What happens when you play a country album backwards? A paper bag analogy
Life has gotten you broke, broken, and down and out. You lost your house, your car, and your spouse. your life is like a country song. You have no one, and you have nowhere to turn. You're either homeless or about to be homeless. All you have is an empty paper bag, and when you look inside, all you see is emptiness. You look around, and all you see is emptiness. You look inside your heart, and it's the same thing: emptiness.
You call on God: "Help me." Your heart hears the reply, you reach into the bag and are gifted faith. Look in again, and your gift is hope.
Now your heart is pounding; you're becoming alive, and you actually smile. You start to realize the good: you can walk, see, talk, and hear. The flowers have a beautiful smell. The sun is breaking through the clouds, as the day gets brighter, your life starts to get brighter, and you're able to see God's creation in a way you never have before. You look into the bag; it's still empty, but by faith, you reach in again, and God through Jesus gives you grace. Now you feel blessed.
You pick up a Bible to learn about God and realize you want a relationship with Him. You read in the Bible that God loves you and that He has always loved you. You're the reason why He sent Jesus down to live a sinless life. He was condemned to death, died on the cross, went to hell, then rose from the dead and conquered death. God, by His grace, came into your heart out of love. The paper bag had nothing to do with it.
Now you're in the Word, and you read James 1:5-6: "If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind."
You're now deep in the Word, and you're reading John 3:16: "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." Now you're talking to God all day long, praying, listening to Christian music, and watching Christian movies. You still have problems, but the difference is you've tagged teamed with God, and you are far from alone. You're feeling lighter; the problems aren't that bad after all. You're praying, asking for help and wisdom.
By grace and faith, you ask Jesus to be your Lord and Savior, and you become born again. You are now a new creation in Christ. Now the country album is playing backwards, you got your car back, you're praying, and then you get your wife back. Now she is born again, and you guys are praying. Matthew 18:20: "For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them." Bam! You get your job back. Now you're in the battle; Satan is trying to get you back into that gutter he put you in. You guys are in the Word, and you remember Philippians 2:9: "Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name." You are casting out this demonic attack in the name of Jesus. Ephesians 6:12: "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms." James 4: 7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
You're saving money; you're holding every unclean thought captive, or you're in the battle and trying. You and your spouse are in the Word, praying and going about God's business. All of a sudden, you're driving and come across your dream home. Ba Boom! You just got your house back!
1 Timothy 1:17: "All honor and glory to God forever and ever! He is the eternal King, the unseen one who never dies; he alone is God. Amen."
“because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.” Romans T. N. T. 10:9-10 ESV DYNAMITE VERSES
Country Album
Playing Backwards
Paper Bag Analogy
Homelessness
Faith and Hope
God's Grace
Christian Faith
Born Again
Jesus Christ
Christian Testimony
Overcoming Adversity
Bible Verses
Spiritual Awakening
Life Transformation
God's Love
Christian Journey
Finding Faith
Personal Revival
Miracles of Faith
God's Blessings
Christian Music
Christian Movies
Divine Intervention
Spiritual Growth
Grace and Faith
Christian Relationship
God's Creation
Prayer and Wisdom
Victory in Christ
Spiritual Battle
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