Pleasant Grove Baptist Church September 27, 2018 at 03:31AM

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via IFTTT Where is your faith? Such a powerful question. It digs deep into man's soul and touches the very heart of who we are. This question shakes the ground of our understanding of God himself and His relation to us. It is the question asked of America today! Of you. Where is your faith? This situation may seem extreme. In fact, it was. Seasoned fishermen, were afraid for their life. They we're convinced that they would die. All evidence pointed to their imminent demise. They woke Jesus because the honestly thought it was over. And he asked, "where is your faith?" Today we face such trials. A doctor's diagnosis, a financial ruin, an impossible task, a sure failure. It all brings worry, anxiety, fear in our hearts. We tremble inside because we know that we are incapable of calming the storm. The storm, this one, this time, is just too big. We are doomed. Where is your faith? Then compromise sets in. We turn to man's wisdom, man's talents, man's advice, man's science, man's ways to calm the storm. We try anything because there is so little time left. God is silent and yet we perish. Jesus sleeps as we face the storm, alone! Where is your faith? When Jesus asked that, after quietly rebuking the wind and waves, think how conviction must have sunk Into their souls. They had not trusted. They had believed satan's lies. They had doubted. Just as Israel had refused to trust God and spent 40 years wandering in the desert, these disciples of Jesus rejected faith for fear. Oh the sting! Have we done the same? Do you worry about this or that? Do you fear tomorrow? Is Jesus asleep while you perish? Do you doubt? Do you turn to medicines or substances to dull the fear? Do you seek man's practices to deal with anxiety? Do you compromise to try and slow the destruction? Where is your faith? Whether it be health, finances, job, marriage, family, politics, security, or even life itself... Jesus asks "where is your faith?" "Who do you trust?" Pray for faith. True faith. The faith that stares down any storm with peace and security. The faith that cares not if the storm rages or quiets, because it just doesn't matter! Pray that you find the faith which allows you to rest calmly in the boat as others panic for life itself. There is a day coming when you need such faith. Perhaps it is already upon you? Perhaps you are already anxious, worried, panicky? The answer? Turn to Jesus. Trust. Either Jesus is God or not. Either his voice commands the universe into existence, or he is but a bold helpless liar. There is no in between. Choose you this day, today, who shall you serve, and therein find true rock solid faith.

Pleasant Grove Baptist Church September 25, 2018 at 03:21AM

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via IFTTT "Has not been granted".... That speaks volumes! You and I can not discover the truths of heaven through our own abilities. No amount of study, research, education, reasoning can reveal heaven. Understanding and wisdom are granted, not built. Remember that tree back in the garden? The " knowledge of good and evil", that talk about "become like god"? Are we still tempted today as Adam was? Did we not learn anything from the fall of man? Seeking to know the things of God through our own efforts, is both pointless and dangerous. That IS what Adam did! That is why sin and death and suffering entered the world! Are we to rise above it through more of man's effort? "Granted". That requires desire, asking, and receiving. We seek wisdom from the source of wisdom, not from our own efforts to become wise like a god! We must be humble enough to simply ask. he will not deny understanding to those that ask, but wisdom is not granted to those who seek to build it themselves. What then? Is study bad? Is research evil? No! This is about the order of things, not the things themselves. First we seek to be granted wisdom, to see, to hear. We seek because we accept that is must be granted, not built. Then we study out of faith that the Holy Spirit will grant understanding. We study scripture not to gain understanding, but because we have been granted understanding and wish to use it! If scripture seems flat, dead, shallow, then pray for understanding. No amount of reading or study will bring it, only God can grant it. Seek Him! Ask Him! It comes not through our efforts, but by His grace. Don't be like the Israelites who shook with fear at the foot of Gods mountain and told Moses "you go talk to him and tell us what he says". How sad! God wants to speak to you! Directly! He desires to grant YOU the wisdom of heaven. All you must do is ask.

Pleasant Grove Baptist Church September 24, 2018 at 02:47AM

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via IFTTT Do you have ears? Not the ones on your head, but the ears of heart? Do you long to hear truth? Many don't. Some do. Jesus is not referring here to hearing words as if this was some school lesson. He is referring to the ability and more the desire to hear. The desire for truth at all cost, for understanding. Why would anyone not? Selfishness! Truth often means pain and change. If we are a fallen creature as scripture says, then we have a long way to go. We need to grow and growing means revealing the need to change. It is painful. It is difficult. It means admitting fault. If we value feelings above truth, we lose the desire to grow. We lose, our "ears". We read scripture and hear stories but the deep life-changing truth and power to quicken a soul is not available. Jesus spoke in parables, largely because His goal was to speak deep truths that unfold layer after layer as we develop ears to hear. The deeper our desire for truth and growth, the deeper those layers unfold in our own understanding. You see, it is not truly "our understanding" that reveals the truth, it is the Holy Spirit. He is our teacher. That still small voice inside that speaks to our heart first, but only to the level, we are willing to listen. All we must do is seek, knock, desire truth. This isn't about intellectual learning. This is about heart changes. As our heart grows closer to God, our minds understand more. It can not be reversed. We can not achieve understanding through intelligence! Study is pointless without"ears" and"ears" are a gift from God. So, all we must do is pray for the deep desire for truth at all costs. Pray that a hunger builds inside to know the things of heaven. Pray for "ears to hear". Jesus promised that those who seek him will find. All we need is the desire! Priorities! Years ago, I would read the old testament scriptures and see great stories, but they were just stories. More historical than inspirational. But listening to certain preachers, those stories would come alive! They would unfold the layers and WOW there was so much truth! I wanted to be able to hear that truth, those deeper things, for myself. For years I asked God to let me see what they saw. And finally, it came. The stories of old grew relevant, powerful, each one taking on useful meaning. The words came alive in a way I had never experienced before. God gave me " ears". You to can hear what Jesus is saying. You too can experience the exquisite beauty of scripture! You can hear our Lord speaking to you through scripture, every word digging deeper into your soul with life-giving water. All you need do is ask for "ears to hear". He waits for you to ask. Seek Him today!