Abyssinia Baptist Church

Daily Thought! Faith is not the absence of fear; it is having the courage to confront your fears when you believe that God is leading you to do so. The more scared you are, the more you are proving how much faith you have in God by putting your fears aside for the sake of fulfilling His desired expectations for you. You might think courage is the opposite of fear but it's not; true courage only exists in the presence of fear, not in the absence of it. Faith is the opposite of... fear. Faith and fear cannot exist at the same time in the same mind. Which one you nourish will determine which one grows stronger. The stronger one will win the fight. God loves us all. Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, and always perseveres (1 Corinthians 13:4-7). Certain aspects of human nature can drain us of courage. Common examples are cynicism, when we seem to be compelled to see the worst in people and situations; material excess, which opposes our call to sacrifice for others in need and places a priority on the comfort of things; and fear, which clouds our balance and often steers us to be more timid, closed-off, or aggressive than courageous. A focus on and trust in God helps keep these negatives at bay, allowing us to recognize and then draw more readily on the courage that is very much within us. God wants to fight the battle for you and in the midst of the battle He wants you to be without fear. Cling to His promises found in the Word of God and put your trust in the God who delivers. Every single time. The gift of courage is a blessing God gives us all it enables us to live larger, more hopeful, and energetically faithful lives. God wants to fight the battle for you and in the midst of the battle He wants you to be without fear. Cling to His promises found in the Word of God and put your trust in the God who delivers. Every single time. Lord keep us in your light. Amen! See more

Daily Thought! Do you know that GOD knew who and what you would do in life before you were born? GOD said Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations Behold, I have put my words in your mouth. (Jeremiah 1:5-9) God made it clear that Jeremiah was being given a ministry He had designed. The messages he delivered were not matters of personal opinion or preference. He simply was God’s messenger.... In fact, God shaped his personality, gave him the words to speak, and told him when and where to speak. This focus and dedication are different from the way many people approach their careers. Biographies from all generations reveal that a typical path starts with personal interests and beliefs and continues with goals and desires. Throughout his ministry, Jeremiah was accused of having personal motivations. He was criticized for opinions contrary to what seemed popular and for advocating actions that did not seem beneficial to the Jews. But Jeremiah knew that he was being God’s messenger. In reality, his personal opinions didn’t matter. His mission was to speak the words that God gave him, regardless of his feelings, the circumstances he faced, or the opinions of other people. His task was to be sensitive to God, to obey His call, to declare His message, and to trust the results to Him. Seek to be faithful to the ministry God has given you in your life, no matter what others say. Be a faithful steward of the resources you have been given. Faithfully complete every assignment. Seek to be sensitive to His Spirit, do His will, and speak His messages. Strive to live for Him in all that you do. Father, I commit my time, talent, and resources to You. Help me fulfill the assignments You have given me. In Jesus’ name, amen! See more

Everyday we wake is a good day!

Daily Thought! Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful (Colossians 3:15). We should spend as much time in thanking God for His benefits as we do asking Him for them. Which comes first - the gift, or the spirit of thanksgiving? Common wisdom says that we get the gift first, then we say thank you for receiving it. While that is true, some gifts will never be recognized or received without a spirit of th...anksgiving. How many people sabotage the blessings in their life because of a crummy attitude? They are dissatisfied and disappointed and let the world know it despite a plethora of gifts from God and others all around them. All of us can be thankful for the many things God has done for us. But there may be deeper levels of spirituality - even more of His nature and goodness - that we can experience through the attitude of gratitude. Have you said thank you to God today? Lord, thank You for the gifts and blessings you have lavished in my life. Amen. See more

Daily Thought! Do you have what it takes to deal with adversity? How do you cope with doubts, fears and disappointments? What inspires you to try again tomorrow? When we think about courage, it's usually stories of heroism that come to mind. But for most of us, courage comes in a very different way. It's a quiet voice that gives us the strength to go on for another day, sometimes in the face of seemingly insurmountable odds. When life gets you down and the problems you face a...re certainly more than your share. When you run out of strength and you want to give up because it's just too much to bear. I want to remind you, precious people that you have what it takes inside. Extraordinary courage that may not roar but it doesn't cower and hide. It's the quiet voice inside you that says, "Tomorrow I'll try again." It's the courage to keep on going to see things through to the end. You are not defined by this moment in time; or what has happened to you. It's the way that you choose to respond that matters and what you decide to do. Courage is not the absence of fear, but a powerful choice we make. It's the choice to move forward with purpose and joy, regardless of what it takes. Deuteronomy 31:6 says Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the LORD your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you. Remember, courage does not always roar. Sometimes courage is that quiet voice at the end of the day that says, "I will try again tomorrow." Lord, give me the courage to always follow you no matter what the diversity or problem. You said in Corinthians 16:13 be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong. Amen! See more

