The One Thing - United Faith Church Podcast

The One Thing - United Faith Church Podcast

Download on the App Store

The One Thing - United Faith Church Podcast episodes

  • I Will Not Leave You – EP102 (John 14:18)

    John 14:18

    I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.

    Welcome back to the One Thing Podcast. Sharing a word from the Book of John chapter 14, and verse 18. And these are the words of Jesus, He says, “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.” And this is Jesus; He’s about to enter into His mission to go to the cross and He’s going to meet with the Father in Heaven. But He’s saying, “Even though I’m going to go away, even though you won’t see me physically, I will not leave you as orphans.”

    “...it’s the power of God that He promises though the Holy Spirit to give us everything that we need to survive” And when you think of an orphan, an orphan is a child or a person that has been abandoned; left for themself, left to fetch in this life which can be difficult on their own - to go through life trying to survive without a parent or a loved one taking care of them and to guard them. But, the Lord says, for those that trust in Him, for those that have set their heart on walking in this life with the Lord Jesus, He says “I will not leave you as orphans, I’m not going to leave it to you to accomplish what I’ve called you to do. I will do it through you. And yes, your hands and your feet will move with Me.”

    "Look to Me son, look to Me daughter. Look to me to overcome."But ultimately it’s the power of God that He promises though the Holy Spirit to give us everything that we need to survive; but not only survive but I believe even thrive - Thrive in the power of God, thrive by overcoming our sin; by being able to subdue that thing that has been a snare to you in your life. Being able to subdue that darkness, that stronghold, that you and I on our own could never overcome, but because He hasn’t left us as orphans we can overcome, because He says, “I will come to you.” In other words, He says, “I will come on the inside of you, and I will empower you so that the world would know that although sin had entered this world, this place, and has separated man from God, that yet the hope of the Lord Jesus has come.” That those who look to Him are not left as orphans, not left to fetch to this world in darkness and in sin, but able to be a light that shines the power of God.

    “...truly make it to be what it is; the promise of hope, the promise of light, life, and holiness…” “I will not leave you as orphans.” Maybe today you have literally been an orphan. I pray today that you will look to the Lord Jesus, that He would take you into the family of God by faith. And for others, maybe you've been trying to do it in your own strength up to this point; trying to live righteously, trying to do the right thing with God, but you fail over and over. I pray you find encouragement in these words: “I will not leave you as an orphan. Look to Me son, look to Me daughter. Look to me to overcome. Look to me to do the work of the kingdom. I will give you what you need to be distinguished and to have what you need in order to show and display the power of My kingdom in your life.”

    So, once again, may we be encouraged this day, knowing that Jesus said that “I will not leave you as orphans, I will come to you, I will be with you as you call upon Me, as you look to Me and you make Me your only hope, I will be with you.” So I just thank God today for His words. I thank the Lord for His promise, and I pray that we would not just speak of His promise, but we would truly make it to be what it is; the promise of hope, the promise of light, life, and holiness that comes through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Be blessed today, and may we be those, not orphaned, but taken in to the kingdom of God.

    Hi, Pastor Bob here. Welcome back to the Men of Valor and Daily Living podcast. The verse for today is from the book of Psalms chapter 90 verse 12. And it states, “So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.”

    "Do you live your Christian life like you have a shot clock with your days being numbered to do God's will with your life?" Something drastically changed the game of basketball in 1954. No, it wasn't that you could now dunk the ball. 1954 was the year the shot clock was introduced. Prior to that, if a very poor scoring team was playing a very good scoring team, the poor scoring team would just dribble or pass the ball and hardly ever shared it. You could have games ending with scores like 6 to 8, but once the shot clock was introduced, the team had to shoot the ball within 30 seconds - or the other team got the ball. Now in many games, both teams score over a hundred points!

    "‘The ball is in your court’ - to use the power God has given you, or to not use it." Without the time clock, not only was the game boring, nothing was accomplished. The opposing team didn't score, but neither did you. So my question for you is this: Do you live your Christian life like you have a shot clock with your days being numbered to do God's will with your life? Or do you just dribble through life, taking everything day by day, and just live a lukewarm life - and your prayers for your future pretty much amount to, ‘Lord give me a painless death’? How do you react when an opportunity comes up to build the kingdom, share the Word of God, do something for God? Do you say, ‘God, give me the ball! I'll shoot it! I'll score with Your guidance’? Or, do you immediately pass the ball to someone else, and then when they get it, you watch them do God's will and score and win the game - and they become His good and faithful servant?

