finding help in the storm blog post

Finding Help In The Storm

finding help in the storm blog post
But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves: for the wind was contrary. And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea. And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear. But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid. Matthew 14:24-27
 
In this passage we find the disciples of Jesus in trouble on a journey that Jesus sent them on. Many lessons for those serving Christ can be learned from this passage. This scripture has been of help to untold millions of people on their journey. For the Christian in a storm that is reading this, take comfort in knowing that help is on the way!

On the journey that Jesus sends us, expect opposition. Evil spirits are involved in the mischief of destructive storms. The history of Job shows what power Satan has over the elements when he is permitted to use it. Paul showed us in Ephesians 2:2 that satanic forces are involved in the movement of the air. Knowing these facts, there is little doubt that satan sought the destruction of the disciples that night on the sea.

As we follow the path Jesus has laid out for us, we can be assured that satan will try to hinder that direction. The greater the call, the greater the opposition. Therefore, don’t think that you are somehow different when the storms of life are raging around you. Many a great servant of Jesus has been through trials and tribulations since Calvary.

But take comfort that Jesus will arrive on the scene. He come in the middle of the storm to the disciples and spoke out “BE NOT AFRAID, IT IS I” !

Jesus is closer than you now to bring help in the storms of life. Evil forces may hinder, but One greater is coming to your help!

Pastor F L Wilson
info@grenadchurch.com 
 


Roadblocks

 
Are you at a point in your life that you feel like throwing in the towel? Do you feel like you are stuck and cannot move forward? Don’t feel alone. Roadblocks happen to every child of God at some point in their journey. The great Apostle Paul encountered delays in his efforts to bring the Gospel to the Gentiles.
 
Wherefore we would have come unto you, even I Paul, once and again; but Satan hindered us.” – 1 Thessalonians 2:18
 
Look at the word hindered. This is an old Greek word ( EGKOPTO ) originally used to describe a depreciated road that was impassable. Paul used this word to describe the efforts of satan to stop him from traveling to the churches in Thessalonica. The devil was putting up roadblocks to halt the great Apostle because of the great calling Paul had from God.

What if Paul allowed those roadblocks to stop him? What if Paul would have just his calling to bring the Gospel to the Gentiles? Thank God he didn’t!!! Paul understood that evil forces were hindering him. He knew that satan was trying to put up roadblocks to stop the calling of God.

The lesson for us is this: the next time you want to quit in your walk with God, rest assured that you are by no means the first Christian to have these feelings. In fact, the greater the call upon your life, the greater the opposition will be from satan.

Paul’s faith in the promises of God kept him going. Despite what satan tries to do, God will always have the last word. His will for your life will come to pass if you will not quit. The Power of the Holy Spirit will give you the strength to finish your course in life if you just don’t stop.

Your journey may seem like an impassable road with roadblocks are every turn. Just remember the old adage “IF YOU WON’T QUIT, GOD WON’T QUIT!”


BIble answers pic

Does the Bible Really have answers?

BIble answers pic
 
I have heard most of my adult life that the Bible contains all the answers to life’s problems. Although that is true, most Christians fall short of telling the whole idea behind that statement. 

Simple Answers

Books in the Bible such as Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Lamentations and Matthew teach us how to live. But we should not expect simple and easy answers to problems of life. The people in the stories of the Bible had hard struggles. They tried desperately to hold onto their faith in God but yet failing in many cases. They often acted out without knowing if their actions were right or wrong. As we join this “great cloud of witnesses” (Heb 12:1) we can learn from their mistakes and victories.
 
The “champions” of faith had one thing in common. They understood that the proper sacrifice pleased God.  Although the men and women of God that preceded Jesus Christ did not fully understand what was going to happen for the human race at the Cross, they still comprehended that the shedding of innocent blood through the proper sacrifice coupled with their faith was what brought them into right relationship with God. We have been blessed with the teachings of Paul, who brought the Glorious Message of the Cross to the Jewish and gentile world. The same simple faith in Christ and Him Crucified that saved us also sanctifies us (Col 2:6) to live for God as we are empowered by the Holy Spirit.
 
We should accept the trials of life with the courage and faith like the Great Patriarchs demonstrated in the worst and best times of their life. The victory and answers of life will be before us as we run this race and finish the course to eternal life with Jesus.
 


Dangerous Christian Talk

Dangerous Christian Talk Part 1 – God Accepts Me The Way I Am

Dangerous Christian Talk
Several years ago I read an article by Colleen Reece from Auburn, Washington. She brought out in this article five dangerous statements that Christians are making, and I might add, Christians are still making these same statements in 2016. Her article caused my heart to weep and my soul to be challenged by the Holy Spirit.
 
God showed me how this dangerous talk comes into the Christian world as if they came straight from the Bible. In this five part series, I will break down and examine each statement in depth.
 

The first Dangerous Statement: “God accepts me the way I am”


There is no doubt that God loves each and every human being that has ever lived. God loves you as He loves every single person, but He cannot use anything of the old person that your were. When we enter into the Kingdom of God by accepting Jesus Christ as our savior, our old ways must die off. God brings forth a new creation in Christ. If God accepted you the way you are and never wanted you to change after a salvation experience, He would not have sent His Son to save the world from it’s sins.
 
Ministers and Christians alike sling this catch phrase around like it came straight out of the Bible “God loves you just the way you are.” Sounds good! But the problem is they tend to use it when they want to justify something wrong. Alcohol, drugs, gambling, fornification (couples having sex outside marriage), homosexuality, lesbianism, gluttony, gossiping, and the list goes on. A Christian is not perfect but a change has happened by the Power of God to where they will never feel comfortable with sin. It is called CONVICTION!
 

