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Heartfelt Faith

21 Feb

Heartfelt Faith

Hebrews 11:5-6    By faith Enoch was taken away so that he did not see death, “and was not found, because God had taken him”; for before he was taken he had this testimony, that he pleased God. 6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

This morning in prayer I seemed to go down a road of reflection on my life the past six or seven years. I remembered God stirring my heart, and that led to a desire to start reading my Bible every day. I remember God really convicting me of sin. I remember God really asking me for steps of faith. I remember my life changing so much in so many ways from just answering that tug on my heart to start reading my Bible every day. That is the root of my evangelism, my ministry, my calling from God. To share a life changed with you; to share Salvation through Christ with you; to share the need for time with Him every day with you. All of the troubles and questions you face are found in Christ, and a heart that truly desires to serve Him. You do not have to go to seminary to become a disciple for Christ.

Hebrews 11 is packed with the stories of the people who had great faith in the Bible. The stories many of us know; of those that stepped out into the unknown on the hope they would find God there. Every story, every time, never failing, God was there to provide for them. Enoch had such a heart for God that he did not even taste death’s sting; God took him alive into heaven. Enoch left a powerful testimony of a life dedicated to God. For 365 years he pursued God and the things of God with so much heart that God whisked him away into heaven, leaving Enoch an eternal testimony of a heart for God; for before he was taken he had this testimony, that he pleased God. Enoch could not see that eternal testimony that God had for him. He only had a heart for God and desired to please God for all his life. God had bigger plans for him.

Are you comfortable in your faith? Are you feeling good about your relationship with Christ? If you are not feeling challenged by Christ in acts of faith, you may need to examine your heart for Him. He detests the lukewarm Christian, the comfortable, the content. Revelation 3:15 I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. 16 So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth. We have so watered down the Gospel in today’s church that many who believe they are saved, are not. You cannot say a prayer, sign a card, and live your life for this world for the remainder of it and expect an eternal paradise. The conviction of sin that sets in upon true salvation brings a desire to serve the One who delivered it. That heart is moved into service; that heart is moved into acts of obedience; that heart is a heart that pleases God.

 
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Posted by on February 21, 2013 in Daily Devotions

 

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Fathers Arms

20 Feb

Fathers Arms

Mark 10:13-16      Then they brought little children to Him, that He might touch them; but the disciples rebuked those who brought them. 14 But when Jesus saw it, He was greatly displeased and said to them, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God. 15 Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it.” 16 And He took them up in His arms, put His hands on them, and blessed them.

As I sat down this morning, I wrapped a warm blanket around my shoulders to get warm. It made me think of how great it is to feel as though at times in your life, you just know you are in Christ’s arms. You know you can’t bear the load you are under, you know that the strength you seemingly have is not your own; you know that He is caring for you just as a good father would. The strength and peace that comes with the understanding of the eternal security you possess is not understandable to those outside the faith. To be in the arms of Christ is to know that your heavenly Father will never let you go, never fail you, always protect and provide for you, and never leave you, you are eternally secure.

My study Bible says of this scripture, “Children exhibit sincerity, eagerness, a trusting attitude, and total dependence on their parents. Thus childlikeness is a fitting comparison for the qualities a disciple should have.” In our faith in Christ we must come to the humbleness and dependance such as a child. We must place all our faith and trust in what our Father takes us to, and delivers us through. In teaching my boys I continually tell them I will not tell them to do anything that I know will get them intentionally hurt. They may be uncomfortable in the challenge, but the grow in their trust. When we are uncomfortable where God has us for the day, we must understand that he is growing us in our trust of Him through it.

A disciple for Christ should depend on him totally for their every need. Their relationship should be abiding so close that their is no doubt of where their feet are for today. John 15:7 If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. Abiding is a state of being; so entwined in your faith and God’s Word that you are at one with Him. He is indwelling in your heart, and your are carrying His Word there. When you need it most, He provides it for you, pulling it from the memory you did not know you had. He has provided for you just as a father would a child; for as a child you should be just as dependent upon your Savior for everything.

