"SHARING HOPE THROUGH SCRIPTURE FOR THOSE WHO ARE AFRAID"

"SHARING HOPE THROUGH SCRIPTURE FOR THOSE WHO ARE AFRAID"

Here are six reasons to not be afraid, when you find yourself being afraid. And, six Scriptures to explain why you do not have to be afraid. Followed by a prayer:

1. Do not be afraid when you do not know what to do. God promises to guide you.

2nd Kings 1:5 And the angel of the LORD said to Elijah, “Go down with him; do not be afraid of him.” So he arose and went down with him to the king.

2. Do not be afraid when you hear people talking contrary to what God has said in His Word. God's Word alone is true.

Isaiah 37:6 And Isaiah said to them, “Thus you shall say to your master, ‘Thus says the LORD: “Do not be afraid of the words which you have heard, with which the servants of the king of Assyria have blasphemed Me.

3. Do not be afraid when you have to face those in power or authority. God is the one who is above them, and He rules over the kings of the earth.

2nd Chronicles 32:7 “Be strong and courageous; do not be afraid nor dismayed before the king of Assyria, nor before all the multitude that is with him; for there are more with us than with him.

4. Do not be afraid when you are weak, and without strength. God will be your strength, He will strengthen you.

Isaiah 41:10 Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’

5. Do not be afraid when you are following God's will which might end up in embarrassment or criticism. God's Wisdom is foolish in man's eyes, and vice versa.

Matthew 1:20 But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.

6. Do not be afraid when God blesses you unexpectedly. Receive God's Blessings with innocence and gratitude, and enjoy them. He gave them to you.

Luke 2:10 Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people.

A prayer:

Lord, there is that hymn that says "count your blessings" Well, Lord, one blessing we can count up, are the hundreds and hundreds of times in Your Word that You address the subject of fear in Your people. And, You tell us not to fear, and You give us good reasons, and explanations to back it up. So, This day, we would like to say, "THANK YOU" You are so in love with us, and so caring, and so attentive, and so concerned, and You do not want us to be afraid of anything, or anyone. You have the bases covered, and You are the Lord God Almighty. There is no one greater then You. In Jesus name.

Pastor Bob Grenier
Calvary Chapel Visalia.

"SHARING HOPE THROUGH SCRIPTURE ABOUT PURITY"

"SHARING HOPE THROUGH SCRIPTURE ABOUT PURITY"

Psalm103:11For as the heavens are high above the earth, So great is His mercy toward those who fear Him;
Psalm103:13 As far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our transgressions from us.
Psalm103:14 As a father pities his children, So the LORD pities those who fear Him.

Some explanatory notes, application and a prayer:

1. David begins this Ps, by talking about two very real things, things that we can see, to help us understand a truth about God and those who fear Him. What is it? The heaven and the earth. Look at what He says, Psalm103:11a "For as the heavens are high above the earth" Well, first of all, the heavens are very, very high above the earth. The word high here, means to be high, higher, exalted, and lofty. We don't have to really try and imagine just how high they are, we can just go outside and look up, and see for ourselves. In fact, we can at night see beyond the immediate cloudy heavens, and see the start twinkling and the moon etc. Just to give you and idea of how far or high the nearest planet is from our earth, it would take light 4 1/2 years to get from earth to that planet. Can you imagine traveling that long, 4 1/2 years. It would take billions of years of travel to get to the farthest known planet traveling at the speed of light, which is some 186,000 miles per second. Think about all that for just a moment.

2. Now, in the last part of that same verse, here's what is said, Psalm103:11b "So great is His mercy toward those who fear Him" So, using the distances of the heavens being high above the earth, which is more then we can really understand, it's very, very high, God says so great is my mercy is toward those who fear Him. That would mean, God's mercy is immeasurably great. God's mercies are in fact, from everlasting, to everlasting. And, they are towards those who fear Him, those who hold Him in reverence and awe, and seek to honor Him, and obey Him, and allow God to rule in their lives. He has great, great mercy, or pity, and care towards you.

3. Now onto the next verse. And, this deals with how God has made us pure in His sight. Psalm103:13 As far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our transgressions from us. Here again, God uses something we can understand to some degree, we can see it with our own eyes, the east from the west. We can look east, and then look west, and say within ourselves, "Wow, those two directions are separated from one another, and each of them goes on infinitely. They are far, far apart. There is actually no end to them. Well, that's what God has done with our transgressions. He has removed them from us.
Transgressions, comes from a word meaning, to offend, to rebel, to trespass, or to violate. Which of course we have done. But, God has removed our transgressions from us, and placed them on Jesus Christ, who then paid for them, by dying on the cross, and now those transgressions are gone. Justice has been served, by Christ paying the price.

4. Lastly David mentions a third truth we can relate to, actually two truths. Here they are once again. Psalm103:14 As a father pities his children, So the LORD pities those who fear Him. A father pities his children, and the Lord pities those who fear Him.
Pities, means, mercy, compassion, love, mercy, to love deeply, to have mercy, be compassionate, have tender affection for, to be shown compassion. Well, again, the Lord is full of mercy, and He has demonstrated that mercy by saving us, through Christ taking our place for the punishment and payment of our sins, and then, He has made us alive in Christ, to live forever with Him.

A prayer:

Father, in our strength, we could never be pure and accepted by You. We cannot remove our sins. And, if we were to pay for them, then we would be forever separated from You in the lake of fire. But, You have changed all that. You have provided the way, the truth and the life for us. You have given us a mediator, the man Christ Jesus. And, You have made us accepted in the beloved. You have purified us. And, You call us to walk in purity day by day, hour by hour, and minute by minute. And, what a joy it is to walk in that way. We love You Lord. In Jesus name, Amen.

Pastor Bob Grenier
Calvary Chapel Visalia.

"SHARING HOPE THROUGH SCRIPTURE ABOUT THE HOPE OF HEAVEN"

"SHARING HOPE THROUGH SCRIPTURE ABOUT THE HOPE OF HEAVEN"

Luke 23:42 Then he said to Jesus, “Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.”
Luke 23:43 And Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.”

Some explanatory thoughts, application and a prayer:

1. These two verses are taken from the closing moments of Jesus's life on the earth, as He hung on the cross, dying for the sins of the world. They also include a very brief conversation between Jesus and one of the two thieves that were crucified on either side of Jesus.

2. But, more importantly, what is seen in this conversation are all the elements of salvation. How can a person be saved, and know they are going to get to heaven when they leave this world? Let's take a close look at them.

(1) First of all, there must be a savior, and there He was, right next to this man. The Bible says in Matthew 1:21 “And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name JESUS, for He will save His people from their sins.” So, Jesus is the savior.

(2) A man must perceive his own guilt of being a sinner. God is the one who brings about that conviction, and this man had it.
While it's not readily apparent in the verses, it's explicitly implied. And, earlier, he said very clearly, admitting his guilt, as he spoke to the other thief who was being crucified.

Luke 23:40 But the other, answering, rebuked him, saying, “Do you not even fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation?

Luke 23:4“And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds; but this Man has done nothing wrong.”

(3) Not only did he perceive his own guilt, but he knew he deserved to die, or to be punished for his sins. He understood justice. And, of course that's what's true of all of us, for the Bible says in Rom 6:23 For the wages of sin is death. Sin pays death. This man was a sinner, and he knew he deserved to die for his sins.

(4) He prayed to receive forgiveness. This is what he meant when he said, in Luke 23:42b “Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.” And, the Bible says in 1st John 1:9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. This man, was admitting his guilt, realizing he was worthy of punishment, confessing his sins to God, i.e to Jesus Christ.

(4) The man had no time to join a church or to be baptized, or do any good works, he only had time to be believe in Jesus.
He was about to die. It's not joining a church that saves you, but rather, it's Jesus who saves you as you put your faith in Him, like this man was doing. Rom 10:9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.

(5) And, this man was saved, and wound up that very day in paradise with Jesus. Paradise means "new garden" Referring to new Eden that Jesus offered.

