In a day and age where many have diverse ideas about religion and what it means to be saved, this Bible Study is a refreshing look at what the Bible says about salvation and what the Apostles taught. This is an interactive Bible Study, but in order for you to do this you must download the pdf below.
Surfing one day on the web I came across a collection of videos that the Tabernacle of Joy had posted on youtube by the late great Billy Cole. Every one of these videos is so powerful I have compelled to put the links in order so that you can watch them all unhindered.
The 5 Principles of Powerful Prayer by Margaret Banks
Why do we go through dark valleys in life? This question has been on my mind this week a lot. I know that God can take care of every situation and answer every need, but sometimes he does not. God has been talking to my heart this week about why he allows us to go through these times, when he could just as easily take us out of the valley. Why can’t life always be on the mountain top?
The past few years were a very dark valley for me and my husband. I know there were many times I was frustrated and asked God why he could not just answer and take care of our problems. Until about 6 months ago, I could not even see a light at the end of that long black tunnel that I seemed to be looking into. Many times I thought there was no way in the world I was going to hold on and keeping going. I believe that God is finally bringing us to the end of that dark stretch and I can now see the sunlight shining brightly again and hope for the future is strong. I cannot say exactly when it ended or when God finally answered our prayers and I definitely do not understand the means that he used but as my husband keeps reminding me, he understands what he is doing and he has a reason for it.
But the question still remained for me, why did I even have to go through something that I would far rather have never experienced ever in my life? This week I believe that God shared part of that answer with me for this particular time and valley in my life. I found myself in a situation for the second time in a year where someone was asking me for help. To be honest, it was help I did not want to give and a situation I really wanted no part of. After all, I already know the dark valley they are in and I understand the hurt and the pain they are going through and why in the world would I want to deal with that pain and emotion again? But then God spoke to my heart or rather it felt more like gave me a gentle scolding. He told me quite bluntly that this was why he allowed me to go through this particular situation, to help others in a time of their life that someone that has never experienced could not understand or help them through.
How could I not find the time to care? How could I not be a friend in their time of great darkness? It would be so much easier to step back and put up a protective wall around myself, but then the valley that I had gone through would have been for naught. How could I forget what God had just brought me out of and turn my back on someone in the same place? I find it can be so easy for us to be a friend to those who have everything going right in their lives and turn the other way when everything has gone wrong. It takes too much time, I will probably get hurt or I don’t want to ever remember that time in my life. Whatever the excuse, we so quickly let go of those who need us the most. Oh, we may assuage our conscience and do a little for them now and again so that we can say that we helped someone in need, but have we really?
God help me if I cannot find the strength in me to be a pillar for someone else. It does not matter what it might cost me, if I can help someone along the way to God. God has placed me in the unique situation to be able to help certain individuals in a time of great hurt. I cannot forget the valley and what he brought me through. My prayer is that my valley and my experience will instead become my greatest testimony and witness. God help me to never forget.