 
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Posted by on February 20, 2013 in Daily Devotions

 

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The pain of the marathon

10 Feb

The pain of the marathon

Hebrews 12:12 Therefore strengthen the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees, 13 and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be dislocated, but rather be healed.

It is mornings like this I do believe God has a sense of humor. Yesterday I spent the day on a dirt bike racing around in the woods, and even had a pretty bad crash that I am feeling the soreness of today. This morning in prayer I thanked God for the joy and safety of yesterday, and I felt led to go to Hebrews 12. This chapter in the Bible speaks of the race of faith, the discipline & trials of faith, and all that we must endure as a part of it. I laughed as I came to verse 12 above; for God knew exactly how I was feeling today. I even wrote in my Bible “almost funny after dirt bike crash” beside this scripture.

Living the Christian life is not going to be easy. Hebrews 12 points us to all the evidences of that.  The author of Hebrews sets our life of faith as an endurance race; we must possess the strength to make it to the end, not the speed of the short sprint. We must focus our eyes on the goal of the prize that awaits us in eternal paradise; a life with God; a life without sin;  a life without pain; as perfect a life as you can possibly imagine cannot grasp the rewards of heaven. If you begin to grasp the power of the Cross, and what Christ endured there, you will be drawn to the understanding that all you must endure is small. 3 For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls. There is strength that comes in that understanding of the Cross. That humble feeling you get in the pit of your stomach, is a gratitude that gives you strength to endure the temporary for the eternal reward.

Hebrews 12:3-11 speaks directly to how God disciplines those that he loves. Of how our earthly fathers perform the expected same, yet do we believe our heavenly Father will not? Our Father knows us better than anyone for He created us, and He knows where we need disciplining. This too is painful for a time, but in it he desires to make us more like Christ. If you claiming Christ, knowingly living in sin; yet God seems to be letting you slide without discipline; you should be very afraid. 8 If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. (ESV) Claiming Christianity carries no weight; there must be evidence in your life. Your claim may be only your own. Hebrews 12:8 speaks directly in line with Luke 13:27 But He will say, ‘I tell you I do not know you, where you are from. Depart from Me, all you workers of iniquity.’ Put your eyes on the eternal reward; put your heart on the price Christ paid; strengthen yourself in them for the race of faith that lies before us.

 
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Posted by on February 10, 2013 in Daily Devotions

 

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Well, if he can……

21 Jan

Well, if he can……..

Philippians 1:12 -14    But I want you to know, brethren, that the things which happened to me have actually turned out for the furtherance of the gospel, 13 so that it has become evident to the whole palace guard, and to all the rest, that my chains are in Christ; 14 and most of the brethren in the Lord, having become confident by my chains, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.

Paul was in prison for preaching the Good News of Christ. His boldness in sharing his faith had landed him chained to most likely an elite guard in the Roman army. He knew his imprisonment could eventually lead to his death, but he did not slow down sharing the news that Christ is Lord. In a twist of irony the guards were chained to Paul; they could not escape his preaching; Paul knew this and pressed on. He saw God at work in all of this and the opportunity to take the gospel to where it would not have gone if he was not imprisoned. Paul rested on God’s sovereignty; knowing that God was at work in all of this. His boldness during his imprisonment became a huge encouragement to those who faced persecution; and reached those who may have seemed unreachable.

You are not where you are in your life by accident; God has either allowed or designed it. With that understanding should come a peace about it. I could list my own struggles as you, both large, and the daily that become large, but don’t all of them either draw our attention away from, or closer to God? The choice is ours; we either look down in the misery of the problem, or we look up to the glory of the Deliverer from it. I struggle with memory on a large scale that seems to be getting worse; I have coined the statement “ I live in the present tense”. With the genealogy of my family of those diseases, the reality of it is very scary. I choose not to focus on it, but to consistently pursue God in it. Every day I am out here seeking God looking up scriptures again & again that I just can’t memorize. This present tense keeps my heart seeking God for that word that is just on the tip of my tongue. Psalm 63:1 O God, You are my God; Early will I seek You; My soul thirsts for You; My flesh longs for You In a dry and thirsty land Where there is no water.

