God's Table

04/07/2022

My son likes to sing in the shower. And it's bru-tul! He sounds like a screaming cat.

But it's also very beautiful. Because this week I've really been going through it. I've had to sit back and helplessly watch as someone who is very dear to me goes down a road that will ultimately lead to ruin. And I have to sit and watch knowing that there is nothing I can do to stop them. I have come to realize that there is no effort of human endeavor, no configuration of words or strategically quoted scripture verses, or any praise and worship song that is going to get through to them. Because they're not hearing it. Their heart is closed and their mind slammed shut like a vault. And only the Lord has the combination.

As I sat at my desk this morning heartbroken and fretting over it, I began to listen to my son sing the following song with all of his heart. And these are the words he sang:

Higher than the mountains that I face
Stronger than the power of the grave
Constant through the trial and the change
One thing remains
Yes, one thing remains

Your love never fails
It never gives up
It never runs out on me
Your love never fails
It never gives up
It never runs out on me
Your love never fails
It never gives up
It never runs out on me

That screaming cat was ministering to me. I hadn't heard this song in years. I immediately ran to YouTube and pulled it up and began to listen. Then I began to loop it and allow the words to minister to my spirit. And the words of this song began to break through the pain and the hurt I had been feeling all week long for my friend.

And then I began to think, there is nothing in this world that can satisfy my soul outside of the surety and purity of Jesus Christ. We can try and find peace at the bottom of a bottle, but when we're done, we're always going to need more bottles. We can try and find it at the end of a blunt, but we'll only need more blunts (can we just be real for a second?). We can try and find peace in a million places and run a million miles in search of it, but in the end, outside of Jesus Christ, we'll only wind up tired, alone, and ruined.

But do you know what? I know a God whose love never fails. It never gives up. And NEVER runs out on me. He is my hope in times of trouble. He is my rock when everything else is shaking. And He is my salvation. I pray that you make him yours today.

Join us this Saturday, at the Warehouse, in downtown Hartselle, at 8am as we approach the throne of grace with the Word of God.

Lyric Video for "One Thing Remains" from TOP 25 Praise Songs 2017 by Maranatha! Music.Spotify: https://spoti.fi/2wKkRBbiTunes/Apple Music: https://apple.co/2...

03/31/2022

Stop Running!

Have you ever just wanted to run away from it all? But where would you go?

I remember when I was seven or eight, I ran away from home. I was offended by something my parents had said and I stomped outside, packed up my red wagon with things that were meaningful to me - like my favorite teddy bear who at the time clearly shared my disdain for my family's rules, something for protection like a hand-held garden spade, and a bunch of other non-essential junk that weighed down my wagon.

And so, I took off out of the yard and down the block stomping along and murmuring under my breath about how life was unfair. No one was going to stop me! I was determined to show my family that I could make it without them! No more rules! As far as I was concerned, I would start a new life with the creatures of the forest!

My understanding of the world at that time was only as far as the distance it took me to travel once around the block in my neighborhood. I had no clue what the world looked like beyond those borders.

By the time I had made it around the block and back to my house, I was no longer upset; I was just exhausted from pulling all of that junk in my wagon. So, I ran inside and got a juice box.

Have you ever been that upset with your family? Your friends? Your job? Your church? Your life? That you just wanted to run away and not look back? Perhaps we think that if we could just run away to the beach or the forest or some new place, our problems would all just disappear and our past will be forgotten.

But it never works out that way, does it? Because just like that wagon I pulled behind me as a seven-year-old - the more junk I piled into it and the more exhausted I became - we do the same thing with our experiences. We never leave our junk behind. It just follows us wherever we go. From one place to another. From one relationship to another. And the less we deal with the junk in our wagon, the more weighed down we become.

The Psalmist says Psalm 139:7-12, "Where can I go to escape Your Spirit? Where can I flee from Your presence? If I ascend to the heavens, You are there; if I make my bed in Sheol, You are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle by the farthest sea, even there Your hand will guide me; Your right hand will hold me fast. If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me, and the light become night around me” — even the darkness is not dark to You, but the night shines like the day, for darkness is as light to You."

Wherever we go. Wherever we choose to hide in order to avoid the problems of the past, our problems will always follow us in one way or another.

Likewise, wherever we go, wherever we choose to hide, there is also no place we can escape the presence of God. He is also there. And He is always ready to set us free. The beach or the forest or that new place can never be our salvation. Only the Lord can.

