by leaps and bounds

An Arise Ministries Network

recent posts

about

  • Don’t Stop Running

    Don’t Stop Running

    You ran well. Who hindered you from obeying the truth? This persuasion does not come from Him who calls you (Galatians 5:7-8).

    Someone had hindered the believers in Galatia from obeying the truth. The Apostle Paul said they had run well. We have to be careful that, as we are running the race set before us, we do not allow anyone- including Satan- to hinder us.

    Hebrews 12:1 says “…let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.” We have to put aside all hindrances because we have a race to finish. We will be rewarded at the end of it.

    Our reward is not temporal; it is eternal. Our reward will not perish. Notice the words of I Corinthians 9:25: And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown. According to II Corinthians 4:18, we are involved with unseen, eternal things:

    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.

    Running the race well includes obeying the truth. When we started, we believed in God’s love, the righteousness of Christ, the death of Christ and the resurrection of Christ. Our faith in these truths has to stay strong if we are to finish successfully.

    Our faith in Jesus motivates us to live for Him. We desire to live pure lives because we are trying to bear witness of Him- we want to be good examples for Him. Our worship of Him and service for Him is zealous. We are all in.

    Certainly, we need to keep in mind that this is not a sprint- this is a long distance run. As we keep our goal in mind, we must refuse to allow anything to stop us from running. We desire to echo the following words from The Apostle Paul:

    I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give to me on that day, and not to me only, but also to all who have loved His appearing (II Timothy 4:7-8).

    The thought of letting up or ceasing to run the race does not come from God. Again, hear the Apostle say,”Who hindered you from obeying the truth? This persuasion does not come from Him who calls you.” God will never tell us to give up- even when we falter and at times fail. Instead, He will always say, “Don’t stop running.”

    Dave Snyder is an Ordained Bishop with the Church of God – Cleveland, Tennessee. Before entering the ministry on a full-time basis, he was a school teacher. He also coached middle school basketball for eight years.

    Dave and his wife, Sara, have two children  — Craig and Karen. They also have one ten year old granddaughter  — Breanna. 

    Dave and Sara pastored in West Virginia for thirty-six years. Sara is now retired from the banking industry, and Dave is retired from pastoring. However, Dave currently serves as prison Chaplain for the West Virginia Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation. 

    Writing essays, articles, and devotionals is a real passion for Dave. He also enjoys playing musical instruments and singing.

  • Falling Apart Or Falling Into Place?

    Falling Apart Or Falling Into Place?

    And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose (Romans 8:28).

    Romans 8:28 is a much quoted verse in Christian ranks. However, many people want only good things to work out. Truthfully, that just is not real life. Bad things will always be mixed in with good things. The life of Joseph proves this truth.

    Joseph had dreams that basically pointed to his brothers being subject to him. Honestly, at the time he did not see that he would in fact be able to save their lives someday. His brothers viewed his dreaming as a sign of arrogance. Notice their attitude in Genesis 37:19:

    And they said one to another, Behold, this dreamer cometh.

    Scripture says that Joseph’s brothers tossed him into a pit. Then they sold him to the Ishmeelites that were coming through. None of this sounds good. It certainly got worse before it got better.

    Potiphar, the captain of Pharaoh’s guard, bought him from the Ishmeelites and made him overseer of his house. Things seemed to be looking up, but Potiphar’s wife falsely accused Joseph. Then he wound up in prison.

    Looking at all of this, we may say, “Everything in Joseph’s life was falling apart.” But was it?

    Pharaoh’s butler and baker wound up in prison with Joseph. When they each had a dream, Joseph gave them the interpretation. The butler was released from prison. He forgot all about Joseph.

    Notice, that God was working things out on the other end of this story. Pharaoh had a dream. The butler, who had forgotten Joseph, told Pharaoh about Joseph’s interpretation of dreams. Joseph was summoned. He interpreted Pharaoh’s dream and wound up second in command in Egypt.

    Through seven years of plenty, Joseph helped the Egyptians stockpile grain. Seven years of famine came- the Egyptians had plenty. Joseph’s family heard that there was food in Egypt.

    Joseph’s brothers came to him for help. At first they did not recognize him. Through a series of events, Joseph and his brothers reconciled- after all Joseph had been used by God to save their lives.

    When we really examine this story, we see that, while Joseph was in prison, all of the pieces were falling into place. Things seemed to be falling apart. In reality, the pieces were all falling into place!