Satan is the pinnacle of deception, and he plays on the “woe is me” of our souls continually. Satan always draws us to the pit of misery, and the “how could God” of despair. All he desires to do is to draw us away from the One who can take us away from what we are battling. There is no misery in the life of a disciple; only a life with different opportunities to show the love of Christ is all situations. How you handle these situations is a direct reflection of your faith to others. God  most likely is using you to encourage someone else facing the same battle without Him. Paul’s imprisonment encouraged those who might be facing persecution themselves. 14 and most of the brethren in the Lord, having become confident by my chains, are much more bold to speak the word without fear. “Well if Paul can do it through Christ, so can I.”

 
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Posted by on January 21, 2013 in Daily Devotions

 

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A voice in the dark

15 Jan

A voice in the dark

John 20:14-16    Now when she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, and did not know that it was Jesus. 15 Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” She, supposing Him to be the gardener, said to Him, “Sir, if You have carried Him away, tell me where You have laid Him, and I will take Him away.” 16 Jesus said to her, “Mary!” She turned and said to Him, “Rabboni!” (which is to say, Teacher).

Mary Magdalene had visited the Christ’s tomb and found him missing. She had went to Peter and John to tell them, and they raced to go see themselves. They left the tomb and Mary to go to their own home; it is believed that John went to tell Jesus’ mother Mary the good news. Mary Magdalene remained and wept. When she got the courage, she peeked in the tomb only to find two angels there. They encouraged her, and suddenly someone appeared outside the tomb with her; it was Christ, but she did not recognize him. Then when Christ called her by her name she immediately recognized him by his voice that she knew.

How did she know? John 10:3 To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice; and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. There is theology wrapped into this, but simply stated it may have been dark and her focus was on what she was seeing in the tomb. But she instantly knew Christ’s voice calling her by name; she now knew who stood in her midst. She had spent so much time with Christ that it could have been pitch black dark and she would have known him.

There is so much in this world that deadens your senses to the things of God. Satan places every distraction in your path to take your ears away from slowing down to hear that still small voice of God. Satan will let you work hard, play hard, and feel good about yourself for giving God a couple hours on Sunday. He will let you feel good in your religiosity and he will continue to lead you astray. The way to hear God’s voice is to spend time with him every day. To seek him in his word and prayer every day. Doing these things will enable you to recognize the voice of God in the darkness of the world. You will know it is He, that is calling out your name.

 
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Posted by on January 15, 2013 in Daily Devotions

 

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Breakfast of children

14 Jan

Breakfast of children

Psalm 63:1 A Psalm of David when he was in the wilderness of Judah. O God, You are my God; Early will I seek You; My soul thirsts for You; My flesh longs for You In a dry and thirsty land Where there is no water.

I don’t know how it is for other people, but as someone who battles with anxiety and depression, the weight of the world can press in at the start of a new day. It can be a little thing; a thought that turns the key of anxiety, and once it is started it can be hard to shut off. This morning is one of those days……..it even comes in and tries to steal my quiet time with God. Satan is a prowling about trying to create havoc, and anxiety is a great weapon of his (John 10:10). There is only one offensive weapon to battle Satan; the Word of God. When you feel that demon approaching, find your Bible, pray, and begin to read.

Romans 8:15 For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.” There is much theology wrapped up into this scripture, but it speaks of how we may come to God as a child. God gives us the spirit of a child so that we come to Him in our time of need. We seek him in prayer and his Word when we are troubled; in pain; in need of encouragement; in need of answers; in any and every thing in life. He is to be as a father to us. The prayer here is even spoken in the sense of crying out to God.

The weights you carry you do not have to carry alone. You can develop a relationship with God through consecrating daily time with him. The morning sets the tone for the day, the strength to face the day is found in prayer and God’s Word. How can you face the day without the spiritual nourishment found in these things? Without a breakfast you will become weak quickly at the days tasks that lie ahead. The nourishment that you find in your quiet time with Him will give you the mental strength to fight those inner battles the day brings. Matthew 6:33 Seek Ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you.