    I hope you realize your days are numbered. Right now, think: What if my shot clock of life ran out at 12:00 AM on my next birthday? Would I be dribbling through life, perhaps like I did since my last birthday? Or would I give Him my life to score for the Lord with all of my numbered days? When the game ending buzzer of your life goes off, will you hear as described in Matthew 25, ‘What have you done with what I gave you, you wicked and lazy servant?’ Or will you hear, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant!’ I pray that those latter words are the ones you will hear - but as the saying goes, ‘The ball is in your court’ - to use the power God has given you, or to not use it. What an amazing God we serve. God bless you.

    The post I Will Not Leave You – EP102 (John 14:18) appeared first on United Faith Church.

    4 min
  • Faith Like A Child – EP101 (Matt. 18:4)

    Matthew 18:4

    Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

    Hello, and welcome to the One Thing Podcast. Matthew chapter 18, verse 4, says, “Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven.” Some other versions of this scripture say that if you “humble yourself as a little child,” and there’s just really the sense of having a heart of a humble child that is willing to admit their weakness, willing to say, “Mommy, Daddy, I can’t do it.”

    "This is the attitude, the heart that Jesus is calling us to have: to be just like a little child." This is the heart and attitude that Jesus says is so precious among Heaven. It’s not as though we don’t understand as we begin to grow older or gain wisdom in the Lord, but it’s simply the heart that says, “Father, honestly, when I really look at my life, when I really look at what I am capable of apart from your power, Lord, I see that I need you. This circumstance, this situation, it is a heavy one, and Father I don’t know if I’m going to make it through. But Lord, help me. I need you.”

    Or, maybe it’s simply times in our lives where we’re giving our time to the Lord, we’re praying, and we’re seeking Him. And we’re simply saying, “Lord, I desire to know you more. I know that I can go much deeper. I know that there is so much more for you to unfold in my life. Father, help me! Please, let me come close to you.” This is the attitude, the heart that Jesus is calling us to have: to be just like a little child.

    "Simply, ‘Lord, I don’t know how to do it, but I know that you can.’" Some of you may have little children; some of you don’t, but all of us at some point in our lives have been around a child, maybe at the park, maybe at a gathering. And we’ve been able to see a child going to their parent and maybe saying, “Can you help me? Can you help me to open this? Can you help me to do this or do that?” And very rarely will you ever see somebody turn a child away when they approach you in such a manner.

    And so, today I encourage you to remember the simple words of Jesus, that if we would just humble ourself as a child, God could go so deep in our lives. He can go so far. Whatever your ailment today, whatever the situation, the circumstance, the problem– whatever it may be, I encourage you to stop and to come to the Lord Jesus. Simply, “Lord, I don’t know how to do it, but I know that you can.” Simply, “God, I’ve tried and I’ve failed, but I know that I will look to you once again knowing that you will lead me through.”

    Whatever it may be, we have hope in our savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. But, may we each take the lowly position of a child and be those who can become the greatest in the Kingdom simply because of the humble, lowly heart that comes by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Be blessed this day as you continue to seek our wonderful God and savior.

    The post Faith Like A Child – EP101 (Matt. 18:4) appeared first on United Faith Church.

    3 min
  • True Confidence – EP100 (Hebrews 4:16)

    Hebrews 4:16 (AMPC)

    Let us then fearlessly and confidently and boldly draw near to the throne of grace

    Hello, and welcome back to the One Thing Podcast. I want to talk about approaching the throne of grace. Hebrews chapter four, verse sixteen – and this is the Amplified Version – it says, “Let us fearlessly and confidently and boldly draw near to the throne of grace…” And it goes on to speak about receiving mercy, and you know, really the blessing of God, but I wanted to focus just on this first part. “Let us fearlessly and confidently…”

    "It’s a confidence that doesn’t doubt that the Lord Jesus has made a way…" I have seen kids and people do things with confidence. I’ve seen kids that have been into the football game or the baseball game, how they confidently swing that bat or they confidently throw that ball, and adults who confidently go for the job interview or work hard to prove to the boss that they are capable of getting the job done. And those things are fine, but all of it is only temporary.

