Clicking on the Scripture links above will open a new window where you can read the scripture from the English Standard Version at Biblegateway.com or choose the Bible version you prefer to read. Check back each day to get the Scripture to read in the One Year Bible Reading Plan.
Our Verse Mapping download is FREE and includes 6 pages: 3 pages of instructions for using the template and the 2 page template, plus the cover page. If you’re looking to go deeper into God’s Word, learn more about God and develop a stronger spiritual life, Verse Mapping will help you dig into the scriptures. As you apply God’s Word to your life, you will develop a more intimate knowledge and relationship with God.
Bible Reading is vitally important to growing spiritually and keeping our spiritual selves full. God wants us to hide His Word in our hearts, meditate on it and apply it to our lives. When we have a plan, we are more likely to follow through. Here are eight reasons you should have a daily Bible Reading plan:
We can find His will for our lives
Bible reading is our spiritual nourishment
It helps us be able to discern the thoughts and intents of our heart.
The Bible instructs us in righteousness
It gives us power to overcome trials, heartaches, and sin
God gives us many promises, but you won’t know them unless you read about them, memorize them, and know if it’s a promise intended for us today
God reveals Himself to us and we learn about Him which strengthens our relationship with Him
He also speaks to us through His Word.
Don’t miss what God has to say to you today. It’s time to practice spiritual self-care and read your Bible!
Practice Spiritual Self care and dig into God’s Word today to berevived and renewed!
Click here to listen to our devotions on Spotify be sure to follow us.
Visit our three retail experiences:
Bible study and Self Care Resources
Christian Tees, Bags, Mugs & More
We are an affiliate of CBD. We earn a commission on any purchase you make when you enter the store through this link. However, your CBD price is the same. Visit CBD for Bibles, Bible studies, gifts & more
Our Christmas tees are back in the Spreadshop Store
Joy to the World
Silent night
Silent Night
Emmanuel
Sleigh Bells Ring
Have yourself a merry little Christmas
Merry Christmas Rudolph
Holly Jolly Christmas
Merry Christmas
Reindeer
True Story
O Holy Night
Hot Chocolate, flannels, Jesus, Mistletoe, & Hallmark movies
O Come Let Us Adore Him
Its the Most Wonderful Time of the Year
Joy to the World
Ornaments
Do you have an event on the calendar and need a speaker?
We’re offering 30% off our speaker fees as our gift to you if you book any 2022 event with us by December 31, 2021. Call today and use the discount code: CHRISTMAS2021.
We’re excited to be a part of your ministry and can’t wait to see you – no matter what size your event.
904.239.8937
Enjoy one of our YouTube Playlists
Our Playlists for Christmas music
Christmas YouTube Playlist
We’ve created a YouTube Christmas playlist (click here) of both Christian and fun Christmas music to enjoy while you decorate for the holidays and help you get those gifts wrapped, cookies baked, and all the other preparations you are doing this holiday season. So click the link and listen to our Christmas playlist in the car, at home, or while you work.
Need some relaxing Christmas tunes? Here’s a smooth Jazz playlist to sit back and with it quietly in the background while at the office, wrapping gifts, or decorating the house. We hope you’ll enjoy the songs of the season – jazz style.
Visit our YouTube Channels for Christian playlists and our short animated devotionals.
This book includes 365 daily activities and takes you on a guided journey through Biblical principles about Godly marriage that you can then apply to your marriage, as well as helping you talk through concepts that can help you develop a solid relationship. Inside you will find simple, quick activities that include:
Scripture to memorize and meditate on
Conversation Starters
Concepts from the Bible on Godly marriages
Romance Builders
Relationship Builders
Personal reflections
Date ideas
Group date ideas for you and other Christian couples
Available in hardback, paperback and ebook from Westbow Press Bookstore, Christian Book Distributors, Amazon, and Barnes & Nobel. Click the icons below to purchase from your preferred bookstore. Now also available at WalMart online.
Join the community of couples on Facebook who are committed to intentionally growing their marriage and learning how to have a marriage that honors God. Here you can post photos of the different activities as you do them, ask questions of other couples, share how God is using this book to strengthen your marriage, and grow with other Christian couples. We’ll see you in the community.
Bible Studies, Bibles, Books & More
Everything Christian for less!
Looking for a Bible Study, Bible, book or Christian gift? We are an affiliate with Christianbook Distributors and receive an 8% commission on any item purchased through one of our links. However, the commission never increases your cost of any item. View some of our favorite items by clicking on the logo and thank you for supporting our ministry.
Wellspring Christian Ministries receives an 8% commission on any purchased made from Christian Book Distributors through any affiliate link on this site. Your price for any item is the same as purchasing from CBD directly.
Clicking on the Scripture links above will open a new window where you can read the scripture from the English Standard Version at Biblegateway.com or choose the Bible version you prefer to read. Check back each day to get the Scripture to read in the One Year Bible Reading Plan.
