Helen Williams

Even though we might go through difficult times in our lives we are never alone. God sees, hears and knows all. WHAT A BLESSING!

When you are going through the valley it is wonderful to know that God sees you with love, concern and not judgement. This give you a different outlook on life and a reason for HOPE. Knowing that God sees me is a comfort. He is watching over my life.

God wants us to acknowledge our situation and face it. There are time when we feel we have to run and sometime not knowing where. He sent her back to face the situation that she find herself in. In the midst of our discomfort, God has a plan for our life.

To be simple and to the point we often take our frustration and anger out on those closest to us and the ones we love. We never like to take the blame, we point the finger at others. When we accept the blame then we have to also accept the responsibility. Hagar was in a position that Sarah so much wanted to be in. I can see Sarah thinking her time is running out or has already run out. Look where we find ourself when we don't wait on God and trust him. It seem like she might be trying to get rid of both becasue at this time the mother is still carrring the child. Seeing Hagar pregnant was a reminder of what she thought could not do and what she thought she could not have. How wrong can we be when God is in control. Abraham seem to be between a rock and a hardside. With him being the head, he should have taken control of the situation from the start. Both of them should have trusted God from the beginning. When we obey, it is better than a sacrifice.This is a good lesson for us not to take matters in our own hand.

I believe we have all been frustrated at one time or another with God for not fulfilling his promise to us. God knows he exact and right time for us when we think we know but we don't. It is all about timing if we get something before time there maybe more harm than good. We need to learn how to wait on the Lord. God sometime delay because we might not be spiritually ready to handle the fulfillment of his promise. Let us have a willing and humble mind o let God direct our path.

It is amazing that it is nothing we can earn but we are declared righteous because of our faith in God throught Jesus Christ. God declared Abraham righteous because he believed what God had promise. He might not have fully understood how all this was to happen but he believed. It is because of the righteousness of Jesus Christ that we are declared righteous.

God is my protector, He is my refuge and my ever present help. Regardless of what I have to go through He is there. He is my rewarder. This gives me peace. I give Him all the praise and glory. I bless His name.

God bless us in many ways. Where ever God has put us we should be grateful and satisfied. God bless us with physical wealth, material and spiritual wealth. Give me spiritual wealth any day.!

Is our faith as strong as we want to believe it is? We never know until it is truly tested. It's easy for me to judge Abraham's and Sarah's ethics and faith. We can always say what someone else should or should not have done in a given situation. Regardless of the situation that Abraham and Sarah find themselves in God is a promise keeper. We all have fallen short at some point in our lives but God is always faithful. We can believe ands trust Him to keep His promises. AMEN TO THAT!

God view adultery very serious, this is a sin against God. I know God can and will forgive if there is true repentant. I look at Paul and all he had done before he was converted on the road to Damascus. God used Paul in the ministry. Sin is sin.

They go sick because they had taken another man's wife. To be deceived in a sense made pharoah angry and he sent them on their way. What Abraham feared did not happen, they both lived.

Abraham and his family were in danger of being killed or rape. Their lives were at stake. Can you imagine going into a place where you might know this is a possibility but it is out necessity for your family and flock. In our community we have the Spanish speaking or they might be called mexican or those funny talking people. They came for a better livinig. Sometime there is disappointment because of the way they are treated. They work hard but for less pay and this make others angry because they claim they are taking our jobs. We are all God's children. I often wonder what the success rate for finishing school because of the moving around for work. We can put love that we talk so much about into action. In my case help someone learn to speak English. We can witness to them about Jesus Christ. Be one to buld up and not tear down. Don't be a part of the problem, be a part of the solution

Abraham is calling on the only true and living God that he believes in and not some other god or gods. Abraham is a believer of one God. He needed help, guidance and direction. I am like Abraham, I know where all my help comes from. I call on the name of Jesus the one that is able to hold and keep me in all things. This means and I know that Jesus is my ever present help. THANK YOU LORD JESUS!

SPECIAL FAITH: IT JUST TAKES FAITH IN THE ALMIGHTY GOD, KNOWING THAT HE IS ALL POWERFUL AND ALL KNOWING. WE WALK BY FAITH AND NOT BY SIGHT! HAVING FAITH, NOT KNOWING, IS SPECIAL. GOD CAN SEE THAT WHICH WE CAN NOT. I HAVE EXPERIENCE THIS AND IT IS NOT ALWAYS EASY BUT THE RESULTS ARE GREAT. GOD WILL ALWAYS REWARD OUR OBEDIENCE.

Abraham was blessed to be a great nation, wealth, blessing to others and an inspiration to others. We are truly blessed through Jesus Christ(salvation). We can tell others about Jesus, what he has done for us, how he has changed our lives and how blessed we are to be his children.

