Posted on Leave a comment

I AM the Good Shepherd

Shepherding is one of the three major occupations in Palestine along with fishing and farming. Throughout the Old Testament, we see God calling on the leaders of the nation to shepherd his people. We also often refer to a pastor of a congregation as a “shepherd.” And Jesus declares Himself to be the ultimate, Good Shepherd.

A blind man sees the Good Shepherd

In Chapter 9 of John, Jesus had just healed a man that was born blind. The Pharisees drill the poor guy with lots of questions. Then they bring his parents and and drill them. But the parents were afraid of the Pharisees because they held the power to ban them from the temple and so they basically said, “Why are you asking us? He’s a grown man. Let him answer for himself.” The Pharisees then bring the guy back in and he finally says to them, “Hey, I don’t know who healed me. Why are you so interested in knowing? Do you want to be one of his followers too?”

The Pharisees were too spiritually blind to see the Good Shepherd

The Pharisees were so caught up in trying to discredit Jesus and trap Him so they could kill Him that they missed a miracle – but the blind man sure didn’t miss it. It changed his life. As I imagine this scene unfolding, in my mind I see this guys staring the Pharisees down with a mix of awe and unbelief that that they didn’t get the fact that the greatest thing that ever happened to him just happened. He shakes his head and says, “Don’t you guys get it? All I know is once I was blind, but now…now I can see!” Can you hear his joy and excitement? And still the Pharisees missed it. Angry at the man, they throw him out of the temple.

The Good Shepherd confronts the Spiritually blind

A little later, Jesus comes back to check on him and make sure he’s okay. He then turns his attention to the Pharisees. For a moment he just looks at them. They squirm under his direct gaze. Then He calls them out for their ridiculous ungodly behavior, telling them that though they may not be physically blind, they are spiritually blind. He then uses an allegory playing off of shepherding to try to get them to understand.

Thieves and robbers who steal the sheep away

So as we get to Chapter 10, Jesus is pointing out who the true shepherd is and who are the thieves and robbers who would still the sheep away. He says, “I tell you the truth, the man who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber.” Little words can sometimes have big meanings. Have you ever stopped to think about a thief and a robber as two different things? We know they both steal – but what’s different about them? A thief will sneak in, take what they want, and sneak back out. A robber, on the other hand, steals by being violent. So Jesus was saying that the person who is not the true shepherd is a sneaky, violent thief.

The true shepherd enters the pin by the gate

In comparison, the true shepherd of the sheep enters the sheep pin by the gate. They sheep listen to his voice as he calls each sheep by name and leads them out of the pin and into the pasture. When they are all out, he goes ahead of them and they follow him because they know the sound of his voice. If a stranger tries to lead them, they will run away because they do not recognize the voice.

“I am the door to the sheep.”

Jesus then says in verse 7, “I tell you the truth, I am the door to the sheep.” Understanding life and culture of Jesus’ day gives a much deeper understanding and truth to what Jesus was saying. Every night, the shepherd would bring the sheep back to the pin, which was basically an area with a wall around it that had an opening which was the “door,” but there actually wasn’t a door – just an opening. After all the sheep were in the pin, the shepherd would lay across the opening with his staff. The only way to get into the pin was to go through Him. It kinda gives a new meaning to the saying, “Over my dead body.”

What we can learn from Jesus being the door is that whoever enters the sheep fold through Him will be saved because he gives them abundant life. In contract, Jesus said that they thief only comes to steal, kill, and destroy.

Because He is the door to the sheep fold, he is also the shepherd. And He’s not an irresponsible, lazy, or mean shepherd. He’s not the hired helper who abandons the sheep when the wolves come looking for dinner. No, He’s a good shepherd who lays down his life for the sheep.

Sheep need a good shepherd

If the Pharisees were listening with their heart, the blind man would not have been the only person who’s life was transformed that day. Let’s make sure we don’t miss the spiritual truths that the Pharisees missed. The first truth is that we are sheep. The second truth is sheep need a good shepherd.

Psalm 100:3 says: Know that the Lord, he is God! It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Yes – we are sheep. What are sheep like? They certainly are not fearless, rugged creatures. Sheep are pretty much just passive, dependent blobs of wool. Doesn’t seem like a very good compliment to be compared to, does it. And yet around 200 times, the Bible refers to us as sheep.

Sheep need a shepherd because they are followers

If we do a little research about sheep we can find that they are great at following. You might say, that’s a good thing because if Jesus is our shepherd, we should follow Him. But with sheep, if one sheep starts running towards a hungry lion, they will all follow along – and Mr. Lion will feast on a smorgasbord of lambchops.

Sheep need a shepherd because they are helpless

Sheep are also helpless creatures, which makes them prime targets for wolves or any other hungry belly. They have one one defense and that is to run when danger comes.

Sheep need a shepherd because they have limited vision

Sheep also have a very limited vision. In fact they are almost blind. They can only see about 15 yards in front of them. Beyond that, they have no idea what’s ahead of them or what’s behind them.

Sheep need a shepherd because they are not intelligent

Sheep also are not intelligent creatures. They will graze on the same hill over and over until they turn it into a wasteland. They will stay on the same trail until they fall in a rut. Sheep are not able to find their own way back home. They will also lie down and roll over on their backs. However, they are not able to roll back over and will die unless they are helped to get back to their feet again. But even though they will die, they keep on rolling on the backs.