Our Verse Mapping download is FREE and includes 6 pages: 3 pages of instructions for using the template and the 2 page template, plus the cover page. If you’re looking to go deeper into God’s Word, learn more about God and develop a stronger spiritual life, Verse Mapping will help you dig into the scriptures. As you apply God’s Word to your life, you will develop a more intimate knowledge and relationship with God.
Bible Reading is vitally important to growing spiritually and keeping our spiritual selves full. God wants us to hide His Word in our hearts, meditate on it and apply it to our lives. When we have a plan, we are more likely to follow through. Here are eight reasons you should have a daily Bible Reading plan:
We can find His will for our lives
Bible reading is our spiritual nourishment
It helps us be able to discern the thoughts and intents of our heart.
The Bible instructs us in righteousness
It gives us power to overcome trials, heartaches, and sin
God gives us many promises, but you won’t know them unless you read about them, memorize them, and know if it’s a promise intended for us today
God reveals Himself to us and we learn about Him which strengthens our relationship with Him
He also speaks to us through His Word.
Don’t miss what God has to say to you today. It’s time to practice spiritual self-care and read your Bible!
Practice Spiritual Self care and dig into God’s Word today to berevived and renewed!
Click here to listen to our devotions on Spotify be sure to follow us.
Visit our three retail experiences:
Bible study and Self Care Resources
Christian Tees, Bags, Mugs & More
We are an affiliate of CBD. We earn a commission on any purchase you make when you enter the store through this link. However, your CBD price is the same. Visit CBD for Bibles, Bible studies, gifts & more
Our Christmas tees are back in the Spreadshop Store
Joy to the World
Silent night
Silent Night
Emmanuel
Sleigh Bells Ring
Have yourself a merry little Christmas
Merry Christmas Rudolph
Holly Jolly Christmas
Merry Christmas
Reindeer
True Story
O Holy Night
Hot Chocolate, flannels, Jesus, Mistletoe, & Hallmark movies
O Come Let Us Adore Him
Its the Most Wonderful Time of the Year
Joy to the World
Ornaments
Do you have an event on the calendar and need a speaker?
We’re offering 30% off our speaker fees as our gift to you if you book any 2022 event with us by December 31, 2021. Call today and use the discount code: CHRISTMAS2021.
We’re excited to be a part of your ministry and can’t wait to see you – no matter what size your event.
904.239.8937
Enjoy one of our YouTube Playlists
Our Playlists for Christmas music
Christmas YouTube Playlist
We’ve created a YouTube Christmas playlist (click here) of both Christian and fun Christmas music to enjoy while you decorate for the holidays and help you get those gifts wrapped, cookies baked, and all the other preparations you are doing this holiday season. So click the link and listen to our Christmas playlist in the car, at home, or while you work.
Need some relaxing Christmas tunes? Here’s a smooth Jazz playlist to sit back and with it quietly in the background while at the office, wrapping gifts, or decorating the house. We hope you’ll enjoy the songs of the season – jazz style.
Visit our YouTube Channels for Christian playlists and our short animated devotionals.
This book includes 365 daily activities and takes you on a guided journey through Biblical principles about Godly marriage that you can then apply to your marriage, as well as helping you talk through concepts that can help you develop a solid relationship. Inside you will find simple, quick activities that include:
Scripture to memorize and meditate on
Conversation Starters
Concepts from the Bible on Godly marriages
Romance Builders
Relationship Builders
Personal reflections
Date ideas
Group date ideas for you and other Christian couples
Available in hardback, paperback and ebook from Westbow Press Bookstore, Christian Book Distributors, Amazon, and Barnes & Nobel. Click the icons below to purchase from your preferred bookstore. Now also available at WalMart online.
Join the community of couples on Facebook who are committed to intentionally growing their marriage and learning how to have a marriage that honors God. Here you can post photos of the different activities as you do them, ask questions of other couples, share how God is using this book to strengthen your marriage, and grow with other Christian couples. We’ll see you in the community.
Bible Studies, Bibles, Books & More
Everything Christian for less!
Looking for a Bible Study, Bible, book or Christian gift? We are an affiliate with Christianbook Distributors and receive an 8% commission on any item purchased through one of our links. However, the commission never increases your cost of any item. View some of our favorite items by clicking on the logo and thank you for supporting our ministry.
Wellspring Christian Ministries receives an 8% commission on any purchased made from Christian Book Distributors through any affiliate link on this site. Your price for any item is the same as purchasing from CBD directly.
by Julia M. Bruce, MSPC, Mental Health Coach, Keynote Speaker, CEO, Wellspring Christian Ministries
Is God silent? What if I can’t hear God speak?
Do you ever feel that God is silent? That He has nothing to say to you? If you do, know this: God, throughout history, has always been in communication with His people. The writer of Hebrews tells us that God spoke in times past in various ways. With Adam and Eve, he came in the cool of the evening to walk and talk with them.
