Notes of Faith July 25, 2026

Notes of Faith July 25, 2026

Your Best Friend

I am your best Friend, as well as your King. Walk hand in hand with Me through your life. Together we will face whatever each day brings: pleasures, hardships, adventures, disappointments. Nothing is wasted when it is shared with Me.

I can bring beauty out of the ashes of lost dreams. I can glean Joy out of sorrow, Peace out of adversity. Only a Friend who is also the King of kings could accomplish this divine alchemy.

There is no other like Me!

The friendship I offer you is practical and down-to-earth, yet it is saturated with heavenly Glory. Living in My Presence means living in two realms simultaneously: the visible world and unseen, eternal reality. I have equipped you to stay conscious of Me while walking along dusty, earthbound paths.

Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. You are My friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from My Father I have made known to you.

— John 15:13-15

Pastor Dale

Notes of Faith July 24, 2026

Notes of Faith July 24, 2026

The Spirit Chapter

The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace.

Romans 8:6, NIV

Some chapters of the Bible are special enough to have nicknames. We call Hebrews 11 the Faith Chapter of the Bible. We think of 1 Corinthians 13 as the Love Chapter. Psalm 23 is the Shepherd’s Psalm. We consider Romans 8 the Holy Spirit Chapter of the Bible. The Spirit is mentioned twice in the first seven chapters of Romans. In Romans 8, the Holy Spirit is mentioned about twenty times.

When our mind is governed by the Spirit, a peace floods our hearts. The Spirit takes the verses of the Bible which we have been studying, and He makes them real to us. We learn to set our minds on Christ and turn our thoughts to things above.

When we have fears and doubts, we can experience the peace of God as the Holy Spirit manifests the life of Christ in and through us. Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to come alongside us to comfort and encourage us. Take steps to make sure your mind is governed by the Spirit. Focus on Scripture. Let the truth of God establish your steps.

Rom 8:1-9

8 So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. 2 And because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death. 3 The law of Moses was unable to save us because of the weakness of our sinful nature. So God did what the law could not do. He sent his own Son in a body like the bodies we sinners have. And in that body God declared an end to sin's control over us by giving his Son as a sacrifice for our sins. 4 He did this so that the just requirement of the law would be fully satisfied for us, who no longer follow our sinful nature but instead follow the Spirit.

5 Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit. 6 So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace. 7 For the sinful nature is always hostile to God. It never did obey God's laws, and it never will. 8 That's why those who are still under the control of their sinful nature can never please God.

9 But you are not controlled by your sinful nature. You are controlled by the Spirit if you have the Spirit of God living in you.

Let us stand firm in truth, yielding our mind and heart to the leading of the Spirit, that we might live a life pleasing to God! Through Jesus Christ we have already won the battle over sin and death. Give Him glory and honor by following His life as given to us in the gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.

God lives within every believer! Heavenly Father, I pray for myself and all who read this, that we might let God within us shine forth to the world around us, bringing as many as are called by God to come into the family and join us in sharing the gospel of Jesus and true life in Him!

Pastor Dale

Notes of Faith July 23, 2026

Notes of Faith July 23, 2026

Not Fair!

Surely God will never do wickedly, nor will the Almighty pervert justice.

Job 34:12

Kendra Thomas, professor of psychology, listens when children cry, “It’s not fair!” She wrote, “Every experience shapes a kid’s worldview. In childhood, injustice comes with the sense of powerlessness; it is both outraging and demoralizing.” She said that children need adults in their lives to “teach them how to cope with it…. Perhaps they are handling a minor injustice and need a listening ear and some perspective.”1

When Job was going through his trials, he and his friends often questioned whether justice was being served. Job’s friends thought that he deserved punishment, but Job could not understand why God let him suffer so greatly. However, the great points of the book of Job are that God will never do wickedly and the Almighty will never pervert justice.

