Video Bible Lesson - Standing Before God’s Open Door Dr. Charles Stanley

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

7/8/2020

Standing Before God’s Open Door

Dr. Charles Stanley

1 Corinthians 16:8-9The apostle Paul had passion and vision to reach the world with the good news about salvation. As he followed the Spirit’s leading, his determination proved effective. There’s no telling how many lives the Lord transformed through this man. And his influence is still impacting people today.Paul knew that Jesus had instructed His followers to “make disciples of all the nations,” teaching them to observe everything He had commanded (Matt. 28:19). God led and enabled the apostle to do his part in carrying out this divine mission.But think about life back then—that was a big task for a time when there was no mass communication. Paul could only teach, write, or train others to share the truth. In spite of limited means, however, he obeyed fervently and effectively.God’s command is still relevant for us today. He has given us the work of telling all nations about redemption through Christ’s blood and resurrection. Compared to Paul, we have an abundance of communication capabilities—including radio, television, Internet, and cell phones—which provide easy access into countries all over the world. We could make more disciples by better utilizing these technologies. But how tragic if we get busy and fail to obey God’s command.We stand at a critical moment in history for the church. The door of opportunity is wide open for us to share.

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

Burdensome?

Burdensome?

Streams in the Desert

They shall mount up with wings as eagles (Isaiah 40:31).

There is a fable about the way the birds got their wings at the beginning. They were first made without wings. Then God made the wings and put them down before the wingless birds and said to them, "Come, take up these burdens and bear them."

The birds had lovely plumage and sweet voices; they could sing, and their feathers gleamed in the sunshine, but they could not soar in the air. They hesitated at first when bidden to take up the burdens that lay at their feet, but soon they obeyed, and taking up the wings in their beaks, laid them on their shoulders to carry them.

For a little while the load seemed heavy and hard to bear, but presently, as they went on carrying the burdens, folding them over their hearts, the wings grew fast to their little bodies, and soon they discovered how to use them, and were lifted by them up into the air -- the weights became wings.

It is a parable. We are the wingless birds, and our duties and tasks are the pinions God has made to lift us up and carry us heavenward. We look at our burdens and heavy loads, and shrink from them; but as we lift them and bind them about our hearts, they become wings, and on them we rise and soar toward God.

There is no burden which, if we lift it cheerfully and bear it with love in our hearts, will not become a blessing to us. God means our tasks to be our helpers; to refuse to bend our shoulders to receive a load, is to decline a new opportunity for growth.
--J. R. Miller

Blessed is any weight, however overwhelming, which God has been so good as to fasten with His own hand upon our shoulders.
--F. W. Faber

Breaking Down the Faith Barrier.....

Breaking Down the Faith Barrier

Dr. Charles Stanley

Exodus 4:1-13

A faith barrier is made up of attitudes that short-circuit our trust and prevent us from obeying the Lord's will. A negative self-image can hinder us in this way, as can ignorance of God's character and promises. Three other attitudes can also trip us up: doubt, feelings of inadequacy, and fear of failure.

Moses doubted that the Israelites would believe he had been chosen by the Lord to lead them. But God graciously provided reassurance--in the form of evidence that He could accomplish everything He'd promised (Ex. 4:1-5). When doubt invades our minds, it can be overcome with diligent study of Scripture and persistent prayer, which will dislodge uncertainty and replace it with biblical truth.

Moses wasn't eloquent, and a perceived lack of skill left him feeling inadequate for the job--he was afraid trying to speak would make him stumble. God patiently reassured him of divine help in that task. The Lord often chooses unlikely people to carry out His plan because He looks at the heart, not human qualifications (1 Sam. 16:7). He can overcome all our inadequacies.

Sadly, Moses did not embrace what God promised but instead asked to be relieved of the assignment. A fear of failure can prevent us from saying yes to the Lord.

Carrying out God's will requires a heart that trusts Him, a soul that steps out in obedience, and a mind that leaves success or failure to Him. As we break down the faith barrier, we will be able to see the evidence of God's presence and power--and experience the joy of obedience.

I Don’t Know That But I Do Know This

I Don’t Know That But I Do Know This 
ALICIA BRUXVOORT

I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living.” Psalm 27:13 (NIV)

Years ago, I volunteered as a “reading assistant” in my son’s kindergarten classroom.

Armed with a pile of books and a load of patience, I sat in the hallway with little learners and practiced those skills that turn rookies into readers.

I enjoyed every student, but I had a quiet affinity for one in particular. A wiggly boy with a mop of unruly hair, he always greeted me with a hug and a contagious grin, then plunged into a careening cadence of cheerful chatter.

When he studied the sentences on the page of the open book between us, he’d scrunch his eyebrows in earnest effort. “Do you know what this says?” I’d ask as I pointed to the bold printed words that told a simple story.

He’d do his best to sound out the letters, but eventually, he’d admit his confusion.

“I don’t know what that says. But I do know how to jump on one foot! Wanna watch me?”

