Fantastic Friday #864 - Bold

 Bold

Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. Romans 5:1-2

I, along with some of my extended family, met a man this week who was working on a water leak in our campsite.  While we were asking about the repair time, this man boldly asked if he could share a word with us, and we were like, sure.  He proceeded to quote John 3:16 and then moved to Romans 5:1.  This man's story is an interesting one of drug addiction and being reborn through the love of Jesus Christ.  It wasn't his story of being saved by God that interested me the most, but of his true boldness to share the gospel, and be willing to answer questions of his path to where he is today. I reflected a lot on his boldness and wished that I could be as bold as he was with us.  For some reason, I am not bold but timid when it comes to sharing my story.  I always hope my Friday messages reach people, but I further hope that I can be as bold as this man was to us to other people in the future.  

Have a great weekend.

Fantastic Friday #863 - Laughter

Laughter

20 “Surely God does not reject one who is blameless
or strengthen the hands of evildoers.
21 He will yet fill your mouth with laughter
and your lips with shouts of joy. Job 8:20-21

I saw a video of two little boys this week passing a bottle of drink back and forth and laughing and carrying on. The laughter was so innocent and enjoyable to listen to, I couldn't get enough of seeing the looks on their faces and hearing their laughter. To be honest, my work was limited for the next several minutes because I could not stop watching it. It left me with a warmth and happiness to see two individuals with such laughter in their hearts and made me realize, when was the last time I laughed that hard. God wants us to be happy, and although we may go through trials, in the end he wants us to be happy. Happiness can come in many forms, but I know that when I have a good laugh with someone I know, the joy of God can be felt close to me. We need to take a moment every day to give ourselves a reminder of how joyful life is, and what God has done for us. The enemy wants us to be angry and hateful, but I choose to be happy and joyful. Find joy in your life and laughter in your heart.

Have a great weekend.

Matt

Fantastic Friday #862 - Thunder

Thunder

5 God’s voice thunders in marvelous ways;
he does great things beyond our understanding.
6 He says to the snow, ‘Fall on the earth,’
and to the rain shower, ‘Be a mighty downpour.’ Job 37:5-6

We have had quite a number of thunderstorms lately in my area, and the sound is amazing if you sit down and listen to it. When you think of what God has created, you also think of the power to control the lightning and thunder, or at least I do. Have you seen God at work in your life this week? If you haven't, now is the time to reflect on God and what He has done for you, even the little things. While the little things might not be handled by the voice of thunder, it is marvelous nonetheless. Every blessing that God places on us is through His power and nothing else. So, when you hear God's voice through the gentle still small voice, remember that the power of God's thunderous voice is behind it. God doesn't always make His influence loud and obvious, but if we pay close attention it is certainly present. Let God's thunderous voice do great things for you and your life.

Have a great weekend.

Matt

Fantastic Friday #861 - Blocked

Blocked

19 The way of the sluggard is blocked with thorns,
but the path of the upright is a highway. Proverbs 15:19

There are the things that block our path daily, whether it be an accident on the roadway, mud washed over a sidewalk, or an animal in our path that we truly wish to avoid. All these things can impede our path forward, just like when the enemy places things in front of us to stop us from moving forward with God's plan for our lives. There is not much difference between the different things blocking our path, in each scenario we need to find a path that avoids the problem in front of us. If we choose to tackle the blockade, we can't do it alone, and we know that we need God to assist us with getting through, around or avoiding it altogether. Remember that God is always there to answer the call to deal with things that block us. It may be something as simple as blocking out the media and world to focus on God, or placing us close to those who may be in need. In every case, good can block the enemy, and all we need to do is put up our own blockade with God by our side and leading the way.

Have a great weekend.

Matt