Video Bible Lesson - 3 Lessons We Learn Following God By: Jennifer Heeren

3 Lessons We Learn Following God
By: Jennifer Heeren

1/2 Hour of God’s Power with Scott Ralls

1/27/2020

01/27/2020

3 Lessons We Learn Following God

By: Jennifer Heeren

The Lord had said to Abram, “Leave your native country, your relatives, and your father’s family, and go to the land that I will show you” (Genesis 12:1).
God didn’t give Abram (later to be called Abraham) a detailed map or even show him the exact final destination. He basically said, “Abram, leave your comfort zone and go where I will show you.” However, God also added that he would bless Abram and his descendants if Abram obeyed him. Abram didn’t know where he would end up, but he knew and trusted God’s character, so he obeyed anyway. Abram’s obedience happened one step at a time. With each step, Abram heard a little more from God.
I feel that this is what God requires of me as well. In November, I lost my job. I don’t know exactly where God is taking me next but I am trusting that it will be a good place—a place of blessing. Each day since, I have been doing what I know to do within each day. I’ve been looking, applying, and networking. I’ve also been taking advantage of the time and learning some new skills. All the while remembering that God is a good God who loves to give good gifts to his children. Each day I feel like I’m a little closer to knowing where he is taking me next and this brings me peace even in the not knowing.
Like Abram, I am learning lessons as I walk through my journey. Three lessons that God is teaching me are:
1. Step Out of My Comfort Zone
God wants me to continually step out of my comfort zone and trust him with the unknowns. I have to leave room for God to guide me. If God were to come show me step-by-step his exact will for my life, it wouldn’t require faith for me to follow him. Moreover, if I know exactly where I’m going beforehand, the idea probably isn’t from God. It probably came out of my own head and ideals. God likes me to follow him in faith and trust—not in knowing. This frees me from getting stuck in my own ideas, which often can take me away from God’s will, because let’s face it, my own ideas can be very flawed as well as limited. God sees everything—past, present and future. He is not limited.
2. Take One Step at a Time
There’s also another reason God doesn’t want me to know too much too soon. If I know too quickly, I might get overwhelmed and give up because it seems too hard. I might know where I’ll end up but I won’t necessarily know how. And, this not knowing how would cause me to have all kinds of anxious and worried thoughts. Nobody can do their best work under stress. God doesn’t ask me to take a step that is five miles up the road. Each step of this step-by-step approach is made under the daylight of the present moment. Everyone can take one step at a time.
3. Action Lessens Worry
I tend to overanalyze everything and overanalyzing causes me to worry and even become paralyzed. Taking action erases a lot of these worries because the act of doing something takes on a life of its own. I concentrate on the task at hand, not the results that will come later. Worry about future results usually happens before I ever take an action to complete something. Taking actions regularly is a way of living in the moment and often deletes some of the fears of the future and regrets of the past.
God is with You as You Go
Abram was able to trust God in the not knowing because he believed that God was with him. I also have this assurance because Jesus said, “…be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

#Jesus, #Christian, #Bible, #Salvation, #Heaven, #God, #HolySpirit

There is a Season

There is a Season

Stablish, strengthen, settle you (1 Peter 5:10).

In taking Christ in any new relationship, we must first have sufficient intellectual light to satisfy our mind that we are entitled to stand in this relationship. The shadow of a question here will wreck our confidence. Then, having seen this, we must make the venture, the committal, the choice, and take the place just as definitely as the tree is planted in the soil, or the bride gives herself away at the marriage altar. It must be once for all, without reserve, without recall.

Then there is a season of establishing, settling and testing, during which we must "stay put" until the new relationship gets so fixed as to become a permanent habit. It is just the same as when the surgeon sets the broken arm. He puts it in splints to keep it from vibration. So God has His spiritual splints that He wants to put upon His children and keep them quiet and unmoved until they pass the first stage of faith. It is not always easy work for us, "but the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Jesus Christ, after that ye have suffered awhile, stablish, strengthen, settle you."
--A. B. Simpson

There is a natural law in sin and sickness; and if we just let ourselves go and sink into the trend of circumstances, we shall go down and sink under the power of the tempter. But there is another law of spiritual life and of physical life in Christ Jesus to which we can rise, and through which we can counterpoise and overcome the other law that bears us down.

But to do this requires real spiritual energy and fixed purpose and a settled posture and habit of faith. It is just the same as when we use the power in our factory. We must turn on the belt and keep it on. The power is there, but we must keep the connection; and while we do so, the higher power will work and all the machinery will be in operation.

