In the beginning of time, the Bible says, “The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters (Genesis 1:2). At the end of time we know that the Spirit and the bride say “Come” to hasten the second coming (Revelation 22:17). In the middle of these bookends… God’s Word, which is inspired by the Holy Spirit (II Timothy 3:16-17, II Peter 1:20-21), tells us much about His work. For instance, Jesus constantly reminded His disciples that after His ascension the Holy Spirit would be poured out on His disciples (Acts 1-2). In John 16:13-15 Jesus said, "But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on His own; He will speak only what He hears, and He will tell you what is yet to come. He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you. All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will take from what is mine and make it known to you." The Holy Spirit confirms that not only God sent Jesus to the earth but that Jesus' words of truth are from the Father. What an amazing illustration of unity! The Godhead works as ONE! Wouldn't it be nice if God's people did the same? He shows us the way and reveals the path to eternal life (Romans 1:2, II Timothy 3:15-17, II Peter 1:20-21). Then, after baptism into Christ, He lives inside of us as a seal of our salvation (Acts 2:38-39, John 3:3, 5, Romans 8:16, Ephesians 1:13-14, 4:30). And, as if that isn't enough... He helps us bear fruit (John 15:1-8, Galatians 5:22-23). How awesome is that? Don’t you love the Holy Spirit of God? He is awesome! But please remember that "He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world" (I John 4:4). You can be an awesome overcomer today! Because you are the temple of the Holy Spirit (I Corinthians 6:19-20). Have a blessed day!!! You are loved! Dr. Ray Reynolds #ReynoldsRap #WixBlog #authentic #Christian #positive #practical #community #God #fyp #foryoupage #Jesus #Facebook #Twitter #Instagram #YouTube #Twitch #Reddit #TikTok #WWJD #GTKYB #Christianity #HolySpirit

Do you remember when Isaiah spoke up and said, "Here I am... send me" (Isaiah 6:8)? That passage offers a challenge to anyone who declares to be a servant of God. Would you say the same thing? Are you ready to follow the Lord in any direction? One of the saddest stories in the book of Acts is found in chapter 7 when Stephen was stoned to death. He was a man who refused to ignore his duty as a Christian. He could have chosen not to preach that day. He could have taken the easy path. However, as he stood before that multitude, he knew they needed to hear the gospel. Stephen is a perfect example of someone with a ”Here Am I, Send Me” attitude. If you go back and read the book of Acts, after Stephen was martyred, you will see that a great persecution arose against the Christians. Many of the Jewish Christians had to leave Jerusalem in fear of their lives. They had to leave their homes and families. They left behind all of their belongings. They had to walk away from their jobs and many friends. When they left town they had no idea what they would find. In spite of all these hardships the church continued to grow! The early Christians refused to stop worshipping God. They kept teaching and preaching about Jesus. When we read this great book we have to wonder if we would do the same. Will you choose to be a servant of God? Will you follow the Lord’s calling? He needs to hear you say, ”Here Am I, Send Me!” You are loved! Dr. Ray Reynolds #ReynoldsRap #WixBlog #authentic #Christian #positive #practical #community #God #fyp #foryoupage #Jesus #Facebook #Twitter #Instagram #YouTube #Twitch #Reddit #TikTok #WWJD #GTKYB #Christianity

Psalm 51:10-12 says, “Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me away from Your presence, And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, And uphold me by Your generous Spirit.” I love reading the book of Psalms. And I pray daily that I can become a man after God’s own heart like King David. He made a lot of mistakes, but he had a personal connection to God and His Holy Spirit. I often wonder what the church would be like if we all had a spiritual passion that was comparable to that of David. I want this passion. I want to be spiritually focused. I want the church to share this great spiritual passion. I have a prayer that I want to share with you. Will you pray it with me? “God, Please Renew Our Spiritual Passion For Faith” - It is my prayer that we will believe you can do all that you promised. Help us Lord not to focus on our own weaknesses and know that You can make us strong. Remind us that You are close to us when we doubt You. “God, Please Renew Our Spiritual Passion For Worship” - I wish we could stay focused on You in worship. I know its easy to get distracted, but help us to