How do we compare to sheep?

How do we compare with such helpless, stupid animals? Like sheep, we tend to be followers. We all want to “fit in” and wear the latest styles, use the latest, trendy words and we sit for hours peering into “Social media land” to make sure we are following right along with everyone else. We have also been known to run off on our own, charging full speed ahead and even take a crowd with us but yet not really know where we are going or why we are going that way. Today, something could be defined as “wrong” and tomorrow it could be defined as “right.” And whatever the crowd says, we scoot our beliefs into line with everyone else and march forward on our woolly little legs and follow.

We can also be very near sighted. We see today – not eternity. And like sheep, we live for what’s right in front of us and never consider the impact it will have tomorrow.

And like sheep, we can be stubborn, hard-headed, unmovable. We will keep on doing something that we know is wrong or not good for us – it might even potentially kills us – but we keep doing it any way.

We are sheep in need of a Good Shepherd

Yes. We are sheep. And we are in need of a Good Shepherd who is willing to give His life for His sheep. Our Good Shepherd, calls us by our name. When we go astray, He searches us out and brings us back home. He guards us through the night with His own body being the door. He gave His life for us so that we can have abundant and eternal life. Our Good Shepherd leads and guides us to green pastures and living water. And, when we stubbornly roll over on our backs, He picks us up and sets us back on our feet again.

Jesus is our Good Shepherd. King David described it best in Psalm 23:

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures He leads me beside still waters.
He restores my soul He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.


Revive Renew Redeem logo on self-care post

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]
Bible Reading Plan Download

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.

[Download not found]

This week’s featured Christian Tees designs:

Battle Isn’t Over and Just Pray

In every battle and every situation, our first response should be to get on our knees in prayer. When life brings us to our knees, the battle isn’t over, it’s just begun. So no matter what happens in life, stop worrying, stressing, panicking, overthinking, assuming, controlling, and wondering. Just pray.

See our graduation tees and products:

Graduating Seniors, Class of 2021, #Done2021, and Tassel worth the Hassle

Once in the store, you can click on the customize tab and add your school name or graduate’s name!

The slide show below highlights some of our favorite Christian Tees designs available in our Spreadshop and Teespring stores.

  • Revive Us Again, Lord

Canvas art and posters are available in the Teespring store. Many of our Christian Tees are also available at Teespring.

To see the collection of Canvas and Poster Prints


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 by Julia M. Bruce

What’s Inside God, Love and Marshmallow Wars?

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.

Available in hardback, paperback and ebook from Westbow Press Bookstore, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble. Click the icons below to purchase from your preferred bookstore. Now also available at WalMart online.

WestBow Press logo

Bible Studies, Bibles, Books & More

Christianbook Distributors logo
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.

Christianbook Distributors Search:
Christianbook.com

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.


Here’s some of our recent posts.

904.239.8937
A non-profit ministry located in Jacksonville, FL 

Follow us on:

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is FB-logo.png
This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is linked-in-logo-1.png
This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is twitter-bird.jpg
This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is instgram-logo.png
This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is pintrest-logo.png

Posted on Leave a comment

Searching for God

Every day, the news is filled with stories of sorrow, pandemics, murder, and tragedy. Thankfully, there are some good stories mixed in as well. However, all the stories of sin and evil, combined with a pandemic, is enough to feel robbed of our sense of safety. Our feelings of security are ripped away as Satan laughs at the destruction he brings. As a result, many are left searching for God, wondering where He is and if He is aware of what is happening down here on earth and if He even cares.

Searching for His strength

1 Chronicles 16:11 tells us to search for the Lord and His strength and to seek His face always. In a world full of sin and brokenness, the only place to find strength is in our relationship with Him. Our security is in the sacrificial death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus whereby we can believe on Him and have our sins forgiven. As a child of God, we know He has our names engraved on the palm of His hand. There is nothing that happens to us or around us that God is not aware of. He is never caught off guard. Rather, He has good plans for us – plans for our future and to give us hope (Jeremiah 29:11).

In Searching for Him, we become a new creation

As we place our faith and trust in Him, we become a new creation. The old sinful person is gone and a new creation emerges. Our “2.0” self comes complete with the love, joy, and peace of God while sin was deleted. You won’t even be able to find your past, sinful self in the “deleted files” to be recalled – just in case. Psalm 103:12 says that God has removed our sins from us as afar as the east is form the west. And in Jeremiahs 31:34, God says, “I will forgive their iniquity (sins), and I will remember their sin no more.” Yes! You are a new creation – made new through the perfect, sinless blood of Christ the moment you placed your faith and trust in Him.

When we search for Him, we will find safety and security

As a forgiven, recreated, child of God, I have safety and security in Him. Psalm 91:4 says: “He will cover you with His feathers; you will take refuge under His wings. His faithfulness will be a protective shield.” That doesn’t mean that we will never face the trials and sorrows of this world. But it does mean that we are eternally protected and there is nothing Satan can do to us that will cause us to lose our eternal security that we have in Christ. In John 10:28, Jesus said, “And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.” None of us know the moment our life will come to an end or how that will occur, but as a child of God, I know where I will spend my eternity. Do you?

The World is still searching

While we can find peace, comfort and security in knowing we belong to God, there is a lost world who desperately needs Him. They are searching for Him. They feel a void in their souls and try to fill it with drugs, alcohol, sex, careers, hobbies, and anything else that will give them a few moments of joy. It’s up to us to bring them to Christ.

