Blessed Life Fellowship

This past Sunday at BLF we conducted a Zoom meeting where several members of the congregation provided their perspectives and life lessons on the times we are living in.  While that Zoom meeting wasn't recorded, Pastor Andy provides an overview of that discussion here and the high points of each participant's input.  The theme interwoven throughout each participant's talking point were that we can trust God in the storms of life, and while it may not be comfortable at the moment, it's all going to work out for our good.  At the end of this short 20-minute post, Pastor Andy provides his own input on the Biblical response during times like these.   

The Bible says in Isaiah 60 that even though "darkness has covered the earth and thick darkness the people," God's glory has nevertheless risen upon His people.  So in these uncertain times when darkness seems to have advanced, we are assured that God's glory and favor are upon those who fear Him, and we should in turn allow His light to shine through us to others.  This teaching provides three ways we can allow the light that God has shown upon us to shine on others, thus dispelling the darkness.  This season is a great opportunity for God's people to arise and shine!    

Exodus 12 is the story of how the firstborn of Egypt were destroyed by the angel of death but passed over the Israelites when their doorposts were painted with the blood of a lamb.  This is a prophetic picture of what Jesus would do many generations later when He became the Lamb of God Who protects us from the wrath of God against sin when He took our punishment upon Himself.  Learn in this short 23-minute teaching how important the Old Testament is in providing "types and shadows" of what would be fulfilled later in Jesus as we celebrate the finished work of Jesus on the cross and His glorious resurrection.  

Longterm quarantine can cause some people to experience a little sense of stir-craziness.  When more than one person is occupying the same house without being able to leave the premises very often, the extended closeness may cause people to get on one another's nerves.  And yes, the Bible has a lot to say about this, too.  Complete with the visual aid of slides in video format, learn in this short teaching how to successfully manage your family relationships when times are tense.  And if you live alone, this will still help with relationships in general.  

The little chapter of Philippians 4 is packed with powerful truth that is especially meaningful for the times we are in.  From this chapter we learn how to respond in times of difficulty, how to pray effectively, how to tap into divine provision, how to enter a place of peace and contentment even in the midst of trial, and how to trust Christ as our giver of strength.  This 20-minute teaching will shed new light on a little chapter that illuminates a big God.  

Second Timothy 1:7 tells us that God has not given us a spirit of fear.  How does this translate to a proper and Biblical response to the coronavirus then?  This personal message by Pastor Andy is a half-hour overview of Andrew Wommack's 2-hour "Faith Over Fear" teleconference from this past Sunday evening, plus some additional commentary that will help to bolster our faith and give us a wise and Biblical way to respond to the current situation our society is facing.  

In perilous times it's good to refresh our memories on the promises of God.  This mini-teaching reminds us that God has made wonderful promises of protection for those who draw near to Him -- promises that we can stand on when everything around us seems to be in upheaval.  Be encouraged as we celebrate the wonderful promises of God and remind ourselves that we need not fear plagues or disaster.  

As Christians we can often fall into the same trap of the world around us in seeking our individual identities in temporal and shallow things.  In this teaching, BLF member Ebenezer Olatuyi shares in his very first full length teaching at BLF how our identities as individuals need to be established, and what the foundation is on which those identities rest.  We are reminded by Ebenezer that God's love is enough!  

One important characteristic of faith is demonstrated in an event in the life of Elijah when he prepared for a great rain to break a longtime drought.  The timing of his preparation is instructive in our lives of faith in showing us that faith prepares for the answer to our prayers even when there is little or no evidence of that answer having manifest, but also in the fact that faith is very practical at times and impractical in others, depending on the situation.  Prepare to learn in this teaching how God might be requiring you to act and get ready for the answers to your prayers to manifest.  

Medical science has discovered that a person's words and attitudes have a lot to do with their health and treatment outcomes.  Small segments of the medical world have simply stumbled upon a concept that Jesus taught and demonstrated over 2,000 years ago.  Our words have the power to shape our world, and God's standard is that we speak HIS words.  In fact, we learn in this teaching that God considers any words that oppose what He has said an "evil report."  The Bible also tells us that we will give an account some day for every unproductive or damaging word we have spoken.  Learn in this teaching why what we say matters so much.