“I will maintain My love for him forever, and My covenant with him will be firm.” (Psalms 89:29, TLV)
More than ever, I feel it is of importance to bring our minds the remembrance of the expanse of God’s Love.
Our Father is faithful to us.
He rewards us openly, all because of His loyalty toward us.
Although, if we are unfaithful in our covenant with Him.. “If his sons forsake My Torah, and do not walk in My judgments”..(Psalms 89:31, TLV), then we will face chastisement (See Hebrews 12:7).
“We must allow the Word of God to correct us the same way we allow it to encourage us.” – A.W. Tozer
YET despite this correction. God does not change. He will never not love us.
“But I will not withdraw My lovingkindness from him, nor will I betray My faithfulness. I will not violate My covenant, nor alter what My lips have uttered. Once for all I have sworn by My holiness —surely I will not lie to David— his descendants will endure forever, and his throne as the sun before Me, and as the moon, established forever, and a trustworthy witness in the sky.” Selah
(Psalms 89:34-38, TLV)
“The secret of Adonai is for those who fear Him. He makes His covenant known to them.” (Psalms 25:14, TLV)
To understand God’s covenant love, is to fear Him. You will take the time to seek Him out, spend time with Him, and hear what He has to say. In the verse above, Psalms 25:14, the word for fear is from the Hebrew word יָרֵא ‘yare’. You can find it in the Strongs concordance (3373) and it means fear or reverence. When it speaks on these terms it is referring to morality. As human beings, we ourselves have come up with moral codes to stand by in our society. Such as telling the truth, do not steal, and keep your oaths. Actually, a lot of these values we hold, stemmed from a Biblical origin. If you take a look at the Ten Commandments for example, you will see many similarities between what God had instructed man to carry out and what our current civilization expects. So ultimately, we know there are things we must follow accordingly if we want this life to go as smoothly as it can. Unfortunately though, there are too many who have gone astray and do not have the fear of God in them. Some fear man but not the One who made man in the first place.
“Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but one who trusts in Adonai will be kept safe.”
(Proverbs 29:25, TLV)
God’s Love is how I know He has not given up on me. Personally, I am undeserving. He has been faithful during my times of faithlessness. Unwavering, when I have been moved. And comforting when I’ve been pushed by every side. Have you experienced the same in your life during the trials? All of these traits are signs of the Holy Spirit in our lives. While God may be unseen to the naked eye, He is shown through His actions, love, truth, and creation. I hope this encourages you to see His love for you and everyone around you again.
“that the God of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah, our glorious Father, may give you spiritual wisdom and revelation in knowing Him. I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what is the richness of His glorious inheritance in the kedoshim, and what is His exceedingly great power toward us who keep trusting Him—in keeping with the working of His mighty strength.” (Ephesians 1:17-19, TLV)
“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” (Galatians 6:9)
There are so many challenges these days. I often feel alone in my faith with God and it truly saddens me. If you have people around you to love God with despite the world’s circumstances be thankful.
Faith is believing the unseen. Faith is standing on God’s word regardless of the right now, because God tells the truth. He cannot nor will not lie (Numbers 23:19). The “right now” is this world and this world is not forever. “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away” (Matthew 24:35/Mark 13:31).
According to His promise, we are awaiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells (2 Peter 3:13/Revelation 21:1). We often forget this very thing … God created all things.
“and he is before all things, and by him all things consist.” (Colossians 1:17)
Time, space, gravity, earth, and so on. He created. He is outside of the things that limit us. *Limits us* not Him. For He even created life itself. If it weren’t for Him and Him alone, we would simply not exist.
“How completely satisfying to turn from our own limitations to a God who has none.”
-A.W. Tozer
Knowing this, this Life Bearer, and meditating on this truth, is what uplifts me to continue treading on. It was Him who gave us this life. It was He who chose us from the beginning. Hand picked and hand knitted. He knew where we would be in this very moment. What we have dealt with or are dealing with are of no surprise to the Almighty.
“You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb. Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it. You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb. You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed.” (Psalms 139:13-16)
“You may not see it yet, but God has all the right pieces to make the puzzle of your life fit together.”
Sermon Quotes
God knew. He saw our future. He sees our potential. He knows where we will be one day, and it won’t be here. It will be in glory with Him. Reigning for ever and ever in His presence. With that in mind, let us not grow weary. We got this.