    "Grace: receiving that which we don’t deserve." But, I ask today, do we approach the Lord with confidence? Now, it’s not a confidence that is sort of arrogant or where “I deserve,” but it’s a confidence that doesn’t doubt that the Lord Jesus has made a way, that our faith in Him, our trust in Him – not our good works, not how good we were today, but simply our trust in looking to Him. We confidently, fearlessly, without doubting His call. He is calling all men to Himself, to come to the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, to be able to approach His throne. And we are able to come in confidence, and fearlessly, not doubting that God, even if there’s issues, will work out those issues. Not doubting that if we’re going through some thing, some trial, we’re “in the fire” per se, that God is not going to bring us through.

    Regardless of our circumstance or situation, God is calling us to approach His throne of grace. Grace: receiving that which we don’t deserve. I don’t deserve to come to His throne. I don’t deserve many things, but because of His great mercy, I’m understanding that His graciousess has allowed for me to come out of my sin, to come out of my darkness, to come out of my waywardness, and to approach His throne, to find cleansing, to find healing. And what I find so great: an empowerment to do the work of the Kingdom.

    What is your confidence in today? Is it in the Lord Jesus Christ? And, the confidence that we proclaim to have in Him, is it full of doubt? Is it full of unbelief? Or, has God been able to give us a faith, confident like that young man or young woman about to swing that baseball bat because they know they can hit that ball? I pray today that we would have such a confidence in God, knowing that He will bring us through, knowing that to follow Him is the greatest thing. And not only that, but those who put their trust in Him, He is sure to bring to completion the good work that He’s begun in each one of us.

    Praying that we would fearlessly and confidently and boldly draw near to the throne of grace of the Lord Jesus Christ today. May you be blessed, and may you find and know the Lord as never before.

    The post True Confidence – EP100 (Hebrews 4:16) appeared first on United Faith Church.

    4 min
  • Light in Darkness – EP99 (Luke 8:16)

    Luke 8:16

    No one lights a lamp and then covers it with a bowl or hides it under a bed. A lamp is placed on a stand, where its light can be seen by all who enter the house.

    "...why have a light and not let it shine?" Hello, and welcome back to the one thing podcast. Our verse for today is coming from Luke chapter 8 verse 16, and these are the words of Jesus saying “No one lights a lamp and then covers it with a bowl or hides it under a bed. A lamp is placed on a stand where its light can be seen by all who enter the house”.

    "Have we allowed Him to bring His light into our lives and into our hearts?" This might be a familiar verse for some of us, but I love what the Lord is speaking about. He's saying if you have a light in your home, if you have a lamp or light - and in this case these men and women used to use literally a lamp that was lit with fire so it would really be dangerous to hide it under a bed or put it someplace under a bowl because it would burn or maybe cause a fire - but still in the same way we get that idea. It just doesn't make sense, why have a light and not let it shine?

    "No one comes into Christ and holds back." What is that light? It is the light of the Lord Jesus, and so I ask today “Have we allowed Him to bring His light into our lives and into our hearts?” And if so, has it been hidden? Has it been evident? Has God been able to take, maybe, the healing that He's done within us? Maybe the blessing that He's brought about? Have we been able to - in turn - been able to bring back a light, a thankfulness to God, a praise to the Lord, a testimony?

    Whatever it may be God is saying that if He has given us the light, if He's allowed us to come into the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, we must shine. He calls us to have our light “so shine before men” that they would come to know God. No one lights a lamp and then covers it. No one comes into Christ and holds back. No one comes into Christ and doesn't look that His light would shine in our speech and our actions and in the things that we do. Today, if we find that God has given us a light, yet we have snuffed it out or maybe hidden it and not allowed God to do the things that He's looked to do in our lives, I pray today that we would turn back to Christ and say “Lord let your light shine once again” Let a thankfulness begin to be given to God for the light that He's brought in our lives, and may we ask the Lord to let it shine in the way that He's calling it to shine.

    For some of us here that have never received the light of Christ, that have never come to Him, I pray today that we will call on the name of the Lord Jesus, who is the light of the world. The light of the world that has come to take away the sin of man and allow us to come into Christ Himself - that we would be a light. Praying that each one of us would grasp this word today and that we would truly be a light in a dark place. Blessings to each one of you. Amen.