    This is how God works with us. Life can really seem crazy at times. However, God is moving behind the scenes- working it all out for our good. We are never forsaken or forgotten by our Heavenly Father. If your world seems to be collapsing around you, remember:

    When things seem to be falling apart, the pieces are all falling into place.

    Dave Snyder is an Ordained Bishop with the Church of God – Cleveland, Tennessee. Before entering the ministry on a full-time basis, he was a school teacher. He also coached middle school basketball for eight years.

    Dave and his wife, Sara, have two children  — Craig and Karen. They also have one ten year old granddaughter  — Breanna. 

    Dave and Sara pastored in West Virginia for thirty-six years. Sara is now retired from the banking industry, and Dave is retired from pastoring. However, Dave currently serves as prison Chaplain for the West Virginia Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation. 

    Writing essays, articles, and devotionals is a real passion for Dave. He also enjoys playing musical instruments and singing.

  • This Is The Way It Is

    This Is The Way It Is

    In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it (John 1:1-5).

    He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name (John 1:10-12).

    In searching Scripture, we need to recognize the authority that the Word of God represents. It is the Word of God! If the Bible says something- this is the way it is. Let us look at some non-negotiables in Scripture.

    Jesus is more than a prophet or a good teacher. He is the Son of God- divinity. He was there when everything was created. According to John 1:14, He was God manifested to men: “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.” John 1:17 informs us that the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. There is more regarding Jesus that we must grasp by faith.

    In John 1:29, John the Baptist declared, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” Jesus came to show us the love of God by sacrificing Himself for us..He represented the epitome of God’s love toward us. Look at the words of Romans 5:6-8:

    For when we were still without strength, in due time, Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die, yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrates His love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

    These beautiful words are written in our Bible. Jesus is more than a man that walked on this earth. The Bible is more than just another book. The following verses deal with the inspiration of Scripture:

    But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them, and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work (II Timothy 3:14-17).

    The Bible is inspired by God- He is the author. His Word has such weight that Jesus said, “If you love Me, keep My commandments.” Psalm 119:89 says, “Forever, O

    Lord, Your Word is settled in heaven.” No matter what anyone says or thinks, God’s Word is the authority. God has the final say.

    THIS IS THE WAY IT IS!

    Dave Snyder is an Ordained Bishop with the Church of God – Cleveland, Tennessee. Before entering the ministry on a full-time basis, he was a school teacher. He also coached middle school basketball for eight years.

    Dave and his wife, Sara, have two children  — Craig and Karen. They also have one ten year old granddaughter  — Breanna. 

    Dave and Sara pastored in West Virginia for thirty-six years. Sara is now retired from the banking industry, and Dave is retired from pastoring. However, Dave currently serves as prison Chaplain for the West Virginia Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation. 

    Writing essays, articles, and devotionals is a real passion for Dave. He also enjoys playing musical instruments and singing.

  • Who Are You Promoting?

    Who Are You Promoting?

    So Jesus called them all together to him and said, “You know those who are rulers of the heathen have power over them, and the leaders have complete authority. This, however, is not the way it is among you. If one of you wants to be great, he must be the servant of the rest; and if one of you wants to be first, he must be the slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served; he came to serve and to give his life to redeem many people.” Mark 10.42-45 GNBUK

    I don’t think there is anything more disheartening than to see someone who is supposed to be in a leadership role within the Christian community not honor their commitment to God the way that they should. That should go for any of us really, because we are to serve Him wholeheartedly and unselfishly. However, with the ever-growing community of those that are self-proclaiming to be this or that, and with the slacking off of the moral righteousness within so many church walls just to build numbers verses growing what is already there, yeah…

    Friends, when did it become about us and what we wanted or needed? I am thoroughly confused on this. When did it become about us being applauded, garnering recognition, obtaining the pat on the back, or being rewarded for what takes place within His house? Since when do we sign up to follow Him just to be adored, admired or applauded? Since when do we stand at the pulpit and take the credit that solely belongs to Him and Him alone?

    How can we sit and watch those in leadership roles stand up there and disgrace Him by placing such a priority on themselves over Him. People come to experience His presence, not their presence. And it would seem that entirely too many “leaders” have forgotten this as their over inflated egos need to be brought back to where their feet are firmly back upon the ground.

