Purpose by Pastor Rod Parsley

Purpose Because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. James 1:3 Have you ever asked yourself why the devil is always picking on you? One fact to consider is that Satan only attacks believers-why would he waste time on people who don't follow God? But let's go a step further and think about God's purpose. Could it be because God is refining you and developing the fruit of the Spirit in you (Galatians 5:22-23)? Nothing is wasted or without purpose in Him. God uses our mistakes to teach, to correct and to help us grow. Almighty God seizes every opportunity to direct us in His ways...if we are willing and if we obey. When your home is attacked, choose to fill it with the faith-filled Word of God-walk in your God-given authority. When change does not happen quickly, stand firm in your faith in Jesus and watch things turn around. When you operate in faith and authority, Satan can't continue his work of discord, disharmony, hatred and confusion. All the other schemes and tactics of the enemy become "null and void" because of the provisions of the cross (Galatians 3:13). God's ultimate purpose is your success and victory. Further Reading 1 Peter 1:7 Isaiah 48:10 Job 23:10 God Bless,

A Devotion to Help You Through Difficult Challenges by Karen Barber

A Devotion to Help You Through Difficult Challenges Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens. Psalm 68:19 The weekend before our son Chris deployed to Iraq, our whole family pitched in to clear everything out of his three-bedroom house, so it could be rented while he was off to a war zone. The job was huge. Yet it was nothing compared to the impossible task of making it through the next year under the daily stress of knowing that Chris could be in mortal danger. How on earth am I going to make it through his deployment? I wondered. I carried a bucket of heavy-duty cleaning supplies into the bathroom. The walls and floor of the shower were caked with a thick layer of grayish soap film. An impossible job! I thought. I pulled on rubber gloves and sprayed cleanser on the shower wall until it dripped down the drain. I took a sponge and made a swipe. The gray yuck didn’t budge. I picked up a scrub brush and leaned my whole weight against it. Nothing. Then I repeated the process. Spray. Scrub. Lean. Spray.... In a few minutes a clean patch of white shower wall emerged. Encouraged that the job really wasn’t impossible, I kept at it. An hour later I stiffly stood and looked with satisfaction at the now white shower. Cleaning the shower showed me how to get through a huge life challenge like being a mom of a soldier in a war zone. Don’t try to handle the whole overwhelming job at once. Just finish up one small part at a time until the long difficult task is done. Father, what I’m facing feels impossible but with Your help, I will make a little progress each day. By Karen Barber Karen Barber is the author of Daily Talks with God.

Faith is the Gift of God by Pastor Rod Parsley

Faith is the Gift of God For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you. Romans 12:3 All gifts are given to us by God and they are distributed by the Spirit of God-not for our own benefit but for the benefit of the body of Christ. Each gift is to help build, restore, counsel, strengthen, enlighten, encourage or to bless the Church and her members. Too often the gifts in the house are used to exalt "self," which is pride and haughtiness wrapped in the cloak of religious work, piety or duty. Our faith is not for ourselves nor should it be rooted in us-it is about God. Without faith it is impossible to please Him. Hebrews 11:6 says, "And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him." God did not call us to have faith in ourselves, but to have faith in Him. He has given us a measure of faith to believe in Him, and as we grow in the knowledge and understanding of God our faith will grow as well. Further Reading 1 Corinthians 12:7-11 Romans 12:6-8 Matthew 17:19-20 God Bless,

The Fruit of Love-Lesson from Sunday Singles bible study (not written by me)