You may be going through some situations that are not fair, not just. But as time goes by, it’s amazing how we can look back and see God’s hand of goodness and justice. We can trust Him with hard days. Remember the wise saying: When you cannot trace God’s hand, you can trust His heart.

Sometimes when we get overwhelmed, we forget how big God is.

A. W. Tozer

1Kendra Thomas, “Why You Should Listen When Your Child Cries, ‘Not Fair!’” Scientific American, March 18, 2024.

Job did not know that Satan, the father of lies, the master of deceit and hater of all that God loves…was making his life miserable, painful, in attempt to deter his faith in God.  Though God allowed the intense persecution of Job, God used it to strengthen his faith, his trust, his perseverance, and influence on others, moving them to greater trust and faith in God as well!  May we know the Scriptures and believe what God says…

Rom 8:28

we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.

When you can’t see His hand, trust His heart!

https://youtu.be/DFmTJGWQPR8

Verses for VBS, Harvest Church, Eminence, KY, July 2026

Ps 103:22

22 Praise the Lord, everything he has created,

everything in all his kingdom.

Ps 148:5

5 Let every created thing give praise to the Lord

Ps 139:1

139 1 O Lord, you have examined my heart

and know everything about me.

Ps 142:5

5 Then I pray to you, O Lord.

I say, "You are my place of refuge.

You are all I really want in life.

Pastor Dale

Notes of Faith July 22, 2026

Notes of Faith July 22, 2026

God Is Bigger

Listen to this, Job; stop and consider God’s wonders…. The Almighty is beyond our reach and exalted in power.

Job 37:14, 23, NIV

What is your response when you hear something about God or the Bible that you have never heard before or which you have heard but don’t believe? All of us have blind spots due to lack of teaching or due to our presuppositions. After investigation we may find our original position confirmed, or we may change our views. But in the beginning we must be humble and ask God to show us what is correct.

Recommended Reading:

Romans 1:19-20

Job was a man who had blind spots about God. He had four friends who attempted to enlighten him with some views that were correct and some that were incorrect. But Job was not receptive. He thought what he knew about God was accurate until God revealed Himself. Job was forced to repent and change his beliefs and actions (Job 38–42). He had to acknowledge that God was bigger and more majestic than he had ever known.

Make room in your understanding for God to reveal Himself in ways that you did not expect. Allow Him to expand your knowledge and experience.

Every work of [God] serves to display His glory, and set off the greatness of His majesty.

John Gill

God is greater than any mind of man can comprehend! His glory and majesty fill all that He has created and beyond! May we humble ourselves before Almighty God, repent of our unbelief and ungodly thoughts about Him and His magnificent creation!

Ps 103:22

22 Praise the Lord, everything he has created,

everything in all his kingdom.

Ps 148:5

5 Let every created thing give praise to the Lord

Ps 139:1

139 1 O Lord, you have examined my heart

and know everything about me.

VBS at Harvest Church, Eminence, KY, has been exciting and fun, a great time of learning about God and His love for you and me. Come join us! Draw closer to the giver of life…life forever with Him!

Pastor Dale

Notes of Faith July 21, 2026

Notes of Faith July 21, 2026

Responding to Trouble

The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears, and delivers them out of all their troubles.

Psalm 34:17

Troubles can either drive us away from God or draw us near to God. Our response does not depend on the kind of trouble. Rather, our response depends on our heart and on our view of God. We can view Him either as the source of our trouble or the source of our tranquility.

If we view God as the source of our trouble, we will likely be resentful and self-pitying. But if we view Him as the source of our tranquility, we will draw near to Him knowing that He will draw near to us. As James wrote, “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you” (James 4:8). And as Paul wrote, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6-7).

If you are in a time of trouble or testing, let your experience drive you closer to God rather than away from Him. In His presence, you will find the answers you need.

True peace comes not from the absence of trouble but from the presence of God.

