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| This page contains a
month of short daily devotions prepared expressly for ladies. To read the devotion for a day, click on the date in the calendar below. |
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Please note that these devotions contain
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January 1: | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Genesis 1:1a In the beginning God... In
the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the word
was God. January...a time of newness and refreshing, a chance to look at the past and resolve to do things differently and better in the New Year, a chance to look hopefully to the future with new goals or resolutions. What a wonderful concept is a new year. How can we make the most of this opportunity and make it the best year ever? Resolutions are made with the very best intentions, but our resolve weakens quickly and the intentions that seemed so sensible on December 31st looks pretty overwhelming by the end of the first week of January. Rather than making resolutions that are so quickly broken or forgotten, I’ve found it helpful to set goals and plans for where my focus will be in the next year. For example, I’d love to lose that 20 pounds (wouldn’t we all?), but the real issue is I need and want to have a healthier lifestyle. And I know there are lots of other areas in my life that need work. My chances of success are probably better if I start with the most important part. So where do I begin? Genesis 1:1 gives me the answer. " In the beginning God..." And John 1:1 reminds me that Jesus was there in the beginning. If I focus on the living God and give Him first place in my life, everything else will fall into place. In his famous book, The Purpose Driven Life, Rick Warren begins with the words "It’s not about you." If we give God first place in our lives, if we seeks His will, if we remember that He has a wonderful and significant plan for our lives...if we make Him the beginning in this year, chances are we will really experience a "Happy New Year." |
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First Things First "But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and
his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." "Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the
Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all
thy mind. This is the first and great commandment." Do you make lists and set goals? I know I do. Every year in January, my husband and I separately list goals for every area of our lives, then we compare our lists and set shared goals for the year ahead. Sometimes I’m so busy setting financial, physical, and intellectual goals seeking to improve myself and my circumstances that I forget to keep first things first. There’s nothing wrong with goal-setting. It’s a wonderful way to narrow our focus so we can accomplish more. However, the Bible cautions us to first seek God’s kingdom and His righteousness. Jesus Himself said loving God with all my heart, soul and mind is the " first and greatest commandment." (Matt 22:38) I want to accomplish many things this year; I really do. When the end of December comes, I want to look back at my list of goals and see many successes. But what good are my successes and all my accomplishments if God is not first in my life? What a waste if this year passes, and I have been able to fulfill all my hopes and goals only to find my walk with the Lord is not closer, and I’ve not won anyone to Christ and so added to His kingdom. What good is success if it misdirects my mind and my heart to something other than the God I serve?So I’ll continue to set goals each year and to strive with all my might to achieve them. However, the top goal on my list is to develop a closer walk with the Lord and to regain a passion and zeal for winning the lost. When I put those things first, God’s promise is that all the other things " will be added unto you." (Matt 6:33) What’s your plan for this year? |
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How to "Grow" Your Faith "Now faith is the substance of things
hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." "So then faith cometh by hearing, and
hearing by the word of God." Hebrews 11 gives us the definition of faith and lists some great giants of faith. Abel, Enoch, Noah, and Abraham and Sarah...all were people of deep and abiding faith: the kind of faith that gives substance to the things we hope for and proof of the things we haven’t seen. (Hebrews 11:1) Have you ever wished you had faith like them? The Bible assures us that we can and that there are things we can do to grow and develop and refine that faith. Romans 10:17 says tells us that "faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God." Our faith isn’t based on a religion; it’s based on a relationship. And relationships take time and effort to grow and develop. If we want our faith to grow, we need to immerse ourselves in the Word of God. It sounds simple and it is, but "simple" doesn’t mean "easy." For me, immersing myself in the word of God means I read my Bible daily, have devotions where I can meditate on God’s Word, go to Sunday School, practice faithful church attendance. If we’re going to "grow" our faith, it may mean changing our priorities and slowing down enough to spend time in God’s Word and adjusting our schedules so we can be in Sunday School and church.Do you sometimes feel empty inside? You will never feel whole or complete until you develop the kind of faith described in Hebrews 11. You may not have that kind of faith today, but your faith can grow and develop, and it can " make you whole." (Mark 5:34, Mark 10:52) Are you willing to take the time and put forth the effort to "grow your faith?"
