You Are Not Alone

2 Chronicles 32:7-8

7 Be strong and courageous, be not afraid nor dismayed for the king of Assyria, nor for all the multitude that is with him: for there be more with us than with him: With him is an arm of flesh; but with us is the LORD our God to help us, and to fight our battles. And the people rested themselves upon the words of Hezekiah king of Judah.

Assyria was a great empire by Hezekiah’s time, controlling most of the Middle East. Sennacherib, King of Assyria wanted to bring Judah, the Southern Kingdom under his control. Sennacherib wanted to win the kingdom for himself so he could force them to pay tribute. Sennacherib came against King Hezekiah with a multitude. King Hezekiah endeavored to help the people keep up their faith in order to silence and suppress their fears.

Sennacherib had a multitude with him, yet King Hezekiah told the people there were more with them than was with the enemy. For we have God with us, and if God be for us who can be against us? With our enemy is an arm of flesh, which he trusts to, but with us, is the Lord, whose power is omnipotent, a God to help us fight our battles.

Hezekiah could see with “eyes of faith”. The number of his opponents meant nothing as long as the Lord was on his side. Victory is “not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the Lord of Hosts” (Zech 4:6) Hezekiah could confidently encourage his men because he had no doubt about where he stood with God. Are you on the Lord’s side? You may never face an enemy army, but the battles you face very day can be won with God’s strength.

We have all had times where we felt all alone; times in which we felt that no one understood what we were going through or what we were feeling. Sometimes the battles of life are closing in on every side. There are times in life when we may have felt lonely or isolated. There is a difference between loneliness and isolation. Loneliness is something we try and run away from, while isolation is something we run to. When we are lonely we try to fill that void with many things; some of which are very harmful, physically, emotionally and mentally. When we need that quiet time or just some space, we go into isolation. After a hard day’s work, we look for a quite place to kick back and relax. This is a time that is purposeful and intentional. But regardless of where we find ourselves in life, we are never alone. We have a Father, who will fight for us. He is an awesome God, a Mighty God.

2 Chronicles 20:17 Ye shall not need to fight in this battle: set yourselves, stand ye still, and see the salvation of the LORD with you, O Judah and Jerusalem: fear not, nor be dismayed; tomorrow go out against them: for the LORD will be with you.

Be not afraid for the battle is not yours, but God’s. We may not fight an enemy army, but every day we battle temptation, pressures and rulers of the darkness of this world who want us to rebel against God. Remember as believers we have God’s Spirit in us. If we ask for God’s help when we face struggles God will fight for us. How do we let God fight for us?

• By realizing the battle is not ours but Gods

• By recognizing human limitations and allowing God’s strength to work through our fears and weaknesses

• By making sure we are pursuing God’s interests and just our own selfish desires

• By asking God to help in our daily battles

Prayer: Father, I know that you are concerned with the smallest detail that concerns me and that you are my help. Thank you for the angels who will accompany, defend and preserve me in all my ways. I am not alone. I know there is nothing that can separate me from your love, not pain, not stress or even persecution. In Jesus name! Amen. God Loves you and so do I…. Pastor Tammy

A Lesson from Amos: Have we become too comfortable?

Thought: I need you to survive

Amos 5:14-15 “Seek good, and not evil, that ye may live: and so the LORD, the God of hosts, shall be with you, as ye have spoken. Hate the evil, and love the good, and establish judgment in the gate:”

When life is going smoothly, we need to be careful. It’s at that time we are ripe for complacency and a downfall. In the day of the prophet Amos, the people of Israel were prosperous and began to think they could make it without God. This sounds a lot like us today! We can slip into that dangerous place sometimes without really thinking. This behavior led the people of Isreal toward a path of destruction.

The name Amos means burden or burden bearer. He carried the heavy burden of God’s message to the people. Because the people had become so complacent they acted as if they did not need each other.

They exploited the weak and poor. They were indifferent to the pain of those around them. They enslaved the helpless through extortion and heavy taxation. God created us to live in relationships, not in isolation. This is stated very clearly in the words of a song entitled, I need you to survive by Hezekiah Walker. The lyrics: I need you, you need me, we’re all a part of God’s body, stand with me, agree with me, we’re all a part of God’s body, it is his will that every need be supplied, you are important to me, I need you to survive.

A final similarity between the Israelites and our culture is that many of them kept up outward appearances of religion even though they had abandoned their faith in God. I think many are in danger of falling into the same trap. Are you performing to get the approval of your boss or friends? Are you hiding your failures from your spouse, pretending you're faithfully following God's way when you're not? God is not so concerned with how we appear on the surface; he sees through our false appearances even if others don't. God cares about the attitude of our heart. Man looks at the outward appearances and God looks at the heart.