Alexander Maclaren

Is there anyone that does not experience trouble?  In your own heart and mind, you know if you are blaming and rebelling against God or drawing near to Him as your source of peace when the winds of trial are blowing.  Let His Spirit work on the hardness of your heart.  Know the truth of His love and care for you.  Turn toward Him and run to His grace, mercy, love and peace, that you might be comforted even in the hardest of struggles in this life.  He will be with you.  His Spirit lives inside the believer and follower of Jesus.  May you be blessed by His presence as you move through this day and every day that you are given on earth!

Ps 73:25-28

25 Whom have I in heaven but you?

I desire you more than anything on earth.

26 My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak,

but God remains the strength of my heart;

he is mine forever.

27 Those who desert him will perish,

for you destroy those who abandon you.

28 But as for me, how good it is to be near God!

I have made the Sovereign Lord my shelter,

and I will tell everyone about the wonderful things you do.

https://youtu.be/4BhTAJ49MQ0

Pastor Dale

Notes of Faith July 20, 2026

Notes of Faith July 20, 2026

God Already Knows

I sought the Lord, and He heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.

Psalm 34:4

The Greek word in the New Testament for confess is homologeo: homo (“same”) and lego (“to speak”). It means “to say the same thing.” It is usually translated as “confess” or “profess.” But there is also another time to “agree with God”—when we acknowledge to Him how we feel since He is aware of what we are going through before we even speak (Matthew 6:8).

Before David assumed the throne of Israel as king, he found himself in a perilous situation with a Philistine king (1 Samuel 21:10-15). He wrote Psalm 34 as a record of this encounter and how God delivered him from danger. He began the psalm with praise to God (verses 1-3) before stating, “[He] delivered me from all my fears” (verse 4). David wasn’t afraid to acknowledge his fears to God or to acknowledge that “many are the afflictions of the righteous” (verse 19). Nor should we be. When we confess to God how we are feeling, we are acknowledging that He knows our need.

Whatever you are feeling or experiencing, tell God. And praise Him that He will deliver you from your fears.

A Christian with faith has nothing to fear from the facts.

Paul Johnson

A true follower of Jesus has NOTHING to fear…even death brings us into the glory of being with Jesus forever, transformed, no more sin, no pain, never to die again, living in the glory of the King of kings!

The more we understand that God is in control of EVERYTHING, life, breath, health, situations, circumstances, trials, troubles, joys and sorrows…we will have His peace in all things.

Prov 3:5-6

Trust in the Lord with all your heart;

do not depend on your own understanding.

6 Seek his will in all you do,

and he will show you which path to take.

Pastor Dale

Notes of Faith July 19, 2026

Notes of Faith July 19, 2026

Grains of Sand, Ocean Waters, and Skies of Blue

The Beach is Calling

How precious to me are Your thoughts, God! How vast is the sum of them!

Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand. — Psalm 139:17-18 NIV

What, or who, is consuming your thought life today? The answer will determine what kind of day is ahead. If there’s a problem that looks insurmountable, a struggle to forgive someone, a feeling of loneliness, an endless list of things to do, the first thing to do is to keep putting Jesus first! If we put every thought in line behind Him and remind ourselves that He thinks about us constantly, our soul’s sigh of relief comes.

We’re on His mind and there isn’t a single thing we can do to stop the avalanche of love coming into our lives right now.

God’s love is the only thing we should allow to overwhelm us. It’s unstoppable and all- encompassing. It’s constant and comforting. It’s in every thought He has of us, and those thoughts outnumber the grains of sand. And what does love do? Love does what is best, love does whatever is patient and kind, love does everything it can and more than enough. YOU are what Jesus is thinking about! He sees any turmoil going on in your heart, mind, and life, and He has loving truth to cover it all:

I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid. — John 14:27 NLT

Peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

— Philippians 4:7 NLT

God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. — 2 Timothy 1:7 NKJV

We can’t let fear have the last say today because we’re loved higher, wider, and deeper than it can ever go. The grains of sand, the ocean waters and the skies of blue can’t come close to measuring God’s love for us. When our thoughts begin with Him, our days begin to get better. The only thing mandatory is letting Jesus manage everything, allowing His love to keep our hearts and minds at peace.

