March 21st, 2022
by Tom Cabaniss
by Tom Cabaniss
Getting stuck is never fun. We can get stuck without a car, stuck in mud, stuck in a storm without an umbrella and stuck in a situation where we would rather not be. We can also get stuck in our faith. And in those times, we are not where we would like to be. Or better yet, we are not where we know God wants us to be. We are simply stuck. Israel was stuck in the wilderness for some forty years. They were stuck in an inhospitable and punishing terrain for reasons of their own making and choosing. They could have gone straight to the land God had promised them after they left Egypt. But their disobedience, sinfulness and stubbornness held them back. The people were stuck on the edge of the Promised Land. What a frustrating place to be! But also, what a totally unnecessary place to be.
I read a devotional recently written by Lori Wilkerson Stewart where she wrote about Israel being stuck in the land of “almost.” And they were...almost in the land God had chosen for them but not there yet. Even Moses lost his place. It can be easy to get stuck in our own land of “almost.” We can see something good that lies ahead but we cannot reach it. In fact, it remains agonizingly frustrating and painful. A gambler believes he is just one more roll of the dice away from a life-changing win. An abusive parent believes this latest episode of rage is the last one—better times are on the way. Joshua gives us some help for how to break free from being stuck in the land of almost. “Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the instructions Moses gave you. Do not deviate from them, turning either to the right or to the left. Then you will be successful in everything you do” (Joshua 1:7).
We are to know God’s Word and follow it wholeheartedly—not just picking and choosing whatever seems best to us. We are to seek the Lord with a broken and contrite heart—wanting Him and Him alone above all other things that we could pursue. We are to be strong, courageous and consistent in doing what is right. We are not to let sin crowd our lives or blind our eyes. God has good for us to pursue and to do. If you find yourself stuck today spiritually, there are some good steps you can begin to take. You do not have to stay where you are.
Make time to pray and read the Bible. Worship the Lord—and not just on Sundays. Worship Him throughout the week. Complement your Bible reading with a good devotional book. Our church library is filled with excellent resources and our staff is happy to help you find something that fits where you are in life. Serve and volunteer. Add some energy and momentum to your life. Get moving to serve others. When we stop looking at ourselves or looking down, we enjoy a better view of life and faith.
If we are not moving forward and growing in our faith, we can easily get stuck. And even worse, we can slide backwards. Few Christians want to be stuck or aspire to be that way. No one wants to be voted “most likely to be stuck.” Situations happen. Life changes. Battles start to pile up. And we let some important values start to slide. In your mind, name some ways that God has been good to you. Now, think of how you can use that goodness or blessing by paying it forward into someone else’s life. Muscles that sit idle and unused will surely atrophy. And so too will faith muscles that we do not use. An inactive faith will atrophy and find itself stuck like a Russian tank in a Ukrainian winter. If you are stuck today, you certainly are not alone. And recognizing your stuck spiritual state is a good first step. Next, get up, get moving and get your faith back to where you know it should be. Have a great Monday! Remember you can always share our worship at youtube.com/FirstBaptistKannapolis.
I read a devotional recently written by Lori Wilkerson Stewart where she wrote about Israel being stuck in the land of “almost.” And they were...almost in the land God had chosen for them but not there yet. Even Moses lost his place. It can be easy to get stuck in our own land of “almost.” We can see something good that lies ahead but we cannot reach it. In fact, it remains agonizingly frustrating and painful. A gambler believes he is just one more roll of the dice away from a life-changing win. An abusive parent believes this latest episode of rage is the last one—better times are on the way. Joshua gives us some help for how to break free from being stuck in the land of almost. “Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the instructions Moses gave you. Do not deviate from them, turning either to the right or to the left. Then you will be successful in everything you do” (Joshua 1:7).
We are to know God’s Word and follow it wholeheartedly—not just picking and choosing whatever seems best to us. We are to seek the Lord with a broken and contrite heart—wanting Him and Him alone above all other things that we could pursue. We are to be strong, courageous and consistent in doing what is right. We are not to let sin crowd our lives or blind our eyes. God has good for us to pursue and to do. If you find yourself stuck today spiritually, there are some good steps you can begin to take. You do not have to stay where you are.
Make time to pray and read the Bible. Worship the Lord—and not just on Sundays. Worship Him throughout the week. Complement your Bible reading with a good devotional book. Our church library is filled with excellent resources and our staff is happy to help you find something that fits where you are in life. Serve and volunteer. Add some energy and momentum to your life. Get moving to serve others. When we stop looking at ourselves or looking down, we enjoy a better view of life and faith.
If we are not moving forward and growing in our faith, we can easily get stuck. And even worse, we can slide backwards. Few Christians want to be stuck or aspire to be that way. No one wants to be voted “most likely to be stuck.” Situations happen. Life changes. Battles start to pile up. And we let some important values start to slide. In your mind, name some ways that God has been good to you. Now, think of how you can use that goodness or blessing by paying it forward into someone else’s life. Muscles that sit idle and unused will surely atrophy. And so too will faith muscles that we do not use. An inactive faith will atrophy and find itself stuck like a Russian tank in a Ukrainian winter. If you are stuck today, you certainly are not alone. And recognizing your stuck spiritual state is a good first step. Next, get up, get moving and get your faith back to where you know it should be. Have a great Monday! Remember you can always share our worship at youtube.com/FirstBaptistKannapolis.