For as long as God has us (Christians) on this earth, He calls us to be salt and light to a dark, depraved, uncaring, selfish world filled with hatred and evil. We are to be His witnesses whether that it is in our home town, state, country or around the world. The truth of the matter is, this world is not going to improve until Christ returns and Satan’s day of rule and reign on this earth is over. That might sound rather bleak and depressing, but Revelation tells us this is exactly what’s to happen.

If we sprinkle Salt and Light on the World searching for Christ, they too can be a new creation

Because we know how the story ends and because of the amazing grace Christ showed to us, we should then go about our everyday lives sprinkling salt and light everywhere we go. God doesn’t want anyone to perish in hell. God wants every single person to become a new creation! But each person must decide for themselves if they will seek God or not.

We should feel burdened for those who are lost and earnestly seeking God. We should be on our knees, humbly praying for a revival in our land. Throughout history we have seen great revival awakenings occur when Christians humble themselves before God, pray and seek his face and turn from their sinful ways. When we do this, God promises in 2 Chronicles 7:14 that he will hear us from heaven, forgive our sin, and heal our land. If there is ever a time that America and all the nations around the world, needs healing and forgiving of sin, its now.

Many of us will pray for those lost, but will you also spend some time humbling yourself before God, praying for our nation and yourself and seek His face and turn from any sinful ways? Will you ask God to hear you, forgive you and our nation and heal our land? Ask Him to send a revival awakening and ask Him to let it begin in you.


Revive Renew Redeem logo on self-care post

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]
Bible Reading Plan Download

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.

[Download not found]

This week’s featured Christian Tees designs:

Battle Isn’t Over and Just Pray

In every battle and every situation, our first response should be to get on our knees in prayer. When life brings us to our knees, the battle isn’t over, it’s just begun. So no matter what happens in life, stop worrying, stressing, panicking, overthinking, assuming, controlling, and wondering. Just pray.

See our graduation tees and products:

Graduating Seniors, Class of 2021, #Done2021, and Tassel worth the Hassle

Once in the store, you can click on the customize tab and add your school name or graduate’s name!

The slide show below highlights some of our favorite Christian Tees designs available in our Spreadshop and Teespring stores.

  • Revive Us Again, Lord

Canvas art and posters are available in the Teespring store. Many of our Christian Tees are also available at Teespring.

To see the collection of Canvas and Poster Prints


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 by Julia M. Bruce

What’s Inside God, Love and Marshmallow Wars?

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.

Available in hardback, paperback and ebook from Westbow Press Bookstore, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble. Click the icons below to purchase from your preferred bookstore. Now also available at WalMart online.

WestBow Press logo

Bible Studies, Bibles, Books & More

Christianbook Distributors logo
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.

Christianbook Distributors Search:
Christianbook.com

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.


Here’s some of our recent posts.

904.239.8937
A non-profit ministry located in Jacksonville, FL 

Follow us on:

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is FB-logo.png
This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is linked-in-logo-1.png
This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is twitter-bird.jpg
This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is instgram-logo.png
This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is pintrest-logo.png

Posted on Leave a comment

Walk by Faith (2 Corinthians 5:7)

Life is a journey that we walk by faith

Ralph Waldo Emerson said, “Life is a journey, not a destination.” While each one of us on a journey in life, that journey does lead to a destination – either eternal life in heaven, or eternal torment in hell. But 2 Corinthians 5:7, focuses on the journey. Paul wrote to the Corinthian church and said, “For we walk by faith, not by sight.” Every Christian must choose with path their journey will take – the path of life or the path of sight. Walking by faith is like taking journey with a blindfold on and trusting God to get you He’s leading you. But if you walk by sight, then you need to see the path and each step along the way.

Those who walked before us

The Bible provides us with examples of people who walked by faith – people like Abraham, Noah, Joseph, and Daniel. From them we can see what the journey of faith is supposed to be like.

Abraham:

Abraham teaches us that to walk by faith is a journey into the unknown

In Genesis 12, God tells Abraham that He wants him to leave his home and go to a place God will show him. What we don’t see in the Bible is Abraham questioning God about this place. Abraham doesn’t say, “But God, will this place be good for raising sheep?” Or “But God, what shall I pack?” Abraham doesn’t ask “But God, what dangers will be there or along the way?” Or, “God, how will I support myself along the way?”

We also do not see Abraham getting the advice from friends or relatives. (Not that getting advice is a bad thing. In fact, in Proverbs 12:15, Solomon wrote: “The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man listens to advice.” For Abraham, he knew that it was God  speaking to Him so he did not need the advice of man.) No, the Bible says in verse four, “So Abram went, as the Lord told him.”

He simply obeyed.

Abraham teaches us that to walk by faith, there is often a cost

Think for a moment about what it would you to just pack up and move to a place and not even knowing where you were moving to. For Abraham, it cost him his home, friends, and family. It meant leaving everything behind that was comfortable and familiar to take a step in a place of uncertainty. Not knowing if this place would be close enough to come visit friends and family from time to time or if you’d never see them again.

Abraham teaches us that to walk by faith means we don’t always get all the details

It wouldn’t be much of a walk by faith if God gave Abraham every little detail. It’s the fact that we don’t know that makes it a walk of faith. If God says, “Go” we go and then trust Him to lead us exactly where He wants us to be. Sometimes, God lets us know what He wants us to do, but then gives only the details we need to know in that moment and we just have to trust Him that He will lead us to the next step and then let us know what we need to know then.

