Tag: christ

By Pastor Andrew Farland

Imagine yourself walking outside on a quiet evening, staring occasionally up at the stars and listening to the birds chirp the sundown. There’s something peaceful and cathartic about alone time in God’s creation. There’s also something very thought-provoking about it. I had an encounter that I’ll never forget when I spent some intentional time in the woods with God.

For years, I wondered about my calling. I wondered about my purpose, why God had put me on earth, and how he wanted me to serve Him while I’m here. It was when I finally silenced my mouth, mind, and my phone, that God gave me clarity.

He made it apparent to me, on that day, that my calling was rooted in the way He wired me from the moment of conception. What I was created to do has never been outside of me in some sort of career shift or educational path. Instead, it has always been inside of me trying to make its way out!

What skills do you have?
What do you enjoy doing?
What makes you the most passionate?
What makes you the most compassionate?

God showed me that our answers to these questions are deeply connected to our calling. How awesome is that?!

If you’re anything like me, you might never have thought that your calling from God was to live out the very things you like to do and are good at doing. The truth is that what you were made to do is in your heart, put there by God. Now, don’t get me wrong, discovering your calling may take time in the same way that uncovering your gifts and passions took an entire lifetime. But, God promises to be with you every step of the way, never to “leave or forsake you.”

Go and find your calling. It’s already inside of you!

Philippians 1:6
Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

Be encouraged today because God is with you.

By Pastor Andrew Farland

Ever been hunting with a couple of bird dogs?
If the first dog knows what direction to go in, the second dog will follow the first dog’s lead. It’s about trust. The second dog accepts that the first dog knows the business; he’s got the other dog’s back.

The second dog honors the first dog’s vision.
You’d think people would have each other’s backs, too, but that’s not always the case. That’s because we tend to work within the groups and cliques we already know. We don’t get behind other people the way we should, especially if they aren’t part of our close-knit circle.

We don’t honor the vision of others.

Imagine what would happen if you went outside your comfort zone and looked for people with tremendous vision, so you could give of yourself and back them with the talents you have!

Giving is the ultimate expression of love. It’s love in action.

Christians are at their best when they bless each other’s work. God is calling on you to use your resources, talent, and even words of encouragement.

It’s less about your personal glory and all about God’s purpose.

Today, be intentional about honoring another person’s vision from God. Lift up the person who is going after their goals with all their heart.

Bless their vision with your support.

1 Thessalonians 5:11
Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.

Be encouraged today because God is with you.

By Pastor Andrew Farland

It’s pretty easy to stress about things. We worry about the quality of our work, whether we left the oven on, if our paychecks will cover our bills, what the neighbors think, and more. There’s plenty worth worrying about!

Before you know it, your mind is running a complex Rube Goldberg-type operation of all your worries and what-ifs, making the simple more complex and the stress-free more anxious.

When that happens, take a moment and step back. Turn off the worry machine. Pray.

On the front of her journal, my friend Kelsey had written,
“Have I prayed about this?”

For her, that note was a reminder that if she was worried about something, she wouldn’t just talk about it and fret over it. She wouldn’t analyze it to death. She would commit it to prayer!

How often do we go through an entire day worried about something, yet we forget to take a moment to pray about what’s bothering us?

How does worrying all day affect our relationship with God and with our friends? How much unnecessary stress do we put ourselves through? What we so easily forget, is that God is eager to answer our prayers!

In fact, the Bible tells us to ask for what we need. Not only that, Jesus promises that when we ask, we receive His best.

So what are you worried about?

Have you taken the time to pray about it?

How could your day change if you remembered to pray the next time you were tempted to worry?

1 Peter 5:7
“Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.”

Be encouraged today because God is with you.

By Pastor Andrew Farland

If you think you’ll be more content if you just made more money, without already having peace and contentment in your life, you’re heading for a dead-end! So are the people trying to convince you that you just need MORE STUFF?

It’s all fake. A facade!
It’s never been about material possessions.
Money will not bring you peace, or contentment. In fact, it can nurture just the opposite.

A quick check might produce a quick burst of happiness—like Friday night fireworks at Disneyland. It’s here tonight and gone in the morning.

Do you want eternal joy? Lasting contentment? There’s only one place to find it.
It’s in your relationships.

This means:
1.You are a part of some sort of community where you can freely express yourself, share your ups and downs, and be fully accepted by others.
2.Secondly, you have a relationship with God who introduces you to an endless supply of love!

When you have more love, you have more abundance. You need fewer things. You are less consumed by STUFF.
Without God, your needs won’t be perfectly met because they aren’t perfect.

Today, turn your hurting, broken, lonely or depressed heart to the one that can fix it: Jesus Christ.

Psalm 107:9
“For He satisfies the longing soul, and the hungry soul He fills with good things.”

Be encouraged today because God is with you.