http://www.hickoryflat.org/ en-us Fri, 27 Jan 2012 23:00:26 GMT Sat, 28 Aug 2010 04:00:00 GMT http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss SiteOrganic 60 webmaster@hickoryflatumc.org http://www.hickoryflat.org/pages/page.asp?page_id=58215&articleId=16247 Hebrews 10:35, 36 (NLT) says... "So do not throw away this confident trust in the Lord. Remember the great reward it brings you! Patient endurance is what you need now, so that you will continue to do God's will. Then you will receive all that He has promised." I was talking with someone recently about the number of conversations I'm having with folks right now who are struggling with anxiety and worry.   The number of prayer requests the church receives on a weekly basis is continuing to increase and the number of calls we get for counseling is really ramping up.   We were talking recently at a church meeting about the financial challenges ALL churches are facing and I was asked about the number of people in our congregation who had lost their jobs.   

To be sure, many of our families have either experienced a job loss or a reduction in salary, but I think there's more to the story.   Whether we like to admit it or not, no matter how confident we are, the world and people around us can begin to erode even the most positive attitudes.    Many people go to work everyday to the reminder that for every job that exists, there are 10 people waiting for the chance to take that job from them.  Consequently, many of us are going to work feeling very disposable and more than a little vulnerable.

Much like a fire begins with a simple spark, I think the loss of confidence begins with a comment here, an attitude there, a seemingly inconsequential event that begins to tear away at hope.   Hebrews 10:35, 36 (NLT) says this:

"So do not throw away this confident trust in the Lord, Remember the great reward it brings you!  Patient endurance is what you need now, so that you will continue to do God's will.  Then you will receive all that He has promised."

As we continue to follow God and chase after His will, I pray that the church will be the place where all people find confidence.    Because in God's church, no one is disposable.   Every person is valuable and needed.    For God's people, the spark that leads to confidence is simple faith.   Believing in God's promises and continuing to walk in that belief, even when the world around us says we cannot.

Grace and Peace,
Rene


]]> Sat, 28 Aug 2010 04:00:00 GMT http://www.hickoryflat.org/pages/page.asp?page_id=58215&articleId=16247 http://www.hickoryflat.org/pages/page.asp?page_id=58215&articleId=5843 God is the ultimate rainmaker. He can take a simple investment and turn it into a huge windfall profit.