Exactly one year ago, on October 27th 2020, we spoke together about how faith is a risk. One year later in the year of 2021 a lot has occurred in just that short amount of time. I cannot fathom enough how important faith truly is. Faith is SO important to God, and I feel the Spirit of the Lord leading me today to express that.
As always, the Word of God is the best place to go to explain: “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. For by it the people of old received their commendation. By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible. By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, through which he was commended as righteous, God commending him by accepting his gifts. And through his faith, though he died, he still speaks. By faith Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death, and he was not found, because God had taken him. Now before he was taken he was commended as having pleased God.” (Hebrews 11:1-5, ESV)
Hebrews chapter 11 is an extraordinary example of how many have led their walk with God in faith. It also shows how walking out in this faith is rewarding, especially with your relationship with God the Father. I couldn’t recommend enough to thoroughly read Hebrews 11 in it’s full context for yourself. Whether you haven’t read it yet, or need a refresher. It will encourage you to keep contending!
“And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.” (Hebrews 11:6, ESV)
Are we not a people that want to be pleasing to God? Do you want to be a sweet aroma (Song of Solomon 4:11) to God? When you approach God, how is it that you want to present yourself? How will He see you? Did you know faith is a spiritual gift? (1 Corinthians 12:9)
Jesus says, “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in Me.” (John 14:1, ESV). When Jesus left the earth and ascended to heaven He promised us something. He exclaimed that the reason He left was to prepare a place for us. A home with no more crying, no more pain, no more thirst. At this new home we will have everything we need. We will no longer need to worry about tomorrow.
Sounds like a beautiful promise right? Yet to attain this promise Jesus made it very clear. We must have faith. Jesus explained to Thomas, “I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” (John 14:6, ESV). You may not understand faith right away and faith may seem a bit risky, but it is your faith that will save you (Ephesians 2:8-9). It is your faith that will heal you (Mark 5:34; Acts 3:16). Your faith will secure you (Proverbs 20:28), make you righteous (Romans 3:22), it will strengthen you (Romans 4:20), and most importantly, give peace between you and God (Romans 5:1)!
The most important thing you could ever have faith in is Jesus. “Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Phillip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?” (John 14:9, ESV). Do you recognize who Jesus is? If so, He is asking you today to have faith in Him. Without Him, there is no salvation. You will not inherit the promises of the coming kingdom. I promise.
“And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock.” (Matthew 7:25, ESV)
The foundation is the base starting point to anything you are desiring to build.
This beginning piece will be an essential factor before you go on to the next levels of your project.
How do we make sure the foundation is built the way we need it to be, to withstand every storm?
It must be founded on the Rock. This Rock is Jesus.
Whatever your plan is, without including Jesus 1͎s͎t͎ , all else will ultimately fail.
“Do not just live a godly life…build it.” – The Few
To not have Him in mind first is foolish (Matthew 7:26), because without Him, you cannot do anything!
As Christians, we should learn from our past. I don’t know about you all, but before I had Jesus by my side, my mistakes dug me into a deep hole. One that I wasn’t able to get out of my own, in my own strength. If it wasn’t for my Savior, I would have continued into the depths of chaos and fears. Who knows where I would have ended up!
Thankfully, God met me in my mess. He grabbed my hand and insisted this was no longer a battle I had to fight on my own. Where no one else was to be found in my times of need, He revealed to me that He was. I just had to be willing to finally surrender and lean into His hope.
“And He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.”
Colossians 1:17, ESV
He is the Vine, we are the branches (John 15:5).
To be successful in anything that we do, we must make sure God is first in our lives and we remain in Him.
We have been appointed by God, not to do the things of the kingdom on our own (John 15:16).
If we are not grounded and united with the Father we are more than likely going to fall at some point.
Save yourself the trouble and enter His rest.
Our talents, gifts, and light do not come from our own doing, but from the Maker Himself!
“Those who are planted in the house of the LORD Shall flourish in the courts of our God.” (Psalm 92:13, NKJV)
“Let the heartbeat of your Bible reading be this simple prayer: ‘LORD, move this from my head to my heart.” – John Piper
Today let us examine our relationships. Which ones? All of them.