A prayer:

Father, most of us who are reading this devo today are probably saved. But, if anyone is not, we pray that as they read this, Your Spirit would bring conviction into their hearts and minds, and show them Jesus Christ, and the Love and mercy in Christ, and draw them to Jesus, And, Lord, You may put it upon a readers heart to send this devo to a friend who is unsure of their salvation, or who knows they are not saved. Maybe You could use this Father to bring them to salvation. In Jesus name, amen.

Pastor Bob Grenier
Calvary Chapel Visalia

"SHARING HOPE THROUGH SCRIPTURE WHEN YOU ARE AFRAID OF DEATH"

"SHARING HOPE THROUGH SCRIPTURE WHEN YOU ARE AFRAID OF DEATH"

Psalm 23:4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

Some explanatory thoughts, application and a prayer:

1. David who had been a shepherd before he became a king wrote this beautiful and well known Ps. He had as a young boy developed a relationship with the Lord while being a shepherd, and thus he uses the illustrations of shepherd and sheep throughout this Ps.

2. In this particular verse, ( right in the middle of the Ps, which was proceeded by many wonderful truths about our Lord the good shepherd, and many wonderful truths follow this verse to complete the Ps ) David is dealing with what happens to sheep, and why they do not have to fear, and what the shepherd does for his sheep. 

3. We of course are referred to by Jesus as His sheep, and He as our Shepherd, in fact, He calls Himself the good shepherd.
But, let's look a little closer at some of the truths here, dealing with the fear of death, which is what this verse is all about.

(1) Ps 23a "Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death" Actual sheep would often have to traverse what David calls the valley of the shadow of death. These were parts of a journey sheep would take at different times of the year, to move to better grazing land, and to move to better places to feed depending on the weather and the seasons of the year. David calls it the valley of the shadow of death. It must have appeared that way to the sheep themselves. They were afraid of these areas of travel. Just like many people are, and even many Christians. But no need to be afraid as we will see. 

(2) The Psalm goes on to say in 23b "I will fear no evil" Or simply, " I will not be afraid," The sheep because of having a shepherd did not have to be afraid, and their fears were relieved by the shepherd, just as our Shepherd, relieves our fears as well. It's helpful to face our fears with faith. Just look at the fear right in the face, and then, look right into the face of God through His Word, believe His Word, take it to heart, and act upon it, and You will find comfort and find Your fears dissipating, and just simply going away. 

(3) Here is why the sheep did not have to be afraid. David gives two reasons. Ps 23c "For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me." Or in the NLT it says, "for you are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me."
So, the first fear reliever, is the fact that the shepherd was with the sheep. Just as the Good Shepherd is with You, and has promised never to leave you. The second reason is because of the shepherds actions towards and in the lives of the sheep. Protecting and comforting. These two reasons of course are true for those who are Jesus's sheep. He is with us, and He protects and comforts us. 

4. Here are some verses that speak to what we have just read above. God's Word is such a comfort, it's true, He is faithful, and He has such a great love for His sheep. These verses speak of God's love, God's guidance, God's precious regard for his children who die, and the fact of His love erasing all fear, i.e we as believers will not stand before God at the White Throne Judgment. Christ has already gone to the cross for our sins. We have a bright future ahead of us. 

Rom 8:38  "And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from his love. Death can’t, and life can’t. The angels can’t, and the demons can’t. Our fears for today, our worries about tomorrow, and even the powers of hell can’t keep God’s love away."

Isa 42:16 will lead blind Israel down a new path, guiding them along an unfamiliar way. I will make the darkness bright before them and smooth out the road ahead of them. Yes, I will indeed do these things; I will not forsake them.

Ps 116:15 Precious in the sight of the LORD Is the death of His saints.

1Jo 4:18* There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love.

A prayer:

Lord, we appreciate Your Word so much. You have spoken the truth to us, which has set us free from the bondage of sin and darkness, and brought us into the light, and have given us eternal life with You. How can we thank You. May our lives here on earth be used by You to tell others of Your great, Amazing love. In Jesus name. Amen.

Pastor Bob Grenier
Calvary Chapel Visalia

"SHARING HOPE THROUGH SCRIPTURE WHEN GOD SAYS "NO" AND THEN SAYS "GO""

"SHARING HOPE THROUGH SCRIPTURE WHEN GOD SAYS "NO" AND THEN SAYS "GO""

Luke 8:38 The man who had been demon possessed begged to go, too, but Jesus said,

Luke 8:39 "No, go back to your family and tell them all the wonderful things God has done for you.” So he went all through the city telling about the great thing Jesus had done for him.

Some explanatory thoughts, application, and a prayer:

1. This is the tail end of a powerful change that took place in this man. He went from being one thing, to being another, all because of His encounter with the Son of God. What we see in these two verses is a brief description of what he had been, and of what he wanted to do, and what the Lord told him, ( "NO" ) and of what he then did. We will no doubt meet this man someday, today we only know him through the pages of scripture. But someday, in heaven, we will get to meet him. 

2. So, what happened that led up to the "NO" by Jesus. Especially in light of the request from the man begging to go with Jesus  in His travel back across the sea of Galilee?. 

3. This man who had been demon possessed, and actually had 6000 demons in him, had them cast out by Jesus. He wound up sitting at Jesus's feet, clothed, and sane. Christ had changed Him, by exercising His power over the demons that had been in this man for a long time. 

4. The man, ( we don't know his name ) was begging Christ, to accompany Him. He wanted to go with the man who had changed his life so dramatically. The Bible says, 1st John 4:19 We love Him because He first loved us. So, it was very natural and normal for this man to want to go with Jesus. But, to his request, the Lord said, "NO"

5. But, that "NO" was far from the end of the story. Look again at what Jesus said to the man, and what the man did. 

Luke 8:39 "No, go back to your family and tell them all the wonderful things God has done for you.” So he went all through the city telling about the great thing Jesus had done for him.

No, You can't come with me, but, here's where I want you to go. And, here's what I want you do do. And, here's what the man did. 

(1) No go back to your family. Perhaps the main reason for this, is that Jesus knew the heartache the family must have been through for the long time that the man had been demon possessed, and Jesus wanted them to know that their family member had been set free.

(2) Jesus also no doubt, wanted the family to not only see a changed man, but to understand why he was changed. How did it happen. In other words, Jesus wanted them to hear the good news , it was Jesus Christ who changed the man life. Jesus told him, "tell them all the wonderful things God has done for you.” Wouldn't you love to have been there listening to that conversation. 

(3) Well, here's what happened to Jesus's instruction to the man. "So he went all through the city telling about the great thing Jesus had done for him." He was obedient to the call of Jesus on his life. He became a missionary/evangelist. He did not go only to his own home, but he went through the whole city telling them the great thing Jesus had done for him. He was a powerful witness. 

6. So, a "NO" from Jesus, probably means a "Go" in another direction. It might mean "wait" but, any direction from Jesus is fine.
And, it's not ours to question His direction, but to accept it as this man did. Good fruit will come into and through the lives who are willing to take an "no" and then a "go" God knows best what His plans are for our lives. 

A prayer:

Father, what a touching story. Thank you for letting us know about it. Thank You for making this man free of 6000 demons. That is mind blowing. And, thank You that Your "No" may just be followed by a "go". May we be like this man, who could take a "No" and then act on  "go" for you. May we tell everyone also what great things You have done for us. Open the doors, fill us with Power and humble boldness, that we might speak frankly, without any difficulty, and tell them what You have done for us, and what You are doing for us. We love You Lord, In Jesus name.

Pastor Bob Grenier
Calvary Chapel Visalia

"SHARING HOPE THROUGH SCRIPTURE ABOUT THE FEAR OF SUDDEN TROUBLE"

"SHARING HOPE THROUGH SCRIPTURE ABOUT THE FEAR OF SUDDEN TROUBLE"

Proverbs 3:25 Do not be afraid of sudden terror, Nor of trouble from the wicked when it comes;

Some explanatory thoughts, a application, and a prayer:

1. God gave us the Book of Proverbs to know how to live our lives down here on earth, to understand how to deal with the practical things of life. So, in one sense, Proverbs is a very practical book, teaching us about the day to day things that we deal with, and how to deal with them, with God's wisdom and His promises.