know its all about You! Forgive us for what we often make it and bring us back to the heart of worship. “God, Please Renew Our Spiritual Passion For The Church” - There are so many times that we forget that You are the Head of the church. Give us wisdom Lord and help us to put You and Your kingdom first. Help us to know that our youth must be edified and our elderly must not be forgotten. “God, Please Renew Our Spiritual Passion For Sacrifice” - We have no idea what it was like for You to watch Your only Son die on the cross for us. We are unworthy of Your love. We are just sinners and undeserving of Your grace and mercy. Help us Lord to give back to You, honor You, and glorify You in all that we do. Thank You for Your indescribable gift! "God, Please Renew Our Spiritual Passion For Unity” - We have read Jesus’ prayer in John 17. We are trying to know Your heart and Your will. Help us to be conformed into Your image. Help us to see that You desire unity and love. Help us to resolve our conflicts, forgive our neighbors, and love one another. We desperately need to follow Your Son’s great example. Are you ready to be passionate for God? Will you join me in renewing our spiritual passion? This is my simple prayer. Have a great week!!! You are loved! Dr. Ray Reynolds #ReynoldsRap#WixBlog#authentic#Christian #positive#practical#community#God#fyp #foryoupage #Jesus #Facebook #Twitter#Instagram#YouTube#Twitch#Reddit#TikTok#WWJD#GTKYB #Christianity #passion #zeal

Words hurt. when I was a kid there was phrase we used: “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never harm me.” What a lie. Words can really hurt. Why do people say mean things? Sometimes they want attention. Sometimes they really want to inflict pain on you. However, many times they just allow foolishness and ignorance to overtake them in the heat of the moment. Add social media to the equation and in a matter of seconds the whole world can read those harmful and hateful words. How should a Christian react when someone else uses a social media forum as the outlet? #1 Consider the Savior. Pray for them. The Lord needs to work on their heart before you get involved. Don't immediately respond to their hurtful words... this will only fuel the fire! Don't repay evil with evil. Consult with the Prince of Peace and the God of Peace. Only then can you become a peacemaker. #2 Consider the Source. This person may be hurting more than you can imagine. They may not realize how far their statements can reach. After some prayer and soul searching they may delete the comment, thread, tweet, etc. Or they may just not know how God feels about loving others (even your enemies), dealing with persecution, public slander, gossip, back-biting, judging, hypocrisy, true servanthood, defamation of character, or doing good to those of the household of faith. #3 Consider the Scriptures. The Bible has commands on how to handle that person. Verses like Matthew 5:23-24, Matthew 18:15-17, Galatians 6:1-2, etc. should help you with the next step. Jesus didn't "un-friend" Peter when he denied him, he didn't "un-friend" James and John when they wanted to burn a city to the ground, he didn't "un-friend" Judas when he knew he was talking to the Jewish leaders about betrayal and stealing out of the treasury.... AND He doesn't "un-friend" you just because you say things that are silly or inappropriate. #4 REPEAT You are loved! Dr. Ray Reynolds #ReynoldsRap #WixBlog #authentic #Christian #positive #practical #community #God #fyp #foryoupage #Jesus #Facebook #Twitter #Instagram #YouTube #Twitch #Reddit #TikTok #WWJD #GTKYB #Christianity #prayer #follow #faithful #listen #unity #fellowship #gossip

Today is September 11. It is a day to remember. It is a day we should never forget. This is a season when our nation should put aside our politics, our traditions, our opinions, and our disagreements to focus on what really matters... LIFE. 20 years ago, life was taken from many innocent Americans. On this day, many of us realize that death is tragic, but life is precious. For me personally, I felt a connection with other Americans that I hadn’t felt before (or again) in my lifetime. We were connected to one another, though for a brief time, in a profound way. Our hearts and prayers were focused in the same direction. Life was forever changed for many Americans. We are told that 2,896 people were killed and more than 6,000 others wounded. There were 265 who died on the four planes (including the 19 radical Muslim terrorists), 2,606 in the World Trade Center and in the surrounding area, and 125 at the Pentagon. All of these individuals had families and friends that grieved that day, and every day since the terrorist attacks. Nearly 1,200 people died in the weeks and months