Your relationship with God should be first in your life. If this is not the case for you, then this is one area in your life you must cater to first and foremost. Next, if you have a spouse, you and them have become one flesh (Genesis 2:24). Thus because of this your relationship should also be of importance to you. It should be second on your list. Your parents, your imitate family (if they are in your life) should also be an aspect within your life that you can lean in toward. After all the command, “Honor your fatherand your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you.” (Exodus 20:12, ESV), still applies (Matthew 10:37, Matthew 15:4, & Matthew 19:19). Then everyone else accordingly. (Friends Proverbs 17:17, Bosses/Coworkers 1 Peter 2:18, Matthew 5:16, Colossians 3:22, the government(s) 1 Peter 2:18…..so on and so forth).
These are just some logistics before I begin, but this is not necessarily all we will cover.
Today, I would like to go over relationships as a whole. Meaning, this is something we should be doing in all of our relationships, no matter which one it is.
This ‘something’ is honesty.
“You have no idea the numbers of people that God may want to influence through you.” – Andy Stanley
Honesty is important in every single relationship. When you are not honest with someone, you are even lying to yourself. In reality, it is also relevant to note that when you are not being honest with yourself or the people around you, you are not walking in accordance to the spirit. Walking in step with the spirit means that our hearts and thoughts are aligned with the Father (Galatians 5:25). Honesty gives us a clear conscience.
“Whoever gives an honest answer kisses the lips.”
Proverbs 24:26, ESV
Being an honest person means you are being your truest self. Those who are free in Christ are free indeed (John 8:36). If you feel you cannot be honest with the people around you, then you really need to reevaluate who it is you are allowing yourself to be affected by. There are so many questions we could ask ourselves to get us back on track, but the key thing is that we must fix our faults as soon as we recognize them. The longer you wait, the harder it will be to get to the solution. Please, allow me to explain.
“For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this world’s darkness, and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” (Ephesians 6:12, BSB)
As we spoke about in reading, “Sometimes“, we learned that the tough times we go through in this life are no exception to the Body of Christ. IF you accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior your life has become new in Him, but that doesn’t mean that everything is picture perfect. Despite now being a child of God, we are still temporally living in the world, but just because we are in the world, doesn’t mean we should respond the way the ones of the world do.
“So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.“
Galatians 5:16-18, NIV
Whether we are being honest or facing honesty, sometimes this can be a hard thing to handle. Sometimes we don’t want to face what is in front of us, but I encourage you today to fight against that. Stop running away from your problems and instead try tackling them and work through them.
By doing this and applying it to your life, you will be walking according to the spirit and will of God.
It might not be easy but that is okay. It may be a fight but it is a fight worth fighting for.
Our spirit is consistently fighting against our flesh, but it is up to us to reason it out (see Isaiah 1:18).
“Learn to do right” (Isaiah 1:17, BSB).
One last thing before you go.
To be honest, is showing you love the one you are being honest with. Is it not?
Thank you for reading. To read more on friendships please click here to read.
If this helped you and blessed you, I pray you will also take the time to be in the Word of God. 1 Peter Chapter 2 maybe! 😊
“To do righteousness and justice is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.” (Proverbs 21:3, ESV)
I feel defeated. What do I do?
“As for you, always be sober, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, carry out your ministry fully.” 2 Timothy 4:5
Reading in 2 Timothy this morning I noticed something. Whether the timing for us is favorable OR unfavorable we should still be proclaiming God’s message.
Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.
Isaiah 40:30-31
Every one, no matter the age, goes through rough waters. We all have seasons of weariness and doubts. Yet what is important during the fight is to keep striving, even if we feel like we can’t. Even if we lose the sense of purpose. We are urged to to endure this suffering. Urge sounds pretty urgent, persistent, important. Doesn’t it?
He doesn’t just urge us, but solemnly urges. This is with deep sincerity. God isn’t just trying to pump you up or motivate you, but instead genuinely strengthen you and show His consistent faithfulness.
Our Father has more faith in us than we do ourselves. Proclaim the message. Keep the faith. People will always do their way, everyone has a choice, yet, You as a child of God have a mission. You have a direct order from the Commander in Chief Jesus Christ. Carry out your ministry…fully!
Finish the race.
