Building Faith

So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.         5 Do your best to improve your faith. You can do this by adding goodness, understanding, 6 self-control, patience, devotion to God, 7 concern for others, and love. 8 If you keep growing in this way, it will show that what you know about our Lord Jesus Christ has made your lives useful and meaningful. 2 Peter 1:5-8 (CEV)   The Apostle Peter encourages us to continuously grow in our faith because he understood so clearly that this growth would strengthen us against the stresses of this world. When we try to follow Peter's advice we can find many encouraging examples in scripture.                How do we add goodness except through a conscious effort to love our brothers.          We know that the inability to forgive hinders all efforts to love.           A beautiful example of the power of forgiveness is seen in Esau's forgiveness              of  his brother, Jacob.          We understand that our Savior expects us to show love beyond the love we have           for our friends and family 46 If you love only those people who love you, will God           reward you for that? Even tax collectors love their friends. Matthew 5:46 (CEV)          An exciting picture of brotherly love is seen in the stranger who stopped to help a          “neighbor” he did not know.  We all know about the "Good Samaritan" and this            group which was viewed with derision is now seen as the prime example of the            way a good man should behave.          Our bible provides for us the “building blocks” we need to improve our faith and           grow in our love of God, but it is up to us to study and use this gift. Every bible           study, Sunday school lesson and sermon provide opportunities to grow in faith.          6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected           knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou           hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children. Hosea 4:6 (KJV)              Self control, patience and devotion to God can be shown in our willingness to           spend time in His word as we prepare ourselves to hear with understanding the            Word as it is presented to us.          15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be           ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. 2 Timothy 2:15 (KJV)         Peter encourages us to live lives that are useful and meaningful, lives that fulfill           the “Great Commission” (8 If you keep growing in this way, it will show that what           you know about our Lord Jesus Christ has made your lives useful and meaningful.        Father God we thank you for wonderful teachers and pray that You strengthen         our resolve to do all that we can to be worthy of Your bountiful gifts. Amen.        May God Forever Be a Blessing in Your Life!!!

Seeking Grace, Not Entitlement

Now, please, forgive the trespass of the servants of the God of your father

Seeking Grace, Not Entitlement

Genesis 32:9-12 New International Version (NIV)

9 Then Jacob prayed, “O God of my father Abraham, God of my father Isaac, Lord, you who said to me, ‘Go back to your country and your relatives, and I will make you prosper,’ 10 I am unworthy of all the kindness and faithfulness you have shown your servant. I had only my staff when I crossed this Jordan, but now I have become two camps. 11 Save me, I pray, from the hand of my brother Esau, for I am afraid he will come and attack me, and also the mothers with their children. 12 But you have said, ‘I will surely make you prosper and will make your descendants like the sand of the sea, which cannot be counted.’”

 

          Esau is often pictured as somewhat of a crude man, the hairy hunter, the man's  

          man.   We are not prepared for the graciousness with which he greets his brother  

         after his brother had stolen that which was most precious to him, the blessing due   

         the older son.

  

         When Jacob prepared to meet his brother he had to acknowledge to himself and to  

         God that he had seriously wronged his brother and that his brother was justified in  

         seeking vengeance. What he did not know was that his brother had prospered in  

         material as well as spiritual ways in his absence and no longer needed vengeance.

        Although Jacob was not entitled to his brother's love and forgiveness, he did     

        receive it through Esau's grace.

 

        Many years later Jacob, now called Israel, had to reach out to his favorite son and  

        beg him to show that same unmerited favor to brothers who had sorely wronged   

        him.  Joseph, like Esau, had grown in material as well as spiritual ways and had a  

        heart that could forgive past wrongs.

 

        Esau and Joseph provide good examples for us in the art of forgiveness. One   

        endured  the theft of a birthright, the other slavery and prison yet each was able to 

        embrace his brother(s) in the warmth of forgiveness.

        Sometimes we feel entitled to our hurt feelings and justified in our wish for    

        retribution, but are we robbing ourselves of moments of God's grace?

 

       We pray...”forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us”...

       The “gift of forgiveness” is a gift to both the giver and the receiver. Let us be eager 

       for this gift.

 

       May God Forever Be a Blessing in Your Life!!!