    The post Light in Darkness – EP99 (Luke 8:16) appeared first on United Faith Church.

    3 min
  • Power of a Contrite Heart – EP98 (Psalms 51:17)

    Psalms 51:17

    My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit;
        a broken and contrite heart
        you, God, will not despise.

    "...He will never turn away the one who approaches Him with a broken contrite heart." Hello and welcome back to the One Thing podcast. Psalms 51:17 says this, “My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart You, God, will not despise.” When I read this verse it brings such hope. Such hope knowing that in the records and all the recollection of God from years before us even to this present day, God has never turned away a broken and contrite heart.

    We look at the world all around us. A world full of all sorts of suffering and just terrible things that are happening even now. Wars and rumors of wars and we can go on and on. But yet God has given us a hope: Even in the worst of circumstances and situations, He will never turn away the one who approaches Him with a broken contrite heart.

    "If we would humble ourself before God...we can come into a place of hope with God." What is a broken contrite heart? It's when God touches us to become broken over our sins against Him - broken of the world’s sins against Him . Our hearts and our minds expand to recognize that our great God - who had given His life, who has given His one and only Son for us, so that we would live so that we would come into His Lordship and His power - this very God has been the one that has given us all.

    Yet, man has rejected Him in so many ways because of the stubbornness of heart. But today God speaks His Word of hope - that He has yet to turn away a broken contrite heart. In other words: If we would humble ourself before God, whatever dealings we are dealing with in our life whatever situations or circumstance - even if it's not a personal thing, just looking at the world around us, - we can come into a place of hope with God. Asking Him saying, ‘Lord, touch my heart. Let it begin to break for You Lord. Let it break for my sins let it break for the sins of the world let it break God so that I would be able to come closer than ever before.’

    See I’ve found that the pathway to God is a humble pathway. It's a pathway where we come in brokenness, we come contrite and humble - looking to do God's will. To say, ‘Lord, You are in charge not me. Here I am Father. Lead me to Yourself and allow me to lead others.’

    "I'm praying that we would all ask the Lord to touch us in such a way that we would be able to come into a deeper relationship…" Will we take this hope today - that the Lord has yet to turn away a broken contrite heart. I'm praying that we would all ask the Lord to touch us in such a way that we would be able to come into a deeper relationship - in the brokenness and humility that He calls us to live and to walk in. That we would understand that there is victory in humbling ourself before God there is victory in the one who begins to break for the kingdom of the Lord Jesus that begins to break for the things of God - there is power in it. Why? Because as we come before Him, contrite broken, God also lifts us up, brings us near His side, draws us into His presence, and gives us all that we need in order to do what He's calling us to do. May you all be blessed today, and may we seek Him like never before.

    The post Power of a Contrite Heart – EP98 (Psalms 51:17) appeared first on United Faith Church.

    4 min
  • The Time We Have – EP97 (Psalms 90:12)

    Psalms 90:12

    Teach us to number our days,
        that we may gain a heart of wisdom

    Hello and welcome back to the One Thing podcast. I was speaking to a group of youth group kids yesterday, and we were talking about Psalms chapter 90 verse 12. One of my favorite parts of that psalm - this is a psalm of Moses and he says, “Teach us to number our days, that we [would] gain a heart of wisdom.”

    "‘Teach us to realize that we are not going to be on this earth forever.’" “Teach us to number our days…” in other words, ‘Teach us to realize that we are not going to be on this earth forever.’ There comes a time, and the time can be sooner than later, where we will pass from this place, and to stand before God to a time of judgment - to a time of whether we're gonna enter into His glory, or to everlasting punishment. That's what the Scripture says. But, what great hope the Lord has given us: We can gain a heart of wisdom. It is wise to recognize that we only have so many days on this earth. And we can ask ourself what are we ever to do?

    Now as I spoke to the kids, discussing about how many hours people may spend a day - what is the average amount of time that the American may spend watching TV, whether it be streaming or whatever - we get into a day and the average was three hours a day. Three hours - most people spend three and probably more, passively watching their favorite episodes their seasons whatever it may be. It's really where a lot of people's time seems to go.