“From now on there is reserved for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have longed for his appearing.” (2 Timothy 4:8, NRSV)
The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and save me for his heavenly kingdom. To him be the glory forever and ever. Amen. (2 Timothy 4:18)
“He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.” – Psalms 91:1, NKJV
I felt led to share my thoughts that I had written down from my devotional. I pray it is helpful.
We tend to get so caught up in trying to be Biblically correct, (which can be good), that we miss the ‘mark’ or ‘point’ sometimes. Knowing all the information that we are feeding ourselves, doesn’t necessarily always give us the fulfillment we need.
God’s mystery makes us thirst for more. Which I feel He desires. He wants this relationship between us to be equally sought out and genuine.
When we feel like we aren’t as close to Him, we can look at all that He has created. The miracle of life and the very intricate design of each single creation. Thinking to ourselves, were can I find God’s hand here?
“The Lord has appeared of old to me, saying: “Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love; Therefore with lovingkindness I have drawn you.” – Jeremiah 31:3, NKJV
“I love you.”, He says. He loves us.
I also think we get too caught up in what everyone else says about God or what everyone else says in general. When we should be seeking our own individual intimate time.
The internet can be a good resource, but it can also turn into a bad habit. With all things, balance is needed. When we fill ourselves up with His Word and Presence, effectively, with no distractions, we can have His truths. We can affirm for sure what He directly wants us to know.
“casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.”
1 Peter 5:7, ESV
The above verse goes well with today. He wants to hear everything little thing we have to say. Bottling it all up is no good, for either of us, (God or ourselves), and this is how we get renewed. This is where He can tell us His way versus our own.
“Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me, and know my anxieties;”- Psalms 139:23, NKJV
Embrace God’s mystery and wonder. It’s okay not to completely know. “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” (Matthew 6:34, ESV)
“For we were never made to ponder big questions on our own. We are made to share our thoughts, our questions, our confusions, our frustrations―and ponder them with Him and allow Him to teach and father us into greater understanding.”
From rush via Gather Ministries- “Healing The Hurt”, Renew Your Mindset
Allow God to be God. Allow yourself to be still with Him.
Not just for 10 minutes either. Our relationship with Him matters. It truly does. More than we know.
Did you know that trusting in our Heavenly Father and seeking His Word is healthy not only for our spirits and minds, but for even the bones of our flesh? (see Proverbs 3:8)
Isaiah 55:10-11 shares that God means what He says. When we spend time meditating on what He is saying to us, it is important not to just filter it through and store it as information. His Words bring truth. His Words bring meaning. His Words produce life.
“As one whom his mother comforts, so I will comfort you; you shall be comforted in Jerusalem.” (Isaiah 66:13, ESV)
“Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.” – Simon from Luke 5:4-6 (NIV)
This life can be hard sometimes. We cry out to the Lord and plead to take us out of it. “Is it time?” “Why am I here?” “Nothing seems to be going right.” “People make me tired.” The list continues.
& even though at times, the dark areas of life is all we can see, there are other times where life seemed a little brighter too.
The highs and the lows of life are noexception to the Body of Christ. I emphasize on this because often times when a person becomes a new believer in Jesus Christ, they assume that because God is in their life in a new way that things will be easy peasy. Yet in actuality, because we have this life with Christ we should be more aware of the battlefield around us everyday. Life isn’t just what we see. “For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they are thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers. All things were created by Him and for Him.” (Colossians 1:16, MEV)
We need to understand that once we are ‘agreeing’ if you will, to becoming a child of God we are entering a new life. A new atmosphere. The Born Again life and heart change does not mean it ends here, but it means we are training for God’s will and the coming kingdom. This is huge!
‘— while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.’
(II Corinthians 4:18, NKJV)
“Caterpillars are quite creepy and generally not that attractive, but in time, when they mature and change into butterflies, their beauty is revealed and unveiled.”- Becky Lee Pearson
Remember,
God makes everything beautiful in His time.
‘No temptation has taken you except what is common to man. God is faithful, and He will not permit you to be tempted above what you can endure, but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that you may be able to bear it.’
(1 Corinthians 10:13, MEV)
We are not perfect, and even when this is a fact, we should not allow that to define who we are.
Do not allow your mistakes to hinder your relationship with God. Repent and move forward.
If you are going through something, God must think you can endure it. He also instructs us, “pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17). Sometimes, the enemy will try their best to prevent you from praying. Why?- because they know it can move mountains.
Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the Devil’s schemes, (Ephesians 6:11), because although God has created all, including the earth, (Genesis 1:1), we are in enemy territory.
Yup, you heard me right.
‘whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them.’
(II Corinthians 4:4, NKJV)
(Take a look at: John 12:31, Ephesians 2:2 as well)
The god of this age is Satan, & he wants us to go down with him.
“It doesn’t matter how a person starts, it is how they finish”.
These truths we are touching on today are hidden to those who are perishing. The evil one has blinded them to deception.
But
I have one question for you, why are we limiting ourselves? Really, think on this.
More times than we should, we put an all powerful, all knowing, supernatural, omnipresent God in a box.
Not only do we do this to Him, but we also do this to even ourselves.
Where does your identity lay?
Do not be conformed to thisworld (Romans 12:2).
‘We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed— ‘
(II Corinthians 4:8-9, NKJV)
Do you not see what God has done for us? Jesus has overcome the world.
His Spirit dwells within our very being!
(see: II Corinthians 4:10, I Corinthians 3:16, I Corinthians 6:19, 2 Timothy 1:14)*
Hell may be destined for our enemies, but we are destined to life.
“You have overcome, yes you have overcome And you’ve made me an overcomer too”-Lucy Grimble | Overcomer
“The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord: Make His paths straight’.”- John the Baptist
Repent.
This is the word the Lord has given me. It must be important to Him, therefore it has become important to me.
What does it mean to repent? The term metanoia is a Greek translation which means change in ones ways, or change of heart.
Do we have to repent? The answer is in the Word of God:
but unless you repent you will all likewise perish.
Jesus Christ ; Luke 13:3
“If you see one hurrying on to destruction, use the utmost of your endeavor to stop him in his course.” -A.W. Tozer
It is clear that repentance is a necessity.
Within the book of Luke it describes in further detail of these necessities:
“thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, and that repentance and remission of sinsshould be preached in His name to all nations“ (Luke 24:46-47)
To become a born again believer, to be saved by His stripes, our end is much more simple than the cross that Jesus bore for us.
You may be familiar with the ABC’s:
A– Admit you are a sinner, in need of saving.
B– Believe and trust in Jesus Christ.
C– Call on the name of the Lord.
Romans 10:13 (KJV), For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
All of this is good to do. Although I believe emphasizing on repentance and what it is makes it all more worth wild.
Jesus doesn’t just want you to say what people want you to say or read off pages of any book and be done with it.
He desires you to do more than that. He desires not only your words but He desires truth behind the words you are saying to him.
He wants to be able to change your heart, but He cannot do this unless you truly repent with your ~ H e a r t. You have to mean what you say.
“There must be true and deep conviction of sin. This the preacher must labor to produce, for where this is not felt, the new birth has not taken place.”- Charles Spurgeon
Who can be saved?
ALL who call on the Lord. Even you if you are here reading this and you haven’t confessed that Jesus Christ is Lord, yet.
Even the one’s who crucified Jesus were told, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall recieve the gift of the Holy Spirit.” (Acts 2:38)
& this is a Promise that God will not break.
Truly these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent, because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness.
Acts 17:30-31, NKJV
Read the above passage from Acts carefully. For so long, God has overlooked the ignorance of the people. For so long, people have even claimed that the wicked will just continue on without repercussion. God on the other hand, has a different plan than what was assumed. He will not overlook forever. The world will be judged, and that time is coming.
He has commanded us to repent.
“He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him.” (John 14:21, NKJV)
If you love your Father in heaven, you will return to your first love, and obey His requests.
Pastor Tim Dilena from Times Square Church made a good point from II Chronicles 7:14, it’s not just about coming to God and talking the talk. It’s more than just doing the first part of what it says, but doing what the ENTIRE verse says. The part that many overlook: “turn from their wicked ways“.
You must be willing to surrender. “then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land“. Are we a perfect people? No. God is working through us everyday.
being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it untilthe day of Jesus Christ
BUT that does not give us the excuse to not try.
Jesus is the only one who can blot out your sins. Jesus is the only one who can make you new.
Whom heaven must receive until the times of restoration of all things, which God has spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began.