Remember we must all answer to God for how we live. A complacent present leads to a disastrous future. When we become self sufficient we develop a false sense of security. All that we have has come as a blessing from God, so let’s remember to be thankful. God made all people, therefore, to ignore the poor is to ignore those whom God loves and whom Christ came to save. We must move beyond just feeling bad for the poor and act compassionately to help care for those who are in need.

At times we can become too comfortable with life. We must not only be concerned with obvious threats but also to slowly developing ones. Indifference is a slow developing threat that eventually leads to complacency. We are our brother’s keeper and we must show a genuine concern to help when and where we can. In closing I will use additional lyrics from the song; I need you to survive referenced above. The chorus of the song says: I pray for you, you pray for me, I love you, I need you to survive, I won’t harm you with the words from my mouth, I love you, I need you to survive. Today, let us seek good and not evil and live. It’s time for us to grow and develop into the person we were called to be. God Loves You and so do I……… Pastor Tammy

A Family Affair

"A Family that Prays Together will stay Together"

The strongest institution on this earth is FAMILY. Family bonds are a link to our beginning and a guide to our future. We all want to belong and feel accepted and being in a family helps us to do that. A question arose a few days ago about being born into the “right” family. My response, I don’t believe there is a “right” family. When we become born again and give our lives to the Lord, we have the privilege of being a part of the “right” family. A part of God’s family!!

The Word of God declares that all have sinned and fallen short of God’s Glory. Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me. (Psalm 51:5) While some may have grown up in less than desirable environments; where abuse and suffering was a daily part of your living. Hurting people hurt people. For some your life really wasn’t bad, but it was something less than what you wanted it to be. It was simply a matter of unfulfilled expectations.

Our very spirit can either blossom or wither within the family unit. When we don't have the security and influence of strong family bonds early in life, the ground work is laid for an emptiness, which is often sought to be filled, through destructive means. If a person does not receive love as a child, they may later seek love and acceptance in a way that brings them harm. Some would call that looking for love in all the wrong places.

We can choose to resent our families and family members for our lives growing up or we decide today, we are going to make a difference in our families across this world. I grew up in the South and my mother is really big on the family getting together every Sunday for dinner at “Big Momma’s House”. And yes, she did all the cooking for everyone. This was our time to come together, laugh, cry and yes sometimes get into arguments and some pretty close “hand to hand” combats. But through it all, the family loved each other and came back to Big Momma’s house the following Sunday. Family also includes people who are not related by blood. Princess Diana said: ‘”Family is the most important thing in the world.” Are you a member of God’s family? Why not? When you come to HIM, he will in no wise cast you out. God Loves You and So do I………..Pastor Tammy

The Next Step

The Next Step
(Where do I go from here?)

Ps 16:11- Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.

Job loss, foreclosure, health crisis, can leave us wondering where we go from here. Maybe you have been putting in job applications and you have not received a call for an interview, what do you do to try and support your family? The path of life referenced above denotes variety abundance and immortal blessedness. If you are experiencing tough times, you may be asking yourself, "What does God want me to do next?" Perhaps you're pondering your future, uncertain of your plans, unsure of your next step. But even if you don't have a clear plan for the next step of your life's journey, you may rest assured that God does.

Jer 29:11-13 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you. And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.

God has a plan for the universe, and He has a plan for you. He understands that plan as thoroughly and completely as He knows you. If you seek God's will earnestly and prayerfully, He will make His plans known to you in His own time and in His own way. God makes His plans for His people, and they are good plans that ultimately bring hope and peace. Therefore, there is no need to be afraid or discouraged. In every situation, however, God’s people have the responsibility to seek the Lord, pray, and ask Him to fulfill His promises, for the Word and prayer go together.

Perhaps your vision of God's purpose for your life has been clouded by a wish list that you have expected God to dutifully fulfill. Perhaps, you have fervently hoped that God would create a world that unfolds according to your wishes, not His. If so, you have probably experienced more disappointment than satisfaction and more frustration than peace. A better strategy is to surrender your will for God’s will (and not to struggle vainly in an attempt to conform His will to yours).

Sometimes, God's plans and purposes may seem unmistakably clear to you. If so, push ahead. But other times, He may lead you through the wilderness before He directs you to the Promised Land. So be patient and keep seeking His will for your life. When you do, you'll be amazed at the marvelous things that an all-powerful, all-knowing God can do.

My next step is to wait on the Lord, be of good courage and he will strengthen thine heart, wait I say on the Lord. Don’t be anxious for anything, but by prayer and supplication make your request known to God…...God Loves you and So do I…….Pastor Tammy