The Fear of Uncertainty

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

Isn't it interesting that when we give in to satan's temptations of fear we then turn over to him power, love and a sound mind. Satan uses 1 thing (fear) to steal 3 things (power, love, sound mind) from us!

As you know, we are all living in an age of uncertainty. That's obvious. The market going up and right back down; earthquakes everywhere; illness and disease; etc. The list goes on.

This Fear of the Uncertain has been breathing down my neck lately, more so than before.

Recently my wife and I were faced with a test of faith when she started showing some complications with her pregnancy; Baby #4 for us! All in all, the complications were scary and unnerving because we've experienced these things before and experienced miscarriage and heartache thereafter. You can imagine what the enemy was barking at us with! He is such a liar.

But then there is the Living God who conquers all fear! Experiencing the fear of uncertainty brings opportunity to trust in the Lord and grow in faith! This is so true and can be difficult to walk through but the rewards are great and bountiful!

We spent time in prayer, crying out before the Lord, venting fears and worries, casting our cares on Him and receiving prayers from many others!

Elizabeth is now 10 weeks along and today we received the report of the Lord at the doctor's office...the baby is healthy, has a strong heartbeat, is about 1 1/2 inches long, loosk great, and the complications she was experiencing are healing well!

My God, Jehovah, is faithful and He is not deaf! He is good!

So, let me encourage you. When you are facing the fears of uncertainties do not replace God with worry or anxiety. Cast the anxiety and worries on Him and use the fears you face as opportunities of grace, opportunities for deeper faith!

Life-Changing Quick Quotes from People you know!

Today's blog is definitely different. I'm going to let others speak to you who have invested into my own life and caused great change by the power of the Holy Spirit and God's unchanging Word! Enjoy.


"Keep your eyes on what's important."   
Elizabeth Herald, my wife

"Today is the tomorrow you worried about yesterday."   
Pastor Ed Herald, my father

"If there are problems in the pew it very well might be because there are problems in the pulpit."
Pastor Ed Herald

"The greatest battle is the battle over self." 
Pastor Ed Herald

"Do we have people coming to worship or do we have people coming already worshipping?"
Vince D'Acchioli

"You can tell the character of a man by looking into the eyes of his wife."
Vince D'Acchioli

"The remedy to everything is to Follow Him!" 
Pastor Alan Latta

"There is a roar of Zion happening in the earth."
Klaus Kuehn

"If I do this willingly I have a reward but if against my will I have been entrusted with stewardship."
Andrew Ironside

"Ministry is an overflow of time spent with Jesus."
Darrell Evans

"When we spend time in God's Presence we are transformed more and move into His image."
Apostle & Pastor Olen Griffing

"If you have no private victories you fall publicly."
Pastor Ed Herald

"You don't really "know" something until you "do" what you know."
Apostle & Pastor Olen Griffing

"There is a living difference between confession and repentance; it's all a change of mind and perspective."
Pastor John Parks

"God wants to flow in us, through us, and AS us."
Pastor John Parks

"Grace is the motivation to be holy; the means to be holy."
Pastor Joe Oakley

"Holiness is not something we do; holiness is something we become, it's a Spirit."
Pastor Kerry Kirkwood

"You cannot go into the Presence of God without receiving vision."
Dr. Leon Van Rooyen

"Christianity is not about saving your skin. It's about giving up yourself for the glory of God."
Eric Ludy

"Learning to live in this world is imperative to spiritual maturity."
Bill Swindle

"We need to stop getting carried away by the enemy and remain where God has planted us."
Pastor Ed Herald

"God does not exist to fulfill our purposes or needs. We exist to fulfill God's purposes!"
Dr. James MacDonald

"Humility is not something you are but something you do!" 
Dr. James MacDonald

The Threshing Floor...of Repentance

I've been spending some much needed time in prayer today and just sensing the contriteness and repentance that's been coming over the leadership and people of Victory Christian Center as of late. It's powerful and goes so deep.

While I was spending time on the threshing floor of repentance that Lord stirred me up in my prayer that story of Jesus talking to His disciples about what makes a man unclean (Matthew 15:1-20). I've read this passage many times but one word smacked me upside the heart!

Matthew 15:15, 16
Peter said, "Explain the parable to us." (Please read the previous verses to know what Peter is referring to.) "Are you still do dull?" Jesus asked them.

I know I need to be careful not to take the scripture or individual words out of context but that word DULL just hits me. All I can do is reread and recite that question, "Are you still so DULL?" I can hear the holy attitude and compassion of Jesus; His head slightly turned in contemplation and His eyes peircing His disciples hearts by asking, "Are you still so DULL?"

I imagine a sword with both sides unsharpended, unuseable, thick and not fulfilling it's purpose. Under the conviction of the Spirit and in the threshing floor of repentance I ask myself, "Am I still so dull?"

With our hearts contrite, pride humbled, and attitudes in check let us question our motives, attitudes, weaknesses, goals and dreams. Can we ask ourselves today, "Are we still so dull?"  When will we be sharpened and ready for the Master's use? Let us begin today in the spirit of repentance. Let repentance work it's way into the secret hiding places and compartments of our souls and let healed and redemption take hold.

Repentance is a GOOD THING! Contriteness is a GOOD THING! Rebuke the fear and let the Holy Spirit flood your being!

Some practical things we can do while threshing away in life to become sharpened swords for Christ...
    -turn off the radio and spend time meditating on God's Word; don't let your mind be empty, renew your mind with God's Word like water and soap washes dirt off our hands.
    -seriously...have an attitude of gratitude and give thanks. You've heard it said in God's Word to "pray without ceasing." This refers to well over 100 hundred blessings the Jews would recite to the Lord DAILY. So there you go...BLESS GOD all the time, give thanks, pray about everything..GOD IS NOT DEAF!
    -stay in this season of repentance, rest in God's grace and purpose in your heart to let the Holy Spirit produce His fruit in you.
    -spend less and less time on social medias and socialize with Jesus!
    -make sure to go to Church every chance you get and spend time with the Beloved Bride of Jesus...your brothers and sisters.
    -ask the Holy Spirit to reveal things in your life you need to repent of and then repent quickly...turn away from those things and honor and obey God

All in all, let contriteness fill your heart. Spend some time in the threshing floor secret place.

Worship & Creative Arts Interview...

Hello friends, this week's Blog is a little different. When you can, check out an interview I recently did with co-laborer and friend Doug Faulkner of the Immanuel Bible Foundation in Normal, IL. We talked together about Worship & Creative Arts in The Church. It was a great discussion. It's broken into 3 parts for better listening; in total the interview is about 45 minutes in length. Thank you for taking the time to listen. Many blessings!

Worship & Creative Arts Interview with Jarrod Herald