There is a spiritual law of choosing, believing, abiding, and holding steady in our walk with God, which is essential to the working of the Holy Ghost either in our sanctification or healing.
--Days of Heaven upon Earth

Stop Robbing the Body of Christ

Stop Robbing the Body of Christ

Dr.Charles Stanley

1 Corinthians 12:14-21

Every day, you get out of bed, put on clothes, and walk to the table to eat breakfast. You greet the rest of the household and maybe read the paper. A few minutes later, you drive to work at 60 m.p.h. on a strip of asphalt where other vehicles can pass by within four feet. In the first hour or so that you’re awake, your body completes thousands of complex tasks that are so routine they go unnoticed.

Our physical frame is a creation of remarkable beauty and intricacy. And while certain parts seem more attractive than others, all are useful. The body’s interdependent nature—that is, the way every part relies on other parts to perform properly—is an apt metaphor for a Christ-centered church. When believers use their gifts and talents to operate together lovingly, the whole body functions properly to the glory of God.

However, churches today are filled with people who feel insignificant. Upon seeing the successful work of others, they decide they’re not really needed or assume they haven’t got the “right” talents to make a worthwhile contribution. Those are lies from the Devil. When his misguidance succeeds—which is all too often—he manages to get one more Christian to back away in hopes that someone else will do the Lord’s work.

Hanging back instead of seeking a place to serve is a form of thievery: you’re robbing the Lord’s church—His people—of your unique contribution. Your role might be small or go unnoticed, but it is vital to Jesus Christ and to the smooth functioning of His body on earth.

Grace in the Overwhelm

Grace in the Overwhelm
SHALA W. GRAHAM

“So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.” Hebrews 4:16 (NLT)

It seems like I am always in a season of overwhelm.

I can be overwhelmed by family issues, work, school, finances and commitments, often all at the same time.  What’s hard is that these seasons seem unavoidable, and I’m left with little choice but to plow through if I hope to receive a harvest. But I’ve discovered a way to lean into grace in the midst of overwhelm.

When I read Psalm 142, I feel like David gets me. In this psalm, David was hiding in a cave from Saul and his army. He was overwhelmed, and he cried out to God: Lord, I’m tired! I’ve got to look out for traps because people are plotting against me, and no one has my back. I look to the right hoping to see a friendly face and hear a word of encouragement, but I am alone. There is no one to care for me. After feeling all of his feelings, he ultimately proclaims the Lord is his refuge and his portion.

In seasons of overwhelm, my sinful nature becomes evident. Everything is so cloudy that I can’t see Jesus. I get impatient and snappy with family. I try to cut corners and slack on my responsibilities instead of doing what I said I would do because I feel justified by my excuses. I often walk out of step with the Holy Spirit. I am not loving, kind, gentle, self-controlled, peaceful, joyful, patient or faithful.

In times when I am broken down and tired like David, I need grace. I need to experience God’s grace, be strengthened by God’s grace, and be motivated by God’s grace. But I have to go to the throne to get the grace!

“So then, since we have a great High Priest who has entered heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we believe. This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most” (Hebrews 4:14-16, NLT).

It’s encouraging to me that Jesus can sympathize with my weaknesses. Jesus, too, is familiar with being broken down and tired. He knows how it feels to be tempted to sin, but didn’t. As a result, I have a holy High Priest who beckons me near to the throne of grace despite the foolishness of my life. Because I am forgiven in Jesus, there is grace for me! I can go to God with full confidence that He will not condemn me for all the ways I feel like I failed in the midst of my overwhelm. There is grace upon grace waiting for me to receive it. And there is grace for you, too!

When I am overwhelmed, I will choose to boast about my God:

I feel overwhelmed and tired, but God is able! 
I feel like I’m going to snap, but God rescues!
I feel like I’m out here in these streets all by myself, but God is my friend!

And suddenly, I go from being weak to being strong in the grace. I can resist the temptation to let the overwhelm of my life keep me from chasing after the heart of God.

Father, when I am in the midst of my overwhelm, help me remember that You see me and invite me into Your throne room to receive Your mercy and find Your grace to help me. Give me the courage and confidence to draw near to You, even when my instincts tell me to run and hide. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

TRUTH FOR TODAY:
2 Corinthians 12:9-10, “But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” (ESV)

A Prayer for a Heavy Heart

A Prayer for a Heavy HeartBy: Ron Moore

Psalm 22:11 - Do not be far from me, for trouble is near and there is no one to help.

Recently, a dear friend experienced the heartbreaking end to her engagement with her dream wedding to her best friend only weeks away. I’ve sat with her for hours and hours as she grieved and mourned and tried to process all the chaos and life changes that were now surrounding her, and my heart has been weighed down by the immensity of it all.

Another friend reached out with the painful news of infertility in her marriage, a family member is in the hospital after a fall broke her leg in a nasty way, parents I know are struggling with prodigal children they wish would come, and the weight of the hurt and confusion is heavy on my heart.