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I Want to Be First "and whosoever
will be chief among you, let him be your servant:" "Grandma, I want to be first!" Not an unexpected request from my granddaughter, who was anxiously waiting to ride in the tube towed behind the boat. We were amused at her excitement. Of course she wanted to be first. Who doesn’t? Matthew 20:17-34 tells us about a mother who wanted the best for her sons. Jesus had just finished telling his disciples that He was going to Jerusalem where He would suffer and die. The mother of the sons of Zebedee seems to have missed the point entirely. She came to Jesus and asked that He give her sons preference and seat them, one on His left and one on His right in His kingdom. Keep in mind that those two sons were right there. They just let their mother do the talking for them. The other disciples were indignant, and who can blame them? Are we really so different from the sons of Zebedee? Don’t we all like recognition for what we’ve done, and don’t we usually have an opinion about how things should be done? We’ve all seen Christians who want things done their way; sometimes it may even have been us who wanted it done our way. I’ve even seen churches split–not over doctrine, but over silly things that, when examined carefully, were really only about people wanting their own way. Perhaps you don’t like all the music at your church or you don’t like the way the worship service is structured. Maybe you even have a hidden resentment because someone else was chosen to do something you wanted to do yourself. Dr. Wally Beebe used to say there are three reasons a person does something: the reason they tell themselves, the reason they tell others, and the real reason. May I gently suggest that the "real" reason for most of the discord in our churches is our own desire to be first and our unwillingness to have the servant’s heart demonstrated by the Savior we claim to serve.
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Sincere "That ye may approve things that are
excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of
Christ;" Philippians 1:10 admonishes us to be "sincere and without offence till the day of Christ." The Bible definition of "sincere" has to do with a potter who, after creating a pot, finds a flaw. If the pot is broken and taken back to the wheel and the flaw corrected, the pot is said to be "sincere." Of course, there is a great deal of effort and some cost in the correction to make that pot "sincere." A less than scrupulous craftsman would sometimes cover the flaw by filling the crack with wax, carefully coloring the repair and blending it into the pot so the flaw was not obvious. If that pot was used for only cold water, the flaw might never be found. However, when heat was applied to the pot, the wax would melt and the pot found to be not sincere and in fact worthless.All of us have areas in our lives that are broken, that need repair. The temptation is to just gloss over our shortcomings and wear spirituality like a mask or like wax in a faulty pot. That may work when things are going well, but when the fires of life come our way, that flimsy repair job won’t hold. How much better to go to the master Potter who can make all things new, confess our sin, and let Him fix what is broken in our lives and in ourselves.
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The Everlasting Arms "The eternal God is thy refuge, and
underneath are the everlasting arms:" Several of my grandchildren were swimming from the back of the boat, and most of them were having a wonderful time. Timmy, however, wasn’t enjoying himself at all. The water was deep, he can’t swim, and he absolutely could not believe us when we told him his life jacket would keep him afloat. It took a lot of coaxing from Mom and Dad (and Grandma) before he was willing to take a chance and get in the water. Even then, he clung desperately to his mother and to one of the floats, still not believing the life jacket that enveloped him could keep him safe. I couldn’t help but remember all the times I’ve faced things that terrified me. It was difficult during those times, sometimes even impossible to remember that God is my refuge, and He could and would take care of me. I certainly didn’t feel like I had a refuge. Whether it’s a wayward child, your husband being diagnosed with cancer, the loss of a loved one, or any number of other crises, you probably know exactly how Timmy felt...paralyzed with fear. We’ve all been there. And yet, he really was safe. Yes, the water was deep and he didn’t know how to swim. If he had needed to, he couldn’t have saved himself. But he didn’t need to rely on himself; the life jacket was holding him up, and it was effective for him whether he believed it or not. Deuteronomy 33 doesn’t say those everlasting arms are there only if you believe it. It’s a simple statement of fact. God is our refuge and underneath are the everlasting arms. You’re not sinking, believer, even if you can’t believe it right now. Why do we keep on struggling, trying to do for ourselves what we can never do? How much better to trust those everlasting arms and let God do for us what we could never do for ourselves.
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Where Is Your Treasure? "For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." "And Abraham gat up early in the morning to the place where he
stood before the Lord." "And very early in the morning the first day of the week, they