Daily Thought! "Oh lord, I will remember the things you have done. I will think about each one of your mighty deeds. Everything you do is right and no other god compares with you. you alone work miracles and you have let nations see your might power(psalms 12:12-14). Do you know the power of God? Do you believe in the power of God? Every day you see the power of GOD because he was gracious and powerful enough to wake us up. Would we even exist without the power of GOD? "All w...ho worship God, come here and listen; I will tell you everything God has done for me (psalms 66:16). God has provided me a wonderful life filled with the joy of my children and supportive people around me. Most of all he has taught me how to give back and pay it forward to help those in need. When was the last time you helped a person in need? Whatever God has done for you, stop to remember His blessings in detail and say a word of thanks. Lord when I look back I can see that you have been with me all my life. Thank You for Your goodness. Amen See more

Daily Thought! Who or what is your source of power? How is your mind today? Do you struggle with the discipline of regular prayer? Ask God for the wisdom and discernment to teach you how He wants you to pray and for what He wants you to pray for. If you're willing to make the effort you'll reap rewards of spiritual growth. Wherever you are whether you already have a well-established prayer time or struggle just to whisper a few words a day begin adding a little extra time in ...prayer to your day. Doing so will help you see everything else in your day through the lens of God's love and presence. Prayer is a shield to the soul, a sacrifice to God, and a scourge for Satan. And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him"(Matthew 6:5-8). My prayer for you today is that you take these words you just read and do something with them. Too often we just take information in and then move on to the next project or thing. Use these awesome words and put them into action by being obedient to what they teach prayer! See more

Daily Thought! Obedience has fallen on hard times in our culture. On one side those who don't believe obedience in the traditional sense of following a set of moral guidelines is even possible. Another unhealthy view is that obedience is only for those who are not strong or smart enough to order their own lives. Obedience listening intently. Understanding the heart of another. How obedient are you in hearing God's voice? Deuteronomy 11:26-28 sums it up like this: "Obey and yo...u will be blessed. Disobey and you will be cursed." In the New Testament, we learn through the example of Jesus Christ that believers are called to a life of obedience. Repeatedly we read in the Bible that God blesses and rewards obedience: But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves. For if you listen to the word and don’t obey, it is like glancing at your face in a mirror. You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like. But if you look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free, and if you do what it says and don’t forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it. (James 1:2225). When we obey God, we show our trust and faith in him. Only Jesus Christ is perfect, therefore, only he could walk in sinless, perfect obedience. But as we allow the Holy Spirit to transform us from within, we grow in holiness. This is known as the process of sanctification, which can also be described as spiritual growth. The more we read God's Word, spend time with Jesus, and allow the Holy Spirit to change us from within, the more we grow in obedience and holiness as Christians. Lord, show and let us work toward complete holiness. You know we don't learn obedience overnight; it's a lifelong process that we pursue by making it a daily goal. Amen! See more

Daily Thought! Feeling discouraged? Count your blessings and the blessings of those around you and remember that the Lord will provide all that we need to fulfill His will. Dear Lord, thank You for the many blessings you have already bestowed upon me and my family. Despite hard times and worries, help me to count my blessings and not doubt Your love. We touch the lives of others in ways we often never know. People sometimes come into our personal world for fleeting moments an...d can leave us forever changed. Instead of being discouraged or worrying remember to give thanks to GOD daily. I thank god every day for my blessing especially another birthday so that I may continue to grow and touch those in need. Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD (psalms 27:14). Father, many times you’ve answered my prayers that were weak as I pray for strength. You give me the courage to keep going as You fill me with future hope. I will trust You today and again tomorrow because you are always on time. Amen! See more