To Abraham, he stopped by to visit along with a couple of angels and had a meal with him and told him that he would make him a father of many nations.
We know God told Noah to build an ark and gave him all the instructions for doing so, but the Bible doesn’t say “how” God spoke to him.
For Moses, God spoke from a burning bush. (Exodus 3)
Joseph and Jacob talked with God in dreams.
Isaiah (Isaiah 6:1-7) and Ezekiel had “visions.”
God sent angels to Gideon, Daniel, and Mary.
Samuel heard God call his name when he was trying to get to sleep one night. (1 Samuel 3)
Elijah heard a “still, small voice.” (1 Kings 19)
To speak to the entire nation of His chosen people, God communicated through his prophets that he appointed – people like Jeremiah, Isaiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, and more.
God used a donkey to speak to Balaam (Numbers 22).
He spoke to Jonah while he was sitting under a tree (Jonah 4:6).
How do I hear God speak today?
Today, God still speaks to us, only it looks a little different. Psalms 119:105 tells that He speaks to us through His Word. Paul tells us that because nature itself tells us about God and His eternal power and divine nature, no one has an excuse, (Romans 1:20). God speaks to us in church through the music, sermons, and small group Bible study. He speaks to us deep in our inner most human spirit. And, as the writer of Hebrews tells us, he speaks to us through His Son, Jesus. While Jesus lived on earth, God spoke to us through Him and as we read the words spoken by Jesus in our Bible, He continues to speak to us through Jesus. After Jesus returned to the Father, He sent the Holy Spirit who leads us into all truth. He is our “communicator” from God.
God wants to reveal Himself to us
God wants to reveal Himself to us so that we can know Him. Just as we get to know other people through conversations, we get to know our heavenly Father as He speaks to us and reveals something new about Himself as we worship and read His Word. The reason He wants to reveal himself to us is so we might know Him because He want us to fellowship with Him. He created us just for this purpose. If we are not seeking Him and developing our relationship with Him, then there is a void and we desperately seek to fill it – sometimes with all the wrong things – but the only possible, satisfying why to fill the void, is to fill it with the Lord Jesus Christ.
A Problem with Sin
However, each and every one of us has a problem – a sin problem. Sin will always stand in the way like a giant bully, blocking our way to God and hindering our fellowship with Him. Man’s fellowship with God was originally broken in the Garden of Eden and man has been breaking it every since. But God told Adam and Eve that He had a plan – a way to restore the broken fellowship. That plan was His own Son who would come to earth, born as a baby to a young virgin woman, grow up, teach His disciples the gospel message, die on a cross in our place as the payment for our sin – even though he knew no sin – was buried, and then rose again conquering death, hell, and the grave. This is why Jesus is the perfect voice of God.
Seven attributes of Jesus
Not only is Jesus our Redeemer and Savior, but the writer of Hebrews gives us seven attributes that details why He is superior to all that had come before and all that will come after Him.
Jesus is the heir of creation for whom all thing have been made.
He is the Creator through whom all things have come into existence.
He is the radiance of the divine glory toward which all of creation looks for fulfillment.
As the Son of God, Jesus is the exact image of the person of God the Father.
He is the word of God, the only prophet of God who is also God Himself.
He is the priest of God who has provided the perfect sacrifice for all human sins.
And He is the king who sits on the throne at the right hand of the Father.
For all of these reasons, the writer of Hebrews acknowledges that Jesus is higher, superior, and above the angels
To Hear God, we must quieten our spirits
To be able to hear the voice of God, we have to first quieten our spirits. If you’ve ever tried to do that then you know it can be difficult. It’s like if I say to you, “I do not want you to think about the word ‘cookie’. All of a sudden cookies are all you can think about.
When you try to quiet you spirit – all of a sudden everything you didn’t get done today comes rushing into your mind. Paul told us to “take every thought captive” and we can do it. Sometimes it takes several attempts – so don’t give up. As my piano teacher used to say, “Practice makes perfect.” And so does patience. Sometimes those distractions when you are trying to quiet your spirit are Satan trying to interrupt the voice of God from reaching you. So if you struggle with getting quiet, as the Holy Spirit to bind up Satan and empower you to get quiet so you can hear from God.
Testing to know if you have heard God speak
When you think you have heard from God, there are some “tests” you can hold against what you think you’ve heard to try to determine if it was indeed from God:
Test #1: A gentle and still, small voice guiding us to His will
Just as Elijah found out in 1 Kings 19, God often speaks in a still, small voice, gently leading us towards His will and His plans for us. When it our self or Satan trying to deceive us, the message looks more like a loud, compulsive, clamoring demand.
Test #2: Does what we heard produce freedom?
Matthew 11:28-30 tells us the God’s voice produces freedom. Self and Satan’s voice will often produce bondage.
Test 3#: Are you whole-heartedly seeking Him?
