Message for July 12, 2020 from Pastor Shirley

     The Bible tells us in James 5:17 that Elijah was a human being with a nature such as we have but he prayed and received supernatural answers.

      When we read about  the prophet Elijah, beginning in I Kings 17, we see an ordinary man who did great exploits, because he believed God.  Yes Elijah  had his ups and  downs, successes and  failures.  He had times that he spoke God’s word boldly and had instant results and times that he doubted God and ran from his enemy.  But Elijah never quit-he got back up. Like Elijah we have ups and downs in life.  At times we speak the Word boldly, pray with authority and at the times we wonder where you are God.  At times we get an instant answer to prayer and times we are waiting day weeks months or even years for that which we have ask of God to be manifested

      The key to living a life of faith as sons and daughters of God is to never quit.  Even at the times we have thrown in the towel Jesus is right there waiting.  Yep I have done that more than once (you know threw in the towel).  But my Jesus is oh so faithful.  

      Winston Churchill said, “success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.  If you’re going through hell, keep going. Never give up on something that you can’t go a day without thinking about”.

      That last quote got me-really got me.  Because even in the times “I quit” there was not a day that went by that I did not think about my Jesus.  Let me tell you when you have been touched, really touched by the hand of the Lord-no hope, someone who could have tossed by the wayside and easily forgotten about by the world.  Jesus saw something that nobody else saw.  He saw worth. He saw value. And when Holy Spirit comes in and radically changes you and continues to do as SM Lockridge said,”You can’t get Him out of your mind.  You can’t get Him off of your hands;  you can’t  live Him and you can’t live without Him.  That is my King!

      I have good news for you today-God is no respecter of persons.  What He has done for me He will do the same for you.  You may be discouraged, you may have silently said to yourself, “I quit”. Just living life going through the motions. The Jesus I know has not given up on you. He is going to love you back to His heart.