A clarion call has been made to gather the saints for a grassroots effort across the state of Tennessee. We will serve those in authority from the Courthouse to the White House. We will serve through intercession for and interaction with governmental leaders in order to impact our cities, our state and nation. We will not only minister to those in the high place, but also those in the forgotten place. We will discern the heartbeat of cities and communities from mayors and city and county officials to determine how we can best serve those in authority. May we rise up rather than fall back in this hour and walk through the gates of government to serve with the heart and mind of Christ.
Each year, students gather around their school's flag pole for SYATP - the Global Day of Student Prayer. This year, SYATP is on September 25 and we want to show the power of prayer in the Nashville community.
Welcome to The Belonging! We are a Church that loves God and loves people. We are passionate about seeing people encounter God through worship, and experience the freedom that comes through knowing Jesus. Whoever you are, and wherever you come from, you are welcome!
The following article, containing dozens of spiritual quotes by our United States Presidents, is taken from Ed Moore's book, Prayer Force One: Across America. It is presented here in order to preserve the foundations of our nation's spiritual heritage. You may order Ed Moore's book by clicking on the book at the right.
The power of prayer is an incredible thing. At Philanthropy, we know that prayer is something important – but let us attempt to explain how much the Lord blesses us every day. About a year ago, Philanthropy started The Prayer Wall based on a story of a personal battle with cancer, and a mission set on our hearts from one of our customers. A random interaction turned into a very important day for all of us.First of all, this is not a positive thinking blog or a blog that suggests we can live without any kind of fear, sometimes our fears can help us learn what real courage is, or turn us to God. In this blog we will be looking at the difference between fear and faith, and when I refer to faith in this blog, I am referring to, faith in God, or courage that cheers us on. When I refer to fear in this blog, I am referring to unhealthy fear that torments us and keeps us down. When I refer to world in this blog, I am referring to ‘worldly world’. A lot of times when the Bible mentions faith, it is about our initial faith, or salvation faith, but there are many incidences when it is referring to everyday faith. We are discussing everyday faith in this blog.
Unhealthy fear
Unhealthy fear comes from lies that are directed against the truth. This world is filled with the lies of the devil, for he is the god of this world and he hates the truth because the truth works against him, if he can keep us from the truth, he can keep us down.
Faith in God
Now faith is the substance of things HOPED for, the evidence of things not seen. Hebrews 11:1
What kinds of things do most of us hope for? Health, happiness, security, things like that.
What kinds of things do most of us hope for NOT? Sickness, sorrow, danger, things like that.
Or in other words, our faith, or our belief, should be in things we want TO HAPPEN, not in things we don’t want to happen!
Are we courageous in life or worried? Do we have more faith in truth or lies?
Do we have more faith in good things happening or in bad things happening?
Faith and fear are very different, but are in some ways, alike.
Faith promotes spiritual growth, fear stunts spiritual growth.
Perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love. 1 John 4:18
Faith is a message of truth and is good news, fear is a message of lies and is bad news.
When we frame our lives with faith in God, it will look like love, when we frame our lives with fear in lies, it will not look like love. Both frame our lives. When we frame a picture, we make it look like we want it to look.
Both faith and fear are acquired by hearing. Faith in good comes from hearing what God is saying, fear comes by hearing what the devil, via the world, is saying.
So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. Romans 10:17
Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. Colossians 2:8
Neither give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which minister questions, rather than godly edifying which is in faith: so do 1 Timothy 1:4
Daily, we are either building up faith or fear. When building a building or anything, we use building materials. God’s Word is the building material for our faith. We all build our faith up with the same material, but how we do so can vary. Some may hold Bible studies, some may meditate the Scriptures, some may memorize the Scriptures, some may write stories and songs of faith, etc. . .
When push comes to shove, either faith or fear will surface.
The Bible instructs us to submit to God and resist the devil,
Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. James 4:7
The Bible instructs us to fight fear with faith.
For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places . Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Ephesians 6:12-13
Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, . . . 1 Timothy 6:12
What’s a greater influence in our lives, faith or fear? Do we believe what God says or what the world says? Do we know what God says? What God says is in the Holy Bible and it is truth. What the world says, for the most part, comes from the god of this world or the devil and is a lie.
Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I proceeded forth and came from God; nor have I come of Myself, but He sent Me. Why do you not understand My speech? Because you are not able to listen to My word. You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it. John 8:42-44
Faith is a spirit that BELIEVES God’s Word, and confesses all that Christ has done for us; fear is a spirit that DOES NOT BELIEVE God’s Word, and denies what Christ has done for us.
Faith is trust in the truth; fear is trust in untruths.
Faith builds us up in love; fear tears us down in unlove.
Faith believes in good; fear believes in evil.
Faith lives in the light; fear lives in the dark.
Faith works by love and has the fruits of love:
Love is patient (fear doesn’t wait, it isn’t still, it doesn’t see salvation), love is kind (fear lashes out, is rude). Love does not envy, does not boast, is not proud, does not dishonor others, is not self-seeking, Love is not easily angered, keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. Love always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. (fear quits, gives up, fails). 1 Corinthians 13:4-8
Noah didn’t worry about the flood, he built an ark like God said.
David didn’t worry about the giant, he stood against him in the name of God.
The Bible instructs us not to worry, to seek God and His kingdom first. What are we focusing on first?
Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.. Matthew 6:31-34
Do we see the salvation or the destruction in it?
And his disciples came to him , and awoke him, saying, Lord, save us: we perish. And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm. Matthew 8:25-26
For she said within herself, If I may but touch his garment, I shall be whole. But Jesus turned him about, and when he saw her, he said, Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole. And the woman was made whole from that hour. Matthew 9:21-22
Faith in God is built in us individually and corporately, faith in God has been built throughout the ages by all God’s children who believe Him; from faith to faith.
For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believes; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith. Romans 1:16-17
Faith grows and love abounds!
We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is fitting, because your faith grows exceedingly, and the love of every one of you all abounds toward each other 2 Thessalonians 1:3
Love of and for God is the root of all good.
For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness. 1 Timothy 6:10-12
We are either communicating our faith (in what God has promised) or our fears to others.
And they returned from spying out the land after forty days. . .Then Caleb quieted the people before Moses, and said, “Let us go up at once and take possession, for we are well able to overcome it.”But the men who had gone up with him said, “We are not able to go up against the people, for they are stronger than we.” Numbers 13:25-31
Faith gives rest; fear gives unrest
For indeed the gospel was preached to us as well as to them; but the word which they heard did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in those who heard it. For we who have believed do enter that rest. . . Hebrews 4:1-4
PRAYER Lord Father, Help our faith grow and our love abound. Help us communicate our faith in you more than worry. Help us see the salvation in things and not the destruction. Help us trust in the truth rather than the untruths. Help us trust in being loved rather than being unloved. Help us stay in Your light and fight the good fight. Help us stand and withstand. Help us be courageous and hope in good things. Help us resist the devil and all his lies and draw nearer to You. Help us frame our lives with faith in You, so our lives will look like love. May we daily hear what You say and take heed and believe. In Jesus Name we pray, Amen.
Disclaimer: Some of us suffer from fear that has caused trauma, done to us in our childhood and/or beyond and need professional help, this blog does not offer that kind of help.