Jeremiah 29:12-13 tells us that God is able to be found (heard) when we are consciously, whole-heartedly seeking Him. Self or Satan will speak with sudden intrusions of thoughts into the mind.
Test #4: God is always in control
Psalms 37:4 teaches us that God is always in control, so if He speaks to us, then we should have a sense that everything is under control. If it seem like everything is out of control with the message you have received, then it is probably born within our self or it is from Satan.
Test #5: God often gives clear and specific directions and leads the way
Just as when God wanted Noah to build the ark, he provided Noah with all the instructions, blueprints, etc. God often gives clear and specific directions. Even when he spoke to Abraham and told him to leave his home but God didn’t give him the directions, he told Abraham that He would lead him. Satan and Self breeds confusion – not certainty
Test #6: God extends an invitation and forgiveness and never leaves us with guilt
When God convicts, He will point out specific sins and extend an invitation for us to confess, repent, and find forgiveness. Self and Satan accuses us in such a way that we are left with guilt and no forgiveness.
Test #7: Does it stand up to the Word of God
When God speaks, it is always 100% truth that can be tested by the Word of God. Self and Satan often dish out lies that are laced with half-truths.
Test #8: Is there a sense of peace?
God’s voice gives us a sense of peace while self or Satan does not.
We can also test the Word we receive through the wisdom of many counselors who can help confirm that what we heard was from God or not.
There are no shortcuts to learning to recognize when you hear God Speak
No matter how much we desire to hear the voice of God, there is no shortcuts to learning to recognize when He speaks to us. If you want to hear from him, you must spend time with Him. The more time you spend with Him, the easier it will be for you to recognize His voice. God says in Jeremiah 29:12-13, “You will call to Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. You will seek Me and find Me when you search for me with all your heart. I will be found by you.” — this is the Lord declaration. If you are having trouble with hearing form God, are you seeking and searching for Him with all your heart?
Click here to listen to our daily devotions on Spotify – and be sure to follow us on Spotify
Canvas art and posters are available in the Teespring store. Many of our Christian Tees are also available at Teespring.
All thing new
Amazing Grace Sunset
Armor of God
Amazing Grace
As the Deer
Be still and know
Come thou Fount
Jeremiah 29:11
Look to the Lord
Lord is my Rock
New Mercies
Pray
Redeemed
Seek and Find
Wings like Eagles
Stand Firm
Teach the way of Wisdom
New Song
I make all things new
Do you have an event on the calendar and need a speaker?
We’re offering 30% discount on our speaker fees if booked by October 31, 2021. Call today and use the discount code: FALL2021.
We’re excited to be a part of your ministry and can’t wait to see you – no matter what size your event.
904.239.8937
Help support our ministry:
7 FREE Downloadable Resources
Now you can enhance your Bible Reading with the Verse Mapping Template
Our Verse Mapping download is FREE and includes 6 pages: 3 pages of instructions for using the template and the 2 page template, plus the cover page. If you’re looking to go deeper into God’s Word, learn more about God and develop a stronger spiritual life, Verse Mapping will help you dig into the scriptures. As you apply God’s Word to your life, you will develop a more intimate knowledge and relationship with God.
[Download not found]
What Satan Does Not Want You To know
This trifold document includes Scripture verses that Satan does not want you to know about. As you hide these verses in your heart, you’ll be able to defeat the lies of Satan when he tries his wiles and schemes on you.
[Download not found]
Stress Journal
We all face stress. How we handle stress, however, has many variables. Learning how to recognize stress, coping with stress, and creating a self-care plan during times of stress can begin by journaling. Taken from our series on Biblical self-care for people in ministry, we’ve created this free download to help you through the things that cause you stress.
[Download not found]
2021 Bible Memory Verse Plan
We’ve put together 52 memory verses for you to hide God’s Word in your heart! You can download the full document for free and then print a new verse each week and as many copies as you’d like. Each verse prints four times on a page so that you can then cut them into index size cards and place them in prominent places where you will see them frequently throughout the day to help you remember to memorize them. Just because you visited our site, they’re yours for free! Download today.
[Download not found]
The Path to Sin
Satan is constantly trying to trip us up and he doesn’t even play fair because he uses our own desires as bait to get us to sin. James tells us the five steps that lead us down the path to sin in James 1:14-15, “But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.” This download helps you identify your desires so that you can better recognize when Satan is baiting you and you can avoid falling into sin. When used along with prayer, asking the Holy Spirit to identify the desires that Satan baits you with, you can then ask the Holy Spirit to help you not become a victim to the bait of your desires. Download the worksheet today.
[Download not found]
One Year Bible Reading Plan
With just 30-40 minutes per day, you can read the entire Bible in one year. The One-Year Bible Reading Plan consists of both Old Testament and New Testament readings for each day of the year. The Bible is God’s personal Word to you. What is He saying to you today? Open your Bible and find out!
