Greetings! My name is Chad Bradley. I am a college and career (c2) student in Bro. and Sis. Field’s Sunday school class at Greater Bakersfield’s First Pentecostal Church (GBFPC). Bro. Fields asked me to write something for our c2 blog and so, here we are. I have a great passion and desire to spread God’s word, not only in verbal communication, but as a living example and witness to everyone I come in contact with. I would like to just ‘kick back’ and share something with you that has been on my heart and mind for some time now. I am so thankful to know a God, the only God, who is filled with grace, mercy and such a wondrous love that never seems to end.
I have grown up in church and I have been blessed with many wonderful things that can sometimes be easily taken for granted…i.e. God’s Protection. God has kept me from many things and has sheltered me from a lot of the filth of this world. I am definitely NOT faultless, but because of God’s grace and mercy he has kept me and for that I am SO grateful. I am only saying these things to give God glory, not to be boastful in any way. I have a wonderful family, friends, church, pastor and of course an amazing God. It really can be eye opening, thinking about everything God has blessed one with, but in an instant it can all be taken away. I am reminded of the story of Job who had many blessings of God, but in the blink of an eye, it is all taken away from him. Through it all he kept on praising God and thanking Him no matter what the circumstance. Psalm 23:1 says, “The Lord is my shepherd; and I shall not want.” You may be thinking how this ties together, but what exactly comes to your mind when you think of this passage? It is a puzzling culmination of words to me, but if you really think about it, I believe this psalm fits in conjunction perfectly with Job’s story. I think God would like to know from each of His children the answer to this question, with innumerable possible conditions. If your blessings were taken away, or every material thing you treasured was gone, or had a sickness that was life threatening, or lost a loved one, or lost your job in these tough economical times, whatever the situation, would you still praise God, would you still glorify Him, and believe that He is in total control and knows what is best for you? When the Lord, our shepherd, is in control we don’t have to worry about any provisions and we don’t have to worry where the next pay check is going to come from or where the next meal will come from. All we have to do is simply put our trust in Him and believe God will make a way. Philippians 4:19-20 says “But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Now unto God and our Father be glory for ever and ever. Amen.” Isaiah 26:4 says ”Trust ye in the LORD for ever: for in the LORD JEHOVAH is everlasting strength:” I want to have the attitude of Job, whether God puts me through the same tests and trials or not. We need to have a “Job mindset” that no matter what God brings our way, He is still worthy of all our praise, He is still the almighty God and is able to bring us out of our trouble and keep us through our storm. I believe in God’s word and I put my trust in Him. I am so thankful for such a wonderful God and will always be thankful no matter what!
God Bless,
Chad Bradley
I have grown up in church and I have been blessed with many wonderful things that can sometimes be easily taken for granted…i.e. God’s Protection. God has kept me from many things and has sheltered me from a lot of the filth of this world. I am definitely NOT faultless, but because of God’s grace and mercy he has kept me and for that I am SO grateful. I am only saying these things to give God glory, not to be boastful in any way. I have a wonderful family, friends, church, pastor and of course an amazing God. It really can be eye opening, thinking about everything God has blessed one with, but in an instant it can all be taken away. I am reminded of the story of Job who had many blessings of God, but in the blink of an eye, it is all taken away from him. Through it all he kept on praising God and thanking Him no matter what the circumstance. Psalm 23:1 says, “The Lord is my shepherd; and I shall not want.” You may be thinking how this ties together, but what exactly comes to your mind when you think of this passage? It is a puzzling culmination of words to me, but if you really think about it, I believe this psalm fits in conjunction perfectly with Job’s story. I think God would like to know from each of His children the answer to this question, with innumerable possible conditions. If your blessings were taken away, or every material thing you treasured was gone, or had a sickness that was life threatening, or lost a loved one, or lost your job in these tough economical times, whatever the situation, would you still praise God, would you still glorify Him, and believe that He is in total control and knows what is best for you? When the Lord, our shepherd, is in control we don’t have to worry about any provisions and we don’t have to worry where the next pay check is going to come from or where the next meal will come from. All we have to do is simply put our trust in Him and believe God will make a way. Philippians 4:19-20 says “But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Now unto God and our Father be glory for ever and ever. Amen.” Isaiah 26:4 says ”Trust ye in the LORD for ever: for in the LORD JEHOVAH is everlasting strength:” I want to have the attitude of Job, whether God puts me through the same tests and trials or not. We need to have a “Job mindset” that no matter what God brings our way, He is still worthy of all our praise, He is still the almighty God and is able to bring us out of our trouble and keep us through our storm. I believe in God’s word and I put my trust in Him. I am so thankful for such a wonderful God and will always be thankful no matter what!
God Bless,
Chad Bradley