    So we moved on further and we asked the question about a statistic of how many hours a day did they think that a person spends on social media whether it be an app on the phone or on the computer whatever it may be but just some sort of social media. And the average was about two and a half hours a day. So think about this: People spend typically five hours - five hours doing something passive something that may not mean much but just really more of an entertainment. So we sorta laughed a little bit to think, wow that's a lot of time sometimes we waste. Not that it's terribly bad we watch television or anything but we were just thinking, wow, we could probably watch a lot less and do more with our time.

    So we're looking at how much time we waste and then, the next question was, when we put popcorn in the microwave or when we go to heat something up, even though it may be two or three minutes, how often do we really patiently wait? And we started to laugh again and we're thinking, in those three minutes for the popcorn to be popped we're just thinkin’, ‘Man this is taking forever.’ And even when we go to fast food restaurants or maybe waiting in the doctor's offices, we don't like to waste time there we want things to kinda hurry up - we wanna hurry up and get in and get out or get our food cooked.

    "We come into the wisdom of God." So, here goes the dilemma: We seem to be a people really good at wasting time, but then at the same time, we’re a people who like to hurry things up. We want things quick we want our food quick. And so, in this great dilemma of a people who waste time - but at the same time hate wasting time - what do we do?

    "...may we be those, balanced out with the power of God - doing His work and His will, and enjoying what He's given." We come into the wisdom of God. We come before God, as this Psalm says, ‘Father teach us to number our days. Teach us to see that there is an opportunity every moment of the day to grow closer to You. Teach us Lord, even though we may watch some television or do those different things, but let us not waste away in being so intense on entertainments - so intense on spending our time just kinda going by as though the time will not come to an end. Teach us Lord, to seek You with all of our heart. Teach us not to waste away. Teach us to be those who one day will stand before You God - not in judgment, as though we wasted our lives away, but as those who have taken what God has given every day. To come into Your will, and to seek what You would want for our lives that Your Name would be exalted.’ That we would be those coming into the wisdom of God who says, ‘Be wise with every opportunity.’

    Do not waste your opportunities this day to seek the Father. We would just be saying, ‘Father keep me close. Keep me close that I would have a heart and desire for You, that You would be exalted in my life.’ May we seek the Lord. May we be those not wasting time, but also not in such a hurry. But may we be those, balanced out with the power of God - doing His work and His will, and enjoying what He's given. Praying you have a blessed day, and a blessed time. Amen, amen.

    The post The Time We Have – EP97 (Psalms 90:12) appeared first on United Faith Church.

    5 min
  • Stop for a Moment – EP96 (Psalms 46:10)

    Psalms 46:10

    He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;
        I will be exalted among the nations,
        I will be exalted in the earth.”

    Hello and welcome back to the One Thing podcast. Today, I was thinking of one of my favorite verses, Psalms 46 verse 10 and it says, “‘Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.’”

    Every time I read this scripture and I read the words “Be still”, I can't help but to think but to stop. Stop for a moment. Stop overthinking things. Stop going on to the next moment. “Be still”. This is an entrance into the presence of the Lord. To stop ourselves from just going about without hearing from the Lord. To stop ourselves for a moment, in the busyness of our day, which does happen, and to be still in His presence.

    “Without this stopping, without this stillness, we run around and wind up being so far from the will of the Lord…” He says to “know that I am God”. What does this mean? It means to keep things into perspective. When we're driving, when we see a stop sign, the reason that those signs are there is for us to stop, to be able to look to the left, to the right, to make sure no cars are coming, where an accident could be caused. It causes us to stop for a moment to allow others to go. It's for our safety and it's no different with the Lord.

    ]We have to have times and moments, whether we’re at work at the time, or remember when we’re on our lunch break or even at home to simply just stop for a moment and to come to God to still our minds and our hearts and allow ourselves to meditate on His Word, to pray to the Lord, to hear from Him. Without this stopping, without this stillness, we run around and wind up being so far from the will of the Lord but His will is perfect. His will is pleasing in His sight. Those who belong to the Lord Jesus Christ, our goal in this life is to do the will of the Father.

