Pray! Pray fervently. Cry out to God. Fervent prayers tend to arise from within a person with some kind of need. “The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man accomplishes much” (James 5:16b MEV). Listen to the message below to discover more about what makes prayer fervent and effective.
This message was originally posted on March 29, 2020.
This was originally posted on March 29, 2020.
GOD IS GOOD! Like the Psalmist, we should praise, “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life” (Psalm 23:6a MEV). Our lives should be filled with the great things God has done, is doing, and will do in the future.
The Lord is not holding back something – “no good thing will He withhold From those who walk uprightly” (Psalm 84:11b NKJV). Like a seed germinating underground, God is at work quietly behind the scenes, but goodness is about to spring forth. Your next season awaits with opportunities God has already prepared in advance for you.
Reach out in faith to Almighty God. Direct your speech and your steps to match God’s Word and you will witness God involved in your life. Respond quickly with yielded obedience. Plant your feet. Defend your ground. Receive God’s blessings! Follow the link to hear Pastor Greg Simon‘s message “God-Filled & God-Blessed!”
We are living in a season of change. Changes are happening, but there is something that never changes. Remember that God’s Person, Power, and Promises cannot change. God cares for us and comes to us as a Father to help. Psalm 56:9 TPT paraphrases, “The very moment I call to you for a father’s help the tide of battle turns and my enemies flee. This one thing I know: God is on my side!” Psalm 57:3 TPT adds, “From heaven he will send a father’s help to save me. He will trample down those who trample me. Pause in his presence. He will always show me love by his gracious and constant care.”
Pastor Greg shares about the powerful spiritual force of God’s joy, the enduring quality that sustains us through difficult times. You will also want to listen to Pastor Carol’s encouragement for waiting. Waiting isn’t easy, but waiting on God always reveals desirable results. United States culture prefers instant gratification and we don’t happily embrace the idea of having to wait for things. There is so much God wants to do in us while we wait.
Jesus did not give up because of the cross; He endured the cross for the joy set before Him (Hebrews 12:2). “Keep your eyes on Jesus …. He never lost sight of where He was headed—He could put up with anything along the way: Cross, shame, whatever” (Hebrews 12:2 MSG). Joy empowered Christ to endure the cross. Jesus understood that the resurrection was on the other side of the cross. Recognition of God’s purpose brings joy.
If you really want peace in this time of transition: (1) spend time with God, (2) maintain a healthy perspective, (3) be thankful, (4) pray for others, and (5) be intentional with your time. Angela Isley (High School Principal of Valley Fellowship Christian Academy and Youth Co-Pastor of Valley Fellowship Church in Huntsville, Alabama) tells how to have peace for the new normals.
Anxiety comes with life. Jesus knows the suffering connected with anxiety. Anxiety is one of the most contagious emotions that we can experience. We all have habitual and patterned ways of managing anxiety. BUT, there is hope. All of us can develop a calm practice that centers us and keeps us from defaulting to these behavioral patterns. We can have calm, a perceptive mindfulness and ability to manage emotional reactivity. Our calm can be as contagious as the anxiety. Watch the video to learn much more.
The pastoral team of Valley Fellowship Church in Huntsville, Alabama, share worship, Biblical teaching, and announcements targeted for April 19, 2020. Also, we join in special prayer for the Basque people on this International Day of Prayer for the Basque.
Pastor Greg Simon asks, “Are you calm in chaos or freaking out?” We live in this world as Christ-followers, but our relationship with heaven’s Lord should make us stand out in this world – thinking differently, talking differently, acting differently, working differently. Check your life for evidence of quietness, tranquility, composure, peace. Restlessness or worry conveys that you cannot trust your connection with the Lord of the universe. People around you will notice your peace in the midst of storms. Live as if you really do have a Heavenly Father who loves and cares for you.
There is power in little things. Living as a Christ-follower is significant. Praying, spending time with your children, everything we do at home can have an important impact. The Book of Proverbs (30:24-28) highlights four small creatures that teach a lesson concerning the power of little things. Listen as Pastor Carol Simon of Valley Fellowship Church in Huntsville, Alabama, reveals God’s Truth.