What do you do when the enemy is closer than you think?

In this message from 1 Peter 5:5–11, Peter writes to believers facing suffering, fear, and anxiety. As he closes his letter, he calls them to stand firm in faith. They face a struggle within as discouragement takes hold, and an enemy without who seeks to destroy.

Suffering can make us irritable, defensive, and quick to pull away from others. Peter urges believers to clothe themselves with humility instead of allowing difficult circumstances to create division. He also tells them to cast their cares on God, because He cares for them. The same mighty hand that can carry us through suffering is a merciful hand: God gave His own Son for us.

Peter then gives a warning: “Your adversary the devil is prowling around like a roaring lion, looking for anyone he can devour.” The enemy’s influence is not always obvious. It can appear in the thoughts we dwell on, the temptations we excuse, and the lies that leave us feeling defeated or alone. Peter’s instruction is clear: be alert and resist him, firm in the faith.

We can resist because Jesus has risen. God gives His people the strength to turn from temptation, remove the enemy’s footholds, and stand together through suffering. And Peter leaves us with a promise: the God of all grace will restore, establish, strengthen, and support His people.

In this message, you’ll discover:

• Why suffering can expose pride and create division
• What it means to humble yourself under God’s mighty hand
• How to cast your fears, worries, and anxieties on a Father who cares for you
• Why Peter tells believers to stay alert to the devil’s schemes
• How the enemy uses deception, accusation, and division
• What it looks like to resist temptation and remove footholds
• Why we can stand firm together, even in suffering
• How the resurrection makes resistance possible

The enemy wants you to live in fear and defeat. Peter calls you to stand firm in faith, trusting the God of all grace to see you through.

📖 1 Peter 5:5–11

Make the most of your life and every opportunity you’ve been given to GLORIFY GOD.

Get Involved: We want you to know God, find community, and make a difference. Learn more at: https://bellshoals.com/guide/

What if the obstacle you’re facing is an opportunity for God to work?

In this message from Acts 8:1–8, a wave of persecution sweeps through the church in Jerusalem after Stephen’s death. Saul goes from house to house, dragging believers into prison, while others are scattered throughout Judea and Samaria. What looks like a devastating setback becomes an opportunity for the gospel to reach new places: “The believers who were scattered preached the Good News about Jesus wherever they went.”

Life doesn’t always go according to our plan, but it always goes according to God’s plan. Unexpected circumstances can leave us feeling discouraged, confused, or unsure of what comes next. Yet God’s providence reminds us that even opposition and suffering cannot stop His purposes. At times, what we see as obstacles, God is using as opportunities.

As the believers scatter, the apostles remain in Jerusalem. The message of Jesus spreads through ordinary people who carry their faith wherever they go. Philip travels to Samaria, proclaims the Messiah, and sees lives transformed through the power of God. The result? “There was great joy in that city.”

God works through ordinary people to bring joy to all places. You don’t have to be a pastor or a ministry specialist to make a difference. Wherever God has placed you, you have opportunities to share the good news of Jesus and help others experience the joy found in Him.

This same movement continues in Acts 11, where scattered believers bring the gospel to Antioch. We aren’t even told the names of the people who started this influential church, but we see what happened through their faithfulness: “The power of the Lord was with them, and a large number of these Gentiles believed and turned to the Lord.” Their story reminds us that the impact of our lives depends on God’s power, even when our names go unrecognized.

From the early church to our medical missions team serving in North Africa, God continues to work through people willing to trust Him and go where He leads. His plans may unfold differently than we expected, but His providence and power will prevail.

In this message, you’ll discover:

• How God used persecution to spread the gospel
• Why unexpected setbacks cannot stop God’s purposes
• How God works through ordinary people to make a difference
• What Philip’s ministry in Samaria teaches us about bringing joy to others
• How unnamed believers helped establish the church in Antioch
• Why obstacles can become opportunities for the gospel
• What it means to trust God’s providence through hardship
• How your life can bring the hope of Jesus to your city and the world

You may not have chosen the circumstances you’re facing, but you can trust God to work through them. What feels like a setback may become an opportunity to grow your faith, share your story, and help others discover the joy found in Jesus.

📖 Acts 8:1–8; Acts 11:19–26

Make the most of your life and every opportunity you’ve been given to GLORIFY GOD.

Get Involved: We want you to know God, find community, and make a difference. Learn more at: https://bellshoals.com/guide/

What if what you’re going through is something God will use to make a difference?

In this message from John 9:1–5 and 24–33, Jesus encounters a man who has been blind from birth. His disciples immediately ask whose sin caused his blindness—his own or his parents’. But Jesus redirects their attention from assigning blame to seeing what God will do: “This came about so that God’s works might be displayed in him.”

Life rarely takes us in a straight line from where we are to where we want to be. We face obstacles, painful circumstances, and questions we can’t answer. While suffering exists because we live in a world broken by sin, every hardship is not a punishment for something we personally did. Jesus reminds us that our suffering is subject to God’s sovereignty. Even when we don’t understand our circumstances, God can work through them for His glory.

Sometimes God heals. Other times, He sustains us through what we wish He would remove. Either way, He can display His goodness, power, and faithfulness in our lives. You’re going through something, but God is getting you to something.

When Jesus opens the man’s eyes, the religious leaders question him and challenge his story. He doesn’t have an answer to every theological question, but he knows what Jesus has done: “One thing I do know: I was blind, and now I can see!” His testimony reminds us that we don’t have to be scholars to be effective witnesses for Jesus. When God changes your life, you have a story worth sharing.

This miracle also points to our deepest need. Jesus is the Light of the World, and all of us need Him to open our spiritually blind eyes. Through this man’s testimony—and Eva’s story from our own Bell Shoals family—we see how God can use what we’ve been through to help others see who He is.

In this message, you’ll discover:

• Why suffering is not always the result of personal sin
• How God can display His works through difficult circumstances
• What it means that Jesus is the Light of the World
• How God works through both healing and sustaining us
• Why this miracle points to our need for salvation
• How a simple testimony can become a powerful witness
• Why your story of life change is worth sharing
• How God can use what you’ve been through to make a difference

You may not understand everything you’re going through, but you can trust the One who sees you. God can use your circumstances and your story to draw others to Himself.

📖 John 9:1–5, 24–33

Make the most of your life and every opportunity you’ve been given to GLORIFY GOD.

Get Involved: We want you to know God, find community, and make a difference. Learn more at: https://bellshoals.com/guide/