Gloom Despair, and Agony on Me...

Gloom Despair and Agony on Me...

As we go through life there are those times when the things that surround try to get you down, and if you let them succeed, it won't be long before you're singing this old song...

"Gloom, despair, and agony on me
Deep, dark depression, excessive misery
If it weren't for bad luck, I'd have no luck at all
Gloom, despair, and agony on me"

I'm fairly certain none of us want to get to that point, but when we let our focus drift off of Christ and we settle for looking at the things around us, we very quickly sink into the pit so well described in the lyrics of this song.  I encourage you today to look to your Heavenly Father and the promises He has given you in His Word, and then those very things that have gotten you down will become insignificant compared to how great and good and mighty our God is.  Here is my own version of that chorus to show the difference Christ makes in a life given to His leading.

Peace, prosperity, and blessings on me
Bright, golden Son light and hope for eternity
If it weren't for Jesus Christ, I'd have no hope at all 
Peace, prosperity and blessings on me


Here are a few of God's promises to ponder...

"The Lord is faithful to all of His promises." - Psalm 145:13

"Commit your way to the Lord; trust in Him and He will do this:  He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun.  Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him; do not fret..." - Psalm 37:5-7 


"And my God will meet all of your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus." - Philippians 4:19 


"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." - Jeremiah 29:11


"As for God, His ways are perfect: the Word of the Lord if flawless.  He is a shield for all who take refuge in Him." - Psalm 18:30


As you look through God's Word there are many great promises...please share with us some of your favorites.

New Study

I am so excited to get started on "Those Who Trust The Lord Shall Not Be Disappointed" by Peggy Joyce Ruth...this is an amazing story of how this simple truth changed and transformed a family.  We will start this book in September, so grab a copy of this great book and read with me!!

Be blessed!

Kayla

Love Me Anyway - Sidewalk Prophets

The Woman at the Well

The Woman at The Well - A Modern Woman's Version

John 4 (NKJV)

A Samaritan Woman Meets Her Messiah

1 Therefore, when the Lord knew that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John 2 (though Jesus Himself did not baptize, but His disciples), 3 He left Judea and departed again to Galilee. 4 But He needed to go through Samaria. 5 So He came to a city of Samaria which is called Sychar, near the plot of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. 6 Now Jacob’s well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied from His journey, sat thus by the well. It was about the sixth hour. 7 A woman of Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give Me a drink.” 8 For His disciples had gone away into the city to buy food. 9 Then the woman of Samaria said to Him, “How is it that You, being a Jew, ask a drink from me, a Samaritan woman?” For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans. 10 Jesus answered and said to her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, ‘Give Me a drink,’ you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.”

11 The woman said to Him, “Sir, You have nothing to draw with, and the well is deep. Where then do You get that living water? 12 Are You greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well, and drank from it himself, as well as his sons and his livestock?” 13 Jesus answered and said to her, “Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again, 14 but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.” 15 The woman said to Him, “Sir, give me this water, that I may not thirst, nor come here to draw.” 16 Jesus said to her, “Go, call your husband, and come here.” 17 The woman answered and said, “I have no husband.” Jesus said to her, “You have well said, ‘I have no husband,’ 18 for you have had five husbands, and the one whom you now have is not your husband; in that you spoke truly.” 19 The woman said to Him, “Sir, I perceive that You are a prophet. 20 Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, and you Jews say that in Jerusalem is the place where one ought to worship.” 21 Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe Me, the hour is coming when you will neither on this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, worship the Father. 22 You worship what you do not know; we know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews. 23 But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. 24 God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” 25 The woman said to Him, “I know that Messiah is coming” (who is called Christ). “When He comes, He will tell us all things.” 26 Jesus said to her, “I who speak to you am He.”

Are you walking with the Great Shepherd??

Are You Walking With The Great Shepherd??

We all go through hard times now and again...If you aren't in a hard time, that means that you probably just came out of one or are heading into one.  That is just the rhythm of life.
So the question we all have to answer is this:  Are we walking with the One who leads us through the valley of the shadow death?  (It is only then that we will fear no evil because His rod and staff protect and guide.) Or are we walking through that valley on our own?  (Alone and afraid with no protection or direction.)  
Psalm 23 is a beautiful picture of how God takes care of us, just as a great shepherd would take care of his sheep.  I am so thankful that no matter what the hard times are or how long they last, I can trust in my Great Shepherd to lead and guide, protect, provide, and love me unconditionally. 

Read Psalm 23 today, and then turn your mind towards how great our God is, instead of how terrible the hard times are...you'll be amazed at the way the problems shrink, when you get your mind wrapped around how amazing, awesome, powerful, wonderful, loving, gracious, forgiving, tender and mighty our God is!

Psalm 23 (Amplified)
A Psalm of David. 

"1. THE LORD is my Shepherd [to feed, guide, and shield me], I shall not lack.
2. He makes me lie down in [fresh, tender] green pastures; He leads me beside the still and restful waters.
3. He refreshes and restores my life (my self); He leads me in the paths of righteousness [uprightness and right standing with Him--not for my earning it, but] for His name's sake.
4. Yes, though I walk through the [deep, sunless] valley of the shadow of death, I will fear or dread no evil, for You are with me; Your rod [to protect] and Your staff [to guide], they comfort me.
5. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my [brimming] cup runs over.
6. Surely or only goodness, mercy, and unfailing love shall follow me all the days of my life, and through the length of my days the house of the Lord [and His presence] shall be my dwelling place."

The Last Prophet - Chapter 8: Living Today in Light of Tomorrow

The Last Prophet

Chapter 8: Living Today in Light of Tomorrow

Questions To Ponder

1. What is one of the most memorable trips you have ever taken?

The most memorable trip for me was a trip I took as a teenager, over to Slovakia on a missions trip.  I saw God move in the hearts and lives of people whose aim was to hurt the local church...a church that had a very small congregation of maybe 15 or 20 people including the children grew to standing room only with people outside straining to hear through the windows.  There was a gang who caused lots of trouble in that city, and the leader of the gang came to know Christ along with a couple other gang members...Satan fought us every step of the way, But with God all things are possible and so we had to take scripture and claim it and quote it, memorize it, pray it, and most of all believe the promises therein.  I learned a lot about spiritual warfare, and I will never forget watching God work in a situation that looked impossible.

  

2. What are the three prophetic announcements in Malachi chapter 4?

1. The Day of Judgment
2. The Day of Restoration
3. The Rapture of the Church 

3. In your opinion, what recent events point to Christ's return?

There are so many...wars and rumors of wars, false prophets and teachers, the culture of today to live for yourself, and the belief that everyone should be entitled to choose what is okay for themselves...no defined morals or absolute truths, the list goes on...earthquakes, tsunamis, famines; and just about all of the prophesies that must happen before the return of Christ for His Bride, have been fulfilled. 

4. What impact should the return of Jesus Christ have on a person's life?

Well, I'd say it should make us thankful and give us hope...if we have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, then it only brings joy to our hearts when we think about Him returning.  But for those who do not know Jesus, and have not found the hope He offers through the gift of Salvation, for them I would imagine it is scary to think about, and I would hope it might cause them to stop and think about their life and maybe realize that it is time to make things right with God.

If you are at that point in your life and you want to make things right with God please click Here for more information.