Abraham teaches us that obediently walking by faith brings the blessings and fulfillment of God’s promises.

As God called Abraham to go by faith to a place He would show him, God make him seven promises that He would fulfill if Abraham obeyed. We can find these promises in the first three verses of Genesis 12. God said: “I will make you a great nation.” “I will bless you.” I will “make your name great.” “You shall be a blessing.” “I will bless those who bless you.” “I will curse those who curse you.” “In you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”

Noah:

Noah teaches us that to walk by faith means we obey, even if we don’t understand.

God told Noah to build a boat on dry ground because God was going to send rain to destroy the earth because of how wicked and sinful the people had become. Up to this point it had never rained before. So Noah couldn’t have possibly understood what rain was and if you don’t understand what rain is, then its likely you don’t understand the reasoning for building a very big boat on very dry ground.

Noah teaches us that to walk by faith means people will laugh in our face and make fun of us

Imagine the scene for a moment. They walk by Noah’s place and notice he’s building something. Someone walks up and says, “Hey, Noah. What ‘cha buildin?” Noah says, “A boat.”

The inquirer looks around him, scratches his had and thinks he’s misunderstood. “A what?” he asks. “A boat.” Noah says.

Again the inquirer looks around. “Did you say a boat?”

Calmly Noah says, “Yes.”

The inquirer’s jaw drops. “Well Noah, are you insane? Why are you building a boat here…on dry ground. There’s no water here to launch a boat.”

Without stopping his work, Noah answers, “Because God is going to send rain and flood the earth to destroy it.”

The inquirer laughs. “Rain? What is rain? We’ve never seen anything called rain before.”

The conversation continues until the inquirer walks away laughing and telling everyone he sees that Noah is building a boat a dry ground because its going to rain. Then everyone has to come by to see for themselves and they all sneer, laugh, and make fun of Noah…and this goes on for years and years until the boat was completed, the animals loaded, Noah’s family safely inside, and the first drop of rain fell from the sky.

Noah teaches us that there is safety in walking by faith

Because Noah obeyed God, Noah and his family was led into the ark and they were the only people to survive the flood and God re-started the human race through Noah and his sons. If Noah had not of obeyed, the rains and floods would have still come, but Noah and his family would have perished along with everyone else. Walking by faith can sometimes seem scary because of the unknowns, but there is always safety in walking by faith.

Joseph:

Joseph teaches us that God initiates the walk of faith

Before Joseph has to learn to walk by faith and trust God, God gives him dreams that let Joseph know that God is at work. Joseph didn’t reach out to God and say, “Hey God, why don’t one day in the future, you allow me to be used by you to save my entire family.” Instead, God gives Joseph dreams that hints at what Joseph will one day become.

Joseph teaches us that when God gives us a dream, we need to cling to it and by faith trust God to bring them into full fruition – even when you’ve been rejected, sold out, accused of thing not true, and forgotten.

Joseph’s own brothers threw him in pit. Most of them wanted to kill him, but the oldest came up with the plan to throw him in the pit. He thought that when the other brothers were distracted, he would rescue Joseph and send him back home – but while he was away, the other brothers sold him as a slave.

He lands in Egypt and is bought by Potiphar. Over time, he works his way up the ranks in Potiphar’s house until he catches the eye of Potiphar’s wife who wants to sleep with him. Joseph runs away but in the process his outer garment is left in Mrs. Potiphar’s hand. Angry that Joseph would refuse her, she waits until her husband comes home and then claims Joseph attacked her, which lands Joseph in prison.

Sometime later, Pharaoh tosses his chief baker and cup bearer in jail. They have dreams but can’t figure out what they mean. Joseph explains it to them and things happen exactly the way Joseph said. He asks the one restored to his position to remember him and tell Pharaoh that he is innocent and doesn’t belong in jail. But the guy forgets all about Joseph until Pharaoh has a couple of dreams and no one can explain them to him – then the cup bearer remembered Joseph and Joseph was brought out of prison and before Pharaoh

Joseph teaches us that when we walk by faith, God is always with us

Over and over again in the story of Joseph’s life, the Bible tells us that God was with Joseph. He was with Joseph in Potiphar’s house. God was with Joseph in jail. He was with Joseph before Pharaoh as God revealed the meaning of the dreams to Joseph. God was with Joseph as He gave him the wisdom to plan for the famine that was coming. And God was with him when Pharaoh made him second in command of the entire nations of Egypt.

Joseph teaches us that walking by faith doesn’t always mean the path is easy.

Remember that before Joseph made to 2nd in command, he was hated by his brothers who were jealous of him and planned to murder him, thrown into a pit, and sold into slavery. Just when it looked like life was turning around for him and he was placed in charge of all of Potiphar’s house, Mrs. Potiphar takes a liking to Joseph and accuses him of attempted rape which lands Joseph into prison. There is he is forgotten, until the exact moment in time for what God had placed Joseph in Egypt for in the first place. The path to get to that moment was not pleasant, but it set Joseph up for coming before Pharaoh.

Joseph teaches us that walking by faith means never rejecting God

Joseph had been torn away from his family – a family that had taught him about God. Even when he was sold into another country with very different religious beliefs, Joseph never gave up his own beliefs about God nor did he reject his belief to take up believing in the false gods of the Egyptians. In fact, he was a witness to the Egyptians as he lived a life of integrity and telling others that his God was with him.