after the attack due to complications or injuries from this event. Life was forever changed for many relief workers and public servants. There were 343 firefighters and 71 law enforcement officers who died in the World Trade Center and on the ground in New York City. Another law enforcement officer who died when United Airlines Flight 93 crashed into a field near Shanksville, PA. Countless others sacrificed their health and well-being to save others. This debt is impossible to pay back or even comprehend. Life was forever changed for our military. There were 55 military personnel who died at the Pentagon. However, the War on Terrorism, that came after the attacks, have continued to add blood and treasure to list of sacrifices we have made as a nation to stamp out evil in the world. It is estimated that since September 11, 2001 there have been over 7,000 military and 8,000 contractors killed. Also over 52,000 injured in Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Freedom's Sentinel, Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation New Dawn, and Operation Inherent Resolve. In addition to those stats, over 30,000 military personnel have taken their lives after returning from war. Life was forever changed for our world. Arguably, every nation, tribe and tongue has been impacted since September 11, 2001. There were 2,605 U.S. citizens, including 2,135 civilians, that died in the attacks, but there were an additional 372 non-U.S. citizens (excluding the 19 perpetrators) also perished on that day. Think about this… 12% of the total dead on September 11, 2001 were not from the US. More than 90 countries lost citizens in the attacks including the United Kingdom (67 deaths), the Dominican Republic (47 deaths), and India (41 deaths), among several others. Death came to black, white, Asian, Latino, Indian, and all of us alike. In fact, recent statistics say that over 200,000 military and police from around the world have also died upholding the banner of freedom. Life has been changed in the Middle East. A recent article from the US News & World Reports states: “The Costs of War Project estimates that more than 360,000 civilians lost their lives at the hands of opposition fighters, local militaries and U.S. and coalition forces. Not counted in those numbers are journalists (680) and workers at nongovernmental organizations (892).” This also does not take into account the deaths of our enemies. When you tally all the numbers, the total loss of life stands at nearly 900,000. Life is a precious thing. Today is not just a day to think about death, sacrifice or tragedy, but to think about how blessed we are to live on this earth, and in this country. Life is beautiful. It is wonderful. It is fragile. LIFE… it's how you live it… it’s about what you do with it… it’s a wonderful thing to have it. Don’t waste your life. May God bless you as you find your purpose in life. And, may God continue to bless America! You are loved! Dr. Ray Reynolds #ReynoldsRap #WixBlog #authentic #Christian #positive #practical #community #God #fyp#foryoupage #Jesus #Facebook #Twitter #Instagram #YouTube #Twitch #Reddit #TikTok #WWJD #GTKYB #Christianity #prayer #Biblereading #follow #faithful #love #youcanovercomethis #Godisincontrol #GodismyStrength #GodismyRefuge #September11 #freedom #life https://www.usnews.com/news/national-news/articles/2021-09-10/counting-the-lives-lost-as-a-result-of-9-11

There was a time that I enjoyed getting on Facebook, Twitter, and other social media sites. And, I realize that I don't have to use these mediums, it is a choice. However, I can honestly say that it is frustrating at times to hear, see and experience the hatred that is spewed on the Internet. There are times when it breaks my heart. There are times when it angers me. And, yes, there are times when I cry and grieve about what is on here. Do you feel that way? People have a right to speak their mind... even if that offends other us. Our government has allowed free speech, including hate speech. I may not like it but it is a constitutional right. I can choose to ignore it, walk away from it, or let it fuel my passion to speak up against it. You see, I believe that the answer to ending this grievous cycle of hate speech is not to silence people, not less speech in the public sphere, but for more speech to overpower it. I believe that we need to encourage positive people to speak out. Each of us should use our voice and our actions to rule the day. I heard a professor once say that it takes 10 positive things, or statements, to overcome 1 negative one. If that is true, we should be striving to say, do, or post at least 10 positive things a day. I know that may sound crazy, but what if we all tried? The number 12 sounds good to