"WOW Faith" Waiting On Wonders

Waiting on Wonders “WOW” Faith Matthew 7:7 - Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: So, we ask. We pray to God for the desires of our hearts, peace, prosperity, love; and then we wait........ Then we become impatient...and start looking for reasons for what we deem unanswered prayers. Then we decide that perhaps we should “help” God with our prayer. Prayer        _ _ -- __ - - _ _ - - _ _ - - _ _    Answer                        Time for WOW Faith Time for WOW Faith We doubt that God will answer our prayers. We doubt that we are worthy. We doubt. At times when we are in great need of “WOW” Faith it is good to reflect on Abraham and a fulfillment of “impossible” promises.. Abraham had it all, a wife he loved, riches and a peaceful life. Everything he touched was fruitful, everything except his beloved wife. He had everything except someone to carry on his name.  Abraham was not perfect, God does not require perfection because He made us and knows His children are not perfect. But God is perfect. He is perfect in His abilities and in His promises. Genesis 17:17 New King James Version (NKJV) 17 Then Abraham fell on his face and laughed, and said in his heart, “Shall a child be born to a man who is one hundred years old? And shall Sarah, who is ninety years old, bear a child?”   The laws of nature say that this couple are beyond the time when children are possible. Sarah, who understood the laws of nature, took things in her own hands and decided to help God out with keeping His promises. But God does not answer to the laws of nature and our “help” most often turns out to be a mess. Genesis 17:15-16 New King James Version (NKJV) 15 Then God said to Abraham, “As for Sarai your wife, you shall not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall be her name. 16 And I will bless her and also give you a son by her; then I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations; kings of peoples shall be from her.” Getting Isaac had to seem the ultimate answer to a long waited prayer, but there was more time in the valley of “WOW” Faith.           Genesis 22:2 New King James Version (NKJV)  2 Then He said, “Take now your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.” I imagine that was the longest walk for them, a walk which required faith by them both. This was the promised child, the child from whom kings of peoples was to come. What was God planning? Would He bring Isaac back from the dead? Genesis 22:4-5 New King James Version (NKJV) 4 Then on the third day Abraham lifted his eyes and saw the place afar off. 5 And Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey; the lad and I will go yonder and worship, and we will come back to you.” (emphasis mine) This is WOW Faith. This is faith that flies in the face of everything "reasonable" or "natural". God said that from this child all nations would be blessed. God said that from this child Sarah would be a mother of nations. So, whatever the plan was, Abraham was willing to Wait On Wonders and trust that God would work it out. 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: At those times when we are in dire need of “WOW” Faith the lessons of Abraham can be that scripture of inspiration from God. May we be able to accept His inspiration. May God Forever Be a Blessing in Your Life!!!

Deuteronomy 27:11-26--When “Maybe” isn't the answer.

Deuteronomy 27:11-26 (NKJV) Curses Pronounced from Mount Ebal 11 And Moses commanded the people on the same day, saying, 12 “These shall stand on Mount Gerizim to bless the people, when you have crossed over the Jordan: Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Joseph, and Benjamin; 13 and these shall stand on Mount Ebal to curse: Reuben, Gad, Asher, Zebulun, Dan, and Naphtali. 14 “And the Levites shall speak with a loud voice and say to all the men of Israel: 15 ‘Cursed is the one who makes a carved or molded image, an abomination to the Lord, the work of the hands of the craftsman, and sets it up in secret.’ “And all the people shall answer and say, ‘Amen!’ 16 ‘Cursed is the one who treats his father or his mother with contempt.’ “And all the people shall say, ‘Amen!’ 17 ‘Cursed is the one who moves his neighbor’s landmark.’ “And all the people shall say, ‘Amen!’ 18 ‘Cursed is the one who makes the blind to wander off the road.’ “And all the people shall say, ‘Amen!’ 19 ‘Cursed is the one who perverts the justice due the stranger, the fatherless, and widow.’ “And all the people shall say, ‘Amen!’ 20 ‘Cursed is the one who lies with his father’s wife, because he has uncovered his father’s bed.’ “And all the people shall say, ‘Amen!’ 21 ‘Cursed is the one who lies with any kind of animal.’ “And all the people shall say, ‘Amen!’ 22 ‘Cursed is the one who lies with his sister, the daughter of his father or the daughter of his mother.’ “And all the people shall say, ‘Amen!’ 23 ‘Cursed is the one who lies with his mother-in-law.’ “And all the people shall say, ‘Amen!’ 24 ‘Cursed is the one who attacks his neighbor secretly.’ “And all the people shall say, ‘Amen!’ 25 ‘Cursed is the one who takes a bribe to slay an innocent person.’ “And all the people shall say, ‘Amen!’ 26 ‘Cursed is the one who does not confirm all the words of this law by observing them.’ “And all the people shall say, ‘Amen!’     When “Maybe” isn't the answer. Some parents have their children repeat instructions after them to assure that there is no misunderstanding. It is difficult to say “I thought you meant...” when you have confirmed and agreed. Some parents have different levels of agreement, such as “yes”, “no” and “maybe”. Whenever my earthly father wasn't ready to say “yes”, I prayed he would say “maybe” because there was still room to negotiate. When he said “yes” he always kept his promise, but when he said “no”, that was the end of that. He also liked to have me repeat instructions to make sure that we had clarity. He wasn't always easy, but he was always fair. When God gave His people these instructions He had them to affirm both understanding and agreement of each point before they moved on to the next. There was no room to say “I thought you meant...”   Father, God, there are so many wonderful promises in Your Word, but there are also instructions for living. I pray wisdom to heed Your instructions with the same zeal that I hold on to Your promises.   I thank you in all things. May God Forever Be a Blessing in Your Life!!!