Daniel:

Daniel teaches us that walking by faith means not defiling ourselves with sin.

In the book of Daniel, we find that Daniel was taken captive by the Babylonians. King Nebuchadnezzar chose the “best of the best” of the captives who would spend three years training and learning the Babylonian language so that they could serve in the King’s court. These chosen men were given the best food and wine from the kings table, but in verse 8 we see that “Daniel determined that he would not defile himself with the king’s food or with the wine he drank.”

God had given the Israelite specific instructions about what they could and could not eat. Daniel may have been a captive, but he still chose not to defile himself and eat what God had said they should not. He chose not to do what everyone else was doing and to honor God’s instructions. Because God has commanded them to not eat certain things, had Daniel done so, it would have been sin for him.

Daniel teaches us that walking by faith means risking it all.

Daniel’s faith landed him in a den of lions. Some of the administrators of King Darius came together to plot against Daniel and got the King to sign an edict that said for 30 days no one could petition any god or man except for the king and if they were caught doing so, they would be thrown in a den of lions. As soon as Daniel heard about the edit, he went to an upper room in his home with the windows opened to Jerusalem and just as he had always done, he prayed three times a day. The administrators eagerly watched and then went back to the king to remind him of the edict he had signed and inform him that Daniel had broken the edict.

Daniel teaches us that to walk by faith means others see God in us.

King Darius was immediately displeased and he tried all day to come up with a way to save Daniel, but the administrators said, “You as king now it is a law of the Medes and Persians that no edict or ordinance the king establishes can be changed.” So the king calls Daniel and just before Daniel is thrown in with the lions, the king says, “May your God whom who serve continually, rescue you!”

Daniel teaches us that walking by faith means God will rescue us.

All night, the king fasted and he couldn’t sleep. As soon as dawn came, he went to the lion’s den as quickly as possible. The Bible tells us that the king called out in anguish to Daniel, saying, “Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God whom you serve continually been able to rescue you from the lions?” Now if it had been me, I think I would have kept quiet at least for a little bit and let the king worry and stew, but Daniel replied, “May the king live forever. My God sent His angel and shut the lions’ mouths. They haven’t hurt me, for I was found innocent before Him. Also, I have not committed a crime against you, my king.”

As long as God still has a plan for us on this earth, He will again and again come to our rescue when we are walking by faith. However, there are times when we have faithfully carried out the walk of faith and God calls us on to heaven to spend eternity with Him.

What does your walk of faith look like?

What does your walk of faith look like? If you look back over the journey you’ve been on, do you see the moment where God initiated and called you out to walk by faith? What has it cost you? Did God give you all the details up front?

Have you yet to see the blessing of God’s promises to you? Do you understand all that God has asked you to do? Who are the people that have mocked you, not believed that God would call you to such as a faith-journey? What safety have you found by walking by faith?

Are you still clinging to the dreams God gave you for this faith-journey? Where have been the times in the journey that you knew God was with you? Can you identify the times where your faith-journey has not been easy? Have you ever considered rejecting God and walking away from the faith-journey He has called you to? Have you ever considered defiling yourself with sin so that you could fit-in with those around you?

Are you willing to risk it all to be faithful to what God has called you to do? Does your faith-journey point others to God? Can you identify a time that God has rescued you?

Life is journey and we are to walk by faith

Walking by faith can be exciting at times, scary at times, uncertain at times, and difficult at times. But God has called us, as Christians, to walk by faith – totally surrendered to His will and trusting Him with every aspect of our lives. Take a few moments and ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you the areas where you are walking by faith and the areas where you are walking by sight. Then ask Him to blindfold you and lead you by faith where He wants you to go. Walk this journey of life…by faith.

#walkbyfaith #jouney #destination

Revive Renew Redeem logo

New in the shop this week:

Fall for Jesus – He never leaves

Our Fall Designs

It’s Fall Y’all!
Cutest ‘lil pumpkin

Here are some of our favorite designs:

  • Revive Us Again, Lord

God, Love, and Marshmallow Wars

What’s Inside God, Love and Marshmallow Wars?

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.

Westbow logo
Christian book logo
amazon logo
Barnes and Nobel logo
walmart logo


 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

Christianbook Distributors logo
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.

Christianbook Distributors Search:
Christianbook.com

904.239.8937
A non-profit ministry located in Jacksonville, FL 
Follow us on:

facebook logo link on Bible reading post
LinkedIn logo link on Bible reading post
Twitter logo link on Bible reading post
Instagram logo link on Bible reading post
Pintrest logo link on Bible reading post
YouTub logo link on Bible reading post
Posted on Leave a comment

2 Corinthians 5:7. Walking by Faith

2 Corinthians 5 7

Ralph Waldo Emerson said, “Life is a journey, not a destination.” While each one of us on a journey in life, that journey does lead to a destination – either eternal life in heaven, or eternal torment in hell. But 2 Corinthians 5:7, focuses on the journey. Paul wrote to the Corinthian church and said, “For we walk by faith, not by sight.” Every Christian must choose with path their journey will take – the path of life or the path of sight. Walking by faith is like taking journey with a blindfold on and trusting God to get you He’s leading you. But if you walk by sight, then you need to see the path and each step along the way.

