Trusting God Through Crisis and Community Action

Devotional

Day 1: The Power of Community and Prayer

In times of crisis, the strength of community and the power of prayer can provide profound peace and assurance. When Rachel experienced her accident, the overwhelming support from friends, family, and the church community was a testament to the collective faith that can emerge in moments of uncertainty. This support was not just emotional but spiritual, as it brought a peace that surpassed understanding, reminding everyone involved that they were not alone in their struggles. The experience highlighted the importance of being part of a faith community that can rally together in prayer and support, providing a tangible sense of God's presence and control even in dire circumstances. [02:04]

"Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ." (Galatians 6:2, ESV)

Reflection: Who in your community is currently facing a crisis, and how can you actively support them through prayer and tangible acts of kindness today?

Day 2: Faith in Action

True faith is not passive but is demonstrated through action. The stories of kindness and generosity within the church community illustrate that living out one's faith involves being proactive in serving others and making a tangible difference in their lives. These acts of kindness are not orchestrated by church leadership but are the result of individuals being led by the Holy Spirit to impact their communities positively. This serves as a powerful reminder that faith is not just about attending services but about being the hands and feet of Jesus in the world, actively seeking opportunities to serve and love others. [06:04]

"Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth." (1 John 3:18, ESV)

Reflection: Identify one specific way you can serve someone in your community this week. How can you ensure that your actions reflect the love and truth of Christ?

Day 3: Personal Responsibility in Faith

Working out one's salvation with fear and trembling involves taking personal responsibility for one's faith journey. It is about ensuring that one's relationship with God is genuine and not reliant on others. This means being willing to follow His leading, even when it is challenging. The call to work out salvation is a call to examine one's life, to ensure that faith is lived out with seriousness and reverence. It is a reminder that faith is a personal journey that requires obedience and a willingness to grow and be transformed by God's guidance. [20:15]

"Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling." (Philippians 2:12, ESV)

Reflection: What is one area of your faith journey where you need to take more personal responsibility? How can you begin to address this today?

Day 4: God Working Through Us

God desires to use us for His purposes, and this should be approached with reverence and awe. The idea that the Almighty God would choose to work through us is both humbling and inspiring. It calls us to surrender our lives to His will, trusting that He has a plan for us that is greater than we can imagine. This understanding should inspire a deep sense of humility and a willingness to be used by God to make a difference in the world around us. It is a call to be open to His leading and to allow Him to work through us for His good pleasure. [37:14]

"For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them." (Ephesians 2:10, ESV)

Reflection: In what ways can you be more open to allowing God to work through you? What steps can you take to align your daily actions with His purposes?

Day 5: A Fresh Start with God

As we enter a new year, it is an opportunity for a fresh start and a chance to align our lives with God's will. By surrendering our fears and desires to Him, we can trust that He has a plan for us that is greater than we can imagine. This new beginning is a time to evaluate our lives, make decisions that align with God's will, and commit to working out our salvation with fear and trembling. It is a call to trust in God's plan and to allow Him to use us for His purposes, making a difference in the world around us. [39:55]

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths." (Proverbs 3:5-6, ESV)

Reflection: As you consider the new year, what is one area of your life that you need to surrender to God? How can you begin to trust Him more fully in this area today?

Sermon Summary

Taking a moment to reflect on the events of September 12th, we are reminded of the unpredictability of life and the profound peace that can come from trusting in God. Rachel's accident was a harrowing experience, yet it was also a testament to the power of prayer and community. In the midst of uncertainty, the support from friends, family, and the church community was overwhelming, and it was through this collective faith and prayer that a sense of peace emerged. This peace was not just a fleeting feeling but a deep assurance that God was in control, even in the most dire circumstances.

As we look back on the past year, it's evident that God has been at work in our community. The stories of selfless acts of kindness, from visiting the sick to providing for the needy, highlight the true spirit of Christmas and the essence of living out our faith. These acts are not orchestrated by the church leadership but are the result of individuals being led by the Holy Spirit to make a difference in their communities. This is a powerful reminder that our faith is not just about attending services but about being the hands and feet of Jesus in the world.

In Philippians 2, Paul encourages us to work out our own salvation with fear and trembling. This is a call to take personal responsibility for our faith journey, to ensure that it is genuine and not dependent on others. It's about having a personal relationship with God, one that is marked by obedience and a willingness to follow His leading, even when it's challenging. This passage challenges us to examine our own lives and to ask ourselves if we are truly living out our faith with the seriousness and reverence it deserves.

As we enter a new year, it's an opportunity for a fresh start, a chance to evaluate our lives and make decisions that align with God's will. It's a time to surrender our fears and desires to God, trusting that He has a plan for us that is greater than we can imagine. This year, let's commit to working out our salvation with fear and trembling, allowing God to use us for His good pleasure and to make a difference in the world around us.

