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By Pastor Andrew Farland

We hear this concept many times: people can “hear” God’s voice. Sometimes that’s difficult to believe — that God can speak to us, just as another person would. But I also think that if God is big enough to the make the universe and to create us, He is surely able to find a way to communicate with us.

The truth is that very rarely does God speak audibly to people today. But the Bible also says,
“My sheep listen to my voice; I know them and they follow me.”

I want to tell you today that there are many ways to “hear” God’s voice. They aren’t all auditory, either. God can speak to you visually as you read His Word. He can give you a strong impression or feeling in your heart. He can even use someone else to share a message with you!

We get in trouble when we limit God with our own understanding.

A limitless God is able to communicate with us in limitless ways. So, if you don’t hear God’s voice audibly, you’re in good company. Ask God to speak to your heart. Read your Bible and listen for an impression.

Ask Him to show you how He communicates with you! As you do this, you will realize how often God does actually communicate with you! 🙂

Have a great day today, knowing that God is with you, and that I love you and am praying for you!

John 10:27
“My sheep listen to my voice; I know them and they follow me.”

Be encouraged today because God is with you.

[ss_social_share networks=”whatsapp” align=”left” shape=”rounded” size=”small” labels=”none” spacing=”1″ hide_on_mobile=”0″ total=”1″ all_networks=”1″]By Pastor Andrew Farland

What if I told you I had $1,440 in my pocket right now, and that I wanted to give you all of it?
In fact, what if I wanted to give you $1,440 every day for the rest of your life, what would you say?
You’d take it, right?
Well, what if I said I’d do it under one condition?
All you have to do is take $20 and spend it on me. Would you still do it? You could have all $1,440, but you had to spend $20 on me.

So say one day you buy me a sweater, and you’re thinking, “Cool! I can get used to this!” Maybe another day you are feeling generous, and you want to spend $25! Or $50! Or Once in a while, $400!
You’d do it because you were given so much more. Well, what about If God gave you everything you had?

Every day God gives us 1,440 minutes. He gives us the air we breathe, the ability to laugh, the ability to enjoy his creation – for 1,440 minutes per day. How many of those minutes do you give back to God spending time in his word?

Think about it. Doesn’t the Almighty God who made you deserve at least 20 minutes of your day? Can you give him just 20 out of the 1,440 he gives you?

Proverbs 3:9-10
“Honor the Lord with your possessions and with the first produce of your entire harvest; then your barns will be completely filled, and your vats will overflow with new wine.”

Be encouraged today because God is with you.

By Pastor Andrew Farland

“I won’t advance in stress, I will only advance in rest.”

Years ago, God showed me that in His grace, He gave to His kids what everyone else has had to work so hard for.
By our own strength, we think that we have to work harder to move forward. We insist that we must earn our progress and pull ourselves up by our bootstraps. God instructs us to trust by resting in Him and His abilities.

When the Egyptians were chasing the Israelites to the Red Sea and there was no way out, God told Moses, all you need to do is standstill.

Sure, there are times when God will ask us to do certain things and we should obey, but there are also times God asks us to stop stressing and start resting.

In God’s rest, you will move forward.

Zechariah 4:6
“So He said to me….Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the LORD Almighty.

Be encouraged today because God is with you.

By Pastor Andrew Farland

In the movie Field of Dreams, Kevin Costner hears a voice that says, “If you build it (a baseball field), he will come”. In the movie, Kevin Costner believes the person who will come is Shoeless Joe, a famous baseball player. He thinks the reward of His work will end in fame, being recognized, seeing what HE wants to come to pass.

At one point, Shoeless Joe asks Kevin’s friend to come into the field, and Kevin becomes disappointed and feels rejected. He built the field for these baseball players to come, they use his field, and they don’t even invite Kevin to play! Only his friend is invited to join them!
Knowing Kevin Costner’s frustration, Shoeless Joe says:
“Is that why you did this, why you built this field, for you?

If you dream only for yourself, your dream will end in disappointment.
Dreams are for communities of people. Dreams are selfless. Dreams are for God’s glory.

In the end, Kevin Costner realizes his focus was off. But even though he hadn’t focused on the right purpose, he was rewarded because he stepped into faith. What was the reward at the end of the movie for Kevin Costner? He got to play catch with HIS FATHER.

Living with Jesus is the same way. We have an opportunity, an open door to make a difference. To bless others with what we were given. To enter the uncertainty of the future, daring to dream beyond our limitations.
We have to come to a place where GOD ALONE IS OUR REWARD.

Our only goal at the end of this journey is to finish thankfully and to play catch with our Father. Our goal is to enter in unbroken communion with the One who gave us all we had in the first place.

Genesis 15:1
“After this, the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision: “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward.”

Be encouraged today because God is with you.