    When we gave ourselves as a living sacrifice to Him (Romans 12.1), and when we decide to devote our whole selves to Him, and when we entered into a covenant with Him through baptism, we made the choice to put Him above ourselves, in every and all ways, every time and at all times.

    So, can someone please help me understand why there are so many out here demanding recognition for their role in the kingdom? Wanting a pat on the back for completing what they signed up to do? So many of y’all are out here prancing around acting like you are somebody, but the lack of respect and overabundance in pride and ego tell me that you are full of the wrong fruit and maybe you need to re-evaluate your stance and your heart in your walk with Him.

    “For God so loved the world He gave His only begotten Son….” and here you are demanding the respect of everyone just because you show up on Sundays, or because you have a title to in front of your name. What else are YOU giving unto the Kingdom? Not your members, associates, partners, friends… YOU? Just because you “earned” that title doesn’t give you the grace to dishonor our Lord by putting Him beneath yourself.

    “Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.” 1 Corinthians 15.58 NIV

    “John answered, “No one can have anything unless God gives it to him. You yourselves are my witnesses that I said, ‘I am not the Messiah, but I have been sent ahead of him.’ The bridegroom is the one to whom the bride belongs, but the bridegroom’s friend, who stands by and listens, is glad when he hears the bridegroom’s voice. This is how my own happiness is made complete. He must become more important while I become less important.” John 3.27-30 GNBUK

    “He must become more important while I become less important.” If you were to ever let a verse resonate and sink in, let it be this one. Truly I tell you this is the one that I believe so many today are lacking. In the NIV version it states, ‘The bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him,and is full of joy when he hears the bridegrooms voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete. He must become greater; I must become less.’.

    We should be filled with joy to step aside and allow Him to take the spotlight and to shine. We should excitedly anticipate getting to share in those times with Him, versus attempting to steal them as our own. We should be honored, and humbled, to step aside and allow Him to take His rightful place in everything that we do and that we are!

    The times we are coming into are not going to be ones for the weak, timid or double-minded. People seem to not understand that EVERYONE regardless of their status can fall victim to pride, ego and attacks from the enemy. And more now than ever!

    Billie is a 40-something stay-at-home momma of five beautiful children and Grammy to three grandchildren. When not wrangling the littles, she babysits for her two adult children. You will find her gardening, canning, baking, and making the most delicious meals for her family. Billie is a multitasker juggling a team of miniature tyrants, a cat, a snake, two dogs, two rats, and nine chickens. In her spare time, she enjoys reading and studying her bible. Her passion is sharing the gospel through her writing! So, whether she’s feeding your body with delicious meals or feeding your soul through her writing, join Billie as she takes you on a journey providing you with “Food for Thought.”

  • All Is Well

    All Is Well

    Many times during our lives, we have spoken negative thoughts about anything and everything. The kids are not doing well in school. Why is my husband always late? What if I never get the house of my dreams? I always get caught in traffic. I will never be able to get ahead.We can choose to react with a positive outlook, or we can crumble under pressure. 

    Your report, my report, their report, the doctor’s report, and what about the Lord’s report? Who are we going to choose to believe? Let’s take a look at 2 Kings 4, Elisha prophesied to a woman that had been barren that she would bring forth a child. Can you imagine the excitement she must have had when she got the news that yes, she was pregnant? I am sure the enemy came to speak lies in her ears that the pregnancy was going to fail, but not once do we read that she caved.

    2 Kings 4 continues with the young son going to the field where his dad was reaping. The boy was complaining about his head, and he fell over dead. Now, his mother saddled a donkey and sped to Elisha’s house. Elisha saw her a far off approaching at a fast speed, so he sent his servant Gehazi to see what was going on. “Is everything okay with you? Your husband? Your son?” asked Gehazi. Her reply was shocking yet firm. “All is well,” she answered.  

    All is well? Wait, her son is dead, and she says, “All is well.” That makes absolutely no sense in the natural, but she trusted that the Lord who had given her this son could also raise him from the dead. Pause and think about that for a moment. 

    What is your response when it seems as though nothing is going your way? We are a prophet of our own lives because life and death are in the power of the tongue (Proverbs 18:21). Will you be like the woman who lost her son? Declaring all is well. If you continue to read the account in 2 Kings, you find out that Elisha raised her son from the dead all because she never came in agreement with his death. 

