Active Faith

“Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know,” (Jeremiah 33:3 NKJV). This promise recorded in the Old Testament is so often taken lightly in the day and age we live in today. We have a great and mighty Savior, who died for our sins and cares for each one of His children as much as a mother cares for her newborn babe. So many times we pray and do not hear an audible voice answering our prayers and are deceived into believing that God did not hear us. Do not be deceived dear ones. God hears every prayer, those spoken and those of the heart. Faith is not acquired without some action. We are not born with enough faith to last us our lifetimes. To grow our faith, we must do our part. Living in close relationship with the Lord, praying constantly and continually calling upon His name are all ways to grow your faith. Remember, His timing is not necessarily the same as yours. I remember praying for a change in my husband’s job. He was working long, tiresome shifts. Our children were very small and they didn’t see him very much. I was getting as stressed out as he was. We were becoming more and more disconnected as a family and I prayed that God would make a change. Oh, how He has a sense of humour! Not long after I began praying, Rollie lost his job. That was certainly NOT the kind of change I was looking for. Now, being able to look back, I am able to see God’s mighty hand at work in many areas of our lives. Had he stayed in the job he was in, we may not be where we are in our relationships with the Lord. Have faith in the fact that God sees “the big picture” when all we see is the small corner of our situation in the moment we are in. Whatever you may be struggling with or whatever situation you are in, call on Him and He will answer you. Trust Him and have faith in Him, knowing that He loves you completely.

Peaceful Living

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God: and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7 (NKJV) I used to think that to live was to worry. Worry was my constant companion. There was always something to worry about and when there wasn’t, I could quickly find something. Worry was my middle name. However, thanks to the grace and mighty power of the Lord, that is changing in my life. I remember walking in to see our new pastor – after my family had started going to church – with a heavy burdened soul. I was not yet convinced that the God who created the universe could ever really know me. Not only that, but why would He care about me. After talking with the pastor for a little while he looked squarely at me, leaned forward and asked “What are you looking for?” It didn’t take me long to reply. I told him in one simple word. PEACE. Then I shared that I wanted to have a life that was peaceful on the inside. I am not naïve enough to believe that God will make everything perfect in my life but I thought that maybe, just maybe, I could find a peace. The type of peace you carry inside, knowing everything will be okay even though all around may be trials and hard times. As I prayed about this and my prayer partners began to pray for me, I started to feel this place in my soul that felt sunny. It’s the only way I can describe it. Amidst all the turmoil and hardship and through all the tears; somehow God revealed to me in this place deep within that He was there and He was bigger than all that other junk going on. I remember praying one night and asking the Lord to show me what I needed and when I opened my Bible the verse at the beginning of this entry is the one that He showed me. I love this passage of Scripture. What a promise! God is so good. Although there are still struggles and situations that come up, I have this place where I know that everything will be okay. No matter what, God is bigger. His purpose is bigger. His aim is higher and His intention is always for good. Now when I am tempted to worry I try to remember this Scripture. I’m not always perfect or even good at it, but through His grace, His love and His timing, I know that all will work for good and there is much peace to find in that. Trust God to be Lord of your life. Give Him controlling interest and He will guide and direct your life to amazing places. Don't be like I used to be doubting Him, but put your faith in Him. Do not trust your feelings, but trust the fact that He wants more and better for you than you can begin to imagine.

Sufficient Grace

"And He said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness," (2 Corinthians 12:9 NKJV). Is His grace sufficient for you? In my Christian walk, I have found His grace to be all sufficient. I have gone through spiritual battles, family problems, and health issues (my own, family and friends) just like everyone else. Each time a battle surfaces in our lives, we have a choice to make. Either we can decide to take control and deal with the problem ourselves or we can choose to pray and release our cares to God. When I choose to deal with it myself, it usually becomes a great burden, too overwhelming to deal with. The fear can grow out of control turning into a monster. On the other hand, if I consciously choose to take the time to pray and give it over to God's way and timing, then I experience peace. Please don't get me wrong. I didn't say it was easy; but I do experience a peace that surpasses all logic. Knowing that I cannot control the outcome, but realizing that Jesus can, gives me wonderful peace. Admitting my weakness opens the door to allow God to be God, revealing His strength through me. Each one of us has limitations but God's power to take us through difficult (even impossible) circumstances is limitless! Are you able to let go of all the "bad" things you are dealing with right now? Are you able to say to God, "Have thine own way Lord," and truly mean it? Can you admit to your inability to control the events of your life and relax, knowing that God who created everything you see out of nothing cares and is truly in control? Will you step out of the way and give God control of your life and say to Him, "Your grace is sufficient for me," meaning it? Jesus died so we may have abundant life, not just a mediocre one. Lean on Him. Allow Him to "run" your life. Give Him the control and grab on tight. Follow Him wherever He leads. It may not always be easy, but you will never be alone. Trust in the One who loves you completely and have faith that His grace is sufficient and it will be.

The Greatest Promise

John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life,” (NIV). One of the most exciting promises in the Bible is found in this passage of Scripture. God loves us so much that He sent His only Son to live, die and be resurrected for us. If you are a Christian, have you ever really taken the time to meditate on what that means? Do you realize that the scars on the hands, feet and side of Jesus are there so each one of us can find forgiveness and be made wholly acceptable before God? If you are not a Christian but would like to join the family of God, the steps to becoming part of the family are very simple. The first thing one must do is admit that they are a sinner because we all fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). We are all sinners and make mistakes. It does not matter how many good things we do, we are still sinners. With this admission we also need to realize that the penalty for being a sinner is death (Romans 6:23). We neither deserve to live eternally, nor do we deserve forgiveness, yet God has so graciously provided a way. Through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ we can come to Him. The next step is to believe with everything in you that Jesus Christ died for your sins (Romans 5:8). He died for each of us, but it is important that you make it personal. Can you say, Jesus Christ died for my sins, and truly, completely in your heart know it and believe it? If you are struggling with this truth, I recommend you read the gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John). Read them praying that the Holy Spirit will open your eyes so you may see the truth of what Jesus has done for you. Last but not least; you must commit your life into His capable hands (Romans 10:8-10). Confess to the Lord that you need Him to lead and guide your life. Give your life into the hands of God and let Him make the changes He desires in your life. He created you and has a plan for your life. Will you submit to Him and give Him full control? Who is this promise for? YOU. This promise is for all. It is for anyone who will humble themselves and cry out to the Lord Jesus Christ and ask Him to forgive them of their sins and invite Him into their lives. No one is too far gone to be saved. No sin is too great for Jesus Christ to forgive. No, not one. You do not need to add anything else. The blood that Jesus shed was the requirement and payment for our salvation. It excites me to know this and to share it with you. Putting our lives in the nail-scarred hands of Jesus Christ is a powerful thing. Allowing Him to make us into the people He has created us to be, will fill us with a peace and joy that surpasses anything we could ever imagine. It does not mean however, that your life will be all roses and daisies. There will still be trials and hard times but you will never be on your own. With Jesus by your side, you can be assured that He will stay near. He is never more than a prayer away. Will you put your life in His hands and allow Him to become everything to you?