came to the sepulchre at the rising of the sun." What’s important to you? Material things like your house, your car, your boat? Your job? Your family? Your testimony or reputation? While there’s nothing inherently wrong with any of those things, Matthew 6 clearly tells us those things we treasure, those that are highest on our priority list, are going to be the focus of our hearts. If we are going to give God first place in our life, it is going to require that we readjust our priorities. Maybe you are like me with more demands on your time than there are hours in the day. Even if I manage to avoid the "time wasters," there are still many and sometimes conflicting demands on my time. I sometimes find myself exhausted at the end of the day and realize I have spent the day doing what was good and right, but not having done what was really important and significant. For me, determining priorities means getting up earlier in the morning so I can give God the first fruits of my day and spend some time just loving Him and seeking His face. Then I can ask God to help me identify what His plan is for my day rather than my own. Our pastor has the busiest schedule of any person I know. He sets an example by visiting more shut ins, doing more soul winning visitation, and doing more service than most people. However, he also sets the example by spending the first 30 minutes of each day at the church altar on his face before the Lord. On that first Easter morning, three women went to the sepulcher early in the morning to see their Lord and to render service to Him. What a surprise awaited them and could await us if we seek the Lord early in the morning. |
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Discouraged Christians - Introduction
"For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels,
nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to
come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able
to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our
Lord." Our pastor preached a series on "You The Warrior Leader" and is drawing some parallels between soldiers on a battlefield and Christians in their walk with the Lord. It’s not hard to see the similarities because we are in a spiritual warfare. Ephesians 6:12 tell us that "...we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places." Satan is a formidable adversary, and he hates us and everything we stand for. If you’ve trusted Christ, he can’t take your salvation. That’s a battle Christ fought and won on Calvary. Since he can’t take your salvation, Satan will settle for your testimony, your marriage, your children, your usefulness, and your hope. Being in this spiritual war is hard, and even the most spiritual Christian can get discouraged. A discouraged soldier is a vulnerable soldier, and discouragement is one of the tools Satan uses to defeat us. It doesn’t have to be that way because Romans 8:38 tells us that these same "principalities and powers" cannot separate us from the love of Christ. As we look at discouragement, remember the battle is not ours, but the Lord’s (1 Samuel 17:47a ). |
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Discouraged Christians - Part 2 "And John calling unto him two of his
disciples sent them to Jesus, saying, Art thou he that should come? or
look we for another?" Christians get discouraged. It’s just a fact of life. It might be a crisis that causes us to be weary and discouraged, or it might be a series of small incidences. In either case, being discouraged will limit your effectiveness as a soldier in this spiritual warfare. Notice I didn’t say you’re not spiritual if you’re discouraged. I’m afraid that we sometimes lie to ourselves and others, pretending that everything is peachy because we think we need to put on our "Christian" face and deny real feelings and emotions. In Matthew 11, we read about John the Baptist, who was in prison. He sent his disciples to ask Jesus if He was really the Christ, or "should we look for another?" This was the man who went before the Lord to proclaim His coming, who baptized Jesus and saw the Holy Spirit descend on Him, who said in John 3:30, "He must increase, but I must decrease." If anyone should have known the answer, it was John. This soldier of Christ who would soon die for his stand, was so discouraged he even doubted his faith. Notice the gentle answer of the Savior. He didn’t rebuke John, and He won’t rebuke you for being weary and discouraged. And His answer is still the same: "Go and shew John again those things which ye do hear and see: The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them." Whatever the cause of your discouragement, be assured that Jesus will gently minister to you will let Him.
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While a major crisis can and often will cause a Christian to become discouraged, major events are not the only things that cause discouragement. Sometimes a series of small events will have a cumulative effect and cause discouragement equal to or even worse than the results of one big catastrophic event. Song of Solomon 2:15 talks about little foxes spoiling the vines. Vineyards were plentiful in Bible days, and so were the animals that would eat the tender young grapes. These animals were small enough to hide among the leaves of the terraces. They didn’t bother the vines when there were only flowers there. However, they could do significant damage to the young, tender grapes. Hidden there among the leaves, they laid in wait to do the damage. In much the same way, little things can create serious problems in our lives. My husband says there really is no one "straw that breaks the camel’s back." Rather, it’s all the other straws that came before, and the final one was just the catalyst. We need to deal with those "small" issues when they crop up and take care lest a combination of them steal our joy. If you’re feeling grouchy and disgruntled today, take a look at your life and see if there are some small things you can deal with and settle. Make that dreaded phone call, put away the things you keep tripping over, fold that basket of clothes, and give that small resentment to the Lord. You’ll have a better day because you cleared away some of the small things, and you won’t create a place for the little foxes to hide. Most important of all, you will be a more effective soldier for Christ if you get rid of those little foxes and the discouragement they can cause. |
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Discouraged Christians - Part 5 - Why Me?