With a giddy grin, he’d leap out of his chair and hop around the hallway. When a new set of words stumped him, his answer was much the same.

“I don’t know what that says, but I do know how to whistle! Wanna hear me?”

Reading didn’t come easily for this precious pupil, but he refused to give up. Unlike many of the other students with whom I worked, this exuberant little boy didn’t relinquish his confidence in the middle of the struggle. He persevered when the words on the page didn’t make sense and the process of learning felt difficult.

Week after week, he showed up in the hallway with the humility to name what he didn’t know and the boldness to declare what he did.

“I don’t know that word, but I do know how to tie my shoe …”

It’s been years since I sat in that brightly colored hallway with reading rookies. But when I read King David’s words in Psalm 27, I often think of my favorite little student.

Of course, David wasn’t sitting outside of a kindergarten classroom when he penned this sacred sliver of Scripture. He was standing in a season of struggle.

The difficulties David mentions read like a laundry list of challenges — trouble from enemies, advances from adversaries and attacks from violent men (vv. 2-3, 11-12).

If I were David, I might have let the struggle that surrounded me steal the confidence that had grounded me. After all, the circumstances that David can see don’t seem to match the words God has decreed.

God had handpicked David as king and promised him an enduring legacy. Yet enemies still rivaled his rule, and discord still taunted his peace.

That’s where faith gets hard, doesn’t it? Right in the middle of the struggle. That’s where our hope can be sabotaged by what we don’t yet know, and our conviction shaken by what we can’t yet understand.

The middle of the struggle is where I’m most prone to quit. It’s where I’m tempted to give up on God’s promises and question His faithfulness. Maybe you are, too.

But David chose differently.

The declarations that flank Psalm 27 don’t sound like the rants of a discouraged king. Or the cries of a quitter. They sound more like the shouts of a confident kindergartener.

“The LORD is my light and my salvation — so why should I be afraid? The LORD is my fortress, protecting me from danger, so why should I tremble?” (Psalm 27:1, NLT)

David might be confused by the hardship he’s facing. But he refuses to let what he doesn’t know steal the surety of what he does: “I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living” (v. 13).

I want to trust God with that kind of confidence, don’t you?

Friend, next time we find ourselves in the middle of a struggle, let’s follow the example of a victorious king and a vivacious little boy (who eventually became an ardent reader).

Let’s keep showing up and looking up, unashamedly admitting what we don’t yet know and boldly proclaiming what we do.

I don’t know that, but I do know this! 

Dear Jesus, I don’t know what You’re doing through my struggle, but I do know that You love me, and You are with me. Help me place my confidence in Your Word and in Your faithfulness. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

TRUTH FOR TODAY:
Romans 15:4, “For whatever was previously written was written for our instruction, so that through perseverance and encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.” (MEV)

Are You Bearing Fruit?.....🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻

Are You Bearing Fruit?
by Ryan Duncan

"No one lights a lamp and hides it in a jar or puts it under a bed. Instead, he puts it on a stand, so that those who come in can see the light.” – Luke 8:16

One of the traditions my family had while I was growing up was that every fall we would go apple picking at a place called Edwards Orchard. It was a great place. There were barn animals for kids to feed, a maze that my siblings and I would always cheat to win, and a small kitchen that made the best apple doughnuts on this continent. Once we had exhausted ourselves on all the activities and eaten enough doughnuts to last us for days, our parents would load us up on the orchard's wagons, and we would go into the trees to pick apples.

Afterwards, we'd enjoy a long stretch of apple-related meals at home, and I was particularly fond of my mother’s upside-down apple pie. Then one year, as we clambered out of our van like usual, we were met by an employee who informed us the orchard had closed that season. I don’t remember exactly why -- I think a storm had damaged most of the trees -- but the absence of our usual Macintosh apples was pretty noticeable the following week. This was the memory that jumped to my mind a few days ago, as I was reading the book of Luke. Take a look at the following verses,

And he told this parable: "A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it and found none. And he said to the vinedresser, 'Look, for three years now I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and I find none. Cut it down. Why should it use up the ground?' And he answered him, 'Sir, let it alone this year also, until I dig around it and put on manure. Then if it should bear fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down.'" –Luke 13:6-9

The simple truth is that there is not much use in a fruit tree that doesn’t grow fruit, just like there isn’t much use in a Christian that isn’t living out Christ’s teachings. God made us, the Church, to be people of growth and action. It is his desire that we constantly seek to mature in our faith, and the way we do that is by getting involved in the world around us. It doesn’t have to be anything big. Become a greeter at your Church, make a small donation, or bring a meal to the couple that just had a baby. All that matters is if your heart is providing a harvest for God because you never know what he’ll do with the spiritual fruit you create.

Intersecting Faith and Life: Find your own way to serve Christ’s Kingdom, no matter how small.