Father, let Your love come and overtake me today, so that all of my thoughts turn to You.

*

Turning Our Thoughts

He will keep in perfect peace all those who trust in Him, whose thoughts turn often to the Lord! — Isaiah 26:3 TLB

Beach sounds woo our hearts and minds into a quiet, restful state. The waves and the breeze are constant, like the peace of God constantly inviting us to rest in Him. Every day won’t go as planned. Our lives won’t be free from pain. Our journey will not look exactly the way we dreamed it would. But God’s peace will keep us. It will be constant on the days when unexpected news comes and fills our heart with fear. It will be constant when we lose someone we deeply love. God’s peace will keep us and guide us through the steps of our lives even though we don’t see things unfold when or how we imagined.

We can have a steady, constant peace when life goes up, down, or sideways because God is the master of our days. He’s also the One who knows us best and loves us most. There’s no one in our life more trustworthy. Even on the disappointing, difficult days when it’s nearly impossible to believe, He’s in the center of our being doing what it takes to make the painting of our lives more beautiful than we imagined. That’s what God’s love does. It brings out the breathtakingly beautiful parts in all of us and produces a fulfilling, faithful life that reflects His glory.

We have a lot to think about from day to day, but if our everyday lives don’t have us turning our thoughts often to our only hope, we won’t be able to enjoy His perfect peace. God is in constant listening mode when it comes to His children. He’s never too busy or distracted or tired. He can keep us steady and peaceful if our thoughts become prayers. “Show me how to handle this, it’s not going to be easy. Help me stay calm and be kind. Lord, give me wisdom for the conversation I need to have and give me the courage to speak what needs to be said.” Our need for our Father is all day long, in all things. There’s perfect peace in turning often to Him—and it’s always worth it.

Father, give me the courage to keep my trust in You as I keep turning to You throughout my day.

Excerpted from The Beach Is Calling, copyright DaySpring Cards, Inc.

No God, no peace.

Know God, know peace!

Seek a more intimate relationship at the feet of Jesus, worshipping, listening, learning, following, obedient, and you will know perfect peace!

https://youtu.be/w7ul19ji5qE?list=RDw7ul19ji5qE

Pastor Dale

Notes of Faith July 18, 2026

Notes of Faith July 18, 2026

Dealing With Hagrites

They waged war against the Hagrites…. They were helped in fighting them, and God delivered the Hagrites and all their allies into their hands, because they cried out to him during the battle. He answered their prayers, because they trusted in him. 1 Chronicles 5:19-20, NIV

Perhaps in reading through the Bible, you skim across 1 Chronicles 1–9 because these chapters contain long lists of genealogies. Yet here and there, the writer paused to say something special about some of the people. In chapter 5, the Reubenites, Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh went to war against the Hagrites. They prevailed, not because of their size or armaments but because of two critical weapons—prayer and faith. They cried out to God during the battle, and He answered because they trusted in Him.

That exact formula will give you victory today. Are you facing an army of Hagrites? Is a loved one in crisis? Is the medical challenge great? Is cash tight? Are your spirits low? Cry out to God, and rely on Him. Trust Him. God is pleased when we bring Him our burdens, and He can lift the heaviest load.

Cry to Him during the battle. He will answer because He will help you trust in Him.

Leave it all in the Hands that were wounded for you.

Elisabeth Elliott

You most likely do have Hagrites in your life today…illness that just doesn’t seem to be getting better, opportunities on the job not happening the way that you expected, fighting against the bad choices and habits of your old self… I am sure that you can think of more than a few going on right now.

