God's Glory Church

? 10.09.2023 10:07 На каналі Церкви Божої Слави розпочалася #трансляція Три зустрічі Христа | Pastor Oleksandr Krasnoshchoka 09/10/2023: https://youtu.be/NXPsI7eHfqU

“And now they left the nets and followed Him.” — Matthew 4:20

The lighting was reduced in the conference center. Several thousand students bowed their heads. The preacher said the consecration prayer, and then invited those whom God calls to serve in foreign missions to stand up. My friend Lynette stood up from her seat. I knew that she had decided to serve God in the Philippines. But I personally did not feel any desire to stand up, because I believed that there were enough problems in the United States. I wanted to spread God’s love in my native country. However, a decade later I moved to the UK to serve the new neighbors God had given me. He called me to something I did not expect, and my ideas about my purpose changed radically.

The Lord Jesus often surprised those He met, including several fishermen whom He called to follow Him. Hearing that they were to become fishers of men, Peter and Andrew immediately left their nets and followed Him (Matthew 4:20). Similarly, Jacob and John left “the boat and their father” (v. 22). They trusted Jesus and followed Him into the unknown.

Of course, the Lord calls many people to work where they are, without moving anywhere. But in any case, we all need to look to Him and be ready to be surprised by new experiences and opportunities to serve Him in ways we did not imagine.

What impression do the stories about God’s works make on you? How did He surprise you?

Loving Lord, You call people to follow You in different, sometimes surprising ways. Teach me to hear Your voice and respond to Your call.

By Amy Buescher Pye

“If God is for us, then who is against us?” — Romans 8:31

“In the morning I thought I was worth a lot of money. Now I don’t know if I have even a dollar.” Former US President Ulysses Grant uttered these words the day a business partner appropriated all of his savings. A few months later, he was diagnosed with cancer. Worried about the future of his family, Grant agreed to the writer Mark Twain’s offer to publish his memoirs. He completed work on them a week before his death.

The Bible tells of another man who also had to worry about his family. This is Patriarch Yakov. First, he was told that “a wild beast… had eaten” his beloved son Joseph (Genesis 37:33). Then his other son, Simeon, was taken as a hostage in a foreign country with the demand that his younger son, Benjamin, be brought there. In despair, Jacob shouted: “It’s all on me!” (Genesis 42:36).

But Jacob should not cry, but rejoice. Some time passed, and he learned that Joseph was alive and that God had been working to preserve his family all this time. This story shows that the Creator can be trusted even when we don’t see His hand in our circumstances.

Grant’s memoir was a huge success, providing for his family for many years. Although he himself did not see it, his wife did. Our vision is limited, but God sees everything. He gave His Son for us and thereby showed His attitude towards us. And “if God is for us, then who is against us?” (Rom. 8:31). So let’s trust Him.

How has God turned adversity to your advantage? In what area do you need to trust Him?

Dear Savior, help me to look to You and not to my problems. You are always faithful.

Author: James Banks

“And when the grace and humanity of the Savior, our God, appeared, He saved us.” — Titus 3:4-5

Fast food restaurant worker Kevin Ford hasn’t missed a shift in twenty-seven years. After a video of him thanking the restaurant for a modest gift presented to him in memory of his many years of work appeared online, thousands of people decided to give him a real gift. “It’s like a dream come true,” Kevin said when the announced fundraiser brought in $250,000 in just one week.

Unexpected kindness was also shown to Jehoiakim, the captive king of Judah. He spent thirty-seven years in prison, after which the Babylonian king decided to show him mercy. The king “brought him out of the house of imprisonment. And he spoke well to him, and set his throne above the throne of the kings who were with him in Babylon” (Jer. 52:31-32). Jehoiakim received a new status, new clothes and a new place of residence. And all this at the expense of the Babylonian king.

This story shows what happens in the spiritual realm when people who believe in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ receive eternal salvation from Him. From darkness and death they pass into light and life. They become members of God’s family thanks to the extraordinary kindness of the Creator.

What acts of human kindness remind you of God’s kindness? What can you do in response to the goodness of the Creator who accepted you into His family based on what Jesus Christ did?

Heavenly Father, thank you for your amazing kindness. Loving Jesus paid my debt. I redeemed with my blood, I only boast of Him.

Author: Arthur Jackson

“You discover that you are the letter of Christ… written… by the Spirit of the Living God.” — 2 Corinthians 3:3

When the peak of the pandemic passed, the rules for wearing masks were relaxed. Then I started forgetting to take a mask with me to those places where their presence was still mandatory, for example, to my daughter’s school. Somehow, when a mask was needed, it turned out that I only had one in the car, which I tried not to wear. On it was written in capital letters: “blessing”.

I prefer masks without inscriptions and believe that the word that was emblazoned on my mask is used too often and inappropriately in our culture. But there was no choice. I put on a mask and went to the watchman’s window. There sat a new employee who had not yet understood the complex system. The procedure was long. I started to get indignant, but suddenly I caught myself thinking: I must be hypocritical with the inscription “blessing” on my face and with such an impatient attitude.

After all, I am called to be a witness of Christ. I have a good Bible word on my mask, and in my heart there should be other words of the scriptures, according to which I should be patient. The Apostle Paul wrote to the Corinthians: “You are the epistle of Christ…written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the Living God, not on tablets of stone, but on bodily tablets of the heart” (2 Cor. 3:3). The Holy Spirit, who “revives” (v. 6), helps us to show “love, joy, peace, longsuffering” (Gal. 5:22). After all, the fact that He lives in us is truly a blessing!

What do your words and actions tell others? How can you show people Christ today?