Be kindly affectionate to one another given to hospitality (Romans 12:10, 13). Whoever practices hospitality entertains God himself. You don't have to own a house to make someone feel at home. All you have to do is open your heart. That's what hospitality is all about. It has nothing to do with your gourmet cooking skills or opulent guest accommodations. Cheerfully sharing what you have be it little or much is the only rule. So, relax. Welcome in friends both old and new. Ask... lots of questions and listen thoughtfully to their answers. Don't try to impress visitors with your immaculate housekeeping or culinary expertise. Warm them with genuine care and affection. The more you see guests - even unexpected ones - as a blessing instead of an inconvenience, the more you'll enjoy the adventure of opening your home, and heart, to others. Heavenly Father, I want to be the kind of person who has a welcoming heart toward other people. Whether I have a little or a lot; help me to be willing to share it with those whom you bring across my path. I want all who enter my home to experience your peace, love, and joy as we fellowship and break bread together. Thank You for Your example of hospitality and for welcoming me into your family. Amen! See more

Daily Thought! What has God done for you? Today? This week? This month? This year or perhaps A decade ago? We have stories of His faithfulness in our lives. When we choose to remember them, we are blessed by them again and again. Best of all, remembering helps us in tough times. We remember that times have been tough before and that God helped us through them. Therefore, when things are tough, it is important to remember God's faithfulness and blessings. So, for all of us who... tend to be out on God for His seeming lack of living up to our expectations, let me help you out of your grumpiness with a list of how wonderfully good He is to you every day. If He never does anything else but save your soul from hell and guarantee you an eternal home with Him in heaven, He has already done far more than you or I deserve and enough to keep us grateful to Him for the rest of our lives. But thankfully there’s more . . .If it is true that He never leaves you nor forsakes you, then you have a lot to be thankful for (Hebrews 13:5). If you can be sure that His mercies are new to you every morning, then you can make it through the day as weak and frail as you are (Lamentations 3:22-24). If He guards our lives so that nothing comes in that is not ultimately for His glory and our good, then we are among the truly blessed ones (Romans 8:28). If, when you put your head on your pillow at the end of the day, you think He didn’t show up for you, think about all the things you don’t know that He kept from you which may have done you in had He permitted them (1 Corinthians 10:13). If He gave you His Word to guide, comfort, inspire, convict and assure you of His unfailing love and mercy, then you have enough to cancel your grumpiness and make you grateful (Psalm 119:97-103). And, since He is far more than we ever bargained for or deserved, we have the high privilege of demonstrating to our world that our God is worthy to be trusted, worshiped, adored and praised regardless (Job 13:15). So, the next time you start wondering what He has done for you lately, check the list. There’s a lot to be thankful for! Which leaves only one more question: Is He wondering what you have done for Him lately? I challenge you to answer the question and post it, What have you done for God lately? how would you respond? Think of something you can do for Him today as an expression of your love and gratitude for all He has done for you! See more

Daily Thought! If we want proof of God's love for us, then we must look first at the Cross where God offered up His Son as a sacrifice for our sins. Calvary is the one objective, absolute, irrefutable proof of God's love for us. But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8). What do you think God wants most from you? Acts of obedience and service, or your devotion and love? The Bible tells us God lavished His lo...ve on us before we did anything to deserve it by sending us His Son. God commends His love towards us in order to win our hearts to Himself, and thus get us ready and fit to dwell forever in His eternal home. God wants our obedience, true. But He wants obedience that flows out of our love for Him, which flows from His love for us. God made the first move in His relationship with us by showing us He loved us. When we follow His lead by loving others, we and they are richly rewarded. Father, thank you for showing how you love us by sending your Son to die. Help us to respond with love for you and love for others. Amen! See more

Daily Thought! It's happened before, and it'll happen again. A last-minute donation from an anonymous source keeps a ministry running. An unexpected gift from a friend saves the family budget. Just when we'd lost all hope, someone comes through with just what we need. God has a way of saving the day even when things look bleak. Don't quit praying. Even if you're feeling a little low on resources today, remember that for every great need, there is a great God. If you seek some encouragement to keep praying; and pass this word of encouragement along to someone who also could use a little inspiration today. Is your hope in God? Oh Lord, I do put my hope in You this day. Give me the courage and strengthen my heart so I can do something great for You. Amen.