Cry out to God for help in any and all of these areas of your life for complete and sure deliverance! Trust that God has your greatest life laid out for you, follow Him even when things seem to be getting dark and evil. He is there with you to take you to Himself at the appointed time. Until then, know His love for you, lean on His power and authority, His sovereign control over all things, and you will find peace and rest for your journey through this life!

Ps 55:22

Cast your burden upon the Lord and He will sustain you;

He will never allow the righteous to be shaken.

Pastor Dale

Notes of Faith July 17, 2026

Notes of Faith July 17, 2026

The Lord has many names in the Bible, and each one expresses an aspect of His nature or one of His attributes. When we acknowledge Him by those names, we invite Him to be those things to us. One of the reasons we do not have the wholeness, fulfillment, and peace we desire is that we have not acknowledged God as the answer to our every need.

We think, He may have given me eternal life, but I don’t know if He can handle my financial problems. Or we think, I know He can lead me to a better job, but I’m not sure if He can mend this marriage. Or, He healed my back, but I don’t know if He can take away my depression. The truth is, He is everything we need, and we have to remember that always. In fact, it’s good to tell yourself daily, “God is everything I need,” and then say the name of the Lord that answers your specific need at that moment.

Do you need hope? He is called our Hope. Pray, “Jesus, You are my Hope."

Are you weak? He is called our Strength. Pray, “Jesus, You are my Strength.”

Do you need advice? He is called Counselor. Pray, “Jesus, You are my Counselor.”

Do you feel oppressed? He is called Deliverer. Pray, “Jesus, You are my Deliverer.”

Are you lonely? He is called Companion and Friend. Pray, “Jesus, You are my Companion and Friend.”

Key Scripture

The name of the Lord is a strong tower; The righteous run to it and are safe. — Proverbs 18:10

Prepare to Pray

Below are thirty of the biblical names of the Lord. Read this list over, keeping in mind that God desires to be all these things to you. Every day you can choose at least one name that is applicable to your needs and frequently thank God that He is that for you. Acknowledging that He is these things is the first step toward the realization of His becoming them in your life. Keep in mind that everything about His personality is stronger than anything negative in yours.

God is everything I need.

Thirty Attributes of Jesus

He is my Restorer (Psalm 23:3).

He is my Helper (John 14:16).

He is my Strength (Isaiah 12:2).

He is my Redeemer (Isaiah 59:20).

He is my Hope (Psalm 71:5).

He is my Patience (Romans 15:5).

He is my Truth (John 14:6).

He is my Resting Place (Jeremiah 50:6).

He is my Overcomer (John 16:33).

He is my Light (John 8:12).

He is the Power of God (1 Corinthians 1:24).

He is my Bread of Life (John 6:35).

He is my Fortress (Psalm 18:2).

He is my Refuge from the Storm (Isaiah 25:4).

He is my Everlasting Father (Isaiah 9:6).

He is the Author of My Faith (Hebrews 12:2).

He is my Deliverer (Psalm 70:5).

He is my Counselor (Psalm 16:7).

He is my Peace (Ephesians 2:14).

He is my Rewarder (Hebrews 11:6).

He is my Healer (Malachi 4:2).

He is my Shield (Psalm 33:20).

He is my Wisdom of God (1 Corinthians 1:24).

He is my Purifier (Malachi 3:3).

He is my Hiding Place (Psalm 32:7).

He is my Shade from the Heat (Isaiah 25:4).

He is my Refiner (Malachi 3:2–3).

He is my Resurrection (John 11:25).

He is the Lifter of My Head (Psalm 3:3).

He is my Stronghold in the Day of Trouble (Nahum 1:7).

Study the Scriptures

Read Matthew 1:23. What does “Immanuel” mean?

Why is it significant that Jesus is present and with us?

Glance back at the list of thirty attributes of Jesus. Which ones most resonate with you in this season of life?

How can the list of Jesus’ attributes guide your prayer life? Which names do you need to include in your prayers?