[Download not found]
Self-Care Wheel
The Self-Care Wheel provides ideas for practicing self-care in six dimensions of yourself: Spiritual, Physical, Emotional, Intellectual, Sensory, and Social. NOTE: You will need 11X14 paper to print the wheel.
Want to know more about self-care? Our Self-Care blog series targets people who serve in any ministry position (paid staff or volunteer) and takes a Biblical approach to self-care.
[Download not found]
Need some music to get you through the day? Check out one of our Playlists on YouTube
Click here for the Contemporary Christian Playlist
Click here for the Southern Gospel Playlist
Or Click here for the Hymns Playlist
You can also watch our animated devotionals on the YouTube Channel
God, Love and Marshmallow Wars is a book that includes 365 daily activities and takes you on a guided journey through Biblical principles about Godly marriage that you can then apply to your marriage, as well as helping you talk through concepts that can help you develop a solid relationship. Inside you will find simple, quick activities that include:
Scripture to memorize and meditate on.
Conversation Starters.
Concepts from the Bible on Godly marriages.
Romance Builders.
Relationship Builders.
Personal reflections.
Date ideas.
Group date ideas for you and other Christian couples.
Looking for a Bible Study, Bible, book or Christian gift? We are an affiliate with Christianbook Distributors and receive an 8% commission on any item purchased through one of our links. However, the commission never increases your cost of any item. View some of our favorite items by clicking on the logo and thank you for supporting our ministry.
Wellspring Christian Ministries receives an 8% commission on any purchased made from Christian Book Distributors through any affiliate link on this site. Your price for any item is the same as purchasing from CBD directly.
1 Peter 1:5 tells us that we are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.” In Jeremiah 31:3, God says, “I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore, I have continued to extend faithful love to you.” Everlasting and faithful love – that’s God’s love for us!
God’s love is forever
God’s love is forever. He loved us even while we were yet sinners and sent Jesus to die for us (Romans 5:8). And in John 15:13, we find that there is no greater love than to lay down ones life for their friends, which is exactly what Jesus did for us. Psalm 36:5 says, “Lord, Your faithful love reaches to heaven, Your faithfulness to the clouds.” There simply is no greater or deeper love than what God feels for us as His children. Because of His love, how could we not love Him in return with all of our heart, soul, and might?
So be assured, my friend, that no matter what you are going through or how much you might have messed up, (Yes! Even that thing your thinking of!) God loves you. Not convinced yet? Look at this long list of Bible people who messed up, but God chose to use them anyway:
People in the Bible who Messed up and still experienced God’s love
Old Testament Men
David, was guilty of murder, lying, adultery, and coveting and stealing a neighbor’s wife. Yet he confessed His sins and God forgave him. God called David “a man after his own heart” and it was through David’s ancestral line that Jesus was born.
Moses was a murderer and had a stuttering problem, but God used him to lead the Israelites out of Egypt and into the promised land.
Jonah ran from God, but after three days in the belly of a fish, the fish spat him out and Jonah went to Nineveh as God had told him to – as a result the city repented and God spared them from His destruction.
Jacob was a cheater but God would change his name to Israel his 12 sons would become the 12 tribes of Israel.
Noah, who was the only righteous man left on earth and God saved from the flood got drunk and slept naked, but through him the human race survived.
Gideon was insecure and had to test God with a fleece rather than just trusting what God said. But God used him to defeat Israel’s enemies.
Abraham was old and guilty of taking part in Sarah’s solution to God’s promise, but he became the father of the nation of Israel.
Elijah was moody and had a problem with depression – even to the point of wanting to die, but God did many miracles through him.
Old Testament Women
Rahab was a prostitute but it would be through her ancestral line that Jesus would be born.
Tamar dressed up as a prostitute and coerced her father-in-law, Judah, to have sex with her and she bore twin sons. One of these sons was the ancestor of King David, a direct lineage to Christ.
Sarah was impatient and tried to help God out with the promise of child and gave her maid to Abraham so that he could father a child through her. Then she ended up hating her maid out of jealousy. But in God’s timing, Sarah had her own child, Isaac and from them the entire nation of Israel.
New Testament
Saul, before his Damascus Road experience, persecuted and killed Christians. Yet once He encountered Jesus, God used Paul to spread the gospel to the Gentiles.
Peter denied knowing Jesus when Jesus was on trial, but Jesus chose Him to be the rock that He would build His church on and Peter spent the rest of his life leading others to Christ.
Martha was a worrier, but she, along with her brother Lazarus and sister Mary, was one of Jesus’ closest friends
Thomas was a doubter, but he was still one of the 12 disciples
The Woman at the Well had five previous husbands and the man she was living with when she encountered Jesus at the well she wasn’t married to, but she led her entire village to Christ
The Woman caught in adultery discovered the grace and forgiveness of God. When others condemned her to being stoned to death, Jesus forgave her.
