Tag: ascension

By Pastor Andrew Farland

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were three Jewish boys who lived under the tyrannical rule a long time ago.

The ruler commanded them to bow down to a large statue of himself, but the three boys refused even though it was customary to show loyalty to the ruler in this way.

Furious with their show of disrespect, the ruler commanded his servants to stoke a fiery furnace until it burned seven times hotter than usual.

Then he sent the boys into the fire. Miraculously, they were not burned.

The book of Isaiah tells us that with faith in God, we may go into the fire but not be burned, and we can go into deep waters but not be drowned.

It was Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego’s faith that got them out of the fire safely. It was, however, that same faith that brought them to the fire in the first place.

That’s no easy thing to hear, but Christians have no promise that the challenges they will face will be easy.

God uses your faith not to punish you, but to show you its value.

He provides us with plenty of examples of faith’s value, too. God drew Ezekiel to the Valley of Dry Bones to prophesy the value of life. God drew people to the parched lands to hear and learn about prosperity. Time after time in the Bible, God shows us repeatedly that faith always overcomes fear.

If you’re a believer, God will call you to those scary and barren places.

You can expect that your faith will lead you there, but know that that same faith will also save you in your time of need.

Isaiah 43:2 (NIV)
When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.

Be encouraged today because God is with you.

By Pastor Andrew Farland

The longer you go without dealing with conflict, the harder it’s going to be to repair your relationship.

This is why Jesus instructs us in Matthew 18 to go to someone right away when that person sins against us.

15 “If your brother or sister sins, go and point out their fault, just between the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them over.

The Bible says don’t let the sun go down on your anger.

What does that mean?

It means that you must take care of anger right away; don’t let your anger fester. God wants us to address problems right away to help us to save and preserve our relationships with each other.

I know firsthand how hard that request can be.

There was a time that I had a falling out with someone. We had a miscommunication, and as a result, I didn’t say anything for three months. During that time I started to build a case against the other person. This case was based on imagination and fabrication; never was it founded on truth.

The other person was fine and thought nothing was wrong between us.

But I allowed the lie I believed to continue for three months.

The anger you don’t deal with right away festers, and the enemy works on your mind, using that venom against you. He uses your rage to poison you!

That enemy wanted me to preserve the lie I had been telling myself. He is an accuser and an instigator of lies. He will plant seeds in our minds that God doesn’t love us or we are not good enough for God.

Soon the seed he plants will grow like a weed with long and far-reaching roots, The weed blossoms quickly, and it soon blocks out everything else from your mind. You’ll begin to think the other person wronged you and deserve punishment. Maybe you begin to think you should pull your affection from them.

God tells us to go to the person and clear up the miscommunication as soon as you realize there is an offense. Communicate in person, not in a text message or What’s App post that can be easily misconstrued. You must see their body language, and they must see yours.

If you can’t be there, call them. As a last resort, text.

The truth is far better than the stories with which we try to satisfy ourselves. The sooner we address our anger, the better because it is the truth that shall set us free.

John 8:32 (NIV)
Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

Be encouraged today because God is with you.

By Pastor Andrew Farland

Clear communication is one of the most important things we can use when working with each other. Yet when we’re frustrated, discussion and understanding often fall to the wayside.

It’s super easy to become lax with our communication. We bottle things in, hold things back, and say things we shouldn’t. Sometimes we mutter under our breath.

That frustration can surface as a quick backhanded comment that rides a wave of discontent. One snappy remark can poison an ocean. If left unchecked, more waves of bitter words swell under the surface of civility, until finally, they crash upon the other person, drowning them in anger.

One of the things God showed me is that it’s important to maintain clear communication especially when we’re frustrated.

Instead of bottling up your feelings, communicate clearly with these tips:

Tell the truth by beginning with facts.

. Keep your tone even and face/gestures as neutral as possible.
. State how you feel, but understand what it’s like to be in the other person’s shoes.
. Avoid using accusatory and inflammatory words.
. Give the other person a chance to do the same; communication is as much about listening as it is about talking.

These steps can help us see how unrealistic our expectations of the other person might have been. We come to understand where we’re too hasty with our comments.

Finally, process your comments as well as those you’ve heard.

Move forward with clarity and with love.

Proverbs 15:1-2 (NIV)
A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. The tongue of the wise adorns knowledge, but the mouth of the fool gushes folly.

Be encouraged today because God is with you.

By Pastor Andrew Farland

If you’re like many other people, you like receiving gifts.

Getting a present is fun!

The anticipation of finding out what’s under the wrapping paper is just the beginning. We can’t wait to see what’s inside. There is such pleasure in knowing that someone took the time to find just the right gift.

God has picked out a special gift for us, too. In fact, He’s given us three everlasting gifts. In Ephesians Chapter 1, verses 7 and 8, we learn that:

7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace 8 that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding,

God has blessed us and made us His own. He purposefully chose us to be in Him. God picked us out before the foundations of the world existed, and He used Jesus Christ to adopt us.

Why would God do these things? He wanted to show His grace as he developed a relationship with us. And He has given us three incredible gifts:

Forgiveness
Redemption
Understanding

Forgiveness wipes away all offenses from memory and stops resentment. God says, “I know all that you’ve done, even the bad things in secret and out of bad motive, but I’m willing to let those deeds be bygones. They never happened.”

Our first gift from God, the gift of forgiveness, is really the gift of forgetting. Many of us can start the process of forgiveness, but no human can forget. We remember not just actions, but also words for a long time. We can’t take back our hurtful words. Only God can take away the sting and the hurt when we’ve been wronged.

Redemption, which is the release of bondage through a payment, is the second gift. Imagine a sheep at the bottom of a well. A shepherd comes along and pays to have the sheep released from its confinement so it can join the other sheep. This sheep has been redeemed.

We are all stuck in bondage – physical, financial, or relational ties that hold us back. We are especially bound to material things like alcohol, drugs, co-dependency, the Internet, and smartphones. They become an addiction that hamstrings us and prevents us from moving.

God gives us redemption and removes our bondage. We are redeemed through the blood of Jesus Christ.

The most important gift from God is understanding. God makes known the mystery of His will according to his purpose, which is set forth in Christ.

So often we wonder what purpose God has for us. These three gifts help us know and understand God’s will. If, however, we don’t take time to read our Bibles, we remain ignorant, and the gifts God has for us sit there, wrapped and ready, but unopened. They are waiting for us to claim them.

The gifts are yours for the asking. To receive them, you must:

Hear the good news – read and listen to the Word of God
Believe the Gospel – accept it as the truth
Receive God’s seal – allow Him to claim you for his own.

Most importantly, radically start to believe what the Bible tells you.

Remember these three gifts.

You never have to walk around with guilt and shame. You have been fully forgiven and freed from bondage. You never have to wonder what God’s plan for you is.

God’s plan is for you to grow strong in His word with these three gifts.

Ephesians 1:13 (NIV)
And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit.

Be encouraged today because God is with you.