Look up the following passages and consider how they relate to knowing God as the name who meets every need. How can you apply these truths to your own life?

Psalm 20:7

Psalm 124:8

Romans 10:13

Philippians 2:9–10

Hebrews 13:5–6

Respond to God’s Word

Are you quick to acknowledge Jesus’ lordship in your life? Certain guarantees and rewards are inherent in simply acknowledging the name of Jesus. For example, the Bible says, “The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe” (Proverbs 18:10). There is a covering of protection over anyone who turns to the name of the Lord. The Bible says that if we acknowledge the name of the Lord, He will acknowledge us. And there is an intimacy that grows as long as this acknowledgment is sustained.

Pray the Scriptures

Jesus, thank You that You are Immanuel, God with us. Thank You that You are with me and You are everything I need. Jesus, Your Word says You are Truth. Guide me in Your truth (John 14:6). You are the Source of all wisdom, and I pray You will give me wisdom in all my circumstances (1 Corinthians 1:24). Father, You are the Author of my faith—­and I pray You will increase my faith and empower me to walk the path You have for me (Hebrews 12:2). Please help me sense Your presence in a new way today.

Look over the scriptures you studied today and let them guide you as you write your own prayer that addresses your specific needs.

God gives you life, sustains your life, offers you eternal life by His grace through His gift of faith to believe in Jesus, His Son. God is truly sovereign over all things from eternity past to eternity future. Let us worship, sing praise, give thanks, and serve the Lord our God!

Pastor Dale

Notes of Faith July 16, 2026

Notes of Faith July 16, 2026

Arrow Prayers

Remember me, O my God, concerning this also, and spare me according to the greatness of Your mercy!

Nehemiah 13:22

In A Praying Life, Paul Miller recommends praying aloud as Jesus did. “We know what he is praying in Gethsemane because his disciples overhear him as he pours out his heart to his Father.... Praying out loud can be helpful because it keeps you from getting lost in your head. It makes your thoughts concrete.”

Miller admits, “Personally, I’ve found it hard to pray out loud because I’m so in the habit of praying silently. Still, when I confess a sin aloud, it feels more real. When I hear my own voice admitting that I’ve done something wrong, I’m surprised by how concrete the sin feels.”1

The book of Nehemiah is full of “arrow prayers,” which Nehemiah sends up in moments of need. Telling God our problems and needs is the first step to moving toward hope. When we describe our troubles aloud to God, we find He is bigger than our problems. Take your troubles to the Lord today.

Regardless of how or when you pray, if you give God the space, he will touch your soul. God knows you are exhausted, but at the same time he longs to be part of your life.

Paul Miller

1Paul Miller, A Praying Life (NavPress, 2017), 46-47.

This is praying without ceasing!

Eph 6:18

With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, (about anything and everything!)

Luke 18:1

Now He was telling them a parable to show that at all times they ought to pray and not to lose heart.

The channel for communication with God is always open, ready for conversation, teaching, uplifting, encouraging, leading, guiding, directing, healing, preparing for the call that God has placed before you. Be ready to pray at any moment, in silence, eyes closed, hands raised, at work in a meeting, in the midst of sharing the gospel, standing, sitting, kneeling, driving (eyes open and on the road).

Strive to experience the presence of God with you at all times. This will give you endless opportunities to pray, to talk to God while you go through your day.

Jesus did this all the time in the midst of His travel, teaching, healing… read the gospels and listen to the prayers of Jesus, sometimes short “arrow” prayers during the work of His ministry.

I would guess that most of you would agree that we do not communicate with God too much. There is always room to pray more and be blessed by the intimacy of sharing everything with God.

Consider starting your prayer with, “In Jesus name, I pray…” This will focus our mind on Jesus and His will, not our own. May we be a blessing to God each day that H gives us, and may we seek to serve those God places around us for His glory and their good!

Pastor Dale