Video Bible Lesson - A Prayer to Fear Less and Do More By Katy McCown

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

4/8/2020

A Prayer to Fear Less and Do More
By Katy McCown

“But blessed is the one who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in him.” - Jeremiah 17:7 NIV
Have you ever stood at the edge of a leap of faith?
I’ve been stuck on the roof many times. But with each peek over the edge I’ve learned when I shift my gaze from what I face to the One who stands beside me, I gain the confidence to try.
I may not know where God’s taking me. I may not know what happens next. I may question whether or not I’ll be safe. But as our key verse says, I can count on the One who sends me, “But blessed is the one who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in him” (Jeremiah 17:7).
If you’re standing at the edge today looking at cloudy waters below, turn your head. Your Heavenly Father is right beside you. You may not know a lot of things, but if you know Him, that changes everything.
2 Timothy 1:7, “For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.” (NIV)
Isaiah 41:10, “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” (NIV)
Lord Jesus, push me! I want to go higher with You! I want to know the fullness of life that comes only when I’m planted in Your will. Help me trust You and follow You wherever you lead, that I may experience the joy of Your salvation. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

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

The Greatest Act of Love.....Dr. Charles Stanley

The Greatest Act of Love

Dr. Charles Stanley

Romans 5:6-11

What do you think about when you see a depiction of Christ on the cross? Most of us are overwhelmed by the physical and emotional suffering that He endured—the scourging, beating, thorns, nails, mocking, and shame. We are horrified at the cruelty of the Romans and the hard hearts of the Jewish rulers.

But during the crucifixion, far more was happening than the eye could see. God was carrying out His plan to rescue mankind, providing everything we need for salvation:

1. Redemption.Jesus paid the full price of the debt we owed for transgression: death. His payment set us free from bondage to sin.

2. Forgiveness. God could now release us from the punishment we deserved.

3. Propitiation. Christ’s payment satisfied
the Father by fulfilling His demand for justice while letting Him forgive us.

4. Justification. On the basis of Jesus’ sacrifice, the Lord now declares believers not guilty. Although we will still sin in this earthly life, our standing before God is one of righteousness. This is a legal declaration that can never be reversed.

5. Reconciliation. The sin barrier that separated us from the Father was removed by Christ’s death on our behalf. We’re now God’s children—we have open access to Him and fellowship with Him.

The crucifixion was the only way to rescue lost humanity. If there had been any other way, the cross would have been a grotesque display of divine cruelty. But because so much was at stake, it can truly be called the greatest act of love by both the Father and the Son.

The Greatest Plot Twist Ever

The Greatest Plot Twist Ever
KATHY CRABTREE, COMPEL Member

“The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” ‭‭John‬ ‭10:10‬ ‭(NKJV)‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

Have you ever watched a movie or read a book and then the unexpected happens?

It’s that heart-pounding suspense when a sudden change in direction or a surprising twist is revealed that you didn’t see coming. It’s the moment you realize the good guy is really bad, or new information is revealed causing you to rethink where you thought the story was headed. A “plot twist” can completely change your perception of the story line. It has the potential to change the actual outcome of the story or movie.

I recently recognized that “plot twist” accurately describes our spiritual journey.

In Genesis Chapter 3, we find the first plot twist. It is here the serpent gives some new information to Adam and Eve. The serpent introduces the idea of self-focus, leading them to consider what would benefit them versus what God desired. This new information led to their ultimate rebellion against God in the Garden of Eden. In this moment of deception, Satan must have believed he had pulled a great plot twist by leading Eve and Adam in a different direction from what God desired and had planned for them.

The first portion of John 10:10 reads: “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy.” Satan’s ploy was to steal their innocence, kill their hope, and destroy their dedication to God, as well as their intimate relationship with Him. He is continually working to derail and destroy God’s plan for humankind.

The second portion of John 10:10 reveals an even greater plot twist than the one found in Genesis 3. Jesus speaks of Himself: “I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.”

