Words of Inspiration - If we faint not

[00:00:37] [SPEAKER_00]: Welcome to The Bible Speaks with your host Elgin Carelock.

[00:00:42] [SPEAKER_00]: The Bible Speaks is a daily podcast dedicated to sharing the good news of Jesus Christ, rightly

[00:00:49] [SPEAKER_00]: dividing the word of truth and learning how to apply it to our daily lives.

[00:00:55] [SPEAKER_00]: You may contact Elgin at the address given at the end of the broadcast, and now here's

[00:01:01] [SPEAKER_00]: Elgin.

[00:01:02] [SPEAKER_01]: Brothers and sisters, I welcome you in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit

[00:01:09] [SPEAKER_01]: to another episode of Words of Inspiration where we dive into the life-changing truths

[00:01:16] [SPEAKER_01]: of Scripture and explore how they apply to our everyday lives.

[00:01:21] [SPEAKER_01]: Today we're going to talk about something that we all face at one point or another

[00:01:27] [SPEAKER_01]: to challenge of staying focused on God's Word and personal growth in the midst of life's

[00:01:34] [SPEAKER_01]: many pressures.

[00:01:36] [SPEAKER_01]: Our topic today is If We Faint Not.

[00:01:42] [SPEAKER_01]: This phrase is drawn from Galatians 6 verse 9, a verse that encourages and challenges

[00:01:49] [SPEAKER_01]: us at the same time.

[00:01:58] [SPEAKER_01]: It reads,

[00:02:00] [SPEAKER_01]: Life is full of challenges and sometimes it can feel overwhelming to stay focused on spiritual

[00:02:09] [SPEAKER_01]: growth and the things of God when we're juggling work, family, personal struggles, and the

[00:02:16] [SPEAKER_01]: noise of the world around us.

[00:02:19] [SPEAKER_01]: But Galatians 6 and 9 offers us a promise, a promise that if we don't give up, if we don't

[00:02:27] [SPEAKER_01]: grow weary, there will be a harvest.

[00:02:30] [SPEAKER_01]: But how do we keep from feigning, from growing weary in the middle of everything life throws

[00:02:36] [SPEAKER_01]: at us?

[00:02:38] [SPEAKER_01]: Today, Sister Julia and I are going to explore that question by looking at principal ways

[00:02:44] [SPEAKER_01]: to stay focused on God's Word and our spiritual growth, even when life gets tough.

[00:02:52] [SPEAKER_01]: We also draw on other scriptures that give us strength and guidance as we press on.

[00:03:00] [SPEAKER_00]: Good morning everyone.

[00:03:02] [SPEAKER_00]: The first key to not feinting is staying rooted in the Word of God.

[00:03:35] [SPEAKER_00]: Psalm 1, 2 and 3 tells us,

[00:04:05] [SPEAKER_00]: This can be done through daily life.

[00:04:07] [SPEAKER_00]: The Bible reading, meditating on verses throughout the day, and even memorizing scriptures that

[00:04:15] [SPEAKER_00]: speaks to the challenges you're facing.

[00:04:18] [SPEAKER_00]: When God's Word is deeply planted in our hearts, it becomes a source of strength that sustains

[00:04:26] [SPEAKER_00]: us through difficult times.

[00:04:29] [SPEAKER_01]: The second key is prayer.

[00:04:32] [SPEAKER_01]: Philippians 4, 6 and 7 says,

[00:04:35] [SPEAKER_01]: Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving,

[00:04:44] [SPEAKER_01]: let the requests be made known to God, and the peace of God which surpasses all understanding

[00:04:51] [SPEAKER_01]: will guide your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

[00:04:55] [SPEAKER_01]: Prayer is our lifeline to God, the way that we stay connected to Him in the midst of life's

[00:05:02] [SPEAKER_01]: busyness.

[00:05:04] [SPEAKER_01]: It's not just about asking God for help, though that's certainly part of it.

[00:05:09] [SPEAKER_01]: It also is about aligning our hearts with His, finding peace in His presence and receiving

[00:05:17] [SPEAKER_01]: the strength we need to keep going.

[00:05:20] [SPEAKER_01]: When you're feeling weary, when you're tempted to faint, take time to pray.

[00:05:27] [SPEAKER_01]: Bring your burdens to God and let His peace wash over you.

[00:05:32] [SPEAKER_01]: Remember, you don't have to carry the weight of life on your own.

[00:05:36] [SPEAKER_01]: God is with you, ready to strengthen and support you.

[00:05:41] [SPEAKER_00]: Another important aspect of staying strong in the face of challenges is the support

[00:05:47] [SPEAKER_00]: of fellow believers.

[00:05:49] [SPEAKER_00]: Hebrews 10, 24 and 25 tells us, and let us consider how we may spur one another toward

[00:05:57] [SPEAKER_00]: love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together as some are in the habit of doing,

[00:06:05] [SPEAKER_00]: but encouraging one another and all the more as you see the day approaching.