My Dad was wounded in World War II, and he received a Purple Heart. He was really proud of that medal, because it represented not only his service to his country as a soldier, but also his dedication to a cause. He was willing to suffer and even to die for what he believed. There were, however, some soldiers who actually had self inflicted wounds. I had to wonder what motivated them to do such a thing. A lot of Christians are like the walking wounded, dealing with discouragement, and some of those wounds are valid. However, I wonder if we don’t sometimes inflict wounds on ourselves. Martha was like that, and I can identify with her as it’s easy for me to work myself into a frenzy. Martha complained to Jesus that Mary wasn’t doing her part. But who told Martha she or anyone else had to do it all? She made that choice herself, and Jesus gently reminded her that she had not made the better choice. I need to remind myself daily that I don’t have to do everything, know everything, or be everything. When I forget that, I’m like a soldier who has shot himself in the foot. It’s silly and unnecessary, and it can easily lead to discouragement. Sometimes it’s enough just to rest in Christ. Human Doings Always going, on the run; "Stop a minute, you forgot" So today I'll try to rest
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Discouraged Christians - Part 6 - The Valley after the Mountain
Perhaps there has not been a major crisis or a series of small things that are overwhelming to you. Sometimes discouragement comes when it is least expected, after a major victory. In 1 Kings 18, Elijah had confronted King Ahab and had challenged 450 prophets of Baal and 400 prophets of Asherah. He totally defeated them, and after that defeat all 850 prophets were killed by the people of God. After such a decisive victory, when God had shown Himself powerful on Elijah’s behalf, you would think Elijah’s faith would have been the greatest it had ever been. Yet in 1 Kings 19 Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah telling him she was going to take his life. When Elijah heard that, he ran away in fear, and 1 Kings 19:4 finds him sitting under a juniper tree asking God to take his life. What happened to take the victorious prophet of 1 Kings 18 and turn him into a totally depressed and defeated man sitting under a juniper tree and wishing he could die? He was discouraged. When we’ve had a mountain top experience, we are more vulnerable than at other times and, given the opportunity, Satan will steal our joy. I think about the building program we have started at our church, how we’ve seen people trust Christ, and how the Lord has been blessing in such a wonderful way. Take care Christian soldier not to become complacent. We need to spend time in prayer and stay close to the Lord especially now. Discouragement can come when we least expect it. As good soldiers, we need to be prepared in the good times as well as in the bad. |
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Discouraged Christians - Part 7 - Taking Care of Yourself
Good soldiers not only know how to follow orders, they also show initiative. Some time ago, I was going through a period of unhappiness and great discouragement. I remember praying desperately and angrily to the Lord and saying, "What do You WANT from me?!?" Later when I was studying "The Purpose Driven Life" by Rick Warren, the Holy Spirit pricked my heart and reminded me of that question as I read the words, "God wants you to grow up!" Maybe someone has broken your heart, maybe your loss is greater than you think you can bear, and maybe so many hurtful or stressful things have happened you’ve lost count. Whatever or whoever caused your discouragement, you can be an active participant in the resolution. That’s what being grown up means, and that is what’s required of a good soldier. In Matthew 22:39, Jesus commands us to love our neighbor the same way we love ourselves. Have your ever thought about it that way? Christians in general, and women in particular tend to put themselves last on the priority list if they make the list at all. How can you love and meet the needs of others if you don’t love and take care of yourself? You can’t dip water out of an empty well. If you are trying to meet the needs of others when your own needs are not being met, you will find yourself being angry and resentful and even discouraged. I’m not saying you should stop demonstrating a servant’s heart. I am saying you need to take care of yourself in order to have the reserves to take care of others. If we don’t take care of your own basic needs, we can’t blame the Lord when we are weary and discouraged in the work He has given us to do. |
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Discouraged Christians - Part 8 - Taking Better Care of Yourself
One of the things a soldier in combat is told is to examine their feet carefully every day and especially after every march. Why such great attention to detail? Because neglecting the small things can make weaken him and make him ineffective in battle. It’s difficult when we’re in the midst of a trial to pay attention to the small details of living, but it’s necessary if we’re going to take care of ourselves. Elijah was totally disheartened when he went to sleep under that juniper tree. 1 Kings 9 tells us that an angel from the Lord woke him and told him to eat and drink. When he went back to sleep, the angel woke him a second time and told him he needed to eat again because "the journey is too great for thee." Is the journey sometimes too great for you? You can help yourself by paying attention to the small things. Be sure you are getting enough sleep and eating the right things. There are other things you can do as well, like journaling, exercising, and being with other people. All these will help if you are feeling discouraged. Remember too that while Elijah was at the end of himself and fell into an exhausted sleep, God was looking out for him. Elijah wasn’t forgotten or forsaken, and neither are you. Do what you can to take care of yourself, and leave the rest to God. |
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Discouraged Christians - Part 9 - Being Prepared
Soldiers go through Basic Training and continue training the entire time they are serving. It’s required of them that they be prepared at all times for battle and for any emergency they might face. If we are to be good soldiers, strong in the Lord when the bad times come, we also have to prepare ourselves ahead of time. Ephesians 6:14 tells us we need the full armor of God in order to "withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand." God wants us to be able to withstand all that the world and Satan can throw at us and, after all is said and done, to still be standing. If we don’t work and exercise our spiritual muscles during the good times, they will fail us in the bad times. The more Scripture we know, the more steadfast we have been in prayer and the more preaching we have heard, the better off we will be when life comes knocking on our door with a battering ram. When Darius wrote a bad law about praying, there was no question about what Daniel would do. Daniel 6:10 tells us he did the same thing he had done "aforetime." It was his habit. It’s faithfulness like that in the good times that gives us the strength of Shadrach, Meschach, and Abednego, who knowing God could deliver them still said, "But if not..." We can have that kind of courage when the storms come if we have prepared our hearts and minds in the good times. |
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Discouraged Christians - Part 10 - What Now?