The common denominator is God’s Love
The one thing that all these people had in common was the God loved them and chose to use them as part of His plan to redeem the lost. There is nothing we can do to separate us from the love of God and regardless of what sins are in your past, God can redeem and use you too.
God’s Love Is Unfailing
In 1981, Evie Karlssen wrote a beautiful song called “Unfailing Love” Take a moment and listen to the song on YouTube as you read the lyrics and contemplate the everlasting and faithful love of God .
Unfailing love flows from his heart and heals my soul, In spite of who I am, he loves and makes me whole. I almost can’t believe its true, Unfailing love and yet I know He gave his life to give to me unfailing love.
If the highest mountains turn to ashes, If the mighty rivers should run dry Should sun and moon grow dim, I still will trust in him, He’s watching from above, I’m resting in his love.
Unfailing love flows from his heart and heals my soul, In spite of who I am, he loves and makes me whole. I almost can’t believe its true, Unfailing love and yet I know He gave his life to give to me unfailing love.
click here to listen to our daily devotions on Spotify and be sure to follow us.
Do you have an event on the calendar and need a speaker?
We’re offering 15% off our speaker fees if you book by July 31, 2021. Call today and use the discount code: SUMMER2021.
We’re excited to be a part of your ministry and can’t wait to see you – no matter what size your event.
904.239.8937
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Now you can enhance your Bible Reading with the Verse Mapping Template
Our Verse Mapping download is FREE and includes 6 pages: 3 pages of instructions for using the template and the 2 page template, plus the cover page. If you’re looking to go deeper into God’s Word, learn more about God and develop a stronger spiritual life, Verse Mapping will help you dig into the scriptures. As you apply God’s Word to your life, you will develop a more intimate knowledge and relationship with God.
[Download not found]
Download our Free 2021 Bible Memory Verse Plan
We’ve put together 52 memory verses for you to hide God’s Word in your heart! You can download the full document for free and then print a new verse each week and as many copies as you’d like. Each verse prints four times on a page so that you can then cut them into index size cards and place them in prominent places where you will see them frequently throughout the day to help you remember to memorize them. Just because you visited our site, they’re yours for free! Download today.
[Download not found]
Download our Free 2021 Daily Bible Reading Plan
With just 30-40 minutes per day, you can read the entire Bible in one year. The One-Year Bible Reading Plan consists of both Old Testament and New Testament readings for each day of the year. The Bible is God’s personal Word to you. What is He saying to you today? Open your Bible and find out!
[Download not found]
Download our Free Self-Care Wheel
The Self-Care Wheel provides ideas for practicing self-care in six dimensions of yourself: Spiritual, Physical, Emotional, Intellectual, Sensory, and Social. NOTE: You will need 11X14 paper to print the wheel.
Want to know more about self-care? Our Self-Care blog series targets people who serve in any ministry position and takes a Biblical approach to self-care.
We’ve added a new canvas print to the Teespring Store. These prints make great gifts or for decor in your home.
When we ask Jesus to forgive us and save us from our sin, He takes our old, sinful self and makes us new in Him. This beautiful canvas is a great reminder of what Jesus has done for us.
God, Love and Marshmallow Wars is a book that includes 365 daily activities and takes you on a guided journey through Biblical principles about Godly marriage that you can then apply to your marriage, as well as helping you talk through concepts that can help you develop a solid relationship. Inside you will find simple, quick activities that include:
Scripture to memorize and meditate on.
Conversation Starters.
Concepts from the Bible on Godly marriages.
Romance Builders.
Relationship Builders.
Personal reflections.
Date ideas.
Group date ideas for you and other Christian couples.
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Have you ever asked for God to give you a sign? Maybe you’re trying to make a major decision that will send your life down a different path. Or maybe you feel God calling you to a certain task. Or maybe you just simply are searching for God. There are many reasons why we might ask God to give us a sign. Some say that to do so shows a lack of faith. In some instances that could very well be true and that can be a huge problem since Christianity is 100% dependent upon faith in God and in His only Son, Jesus who became the Savior or the world. The very foundation of Christianity is faith in who Jesus is and the work He did through his birth, life, death, and resurrection.
Got Faith?
The main reason why Christians struggle with not having much faith is because we tend to follow what we perceive to be true rather than what we know to be true by faith. The kind of faith that has a complete trust or confidence in someone or something that is built up over time as that person proves himself faithful time and time again. But human often fail us and then we lose faith in them. We struggle with faith because we base our faith on our human experiences. If we want to have the kind of faith seen in the “Faith Heroes” of Hebrews 11, then we have to base our faith on the unchanging nature of God – not people.
How to build up our faith
We can build our faith in Christ as we look at the promises of God where He has kept those promises. We can build our faith in Christ as we look at the prophets who foretold pieces of the future that God revealed to them and then see in history where those prophesies occurred. As God inspired the various writers for the books of the Bible, He gave us His own personal testimony of His faithfulness to us.