    No matter what kind of curve ball is thrown at us, we must take a stand and declare God’s report, His word. Life has ups and downs, but how we react will establish our next. So search out a scripture and begin to proclaim it over your circumstances and never back down from knowing that all is well.

    Tina Bassett resides in New Martinsville. She is a single mom of three beautiful daughters: Rachel, Charity, and Destiny. She is the director of the greeters/ushers, serves on the prayer team, and also participates on the praise and worship team at her local church. She loves animals and the beach. More than anything she wants her life to reflect God’s love and have an impact on those around her.

  • Our Security In An Ever-Changing World

    Our Security In An Ever-Changing World

    For I am the Lord, I do not change…(Malachi 3:6).


    Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away(Matthew 24:35).


    As we just passed the twenty-second anniversary of 9-11, we have to admit that things really changed that day. Our sense of safety and invincibility took a tremendous hit when that incident occurred. In addition, our economy has not fully recovered.

    Then came the Covid-19 pandemic. Many people died during that time. Many people suffer lingering effects from having the virus. Businesses were forced to shut down- some have never recovered.

    Along with these incidences, we have seen social, cultural and moral changes that never seemed possible. In fact, we are living out the words found in II Timothy 3:1-7:

    This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God. Having a form of godlines, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.

    No matter where we may look- in this rapid change- there is only one constant. God Himself is the one who can shelter us during this time.

    Many years ago, the Hinson Family sang the following words:

    The world may end tomorrow;
    The sun refuse to shine;
    The stars may cease to twinkle;
    The rivers may run dry;
    The mountains high and mighty may crumble to the ground; But Jesus is my fortress- in Him my hope is found.

    He never changes.
    He’s just the same.
    Now and forever, He will remain. Heaven and earth shall pass away, But one thing is sure.
    Our God is eternal- in Him I’m secure.

    I don’t know about you, but I like change in very small doses. Like it or not, change is inevitable. As believers, we can take comfort in the fact that our God does not change and He is eternal. He never leaves or forsakes His own. This is our security in an ever-changing world.

    Dave Snyder is an Ordained Bishop with the Church of God – Cleveland, Tennessee. Before entering the ministry on a full-time basis, he was a school teacher. He also coached middle school basketball for eight years.

    Dave and his wife, Sara, have two children  — Craig and Karen. They also have one ten year old granddaughter  — Breanna. 

    Dave and Sara pastored in West Virginia for thirty-six years. Sara is now retired from the banking industry, and Dave is retired from pastoring. However, Dave currently serves as prison Chaplain for the West Virginia Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation. 

    Writing essays, articles, and devotionals is a real passion for Dave. He also enjoys playing musical instruments and singing.

  • Confused By The Blessings

    Confused By The Blessings

    Sometimes answered prayers can lead to a whole new situation that you need to pray about.  I have prayed for months for a way to work from home and be able to help support our family and the opportunity literally came knocking at my door……well, a phone call to be honest.

    After being hired and working for the first two weeks, I struggled a lot.  It has been over thirteen years since I have been in the work force, and it was quite an adjustment.  Apparently, the world does not revolve around me and the office and workforce has continued to evolve and morph into a workplace where paper is dead and everything is electronic.  Nevertheless, I still show up with my spiral bound paper planner and fancy pens.

    The first thing I struggled with was time management, luckily my husband and kids have stepped in and been a tremendous help with responsibilities around the house.  I can really get use to his cooking (hint, hint).

    The second struggle I had was that I was so tired that I have neglected my personal Bible time and prayer with the Lord.  I found myself apologizing to the Lord on a daily basis.  I was exhausted at night and fell asleep early and got up just in time to start the morning routine for me and the kids.  So, over the weekend I had a talk with myself and realized that just apologizing the Lord wasn’t going to fix my problem.  I had two choices.

    1.  I could get up earlier and start my day the way I use to.
    2. I could find some time during the day for the special time.  No one said it had to be the first thing done in the morning.  (Even though I prefer to start my day that way)

    So, I began to take a hard look at my day and realized that I had a block of time mid-day that I could utilize for my time.  I’m a creature of habit and once I have a routine, I like to stick with it, but it wasn’t working out for me anymore.  So, the new time was noontime, at lunch.

    My third struggle was with this opportunity I couldn’t make it to church on Wednesday evenings.  I contemplated not working and making that time up on Saturday mornings, and I considered to continue the regular schedule and miss services but continue to listen to them later that night while getting ready for bed.  I was lost.