So you’ve done your best to get rid of the "little foxes," you’ve stored up Scripture verses, and you have a strong and effective prayer life. You have let go of any resentments, you have even started taking care of yourself. Now here you are, in the middle of the worst battle you’ve ever faced. While you thought you were prepared for anything, you never imagined "anything" could mean this. What can you do when you’ve done everything you can, and you are losing the battle? A good soldier knows the battle may seem long, but it has an end just as surely as it had a beginning. His training teaches him to do everything he can and then to hold on until help comes. We can do the same. Jesus promised in John 14:18 that He would not leave us comfortless. Don’t quit before the miracle happens because help is on the way. Ecclesiastes 3 tells us there is a season for everything under the sun and, whether it is a season of laughing or a season of crying, it is only a season. Ask God in the trial what you can get out of it rather than how you can get out of it and wait for Him to work it out in His time according to His will. The Psalmist said it well when he said "Why art thou cast down, oh my soul, and why art thou disquieted within me? Hope thou in God." (Psalm 43:5) The battle is the Lord’s. Trust God in the dark for what He’s given you in the light. |
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Discouraged Christians - Part 11 - Hold Fast
Hebrews 10 reminds us to "hold fast the profession of our faith." I’d like to believe it’s spirituality, but the truth is I’m too stubborn to let Satan have the victory. Here is our enemy, hating us and making our lives miserable, and he wants us to give up the fight? I don’t know about you, but I’m too ornery to let that happen! As born again believers, we can ask God to give us the strength to hold fast our profession "without wavering." We are in a battle and, as good soldiers, we don’t cut and run because that battle is hard. Sometimes we can count on others, but at other times we have to stand alone. Together or alone, quitting is not an option. And what about those other soldiers? Did you ever think about the fact that God’s army is the only army in the world that shoots its wounded? It’s a sad but true fact that when things are the most difficult for us, it is often our Christian family that adds to that sorrow with gossip, criticism, and a judgmental attitude. What if the wounds you are suffering are from the people who should love you the most? If the people you trusted have let you down, will the Christ you serve let you down too? A promise is only as good as the character of the person who makes it, and all too often we find ourselves the victims of broken promises. It’s different with the God we serve. Hebrews 10:23 reminds us that "He is faithful who has promised." Take your broken heart to the Lord, troubled Christian. When the battle is the most fierce, when you don’t know where to turn, when God is the only one you have left, you will find that God is enough. You can trust Him and "hold fast" because He is faithful who has promised. |
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Discouraged Christians - Part 12 - He Cares
He Cares For You When hope is gone and dreams are disappointed, When you find those who lead have been mistaken, When you have given all you have and then some, Take heart, O soul, lift up your head, don't sorrow. Remember in the past His mighty power. Remember long ago the day He saved you. So even though your heart may now be breaking, And someday soon your heart will mend, I know it, And if the smile's not there, then don't you worry;
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Faith - Part 1 "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of
things not seen." I love words. Whether written or spoken, they are the channel through which we share with others the things that are in our hearts. So I was most interested in some of the meanings from the Merriam-Webster dictionary for the words of this verse. Faith, the Bible tells us, has substance and evidence. The definition of substance is an "ultimate reality that underlies all outward manifestations and change." It is that reality of the things God has promised and that we hope for that causes in us an outward change that others can see. Because our faith has substance, we begin to grow and to be different and better than the way we were. The definition for evidence is similar. It is "an outward sign." Again, the kind of faith that honors God will show up on the outside where others can see it. Have you ever known someone who was "so heavenly minded they were no earthly good?" That’s not the kind of outward sign of our faith that I’m talking about. Christ honoring faith manifests itself in doing the right thing, in responding gently to the angry words of others, in forgiving those who hurt us, and in believing God when the hard times come. These definitions were good, but my favorite of all was one of the definitions of faith itself. Merriam-Webster defines it as "belief and trust in and loyalty to God." Belief and trust I could have predicted, but loyalty? Is loyalty to God an integral part of our faith? Anyone who has known great sorrow would say it is, and that sometimes loyalty is the only thing that kept them from quitting. The old gospel song, "The God of the Mountain" is right on target when it says "the God of the good times is still God in the bad times." Is your faith making you into the person God would have you to be and preparing you be loyal when the hard times come?