Recent
Archive
2024
January
February
March
April
May
2023
January
Monday, January 2, 2023Tuesday, January 3, 2023Wednesday, January 4, 2023Thursday, January 5, 2023Monday, January 9, 2023Tuesday, January 10, 2023Wednesday, January 11, 2023Thursday, January 12, 2023Monday, January 16, 2023Tuesday, January 17, 2023Wednesday, January 18, 2023Thursday, January 19, 2023Monday, January 23, 2023Tuesday, January 24, 2023Wednesday, January 25, 2023Thursday, January 26, 2023Monday, January 30, 2023Tuesday, January 31, 2023
February
Wednesday, February 1, 2023Thursday, February 2, 2023Monday, February 6, 2023Tuesday, February 7, 2023Wednesday, February 8, 2023Thursday, February 9, 2023Monday, February 13, 2023Tuesday, February 14, 2023Wednesday, February 15, 2023Thursday, February 16, 2023Monday, February 20, 2023Tuesday, February 21, 2023Wednesday, February 22, 2023Thursday, February 23, 2023Monday, February 27, 2023Tuesday, February 28, 2023
March
Wednesday, March 1, 2023Thursday, March 2, 2023Monday, March 6, 2023Tuesday, March 7, 2023Wednesday, March 8, 2023Thursday, March 9, 2023Monday, March 13, 2023Tuesday, March 14, 2023Wednesday, March 15, 2023Thursday, March 16, 2023Monday, March 20, 2023Tuesday, March 21, 2023Wednesday, March 22, 2023Monday, March 27, 2023March 28, 2023Wednesday, March 29, 2023Thursday, March 30, 2023
April
Categories
Tags
Acts
Bible
Communion
Cross
God's will
God\'s will
God
Gospels
Holy Spirit
Holy Week
Jesus
Joseph
Lent
Peter
Reformation
Satan
accountability
action
advent
all saints
allegory
anger
anxiety
apologetics
atonement
awareness
awe
backsliding
baptism
beginning
beloved
betrayal
bitterness
blessing
born again
burden
burnout
calling
care
change
character
chistmas
choices
christian living
christmas
church history
church
circumcision
comfort
commitment
community
compassion
complacency
confession
confidence
consequences
contentment
control
conversation
cost
courage
creation
death
debt
deception
decisions
deliverance
denial
dependence
depth
desire
despair
determination
devotion
direction
discernment
discipleship
discouragement
dishonesty
disobedience
distractions
doctrine
doubt
dreams
eagerness
emotion
encouragement
end times
endurance
equality
eternal life
eternity
evangelism
evil
example
facing battles
faithful living
faithfulness
faith
family
fatigue
fear
fellowship
focus
follow
foreshadowing
forgiveness
foundation
freedom
friends
fruit of the Spirit
future
generosity
gifts
giving
glory
goodness
gospel
grace
grateful
gratitude
greed
grit
growth
guidance
guilt
halloween
happiness
healing
heart
heaven
help
history
holiday
holiness
home
honesty
hope
humble
humility
identity
impossible
incarnation
inspiration
instruction
integrity
intentional
jealousy
journey
joy
judgment
justice
justification
kindness
kingdom
knowing God
lament
law
leadership
lead
lies
life
listening
love
martin luther
maturity
measure
memorial
memories
mentoring
mercy
messiah
minor prophets
miracles
missions
mission
mistakes
motives
mountaintops
mourning
music
nation
nativity
nature
new year
new
next generation
obedience
obstacles
offering
omniscience
opportunity
opposition
overcoming
parenting
passion
path
patience
peace
pentecost
persecution
perseverence
perspective
plan
poetry
power
praise
prayer
preparation
presence
pressure
pride
priorities
process
prodigal
progress
promise
prophecy
protection
provision
psalm
purpose
rebellion
reconcile
redemption
refuge
rejoice
relationship
remember
remembrance
renewal
renown
repentance
resentment
resolution
restoration
rest
resurrection
return
revenge
revival
righteousness
risk
sacrifice
sadness
salt
salvation
sanctification
scripture
second coming
seeking God
self-control
serenity
sermon
service
shame
sharing
silence
sincerity
sin
solitude
sorrow
sovereignty
spiritual disciplines
standard
star
stewardship
storms
strength
struggle
stubbornness
stuck
submission
success
suffering
surrender
talents
talking
temple
temptation
ten commandments
testimony
testing
thankfulness
thankful
thanksgiving
theology
time
tithes
tough times
traditions
transfiguration
trials
trinity
troubles
trust
truth
veterans
victory
vision
waiting
warning
weakness
wisdom
wise men
witness
wonder
work
worship
No Comments