me. What if each of us refuse to post anything negative, and started posting twelve positive and uplifting things every day. We need to empower one another through love and joy, not hate and violence. Don't give people power to hurt you with their words and actions... brush it off, smile through it, and be like Jesus to them. Practice the Golden Rule. Love your enemies. Turn the other cheek. If we all do this together we can change the world! If you think I'm naïve, that's fine. If you think I'm soft or silly, no problem. This is my quest. Join me if you want, but I'm on a mission nevertheless. God loves you. I love you. And it's time the world knew true LOVE. Just remember that LOVE will rule the day. I wrote this blog 4 years ago and it still rings true. You are loved! Dr. Ray Reynolds #ReynoldsRap #WixBlog #authentic #Christian #positive #practical #community #God #fyp#foryoupage #Jesus #Facebook #Twitter #Instagram #YouTube #Twitch #Reddit #TikTok #WWJD #GTKYB #Christianity #prayer #Biblereading #follow #faithful #love

A Message to the Men: Find yourself a good godly woman. One that prays without ceasing, reads her Bible with interest and goes to church regularly. One that adores you! Commit to spend the rest of your earthly life honoring God with her by your side. Love her. Serve her. Walk with her through highs and lows. Don’t quit! Treat her like Christ treats the church. If God is at the center of your relationship, both of you will be blessed beyond measure. Forget the short skirts, tight jeans, makeup & tan lines. Look for girls with worn Bibles, Jesus fish and Christian t-shirts. Stop looking for the right girl to slide into your DMs and find a girl that slides into a pew at church. Please heed this advice… Don’t settle. The right godly woman is out there. And she’s praying for you! #honorGod #godlyrelationships #bestfriendsgoals

I’m not a huge fan of the Huffington Post, but they ran an article in 2017 that had the following headline: “American Bible Reading Statistics Reveal Who Is Studying The Good Book And Why.” It was a follow-up on an article that was written in 2014 and a survey that was taken. I was amazed to see that the number of people in America who do not identify with any religion may be at an all-time high, but the Bible still holds an important place in the lives of many Americans. In fact, within our lifetimes we may very well see that the number of Americans who are atheists or agnostics will outnumber Christians in America. BUT… strangely enough… even people who are agnostic… or only slightly religious… see the Bible as an authority! According to this published study called: “The Bible in American Life” we can see some interesting trends. It was conducted by the Center for the Study of Religion and American Culture, and it found that 50% of Americans read some form of scripture in 2017 (meaning a devotional book or another Bible aid) and 48% of Americans actually read the Bible. The stats showed that 4 out of 5 read it at least once a month and about 9% of Americans say they read the Bible daily. Isn’t that amazing? Nearly 10% of the people read the Bible. According to the General Social Survey, the report says, nearly eight in ten Americans regard the Bible as either the literal word of God or as inspired by God. Fifty percent of those who have not read the Bible still believe it to be the “divinely inspired Word of God,” which is even higher — by 4 percentage points — than those who do read the Bible. When asked why they read the Bible, respondents named the number one reason as being personal prayer and devotion. Many also said they read the Bible to learn more about their religion — over 78% of Americans identify as Christian – though not all practice, according to Pew Research. Some also read the Bible in search of guidance in personal decisions and improving relationships. The article continues to say, “Consulting Scripture for personal prayer is three times more common than turning to the Bible to learn about hot-button issues like abortion, homosexuality, war or poverty. Nearly half of the 48% who do read the Bible on their own said they turned most favorably to the Book of Psalms, particularly noting Psalm 23, which begins “the Lord is my shepherd.”” It also said, “Historian Mark Noll commented on this finding, “The Bible has historically been a source of great comfort and consolation for those who read it regularly, or who turn to it in times of crisis. This historical usage of scripture seems to have continued, and with surprising strength, into the present.” The study also found that age, race, gender, region and education affected whether, how often and the reasons for which respondents read scripture…. Women were more likely than men to read