This is the ultimate plot twist, resulting in a fabulous new ending of glorious reconciliation, redemption and eternal blessing! Jesus came to kill, destroy and decimate the plot twist introduced in the Garden of Eden by the serpent. He came to earth with a divine mission in mind: to seek and save the lost and share the truth of God’s amazing grace and love so we might be set free from this broken, selfish world.

What a glorious reality we can experience when we trust Jesus with our whole being, denying self and developing an intimate friendship with the God of the universe. Joining with Jesus allows us to overcome Satan’s initial plot twist and experience the plot twist of all plot twists, the overcoming power of Jesus’ redemptive love and sacrifice.

Easter is the celebration of this ultimate plot twist. This Easter season, I choose to focus on this stunning reality as I worship the One who came on a mission to set me free from the work of the enemy. What a beautiful storyline of redemption, sacrificial love and freedom that Easter offers! Join me in seeking to draw closer to Jesus, the one who came to bring us life — not just life, but life more abundantly.

Dear God, please allow me to encounter the overcoming power and redemptive love of Your Son, Jesus Christ. Thank You for planning the ultimate plot twist that allows me to experience an abundant life and eternal blessings through the work of Your Son. I am so very grateful! In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

TRUTH FOR TODAY:
1 Corinthians 15:57, “But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (ESV)

1 John 5:4-5, “… for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world? Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.” (NIV)

A Prayer for Unshakable Peace

A Prayer for Unshakable Peace
By Gwen Smith

“I have set the LORD always before me. Because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.”  -Psalm 16:8, NIV

No matter what you go through, you can experience unshakable peace, and declare, “I will not be shaken!” as the psalmist did in Psalm 16:8. God knows what you have been through and what you are going through. He promises peace to each believer through Jesus.

Part of our unsettled nature is that we try to cling to the things of earth – to the “American way” of living – to the here and now. When we put our trust in things of this world, we give anxiety, fear, jealously, discontentment, greed, and insecurity open access to our lives. (1 Timothy 6:17-19)

Instead of finding ways to hold on to what you have, be encouraged today to let go.

Let go of what doesn’t matter. Even let go of those things that seem worth your worry.

“So do not worry, saying, “What shall we eat?” or “What shall we drink?” or “What shall we wear?” For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” (Matthew 6:31-34, NIV)

Seek God first, friend … above and before any earthly thing, large or small. Have faith that He will meet you at your need. God wants us to store up treasures where moth and rust will not destroy.

He wants us to trust Him. When we do, He promises that we can live with an unshakable peace that passes understanding.

Dear Lord, I need your unshakable peace! Please forgive me for placing my trust and hope in things of this earth. Lead my soul to find rest in You and in Your perfect plan for my life.
 In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Why God Doesn’t Heal Every Sickness, Disease, and Illness

Why God Doesn’t Heal Every Sickness, Disease, and Illness
By Chris Russell

Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing psalms. Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. (James 5:13-15)

I am a big believer in the doctrine of healing. I have experienced God’s healing in my own life, and I have witnessed God healing myriads of people over the past couple decades I’ve been in ministry. I am greatly comforted by verses like the one in James that gives us a great hope in the power of prayer.

I do believe that God heals, but I also believe that healing is not always the only path that He chooses for us. Sometimes His perfect plan for our lives is to allow us to suffer and experience disease, illness, and hardship. The reason for this is that He can often teach us things through suffering that we would never be able to learn through a book or seminar, or through comfort and prosperity.

Paul had a problem with his eyesight that God never healed. When Timothy was sick, Paul told him to drink wine (not go to a healing service). The Lazarus who was raised from the dead eventually died later. Paul says that he had a thorn in the flesh which he prayed for God to remove over and over again, but God never removed it. Job suffered because God had a whole bigger purpose for him than mere comfort on this planet. And Job’s suffering was not the result of a lack of faith.

Some of the greatest blessings in this world come from God’s power in the midst of trials. God changes us, molds us, strengthens us, and builds us through hardship. And there is nothing like the experience of being comforted by God alone in that dark hour.

