When we read the bible we are picking up a treasure chest. Forty different men wrote it over a period of hundreds of year. They were led by the Sprit of God, so when we read the bible, we are reading the actual word of God. We all have items in our life that have sentimental value. Bro. Kilgore shows a Martin guitar that belonged to his father. We all have things that are precious to us. We cannot put a price on these things. Bro. Kilgore teaches about several things that each of us should have in our life that we regard at priceless treasures.

In our text Israel was in Babylonian captivity. The children of Israel ask how can we sing in a strange land. Bro. Kilgore tells us that Babylon needed the singing as much as any place ever did. As children of God, we must have a song of praise on our lips no matter what the circumstances. Fear can cause us to lose our song. Sin can cause us to lose our song. Adversity can cause us to lose our song. Singing can refresh us. No matter what, don’t lose your song.

In our text Israel was in Babylonian captivity. The children of Israel ask how can we sing in a strange land. Bro. Kilgore tells us that Babylon needed the singing as much as any place ever did. As children of God, we must have a song of praise on our lips no matter what the circumstances. Fear can cause us to lose our song. Sin can cause us to lose our song. Adversity can cause us to lose our song. Singing can refresh us. No matter what, don’t lose your song.

Living for God is a journey. There are no stopping places on this journey. If we are not growing, we are failing. Bro. Kilgore proclaims that we cannot stop; we must go on!

Living for God is a journey. There are no stopping places on this journey. If we are not growing, we are failing. Bro. Kilgore proclaims that we cannot stop; we must go on!

Bro. James Hughes comes to the pulpit today to share his heart on a subject he has been struggling with for over a month. By his own description, this situation has caused him to reevaluate his entire belief system. His involvement in this situation took him to the book of Romans seeking the answer to the question of how it could have happened.

Bro. James Hughes comes to the pulpit today to share his heart on a subject he has been struggling with for over a month. By his own description, this situation has caused him to reevaluate his entire belief system. His involvement in this situation took him to the book of Romans seeking the answer to the question of how it could have happened.

Being is state in which things are continuously happening. Living for God is not a momentary experience; it is a journey. It is a lifetime experience. Our text refers to being justified. It is not past tense meaning that it has already happened. It is being as in a process of becoming justified. Living for God is a journey that is a daily process of becoming justified by faith. The result of that relationship is peace. It is not God’s will that we live in a panic or in constant turmoil. When we place our faith in the Lord, we can go through life in peace knowing that He has a plan for our life no matter what the current circumstances may be.

So as we live our life, we are in the process of being justified by faith. As we travel along this process, we enjoy several blessings along the way. We have access to His grace. We can rejoice in the hope of God’s glory. We can glory in our tribulations because these tribulations lead to patience. It is the disappointment and heartbreaks in life that give us the ability to empathize with others who are struggling. The stress and pressure in life make us a better person. Patience helps us to build character. Without these trials and problems we cannot develop character. It is character that develops hope. Hope is faith that has been achieved and witnessed. Bro. Hughes shares two stories of young men who had tremendous pressure and tribulation in their lives. Both of these young men illustrated the lessons outlined in our text and developed an inspirational character that should cause each of us to examine ourselves. These young men speak volumes to each of us about being justified by faith.

Being is state in which things are continuously happening. Living for God is not a momentary experience; it is a journey. It is a lifetime experience. Our text refers to being justified. It is not past tense meaning that it has already happened. It is being as in a process of becoming justified. Living for God is a journey that is a daily process of becoming justified by faith. The result of that relationship is peace. It is not God’s will that we live in a panic or in constant turmoil. When we place our faith in the Lord, we can go through life in peace knowing that He has a plan for our life no matter what the current circumstances may be.

So as we live our life, we are in the process of being justified by faith. As we travel along this process, we enjoy several blessings along the way. We have access to His grace. We can rejoice in the hope of God’s glory. We can glory in our tribulations because these tribulations lead to patience. It is the disappointment and heartbreaks in life that give us the ability to empathize with others who are struggling. The stress and pressure in life make us a better person. Patience helps us to build character. Without these trials and problems we cannot develop character. It is character that develops hope. Hope is faith that has been achieved and witnessed. Bro. Hughes shares two stories of young men who had tremendous pressure and tribulation in their lives. Both of these young men illustrated the lessons outlined in our text and developed an inspirational character that should cause each of us to examine ourselves. These young men speak volumes to each of us about being justified by faith.

Isaiah lived in a very difficult and troubling time. He served as a prophet to three kings, two of which were exceedingly wicked. Our text is a vision that Isaiah had for his people. Some of the most powerful promises and assurances are enumerated in the book of Isaiah. It is this book that we read that no weapon that is formed would be effective on God’s people. Isaiah lived in a time when the Israelites had all but turned their back on God. Isaiah described them as a sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity. Bro. Hughes points out that in many ways, Isaiah could be describing our lives today. Isaiah preached and taught in an effort to save his people, but other voices at the time contradicted him and told the people that all was well. Then as now, they preached moral relativism and that there was no such thing as sin. Isaiah held on to the vision he had been given and kept holding no to his faith to seem him through. Many were down on the times and were saying that there was no way out, but Isaiah chose to believe the vision he had received in the house of God. Isaiah chapter 54 is his message to his people about how to recover and return to a time of revival. Bro. Hughes notes three points in this text. Isaiah’s prophesy to his people was “don’t be satisfied with your brokenness.” There is something beyond the present situation, and no matter what God has a plan for our life. If we will seek Him and His will, there is a path back to a better way of living. Isaiah told his people that they had to have a vision of a better future. Things may be messed up right now, but a right vision can pull us out of a slump and see us through difficult times. Everything is not going to stay as it is now. It won’t always be this dark. The right vision can change the day. Lastly Isaiah challenged Israel to get up and get busy. At some point when we find ourselves in hard times, we have to quit feeling sorry for ourselves, and get up and get busy.

When we find our selves in troubling times the words of Isaiah help to remind us of a needed vision.