     I was whining about my dilemma one day and I was reminded by my husband that he had not been able to make it to mid-week services for years due to his work schedule and it made me stop and think, what does the Bible say about working?

    In 1 Timothy 5:8

    Anyone who does not provide

    for their relatives,

    and especially for their own household,

    has denied the faith and

    is worse than an unbeliever.

    What good would our world be if all the nurses would not work on Sundays and Wednesdays?  Our local police were all in a pew on Sunday mornings, our highways would be raceways or worse!  Your local grocery store shelves would be empty on Monday mornings if all the truckers decided not to work on Sundays and be there bright and early to deliver to your coffee and doughnuts to the supermarket on Monday mornings.

    Thankfully today most church’s livestream their services on YouTube or Facebook so they can be watched after work or the next time they have a break or a day off. 

    Even if you are not able to attend every time the doors are open remember that you still need to make time to spend with the Lord and take advantage of technology to stay in touch.

    As for me, I am still praying about my situation and listening to see if I am being selfish by not working and going to mid-week services and missing work opportunities or if I am being selfish and worrying more about providing a paycheck and not enough about being present with my family at church.   

    To be continued……

    Tammy Bassett is a speaker and the author of the Mopping Up Your Blessings blog. She was born and raised a country girl who’s roots run deep in the mountains of Appalachia. She has worked a wide variety of jobs ranging from radio to insurance agent. She is now a stay-at-home mom, who along with her husband, are raising five daughters (ages 10 to 25), seven cats and one dog. She uses her accounting and business administration degree to help run her busy household.
    She loves spending time with her family and homeschooling her two youngest children. She spends a lot of her day trying to conquer the obstacles in her home. With four of her children still living at home the laundry pile (nicknamed Mt. Wash-more) is her nemesis. Some days she wins and some days she doesn’t, but she always gets up the next day and tries again.
    She also loves camping with her family as long as there is a camper with air conditioning, a comfy bed, and indoor plumbing. Her downfall is her obsession with iced coffee. Thankfully the closest Starbucks is an hour from her home, or she would be broke. She also loves reading and learning new skills such as homesteading, being more self-sustainable, gardening and foraging.
    She relates the most to her favorite animal, the alpaca. They are both kind of weird and look like they are two months past due on a haircut. Much like alpacas she makes a gentle humming noise when happy and if irritated she often stamps the ground with her feet. Her husband has refused to buy her an alpaca much to her disappointment.
    But more than anything, she loves the Lord and is growing more in her faith each day and hopes to inspire others to do the same. She wants everyone to understand that God’s grace is truly amazing and has changed her from the inside out and he can do the same for you.

  • Don’t Be Afraid

    Don’t Be Afraid

    One day, she stopped being afraid of what might go wrong and she decided to trust God and receive all the good things that He has in store for her….

    PROVERBS 3:5-6:

    Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; 6 in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.

    This verse instructs us not to put our trust in our own knowledge, but onto the Lord.

    We want to trust our own instincts over Gods… Well, where does that get us? Not far.

    The Lord has a plan for us.

    But when we do trust Him, our life flows so much more smoothly.

    PSALM 18:2:

    The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.  

    There have been several times in my life that I have tried to do it “MY WAY”. Yeah… not a good turnout. Had I just listened to God, things would have been so much better. You would think that I would have learned my lesson, but that doesn’t always happen right away.

    ISAIAH 41:10

    So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

    Some things to remember:

    1. Put God First
    2. Pray
    3. Read God’s Word
    4. Be Grateful
    5. Walk In the Holy Spirit

    If you are still struggling, ask God for help.

    Ask him to take control of the situation. He loves you and wants nothing more than for you to TRUST in him.

    PSALMS 56:3-4

    When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. 4 In God, whose word I praise— in God I trust and am not afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?

    So, I hope this helps someone today… Do we always get it right??? No, but God will help us through it.

    Have a blessed day… and always keep your cup full.☕️

    Lou Ann Virden is the author of the blog Farmhouse, Coffee and Jesus. She is very active in her church. She volunteers in the food pantry, usher/greeter team, and cleaning crew. She is on the prayer team, is over the sound room team, and she writes the newsletter for her church. Lou Ann and her husband Donnie will be relaunching The Refuge 180 Evangelism Ministry. They have been married for over 40 years. They live on her husband’s family farm with their dog Hunter. In the summer they are busy canning what they harvest from their garden. Her hobbies include going to the beach, reading, camping, and serving however she can. She hopes that her blogs inspires someone that might be dealing with a similar situation.