Further Reading
Luke 14

What Does it Mean to Be Fearfully and Wonderfully Made?.....🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻

What Does it Mean to Be Fearfully and Wonderfully Made?
By: Jennifer Heeren

The human body is a unique design of multiple systems that all work intricately together. The cardiovascular system gives you energy to move. The muscular system gives you the ability to move, lift, and hold things. The digestive system processes food into energy and discards waste. The immune system keeps you healthy. The hormonal system determines your gender. The eyes cause you to see. The nose lets you smell. The tongue and mouth let you eat and taste. The ears enable you to hear. And your skin enables you to feel textures. You were also blessed with a brain so you can think, process, and create.

God created you on purpose with love.

You were made with a hole in the center of your soul that only one thing fits. Until you find that very specific something, you will never be fulfilled. And that very specific something is God Himself. You were designed with an intense need of your Creator, God. Without a relationship with Him, you will always be searching for something to fill that void.

Drugs, alcohol, food, money, sex, material goods, occupations, hobbies, travel, success, fame—these are some of the ways in which we try to fill that empty space inside. But none of those things will ever fill it. They are like round pegs in square holes. The vacant areas at the edges will still leave you desiring more of something else. Whatever you attempt to put in there will dissipate because it never completely fills the space. Those things were never meant to fill the space; they never can.

Sadly, many continue to shove mismatched pegs into that hole. A little of this, a little of that… hoping that one day they will feel complete. They surmise that this thing over here didn’t work but maybe this other thing will do it. They just haven’t found the right thing yet but one day they hope they will.

People want to look to everyone and everything else before they turn to God.

Fortunately, God made a way for us to repent and turn to Him by sending His very own Son to make the way.

When you do finally realize that without God you are unable to make the most of yourself, that’s when things begin to change. The clay cannot mold itself no matter how hard it tries. However, God, the Potter, can not only mold His clay but He also knows what His original design of you was. He is both a Potter and an Architect with a Master Plan.

Do I always feel like I am fearfully and wonderfully made? No. Sin and pride always want to drag me back into my own way of thinking. The same thinking that kept me reaching for those mismatched pegs. Those thoughts tell me that I can do whatever I want, by myself, without God. They lie and they don’t even make sense. They say I can do anything but then turn around and say that I’m not good enough to do what I want to do. Feelings can’t be trusted unless they line up with the Word of God. And the Word of God tells me that I’m fearfully and wonderfully made for a specific purpose. Therefore, with God’s help, I will walk in that purpose as often as I can.

Whether I always feel it or not, I can trust God and His plans for my very life.

“For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.” (Ephesians 2:10)

A Prayer for When You Need Help

A Prayer for When You Need HelpBy Tiffany Thibault

I was pushed hard, so that I was falling, but the Lord helped me. - Psalm 118:13

There are so many situations that cross our paths, that intrude into our lives, which so quickly throw us off balance.  When those difficult, unexpected things happen, we feel as though we are falling. Relationship issues, job loss, illness. No person is exempt from difficult times. 

Sometimes we can be strong enough to keep on moving through the situation, keeping our chin up, hoping that tomorrow will be a better day. 

Then there are other times when we walk through seasons of struggles that causes us to drop to our knees as we emotionally stumble, crawl or drag ourselves through, hanging on it seems for dear life. 

Seasons of hard circumstances and difficult relationships leave us exhausted emotionally and mentally discouraged. Seasons of job future outlooks and unknowns leave us worried and deprive us of our sleep. Seasons of grieving the loss of a child, spouse or parent leave our souls raw and empty. 

There are times when too many struggles and difficult moments leave us gasping for breath, leaving us feeling as though the very ground has collapsed beneath us and we are falling, falling into a pit and cannot see the end of the fall.

Have faith though! Just as David, the author of this verse wrote: I was pushed hard, so that I was falling. He had many difficult situations in his life that he had to walk through, but he kept his eyes on the Lord through them all. His faith allowed him to not only endure but to grow tremendous faith through them all.

For us, it is while we are walking through the hardest moments of our lives, that usually find us pouring our fears and pain out to the Lord for His help. We can beg Him for mercy in this situation. We can plead with Him for some relief as we journey through. Even when we are falling, we can allow peace to flood our souls. Through it all, we can fully rely on His strength and grow our faith as we journey faithfully through our difficulties. 

This verse encourages us to remember that the Lord is there to help us. There is no situation or circumstance that He cannot help us through. 

As we continue through our lives, we can live a life of faith. We can walk boldly through each new circumstance, because we can trust God to be there. We can trust God to help us. As we remember how He helped us in the past, we can step forward in faith, in confidence, knowing that He will also see us through each new difficulty that enters into our life. We can boldly declare in faith, over all our circumstances and say: “The Lord helped me.” 

Dear Lord, 

Thank you for your faithfulness to me in the past as you helped me through difficult times. Thank you that there is no situation or circumstance that is too difficult for you. Lord, you promise here in your word, that you will help me. I need your help desperately right now. This situation is too much for me. I am overwhelmed and feel like I am falling. There is no one else who can help get me through this except you. Thank you Lord that you are near, that you hold my past, present and future in your hands.   I walk in faith, thanking you Lord, that you will get me through this.

In Jesus Name, Amen.