scripture, older people were more likely to read than younger, southerners more likely to read than those of any other region, and African-Americans were more likely to read than those of any other race.” I was amazed to see this information. Especially in a secular paper. It confirms something we should already know. People are starving for the word of God. They are hungry for information about our Creator and how to improve our lives. Everyone needs to study the Bible! Let's read it. Let's follow it. Let's share it! You are loved! Dr. Ray Reynolds #ReynoldsRap #WixBlog #authentic #Christian #positive #practical #community #God #fyp#foryoupage #Jesus #Facebook #Twitter #Instagram #YouTube #Twitch #Reddit #TikTok #WWJD #GTKYB #Christianity #prayer #Biblereading #follow #faithful #disciples #tough #questions #answers

You have probably noticed that I always end my articles and blogs with the phrase “You are loved .” God loves you! It's true! Look no further than the cross at Calvary. He loves you with an unwavering, jealous, and unfiltered love! Nothing you do, or say, or think, can ever change the FACT that He loves you with an unconditional love. John, the beloved apostle, tells us that "God IS Love" (I John 4:8). In other words, He is the embodiment of that concept. You can't talk about love without recognizing God. Love is God and God is LOVE. Don't let Satan, or demons, or humans convince you of anything else. THE LORD.... LOVES... YOU! He always has and always will. That’s a promise. We also need to consider how to love others with that same authentic and genuine love. We need to love like God (John 3:16). John said, “And this is His commandment: that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another, as He gave us commandment” (I John 3:23). If you have accepted God's love, and walk in the faith, you should share love with others. God's Word says, "The Lord looks after those who fear Him, those who put their hope in His love." (Psalms 33:18) The Lord loves you. If you walk close enough to Him....He will reveal that His goal to save you, bless you, and give you something greater than life.... eternal life! Here is the bottom line... First, know that God loves you. Second, know that God loves everyone around you. AND... Third, share the love of God with everyone you meet. Be God's hands and feet. Let's show the world the love of God! Have a GREAT week! You are loved! Dr. Ray Reynolds #ReynoldsRap #WixBlog #authentic #Christian #positive #practical #community #God #fyp#foryoupage #Jesus #Facebook #Twitter #Instagram #YouTube #Twitch #Reddit #TikTok #WWJD #GTKYB #Christianity #love #agape #genuine

I was first acquainted with the community of Waterloo in 1996 when I moved to the Florence, Alabama area to attend International Bible College (now Heritage Christian University). In early 2000 I moved back to Cloverdale, Alabama to start working with the Pine Hill congregation. It is a small community in the far western part of Lauderdale County. Our church address for the building was actually a Waterloo address. I often tell people that this was the first community that I came to love. I've lived in this area twice in my lifetime (96-97, 2000-03) and visited hundreds of times. My wife, Misty and I, have actually visited there twice in the past month. We love this place! The city of Waterloo was named after the famous battle of Waterloo. Its a beautiful area with lots of room for fishing and hunting. The community is relatively small, but it used to be much larger! Today the city sits on a tiny patch of land that takes up less than 1 square mile but is still home to about 200 people (the last census said 203). For more than 100 years from its beginnings in 1819, Waterloo was a small-but-bustling little town on the banks of the Tennessee River. In fact, at one time it was the second largest city in Lauderdale county… second only to nearby Florence! Then… In the late 1930s Tennessee Valley Authority came through town and informed its residents that the Pickwick Landing Dam was to be built very soon. The good news was that FDR’s New Deal was creating new dams and infrastructure to help the area. The bad news was that the entire city of Waterloo would be submerged with water if the people didn’t move. There was nothing they could do about it. Even though the dam was 20 miles away… the water would essentially level the city of Waterloo in just a matter of a few days. It was devastating news to this growing community. How could this happen? Well, at first the US Army Corps of Engineers started in the 1920’s with Wilson Dam that flooded some of the Shoals. Later they needed a second dam, so Wheeler Dam was created in the 1930’s. However, there was a problem in Florence and Tuscumbia. There was just