Tag: Faith

¹ Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless His holy name. ² Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits. ~ Psalms 103:1-2

Have you ever heard someone try to convince you that serving God is a useless obsession? “Only the weak-minded needs religion,” they try to convince you. But that is a learned response. They have been taught it either by someone, or learned it subconsciously, because the world would love to make you believe that there is no God. Therefore, there are no benefits in serving Him. They have convinced themselves that there is no God and now they desperately want to convince you of that, because, after all, misery loves company.

But the contrary is true. God does exist, and He does not expect you to serve Him for nothing, nor does He want you to. That is why He has made it a point to give you aid in your time of need. Yes, there are benefits to serving God. Benefits such as Salvation for our souls, healing for all our bodies, peace for our minds in times of distress, satisfaction of our desires with good things, justice for all the oppressed, and many more like it.

But somehow the God haters have even convinced God’s own Church that the benefits no longer apply to us, it was only for the first-generation Church. But James 5:15 says, “And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.” All we have to do is to come and believe that and accept it as truth and the promise will be ours. Jesus Himself said in John 14:14, “You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.” You can’t get any more personal than that. But the catch is first, you have to be a child of God, and you must follow His commandment to love everyone. Then you must ask in faith, or you will not receive James 1:6-8.

So, I ask, why would anyone ignore such great salvation? Or to know it and yet give it up? Don’t give up your benefits!

Heavenly Father, please help me to realize the benefits of serving You. Keep my heart true no matter what may befall me. Take my hand and lead me ever, guiding me along life’s bumpy paths. Help me to have the courage to share these benefits with the ones I love and with those I meet. Please give them the desire to know these benefits as well. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen.

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¹⁸ Hear then the parable of the sower: ¹⁹ When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is what was sown along the path. ²⁰ As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy, ²¹ yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while, and when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately he falls away. ²² As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful. ²³ As for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it. He indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty. ~ Matthew 13:18-23

There’s an old TV show called Reba that addressed the idea of someone going from a Christian to an atheist. One of the main characters, Van, told Reba, his mother-in-law, that he no longer believed in God because he prayed to God that he would be able to continue playing football, and God didn’t answer his prayer. A lot of times, that’s the temperature of the Church. We expect God to answer every prayer exactly as we’ve requested as if God is a magical genie that is around to grant our every desire. When in reality God gives us the desires of our heart if they line up with his good plan for our lives.

 See, God knows the beginning and the end. He knows the outcome of every situation and the repercussions of every mistake. He can see things we can’t and understand things we don’t. His ways are higher, and our ways and His thoughts are higher than our thoughts. Unlike a genie, God doesn’t just give us everything we ask for because not everything we ask for is good for us. This New Year put your faith in God’s plan for your life instead of in the plans you have for yourself. Put your trust in the maker of the universe, who is the Beginning and the End. The God that loves you more than words could ever express.

We may not know every step of every plan God has for us, but what we do know is that God is good. He’s a good, good father who loves us and desires good things for us. So, in those times that God closes a door, look for the new door He’s unlocked for you.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Look For The New Door.

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¹ “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. ² In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? ³ And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. ⁴ And you know the way to where I am going.” ⁵ Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” ⁶ Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. ⁷ If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know Him and have seen Him.” ~ John 14:1-7

Thomas is remembered by his one moment of doubt and disbelief. I don’t believe that it was random or even out of character that Thomas doubted the resurrection of Christ. See, Thomas, like the other disciples, didn’t grasp all that Jesus told them. It was to Thomas that Jesus explained that He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. It was due to Thomas’ lack of understanding of how they would know where Jesus was going and how to follow Him there.

Faith isn’t blind. It doesn’t dwell or grow in ignorance. It has to be planted in good soil, nurtured and watered so that it might grow strong and unshakable. See, if Thomas understood what Jesus said, he wouldn’t have doubted when the others saw the resurrected Christ. So many of us struggle with doubt because we lack the understanding. Paul said, how can they believe if they have never heard? If also said, faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of Christ. It’s by our relationship and revelation of Christ and His Word that our faith grows.

James left us with an encouraging statement on understanding. He explained that God doesn’t desire us to remain in ignorance, so if we lack any understanding, we should ask God, and He will give us the wisdom and understanding. This is key to growing your faith. Unless you know and understand what you believe, then you can’t have an unshakeable faith. Instead, you will be double-minded and, therefore, unstable in all of your ways, ready to be blown over at the first sign of trouble or confusion.

So, nurture your faith by reading your Bible, spending time praying, fasting, and worshipping. And when you lack understanding, bring it before God. Don’t allow yourself to become like Thomas and leave a legacy of anything less than God has for you.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Nurture Your Faith.