    “It's important to find these moments of stillness...” In order to do so, it takes moments of being able to stop from the craziness of this world, the craziness of our days and to be still, remembering, knowing that He is God. He is in control. There's not one thing that He doesn’t know. There's not one moment we can have where God is not aware.

    It's important to find these moments of stillness and you can find Him anywhere. Even as you're driving in your car, to turn off the radio for a moment. To put the cell phone down, to stop checking the emails, and to simply begin to check in with God. “Be still and know that I am God”.

    Will you stop this day for a moment? Will you allow God to begin to speak, to renew, to refresh and to remind us of His great will that He looks to accomplish in those who trust in His name? Praying that we would find this Word to be refreshing and a Word that would draw us closer and closer to the Lord and all that He has in store, amen.

    The post Stop for a Moment – EP96 (Psalms 46:10) appeared first on United Faith Church.

    3 min
  • The Cross of Jesus – EP95 (1Cor. 1:18)

    1 Corinthians 1:18

    For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

    Hello and welcome back to the One Thing podcast. I was so reminded today of the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 1:18 says, “For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to those who are being saved it is the power of God.”

    “I pray we call on the power of Jesus today. To be also willing as He was to honor the Father....” As I read this scripture, I was reminded of the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ. I was reminded of His willingness to sacrifice Himself. To come on behalf of His people, so undeserving, a people who were sinful. Christ has decided to do the will of the Father which was to come and to deliver His people and to save us from our sins. I pray we call on the power of Jesus today. To be also willing as He was to honor the Father, doing all that we can to seek the Lord, to grow closer with Him, and to be used for His glory.

    “Today, there is power to be different. Power to be distinguished as those who walk overcoming our sin...” When I think of the cross of Jesus, I'm reminded of His mercy. How He was the very vessel of God's mercy who died on the cross. On the cross where I should have been placed. On the cross where we deserved to be because of our sin and wickedness. Yet, we can be thankful today. Thankful that God has sent mercy in the form of Jesus, that we can turn, repent and come back to God and live for Him. May we today be those thanking God as we think of the cross, of how merciful He's been to each one of us and to our families and that maybe today, God would pour out even more of His mercy so that we would bring Him glory.

    And lastly, when I think of the cross of the Lord Jesus, I'm reminded of His power. See, He didn't end it there. It didn't end at the cross but He rose again, and for those who trust in Him, for the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. It doesn't end for us today. it doesn't end until the day we go to be with the Lord. Today, there is power to be transformed through the power of the Lord Jesus. Today, there is power to be different. Power to be distinguished as those who walk overcoming our sin, subduing the darkness, and bringing glory to His name. Will you remember the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ today?

    What a wonderful work that the Lord Jesus has done. For us, it is truly the power of the Lord. May we come back to the old glory, to the old power of the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ.

    The post The Cross of Jesus – EP95 (1Cor. 1:18) appeared first on United Faith Church.

    3 min
  • Turned Around for Good – EP94 (Genesis 50:20)

    Genesis 50:20

     You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives

    Hello and welcome back to the One Thing podcast. Genesis chapter 50 verse 20: “‘You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.’”

    "Regardless of what was happening in Joseph's life, God had found him to be faithful." These are the words of Joseph who is now speaking to his brothers the very same brothers, who years prior, had attempted to take his life. And in the process, his life was spared yet he was sold into slavery being taken far from his home from everything that he was familiar with, into the land of Egypt. Now if you thought that that was bad, there was a moment where Joseph was even accused and convicted of something that he didn't even do, and he found himself in prison. We now see him in a time of victory. Regardless of what was happening in Joseph's life, God had found him to be faithful. Joseph continued to worship God and hold to Him all throughout the years - even in times of affliction.

    Today can we stop for a moment to think about times of affliction in our lives? Maybe those moments where we didn't think we were gonna make it. Those moments where we were just thinking, ‘God my hands are up, I don't know what to do,’ but yet God has come through. Maybe that circumstance never changed, yet in it, God has allowed you to have a strength that you can never have without Him.

    "I pray today that God would give you strength and encourage you to hold…" Could we stop today and think about those moments in our life - and like Joseph, reflect on how what the enemy meant to take us out to destroy us God has turned for good - or maybe even others in our lives are blessed through it. I pray today that we would examine these times in our lives and begin to thank the Lord and remember His faithfulness.

