Tag: god’s love

By Pastor Andrew Farland

In a race, horses wear blinders to keep them from looking behind or to the sides. If they were able to look around, they would get distracted and veer off course. I don’t know about you, but it’s not just horses that can be easily distracted.

Near the end of His life, before He was arrested, Jesus asked His closest friends to stay awake and keep watch while He went by Himself to pray. The Bible tells us in Matthew 23:40 that when Jesus came back, He found His friends asleep. “Couldn’t you men keep watch with me for one hour?!” Jesus asked. So, don’t feel guilty for losing focus. Jesus’ very own disciples forgot their blinders.

The truth is that God wants you to get better at this. He wants you to put distractions in their proper place. In other words, He wants you to keep the main thing the main thing. When you find yourself getting distracted today at work, home, or wherever you are, try out these three steps for staying focused on God:

1. Pause and pray. This should always be your first response to the good, bad, confusing, and distracting.
2. Minimize what you don’t have to immediately do. Just like you do on the computer, minimize the window of whatever can wait to be completed.
3. Memorize Isaiah 26:3 that says, “God will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast because they trust in Him.”

May God give you the strength and wisdom to keep Him front and center in your mind and soul.

Colossians 3:1-2
Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.

Be encouraged today because God is with you.

By Pastor Andrew Farland

If we’re honest with ourselves, we try to rule the world. We fail to delegate, we say “yes” to way too many things, and suddenly we find ourselves emotionally, physically, and spiritually drained before the day or week is over.

Have you ever been that person? Hear this: God is less concerned with what you accomplish and a lot more concerned with who you become. You may think that you need to show your worth by doing more. But, God wants you to find joy by living in a way consistent with your specific talents, gifts, and interests. This is your wiring. Your calling.

What are you naturally good at? What are you passionate about? What is it that brings you energy? Your answers to these questions are the key to avoiding burnout.

This is why. When you say “no” to the types of activities that drain you, and “yes” to projects and experiences that resonate with your God-given talents, gifts, and abilities, you will discover joy deep down in your soul.

It will be a process and you will still have to do some obligatory work every now and then. But, you’ll be energized and avoid burnout. What can you stay “no” to this week? What do you need to say “yes” to?

Matthew 11:28-30
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

Be encouraged today because God is with you.

By Pastor Andrew Farland

Paul, the man who wrote a large portion of the New Testament, was the greatest missionary of all time. He planted dozens of churches and helped countless people find Jesus. The Bible contains a letter that Paul wrote to Timothy, a young Christian he mentored along the way. The amazing thing about this letter? Paul was in prison, for preaching the Gospel when he wrote it!

“For this reason,” he says, “even though I suffer as I do, I am not ashamed; for I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him.” (2 Timothy 1:12)
Wow. Absolute trust in God from the middle of a jail cell.

How was Paul overflowing with faith while he was bound in chains? He believed that Jesus had defeated the power of death. He had nothing to fear!

God is always for you and wants you to have the best life possible. But, He also knows that life will not always be easy and that you’re going to face obstacles. As Christians, God gives us the strength we need to overcome anything that the evil one might throw our way.

If you are losing hope or you are having trouble finding it in the first place, hear this truth: if you have freedom and strength on the inside, you can face any challenges on the outside.

Romans 8:11
The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you.

Be encouraged today because God is with you.

By Pastor Andrew Farland

On a scale of 1 to 10, how busy are you on a daily basis? If you answered “11,” then you’re just like most people in the world who never stop moving.

There’s no wonder such a high percentage of us struggles with stress and anxiety at work and at home. The problem is that, in the middle of it all, we don’t know where to find peace.

Culture, and the self-help section of our local bookstore, would tell us that peace can be found within ourselves. Society says that if we just follow a few simple rules, settle our minds long enough to listen, we will find the answer inside. Unfortunately, self-help is no help at all! God’s help is what can bring you peace in the midst of the whirlwind of life. Philippians 4:6 gives us a simple roadmap for finding God’s peace:

Pray through everything, the good and the bad.
Spend time thanking God for what you have.

The Bible says that if you are willing to talk to God and spend time thanking Him for the good in your life, “the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:7) The solution to our problem is to look outside of ourselves, not inside, to discover the peace that God wants all of His children to experience. Begin following these simple steps today and start fighting against the stress!

Colossians 3:15
Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.

Be encouraged today because God is with you.