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Faith - Part 2 - Saving Faith "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of
yourselves: it is the gift of God:" "These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of
the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life..." Faith is the very foundation of our salvation. What is saving grace, and can we really know for sure that we have eternal life? 1 John 5:13 assures us that we can know we have eternal life. Saving grace takes place when we realize in our hearts and admit to ourselves that we are sinners who deserve to go to Hell. "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." Romans 3:23 We may have done some wonderful things, but even the best person in the world couldn’t measure up to God’s standard. Because we have sinned, we are destined for Hell. "For the wages of sin is death." (Hell) Romans 6:23a. However, that verse continues, "...but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." Although we can’t save ourselves or find a way out, God provided a way through His own son. Romans 10:13 "For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." If you have never taken this step of faith and received the Lord Jesus as your personal savior, you can do it right now by praying this simple prayer. Dear God, If you prayed this prayer and meant it from your heart, that’s saving faith, and 1 John 5:13 says you can know you have eternal life. |
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Faith: Part 3 - People of Faith "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of
things not seen." "But without faith it is impossible to please him:" I really want my life to be pleasing to God, and I’m sure you do too. So what does God want from us, and what kind of people are the ones who do please Him? Hebrews 11:6 tells us it is impossible to please God without faith, and Hebrews 11: 2 tells us about the people who, according to this chapter "obtained a good report." I’ve heard this list of people referred to as the heroes of the faith, but it reads more like a "Rogues Gallery." As we take a look at some of these "heroes," I think you’ll see they were people just like us, and in many cases worse than us. Do you remember Noah’s ark? Remember also Noah after the ark. He built a vinyard and became a drunk. Then there was Isaac, who was a terrible father, favoring Jacob over Esau. Anyone who had a parent that played favorites knows this man wasn’t perfect. And what about Jacob? A paragon of virtue? Hardly. He was a liar, a cheat, and a manipulator. Let’s not forget Rahab, who was a harlot, David, who was an adulterer and murderer, and Samson who served God more with his death than he ever did with his life. And, of course, we can’t forget the Israelites, the bunch who tried God’s patience for 40 years in the wilderness and didn’t get to go into the promised land. So how did these so called "heroes of faith" please God? I don’t think it’s any accident that God lists these imperfect people and tells us they "obtained a good report." Because we are never going to be perfect, but God wants us to seek him anyway. We can stop beating ourselves up for our imperfections and exercise our faith by "Believing he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him" (Hebrews 11:6b) |
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Faith - Part 4 - Imperfect Faith "Through faith also Sarah herself received strength to conceive
seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because
she had judged him faithful who had promised." "...Sarah laughed within herself, saying, After I am waxed old
shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also? According to Hebrews 11, Sarah had the kind of faith that pleased God. In fact, Hebrews 11:11 says the reason she conceived was because she "judged him faithful who had promised." (Hebrews 11:11) So what kind of unwavering faith did Sarah have? Genesis 18 tells the story of the angels who came to Abraham and told him that he and Sarah would have a child. Abraham immediately believed God’s promise and laughed with delight. Sarah heard from inside the tent and she also laughed, but not because she believed the words or the promise. When the angel questioned her about this, she denied it. Not exactly a spiritual giant, wouldn’t you agree? It pricked my heart to read the angel’s reply, "...Is anything too hard for the Lord?" (Genesis 18:14) because I often forget that basic truth myself. Nothing, nothing, nothing is too hard for the God we serve. I’m so thankful that God uses real people in the Rogues Gallery of Hebrews 11. I would throw up my hands in despair and quit if I couldn’t look at them and see myself. Sarah didn’t immediately have the faith of a hero. She was just a simple woman who saw her circumstances rather than God’s power. What does Sarah’s shaky beginning mean to us in our walk of faith? It reminds us that our faith doesn’t have to be perfect in order for it to be pleasing to God, but that we can trust Him with all the faith we are capable of at the time. Sarah grew in faith, and we can be patient with ourselves as we grow into the kind of faith that pleases God. |
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Faith - Part 5 - Imperfect Faith Continued "And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with
tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief." "...he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is
a rewarder of them that diligently seek him." Desperate people do desperate things and sometimes in their desperation, or maybe because 0f it, their faith is shaky. Mark 9 tells us about a father who had come to Jesus and his disciples for help. His son was possessed of a demon, and this poor father had watched his son suffer since he was a child. I’m sure he had tried everything he knew to do to help his son, and he was ready to give up. He didn’t come to Jesus in the strength of his conviction and faith. He came because he had tried everything else, and he was desperate. In fact, what he said to Jesus after telling Him about his awful circumstances was, "But If thou canst do anything, have compassion on us and help us." (Mark 9:22b) Jesus gently reminded him that if he could believe, all things were possible, and this father cried out and with tears told the Savior, "Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief." An imperfect father, and imperfect situation, and an imperfect faith. And yet this father, who both believed and struggled with believing, received what he had asked from the Lord. Do you have belief and unbelief struggling in your spirit at the same time? We all do, especially when our burden is the heaviest and our circumstances the worst. I believe the key is to have just enough faith to believe that God is and that He rewards those who seek Him. (Hebrews 11:6) If your faith is weak, pray anyway and as you pray, ask God to increase your faith. If Christ had compassion on this poor man and met both his need for his son and his need for his own faith, He will do the same for you. It’s the kind of faith that pleases God. |