There is nothing I can say or do that will ease the pain or erase the ache. When I feel hopeless and helpless, I come before the Lord and surrender it all to Him. I cannot, but I know He can, and I’m grateful for the words of this prayer:

Father, my heart is heavy. I feel like I have to carry the burden alone. Words like "overwhelmed," "distraught," "exhausted" seem to describe where I am. I am not sure how to let you carry my heavy load, so please show me how. Take it from me. Let me rest and be refreshed so that my heart won't be so heavy in the morning. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Be Careful What You Think

Be Careful What You Think
By Debbie McDaniel

“Be careful what you think, because your thoughts run your life.” Proverbs 4:23 NCV

This verse from Prov. 4:23 = so true.

Our inner thoughts, our words, even what's spoken to ourselves, it really matters. For it can hold the power to run our lives and dictate our choices. All the more reason to make sure that our "thinking" is based on Truth, on what God says.

When we fill our minds, our thoughts, our hearts with the right things, the wrong things won't have any room to enter. His Word, His Truth offers a protection, a guard over our hearts and lives, for our decisions and thoughts.

It’s not easy sometimes. The world can be really great at throwing stones, insults, and discouraging words our way. We might get off track. We get distracted. We look to other sources to give us wisdom and direction. Or to make us feel better about ourselves. Many times, we start buying the lie and speaking negativity or defeat over our own lives, and those around us. We start sinking deeper. And believing it’s all true.

God knows how vulnerable we are to attack, in allowing our thoughts and words to work against us, and in causing division or strife with others. Maybe that’s why He gives this wisdom, to set a guard, a gate, over our hearts and minds, so that we don’t allow just any thought or word to enter in.

Another version says it like this, "Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it." Prov. 4:23 NIV

By Debbie McDaniel

“Be careful what you think, because your thoughts run your life.” Proverbs 4:23 NCV

This verse from Prov. 4:23 = so true.

Our inner thoughts, our words, even what's spoken to ourselves, it really matters. For it can hold the power to run our lives and dictate our choices. All the more reason to make sure that our "thinking" is based on Truth, on what God says.

When we fill our minds, our thoughts, our hearts with the right things, the wrong things won't have any room to enter. His Word, His Truth offers a protection, a guard over our hearts and lives, for our decisions and thoughts.

It’s not easy sometimes. The world can be really great at throwing stones, insults, and discouraging words our way. We might get off track. We get distracted. We look to other sources to give us wisdom and direction. Or to make us feel better about ourselves. Many times, we start buying the lie and speaking negativity or defeat over our own lives, and those around us. We start sinking deeper. And believing it’s all true.

God knows how vulnerable we are to attack, in allowing our thoughts and words to work against us, and in causing division or strife with others. Maybe that’s why He gives this wisdom, to set a guard, a gate, over our hearts and minds, so that we don’t allow just any thought or word to enter in.

Another version says it like this, "Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it." Prov. 4:23 NIV

By Debbie McDaniel

“Be careful what you think, because your thoughts run your life.” Proverbs 4:23 NCV

This verse from Prov. 4:23 = so true.

Our inner thoughts, our words, even what's spoken to ourselves, it really matters. For it can hold the power to run our lives and dictate our choices. All the more reason to make sure that our "thinking" is based on Truth, on what God says.

When we fill our minds, our thoughts, our hearts with the right things, the wrong things won't have any room to enter. His Word, His Truth offers a protection, a guard over our hearts and lives, for our decisions and thoughts.

It’s not easy sometimes. The world can be really great at throwing stones, insults, and discouraging words our way. We might get off track. We get distracted. We look to other sources to give us wisdom and direction. Or to make us feel better about ourselves. Many times, we start buying the lie and speaking negativity or defeat over our own lives, and those around us. We start sinking deeper. And believing it’s all true.

God knows how vulnerable we are to attack, in allowing our thoughts and words to work against us, and in causing division or strife with others. Maybe that’s why He gives this wisdom, to set a guard, a gate, over our hearts and minds, so that we don’t allow just any thought or word to enter in.

Another version says it like this, "Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it." Prov. 4:23 NIV

-  “Above all else” - with constant awareness and diligence, like a watchman

-  “guard” - protect, to keep safe

-  “your heart” – your innermost being, which represents the very core of your thoughts, your mind, your actions and decisions

-  “for everything you do flows from it” - it is the wellspring of life, it's that vital

It’s a choice we make every day. All day. To protect our hearts and be careful with our thinking. To make sure our affections and energies are focused on the right things. To concentrate on the desires that push us towards God and along a wise path.

All of our life, depends on it.

May God help us to walk in His wisdom and grace, so that our thoughts and words, all that we focus on, would bring honor to him and strength to our days.

Intersecting Faith & Life: What thoughts do you need God’s help to change today? Ask Him to help you guard and protect your heart from wrong thoughts, defeat, and lies. Pray for His Spirit to fill you afresh and give your wisdom to hold on to His Truth.

Further Reading:  
Proverbs 23:7
Luke 6:45
Mark 7:14-23
Colossians 4:6