Key Takeaways

1. The power of community and prayer is profound, especially in times of crisis. When Rachel was in her accident, the support from friends and the church community provided a peace that surpassed understanding, reminding us that we are never alone in our struggles. [02:04]
2. True faith is demonstrated through action. The stories of kindness and generosity within the church community show that living out our faith means being proactive in serving others and making a tangible difference in their lives. [06:04]
3. Working out our salvation with fear and trembling means taking personal responsibility for our faith journey. It's about ensuring that our relationship with God is genuine and not reliant on others, and being willing to follow His leading, even when it's difficult. [20:15]
4. God desires to use us for His purposes, and this should be approached with reverence and awe. The idea that the Almighty God would choose to work through us is both humbling and inspiring, calling us to surrender our lives to His will. [37:14]
5. As we enter a new year, it's an opportunity for a fresh start and a chance to align our lives with God's will. By surrendering our fears and desires to Him, we can trust that He has a plan for us that is greater than we can imagine. [39:55]
** [39:55]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:28] - Rachel's Unusual Day
[00:59] - The Accident
[01:46] - Community Support
[02:20] - Peace in Uncertainty
[03:05] - Faith and Healing
[04:15] - Overcoming Doubts
[05:28] - Encouragement from the Church
[06:04] - Acts of Kindness
[08:38] - Reflections on Church Programs
[10:14] - Visitors Inspired by Faith
[11:31] - Building a Reputation
[12:59] - Loving Responses
[13:44] - Philippians 2: A Call to Action
[15:03] - A Pivotal Weekend
[20:15] - Working Out Salvation
[25:24] - Salvation as a Journey
[31:01] - Fear and Trembling
[35:22] - God Working Through Us
[39:55] - Surrendering to God's Will

Sermon Clips

I told P Joan how and your sister I said I don't normally say this but I have a tremendous peace I I mean it was really scary there for a while but I knew and I said I believe she's going to be healed and I believe that God's going to use her and she's going to testify of his goodness one day. [00:03:01]

I mean she wanted just to thank all of Cornerstone for their prayers but especially her friends that have been faithful in the last couple months because I've only been there twice I just go there when the camera's on and uh no I'm kidding but I I you know but but the others that have just Faithfully going and caring for her. [00:05:30]

I heard of another family in more Park that just no one even knew them they just heard from a person from a person and so the more Park Community got to together and just took a couple donations and got like $11,000 wor the food and gifts and everything else and went out to those people. [00:07:23]

I love to hear of things happening in the church that the that the church leadership did not instigate because it shows me that you're working out your own salvation with fear and trembling that you're studying the word of God for yourself and go you know what they said this on Sunday and I looked at it is what it says. [00:30:25]

I don't see a lot of fear and trembling in today's church do you I I I see a lot of arrogance when people talk about God but fear and trembling is something that's been lost in today's church and I'm praying God would use me in some way to bring it back because like scripture says it's a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of a living God. [00:31:05]

I understand that I have a responsibility as your pastor and at times I haven't taken it seriously enough with that fear and trembling I understand that I will probably be judged more strictly than anyone in this room according to James that's just what I signed up for for you know that's not real exciting to me. [00:32:40]

I believe God's calling some of you to be far more radical than I am and maybe he's taught you to do more and maybe you've read passages and go man I got to take that literally I got to walk in that don't put me up as the standard and say well I'm a little bit below him so that's a pretty good place to be. [00:34:47]

Do you understand this you should think about this with fear and trembling thinking that God Almighty would actually use you as his vessel I mean think about this you're talking about here's a being who spoke the world into existence okay there was no Earth and he spoke it into existence there were no stars he spoke them into existence. [00:35:50]

I believe they are massive and that there's a sense in which I tremble over the thought of being used in his plan this year I don't know if you read the news and just go wow this is a weird time this is a crazy time this could be it but honestly I do I read it and go you got to be kidding me. [00:38:27]

I want to surrender everything there's a part of me that got scared because I thought well what if you ask me to give up something that I don't want to give up you see you guys a lot of you guys have been around for a while and you've seen the way I've interacted in my relationship with God and the things that have changed over the years. [00:39:52]

I used to fear that way but if I have a fear now it's it's almost the opposite it's like well what if I ask God to direct me and he does and it's not really something I want to do I mean what if I'm studying the scriptures and he directs me or leads me in a certain way and I really don't want to go there. [00:41:20]

I believe that God has all sorts of plans for Cornerstone Church this year and I don't even know what they all are um because usually God doesn't tell you everything Advance he doesn't tell you the whole story and it's and it's his pleasure it's his will it wasn't like Abraham woke up one day and said you know what I want to do. [00:45:02]

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