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Faith -Part 6 - The Firm Foundation and the Goodness of God "To everything there is a season..." "Why art thou cast down, Oh my soul? and why art thou disquieted
within me? hope thou in God..." "I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the
LORD in the land of the living." We’re only a few weeks away from moving into our new house on the lake, and we’re pretty excited. This is a wonderful season for us, but not so long ago it was very different. Ecclesiastes 3 reminds us that there are seasons of laughing and rejoicing, but there are also seasons of crying. During those times of heartache, how do we hold on to our faith and keep believing life is worth living? We can be so overwhelmed by our circumstances that we could not keep going if we had no hope. It’s certain that things will be better in the "sweet by and by," but what about the "awful here and now?" The psalmist says in Psalm 27:13 that he would have "fainted" if he had not believed he would see the goodness of God while he was still alive. He concludes by saying, "hope thou in God." His faith was not a perfect faith, and he had moments of great discouragement during times of trouble. Our lives aren’t always going to run smoothly either, and our faith is never going to be perfect and unwavering. God wants us to come to Him in our times of greatest need, and He knows those won’t be the times of our greatest faith. Pray whether you feel like it or not. It will give you a new perspective on your problems, and it will give God a chance to work in your situation and in your heart. The Messenger version of Hebrews 11:1 says that faith is "the firm foundation under everything that makes life worth living." Use the little faith you have. It will make a firm foundation and bring the joy back into your life. |
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Faith - Part 7 - Making Faith Grow "And the apostles said unto the Lord, Increase our faith." "Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief." "(for we walk by faith, not by sight:)" "So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of
God." Do you ever feel like your faith is weak and wonder if you will ever learn to walk by faith as described in 2 Corinthians 5:7? We are in a battle against an enemy we can’t see, redeemed by a savior we can’t see, and serving a God we can’t see. All three of those take faith, and the Bible is clear that our walk is to be one of faith rather than sight. We sometimes look at what seems to be the great faith of the people in the Bible or even our sisters and brothers in the Lord and wonder why our faith isn’t as vibrant and alive as theirs. When we compare ourselves with others, of course, we are always comparing our inside with their outside. Every person I have ever known or read about, from Sarah in the Bible to Billy Graham, has struggled with faith at some time in their lives. So what can we do to develop the kind of faith that pleases God? Romans 10:17 tells us that "faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." Statistics say that 98% of people will never read through their Bible. 98%! How can we expect our faith to grow if we are starving it to death? If you want to have the kind of faith that pleases God, you have to feed that faith with the word of God. Being faithful to the services at church, being part of a Sunday School class, and reading your Bible will all help your faith to grow into the kind of faith that will see you through the hard times and will be pleasing to God. When the fires of affliction come, and they surely will, you’ll be glad you did. |
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Faith - Part 8 - Faith for an Uncertain Future "...When ye see the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God, and
the priests the Levites bearing it, then ye shall remove from your
place, and go after it...that ye may know the way by which ye must
go: for ye have not passed this way heretofore." All the Israelites who had crossed the Red Sea were dead, and God was ready to take their children into Canaan just as He had said He would. For forty years they had wandered in the wilderness, and God had provided their every need. Now the time had come for them to step out in faith to claim what God had promised them. But He didn’t send them into unchartered territory alone. The priests were to lead the way carrying the ark of the covenant, and the people were to leave their place and follow it. The time will come if it has not already that you will have to walk a path you have never walked before. Perhaps it will be a new ministry or a move to a new location. Perhaps it will be financial losses. It might even be that dreaded midnight phone call, a medical diagnosis that terrifies you, or a loved one who goes out in sin. Or it might be as simple as trusting the Lord with a Faith Promise commitment. Wherever God takes us, however, we can be sure we won’t have to go alone. The ark of the covenant represented God’s presence with His people and His promises to them, and the manna in the ark was a constant reminder of His provision. Oh, the path may be new and frightening, but the promises of God will go before us. Those Israelites kept their eyes on the ark and remembered God’s protection and provision in the past as they stepped into the Jordan. We too can look at the faithfulness of God in the past and trust Him with our uncertain future. |
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Faith - Part 9 - Peter’s Imperfect Faith - Part 1 "And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the
water, to go to Jesus." Most of us occasionally act on impulse. That’s why stores place things where we can see them as we’re waiting in the checkout. However, some people are incredibly impulsive, and they seldom if ever stop to think before acting. Peter was that way, and the Bible gives several examples of his impulsive words and actions. One of my favorites is the story of how Peter stepped out of the ship and walked on the water to go to Jesus. These seasoned sailors were struggling with a ship that was "tossed with waves: for the sea was contrary" when they saw Jesus walking to them on the water, and they were afraid. I’ve been on ships in the ocean, and I can’t think of anything more frightening than being in a storm at 3:00 in the morning and seeing someone or something walking toward me on the water. But Jesus told them not to be afraid, and Peter immediately said, "Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water." (Matthew 14:28) When Jesus told him to come, Peter came down from the ship and started walking to Jesus. Then he began to look at the storm instead of the savior, and he began to sink. Don’t be too hard on Peter. I can’t imagine getting out of a ship like that at any time or for any reason, much less in the midst of a storm with gale winds. Most of us would have been huddled right there in the boat with the rest of the sailors, too frightened to move. Although Peter’s faith faltered, he stepped out and acted on the faith he had. So should we. Whatever storms you are facing right now, Jesus won’t let you sink. Let the little faith you have take you out of the boat. Come on in, the water’s fine. |