Acts 3:21, NKJV
God is a God of new. Restoration is His goal. To restore something or someone, One must fix or repair. Although, God cannot do this for you if you do not come to Him and look at the reflection of yourself that you face everyday. His other goal? To reestablish His kingdom and throne.
It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
Why not turn that fear into hope?
Repent today.
Verses to consider on your own time:
Exodus 20:6
Deuteronomy 5:10
James 1:12
Revelation 2:5
Romans 8:28
Grace be with all those who love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity. Amen. (Ephesians 6:24, NKJV)
“A significant amount of risk is involved in trusting God in all things, relationships, choices, and decisions. Risk, after all, is part of the very nature of faith.”
It can be hard to fathom faith and what it entails.
To have faith can be defined as, complete trust or confidence in someone or something. & in our case, this some-One is God.
For some this is easy and for other this is daunting. Jesus did mention, “Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.” (Matthew 7:14, NKJV) Meaning, there are many paths and options we are allowed to take. There are many roads that are available that seem pleasing to the eye, but they may lead to destruction.
“Not every opportunity is a good one. And with even greater certainty I can tell you, not all of them are sent by God. “
Passion & Purpose – Charles F. Stanley
Which is why following Jesus despite what it may look like in the moment is so important. We must think to ourselves, ‘will this glorify the Lord?’, ‘will this lead others to Jesus?’, ‘will this veer me away?’, ‘is this a distraction?’, and foremost ‘did I pray about this situation and wait on a response?‘.
Many hear the saying, “Faith not sight”, and miscue this for it being “blind faith”. Except, this isn’t the case at all. True Christians are not blindly following their Shepherd. In fact, they are provided with all that they need.
‘Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? ‘ (Matthew 6:26, NKJV)
God’s plan for your life (yes you) is to provide you with peace, a future, and a hope (Jeremiah 29:11). Do you think a Father who wishes this for you would just throw you into a pack of wolves with no solution or way out? Absolutely not, that is not who God is.
“Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path.”
Psalms 119:105, NKJV
If you have read my previous posts, you should know that we have two things that God has gifted us: His Word and Prayer. Briefly, His Word is one of the ways He speaks His truth to us. His lessons lie within the text. Everything we need to know is in the very pages of the Bible. Prayer, is a direct landline to the Father. You can call on Him when ever and where ever you need His assistance. Both are tools within this realm to help us and others for the benefit of His kingdom.
There is also something else or I should say some-One else we are gifted by believing. The Spirit of Truth, the Holy Spirit!
“the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.” (John 14:17, NKJV)
1 John 5:6-12 (KJV)
This is he who came by water and blood, Jesus Christ; not with the water only, but with the water and the blood. It is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth. For there are three who testify{Only a few recent manuscripts add “in heaven: the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit; and these three are one. And there are three that testify on earth”}: the Spirit, and the water, and the blood; and the three agree as one. If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater; for this is God’s testimony which he has testified concerning his Son.
He who believes in the Son of God has the testimony in himself. He who doesn’t believe God has made him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has given concerning his Son.
The testimony is this, that God gave to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He who has the Son has the life. He who doesn’t have God’s Son doesn’t have the life.
Once we believed we changed. God intervened on our behalf and did the impossible. Well, what would have been impossible for us, but for God nothing is impossible (Jeremiah 32:27). With His Holy Spirit as our helper, guide, encourager, interceder, and more (forever), we have more than we need.
Yet, it isn’t all about the gifts we have in this life, no. God even went above and beyond that.
As you just read from 1 John, we are citizens of God’s kingdom, with Him, for eternity.
Therefore, we are not blind even though we cannot see. Faith without seeing does not make us foolish for believing. It is actually the opposite. Did you know that non-belief is actually evil in the eyes of God? “Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God” (Hebrews 3:12, NKJV).
Faith in Jesus Christ may be a risk, but it is not a risk that will put us in danger or harm us. He is the way The Way, The Truth, The Life.
‘“Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. And where I go you know, and the way you know.”’ (John 14:1-4, NKJV)
NO ONE can enter the kingdom of God without going through/believing in Jesus Christ.
Are we willing to take on the risk?
I pray that you already have, and if not, today is your day, because unfortunately, all the other paths are going to lead you where you never thought they would.
Choose life.
“For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it.” (Mark 8:35, NIV)
Love Never Fails 