Yes, we all have begun something in reponse to God urging and then stopped for whatever reason. I started a youth ministry in our congregation and it was a small turn out in the beginning. It got where at times there was only me. I pray that God redirect me about this ministry, or maybe there is a need but for someone else to carry the torch. I am going to pray for God's direction. Pray is powerful so all that reads this join in prayer with me.

We need to be aware and alert to Satan existence because he does exit. He want us not to be sober minded therefore we would ignore his existence and tatics. But thanks be to God he is not all powerful. This verse tells me he is out looking and he's on the prowl. He is out to kill, steal and destroy. We need to put on the whole armor of God. If we submit to God, resist him he WILL flee and that's the WORD. God said before his word fail heaven and earth will pass away. We have to put up a fight, we are in a spiritual warfare and we have the power to be victorious!

All not some of our fears should be cast on the Lord. God can and will sustain us. We need to have faith and trust him to be right in all things because He is. I will give my fear to the Lord and let him carry them and work them out. I have faith that He is always faithful. Regardless, Jesus cares. He cares that he gave his life. God knows how to deal with our problems better than we do. LET US BE OBEDIENT AND CAST ALL OUR FEARS ON THE LORD.

Church leaders are to be humble in spirit and not puffed up with pride because of the leadership position. We are all under the power of the mighty hand of God. We can observe their daily life, how they interact with others and and first of all do they have a humble attitude. We pray that in taking on the leadership position it is for all the right reasons. When we fail to do this, then we are taking our leadership seriously. We can see confusion in a congregation, possibly division and maybe a lack of trust. We do not want to be the reason some might stumble.

Elders and pastors have a responsibility of servant leadership, if they are to follow the examples set by Jesus. LIMITING A PASTOR'S AUTJORITY If a pastor is a truly called man of God he is not going to abuse that which has been entrusted to him by God. He will shepherd that flock according to the word of Word. I feel he shouldn't ask them to do that he would not do. There could be a division in the congregation if one abuse his or her power. Whatever problem arrive in the church, we should pray about it collectively. WE can look at the problem from the word of God. As the saying goes, "What would Jesus do?" I feel where there is always confusion God is not in the midst. A lot of issues can be settle if we would not let this flesh take over and work in the spirit.

It is wrong to have to twist a person's arm, service should be willing and out of love for God. No one had to twist Jesus' arm, He even washed the disciples' feet to show us the example of service. Better yet his service was unto death. I can see a breakdown of service in the church and one not doing their best. This can produce a self centered person and might even cause him or her to resent others in the church.

What a tremendous responsiblilty. One has to be called and dedicated. One person cannot handle a task as great as this. The pastor, elders and overseers would have to have help. Others leaders would have to step in and lend a helping hand. They deserve all the respect in the world, especially if they are willing and doing it out of love for God. There are times when they are the target of negative talk, but I think this is unfair to them. Try walking in their shoes for a day. As I considered these words the one thing that stood out with me was the love a leader has for his flock. He care for every aspect of their lives. This reminded me how much Jesus cared for us. There are times when we don't walk according to the word but God still loves us. There are time when we don't treat or have consideration for our pastor but he goes on and still care for the need of the flock. I pray for our elders, pastors and overseers. May God keep them!

JESUS WAS WILLING TO DIE, AND NO ONE HAS BEEN PERSECUTED LIKE HIM. TOOK UP HIS CROSS, DIED TO SELF, AND SO WE HAVE TO DO THE SAME IF WE WANT TO FOLOW HIM. SATAN THOUGHT HE HAD HIM BEAT BUT JESUS WAS VICTORIOUS OUR HIS SUFFERING. HE MADE IT POSSIBLE FOR US TO DO THE SAME. WE HAVE TO DIE TO SELF AND FOLLOW JESUS AT ALL COST. THIS SHOWS THAT WE ARE WILLING TO SHARE IN HIS SUFFERING. COMMITING OURSELVES TO A FAITHFUL CREATOR INDICATES THAT WE TRUST GOD WITH EVERY ASPECT OF OUR LIFE. HE IS OUR CREATOR AND HE KNOWS WHATS BEST FOR US. KNOWING ALL THIS, LET US CONTINUE TO OBEY, TRUST HIM AND DO GOOD.

Can I truly say that if we have never been persecuted that people don't see Christ is us. We have to think what we believe persecution to be. Some may see it as being great and severe. Then again some see it as being insulted, reproached, reviled or maybe even shunned because of Christ. I believe persecution comes in all these forms. So yes maybe at one time or another and in some way we all have been. We can rejoice knowing that all this is temporary, taht one day we will be rewarded and live eternally.

I know I will suffer because Christ suffered. He suffered yet He knew no sin. As I thought about this, I had to do some deep soul searching. I had to ask myself: How do I feel about my enemies? How do I deal with suffering? Do I count it all a joy or am I resentiful and ask why me? God tells us to love and forgive. I pray for God to strenghten me in this area of my life. As I sit here and type this I thinking about the flesh being weak but the spirit is willing. We can do all thing and go through with Christ who strengthen us.