2. One of the fears we can have, is being "afraid". And, it means to tremble, dreadful, to make afraid. And, what this verse says in Proverbs 3:25, is "Do not be afraid of sudden terror, Nor of trouble from the wicked when it comes" So, God says, when trouble does come suddenly, and often it does come that way, suddenly, or in a moment, quickly, or unexpectedly, at an instant, God says, do not tremble and be fearful.

3. Now, take another look at the verse, and see the 2nd thing the Lord says about trouble. Proverbs 3:25 Do not be afraid of sudden terror, Nor of trouble from the wicked when it comes; Much trouble that comes into our lives, and into this world finds it's way on to the stage of our lives, from those who are wicked.

A wicked person in the Bible is defined as someone who is ungodly, a criminal, someone who is hostile to God, and guilty of sin, and against God or man. How simply true is it, that when a person is like this, they become an instrument to bring or cause trouble. I'm sure you have experienced trouble coming from people like this. You may in fact have been one of those people before God so mercifully saved you out of darkness. He takes trouble makers, and makes them peace makers. Bringing God's peace to troubled souls.

4. But, putting this verse together, or simply looking at it again, and seeing what it says, it says, Proverbs 3:25 Do not be afraid of sudden terror, Nor of trouble from the wicked when it comes; And, God then gives us a reason why we do not have to be afraid. It's found in the next verse in Proverbs 3:26. Here it is. Proverbs 3:26 for the LORD is your security. He will keep your foot from being caught in a trap. This turns us from the trouble and the terror that can come suddenly, and tells us two things about God in our lives.

(1) The LORD is your security. Or your hope. This actually means, flank, as in it's military usage, to guard you and to protect you.

(2) He will keep your foot from being caught in a trap. Now, He is the ultimate keeper of His people. He knows what traps the wicked set, and if You will not be afraid, but trust in Him, and obey Him, that is, follow Him, He will keep you safe and sound from the wicked and their traps.

5. In fact, there is a beautiful verse just before 3:25, and here it is. Proverbs 3:24 You can lie down without fear and enjoy pleasant dreams. However, knowing that this is true, I can tell you that I have gone to bed many, many times, very afraid of the wicked. But, You know what? When I woke up in the morning, I was safe and sound.

The Lord was watching over me through the night. I served in Vietnam ( 1967 ) in the Marine Corps and had many experiences like this. But, at that time I did not know the Lord. Let me tell you something else, even as a Christian, since 1973, I've still gone to bed and been afraid, but woke up safe and sound. And, I've also as the verse said, gone to bed in complete peace, without fear and enjoyed pleasant dreams, the most pleasant have been about the Lord, and about His Word.

A prayer:

Father, You are our shelter, our protector, our high tower, our deliverer, the one who watches over us, the one who gives us such wonderful promises like the one's in this devo. Thank You for Your Word. Help us Lord to believe You, for it's in the believing, and in the obeying that Your great peace takes over in our souls, and sends out the fear, and makes it go away.
May we believe You today, and may we act upon Your Word, In Jesus name.

Pastor Bob Grenier
Calvary Chapel Visalia.

"SHARING HOPE THROUGH SCRIPTURE FOR THOSE WHO HAVE PRODIGAL CHILDREN"

"SHARING HOPE THROUGH SCRIPTURE FOR THOSE WHO HAVE PRODIGAL CHILDREN"

Luke 15:17 “But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!

Luke 15:18 ‘I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you,

Luke 15:19 “and I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants.”’

Luke 15:20 “And he arose and came to his father. But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had
compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him.‘I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you,

Some explanatory thoughts, application, and a prayer:

1. This is one of the most touching parables that I know of. I certainly hope that God blesses you as You read it, and that He gives You hope to keep praying for your prodigal(s) or prodigals that You know who belong to your friends, and to other families.

2. There are some simple parts to this story. ( by the way, Jesus was giving this parable because His critics could not believe that He would eat and drink and associate with sinners.) See the two scriptures below that introduce this chapter in Luke 15.

Luke 15:1 Then all the tax collectors and the sinners drew near to Him to hear Him.

Luke 15:2 And the Pharisees and scribes complained, saying, “This Man receives sinners and eats with them.”

You see, Jesus loves people, and came to the earth to seek and to save them by dying on the cross to pay for their sins, to rise from the dead to show He defeated death, and to invite men to come to Him by faith and be saved. God loves people, and does not want to see them perish, but rather desires that they would come to repentance, and that's what this prodigal son did, he turned his life around. And, Jesus loves your prodigal(s)

3. Let's look at some of the important details of this story.

(1) The prodigal ( by the way prodigal means to waste, ) this young man had wasted his inheritance, by riotous living. but, the Bible says, he "came to himself" Or when "When he finally came to his senses," Let's pray that the prodigal(s) you may have in mind, will do the same thing, come to their senses. Nothing is impossible with God.

(2) In coming to his senses, he realized that he could at least find food back at his father's house. And, he decided to head home to his father. But, more importantly, he realized his sin. Here's how the boy put it,

Luke 15:18 ‘I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you,

Luke 15:19 “and I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants.”’

He really did come to his senses on many levels, both the practical and the spiritual. He realized what he had lost, and what he could find if he went home. He realized that he had sinned both vertically, against heaven, against God, and horizontally, against his father. And, he was desperate to go home and get things right with both God and his father. And, he showed deep humility and repentance, not demanding anything, but just willing to be put on as one of the servants  of his father.

(3) Here's the lovely and touching part of this story, and it's focus is now shifted from the the young man who was coming home to his father, who was it seems looking for him, and hoping he would come home.

Luke 15:20 “And he arose and came to his father. But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had
compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him.‘I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you,

The boy was still a great way's off, but the father saw him, and ran to him, and threw his arms around his son, and began to kiss him over and over again. ( by the way, the boy had been working on a pig farm, feeding pigs, and so he must have stunk to high heaven, and been dirty all over ) but that made no difference to his father. What love God has for His children. This father is an example of it.

(4) Let me just list the verses that tell us what happened next.

Luke 15:21 His son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, and I am no longer worthy of being called your son.’

Luke 15:22 “But his father said to the servants, ‘Quick! Bring the finest robe in the house and put it on him. Get a ring for his finger, and sandals for his feet.

Luke 15:23 And kill the calf we have been fattening in the pen. We must celebrate with a feast,

Luke 15:24 for this son of mine was dead and has now returned to life. He was lost, but now he is found.’ So the party began.

5. The story is rich with truths about God, His love, the effects of disobedience and sin. The possibility of restoration. The unchanging love of a father for his son. And, the fact that a child in the worst of conditions, can come to himself, repent and come home and be restored into a right relationship.

A prayer:

Father, there are many, many prodigals. I would assume that everyone reading this devotional either has one of more personally, or knows of friends that have one or more themselves. The world is full of prodigals who at this very moment, are wasting their lives. You Lord, know where they are,

You know the conditions they are living in, and You know what is going through their minds and hearts. Our prayer is that these prodigals we have in mind, would also come to their senses, and realize what has happened, and began their journey home. Lord, we have prayed, and prayed, and prayed, and we continue to pray.

We know that You hear us, and we continue in this very prayer, that You would move by the convicting power of Your Holy Spirit in the lives of these prodigals, and bring them both to their senses, and to their homes. In Jesus name, amen.

Pastor Bob Grenier.
Calvary Chapel Visalia.

"SHARING HOPE THROUGH SCRIPTURE FOR THOSE FACING A CRISIS"

"SHARING HOPE THROUGH SCRIPTURE FOR THOSE FACING A CRISIS"

Rom 5:3 And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance;

Rom 5:4 and perseverance, character; and character, hope.

Rom 5:5 Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

Some explanatory thoughts, application and a prayer:

1. Paul is talking about the subject of tribulations, those times when we run into problems, or trials. And, He is going to tell about how the Lord can use them in our lives. So, let's dive in, and see what is said here.