Lord Jesus, help me to show every person I meet today what it means to live for You.

Author: Katara Patton

? 09/03/2023 10:06 a.m. The #broadcast of Prayer for Ukraine has begun on the Church of God’s Glory channel | 3/09/2023: https://youtu.be/i79thDxdHcY

“When my spirit within me faints… You know my way.” — Psalm 141:4

Maybe I shouldn’t have agreed to run with Brian. I was in a foreign country and had no idea where or how far we would be running, or what the terrain would be like. In addition, he was a fast runner. Will I twist my leg trying to keep up with him? I just had to trust Brian, because he knew the way. As we started to run, I became even more anxious. The path was difficult, it passed through a dense forest on uneven terrain. Fortunately, Brian regularly looked back to check on me and warned of tricky sections ahead.

Apparently, people in biblical times felt something similar when they entered an unfamiliar territory: for example, Abraham in Canaan, the Israelites in the desert, the disciples of Jesus during the missionary journey. They didn’t know what the path would be, except that it would be difficult. However, they had One who led them, for He knew the way ahead. They only had to trust God that He would help them and take care of them. They could follow Him because He knew exactly what was ahead.

This assurance comforted David when he had to flee. Despite complete obscurity, he said to God: “When my spirit faints within me… You know my way” (Ps. 141:4). There will be periods in life when we are afraid of not understanding what lies ahead. However, let us remember that God, who walks alongside us, knows the way.

What worries you the most in life? How can we remind ourselves that God walks alongside us and knows the way ahead?

Heavenly Father, although I do not know what will happen next, but You know. I believe that You will take care of me and direct my path.

Author: Leslie Koh

“A straight road for the righteous, You make the path of the righteous straight.” — Isaiah 26:7

In sonic baseball, the ball and base emit signals so blind players know what to do and where to move. The blindfolded player (allowing for varying degrees of blindness) who bats the ball and the sighted pitcher are on the same team. When the player swings the bat and hits the sound ball, he runs towards the sound base. If the fielder catches the ball, the fielder is out if he does not reach the base. One of the players commented that the best aspect of the game for him is the feeling of “great freedom” when he runs, because he knows that he has a clear path and a clear direction in front of him.

In the Book of the prophet Isaiah, it is said that God makes “the path of the righteous” straight (Is. 26:7). When this was written, the path for the Israelites was not exactly “smooth”; they were undergoing God’s judgment for their disobedience. The prophet Isaiah called them to walk in faith and humility, which is often difficult, but is the smooth road. Their hearts were to seek to glorify God’s Name (v. 8).

As believers in Jesus Christ, we come to know God more and rely more on His faithful character as we humbly walk in His ways. Our life’s path does not always look or feel smooth, but there is no doubt that God is with us and paves the way for us. We can also experience freedom by humbly running God’s best way for us.

What steps of humility do you need to take? When and how can you do it?

Father God, I am grateful for the freedom I feel in Your good way. Please continue to show me Your way.

By Ann Sitas

“The Lord gave, and the Lord took away… Blessed be the Lord’s Name!” — Job 1:21

It couldn’t be worse. Having achieved some success in designing bridges, monuments and large structures, Cesare wanted to start a new business. So, he sold his first business and put the money in the bank, planning to reinvest it soon. During this period, however, the government seized assets in private bank accounts, and César lost all his savings.

Deciding not to take the injustice as a cause for complaint, Caesar asked God to show him the way forward and then simply started all over again.

Job lost not only his property in one moment. He lost most of his servants and all his children (Job 1:13-22). Then he lost his health (Job 2:7-8). Job’s reaction remains an eternal example for us. He prayed: “I came out naked from my mother’s womb, and naked I will return there, to the earth! The Lord gave, and the Lord took away… Blessed be the Lord’s Name!” (Job 1:21). The chapter ends with the words: “Despite all this, Job did not sin, and he did not say anything foolish to God” (v. 22).

Caesar also decided to trust God. And just a few years later, he built a new business, much more successful than the first. His story recalls the conclusion of the story of Job (see Job 42). Even if Caesar never recovered economically, he knew that his true treasure was not on earth (Matt. 6:19-20). And he would still trust God.

How did you feel when you suffered your greatest loss? What is the Holy Spirit teaching you through your losses?

Dear God, please tell me more about Your love. I still don’t understand a lot.

Author: Tim Gustavson

“My heart was in favor of building a temple of peace for the ark of the Lord’s covenant.” — 1 Хронік 28:2

Graduates of a school in Oklahoma collected money for the “trip of a lifetime” all year long. Arriving at the airport, they learned that many of them had purchased tickets from a fictitious company that only pretended to be an airline. “It’s very painful,” said the school administrator. However, even though they had to change their plans, the students decided to “make the most of the situation.” They enjoyed two days of rest at the attractions, where they were simply given tickets.

Disruption or change of plans can be frustrating and even overwhelming, especially if we have invested our time, money and emotions in the planning. King David “had his heart set on building a temple” for God (1 Chron. 28:2), but the Lord told him: “You will not build a temple for My Name… Solomon, your son, will build My temple” (vv. 3, 6). David did not despair. He glorified God that God had chosen him to be king over Israel. Then David gave Solomon the plans of the temple (vv. 11-13) and encouraged him, saying: “Be strong and be courageous, and do … for the Lord God … is with you” (v. 20).

If our plans fail, we can take our disappointment to God, who “takes care of [us]” (1 Pet. 5:7). And He will help us cope with disappointment.

When have you invested a lot in planning, but then everything fell apart? What helped you deal with disappointment?

Dear God, thank You that Your promises and plans are unchanging. Help if my plans fall apart.

By Alison Kieda