 
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Posted by on January 14, 2013 in Daily Devotions

 

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Ya’ got that second chance today

03 Jan

Ya’ got that second chance today

Isaiah 38:5 “Go and tell Hezekiah, ‘Thus says the Lord, the God of David your father: “I have heard your prayer, I have seen your tears; surely I will add to your days fifteen years.

Hezekiah was a king of Judah, and Jerusalem was under siege by Assaria, and the stress of it was getting to him. He had become sick, and God had sent the prophet Isaiah to tell him to get his house in order, for he would not recover. Hezekiah poured out his heart to God; God heard his plea and did the unimaginable; God promised to add 15 years to his life. God even told Hezekiah that He would give him proof of this and seemingly moved time backwards; Isaiah 38:8 Behold, I will bring the shadow on the sundial, which has gone down with the sun on the sundial of Ahaz, ten degrees backward.” So the sun returned ten degrees on the dial by which it had gone down. Hezekiah recovered, poured out his heart in prayer, then pride crept in and he failed miserably showing off all his possessions to those who later would steal them.

We all hear of the stories of second chances in life. Miraculous healing’s, near death experiences, times when we know we should have died, yet God gave us added years. “God had something else for me to do; was not done with me yet.” So many testimonies of God’s power in His Sovereign control of life and death. With those experiences should come a gratitude and a mindset of the pursuit of God and the things of God for the rest of your days. Your life should revolve around serving the One who gave you life. There should be a desire to share what God blessed you with for the remainder of every single day. Does it take a near death experience for this revelation? God holds that sovereign decision regarding your life in His hand.

There is so much more to this life; there is the life after. This life is a preparation of things to come, to spend your time preparing for where and how you will spend eternity. Will you take the easy road of earthly pleasure and pay for that decision in eternal pain? Will you see that God has a plan for you with Him in paradise if you will spend your short time here loving and serving Him? All you must do is to believe in His Son, and your need for His Son. Jesus Christ paid the price for your sin, and only through Christ will you spend your eternal days in paradise. John 5:24 “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life. It should not take a near death experience for you to be moved by God. He has granted you the breath of life for today didn’t He?

 
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Posted by on January 3, 2013 in Daily Devotions

 

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How bad to you want it?

02 Jan

How bad to you want it?

Matthew 17:20-21    So Jesus said to them, “Because of your unbelief; for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you. 21 However, this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.”

It is day two of the New Year and most likely the second day of some sort of resolution for you. I  hope that in your goals God is in there somewhere. The last couple of years I typically Fasted during this time of the year. This year Pastor Alan is calling for a 3 Day Fast for the church to do together; to seek guidance and God’s Will for the church, community, and each individual role in it. “God where do you want me to serve you?” The power of a church fasting together and seeking God on the same subject can produce mighty works of God.It is a humble self-sacrifice to honor God and concentrate fully on the time in prayer and His Word seeking Him. Fasting is a way to draw nearer to God; to hear the direction of God; to silence the white noise of the world by whole heartedly seeking Him in prayer and His Word.

We all love Matthew 17:20; for it speaks of the ability of the depth of our faith to move mountains. It speaks of the power of our faith; it speaks of the power of God at work in us; but it also is in a rebuke by Christ to His disciples for their lack of it. They had been unable earlier to cast out a demon due to their lack of faith. They had just come down from the Mount of Transfiguration with Christ and they were on their final journey with Him to Jerusalem. Their faith must had grown in these days, and Christ was showing them the power of it.; “and nothing will be impossible for you.” Christ was using these last days with them to strengthen them for their work to come serving Him. He again was using analogies with the smallest seed, doing the greatest work, with the inner strength, the inner faith in Him.

Matthew Henry has a great description of fasting: Fasting is of use to put an edge upon prayer; it is an evidence and instance of humiliation which is necessary in prayer, and is a means of mortifying some corrupt habits, and of disposing the body to serve the soul in prayer.” Do you really want to get close to God? Do you really want to seek God with all your heart, mind, body and soul? Would you replace that hunger pain you are feeling with prayer and time in His Word? Would you ask God for spiritual food in the place of junk that you put in your body every day? Are you ready to act of what you hear? Matthew 6 speaks of prayer and fasting; Christ gives us the example of how to pray in Matthew 6:9-13 in the Lord’s Prayer. We also receive the instruction of fasting as the private act between us and God. Matthew 6:8 so that you do not appear to men to be fasting, but to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly. How bad do you want to get closer to God?