Is your wagon weighed down with the troubles of life? Are you tired of running from the past? Dealing with our junk is never easy, but if we surrender it to the Lord, it will be liberating and life-changing.

Join us this Saturday at the Warehouse, in downtown Hartselle, at 8 am, as we study God's Word, and most importantly, try by God's grace to apply it to our lives.

03/24/2022

Someone needs to hear this today...!

Listen/Stream "In Jesus Name (God of Possible)" at https://fanlink.to/injesusnameDirector: Nathan SchneiderProducers: Joshua Wurzelbacher and Alicia St. Gela...

03/24/2022

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QASREBVDsLk

Casting Crowns' official music video for 'Slow Fade'. Click to listen to Casting Crowns on Spotify: http://smarturl.it/CCSpot?IQid=CCSFClick to watch the mus...

03/24/2022

You are being hunted.

The Bible says, "There is a way that seems right unto a man, but the end thereof leads to death."

I grew up attending a very large evangelical church. I had grown up in this church and had grown accustomed to hearing deeply-grounded messages from the pulpit. The power of God always moved through the worship and preaching. The evangelist who led the church had preached all over the world and had a television ministry that reached millions of viewers. The convicting power of the Holy Ghost would fall on our meetings, and over the years, thousands were saved through that ministry. But on one particular Sunday, when I was 15, everything came crashing down.

I remember sitting in the balcony of that church as the minister confessed to the world his sexual indiscretions. The media was everywhere and people like wolves packed the church, coming from all over just to watch this poor man stand humiliated in front of the world.

As I walked into the church that morning, I remember there was a spirit of heaviness all over that place. I watched as some church members were interviewed by the media. Some of them I knew. They openly ridiculed and condemned the evangelist in front of the live tv cameras. Lacking empathy. Lacking grace. Full of venom.

But as I sat there watching this play out in front of me in an almost surreal way, there was no anger in my heart nor resentment or disgust. I only felt pity.

How did this mighty evangelist, who had seen so many come to know Jesus over the years, get to this point? What sort of choices did he have to make in order to arrive at this moment where he stood before the entire world humiliated? How many compromises? How many allurements by the enemy did he take hold of? Was it spiritual pride? You know, the sort that says, "I know more than everyone else. I'm untouchable"? Was it a hidden sin that laid unresolved in his heart for years until one day it manifested itself?

I don't know. All I know is what the bible says, "Be careful when you think you stand lest you fall." Because what happened to him could happen to any of us.

It doesn't matter how mighty we are in the faith, (or think we are), the enemy is always looking for a crack in our defenses. He is always looking for some way to destroy the life of Christ in us. And he will use every allurement in his bag of tricks in order to do it. That's why we call it "spiritual warfare". Because it is a war - a war for our souls. Whatever life God has poured into us, satan wants to destroy it. He wants us beat up, broken, and humiliated so that we'll give up the fight.

But if we have the life of Christ in us, we are not defeated! And we are not left without defenses. We have been called to overcome. We are more than conquerors! Because "greater is He that is in us than he that is in the world!"

It's time to stand up and get mad at the enemy. It's time to put him where he belongs - under our feet! He is a defeated foe. He was defeated at the cross of calvary, and he is still defeated today. So, grab hold of this truth, dear Christian, and stand up and fight!

Join us this Saturday, at the Warehouse, in downtown Hartselle, at 8 am, as we discuss how to overcome the enemy's attacks.

03/17/2022

Psalm 68:5 says that God is the "Father of the fatherless and protector of widows is God in his holy habitation."

Every solo adult has a unique story to tell. It's not always an easy story, but for those who find Christ, it's often one that culminates in redemption and hope. The Word of God gives us many such stories.

Join us this Saturday, at the Warehouse, in downtown Hartselle, at 8am, as we talk about God's heart for the widow and the orphan and the strength that God gives them to overcome.

03/11/2022

Solo parenting can be challenging. Getting kids ready for school. Making sure they're doing homework. Getting them to extracurricular activities such as school events, sports, youth group and more can take a lot out of you. But the biggest challenge of all is raising them to be godly kids.

A parent whose life is completely submitted to God is the greatest classroom for raising godly children. It is how we live out godliness as parents that will determine how they live out godliness as kids.

There is hope for the struggling solo parent, and the answers are found within the pages of the Word of God.

Join us this Saturday, at the Warehouse, in downtown Hartselle, at 8am, as we discuss what the Word of God teaches us regarding solo parenthood.