    And for those of us who maybe we are in a circumstance or a situation today - maybe we have been afflicted maybe there's some stronghold of the enemy in our lives that we have not found deliverance from - I pray today that we would also be reminded of God's faithfulness in these words. That if we just hold on, if we worship the Lord if we continue to just bless Him, continue to cry out saying, ‘Father, I don't know what tomorrow may even bring, but Father I know that You are God.’ I pray today that God would give you strength and encourage you to hold - just like Joseph.

    "...may we be just like Joseph…knowing that He alone is God - and He alone can deliver." And as we call, and as we hold to the power of the Lord Jesus Christ that He alone would be our deliverer and that this day, many of us would reflect and be thankful that what the enemy meant for evil in our lives, God has turned around for His good, that we would also be saying, ‘Father, though there be a mountain before me, though there be a Red Sea that I need to get over somehow, Father I'm holding to You for You are faithful and You are strong. And Lord Jesus You are able to complete that good work that You had begun.’

    May we be encouraged this day from the Word of the Lord and may we be just like Joseph found faithful, holding to the Lord all the days of our life, knowing that He alone is God - and He alone can deliver. Amen, amen.

    The post Turned Around for Good – EP94 (Genesis 50:20) appeared first on United Faith Church.

    4 min
  • Fueled by His Presence – EP93 (Mark 1:35)

    Mark 1:35

    Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed

    "...what did He fuel Himself most on?...He was being fueled by the power and the presence of His Father." Hello and welcome back to the One Thing podcast. The question of the day today is: What are you fueled by? Now we know we can easily look around and I see all sorts of energy drinks. There is all sorts of special foods that claim to give you the energy that you need for the day to fuel you in order to do the work you need to do - the schooling whatever it may be, the sport. There's all sorts of fuel, right that we take in physically. But what I find to be so much more important is what are we fueling our spiritual life with?

    Mark chapter one verse 35 says this about Jesus: “Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where He prayed.” Now I love this. This verse speaks volumes to me. It speaks to me and shows that Jesus, who was probably the busiest He was not only ministering to people, not only spending hours in teaching others and in prayer, but we know that He was even a carpenter so there was a physical aspect and a spiritual aspect to the things that were included in His day. But what did He fuel Himself most on? Of course He ate food. Of course He drank water and probably made sure He was fed in times of need but, greater than all of it, in that solitary place - in those moments in the wee hours of the morning - He was being fueled by the power and the presence of His Father.

    "...do we stop to truly fuel ourselves as the Lord Jesus did?" I ask today: Do we do the same? As we pay attention to fueling ourselves and our bodies for the sport for the job to get done, do we also pay attention to our spiritual life? You see without God's presence without intimate moments of hearing Him speak - those intimate moments of taking time not to just read the Word and go about but to meditate on the Word of the Lord, to meditate in prayer. To think about maybe places of repentance in our lives to think upon the things that God is speaking and calling us to do in obedience - these are all part of the way that God fuels us. He speaks to us, He leads us, and He also empowers us to live for Him.

    But do we stop to truly fuel ourselves as the Lord Jesus did? He was the holiest man that ever lived, He was literally the Son of God, and He needed these moments to be refreshed with God He needed these moments to just stop and to be with the Father.

    "Praying that you will be fueled this day, and that you would seek Him like never before." Now listen I'm not saying it has to be in your prayer closet at home. It could be in your car drive. It could be in the walk that you take at the end of the day. It could be early in the morning as you wake up and find a solitary place as Jesus did whatever it may be, it's important that in this time and season, we are those fueled by the power and the presence of God. But it takes an effort. It costs us some time it will cost us some changing direction of the plans of our days - doing whatever we can to be in a place with God, to hear from Him to speak with Him, and to literally be fueled.

    What are you being fueled on today? I pray that if it hasn't been God, if you seem to have that take that's not filled with His presence, that in this due time and season you will begin to seek Him, and begin to go after Him like never before - to be fueled with His power, His glory and His presence. Praying that you will be fueled this day, and that you would seek Him like never before. Amen.

    The post Fueled by His Presence – EP93 (Mark 1:35) appeared first on United Faith Church.

    4 min

About The One Thing - United Faith Church Podcast

From the publisher's feed

The One Thing Podcast with Pastor Jeff