Blog

By Pastor Andrew Farland

I was recently in Pakistan.
While we were there, we had 2 bodyguards that were given the task of protecting us against anyone who would want to hurt or harm us. These bodyguards were always by our side. Sometimes they were in front of us, other times they were by our side and other times behind us. No matter what, these two armed guards made sure we were never alone in Pakistan. And this is how God’s goodness and unfailing love are with us!

In fact, the Bible says God himself gives us 2 bodyguards: “Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life”! I want you to know this today when you place your faith in Jesus Christ, He makes sure to always be with you and never leave you.

As you go through your day, you will catch glimpses of God being good to you! You will feel the loving presence of God carrying you when things get hard! Maybe today you are going through something that seems bigger than you, but I would propose that God would say to you, “Be at peace! I am bigger than your problems, and I am sending my bodyguards to protect you!”

May God’s goodness and unfailing love pursue you all the days of your life.

Deuteronomy 31:6
“The Lord your God goes with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you.”

Be encouraged today because God is with you.

By Pastor Andrew Farland

Did you ever feel like you were left out of all the fun?
Maybe you missed out on some epic parties or a few firsts because your parents or some otherwise influencer said, “NO!” when you wanted to be part of the crowd.
“But everyone else gets to do it!”

When someone told you NO or something along the lines of “if everyone was jumping off the roof, would you do it, too?” they meant well. They wanted you to be safe.

The same scenario has been going on for thousands of years. In Romans 13, Paul writes to the Christians in Rome, giving them advice on how to fulfill God’s requirements when the world is at its darkest and full of sin. Paul tells the Romans and tells us that Christ is surely coming soon. Paul knew how easy it is to follow popular culture, and what that culture deems acceptable. He describes the current condition as evil: people wear their dark deeds like dirty clothes, attend wild parties, get drunk, and they live promiscuously and immorally.

But he doesn’t stop with the account of what’s wrong with society. Paul has a solution, and it’s better than a solitary NO. Paul tells us to be the light in dark times. He encourages us to live victoriously within a broken, dark, sick world, unstained by culture. He tells us to “live decent lives for all to see,” but how do we do that?!

It’s simple, really: “Don’t participate in the darkness” [Romans 14:13]
You can’t control what everyone else is doing or what pop culture is doing, but you do have the power of self-control given to you by the Holy Spirit!

Today you might be tempted to relax your morals and give into the culture and the pressures of society, but don’t do it! Stay strong! Live with conviction! You are in charge of yourself.

Joshua 24:15
“But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.”

By Pastor Andrew Farland

When someone is going through a hard time, Amy is the one they go to! She always seems to know just the right thing to say to encourage them and make them feel better.
One day as I was traveling with Amy, someone came to her for encouragement and shared about how hard it was to trust God with a situation they were going through. They laid out all their problems before Amy saying, “I just don’t know how God is going to get me through this! It’s too hard; it’s impossible!” Right then Amy turned to the person, looking them in the eyes and saying assuredly, “Well, you’re here, aren’t you?”

When we are going through a hard time, it’s easy to forget all the good things that God has already done for us in the past. But the truth is, if you’re here, it means that God has already gotten you this far! And I promise you that if He has gotten you this far, He’s not going to leave you! The Bible tells us that God always finishes what He starts!

So today, take some time to remember all the amazing things that God has done for you. I believe as you take your eyes off of your problems and look to your loving Savior, you will find peace growing within, and it will fill your heart!

1 Samuel 7:12
“Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen. He named it Ebenezer, saying, “thus far has the Lord helped us.”

Be encouraged today because God is with you.

By Pastor Andrew Farland

How does God want us to pray?
What does the Bible tell us about how to pray effectively?
In Matthew, Chapter 6, the disciples came to Jesus asking Him to teach them to pray!
Let’s discover together how we can pray – just as Jesus instructed His disciples in 10 simple steps using the Lord’s Prayer as our framework!

Step 1
I remember how much God loves me.
“Our Father in Heaven.”

Step 2
I tell God how much I love Him.
“Hallowed be your name.”

Step 3
I offer my life to be used for God’s purposes
“Your kingdom come.”

Step 4
I give God my pain and sorrow.
“Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven”

Step 5
I trust God to meet all my needs.
“Give us this day our daily bread.”

Step 6
I admit my faults.
“Forgive us our sins.”

Step 7
I release those that have hurt me.
“As we forgive those who sin against us.”

Step 8
I ask God to guard my heart.
“Lead us not into temptation.”

Step 9
I depend on God’s power.
“Deliver us from evil.”

Step 10
I praise God for ultimate victory.
“Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever, Amen.”

Matthew 6:9-13
After this manner, therefore, pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom comes, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.

Be encouraged today because God is with you.