Posts by Matthew Shorack
Does prayer really work?
Does prayer really work? Psalm 33:10-11 The Lord foils the plans of the nations; he thwarts the purposes of the peoples.11 But the plans of the Lord stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart through all generations. Have you ever heard a voice whispering that prayer is a waste of time. Satan may be trying to convince you that God isn’t even listening. The truth is God loves to communicate with His children and He is powerful enough to answer our prayers. The will of the Lord is greater than…
Living Your Best Life
Living Your Best Life On the social networking sites, people say they are living their best life, but depression and anxiety are statistically off the charts. How can so many people be so depressed in reality and so happy on social networking? “#Living my best life”, isn’t really living at all. How can we actually, not virtually, live our best lives? Philippians 3:7-9 7 But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. 8 What is more,…
Delayed Obedience Is Disobedience
Genesis 12:1-4 1 The LORD had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you. 2 “I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. 3 I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” 4 So Abram went, as the LORD…
Forgiveness And Trust Are Two Different Things
Forgiveness And Trust Are Two Different Things James 5:16 16 Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. Why is it so difficult to rebuild trust with someone who hurt you? Forgiving someone doesn’t mean we make ourselves a doormat or that we blindly trust that person we forgave. Forgiveness can take place instantly, but trust will take some time.…
The Boomerang Of Bitterness?
The Boomerang Of Bitterness? When I was twelve, I lived in Australia for a year. One of the things I learned to do was throw a boomerang. It’s harder than it looks. Most of my family never learned but I was determined. Before I learned how to throw it correctly, I spent a lot of time chasing a weirdly shaped stick. Once I learned how, I enjoyed the process. We all have emotional and relational wounds. Sometimes they are intentional…
Do you have assurance of your salvation?
Do you have assurance of your salvation?John 5:24 “Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life. What makes us sure of our salvation? The promise of God’s Word. We can trust the promise of God’s word because God cannot lie.What was the exchange of words between the repentant man and Jesus, when they were being crucified on…
Living Free Of Anxiety And Fear
Living Free Of Anxiety And FearWhen we let our feelings lead our lives, it’s easy to get stranded on the island of anxiety. So, how can we live free of anxiety and fear? 1 John 4:15-18 15 All who declare that Jesus is the Son of God have God living in them, and they live in God. 16 We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in his love. God is love, and all who…
The Blessing Of Salvation
The Blessing Of Salvation2 Corinthians 5:17-18Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! 18 All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation:Salvation is God’s work from beginning to end. All we do is believe God truth from His word and receive Jesus as our Lord and Savior. We have a God who loves us so much that Christ…
Are You Lonely Or Homesick?
Are You Lonely Or Homesick?Why is music so popular and powerful? One of the main reasons is, it’s a way to share the pain of loneliness and disappointment. Country music is great at this. My dog died, my wife left me, and I lost my job, boom, boom, boom, boom. When we are lonely, it can almost feel good to feel bad, so we listen to another song and wallow in our misery. All this leads to the question I…
WHAT DOES GOD SEE WHEN HE LOOKS AT YOU?
WHAT DOES GOD SEE WHEN HE LOOKS AT YOU? 1 John 4:16b-21 God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them. 17 This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus. 18 There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not…
What choices can we make today to have healthy minds?
Proverbs 15:14 The discerning heart seeks knowledge, but the mouth of a fool feeds on folly. Junk in, junk out. If you want knowledge that leads to wise choices, you need to let set aside our fast-food culture and take in the healthy nutritional food of God’s word. When we feed our minds with God truth the cultural poison won’t be so tempting.It’s true that we live in a fast-food society where we expect instant gratification in most areas of…
Common Questions About Faith (Series)
Living out our faith has many ups and downs. Sometimes we feel like we are the only ones who are struggling with doubt, defeat, fear and confusion. We all have questions about faith and it’s always a good decision to be honest about the struggles we are facing. Please join us at Community Bible Fellowship as we look at men and women in God’s word who face these same questions about their faith head on. It’s good to share the…
The Beginning Of All Things
The Beginning Of All ThingsRevelation 21:1-5a Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. 2 I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and…
Have you been waiting on God to reveal something?
Have you been waiting on God to reveal something? Ecclesiastes 5:14 As you enter the house of God, keep your ears open and your mouth shut. It is evil to make mindless offerings to God. 2 Don’t make rash promises, and don’t be hasty in bringing matters before God. After all, God is in heaven, and you are here on earth. So let your words be few. 3 Too much activity gives you restless dreams; too many words make you a fool. 4 When…
Do you need to make an important decision?
Do you need to make an important decision? Sometimes fear can cause us to get a little stuck in life, unable to make decisions and weighted by stress, but the Lord can lead us into clarity of thought and moving forward on his right path. Psalm 23:1-3 The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.2 He makes me lie down in green pastures,he leads me beside quiet waters,3 he refreshes my soul.He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake. Knowing God’s path is different…
Is Salvation Defined By Faith Or Deeds?
Is Salvation Defined By Faith Or Deeds? Ephesians 2:8-9 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast. 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. We know we can’t earn our salvation because we have been saved by grace through faith. But how do…