2. In addition to the previous things he has been saying about rejoicing, Rom 5:2 Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of highest privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory.
He goes on to say that we can also glory, or rejoice when we run into problems.

So, we not only can rejoice as we look forward to being with the Lord one day in glory, but while here on earth, we can also adopt and live out this Biblical prescription on how to rejoice in our problems, trials and hard times. Who does not need this wonderful explanation and teaching from God?

3. Here's why we can rejoice. ( And, by the way, it's not rejoicing by saying, "oh I just love this painful thing that has come upon me ) but it's a rejoicing, knowing what this problem, this tribulation, this trial will bring into our lives. In other words, we know they are good for us, and they can help us to learn, and to gain endurance, or perseverance. He says it very plainly, "Tribulation produces perseverance"

4. But, there' more. In fact, Paul lists two of them. Rom 5:4 and perseverance, character; and character, hope. So, the perseverance, develops strength of character in us, and the character strengthens our hope, or our confident expectation of salvation.

5. The last thing that happens, and that is the cause of our rejoicing is found in the 5th verse, Rom 5:5 Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us. There are two things that Paul says here.

(1) This expectation, this hope, will not disappoint us. Plain and simple, we will not be disappointed.

(2) Because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us. God has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with His love. And, who does not need His love in their lives,? And who does not want to walk in His love,? I know I do. I'm certain You do also.

So, let's pray together, shall we:

Father, trials come, and You can use them. Thank You that You give us many things to rejoice in, in spite of our circumstances. And, by looking to You, having faith in You, taking Your Word to heart, acting upon it, these trials which are not pleasant, can actually turn our for our good. In fact, Lord, this is exactly what You promise. So, we would like to pray today for ourselves ( if we are going through a trying time ) or for those who are reading this devotional, and just take a moment, to pause and lift up our brothers and sisters who may be reading this, and are themselves going through a trying time, and for those we know who may not be reading this devotional today.

Lord, would You please minister to them today. Would You please speak to them, and give them direction, so as to help them get their eyes off of their troubles, and onto You. And, to learn from You how to move through the trial. Thank You Lord. In Jesus name, amen

Pastor Bob Grenier
Calvary Chapel Visalia.

"SHARING HOPE THROUGH SCRIPTURE ABOUT GOING TO HEAVEN"

"SHARING HOPE THROUGH SCRIPTURE ABOUT GOING TO HEAVEN"

Philippians 1:22 But if I live on in the flesh, this will mean fruit from my labor; yet what I shall choose I cannot tell.

Philippians 1:23 For I am hard pressed between the two, having a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better.

Some explanatory thoughts, application and a prayer:

1. Paul had been explaining to the Philippian Christians, many details about his life and ministry. And in these two verses, he really opens up his heart about both his service to Christ here on earth, and the desire he had to go to heaven.

2. First of all, Paul tells the Philippians, that if he continues to live here on earth, that means there will be fruit from His labor. That is, if he continues to live, it will mean fruitful service for Christ.

Paul serves as an example for all of us who know Christ, and, that is, that God has called each of us to spend the rest of our lives, no longer living for ourselves, but for Him who died for us, and saved us from our sins. And, for the person who commits themselves wholeheartedly to serve the Lord, they can be sure that just like Paul there will be fruitful service.

2. Secondly, Paul had a question in his life. It had to do with staying here on earth serving the Lord, or going to heaven. He really
did not know which one would be better. He explains that in the next verse.

3. Thirdly, Paul was torn between the two desires he had. One was to stay and serve the Lord and the church, the Body of Christ, and the other desire was to depart and to be with Christ. To go to heaven. He was deeply troubled by these two desires. He said, he was "hard pressed" between the two.

4. Fourthly, and here's the Bibles explanation of what happens to the christian when they die. They go directly to heaven. Notice how Paul puts in in Php 1:22b. "to depart and be with Christ, which is far better." Paul uses the term depart rather then die. It's a good word to use.

Because, our souls, our spirits, the real us, or the real you, is simply temporarily housed in this body, which is called a tent. But, there is coming a time when you will move out of your tent, into your permanent home in heaven. That's Paul's view, and it's Biblical, and therefore it's true, and it's such a comfort to know, that when we depart our tents, we also will go to be with Christ.

5. Finally, there is one other thing that Paul says about departing, and going to be with Christ in heaven. He says, "it is far better" He loved serving the Lord here, and was torn between continuing to serve here on earth, and the desire to depart. He just knew that as great as it was serving Christ here on earth, it would be far better to be with Christ in heaven. and the same could be said for any of us.

6. Here's a quick list of the things that are not in heaven, and the things that are.

Rev 22:4 “And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.”

Rev 22:17 And the Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let him who hears say, “Come!” And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely.

A prayer:

Father, thank You for sending Jesus who did not come to be served, but to serve, and give His life a ransom for many. Thank You also Lord, that we as believers in Jesus Christ, are the ransomed of the Lord. He has purchased us, and we are no longer our own, but we belong to You. And, thank You also Lord that like Paul and all other saints of God, that we can serve You while here on this earth.

We used to live for ourselves before being saved, and it's only right and reasonable, that we would now live for You, and that is our prayer, Lord, we want to live completely for You, wholeheartedly for You. And, we thank You that there is a final moment here on earth, our departure time if you will, and our entrance into heaven, which "is far better" We rejoice in hope of Glory. We love You Lord. In Jesus name, amen.

Pastor Bob Grenier
Calvary Chapel Visalia.

"SHARING HOPE THROUGH SCRIPTURE FOR THOSE IN A TRIAL/ADVERSITIES"

"SHARING HOPE THROUGH SCRIPTURE FOR THOSE IN A TRIAL/ADVERSITIES"

2nd Cor 4:17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory,

2nd Cor 4:18 while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.

Some explanatory thoughts, application, and a prayer:

(Someone called what you will read below, the Three "T's" about trials.)

1. If you look at what Paul said just before he said in our two scriptures today, you would find that he was describing in great detail the subject of trials, and listed some that he went through himself. In fact later in this letter he gives us even more detail of the trials/adversities/temptations, that he went through. 

2. Before we get into the detail of what Paul said, let's just look at a simple Biblical definition of a trial. Trials are also called tribulations, and hardships, and temptations,  in the Bible. We are allowed by God to experience these trials so that God can strengthen or test our faith. It is the process that He uses to help us grow, to make our faith stronger, and to teach us to trust Him more. 

3. Jesus spoke about trials in a very straightforward manor.  John 16:33 “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” Essentially, Jesus was saying that the things He had been teaching them were designed to help them have peace. Because living in this world, His followers would have tribulations, but they were to be of good cheer, because He has overcome the world. The verse below gives a little more insight into what Jesus meant. 

John 16:33  I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” NLT

4. . But in the 2nd Cor 4:17-18, Paul gives us three very important truths about trials/adversities. 

(1) Trials are trivial compared to the sufferings of Christ, and the glory we will have in heaven. 2nd Cor 4:17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory,
While trials, hardships and temptations can seem overwhelming to us, they look small when you compare them with what our Lord Jesus went through for us, and with the glory that God has planned for us in heaven. 

(2) Trials are temporary compared to the eternity that God has planned for us in the future. 2nd Cor 4:18 while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.

Paul's approach to life, and it can be ours also, is to keep things in perspective. We go through trials, temptations, and adversities and hardships now, but one day, we are going to go to heaven. There are things temporary, the things we can see now on this earth. But, there are things not seen also. The things we can see are temporary, but the things that we cannot see are eternal. And eternal life has been given to us through our faith in Jesus Christ, and we will enter into that eternal existence with God when we leave this earth. 

(3) Trials are transforming. they cause us to be more like God's Son Jesus Christ. Again, please notice what's said in 2nd Cor 4:17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory,
God uses these trials to transform us. We see the transformation taking place down here, in our character and growth, and we will realize it completely when we get to heaven. So, God is at work in our lives through the trials, the temptations, and the adversities that He allows. And His goal in all of them, is to conform us into the image of Christ. 