too much water… so TVA knew a third dam needed to be built up the river. It was an urgent need! That’s when TVA decided they had to build the dam at Pickwick Landing. The TVA had to get the project approved, and the area evacuated, in just a few months. In fact, between authorization and construction it was only six months… and the project was finished in record time. The TVA had to purchase the entire town of Waterloo (and the Riverton community) swiftly. They purchased 63,700 acres of land, 12,590 acres of which had to be cleared first. Then they had to relocate 506 families, move 407 graves, and over 70 miles of roads had to be relocated. All in just a few months. Some locals say it was a miracle that so much was accomplished in such a short time. Those are the facts. Knowing that I love history… I sought to learn more about this odd experience. Many church members from my home congregations (Cloverdale and Pine Hill), along with other locals, shared personal stories with me from when that event happened. Most residents at that time were racing against the clock to move their homes, buildings and relocate cattle. Men had to take off work, children were pulled out of school, relatives had to come into town to help with the relocation process. People lived in fear that at any minute water would flood the city unexpectedly. One of the saddest stories told to me was by a man who was helping families at the cemetery. Many of the people had to be told that there was not enough time to move all of the graves in time. As the clock was ticking, and fear was spreading, people were told that their homes (some recently built during the boom) were too large to be moved with trucks on the crooked roads that were also under construction. Despair was rampant. In those last few months before the flooding… fences laid unamended. Buildings were not painted or repaired. Broken down trucks and cars stayed in the streets or driveways. Businesses were abandoned. Road improvements inside the city limits were never fixed. Everything stopped. After all, why paint a house if it were to be covered with water? Why repair anything when the whole city was to be wiped out? Nothing mattered. The people gave up all hope! I learned a simple point… "Where there is no faith in the future, there is no power in the present." This is why we need hope. Hope brings power to the present. Recently I preached a lesson on Colossians 1:24-29 and talked about the blessing of “Christ in you” is called, “the hope of glory.” What does that mean? It is a REAL hope. Unfortunately, there are those today that have false hope (I Corinthians 15:19). False hope will ultimately make you miserable. It’s hope in money, possessions, hobbies, collectibles, athletics, intellect, abilities, ceremonies or even just doing good works to be seen by others. Paul recognizes that to live without Christ is to die without hope! I remember reading Dante’s Inferno several years ago where the sign over the gate to Hell reads, “Abandon all hope, ye who enter here.” It is true. There is no comfort at death… Unless… you… are… saved. Depending on the translation you are using, the root word “hope” is found somewhere between 142 times (KJV) to 182 times (NIV). Paul uses the word “hope” around 40x in his writings. That Greek word translated as “hope” is a word that means “confidence.” It is also translated as “assurance, confidence, and even boldness” depending on the context. Those who belong to Christ… who are a part of the Body of Christ… have confidence of glory because they have been cleansed by Jesus’ blood. They have confidence because of His resurrection. They are confident of a better place prepared for them. They have every reason to hope! The Christian hope is not in the uncertain things of this world, but the well-grounded expectation of that which God has prepared for us… that which He has promised to His people. What does “the hope of glory” involve? What is this Christian hope? It is the one thing you need if you want to abandon despair. Let’s seek this hope! You are loved. Dr. Ray Reynolds #ReynoldsRap #WixBlog #authentic #Christian #positive #practical #community #God #fyp#foryoupage #Jesus #Facebook #Twitter #Instagram #YouTube #Twitch #Reddit #TikTok #WWJD #GTKYB #Christianity #faithful #hope

