Hi guys,

my apologies as I got sick coming back from NY. I had a 102F fever and it's beating me up. I will be postponing the bible study for now. Will keep you guys posted for this next week.

Thank you all for understanding.

Romans 5:8 (KJV)
8 "But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."

Church hurt is one of the most painful experiences a believer can go through. When people who claim to represent God wound us with judgment, hypocrisy, or rejection, it’s easy to feel like we don’t belong or that we’ll never be good enough. But thankfully the gospel tells us a different story. God’s love for us isn’t based on our perfection or performance but by His grace for us.

Romans 5:8 reminds us that God’s love reached us while we were still sinners. He didn’t wait for us to get our lives together before extending His mercy. Jesus died knowing exactly who we are, brokenness and all.

The church may fail you but God never will.

If you’ve been hurt by the church, know this: God sees your pain. He understands how hard it is to trust again after being judged or rejected. Jesus Himself faced rejection and betrayal especially from those closest to Him. The church is made up of imperfect people, and sometimes, those imperfections hurt deeply. But the gospel reminds us that our relationship with God isn’t defined by the actions of others. God’s love is personal, unchanging, and unconditional.

Hurt may come from people, but all healing comes from God.

The beauty of the gospel is that you don’t have to be clean to come to God. In fact, trying to clean yourself up before coming to Him is impossible. Salvation is a gift, something we receive, not achieve.

When Jesus walked the earth, He surrounded Himself with sinners, outcasts, and broken people. He didn’t push them away but drew closer to them. The same is true for us today. God isn’t looking for perfect people, he sent his perfect son to die for our sins and make us perfect through that sacrifice.

God's only ask is that we trust in his some who reconciled us back to him.

Our hearts may be closed, but God's arms are always open. Church hurt can make us feel like we don’t belong anywhere, but the gospel tells us we belong to God. God’s love is bigger than any hurt the church or the world could ever inflict. If you’re struggling with trusting people or even trusting God because of past hurts, remember this: God’s love isn’t like people’s love. Where people may fail, God is faithful. Where people may judge, God shows mercy. And where people may push you away, God welcomes you with open arms. 

I hope today we can remember that our identity is not in the hurt others have caused but in the healing that Jesus has provided. Amen!

Proverbs 16:3 (KJV)
3 "Commit thy works unto the Lord, and thy thoughts shall be established."

Overthinking can be exhausting. We wrestle with endless “what-ifs,” replay scenarios in our minds, and struggle to silence the intrusive thoughts that seem to constantly creep in. I'm so thankful the bible tells us how to combat this through Proverbs. God understands our tendency to get caught in cycles of worry and fear, so He invites us to hand over our thoughts, actions, and decisions to Him.

In the original Hebrew, the word "commit" (גָּלַל, galal) means “to roll” or “to entrust.” God wants us to roll our burdens onto him daily. To trust and give up our problems to him. Why? Because God understands that we cannot handle our problems and that it's his job to do so.

God is more than capable of handling our problems. But the enemy tries to have you stand in His position, trying to do His work.

Overthinking thrives in uncertainty, but God’s Word always brings clarity.

Peace comes when we replace our thoughts with prayers and the word of God allows us to roll every worry onto Him. The more we fight against our thoughts, the stronger they seem to grow. The enemy tricks us into thinking we are alone and worthless. But in the word and in prayer, we find that we are not alone. In fact, we are closer to God because of our thoughts. It acts as a catalyst to surrender to God and experience him daily. 

The word guards our minds and creates a shelter and fortress where intrusive thoughts lose power. When our minds are focused on God, there’s less space for anxious, intrusive thoughts. 

People always ask me "How do we commit our thoughts to God?" I'm going to share with you what I do on the daily that helps me combat every single thought. I begin each day by asking God to direct my thoughts and actions. When overthinking or intrusive thoughts arise, I pause and thinking where this thought is coming from. I then go to God in prayer about the intrusive thought I have. This has allowed me to overcome thoughts little by little. This method is useful because instead of fighting my thoughts, I place them in the hands of God. What I'm teaching you guys is to allow God's word to become the foundation of our thoughts. 

This is important because God's word is always peaceful, hopeful, and positive. Our thoughts are not the same, they tend to be harmful, depressing, and negative.

True peace isn’t in control but in surrender.

