Let Your Heart Take Courage

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“Wait for the LORD; be strong, and let your heart take courage.”

Psalm 27:14

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Let Your Heart Take Courage

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Strong Hope In a Dismal World
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It’s been yet another lively week in the world...
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• Satan made a rather blatant appearance at the Grammys.
• Buildings crumpled to the ground in Turkey & Syria.
• More transgender confusion happened (I’m sure there was something even more freakishly weird in the news this week beyond what we heard last week).
• Andy Stanley…well, he did more Andy Stanly stuff.

We live in a broken world. Sin and its misery are all around us. We are surrounded by suffering and the vivid portrayals of how broken the world really is. And the internet pipeline keeps us keenly aware of all the base and depraved things that are happening.

Yet the message of the gospel in this impoverished culture is, “be strong, and let your heart take courage.”

Psalm 27 sounds a little too much like our contemporary society. Suffering, evil, and godlessness lay all around David. He was immersed in lies, betrayals, adversities, and attacks. If ever the swamp needed to be drained, David knew it all too well. Yet David had no power to drain it. As a matter of fact, it threatened to suck him down and swallow him up.

No matter how dark and depressing it was, David had source of encouragement that transcended his environment. He was able to look up to the One who stood above it all and put his hope in the fact that God would act.

David knew that God was good, just, and sovereign. His spirits could be cheered because the Lord was able to help and would undoubtedly to bring His plan to pass.

While the walls of stability and sanity seemed to be crashing down around us, we may do the same. We can console our minds with this one thought: Wait for the Lord.

The same notes characterize the book of Revelation. Bowls may be poured out, trumpets may sound forth disaster, and seals may unleash wickedness that pushes the envelop. But just yonder there is one who rides a white horse. His name is Faithful and True.

We are people of expectancy. We look beyond the gloom and doom of this world to the rays which are bursting bright on the horizon. Our firm conviction is that God will not fail to act. We take courage because we live with a lively anticipation.

Scripture is quite raw on how bad things can get, but it is just as flush with optimism. So CNN can throw its worst at us. Tomorrow’s headlines can feel free to be all that much more sensational. But our motto will always be “Take heart!” For time is on our side. He who does rule over all things will bring his righteousness to bear at the appropriate time.

We know the goodness and power of God. Thus, we have good confidence that no evil will prevail. He will soon trample Satan under his feet.

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Evangelism Opportunity: Reply Now!
Several churches from Ashland county are working together to saturate our neighborhoods with the gospel. We hope to accomplish this by creating door hangers with gospel literature and taking them house to house. We have opportunity to add our own church’s info to these packets too. If you would like to participate, please let us know asap.

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Transforming Your Self Image 
Transformed is a unique series where you get to sit in and watch people get the help they need.  Join us as we see how God's Word counsels all of life's problems and brings real transformation of life. 

This week: Self image;  What do we say to those who feel their body doesn't measure up?  Join us Sunday evenings at 6pm.