As children of God, it is by faith that we must believe that Jesus is who He said He is — the promised Messiah and Son of God. By faith we must believe that He lived His entire life without sin. By faith we must believe that through His death on the cross He become the atoning sacrifice for the sins of every person. It is by faith we must believe that after three days in a tomb, He was raised to life again. By faith we must believe that He ascended into Heaven after 40 days where in that time He appeared to many. By faith we must believe that today, Jesus sits at the right hand of the Father and that He is preparing a place for us in heaven. And by faith we place our trust in Jesus as “The Way, the truth and the life.”
There is no other way by which we can be saved. Then Jesus gives us His perfect righteousness, making us justified before God.
A Whole Lot of Faith
That’s a whole lot of faith. Yet often, we live as though we don’t really believe all that we claim to believe and the biggest reason why is we don’t truly know God because we don’t take the time to get to know Him. Just as you would not place your complete faith and trust in a total stranger, if God is more like a stranger to you than a Father, it will be difficult to fully trust Him with complete and total faith in Him.
The more intimately you know Him, the easier it becomes to have faith in Him. The only way we get to know Him while in this life is through daily personal Bible study where He reveals Himself to us on every page and through a habit of conversing with Him in prayer. In Romans 10:17, Paul wrote, “Faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.”
We can certainly learn about God through the sermons we hear at church, but if you really want to seek God with all your heart, you’ll need to open your Bible and begin to study it for yourself.
Doubting Thomas
If you struggle with faith, I want to encourage you through one of the disciples who has become known to us as “doubting Thomas.” When Thomas hear that Jesus had been raised from the dead, he said he would not believe unless he saw Jesus for himself, saw the wounds from the nails in His hands and feet and thrust his hand in Jesus’ side where he had been pierced with a sword. Jesus later appeared again to the disciples and this time Thomas was with them. With love, He walked up to Thomas and let him see with his own eyes, touch the nail scars and showed him His side. Thomas immediately bows and worships Jesus. Jesus said, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” (John 20:29)
Asking for a sign
Others in the Bible also asked for a sign. In Judges 6, Gideon asked God for the sign of the fleece. King Herod was hoping for a sign (Luke 23:8). In Matthew 24, the disciples asked Jesus what sign would precede His coming. And in Isaiah 7, Ahaz is told to ask for a sign – but he would not. A sign was given anyway and that sign was the prophecy of the coming of the Messiah.
Moreover the Lord spoke again to Ahaz, saying, “Ask a sign for yourself from the Lord your God; ask it either in the depth or in the height above.” But Ahaz said, “I will not ask, nor will I test the Lord!” Then he said, “Hear now, O house of David! Is it a small thing for you to weary men, but will you weary my God also? Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel. Curds and honey He shall eat, that He may know to refuse the evil and choose the good. For before the Child shall know to refuse the evil and choose the good, the land that you dread will be forsaken by both her kings.”
Jesus wants each one of us to believe – to have faith. He will meet your level of faith where you are – but He will not leave you there. He will take you to the next step – and then the next. So if you need a sign, like Thomas did, then ask.
Walk by faith, not by sight
However, at the same time, we also need to remember the words of Paul in Hebrews 11:6 where Paul tells us to walk by faith and not by sight. We can ask for a sign for the wrong reason, which is testing God. The scribes, Pharisees, and Sadducees often did so to which Jesus responded, “An evil and adulterous generation craves for a sign; and yet no sign will be given to it but the sign of Jonah the prophet; for just as Jonah was three days and three night in the belly of the sea monster, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.” (Matthew 12:38-40)
Why does God give signs sometimes and not others?
Why does God give signs in some instances and not others? The answer lies within the “why” we ask for a sign. If we ask for a sign because we want to take a shortcut, our “why” is the wrong reason. Often we want to take a shortcut, because we are lazy or we feel that the task is too hard or too long and we want to just skip over to the end. Jesus said in Matthew 7:13-14, “For wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life.” Most often, shortcuts are dangerous and have consequences.
Faith doesn’t take shortcuts
Abraham and Sarah attempted a shortcut to achieve God’s promised son. The consequences of their actions reached across generations. Shortcuts can also lead to poverty (Proverbs 10:14 and Proverbs 21:5) and mistakes (Proverbs 19:2). They can often seem profitable at the moment, but it is always better to do things God’s way.
Psalm 37:7 tells us to wait patiently for God to act.
In the Message Bible, Matthew 7:13 says, “Don’t look for shortcuts to God. The market is flooded with surefire, easygoing formulas for a successful life that can be practiced in your spare time. Don’t fall for that stuff, even though crowds of people do.
In Psalm 32:8, God says, “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.”
Proverbs 37:5 tells us to “commit everything you do to the Lord, Trust him, and he will help you.” Taking shortcuts turns the discovery of God’s will into a scheme that places all the responsibility and work on God. Beware of taking the easy way out.