  • The Wedding Is Still On

    The Wedding Is Still On

    Then a voice came from the throne, saying, “Praise our God, all you His servants and those who fear Him, both small and great!” And I heard, as it were, the voice of a great multitude, as the sound of many waters and as the sound of mighty thunderings, saying, “Alleluia!” For the Lord God Omnipotent reigns! Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready.” And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. Then he said to me, “Write: Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb!” And he said to me, “These are the true sayings of God.” (Revelation 19:5-9)

    It was to be an outdoor summer wedding at Grand Vue Park. Rehearsal- in the warm evening sun- was conducted without a hitch. My, how things can change!

    Rain moved in early the next morning and refused to leave. This wasn’t just rain showers; this was torrential downpours that continued to pound the area. Water crossing the roads and a lack of visibility made driving hazardous- nearly impossible at times.

    Wedding time quickly approached. The archway that had been built for the outdoors was set up in the reception hall. The wedding party was nearly ready. Last minute guests were filtering in. Well, when it rains it pours- or messes up outdoor weddings!

    A phone call launched the proceedings into disarray again. The deejay- along with the wedding music- would be delayed due to an accident on the interstate.

    An hour later, everyone was prepared to conduct the wedding minus music. Just as the groomsmen were prepared to escort the mother of the bride and the mother of the groom into the hall, the deejay arrived with all his musical equipment. The wedding was still on!

    Did you know there is a wedding scheduled in Heaven? Jesus is the bridegroom and His Church is the bride.

    Rain will fall on the soon to be bride. Scripture declares that it rains on the just and the unjust. In fact, at times it will seem the wedding is delayed and the music is silent.

    Appearances will not interfere with reality. God has this wedding planned and it will happen. Through the floods of life’s cares and through the fires of persecution His Church will prevail. His people will hear these words, “Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honor to Him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and His wife has made herself ready.”

    YES, THE WEDDING IS STILL ON!

    We must keep in mind that there is something far better than this world offers for those who know and love Jesus. As we live for Him and endeavor to labor for His Kingdom we are preparing for that great wedding day. We are simply laying up treasures in Heaven according to Matthew 6:19-21. However, storms will come.

    Everyone- believer or unbeliever- faces storms in this life. We who believe in Him always have His comfort and His presence with us no matter how fierce the storms are. Notice these verses:

    Now when He got into a boat, His disciples followed Him. And suddenly a great tempest arose on the sea, so that the boat was covered with the waves. But he was asleep. Then His disciples came to Him, saying, “Lord, save us! We are perishing!” But he said to them, “Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?” Then He arose and and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. So the men marveled, saying, “Who can this be, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?” (Matthew 8:23-27)

    If the wind is howling, the rain is pouring and the waves are rising- we cannot drown when He is in our boat. Despite the storms of life- the wedding is still on!

    In John 16:33, Jesus said, “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.” Not only do we face storms that are common to our existence- we face persecution also.

    In a world full of unbelief, we will suffer for our faith. In Matthew 5:11-12, Jesus said we are blessed when people revile and persecute us. In fact, He said our reward will be great in Heaven. We look past the persecution in anticipation of what is ahead. Look at the words found in II Corinthians 4:17-18:

    For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, 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.

    Persecution will come, but we have something wonderful that is being prepared for us. Yes, the wedding is still on!

    Dave Snyder is an Ordained Bishop with the Church of God – Cleveland, Tennessee. Before entering the ministry on a full-time basis, he was a school teacher. He also coached middle school basketball for eight years.

    Dave and his wife, Sara, have two children  — Craig and Karen. They also have one ten year old granddaughter  — Breanna. 

    Dave and Sara pastored in West Virginia for thirty-six years. Sara is now retired from the banking industry, and Dave is retired from pastoring. However, Dave currently serves as prison Chaplain for the West Virginia Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation. 

    Writing essays, articles, and devotionals is a real passion for Dave. He also enjoys playing musical instruments and singing.