Psalm 37:1-4 Praise Him, Just Because...

Praise God for the great things He has done. Praise Him for the smallest things He does every day.
Fill your mind with praise and thanksgiving and find how little time you will have to worry about anything.

There is so much comfort in God's Word. He encourages us to avoid getting distracted with things that matter not at all and to concentrate on what matters most, His love, His plans for us, His grace, His mercy, His salvation.

We can get lost when we waste time wondering how in the world do the wicked have so much.

Think about it. We can only hold one thought in our mind at a time, so, if we are being jealous, even           in the smallest way, of the fortune of the wicked, we might miss a blessing that God would be revealing   just at that moment. What a waste!

Spend time in His Word. The promises abound. Spend time in prayer. The comfort is endless.      Spend time in praise. The rewards are limitless.

Psalm 37:1-4 Contemporary English Version (CEV)

37 Don’t be annoyed by anyone who does wrong,
    and don’t envy them.
2 They will soon disappear like grass without rain.

3 Trust the Lord and live right!
    The land will be yours, and you will be safe.
4 Do what the Lord wants,
    and he will give you  your heart’s desire.

  God always gives his best to those who leave the choice with him.
Be ready and worthy of the life of peace and bounty our precious Lord has for us.



May God Forever Be a Blessing in Your Life!!!

1 Thessalonians 1:4-8  Contemporary English Version (CEV)4 My dear friends, God loves you, and we know he has chosen you to be his people.                                                                                                                                  5 When we told you the good news, it was with the power and assurance that come from the Holy Spirit, and not simply with words. You knew what kind of people we were and how we helped you.                                                                                                              6 So, when you accepted the message, you followed our example and the example of the Lord. You suffered, but the Holy Spirit made you glad.
7 You became an example for all the Lord’s followers in Macedonia and Achaia.                                                                                                                                 8 And because of you, the Lord’s message has spread everywhere in those regions. Now the news of your faith in God is known all over the world, and we don’t have to say a thing about it.

“work of faith, labor of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ” Paul wrote these words of praise and encouragement to the Church at Thessalonica to describe not only their work, but the attitude of faith, love and hope that was the character of their work.

It does not sound as if the Church at Thessalonica was filled with people who begrudgingly or with a sense of duty only did the work of God. It sounds as if this was a church that approached the work of God with joy.

How meaningful it had to be to hear your mentor speak of your work with praise. How joyful it had to be to hear that, because of your efforts, the Word was spreading over the world!

The miracle of the Body of Christ is that He has equipped every one of us with a gift to bring to the table. We can all be a part of the joy of service if we but open our eyes and hearts to opportunities.

Acts 8:29-31 Contemporary English Version (CEV)
29 The Spirit told Philip to catch up with the chariot. 30 Philip ran up close and heard the man reading aloud from the book of Isaiah. Philip asked him, “Do you understand what you are reading?”
31 The official answered, “How can I understand unless someone helps me?” He then invited Philip to come up and sit beside him.

Some of us work best within a group. Some of us serve as missionaries at home and abroad. Some of us, like Phillip, seize any opportunity to tell the Good News where ever a chance presents.

Our job is to seek His will and serve as He guides us.


Paul's writting in 1 Thessalonians 1, gives a glimpse of a church doing the work of God.  
Luke in Acts 8 gives an example of an individual doing this same work. What is interesting is that both the church and the individual took their lead from the Holy Spirit and this is where we must go for support and guidance.

We find faith in His Word: Romans 10:17 (KJV)
17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
We find love in His Word: 1 John 2:5 (KJV)
5 But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him.
We find hope in His Word: Romans 15:13 (KJV)
13 Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.

Then we go about the business of doing His work for this is the Great Commission.

May God Forever Be a Blessing in Your Life!!!

Mark 2:1-5 The Blessing of Faithful Friends

Mark 2:1-5 Contemporary English Version (CEV)


Jesus Heals a Crippled Man

2 Jesus went back to Capernaum, and a few days later people heard that he was at home.

2 Then so many of them came to the house that there wasn’t even standing room left in front of the door.

Jesus was still teaching  3 when four people came up, carrying a crippled man on a mat.

4 But because of the crowd, they could not get him to Jesus. So they made a hole in the roof above him and let the man down in front of everyone.

5 When Jesus saw how much faith they had, he said to the crippled man, “My friend, your sins are forgiven.”



Mark 2:1-5 The Blessing of Faithful Friends

Mark 2:5 When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven you.”