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Faith - Part 10 - Peter’s Imperfect Faith, Part 2 "And the Lord turned, and looked upon Peter. And Peter remembered
the word of the Lord, how he had said unto him, Before the cock
crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. And Peter went out, and wept
bitterly." During the last supper, Jesus told his disciples they would all scatter and abandon him. Peter told the Lord that even if everyone else abandoned him, Peter himself would not. (Matthew 26:33) It was Peter, in fact, who cut off the man’s ear defending the Lord in the Garden of Gethsemane, and I’m pretty sure he wasn’t aiming for his ear! Passionate, impetuous, impulsive Peter. He really believed his faith would hold when the chips were down, when the circumstances were the worst they could be, when it seemed all hope was gone. He didn’t believe the Lord when He said Peter would deny him three times before the cock crowed. All four gospels tell the story of Peter’s denial, but Luke 22 adds that when the cock crowed, Jesus turned and looked at Peter. When Jesus looked at Peter, he remembered what the Lord had said and "went out, and wept bitterly." (Luke 22:62) Have your circumstances overwhelmed you and stolen your faith and your joy? Have you wept bitterly at your own weak faith or the times you have failed the Lord? Don’t despair. It may be midnight in your soul right now, but morning is coming and with that morning a new hope and a new beginning. I don’t think there was rebuke in the eyes of the savior when he looked at Peter. I think the Christ who "remembers that we are dust" (Psalm 103:14) looked at Peter with compassion and love. God is like that. He is bigger than our problems, bigger than our discouragement, and bigger than anger or our failures, no matter how big those things seem to us. Maybe the time has come to forgive yourself and let the Lord begin the healing of your soul. |
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Faith - Part 11 - Peter’s Imperfect Faith -
Part 3 "Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time,
Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things;
thou knowest that I love thee." "For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust." Peter had given up. His friend and teacher and savior was gone. His vision for God’s kingdom, his dreams, his hopes, and his self confidence–all gone. He had failed the Lord and now he was ready to forget Him and everything that had happened. "I go a fishing." (John 21:3) But Jesus wasn’t finished with Peter. He came to where he was. After Jesus had eaten with Peter and the other disciples, He sat with Peter and had a conversation about love. Three times He asked Peter "Lovest thou me...?" and three times Peter responded that he did. It is no coincidence that Peter denied Christ three times, and the Lord asked him three times whether he loved Him. Jesus used the word "agapas" for love while Peter’s answer, "Yes, I love you" used "phileo." What Jesus wanted from Peter was deep or divine love, but all Peter could offer at that time was "I’m fond of you." What happened to the man who said he would die for Jesus? His failures gave him a new perspective on himself–his character, his loyalty and even his love for the Lord. He wouldn’t speak impulsively here as he had done before. The time was coming when he would receive the Holy Spirit and do amazing things, but all he had to offer right then was an imperfect faith and an imperfect love. Knowing this, Jesus told him to "feed my sheep." Your love and faith may falter too because feelings can change with your circumstances, but continue serving the Lord with what you have. Keep on praying, reading your Bible, doing what’s right, and sharing Christ with a lost world. I’m not talking about an empty faith; I’m talking about using the little faith you have and asking God to increase that faith. Don’t give up right before the miracle happens. |
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Faith - Part 12 - Faith Renewed "By what power or what name did you do this?" "Then Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost..." "When you set out on a journey and night covers the road, you
don’t conclude that the road has vanished." Peter and John had gone to the temple, and Peter healed a man who had been crippled from birth. It must have been wonderful to see that man "walking, and leaping, and praising God." (Acts 3:8) That healing opened the door for Peter to share the gospel, and Acts 4 tells us 5,000 men were saved. This attracted the attention of the Jewish leaders, and Peter and John were arrested and put in jail. The next day they were questioned by the Jewish leaders, some of the same people who had condemned Jesus. When asked by what authority they had done this. Peter stood up and started his response with "Rulers and elders of the people!" and ended it by telling them it was in the name of Jesus of Nazareth and "Neither is there salvation in any other." (Acts 4:12) Quite a change from the profane trembling coward of Luke 22:61. What made the difference? Peter had run the gamut from denying Christ, to telling Christ he "loved" him with a fond, brotherly love. Then came Pentecost in Acts 2 and with it a miraculous change in Peter. His greatest victory was going to come after his greatest failure and his greatest strength after he realized his weakness. He was in the middle of the very people he had feared enough to deny the Lord, and this time he did it right. You too can trust Christ with all the ability you have right now and be patient until your Pentecost comes. In the midnight of your doubts and discouragement, keep on looking for the morning. It will come. And don’t be surprised when God takes you back to your greatest failure and, in His compassion, gives you a chance to make it right. Then you can say with Peter, "we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard." (Acts 4:20) |
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