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Sticks & stones

01 May

Sticks & stones

Hebrews 11:6 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.

Hebrews 11 is a great encouragement to me. We do not know who the writer of Hebrews was, many think it was Paul, but they give us a beautiful summary in chapter eleven of the patriarchs of great faith in the Old Testament. It summarizes the lives of those who followed God at all costs, followed him with hearts abandoned to him, hearts seeking the rewards of the life thereafter with Him. 16 But now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly country. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them. They got it; they got the idea that life here is temporary, but the life after this one is eternal. They got that the measurements of one’s eternal life’s rewards, are measured by the temporal life’s examples of faith.

Well, I love you God, but I _______________. Yea, we all have likely said it, thought it, reasoned our way through it.  There has been some circumstance, some instance that we can recall where we denied our faith and stood on our fear or even pride. We told God our excuse or even denied God in the process of it. We will at the judgement day answer for it. Delayed obedience is disobedience; I have felt that in the past year of what God has laid before me about our house. I ran from it in fear twice for over a year; I did not want three strikes when God brought it to me again. I feel that there is a door that lies before me, and only through this great act of faith, is the key to open the door to draw closer to God. 8 By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. All of those patriarchs acted on the eternal promises, not the temporal pleasures; many died in that great faith without ever seeing their promise fulfilled here, but that was never where their eyes and hearts were focused on anyhow.

Hebrews 11: 24 By faith Moses, when he became of age, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, 25 choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, 26 esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt; for he looked to the reward. Moses lived an early life rich in earthly standards; an adopted Egyptian son into a rich earthly kingdom. He had it all, yet his heart was not in the riches of this world. God has really been working on me the last five years in opening my eyes to what I placed value in; the riches of this world. I thank Him for continually readjusting my focus on the stuff that really doesn’t matter. This is just a big ol’ house, made of sticks and stones, with a family heritage. It is of no compare to the mansion that I will have in heaven; John 14:2 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.

 
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Posted by on May 1, 2013 in Daily Devotions

 

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Daily nourishment & directions

07 Mar

Daily nourishment & directions

Ezekiel 3:1 -3   Moreover He said to me, “Son of man, eat what you find; eat this scroll, and go, speak to the house of Israel.” 2 So I opened my mouth, and He caused me to eat that scroll. 3 And He said to me, “Son of man, feed your belly, and fill your stomach with this scroll that I give you.” So I ate, and it was in my mouth like honey in sweetness.

Ezekiel, the great prophet of God was being called by God to deliver the message from Him to Israel; a message that God told him that some would hear, and some would not. He told Ezekiel not to be afraid, for He was with him. As God opened the scroll before him it was printed on both sides. 10 Then He spread it before me; and there was writing on the inside and on the outside, and written on it were lamentations and mourning and woe. God was full of sorrow for how Israel had become a rebellious nation. God commanded Ezekiel to eat the scroll, to feed on the words that God was giving him. These words would become the message that God would speak through him to his people. The words were planted in his heart.

You do not have to stand before the Creator and eat a scroll to feed on the Word of God. We are fortunate enough to have both the history of time before Christ, the life of Christ, and the message of Christ, all at our fingertips. God has given us his holy Word to enable us to pursue all that he has intended for us to have for our time here. The guidebook of how to live a life pleasing to Him for our short journey here. We are but pilgrims on the way to the Promised Land, and the Bible is the map for the journey. Hebrews 11:16 But now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly country. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them. Have you at some point in your life spent so much time with the map that you have it memorized? Are you sure you know the path that leads to heaven?

Every day you awake to the same routines: Eat breakfast and fly out the door to work or the duties of the day. It is ingrained in us to not miss breakfast, for it is the most important meal of the day. It gives us the energy to accomplish the tasks and withstand the trials of the day. More importantly is the nourishment and direction found in daily mornings with God. 2 Timothy 3:16 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work. You will miss daily encounters with God if you do not dwell there. The same scriptures you read will speak directly into situations of the day; you may hear them again from peers or other media; you will see the strength of that scripture in a situation you face when the Spirit reminds you of what you recently read. This is what you have been missing by not feeding on God’s Word every single day.

 
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Posted by on March 7, 2013 in Daily Devotions

 

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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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“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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