The apostle Paul said, "From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God." (II Corinthians 5:16-21 - ESV) Recently I was reading the preceding text and some thoughts hit me hard. First, we cannot ever forget that we are ambassadors for Christ. Second, we are called to reconcile people to Christ. And, finally, the most important thing Christians need to remember is that Christ is the hope of the world! I love the word "Hope" and it has become one of my favorite biblical themes. In fact, Misty and I use this phrase often on social media and in our ministry. We believe in finding hope and reclaiming that hope. When I read these words above from Paul I see my hope, but I also see the consequences of those living without the hope that God offers humanity. Christ never promised that we would have everything we want, yet He provides everything we need. Isn't that amazing!?! Romans 5:6 tells us that "while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." We might die for our momma, a friend, maybe even a stranger, but definitely not a criminal that did not care for our sacrifice. However, this is exactly what Christ did for us! Whether you asked for it or not. Whether you wanted it or not. That is how much He loves you! There is a story of some young poor boys trying to sneak into baseball games. Each day there was a game after school they would walk to the stadium and find an open gate. As the story goes, a man saw this on a few occasions and decided to buy them tickets so that they would not be caught or punished. They didn’t deserve the tickets or the privilege. They deserved to be punished for sneaking into the games. However, they were given the opportunity to accept his free gift or risk punishment in the future. The cost of a a ticket was only $7 each, but it was given to individuals who could not repay it. This is the way it is with Christ. We could not pay the debt, so he paid the debt for us to keep us from punishment. We deserve punishment, but by God's grace we have another option. A better one! The apostle Paul speaks of how Christ gave Himself for His church in Ephesians 5. Husbands are called to do the same thing for their own wives. This brings reconciliation. I Corinthians 12:13 says that we are all united because we are all saved by the same grace. Galatians 3:27, Ephesians 1:3, etc. tell us that spiritual blessings are in Christ. When we accept the hope that He offers, we are saved! These thoughts should motivate us to reconcile with our families, friends, and neighbors. Also it should encourage us to share this hope with those who are without hope. The hope and assurance Christ has promised us is guaranteed. We need to stay in the light to have the confidence of hope in a hopeless world. We need to remember our purpose, our plight, and God’s provision. God is so good! Find hope. You need it. Share that hope. Lost souls depend on it. There is always hope. Ray & Misty #ReclaimingHope #Christian #blogs #hope #podcast #Spotify #Anchor #RayReynolds #MistyReynolds #Summerdale #ChurchofChrist #lifecoaching #ministry #Jesus

A few months ago we decided to begin a new podcast. What would we talk about? Our story, of course! Currently we have nine episodes. The first episode of Reclaiming Hope begins the journey. You join us on what seems to be a never ending road trip. We talk about our humble beginnings and share our story. https://anchor.fm/reclaiminghope/episodes/Introducing-Hope-e13i3el In the second episode of Reclaiming Hope we continue to share our story of how we met, how friendship began, and where hope was found in the back pew. https://anchor.fm/reclaiminghope/episodes/Hope-on-the-Back-Pew-e13i7o5 In the third episode of Reclaiming Hope we continue to share our story of how we met and how our paths should have crossed dozens of times before in the past. Everything happens when it’s the right season (Ecclesiastes 3:1). https://anchor.fm/reclaiminghope/episodes/Hope-For-The-Unexpected-e13ivuq In our fourth installment we continue with our story of first meeting and then becoming friends. A small circle of Christians becomes a lifeline of hope for broken people. https://anchor.fm/reclaiminghope/episodes/Hope-For-Friendship-e13j19a In this fifth podcast we share insight on how to overcome the “rock bottom” experience. There is nowhere to go but up! This has been a fan favorite, because of Misty’s raw honesty. https://anchor.fm/reclaiminghope/episodes/Hope-From-The-Bottom-of-the-Closet-e13j1tv Our sixth episode is all about forgiveness. How can you overcome bitterness and regret? What can you do to forgive yourself and others? you’ve got to let go of resentment. https://anchor.fm/reclaiminghope/episodes/Hope-Through-Forgiveness-e13j45l The final three episodes were recently added. Join us in the Land Rover again as we travel from Florence to Summerdale. In these three episodes we discuss how to remove baggage from previous relationships, ideas to restore fun and romance into your marriage, and things you can do to build spiritual intimacy with your spouse. Like, listen, follow and share. https://open.spotify.com/show/6X7T1WRQcQVJF3PgKlP0z2?si=2KbNUf4iRX6pDq-imv-XIQ&dl_branch=1 You are loved. There is always hope. RAY & MISTY