A prayer:

Father, You never waste anything You do in or allow in our lives. You have a goal in mind. Your Word is so clear about this. And, we thank You for using the difficulties of life for our Good. Your Word encourages us and gives us peace, and produces Hope in our lives. Please help us to meditate on the truth of Your Word, and let it dwell in us richly, and continue to being about growth in our lives. In Jesus name. 

Pastor Bob Grenier
Calvary Chapel Visalia

"SHARING HOPE THROUGH SCRIPTURE ABOUT WORRY"

"SHARING HOPE THROUGH SCRIPTURE ABOUT WORRY"

Phl 4:6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;

Phl 4:7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Some explanatory thoughts, application, and a prayer:

1. Paul is dealing with the issue of "Worry" And, he is going to tell us how to deal with it, giving us very explicit detail, along with a great promise from God, that if we will deal with "Worry" the way God's wants us to, there will be a tremendous blessing coming into our lives.

3. Let's break this down bit by bit.

(1) First of all, we are told to simply, "Be anxious for nothing" Or don't worry about anything. Anxious here, means, to worry,
also, translated, take thought, have care, to be troubled with cares, to look out for a thing. Essentially, it means, to worry.
The dictionary says, to give way to anxiety or unease, to allow one's mind to dwell on difficulty or troubles,

(2) Secondly, and this is so helpful, here's what Php 4:6b says, "but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;" So, the Lord does not just say, don't worry, but He gives us direction as to what action we can take when instead of worrying. In everything we are to pray. So, instead of worrying about anything, in everything pray. And, we are given some specific things to do when we pray.

(3) Thirdly, here's the detail about prayer. It's prayer, supplication, with thanksgiving. These three things. To pray, simply means, to talk to God, to have "conversation" with God. Supplication, means to converse with God, and where we express our needs to Him. In this case, one of the needs we express would be the situation we are worrying about. And, then, there is "Thanksgiving" Now, this is very important. This is when we move away from what we are asking God to do, and focusing on what God has done, and thanking Him for it. It's kind of like the old song which says, "Count Your Blessings One By One" Name, them, tell God You are thankful for what He has done, For, He has done so much.

(4) Fourthly, we are to "let your requests be made known to God;" This is where we take the things that we are asking God to do, and make them known to Him. We are to express those things that we want, or need to Him. Can I let you in, on a little secret? He already knows what you have need of before you ask Him. Here's what Jesus said, Matt 6:8b " For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him." He knows what you are telling Him. And, He knew it long before you even knew what you were going to talk to Him about. You might say, "Why pray if He already knows?" Good question, and there are some simple answers to it. 1. God has instructed us to pray. 2. Prayer is effective. 3. Prayer brings our will into line with His 4. God not only hears prayer, but He answers prayer. 5. There are way to many other reasons to list here.

(5) Fifthly, here's what God promises will happen if we follow the instruction given to us above. Phl 4:7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Another version, the NLT says it this way. "If you do this, you will experience God’s peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

We will experience God's peace, which is more then we can even comprehend, And, God's peace will guard our hearts and minds as we live in Christ Jesus. It's the ultimate exchange program. We choose not to worry, We choose to pray, and, we choose to let God know what we are requesting, and He promises to give us peace. Which would a person want, worry, or peace?. Of course, it's peace.

A prayer:

Father, these two verses are packed with comfort for us. And, these verses are filled with almost a step by step process You call us to follow, and there is this wonderful promise that You make. So, today, may we just pause for a moment or two, and think about what we may be worrying about, and stop worrying, and then turn to You in prayer, along with thanksgiving, and let our requests be made known to You, and then standby, as You give us Your peace, which will guard, or keep our hearts and minds in Your son Jesus Christ. Thank You Lord for this very, very helpful prescription approved not by the FDA, but, given directly from The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Help us Lord to be doers, not just hearers of Your Word. In the name of Your Son, Jesus Christ.

Pastor Bob Grenier
Calvary Chapel Visalia

"SHARING HOPE THROUGH SCRIPTURE FOR HURTING MARRIAGES"

"SHARING HOPE THROUGH SCRIPTURE FOR HURTING MARRIAGES"

1st Peter 3:7. Husbands, likewise, dwell with them with understanding, giving honor to the wife, as to the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers may not be hindered.

Some explanatory thoughts, application and a prayer:

1. Peter is clearly teaching us here about husbands and wives. It's a great, and helpful blessing from the Lord that we do have His Word on almost any area of our lives that need encouragement and guidance, and this one simple verse really provides that. It's directed towards the husband, and it explains to a very large degree how he is to live with his wife, in such a way that He is pleasing God, and investing in his marriage to make it the way it ought to be.

2. So, let's break this down into it's very obvious parts, and understand what they mean, and how they apply.

(1) Husbands are to dwell with their wives with understanding. Now, what does this mean? Knowledge comes from a word that means, to appreciate, be aware, become learned, conscious, to know about, realize, not be unaware. Having moral wisdom, that is seen in right living, is another way the word is used.  Simply put treat her with understanding. The dictionary, defines understanding as comprehension, to perceive, be aware.  A man needs to know his wife's life, her needs, her wishes, etc.

(2) The next thing a husband is to do, along with being aware of his wife, understanding her needs, is as Peter says, "giving honor to the wife as the weaker vessel" So, there are two things here, giving honor to her, and then this phrase, "the weaker vessel" To give honor, means, that just in the same way a wife is expected to give honor to her husband, the husband is to give honor to his wife.

Honor means, price, precious, valuing, deference, and reverence. It seems to me that husbands have a tendency to just blow right by their wives, but what's being said here, is to slow down, stop, think, and then give real attention to your wife, she is precious, defer to her, and be very respectful to her. This will bring great appreciation towards you, from her.

The weaker vessel expression, is referencing the simple and basic physical differences between a man and his wife. Men are made by God to be stronger physically, and women are made by God not to be as strong physically. Therefore, a man who is dwelling with his wife with understanding, needs to be aware of her physical limitations if you will, and then make sure that he is responding to that reality, and doing whatever it takes to treat her with respect and help.

(3) Lastly, here's what Peter says, "and as being heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers may not be hindered."
God wants the husband to know that he and his wife are heirs together of the grace of life. ( now there is an assumption here that both the husband and the wife are saved ) in which case, both have become adopted into God's family and stand in the grace of God, and have access to His wonderful grace. You both are God's children. You are not only married, but are also both members of God's family. You are in a very real sense, a brother and sister in Christ.

You're both Christians. But, here's the very important point, and it's right at the end of the verse, "that your prayers may not be hindered." Now, this could mean, that if the husband treats his wife the way that he ought to his prayers won't be hindered, or frustrated, or cut off, and not effective, or it could mean, that it's hard for a husband and wife to pray together if the husband is not treating his wife the way that he should. She will not really want to pray with him, and in that sense, the prayers are frustrated.

3. One man, once said something like this. "Men, do not treat your wife like she is an A&W Root Beer Mug, but rather treat her as you would a fine crystal and expensive drinking glass, the kind you use only for very special occasions. In other words, be sensitive to her, and treat her with respect and be kind, gentle, caring, pay attention to her, figure out what she needs today, and then seek to meet those needs. You are there to serve her, she is not there to serve you in that sense. Your leadership is expressed according to God by being a servant. The thing is, that if you really do treat her the way God wants you to treat her, guess what,  she will love you and want to take care of you and actually serve you. But, the man is called to set the pace, and set the example.

A prayer:

Lord, many things in this life are easier said then done, and this may well be one that is right up there near the top of the list. But, it's from You, and it's the way of living that You have designed, and it's what is pleasing to You. Father for the men reading this, we freely admit, that we need constant help in remembering what it is that we are to do, and how we are to act. And, for the wives reading this, they are no doubt saying, "yay, yes, thank you, let's do it this way, etc, " Because they know down deep inside that this is the way of the Lord. So, Father, we look to You to bring Your grace into our lives, and we want to be those who put Your Word into action, please give us wisdom, and patience, and a steadfast determination to live to please You Lord, in Your name we pray, amen.

Pastor Bob Grenier
Calvary Chapel Visalia.