I hope that everyone can commit their thoughts, worries, and stresses to God. He WILL help you and handle all things for you once you do this.

Selah and Amen!

Micah 7:19 (KJV)
19 "He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us; he will subdue our iniquities; and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea."

One of the most comforting truths of the gospel is that God, in His love and mercy, chooses to forget our sins. Micah 7:19 reminds us that He doesn’t hold our past against us but casts them into the depths of the sea. Through Jesus, our sins are gone forever. Think about dropping something in the ocean, once it's gone, it's gone forever. 

In God’s eyes, it's as if our sins never existed.

God uses the ocean to show us how deep his love truly is. Many of us struggle to move past our sins. We often dwell on our mistakes, feeling shame and guilt, even after we’ve asked for forgiveness. But Micah tells us that God has “compassion upon us” and actively chooses to subdue our iniquities. This means He doesn’t just forgive; He removes the weight of guilt from us. God has a perfect memory, yet He deliberately chooses not to remember our sins. In His mercy, He chooses to see us through the righteousness of Jesus. How beautiful and merciful our loving God truly is.

God doesn't just overlook our sins, he removes them completely. 

God threw all of our sins in his ocean of forgiveness. So whatever you have that's weighing you down, whether it's past trauma, guilt, shame, etc...we can let that go to God today. He has already taken care of it but the enemy wants us to feel bad.

The past is something you learn from, not a place you live in.

If God has chosen to forget our sins, then we can live without carrying their weight. We can move forward without guilt, knowing that He sees us as new creations in Christ. When doubts or memories of our past creep in, we can remind ourselves of this truth: God has cast our sins into the depths of the sea. We are free to live in the fullness of His grace.

If God has forgiven and forgotten, we are also called to forgive ourselves and move forward.

Amen!

Psalm 46:10 (KJV)
10 "Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth."

What does it truly mean to be alone or in solitude with God? Many people confuse being alone in their thoughts and being alone with the word of God. Solitude with God is different from isolation. Isolation shuts us off from the world and often leaves us vulnerable to the enemy’s whispers.

In isolation, we’re alone with our own thoughts, anxieties, and fears, where we can easily spiral. But solitude with the Lord is a sacred, intentional space where we meet God in His Word. Solitude with God is a place where heaven and earth meet. The Hebrew word often translated as "be still" in Psalm 46:10 is רָפָה (raphah), which means “to let go” or “to release.”

Solitude isn’t about simply being alone physically, it’s about letting go of distractions, releasing worries, and focusing solely on God’s word.

It's in these times where we experience His peace and let go of our need to understand everything, trusting that God is in control of all things. It's about emptying your mind and heart so that God can fill it. The more you let go, the more you make room for God to fill you.

Isolation often involves pulling away from others out of pain, fear, or frustration. It’s a state where we disconnect, and the enemy uses it to draw us into ourselves, amplifying doubts and fears. But solitude with the Lord is different. In solitude, we intentionally step away from the noise to connect with God. Instead of listening to our own thoughts, we listen to His Word and it refreshes our hearts. 

Jesus Himself sought solitude with God the Father, especially before or after significant events. He showed us that solitude is a place of strength, renewal, and connection with the Father’s heart. Jesus went into solitude not to escape but to gain clarity, guidance, and peace.

Isolation is hiding in silence, solitude is residing in peace.

Being in solitude with the Lord means seeking His heart and His thoughts through the word. It’s a chance to leave behind the voices of the world and listen only to God’s voice. When we’re alone with God, we aren’t running from our problems, we’re bringing them to Him. We aren’t withdrawing from life but drawing closer to source of life.

When we spend time in God's word, we’re actively tuning out the voices of doubt, fear, and anxiety, and tuning in to his peaceful voice.

Jesus, who is the living Word, meets us in solitude to reassure us, encourage us, and remind us of our true identity as children of God. The Greek word for "Word" in John 1:1 is λόγος (logos), which refers to the divine expression of God, who is Jesus himself. When we spend time in the Word, we’re encountering Jesus, the One who has the power to bring light to any darkness. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, burdened, or distant from God, take time for solitude with Him. Find a quiet place, open your Bible, and let His Word fill you with peace and direction.

Solitude isn't isolation, it's connection. Connecting to the Almighty God who pours all his love into us through His word. Amen!