ALL THINGS
God is using every circumstance in our lives to shape us and use us for His purpose!
It can be hard for us to accept the idea of God using ‘all things’ in this way. We know that God uses His Word to renew our minds and transform us. We can accept that God uses our fellowship with other believers in this way. His blessings in our lives assure us of His loving care for us. However, there are still those times, when we say to ourselves “…but, does God really mean we can find joy in ‘all things’?
Yes!… He does!
Now, this doesn’t mean that God is pleased with all things. God does grieve when we bear the brunt of someone else’s sin. He is angry when a drunk driver slams into the car of someone we love. Our God knows, from His own experience on the cross, what the physical and emotional pain we experience feels like. God loves us through all of our experiences. He grieves and groans along with us.
We know that God is on His throne. He reigns over all things and overrules evil. He has a purpose and He is able to use the fallen, the evil, and even the most senseless things, to accomplish His good purpose in the world, and in our lives. This means that we can embrace any circumstance we find ourselves in, whether good or bad, as God’s opportunity for us to grow and minister in His name to others.
written by JOHN NORTH
Our Daily Bread
I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you……..Psalm 32:8
“Everybody on the left, give me three strong forward strokes!” our whitewater raft guide shouted. Those on the left dug in, pulling our raft away from a churning vortex. For several hours, we’d learned the importance of listening to our guide’s instructions. His steady voice enabled six people with little rafting experience to work together to plot the safest course down a raging river.
Life has its share of whitewater rapids, doesn’t it? One moment, it’s smooth sailing. Then, in a flash, we’re paddling like mad to avoid suddenly swirling whirlpools. Those tense moments make us keenly aware of our need for a skilled guide, a trusted voice to help us navigate turbulent times.
In Psalm 32, God promises to be that voice: “I will instruct you and teach you the way you should go” (v. 8). Backing up, we see that confessing our sins (v. 5) and prayerfully seeking Him (v. 6) play a role in hearing Him too. Still, I take comfort in the fact that God promises, “I will counsel you with my loving eye on you” (v. 8), a reminder that His guidance flows from His love. Near the end of the chapter, the psalmist concludes, “The Lord’s unfailing love surrounds the one who trusts him” (v. 10). And as we trust Him, we can rest in His promise to guide us through life’s rockiest passages.
By Adam R. Holz
REFLECT & PRAY:
Father, thank You for Your promise to be my Guide. Help me to seek You and listen to You as You direct the course of my life.
Credit: Our Daily Bread
The attaches of the enemy are real and intense.
Christian Marriages –
The importance of praying daily for your marriage and for your spouse becomes more evident to me every day. I don’t think anyone would question that marriages are in trouble today. We don’t have to look very far to see evidence of that. For Christian marriages, the attacks of the enemy are real and intense.
Marriage is God’s great design. Man was the only thing God created that was incomplete! Man needed a companion and to fill that need, God created woman. The enemy would like nothing more than to wreck that relationship. He wants to wreck marriage in general and yours in particular. Prayer is our most powerful weapon as we fight for our marriages.
Here are 3 things I would challenge you to begin praying every day:
1. That God would protect your marriage.
2. That each of you would see the other through God’s eyes
3. That your sexual desire would be for your spouse only.
Today’s One Thing: Begin praying for your marriage.
DON’T JUST SURVIVE! – Your Marriage Was Meant To Thrive!
If you like these series of tips and want to receive your One Thing Email please sign up at http://awesomemarriage.com/onething (It’s free!)
The WLCC service is set up to accommodate everyone during the pandemic:
• Sunday Service: Starts @ 9:00 AM Sharp at Old 690 Brewery at 15670 Ashbury Church Rd, Purcellville, VA
We have drive-in service where you can stay in your car, watch the service, and listen to Pastor Ray by tuning your car radio to 1610 AM.
• We also have numerous tables, spaced appropriately, for anyone wishing to attend the outdoor service in a more personable atmosphere.
• In the event of rain we will move under the covered roof portion of the building.
• WLCC continues to stream Sunday Service at 10:00 AM on Facebook and YouTube.
We Continue our Wednesday Evening Study Group online
Join us every week at 7:30 pm for an hour of great discussion.
Western Loudoun Community Church is about being the church — not just some religious exercise. We are about fulfilling the Great Commission and living the Great Commandment.
Come see what all the laughter and joy is about – We’ll save you a seat.
