God can change it in an instant. Peter heard a specific instruction from Jesus to launch out, and HE ACTED based on that Word. When Jesus told Peter to launch out into the deep, it must have been hard for him to try again because this was...
Then He got into one of the boats, which was Simon’s, and asked him to put out a little from the land. And He sat down and taught the multitudes from the boat. - Luke 5:3 REFERENCE Luke 5:1-10 Today we will learn from how Peter handled and overcame the frustration of a sinking business. Upon ‘loaning’ his boat to Jesus, the next thing Peter did was to sit and listen to the Word as Jesus taught the multitudes. He was there all along because when Jesus finished teaching, He addressed Peter. When you are dealing with a...
And saw two boats standing by the lake; but the fishermen had gone from them and were washing their nets. - Luke 5:2 REFERENCE Luke 5:1-10 Yesterday we started a series on “Frustration,” which the dictionary defined as, “The feeling of being upset or annoyed as a result of being unable to change or achieve something.” Frustration occurs in everyday life because of the various events we encounter as we live. If it continues for a long time, it can become a burden. However, as believers, we are not supposed to labor under any kind of yoke or...
But as one was cutting down a tree, the iron ax head fell into the water; and he cried out and said, “Alas, master! For it was borrowed.” - II Kings 6:5 REFERENCE II Kings 6:1-7 The dictionary defines frustration as “the feeling of being upset or annoyed, especially because of inability to change or achieve something.” Life is full of frustrations. From the minor irritations of losing something to the major problem of continued failure in the pursuit of a desired goal. If not properly handled, the impact of frustration can be catastrophic. It includes anger, aggression,...
“When you pass through the waters, I will be with you…” ~ Isaiah 43:2 REFERENCE: Isaiah 43:1-5 A hiker is navigating a dense, fog-covered forest. Fear and uncertainty set in as the path becomes dangerous and the fog thickens. Just when it feels like all is lost, a reassuring voice breaks through the silence, "I'm here with you." With those words, an experienced guide who knows the terrain intimately emerges from the mist, leading the way with unwavering confidence. In these challenging times when the economy is like an unpredictable storm, the words of Isaiah bring us comfort and...