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¹⁶ Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and said to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. ¹⁷ If this be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king. ¹⁸ But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.” ~ Daniel 3:16-18

I believe that the lack of answered prayers is one of the biggest reasons that people lose faith. When we pray and pray and pray for something, and we don’t receive whatever it was we prayed for, the Devil begins to cast doubt into our minds. The reason we do this is because our faith is conditional. This is due to a lack of true love.

We want unconditional love from God, but we don’t have to hold ourselves to that same standard. Many of us, including myself, fall prey to the deception that God will answer and give us whatever it is we ask for. This isn’t really the case. God gives us good things that will build us up and further His Kingdom, but not every one of our heart’s desires. Many of us put God up against a wall backed in a corner, threatening that we won’t believe if we don’t see the answer to our prayer. This isn’t true faith because this isn’t true love.

Our heart is stained with sin, and within sin, there is doubt because of fear. We have a fear that God won’t actually come through, so we, oftentimes unknowingly, give God an ultimatum: either answer my prayer, or I will no longer believe in You. We may not say it vocally or even think it in our minds, but it’s in our hearts. We know it is because when that prayer isn’t answered, then we stop believing.

Our prayers will never be answered unless we have faith. Unconditional without threat faith. Faith that says:

I know and believe You can, but even if You don’t, I will still be faithful to You. I will still believe. I will still love You.

Dear LORD, please forgive me for all the times that I backed You into a corner with my conditional faith and love. Please teach me to trust in You and not in my own idea of what’s best. Please replace my heart of some with a heart of flesh and renew a right spirit within me. Please write Your Word on my heart that I might not sin against You. Thank You for Your conditional love; please continue to mold me into Your image and likeness. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen.

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⁸ Now while he was serving as priest before God when his division was on duty, ⁹ according to the custom of the priesthood, he was chosen by lot to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense. ¹⁰ And the whole multitude of the people were praying outside at the hour of incense. ¹¹ And there appeared to him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense. ¹² And Zechariah was troubled when he saw him, and fear fell upon him. ¹³ But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John (Luke 1:8–13).

Notice what the angel of the LORD said to Zechariah, “Do not be afraid, for your prayer has been heard.” Apparently, Zechariah was praying for something, and the LORD had heard his prayer and sent His angel to let him know the prayer he had been praying was being answered. But if you think about Zechariah’s reaction to the angel, one could conclude that he had stopped praying for what it was he was praying for. And what was Zechariah praying for? A son.

See what the angel goes on to say, “Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son.” Zachariah did not say, “I wasn’t praying for a son.” He accepted that he was praying for a son, but the problem was God had taken too long to answer his prayer, and now it was too late because he and his wife were too advanced in years to have children.

Although the answer was good, and it was exactly what he was praying for, it came a little too late, at least that was Zechariah’s thoughts, so he did not believe the angel’s words.

And that is how it is with us. We pray so hard for something, but when it falls outside the timeline we set, we lose hope, and unbelief swamps our ship of dreams. But remember, all things are possible for God, who knows no restraints, nor is He bound by any timeline.

Therefore, this Christmas, let unshakeable faith be birthed in you. Let unshakeable faith arise and believe God for the impossible. For the Just shall live by faith and not by sight. We don’t let circumstances nor perceived notions derail our freight train of faith, no, we believe God even when it looks like He hasn’t heard, nor is He answering.

Dear Heavenly Father, increase our faith. Help us to stand firm upon Your Word and believe You will hear, and if You hear, You will answer. Strengthen us in our spirit person so that we will not be easily moved. Thank You, Father, in Jesus’ name I pray, amen.

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⁹ because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. ¹⁰ For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. ¹¹ For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.” ¹² For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. ¹³ For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” ~ Romans 10:9-13

Paul makes it abundantly clear when he made the statement “that if we confess with our mouth, that Jesus is LORD, and believe in our heart we will be saved,” that it’s all about faith. We must believe, first of all, that Jesus came, died, and was raised to life again. In doing so, He paid the ultimate price for sin, and if we come to Him in prayer, believing that He hears us, we will be saved.

So, it’s Jesus’ grace through our faith in Him that saves us and nothing else. But there is absolutely nothing more that you can do to earn salvation; it’s all freely given to each and every one of us who asks and believes. This is what makes Christianity unique. There’s nothing we can do to save ourselves. Christ and only Christ can save us. It’s only by His name that we are saved. This is why we live each and every day thankful for the sacrifice our God gave on the cross for us.

Dear LORD, thank You for Your free gift of salvation. Thank You for Your sacrifice on the cross. I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God, and that You died for my sins and rose on the third day. Please help me to live my life for You all the days of my life. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen.