The Bible provides us with examples of people who walked by faith – people like Abraham, Noah, Joseph, and Daniel. From them we can see what the journey of faith is supposed to be like.

Abraham:

  1. Abraham teaches us that walking by faith is a journey to the unknown. In 09 13 CTT AbrahamGenesis 12, God tells Abraham that He wants him to leave his home and go to a place God will show him. What we don’t see in the Bible is Abraham questioning God about this place. Abraham doesn’t say, “But God, will this place be good for raising sheep?” Or “But God, what shall I pack?” Or “But God, what dangers will be there or along the way?” Or, “God, how will I support myself along the way?” We also do not see Abraham getting the advice from friends or relatives. (Not that getting advice is a bad thing. In fact, in Proverbs 12:15, Solomon wrote: “The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man listens to advice.” For Abraham, he knew that it was God  speaking to Him so he did not need the advice of man.) No, the Bible says in verse four, “So Abram went, as the Lord told him.” He simply obeyed.
  2. Abraham teaches us that there is often a cost to walking by faith. Think for a moment about what it would you to just pack up and move to a place and not even knowing where you were moving to. For Abraham, it cost him his home, friends, and family. It meant leaving everything behind that was comfortable and familiar to take a step in a place of uncertainty. Not knowing if this place would be close enough to come visit friends and family from time to time or if you’d never see them again.
  3. Abraham teaches us that walking by faith means we don’t always get all the details. It wouldn’t be much of a walk by faith if God gave Abraham every little detail. It’s the fact that we don’t know that makes it a walk of faith. If God says, “Go” we go and then trust Him to lead us exactly where He wants us to be.
  4. Abraham teaches us that obediently walking by faith brings the blessing of fulfillment of God’s promises. As God called Abraham to go by faith to a place He would show him, God make him seven promises that He would fulfill if Abraham obeyed. We can find these promises in the first three verses of Genesis 12. God said:
    • “I will make you a great nation.”
    • “I will bless you.”
    • I will “make your name great.”
    • “You shall be a blessing.”
    • “I will bless those who bless you.”
    • “I will curse those who curse you.”
    • “In you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”

Noah:

  1. Noah teaches us that walking by faith means obeying even if we don’t 09 13 CTT Noahunderstand. God told Noah to build a boat on dry ground because God was going to send rain to destroy the earth because of how wicked and sinful the people had become. Up to this point it had never rained before. So Noah couldn’t have possibly understood what rain was and if you don’t understand what rain is, then its likely you don’t understand the reasoning for building a very big boat on very dry ground.
  2. Noah teaches us that walking by faith means people will laugh in our face and make fun us. Imagine the scene for a moment. They walk by Noah’s place and notice he’s building something. Someone walks up and says, “Hey, Noah. What ‘cha buildin?” Noah says, “A boat.” The inquirer looks around him, scratches his had and thinks he’s misunderstood. “A what?” he asks. “A boat.” Noah says. Again the inquirer looks around. “Did you say a boat?” Calmly Noah says, “Yes.” The inquirer’s jaw drops. “Well Noah, are you insane? Why are you building a boat here…on dry ground. There’s no water here to launch a boat.” Without stopping his work, Noah answers, “Because God is going to send rain and flood the earth to destroy it.” The inquirer laughs. “Rain? What is rain? We’ve never seen anything called rain before.” The conversation continues until the inquirer walks away laughing and telling everyone he sees that Noah is building about a dry ground because its going to rain. Then everyone has to come by to see for themselves and they all sneer, laugh, and make fun of Noah.
  3. Noah teaches us that there is safety in walking by faith. Because Noah obeyed God, Noah and his family was led into the ark and they were the only people to survive the flood and God re-started the human race through Noah and his sons. If Noah had not of obeyed, the rains and floods would have still come, but Noah and his family would have perished along with everyone else. Walking by faith can sometimes seem scary because of the unknowns, but there is always safety in walking by faith.

Joseph:

  1. Joseph teaches us that God initiates the walk of faith. Before Joseph has to learn09 13 CTT Joseph to walk by faith and trust God, God gives him dreams that let’s Joseph know that God is at work. Joseph didn’t reach out to God and say, “Hey God, why don’t one day in the future, you allow me to be used by you to save my entire family.” Instead, God gives Joseph dreams that hints at what Joseph will one day become.
  2. Joseph teaches us that when God gives us a dream, we need to cling to those dreams and by faith trust God to bring them into full fruition – even when you’ve been rejected, sold out, accused of things not true, and forgotten. Joseph’s own brothers threw him in pit. Most of them wanted to kill him, but the oldest came up with the plan to throw him in the pit. He thought that when the other brothers were distracted, he’s rescue Joseph and send him back home – but while he was away, the other brothers sold him as a slave. He lands in Egypt and is bought by Potiphar. Over time, he works his way up the ranks in Potiphar’s house until he catches the eye of Potiphar’s wife who wants to sleep with him. Joseph runs away but in the process his outer garment is left in Mrs. Potiphar’s hand. Angry that Joseph would refuse her, she waits until her husband comes home and then claims Joseph attacked her, which lands Joseph in prison. Sometime later, Pharaoh tosses his chief baker and cup bearer in jail. They have dreams but can’t figure out what they mean. Joseph explains it to them and things happen exactly the way Joseph said. He asks the one restored to his position to remember him and tell Pharaoh that he is innocent and doesn’t belong in jail. But the guy forgets all about Joseph until Pharaoh has a couple of dreams and no one can explain them to him – then the cup bearer remembered Joseph and Joseph was brought out of prison and before Pharaoh
  3. Joseph teaches us that when we walk by faith, God is always with us. Over and over again in the story of Joseph’s life, the Bible tells us that God was with Joseph. He was with Joseph in Potiphar’s house. He was with Joseph in jail. He was with Joseph before Pharaoh as God revealed the meaning of the dreams to Joseph. God was with Joseph as He gave him the wisdom to plan for the famine that was coming. And God was with him when Pharaoh made him second in command of the entire nations of Egypt.
  4. Joseph teaches us that walking by faith doesn’t always mean the path is easy. Remember that before Joseph made to 2nd in command, he was hated by his brothers who were jealous of him and planned to murder him, thrown into a pit, and sold into slavery. Just when it looked like life was turning around for him and he was placed in charge of all of Potiphar’s house, Mrs. Potiphar takes a liking to Joseph and accuses him of attempted rape which lands Joseph into prison. There is he is forgotten, until the exact moment in time for what God had placed Joseph in Egypt for in the first place. The path to get to that moment was not pleasant, but it set Joseph up for coming before Pharaoh.
  5. Joseph teaches us that walking by faith means never rejecting God.  Joseph had been torn away from his family – a family that had taught him about God. Even when he was sold into another country with very different religious beliefs, Joseph never gave up his own beliefs about God nor did he reject his belief to take up believing in the false gods of the Egyptians. In fact, he was a witness to the Egyptians as he lived a life of integrity and telling others that his God was with him.

Daniel:

  1. Daniel teaches us that walking by faith means not defiling ourselves with 09 13 CTT Danielsin. In the book of Daniel, we find that Daniel was taken captive by the Babylonians. King Nebuchadnezzar chose the “best of the best” of the captives who would spend three years training and learning the Babylonian language so that they could serve in the King’s court. These chosen men were given the best food and wine from the kings table, but in verse 8 we see that “Daniel determined that he would not defile himself with the king’s food or with the wine he drank.” God had given the Israelite specific instructions about what they could and could not eat. Daniel may have been a captive, but he still chose not to defile himself and eat what God had said they should not. He chose not to do what everyone else was doing and to honor God’s instructions. Because God has commanded them to not eat certain things, had Daniel done so, it would have been sin for him.
  2. Daniel teaches us that walking by faith means risking it all. Daniel’s faith landed him in a den of lions. Some of the administrators of King Darius came together to plot against Daniel and got the King to sign an edict that said for 30 days no one could petition any god or man except for the king and if they were caught doing so, they would be thrown in a den of lions. As soon as Daniel heard about the edit, he went to an upper room in his home with the windows opened to Jerusalem and just as he had always done, he prayed three times a day. The administrators eagerly watched and then went back to the king to remind him of the edict he had signed and inform him that Daniel had broken the edict.
  3. Daniel teaches us that walking by faith means others see God in us. King Darius was immediately displeased and he tried all day to come up with a way to save Daniel, but the administrators said, “You as king now it is a law of the Medes and Persians that no edict or ordinance the king establishes can be changed.” So the king calls Daniel and just before Daniel is thrown in with the lions, the king says, “May your God whom who serve continually, rescue you!”
  4. Daniel teaches us that walking by faith means God will rescue us. All night, the king fasted and he couldn’t sleep. As soon as dawn came, he went to the lion’s den as quickly as possible. The Bible tells us that the king called out in anguish to Daniel, saying, “Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God whom you serve continually been able to rescue you from the lions?” Now if it had been me, I think I would have kept quiet at least for a little bit but Daniel replied, “May the king live forever. My God sent His angel and shut the lions’ mouths. They haven’t hurt me, for I was found innocent before Him. Also, I have not committed a crime against you my king.” As long as God still has a plan for us on this earth, He will again and again come to our rescue when we are walking by faith. However, there are times when we have faithfully carried out the walk of faith and God calls us on to heaven to spend eternity with Him.

What does your walk of faith look like? If you look back over the journey you’ve been on, do you see the moment where God initiated and called you out to walk by faith? What has it cost you? Did God give you all the details up front? Have you yet to see the blessing of God’s promises to you? Do you understand all that God has asked you to do? Who are the people that have mocked you, not believed that God would call you to such as a faith-journey? What safety have you found by walking by faith? Are you still clinging to the dreams God gave you for this faith-journey? Where have been the times on the journey that you knew God was with you? Can you identify the times where your faith-journey has not been easy? Have you ever considered rejecting God and walking away from the faith-journey He has called you to? Have you ever considered defiling yourself with sin so that you could fit-in with those around you? Are you willing to risk it all to be faithful to what God has called you to do? Does your faith-journey point others to God? Can you identify a time that God has rescued you?

Walking by faith can be exciting at times, scary at times, uncertain at times, and difficult at times. But God has called us, as Christians, to walk by faith – totally surrendered to His will and trusting Him with every aspect of our lives. Take a few moments and ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you the areas where you are walking by faith and the areas where you are walking by sight. Then ask Him to blindfold you and lead you by faith where He wants you to go.

 

click to tweet
Click to tweet today’s verse of the day.

 

September divider

teespring spreadshop logos

We have a new product line of Christian apparel and gifts available in our Teespring Store and our new Spreadshop Store. You’ll find tee shirts, hoodies, tanks, socks, leggings, tote bags, mugs, iphone cases and more. All proceeds go to the advancement of Wellspring Christian Ministries. Thank you for helping us grow!

