Tough Times Archives

Anxiety Aids from the Bible

Kayleen Dreesman on July 1, 2020

ANXIETY AIDS FROM THE BIBLE

By Dr. George Crabb

1. Rejoice in God’s Sovereignty

Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice. Philippians 4:4

O give thanks unto the Lord, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever. Psalm 107:1

God knows everything. He needs no counsel from us.

There is no wisdom nor understanding nor counsel against the Lord. Proverbs 21:30

Find reasons to rejoice.

2. Realize God is Near

Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand. Philippians 4:5

God’s silence does not mean His absence.

This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success. Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest. Joshua 1:8-9

3. Bring Your Requests to God

Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. Philippians 4:6

Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. 1 Peter 5:7

The path to peace is paved with prayer.

4. Recognize God’s Goodness

Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. Philippians 4:6

Look for His goodness in your life.

5. The Result will be the Peace of God

And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:7

Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. John 14:27

When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee. For I am the Lord thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour… Isaiah 43:2-3

God does His part when we do our part!

5 Prayers in Times of Crisis

Kayleen Dreesman on June 12, 2020

By Silas Young | June 12, 2020

Crisis moments will come into our lives…whether personal or national, it is unavoidable.

How we respond when crisis comes reveals what or who we are trusting. Often our first response is the most telling.

Yes, we can control many aspects of life. We can control what we say, what we do, where we work, and what we wear, just to name a few.

However, there are also many things in life that we cannot control. We cannot control how we naturally look, the color of our eyes, the color of our skin, our genetic makeup, how others treat us, what gender our children will be, and so on. Most of all, we cannot control crisis moments. We cannot control catastrophic storms, disease, pandemic, cancer, or death.

While we cannot control the crisis itself, we can control how WE respond to the crisis.

Prayer is simply asking. Asking God for something that we cannot do for ourselves.

In Matthew chapter 14, Peter faced the crisis of fear and death. It is the chapter where Jesus walked on the water and Peter had the faith to ask Jesus to help him walk on the water too. Peter stepped out of the boat and walked for a time, but then looked away from Jesus and began sinking. In that crisis moment, he prayed.

But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me. (Matthew 14:30)

His first reaction revealed his heart. Perhaps this short, two word prayer is one of the most profound examples for us today.

5 PRAYERS IN TIME OF CRISIS

1. Pray for Faith

In Luke 17, the disciples prayed an amazing prayer. After Jesus warned them about the betrayer and admonished them to forgive each other, they asked for more faith.

And the apostles said unto the Lord, increase our faith. (Luke 17:5)

People are not only saved by faith, but Christians are also called to live every day by faith. Crisis times will test our faith, but they also give us an opportunity to show how strong our faith truly is.

Faith is focusing on God more than the crisis. Faith calls our attention to who God is, and what He has the power to do in our lives.

2. Pray for Health

A crisis can be physical, and those are many times some of the hardest to endure. Cancer, virus, or even death. This was not God’s original plan, but as Creator, He has the power to heal if He chooses.

Jesus cared about people’s physical condition as well as their spiritual condition.

All throughout the Gospels people asked (prayed) for Jesus to heal them…and He did. He healed so many, because He loved them. And He loves us!

So Jesus had compassion on them, and touched their eyes: and immediately their eyes received sight, and they followed him. (Matthew 20:34)

3. Pray for a Solution

Too many times we pray general prayers. Maybe we are afraid to get specific because we lack the faith that God will answer us. Pray for specific solutions in times of crisis.

Several times, Jesus asked what someone wanted specifically.

And Jesus answered and said unto him, What wilt thou that I should do unto thee? The blind man said unto him, Lord, that I might receive my sight. (Mark 10:51)

Jesus asked the man to get specific, and when he did, Jesus healed him.

Our country is going through a time of crisis right now. Don’t just pray that God will bless America. Get specific! Pray that people will stop killing each other and that looting and vandalism will end. Pray that God will work in people’s hearts to replace racism with love and to root out the corruption and systemic racism that exists in different areas.

