Get up!

You know as well as I do that in life sometimes we get knocked down; Sometimes we mess up, fall short, sin and act in the flesh. The feelings of condemnation and guilt can be very strong overwhelming at times like these! It’s moments like these that it would seem easier to just give up and quite! However that is the opposite of what we should do. At that very moment God wants you to come to Him for MERCY, GRACE, and HELP! (Hebrews 4:16) We are to come to Him in our weakest and most trying times. Don’t go by what you feel; act on the Word of God. Be honest before God and talk openly with Him about your problems. My dad, Pastor Jim Overbaugh has a saying,  “If you mess up, fess up, and get up!” What does that mean? If we make a mistake we need to confess it God and to the people we hurt our did harm to. 1 John 1:9 says “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from ALL UNRIGHTEOUSNESS.” Now we need to FORGIVE OURSELVES and move on. Seems like the hardest part is that last part, but since God forgave you, you need to forgive yourself! Philippians 3:13 says “This one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forward to those things which are before.” There is NO CONDEMNATION to those who belong to Jesus Christ! (Romans 8:1) and you are a NEW CREATURE in Christ Jesus. The old is passed away and all things are new! (2 Corinthians 5:17) FORGET PAST MISTAKES and HURTS and MOVE ON to the next big thing God has for you! Don’t let the past hold you back or dictate your future!

By: Steven Overbaugh

iPray

Prayer, it is a powerful tool Christians can use in the earth. Throughout the Bible we are strongly encouraged to pray. Its our direct communication with God (kind of like talking on the telephone). I love praying to my Heavenly Father. I know I can come to Him anytime I need to, day or night and He’s always there. I know when I come to God according to His will and in faith, that He hears me (1 John 5:15). We have to come to God in faith. It is impossible to please our God without faith (Hebrews 11:6).  However, we can be confident that when we are in faith, He is pleased and He can work with that! What should we pray for then? What should our motive for prayer be? It’s true we can pray to God for our lives; the things we desire and need, but is that all we can do? No! The Bible is clear that we should pray not only for ourselves, but also for others around us. As Christians we should be praying for “the lost” those who have not come into the light of Jesus yet. Psalms 2:8 says, “Ask of me, and I will give you the heathen for you inheritance.”  We can ask and believe God for the salvation of sinners and that they are coming from darkness into the light! When we pray to our Heavenly Father, according to His Word, we know great results will come of it! James 5:16 “The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.”  So I want to encourage everyone today, remember to pray and come to God in every area of your life and concerning the lives of those around you. When Christians take their place and begin to obey the Word of God and pray, then God is able to work.

1 John 5:14, “And this is the confidence that we have in Him that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.”

 

By: Steven Overbaugh

Got Joy?

James 1:2-3 says ” My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials,  knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.” Sometimes in our lives we face problems and difficulties. Sometimes it may SEEM as if there’s no way out. It’s times just like these where we have a great opportunity to stay in faith and stay in joy! When believers choose to COUNT IT ALL JOY, they show God they trust Him and are remaining in faith. God is NOT the cause of trouble or problems. We live in a fallen world. Jesus said “In this world you will have tribulation, but be of good cheer; I HAVE OVERCOME THE WORLD.” (John 16:33) He said be of GOOD CHEER! BE JOYFUL! We have overcome because of the greater one who is in us! You are also making a statement to the devil (who is the author of trouble) when you stay in joy. He’s given his best shot to destroy you and you’re still in the game! That freaks him out! He can’t do anything against God’s people when they choose to be joyful. Being joyful is a decision; its a choice. You can make a decision to stay in faith. When you’re in faith then you will be in joy as well. So when trouble comes in your life, don’t let it knock you out, stay in the game, stay in the faith of God, stay in the joy of the Lord! Remember there is strength in the joy of the Lord.

Nehemiah 8:10b “For the joy of the Lord your strength.”

By: Steven Overbaugh