"SHARING HOPE THROUGH SCRIPTURE FOR THOSE WHO HAVE LOST A LOVED ONE"

"SHARING HOPE THROUGH SCRIPTURE FOR THOSE WHO HAVE LOST A LOVED ONE"

John 16:33 “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”

Some explanatory thoughts, application, and a prayer:

1. Jesus said what He said here, in the context of His apostles understanding that He would be leaving them, and no doubt they were troubled. John 16:32  “Indeed the hour is coming, yes, has now come, that you will be scattered, each to his own, and will leave Me alone. And yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me.

2. What He said to them in John 16:33 really breaks down into a number of important and easy to understand truths that bring peace to us as we believe in Him, and act upon His Word. Let's look at them together.

(1) First of all, Jesus reminds them of His Word. He says, “These things I have spoken to you," So, He is telling them and us about His Word, about what He had said, He was essentially directing them back to His Word. And, as we will see, His Word becomes the source of our comfort.

(2) Next, He explains why He had said what He had said. "that in Me you may have peace." Or that you may have peace in Me. He was letting them know, and wants You to know that also. In Him You can have peace. The word peace here, means, rest, quietness, a state of tranquility, exemption from rage of war and havoc. Peace between individuals,

(3) Jesus went on to explain what is in the world, that is, the atmosphere of the world, the expectations we can have in the world, or in this life we are living. He tells us in no uncertain terms what we can expect, and it's in one powerful and sobering word. " In the world you will have tribulation;" That is what we have.

Tribulation, or trials and sorrows. So, in Him we can have peace, but in the world we will have trouble and sorrow, trials. What a contrast, and what an expression of two realities for the Christian. The non-christian of course only has the latter, the trials, the trouble, and the sorrow, but for the Christian, in and through the Word, in Christ, we can have that peace, that tranquility.

(4) Finally, and this is a beautiful and comforting statement. "but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”
What does this mean. Well, first of all, it's a call to be of good cheer. Jesus is telling us what to do, in light of what is true about what He has done.

But, what does it mean? What do these two things mean. To be of good cheer, means, to take heart. That's it. Take heart. And, Jesus adds, that He has overcome, or conquered the World. He is greater than this world, He is different than this world, He died and rose again in this world.

6. Let's just take one more look at John 16:33, only in Three different versions.

The J. B. Phillips translation says it this way.
John 16:33  " I have told you all this so that you may find your peace in me. You will find trouble in the world—but, never lose heart, I have conquered the world!”

The Amplified says it this way.
John 16:33  "I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have [perfect] peace and confidence. In the world you have tribulation and trials and distress and frustration; but be of good cheer [take courage; be confident, certain, undaunted]! For I have overcome the world. [I have deprived it of power to harm you and have conquered it for you.]"

The NLT says is this way.
John 16:33  "I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”

A prayer:

Father, You above all know what it is to suffer the loss of a loved one. You gave, and Lost as it were Your Own Son at the Cross. But, Father, You did this for us. And, Lord Jesus thank You for these wonderful words, and thank You that indeed, in You, and in and through Your Word, we can find the peace we so desperately need.

We pray as we read this, and pray, that You Lord would help bring peace to those reading, who have recently lost a loved one, or are still suffering the pain of that loss, even though the loss may have been not so recent. But, the pain of the loss is very present with them. May they find the peace You speak of Lord, In Jesus name, Amen.

Pastor Bob Grenier
Calvary Chapel Visalia.

"SHARING HOPE THROUGH SCRIPTURE FOR LONELY HEARTS"

"SHARING HOPE THROUGH SCRIPTURE FOR LONELY HEARTS" 

Ps 37:4 Delight yourself also in the LORD, And He shall give you the desires of your heart.

Some explanatory thoughts, application, and a prayer:

1. This Psalm was written by King David, the one who had been a shepherd boy, spending many lonely nights out in the fields, and by the boy who had slain Goliath the giant also. This verse actually says 2 things to us. One, it speaks of God's call to us, and then, it speaks of God's promise to us. By the way, interesting to note, that the name Goliath comes from a word meaning, to exile, to be away, to remove, all of which are in a very real sense an apt description of loneliness. God through David was able to destroy Goliath, and I believe that God can help you if your heart is lonely. May it be so Lord, may it be so.

2. Let's take a closer look at the 2 parts to this verse. Ps 37:4a Delight yourself also in the LORD.

(1) God calls His people to "delight" themselves also in the LORD." The word delight, means, to trust in, to rely upon. So, essentially, God is saying here, to put your trust in Him. Interestingly enough, trust in God grows when a believer's life and soul feed on the faithfulness of God in times past. May I encourage you to pause right now, and count your blessings from the past, give some thought to what Your Faithful and loving God has done in the past. Think of His mercy, His love, His peace, His grace, and His power towards you in the past, in your walk with Him. 

(2) God then in this verse, promises to give something to His people. Ps 37:4b And He shall give you the desires of your heart. Now what does this mean? First of all, I do not believe it means, that God will simply give you what you want when you ask Him for it. Like going into a place to eat, and picking from the menu, and then giving your order to the server. No, not that. But, rather, I believe it means, that if you do what God says in the first part of the verse,  Ps 37:4a Delight yourself also in the LORD. That He will then place within Your heart the desires He has for You. 

3. So, the trust part of the verse, can be looked at as "I'm committing" myself to You Lord, and commit, means to take the whole of one's life and give it to God. See Pro 16:3 Commit your works to the LORD, And your thoughts will be established.
The NT counterpart to this, is "to cast all of your cares upon Him, for He cares for you" 1st Peter 5:7

4. God is always with us. No matter how we may feel. In fact, it's so easy to walk by our feelings, and not by our faith. Faith is believing that something is true, even though we can't prove it by our senses. Faith is also taking God's Word to heart and putting legs on it, or acting upon it. 

5. Here are the next 2 verses in Ps 37, in the NLT version

Psalm 37:5  Commit everything you do to the LORD. Trust him, and he will help you.

Psalm 37:6 He will make your innocence as clear as the dawn, and the justice of your cause will shine like the noonday sun.

May I encourage You to just ponder what is said in those 2 Verses, and then take them to heart. Your God is faithful, and He cannot lie, He makes promises, and He keeps them. He only asks, that You believe Him, and act upon His Word. 

A Prayer:

Father, thank You for being so gracious and loving to us. You are indeed always with us. And, we will one day always be with You in heaven. Right now Lord, in times of trouble and loneliness, we ask for Your Holy Spirit to fill our hearts and our minds with grace, mercy, peace and love. Perfect love casts out fear, and a lot of other things. Cast out of hearts those things that cloud seeing You by faith, and let the knowledge of Christ be like the noonday sun.
In Jesus name. Amen.

Pastor Bob Grenier

"SHARING HOPE THROUGH SCRIPTURE ABOUT WEAKNESS, INFIRMITIES, DISTRESS, AND PERSECUTIONS"

"SHARING HOPE THROUGH SCRIPTURE ABOUT WEAKNESS, INFIRMITIES, DISTRESS, AND PERSECUTIONS"

2nd Cor 12:9 And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

2nd Cor 12:10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

Some explanatory thoughts, application, and a prayer:

1. Paul is explaining what he had found to be true when going through times of weaknesses and with insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. He has just covered a lot of ground in those words. They were his real experiences.

2. Here's what he had found during those times. 2nd Cor 12:9 And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

2nd Cor 12:10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

3. Paul had what he called a thorn in the flesh, words that are used to describe a big stake, like the kind they use to hold the ropes of tent. He had some type of problem. Some think it was physical, and some think it was a spiritual problem, ( brought about by the false teachers who had come into the Corinthian church and were causing such destruction and trouble among the flock)

No one knows for sure, but it was a very painful problem for Paul. And, He had asked the Lord to take it away from him, and He did not. So, Paul asked him over and over again, and still the Lord did not. But what the Lord did tell him, is found in these two verses. And, the result of what God told him is also found in these verses. And, Paul wound up actually taking pleasure in that for which he had asked be taken from him.