Whatever your crisis is, get specific. God knows the situation.

4. Pray for Leaders

This is a direct command of Scripture.

I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. (1 Timothy 2:1-2)

In times of crisis, extreme pressure can be placed on leaders. Whether parents as leaders of the family, managers as leaders of the business, pastors as leaders of the church, or government officials as leaders of the country.

Leaders are the decision makers. Think and pray for leaders who must make tough decisions during crisis times.

5. Pray for Opportunities

God is so powerful and loving that He is able to take any situation and bring good out of it for our good and His glory.

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28)

The original language is even stronger in clearly identifying God as the One who causes all things to work together.

In times of crisis, there is always a chance for personal growth and growing your relationship with God. You may learn something or experience something that will allow you to help others in the future. There may even be a chance to share the Gospel with a loved one.

Crisis moments will come. They could be individual or national. They could be physical, emotional or spiritual. How will you respond? What will be your first response?

When crisis moments come…pray!

REAL HOPE Because Jesus Lives!

MikeGlanzer on March 22, 2018

REAL HOPE. Everyone needs it. Everyone longs for it. Young or old, rich or poor, new Christian or seasoned saint, there is no one who doesn’t find himself yearning for REAL HOPE. We need hope because of our own sin and because of the sin of others. We need hope because of the effects of sin on this old sin-cursed broken world. We need hope because of sickness, pain, death and evil. We long for REAL HOPE, not just a fantasy of some positive future or “pie in the sky by and by,” but REAL HOPE anchored in the solid foundation of God’s eternal Scripture.

The good news is that there truly is REAL HOPE found in the Bible. Hope abounds for the true child of God who has a REAL relationship with Him through Jesus Christ. Here are five reasons for REAL HOPE; each one is wrapped up in the person of Jesus Christ including his death, burial, and resurrection.

REAL HOPE abounds for the Christian because of Jesus’ perfect shed blood, His death and His bodily resurrection. Jesus died and shed his sinless blood so that He could be the substitute for us. Christ took the wrath of God His Father upon Himself so that we could be forgiven. Because of this sacrifice, God promised restoration, cleansing, forgiveness, and mercy. Of course, Christians are already declared totally righteous for all eternity, but those of us who are believers still need God’s forgiveness throughout this life. Our failures, accidental or purposeful, hinder our walk with God, and we need restoration, just as we do in earthly relationships when failure breaks our fellowship with the Lord. 1 John 1:7-9 reminds us that “if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ, His Son, cleanses us from all sin.” John goes on to declare that if we try to hide or deny our failures, we are liars; but, if we confess our sin to Him, He is faithful and just and will forgive our sin, bringing about greater holiness and restoration. We have REAL HOPE for forgiveness.

REAL HOPE abounds for the Christian because of His power. Ephesians 3:20 declares that we should thank and praise God because He is “able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us.” God has promised His power to help us live a godly life. Even when we feel totally defeated and discouraged, His power is greater and can do far above what we feel can be accomplished in and through us. In addition, 2 Peter 1:3 reminds us that God’s power is given to us so that we have everything we need to overcome failure and live a godly life. Yes, we fail, but God’s power never allows us to live consistently in a state of sinful failure. His power saves us from a life of failure! We have REAL HOPE for a life free from being a slave to our sinful desires and failures.

REAL HOPE abounds because we have victory over death and have Heaven as our future home. Paul says in 1 Thess. 4:13-18, “But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.“ Heaven is not a myth. It is a REAL place, and we will enjoy it together as Christians. What a hope!

