Tag: slave to sin

By Pastor Andrew Farland

Sometimes the thing you are begging God for isn’t what’s best for you, and God will purposefully deprive you of those things that are harmful to you in the long term – no matter how badly you want them now.

I remember when I was dating this young gal, and I begged and pleaded with God, “Please God, I’ll do anything to be with her! This is what I want! Please let it be your will that I marry her! Give me the green light!”

But God didn’t grant me what I so wanted . . . and looking back on it, I’m glad now that He didn’t!

You see, over time, I saw that same girl walk farther away from God. And at the time, it felt like God was intentionally withholding good from me, but what I didn’t know was that down the line, there would have been some real problems had I married her and gotten things my way!

Today, maybe you feel like God has turned His back on you or shut His ears to your requests. Know that God’s will is good and perfect! He doesn’t withhold good from his children; we sometimes can’t see what’s good – or what isn’t!

Just like a father who cares deeply for his child, I bet it’s hard for Him to see us want something so badly that isn’t good for us. As much as young children love sweets, what father would let his children gorge on them until they were sick?

God knows your heart’s deepest desires. He also knows what harm lies ahead. Trust God to hold fast to what’s good and true. He sees things from a bigger perspective and He knows what the future holds!

From now on, learn to not only commit your ways to Him but also be okay with a ‘No’ from Him from time to time! If He says no, it’s for the best. It also usually means there is a better yes coming!

When God says no, don’t go.

Jeremiah 29:11
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

Be encouraged today because God is with you.

By Pastor Andrew Farland

The Bible tells us that Satan, the enemy, is the Father of lies and the author of confusion.

The enemy wants to cover you in thick darkness. He wants to convince you that God’s mad at you instead of being mad about you. He wants you to believe that you aren’t loved and that you aren’t enough. One of the ways the enemy does this is by casting a shadow of confusion and doubt over you. He wants you to over-think everything and believe that things aren’t okay.

And what’s his largest weapon to accomplish this sleight-of-hand?
He uses condemnation, which is a general feeling of guilt, shame, and confusion with no real clarity. We can get stuck in condemnation, but we can also get free of it when we know the truth, for the Bible says that the truth will set you free!

And here is the truth: God will never condemn you, but will instead give you a specific conviction.

Romans 8:1 says:
“Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ.”

When God points out what’s wrong in your life, He never attacks your identity or your value by saying you are wrong. He is interested in uprooting anything that is unhealthy in your life and anything that gets in between you and Him. Conviction is the way He does that.

So from today on, if you have a general feeling of shame or guilt, you can know that feeling is not from God. That’s condemnation sneaking in, trying to pull the blanket over your eyes so you have to sit there in the darkness, alone and unsure.

If God wants to uproot something from your life, He will make it crystal clear what it is! He will point it out specifically. You will not be confused about God’s intentions.

1 Corinthians 14:33 says,
“For God is not a God of confusion but of peace.”

That peace is yours if you will do as Colossians 3:15 says: “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts.”

Don’t give in to the lies, confusion, and condemnation of the enemy: it’s a trap!

You are enough, and you are dearly loved by God! Start thanking Him for what He’s doing in your life, and you’ll start to see the darkness fade and the enemy flee!

2 Timothy 1:7
”For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and love and of a sound mind.”

Be encouraged today because God is with you.

By Pastor Andrew Farland

Would you agree that there are times when life makes no sense?

When we try to figure out why something is happening, but no answer appears?

Have you faced a storm in your life that doesn’t seem to relent? Or a trial that seems as if it will overtake you?

There are times in our lives where we won’t know what to do, and we won’t know why something is happening to us. We are overwhelmed, out of control, and in over our heads!

One of my favorite pastors, Chuck Smith, always teaches that we should take the things that we can’t control and commit them to the Lord. Committing something to God means that I relinquish the responsibility of fixing it myself. In return, I receive the peace that comes from trusting Jesus.

Moses was a man charged with leading an entire nation of millions of people to the land of promise. Can you imagine the responsibility he faced?
Moses grew into a competent leader over time, but even he faced situations he couldn’t fix or control. When the world’s most ruthless leader chased him down with the world’s most powerful army, Moses found himself between bloodshed and drowning. On one side, the army bore down on them. On the other, a vast ocean stretched into the horizon. Moses had no way out of this desperate situation.

Then all the Israelites he had led to this bleak point despaired of life itself.

They railed against Moses, asking why they couldn’t just remain slaves? Why would Moses bring them into a situation where death was the only way out? What kind of leader was he, anyway?

This might have been a good time for Moses to give up. He could have allowed discouragement to take over. He could have surrendered and thrown up the white flag. But Moses knew that if he committed His ways to God that He would succeed! That God would be in control of the situation.

Moses took the next crazy step.

In the midst of an impossible situation, Moses made a confession of faith and commitment. He said, “Do not be afraid. Stand still and see the salvation of the Lord . . . the Lord will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace.” In the end, not only did the Israelites make it to safety as God parted the ocean, but their enemies drowned in the same sea they walked safely through.

Here’s the lesson for you today in the midst of your challenges:

If you’ll commit your situation to the Lord, He will help you and give you peace while you wait for Him to act!

So today, you, like Moses, have a decision to make. Do you want to continue to worry and despair, or do you want God to handle it and give you peace in the meantime?

Right now lift your hands and commit once and for all the struggle you are going through. After you do remind yourself daily of the decision you’ve made.

Hold fast to the hope Jesus Christ gives you today!

Psalm 37:5
“Commit your way to the Lord, Trust also in Him, And He shall bring it to pass.”

Be encouraged today because God is with you.

By Pastor Andrew Farland

About 20 minutes from my home, a group of people meets once a week with the goal of spending time in fellowship and helping those in need.

I never knew anything about the organization until recently, when a friend of mine decided to join. The group is called the “Elk’s Lodge.”

These people meet in old buildings, but that doesn’t bother them. They don’t have much, either. They are what you would call normal, ordinary people – much like you and me. But when these people get together, the love in their hearts grows, and they are able to accomplish great things!

They honor God, their country and live to do good works in their communities. Here is their motto, and it’s one that can be our new motto as well:

“We respond to anyone who needs help”.

Let’s be like the members of the Elk’s Lodge and do good to those around us who need help. We don’t have to have a lot; we just have to have a lot of love!

Let’s never let charity be a rarity.

Galatians 6:10
“Therefore, wherever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone…”

Be encouraged today because God is with you.