We are taught to pay attention to our circle of friends, and for good reason. Your friends can be a source of encouragement. Your friends can be magnets that attempt to pull you away from the path. Or you may be blessed with friends who believe so strongly that they will remove all obstacles between you and your blessings.

These friends not only believed enough that they carried the paralyzed man through the streets to get to Jesus, they would not be deterred when the crowd was too thick to get their friend close!

“We believe this man has the power to heal and we will make sure you get there” seems to be their stance.

Note that scripture does not focus on the faith of the paralyzed man alone, but on the strength of the faith of him and his friends...”When Jesus saw their faith (emphasis mine).

Dear Heavenly Father, please help me to not only have friends with uncompromising faith, but to be such  a friend. Amen

May God Forever Be a Blessing in Your Life!!!

Luke 6:27-38 A Lesson in True Giving

Luke 6:27-38 A Lesson in True Giving 

 38 Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.”

We almost always skip right to the easiest part of this powerful message. It is probably easier for even the stingiest person to part with his hard earned cash than it is to truly love the “unloveable” and forgive the “unforgiveable” but that is the essence of this message.

27 This is what I say to all who will listen to me:

He didn't say forgive when it's easy. He didn't say love when it's convenient. He left us with a goal to strive for which would be undeniable evidence that we are “a son of the Most High”. And He made it plain that He was talking about loving through some difficult circumstances. 

When we finally reach the ability to “love those who spitefully use you” there will be no need to TELL anyone that we are Christians.

I ask, How can I possibly forgive those who have done me wrong?

I look to the cross. I look to the powerful message of my Lord and Savior who asked forgiveness for those exacting a cruelty beyond my ability to imagine.

Matthew 22:37-40 New King James Version (NKJV) 37 Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’                       38 This is the first and great commandment.                                                                             39 And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’                                   40 On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”

I look in His Word and remember that He left me the Comforter to help me with this and all difficult tasks. I thank Him for the Comforter because I know, without a doubt, that I don't have a chance of fulfilling this commandment without His help.

Heavenly Father, every week we sing “And they will know we are Christians by our love, by our love—And they'll know we are Christians by our love.” Please help me to reach that point where this will be a whole truth for me. Please let Your love shine through in my every contact with others. Amen.

May God Forever Be a Blessing in Your Life!!!

Joy of Forgiveness

Psalm 32:1-11 Contemporary English Version (CEV) (A special psalm by David.) The Joy of Forgiveness

32 Our God, you bless everyone
    whose sins you forgive and wipe away.

2 You bless them by saying,     “You told me your sins,
without trying to hide them, and now I forgive you.”

3 Before I confessed my sins, my bones felt limp,
    and I groaned all day long.

4 Night and day your hand weighed heavily on me,
    and my strength was gone as in the summer heat.

5 So I confessed my sins and told them all to you.
    I said, “I’ll tell the Lord each one of my sins.”
Then you forgave me and took away my guilt.

6 We worship you, Lord, and we should always pray
whenever we find out that we have sinned.
    Then we won’t be swept away by a raging flood.

7 You are my hiding place! You protect me from trouble,
and you put songs in my heart  because you have saved me.

8 You said to me, “I will point out the road that you should follow.
I will be your teacher and watch over you.

9 Don’t be stupid like horses and mules
    that must be led with ropes to make them obey.”

10 All kinds of troubles will strike the wicked,
    but your kindness shields those who trust you, Lord.

11 And so your good people should celebrate and shout.

Imagine David, known as “a man after God's Own Heart”, crying out for forgiveness to a God whom he was certain loved him.

We must know in our own hearts the wonder of the love of God. It is in this knowledge that we have faith in our salvation and we have faith in His unmatchable capacity for love.

We teach our children to pray “Our Father, which art in heaven”. It is important for them to see in us the knowledge that God is truly supreme father of us all. It is important for them to witness our dependence on his grace and mercy.

Like any father, he wants the best for us and the best from us. Like any father he is often disappointed in our behavior. Like any father, he stands ready to forgive us when we come to our senses.

Our teacher and Moderator reminds us that repetition, repetition, repetition helps us to hold on to the promises.

We repeat here Micah's reminder of God's Covenant promise...

Micah 7:18-19 New International Version (NIV)

18 Who is a God like you,
    who pardons sin and forgives the transgression
    of the remnant of his inheritance?
You do not stay angry forever
    but delight to show mercy.
19 You will again have compassion on us;
    you will tread our sins underfoot
    and hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea.

Remember that God “delights to show mercy”. Remember that he left his Word as the road that we should follow.

I choose, like David, t go quickly to God and confess my sins. I am grateful to be a child of a living God who loves me and delights to show mercy. I thank him for being my shield who hides me from the troubles of this world.

I pray that you, too, know the Joy of Forgiveness.

May God Forever Be a Blessing in Your Life!!!