[00:06:11] [SPEAKER_00]: We were never meant to walk this journey alone.

[00:06:14] [SPEAKER_00]: Fellowship with other believers provides us with the encouragement and accountability we

[00:06:20] [SPEAKER_00]: need to stay focused and not give up.

[00:06:23] [SPEAKER_00]: When we gather together, whether in church, small groups or even casual conversations

[00:06:29] [SPEAKER_00]: with Christian friends, we remind each other of God's promises and help carry each other's burdens.

[00:06:38] [SPEAKER_00]: If we're struggling to stay focused, reach out to a fellow believer.

[00:06:44] [SPEAKER_00]: Share your struggles, pray together and encourage one another to keep pressing on.

[00:06:51] [SPEAKER_00]: The body of Christ is a powerful source of strength and support, especially when we're

[00:06:56] [SPEAKER_00]: feeling weary.

[00:06:57] [SPEAKER_01]: One of the biggest reasons we can grow weary and faint is because we lose sight

[00:07:03] [SPEAKER_01]: of the bigger picture.

[00:07:05] [SPEAKER_01]: 2 Corinthians 4 verses 16 through 18 reminds us, therefore we do not lose heart, though outwardly

[00:07:15] [SPEAKER_01]: we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day, for our light and momentary

[00:07:22] [SPEAKER_01]: troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.

[00:07:29] [SPEAKER_01]: So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary,

[00:07:38] [SPEAKER_01]: but what is unseen is eternal.

[00:07:42] [SPEAKER_01]: This passage encourages us to keep an eternal perspective, to remember that our present

[00:07:49] [SPEAKER_01]: struggles are temporary and that God is using them to prepare us for something far greater.

[00:07:56] [SPEAKER_01]: When we focus on the eternal rewards, the harvest that Galatians 6 and 9 speaks of, it gives

[00:08:05] [SPEAKER_01]: us the strength to endure our current challenges.

[00:08:08] [SPEAKER_01]: When you feel like giving up, remind yourself of the eternal glory that God is preparing

[00:08:14] [SPEAKER_01]: for you.

[00:08:15] [SPEAKER_01]: Fix your eyes on Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, and let his example

[00:08:22] [SPEAKER_01]: inspire you to keep going, no matter how tough things get.

[00:08:27] [SPEAKER_00]: Finally, let's talk about the importance of rest.

[00:08:31] [SPEAKER_00]: Even as we strive to stay focused and grow in our faith, we need to recognize the

[00:08:37] [SPEAKER_00]: importance of taking time to rest and renew our strength.

[00:08:42] [SPEAKER_00]: Jesus himself modeled this for us.

[00:08:45] [SPEAKER_00]: Mark 631 records Jesus saying to his disciples,

[00:08:51] [SPEAKER_00]: come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.

[00:08:56] [SPEAKER_00]: We can't pour out continually without taking time to be refilled.

[00:09:02] [SPEAKER_00]: Sabbath, rest, quiet time with God and even physical rest are all necessary

[00:09:08] [SPEAKER_00]: components to staying strong and focused.

[00:09:11] [SPEAKER_00]: If you're feeling weary, consider whether you might need to step back and

[00:09:17] [SPEAKER_00]: take some time to rest in God's presence.

[00:09:21] [SPEAKER_00]: It's often in those quiet moments that we find the renewal we need to keep going.

[00:09:28] [SPEAKER_01]: So how do we stay focused on God's word and our personal growth in the midst

[00:09:33] [SPEAKER_01]: of life challenges?

[00:09:35] [SPEAKER_01]: We stay rooted in Scripture.

[00:09:37] [SPEAKER_01]: We connect with God through prayer.

[00:09:40] [SPEAKER_01]: We find support in fellowship with other believers.

[00:09:44] [SPEAKER_01]: We keep an eternal perspective and we take time for rest and renewal.

[00:09:50] [SPEAKER_01]: These practices help us to not only not faint, but to press on with confidence

[00:09:57] [SPEAKER_01]: knowing that in due season we will reap if we do not give up.

[00:10:02] [SPEAKER_01]: As you go about your day and your week, remember that God's power is at work within you.

[00:10:09] [SPEAKER_01]: You're not alone in your struggles.

[00:10:11] [SPEAKER_01]: And as you stay focused and faithful, God will bring about the harvest.

[00:10:16] [SPEAKER_01]: He has promised.

[00:10:18] [SPEAKER_01]: I thank you for spending time with us on today and we look forward

[00:10:23] [SPEAKER_01]: to our conversation on tomorrow.

[00:10:26] [SPEAKER_01]: Until then, God bless.

[00:10:28] [SPEAKER_00]: God bless.

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[00:11:06] [SPEAKER_00]: You may contact Elgin at PO Box 5582 or California 34478

[00:11:16] [SPEAKER_00]: or by email at thebiblespeaksonline at gmail.com.