REAL HOPE abounds for the Christian because of His plan. Romans 8:28-31 is encouraging, because God states that “all things work together for good” (even when they don’t always appear to be good) to cause us to be more like Christ. Life is like a giant puzzle with infinite pieces, each of which is needed, and all of which come together to accomplish God’s plan. Some of those pieces even include pain, sickness, and failures. God, although never responsible for our failures, mercifully allows them to strengthen us for the future and to make us more conformed to the image of His Son. The book of Romans also reminds us that when sin increases and failure happens, grace always increases and can overcome our failures (Romans 5:20). Although we face pain, death, evil and our own failures in this life, we have REAL HOPE. This REAL HOPE in the face of trouble causes us to reach the same conclusion as the divinely inspired Apostle Paul. Writing in Romans 8:31-33, he states, “What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? He that spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? Who shall lay anything to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifies.” If all that weren’t enough encouragement in the face of failure, we can also rely on this promise of God in Philippians 1:6: “Being confident of this very thing, that He which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.” No, God is not ever going to leave His children helpless or at the mercy of Satan in this evil fallen world. He is on our side. REAL HOPE!

REAL HOPE abounds for the Christian because of His presence. Hebrews 13:5 gives us yet another hopeful promise for our life: “I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.” Often in the difficulties of life or when we sin, we feel that God is angry and frustrated with us, and we may even feel forsaken or deserted by God. On the contrary, like the father in the story told by Jesus of the prodigal son in Luke 11:15-32, God eagerly awaits to forgive and restore us. As the Psalmist says in Psalm 46:1, “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.”

The person of Jesus Christ, his death, burial and resurrection provide REAL HOPE for this life and our future. Are you a REAL CHRISTIAN with REAL HOPE? If we can be of help to you in your relationship with God, we invite you to contact us. If you are looking for a REAL HOPE, consider joining us for a service soon.

In our services, we pray you will come to know the hope found through Jesus Christ and His words to us in the Bible.

How to Pray After the Tragic School Shooting

MikeGlanzer on February 15, 2018

Often during times of heart-rending events that involve mass casualties and national grief, our leaders will say that “our thoughts and prayers are with those who were touched by the tragedy.” Perhaps you are wondering how to pray. You can pray for the people touched by this terrible school shooting in Florida based on the following ideas presented in Psalms 25 and Lamentations 3

If you are wondering how God could let something like this happen, click the link at the bottom to see our article that was posted after the church shooting in Texas.

In the meantime, when thinking of the families and friends of those dear people in Florida, pray:

That our nation would, as Jeremiah did in Lamentations 3, remember the true God of the Bible and have hope. Lamentations 3:21
That the people would be comforted in the Lord because his compassions fail not and his mercies are new every day. Lamentations 3:22-23
That the Lord would guide people into hope through quietness and solitude where they can reflect on their own relationship with Jesus Christ. That they will find both present and eternal hope in Him. Lamentations 3:25-33
That our government leaders and especially our churches would not be ashamed of standing on true moral, Biblical truth and righteousness as they continue to fight this battle against evil in our land. That we all would have discernment regarding what is truly evil and what is truly good and what leads men to commit such atrocities. Psalms. 25:2
That evil and those who commit evil acts would not triumph over good by defeating courage or our trust in the one true God. That anger, hate and bitterness would not prevail. Psalms 25:2
That those who continue to transgress without cause, taking innocent lives would be in disarray, in conflict with one another and ultimately exposed and defeated. Psalms 25:3
That our government leaders, law enforcement and protection forces would have wisdom and insight. That they would seek God in their efforts to destroy evil and that God would direct their paths and protect them. Psalms 25:4
That rather than turning against the true God of the Bible in anger or discouragement, the people effected and our nations in general would turn to God. That we all would trust his mercy, his loving kindness and goodness to those who follow him. Psalms 25:5

Take some time to read through Psalms 25 and Lamentations 3 and let these passages help guide you as you seek to pray for those who are suffering and hurting in unimaginable ways. Pray for America as a nation as well. Tragedies such as this raise many deep and difficult questions about God, his love, his control and his goodness. While no human can answer all these questions, we believe the Bible has answers for the problems of evil and suffering. We would be glad to talk further with you or have you join us for a service soon. We all wrestle with these issues and we would be happy to point you to the truths we have learned in years of studying God’s word the Bible. In the meantime, take some time today to pray for these hurting people and our nation.