03/08/2022

𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗙𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝘀 𝗮 𝗦𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗹𝗲 𝗔𝗱𝘂𝗹𝘁 - 𝗟𝗶𝘀𝗮 𝗔𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻
This program celebrates the 20th anniversary of Boundless — a ministry for single adults designed to foster community, spiritual growth, and prepare the majority of them for marriage.

Lisa Anderson shared a lot of her own story as a single — both her frustrations and loneliness and the contentment she’s learned from the Lord. We also shared feedback from listeners and a clip from Lisa’s interview with an 83-year-old woman who lived as a single for 77 years. Lisa challenged married couples to engage with and include singles in family activities. And she concludes the program by challenging singles to talk to God about their journey & find community with other singles.

This program celebrates the 20th anniversary of Boundless — a ministry for single adults that designed to foster community, spiritual growth, and prepare the...

03/08/2022

𝗧𝗵𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝘀 𝗮 𝗦𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗹𝗲 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁
Robert Beeson offers encouragement and practical advice to single parents in a discussion based on his book Going Solo: Hope and Healing for the Single Mom or Dad.

Robert Beeson shares the traumatic story of his wife abandoning their marriage & family, leaving him responsible for raising three young daughters (ages 9, 7...

03/03/2022

There was something in the heart of Lot's wife that caused her to look back over her shoulder and gaze upon the place she once called home.

As wicked as S***m and Gomorrah were, there was something there that she still found attractive.

God was leading her and her family out of a place of wickedness - a place that was about to be destroyed by fire - but that place of wickedness still had a hold on her heart.

The children of Israel were the same way. God was leading them out of Egypt and into a land flowing with milk and honey, but their hearts were not in it. Their hearts were still in Egypt. They longed for the good old days, even if those "good old days" were a life of slavery.

It's incredible when you think about it.

God sets before them a life of freedom, a better life, yet in their hearts, they maintained a seed of the past for which they just couldn't quite let go. As a result, Lot's wife was consumed by the same judgment that fell upon S***m, and the children of Israel who came out of Egypt never saw the promise fulfilled that God had for them. What a tragedy.

How many could possibly be set free right now, if they'd simply let go of the past and let God take them to a place that He has prepared for them?

How many are still chained to sin because the thought of letting go and letting God is far more frightening to them than the chains to which they find themselves entangled?

How many people aren't being used for the Kingdom of God because some past regret is just too binding upon their lives, and they're unable to let it go?

Living in the past has a way of paralyzing us and preventing us from experiencing a future full of hope and freedom.

So, God pokes us in the rib sometimes and says, "It's time. You've been sitting here in this long enough. It's time to get up. It’s time to move. If you stay here any longer, you'll never get up. So, get up!"

When God tells us that it's time to move, then it's time to move. He doesn't give us the option to sit and wallow in what used to be or what could've been. His ways are not our ways nor are His thoughts our thoughts. His plans for us are for our benefit and always for His glory, and their purpose is to move us forward.

But why does He do this? Why does He provoke us to move forward?

Because He knows that as long as we sit there and wallow in it, we'll never move forward. We'll become paralyzed by regret, fear, and doubt. We'll become stuck in our own wilderness, unable to move and unable to be what He's called us to be.

Sometimes getting out of your situation requires that you get up and move.

Are you stuck in the muck and mire of the past? Has it gotten you so chained and so paralyzed that you can't break free? It's time to get up, and as an act of faith, take one step towards the Lord. Just one. He is ready to free you, and He is ready to usher you into a new life beyond anything you could ever hope or imagine.

Join us this Saturday, at the Warehouse, in downtown Hartselle, at 8am. God is on the move. Let's move with Him.

God is On The Move (Official Lyric Video)Official Lyric Video for “God Is On The Move” by 7eventh Time Down From their release “God is On The Move” out Aug. ...

03/02/2022

But do you believe it?

Full album: https://slinky.to/LWYourNameCharts and resources: lifeworship.comYour Name, from the album 'Your Name', recorded live at LIFE Church in Bradford,...

02/25/2022

Someone might ask, "Why would I ever go to your church if you have a bunch of messed up people like me?"

To that, I ask, "If you're unwell, why would you ever go to a hospital if there are a bunch of suffering people like you?"

Because that's where the physician is! That's where the healing and rehab take place.

The church is a hospital for the soul where surgery is performed and healing takes place in the heart and where you will encounter the Great Physician, Jesus Christ!