4. Let's read the verses one more time only this time in the NLT.

2nd Cor 12:9 Each time he said, “My gracious favor is all you need. My power works best in your weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may work through me.

2nd Cor 12:10 Since I know it is all for Christ’s good, I am quite content with my weaknesses and with insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

Here's what Paul had discovered. And what a blessing it is.

(1) God had grace for Him, and told Paul that His grace would be all he needed during these difficult times.

(2) The reason for this, is that God's grace works best during times of difficulty. In other words Paul found that when he was having these problems, that God really helped Him, and Paul then wound up actually being glad when these difficulties came, because it was then that he discovered God's power and help as never before.

(3) So, from then on, Paul actually took pleasure when these times came upon him. Because he had learned that it was in his own personal weakness that God's grace and help became so evident and effective in his life. These troubles became a blessing to him.

5. So, the lesson is, that God's grace and power is all that You need in times of difficulty. Have you found it to be true.? Funny how what we think is so terrible can turn out to be so wonderful if we will turn to God in hard times and surrender our lives to Him, He is so faithful to come and give us strength, power, grace, to help us. We too, can wind up rejoicing in those times just as Paul did.

A prayer:

Father, Your ways are indeed not our ways. On a purely human level Lord, this does not make sense. But, Father, You are not human, You are Spirit, and You are wise and almighty. And, You take great joy in helping us, because, it's during these times that we find ourselves drawing closer, and closer to You then when all is well. So, thank You Lord for the truth of Grace being sufficient in our weakness and times of trouble. In Jesus name. Amen.

Pastor Bob Grenier
Calvary Chapel Visalia

"SHARING HOPE THROUGH SCRIPTURE ABOUT HEAVEN BEING A REAL PLACE"

"SHARING HOPE THROUGH SCRIPTURE ABOUT HEAVEN BEING A REAL PLACE"

John 14:2 “In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.

John 14:3 “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.

Some explanatory thoughts, application, and a prayer:

1. Jesus was speaking to His disciples, and telling them the truth about heaven. What He had to say here about heaven, was not just a pleasant idea, or a idea He had cooked up, nor was it a figment of His imagination, nor is it the invention of man. But, rather it's a literal place.

2. Jesus called it "My Father's house" and the main thing that Jesus was saying here, is that He was going there to this real, literal place, to prepare a place for His followers. 

3. It's comforting, and helpful, and instructive for us to note, that the word "place" in the greek language refers to an actual physical location. So, as one man said, "From this promise we can have full confidence that heaven is a real, physical place-a place where believers will one day reside with their Savior" Dr David Jeremiah. 

4. Now, let's notice just a few more things Jesus says about heaven being a real place, and what He intends for His followers in the future. 

(1) Jesus was going to go there. And, He is there right now, sitting at the right hand of God. See Heb 1.

(2) There are many mansions in heaven. Or rooms in heaven. Perhaps a reference to our new bodies. The word rooms, means, dwelling, an inhabited edifice. It may mean building or home in the sense we think of one today, or as mentioned, it may mean the heavenly body that we will dwell in, and live in forever. Interesting to note what Paul said in 2nd Cor 5:1 For we know that if our earthly house, this tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.

(3) Jesus is actively preparing a place for you as a believer. That word place, means, quarter, or space marked off, as it were from surrounding space. An inhabited place. So, again, it's up for grabs, might be a physical location, or it could be our new bodies, but it's something real, and Jesus is preparing it at this very moment for You. By the way, the people You know who have gone there know the answers to the things we don't. But, we ourselves will one day know. 

(4) Lastly, Jesus promised to return to get us, and take us there, so that where He is, we could be also. John 14:3 When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am. NLT. So, He is working, preparing a place for you, and when the time is right, according to God's perfect timing, Jesus is personally going to come and get You, so that You will always be with Him. And, if it was not going to happen, Jesus would not have told us so plainly. Jesus is God, and God cannot lie, and His promises come to pass. 

A prayer:

Father, we are so grateful for the hope You have given us through Jesus Christ. Not only have we been saved by Your death, burial, and being raised from the dead, and our coming to You in faith, and receiving You, but we have such a glorious place we are going to. And, thank You that You Lord Jesus are actually preparing what's there in heaven for us right now. And, when it's the perfect time for each of us, You will come and get us. And, then we will be with You, where You are right now, forever and ever. Thank You for making it so plain and easy to understand. 

Pastor Bob Grenier
Calvary Chapel Visalia.

"SHARING HOPE THROUGH SCRIPTURE ABOUT OUR FUTURE IN HEAVEN"

"SHARING HOPE THROUGH SCRIPTURE ABOUT OUR FUTURE IN HEAVEN"

Psalm 23:6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me All the days of my life; And I will dwell in the house of the LORD Forever.

Some explanatory thoughts, application, and a prayer:

1. David the King, wrote this Psalm about the King of Kings and the future of all believers in heaven. 

2. But, before getting into any detail about heaven, David talks about two things that follow believers here on earth, while we wait to go to heaven.

(1) Goodness is one of the blessings of God that follows us while here on earth. The word goodness, also translated good, better, best, merry, prosperity, favour. It has the idea of that which is good, pleasant and agreeable. It speaks of benefit, welfare, and moral good. So, as a believer, take a moment please and look back behind you, and thank God for the "Goodness" that has followed you. And, take a moment to think about the fact that tomorrow, you will be able to look back on today, and know that "Goodness" was with you. It's following you all the days of your life.

(2) Mercy. This is the other blessing from God that follows you. God is the God of mercies, and it's by His mercy that He saved You. He was merciful to even keep you alive before you were saved, and then while you were dead in your sins and trespasses, by His mercies He made you alive with Christ. And, that mercy has been right behind you day by day. What does mercy mean? It means kindness, lovingkindness, kindly, faithfulness. And, by the way, His mercies are new every morning. So, tomorrow, You will have new mercies from God to start your day with, and then at the end of the day, Mercy will have followed you all day long. 

3. God is Good, and God is merciful. And He is with you each moment of your life. He will not abandon You, and nothing can separate you from His love for you. 

4. David then makes this wonderful statement about the future. In fact, it actually has two part to it.
Psalm 23:6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me All the days of my life; And I will dwell in the house of the LORD Forever.

(1) All the days of my life. That's what David said. He was speaking of his life, but it applies to Your life as a follower of Jesus Christ. Imagine that, all the days. No day's off. No missed days, No lapses, but a consistent flow of God's Goodness, and Mercy following you all the days of your life. Here's how it reads in the NLT Psalm 23:6 Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the LORD forever. These blessings of Goodness and Mercy will pursue you all the days of Your life. 

(2) Here's the clincher. David said, He would dwell or live in the house of the LORD forever. That's heaven, God's house. And, that's where followers of Jesus are going and will stay there forever, and forever. That's our future. With God forever, with a trail of Goodness and Mercy following us all the way till we step through the gate into heaven to be with the Lord. 

A prayer:

Father, How Good You are to us. We were without You, and we were found by You. You came and gave us mercy, and gave us life in Christ. And, You have been with us for every second since. And, You promise to never leave us or forsake us. And, eventually, even at any moment we could begin our time in Your house, in heaven forever. What a glorious hope. Please help us to rejoice in Hope of Glory. In Jesus name. Amen.

Pastor Bob Grenier.

"SHARING HOPE THROUGH SCRIPTURE FOR THOSE ARE AFRAID OF FAILURE"

"SHARING HOPE THROUGH SCRIPTURE FOR THOSE ARE AFRAID OF FAILURE"

Deut 31:8 “And the LORD, He is the one who goes before you. He will be with you, He will not leave you nor forsake you; do not fear nor be dismayed.” NKJV

Deut 31:8 Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the LORD is the one who goes before you. He will be with you; he will neither fail you nor forsake you.” NLT

Some explanatory thoughts, application, and a prayer:

1. These are the Words of God through Moses to the Children of Israel as they were getting ready to go into the promised land, after 40 years of wandering around in the circles because of the unbelief of their forefathers. 