Faith doesn’t ignore what God has already revealed
We also need to be sure that asking for a sign is not a way to ignore what God has already revealed to us as His will because we don’t like what He’s already shown us. We know from God’s Word that we are to give a tithe. So to pray and ask God for a sign that He wants you to tithe would be wrong. We know that God says in His Word that we should not commit adultery. So to ask for a sign from God to see if it’s OK for you to have an affair is wrong. To ask for a sign for anything that contradicts what God has already revealed, is wrong.
Faith doesn’t test God
If we are asking God for a sign to “test” Him, then it is sin. Deuteronomy 6:16 says, “Do not test the Lord your God.” In Psalm 78, David wrote about Israel’s continued sin, rebelling against God and deliberately testing Him.
Faith doesn’t validate a decision you’ve already made
We also should not asked for a sign as a means to validate a decision we’ve already made. Balaam did this when he asked God if he could go and curse the Israelites. God’s answer was, “No!” But Balaam didn’t like the answer and prayed again. God did not give Balaam a sign that he was to go, but he went anyway. He had already made up his mind to go before he ever prayed. The act of praying in this case was an attempt to justify the decision that he had already made. Too often, we jump into something that looks really tempting and then begin to pray and ask God to bless it. Essentially we are asking God to surrender to His will to us rather than us surrendering our will to Him.
Faith doesn’t avoid the waiting
Another reason we tend to ask God for a sign is because we want to avoid waiting. Waiting is often a time of feeling powerless, dependent, anxious while knowing we can do nothing – but wait. We we ask for a sign, we are putting ourselves back in control. Let’s say that the sign you ask for is that God would do something by a certain deadline. This means that God needs to respond by our schedule – not his.
In their book Experiencing God: Knowing and Doing the Will of God, Harry Blackaby and Richard King say, “If you do not have clear instructions from God in a matter, pray and wait. Learn patience. Depend on God’s timing. His timing is always right and best. Don’t get in a hurry. He may be withholding directions to cause you to seek Him more intently. Don’t try to skip the relationship to get to the doing.” God is never late. Wait on Him. It will be worth it.
God is not a genie in a bottle
Lastly, we can’t ask for a sign as if God were a genie in a bottle. He is not a good luck charm that keeps us from failure or pain. We can’t use a sign from God as a means to never experiencing problems in life. What we see as success and what God sees as success can often look very different. From the world’s view point, as Jesus died on the cross, the world could say that He failed. But from God’s viewpoint, Jesus was a huge success because Jesus accomplished God’s perfect plan to redeem us and to save us from our sins. God’s plan may include some times of pain and suffering, but there is blessing in obedience.
Is it ever right to ask God for a sign?
So is it ever right to ask God for a sign? God wants to develop an intimate and loving relationship with us – and that takes time. Without a relationship with God, Christianity is reduced to a superstitious and shallow practice not any different than when the Israelites worshiped the golden calf. What sets Christianity is part is a relationship based on faith in THE living God. Within that relationship, God may choose to speak to us through His Word, through a friend, through our circumstances, and even through a sign.
Asking for a sign after God has already spoken is wrong. But when His will is not clear, there is nothing wrong with asking God to make His will known. He could choose to do so through a sign, but it could also be another way of confirming His will, such as through the pastor’s sermon or through the words of a friend. When we do feel that God has given a sign, we must be cautious because we also know that Satan can do signs. So be sure your recognize God’s voice when He speaks to you. In John 10:27, Jesus said that we hear his voice because He is our Shepherd.
The purpose of signs
Over and over again in the Bible we can find God giving His people signs. What’s the purpose? So that they would know Him. Why does He give us signs? Because He loves us and He longs to have a relationship based on complete faith in Him. The signs He gives are one way to reveal Himself to us and grow our faith. He doesn’t want to be some mystical being we don’t know. The whole reason He gave the sign in Isaiah 7:10-16 was so we would recognize the Messiah when He came. He loves us and wants us to know Him.
By Ron Dunn / B&H Books Many well-meaning Christians misunderstand the role that faith plays in our relationship with God. And because we don’t understand the ways of God, we open ourselves up to losing faith if he doesn’t deliver what we want, when we want it. But the Bible promises that God always rewards real faith. So what, then, is true faith? And how do we tell the difference between truth and a counterfeit faith that is nothing more than false advertising? In Faith Crisis, Ron Dunn guides us through a study of the nature of faith, using Scripture and real-life examples to show what the genuine article looks like, so there’s no mistaking it. You’ll learn that it’s not about quantity but quality, and that the reward of faith is not in blessings, but in experiencing the very presence of God.
By Kay Arthur / Harvest House Publishers Discover the truth of God’s Word for yourself! The Book of Romans is Paul’s clearest presentation of the gospel—and includes answers to some of life’s most important questions. How can I have peace with God? How can I know God’s will? Does being religious make me a Christian? For personal or group study. 144 pages, softcover from Harvest.