 
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Posted by on January 2, 2013 in Daily Devotions

 

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Light gathered in Words

23 Dec

Light gathered in Words

2 Peter 1:19-21    And so we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts; 20 knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, 21 for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.

Some days in prayer and Gods Word, I feel this pressing upon me. A weight almost; a feeling I cannot describe. I do not feel as these scriptures above describe, but I do feel the weight of God speaking to me through them. I fully believe everything that I feel in God’s Word is available to you also. This is the power of God’s Word, a living word, that you can experience also when you seek Him in it every day. There are times in the Word that you cannot escape the scripture that lies before you. It stops you in your tracks; may convict you of sin; may shed light on a struggle; may open your eyes through your heart. When you take the time to slow down and read word for word, you gain a knowledge of your Lord. Peter was speaking as an eyewitness of God speaking to Christ in the verses prior; but the written Word is more powerful than the eyewitness account.

Our world is a dark place right now. Our world needs Christ’s lamps to shine light in this dark place right now. The more time you spend in God’s Word, the brighter your light becomes. God’s Word gives you a discernment for the darkness that lies in the world; it gives you the ability to see things for what the truly are; and many times this may be painful. Paul in Romans 12-14 speaks of putting on this Light and living like Christians. 12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. 13 Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy. 14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts. The time is at hand to act like a Christian, to walk the talk.

This time of the holidays bring us closer to family. Time to reconnect once or twice a year. Time to share life and love for each other. Do you share your faith with each other? Do you share everything else but your faith? If this is truly the meaning of Christmas, to share the birth of our Savior with all those we meet; are you the light in the darkness? This time of year is the best time of year to bring up your faith. You have the perfect reason to share it; for it is the season for it. God may place one of your family at your feet for this reason. Matthew 5:15 Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Share the hope and the Light that lives inside you; a light that someone that is very close to you needs in this dark world.

 
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Posted by on December 23, 2012 in Daily Devotions

 

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“Well I have faith, but ____________”(wrong answer)

13 Dec

“Well I have faith, but ____________”(wrong answer)

Hebrews 11:5-6   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. 6 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.

It would not be correct to say Enoch died at 365 years old; God took Enoch away from this earth at 365 straight to heaven; mind, body, and soul. Snatched away, never tasting death, just as those living who believe in Him will be upon Christ’s return. Why did God take Enoch? What made him special? I do not have those answers but the evidence of Enoch’s great faith is in the Bible. He is the second person listed in the Hebrews chapter 11 about the men of great faith. Matthew Henry said of Enoch, “That he walked with God, that is, that he was really, eminently, actively, progressively, and perseveringly religious in his conformity to God, communion with God, and complacency in God.” He continually sought God and the things of God in all that he did in His life; he sought to abide.

Do you say that you believe in God, but yet there is no evidence in your life of that? Some say that they believe in God, yet they believe in evolution, not creation. That is a direct contradiction; and a mark of their lack of faith. Psalm 19:1 The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. Do you believe that God exists in three persons; The Father, The Son, and The Holy Ghost? Matthew 3:16 And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him; 17 and behold, a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.” Our minds capability to understand the Trinity is incomplete, we cannot. But we must have the faith to believe in it.

Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Faith is wired in you by the One who created you. You have that natural bend to believe, or you let sin grow & dull that sense, and become apostate to it. Can you afford to eternally gamble on some faith in stars, luck, religions that have no hope? Can you afford to say you don’t believe in any of them, that when you die game over? If you claim you believe in God, then ACT LIKE IT. Let there be evidence in your life of your faith. Let those who are around you know that you are a Christian by your love. 1 John 3:11 For this is the message that you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. Let them see Christ in you. Let there be no “but” after your faith.

 
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Posted by on December 13, 2012 in Daily Devotions

 

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