5 Biblical Thoughts to Help You Still Give Thanks When Life is Ugh, Annoying and Bleh

MikeGlanzer on November 22, 2017

How to Give Thanks When Life is

It is Thanksgiving time and yet perhaps it is hard for you to be thankful this year. Perhaps finances are tighter than ever or cancer struck at the heart of your normally thankful spirit. Maybe thankfulness seems to elude you this year because of a series of smaller difficulties that have piled up. Whatever the circumstances, the Bible says in 1 Thessalonians 5 that we are to give thanks in ALL things. How in the world are we supposed to do that?

Here Are 5 Ways We Can Learn to Give Thanks Even When Life Is Ugh, Annoying and Bleh…

1. Relinquish control to God’s sovereign plan, knowing that He is never out of control. Even with the problem of sin and evil, God overrules and works all things for our good as we become more like Christ.

2. Rest in God’s wisdom and love. God is all-wise. He knows the end from the beginning and is always acting in love toward us, His children. We often cannot see that when in suffering, yet we can understand it when we compare parenting to God’s love. As a parent allows a non-understanding, crying baby to undergo surgery, an immunization shot, or other pain for ultimate healing or good, so God does the same. As the parent would not love the child if he/she stopped the pain, so God would not fully love us if He did not allow what was best.

3. Run to His Word. God’s Word, the Bible, contains “all things that apply to life and godliness.” We open it to find the truths we need, and we depend upon His Spirit to lead us in applying it to our situation and to our hearts personally.

4. Reach out to others. In the midst of our pain, it is helpful to serve others. Serving helps us get our focus off of our suffering. It is an encouragement to know that we have helped others and been used by God to bring joy to them. Even during Jesus’ suffering on the cross, He was mindful of His mother’s needs.

5. Share your burden. Don’t substitute fellowship with others for time with God; but if at all possible, find a close Godly friend who will faithfully listen and point you back to God’s truth when your faith begins to waiver. Confide in your church family to find healing and strength. God works through the body of Christ, the church. If you don’t have a church family, we would invite you to visit us.

For further consideration, please understand that the Bible isn’t a book that emphasizes thankfulness and then hides the fact that humans suffer. Here are some examples. Adam and Eve suffered the murder of their son by his own brother. Job suffered the loss of almost all he had. The faithful Christians in Revelation suffered. Hebrews 11 has a whole list of suffering saints.

As we attempt to have this spirit of thankfulness, We are faced with the question of why God’s children suffer in the first place if an all-powerful God loves and cares for them. Though that seeming dilemma is not the point of this article, a few quick notes may lead you to further help and study.

Sin. We live in a sin-cursed world. Romans 8:22 reminds us that all Creation groans because of sin. In addition, the consequences of our own personal sin often bring pain. The sins of others can bring heartache, too.
2.      Strangers. We are strangers in this world. Hebrews 11:13 reminds us that this world is not our home. This is not our place of rest. We can’t expect to be too comfortable here. Heaven is our resting place.

3.      Sons. We are sons of God. Therefore God, as a loving Father, brings suffering at times to discipline us in order that it may yield the “peaceable fruit of righteousness” in our lives (Hebrews 12).

4.      Satan. Job 1 allows us to see that Satan and his minions are allowed by God to bring about hard times for God’s children in order to bring glory to God. Always remember though, that God’s glory and the good of his children are eternally bound together. Our good does not suffer to bring God glory.

5.      Selfishness. Although a derivative of #1 above, it still should be mentioned, because the selfishness of those we love (as well as those we don’t even know) can cause great pain.

Again if you feel that we can be of help to you are someone you know, please get in touch with us or stop in for a visit. We are here to point people to the Bible and the hope that is only found in the Lord Jesus Christ.

First Baptist