Click here to view the Teespring store. 

Click here to view the Spreadshop Store which has a 15% discount through August 9, 2019

Cover_m God, Love and Marshmallow Wars: This book contains 365 daily challenges for couples to strengthen their relationships to each other and with God. Couples will complete activities such as Scripture memory, conversation starters, relationship builders, learning about Biblical marriage, romance builders, personal reflections, and date ideas. Click here to purchase your copy. (This link will open a new widow and take you to Westbow Press’ bookstore.) It is also available at Christian Book Distributors, Amazon, and Barnes & Nobel

 

book now summer and fall

Looking for a speaker for your next ministry event? Julia is now booking for 2019 and 2020 Christian events for women’s and couples’ ministries for both small and large events.
Book with us now.

Julia is CEO of Wellspring Christian Ministries, a non-profit organization dedicated to helping people and couples develop a passionate relationship with God. A public speaker, conference trainer, event planner, and blog writer, Julia is a two-time graduate from Grand Canyon University with a bachelor in Psychology and a masters in Professional Counseling. Saved as a child and raised in church and in a Christian home and private Christian School as a Pastor’s kid, Julia has taught Sunday school, led music, played the piano, served as Children’s Director, and engaged her gifts in many other areas of church life. Previously employed with the Florida Baptist Convention, Julia organized events and led conferences for church ministry assistants.

Julia enjoys sharing her journey as a growing Christian with others looking for a deeper connection with God. Through Bible study and her own life experiences, God has given Julia a passion to help couples understand God’s design for marriage while they learn to place God first in their marriage, cultivate meaningful relationships, build intimacy, and address the tougher issues that come in every marriage so that they can experience a marriage that honors and glorifies God. Julia also loves mentoring, teaching, and working with women to help them learn to live as Godly women.

With her history and experience growing up in both small and large churches, Julia enjoys bringing top level quality events to churches of all sizes. Her father largely pastored small churches and therefore she understands that these vital parts of the believing community need to be good stewards of the resources God provides them with. This knowledge inspires her passion for being available with a fresh perspective for those who want to provide their congregations with meaningful spiritual growth opportunities.

Image result for form pngTo request more information or a booking, 
fill out the online form here.

Image result for phone clipart png
Or call us at 904.524.8073

Posted on Leave a comment

One Year Bible Challenge: August 11

Bible reading challenge

August 11

Psalms 90-92

Romans 11:1-21

Clicking on these links will open a new widow where you can
read the scripture from the Holman Christian Standard Bible at
Biblegateway.com or choose the Bible version you prefer to read.

click to tweetWant to share this Bible reading plan to encourage your friends and family to stay in God’s Word? Click here to tweet on your twitter account.

August divider 2

teespring spreadshop logosWe have a new product line of Christian apparel and gifts available in our Teespring Store and our new Spreadshop Store. You’ll find tee shirts, hoodies, tanks, socks, leggings, tote bags, mugs, iphone cases and more. All proceeds go to the advancement of Wellspring Christian Ministries. Thank you for helping us grow!

Click here to view the Teespring store. 

Click here to view the Spreadshop Store which has a 15% discount through August 9, 2019

Cover_m God, Love and Marshmallow Wars: This book contains 365 daily challenges for couples to strengthen their relationships to each other and with God. Couples will complete activities such as Scripture memory, conversation starters, relationship builders, learning about Biblical marriage, romance builders, personal reflections, and date ideas. Click here to purchase your copy. (This link will open a new widow and take you to Westbow Press’ bookstore.) It is also available at Christian Book Distributors, Amazon, and Barnes & Nobel

 

004

Looking for a speaker for your next ministry event? Julia is now booking for 2019 and 2020 Christian events for women’s and couples’ ministries for both small and large events.
Book with us now.

Julia is CEO of Wellspring Christian Ministries, a non-profit organization dedicated to helping people and couples develop a passionate relationship with God. A public speaker, conference trainer, event planner, and blog writer, Julia is a two-time graduate from Grand Canyon University with a bachelor in Psychology and a masters in Professional Counseling. Saved as a child and raised in church and in a Christian home and private Christian School as a Pastor’s kid, Julia has taught Sunday school, led music, played the piano, served as Children’s Director, and engaged her gifts in many other areas of church life. Previously employed with the Florida Baptist Convention, Julia organized events and led conferences for church ministry assistants.

Julia enjoys sharing her journey as a growing Christian with others looking for a deeper connection with God. Through Bible study and her own life experiences, God has given Julia a passion to help couples understand God’s design for marriage while they learn to place God first in their marriage, cultivate meaningful relationships, build intimacy, and address the tougher issues that come in every marriage so that they can experience a marriage that honors and glorifies God. Julia also loves mentoring, teaching, and working with women to help them learn to live as Godly women.

With her history and experience growing up in both small and large churches, Julia enjoys bringing top level quality events to churches of all sizes. Her father largely pastored small churches and therefore she understands that these vital parts of the believing community need to be good stewards of the resources God provides them with. This knowledge inspires her passion for being available with a fresh perspective for those who want to provide their congregations with meaningful spiritual growth opportunities.

Image result for form pngTo request more information or a booking, 
fill out the online form here.

 

Image result for phone clipart png
Or call us at 904.234.6208