Over the past twenty-five years that I have been in ministry, I have seen people hurt greatly by the false teaching that God always wants to heal every malady. This is because that belief can cause a massive amount of guilt and disillusionment for the afflicted in those times when God actually chooses not to heal. The implication is that the suffering Christian just didn’t quite believe enough or is hiding some sort of sin. I have seen Christians destroyed in their faith over this erroneous teaching.

We must realize that sometimes it’s just not God’s plan to heal or to fix a problem quickly for us. And that’s ok. He still loves us. He still has a plan. And He still has a profound purpose for that pain that can end up blessing us beyond anything we could ever imagine.

Often God chooses to heal! But sometimes He teaches us more and draws us closer when we walk the dark mile of suffering. But to experience such blessing, it is important that we run to God and not away from Him in the midst of the storm.

Is Doubting a Sin?

Is Doubting a Sin?
by Debbie Holloway

And [Jesus] said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? (Luke 24:38)

There’s no doubt about it: faith is a gift. To be more specific, faith is a gift… and not all of us are born with this gift. Many of us have been through trials and struggles that make blind faith and unwavering belief difficult, almost impossible. Have you ever been lied to by a trusted friend? Let down by a parent? Abused by someone who was meant to care for you? Chances are, the answer is yes. Chances are, doubting God is sometimes (or often) something with which you struggle.

Many of us grow up hearing the refrain from James, “the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind” (James 1:6). Many of us are told over and over again that there is no room for doubt or skepticism in the Kingdom of God. But is that truly the message portrayed in Scripture? Should we really feel the sting of shame over asking questions and expressing hesitation?

Jesus’ response to doubt was often, why? He proposed neither a condemnation nor an accolade, but a dialogue. Jesus cared about the hearts, motives, and fears of those who questioned him, who struggled with unbelief. Practically everyone to whom Jesus ministered expressed genuine doubt or asked provoking questions. But Jesus healed them anyway. Jesus answered their questions (John 3:1). Jesus told them things about themselves, causing them to look at life in a new way (John 4:7). When extraordinary faith was shown (Luke 7:1) Jesus was astounded and overjoyed. But he certainly did not condemn all others of lesser faith. He knew that it takes time for people to overcome cultures of fear and questions.

God has big plans for us, plans to bless us richly through belief and faith. This is evidenced by what Jesus told Thomas:

"Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed" (John 20:29).

Christ doesn’t deny Thomas’ belief or turn him out on the street in penalty for his doubt. Rather, he stresses again the blessings that will be available to all men through the power of faith and belief. God has such rich things in store for us – but we cannot see them all yet. Jesus wanted to drill that into his followers since he knew he would not be with them physically for much longer.

Take heart and remember, doubting can be a step toward faith – it is not the opposite of faith. And remember also,

“Keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting anxiously for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life. And have mercy on some, who are doubting” (Jude 1:21).

Intersecting Faith and Life: Are you struggling with doubts? Is a fellow brother or sister dealing with hard questions? Remember, God calls for mercy for the doubters, not judgment.

Further reading

Psalms 31:1

THE RESURRECTION

THE RESURRECTION

Rebecca Barlow Jordan
Jesus said to her,
 "I am the resurrection and the life."
JOHN 11:25

FROM THE FATHER'S HEART
My child, you've walked away from the funerals of your loved ones with fresh memories still clinging to you like grave clothes. Tears have filled your eyes as you've said good-bye to the last dreams of your heart. Remember, for those who love Me and are My children, death is but a step into eternity with Me. It is never the end but the start of forever - what you were created for! Take heart. I am the resurrection and the life. Where I am, you will be also. Find peace in Me.

A GRATEFUL RESPONSE
Lord, death could not hold You. And because of You, the resurrection, we, too, can live. Thank You that the grave is only a journey into the presence of God. You have removed the sting of death and empowered this thing called life. Now I will live in Your presence forever.

SIMPLE TRUTH

On the other side of death is the real side of life.