Acceptance of people


It seems the modern day church is more concerned about a body count and will accept any sin that comes through the front door. Noticed I used the words accept sin. I welcome any homosexual, drug addict, alcoholic or whatever that comes through that church door. I love the person. But I don’t accept their sin.
 
I believe God can heal them! It may not happen instantly but over the course of time the power of the Holy Ghost can change them forever! The church is to love the sinner and welcome them in, because we all have been there at one time. We are all sinners and fall short of the Glory of God. But we cannot pat someone on the back and tell them that a sinful lifestyle or condition is ok.
 
Jesus said come as you are, but you ain’t going to leave the way you came in if you have a true encounter with the Holy One. When you truly know Jesus as your personal savior, the old person you were starts dying off and a new creation in Jesus starts to come about.


Born Again


Jesus said you must be born again. John 3:3 “Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. “. Jesus was talking about a spiritual birth that comes about by faith in Him. The words “cannot see the Kingdom of God” means that without this spiritual birth, you cannot understand or even begin to comprehend the Kingdom of God.
 
God loves everyone but there must be a change upon salvation. A life change to forsake sin and lead a life of holiness empowered by the Holy Spirit based upon our Faith in Christ and Him Crucified.
 


red running track

The Running Helping God

red running track
 
Are you in trouble today? Are your problems getting the best of you? Worries creating anxiety? Stress causing health issues? People in life causing you problems?
 

We have a running and helping God that runs to our side when we are in trouble. If we know Jesus Christ as our personal savior, the Lord stands ready to help us through all of the trials and tribulations of life.

Hebrews 13:6 “So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.”
 
The word helper is the greek word boethos (bo-ay-thos’).  The word comes from two words, the first part ‘boe’ means a cry for help and the second part  ‘theo’ means to run. Boethos is one who comes running when we cry out for help.
 
The word perfectly describes our Lord who is on standby, waiting and listening, ready to rush to our aid when we are oppressed. When we shout for help, God comes running to our aid!!!!
 
This will never change and God will always be there for us. Other people may try to harm us but we have a Heavenly Helper who will protect and help us.
 
Hebrews 13:8 Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and forever.
 
Be encouraged , the answer you are looking for is in the Cross!
 
 


give hands

What is Tithing?

give hands
 
Tithes and offerings is probably one of the most debated subjects in the Christian world. But it is the one time in the Bible that we can prove God or question Him as we give to the Work of the Lord.
 
We are commanded to bring 10% of all that we have back to the storehouse of God. The storehouse is where you are fed the true Gospel of Jesus Christ and Him Crucified. The storehouse is where the work of God goes forth, sending back into the world.
 
The tithe goes into the work of spreading the Gospel by supporting the materials and ministers needed to do the work.
 
Based upon scripture, what is tithing?
 

Mathematically

The tithe is a tenth. “. . . and of all that thou shalt give me I will surely give the tenth unto Thee” (Gen. 28:11).
 

Scripturally

The tithe is a command “Thou shalt truly tithe all the increase” (Deut. 14:22).
 

Morally

The tithe is a debt. “. . . Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings” (Mal. 3:8).
 

Economically

The tithe is an investment. “But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven” (Matt. 6:20). “Give, and it shall be given unto you” (Luke 6:38).
 

Spiritually

The tithe is a blessing. “I will open the windows of heaven and pour you out a blessing that there shall not be room enough to receive it” (Mal. 3:10).
 
To understand and receive all the blessings of God, we have to tithe and offer back to the work of God
 
In closing, know that the tithe is a starting point. After we tithe we should prayerfully seek God about what we should offer.
 
 


One Nation Under God

Biblical Truths for the USA

One Nation Under God
 
Without God and the Bible as our foundation and guidance, there is little hope for the United States. We are in need of a spiritual awakening like never before in the history of this country. The USA is morally bankrupt and on the verge of a collapse economically and spiritually. 
 

Out of Time

We are out of time. We must turn back to God and His Word before it is too late. There are some basic bible truths citizens should learn and quickly.

  1.  Wherever God’s law is supreme, life and property are safe. Wherever the Bible is despised or discarded, neither life nor property is secure.
  2. When worldly friends were discussing theories around the dining table one day, Voltaire said: “Hush, gentlemen, till the servants are gone. If they believed as we do, none of our lives would be safe.” The influence of the Bible in restraining sin and promoting righteousness is one of the evidences that it is a supernatural and divine revelation.
  3. A nation without God’s guidance is a nation without order. Happy are those who keep God’s law!
  4. In Romans 1, the apostle Paul gives the four step decline in the history of the nation that forgets God:
    1. A nation rejects God
    2. turns to false religion
    3. it becomes bogged down in immorality and violence
    4. and then God judges it.
 
Consequently, a nation without God is a nation in serious trouble. Let us turn back to the God Word and Truths while there is still time.


trust in God when it doesn't make sense

Trust

trust in God when it doesn't make sense

 

Trust Brings Blessings

Having trust in the Lord does not come easy sometimes. We must have trust in the Lord to receive the blessings He has for us. Some examples of trusting God in the Bible: 
 
  • Hezekiah trusted in the Lord so much that the Bible tells us there was no other king before or after (2nd Kings 18:5 “He trusted in the LORD God of Israel; so that after him was none like him among all the kings of Judah, nor any that were before him.”).
  • David thanked God for the blessing of Salvation despite the failures David had (Psalms 13:5 “But I have trusted in thy mercy; my heart shall rejoice in thy salvation.”)
  • Despite the circumstances, Job trusted the Lord in the midst of great trials (Job 13:15 ” Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him”) 
 
Trust in God today with every care with every problem that is in your path. Let your trust in Him rise to a new level. Trust in the LORD with all your heart. Don’t trust in your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your paths.