2. Please notice the very first thing that is said to them. "Do not be afraid or discouraged" This statement by God to "not be afraid" or something similar, like, "do not fear" or "fear not" is repeated in Scripture literally, hundreds, and hundreds of times. 

3. So, these are two things that God said to the people. These two truths from God are of course very helpful, in light of the failures of the past. As they were preparing for the future, they must have been experiencing fear and discouragement, or the all knowing, gracious, comfort giving, strengthener of souls, would not have said, "Do not be afraid or discouraged. 

4. What do these these two things mean? 

(1) Do not be afraid, means, terrible, dreadful, to terrify, to shoot. 

(2) Discouraged, or dismayed, means, to break in pieces, to be shattered. To be broken. 

5. But why? Or how can we not be afraid or discouraged and dismayed. Well, God tells us right here in the verse. Let's take one more look at it. 

Deut 31:8 “And the LORD, He is the one who goes before you. He will be with you, He will not leave you nor forsake you; do not fear nor be dismayed.” NKJV

Please notice, that there are four specific things/truths, that God says about Himself, that are the basis of His counsel to them, to not be afraid of failure. 

(1) He is the one who goes before you.

(2) He will be with you.

(3) He will not leave you. 

(4) He will not forsake you. 

6. So, if you are afraid today of failure, of failing, may I encourage you to read this verse, think about what God says, pray about what God says, thank Him for what He has said to You, and then step out in faith and move forward. Because You have a promise from God who cannot lie.

A prayer:

Father, we thank You first of all, that You make promises, and that You cannot lie. Therefore we know that we can trust You. You are faithful, You are dependable, You do what You say You will do. You never fail, we do, but You do not. And, we can find strength to face our own fear of failure by looking to You, and believing You, and acting upon Your Word. Thank You Lord, In Jesus name, amen.

Pastor Bob Grenier
Calvary Chapel Visalia.

"SHARING HOPE THROUGH SCRIPTURE ABOUT WHEN CHRISTIANS GO TO HEAVEN"

"SHARING HOPE THROUGH SCRIPTURE ABOUT WHEN CHRISTIANS GO TO HEAVEN"

Php 1:23 For I am hard pressed between the two, having a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better.
2nd Cor 5:8 We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord.

Some explanatory thoughts, application, and a prayer:

1. Paul in talking about heaven, and his own desire towards going there makes it very clear, that when a christians dies, they do not go into some mysterious soul sleep, and then later are received into heaven by the Lord, to be with Him.

2. But, rather, Paul states without any equivocation, that when a christian dies they go immediately into the presence of the Lord, or to put it another way, the Christians's last breath on earth, is followed by their first breath in heaven. Christians, go right to heaven, the moment their bodies can no longer contain their souls, because their bodies cease to function, their bodies die as it were, but their saved soul goes to heaven.

3. Let's look again at what Paul says.........

Php 1:23 For I am hard pressed between the two, having a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better.

And, then again in another place he says..........

2nd Cor 5:8 We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord.

4. In the NLT the above verses read this way.....

Php 1:23 I’m torn between two desires: Sometimes I want to live, and sometimes I long to go and be with Christ. That would be far better for me,

2nd Cor 5:8 Yes, we are fully confident, and we would rather be away from these bodies, for then we will be at home with the Lord.

5. You will notice as you look at these verses, that Paul says things like, "depart ( body dies ) and be with Christ". Simply, and clearly meaning, that the departure out of this body, means, that one is with Christ, Immediately is the idea.
And, then in 2nd Cor 5:8, he says, "to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord."

6. One last thing, Paul says, in Php 1:23, "which is far better" No other way to understand this, then to know it means, it's much better to be with the Lord then it is to be here in these bodies. So, two things about Christians, and going to heaven.

(1) The Christian, will go immediately to heaven upon their last breath here on earth. When the Doctor says on his chart, Time of death, it's at that very moment, that the patients soul has now arrived in heaven.

(2) It's far better to be in heaven then to be here in these bodies on earth. Why? Well, here's what we are told about being in heaven from Rev 22, and the focus of these verses, is what will not be in heaven, and they are the things that are with us now here on earth. But, there is also much said about what is not with us now, but will be with us in heaven. 

Rev 22:3 And there shall be no more curse, but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and His servants shall serve Him.

Rev 22:4 They shall see His face, and His name shall be on their foreheads.

Rev 22:5 There shall be no night there: They need no lamp nor light of the sun, for the Lord God gives them light. And they shall reign forever and ever.

A prayer:

Father, You are the one who has saved us, and given us the sure steadfast hope of being with You in heaven. We are like Paul and desire to be with you, and we know that being with You in heaven will be far better. We look forward to seeing Your face. It's truly impossible for us to know what that blessed moment will be like, but we will find out one day. Also, we do not know what Your voice will sound like, but we will hear it, and we will know once we arrive in heaven. And, Lord, we look forward to what You will say to us, the very first words we hear from You. Thank You for the glorious hope we have. We love You Lord. In Jesus name, amen.

Pastor Bob Grenier
Calvary Chapel Visalia.

"SHARING HOPE THROUGH SCRIPTURE REGARDING BITTERNESS"

"SHARING HOPE THROUGH SCRIPTURE REGARDING BITTERNESS"

Heb 12:15 looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled;

Some explanatory thoughts, application, and a prayer:

1. The author of this letter is dealing with the issue, subject, the thing to watch out for called, Bitterness, or a bitter root.
And, what he does is to issue a warning here about it. He warns against allowing it to take place in your life, and then explains what would happen as a result.

2. The first thing he actually talks about is missing God's grace. Notice how he puts it. " looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God;". Another version, says it this way. " Look after each other so that none of you will miss out on the special favor of God." So, we are to look out, or watch carefully lest we fall short of having God's grace in our lives, or missing out on God's grace in our lives because of bitterness. Implied in Heb 12:15 is that one can avoid bitterness, if they are careful, but they must be careful.

3. What does it mean to be "looking carefully?" It has the idea of looking out for and after each other. It means to be careful that none of you fails to respond to the grace which God gives to us. And, it means, as the Amp Version says, " Exercise foresight and be on the watch to look [after one another], to see that no one falls back from and fails to secure God’s grace (His unmerited favor and spiritual blessing)" So, bitterness can come about if we are not walking in Grace, and we are to be careful not to miss out on God's grace in our lives.

4. The second thing he says, is also a warning, and it goes directly at the issue of bitterness, or a bitter root, Here's what the Bible says. "lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled;" Bitterness can spring up, and cause trouble and by it, many, can become defiled. There are some serious consequences that can come about. Trouble and others becoming defiled.

5. A quick look at some of the meanings of these words. Bitterness itself means, a bitter spirit, resentment, hatred, rancor, bitter gall, bitter hatred. Bitterness, comes from a word meaning, sharp, or piercing. Bitterness, can be like a disease or poison, with very severe and harmful in it's effects. It can spread and hurt you like a virus can. The word trouble means, to excite, to disturb, to trouble and annoy. And, the word defile, or defiled, means, corrupted, contaminated.

6. So, when might bitterness be a danger, and what can we do about it, to avoid it. Here's what Dr David Jeremiah said about it. "Amid persecution and the temptation to give up, Christians are responsible for each other's spiritual well being. Thus the writer of Hebrews is challenging believers to examine their own ranks-not to find fault, but to act like a physician who is interested in his or her patients health.

Believers should look for the symptoms of disease, bitterness, sexual immorality, and unbelief to help bring fellow believers to spiritual health." He goes on to say, "This root of bitterness refers to people whose attitudes poison and divide the church. Such people have an evil heart of unbelief that rejects Christ and the gospel."

Let's pray:

Father, thank You for Your grace, Your unmerited, undeserved favor towards us. Lord, help us to be careful not to fall short of Your grace, to miss it in our lives, by allowing attitudes to spring up in our lives. Father, we need to be especially careful during certain times, times of trouble, difficulties that have come upon us, times of persecution, that we are careful as to how we are going to react.

Keep us from sin and temptation Lord. Help us Lord to care for others and to try and help them if they are having trouble in this area as well. We love You Lord. In Jesus name.

Pastor Bob Grenier