  • Obedience

    Obedience

    “Why do you call me Lord, Lord, and do not do what I say?” Luke 6.46 NIV

    What looks like foolishness to one is nothing short of obedience to the Father to some. It doesn’t have to make sense to you what He is asking of her, it only has to make sense to her (and even that can be iffy at times if we were to be honest). So many of you claim that you are obedient to Him, but yet when something comes up that He asks of you that is hard, heartbreaking or seems just flat out un-doable, you either tend to turn cheek to it or you drag your feet on doing it until it’s well past the time to accomplish what it is He asked of you.

    I believe that many of you only think that being obedient to God falls under following His precepts and commandments. You don’t realize that oftentimes He asks of you to sacrifice and alter your life and lifestyle, oftentimes rather regularly. The problem is the majority don’t take the time to learn to listen for His voice, or to learn to discern His voice over our own within our head. I think you’d be shocked at how many of those small inner conversations you have with yourself aren’t really your own.

    And for those that do know how to discern the difference, it’s easy for us to pick and choose when we want to listen to what He’s asking of us. When it’s something that we don’t want to do, or something that may be hard or uncomfortable, we tend to ignore Him and act like we didn’t hear it at all. We are usually on board to complete the small tasks He sets forth for us, but those big things or those hard, uncomfortable things, yeah we act like we can’t hear Him.

    Y’all realize He knows you’re picking and choosing when to acknowledge and when to be obedient to Him, right? And what is the funniest part of it to me, and probably not as humorous to Him, is that those hard things that you are choosing to ignore Him over, if you would only ask Him for help with the task it wouldn’t be nearly as hard, nor as intimidating as it seems when He asks you to take it on. It wouldn’t be as heartbreaking, because He will heal your heart and replace the hurt with something new. He isn’t asking you to sacrifice anything that He isn’t planning on replacing with something better.

    “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.” Proverbs 3.5-6 NIV

    How often do we find ourselves struggling to be obedient to God and trusting Him when he’s asked us to do something, but then after the fact we sit and reflect and realize that had we not been obedient we would have never achieved the bountiful blessings He had in store for us? How many of us struggled for years with something and once we surrendered to God and became obedient to Him, what we had once struggled with suddenly became easy to overcome? And we tend to kick ourselves because had we only surrendered whatever it had been all that time ago we would have saved so much energy to start with?

    God is testing… calling His people to be obedient in ways that we never thought we would have to before. The coming days He is going to be testing a lot of His people on our obedience because He needs those that are going to do what He calls and commands us to do, when He does and without questioning, hesitating or allowing our flesh to interfere. He is calling His army together, the ones that will answer to His call above all else and won’t allow anyone or anything to interfere with that.

    “We must obey God rather than men…” Acts 5.29 ESV

    I think so many of us shy away from what those inner conversations tell us that we need to do because it sounds hard, or if I were to be honest, down right frightening at times. We think to ourselves there is absolutely no way I can do that, or there is no way that will happen. I’m not smart enough, strong enough, or brave enough. We tend to automatically rely on our own thought processes verses running to our Lord and relying on Him above everything else. We need to utilize Jesus’ actions as our own goals and to focus on the promise set forth as in Hebrews 5, verses 7-9 ESV,

    ‘In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to him who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence. Although he was a son, he learned obedience through what he suffered. And being made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him…’

    There is coming a day where His children are going to find out that there is a huge difference in the levels of obedience He is asking of us. He wants his people to remember how obedience played a vital role for Noah, Moses, Abraham, Daniel, Paul and even Jesus himself while he was here. He isn’t looking for lukewarm, when it is convenient for you Christians. He is looking for devoted, all or nothing, 1 John 5 type Christians…

    “This is how we can be sure that we love the children of God: by having a passionate love for God and by obedience to his commands. True love for God means obeying his commands, and his commands don’t weigh us down as heavy burdens. You see, every child of God overcomes the world, for our faith is the victorious power that triumphs over the world. So who are the world conquerors, defeating its power? Those who believe that Jesus is the Son of God.” 1 John 5.2-5 TPT

    Billie is a 40-something stay-at-home momma of five beautiful children and Grammy to three grandchildren. When not wrangling the littles, she babysits for her two adult children. You will find her gardening, canning, baking, and making the most delicious meals for her family. Billie is a multitasker juggling a team of miniature tyrants, a cat, a snake, two dogs, two rats, and nine chickens. In her spare time, she enjoys reading and studying her bible. Her passion is sharing the gospel through her writing! So, whether she’s feeding your body with delicious meals or feeding your soul through her writing, join Billie as she takes you on a journey providing you with “Food for Thought.”