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¹² In the thirty-ninth year of his reign Asa was afflicted with a disease in his feet. Though his disease was severe, even in his illness he did not seek help from the Lord, but only from the physicians. ¹³ Then in the forty-first year of his reign Asa died and rested with his ancestors. ~ 2 Chronicles 16:12-13

Asa was king of Judah for 41 years. In his last three years as king of Judah, he was afflicted with a disease in his feet and never once saw relief or healing. King Asa sought the help of doctors, but never did he seek the LORD for help. Not even once. King Asa was regarded as a good king by the LORD. He removed the foreign altars and the high places, smashed the sacred stones, and cut down the Asherah poles. He commanded Judah to seek the Lord, the God of their ancestors, and to obey his laws and commands. He removed the high places and incense altars in every town in Judah, and the kingdom was at peace under him. He built up the fortified cities of Judah since the land was at peace. No one was at war with him during those years, for the Lord gave him rest (2 Chronicles 14:1-6).

King Asa did many good things for the LORD, but when it came to faith for a healing from God, King Asa didn’t even ask. Why? It could be because of a lack of faith; it could be because he didn’t think it should be brought to God. Nevertheless, this is the same with us today. We do many good things for God. We preach and teach the good news. We show people the good things of God. God even blesses an entire group of people for our sake, but when it comes to praying for ourselves and seeking God for healing, we don’t. Many of us are doing many good things but missing out on our healing.

Dear LORD, help me to seek Your help in all things. Help me to never put anyone over You, but to always go to You first. Help me to seek You in all things. Help to never miss out on a healing or blessing simply because I never asked. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen.

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³⁵ While He was still speaking, there came from the ruler’s house some who said, “Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the Teacher any further?” ³⁶ But overhearing what they said, Jesus said to the ruler of the synagogue, “Do not fear, only believe.” ³⁷ And He allowed no one to follow Him except Peter and James and John the brother of James. ³⁸ They came to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and Jesus saw a commotion, people weeping and wailing loudly. ³⁹ And when He had entered, He said to them, “Why are you making a commotion and weeping? The child is not dead but sleeping.” ⁴⁰ And they laughed at him. But He put them all outside and took the child’s father and mother and those who were with Him and went in where the child was. ⁴¹ Taking her by the hand He said to her, “Talitha cumi,” which means, “Little girl, I say to you, arise.” ⁴² And immediately the girl got up and began walking (for she was twelve years of age), and they were immediately overcome with amazement. ⁴³ And He strictly charged them that no one should know this, and told them to give her something to eat. ~ Mark 5:35-43

Jairus’ daughter was on her deathbed when he ran to Jesus. On the way, Jesus even healed a woman on the way, but for this man, Jesus seemed to be running late. Jesus didn’t get there before his daughter died, so everybody told him to leave Jesus alone. Jesus, however, told him not to lose hope but only believe. This is like us today.

Today, many of our hopes, dreams, requests, promises, etc. seem to have died. People are telling us to let go, give up, move on, and stop bothering God about it. But sometimes, God wants us to push our faith to the limit. Sometimes a ‘no’ isn’t always a ‘no.’ Sometimes a ‘no’ is a ‘not right now.’ Sometimes we have to pray for resurrection. Resurrection of that dream and/or promise that died. That child that is living in sin and refuses to hear about God. That request that you’ve asked for time and time again but have yet to receive it. Don’t stop asking. Don’t give up. Seek God. Seek the resurrection of that dream/promise. It’s up to us to keep following Jesus and asking Him regardless of how it looks or what others say.

Dear LORD, please help me to keep going even when all seems lost. Help me to keep believing even when it seems like it’s too late. Please give me the faith to follow You regardless of how long it takes. Help me not to grow weary of doing good but to run this race set before me with strength and endurance. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen.

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¹¹ For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. ~ Jeremiah 29:11

Even when God is disciplining us, His thoughts are toward providing us with hope and a future. All of God’s thoughts are pleasing and pleasant toward us because God loves us. Never make the mistake of even considering that God is against you or that He does not have your best interest at heart. Just like an earthly father will discipline his child, so God will discipline us so that we can learn and not stay in ignorance (Proverbs 3 & Hebrews 12).

God has great plans for us, but we must be disciplined and not run wild and out of control. We can’t be craving and gullible. We can’t be chasing after fame and fortune and getting caught up in the things of this world. You must care about the things that God cares about. You must value what God values. Why? Because these are eternal, but the things of this world are temporary. The temporary things lead us to death because they lead us far away from God.

Trust the plans of the LORD. He may not always tell us the purpose of each and every season He has us go through, but we can have faith that it is always for our good and never to hurt or harm us. This is the promise we have from our Heavenly Father, who loves us more than we could ever know.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Fully Trust God.

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